Topic: The Tennis Thread - Sponsored By Melt-downium

[Gerry Attrick]

They usually choose rubbish matches to watch.

They just choose the biggest names, regardless of how boring the match is likely to be. To be fair there hasn't been many interesting matches so far today but the Brengle-Goerges match went to 13-11 in the final set, they could've showed a bit of that.

[Red-Soldier]

They just choose the biggest names, regardless of how boring the match is likely to be. To be fair there hasn't been many interesting matches so far today but the Brengle-Goerges match went to 13-11 in the final set, they could've showed a bit of that.

Agreed.

I guess they have to pander to their audience, the majority of which probably think tennis is only played a couple of months in the year 

They could show the Pouille Benneteau match, an all French encounter would make for a better atmosphere than Evans Robredo.

[CallumLFC]

Inverdale does my head in. Worst presenter out there.

[Red-Soldier]

Why are they showing Bedene v Harrison???

[CallumLFC]

Why are they showing Bedene v Harrison???

Bedene is British.

[ggcc14]

What Medvedev is doing last 2 sets is one of the worst blatant tankings i've seen, he should be banned.

he retired injured?

[Red-Soldier]

Bedene is British.

 

[ggcc14]

Vekic 5-2 up, set points on serve. Zhang takes the first set 7-5.

[CallumLFC]

 

Hi Dan.

[ggcc14]

de Greef takes the 2nd set vs Gasquet. 1-1 now

the french notoriously struggle at Garros don't they. Mahut, Mannarino, Hayls, Robert, Benneteau, Mathieu, Gilles Simon all exiting in the first round.

[Gerry Attrick]

Zverev-Verdasco could be a great match.

[Red-Soldier]

Zverev-Verdasco could be a great match.

One of the standout first round ties for sure.

A very tough first round match for Zverev!

Mladenovic v Brady was a cracker.

[Gerry Attrick]

Verdasco is a break up in the second now as well. Zverev got a really tough draw here, Verdasco is not somebody you want to face in the first round. He kicked the shit out of Nadal in Melbourne last year.

[Red-Soldier]

Hi Dan.

This is how "British" Bedene is, and how passionate he is about "his" country:     


British number three Aljaz Bedene is considering switching his allegiance back to Slovenia in order to compete at the Olympics.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/40083299

Bedene, 27, became a British citizen in 2015 but has been unable to overturn a ban preventing him from representing Great Britain in the Davis Cup.

To go to the Olympics, a player must have been available for the Davis Cup.

"That's a dream for every athlete," said Bedene after beating Ryan Harrison to reach the French Open second round.

Bedene represented Slovenia in three Davis Cup ties before becoming a British citizen - and rules were introduced shortly after his switch barring players from representing more than one nation.

"I'll have to see what can be done," he added. "At the moment I'm representing Great Britain, but I do want to play Olympic Games."

Bedene moved to Britain in 2008 but Dan Evans said earlier this month he still considered himself to be the British number three despite being overtaken by Bedene in the rankings.

"At the moment, for the clay season, I spent quite a lot of time in Slovenia," Bedene said on Monday.

"My fiancee said she wants to move back. She wants to have her career there.

"I'm travelling a lot, so it's not easy - but I do want to spend as much time as I can with her.

"I've still got a house in England. My home is still there. I have always been known as Slovenia-born - but I love Britain.

[Red-Soldier]

Verdasco is a break up in the second now as well. Zverev got a really tough draw here, Verdasco is not somebody you want to face in the first round. He kicked the shit out of Nadal in Melbourne last year.

Verdasco has always been a streaky player. 

Looks like Zverev has setled a bit now.

[mc_red22]

Konta has been doing her best to throw this 2nd set away all the way through. Her overhead shots are shocking.

[Gerry Attrick]

Su-Wei Hsieh's lost to Sherazad Reix (world no 257) and Georgia Brescia (world no 306) on clay this year. She won just 1 game in Istanbul against Errani who has one of the worst serves on the WTA Tour. This is embarrassing from Konta.

[Hazell]

To be fair, Hsieh has come out with some terrific shots but yeah Konta seems be getting worse and worse as the match progresses.

Is that right Konta's never won a match at the French Open? That can't be right can it?

[Red-Soldier]

Konta has been doing her best to throw this 2nd set away all the way through. Her overhead shots are shocking.

Hsieh is a very good doubles player, was always going to be a tough match for Konta, depite what some people on here have said.

[Gerry Attrick]

To be fair, Hsieh has come out with some terrific shots but yeah Konta seems be getting worse and worse as the match progresses.

Is that right Konta's never won a match at the French Open? That can't be right can it?

It is right, Konta is useless on clay.

[Gerry Attrick]

Hsieh is a very good doubles player, was always going to be a tough match for Konta, depite what some people on here have said.

Being a good doubles player doesn't equate to being a good singles player though. This was as easy a match as Konta could've wished for.

[Hazell]

It is right, Konta is useless on clay.

Maybe her performance today shouldn't be that much of a surprise then

[Gerry Attrick]

Maybe her performance today shouldn't be that much of a surprise then

Still, I expected her to win this match with something to spare. Hsieh's hardly renowned as a magnificent clay court player, she's only ever reached the second round here and she's not been in good form.

[Red-Soldier]

Being a good doubles player doesn't equate to being a good singles player though. This was as easy a match as Konta could've wished for.

I didn't say it does, however, it does usually mean that you poses a good variety of shot, can volley, and can move around the court well, which have all been evident during this match.

And that she's played on big courts too.

I disagree that it was the easiest draw she could've wished for.

[Gerry Attrick]

Terrible defeat, one of her worst for a long time.

[mc_red22]

Absolutely woeful stuff from Konta.

[Red-Soldier]

Being a good doubles player doesn't equate to being a good singles player though. This was as easy a match as Konta could've wished for.

I disagree.

From Wiki::

Hsieh Su-wei (born January 4, 1986) is a professional female tennis player from Taiwan. As of 25 February 2013 she was ranked no. 23 in the WTA Tour singles rankings and is the highest-ranked Taiwanese women's singles player ever.[2] Currently she is the top-ranked WTA player from Taiwan in both singles and doubles.

By winning the 2013 Wimbledon and 2014 French Open doubles championships (with her mainland partner Peng Shuai), she became the first player from Taiwan to win a Grand Slam title of any kind. Furthermore, with the semifinal run at the 2014 Mutua Madrid Open, she also became the first individual from Taiwan to achieve the No. 1 ranking in tennis, whether in singles or doubles, male or female.

[Gerry Attrick]

She's ranked 109 in the World and has lost to 2 players outside the top 200 on clay this year. She's won 1 main draw match at Roland Garros in her entire career. If Konta can't beat Su-Wei Hsieh on clay there's no point in even bothering to play these events anymore, may as well just swerve them entirely and prepare for the grass court season.

[ggcc14]

Konta can lose to anyone on clay but this was a piss easy draw

Set and a break up too, 2-0 up  in tb to 6-2 down 

[Gerry Attrick]

I was speaking generally, saying somebody is a good doubles player means very little on it's own when assessing them in singles. Look at Jamie Murray for example.

[Red-Soldier]

I was speaking generally, saying somebody is a good doubles player means very little on it's own when assessing them in singles. Look at Jamie Murray for example.

Yes, J Murray is a top doubles player, but has never shown any form in singles.

In contrast, Hsieh has been as high as 23 in the world and won two titles.  She's had more success on clay, all be it in doubles, than Konta has.  She's won the French Open for christ's sake!  She's won a match in the singles too, which is more than what Konta has done.

Konta is awful on clay and I wouldn't put money on her to win pretty much ANY match on that surface.

I made a good living betting on tennis for about 3 years, I watched, studied, read everything I could.

There's no way I would've put my money on Konta to win this match, infact, I'd have probably opposed her.

[ggcc14]

Doesn't take any degree of studying to know that Konta wasn't worth touching at 1.04

Fact is recently Konta beat Putintseva 6-3, 6-0 on clay, Naomi Osaka on clay and took a set off Venus Williams on it

She is dreadful on clay but she still should have been winning this match, but obviously you don't back her at those odds. couple of people on a tennis betting chatroom I use got on Su-Wei at 20/1 midway through the 2nd set.

[ggcc14]

Early break for Kokkinakis vs Nishikori 

[CallumLFC]

Zverev-Verdasco is some battle. This could go all the way to 5 sets.

[Gerry Attrick]

Zverev needs to try and move up closer to the baseline. Verdasco's bossing too many points.

[Gerry Attrick]

Verdasco takes the 3rd set.

[CallumLFC]

Brilliant stuff from Verdasco. Always seems to produce against the best in the Slams.

Zverev playing a level below his form though. Not hitting the ball as good as he been the last month or so.

[ggcc14]

As much stick as Kyrgios gets for not hanging around in matches I feel unfortunately Sasha Zverev maybe lacking the minerals to sneak over the line in those tight encounters also.  Shame because i'd say my top 5 players to watch are Rafa, Andy, Zverev, Kyrgios and Coric. Dustin Brown and Monfils when i'm after something abit different. 

This is what I am talking about, I don't see him turning it around and winning here. Hope he proves me wrong though, far more fun to have Zverev in it than Verdasco

[Red-Soldier]

Doesn't take any degree of studying to know that Konta wasn't worth touching at 1.04

Fact is recently Konta beat Putintseva 6-3, 6-0 on clay, Naomi Osaka on clay and took a set off Venus Williams on it

She is dreadful on clay but she still should have been winning this match, but obviously you don't back her at those odds. couple of people on a tennis betting chatroom I use got on Su-Wei at 20/1 midway through the 2nd set.

You're looking at it the wrong way.

She was worth opposing at those odds, that's where the easy money is to be made in tennis betting, without leaving yourself exposed to big losses.

I would've layed her for at least 50-100 quid at 1.04s.


If you don't think it takes much studying, you should try basing your who living on gambling 

[Gerry Attrick]

If Zverev doesn't start taking the ball earlier he's going to find it very hard to win this match.