Skyline Drifter Posted September 7, 2020 Share Posted September 7, 2020 34 minutes ago, pandarilla said: If it had hit her leg at that speed, then she almost certainly wouldn't have gone down (i think the shock of being hit on the throat is always going to take the wind out you). Would be still have been dq'd? That's where i think the rule is maybe a bit harsh, and requires discretion. How hurt does the person have to be? What if a player lobs it back but a ball person isn't looking and it hits their face when they turn round? Has anyone been dq'd for hitting the ball softer than he did? (these are genuine questions, as i just felt he didn't really 'lash' the ball in frustration - but as the rule stands he clearly has to be dq'd) I'm not seeing any need for much discretion here. If you deliberately hit the ball whilst not in live play and it strikes an official or ballboy/girl then it's a dq. End of story. They don't need to be hurt at all. We don't base sendings off in football on the severity of the injury (or at least we're not supposed to) and we don't decide whether to disqualify tennis players based on whether the innocent on the end of their tantrum was hurt or not. If they are hit then they are hit. Tennis players can't just go around hitting dead balls randomly about in the hope they don't hit anyone and then claim they didn't do it deliberately when they do. I can't find any examples on YouTube but I'm pretty sure people will have been dq'd for hitting the ball softer than that. I'm not having a go at you per se but I find it pretty sad that there is even a debate about the severity of the action or how hard it was hit. There's absolutely no need nor excuse for any tennis player to hit any ball outwith a rally. If he knocks the ball away in frustration then he's responsible for the consequences. All tennis players know you can't hit a line judge and what the outcome will be if you do and Novak Djokovic has nobody to blame for his exit from the US Open but Novak Djokovic. He knows this and his statement eventually acknowledged it. It would have been better if he'd done so straight away, ideally before he left court and not stood debating it but clearly once he calmed down and talked with advisers he's accepted there is absolutely no argument for anything else. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Connolly Posted September 7, 2020 Share Posted September 7, 2020 Would be quite good if Shapovalov went on to win it now, given his own history of defaulting 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cameron2000 Posted September 7, 2020 Share Posted September 7, 2020 Over the past couple of years I’ve really become an Alex De Minaur fan. He gets labelled as a talentless road runner by some but this is far from true! He faces the winner of Thiem v Auger-Alliasime and given the conditions here he should be able to put up a fight. To have shout of winning the match he probably needs them to play a long, tiring classic today. Failing Alex I would like to see Medvedev win the tournament - both players I can get behind after Murray has retired. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loki Posted September 7, 2020 Share Posted September 7, 2020 Having a functional serve to put the pressure on Felix drawing dividends for Thiem. Two sets up and a break up in the third. Thiem can hit through anyone, his backhand must be as strong as Wawrinkas now. Felix still hitting everything as hard as he did against Murray but Thiem showing he has played a lot of tennis over the past months. Little errors and moving superbly. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aDONisSheep Posted September 7, 2020 Share Posted September 7, 2020 An absolute master-class in 'if you're opponent is down, stamp on their neck' there from Thiem. FelixAA just came up against a man, who (as Loki said) can hit through anyone when he's timing the ball well. Surprised FAA didn't try to bring him in a little bit more and even put in some off-pace serves. So says me, the 4th or 5th best player at my club... In the over 50's category! (I'm definitely top ten)! Yours aDONis 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lichtie23 Posted September 8, 2020 Share Posted September 8, 2020 The French Open will be allowing 11,500 spectators in a day. A few players not overly happy with that including Serena 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheScarf Posted September 8, 2020 Share Posted September 8, 2020 Medvedev absolutely bodied Tiafoe overnight. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peasy23 Posted September 8, 2020 Share Posted September 8, 2020 Zverev comes back from a set down to beat Coric 3-1. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aDONisSheep Posted September 9, 2020 Share Posted September 9, 2020 Disappointed that Shapovalov (sp) is out. He's one of the most entertaining players to watch. Unlike Zverev, who's most interesting trait, is how high his toss is on his serve. OK that's a bit unfair, but he's become overly reliant on the big serve, everything else is just 'meh'! Still, tonight we get to see the eventual winner in action... I'm just not sure if it's Thiem or Medvedev! Personally, I hope it's Thiem. Yours aDONis 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donathan Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 Carreno Busta v Zverev and Thiem v Mevdevev for the semis... have to back whoever wins the latter to grab the title 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loki Posted September 10, 2020 Share Posted September 10, 2020 This is tremendous: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loki Posted September 11, 2020 Share Posted September 11, 2020 This Serena Vika match is spell binding. Serena started the match on fire destroying Vika but Vika wasn't even playing badly. Vika destroyed Serena in the second set, 12 winners 1 unforced errors Serena winning 0% of her second serves. Serena with a medical time out in the third after Vika held serve for 1-0. Vika jumping about on court like an energiser bunny. Great entertainment thus far. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brummie Clyde Posted September 11, 2020 Share Posted September 11, 2020 Shocked as I didn't think Azarenka would ever beat Serena 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aDONisSheep Posted September 11, 2020 Share Posted September 11, 2020 Neither did I. I don't think Serena is doing herself justice. She's the greatest women's tennis player of all time, without a doubt! However, and I'm going to say it, she's carrying too much weight at the moment. This is her at US Open 2020 This is her at French Open 2010 (in her absolute pomp) She's 10 years older and it looks like she's much heavier set, which makes endurance a harder task especially over two week tournaments. She's always had immense power, I can't believe that the extra muscle is making a significant difference to that, but I can believe that it makes a difference in her ability to chase down balls, time after time after time. I would love to see here lift a 24th major (and a 25th and 26th etc), she and her sister are the reason I started watching women's tennis again! 'Nuff said! Yours aDONis 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loki Posted September 11, 2020 Share Posted September 11, 2020 I don't think is the greatest women's player of all time. She has the greatest serve and has the most power the women's game has ever seen, but in this modern era where it seems the only thing that counts is the slams, Serena has 23 in the Open Era. In the Open Era I think there are three other contenders to the throne first we have the greatest tennis rivalry ever in Evert and Navrtilova. Their unique greatness stopped each other from gaining more slams. Both tied on 18 Slams, but without each other they would have got more than 23 Slams. Steffi Graf did the Golden Slam, the greatest achievement in modern day tennis. She finished on 22 slams. However she got 22 from 54 entries. Serena has 23 from 72 entries. The other three rivals in the Open Era Goat did not enter the Australian Open every year, they quite often elected to skip. In Navratilova and Evert's case at that time it was played on Grass and both would have been in prime positions to overtake their slam total. For me she is a tier one great and she has transcended the sport, allowing for greater diversity across the sport. But I wouldn't have her as the best ever. Anyone that moves as poorly as her, can't be the greatest. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Lambies Doos Posted September 11, 2020 Share Posted September 11, 2020 Shocked as I didn't think Azarenka would ever beat Serena . 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GordonS Posted September 12, 2020 Share Posted September 12, 2020 At least Osaka won't be booed by the New York crowd this time. I've been a fan of Azarenka's for a long time and I thought she had this, but Osaka's got more weapons and worked out how to play the game on her terms. The women's singles have been really good this year, and that Azarenka v Williams semi final was the best match I've seen this year. Got to be happy for Osaka, she's one of the good guys. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loki Posted September 13, 2020 Share Posted September 13, 2020 The womens' semis and final was of the highest quality. Tremendous tennis, the final just about mirrored the Azarenka semi. An obscene level from a player forcing the other player to reach that level and go beyond it. Osaka with her third slam and she bow looks the complete player, calm and can think her way through a match. Which is quite the difference from her performance against Gauff in Australia. I am hoping the mens final can match that, Zverev has nothing to lose as Thiem will have all the pressure. I think he'll handle it, Thiem to win in no more than four. I want Zverev to win though 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Connolly Posted September 13, 2020 Share Posted September 13, 2020 9 hours ago, GordonS said: At least Osaka won't be booed by the New York crowd this time. I've been a fan of Azarenka's for a long time and I thought she had this, but Osaka's got more weapons and worked out how to play the game on her terms. The women's singles have been really good this year, and that Azarenka v Williams semi final was the best match I've seen this year. Got to be happy for Osaka, she's one of the good guys. I'm still amazed by how quickly they managed to turn that narrative around from Williams being a dick and her coach cheating to "Tennis is sexist" 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Lambies Doos Posted September 13, 2020 Share Posted September 13, 2020 Thiem is brutal tonight, this could slip away from him very quickly if he's not careful 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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