The Swamp

Gerard Pique comes in to make Davis Cup Tennis great again! I am a fan of this idea in a big way. Better chance of getting top players to play a team format with something on the line. Also better way to get the casual sports fans attention by shortening it to a week instead of a whole year worth of matches that nobody remembers when it ends and the next one starts (did you even know US plays Belgium in April in Nashville?).
https://www.daviscup.com/en/news/281841.aspx

I'm not a big fan because I really like home ties. Canada has played many times in Calgary and the atmosphere is awesome. With this format it'll never be back in Calgary (or Canada) again. It'll always be in Europe or US.

This would be like if the Hex was bought to one neutral place to be played over a month.

degenerasian wrote: ↑Mon Mar 05, 2018 11:15 am I'm not a big fan because I really like home ties. Canada has played many times in Calgary and the atmosphere is awesome. With this format it'll never be back in Calgary (or Canada) again. It'll always be in Europe or US.

This would be like if the Hex was bought to one neutral place to be played over a month.

No it would be like bringing the world cup to one country. The non-World groups are not changing

wlu_lax6 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 05, 2018 11:19 am

degenerasian wrote: ↑Mon Mar 05, 2018 11:15 am I'm not a big fan because I really like home ties. Canada has played many times in Calgary and the atmosphere is awesome. With this format it'll never be back in Calgary (or Canada) again. It'll always be in Europe or US.

This would be like if the Hex was bought to one neutral place to be played over a month.

No it would be like bringing the world cup to one country. The non-World groups are not changing

A country can stay in the World Cup forever different from having to re-qualify for the World Cup every time.

degenerasian wrote: ↑Mon Mar 05, 2018 11:27 am

wlu_lax6 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 05, 2018 11:19 am

degenerasian wrote: ↑Mon Mar 05, 2018 11:15 am I'm not a big fan because I really like home ties. Canada has played many times in Calgary and the atmosphere is awesome. With this format it'll never be back in Calgary (or Canada) again. It'll always be in Europe or US.

This would be like if the Hex was bought to one neutral place to be played over a month.

No it would be like bringing the world cup to one country. The non-World groups are not changing

A country can stay in the World Cup forever different from having to re-qualify for the World Cup every time.

Yeah in that way it is more like the hockey world championships with the world group and lower levels with promotion and relegation...but still a big single event instead of a year long "are we in the first round or the finals right now".

No pressure Rafa

The Arkansas women's tennis team played six matches in one day against the same opponent. Why, you ask? To get their record to .500 so they could potentially make the NCAA tournament. One poor woman on the Tennessee State team played 18 sets in one day!

https://deadspin.com/arkansas-womens-te ... 1825475452

Shirley wrote: ↑Tue Apr 24, 2018 11:52 am The Arkansas women's tennis team played six matches in one day against the same opponent. Why, you ask? To get their record to .500 so they could potentially make the NCAA tournament. One poor woman on the Tennessee State team played 18 sets in one day!

https://deadspin.com/arkansas-womens-te ... 1825475452

I saw that, and the Tennessee State coach should be fucking fired.

A_B wrote: ↑Tue Apr 24, 2018 12:01 pm

Shirley wrote: ↑Tue Apr 24, 2018 11:52 am The Arkansas women's tennis team played six matches in one day against the same opponent. Why, you ask? To get their record to .500 so they could potentially make the NCAA tournament. One poor woman on the Tennessee State team played 18 sets in one day!

https://deadspin.com/arkansas-womens-te ... 1825475452

I saw that, and the Tennessee State coach should be fucking fired.

My cousin works for the intercollegiate tennis association..going to have to get her take on this one.

A_B wrote: ↑Tue Apr 24, 2018 12:01 pm

Shirley wrote: ↑Tue Apr 24, 2018 11:52 am The Arkansas women's tennis team played six matches in one day against the same opponent. Why, you ask? To get their record to .500 so they could potentially make the NCAA tournament. One poor woman on the Tennessee State team played 18 sets in one day!

https://deadspin.com/arkansas-womens-te ... 1825475452

I saw that, and the Tennessee State coach should be fucking fired.

I assume the TSU AD had to sign off on that and should be fired as well.

brian wrote: ↑Tue Apr 24, 2018 12:28 pm

A_B wrote: ↑Tue Apr 24, 2018 12:01 pm

Shirley wrote: ↑Tue Apr 24, 2018 11:52 am The Arkansas women's tennis team played six matches in one day against the same opponent. Why, you ask? To get their record to .500 so they could potentially make the NCAA tournament. One poor woman on the Tennessee State team played 18 sets in one day!

https://deadspin.com/arkansas-womens-te ... 1825475452

I saw that, and the Tennessee State coach should be fucking fired.

I assume the TSU AD had to sign off on that and should be fired as well.

Good point...wonder how much they got the school paid.

(better with sound)

I'll bet I watched that clip 25 straight times last night.

That was awesome. The poor kid. I can just imagine being him.

Roger Federer is 266-2 all-time when winning the first 2 sets of a major. He's staring at loss 3 right now unless he can break serve

Never thought I’d say this but John Isner could absolutely win this tournament if he keeps hitting his returns and backhands as aggressively as he is right now. Even Djokovic, who’s almost certainly the best returner ever, would have a hard time getting Isner’s serve back on this surface.

Another great one going right now. Anderson and Isner locked in a 3rd set tiebreak at 1-1

I don't know how this match ends. Djoker-Nadal might be playing tomorrow.

degenerasian wrote: ↑Fri Jul 13, 2018 10:09 am I don't know how this match ends. Djoker-Nadal might be playing tomorrow.

Yeah, two guys 6’8” or taller, who routinely serve 130+ mph, and no 5th set tiebreaker means this could be a marathon.

By the way, I think Djokovic is going to work Nadal. Novak has been getting very pissed off at fans and officials this tournament and I swear that he plays his best when he feels like the villain. The insane run he had from 2015-16 took a lot out of him physically and mentally but he looks to be back now.

Joe K wrote: ↑Fri Jul 13, 2018 10:27 am

degenerasian wrote: ↑Fri Jul 13, 2018 10:09 am I don't know how this match ends. Djoker-Nadal might be playing tomorrow.

Yeah, two guys 6’8” or taller, who routinely serve 130+ mph, and no 5th set tiebreaker means this could be a marathon.

By the way, I think Djokovic is going to work Nadal. Novak has been getting very pissed off at fans and officials this tournament and I swear that he plays his best when he feels like the villain. The insane run he had from 2015-16 took a lot out of him physically and mentally but he looks to be back now.

And they may have to close the roof if the match starts late because they want same conditions throughout the match. That favors Novak.

This will never end.

The absolutely worst part is I can already see Anderson getting the break, but blowing it.

isner is killed

This is actually not bad tennis still

I'm always amazed how hard it is to win a point against the big server even after you've returned the first couple of shots. It seems like by then it's just normal tennis, but even in my playing career it was the same way. I get that it is probably what separates the wheat from the chaff is that they can break more often than they get broke, just seems like Anderson had some points during Isner's service games that he just made bad shots for no reason. Isner never really looked much like he was going to break Anderson, IMo.

Wimbledon has so many dumb rules. They have a roof and lights — why not finish the match?

ETA: OK, just saw it’s due to a townwide curfew and not a tournament decision? Further evidence that the US Open is the best major.

Joe K wrote: ↑Fri Jul 13, 2018 5:16 pm Wimbledon has so many dumb rules. They have a roof and lights — why not finish the match?

Neighbourhood zoning curfew. People need their sleep!
We actually have the same rule here with our CFL stadium.

He’ll still be a huge underdog in the final but this semi is the best case scenario for Kevin Anderson. They played 3 hours last night and will likely play at least two hours today.

Djokovic is one tough SOB. Both the third set tiebreaker and fifth set wins for him were all guts because I thought Nadal was the better player after the first set.

I've been watching a fair amount of the US Open this year. Random thoughts:

-Holy crap are they sweaty.
-Nadal is jacked. That guys arms are super-heroesque.
-Why does he wear a watch while he's playing?

Who knows about why he wears the watch, however it's a super light, stupid expensive Richard Mille. It's the same brand Bubba Watson wears while playing, and I think Usain Bolt used to wear an RM model while racing as well.

govmentchedda wrote: ↑Wed Sep 05, 2018 4:48 am Who knows about why he wears the watch, however it's a super light, stupid expensive Richard Mille.

There’s the answer. He probably wears the watch because he’s getting paid a lot of money to wear it. A number of players have had watch sponsorships where they put a watch on as soon as the match ends. I’m guessing you get paid significantly more if you wear it during the match, too.

Apple Watch on a sweatband. Money printed.

DaveInSeattle wrote: ↑Tue Sep 04, 2018 11:52 pm -Nadal is jacked. That guys arms are super-heroesque.

Just saw this on Twitter. Haralabob is super connnected in the gambling world (he’s a legendary NBA better and also plays very high-stakes poker) and this is quite the accusation. FWIW, the Nadal doping rumors have been around for a long time.



ETA: He later clarified and said it wasn’t a first rounder but was the famous 4th round loss to Soderling at the 2009 French Open.

Interesting article on courtsiders
https://longreads.com/2018/09/03/losers-lunch/

Federer and Nadal should both be very happy that they managed to win 3 more majors over the last two years. Because Djokovic is back in a big way and looks damn near untouchable now. It has to be completely demoralizing to play against him when he’s returning this well because you have to play so well just to hold your service games.

Joe K wrote: ↑Sat Sep 08, 2018 11:13 am Federer and Nadal should both be very happy that they managed to win 3 more majors over the last two years. Because Djokovic is back in a big way and looks damn near untouchable now. It has to be completely demoralizing to play against him when he’s returning this well because you have to play so well just to hold your service games.

eh, we'll have to see what happens tomorrow. He's had a cupcake draw.

Sousa in the 4th round, Millman in the quarters and Nishikori in the semis.

Matches between Djokovic and Del Potro are usually close.

Nishikori is a cupcake now? He’s been a top-5 ranked player and has historically played very, very well at the US Open. And Djokovic destroyed him yesterday. Del Potro has the right style of play against Djokovic but I’d be surprised if he wins more than 1 set maximum tomorrow.

Joe K wrote: ↑Sat Sep 08, 2018 1:36 pm Nishikori is a cupcake now? He’s been a top-5 ranked player and has historically played very, very well at the US Open. And Djokovic destroyed him yesterday. Del Potro has the right style of play against Djokovic but I’d be surprised if he wins more than 1 set maximum tomorrow.

Geting Nishikori in the semis in pretty sweet. top-5 doesn't mean much. Heck, Raonic has been a top 5 player and he sucks.

Damn, Serena has the total meltdown. She was getting his ass kicked anyways, but loses her shit when the umpire gives her a warning about getting coaching during the match. Escalates to a point penalty when she smashes a racket, and then a game penalty when she berates the umpire.