Tennis 2020

[Nearly Sane]

Nice article on Pironkova's progress. Given she is playing Serena in the quarter final, it means there will be one mother in the semi finals. Wonder if Evonne Goolagong-Cawley's record of being the only mother to win a slam in the Open Era will go. 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/54066396

[jeremyp]

Yes, I too heard that on a news headlines some time during the night. What a silly, and rather petty thing to do.

He didn't deliberately hit the line judge - he wasn't even looking where he hit the ball, so I wouldn't describe it as petty, but it was certainly reckless.

[Nearly Sane]

Looking forward to the Azarenka - Williams match. Guaranteed that a mother will be in the women's final.


De Minaur didn't play his best but Thiem was brutal. Feels like winner will come from the Medvedev - Thiem semi final

[Nearly Sane]

Great fight back from Azarenka having been totally outgunned by Williams in the first set. She's the current form player and having been out for some time with injury and the custody battle for her child, it's great to see the return.

Also good to see Osaka playing her way back to form after a dip in the second half last year.

[Nearly Sane]

Third Slam for Osaka. She's won every slam final she has reached so far. Haven't had a chance to watch it.

Big fight back from Zverev to reach the final but Thiem looks too strong unless Zverev sorts out his second serve

[Nearly Sane]

And Thiem wins in 5 sets. The first 2 he looked awful but Zverev played well. Last set was good but perhaps not surprisingly both players had nerves.

[SusanDoris]

And Thiem wins in 5 sets. The first 2 he looked awful but Zverev played well. Last set was good but perhaps not surprisingly both players had nerves.

]
I started listening to the match, but as I have no idea who either man is, I gave up!

[Nearly Sane]

]
I started listening to the match, but as I have no idea who either man is, I gave up!

Which is the big worry for men's tennis. I doubt 5 in a hundred people could identify either from a picture. By 2022, we could well have none of the the big 5 of Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, Murray, and Wawrinka and it needs  Thiem, Zverev, Tsitsipas, Medvedev etc to be more recognised

[Nearly Sane]

One of the worrying things for men's tennis has been the lack of a true slam contender from the US since Roddick. From being the Slam that no native had won for over 75 years, Wimbledon is now the most recent citizen winner. The US is 2003, the French 1983, and the Australian 1976.

The French have had a number of excellent players in recent times - Tsonga, Monfils, Gasquet but they are all nearing the end of their careers. Moutet is the closest to stepping up.


Australia, post Hewitt and Rafter, has had great prospects that haven't quite come through though Kyrgios still might. Now they have De Minaur who looks good.

The US have Fritz, Tiafoe, and Opelka but they haven't progressed as they looked to do in the last year or so.

[Nearly Sane]

And Murray's win at Wimbledon in 2016 is the most recent a citizen has won any of the men's or women's slams. For the women it is 2014 in the US, 2000 in the French, 1978 in the Australian, and of course 1977 for Wimbledon.


The US is with Kenin, Keys and others in some ways the most likely to be won. And one has to think Serena will still be about next year.

There isn't an obvious French prospect though Mladenovic, Garcia and Ferro may disagree.

Barty is the big chance for Australia.

For the UK other than Konta, nothing obvious at all.

[Nearly Sane]

Edmund knocked out in first round in men's Italian Open, along with a very out of sorts Wawrinka(though big win for Musetti), and also De Minaur.

Kerber knocked out in the women's, and today a stonking first round match up of Azarenka vs Venus Williams

[Nearly Sane]

Azarenka beat Venus though it was quite a tough match. Excellent match between Anisimova and Yastremska who are both up and coming stars with Yastremska nicking it. And a very disappointing performance by Bencic - didn't look fit.

Nadal was brutal in beating Carreno Busta.

[Nearly Sane]

Osaka pulls out of French Open.


In the Italian Open big wins for Musetti (again) and Kopfer -and they play each other today for a place in the quarters. 4 Italians in the last 16 in the Men's but not Fognini.


Thumping win for Azarenka double bagelling the Australian Open Champion, Kenin. Konta through in straight sets.

[SusanDoris]

I wonder whether they are all trying to cram in too much in a short time......

[Nearly Sane]

I wonder whether they are all trying to cram in too much in a short time......

I think it's more that because their points are protected that there isn't much sense in taking risks. No one has played a 'lot' of tennis this year. 

[Nearly Sane]

Nadal beaten by Schwartzmann was a shock. And good wins for Shapovalov and Ruud. Been a good competition for the younger male players.


Konta out to Muguruza who in turn loses to Halep. Feels like Halep is probably favourite for the French. 

[Nearly Sane]

And the 2 older players in the men's won. Shapovalov is now in the top ten in the rankings, so half of the top ten are under 25.

In the women's, the final is between the top 2 seeds Halep and Pliskova, with Pliskova defending her title. Winner looks to be favourite for the French.

[Nearly Sane]

Djokovic wins a record 36th Masters. The numbers between the Big 4 on these are brutal.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/54240701

Sad to see Pliskova injured vs Halep. Hope she can recover for the French.

[Nearly Sane]

Another couple of big wins for Musetti in the small Forli tournament including Tiafoe today.

Big win for Umberto over Medvedev in Hamburg. Monfils had another bad result.

Sad to see Robredo and Karlovic lose in qualification for the French - might be last chance for them to appear in a slam.

[Nearly Sane]

Good win by Ostapenko at Strasbourg but it came with Bertens retiring injured in 3rd set.

[Nearly Sane]

Intriguing draw of Murray vs Wawrinka in the French. Wawrinka didn't look great losing to Musetti but Murray hasn't played competively on clay in, I think, 3 years.


Konta vs Gauff will get a lot of attention as well. Gauff hasn't looked great on clay.

Evans vs Nishikori is interesting. Nishikori is ranked only one place below the 32nd seed Evans but hadn't looked great on his return from injury.

Edmund pulled out due to injury but the men's field is strong - only 2 of the top 32 not playing - Federer and Raonic.

4 of the top ten women are  definitely out. Barty due to her stance on Covid, Osaka and Andrescu because of injury. As suspected, Bencic also out due to injury - she really didn't look fit last week. Also  looks as if Bertens might pull out given the injury she had against Ostapenko this week.

[Nearly Sane]

Wawrinka comprehensively beat Murray. That along with Musetti's winning Forli, makes Musetti's defeat of Wawrinka look very good.


Evans and Konta both out.

[SusanDoris]

From what I heard on FiveLive yesterday, it sounds as if they might have to put on their winter woollies!

[Nearly Sane]

From what I heard on FiveLive yesterday, it sounds as if they might have to put on their winter woollies!

Yes, Nadal raised the cold and its possible impact before the start.

Excellent win for Sinner over Goffin yesterday as well. Italian tennis looking good for future.

[Nearly Sane]

So all the British singles players out in the first round. As Heather Watson comments, there isn't a lot of new talent coming forward.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/54349009

Elsewhere Monfils was knocked out and has not looked himself since the return. Medvedev was a surprise loss but the three favourites in the men's remain Djokovic, Nadal, and Thiem. After Thiem's US win, and his being in the last 2 finals here, that is the first time it feels as if he can placed in that company.


No big shocks in the women's so far, with Konta the highest seed knocked out. Good to see that Bertens recovered quickly enough to play as if she is fit then she has a chance of winning it. Konta being defeated means, of course, that Gauff won but it still feels early for her on clay.