2010 Tennis Thread (Grand Slams, ATP World Tour, Davis Cup)

[lechepicha]

Rome Photos: Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic at AS Roma vs Sampdoria match

http://www.menstennisblog.info/2010/04/rome-photos-rafael-nadal-and-novak.html

:thumbsup:

i remember when Roger went to see the Basel in Champions League being beated by Barcelona...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FC_Basel#Fans




in other news, 12-seed Ferrero and 15-seed Sam Querrey fell today in Rome in 1st round...
i must say that this is a shock.
too bad. i wanted Querrey to play Federer...

http://www.tennistalk.com/en/match_...a/2010/Santiago_Giraldo_-_Juan_Carlos_Ferrero

and Gulbis won, and now plays Roger... interesting match

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...sh-as-Ferrero-crashes/articleshow/5860641.cms

 

[lechepicha]

more babes:

Azarenka, Cibulkova, Alona Bondarenko and Chakvetadze

http://www.gototennisblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/bikini_french_fhm_preview.jpg

and

Maria Kirilenko, Daniela Hantuchova and Tatiana Golovin

from: http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/02/10/si-swimsuit-issue-kirilenko-hantuchova-golovin-cavort/

 

[lechepicha]

Sluggish Federer crashes out in Rome

http://www.morethanthegames.co.uk/summer-sports/2710597-sluggish-federer-crashes-out-rome

:eek: damn! :eek:

 

[lechepicha]

Federer just doesn't want to play Nadal

http://www.tennistalk.com/en/blog/Cheryl_Murray/20100427/Federer_just_doesn't_want_to_play_Nadal

interesting reading...

 

[lechepicha]

how about this: the last time Roger Federer didn't make at least the QF in four Masters 1000 tournaments in a row (Paris 2009, Indian Wells 2010, Miami 2010, Rome 2010), was in... 2001! (Rome, Madrid, Hamburg, Indian Wells 2002)

Damn!

and

it's the first time since the 2000 Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters (l. to Novak) that Federer has lost his first clay-court match of the season.

Jesus!

what's happening with Roger ? he's playing like when he wasn't Roger Federer ?
is "only" a bad slump ?
too many things in his head with her wife and twins ?
lack of motivation ?
pulmonar infection still remains ?

bad news anyway...

 

[lechepicha]

more of Federer loss aftermath:

http://www.internazionalibnlditalia.it/1/PopNews.asp?LNG=EN&IDNews=547

“It hurts,” he said to open his press conference. “I wasn’t up to speed, my serve was poor and it was frustrating. I wasn’t good from the baseline. There was no rhythm in the match and I couldn’t build from deep or get the right height on the ball. Clay is great when you’re in a rhythm as it’s easier to move your opponent around, but I haven’t played enough on clay yet this year.”

He then uttered a phrase that he would never have been expected to come out with as recently as this time last year. “It’s probably good for me – it’s a wake-up call.” He even repeated it as the languages changed as the conference wore on. “You have to have losses like that, they wake you up.”

Previous incarnations of Federer would have been “happy with their preparation”, “talking the positives”, thinking that they were “where I need to be”. This year’s Federer obviously desperately wants to conserve his Roland Garros title, and is prepared to do anything to achieve that. “I have to do the hard yards now, win ugly, starting with Estoril (next week). I’m still in the doubles and that helps. Every match helps, it’s only training that’s tough but now I’m going to work like mad, I’ll be out on the clay every day. Roland Garros may be soon to you but for me it’s a long way away.” Harsh words, but a necessary reaction after a defeat of this nature.

One person who will be playing more than practicing this week is Gulbis, though when he squandered six match points in the third set, he suspected that he would be heading for the training courts sooner rather than later. “I ---- in my pants a little bit,” was his typically forthright explanation of his mental state at that time, provoking guffaws from the room. “I couldn’t get a serve in, I was shaking. It went my way though today – it was (Federer’s) first match on clay and I got into my rhythm.”

----

i'm sure the working "like mad" would be pay off in Madrid and Roland Garros.

The time has come for all of us to witness the end of the 23 Grand Slams consecutive SFs?

(oh, dear lord, don't let that happen... please, oh please, at least the SF...)

 

[Bloodshot Scott]

more of Federer loss aftermath:

http://www.internazionalibnlditalia.it/1/PopNews.asp?LNG=EN&IDNews=547

“It hurts,” he said to open his press conference. “I wasn’t up to speed, my serve was poor and it was frustrating. I wasn’t good from the baseline. There was no rhythm in the match and I couldn’t build from deep or get the right height on the ball. Clay is great when you’re in a rhythm as it’s easier to move your opponent around, but I haven’t played enough on clay yet this year.”

He then uttered a phrase that he would never have been expected to come out with as recently as this time last year. “It’s probably good for me – it’s a wake-up call.” He even repeated it as the languages changed as the conference wore on. “You have to have losses like that, they wake you up.”

Previous incarnations of Federer would have been “happy with their preparation”, “talking the positives”, thinking that they were “where I need to be”. This year’s Federer obviously desperately wants to conserve his Roland Garros title, and is prepared to do anything to achieve that. “I have to do the hard yards now, win ugly, starting with Estoril (next week). I’m still in the doubles and that helps. Every match helps, it’s only training that’s tough but now I’m going to work like mad, I’ll be out on the clay every day. Roland Garros may be soon to you but for me it’s a long way away.” Harsh words, but a necessary reaction after a defeat of this nature.

One person who will be playing more than practicing this week is Gulbis, though when he squandered six match points in the third set, he suspected that he would be heading for the training courts sooner rather than later. “I ---- in my pants a little bit,” was his typically forthright explanation of his mental state at that time, provoking guffaws from the room. “I couldn’t get a serve in, I was shaking. It went my way though today – it was (Federer’s) first match on clay and I got into my rhythm.”

----

i'm sure the working "like mad" would be pay off in Madrid and Roland Garros.

The time has come for all of us to witness the end of the 23 Grand Slams consecutive SFs?

(oh, dear lord, don't let that happen... please, oh please, at least the SF...)

Gulbis has always had crazy game (I always thought).

 

[lechepicha]

Gulbis has always had crazy game (I always thought).

you mean, like a good thing, right ?

he reminds me Gasquet...

 

[Bloodshot Scott]

you mean, like a good thing, right ?

he reminds me Gasquet...

He's got crazy fuckin' tallent. His family is wealthy though so he probably never had to apply himself. Daddy's got an oil company or something.

 

[lechepicha]

He's got crazy fuckin' tallent. His family is wealthy though so he probably never had to apply himself. Daddy's got an oil company or something.

that explains a lot:

“Tennis used to be a hobby for me, now it’s a job. I had no system when I practiced. I’d practise three days, go out with my friends for two days, practise another three and then go to a tournament. That’s why I was so up and down. Recently I had three weeks where I practised solid and it went really well, so that’s what I have to do.”

he just defeated Volandri and now he wil face Feliciano Lopez in the QF. It's a good opportunity to make his first-ever Masters 1000 SF. I'll be rooting for him :thefinger

 

[lechepicha]

Andy Murray in danger of being undercooked for French Open

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/tennis/article7112260.ece



poor Andy... still struggling after Oz.
Roger and him (and also Djokovic) should be thankful that Delpo and Kolya are injured, otherwise... Delpo would be No. 3 or 2 by now and Kolya 4 or 3.
And they should be worried about Nadal and Verdasco: they're playing awesome and it's very likely one of those win both Rome and Madrid, getting in a high peak for the French Open.

 

[Bloodshot Scott]

that explains a lot:

“Tennis used to be a hobby for me, now it’s a job. I had no system when I practiced. I’d practise three days, go out with my friends for two days, practise another three and then go to a tournament. That’s why I was so up and down. Recently I had three weeks where I practised solid and it went really well, so that’s what I have to do.”

he just defeated Volandri and now he wil face Feliciano Lopez in the QF. It's a good opportunity to make his first-ever Masters 1000 SF. I'll be rooting for him :thefinger

Dude, Gulbis is dope. He's one of the few players I will go out of my way to watch. I think he could win several majors if he wasn't born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Maybe the drive isn't there for those who already have everything. :dunno:

 

[HE1FiNEARTiST]

care for a quick one? Tennis I mean :rofl2:

 

[lechepicha]

Djokovic succumbs to Verdasco again in fine tussle

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE63T3BC20100430?type=sportsNews

Nole keeps struggling... losing with people he used to beat... losing a lot of points of last year... my guess is that he will be eliminated in 4th round (QF at best) in Roland Garros

Good for Verdasco, who reach his first ever Rome SF. He will face either Ferrer or Tsonga. Either way, he should have no worries to be in the final.



And a nice gift for all of us: Roger and Rafa in the 2005 French Open preview:

http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSpor...ererNadal_2005FrenchOpenpreview_h.ss_full.jpg

 

[lechepicha]

next week ATP 250 of Belgrade (Serbia) draw is out.

projected QFs:

Djokovic-Tipsarevic
Querrey-Karlovic
------------------
Troicki-Wawrinka
Seppi-Isner

not THAT easy for Nole like last year...

i dare to say that he won't win at home this time...

 

[Bloodshot Scott]

next week ATP 250 of Belgrade (Serbia) draw is out.

projected QFs:

Djokovic-Tipsarevic
Querrey-Karlovic
------------------
Troicki-Wawrinka
Seppi-Isner

not THAT easy for Nole like last year...

i dare to say that he won't win at home this time...

How good do you yhink Isner is?

 

[sualcalay]

Yo...where's Guga?

 

[lechepicha]

How good do you yhink Isner is?

as good as James Blake was (that is: a solid top-10, QF and SF in Grand Slams and Masters 1000, but NOT a no. 1 or no. 2 of the world)

i like Querrey the most (talking about north-americans, of course).

all in all, they both got a nice future




the ATP 250 of Munich draw is out. the projected QFs are:
Cilic-Almagro
Kohlscheriber-Baghdatis
-----------------------
Benneteau-Berdych
Becker-Youzhny

should be a Cilic-Youznhy issue, for sure. I'll root for Cilic. With a little more time, he will be the next Del Potro.




the ATP 250 of Estoril draw is out. the projected QFs are:
Federer-Chela
Montañés-Cuevas
-----------------------
Garcia Lopez-Monfils
Mayer-Ljubicic

Roger REEEEEEEEALLY needs/must/gotta win this one. Should be against Monfils or Ljubicic, but either way Roger should win, if he wants to bounce back.

 

[lechepicha]

care for a quick one? Tennis I mean :rofl2:

more of that, by the way:

http://tour.brazzersnetwork.com/tour3/?action=scene&id=4694




Face facts, Fed: It's time for a tune-up

http://espn.go.com/sports/tennis/blog/_/name/bodo_peter/id/5151592/time-tune-up

 

[lechepicha]

Rafael Nadal is now (if you had doubts about it) officially back: he won the Masters 1000 in Rome, the 38th title of his career, the 2nd of the year, and he's only 23 years old.
He tyes the Andre Agassi record for most Masters 1000 in the history and now he grows hunger for Madrid and Roland Garros... does anybody can stop him ?

He beat David Ferrer in the final, in a nice tight first set, but a disastrous (for David) second one. However, David made his 3rd final of the year... not bad.

I'm really concerned about the tour... i mean, if Rafa goes back to his mid-2008 level... who's gonna save us ? the tour would be too boring... he will win EVERYTHING.
Nah, just kidding. That boy deserves all he got. I just hate his uncle.