OT: French Open Tennis
Are there any tennis fans amongst the MGoBloggers? If so, what do you guys make of today's upset when Djokovic lost? It really caught me off guard as he was having a great clay court season thus far, and I was really looking forward to a Fed Djoko semifinal. Now that he is out though, how do you guys see the rest of the tourney playing out? I feel that Fed will win in a tough five setter over Monfils in the quarters and play Del Potro in the semis, with Nadal and Fernando Gonzales going at it on the other side. In the finals, I see Nadal taking it over Fed at 6, 5, and 2 (much to my demise).
Guys Tennis - Fail
Girls Tennis - Who's playing?
Yeah the Djokovic loss was pretty surprising given how he had played the last 2 months. I really thought he would beat Fed in the semis but now its pretty wide open on that half of the draw. Mathieu took Fed to 4 sets and I think Fed is pretty vulnerable but will find a way to get into the final again. Still, noones beating Nadal. The guy is amazing.
The 4 setter today was a bit misleading--the quality of tennis was pretty high. Fed is definitely playing better than he was at the start of the tournament. But I agree, probably not a threat to Nadal, at least in Paris.
2 am and that response was bad idea jeans
Fed seems to be smoothing out his game at the right time, but I just don't see anyone really challenging Nadal on the slow paris clay. I think Fed-Roddick might make for a fun quarters match, but no serious threat for Fed. Likewise for a potential semi with Del Potro. Verdasco could give Nadal some trouble in the quarters given their epic Aussie match, but he's more of a fast court player. I don't see Nadal losing more than a set or two the rest of the way. I'm a Fed fan as well, so I'm obviously hoping to be wrong. Either way, Wimbledon and the summer hard courts should be interesting.
Well I sure hope Roddick beats Monfils, even though I feel that is unlikely on clay, as he would be an easier opponent for Fed. I am also hoping for Del Potro to beat Tsonga, and with the way Rafa is struggling today I see an opening for Fed to beat him, especially if the courts are playing fast like they did yesterday and are today.
The last thing I thought I would wake up to is Rafa down 2 sets to 1 at the French. Roddick has definitely been playing better on the dirt--he gave Fed some trouble in a 3 setter in Madrid, and I find Monfils so inconsistent than I think their match is probably a coin flip.
Well Madrid played more like a hardcourt, but regardless if Nadal loses today Fed is going to be motivated more than ever to win it with no doubt in his mind.
All I know is I'm reminded yet again why I hate the Williams sisters. Serena just beat some no-name schlock and whines that she (the no-name) cheated. And to top it off, she sits there claiming she doesn't want any drama, no drama for her, nope, she doesn't want to be that girl in the Real World house that everyone hates because of all the drama. And in the same breath she won't let go of this so-called cheating. Give it a fucking rest. She's done enough winning in her life, you'd think she'd have learned by now to do it with a small sense of class and grace. Apparently not yet.
is Maria Sharpova...that plus the way she looks while playing!
I definitely like Venus more than Serena, but it obviously did hit the other player and gave her the only break against Serena in the first set.
Maybe she shouldn't have said anything but it is understandable that she would be pretty mad about it. Basically that point was the point in which Serena lost the first set, and Serena should have won the point according to the rules.
Rafa just lost, this is Feds tourney to lose. The road gets tougher for him, but if he is to win on clay this is his only chance.
Yeah it's definitely a tough path, but it's hard not to bet on the guy now. He hasn't lost to anyone other than Rafa at the French in 5 years.
This is why the French is my favorite open. The clay can really level the field and produce some wild results. (When's the last time the world #1 player at the time actually won in Paris?) Also, it tends to lead to more long points.
Not as big as Nadal losing
Not so sure Fed would have automatically lost to Rafa as everyone here assumes - Fed just recently beat Rafa in Madrid, which I think was on clay also.
Conditions in Madrid are very different than in Paris--it's much slower at the French, which plays to Rafa's advantage. I don't think Rafa winning would have been a foregone conclusion, but he certainly would have been a big favorite if they had met in the final.
Also, winning two out of three sets is a lot easier than winning three out of five. If anything though, I figured if anyone was going to beat Rafa on clay it woulda been Fed.
Funny - the side bar on the french open website under "Most popular photos" has a picture of none other than the great Miss Simona Halep and here entourage in action. Isn't their a french saying that the perfect-sized breast fits in a wine glass?
prediction: roddick wins french open.
ive been telling everyone the same thing!!
Love the optimism....or sarcasm maybe?
sorry to disappoint sarcasm lovers everywhere, it is indeed optimism
Well after watching Fed play today, I will not be surprised with what ever happens next.
This sort of crap absolutely infuriates me:
http://straightsets.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/29/when-does-a-shriek-go-…
I can't even listen to more than 5 seconds of it; I can't imagine having to play against this girl.
Fran Drescher plays tennis?
+ 1. We all have to learn to temper ourselves, or perhaps modulate in this case. What this player does is simply selfish and boorish. Sharapova is about the max that should be allowed. I guess this is where normative rather than institutional rules come in since you can't really make an enforceable rule against caterwauling.
Look out for Andy Murrey not that Nadal is out. Obv. this becomes Fed's tourney to lose but Murrey is a great player and has had success against Fed. It's wide open now. I tend to root against Fed b/c I'm a big Sampras fan.
Andy Murray has a tough matchup against Fernando Gonzalez, and should he win he will have a tougher matchup against Davydenko should he win. I really doubt Murray will make it to the finals, and if he does I will look to his games against Federer in Grand Slams rather than Masters tournaments to judge how he will do. So far that advantage is in favor of Federer......
The review was true. Paris hosted the French Open tennis tournament. Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal showed up at the tournament at the stadium ground named for famed French aviator and tennis enthusiast Roland Garros. It would be worth some personal loans to go. Paris is a cultural mainstay of continental Europe, and is home to many sporting events. It has hosted many famous world tournaments, such as the Olympics, FIFA World Cups, the Rugby World Cup. It's worth going to Paris, even if you have to use a credit card.