ROLAND GARROS 2014

Serena with her R1 opponent and compadre in Sharapova shade, Alizé Lim:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BoRDYQ_IUAEmWZx.jpg

Anyway

- Serena gets a BFF in R1...and possibly a sister in R3. That's if Venus can beat Bencic, the youngest player in the top 100, in R1 - popcorn match, that
- Wozniacki hasn't pulled out. If she does it before start of play I think the draw gets rejigged, but only slightly. As things stand, Wozniacki v Wickmayer is a R1 between walking byes
- Garcia vs Ivanovic ALLEZ CARO!!!!! Exorcise the demons of that Sharapova choke!

- Nadal vs Thiem probable R2. I don't think Dominic is ready :(
- Nice to see a Slam debut at 33 years old for Victor Estrella Burgos of the Dominican Republic
- Ryan Harrison lost in qualifying (to a British player) already, I wonder if the US media will continue to blame his tough draws

Full draws

http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/scores/draws/ws/index.html
http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/scores/draws/ms/index.html

Masha ;\

Djokovic with the toughest draw of the top 4. Wawrinka and Fed's draws are both very good imo, pretty confident that Stan will be in the semis.

oh FUCK I've been offered a free trip to a Caribbean private island and I'm going to have to miss the second week including the women's final ;_;

excited

26. Sorana Cirstea: Not a big hitter but a fun, resourceful player.

WHY DOES JON WERTHEIM EXIST WHYYYYYY

Seriously though it takes some doing to write a one-liner about a seeded Tour regular of half a decade's standing and get it COMPLETELY WRONG

this made me lol too

<i>Ana Ivanovic vs. Caroline Garcia: Both are potential semifinalists.</i>

Venus-Bencic could be fun

I feel like that "fun resourceful player" or some variant thereof is in every list he does and it possibly belongs to someone else, but who idk

Imagining all the devotees of finesse tennis turning up to Cirstea's match and having to duck every other rally as she bashes balls mindlessly into the stands

Not finalising predix til the qualifiers have been placed but I think I'll be rashly optimistic and pick Puig to upset Stosur AND Garcia to upset Ivanovic. Might take Diyas over Shitra (h2h: 1-0 to Diyas!) for the lols as well.

Bouchard has another disgustingly easy quarter if she can handle Pennetta (who's been mediocre post-IW).

I've long said the "Halep tears up the Tour but flops at Slams" narrative is overstated but it's No Excuses Time - this is the perfect opportunity for her. I expect at LEAST a SF and honestly, Li's hardly been in peak form lately either.

Nice veteran story from qualifying - 30yo Yuliya Beygelzimer made it through (benefiting from what looked like a hilarious choke/collapse by Johanna Konta in the final round). It's her ninth Slam MD - but she's gone 0-8 in R1s so far. One more chance to finally win a match!

(It's also the ten-year anniversary of the second of those MD losses - where she led Capriati 3-0 in the final set...)

had sortof forgotten Puig existed before this week.
other than Bartoli joining them will the ITV commentary team be the same as last year? was hoping Mauresmo would come back now she's not coaching anyone.

Puig had a slow start to the year but since she hooked up with Ricardo Sanchez a few weeks ago she's turned it around. Probably going to win her first title today in Strasbourg - in the SF she repeated last year's RG win over Keys.

A moment to welcome the players making their Slam debuts -

Fiona Ferro (FRA, WC), Anna-Lena Friedsam (GER, DE), Amandine Hesse (FRA, WC), Jovana Jaksic (SRB, DE), Danka Kovinic (MNE, Q), Alizé Lim (FRA, WC), Sofia Shapatava (GEO, Q), Taylor Townsend (USA, WC), Maryna Zanevska (UKR, Q)
Facundo Arguello (ARG, DE), Andrea Arnaboldi (ITA, Q), Facundo Bagnis (ARG, Q), Victor Estrella Burgos (DOM, DE), Pierre-Hugues Herbert (FRA, WC), Laurent Lokoli (FRA, Q), Axel Michon (FRA, WC), Ante Pavic (CRO, Q), Diego Sebastian Schwartzman (ARG, Q)

Kovinic and Estrella Burgos are the first ever representatives of Montenegro and the Dominican Republic in a Slam. Love seeing new countries make their debuts. Global sport.

Nowhere near a global sport: Europe, North America with pockets of Oceania and South America. Sure there are other bits and pieces but Tennis doesn't seem interested in widening its reach, unlike football.

Anyhoo quite like Djokovic to finally complete the set, glad that wrist injury didn't impede him. If anyone can fight through a tough draw its him.

I didn't say it was the MOST global sport, though you're totally overlooking both Tours' focus on Asia, but I will argue that it's the most diverse once you take gender (and arguably sexuality) into account. Get back to me when two women of colour are made multi-millionaires at the top of the sport by football.

Williams sisters come from the US where people of colour have been taking up the sport (Arthur Ashe). Doesn't mean that more people of colour in other countries have taken it up.

Women play lots of football - don't know if making any money adds much to that.

I was referring to Li Na. Plus, Sania Mirza's probably the most successful Indian sportswoman in any sport, right? Heather Watson is mixed-race, current up-and-comer Ons Jabeur (former RG girls' champ) is Tunisian, we've had plenty of black French players both male and female, plus Asia's always been represented on both Tours.

Football doesn't exactly promote or support its female players to the extent that tennis does.

Ah ok you said two women = Li Na and Mirza. Right. With Mirza the picture is distorted because women's sport, and any sport bar cricket, isn't much of a thing.

Not so much about isolated cases. Your initial post got me to thinking of what makes a sport global and football really touches wider ranges of people. Half-despair that it seems like the only global sport.

Sports admins in football are horrible but women's football seems to given promotion. Just that not as much people watch it, but that isn't due to the non-awareness of it.

No, the two women I was referring to were Serena and Na! Not the only WOC to have found massive success in tennis of course but it's so momentous that the top two players in the world are WOC.

Football is mainstream globally, obv. Tennis is weird in that it's genuinely global, it's just niche-ish everywhere. What other sports are genuinely global? It's actually ridiculous how limited the worldwide reach of most "major" sports is. Cricket, baseball, rugby, basketball, NONE are global on the same scale.

Does Tennis have any presence in Africa? And really most of South America doesn't play it. I only see any local grassroots passion for it in Argentina (although Brazil has produced a couple of slam champions).

That is what is so frustrating. Pockets in the world play tennis...pockets. Promises a lot more than what it is whereas baseball, cricket...local to a couple of regions where it will always remain so.

Athletics?

(Hi everyone!)

for tennis to become HUGE anywhere the entire nature of the tour would have to change surely. will never be a huge tennis culture anywhere when top players are only ever in one country for a few weeks before moving elsewhere. national tennis leagues and stuff would have to become a lot more serious and competitive

Hi Kat!

Was thinking well maybe the marathon has a reach...but not so much in Asia.

cerealbar otm, yes.

Bouchard just won. Not really that good a match tbh.

Marion as a commentator! She just does not stop talking at any point, though I kind of love that.

6 breaks of serve out of 6 games so far in Radwanska's match. Zhang with a nice double handed backhand especially when she goes down the line.

Nice frock from A Rad.

Make that 7 breaks.

Talking and giggling. Anyone else and I would be raging. But it's Cake so shrug.

Nice volley from Rad there

Reels off 9 straight games for the match.

Zhang now 0-10 at Slams.

Jovana Jaksic embodies so many characteristics of the obnoxious tennis brat - the ridiculous grunt that surely cannot be natural, the yells and fistpumps after opponents' basic errors - that she actually ends up kind of amazingly compelling

courts look very heavy and slow

fuck ITV4 for sticking with the boring Fed match instead of Venus/Bencic

Bencic has mostly been underwhelming, but she just played her best point of the match to break Venus as she was serving for the set

Serena is nervy and woeful but Lim poses zero threat

jerzy finally wins a match

Lisicki was so sloppy in that set and still won it 6-1. Disappointing that 17-yr-old Ferro, one of France's top juniors, had nothing to hurt her with.

wow @ Marion - Inverdale commentary. Love the person who thought this one up. I suppose it was a year ago.

Marion is certainly a different proposition as commentator.

Nishikori, whaaat

loved it when her and Santoro were commentating together yesterday. hope they're BFFs irl

ITV4 killing us all by showing this James Ward - Robredo trifle.

lol Sharapova/Pironkova on clay kill me

Nishikori injured right?

Davydenko lost his first-round match, he'll be out of the top 100 next week.

Mathilde Johansson 1st round tiebreaker drama, wouldn't feel like Roland Garros without it.

bagnis/benn at 15-all 5th set

There are like 5 matches I want to watch right now

Stan is really struggling against GGL

have any of you been to a slam tourney in person? I'll be in Paris next week & weekday tickets aren't that pricey, wondering how fun it would be. I'd be alone.

Make sure you know who is playing and where, plan where you want to go - used the opportunity of going alone to move around faster. You should have a pretty good time.

this is just bad from stan

yep :(

holy shit

meanwhile this happened:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bok4Ys-IUAAbqWo.png

Stan totally flopped under the pressure of being a Slam champion though GGL hit some shots I didn't know he was capable of.

Bagnis/Benneteau was pretty amazing, I like Bagnis's game and moxie.

Kvitova was woeful in the first set vs Diyas.

WTF happened to Puig to collapse like that against Stosur?

Davydenko lost his first-round match, he'll be out of the top 100 next week.

might have been his last match

Wawrinka looked a little chunky to me

Watson just completely aired a smash, ran round and still managed to lob it back and win the point

too many interesting matches on now. i need another computer

Watson/BZS if you like rallies, Pavs/KDK if you like double faults

I like Halep but it's sad to see Kleybanova on her way to getting double bagelled

OH MY GOD PAVS LITERALLY THE WORST ERROR EVER

KDK defensive shot only just plopped over the net, ENTIRE court open, Pavs went for the easy option of tapping it in rather than pounding it with power AND SHE NETTED IT LOL

A cascade of DFs to follow. Pure comedy from Pavs right now

enjoying watching Watson here. also enjoying listening to the commentators lay into BZS

What is Li doing out there o_0

Maybe her sponsors offered her bigger $$$ to stay out on court longer. But, uh, cutting it fine here.

that was a clinic from ivo

Dimitrov straight-setted by Karlovic. Breakthrough season comes screeching to a halt.

Li is absolutely dreadful. 1-5 down in the third.

apparently Mladenovic beat Halep in january, i have no recollection of that at all. other than that this must be the best she's played in aaages

Both AO champs out in R1!

Both Australian Open champs out in the first round. When was the last time that happened? Has it?

:sobs furiously in corner:

x-post.

dimitrov out as well. awkward

This is only Kiki's 5th main draw win of 2014 (to 13 losses). Two of those wins were over current top 4 players, both of those in Paris (she beat Halep indoors - I remember that wasn't a huge shock at the time as indoors suits Mladenovic's game so much and Halep was going through a coach switch).

Li looked woeful against Errani in Rome and really post-AO has been patchy at best, I never felt she was a title contender.

When was the last time that happened? Has it?

Never!

If you were being uncharitable this would be the time to note that Li didn't face a top 10 opponent at the AO (and still hasn't beaten one this year), and Wawrinka played a visibly injured Nadal in the final.

I thought Cibulkova may have been ranked 10 last time Li beat her, but evidently not.

Wouldn't be uncharitable given Nadal's form in the clay court season, and iirc at the AO Wawrinka had some tough opponents on the way

Bartoli's a good commentator. Nice hyper-specific response to what shot she'd like Gasquet to add to his arsenal. And so perfect that he didn't want to practise with her because she was too intense.

Tomic's effort is pitiful in this match.

garcia is awful so far

yeah Bartoli is pretty ideal. strikes a good balance of infectious personality and actual tennis knowledge

Peng hitting the lines to save MPs!

Disappointing for Peng to lose that. She controlled the entire second half of that set

FFS COULD ONE OF THE UPSETS I ACTUALLY WANTED COME THROUGH

Puig and Garcia have to be the biggest disappointments this round? I mean, I admit picking them for the upsets had a degree of wishful thinking but given their form and improvement this year, those scorelines are just...deflating

this keys-errani match is pretty good. errani's grunt is insufferable, though.

keys completely imploded in the last 10 minutes, almost 70 UE in total

keys started horribly and is ending it even more disastrously. so painful to see these brainless FHs smacked twenty feet out

neither li nor wawrinka going out feel like particularly shocking upsets
really enjoyed the bagnis victory over benneteau!!

On;y saw the first set of Keys/Errani. Keys' early errors were hilarious.

Lokoli choking from two sets and 4-0 up was sad, tiny glimmer that he might still pull it out tomorrow.

Schmiedlova gets tight up a double break in the third and Venus responds by playing THAT return game? o_0

amazing split-screen of schmidlova's coach and oracene

Pennetta lost to Larsson? GIGANTIC AWFUL FLOP

Schmiedlova wins with an awesome BH angled winner :)

I was impressed with her neat game and composure at Wim qualies last year, nice to see her progress

Yeah she looked really good.
Still laughing at that splitscreen xps

SERENA DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE FOLLOW YOUR SISTER I'M NOT READY FOR THIS

this is disgusting. still fuck this tournament i guess :(

Oh Serenapaws. This is Not Good.

double break! let's do this

this is just... over
can't land a ball in court and only just started showing any intensity and it's far too late. double break down. don't get bagelled i guess?

"it's far too late"

Never too late with Serena rallying in slam near-defeats before, but we'll see

at least there's a W btwn her 1R and 2R losses. but literally what is this and why.

Who is this, and what have they done with Serena? Some utterly TERRIBLE errors.

6-2 6-2

this is great. hopefully maria loses next

At least she didn't even bother with a teasing mini-comeback. Cute handshake k bye I'm done with life gross gross gross fuck you Venus as well bring on Wimbledon or something yawn

i didn't notice that dolgo lost to granollers :(

CORNET FOR THE FINAL or something.

i've made my peace with this. #18 at wimbledon LEGGO

lol at lepchenko getting me a point penalty at set point up at 15-40. now back to deuce...

Why do I leave the house during slams aagh

Not shocked though. I assumes Serena would up her level from r1 but 62 62 to Muguruza is exactly what I'd expect if she played Sunday's Serena. I actually put a lil money on Muguruza but never even entertained a Schmiedlova win after Venus disposed of Bencic so easily

We need Kerber to win to prevent another bullshit cakewalk slam run for Bouchard

I can totally foresee all the non-Sharapova seeds completely crapping their pants at this except maybe Errani. I mean, A-Rad is the highest seed left, that's hilarious, and her draw just got a lot easier with Pennetta out.

No one in the second quarter is beating Sharapova. Best hope is probably Cibulkova (or if Muguruza actually keeps going?)

I think Halep is ready to win a slam tho. And she showed she could beat Sharapova in Madrid

Oh remember that beatiful Cibulkova thrashing of Maria here a few years ago?

A repeat of THAT, there's a distant hope. Cibulkova probably won't even get to Sharapova.

Huge FHs on the last two points and Klizan wins a ridiculously-scorelined five-setter over Haase 61 36 61 16 75. Glad I got home for the end of that.

Ughhhhh just seen the Dolgopolov loss, from two sets up to fucking Granollers. Worst result ever

Townsend a break up on Cornet. I have no idea why it took her so long to start winning senior matches but if her results really do live up to her natural talent she'll be seriously good. There haven't been too many players I can recall who combine such natural power with such natural touch. She still doesn't look fit but she's won enough long three-setters recently that I don't think stamina is actually an issue.

Of course, given that this is a Cornet match, I fully expect it to be still going, fuelled by histrionics, in four hours' time

Just noticing, uh, how did Yvonne Meusberger make it well inside the top 50? She's really bad.

Or was last time I saw her get whipped by a seed, assume it will be the case today but I'm watching Janowicz/Nieminen.

Meusburger in the top 40 is hilarious. She reached b2b WTA finals last year and won her home event in Bad Gastein, since then she's pretty much been beating ANYONE playing subpar. I think one of her strengths is that she knows exactly how limited she is and is under no illusions at all

Townsend's been smothering Cornet with FHs really effectively. It'll be interesting to see when Cornet reaches into her bag of tricks (junk shots as well as dramatics)

good to see jerzy with some decent form again. hit a great drop shot winner off a nieminen serve in this tiebreak.

RT @andy_murray: How good is Taylor Townsend! #talent

THE NEW CAROLINE GARCIA

OMG PIRONKOVA IS UP A BREAK, WATCH, SHE HAS A LEAD, WATCH BEFORE IT VANISHES.

if Pironkova manages to take down Sharapova, she will legitimately be my favorite player

I mean she probably won't win another game.

The pink Sharapova's wearing is a nice colour on her skin but it makes her look completely flat as a tack, front and back.

Amazing cat-and-mouse point from Tsveti :D :D :D

Tsveti is playing much better than in her R1 :D

If this happens it'll be so amazing

lololol pironkova is so crazy. rooting for her!
and taylor townsend has a point for a double break! come on!!!

If Pironkova had a forehand, she'd already have this set. Sharapova's serve is really not doing it.

Pironkova wouldn't be Pironkova without her weirdo FH

Townsend showing a hint of choking here

Is that the first drop shot Cornet's hit today? Long overdue, Townsend barely reacted

Townsend balloons an error long. From 4-1 to 4-4 and she's suddenly hitting WILD mistakes

Lest we forget, when Murray got excited about Garcia, she was leading a seed by a set and 4-1 as well

Fucking Sharapova and her fucking luck. Dead net cord on SP -_-

Bad line call on the previous SP too in her favour.

wow this Townsend match is fun

booming forehand return winner to set up 2 more BPs! taylor!!!

another one to get the double break!!!!!!! COME ON!

another two FH winners to go up 30-0 in this cornet service game.

moonball + stop-volley <3

itv should really get on this

Townsend's touch is delightful and seems much less prone to going unhinged than her power

Ha @ these murderous returns!

haha 2 return winners set up MPs

omg that dropshot + volley lob so nearly paid off

Welp. Townsend was inches away from hitting 4 clean return winners to break for the match, instead she blew 4 MPs

4 MPs lost and it's *5-2 :/

The hell was that approach off nothing. 0-40

oh goddddd

Lisicki retired injured. NORMALITY RESUMES.

Good god that UE actually did hit the back fence

Cornet really does live for these moments, lol

this is terrifying! :/ great defense from townsend but for nought

Rain break would def help Townsend at this point...

one more service game to end this :/

So impressive for her to win despite all that!

cool

hope we see a couple of young players making deep runs now

When I first saw players like Stephens and Bouchard break through to the main tour I was like, hmm, I just don't see it in their games, they're solid but I don't see how special they are. With Bencic, Konjuh and Townsend...sometimes they don't bring it, sometimes they go through rough patches, but the raw talent is just THERE. Exciting times ahead

so happy for her :D

Inverdale just said Radwanska was the favourite now. HIGHEST SEED AND FAVOURITE AREN'T THE SAME THING

I thought he said "seeded to win now"

Anyway nicely done A Rad from 4-2 down in the 2nd.

Such a weird contrast between Jankovic/Nara on my TV and Giorgi/Kuznetsova on my stream. I look up for well thought through, strategic clay rallies; I look down and see BAM BAM BAM (out out out)

Have put a couple of quid on JJ outright. because you never know

Mildly surprised that Sweta and JaJa escaped with those sets. Both Nara and Giorgi played pretty well.

I can't remember the last time I willingly tuned into a Nadal match at RG against a non-Big 4 player

some great points in Riske-Mladenovic

LOL @ Safarova. She led 6-1, 5-2 and is now 6-1, 5-7. At *5-2 she led 30-0, at *5-4 she led 30-0, at *5-6 she led 40-15.

Thiem making a token match of it, finally. First two sets were the dampest squibs.

Mladenovic was a break up in the 2nd set, injured her back and then won 2 points in the next 4 games to lose it 6-3.

GSM Kiki. entertaining match. Mary Pierce watching serenely on

A. Pavlyuchenkova @NastiaPav · 12m
Impressed,how disrespectful was my opponent and the Duch crowd today due to my condition!#RolandGarros

:o

Ivanovic is in full-on hyper desperate mode, so wearying to watch. She's winning though; Safarova might be an interesting opponent. I know Safarova was also a mess today but Ivanovic hasn't beaten her since...her 2008 run to the title here.

You just jinxed it so Ana wins this year

I don't really understand why people installed Ana as the third favourite behind Serena and Maria, like every year recently she's had some nice runs and wins but also a load of comedic losses. Like, she's not BACK!!!!!111111 And Safarova, Kvitova/Kuznetsova then Halep is about as tough a route just to the SF that she could get.

soooo I did not expect to see Tomljanovic killing Radwanska with dropshots and Radwanska making basic errors two strokes into rallies

Tomljanovic plays really well but Radwanska looks taken by surprise, like she doesn't know what to come up with and where the hell this opponent cdame from.

Quite good: http://grantland.com/the-triangle/match-striker-the-increasingly-unclassifiable-increasingly-unstoppable-simona-halep/

Aga's just so off today. She actually started the match with two perfect points and I was like, that's how Aga do against young bashers, but it's been so lackadaisical since. Her touch shots aren't working, she didn't make Tomljanovic pay for the first set choke at all...

OMG that Ajla DF :o

Again, Ajla massively choking then Aga just hands the game over with errors anyway

Simona Halep is the top seed left!

Some sad sack errors by A rad, but solid long rallies as well. Interesting player anyway.

I'm really worried Sam Stosur will take this again.

Interesting that all three top 3 upsets came at the hands of the 1993-born generation, who before this year had generally been lagging behind (esp compared to their peer Stephens) (I know Muguruza and Tomljanovic both had injury/illness issues)

Surely Sharapova will tear Stosur apart in the next round. not that she's really preferable

Stosur's never won at RG

the title, i mean

LOL, Cilic was up a break in that set.

Townsend finding out what happens when she's made to move, courtesy of CSN. She went down 0-4 in 11 mins...

ugh Gulbis stfu

http://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bo4pvUIIUAAPNZV.png

whoa that must have been a 95 mph backhand from cilic there

whoa cilic is mashing the ball this TB

Why are all the ATP servebots doing so well. Terrible for tennis

Bouchard looking pretty bad, not a contender. Haven't seen Larsson in a while and had to check - yes, this r3 is her best slam performance. And she's threatening Eugenie.

LOL @ Mona letting Parmentier into the second week of a Slam.

Pretty disappointed by how Simon blew his chances against Raonic, who will probably make his first Slam QF now, ugh.

Missed the drama in Kerber/Hantuchova but glad of the result, I think Angie can take Bouchard...

Poor gamesmanship from Carebear.

oof that Gulbis quote. :/

Hi thread, feels weird not to have posted here earlier but I've been swamped with work and have only managed to catch a few sets here and there. Plus most of the results have been bleh... I don't even know who's left on the women's side to root for? Sveta prob lol.

Hoping everything slows down next week so I can watch some matches properly.

just root for Halep imo

lol I love how we're just sensibly ignoring Kvitova.

I'm watching as much as I can, will be away from next Tue and if my calculations are right I'll be in an aeroplane during the women's final. So it may as well be Ma$ha d. Errani 61 61 for all I care.

As it turns out I'll be able to work from home for quite a bit next week so I'll be able to avoid doing work keep an eye on things hooray!

exciting day of tennis!
god it would be cool if kvitova and kuznetsova could put on a match that won't be traumatising

good luck with that. Sweta just hit a moonball that landed before the service line, Shitra ballooned the FH putaway long

Halep looks super sharp

US commentator: "Is there any player left in the draw Sloane Stephens can't beat?"

Stupid questions to which the answer is yes. But here we go, another round of hyping her as a potential Slam champion/someone who peaks at Slams just because she did the basics of holding her seed ie what she's supposed to do rather than flopping in R1 like she so often does elsewhere.

Although I guess "perpetual R4/lucky QF Slam finisher" IS Stephens' peak, so.

Peak Petra passing shot :o

oh shit @ that passing shot from kvitova

Some good smart stuff from K: 4-2

awfulness follows, seems hard to control out there, back on serve.

But then some nice shots and an ace to take it

was messy but pleasantly surprised that she won that tie break. maybe P2tra is real

gross. i need halep to humiliate stephens in r4

stunning passing shot by Lucie to break there. held her first 3 service games after going behind in all of them

Terrific ball striking, why can't it always be like this!

Incredible, sublime sequence of points to hold.

1st set Safarova. pretty good.
also is she the only player who sort of pulls off that horrible nike skirt? i like the dyed hair and black top combo anyway

Awesome angle from K, behind the baseline!

Safarova vs Ivanovic = Lucie FH CC into Ana's BH all day long, pull trigger with either sharp angle FH or FH DTL when necessary if you don't get an error first. That's why Ana hasn't beaten her in six years

Nice to see Karlovic put that horrendous servebot match vs Anderson out of everyone's misery swiftly by retiring

I LOLed when I saw Sock was the betting favourite vs Lajovic, and then I profited

one more break point to negiotate

breaks back :-(

I had to go out for a bit, how serious is Kvitova's injury or whatever it is?

Hard to tell, don't think its anything but that inconsistency.

Basically MP

Great volley!

got out of jail there...

banging return come on!

0-40, just like that

Saves them all, Kvitova gave two of these away..

Incredible game, Kvitova to serve after an attempt at...not sure quite what, sorta won it in the previous point.

what a sad attempt at a slice that was

some great from Kuz to break back, one df aside.

sad all round.

lol was that meant to be a dropshot

2x MPs for Kz

how fkn close was that

back to see Petra save MPs like THAT!

lolllll @ those 2 MP saves!!

saved.

great stuff from both.

Lucie's first slam 4th round in seven years!!!

Lazurus act completed!

4 straight winners to hold omg omg omg

surely less than a quarter of an inch from losing that match at 15-40

she has found a bit more now..

great ace from Kz to stem the tide.

come on deuce with a sublime down the court

Sweta's defence is so good atm

oh and let the Ivanovic result put a stop to talk of her being ~back, the last time she was able to beat Lucie was right here 6 years ago so this was a true litmus test. Which she was always going to fail

just a barrage though, break point K

awful error, way off court

great angle on the return, come on finish it

does it!!

not that its going to be a walk in the park to serve it out, terrific resistance from Kz to make it 0-30

wow

best serving out attempt ever

K fighting some demons..

fucking hell

:D ridiculous match

this is too much, I need to go to the shops.

7-7
love this

maybe Inverdale will even acknowledge this match before bleating on about his quest for a '5 set epic'

two heavyweight returns for 30-30

christ

omg, terrific court coverage from kz

this is the end *sitar sounds*

3 mps

Kz wins

I can go to the fkn shops now bah

well, what an insane match. happy for Sweta!

maybe an EVERY FIVE YEARS situation for Sweta?!

here for a dramatic 5 setter with fognini winning ofc

four games in and the first warning for fognini. this match has so much promise

lol @ fognini getting broken to 0 like that with no fucks given

ew why on earth would itv4 show nadal over this match

5 breaks in 7 games already

god what a trainwreck this match is

Enjoying the batshittery of all this, I must say

I watched the fifth set of Murray/Kohlschreiber last night and it really deserved its own laughter track. Highly entertaining terrible tennis.

Your last 16s!

Garbine Muguruza vs. (WC) Pauline Parmentier
(19) Samantha Stosur vs. (7) Maria Sharapova
Ajla Tomljanovic vs. (14) Carla Suarez Navarro
(18) Eugenie Bouchard vs. (8) Angelique Kerber
(27) Svetlana Kuznetsova vs. (23) Lucie Safarova
(15) Sloane Stephens vs. (4) Simona Halep
(6) Jelena Jankovic vs. (10) Sara Errani
(Q) Kiki Bertens vs. (28) Andrea Petkovic

(1) Rafael Nadal vs. Dusan Lajovic
(19) Kevin Anderson vs. (5) David Ferrer
Guillermo Garcia Lopez vs. (21) Gael Monfils
(12) Richard Gasquet or (24) Fernando Verdasco vs. (28) Philipp Kohlschreiber or (7) Andy Murray
(6) Tomas Berdych vs. (10) John Isner
(18) Ernests Gulbis vs. (4) Roger Federer
(8) Milos Raonic vs. Marcel Granollers
(13) Jo-Wilfried Tsonga vs. (2) Novak Djokovic

Predix:
Muguruza, Sharapova, Suarez Navarro, Kerber, Kuznetsova, Halep, Errani, Petkovic
Nadal, Ferrer, Verdasco, Berdych, Federer, Raonic, Djokovic

Cheering for:
Muguruza, NEITHER, Suarez Navarro, Kerber, Kuznetsova, Halep, Jankovic, Petkovic
Lajovic, Ferrer, Kohlschreiber, Berdych, Federer, NEITHER, Tsonga

Goddamnit don't fuck this up Tomas, it's bad enough having one virtually guaranteed servebot into the QF

I wonder if Gulbis/Fed might be good today? Fed losing a set to clay-hater Tursunov was a gigantic WTF and Gulbis has been playing very efficiently. Damn shame he's a sexist otherwise I could've cheered for him.

Don't think Tsonga/Djokovic will be as good as it should be either.

yeah it's a shame about gulbis, otoh there wouldn't be many players left to support if i'd pay attention to every stupid comment. i still hope he wins this match.

also why would you cheer for tsonga then? i thought his comments were much worse than gulbis'

Need to see Kerber destroyed today after that last affair

The Roland Garros iOS app was pretty poor up until yesterday and now it won't even start up. Any alternatives?

Bouchard's Fed Cup antics were worse than what Kerber did imo

Yeah you always get this sneaking suspicion that 90% of the ATP are dicks, so...

2012 repeat with Sharapova d. Errani and Nadal d. Djokovic I guess? Yawn.

Finding it hard to stay interested in the mens draw, I like all the players in that Monfils/Murray quarter & interested to see who emerges from there but that's dampened by the fact that Nadal awaits

The Bouchard Fed Cup thing was hilarious and amazing. "The handshake thing is lame" <3 "I don't understand why I'd wish her good luck" <3

And she's annihilating Kerber! :D

well that was completely lacklustre from Kerber

please deal with Bouchard, CSN

What's wrong with Bouchard? Don't know enough about her...Bartoli talking about her tastes in pop just now.

Nadal was saying his back is still a worry, looks like Djokovic is going to win.

lol when was the last time nadal said he was injury-free? don't worry, he'll probably still win

Nadal talking up his injuries? OMG it must be serious

Hmm, given his form leading up to the French and the way he fell off in intensity in the AO final I am inclined to believe him this time.

But sure he'll give everything etc, and I'd expect him to make the final.

Berdych's box
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BpChduVIUAA64h-.png:large

Bouchard: "I don’t think the tennis tour is a place to have friends. it’s all about competition.” probably explains why people don't like her xps
also her technique is kind of shonky but i still find her pretty entertaining on court

Bouchard is saying something fairly truthful.

I don't think the players should feel obliged to all be best pals or anything but the fact that there are a load of good friendships on both tours kind of contradicts what she's saying. FWIW i think Sharapova has answered that question well in the past by saying something like 'just because you work with them doesn't mean you have to be friends with them' which is fair enough

Murray VERY lucky to have held there. That net cord

The "you can't make friends in pro sport" thing is a myth, it doesn't matter either way as sundry champions have proved. Bouchard just showed herself to be a dick with the Fed Cup thing because it was more laughable than intimidating. Funniest bit was when none of her teammates backed her up

Murray wins 12-10.

Kohlschreiber really flopped in that last game, NID after he failed to break when he really should have

Ordinarily I'd say Verdasco would take apart whoever had won that but I never ever underestimate FeVer's capacity to flop as well

I'll look more into this Bouchard character if she does anything. Doesn't seem like she's said anything too terrible.

Santoro pitching to coach Murray on court. Awkward

K would've had a break point if it wasn't for net cord, but that doesn't mean he would've broken and then he shouldn't have let that affect his game when serving so..

Huh wut @ Fed losing that game from SPs up

Huh wut @ Fed losing that SET :o

Gulbis played v well in the TB but maaaaan Fed all but had that

New Kelis single as incidental music! Get that paper girl

CSN into her first RG QF since her debut in 2008 :)

Shankerer has arrived

What a point

Peak Federror in that last game

Gulbis' lobs are brilliant today

Finally got home in time for the MTO. :/

hopefully ernie can finish it

Lol of course Ernie is winning the one time I don't really want him to.

That must have been a magical MTO!

They should just change it to stand for mental timeout cause half the time that's what it's used for.

Great hold by Ernie

Bye Fed. The kind of result that had to happen eventually

lol for both of them. I don't know how long I've been waiting for Gulbis to get past the third round of any Slam, and now that he's made it to the QF, I'm totally unmoved. -_-

In the same boat! I felt like I should be cheering for him but I just wasn't.

Hoping Nole/JWT is short, actually: the White Mug has to wait for them and I don't want her disadvantaged in any way.

Beyond The Baseline @SI_BTBaseline
Stephens on Halep: Played really well in smaller tourneys like I haven't done & has lot of experience w that. I have lots of experience here

lollll so ready for that match.

oh snap Sloane's bought into her Slam hype, this should be fun. also, she knows Halep did better at the last Slam than she did, right?

This scoreline flatters JWT if anything. Second set should've been 6-2

Maria better get herself together bc I do NOT need the stress of having to entertain the possibility of Stosur as a 2-slam champ

LOL @ that missed FH sitter from Stosur to hand over the break <3

the idea that Ma$ha might end up with more RG titles than any other Slam is so bizarre

Halep would definitely beat Stosur in the final

You never know how somebody's going to react to their 1st slam final

that half is anyone's game if Sharapova loses imo

Ma$ha hit a DF to hand over the first set and another to hand her break back in the second set :D

No reason Muguruza can't come through the top half imo

Like, despite BEATING SERENA she's still out-hyped by Bouchard

Muguruza is playing really well

Bagel set here, I'm guessing

Jesus christ her fighting mannerisms are still unbearable. Reacts to winning a game when she's already 4-0 up as though she's won the fucking Golden Slam

It's not about that as the fact that those were really long, intense rallies.

Bagel set here, I'm guessing

― lex pretend, Sunday, June 1, 2014 6:07 PM (18 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Good call.

I was thinking back to the epic clay three setter in Stuttgart when I labelled Sam dangerous. Sure enough the first set was one of those where Shankin' Sam Stosur just wouldn't show up - I didn't really think Maria played badly there (except for NID DFs). We didn't get the same kind of final set this time around though.

Shanksur almost always shows up, though.

The White Mug into her first Slam QF <3 Am I insane to think she was a shot vs Sharapova? I take her more seriously than I did Stosur.

Didn't watch that match but was Parmentier a worthy opponent?

Kiki Bertens? Petkovic road to the quarter finals is pretty easy.

Parmentier played a lot better than I thought she would and the scoreline still flatters her. Muguruza dominant, no real wobbles, and she moves surprisingly well. She played Sharapova in Madrid a few weeks ago - won a set but got breadsticked in the decider. But then, she got bagelled by Torro Flor the previous week, and got utterly tied up by Fran in Rome (as did Bouchard!).

On-a-roll Mladenovic was the danger opponent for Petko after her fellow seeds cleared out, she weathered that one. Can't begrudge her a soft QF after everything she's been through.

Sweta seems a more dangerous QF opponent for Halep than Petra would have been. I can just picture Sweta beating Halep then flopping against Errani in the SF. Luckily I like Errani so don't consider that the death of tennis or anything...

She played Sharapova in Madrid a few weeks ago - won a set but got breadsticked in the decider.

erm ignore this, my underslept and uncaffeinated brain is just making up matches now. Muguruza lost 2 and 2 to Sharapova in Rome last year. (She won a set/got breadsticked vs Stosur)

I don't really have an opinion on the Kerber/Hantuchova incident beyond "what a terrible umpiring decision" but so bloody typical of St Kim to wade in sanctimoniously

What did St Kim do?

Of course as I say that thing above Bertens is going for the breadstick against Petko. Don't know what's happening there as I'm finally sitting down with some mixed doubles tennis w french team.

Oh, St Kim just tweeted about it unnecessarily. It's nothing I'd defend but we all see players knowingly accept points that aren't theirs due to umpiring errors in, like, every match. Hantuchova was on her way to doing just that before the incident happened!

Bertens has a solid all-court game, she's much better than her ranking.

So I was all excited to finally have some pay-TV access (the French isn't on free-to-air here) and ugh, they're going with Ferrer/Anderson, why would anyone want to watch that. Sure, the right result will happen, but who needs to see it?

Petkovic and Bertens taking turns to collapse right now

would have liked Bertens to win, her game is much more enjoyable than Petko's

Petkovic has a good record over Jankovic, so I'm happy to see her in the QF to hopefully stop that train going any further in case she somehow beats Errani, which is a thing that should not happen.

surprising that JJ is the bookies favourite there when Errani seems to be playing a lot better

Nadal on course for a golden set here?

Ah, I cursed it.

Sorry if I took Nadal's comments on his injury seriously.

Haha I was just gonna say, Nadal's back really hampering him today

Errani is a joy to watch when she's dissecting other players on clay and making them look like idiots. Clean dropshot return winner!

omg errani is so insufferable and gross

as enjoyable as it is to watch errani try and be intimidating, i literally NEED to watch halep annihilate stephens

JJ flops the 1st set and Halep is down a break ;_; PUT AWAY THESE GROSS PLAYERS

can't believe Errani is gonna defend all her points AGAIN

I thoroughly enjoyed that set from Errani <3

I like to watch her on clay against stupid bashers but her grunt is just so annoying and strategic

enjoyed the OTT come ons and ridiculous grunts? thought you hated that lex? <3

her grunts are ridic yeah but she's never hysterical in the way some others are

so uh they changed the french open to some guy's name?

in 1927, yes

Halep/Stephens is actually really good!

The interesting thing about this match is that it's very clearly Halep who's the aggressor and Stephens playing the role (very well) of retriever

Halep's DTL shots are so awesome

Halep even better in set two. A couple of loose service games but Stephens handed the break right back every time and that last game had the feel of Halep shutting the window like a boss.

All that big-match experience not paying off for Stephens ;_;

Efficiently done. Stephens outclassed in every department :)

The thing is, Stephens and the US media may have bought into the "Slam Stephens" myth, but the bookies made Halep such a heavy favourite it wasn't even worth betting on her. Halep threw in a couple of loose service games (amidst the impressive efficiency otherwise) but Stephens never once looked like getting into it

I don't understand how anyone can watch Sloane play and be all "THIS IS THE FUTURE OF TENNIS"

I got more excited watching Christina McHale and we all see how that turned out...

(On a more positive note, I really like the progress Donald Young has made; here's hoping he can build on his performance here an become a top 20 player.)

I don't understand how anyone can watch Sloane play and be all "THIS IS THE FUTURE OF TENNIS"

I've never understood this. I get it with Keys, although I'm edging off the bandwagon in light of her lack of progress. And I REALLY get it with Townsend even though she has a ton of areas that need obvious work, her innate skill is off the charts. But Stephens has only been trading on her win over an injured Serena.

Well she's gone pretty far in the only events some media follow - slams, so she'll get attention. I don't think she looked bad today either, at least for a while she kept up with a player who's now one of the favorites for the title.

She only ever holds her seed in Slams. It's doing what's expected of a basic top 20 player, not "peaking" or going that deep. Think I saw a stat on Twitter that, Serena aside, she's only ever beaten two seeds at Slams. But yes, the media only following Slams is a problem.

hilariously, American media made a gigantic story out of "she only ever holds her seed at Slams" this go-round

Verdasco appears to be giving it away :)

Is GGL just having a terrible day out there? I fancied Monfils to win this but this is a trouncing.

"So far". I forgot to say "so far". This is Monfils, naturellement.

Mens QF lineup really makes me miss Del Potro.

some great ballbashing in this sveta/lucie match

yup :)

Some really interesting women's QFs coming up.

Those QFs.

Garbine Muguruza vs. (7) Maria Sharapova
(14) Carla Suarez Navarro vs. (18) Eugenie Bouchard
(27) Svetlana Kuznetsova vs. (4) Simona Halep
(10) Sara Errani vs. (28) Andrea Petkovic

(1) Rafael Nadal vs. (5) David Ferrer
(21) Gael Monfils vs. (7) Andy Murray
(6) Tomas Berdych vs. (18) Ernests Gulbis
(8) Milos Raonic vs. (2) Novak Djokovic

Predix: Ma$ha, CSN, Sweta, Sarita; Rafa, Gael, Ernie, Hobak

And I think that's the last of RG I'll get to see until the men's final. Focusing on Rafa/Ferrer, Raonic and the Ma$ha SF as matches I definitely am not sad to miss

I think Halep is winning this thing

nice to see petkovic in another QF.

Mug could have the right tools to disturb Masha.

http://unseededandlooming.wordpress.com/2014/06/02/overruling-sexism-is-it-unstated-in-tennis-officiating/xcellent stuff on umpiring mistakes and sexism

Excellent stuff on umpiring errors and sexism

Stupid c/ping on stupid phone

Yeah I remember the slam final some years ago thinking we'd be seeing more of that from now on and then.. nothing.

Women's QF line-up does look good.

Want Bouchard or Kuznetsva to win it.

Mug could have the right tools to disturb Masha.

― abcfsk, Tuesday, 3 June 2014 06:38 (2 hours ago) Permalink

She can beat anyone on a good day.

Predix: Sharapova/Bouchard/Halep/Errani; Nadal/Murray/Berdych/Djokovic

weird that Monfils & Murray haven't played in 4 yrs

mark petchey wants both male matches on chatrier and both females on Lenglen tomorrow. and Inverdale's like "yeah but they wouldn't dare!" and Sam smith's like "ugh but then the poor Lenglen crowd!"

KILL EVERYONE

Kind of here for Maria getting less games than Serena did.

this is exciting

Muguruza and CSN both leading. I'm not getting my hopes up just yet, though.

Ugh couldn't she have thrown in a game like that against Serena?

CSN gives back her double break ...

CSN choked from 5-2 up :(

Lol at those 2 DFs to get broken back! I really see it for Muguruthless here. Every shot going hard and down the middle.

HUGE GAME! That dropshot at deuce! Muguruthless <3

Ma$ha fistpumps after a Mug shank

Well Mug did fistpump after a Maria DF lol

Disappointed by some of the basic errors Mug has been making lately, but she's still got a big chance. Looking less and less likely though.

so many easy shots in the net from Mug...

NID really, but still so disappointing

That was slightly embarassing from The Mug towards the end, but I'll take it. I don't think this three set thing is about Marioa ~~fighting~ that well, though, as much as ugly, slow starts where she has to adjust to the match-up. That's as problem when the turnaround doesn't happen quick enough. Still felt she was too passive today, unlike previous rounds

Myskina in studio

I really didn't expect Mug to flop like that. The 3rd set was just horrific.

This Bouchard/Suarez Navarro match... Bouchard was down 5-2 in the 1st set and 4-1 in the 3rd set and is now serving for it. Just DFd a MP away and hit a BH error on her 2nd MP. Lots of disputed line calls and a very involved crowd. Wish I'd been watching this instead of Mug...

2nd straight slam SF it is for Bouchard. really don't get how with her game but k!

Bouchard has got the nerves and attitude...a bit like Sharapova, should be an excellent SF.

May have to VOD the suarez bouch match, crowd looked into it at the end.

terrible results so far

yup feels like every match I've had anything invested in has gone the wrong way.

The game probably needs Halep to step up here but.. uh... I'm pulling for Sveta, why would anyone do this.

Hopefully somewhat 'better' results. Djokovic predictably makes good on a break of serve to take the set.

Gulbis also takes the 1st.

Dispatched with ease.

Berdych also with ease.

All easy.

Sorry Gulbis.

Not easy for me.

Wait i spoke too soon - Raonic breaks, Djoko will have another chance.

he takes it.

am I a bad person for wanting Petko to beat Errani? I mean, you get relatively poor slam semi-finalists so often, and she's so nice, why shouldn't she be the beneficiary of a fairly cake draw (Errani's good record last few years notwithstanding) to one?

I want her to win mainly to increase the likelihood of Halep/Sveta making the final

I'm more worried about Sveta beating Halep and then flopping against Maria.

I'm more worried about Maria flopping- she was not good even when winning against Mug, unlike earlier rounds which were a joy to watch, beautiful angles all the time, unlike vs Mugu w junk down the middle, not even any depth to them.

yawn to this rain

so glad I couldn't see yesterday's matches, appalling results, would've been less aggravating had the White Mug just lost 3 and 4

Ma$ha won't flop against Bouchard, the White Mug was always going to be a tougher match-up

I think if Halep gets past Sweta she'll deal with Errani without much fuss, but if Sweta wins she'll 90% flop to Sara

Gulbis finally in a Slam SF, eh. Took your time boy

LOLLL keep this up Petkovic!!

LOLLLLLLLLLLLLL THAT BACKHAND!!!!!!!!!!

love when players just walk all over errani. DON'T CHOKE THIS.

DISPATCHED!!! well deserved. happy for andrea :D

and that's the last of the players gone who i really REALLY don't want to see winning a slam. :)

Halep is so good

not watched any of rg this year from being too busy but nice to see gulbis doing something after i trailed the possibility of him eventually doing something in a gs prior to australia

1st set to Fit Dave, who is playing really well. Some insane rallies already.

congrats to halep on first slam

still feel halep will crumble in the semi or the final. sharapova's got this.

halep looks steady as can be

congrats to halep on first slam

― abcfsk, Wednesday, June 4, 2014 6:31 PM (18 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I do believe Halep can beat Sharapova but how is she anywhere near the favourite when Sharapova beat her a couple of weeks ago?

Form here at Roland Garros. Things can look very different from tournament to tournament.

this monf/murray match is one of the most pointless i've ever seen

Well most people would say Nadal is fave despite Djoko beating him two weeks. I know its a very diff dynamic but still, these are diff matches.

No probs w/Sharapova winning this - she just takes her opportunities, it seems.

So wow @ Murray match - wtf was that, didn't get to see it.

Also sorta wtf @ Ferrer taking a set off Nadal.

Ferrer beat him on clay a few weeks ago. He played well here in the first set but completely disappeared after that.

Thanks, just didn't quite expect Ferrer to do anything in a gs slam situ against Nadal.

tbh i expected ferrer to do more. not win, but more. smh @ a bagel and a breadstick in sets 3 and 4

it would be insane if this was somehow Murray's first clay final.

Ferrer, one of the game’s renowned fighters, later explained to the media how he lost 13 of the last 14 games. “It wasn’t that good as a match,” he said, “given the players that we are. The court was slow. He started playing a lot better, making fewer mistakes, and I threw in the towel. I don’t usually do this, but I thought, I’m not going to be able to come back. Not against Rafa. He’s such good a player.”

:-(

excited about both semis! bouchard/sharapova will possibly be a blowout though. maria has the physical and mental edge. bouchard has played, what, 9 matches in 2 weeks? winning the title in nurnberg, and after that draining QF with suarez navarro, i don't see how she can have much left!

she has just broken but its early days - come on Bouchard!

Bouchard serving for the set.

Wins!

Only 50% of the job done here.

Another disastrous 1st set from Maria yet still feels NID.

sharapova has woken up and breaks - this was so going to a decider..

Haha, no, that service game was a hilarious flop. Two DFs, pathetic error, then a really fine Bouchard scramble to get back on serve. It could be over in two yet.

Bouchard's FH has been a total liability last few games though.

Or not, as Bouchard just failed to hold from 40-0 due to a shit-tonne of FH errors mostly.

lol yeah sorry I am sorta half following. breaks back

yawn. too predictable. maria playing 1% better and bouchard capitulating.

Maria's barely better. Her serve is in shreds and she's hit four doubles in this set already.

x-post!

turned this on and already I want Sharapova fucking throttled. SHUT UP

Turn your tv down because we are probably going to a 3rd. 4-1

instant code violation for unsportspersonlike conduct, that'll sort her out

I know Ma$ha has laid down some epic beatdowns, bu they weren't against the cream of the field. Some of her play this tournament has been awful. If she wins it, I don't quite think she tops Clijsters' AO for sheer awful quality of play, but there's been a whole lot of shit to put it in the competition.

LOL at Bouchard's failing to close that easy point out.

you fascist, she has the right to express herself! xp

Double fault on set point! WOMEN'S FUCKING TENNIS!

Maria's play really dropped in quality for the Mug. Vs Stosur was mostly solid. This awful first set and then a little less awful the following won't hold against Halep though so either she steps to it or won't win. Assuming she takes this, which - who knows. This is def the worst so far in terms of the serve.

et encore! xp

AND AGAIN! Haha. Oh dear. But I can't see Sharapova losing this set, any time she's in trouble, she just needs to hit to the Bouchard FH.

Did you see that first set vs Pironkova? That was pretty damned awful.

:D

Bouchard luckily hitting the baseline over and over again, and, er, it's on serve. Still, it wouldn't be women's tennis if she served her way back to 5-5 without complication, would it.

three excellent points in a row. this could happen!

Given that Bouchard would be 90% likely to lose to Halep and not a foregone conclusion against Petkovic, that recovery is welcome.

i'm actually rooting for maria, which feels weird

Rooting for Bouchard, it is weird, but I guess that is because she is the next Maria.

Well that, and her scream isn't still going when her opponents are hitting the ball.

maria is one of my most hated sportspeople, because unsportspersonship is coded into literally every single fucking thing she does

can't think of an equivalent anywhere else

into a decider we go

some people actually cheat and fix matches imago.

you may not know this, imago, but some people have taken performance enhacing substances so as to have an edge in their own sports.

I guess the other pros block it out. I can't though

this is pathetic

maria should not be allowed to get away with this in a slam semi.

but she is - 4-1.

that was embarrassing
can a real girl please step up

Yaay. I'm happy she gets better as the match progresses, if nothing else. Three matches in a row with a junk first set is almost bizarre, but hey - it's the final. One can hope.

The winner / UE ratio is not bad: 33/35. The real tragedy is the serve.

Sorry for Bouchard but her time will come.

Sharapova is awesome really - to win this ugly is an achievement.

Halep (assuming its her), if she gets a chance to take the title may be allowed one or two hesitations but nothing more.

Glad I went to the shops

I'm glad xyzzzz is here - otherwise it'd be me vs a forum of pressed Sharapova haters.

Halep is brutal

i don't hate sharapova! i'm just in dismay at the fact that these "stars of the future" can't capitalise on their numerous opportunities to put away a sharapova who's playing completely mediocre tennis. somebody needs to actually step up to the plate.

also i don't want her having the same amount of RG titles as serena <3

Good 2nd set from the Petko, could've had it.

maria is one of my most hated sportspeople, because unsportspersonship is coded into literally every single fucking thing she does

― xelab V¸¸ (imago), Thursday, June 5, 2014 2:57 PM (6 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

lol wut. She's just a grunter, other than that what is there?

Halep will win if she doesn't choke imo. Been absolutely fantastic all tournament.

who else grunts like her? apart from that hilarious de brito character who i've not seen for a while

Many.

" unsportspersonship is coded into literally every single fucking thing she does" = "grunts"

great stuff

btw lex was totally otm about wertheim and women's tennis. He's been on the tennis channel's coverage every day and I don't think he knows anything about a women's player under 25.

That sticking your second arm out exaggeratedly while hitting a forehand thing Gulbis does is like what i started doing as a beginner to correct for not being able to hit the ball properly

Sharapova is awesome really - to win this ugly is an achievement.

― xyzzzz__, Thursday, June 5, 2014 3:44 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

this pretty much sums up why I don't even enjoy watching Sharapova

Amused that all I seem to be missing are Hysterical Fighting Warrior Masha wins, it's perfect really. Dunno what to think about the final, I'll be gutted if I miss Halep actually getting it done so do I have to root for Maria? I'd say it's 60-40 in Sharapova's favour, impossible to predict how Halep will react to the Slam final intangibles but I put more stock in Sharapova beating her a couple of weeks ago than in less-than-peak form that can always improve. Halep's breadstick set in that loss actually gives me more hope.

No but winning ugly more in the sense of she does not know when she is beaten, or she has problems beating a player that is probably better in pure dull-as-dishwater tennis terms, there is more to sport than that. 'You can beat the crap out of me, but I'll come back at you the next time'

The determination is incredibly likeable. If other players aren't going to be simply be better she'll win. Its a lot better to watch than what is going on elsewhere in the women's game.

Men's SF: Djoko in control but Gulbis took his opportunity when D froze a bit.

Now D has broken so expect him to close it...

she has NO problems in beating a player that is probably better, I meant..

Gulbis has broken back! D breaks his racket, the crowd boo! Lex are you missing this?

Its a lot better to watch than what is going on elsewhere in the women's game.

― xyzzzz__, Friday, June 6, 2014 1:23 PM (7 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I've enjoyed many women's matches this year and Sharapova hasn't been involved in any of them. Off the top of my head Kvitova/Kuznetsova and Townsend/Cornet have provided the best RG women's matches, even Sharapova's fans seem unenthused by the quality of her ones.

Sadly missing this yeah, there is a TV room somewhere on this island but I have to be on a boat soon

Kvitova/Kuznetsova was good but frustrating.

This 4th set is brewing nicely..

D was given a sniff and grabbed it to break! Serving for the final.

3 MPs

Gulbis fell off.

D in the final but Nadal (90% it'll be him) will look at that momentary freeze with interest.

Nadal off the blocks: 3-0

Nadal's FH firing off perfectly.

Its a lot better to watch than what is going on elsewhere in the women's game.
depends what you follow tennis for I guess. I'm not a total Sharapova hater but maaan watching her hit through weaker players endlessly is not exactly a visual treat

There's something compelling about watching Sharapova flail around playing horrible tennis and then slowly, inexorably, turning those wild misses into winners. It can be very impressive; it's just that when it continually happens over and over against newer players with more interesting/unfamiliar game strategies it can get boring. She's still more fun to watch than, say, Stephens (btw no one is more shocked than me, Mr I-Will-Root-For-Practically-Any-American-Short-Of-Vandeweghe, that I am ending up so negative on Sloane Stephens)

Maybe 'elsewhere in the woman's game' was ott but still, she isn't horrible.

Nadal is playing great - already looking at straight sets. Murray might make a couple of them tight but I can't see anymore than that.

6-3, didn't break sweat.

Murray doesn't make anything tight, a few more mins to go here..

nope, no sweat there - but D should be a much much tougher proposition.

right?

hopefully

I decided not to go to a friend's to catch this final on Sunday, and I'm wondering if its the right decision.

Going for Halep -- always want to see a first time winner -- but if she freezes if she gets to the finish a Sharapova win is a fine outcome too.

Virginia Ruzici seems cool. more of her as a pundit in the future pls

Halep breaks with an appalling own goal down the line from S.

Halep is making no mistakes right now, against the odd one by Maria...still M gets over the line for her first game

what a contest! S hitting great, Halep resisting

But in the S outhits Halep: 2-2

Yeah pretty boss match so far - they're both hitting so well. Halep is trying really hard to move Sharapova around which has worked a couple of times but Maria's dealing with it better than I expected.

yeah, great match so far. sharapova already delaying the game during halep's service games & lengthening her moans.. let's see how halep copes...
it's pretty intense!

(hello bearded monsieur leconte. good to see you)

fantastic rally

maria's time wasting is more annoying than her grunts

Halep really making Maria hit amazingly hard, she could 'outhit' herself here..

haven't noticed the time wasting..

you don't notice her taking 5 minutes between serves?

Do you know how to read the time?

Great lob from Maria but Halep should not have allowed Maria that opportunity.

2 BPs!

emphatic break!

Halep is playing so conservatively and predictably. But then again she's missing wildly when she actually goes for her shots. And the few times she's hitting aggressively and it goes in, she rejects the open court in an attempt to wrongfoot Maria who's standing there waiting.

Work to do from Maria as she serves it out.

Another double from M - 2 BPs back

breaks back, plenty of life in this set.

When it got to 5-2 it always looked a lot closer than that.

Forcing a set point now...Halep saved the first with a racking serve.

Tame surrender. Sharapova wins the 1st.

This is really poor from Halep. I'm disappointed. I knew she'd flop but I thought she'd at least get into a position of choking before she did that!

Sharapova has put her under a lot of pressure - played great!

Halep doing all she can to resist. Saving a couple of BPs

Halep is still hitting the ball well but it would be nice if she didn't hit them right back to Sharapova. :/

She's been allowed to be put under pressure with her ultra-conservative shot placement. So passive. A bundle of nerves.

Pretty goood altogether

Sharapova breaks - what a champion!

Roz there have been maybe 2-3 times where Halep did strangely hit at Sharapova.

Don't know if I'd call Halep's play ultra-conservative, its been good, she has been in the match, broken Maria in the 1st. Maria has more experience and has come up with a great game so far

Now Maria hits to Halep! Two BPs back, and then breaks back.

Definitely too conservative, going cross court way too often

Holds to 15! 2-2

Another DF. Match could be finally going Halep's way Maria haters :)

lol one more

Must-win game for Halep to capitalise on Maria's struggling. Lol @ Halep holding up Maria for once. :D

Halep hasn't had to lift a finger almost, deuce.

Raining DFs now

wow @ crazy hold.

This could finish Halep off.

Oh yes great idea trading CC BHs nonstop. NID that she couldn't capitalise on Maria's moment of weakness. Absolutely no risks taken. Not how you're gonna win a slam final. YAWN.

That was a good 1st point from Halep. She NEEDS to step inside the court and take time away from Maria.

Halep reacts well to square it: 3-3

Lol I accidentally posted on another thread but that was a great pass earlier from Halep

Pretty good tennis at times

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!

Awesome. Let's hope Halep can hold here.

Arghhhhh come on Simona!

FUCK THE FUCK OFF WITH THAT

argghhh!

wtf. and no apologies from Maria either

Maria is tiring... If Simona can just take time away from her and keep her moving for a few more minutes...

Now hold this time!

Come on

maybe this time? got to be brave. got to go for it.

jesus christ. 0-40 in like 20 seconds.

Ugh this is getting sad. Totally choking this away and Maria's desperate shrieks is just making it worse. :/

well, that was a disaster. FIN.

no 3 setter here since '01

3rd 6-4 7-6 final here in the last 5 years it looks like

Setpoint

Yesssss

OMFG HAHHHAHAHHAHHAH

Epic

Get the fuck in

what a set!

lololol unbelievable... Come on!

Really wishing lex was here

that 4-4 deuce point was INSANE.

maria's 4th 3 setter in a row now.

Sharapova taking a million years in the bathroom too. :/

ugh halep. that 2-1 game was so needed. MOVE HER AROUND. assert yourself!

this fucking match

God this lady. Urgh

Yesssssssss. Oh my god I'm close to tears. That such a heavy match to sit through.

Halep seemed to not really recover from that botched call from idiot Kader Nouni. How the fuck does that moron get to ump slam finals?

Super childish but I'm happy she's now got more slams than Clijsters

Sigh. Halep had her chances but was way too passive at the moments when she could have put Sharapova away.

Terrific match though, esp in the second set. And just a couple of minutes short of the longest women's final of all time.

Yeah that overrule was definitely the turning point. She seemed to deflate after that.

great match though. Sharapova is immense.

She should've had the 2nd set tiebreak but all in all this was a good match. Blood is genuinely rushing to my head

I love Sharapova. I wish should could scream me awake every morning.

...aaaaand scene

in Barbados airport, bollocks and ugh x a milli at a) the result b) missing a match that sounded top quality

really unbelievable that Sharapova has more RG titles than any other Slam

positive has to be that with a creditable final performance (and the final run in the first place) people are going to HAVE to acknowledge Halep's quality. and no one can get away with the "she only plays well in small tournaments" myth any more.

You gotta VOD this one post-holiday. And after today I don't think anyone can doubt that Halep will take a slam some day, and probably in the relatively near future.

Had to go meet people so net cord for Sharapova to break back at the 2nd was the last thing I saw - glad Halep got the match into a 3rd.

Halep's time will come - took a set off, she sounds like she will push the lines more when needed in future.

Sharapova is a great champion, really - a fantastic opportunist.

And I think the only Russian GS champion to win any of the four slams more than once.

Just want a great final, etc.

Oh who am I kidding - love D to win this. But Nadal is looking v strong..

I want a Nole win. Also, if Nole can't beat Rafa now he will never do it at RG, surely

Probably the most I've ever wanted Djokovic to win a match

Fuck I didn't realise the women's doubles final was streamed, could've been watching it. Past four points = Hsieh and Peng peaking

Slam #2 for Hsieh and Peng :D

The 30-40 point in the last game was amazing. I'm not happy about Hsieh being unable to sustain her singles career but if she's winning doubles Slams I guess it's worth it...?

BOMBSHELL - Andy Murray's new coach is...Mauresmo?! That could be terrific...

Wow :)
That makes me happy

Donna Vekic ‏@DonnaVekic 49m
@stanwawrinka can I be your new coach for grass season?? #pls

Stanislas Wawrinka ‏@stanwawrinka 1m
@DonnaVekic win Wimbledon first ...

i have very little hope in djokovic winning this. but COME ON.

rafa 7-5 6-3 2-6 6-2 yawn

Couple of big rallies so far. D looking good - on serve.

D knocking but N just manages to hold after a couple of unforced errors.

allez D! Joke winner!!

bit surprised to see Hobak going to the dropshot and succeeding so well!

ITV commentators are ludicrously OTT

the analysis of Nadal's FH was informative. I don't know enough about it..

N reaches deuce.

But D wins the game with solid rallies.

BREAK POINTS

Heart in mouth on that net cord obv

C"MON

wow @ unforced error to hand D a break!

no no no @ everything about that dropshit

this is awful - two BPs

Rafa with a Stosur-worthy shank on BP...

nice serve & volley after drop shot tho'

and another :o

N was on top and then sprays it!

COME ON!!!

Ajde!

Nervy, nervy game, that. Still can't believe how Rafa spurned the chances Nole was handing him on a plate

lol @ that drop shot. good work on getting the set though.

xyzzzz referring to Nadal as N is super-confusing!