http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/46810000/jpg/_46810815_jamie_murray_getty466i.jpg
Murray's brother Jamie was an interested spectator at the O2 Arena
evidently.
I really have nothing to add, except 'lol'.
― FC Tom Tomsk Club (Merdeyeux), Friday, 27 November 2009 00:14 (fourteen years ago) link
from the ATP twitter: Federer's games won/lost were 44-40, with Del Potro 45-43 and Murray 44-43. What a nailbiter!
Dayum. Conspiracy theorists can say whatever but with the numbers this close, I really doubt that they would've managed to work it out beforehand. It all came down to Fed winning that second set in the end.
JMDP was really, really lucky there. Or Murray was really, really unlucky.
― Roz, Friday, 27 November 2009 00:16 (fourteen years ago) link
can't believe i'm only watching this for the first time - year-end champs in my own damn home town and probably the tournament i've followed least closely in the whole year. this week has been mental. didn't even know who'd qualified for the SF until today. pissed off that i seem to have missed a ton of great tennis, and insanely jealous of mike getting to go!
anyway, roger's in full on fed-error mode here. go king kolya!
― lex pretend, Saturday, 28 November 2009 14:52 (fourteen years ago) link
Roger's been doing that in the first set in every match so far, before recovering beautifully in the second. He's doing it again now. :/
― Roz, Saturday, 28 November 2009 15:35 (fourteen years ago) link
oh damn it Kolya.
― Roz, Saturday, 28 November 2009 15:45 (fourteen years ago) link
This is great stuff now!
― Michael Jones, Saturday, 28 November 2009 16:15 (fourteen years ago) link
whoo. kolya played so well to come back from 0-30 when serving at *4-5 in the third, after some outrageous genius from fed...
― lex pretend, Saturday, 28 November 2009 16:16 (fourteen years ago) link
KOLYA BREAKS!
― lex pretend, Saturday, 28 November 2009 16:19 (fourteen years ago) link
come on Kolya don't fuck this up now!
― Roz, Saturday, 28 November 2009 16:21 (fourteen years ago) link
30-0 to 30-40... :/
― lex pretend, Saturday, 28 November 2009 16:25 (fourteen years ago) link
FOREHAND! deuce!
WOOO!
― Roz, Saturday, 28 November 2009 16:26 (fourteen years ago) link
:D
first win over fed for kolya, i believe.
― lex pretend, Saturday, 28 November 2009 16:27 (fourteen years ago) link
Kolya's H2H vs Federer now: 1-12. :D
― Roz, Saturday, 28 November 2009 16:27 (fourteen years ago) link
Magnificent last set. Fed looks devastated.
I wonder if Kolya will quote Vitas G in his post-match interview? "NO ONE beats Nikolay Davydenko thirteen times in a row!"
― Michael Jones, Saturday, 28 November 2009 16:28 (fourteen years ago) link
only got to watch the final set but pony boy was fabulous there coming back from a break down and going on to play a superb TB.
More bad news for Murray, if Delpo goes on to win the title, he'll take over Muzz's spot at no. 4.
― Roz, Saturday, 28 November 2009 23:38 (fourteen years ago) link
Mauresmo retired
I wish you well, you awesome burly headcase
― Huckabee Jesus lifeline (HI DERE), Thursday, 3 December 2009 14:47 (fourteen years ago) link
:( I loved her, even though it was goddamn painful to watch her most of the time.
Enjoy that cellar full of red wine Momo!
― Roz, Thursday, 3 December 2009 15:26 (fourteen years ago) link
memories of mauresmo:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQP6mNYkKAQ
so, justine's back! and drew petrova in her first match back - nadezhda obviously wasn't going to let her 94843948th chance to prove her uselessness pass, and accordingly fell in straight sets.
also, i'm not a fan of either wozniacki or azarenka, but their twitter banter to each other is pretty charming.
― lex pretend, Tuesday, 5 January 2010 09:28 (fourteen years ago) link
i love this pic of nadia drawing justine's name during the draw ceremony. "Oh fuck me."
http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/4931/nadsdrawbrisbane.jpg
didn't she draw sharapova on her first match back as well? fact: tennis gods hate nadia petrova. to her credit though, her match against justine wasn't bad at all, she just choked at the end as she always does. about 300% better quality than the ivanovic-dokic match before anyway.
twitter is basically making me love all of the players I hate. :/ I should stop reading them.
― Roz, Tuesday, 5 January 2010 12:27 (fourteen years ago) link
watching justine play for the first time in 2 years!! god i've missed that backhand. she's just taken the first set over sesil karatantcheva, stream at http://www.freedocast.com/forms/PopOut.aspx?sc=5320427231E3213D109B
― lex pretend, Wednesday, 6 January 2010 09:49 (fourteen years ago) link
elsewhere, 39-year-old kimiko date-krumm has moved into the auckland QF w/victories over chakvetadze and razzano...
― lex pretend, Wednesday, 6 January 2010 09:51 (fourteen years ago) link
Lex the Henin match is live on British Eurosport if you have it.
― () |\| | |\/| () (onimo), Wednesday, 6 January 2010 09:54 (fourteen years ago) link
i don't any more :(
― lex pretend, Wednesday, 6 January 2010 10:03 (fourteen years ago) link
this stream is pretty good though
well, that was fun! watched from 4-4 in the first set; when closing out the first set and coming back from 0-2 to 4-2 in the second, justine was ON SERIOUS FIYAH and it was gorgeous to watch. i think she's playing a lot more aggressively than she used to - lots of net rushes, esp off sesil's weak-ass second serve. some amazing down-the-line winners. from 4-2 to the end was a bit, uh, scrappier - some nasty shanked shots and she totally fucked up serving for the match. but i am very positive about this comeback now!
karatantcheva's ability to stay with henin in rallies was impressive - good anticipation, good pace and depth, but she often made a hash of more aggressive moves - though given henin's defensive skills you can't blame her. she fell apart towards the end and her serve was pretty woeful, though.
― lex pretend, Wednesday, 6 January 2010 10:44 (fourteen years ago) link
in other news, what the fuck is wrong with new zealand? http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/asb-classic-disrupted-protesters-3324955
the israeli govt is criticised around the world, which is fine, but at no other tournament has this meant personal harassment (for the second year running!) of a tennis player. those protestors need punches in the face. i'm not a fan of shahar peer and her ugly defensive game by any means, but i reaaally hope she wins the whole tournament now.
― lex pretend, Wednesday, 6 January 2010 10:46 (fourteen years ago) link
that whole bullshit makes me so angry - she's had to put up with so much crap just because she happens to be israeli. it's ridiculous. she's a 21yo female tennis player playing in an international tournament where she's not even representing her country or competing in support of her govt's policies. she's a professional athlete trying to do her job - what's so hard to get about that?
btw, joining kimiko date-krumm in the ancient stakes: Younes El Aynaoui, at 38, has just become the second-oldest male player to win a tour match since Connors in 1995.
― Roz, Wednesday, 6 January 2010 12:15 (fourteen years ago) link
http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/tennis/news/story?id=4800546
I am only posting this now-out-f-date story because OMG BLAKE WON A MTCH
― ah ah oh ooh ooh oh ah ah ah ah ah oh ah ah aha ooh (HI DERE), Wednesday, 6 January 2010 17:06 (fourteen years ago) link
Could be a Clijsters vs Henin final in Brisbane - first one for 4 or 5 years?
― () |\| | |\/| () (onimo), Wednesday, 6 January 2010 18:00 (fourteen years ago) link
pretty solid bet imo - sadly i don't think henin's solid or tuned-up enough to beat clijsters just yet though :(
she will doubtless avenge herself on one or more big stages this year though :)
― لوووووووووووووووووووول (lex pretend), Wednesday, 6 January 2010 18:20 (fourteen years ago) link
kim clijsters d. lucie safarova 6-1, 0-6, 6-4.
lol wta i have missed you
― Roz, Thursday, 7 January 2010 12:00 (fourteen years ago) link
oh lucie :(
― لوووووووووووووووووووول (lex pretend), Thursday, 7 January 2010 12:13 (fourteen years ago) link
soooooooo happy to be seeing Justine on TV again! And in my home town to boot, shame I don't live there anymore. I'm gonna pop into the Medibank International in Sydney next week and do some stalking and such though!
― i left my hat in tokyo (edwardo), Thursday, 7 January 2010 13:45 (fourteen years ago) link
My favourite loser and Latvian #1, Ernests Gulbis took a set off Fed today. I'd just like to note that this is a significant achievement in his young career.
also hilarious match. I lol'd way too hard at the hawkeye challenges alone.
Roger in Fed-error mode + gulbis' eternal headcasey-ness = comical tennis.
― Roz, Thursday, 7 January 2010 19:29 (fourteen years ago) link
Blake lost but at least it was to someone with a modicum of talent
― ah ah oh ooh ooh oh ah ah ah ah ah oh ah ah aha ooh (HI DERE), Thursday, 7 January 2010 19:33 (fourteen years ago) link
4 out of 6 Sports Illustrated experts pick Blake as their "On his Last Legs" for 2010.
Of course, one of those "experts" also picked the guy who's never gotten past the second round of Wimbledon to *win* it this year so make of that what you will.
― Roz, Thursday, 7 January 2010 19:48 (fourteen years ago) link
those predictions are a bit "throw a name at the wall, don't wait around to see if it sticks". one dude picks serena to win 3 slams and safina to win the other...yet also picks henin as player of the year? what? also, picking vaidisova, who fell out of the top 150 last summer, as "on her last legs" strikes me as more than slightly behind the times
― لوووووووووووووووووووول (lex pretend), Thursday, 7 January 2010 19:55 (fourteen years ago) link
and picking roddick as breakthrough player seems to indicate a failure to understand the concept of "breakthrough player"
― لوووووووووووووووووووول (lex pretend), Thursday, 7 January 2010 19:57 (fourteen years ago) link
It's somewhat encouraging that Blake took a set off of Monfils, but then I remember that it's Monfils, who sometimes decides that the best strategy for his game is to hit balls as far out as he can possibly get them in a baffling attempt to confuse his opponents into bouts of incapacitated laughter.
― ah ah oh ooh ooh oh ah ah ah ah ah oh ah ah aha ooh (HI DERE), Thursday, 7 January 2010 19:57 (fourteen years ago) link
xpost I know right? jon weirtheim's picks are prob the only reliable ones, but then he is SI's resident tennis expert. SL Price used to do okay coverage but these days, he's just way too in love with those guys who came up with Fed - Safin, Roddick, Hewitt et al. The rest are just crazy talk.
― Roz, Thursday, 7 January 2010 20:03 (fourteen years ago) link
okay that was massively funny reading
"breakthrough" clearly means something different to me than it does to some of these guys
― ah ah oh ooh ooh oh ah ah ah ah ah oh ah ah aha ooh (HI DERE), Thursday, 7 January 2010 20:05 (fourteen years ago) link
monfils is a funny one. he can never seem to decide between dumb ball-bashing and passive pushing, either. it's so frustrating that he STILL stands 5 million miles behind the baseline so often - whenever he comes in a bit more he's so good. i think he'd rather coast along and be the crowd-pleasing, entertaining sort than push himself to be a real elite player.
i'm so annoyed i'm going to have to do these myself, even though some of the questions are dumb and making any predictions in the first week of the year is a fool's game
How many Slams will Federer win? - oneWhich Andy will win a major? - murrayShould the U.S. Open add a roof? - yes, but it should probably sort out its dumb-ass final week schedule firstPlayer of the Year - nadalBreakthrough Player - cilicOn His Last Legs - ferreroMost Curious About - nishikoriYear-End Top Five - nadal, murray, djokovic, federer, davydenkoAustralian Open - murrayRoland Garros - nadalWimbledon - federerUS Open - djokovic
Will Serena be suspended in 2010? - wtf, noWill Henin crack the Top 5? - duh, yesHigher year-end ranking: Melanie Oudin or Ana Ivanovic? - lol, ivanovic, but neither will be impressivePlayer of the Year - heninBreakthrough Player - lisickiOn Her Last Legs - schnyderMost Curious About - jankovicYear-End Top Five - henin, clijsters, serena, azarenka, jankovicAustralian Open - serenaRoland Garros - heninWimbledon - heninUS Open - serena
― لوووووووووووووووووووول (lex pretend), Thursday, 7 January 2010 20:11 (fourteen years ago) link
Most Curious About - nishikori
OTM!
― ah ah oh ooh ooh oh ah ah ah ah ah oh ah ah aha ooh (HI DERE), Thursday, 7 January 2010 20:12 (fourteen years ago) link
actually in the women's i'm most curious about robson - she had some really poor senior results last year! ditto larcher de brito, but i'd rather not think about her.
nishikori had such bad luck with injuries in 09 and fell out of the top 200 - would love to see if he can work his way back and get back on track.
― لوووووووووووووووووووول (lex pretend), Thursday, 7 January 2010 20:19 (fourteen years ago) link
glad to see i'm not the only one who was doing that in my head. agree with most of your picks except my top 5 ATP were: Nadal, Djokovic, Federer, Murray, Delpo; Murray to win the AO, Rafa to win RG and Wimby, Fed/Nole to win USO.
Top 5 WTA: Clijsters, Henin, Serena, Jankovic, Sveta
Slams: Clijsters, Henin, Henin, Serena
Laura Robson's been losing her matches at the Hopman Cup but she looks like she's gonna grow into a very good player. Huge if unreliable serve, good groundstrokes, good head.
― Roz, Thursday, 7 January 2010 20:24 (fourteen years ago) link
sorry good head sounded wrong lol. i just mean that she seems to be pretty mentally tough.
― Roz, Thursday, 7 January 2010 20:28 (fourteen years ago) link
i kind of think del potro will have a bit of a sophomore slump - most male players who win slams that young do - maybe not a drastic one, but i think a few wtf losses are in his future this year. a fair few post-USO kiss-and-tells have been emerging out of argentina, too. (jealous!)
robson seems to play way better on the main tour, but some of her challenger losses last year...
xp haha
― لوووووووووووووووووووول (lex pretend), Thursday, 7 January 2010 20:29 (fourteen years ago) link
dish! i haven't heard anything except that he's been announcing that he's single and looking to anyone who'd listen. I think he thinks a Slam winner should have a permanent WAG, aw.
also i just noticed your username and loooooooool nice one.
― Roz, Thursday, 7 January 2010 20:33 (fourteen years ago) link
kudos, first to get it!
― لوووووووووووووووووووول (lex pretend), Thursday, 7 January 2010 20:40 (fourteen years ago) link