French Open discussion thread

[Danny_1982]

First topic message reminder :

Murray is surely going to go all out attack in the SF. I can't see him beating Nadal who is starting to look close to his peak form. However, if he can give him a tough match that will be very encouraging for Wimbledon.

Yep, it'll be all guns blazing I imagine. Going after every return he can and trying to end points quickly. It'll be fun to watch, but if you offered me a 4 set defeat for Muzza now I'd bite your hand off.

[Guest]

We have 6 out of 7

[kingraf]

Gonna go old school, and say Budge or Perry?

[Guest]

We have:

McEnroe
Connors
??
Sampras
Hewitt
Nadal
Murray

[The Special Juan]

Oh Perry, I like it!

[The Special Juan]

Laver maybe?

[88Chris05]

Becker did it in '85, didn't he?

[Guest]

Nope and nope

[HM Murdock]

Men's SF day and the stadium is half empty, as it has been all week.

At Wimbledon, Centre Court is always full.

[Guest]

Becker did it in '85, didn't he?

indeed he did

[Guest]

I see Gulbis missed chances to break and has been punished. Oh dear!

[kingraf]

No good deed goes unpunished in tennis, and Gulbis gave away a game he had break points in quite kindly.

[sirfredperry]

Men's SF day and the stadium is half empty, as it has been all week.

At Wimbledon, Centre Court is always full.

They'll be all in when they've had lunch. PLay once started at 11am at Wimbledon after rainy days with Henman on and there was hardly a soul in place as the corporate types were all at lunch. So it can happen anywhere.

[Guest]

This is what I hope doesn't happen to Andy later on.

[sirfredperry]

Becker did it in '85, didn't he?

indeed he did

Dan Maskell said after Queen's 1985 that he could see this boy Becker winning Wimbledon one day. He did. About 21 days later.

[Jahu]

I'm guessing French crowd with be mostly for Nadal?

[The Special Juan]

I'm guessing French crowd with be mostly for Nadal?

As Senor Murray proved 2 days ago, I don't think he cares what side the crowd are on.

[banbrotam]

Did Andy actually have a problem with the leg he kept rubbing yesterday, or is it now purely a mannerism? He seemed in discomfort against Kohly too.

Andy looked dead on his feet in set 4. That is a concern.

I thought what was even more remarkable was Santoro thinking Andy at the end of the match looked fresher than Monfils!! Not sure what match he was watching.

Once it was 4-1 in set 4, Andy looked disinterested. He did the classic thing that the likes of Borg have done in the past (see the Connors Wimby SF of 1981) and backed himelf to do whatever was needed in the final set

Andy looking disinterested = Andy looking weary = Andy the hypochondriac

No matter how knackered Monfils was in the 5th, no-one can comeback look as vibrant as Murray did if they had fitness issues that are a worry. There was one rally, where Monfills was powering his shots and Murray just get scampering - getting the ball back, as though it was the first set

Of course he's going to be suffering due to his training been truncated - but don't see it as a factor today

He'll lose and like Danny says I'll take a 4-set loss now - simply because he's not going to beat Nadal and Novak here and any great effort in doing so, hinders his Wimby chances, where he could beat both (IMO)

[The Special Juan]

Gulbis looks woefully out of his depth.

[sirfredperry]

First set to Djoko 6-3. Gulbis played well, very well, in patches, but didn't play the big points too cleverly. Some great rallies, but Djoko to win in 3.

[banbrotam]

Gulbis shows the problem that most of the players have, when they're playing an 'on' Novak, Rafa or Andy at the Slams

That is, unless they can get them out of their comfort zone, surprise them with shots on a consistent basis, vary their shot virtually every time - they suffer

I like Gulbis - but I don't think he looks like a potential winner of a slam

[Guest]

Did Andy actually have a problem with the leg he kept rubbing yesterday, or is it now purely a mannerism? He seemed in discomfort against Kohly too.

Andy looked dead on his feet in set 4. That is a concern.

I thought what was even more remarkable was Santoro thinking Andy at the end of the match looked fresher than Monfils!! Not sure what match he was watching.

Once it was 4-1 in set 4, Andy looked disinterested. He did the classic thing that the likes of Borg have done in the past (see the Connors Wimby SF of 1981) and backed himelf to do whatever was needed in the final set

Andy looking disinterested = Andy looking weary = Andy the hypochondriac

No matter how knackered Monfils was in the 5th, no-one can comeback look as vibrant as Murray did if they had fitness issues that are a worry. There was one rally, where Monfills was powering his shots and Murray just get scampering - getting the ball back, as though it was the first set

Of course he's going to be suffering due to his training been truncated - but don't see it as a factor today

He'll lose and like Danny says I'll take a 4-set loss now - simply because he's not going to beat Nadal and Novak here and any great effort in doing so, hinders his Wimby chances, where he could beat both (IMO)

I think Andy had hit the wall hence the grimacing and motioning.

I don't think he ever bargained on Monfils chucking away the 5th like he did.

[kingraf]

Got even odds on the match lasting at least 37 games... Come on Gulbis. 23 more games son.

[Jahu]

Gulbis, wake the frog up. Don't be scared.

[skyeman]

Looks like a standard one break per set victory thus far for Dok.

Not the best entertainment and Dok as that air of someone who knows that no matter what, i can get even better.

[The Special Juan]

Got even odds on the match lasting at least 37 games... Come on Gulbis. 23 more games son.

Really? I can see this being under 2 hours.

[kingraf]

Just realised Gulbis needs to win at least a set for my bet pay off, as 6-3 7-6 7-6 is two games short... Gutted.

[kingraf]

Got even odds on the match lasting at least 37 games... Come on Gulbis. 23 more games son.

Really?  I can see this being under 2 hours.

Just need Ernests to sneak a set... Doesnt look likely.

[kingraf]

thats the money gone.

[Guest]

Looks like my wish of seeing the Nadal and Murray match have gone up in smoke.

Thanks a lot Earnie!

[skyeman]

Gonna do an hours gardening. Disappointing match.

Murray/Nadal can only be better!

[The Special Juan]

I'd come back in 45 minutes

[Gerry SA]

Rather brainless effort from Gulbis.

He's going for massive shots all the time. When perhaps staying in the rallies might've been a better gameplan.

Djokovic looked nervous early on. But Gulbis coughed up so many U/Es

[The Special Juan]

Here's a mini-teaser. Nadal or Murray have been in the previous ___ consecutive major finals?

(ie how many majors has it been since both Nadal and Murray weren't in the final)

[Guest]

US Open 2011?

[Guest]

D'oh! No thats not right!

[Guest]

I would guess US Open 2009

[The Special Juan]

Yeah it's something like that. The answer's 17 I believe.

[skyeman]

Gulbis has raised his game but can't get the big points. More interesting now though.

And he breaks.

Now then!

[Jahu]

Djoko broken. Gulbis serving for the set 5:3.

[skyeman]

Oh my, a set. Never saw that coming.

[The Special Juan]

Hat... eaten!

[Jahu]

Come on Gulbis, take it to 5

[skyeman]

If only Gulbis had a better FH, he could be reaching SF's on a regular basis.

[The Special Juan]

Got even odds on the match lasting at least 37 games... Come on Gulbis. 23 more games son.

Djokovic to win this set 6-3 and bring the total number of games to... 36!

[DirectView]

Wow Gulbis is staging a fight eventually.

[skyeman]

Blimey, Gulbis breaks back.

[Jahu]

Gulbis broken, Djoko broken back, getting nice.

[skyeman]

Gulbis coping better with the sun here. Dok getting a bit rattled

[skyeman]

Still don't get why Dok is hitting to the BH.

[Jahu]

Come on Gulbis, break break break. 3:3

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