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.

[The Special Juan]

What about Akgul Amanmuradova?

[HM Murdock]

I have to admit I would've sold my house and family for a shot at Kournikova in her pre Enrique years!

I always felt she looked a bit like Boris Yeltsin.

[Guest]

I have to admit I would've sold my house and family for a shot at Kournikova in her pre Enrique years!

I always felt she looked a bit like Boris Yeltsin.

been on the vodka??

[The Special Juan]

Sharapova is very boring to watch. Her plan is always the same - hit the ball hard. If it's not working, nothing ever changes.

[The Special Juan]

I'll give her one compliment though - she's granite.

[HM Murdock]

Djokovic v Gulbis is the first SF tomorrow.

Hopefully they can be picadors for Novak and have a nice, long 5 set slugfest!

[antonico]

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.

I'll go against the grain and say it's a mannerism which only appears when he's losing.  

If you watch the replay, shortly after grabbing whatever part of his body seemed to be ailing him at the moment, you can see Murray gave his Thumb Up to his box, indicating he was just fine. It's all theater with Murray. Best thing afterward was Andy Roddick's tweet directed at Monfils:

Nothing pisses me off more when watching someone giving a horrible effort. Showboats when winning and rolls over when down  

[Guest]

Murrays grabbing i think its psychosomatic, note he only does it when he loses a point, its a habit of dealing with the loss, "Im not doing well, then i must be physically hurting". Its probably subconscious to some degree

[skyeman]

Murrays grabbing i think its psychosomatic, note he only does it when he loses a point, its a habit of dealing with the loss, "Im not doing well, then i must be physically hurting". Its probably subconscious to some degree  

I am now starting to think this too, happens time after time. Whenever he starts with it now, i never feel too pertubed that he may pull out.

[kingraf]

MaSha 53-4 on clay in recent history - Would have given you you fantastically long odds on Maria having a better clay percentage than Rafa over a reasonable time scale.

[bogbrush]

Murrays grabbing i think its psychosomatic, note he only does it when he loses a point, its a habit of dealing with the loss, "Im not doing well, then i must be physically hurting". Its probably subconscious to some degree  

I am now starting to think this too, happens time after time. Whenever he starts with it now, i never feel too pertubed that he may pull out.

"starting to think.......?"

It's been going on since he first appeared - if he's losing he makes out he's exhausted / injured. Pretty much every time.

[Gerry SA]

MaSha 53-4 on clay in recent history - Would have given you you fantastically long odds on Maria having a better clay percentage than Rafa over a reasonable time scale.

Rather irrelevant stat KR.

Nadal won last years French. Whereas Sharapova's won the lesser events.

[Guest]

Murrays grabbing i think its psychosomatic, note he only does it when he loses a point, its a habit of dealing with the loss, "Im not doing well, then i must be physically hurting". Its probably subconscious to some degree  

I am now starting to think this too, happens time after time. Whenever he starts with it now, i never feel too pertubed that he may pull out.

"starting to think.......?"

It's been going on since he first appeared - if he's losing he makes out he's exhausted / injured. Pretty much every time.

I would say its a case of him hitting the wall.

It's that simple really

[skyeman]

Murrays grabbing i think its psychosomatic, note he only does it when he loses a point, its a habit of dealing with the loss, "Im not doing well, then i must be physically hurting". Its probably subconscious to some degree  

I am now starting to think this too, happens time after time. Whenever he starts with it now, i never feel too pertubed that he may pull out.

"starting to think.......?"

It's been going on since he first appeared - if he's losing he makes out he's exhausted / injured. Pretty much every time.

Aye for a while actually, but if i say it to the wife she calls me "an English barsteward"  

But in fairness. For the first time ever on Murray regarding this, yesterday she agreed. Blinkers came off.

[CaledonianCraig]

Has anyone considered that Murray is merely paranoid?

If you consider that Murray has had a history if injuries from birth being born with deformed knee, has a history of ankle problems hence he always wears ankle supports, had an early history of cramp in his early days as a young pro blighting him famously in a match at Wimbledon and of course more recently wrist and back injury that needed surgery. It may simply be that any slightest twinge he gets in his body sends out panic signals automatically. I mean he does say directly after matches where has displayed discomfort that he openly feels fine so that would tally with mt theory.

Of course people will believe what they want to believe.

Good luck tomorrow Andy.   

[Jahu]

Gulbis and Murray need to make history tomorrow.

Nobody cares for Nadal and Djoko on another FO final.

Come on guys, kick some @ss tomorrow.

[Born Slippy]

Hard to see beyond Nadal and Djokovic today. Novak in 3 and Rafa in 4.

As for the final, I think those predicting a straight set win for Djokovic are massively under-rating probably the best grand slam player of all-time. I think Novak is slight favourite but I just have a feeling Rafa will take it in 4.

[kingraf]

Bet on Gulbis today. I don't know why, as I don't see it, but Murdoch has convinced me that Djokovic is due a brain fart.

[TopoftheChops]

Come on Muzza!

[Gerry SA]

Would love to see a couple of back and forth 5 setters TBH

Would be great to see Gulbis and Murray make the championship match.

But it's difficult to go against Djokovic and Nadal.

[HM Murdock]

Bet on Gulbis today. I don't know why, as I don't see it, but Murdoch has convinced me that Djokovic is due a brain fart.

What odds did you get?

Novak is definitely due a brain fart. If he makes the final, I'm seriously thinking about betting on Rafa. It puts me in a nice win-win situation.

(One could equally argue it's a lose-lose situation too but I'm turning a blind eye to that logic.)

[Born Slippy]

Yeah, I might put money on Rafa in the final as well on the same basis.

Just want Andy to come out and look to dominate today. He is the only player bar Djokovic who should be able to take control against Rafa. If he is aggressive and misses so be it.

[Guest]

Can Andy do it?

Well we are seeing a contrast. One who eats, sleeps and breathes clay and the other not so much. I hope Andy saw that first set between Ferrer and Nadal and doesn't follow the same route as Ferrer and go all guns blazing in a bid to secure the first set. I hope Andy doesn't go into his shell like he did against Monfils because the match will be over in the blink of an eye. He needs to take those rare chances and keep the UE count down to a minimum. Stretch the court like in the first 2 sets against Monfils and make Rafa work.

He needs the performance of a lifetime!

[HM Murdock]

Skill for skill, I can't see any reason why Andy shouldn't be as able to challenge Rafa in the same way that Novak does.

It's the CCBH that has done the damage for Novak recently and I think Andy's CCBH is looking great right now. He's perhaps less comfortable than Novak going down the line, so may not be able to open the court up quite as much but the basic patterns should still be effective.

[kingraf]

Bet on Gulbis today. I don't know why, as I don't see it, but Murdoch has convinced me that Djokovic is due a brain fart.

What odds did you get?

Novak is definitely due a brain fart. If he makes the final, I'm seriously thinking about betting on Rafa. It puts me in a nice win-win situation.

(One could equally argue it's a lose-lose situation too but I'm turning a blind eye to that logic.)

Got 7/1 on Gulbis, if he takes the first set, I might also put a bet on Nole in five, which is currently 15/2.

[kingraf]

Skill for skill, I can't see any reason why Andy shouldn't be as able to challenge Rafa in the same way that Novak does.

It's the CCBH that has done the damage for Novak recently and I think Andy's CCBH is looking great right now. He's perhaps less comfortable than Novak going down the line, so may not be able to open the court up quite as much but the basic patterns should still be effective.

Tbh, this is the reason I think Gulbis could do it. He matches up very well with Novak. Backhand for backhand, Serve for serve, and while Nole has a better return game (think Ernie actually has a slightly better serve looking at it), Novak will probably get broken in any case. Only place I think Nole has the mark on Ernests, is the forehand, but I think the clay at Chartier is slow enough to give Ernests enough time to set up his wonky forehand off reasonably enough. With that said, as nice, and roughly even as this match-up is on paper... like the Murray-Nadal clash, I think the reality is rather one-way.

[kingraf]

Bet on Gulbis today. I don't know why, as I don't see it, but Murdoch has convinced me that Djokovic is due a brain fart.

What odds did you get?

Novak is definitely due a brain fart. If he makes the final, I'm seriously thinking about betting on Rafa. It puts me in a nice win-win situation.

(One could equally argue it's a lose-lose situation too but I'm turning a blind eye to that logic.)

Got 7/1 on Gulbis. If he takes the first set, I might also put a bet on Nole in five, which is currently 15/2.

[sirfredperry]

Have gone for straight sets wins for Rafa and Djoko today but hope I'm wrong. Gulbis, who will have to play outstandingly to do it, has more chance than Murray, who could play exceptionally against Rafa and STILL lose.
  Reckon that Rafa and Djoko - and praps Fed on a particularly good day - are the only players who can beat Murray even if Andy is at his best (particularly on clay)

[Guest]

I think Andy's DTLBH will be crucial. It's going to have to be on the money to avoid a stinging FH return off it. Like Novak, Andy needs to punish the short ball from Rafa.

[The Special Juan]

I can see a brave Murray performance but ultimately a straight sets defeat today - it would be a tough match on grass but on clay it's a near-certainty. As for Gulbis, a straight sets dismantling. After today, the best semi-final will have been Bouchard v Sharapova, I think.

[skyeman]

Weather is fine today.

Gulbis making friends at last. Been very impressed with the improvement recently and today he needs to serve well to have any chance.

Nerves might come into it today though.

Dok in three. On court now.

[Guest]

Interesting teaser on the BBC live feed (now I know where TSJ got the other one from)

With Andy Murray in action later, we have a tennis-themed Question of Sport teaser for you to ponder: Andy Murray has reached seven Grand Slam Finals, which players did he beat in his semi-final matches?

[Guest]

I know from the top of my head:

Nadal
Cilic
Tsonga
Janowicz
Berdych
Federer

Can't think of the other

[The Special Juan]

Nadal, Tsonga, Cilic, Federer, Janowicz, Berdych, I think I'm missing the 2011 AO semi-finalist.

[Danny_1982]

Ferrer is the other one. It was in Australia, 4 set win. Can't remember which year. Maybe 2011 at a guess?

[The Special Juan]

Ferrer?

[Guest]

You copied me!!! :P

[kingraf]

2008 USO - Nadal
2010 AO - Nadal?
2011 AO - Ferrer?
2013 Wimbledon - Janowicz?
2012 USO - Berdych
2012 Wimbledon - no clue, think Djokovic?

[Jahu]

Come on Gulbis   

[Danny_1982]

Ferrer had beaten Nadal in the quarters as Rafa was injured.

If I remember correctly Murray was one set down and Ferrer had set points for 2-0, and then Muzza came back.

[The Special Juan]

You copied me!!! :P

Snap!

[Guest]

Ferrer? I wouldn't have guessed him

[skyeman]

A s/f and look at the many empty spaces in the crowd  

[Guest]

Here's another teaser for you.

7 players have completed the Queens and Wimbledon double, but do you know who?

[The Special Juan]

Ferrer? I wouldn't have guessed him

He beat Nadal that year I think.

[The Special Juan]

Here's another teaser for you.

7 players have completed the Queens and Wimbledon double, but do you know who?

Dandy Andy, Roddick, Hewitt, McEnroe, Nadal. Connors? Borg?

[kingraf]

Nadal
McEnroe?
Sampras?
Murray
and I think Hewitt did it?

[sirfredperry]

Sampras? Don't think Borg ever played Queen's, did he?

[Jahu]

There is a somewhere a random crap thread!! This is FO thread!!!   

[kingraf]

Ernests missed two big break points.

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