Summer Tournaments, the Olympics, the US Open 2024

Three of the four Slams are now completed and for the first time since 2002, none of the Big Three hold a GS title for the calendar year.

Still plenty of tennis to come, of course, with effectively an extra RG in the form of the Paris Olympics and the US Open. Rafa won his opening singles at Bastad in Sweden yesterday and there will be much interest into how he will do.

Have we seen Djoko's final Slam title? It would be foolish to write him off. After all, few would have given him much hope in reaching the Wimbledon final.

The sky's the limit for Alcatraz at the moment. There must have been some who wondered whether he would struggle to maintain his level after becoming a teenage Slam winner and the youngest number one. But since then he's won three more Slams including twice beating a seven-time Wimbledon champion on the Centre Court.

If fit, Sinner will also be a favourite at New York. Who knows, after the 2024 USO we might have to dust off the Next Player to Win Their First Slam topic. Zverev has threatened this year and he would be my best bet for a maiden GS.

In the women there is a degree of consistency in the winners of the big tournaments - except Wimbledon. Hard to see the New York crown going to anyone outside the current top four.

Rafa has another win in Bastad - beating Cam Norrie 4 and 4. Norrie was 4-1 up in the second set before Nadal took the last five games.

Although Norrie has not been setting the world on fire this year his is still a good scalp to have for a guy short of match fitness like Nadal.

After four hours, Rafa has just beaten Navone, the only remaining seed, to get to the semis in Bastad, Sweden.

Having lost the first set on a tiebreak, Rafa squandered a double-break in the second before breaking again to take it 7-5.

Navone went 2-0 up in the final set, only for Rafa to win five games in a row. But Rafa twice failed to serve it out only to break in the 11th game and finally win 7-5. Whether he'll have much left for tomorrow remains to be seen. But at least he's got thru a long match.

Rafa clearly found a four-hour quarter and a two-hour semi a little difficult to back up with a final win in Bastad, going down 3 and 2 to Nino Borges. Still, encouraging for Raf that he got thru some long matches.

Arthur Fils, surprisingly, pipped Zverev to the title in Hamburg. Giron won Newport and Berrettini triumphed in Gstaad.

We're only a few days away for what doubles up as Roland Garos 2 - also known as the Olympics. Will this be Andy Murray's swansong?

This morning Andy Murray has confirmed he's retiring after the Olympics. What a career he's had.

I reckon it was De Minaur that finished Andy off. The two kept drawing each other last season and, I think, at least twice Andy had MPs against the Australian but ended up losing all the matches.

Wins in those games might have propelled Andy up the rankings. But maybe his body was never going to last beyond this season. Sad that he's going but he has given the sport everything.

Just hope he can get a favourable draw in Paris and have at least one more win. But at least with Murray you know he'll be fighting to the last.

Tennis well under way in Paris. Djoko dropped just one game in beating Ebdon and will now play.....Rafa.

Rafa came thru a tough one with Fucsovics, who invariably gives top players a good game.

Andy is only playing the doubles so his last singles win was at Queen's on a sunlit June evening in front of a full house.

Murray/Evans thru after saving FIVE match points from 9-4 down in the Champs Tiebreak v Nishi/Daniel.

GB were a set and a break down and later looked completely out of it after trailing so badly in the deciding breaker. A Nishi DF proved costly and, incredibly, Andy lives to fight another day.

sirfredperry wrote:This morning Andy Murray has confirmed he's retiring after the Olympics. What a career he's had.

I reckon it was De Minaur that finished Andy off ...

Reckon it was his hip injury and having to have his hip replaced that finished Andy off. He kept going and had moments but was no longer able to sustain the fitness nor the level required of elite level tournament tennis. He certainly put the idea of hip replacement and what one could do with it on a new level.

sirfredperry wrote:This morning Andy Murray has confirmed he's retiring after the Olympics. What a career he's had.

I reckon it was De Minaur that finished Andy off. The two kept drawing each other last season and, I think, at least twice Andy had MPs against the Australian but ended up losing all the matches.

Wins in those games might have propelled Andy up the rankings. But maybe his body was never going to last beyond this season. Sad that he's going but he has given the sport everything.

Just hope he can get a favourable draw in Paris and have at least one more win. But at least with Murray you know he'll be fighting to the last.

Obviously Andy's body has stopped being good enough, but I kind of agree that the defeats to De Minaur were probably what told Andy that he was no longer able to compete at the level he wanted - De Minaur's a good player but plays quite a Murray-like game with skill and touch, so getting beaten at his own game would have hurt Andy.

Anyway, a great little post-script to his career with the ridiculous comeback yesterday.

Djoko has just seen off Rafa 6-1, 6-4. Up to 4-1 to Djoko in the second set it was one-way traffic, with the Serb playing faultlessly and Rafa a step slow and listless.

But then Djoko chucked in a horror service game and instead of him being 5-1 up it was suddenly 4-4 and, finally but all-too briefly, we had a match.

But then Djoko regrouped, broke Rafa and served it out. So what may be the final match between these two great champions takes the h-to-h to 31-29 in Djoko's favour.

Yes, Djokovic has sort of guaranteed more or less that he will come out ahead in the head to head. Unlikely they will play two more times, or if they do unlikely that Rafa will win them both.

Alcaraz came thru a tricky encounter with Griekspoor last night, saving a set point before winning in two. You can see why G'poor has risen up the rankings.

You have to think that it's only Alcaraz that can stop Djoko taking the gold. Can't see anyone stopping Swiatek, though. But it is the Olympics and somehow different to normal tournament play, so you never know.

Draper takes on Fritz today while Murray/Evans play later in the day.

Draper won the first set v Fritz but drained by the intense heat went on to lose from there.

Nadal/Alcaraz bt Griekspoor/Koolhof in a Match Tiebreak. Murray and Evans will play next. There was a good straight-sets win for Boulter/Watson over Kerber/Siegemund.

Another good GB win was by Emma R who beat highly-ranked Elise Mertens in three in Washington. I make it that's Emma's 17th win of the season. i've always felt that if she can stay fit and play a reasonable number of tourneys then she can quickly climb the rankings.

Andy Murray keeps postponing his retirement

He and Evans were inches away from going out - again : but they fought off their opponents couple of match points and - eventually- nailed one of their own.
On to round three...

Yes, another Houdini act from Murray/Evans who jumped up and down like a jack-in-a-box when Dan put away the winning smash.

They get a day off today before learning their q-f opponents. All those remaining in the singles play today.

Murray and Evans made hard work of yesterday's match - held match points in the second set tie break (both times on their opponents serve) but couldn't kill it off, then a rather topsy-turvey match tie breaker - first match point down on their serve easily saved, but then another min-break and so match point down returning, and Evans absolutely drilled the return at the opposing net player, who couldn't control his attempted volley.

Djoko had a few probs with Koepfer early on but came thru fairly comfortably as did Alcaraz. Also wins today for Paul and Musetti, while FAA has taken the first set off Medvedev.

Saw the end of the Kerber epic which also marks the end of the German's career. Three Slams and number one. Not a bad effort. Kerber did not have a big game but she got to the top because she had a big heart.

Alcaraz thru in straight sets, while Musetti, who has been in good form of late, saw off Zverev.

FAA should have been done and dusted by now v Ruud. He was a set and a break up and also had MPs in the second set tiebreak. But Ruud took it and they now into a deciding set.*

Zheng of China shocked an out-of-sorts Swiatek in the semis.

17-yr-old Mirra Andreeva and her 20-yr-old Russian partner have knocked out multiple GS winners Krejcikova and Siniakova to reach the semis.

Andy and Dan will be on after the Ruud match. Can Andy extend the farewell tour?

* FAA played well in the final set and took it 6-3. The Canadian had a poor year last year after an outstanding 2022. He certainly looked good today, with the FH working particularly well.

For whatever reason i just can't embrace tennis at the Olympics, I feel the same with golf. Haven't watched a single match and have no desire to follow it. Its a strange one, on a separate note love watching the swimming

Andy, sadly, is all done and dusted. Won't live long enough to see another of his ilk but who knows what will happen in the future.

Seems only Alcatraz can stop Djoko winning the gold.

Djokovic won't win, his form has been nowhere near good enough in recent months. It would take an epic collapse from Alcaraz not to win the gold medal.

Massive shout out to Murray, an unbelievable player and competitor over the years. Grew on me more as the years went on and he will likely go down in top 20 mens players of all time

Alcaraz routed FAA who only managed two games and looked at a loss as to what to do.

Carlos is so quick around the court and can play with such power from seemingly-hopeless positions that it's difficult to dominate him. Not sure what WOULD work, but opponents might want to try serve-and-volleying, drop shots and. particularly, wrong-footing shots.

We've seen big hitters in the past (remember Gonzo and Soderling to name but two). But not sure we've seen anyone hit so hard from SO FAR BACK as Alcaraz.

I so want Novak to beat Alcatraz in the final to finish the collection. I don’t care fir the Spaniard’s delayed grunting.

Alcaraz is clear favourite, but the Olympics can be different. Would, for example, have Swiatek lost if this had been an ordinary event?

So although I'd tip Carlos to win, it would not be a big surprise to see Novak complete the set, as it were.

Would love to see Djokovic win the gold medal but based on recent form and form all year I just can't see it happening at all. Hope I am wrong

Zheng of China took the gold. Vekic didn't play badly but had neither the weight of shot nor the guile to upset her opponent.

Zheng, by accounts, appears to be a bit of a madam and is not popular in the dressing room. Doubt she'll be too bothered having got the gold.

We'll have another round of the Alcaraz-Djoko rivalry tomorrow. I just wonder whether the lure of Olympic gold will be enough for Novak to topple the young giant.

Just wonder as this is the Olympics and Djoko's last shot at a gold medal whether that will inspire him to win this afternoon.

Wouldn't put money on it, though....

Titanic first set goes to Djoko in the tiebreak. Fine match with some terrific play from both. Novak performing much better than at Wimbledon.

Always fun to watch Alcaraz - win or lose. He has so many shots and is capable from time to time of something unbelievably spectacular.

Djoko takes gold!

Very, very fine performance from Djoko takes the gold 7-6, 7-6.

This was probably the most aggressive I've seen Djoko play. He must have been on his knees at the end and I doubt whether he'd have been able to win a third set had it gone that far.

Alcaraz in the end made more UEs but will play a lot worse and win comfortably in the future. Besides, he'll have two maybe three more Olympics to take gold. For Novak this was the very last throw of the dice.

This match shows just now different the Olympics are. We have seen it in the past. Remember 2012 where Murray had lost at Wimbledon to Federer but returned to SW19 a few weeks later to thrash him in the final.

Fed said it was far more emotional to play the Olympics than a normal tourney. Today we saw Djoko get by on sheer heart and belief.

I am speechless with this good medal win. I just could not see that coming especially against Alcaraz at this stage in his career and so much mileage in the legs. A massive result for Djokovic after a real struggle this year

The Olympics, in all events, is probably more about heart and emotion than anything else. That's why I thought Novak could win today.

He absolutely NEEDED to win: Alcaraz didn't, although he won't often play as well as that and lose in straight sets.

I think if Djoko looks back to one point in that final he'll particularly remember the magnificent cross-court forehand that gave him a minibreak in the second set tiebreak.

That's the best I've seen Novak play in a long time. Might be in his top 10 ever matches for level of tennis, and that includes his physical prime. He was smiling and shaking his head at some of the stuff Carlos came up with in the first set, but he just kept saving the break points with clutch play. His level in the 2nd set and both tiebreaks was insane.

Poor Carlos was devastated, hope he doesn't go into a bit of a slump like he did after the tough loss to Novak at Cincinnati last year.

slashermcguirk wrote:For whatever reason i just can't embrace tennis at the Olympics, I feel the same with golf. Haven't watched a single match and have no desire to follow it. Its a strange one, on a separate note love watching the swimming

Looks like you changed your tune after he got the gold

Suspect Rafa fans would do a similar u-turn on the world tour finals if he were to win it!

Haha I did change my tune a bit with the shock of him winning. Just did not see it coming at all

I would certainly agree that one was one of Djoko's top-ever performances. The lure of an Olympic gold took him to new (Olympian?) heights.

His defensive game has always been outstanding but some of his attacking shots were tremendous.

Tremendous performance and result from Novak.

If there is a movie of Novak Djokovic's career, that match might be the climax. The remainder of his career would just be a 1-2 sentence narration as the credits started to roll.

That has got me thinking- what is the most important/ most prestigious tournament that Djokovic has NOT won?

He has won all the masters, the year end tournament, Olympics, Davis Cup, and all the slams, so whatever is the most prestigious tournament he has NOT won would have to be something below masters level, maybe a 500? Does that seem right?

It could be Hamburg, which he played several times as a youngster when it was a Masters series event and then stopped playing it when it was demoted. Or maybe Barcelona.

Gold Medal Singles Men Since 2000
Andy Murray x 2 (2012, 2016)
Rafael Nadal x 1 (2008)
Novak Djokovic  x 1 (2024)
Roger Federer x 0

Also
Yevgeny Kafelnikov x 1 (2000)
Nicolás Massú x 1 (2004)
Alexander Zverev x 1 (2020)

Andy Murray had a chronic hip issue that finally impacted his performance significantly throughout the 2017 season and he had hip replacement surgery in mid 2018.  Effectively his career was over at the very elite level aged just 29 and a half years, just when we were entering the Andy Murray era - which fizzled out just as it was about to start.

Henman Bill: I don't think there are any titles worth Novak will lose any sleep over not winning, but I'd throw Queens in as one of the most prestigious ATP 500s.

Aside from perhaps Lionel Messi, I can't think of a single other sportsperson in my lifetime whose record and achievements within his sport are as utterly absurd as Djokovic's are, nor any other sportsperson who has answered every question and removed any shred of doubt about their pedigree as emphatically and comprehensively as he has. Usain Bolt perhaps, Michael Phelps is up there, but taking everything into account I think Djokovic's credentials are even more water-tight than theirs.

It would be incredibly impressive in a sport such as darts or snooker. But in a sport as globally popular, physically demanding and skilful as tennis? It's just off the charts.

He didn't need this gold to bolster his credentials as a player - let's be honest, while it was immensely important to him on a personal note as an unashamed patriot, the only reason it was ever brought up as a so-called hole in his CV was due to Nadal and Federer die-hards desperately trying to find one last thing they could lord over Djokovic's followers - but pretty typical of the man that he goes and ticks it off anyway.

He's in the winter of his career but I still think he'll get that 25th Slam before he exits the stage, just about.

88Chris - an excellent and heartfelt summing up. Even several days after Djoko's Gold Medal display I'm still knocked out by the emotional aspect of the whole thing.

Federer, for one, said that playing in the Olympics is not like anything else. There's the patriotism for a start. You do get that in the Davis Cup but the Olympics is DC on steroids.

Meanwhile, Cinci. which has had some rain interruptions, is reaching its business end. Alcaraz and Medvedev have already fallen but Sinner is still there, as is Draper who has come from behind in each match to reach the quarters.

Tsitsipas served for the match at 5-4 in the third v Draper but lost the last three games. Last night Draper was at it again, conceding the first set to FAA but fighting back to win.

Rybakina and Gauff are out but Swiatek remains. Boulter lost in the first round and will have to sweat it out to see if she is seeded at the USO. One person not making New York is Cam Norrie who has withdrawn with injury.

Huge controversy over the MP in the Draper-FAA match. There appeared to be a double bounce as Draper mishit a shot that caught the netcord before dropping over.

To FAA's fury, the umpire ruled it a fair shot and announced GSM to Draper. A long argument began with FAA berating the umpire. Draper said he was not sure and I guess he could have either insisted the point be replayed or conceded the point. But the result stood.

Sinner went on to take the Cinci title after close matches with Rublev and then Zverev before beating Tiafoe in straight sets.

This afternoon it emerged that Sinner had failed two drugs tests but had been allowed to play on. It happened at, and just after, Indian Wells back in the late winter. They accepted his story that his physio had massaged him after treating himself with an anti-cut cream that contained a banned substance.

Sinner, though being found innocent, has had to forfeit his semi-final points and prize money from IW.

A bit of a surprise in Cinci in that Swiatek didn't win it. She saved NINE match points before going down in the semi to Sabalenka who went on to take the title. Although likely to end the year number one, Swiatek is not totally dominant which does leave the door open for others to take big titles.

USO Qualifying is under way. This will be the first Slam for nearly 20 years which will be played while Andy Murray is not an active player. Main British interest will be on Draper and Katie Boulter who, I think, has just squeezed into the seeds.

BBC wrote:... Jannik Sinner has been cleared of any wrongdoing after twice testing positive for a banned substance in March.

The Italian tested positive for low levels of a metabolite of clostebol - a steroid that can be used to build muscle mass - during Indian Wells.

A further sample taken eight days later also tested positive for low levels of the same metabolite.

...

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) found Sinner was inadvertently contaminated with the substance by Giacomo Naldi, his physiotherapist.

Naldi had been applying an over-the-counter spray available in Italy to a cut on his OWN hand and had then carried out treatments on Sinner.

The ITIA accepted the explanation and that the violation was not intentional.

[However] ... he will LOSE the ranking points and prize money from his semi-final run at Indian Wells.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/articles/cq5d3nl1pd9o

Shows the importance of anybody in CONTACT with a sportsperson MUST ALSO keep a record of everything they themselves take - so this includes sexual partners and anybody they may shake hands with - given the sensitivity of these tests.

sirfredperry wrote:Sinner went on to take the Cinci title after close matches with Rublev and then Zverev before beating Tiafoe in straight sets.

This afternoon it emerged that Sinner had failed two drugs tests but had been allowed to play on. It happened at, and just after, Indian Wells back in the late winter. They accepted his story that his physio had massaged him after treating himself with an anti-cut cream that contained a banned substance.

Sinner, though being found innocent, has had to forfeit his semi-final points and prize money from IW.

A bit of a surprise in Cinci in that Swiatek didn't win it. She saved NINE match points before going down in the semi to Sabalenka who went on to take the title. Although likely to end the year number one, Swiatek is not totally dominant which does leave the door open for others to take big titles.

USO Qualifying is under way. This will be the first Slam for nearly 20 years which will be played while Andy Murray is not an active player. Main British interest will be on Draper and Katie Boulter who, I think, has just squeezed into the seeds.

So in short, Sinner got caught and came up with an excuse the ATP accepted. There will always be an * hanging over his career now.

Interesting that some players and ex-players, including Chris Evert, have questioned the Sinner situation.

Evert said that if Joe Soap, ranked 239, got caught they'd throw the book at him. With Sinner being No 1 it was a different story.

Having said that, the amount of the banned substance was TINY. So it was, at least, feasible for the authorities to accept Sinner's story.

Meanwhile, Sinner and Alcaraz have been drawn in the same half in the USO, while Djoko has Zverev in his half. In the women, Swiatek and Rybakina are in the top half, leaving Sabalenka and defending champ Gauff in the bottom half.

Raducanu has former GS champ Kenin in the first round, while two other GS winners - Osaka and Osaka meet straight away, too.

Good to see NY giving a WC to Dom Thiem who is about to call it a day.

The amount of banned substances found is always tiny so that's largely irrelevant. I find fans of particular sports are very quick to defend those within that sport. In reality Sinner got caught cheating and the ATP in an attempt to save face accepted his BS excuse.