Tennis

[MU82]

Serena looks very rusty. Just dropped the first set to a dinker-and-dunker.

[MuggsyB]

Serena looks very rusty. Just dropped the first set to a dinker-and-dunker.

A dinker at Wimbledon?  That ain't working.  This isn't junior tennis. 

[MU82]

A dinker at Wimbledon?  That ain't working.  This isn't junior tennis.

It worked darn well in the first set, when Serena made a bazillion errors. Not well in the second, which Serena dominated.

[MuggsyB]

It worked darn well in the first set, when Serena made a bazillion errors. Not well in the second, which Serena dominated.

I actually loved playing dinkers .  I enjoyed annoying the hell out of them with moon balls, bringing them to the net, and then unloading on them with heavy lumber. 

[MU82]

Dinker/dunker beats the greatest ever.

Serena was totally gassed at the end. She made some great shots but had far too many mistakes and misses. She had to be rusty, and her opponent was resolute.

[MuggsyB]

Dinker/dunker beats the greatest ever.

Serena was totally gassed at the end. She made some great shots but had far too many mistakes and misses. She had to be rusty, and her opponent was resolute.

Whoops.  That's not a great loss although Serena is 40. 

[JWags85]

Dinker/dunker beats the greatest ever.

Serena was totally gassed at the end. She made some great shots but had far too many mistakes and misses. She had to be rusty, and her opponent was resolute.

She had a quote in the presser leading up about how she expected to perform, and basically rolled her eyes for comedic effect with the implication that she always expects to win any tournament she enters.

But it had a lot of Tiger Woods-esque expectation to it.  The GOAT...but quite over the hill by age standards, coming off a long lay off, and hadn't won a major in half a decade.  Maybe didn't expect her to lose to an opponent outside of the top 100, but likely would have been easily handled by one of the seeded players she had coming up.

On the mens side, what a full Kyrgios experience.  I can't stand when he is a spoiled brat or doesn't try, but my god I love his game.  And for his many warts, I do appreciate his refusal to stand for any sort of racism in the sport, which he's experienced for his entire career, and will always shine a light on it.

The 5th set was vintage Kyrgios.  Coasting, up a break.  Then annoyed with himself that he chokes away a service game for the match, he proceeds to absent mindedly coast through the next 2 games.  Nearly gets broken again tied at 5-5 looking like he's going to punt it.  Then hits 2 lightning bolt serves from deuce.  Then slams the door shut to take it 7-5 and tells a fan to shove it.

"hes a loathsome offensive brute, yet I can't look away"

[MU82]

She had a quote in the presser leading up about how she expected to perform, and basically rolled her eyes for comedic effect with the implication that she always expects to win any tournament she enters.

But it had a lot of Tiger Woods-esque expectation to it.  The GOAT...but quite over the hill by age standards, coming off a long lay off, and hadn't won a major in half a decade.  Maybe didn't expect her to lose to an opponent outside of the top 100, but likely would have been easily handled by one of the seeded players she had coming up.

On the mens side, what a full Kyrgios experience.  I can't stand when he is a spoiled brat or doesn't try, but my god I love his game.  And for his many warts, I do appreciate his refusal to stand for any sort of racism in the sport, which he's experienced for his entire career, and will always shine a light on it.

The 5th set was vintage Kyrgios.  Coasting, up a break.  Then annoyed with himself that he chokes away a service game for the match, he proceeds to absent mindedly coast through the next 2 games.  Nearly gets broken again tied at 5-5 looking like he's going to punt it.  Then hits 2 lightning bolt serves from deuce.  Then slams the door shut to take it 7-5 and tells a fan to shove it.

"hes a loathsome offensive brute, yet I can't look away"

He's not my cup of tea, but he's got all the shots when he feels like playing hard. I didn't see his match.

[MuggsyB]

Nice.  I see Isner is about to dispose of Andy Murray. 

[Uncle Rico]

Nice.  I see Isner is about to dispose of Andy Murray.

Good.  No one likes the British

[BM1090]

Four American men into the round of 32. Seven more play tomorrow, with one assured to advance since Cressy and Sock play each other.

Would be cool if they could win three others and make up 25% of the last 32.

[JWags85]

Good.  No one likes the British

Including the Scottish...

Four American men into the round of 32. Seven more play tomorrow, with one assured to advance since Cressy and Sock play each other.

Would be cool if they could win three others and make up 25% of the last 32.

Opelka pissed away his chance to join them cause he cant, or refuses to, do anything but bomb aces.  I am also shocked to see him seeded top 20 in a major, and that he's ranked top 20, considering he's made it past the 3rd round of a major just once, and hasn't even done well in ATP 100 tournaments.

Watch a bit of his match this afternoon.  Was absolutely worthless returning serve and any meaningful return to one of his nukes left him absolutely flummoxed.

[MuggsyB]

Kyrgios is extremely dangerous on this surface.  Not a fan of the guy but good luck breaking his serve if he's popping them in at a decent percentage. 

[MU82]

Kyrgios is extremely dangerous on this surface.  Not a fan of the guy but good luck breaking his serve if he's popping them in at a decent percentage.

Meh. He'll face a little adversity -- as every player does in every competitive match -- and he'll start his antics. Underhand serves, delays, arguing with the umpire and/or linespeople, trash-talking to the crowd, etc. He'll lose his shyte and then he'll lose his match.

I'll believe another result is possible for him at a major as soon as he proves otherwise.

[MuggsyB]

Meh. He'll face a little adversity -- as every player does in every competitive match -- and he'll start his antics. Underhand serves, delays, arguing with the umpire and/or linespeople, trash-talking to the crowd, etc. He'll lose his shyte and then he'll lose his match.

I'll believe another result is possible for him at a major as soon as he proves otherwise.

I hope you're right and think that's probably what will happen.  But man.......if that dude just played tennis, and cut the other b-ass, he's exceedingly dangerous against anyone on this surface.  The ball is zipping off of his racket and it's just too fast on his serve and the grass.  We're talking MOAB's MU82, they're not returnable.  Hopefully though he has a typical self-inflicted meltdown. 

[JWags85]

I hope you're right and think that's probably what will happen.  But man.......if that dude just played tennis, and cut the other b-ass, he's exceedingly dangerous against anyone on this surface.  The ball is zipping off of his racket and it's just too fast on his serve and the grass.  We're talking MOAB's MU82, they're not returnable.  Hopefully though he has a typical self-inflicted meltdown. 

Tsitsipas is an interesting matchup for him, cause he's not someone who will slowly and patiently bait him.  Should be a fun banger.

Speaking of meltdown, the most frustrating talent on tour, second to only Kyrgios, Shapo did more of his nonsense today.  Absolutely handled by an inferior player when he could get absolutely nothing going.

[MuggsyB]

Tiafoe in a good match right now. 

[MuggsyB]

Great draw for TIafoe.  Would be huge if he can get to the Semis. 

[BM1090]

Great draw for TIafoe.  Would be huge if he can get to the Semis.

Fritz has a pretty open path to the QF, where he'd draw Rafa. Brooksby's draw gives him a shot at the QF too. Paul will be a sizable underdog vs. Norrie but that's not an unwinnable match.

[JWags85]

Great draw for TIafoe.  Would be huge if he can get to the Semis.

Happy to see his game coming into form.  I always forget how young he is.  I love the snap he has on his forward.  His follow through motion looks really cool and sharp.  Easily my favorite of the young Americans.

Fritz has a pretty open path to the QF, where he'd draw Rafa. Brooksby's draw gives him a shot at the QF too. Paul will be a sizable underdog vs. Norrie but that's not an unwinnable match.

And then you have Brooksby, can't stand that lemon faced brat. 

Paul is playing really good tennis, I think he's got a definite shot.

[MuggsyB]

Look out for Alcaraz in the next few years.  He appears to be the real deal with the game tp play on all surfaces.  I really hope we see a Djoker/Alcaraz QF. 

[JWags85]

Look out for Alcaraz in the next few years.  He appears to be the real deal with the game tp play on all surfaces.  I really hope we see a Djoker/Alcaraz QF.

In the next few years?  More like now.  He's already won 2 tournaments in 2022 and has 2 major QFs basically before he was 19.  He's top 10 in the world for a reason.  He's arrived and a threat in anything he enters

[MuggsyB]

In the next few years?  More like now.  He's already won 2 tournaments in 2022 and has 2 major QFs basically before he was 19.  He's top 10 in the world for a reason.  He's arrived and a threat in anything he enters

What I mean is he may be able to be the next dominant player and win a bunch of slams.

[MuggsyB]

Gaiff playing now on ESPN.  I said at the French I think grass will ultimately be her best surface and clay probably her worst.  We'll see what happens but I think her power game is suited for Wimbledon.

[MuggsyB]

Brooksby got Cooksbyed.