Tennis

[MU82]

105-2, Muggs, with 13 titles.

Not sure about "the greatest accomplishment in all of sports," as that's impossible to really define or quantify, but it's gotta be on some kind of list.

I mean, in 1927, Ruth hit 60 HR -- more than every other AL team. Phelps at the Olympics. John Wooden's coaching record. Stuff like that. That was just thinking for 1 minute. We could come up with a heck of a list.

But yes, Rafa has been such a joy to watch, and here's one of the incredible things about all he has accomplished: Even if you only "gave" him as many French Open titles as his high in any other event (4 U.S. Open) to put him at 11, that would tie him with Laver and Borg for 5th most ever. Take away all 13 of them, and he still won as many majors as McEnroe.

I was especially glad he won the U.S. Open in 2019. Really cemented his legacy as an all-time, all-court superstar. As if being the unquestioned King of Clay isn't enough!

Now, here's hoping he gets 2 more wins at Roland Garros to pass Roger!

[MuggsyB]

105-2, Muggs, with 13 titles.

Not sure about "the greatest accomplishment in all of sports," as that's impossible to really define or quantify, but it's gotta be on some kind of list.

I mean, in 1927, Ruth hit 60 HR -- more than every other AL team. Phelps at the Olympics. John Wooden's coaching record. Stuff like that. That was just thinking for 1 minute. We could come up with a heck of a list.

But yes, Rafa has been such a joy to watch, and here's one of the incredible things about all he has accomplished: Even if you only "gave" him as many French Open titles as his high in any other event (4 U.S. Open) to put him at 11, that would tie him with Laver and Borg for 5th most ever. Take away all 13 of them, and he still won as many majors as McEnroe.

I was especially glad he won the U.S. Open in 2019. Really cemented his legacy as an all-time, all-court superstar. As if being the unquestioned King of Clay isn't enough!

Now, here's hoping he gets 2 more wins at Roland Garros to pass Roger!

Props to Diego for snagging a set.  Hard not to like that guy.....tough as nails. 

105-2 is 105-2.  Think about that for a moment....he's not playing stiffs.  Hopefully he gets his 14th but I'm a bit concerned.  It seems to me the clay is playing a bit faster from the little I've watched.  Djoker should be highly motivated.....boy I hope Rafa takes him out.   He only needs 1 to pass Fed.

[MuggsyB]

I get the Babe Ruth argument and I think Simone Biles is in the conversation.  As far as Phelps?  I know this will be contraversial but since a sailfish can swim 60 mph his talent doesn't do much for me. 

Personally, I have always been a proponent of animals competing with humans in swimming and running and then maybe some of these people will take a chill pill with their "medals".  Cheetahs run a 4.4 100m in the wild, my old Dalmatian would also eviscerate Usain Bolt.  She easily ran 40 mph. 

[shoothoops]

105-2, Muggs, with 13 titles.

Not sure about "the greatest accomplishment in all of sports," as that's impossible to really define or quantify, but it's gotta be on some kind of list.

I mean, in 1927, Ruth hit 60 HR -- more than every other AL team. Phelps at the Olympics. John Wooden's coaching record. Stuff like that. That was just thinking for 1 minute. We could come up with a heck of a list.

But yes, Rafa has been such a joy to watch, and here's one of the incredible things about all he has accomplished: Even if you only "gave" him as many French Open titles as his high in any other event (4 U.S. Open) to put him at 11, that would tie him with Laver and Borg for 5th most ever. Take away all 13 of them, and he still won as many majors as McEnroe.

I was especially glad he won the U.S. Open in 2019. Really cemented his legacy as an all-time, all-court superstar. As if being the unquestioned King of Clay isn't enough!

Now, here's hoping he gets 2 more wins at Roland Garros to pass Roger!

It isn’t possible to compare eras. You have pre and post open era where circumstances were entirely different. And even in the “Open Era” players didn’t count Majors the same way they do in the current era. It wasn’t a thing. Money was different, travel was different, technology was different, training was different, nutrition was different. It’s a pretty long list. A more realistic comparison is how a player compares to others in his or her era. And, the best are justly considered all time greats.

Chris Evert famously won 125 straight clay court matches across 7 years. Her all time clay record is 382-22. When Lindsay Devenport saw the new Nadal statue at the French Open this year, she said, where’s Chrissie’s statue?

There will always be great players in different eras. The best become all time greats.

Speaking of Bjorn Borg, his son lost in the Juniors Round of 16 today, in a close 3 setter to the top seed from China. His dad won those 11 Grand Slam Titles. He also retired at age 25. Oh, he played the Australian Open exactly one time in his career. Many players skipped Australia in the past when it was scheduled at a different time. See Evert, McEnroe, (he played AO just 5 times etc…)

So enjoy the great players and great tennis. But as is the case in any sport, effective comparisons begin and end within one’s era.

[MU82]

It isn’t possible to compare eras. You have pre and post open era where circumstances were entirely different. And even in the “Open Era” players didn’t count Majors the same way they do in the current era. It wasn’t a thing. Money was different, travel was different, technology was different, training was different, nutrition was different. It’s a pretty long list. A more realistic comparison is how a player compares to others in his or her era. And, the best are justly considered all time greats.

Chris Evert famously won 125 straight clay court matches across 7 years. Her all time clay record is 382-22. When Lindsay Devenport saw the new Nadal statue at the French Open this year, she said, where’s Chrissie’s statue?

There will always be great players in different eras. The best become all time greats.

Speaking of Bjorn Borg, his son lost in the Juniors Round of 16 today, in a close 3 setter to the top seed from China. His dad won those 11 Grand Slam Titles. He also retired at age 25. Oh, he played the Australian Open exactly one time in his career. Many players skipped Australia in the past when it was scheduled at a different time. See Evert, McEnroe, (he played AO just 5 times etc…)

So enjoy the great players and great tennis. But as is the case in any sport, effective comparisons begin and end within one’s era.

OK.

As for the statues ... as soon as Chrissy wins her 13th French Open title, she can have a statue there. I grew up watching Chrissy. Loved her. She was great. She won 7 French Opens, which is spectacular. It ain't 13 though. No matter what era we're talkin' about, 7 ain't 13.

[shoothoops]

OK.

As for the statues ... as soon as Chrissy wins her 13th French Open title, she can have a statue there. I grew up watching Chrissy. Loved her. She was great. She won 7 French Opens, which is spectacular. It ain't 13 though. No matter what era we're talkin' about, 7 ain't 13.

The point was and still is, there isn’t an effective way to compare different eras played under a wide variety of vastly different circumstances. That point not only escaped you, you extended it to comparing Men vs Women. Let me know when Men give birth to children. (Evert retired as still one of the World’s top few ranked players to have children.) If Nadal keeps it up, in a few years he as well may win 70 clay court titles, a great achievement for him among many.

An alternative take would have been to support Davenport’s comments as the French Open has long had a reputation of not treating the Women players in the same manner as the Men.

Jimmy Connors wasn’t allowed to play the French Open 5 straight years, his peak years as a professional  tennis player due to his association with World Team Tennis. Banned. One year, for example, he was 99-4 ranked #1. He was also part of a large group of players that didn’t play Australia until the mid to later 1980’s. (He played it twice, won it once and made the finals the other time)
Borg played The French 8 times and won it 6 times. Monica Seles was the youngest ever French Open Champion at 16 year 6 months. She won it 3 straight years, and she had won 7 of 8 majors in a row (lost in Finals of the 8th) before getting stabbed while playing.

Money, and advances in training, travel, nutrition, technology, coaching, rest, injury prevention, injury recovery, on and on change the game. Today’s players can even afford to withdraw from tourneys (Nadal did it during 2016 French Open for example)

Nadal is an all time great player among many all time great players. In his era, he has been one of the best few players on the ATP Tour. And that’s great for him, and that’s great for tennis.

[shoothoops]

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova becomes the first Woman to play more than 50 majors to reach her first major Final.

7-5, 6-3 over Takara Zidansek.

She has had 37 top 10 wins without ever reaching the top 10. (She moves to 14 with a title win).

29 years old, a former 3 time Junior Grand Slam Champion a decade and a half ago, makes her first slam final on her 52nd try.

One of the great stories of the tourney. Very popular tour player.

[MU82]

The point was and still is, there isn’t an effective way to compare different eras played under a wide variety of vastly different circumstances. That point not only escaped you, you extended it to comparing Men vs Women. Let me know when Men give birth to children. (Evert retired as still one of the World’s top few ranked players to have children.) If Nadal keeps it up, in a few years he as well may win 70 clay court titles, a great achievement for him among many.

An alternative take would have been to support Davenport’s comments as the French Open has long had a reputation of not treating the Women players in the same manner as the Men.

Jimmy Connors wasn’t allowed to play the French Open 5 straight years, his peak years as a professional  tennis player due to his association with World Team Tennis. Banned. One year, for example, he was 99-4 ranked #1. He was also part of a large group of players that didn’t play Australia until the mid to later 1980’s. (He played it twice, won it once and made the finals the other time)
Borg played The French 8 times and won it 6 times. Monica Seles was the youngest ever French Open Champion at 16 year 6 months. She won it 3 straight years, and she had won 7 of 8 majors in a row (lost in Finals of the 8th) before getting stabbed while playing.

Money, and advances in training, travel, nutrition, technology, coaching, rest, injury prevention, injury recovery, on and on change the game. Today’s players can even afford to withdraw from tourneys (Nadal did it during 2016 French Open for example)

Nadal is an all time great player among many all time great players. In his era, he has been one of the best few players on the ATP Tour. And that’s great for him, and that’s great for tennis.

All true.

It's been a pleasure to watch Rafa play, as well as all the others you mentioned.

[shoothoops]

Barbora Krejcikova wins a 3 set thriller 7-5, 4-6, 9-7 over Maria Sakkari. About as high drama as tennis gets. She will try to become the first Czech in 40 years to win the French Open (Hana Mandlikova 1981).

Pavluchenkova has played 52 majors. Krejcikova just 5. As recently as a couple of years ago she wasn’t making it out of qualifying tourneys. Meteoric  rise in singles this past year, breaking the top 100 for the first time. Krejcikova is also in the doubles semis. Long a doubles specialist, she has made 8 semifinals or better in her last 10 major doubles entered. She is the 3 time reigning Australian Open Mixed Doubles Champion.

Two likable unlikely finalists with lessons in perseverance, playing great tennis.

[MuggsyB]

Who ya got tomorrow?  I'm a bit concerned Djoker could take out Rafa...I hope I'm wrong.  That Zverev/Tsitsipas match-up should be fun as well.

[MU82]

Who ya got tomorrow?  I'm a bit concerned Djoker could take out Rafa...I hope I'm wrong.  That Zverev/Tsitsipas match-up should be fun as well.

Of course Djokpvic could win. These arguably are the two greatest players in the history of the sport, and no result would be surprising.

It’s on clay, so I’ll go with my boy … though I know that’s simplistic.

[MuggsyB]

Of course Djokpvic could win. These arguably are the two greatest players in the history of the sport, and no result would be surprising.

It’s on clay, so I’ll go with my boy … though I know that’s simplistic.

I haven't gotten to watch much but will tomorrow.  Hopefully Rafa is in his attack/no mercy mode.  105-2 with 13 chips is pretty good, but 107-2 with 14 chips is better. 

[MuggsyB]

Tsitsipas is no joke.  He's got a wicked one-handed backhand.    Not as badass as Wawrinka but more spin and perhaps margin for error.  I would think he'll win a bunch of majors. 

[MU82]

Tsitsipas is no joke.  He's got a wicked one-handed backhand.    Not as badass as Wawrinka but more spin and perhaps margin for error.  I would think he'll win a bunch of majors.

He had to work for it!

[cheebs09]

NBC showing the Rafa/Novak match on delay? I see they have the first semi starting the fifth set.

[MuggsyB]

NBC showing the Rafa/Novak match on delay? I see they have the first semi starting the fifth set.

WTH?  I can't get it livestream on NBC.  The match has started.  Is it on the Tennis Channel through their app?  Piases me off.  Why on earth wouldn't this be live on NBC?  Smh.

[cheebs09]

WTH?  I can't get it livestream on NBC.  The match has started.  Is it on the Tennis Channel through their app?  Piases me off.  Why on earth wouldn't this be live on NBC?  Smh.

Did NBC think the Olympics started already with these ridiculous delay decisions?

[MuggsyB]

So let me get this straight... .NBC is now showing the Tsitsipas/Zverev match which has already been completed??  What a total mickey-mouse decision.

[cheebs09]

Got it live on NBC Sports App. Potential top match of the year and most people tuning in already know the result of what you are showing currently.

[MuggsyB]

Got it live on NBC Sports App. Potential top match of the year and most people tuning in already know the result of what you are showing currently.

You have it live on the app?  Ty.  I can't seem to get it.

[MU82]

I sat down with my sammich and it was already 3-0.

So far, it’s a repeat of last year’s match. Still early, though.

Oh, and I love Rafa’s shirt. Gotta check out if it’s available.

[cheebs09]

Hopefully Rafa not closing out the first set quickly and allowing Novak to get some momentum doesn’t come back to bite him. Big break there.

[cheebs09]

Unfortunately the NBCSN feed still includes Mary Carrillo. I could not care less about the towels.

[MuggsyB]

Dammit.  Vamos Rafa.  Apparently my concerns were valid.

[cheebs09]

Dammit.  Vamoa Rafa.  Apparently my concerns were valid.

Had a bunch of chances to extend the set. Although, if anyone can flip momentum quickly on clay, it’s Rafa. At least Djokovic had to work in that set.