Tennis

[MuggsyB]

On court after the match, Zverev told Alcaraz:

"I want to congratulate Carlitos. Right now you are the best player in the world. It is great for tennis that we have such a new superstar that is going to win so many grand slams, that is going to be world number one and I think is going to win this tournament many more times."

I think it'll be great, too. As much as I've loved watching Fetterer, Djokovic and especially Rafa dominate men's tennis these last 2 decades, it's time for some others to step up. And that doesn't mean occasionally pulling off an upset, it means taking the baton. We'll see if Alcaraz can do it.

Zverev got throttled and he has shown poor sportsmanship in the past.

[MU82]

Zverev got throttled and he has shown poor sportsmanship in the past.

Zverev's a pretender. Perhaps Alcaraz will be the real deal.

[MuggsyB]

Zverev's a pretender. Perhaps Alcaraz will be the real deal.

I haven't seem Alcaraz play that much.  I woukd think his best surface is clay right now?  How's his pop on his serve?  I wish Rafa could play another 10 yrs but obviously that's not realistic. 

[MU82]

I haven't seem Alcaraz play that much.  I woukd think his best surface is clay right now?  How's his pop on his serve?  I wish Rafa could play another 10 yrs but obviously that's not realistic.

I know little about him except the few highlights I’ve seen. Looking forward to watch him at Roland Garros.

[shoothoops]

It isn't just a one off tourney for Alacaraz. He's around to stay at the age of 19.

He'll skip Rome for Paris.

Drop shot clinic between the two Madrid Title winners Jabeur and Alcaraz.

No one has won more ATP matches thus far this season that Alacaraz. (28) After making the U.S. Open Quarterfinals last year, he has won Miami, Barcelona, Madrid. He’s now ranked 6th in the world.

[MU82]

French Open is underway.

Nadal, Djokovic and Alcaraz are all in the top half of the draw, with Nadal and Djokovic having to meet in the quarterfinals if both get that far.

Battling a foot injury that has been dogging him, Rafa lost to Shapovalov in Rome, and that decision dropped him to the 5th seed -- the lowest the King of Clay and 13-time French Open champion has been seeded since 2013. It also moved him into Djokovic's bracket.

Djokovic won in Rome to claim the top seed at Roland Garros ... and here's a mind-boggling fact:

Not since Andy Roddick was the No. 1 seed at the 2004 Australian Open has the top seed at a Grand Slam been named something other than Nadal, Djokovic, Federer or Murray.

[lawdog77]

Dumb question here: Why does Tennis not use the standard seedings of 1 vs 16, 2 vs 5, etc?

[MU82]

Dumb question here: Why does Tennis not use the standard seedings of 1 vs 16, 2 vs 5, etc?

I don’t know.

[MuggsyB]

French Open is underway.

Nadal, Djokovic and Alcaraz are all in the top half of the draw, with Nadal and Djokovic having to meet in the quarterfinals if both get that far.

Battling a foot injury that has been dogging him, Rafa lost to Shapovalov in Rome, and that decision dropped him to the 5th seed -- the lowest the King of Clay and 13-time French Open champion has been seeded since 2013. It also moved him into Djokovic's bracket.

Djokovic won in Rome to claim the top seed at Roland Garros ... and here's a mind-boggling fact:

Not since Andy Roddick was the No. 1 seed at the 2004 Australian Open has the top seed at a Grand Slam been named something other than Nadal, Djokovic, Federer or Murray.

22?

[MU82]

22?

I'd love to see it. I'm hoping Rafa's healthy and he can survive the gauntlet just to get to the finals.

[shoothoops]

Dumb question here: Why does Tennis not use the standard seedings of 1 vs 16, 2 vs 5, etc?

Tennis seeds the top 32 players, has wild card entries and qualifiers.

The top seeded players are placed so that they don't have to play ome another. In theory, the reasoms for randomizing the rest of the draw after that is to avoid the same matchups, and to avoid some players trying to game the draw.

[lawdog77]

Tennis seeds the top 32 players, has wild card entries and qualifiers.

The top seeded players are placed so that they don't have to play ome another. In theory, the reasoms for randomizing the rest of the draw after that is to avoid the same matchups, and to avoid some players trying to game the draw.

Thanks. Makes sense, my OCD doesn't like it, though.

[shoothoops]

Thanks. Makes sense, my OCD doesn't like it, though.

Yep. All four majors have 128 player draws for Men and Women. 104 of them are direct entries. 16 are qualifiers.

Qualifiers are invited to play a mini tourney prior to the main event. You must win 3 straight matches to win your mini tourney and qualify. If you win your mini tourney but get injured or can’t continue, the last person you defeat takes your spot. Hence the name you may hear once in a while, “Lucky Loser.” Once in a while a Lucky Loser makes a run in the main draw. Qualifiers are placed randomly into the main draw against top players.

There are 8 Wild Cards chosen by the tourney. Some events have “Reciprocal Wild Cards” with one another. And within that, a country will sometimes base their WC on recent event performance. (We are now really getting into the weeds)

Top 32 players are seeded.

In non 128 player draws, top players sometimes get byes early in events.

[JWags85]

Playing against a Frechman/woman at Roland Garros has got to be hellish.  The crowd is beyond grating.  They fly pass raucous and passionate to the boorish.  It sounds like the crowd at a medieval execution.  Constant mocking and jeering.  Hell of a home court advantage though.

[MuggsyB]

Alcaraz absolutely eviscerated Seb Korda today.  We may have a young superstar coming to dethrone the Big 3.

You do have to wonder how high the people making the draw at the French Open were?  Let’s put Djoker, Nadal, Zverev, and Alcaraz on the same side.  Great idea!  Smh.

[shoothoops]

For the first time in almost 20 years, 5 American Women made the French Open Round of 16:

Jessie Pegula
Coco Gauff
Amanda Anisimova
Madison Keys
Sloane Stephens

3 of those also made the doubles. (Pegula, Gauff, Keys) along with Townsend, Muhammed, McNally.

(Anisimova lost a 3 set thriller to Canadian Leylah Fernandez in Rd of 16)

[MuggsyB]

Djoker rolled guy Diego.  That's a bummer.

[MuggsyB]

Rafa in a dogfight with FAA.  Not good with the Djoker waiting after cruising today. 

[shoothoops]

For the first time in almost 20 years, 5 American Women made the French Open Round of 16:

Jessie Pegula
Coco Gauff
Amanda Anisimova
Madison Keys
Sloane Stephens

3 of those also made the doubles. (Pegula, Gauff, Keys) along with Townsend, Muhammed, McNally.

(Anisimova lost a 3 set thriller to Canadian Leylah Fernandez in Rd of 16)

Super high level from Coco Gauff and Sloane Stephens, as they advance to the French Open Quarterfinals, where, they will face each other.

Jessie Pegula and Madison Keys can join with wins tomorrow.

Keys and Taylor Townsend are into the doubles quarterfinals.

[MU82]

Rafa in a dogfight with FAA.  Not good with the Djoker waiting after cruising today.

I’m a little ticked off that the Nadal-Djokovic match won’t be available except on Tennis Channel, which I don’t get.

Rafa will have to play his best match of the year.

[MuggsyB]

I’m a little ticked off that the Nadal-Djokovic match won’t be available except on Tennis Channel, which I don’t get.

Rafa will have to play his best match of the year.

Unacceptable/Inexcusable.  I wonder if you can get it on Peacock with a temp subscription?

[MU82]

Unacceptable/Inexcusable.  I wonder if you can get it on Peacock with a temp subscription?

I'll have to look into that. I'm out of town for the weekend, but will see what my options are when I get home. I might have to settle for watching the full-match highlights on YouTube, and if so I'll live with it.

I sure want Rafa to win. Would love to see him get a 2-majors lead. But Djokovic apparently has been playing really, really well. Tough task.

[MuggsyB]

I'll have to look into that. I'm out of town for the weekend, but will see what my options are when I get home. I might have to settle for watching the full-match highlights on YouTube, and if so I'll live with it.

I sure want Rafa to win. Would love to see him get a 2-majors lead. But Djokovic apparently has been playing really, really well. Tough task.

It's gonna be tough for anyone on that side of the draw to win three more.   Medvy or Tsisipas could have an advantage in the Final.  I wouldn't count Rafa out but I don't think he's playing near his top level.  After Rafa I'll be rooting for Alcaraz.

[shoothoops]

Coco Gauff and Leylah Fernandez became the first teenagers to make their 2nd Grand Slam Quarterfinal since Caroline Wozniacki did it in 2009/2010.

[shoothoops]

Nice couple of years for Ben Shelton. He won the NCAA Men’s Singles Title this past week, after helping lead Florida to the team title last season.

Good recruiting from Florida Coach Bryan Shelton, who also happens to be Ben’s dad.