|
Post by prettyvacant on Sept 1, 2009 3:43:04 GMT
I am irrationally fond of John McEnroe, even though he does plenty of annoying stuff.
That Venus match was killing me. I was supposed to be working on some stuff, but I couldn't focus. Luckily, she came through. I don't have high hopes for her going very far now.
|
|
|
Post by lizm on Sept 1, 2009 3:57:04 GMT
I'm not sure what the chair ump's prob with Andy's blood is. I mean, it's not enough to effect traction or obscure lines. Given that's the case, I'd probably rather it drop on the court rather than be on the towels for the ball kids to have to handle.
ETA: Oh good, it IS just an issue with the towels and the kids.
|
|
|
Post by mooncreek on Sept 1, 2009 4:13:33 GMT
2 Macs commenting on a Roddick match is just waaay too annoying. I'm just glad Gilbert isn't there.
But as long as Agassi stays in the booth, they're less annoying. I especially love him talking about Rafa, since you know he can relate to his game.
|
|
|
Post by tikigirl on Sept 1, 2009 4:40:37 GMT
Agreed, mooncreek. I think there are many levels on which Agassi relates to Nadal.
I feel badly for Phau. Like, if he had all those mad skillz and was just maybe a few inches taller, his career would probably have gone differently. He's a lot of fun to watch.
Despite her win today, I think Venus is going to fuck up a lot of our pools...
|
|
|
Post by chestylarue on Sept 1, 2009 5:32:14 GMT
tiki- I agree that Phau could have maybe done better with a couple of inches. 5'9" is wee in tennis today. I mean Ferrer has done well for his height but has not been able to maintain. I think Coria was the best short player of 2000s and look what happened to him. (Since Hewitt is 5'11" or so I am not including him in the height area of Bjorn, David or Guillermo).
Shallow note- I have always felt that Phau is very pleasing to look at.
I am curious to hear about what Venus is going to do regarding doubles. I think though that since they are so good in dubs she may be less inclined to pull out than a lot of singles players nowadays.
|
|
|
Post by breezybee on Sept 1, 2009 10:32:27 GMT
I stood very close to Hewitt at the Roger's Cup and there is no way he is the 5'11" that his bio states so we can probably include him on the short guys list.
Yes he is. Very sort of exotic looking.
|
|
|
Post by francienolan on Sept 1, 2009 10:52:15 GMT
Very interesting tweet from Matthew Cronin I know the general consensus from those in the know re US player development is that Young's parents are holding him back. This is interesting if it is true. I feel like the Donald Young bust after being the number one junior at 16 has been kind of hard to see. Maybe if he got a new coach that could help him to start to realize his talent more. (Although his smallish stature will still be an issue) This is good news in my book b/c I don't see how he's going forward without USTA funds. I wish that they would have forced his hand about this sooner but I do wonder how this will work in the long run. Will they have to approve his coach and what kind of attitude will he bring to the table with a new albeit coerced set up? I stopped caring about what happened to him a couple of years ago when it became apparent that he and his family would neither seek or accept the outside help that he so desperately needed. At 20/21 it's not to late too get a top career together (lack of height is an impediment but he should really have some more muscle - a shorter version of what Murray was able to do w/ his whippet body w/o sacrificing speed- I haven't seen him in awhile so this still assumes he's slight) but he's going to have to have a some dark nights of the soul to sort out the family dynamic/ personal development issues that imo have completely stalled/derailed his career. The elite athletes in womens tennis (and DY isn't necces "elite" but shouldn't be ranked 160) can survive the coach/parent dynamic but I fully believe that the men's game is a different animal in part because they are not sharing DNA with their coach. DY's mom in particular is a lovely woman and I just hope that she can cede this role in his life and allow his game to flourish. I could babble on some more but you get the picture
|
|
|
Post by admin on Sept 1, 2009 10:57:09 GMT
Bog Snorkelling thread hijack! Tiki Re the bog: That photo is from last year! It was taken by a guy i know, Ben. He had a whole series published on the Time website, he was pretty stoked. Good stuff. (The whole thing is here, for anyone who wants to see. ) I think that grey blurry blob you can see leaning down at the far end of the bog is me! It's crazy but a lot of fun. It's been going for about 24 years now, in a peat bog in Mid Wales. 60m long, swim up, swim back and the fastest time wins. You can't use traditional swimming strokes and you can't swim it with your head out of the water. In recent years they've had to dig out a second trench because of so many people taking part, now they have the two going in tandem. They get anything from 150- 200 people competing these days. People come from all over the world, Aussies, Americans, Canadians.. A host with a US camera crew did the swim himself in '07 or '08, in his regular suit i believe. This year we had 3 guys in Pamela Anderson style baywatch suits with fake boobs, a Wonder Woman and 3 faux French people, 2 of whom would run alongside the snorkeller, shouting classic french such as "zeez bog is your bitch" and "oui, oui, after this is over i will love your bagette, Jean Claude!" Although last year's event was way worse underfoot (welly high in mud in some parts, i nearly lost a boot, it was rank), than yesterday, the weather was worse this time, we had almost non stop rain. Kept spectators away really, not nearly so many watching. And this is meant to be our summer? We do have some weird stuff when you think about it.. the bog, cheese rolling, wife carrying, toe wrestling, mud football, lie telling, gurning, nettle eating.. it goes on.. Oh right, tennis. Anyways, Tiki, i think apocalipstick emailed me after i sent out the mass message about the tennis pools. I think she is taking a break from online tennis following. I was disappointed to see Dokic go out so soon, i know she's not played since Wimbledon, but i was still expecting more. Pleased to see Vera Z and Momo through. Momo did struggle a little when well ahead in her second set though, frustrating to watch. Vera looks to have lost some weight too, you can see it most clearly in her face.
|
|
|
Post by admin on Sept 1, 2009 11:04:47 GMT
On the mens side i despair of Paul-Henri Mathieu. Every time he plays Youzhny i think of that epic David Cup final match in which PHM completely folded from 2-0 up to lose the match and the tie. Most other matches seem to have gone as planned. I had Tursunov and Rochus going through, but i'm not completely surprised by those results
WOW, i left the De Brito match to go to bed last night and she was a set and at least a break down against Johansson.. and she came back to win 6-1 in the third. Yay, she makes me laugh (strangely, because the yowlers normally piss me off) and she was very endearing when i saw her interviewed on Eurosport at the French Open. Might get to see her next match now.
|
|
lt
Semi Finals
Posts: 3,223
|
Post by lt on Sept 1, 2009 13:35:25 GMT
Who knew the Player Development people lived in my head? And francie, I completely agree that I wish they had forced his hand earlier. Young was probably hoping that by announcing the letter that people would back him up and put pressure on the USTA but I hope that doesn't happen. It's a good move and he needs to make it.
admin! Your life is fascinating! Love it.
And, heh, which Rochus? Christophe served for the match twice--at 5-4 in both the fourth and fifth sets--and didn't win another game for the rest of either set. He was cramping, big time. Trainer came out in the changeovers twice and he was icing his legs at every changeover. It was weird--I couldn't tell if it was all the cramping that made him lose, if he mentally checked out while serving for the match or if Ilhan kept picking it up. Very odd. Meanwhile, Olivier kicked Igor's ass. It was comprehensive. And Igor was not pleased. I love both Rochus brothers--but Olivier wins my heart with his perfectly-fitted outfit every time.
I had the worst luck yesterday--every match I went to had the guy I wanted to win, lose. Until Olivier. I think I stuck around to watch him win just so I could be happy at the handshake. I did watch the end of Haas but, man, the USTA does not learn. Haas is extremely popular in NY (no matter how he's playing--and this year he's playing well) and they keep putting him on Court 11. That sucker filled up while I was watching the fifth set of Polansky (who lost, of course) and I didn't get in until Haas was up two sets. Oh well. At least in the meantime I got to see both Rochus brothers.
Speaking of putting names on back courts--Verdasco on Court 13 today? It's a TV court but it's a SMALL TV court. That's going to be a nightmare for people who want to watch.
I have to say, ESPN put a lot mobile cameras around the grounds. They had a camera on a crane for the 5th set of the Garcia-Lopez/Polansky match and a guy walking around with a TV camera for C. Rochus/Ilhan.
Oh, caught Rafa practicing on a way back court. I have to say, he did not look great. Hopefully it was just a bad practice. However, two women had the court after him and one of them, I did not recognize her, asked for his autograph! I was adorable. He was happy to oblige I might add. Also, he spent about 5 minutes on his cell phone after the practice and sent his team off with his bags in the direction of fewer fans. He then took out a pen (or had one handed to him, I didn't see) and waded right into the HUGE crush of fans wanting his autograph. It looked like he got swallowed up by a wave of humanity and he signed his way through them. Incredibly impressive and really sweet.
|
|
lt
Semi Finals
Posts: 3,223
|
Post by lt on Sept 1, 2009 13:50:14 GMT
Here's the picture of Rafa signing the player's autograph. Someone who knows the women's tour better than me might be able to recognize her:
|
|
|
Post by falafaclese on Sept 1, 2009 14:32:25 GMT
That Venus match yesterday was excruciating. It had all the earmarks of an untimely Venus loss- the ridiculous UEs, the DFs, etc., and I can't believe she pulled it out. All of those foot faults were making me completely crazy. I can't imagine how she must have been feeling. On the plus side, it kind of reminded me of Wimby '07 when she almost got bounced out in the 1st and 3rd rounds, and then blew through the second week in straight sets; on the minus side, that injury is troubling, and this ain't Wimby. I'm not feeling good about this, and I have Vee winning the whole damn thing.
|
|
|
Post by chestylarue on Sept 1, 2009 14:35:26 GMT
Thanks for the report LT. Too bad your guy C Rochus lost but I am very happy for Ihlan. First GS match win ever by a player from Turkey. And he has an interesting story- for a while he was living on n$50 a month.
These stories about Rafa solidify my flurve of him. Too bad he had a bad practice- that is a bit worrisome. But maybe things will improve. I think in addition to the court the Wilson (?) balls are not the best for his game so it takes him a while.
That player looks a bit like Sam Stousor to me. But she played yesterday and her hair may be lighter.
Hope you get to see Fernando win. I imagine the crowd may be pretty full. It seems like he is kinda popular for a non-huge name in the US. If he wears the FeVer hat will you find a way to steal it so he will NEVER wear it again?
|
|
lt
Semi Finals
Posts: 3,223
|
Post by lt on Sept 1, 2009 14:46:50 GMT
Heh, Chesty, I'll only steal the cap if he's cut his hair. . . .it's way better than the visor. I don't go today so he'll have to win so I can see him on Thursday. I know I'm a Fer apologist but I don't mind FeVer. I actually (oh dear) think it's kind of cute. Goodness knows he gives me one. . . (sorry, couldn't resist). I did love Cahill sticking up for FeVer at New Haven and Fowler just laughing at him.
I didn't know Ihlan's story watching the match. I'm now happier for C. Rochus's loss.
Cahill was talking about the balls during the final at New Haven. He said that there are two different official balls and one is used for all the US tournaments (or most of them, I forget) but not the tournaments elsewhere so the big players who have missed the smaller US Open Series tournaments are actually at a disadvantage because they haven't gotten used to the ball like the other players have. Can I say how much I LOVE when the commentator gives us info like that. It's so helpful!
You really cannot tell from the picture but it definitely wasn't Stosur. The lady had dark hair and very sharp features. Very fit and thin.
eta: Thanks falafaclese, on the tip about the USOpen.org tv. Very nice and it works on my Mac so I'm a happy camper.
|
|
|
Post by falafaclese on Sept 1, 2009 15:20:48 GMT
Don't hold me to this, but I think they use Penn for most of the rest of the tour, but Wilson for the US Open series. Plus, the men use the Extra Duty balls and the women use the Regular Duty.
As for the woman in the Rafa pic, it looks kind of like Katarina Srebotnik. She's tall and fit too, so that could be her.
|
|