2018 Australian Open, Melbourne - ATP GRAND SLAM

[britbox]

I don't think Roger will be overly concerned about his career achievements... they are in the trophy cabinet already and not hypothetical.

 

[atttomole]

I said I don't care because I genuinely believe everyone is doing it. Yes, I believe athletes at the highest level, especially in certain sports, are all looking to gain an edge and that includes tennis. But my larger point was that PEDs should be allowed because: A) Many of them actually are. Remember, PEDs literally stand for performance enhancing drugs. These athletes are taking all sorts of legal performance enhancers and the reason why some are legal and some aren't is completely arbitrary (how else to explain a drug being legal for years then suddenly banned). So you either ban everything, which is impossible, or you just don't care and let them take whatever. And honestly, why not? This is not body building or professional wrestling. None of these guys are going to die due to PED use. Let's be real about that. They're not taking it to have the body of a Greek God. They're mainly doing it for quicker recovery, dealing with injuries, etc... so if it helps, why the hell not?

It's a losing battle when it comes to doping control because new PED's are being produced at an alarming rate. China is considered the main culprit since they produce these chemicals very cheaply, and right now there are no methods to detect them. Some chemicals are placed on the 'banned' list when it is established through research that they are performance enhancing, and if there are methods for detecting them. That is why some substances may be used for years before they are listed as PED's. Unfortunately, science research may never catch up with doping because they have the unenviable task of developing detection methods for dozens of new drugs that come out every year.

 

[Denis]

Of course. There's scientific data backing that up which I cannot dispute. However, tennis is not athletics nor is it cycling. I agree it's very tricky and a slippery slope, but I'm actually among those who believe that tennis' "relaxed" stance on PEDs is actually a good, realistic, pragmatic approach.

It's an interesting debate. I don't think its black and white though and the main issue is the capacity to enforce (labs, tests, agents, etc). As authorities you focus on those substances you think give players too much of an advantage and you do everything you can to take out the cheats. I don't think we should expect a clean sport, but a sport in which athletes refrain from taking the most harmful stuff because they know they can't get away with it. That's what we can realistically hope for.

Overall though, I am with the principle that there should be doping rules and I don't think they are arbitrary. They have all sorts of scientific committees deciding on what to ban and what not to ban.

 

[10isfan]

I’m disappointed Shapo lost his match. He is quickly becoming one of my favorite players. Did anyone see Kyrgios? Is he playing well enough to get to the final, as most analysts predicted?

 

[Busted]

And female. Someone should be fired. I don't mind the pink, but the ones that don't look like alert warnings look like they're playing in their underwear, Fed and Nadal included.

I may be in the minority here...but I like the all pink that Dimitrov was wearing. If fits with that I think of his game. It looks pretty from a distance but don't get too close or you'll see it's not really all that and a big of chips...

 

[brokenshoelace]

I think Nadal is looking good, especially on the forehand side. He's serving well up the T, but unfortunately, unlike the US Open, his slider out wide isn't clicking. The other thing I noticed, is that while the courts seem to be reacting very well to his forehand, he's taking some pace off his rally cross court backhand. I hope those aspects improve.

 

[Busted]

What irony? Are you saying 2017 was one of Roger's best seasons? It was his 6th best. Also came against probably the weakest field he's ever competed against.

Fed's "6th best" season...and yet the irony is that he beat Nadal in 3 of his 8 finals...

 

[El Dude]

How many times have I posted about the next gen? You can give them match point and they'll always find a way to blow it! It's just plain "gutless!" It's so hard to watch happen again and again! This is why the oldster stay around; they know the new bloods can't handle it mentally! With all that power and ability, they self-destruct time and time again!

This is just silly. Shapovalov is 18-years old - the age of high school seniors or freshmen in college! He wasn't gutless at all. You should have seen how he rebounded when the referee gave him a bad call - he aced Tsonga, then easily won the next couple points. Furthermore, the thing I like most about Shapo's game is that he doesn't get discouraged when he commits an error. He keeps going for his shots. This is far from gutless - the opposite, really.

The reason he lost was a combination of losing gas and experience. That is all.

I am very positive about his results. This kid is going to be great - better than Zverev, in my opinion.

I predicted that he would consolidate more than take a step forward, and end the year around #30. I'm going to revise my prediction and say that he finishes in the top 20, and then top 10 next year. By 2021 he could be the best player on tour.

 

[Busted]

Dimitrov wins after a five set dogfight with a qualifier. He thought it was going be a walk in the park.

Huh? Why would he think that? Surely he hasn't gotten so big-headed as to believe he's truly the #3 player in the world? It's gonna be soooooo funny to me when he can't defend all the post-Wimbledon points and his ranking falls back into the 11-30 range...

 

[Busted]

Disagree BS, because if you removed any boundaries... then yes, you would have people dying and some would go further than others to get the edge.

When EPO was unchecked in cycling, you had a lot of cyclists dying... we know what heavy steroid use can also do.

Amen. Plus, there's an ethical issue here as well. Why help people kill themselves? PED usage can lead to major medical issues and eventually death. All for the sake of winning? Oh yeah - and money. How ironic that to win you're willing to take drugs that could kill you. That's the very definition of losing.

 

[Denis]

Atrocious start from Novak. 4df and two breaks down. Service is just horrendous at the moment.

 

[Fiero425]

Atrocious start from Novak. 4df and two breaks down. Service is just horrendous at the moment.

It happens! If in the 2nd set he's still "all at sea," I'll worry! Right now, foggetabotit! :whistle:

 

[Denis]

Monfils is outdoing Novak on the dfs and all else. Back on serve 3-3

 

[Moxie]

Atrocious start from Novak. 4df and two breaks down. Service is just horrendous at the moment.

Don't worry. If Monfils keeps pushing the ball around like that waiting for errors, he'll never capitalize on this rough start.

 

[Moxie]

Well, this is a weird match.

 

[Denis]

A lot of errors from Novak. Monfils is barely taking advantage. Serving for the first at 5-4.

 

[Moxie]

If Monfils can't make the most of this opportunity, he's not going to win this set, much less his only match v. Novak.

 

[Moxie]

A lot of errors from Novak. Monfils is barely taking advantage. Serving for the first at 5-4.

Most worryingly, I should think, is that the new serve is not working so well.

 

[Denis]

Thank goodness that set is over. Let’s start afresh.

 

[Denis]

Most worryingly, I should think, is that the new serve is not working so well.

Well nothing is atm. Let’s see for set two.