2018 Australian Open, Melbourne - ATP GRAND SLAM

[Denis]

Anyone else struggling with the AO app, it does not properly work with me. lots of errors.

 

[mrzz]

Anyone else struggling with the AO app, it does not properly work with me. lots of errors.

Well the desktop site for feeds is showing a lot of problems to me. The weirdest one is that the main link for matches only shows the commentators in the commentator box...

 

[brokenshoelace]

Nothing too interesting so far. Novak will spank Monfils in his next match, but as far as second round match-ups go, that's an interesting one. Looking forward to it.

 

[Denis]

Nothing too interesting so far. Novak will spank Monfils in his next match, but as far as second round match-ups go, that's an interesting one. Looking forward to it.

H2h is 14-1. I was not entirely comfortable watching their USO encounter in 2016. Monfils sole win was at a 2004 futures event in Italy, lol.

http://www.stevegtennis.com/head-to-head/men/Novak_Djokovic/Gael_Monfils/

 

[Mastoor]

I first saw Rafa’s draw and it looked as if it was handpicked by Moxie and Carol. Then I saw Nole’s draw and that too looked like it was handpicked by Moxie and Carol.

Nole won his first match that the six time champion had to play on a parking lot. While he seemingly destroyed Young, it is only fair to say that Young didn’t play his bestest. Unlike Thiem who was too far from his best against Nole, Young didn’t play blind folded and he didn’t have his limb amputated. He was bothered by an ulcer on his private part. I mean 99% of the time Nole’s opponents look like they are far from their bestest when they play him, but being Thiem, Young or Federer, their below par game has absolutely nothing to do with Nole. Now, we need to figure out what can go wrong with Nole in following matches, because we are afraid to say that he is playing freaking good.

In the match, Nole revealed some of his secrets. New service on which he obviously worked with Virginie Razzano and the Tiger shoes much better than Adidas.

His next match is against Monfils and I am already afraid of Nole wining. Imagine the headers in British papers after winning against two black players in a raw – “Djokovic, Grand Magi of Monaco’s KKK chapter”.

They had a players meeting the other day and Nole suggested something shocking – they should ask for more money to help players ranked bellow 50. It was totally unexpected because everyone’s been talking about it for years that players ranked bellow 50 don’t really earn any money even if they win often, yet some other people presided the players’ council and nothing much was done about it. Nole, on the other hand must be out of his mind. Couldn’t he suggest something normal for a change? For example, that every tournament from now on is played in London. Or, that every time he is to play Wimbledon final with Federer, he should withdraw. What kind of novelty is this? Power and money to tennis players instead of British politicians? How they come up with something like that?!

 

[Denis]

Good to read your post

What do you think of Nole’s game so far? Happy?

 

[Busted]

Too bad for Raonic, but I do think the window has closed for him.

Was it ever really open? Let's get real here - he barely beat Roger in the SF at Wimbledon in 2016 when Roger was essentially playing on 1 leg. Granted a 1-legged Federer is better than most 2-legged players, but still. That was his big Slam opportunity. All Raonic has ever been is a big server. His FH is shaky, his BH sucks, his movement of horrendous and he can't volley to save his life. Those are a lot of deficiencies to overcome at 26-27. He wrote a piece for the ATP last year that his career was at a crossroads and 2018 was a make or break season. I said it was more like a dead end. The good news for him is - he has nowhere to go but up from a 1st round AO loss. Good luck with that.

 

[Moxie]

I first saw Rafa’s draw and it looked as if it was handpicked by Moxie and Carol. Then I saw Nole’s draw and that too looked like it was handpicked by Moxie and Carol.

It was. :whistle:

As to the bit about Nole playing 2 black guys in a row and getting in trouble if he beats both...I'm pretty sure you're the only person that thought of that. WTF?

 

[Moxie]

Was it ever really open? Let's get real here - he barely beat Roger in the SF at Wimbledon in 2016 when Roger was essentially playing on 1 leg. Granted a 1-legged Federer is better than most 2-legged players, but still. That was his big Slam opportunity. All Raonic has ever been is a big server. His FH is shaky, his BH sucks, his movement of horrendous and he can't volley to save his life. Those are a lot of deficiencies to overcome at 26-27. He wrote a piece for the ATP last year that his career was at a crossroads and 2018 was a make or break season. I said it was more like a dead end. The good news for him is - he has nowhere to go but up from a 1st round AO loss. Good luck with that.

It was open for a bit. I'm no fan, but he was seen as an up-and-comer when he was young, and he was ambitious and dedicated. I'd argue he did improve his volleying and movement, somewhat. Personally, I didn't really peg him for a slam unless the Big 3 declined, which they haven't, significantly enough. It looked for a while like he might get a window of opportunity, but not now.

 

[kskate2]

Simon retires down a set and a break. PCB onto R3

 

[El Dude]

Mastoor gets most amusing post of the year so far.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Moxie]

Mastoor gets most amusing post of the year so far.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

"Accidental comedian." Funniest poster is Mrzz.

 

[crystalfire]

so nole has no elbow problems or is it too early to tell??

 

[Moxie]

so nole has no elbow problems or is it too early to tell??

Djokovic himself says it's not 100%. However, he looks to be playing well. Nothing else is known.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Shapo won the first set rather easily in little over 30 minutes against Tsonga.

 

[Moxie]

Gilles Muller is complicating his own life v. Jaziri. Could have been out in 3.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Tsonga strikes back. 1-1 in sets. It is going to get interesting now.

 

[kskate2]

Muller into 5th set. Shap up 3-1 in the 3rd

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Shapo wins the third set 6-1.

It is nice to see Shapo closing out without any nerves. He did it nicely in both the first and third set.

I say Shapo in 4.

 

[El Dude]

I'm watching Shapo-Tsonga right now and I just love Shapo's game. He seems to have the full package. All that he's missing is experience and maybe tennis IQ, but that can be developed. I think he's a more well-rounded player than any of he other NextGenners, including Zverev, Rublev, etc.