2023 ATP General News

[Fiero425]

Wouldn't it be great to have THREE young studs in Alcaraz, Rune, and Fils? Better yet, wouldn't it be great to have an actually elite Frenchman?

For some reason, it seems the French have a way of sabotaging greatness; esp. in Invidual sports like tennis and figure skating (Surya Bonaly & Philippe Candeloro)! Like Spain, they do have quite a few in the ATP top 100, just not elite players! I forgot about Mauresmo & Bartoli, but IMO they should have won a lot more! Other than them, somehow they've been mired in mediocrity since the days of Yannick Noah in 1983! There last real chance for a major OTTH was in 2008 with Tsonga in the final of AO against Novak! And so the legend begins!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Wouldn't it be great to have THREE young studs in Alcaraz, Rune, and Fils? Better yet, wouldn't it be great to have an actually elite Frenchman?

I think the French would love to have another Yannick Noah in Arthur Fils who won RG in 1983

 

[Jelenafan]

Wouldn't it be great to have THREE young studs in Alcaraz, Rune, and Fils? Better yet, wouldn't it be great to have an actually elite Frenchman?

Isn't that the tennis equivalent of an oxymoron ?

 

[Moxie]

Isn't that the tennis equivalent of an oxymoron ?

Everyone here is right to give the French a hard time, for all of their squandered talent of the past many years, but I'm liking young Fils.

Anyway, speaking of Alcaraz, he got the late break back against Lajovic in the 2nd, breaking with Lajovic serving for the set a 6-5, then shut him down in the breaker at love. He's proving to be quite a bull. Or bully. He's tough, anyway, which is what we want to see!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Everyone here is right to give the French a hard time, for all of their squandered talent of the past many years, but I'm liking young Fils.

Anyway, speaking of Alcaraz, he got the late break back against Lajovic in the 2nd, breaking with Lajovic serving for the set a 6-5, then shut him down in the breaker at love. He's proving to be quite a bull. Or bully. He's tough, anyway, which is what we want to see!

Fils reminds me in ways of Gael Monfils with his athleticism, people should watch him play before making judgements

 

[Moxie]

Fils reminds me in ways of Gael Monfils with his athleticism, people should watch him play before making judgements

And he reminds me a little of Alcaraz with his charisma and enthusiasm for the wins. (Not to say that Monfils isn't loaded with charisma.) But Monfils likes the show, and I'm suspecting Fils really likes the competition.

 

[El Dude]

Noah was an excellent player, and as others have pointed out, the last (and only) Frenchman to win a Slam in the Open Era.

Here are the top Frenchmen by GOAT Points in the Open Era:

1. Yannick Noah 87
2. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 71
3. Gael Monfils 44
4. Richard Gasquet 38
5. Guy Forget 36
6. Henri Leconte 36
7. Cedric Pioline 35
8. Sebastien Grosjean 35
9. Gilles Simon 29
10. Lucas Pouille 16

It is interesting to note how relatively closely 3-9 are clustered in terms of GP, especially 4-8. Tsonga is the clear #2, but then the rest are pretty close, with a big drop-off after Simon (with Escude and Clement 11th and 12th).

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Noah was an excellent player, and as others have pointed out, the last (and only) Frenchman to win a Slam in the Open Era.

Here are the top Frenchmen by GOAT Points in the Open Era:

1. Yannick Noah 87
2. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 71
3. Gael Monfils 44
4. Richard Gasquet 38
5. Guy Forget 36
6. Henri Leconte 36
7. Cedric Pioline 35
8. Sebastien Grosjean 35
9. Gilles Simon 29
10. Lucas Pouille 16

It is interesting to note how relatively closely 3-9 are clustered in terms of GP, especially 4-8. Tsonga is the clear #2, but then the rest are pretty close, with a big drop-off after Simon (with Escude and Clement 11th and 12th).

Shame about Jo I was at the AO 2008 final, I really thought Jo had a good chance to win, he was also a popular Frenchman.
Typo error I have just come off night shift, AO final 2008 lol! ( not 1986) I need to sleep

 

[El Dude]

Shame about Jo I was at the AO 1986 final, I really thought Jo had a good chance to win, he was also a popular Frenchman.
Typo error I have just come off night shift, AO final 2008 lol! I need to sleep

Yeah, I was thinking that your expectation for an infant Tsonga (born in 1985) is maybe a bit much.

Anyhow, to me what comes to mind re: Jo, is his defeat of Roger at the 2011 Wimbledon QF. He had a nice little run, beating a young Grigor, a fading Fernando Gonzalez, Ferrer, then Federer. But hit the wall that was 2011 Novak. It is weird to think that Jo only reached one Slam final; I know it was a rough time to be on tour, but my memory of him as a guy who reached more than a single final, and that 15 years ago. In my mind, he and Berdych will always be paired and very similar players (in terms of level and accomplishments), and always the guys losing to the one of the Big Four in the QF or SF.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

A French feel to the SFs in Marseille,

Bonzi vs Fils
Hirkacz vs Bublik

 

[Moxie]

Noah was an excellent player, and as others have pointed out, the last (and only) Frenchman to win a Slam in the Open Era.

Here are the top Frenchmen by GOAT Points in the Open Era:

1. Yannick Noah 87
2. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 71
3. Gael Monfils 44
4. Richard Gasquet 38
5. Guy Forget 36
6. Henri Leconte 36
7. Cedric Pioline 35
8. Sebastien Grosjean 35
9. Gilles Simon 29
10. Lucas Pouille 16

It is interesting to note how relatively closely 3-9 are clustered in terms of GP, especially 4-8. Tsonga is the clear #2, but then the rest are pretty close, with a big drop-off after Simon (with Escude and Clement 11th and 12th).

Jo-Wil lost a heartbreaker to Novak at Roland Garros in 2012 in the SFs, having, I think, 4 MPs. Monfils waited too long to start caring. Richard Gasquet was pegged too young and over-hyped. (I guess? One prodigy makes good - Rafa - another doesn't.) The surprise on that list to me is Grosjean. Do I remember him poorly? I thought of his as pretty much a journeyman. And Lucas Pouille...what's he doing these days? Tiktok?

There are a raft of young French players, as I guess there always are, but hopefully Arthur Fils breaks the mold and breaks through to the top. I like his game.

 

[Moxie]

Yeah, I was thinking that your expectation for an infant Tsonga (born in 1985) is maybe a bit much.

Anyhow, to me what comes to mind re: Jo, is his defeat of Roger at the 2011 Wimbledon QF. He had a nice little run, beating a young Grigor, a fading Fernando Gonzalez, Ferrer, then Federer. But hit the wall that was 2011 Novak. It is weird to think that Jo only reached one Slam final; I know it was a rough time to be on tour, but my memory of him as a guy who reached more than a single final, and that 15 years ago. In my mind, he and Berdych will always be paired and very similar players (in terms of level and accomplishments), and always the guys losing to the one of the Big Four in the QF or SF.

Jo-Will has acknowledged that Novak spoiled more than a few things for him. I forgot about that Wimbledon run. Interesting comparison to Berdych. While I didn't like Berdych's game at all, and loved Tsonga and his, I get the comparison. I think each made one GS final, one losing to Novak, one to Rafa. Otherwise, the best they did was QFs and SFs.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

SFs in Rio,

C. Norrie vs Zapata Miralles
C.Alcaraz vs N.Jarry

 

[Moxie]

SFs in Rio,

C. Norrie vs Zapata Miralles
C.Alcaraz vs N.Jarry

Heading for another Norrie/Alcaraz showdown in Rio? Probably. Charlie will know that he's got the co-#1 on the line. (Not really...Djokovic will still have it based on the AO win, I think.) Anyway, I wonder if Charlie is feeling the pressure to justify his somewhat controversial #1, or even just to get that close again? OK, still a SF to get through. While Jarry was on the radar occasionally, he hasn't featured much. Zapata Miralles is rather more interesting.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Heading for another Norrie/Alcaraz showdown in Rio? Probably. Charlie will know that he's got the co-#1 on the line. (Not really...Djokovic will still have it based on the AO win, I think.) Anyway, I wonder if Charlie is feeling the pressure to justify his somewhat controversial #1, or even just to get that close again? OK, still a SF to get through. While Jarry was on the radar occasionally, he hasn't featured much. Zapata Miralles is rather more interesting.

If Alcaraz wins he will tie with Djokovic for No 1, though Djokovic will still maintain his No 1 position, he has more points at the mandatory events, ATP Finals, GS, and ATP Masters. Djokovic 5,820 compared to Alcaraz 5,090
I am keeping my eye on Zapata Miralles this is his 2 SF? do you know anything about him at all?

 

[Moxie]

If Alcaraz wins he will tie with Djokovic for No 1, though Djokovic will still maintain his No 1 position, he has more points at the mandatory events, ATP Finals, GS, and ATP Masters. Djokovic 5,820 compared to Alcaraz 5,090
I am keeping my eye on Zapata Miralles this is his 2 SF? do you know anything about him at all?

Don't really know anything about him at all. I just saw him finish off Ramos-Viñolas. 26-yrs. old. Seems a general purposes Spaniard who favors clay. Have not discovered if he has weapons. I'm guessing not really.

 

[kskate2]

FAA SP on your serve? again when your serve was needed it let you down, you should have won the 2nd set in a t/break
Medvedev d FAA 64 76(7) he will play Murray in the final tomorrow

I watched the last 30 minutes of the match, it wasn't just his serve that let him down. He doesn't play the score well. In a TB, you cannot give away donations. His lack of patience caused him to pull the trigger too often w/ no margin. Uncle Toni has much work to do w/ Felix

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I watched the last 30 minutes of the match, it wasn't just his serve that let him down. He doesn't play the score well. In a TB, you cannot give away donations. His lack of patience caused him to pull the trigger too often w/ no margin. Uncle Toni has much work to do w/ Felix

His bhand I also felt caused him to pull the trigger to often with no margin, in the 1st set I felt his serve let him down in crucial times in the match as well as in the T/break in the 2nd set where he did have SP on his racket

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Don't really know anything about him at all. I just saw him finish off Ramos-Viñolas. 26-yrs. old. Seems a general purposes Spaniard who favors clay. Have not discovered if he has weapons. I'm guessing not really.

Okay thanks

 

[Jelenafan]

… The surprise on that list to me is Grosjean. Do I remember him poorly? I thought of his as pretty much a journeyman. …

Anybody who saw Grosjean at his best with his touch and net play, especially on grass , would hardly call him a “ journeyman”