2023 ATP General News

[tented]

de Minaur to serve to stay in the match, 3-5.

EDIT: Alcaraz will serve for the title, 5-4.

 

[Kieran]

I'm not the only one high on Frances Tiafoe: https://www.tennis365.com/tennis-news/stop-djokovic-wimbledon/

Former world No 154 Prakash Amritraj singled out a different player as the leading contender to challenge the 23-time Grand Slam winner.

“I’m going with our big guy who’s got a bunch of new confidence getting into the top 10 – Frances Tiafoe. I think he’s maybe the best player at having that sort of intangible, improv skillset – which is so needed on grass,” Amritraj said.

“He stays low to the court, he doesn’t mind having that continental grip on the forehand side, where you’re able to just feel balls on this side, maybe come up with a chip here. So many balls come up on grass that you can’t practise for, so you just have to be ready.

“He shovels that backhand well, uses the pace well and I think he really believes that he can win Wimbledon. Now he’s in the top 10, ton of confidence, won a title [in Stuttgart].”

I wouldn’t take that seriously. Like I said before, I’m still waiting for Tim Henman to win Wimbledon, as so many experts predicted so often when he was playing, casually just saying it, to have something to say. It was as plain as the nose on your face that they weren’t thinking straight when they said it. It was just another pointless thing to say, the same way that they all get caught up in senseless pontifications about goats.

Tiafoe is good. He’s no champ. Certainly nobody’s idea of a grand slam champ. Bloody hell, he’s 25 and the only titles he has are three 250’s!

 

[Moxie]

de Minaur to serve to stay in the match, 3-5.

EDIT: Alcaraz will serve for the title, 5-4.

The first set was rather tighter, with Alex doing a good job of taking time away from Carlos. Then the Spaniard seemed to figure him out. Let's see if he serves it out now.

 

[tented]

The first set was rather tighter, with Alex doing a good job of taking time away from Carlos. Then the Spaniard seemed to figure him out. Let's see if he serves it out now.

He did it!

Alacraz is now No. 1 in the world again, after getting his first grass-court title.

 

[Moxie]

Carlos wins 5th title of the year, and, at barely 20, he now has titles on all 3 surfaces.

 

[Moxie]

He did it!

Alacraz is now No. 1 in the world again, after getting his first grass-court title.

I forgot about that already, and we just discussed it. LOL. I hope that thigh issue is nothing. Didn't seem to be.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Well done Alcaraz fun match and welcome back to the No 1 ranking ! and will be the No 1 seed at Wimbledon

 

[Moxie]

I wouldn't put too much importance on the results of the grass tune-ups. They’re a shaky predicator at best.

Why would that be, would you say? On grass especially?

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

BTW,
Bublik d Rublev to win the title in Halle in 3 sets 36 63 63
I would watch out for Bublik as a floater at Wimbledon, he seems to thrive on the grass

 

[Fiero425]

He did it!

Alcaraz is now #1 in the world again, after getting his first grass-court title.

I guess that will have to sate the few who needed at least that bone!

 

[Kieran]

I guess that will have to sate the few who needed at least that bone!

A 20 year old number one, already a slam champ, is more than a bone for tennis fans. It’s tennis history…

 

[Jelenafan]

Why would that be, would you say? On grass especially?

Because the grass season is only played for six weeks at most and even top players have to get adjusted to and re-learn the quirkiness of the surface. Thus all those upsets in warmups. Plus you add that many are transitioning off of red clay.

So it’s an opportunity for the rank & file to shine. I Noticed how Bublik just won Halle.

Listed other examples up thread but adding that
I remember Borna Coric shocked Federer in the final and won Halle on grass one year & then proceeded to lose in the 1st round at Wimbledon.

 

[Fiero425]

A 20 year old #1, already a slam champ, is more than a bone for tennis fans. It’s tennis history…

You're ignoring the obvious! There are fans out there who can't stand that Novak's the "last man standing" of the B3 after all's said & done! He's not only winning, he's still at the top of the ranks! With Carlos #1, they'll stop talking about a weak era; until Novak takes over again after Wimbledon! Remember, he didn't get his 2000 pts. for taking '22 Wimbledon crown! I love the delusion and "carrying on" over how tennis history is being changed/formed from expectations of the Tennis Intelligentsia!

 

[nehmeth]

Congrats Alcaraz. In beast mode Sunday. #1 and momentum heading to SW19.

Really happy to see Bublik punch through and win in Halle. Took down Sinner, Zverev and Rublev to do it. Mom, wife and son there to see it. Everything finally clicked for him.

 

[Kieran]

You're ignoring the obvious! There are fans out there who can't stand that Novak's the "last man standing" of the B3 after all's said & done! He's not only winning, he's still at the top of the ranks! With Carlos #1, they'll stop talking about a weak era; until Novak takes over again after Wimbledon! Remember, he didn't get his 2000 pts. for taking '22 Wimbledon crown! I love the delusion and "carrying on" over how tennis history is being changed/formed from expectations of the Tennis Intelligentsia!

Well, he’s the youngest of the Big 3 and never gets injured so it’s hardly unlikely Novak’s the last man standing. But isn’t it possible to enjoy a unique 20 year old with incredible gifts for the game? Isn’t Alcaraz a breath of fresh air? A player we didn’t expect to see? I mean, we don’t all argue like children about goats. I’ve been watching tennis since 1976 and I’m a goat agnostic. I’ve seen all sorts of inconsistent measurements applied to the conundrum and usually they end up like a square circle foundering in a Bermuda Triangle. But I am consistent in enjoying the achievements of great players, even morally ambiguous ones, like the Buddhist of Monte Carlo, or narcissists like prime time licks his own chocolate lips Wodger..

 

[kskate2]

You're ignoring the obvious! There are fans out there who can't stand that Novak's the "last man standing" of the B3 after all's said & done! He's not only winning, he's still at the top of the ranks! With Carlos #1, they'll stop talking about a weak era; until Novak takes over again after Wimbledon! Remember, he didn't get his 2000 pts. for taking '22 Wimbledon crown! I love the delusion and "carrying on" over how tennis history is being changed/formed from expectations of the Tennis Intelligentsia!

Who gives a flying fart about those fans? Everything isn't always about the Big 3, especially since they aren't playing this week. This is about a youngster who is battling to find and create his place in tennis history.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

The fine the ATP imposed on the LTA for banning Russians and Belarusians last year has been halved on appeal and so with the WTA fine also cut in half, nearly 700,000 pounds will be returned to the LTA accounts once the summer season ends ( source bbc.co.uk)

 

[Fiero425]

Well, he’s the youngest of the Big 3 and never gets injured so it’s hardly unlikely Novak’s the last man standing. But isn’t it possible to enjoy a unique 20 year old with incredible gifts for the game? Isn’t Alcaraz a breath of fresh air? A player we didn’t expect to see? I mean, we don’t all argue like children about goats. I’ve been watching tennis since 1976 and I’m a goat agnostic. I’ve seen all sorts of inconsistent measurements applied to the conundrum and usually they end up like a square circle foundering in a Bermuda Triangle. But I am consistent in enjoying the achievements of great players, even morally ambiguous ones, like the Buddhist of Monte Carlo, or narcissists like prime time licks his own chocolate lips Wodger..

I started playing in '71 & Laver was the consensus "greatest" w/ his closest rival being Rosewall! Technically Hoad owned Rod like no other! Laver's given more credit than his achievements due to being banned from the majors in his PRIME due to amateur rule for 5+ yrs.! He won his 1st CYGS in '62 as an amateur, toiled w/ the Pros winning their "majors," then when Open Tennis agreed upon, he performed well enough to take another CYGS in '69! No one saw Fedalovic coming to wipe out the memory of past greats! I seem to be the only one to invoke the names of Tilden, Budge, Kramer, & Gonzalez, but they owned the tour as much as the B3 except for the duration of time! Soon they'll stop even thinking about Laver, Borg, Connors, McEnroe, Lendl, Agassi, & Sampras! It's all about Fedalovic now and for the foreseeable future!

 

[Kieran]

I started playing in '71 & Laver was the consensus "greatest" w/ his closest rival being Rosewall! Technically Hoad owned Rod like no other! Laver's given more credit than his achievements due to being banned from the majors in his PRIME due to amateur rule for 5+ yrs.! He won his 1st CYGS in '62 as an amateur, toiled w/ the Pros winning their "majors," then when Open Tennis agreed upon, he performed well enough to take another CYGS in '69! No one saw Fedalovic coming to wipe out the memory of past greats! I seem to be the only one to invoke the names of Tilden, Budge, Kramer, & Gonzalez, but they owned the tour as much as the B3 except for the duration of time! Soon they'll stop even thinking about Laver, Borg, Connors, McEnroe, Lendl, Agassi, & Sampras! It's all about Fedalovic now and for the foreseeable future!

Well, at least until Charley or someone else starts racking up scores. Tennis so-called ‘experts’ have very short memories…

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Carlos Alcaraz is the 5th youngest player to win a title on all 3 surfaces, ( via TennisLetter)

Borg (17)
Wilander (19)
Hewitt (19)
Connnors (19)
This is quite a legendary list to join.