Early AO 2019 thread

[Moxie]

Good that they finally changed this as it was a travesty that the ones playing the shortest matches got extra privileges before.

It has always been flat-out sexist and condescending that they did that for the women and not the men.

 

[Ricardo]

It has always been flat-out sexist and condescending that they did that for the women and not the men.

And equally condescending that men are expected to protect women and not the other way around.
Things happen for a reason, but let’s have equality take over on everything and anything.
But I want the best for those women I care about (excluding the feminists of course) so that can’t happen, it is contradictory by nature.

 

[mrzz]

Here are some dangerous floaters (unseeded players, who may cause an upset or two).

1. Fucs
2. Kyrgios
3. Berdych
4. Stan
5. Mischa
6. Dr. Evil
7. Rublev
8. Tsonga

Can add Sam Querry and Feliciano Lopez to the above list depending on how they fare this week.

I would add the highly volatile Klizan and João Sousa to the list. Also Milman who knows a thing or two about taking out multi major winners lately. If the surface is playing fast, Jarry and his good serve/ultra agressive game is on par with Rublev.

 

[The_Grand_Slam]

 

[isabelle]

RBA could be a dark horse ??

 

[Nadalfan2013]

RBA could be a dark horse ??

He’s playing great! Great to see the impact of Rafa’s influence and inspiration

 

[Michael;Kiwi]

How do people feel about the ten point tiebreaker. I kind of like it, but would prefer it at 9 or 12 all. I also feel that the women should play a full third set. It gets boring and ridiculous when you have Someone like Isner, but I feel like this rule gets rid of many of the great women’s matches. For instance Halep-Kerber last year.

 

[The_Grand_Slam]

How do people feel about the ten point tiebreaker. I kind of like it, but would prefer it at 9 or 12 all. I also feel that the women should play a full third set. It gets boring and ridiculous when you have Someone like Isner, but I feel like this rule gets rid of many of the great women’s matches. For instance Halep-Kerber last year.

Halep-Davis as well.
Rule changed for WTA also?
Grand Slams are officially easier to win than Premier events then.

 

[Moxie]

I would add the highly volatile Klizan and João Sousa to the list. Also Milman who knows a thing or two about taking out multi major winners lately. If the surface is playing fast, Jarry and his good serve/ultra agressive game is on par with Rublev.

Well spotted, as João Sousa ousted Shapavolov from New Zealand. What's up with Shapo? (PS: I found the tilde! I knew I had that little bastard around here somewhere. )

 

[herios]

Well spotted, as João Sousa ousted Shapavolov from New Zealand. What's up with Shapo? (PS: I found the tilde! I knew I had that little bastard around here somewhere. )

With Shapovalov is not much up, continuing his form from the end of last season, which is not too encouraging

 

[Moxie]

With Shapovalov is not much up, continuing his form from the end of last season, which is not too encouraging

I know he's young, but he has been a bit of a hot shot. I wonder if/when he starts to make the big leap to real solid player status.

 

[Chris Koziarz]

He’s playing great! Great to see the impact of Rafa’s influence and inspiration

Can you point out how RBA is influenced by Rafa? I'm not interested in your opinion only but in tangible facts: i.e. some serious RBA insiders/game analysts pointing out where his game comes from, or (best) RBA himself revealing his inspirations. In other words: can you support you claim with some objective facts?

 

[GameSetAndMath]

RBA could be a dark horse ??

RBA is a seeded player and so cannot be a dark horse by definition.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

How do people feel about the ten point tiebreaker. I kind of like it, but would prefer it at 9 or 12 all. I also feel that the women should play a full third set. It gets boring and ridiculous when you have Someone like Isner, but I feel like this rule gets rid of many of the great women’s matches. For instance Halep-Kerber last year.

There is a whole thread about it. I strongly hate the super tie breaker. I don't mind a tie breaker being played. I don't even care whether they play it at 6-6, 9-9 or 12-12 (although I prefer the later two). But, I strongly oppose the super tie breaker and am in favor of a regular ordinary tie breaker. Unlike in a regular tie breaker, in a super tie breaker not all points are pivotal. That is the reason for my objection.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Can you point out how RBA is influenced by Rafa? I'm not interested in your opinion only but in tangible facts: i.e. some serious RBA insiders/game analysts pointing out where his game comes from, or (best) RBA himself revealing his inspirations. In other words: can you support you claim with some objective facts?

Don't you think you are asking too much from Nadalfan2013? :scratch:

 

[GameSetAndMath]

With Shapovalov is not much up, continuing his form from the end of last season, which is not too encouraging

Shapo went through "Sophomore Slump" last year and so his poor form and play last year is kind of expected and condonable. But, he needs to come back up with a vengeance this year, being a junior year. Otherwise, he will be following the book of Gasquet titled "How to go from most promising young player to yet another nobody".

 

[Moxie]

RBA is a seeded player and so cannot be a dark horse by definition.

Is that the definition of "dark horse?" I thought it was someone who was "wildly unlikely," to win. I know we've defined it in the past for various challenges, but I didn't know it was that formalized. But however, let's face it: if RBA were to win the AO, he would have come from far enough in left field to qualify as a dark horse, wouldn't you say?

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Is that the definition of "dark horse?" I thought it was someone who was "wildly unlikely," to win. I know we've defined it in the past for various challenges, but I didn't know it was that formalized. But however, let's face it: if RBA were to win the AO, he would have come from far enough in left field to qualify as a dark horse, wouldn't you say?

You are right. I got mixed up with my "dangerous floaters" notion, as this post was close to a post on dangerous floaters by mrzz.

RBA certainly qualifies as a dark horse and if someone considers him it is legit (in the sense, it is not against the definition).

However, I would not even give RBA a dark horse level of chance to win AO.

 

[Chris Koziarz]

Don't you think you are asking too much from Nadalfan2013? :scratch:

Of course I do but nevertheless I need to be polite and give him a chance before public ridicule eventually hits him.

 

[Nadalfan2013]

There are a zillion comments by Bautista Agut about Nadal being his hero, a huge inspiration and the reason players like him even exist. Unfortunately they are in Spanish and I don't have the time to post them and translate them, so what you guys can do is take a Spanish language course, change the settings of google into Spanish, and then you'll be able to find and read pages and pages about this. ¡Que tenga un buen día!.