Rolex Paris Masters, Bercy, France - ATP Masters 1000

[TheSicilian]

Plenty of time to rest for Australia. Get the Paris indoors and WhatTheF*ck outta the way first…

I'm just not convinced his abdominal injury is 100% healed, I know he hasn't played much since it happened, but he's not been the same Rafa compared to his first few months of the season. The injury has already cost him 2 slams I just hope he will be 100% for AO!

 

[Kieran]

I'm just not convinced his abdominal injury is 100% healed, I know he hasn't played much since it happened, but he's not been the same Rafa compared to his first few months of the season. The injury has already cost him 2 slams I just hope he will be 100% for AO!

I think that Rafa’s going to be playing for the kid now, to win a few photo ops for the baby, dedicate the bitten cups to love. I think he’ll be inspired for a while. He was, earlier in the year, and once he got Australia in the bag, he leapt on his woman, signalling his commitment to - and his acceptance of - the end of his career.

His only great rival now until the end is his body and his motivation…

 

[Fiero425]

Then he’s overdue, right? A lot of them matches were during his slump, so I don’t see it as being a terminal Tennis disease. Get Rafa on his game and don’t even tell me the opponent or the surface, I’m gonna feel good about it anyway…

It was during that period Novak won 7 straight matches over Nadal; even w/ clay included for the 2nd time! What's Novak to do; hire coaches for Nadal to catch back up? During Novak's slump from the end of 2016 to the summer of 2018, he was being upset before getting to Fedal so they couldn't take advantage of his injury and drama behind the scenes! On another site, someone was hoping for a 2013 USO repeat while I picked 2019 AO final blowout! He had to go "way back" for that one to find a Nadal HC win! At 2019 AO, Nadal was playing well and had held serve 60+ times in a row en route to the final! Looked like it would be close w/ Djokovic looking a little shakey in previous matches! Novak took control early and often of every rally, not just the match! It was the most dominating exhibition of tennis I'd ever seen from the baseline! Rafa couldn't begin to move to shots where the direction of the ball was surprisingly happening! Nadal grimaced more than a few times absolutely helpless!

 

[Fiero425]

I was more looking at early round opponents Rafa has had quite a few Kyrgios, Tsonga, Coric etc players in the early rounds while Novak quite often gets a qualifier or a player we have never heard of I agree the rest of the tour is quite often not up to the task at the QF/SF/F stage but they usually still make it to that stage.

Nadal had his share of scrubs who hadn't shaved yet or were still doing homework between matches! All top players get those fillers!

 

[Kieran]

It was during that period Novak won 7 straight matches over Nadal; even w/ clay included for the 2nd time! What's Novak to do; hire coaches for Nadal to catch back up? During Novak's slump from the end of 2016 to the summer of 2018, he was being upset before getting to Fedal so they couldn't take advantage of his injury and drama behind the scenes! On another site, someone was hoping for a 2013 USO repeat while I picked 2019 AO final blowout! He had to go "way back" for that one to find a Nadal HC win! At 2019 AO, Nadal was playing well and had held serve 60+ times in a row en route to the final! Looked like it would be close w/ Djokovic looking a little shakey in previous matches! Novak took control early and often of every rally, not just the match! It was the most dominating exhibition of tennis I'd ever seen from the baseline! Rafa couldn't begin to move to shots where the direction of the ball was surprisingly happening! Nadal grimaced more than a few times absolutely helpless!

Yeah but you didn’t speak to me before that Final, brother. Anyone who did speak to me was ready for the letdown. Who did Rafa beat on the way to the final? Exactly. He was never gonna beat Novak in the final, having been away from the game for six months and having a pity patty draw. I’ve chomped on blancmange that had a tougher hide than Rafa’s draw in 19…

 

[Moxie]

ATP Cup (is that even still breathing?).

It's been replaced by a mixed event called "United Cup." @MargaretMcAleer posted about it in the General News thread:

The United Cup

Tennis Australia has just announced a new event for Brisbane, Perth and Sydney, The United Cup. ( which replaces the ATP Cup. which I posted awhile ago). The United Cup to be played over 11 days, 29 December to 8th January 2023. 8 mens, 4 women per team, with 18 teams.. Each tie with 2 mens...

www.tennisfrontier.com

 

[Fiero425]

It's been replaced by a mixed event called "United Cup." @MargaretMcAleer posted about it in the General News thread:

The United Cup

Tennis Australia has just announced a new event for Brisbane, Perth and Sydney, The United Cup. ( which replaces the ATP Cup. which I posted awhile ago). The United Cup to be played over 11 days, 29 December to 8th January 2023. 8 mens, 4 women per team, with 18 teams.. Each tie with 2 mens...

www.tennisfrontier.com

Already discontinued after 3 seasons! The logistics of playing those matches along w/ funding made it a losing event in every way! Just glad Novak won the 1st so his name stands out yet again! I was never in favor of it! It was obviously created to undermine Davis Cup and it failed!

 

[Kieran]

It's been replaced by a mixed event called "United Cup." @MargaretMcAleer posted about it in the General News thread:

The United Cup

Tennis Australia has just announced a new event for Brisbane, Perth and Sydney, The United Cup. ( which replaces the ATP Cup. which I posted awhile ago). The United Cup to be played over 11 days, 29 December to 8th January 2023. 8 mens, 4 women per team, with 18 teams.. Each tie with 2 mens...

www.tennisfrontier.com

The United cup? What a farce!

So that match doesn’t count..

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

The United cup? What a farce!

So that match doesn’t count..

Watch it Kieren lol!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I wish Darren Cahill would talk some sense into Sinner whose ankle is still giving him trouble he was limping in the 2nd set against Meddy, he has had too many injuries this year, plus COVID, he needs to have ample rest and have a good off training season., he should not be playing Paris.

 

[Moxie]

I wish Darren Cahill would talk some sense into Sinner whose ankle is still giving him trouble he was limping in the 2nd set against Meddy, he has had too many injuries this year, plus COVID, he needs to have ample rest and have a good off training season., he should not be playing Paris.

Sinner is risking going from one of the most-promising youngsters to an also-ran. I do hope Cahill can shape him, at this point.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Sinner is risking going from one of the most-promising youngsters to an also-ran. I do hope Cahill can shape him, at this point.

I know he has soo much upside to his game, I thought in 2023 he maybe could win his 1st GS title, though at present it does not look like it.

 

[Fiero425]

Yeah but you didn’t speak to me before that Final, brother. Anyone who did speak to me was ready for the letdown. Who did Rafa beat on the way to the final? Exactly. He was never gonna beat Novak in the final, having been away from the game for six months and having a pity patty draw. I’ve chomped on blancmange that had a tougher hide than Rafa’s draw in 19…

That's the way it has always been for the Big 3! They can come and go as they please and totally take over only allowing each other to reign at the top for a while! There just wasn't much of that going on at the top "back in the day!" Allowing Rafa to accumulate all those FO's proves the point that even though able, when it counted, the rest of the tour was weak and allowed Fedalovic to own the tour for the last 20+ years! As impressive as their record, it says a lot for the competition over several generations of young players! Fedalovic were re-writing the record-books and the NG'rs will be responsible if they allow them to keep winning until the wheels fall off!

 

[Moxie]

That's the way it has always been for the Big 3! They can come and go as they please and totally take over only allowing each other to reign at the top for a while! There just wasn't much of that going on at the top "back in the day!" Allowing Rafa to accumulate all those FO's proves the point that even though able, when it counted, the rest of the tour was weak and allowed Fedalovic to own the tour for the last 20+ years! As impressive as their record, it says a lot for the competition over several generations of young players! Fedalovic were re-writing the record-books and the NG'rs will be responsible if they allow them to keep winning until the wheels fall off!

You can blame the competition, or you can just flat out admit that Roger, Rafa and Novak have been head-and-shoulders above the rest. The second part is the more reasonable argument. As to Rafa's 14 Roland Garros titles, he did beat Roger and Novak for most of them. If not in finals or semis, at least along the way (young Novak, then Roger.) And the French Open is the hardest physical test. Don't try to put that down to weak competition. Likewise Novak's 9 at the AO, or Roger's 8 at Wimbledon. There may not have been the competition to trip them up before the SF/F's, but they usually faced each other, when the rubber hit the road.

And, yes, Rafa and Novak may keep winning big titles until "the wheels fall off." That's about quality of player, not lack of competition.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Some 'fun' 1st rounders,

Rune - Wawrinka
Korda - de Minaur
Murray - Simon
Cilic - Musetti
Bautista Agut - Paul
Shapo - Cerundolo

 

[Moxie]

Some 'fun' 1st rounders,

Rune - Wawrinka

Hate to say it, but I don't give Stan a chance.

Korda - de Minaur

This one is a coin-flip, to me.

Murray - Simon

Battle of the OG's, but Murray is the more in-form.

Cilic - Musetti

Forza, Musetti!

Bautista Agut - Paul

RBA could win, but is it me, or does everyone else feel him fading? He would be on my "sell" list on El Dude's 2023 Predictions Thread.

Shapo - Cerundolo

Shapo will win, but Cerundolo is on my "buy" list.

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

Sinner’s issue is conditioning. He needs to work on getting that body to a point it isn’t going to fall apart on him. He clearly has the game to take it to anyone, but this start/stop because of constant injuries doesn’t help his case. He should end his season and get better and work on training as he can.

Ruud needs to make some noise here or in Turin. I’m incredibly disappointed in how lame he has come out after the US Open. Off season he should work on that backhand and weaponizing his serve more. He has a decent serve he just has to work on a few things to get it better.

 

[tented]

I'm just not convinced his abdominal injury is 100% healed, I know he hasn't played much since it happened, but he's not been the same Rafa compared to his first few months of the season. The injury has already cost him 2 slams I just hope he will be 100% for AO!

Exactly.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

With the withdrawal of Berrettini citing stiff neck, Khachanov moves to his seeding spot ( in Alcaraz's section) Baez now faces a Q/LL

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I don't understand why Rune, who has to rush to Paris from Basel, after competing in the final against FAA, playing a meaningless doubles match with Tsitsipas ( a fellow Mourataglou academy associate)