- This topic has 53 replies, 19 voices, and was last updated 17 years, 6 months ago by
.
- Posts
The year 2008 promises to be one to remember for Men’s tennis, with a 3-way rivalry at the top unseen since the days of Borg, McEnroe and Connors.
The Australian Open saw the emergence of a genuine contender for the No. 1 position in Novak Djokovic. The clay season saw Rafael Nadal win no fewer than 4 titles, equalling Borg’s record of 4 consecutive victories in the French Open and demolishing the current No.1 Roger Federer 6-1, 6-3, 6-0 in the Final. Nadal’s clay form was sustained on the fast grass of Queens last week, where he beat Djokovic in straight sets in the Final (the first time back-to-back victories in Paris and Queens has ever been achieved).
Now we come to Wimbledon, with Federer attempting to equal Borg’s record of 5 in a row, and with his two formidable rivals determined to stop him. There has surely never been a better time to be a tennis fan, so I’m very surprised that there hasn’t been a tennis-related thread on here.
Am I the only tennis fanatic on TRF?
No, you are not the only tennis fan on here and it is one of my favourite sports but I never bet on it ( which probably saves me money ). I prefer the women’s game for different reasons and one of them is that there are only 3 sets in the Majors. Five set matches in the men’s game has produced some classics but overall I find the 3 set format more exciting and some 5 set matches can last for a few hours which is a long time to watch the same two players hitting a ball across a net. It’s only my view and I know a lot of tennis fans will disagree.
I agree that the men’s championship this year at Wimbledon looks competitive and interesting. Federer has not been in top form since his illness and I think that his reign at Wimbledon will come to an end this year even though he has a great record there and is very difficult to beat on grass. I think that this could be the year that Nadal wins and he has improved his game on grass during the last few years and is presently in top form.
In the women’s game, I think that the Williams sisters are now on the decline and I expect Maria Sharapova will prove difficult to beat at Wimbledon this year but it may be time for a new champion and now that Ana Ivanovic has matured and become more confident then she is my idea of the winner at Wimbledon with her big serve benefiting her.
Pete
Im quite partial to the odd bit of tennis.
Maria Sharapova,Martina Hingis,Anna Kournikova,Steffi Graf all kept me interested through the years and real eye candy.
I’m partial to a bit of tennis also (although Gustavo Kuerten’s limp-wristed antics have put me off clay forever) and would have probably watched/played more but for the stigma it has attached in certain areas of this country, not least run-down suburbs of Edinburgh! My observations in betting shops and online also point to in-running tennis being a goldmine for shrewd judges (an that’s without having to rely on a certain incident involving Nikolay Davydenko).
The grass season in particular grabs my interest, equally for it’s pace and seasonal timing as for it’s association with Blighty. As a result, the prospect of the Big 3 taking each other on at SW19 next week does appeal, and I expect them to be very close come the end. I couldn’t believe my luck when on the evening after the French Open final I found Rafa Nadal still available at 6.2 to win Wimbledon. Were it not for the poor summer we had last year as well as the steadfast refusal by tournament organisers to allow play on the middle Sunday I believe he may well have won last year, so that price given his improvement so far this term was a gift IMO. Even to my not particularly well-trained eye it was easy to see him adapting to grass over the week at Queens, and on current form you’d be hard pushed to argue against him being the one to beat. Federer going for a sixth straight title of course commands respect, but there seems to be a tangible sense in the air of an imminent changing of the guard- a defeat for the Swiss at his favourite torunament would surely bring that about and I for one think that this year will be particularly intriguing from that angle.
One thing I must bring up, though: Steffi Graf, eye candy? If I ever require a lady to win a grand slam title, or perhaps pose as a body double for a parrot in profile, then I will not hesitate to give Steffi a call. However as for her aesthetic appeal, I wouldn’t question the ruling if in a list of attractive German sports stars she was to appear below a hammer thrower or two!
Should be a good year agreed but as long as Andy Murray screws up in every game where he manages to avoid injury then I’ll be a happy man.
Lee
What? A 3-way rivalry and no mention of Andrew Murray
I have to admit to being a tennis fan also but very rarely bet on it. Nadal has looked sensational in the last month or so while over the last 12 months Federer has certainly lost his ‘invincability’ tag. Djokovic and Davydenko have definitely added a bit of extra spice to events and make sure that they are no longer ‘two-horse’ races.
Still, it will be a brave man who opposes Federer at Wimbledon. It’s probably wrong to say that the place brings out the brilliance in him because he is usally in brilliant form leading up to the event. Like I say, the last 12 months have seen him have more defeats than ever before and for the first time his form can be questioned going into England’s showpiece compared to his usual incredibly high level of form.
But I just get the feeling that Wimbledon will light him up and once again he will be the man they all have to beat.
As for Murray, he will say he is in the best shape of his life as he strolls through rounds one and two – but come round three or four, when he is a set down and a break down, he will suddenly discover severe cramp or a twisted ankle and blame injury for his defeat. Nothing to do with you being over hyped and nowhere near the top echelon of the game then?
Mike
Andy Murray has the raw talent to beat anybody on any surface, with the likely exception of Nadal on clay. IMO it’s that wasteland between his ears which has thus far been his downfall, and I see it being as much forever more sadly. Throw in his eggshell-like physical disposition and you’ve got a Great British nearly man much like Henman was, but for very different reasons.
i used to love waiting for wimbeldon everyone in the area would get their parents to buy them a racket (the wooden one’s) play for 2 weeks on the road and once over that was it for another year……
i would watch a bit now and again when wimbeldon is on but thats it…..the powerhouse’s kind of ruined it with their "i can serve faster than you"
I like tennis.
Andy Murray will never win Wimbledon, or any other Grand Slam event, in my opinion.
Gambling Only Pays When You're Winning
I don’t like tennis at all but the law of averages and the BBC schedules mean that I will almost certainly be forced to sit through some of it.
I think it’s great when it rain’s and the crowd get entertained or something like that by Sir Cliff Richard. All we get at the cricket when rain stops play is "please keep off the grass"
Has anyone got any tips for Wimbledon
Charles Darwin to conquer the World
WTA is a money making machine if you can get covered at the right price,the latter part is not always easy though!!
I priced up last friday the first 64 games,theirs been a few movers as tongues wag, anyway a few thoughts:-
Klara Zakopalova is no spring chicken but we know where we are with her and that should be good enough to beat the lesser of the Radwanskas (Ursula), 1,6 at Betfair is very acceptable
Timea Bacsinszky should have the beating of Julie Ditty, the latter as lost 7 first round games on the bounce and the younger Bacsinszky appears to have the game for grass, i priced her at 1,45 so the 1,65 as to be taken!!
Mirza should be a tap in against Castano so for acca builders she`s perfect!
The 18-y-o Russian Alisa Kleybanova should have a straightforward task against Obziler, not sure if her piercing is made for Wimbledon!!!!
Petra Cetkovska is no mug on grass and she`s having a good season, her opponent is no mug either (Tanasugarn) as she proved when winning the Dutch grass tournement last week,however,the market as over-rated her chance on the back of a good week,lets not forget she was put in her place by Bethanie Mattek a couple of weeks ago and if Mattek was playing Cetkovska she wouldn`t be such a big fav, so the 2,7 Cetkovska looks excellent value!
Erakovic as the perfect game on grass and should outbattle Krajicek,the latter is no mug but she`s been going out far too cheaply in my opinion!!
Casey Dellacqua is a steal at 2.2 against the non performing Patty Schneider, this was my first bet , i had some 2,45 which is way to big, Dellacqua is 31-12 on grass!!
Alize Cornet is 1,63 at the time of writing,that`s a massive price for the gritty French girl,her opponent qualified well but she lacks the class of Cornet!!
Weak favs that might be worth taking on:
Mauresmo……injured and downward spiral,her opponent Ashley Harkleroad is a bit hit and miss,however,she as the game to beat the Frenchie and at least she`s a good looker!!!
Nathalie Dechy is in very poor form,shame she didn`t get a slightly better opponent,all the same at 1.27 she`s a lay as i will get my money back on her later is she manages to get through!
Stay clear
Chekvatadze……..Inconsistant
Nicole Vaidisova……lost the plot ,looked like being top 5 material but as lost all confidence.
I`ve bet Sharapova to win the competition because i can`t see where any serious opposition will come from!!
These are just a few of my opinions!!
Thanks Tony, i’ll bere all that in mind if i fancy a flutter.
Charles Darwin to conquer the World
Ive got a few tips for Wimbledon
Trap One in the first race
Dont buy anything recylced
Federer is still available at 6/5 to win the men’s singles again.
That looks an absolute steal to me.
Only two players can realistically stop him from re-gaining his crown on his favourite surface.
Rafael Nadal, though probably unbeatable on clay, is nowhere near as comfortable on grass – in spite of his recent improvement and Queen’s win.
Djokovic, who lost to Nadal in that final, is still relatively young, and though a very good player, lacks the variety of shots and mental toughness of the top two seeds.
* Hold the front page
… Djokovic has been knocked out by Marat Safin. Gambling Only Pays When You're Winning
Baden Powell slept on a balcony for eight years on a reef knotted mat
Silvio Berloscinin insitst his staff have mint scented breath
The eye demands the echo of well hit tennis balls slushing strawberries in the rain.
… Djokovic has been knocked out by Marat Safin. 
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.