Remarkable non-GB performances

Spectator · All-time great

RE: Remarkable non-GB performances

Spectator · All-time great

Some lovely GB DC performances, but while perusing other countries' results, some rather remarkable performances in the WG and various Europe/Africa groups, so ...

Time Lord Award for oldest DC teams: No, it's not the Czech Republic. (Or maybe you'd not thought it was. I had. But Jiri Vesely does them out of this one). Hands up, Italy and the USA! Italy through 3-0; USA currently up 2-1.

Boris Becker Award for the youngest DC team: Norway - average age of the three players playing is 19. Split the singles and lost the doubles. Actually, were it not for one (gasp!) 24 year old, South Korea would have beaten them: its four playing members are 17, 18, 19 and 24. Even more remarkably, they currently lead their tie 2-0 on the basis of the 18 and 19 year olds' victories. That's a group 1 tie, too.

Most surprising starts: Got to be Kazakhstan - who would have thought they'd lead going into day 3?! Should be an interesting atmosphere for the 5th rubber! Or, at a lower level, it could be Denmark. They were up against Georgia, whose leading player is Basilashvili (118 singles, 589 doubles) and who had three other ranked players. They had as their lead Freddie Nielsen (374/95) ... and then one player with a singles ranking of 1452 and two players with no ranking in either singles or doubles. They went through 3-0.

Two triple bagels in one day: One from Jarkko Nieminen (retirement for tennis players is clearly a fluid concept where DC is concerned) and one for Emilio Gomez. Apparently it's the first time this has happened. Nieminen tried hard for two double bagels, but he and Kontinen lost two games in the doubles.

Otto · Social player

I thought that some of you might like to know that Pedja won his first challenger at San Luis Potosi, Mexico on Sunday. He should be up to around 160 next week.

www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/krstin-wins-first-challenger-title-in-san-luis-potosi

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Brilliant. Well done, Otto ! And to Pedja too.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Well played coach.

Spectator · All-time great

Always good to see new talent on the rise!

Speaking of (reasonably) new talent: does anyone else get the sense that Milos Raonic, if (big if!) he can stay healthy all the way through a tournament or two, could be coming up to challenge the four who have dominated Masters and Slams for so long?

Kounosuke · Intermediate Club Player

Spectator wrote:
Always good to see new talent on the rise!

Speaking of (reasonably) new talent: does anyone else get the sense that Milos Raonic, if (big if!) he can stay healthy all the way through a tournament or two, could be coming up to challenge the four who have dominated Masters and Slams for so long?

I certainly do, in fact, right now I think he's marginally ahead of both Nadal and Wawrinka to be my #4 player, with the possibility of #2 not completely out of the question this year.

Spectator · All-time great

Interesting that four players (or teams) won both Indian Wells and Miami: Novak Djokovic, Victoria Azarenka, PHH/Nicolas Mahut and Bethanie Mattek-Sands (though with different partners). Fairly remarkable.

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

I don't really know where to put it, it's one good match, I didn't want to open a separate thread just to say:
Amazing match between Angelique Kerber & Lara Arruabarrena just finished in Charleston.
A routine first set for Angie, and thereafter almost every single point over the next two hours was utterly thrilling. Variety, scrambling, drama, pressure, tension, release, guts, glory; glorious.
Both players hit over 40 winners and each ended up with more winners than unforced errors.
I made the mistake of a, very very, rare visit to TennisForum just to see how others might be rhapsodising. They hated it. All pushing and moonballing, apparently. My rapt attention, shredded fingernails and oft-pummelled pillow beg to differ.
I am very thankful that I am able still to delight and wonder at tennis matches, and all the relief into which it strikes the human condition. May I remain too stupid or naive to comprehend what is adjudged actually good, until the end of my days.

Spectator · All-time great

I know that the last one was at the expense of Jamie Murray, but ... it is still fairly remarkable for Nicolas Mahut and PHH to win three Masters series doubles trophies on two different surfaces on the trot. Bit amusing, too, that some French commentators are concerned about having them as a doubles team on the DC squad, given that their singles rankings are 48 and 88 respectively. Most countries would be quite happy to have their 3rd and 4th singles alternates at that ranking!

Spectator · All-time great

Great article with quite an amazing story: www.nytimes.com/2016/04/18/sports/tennis/brazilian-tennis-players-success-follows-a-childhood-of-obstacles.html. Best of luck to her, especially in her home Olympics (except against Ms Konta and Ms Watson, if they are playing her)

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Brilliant link, Spec.

I saw Pereira beat Mandy Carreras in the Wimbly Qualis a couple of years back.

Two clay courters doing their best on grass - what's not to love?

But Teliana was very strong, and very gritty, LOTS of hours in the gym, and sheer guts. Huge respect for her, given that story.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Little shout for Laura Siegemund (GER) who, as a qualifier, put out Halep in two easy sets yesterday.

She's 28, has spent most of her career so far bobbing around at about ATP WR 200-300 level, had a little time out at one point, and suddenly - last year and this - it's all fallen into place and she's now top 100 (currently 71) and going great guns.

AliBlahBlah · All-time great

Coup Droit wrote:
Little shout for Laura Siegemund (GER) who, as a qualifier, put out Halep in two easy sets yesterday.

She backed it up today with a thorough dismantling of Vinci - more accustomed to being the perpetrator of such things than on the receiving end.
Siegemund played some really lovely stuff today, including one rather delicious backhand-cross-court lob. You can see the confidence flowing through her right now.
Her reaction at the end of the match, in front of the German crowd, was also pleasingly unrestrained and joyous.

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

AliBlahBlah wrote:
Coup Droit wrote:
Little shout for Laura Siegemund (GER) who, as a qualifier, put out Halep in two easy sets yesterday.
She backed it up today with a thorough dismantling of Vinci - more accustomed to being the perpetrator of such things than on the receiving end.
Siegemund played some really lovely stuff today, including one rather delicious backhand-cross-court lob. You can see the confidence flowing through her right now.
Her reaction at the end of the match, in front of the German crowd, was also pleasingly unrestrained and joyous.

The run continues, as Laura just absolutely dismantled Aga 6-4 6-2 to make the final against Angie, and guarantee a German title.
Yet to lose a set this week in 7 matches.
She's become the German JoKo