Roland Garros - 2020

Draw: https://www.rolandgarros.com/en-us/results/SM?round=1

Each group analysis: https://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2020/09/live-blog-dissecting-2020-roland-garros-mens-and-womens-draws/90920/

Easy draw for Djocovid.

Thiem/Nadal/Schwartzman in same half.
Medvedev vs Tsitsi QF potential.
Djoko-Berretini QF potential.
Djoko vs Tsi/Med Semi


R1 matches to watch:

Stan-Andy (were training together today)

Goff-Sinner

Thiem-Cilic

Monf-Bublik


Let's go THIEM !

Thanks Jahu! I am having a look

thiem - cilic??? that is some bad luck for both

Novak just erased Pete's number of weeks at number 1. 287 ....He is after Fed's 310! Just 23 weeks to go. Would be difficult to stop him.

No chance if him failing that. Does it include the “dead” weeks? Shouldn’t really.

I see Nadal has effectively conceded that high bouncy balls was critical to his success at RG. He says the cold conditions will be slow and make it very tough for him. I agree, it’s hard for him. He should stop and think how Federer feels about the 10+ Slams he had taken from him by the condition changes at Wimbledon, the US, and Australia.

bogbrush wrote:No chance if him failing that. Does it include the “dead” weeks? Shouldn’t really.

I see Nadal has effectively conceded that high bouncy balls was critical to his success at RG. He says the cold conditions will be slow and make it very tough for him. I agree, it’s hard for him. He should stop and think how Federer feels about the 10+ Slams he had taken from him by the condition changes at Wimbledon, the US, and Australia.

Very true...though Fed would have hardly ever lost Nadal regardless to the conds had he adopted a larger frame much earlier.

bogbrush wrote:He should stop and think how Federer feels about the 10+ Slams he had taken from him by the condition changes at Wimbledon, the US, and Australia.

lol

Tenez wrote:Novak just erased Pete's number of weeks at number 1. 287 ....He is after Fed's 310! Just 23 weeks to go. Would be difficult to stop him.

He's not greater than Fed unless he overtakes his Slam tally. Don't care about weeks @ number 1. 

Conditions perfect for him at French Open this time. The ball is apparently very heavy, big, and therefore slow. Thiem and Nadal both not happy at press conferences.

Djokovic will probably get 20+ slams by the end of next year. Disaster brewing.

Why disaster? if it happens, then it happened

Yeah, I stopped caring a while back. I know who I loved watching and I know most fans of the game know it too. It will be a shame to see such a tedious player (and knobhead) holding the records but the people running the game decided they wanted endless rallies on every surface and so it came perfectly for his style.

BEL19VE wrote:

bogbrush wrote:He should stop and think how Federer feels about the 10+ Slams he had taken from him by the condition changes at Wimbledon, the US, and Australia.

lol

Really? I have no doubt adding at least 3 Wimbledon’s had they played with smaller balls just for one. And ditto for the US if they’d not gritted the surface into oblivion. The AO was slowed in 2008 and only recently made a return.

The French have done the least & I don’t see how Federer would have won >1 whatever the equipment changes. Tenez’s comment is down to Federer and in the end reflects his own performance. I’m only on  about condition engineering to take the game away from his game and towards interminable rallying.

bogbrush wrote:

BEL19VE wrote:

bogbrush wrote:He should stop and think how Federer feels about the 10+ Slams he had taken from him by the condition changes at Wimbledon, the US, and Australia.

lol

Really? I have no doubt adding at least 3 Wimbledon’s had they played with smaller balls just for one. And ditto for the US if they’d not gritted the surface into oblivion. The AO was slowed in 2008 and only recently made a return.

The French have done the least & I don’t see how Federer would have won >1 whatever the equipment changes. Tenez’s comment is down to Federer and in the end reflects his own performance. I’m only on  about condition engineering to take the game away from his game and towards interminable rallying.

Fair explanation, let me rebut:

1. I don't think any player has a right to expect a surface to play a certain way, just because it has in the past. Nadal could say statistically he's at a disadvantage because his favourite surface only has one slam on it, while Djokovic's favourite surface has 2 Slams. But I don't think this hypothetical is relevant, as it's upto players to simply try their best given the conditions for each tournament. 

2. Smaller balls in general suit Nadal too. Nadal himself said that bigger heavier balls don't suit him as bounce is not as high, and Thiem a few days ago independently backed that up, saying that lighter balls suit Rafa as takes spin better. Perhaps we'd have more Fedal finals at the expense of Djokovic with smaller balls. 

3. If all surfaces were quicker, Federer may have been more vulnerable to big servers, and I think would have had more shock defeats in his 20s when he really dominated the Slams. Let's not forget Federer is an exceptional baseliner. Anything which increases the chances of tiebreaks, which is more of a lottery, increases the chances of shock defeats.

bogbrush wrote:Yeah, I stopped caring a while back. I know who I loved watching and I know most fans of the game know it too. It will be a shame to see such a tedious player (and knobhead) holding the records but the people running the game decided they wanted endless rallies on every surface and so it came perfectly for his style.

I think if Djokovic overtakes 20 Slams, most pundits will say he is the GOAT. Djokovic himself has come out in press conferences in the past year very confidently, saying he believes he can break the records.

Possibly on the question of big servers though ironically it wouldn’t have helped Roddick in 2009. Poor guy only dropped serve once in that final, and that when he couldn’t move any more.

Yeah that was sad for Roddick. 
Being ultra harsh though, he did bottle it at 6-3 up in the 2nd set tiebreak.

Djokovic would be a fair Goat if he beats slam count and weeks at number 1

Isn’t it against the rules for a wanker to be GOAT?

naxroy wrote:Djokovic would be a fair Goat if he beats slam count and weeks at number 1

Don't be silly, this is criminal what you saying.

BEL19VE wrote:

Tenez wrote:Novak just erased Pete's number of weeks at number 1. 287 ....He is after Fed's 310! Just 23 weeks to go. Would be difficult to stop him.

He's not greater than Fed unless he overtakes his Slam tally. Don't care about weeks @ number 1. 

Conditions perfect for him at French Open this time. The ball is apparently very heavy, big, and therefore slow. Thiem and Nadal both not happy at press conferences.

Every little bit counts. Slam tally is one criteria....domination of the ATP tour is another one. We cannot pick and choose unfortunately.

naxroy wrote:Djokovic would be a fair Goat if he beats slam count and weeks at number 1

And for me, at this point Djokovic is closer to goat status than Rafa

Djocovid playing the doctor about covid, gets cut in the middle of the press interview, just stfu man 

https://twitter.com/Olly_Paton2020/status/1310214769027305473

Watching RG....... seriously, this isn’t a Slam us it? It looks like a club event without the atmosphere. The only giveaway is they’re not calling their own lines.

Nobody there and I bet hardly anyone watching either.

bogbrush wrote:Watching RG....... seriously, this isn’t a Slam us it? It looks like a club event without the atmosphere. The only giveaway is they’re not calling their own lines.

Nobody there and I bet hardly anyone watching either.

tennis, football, basket... without public dont make sense

Yes but they played the US Open without a crowd either. Was weird I agree but the FO should be entitled to their slam like the US. 

What would be funny is Nadal winning it and matching 20 but no one to watch and celebrate there. 

Hopefully, a youngster will win it...but Medv....what a disappointment! Probably injured.

I told you, not a chance

naxroy wrote:I told you, not a chance

Yes you said it but you were talking of the USO 19 finalist and the USO 20 semi finalist who was pretty close to beating the winner Thiem. SO not sure how you based your judgement there. 

He is probably injured.  

And look at Felix, not great either. 

Just realised how easy Nadal's draw was. Looked chosen "a la carte" by Nadal and his team again!

Tenez wrote:

naxroy wrote:I told you, not a chance

Yes you said it but you were talking of the USO 19 finalist and the USO 20 semi finalist who was pretty close to beating the winner Thiem. SO not sure how you based your judgement there. 

He is probably injured.  

And look at Felix, not great either. 

Just realised how easy Nadal's draw was. Looked chosen "a la carte" by Nadal and his team again!

How I based my judgement?

Medvedev at RG:

2017 1st round

2018 1st round

2019 1st round


and he was in Nole´s half btw

Jahu wrote:Djocovid playing the doctor about covid, gets cut in the middle of the press interview, just stfu man 

https://twitter.com/Olly_Paton2020/status/1310214769027305473

Covid is nothing a good blow to the throat won’t clear.

Tenez wrote:

Just realised how easy Nadal's draw was. Looked chosen "a la carte" by Nadal and his team again!

Are you high?

He has Zverev in the QF and Thiem in the SF. Djokovic's prospective SF opponent, 4th seed Medvedev, has never won a match at the French Open before, and lost today.

naxroy wrote:How I based my judgement?

Medvedev at RG:

2017 1st round

2018 1st round

2019 1st round

Yeah, Medvedev is not very comfortable on clay for some reason.  I am not sure why as I think his game would be a good fit for clay.  He even had a couple of good results (was it last year or 2018 - cannot remember anymore) but in general he has been more successful on other surfaces.  Last week he also lost in Rd1.

I presume Djokovic will be extra hungry for the FO title now that he failed at the USO.  Rafa still the favorite, but this one may be more difficult than most:

- hungry Nole
- potentially well-playing Thiem in SF (in conditions that likely suit Thiem better)
- Zverev is probably hardest QF opponent he could have gotten
- it is cold and damp

I still think they should have cancelled RG this year.

Tenez wrote:

naxroy wrote:I told you, not a chance

Yes you said it but you were talking of the USO 19 finalist and the USO 20 semi finalist who was pretty close to beating the winner Thiem. SO not sure how you based your judgement there. 

He is probably injured.  

And look at Felix, not great either. 

Just realised how easy Nadal's draw was. Looked chosen "a la carte" by Nadal and his team again!

The best of the current Med might beat Nadal/Djoko in Bo3 and push them in Bo5. But his current game is not going to beat them in slams.

There is a very serious dearth of good young players, only Thiem from his 2nd next gen, is somewhat in that category to beat one of them in a slam. And this is benefitting Djoko the most. He is 33 and yet there isn't a constant younger rival biting on his heels. Fed since 2005 and then Nadal since 2011 never had this luxury.

The likes of Nishikori/Delpo/Murray/Dimi have all disappeared for good.

lol  another R1 exit

Very sad to see the enormous figure of Serena Williams leaving the stage again.

Whilst not a religious person I very much hope Margaret Court keeps her record. Watching the woke brigade demand a recount will be glorious.

Whenever Williams is out, it's a good day for tennis. Will never forget her behaviour when she threatened to kill a line judge, or when her coach cheated and she managed to turn the mob against the 'sexist' umpire.

Guess she nearly is the GOAT yet not many like her. 

Can not image the tennis world would accept her and Djoko as best ever by GS numbers, never !!! 

good day for spanish players

I forsee these quarters:

Djokovic - Carreño Busta

Rublev - Dimitrov

Schwartzman - Thiem

Sinner - Nadal

Ok....Here are mines:

Djoko - Berettini
Rublev -Tsip
Schwartz - Thiem
Nadal - Zverev

Jahu wrote:Guess she nearly is the GOAT yet not many like her. 

Can not image the tennis world would accept her and Djoko as best ever by GS numbers, never !!! 

They both have benefitted for a lot by not having any serious and consistent younger rival in the next or the next or the next generation.

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:

Jahu wrote:Guess she nearly is the GOAT yet not many like her. 

Can not image the tennis world would accept her and Djoko as best ever by GS numbers, never !!! 

They both have benefitted for a lot by not having any serious and consistent younger rival in the next or the next or the next generation.

Nadal and Djoko have not benefitted from a weak generation but from a new technology (racquet and diet) that coupled with experience (as they improve with age) raised the bar too high for the yougsters but more importantly quickened the decline of peak/mature players (federer's generation).  

Pete and Agassi benefitted from the same advantage in a way until the new strings arrived.  

I agree that the Dimi/Nishi generation did not bear any hope as they did not have the same commitment to the game. but already with Thiem we can see that they will surpass Djoko and Nadal tennis wise but the competiton will be too fierce to get any close to those slam records. The generation after will become much better than Djoko and Nadal. They nearly are already in spite of their young age. 

Djoko and Nadal benefitted more from an empty field in the early as technology ended the career of many very good players who learnt the game with the old string and heavier racquets (Federer's generation). That generation died very quickly with only Ferrer and Berdych lasting to 30+. Guys like Blake, Gonzo, and many more would have shut the door early to Nadal and Djoko had they been trained with the same diet and racquet technology and same slow surfaces. 

We gave Djoko and Nadal a ridiculous advantage by providing them with those advances plus a slowing down of the conds. All that to benefit nadal but unfortunately for tournament directors, helped Djoko even more.

No one can argue Nadal has had it easy with competition.

On the one hand, 5 years older to him he has the most talented player ever, who is playing high level until late 30s. Then, 1 year younger to him he has Djokovic who probably has the most efficient game in the history of tennis.

I agree the 'Next gen' aka lost gen are not great apart from Thiem recently, but considering Djokovic is a year younger and movement speed not declined unlike Nadal (knee injuries perhaps caused the big decrease in speed?), it will be the Serbian who will take advantage of the lost gen rather than a slow and debilitated Nadal.

BEL19VE wrote:No one can argue Nadal has had it easy with competition.

On the one hand, 5 years older to him he has the most talented player ever, who is playing high level until late 30s. Then, 1 year younger to him he has Djokovic who probably has the most efficient game in the history of tennis.

I agree the 'Next gen' aka lost gen are not great apart from Thiem recently, but considering Djokovic is a year younger and movement speed not declined unlike Nadal (knee injuries perhaps caused the big decrease in speed?), it will be the Serbian who will take advantage of the lost gen rather than a slow and debilitated Nadal.

He has had it the easiest in fact. He (tony rather) has arrived and developed a game based on this very new technology and diet. he only had to run (more than ever before) and hit harder (than ever before) to destroy physically the rest of the field. He never had to develop a finely tuned game and technique that required perfect timing close to the baseline. He could afford to stand back and wait for the ball to slow down to hit an easy ball thanks to legs and arms. On the other hand the rest of the tour had to use talent and try to hit winners by painting the line to have a chance beat Nadal. Many could do it over a set, almost none could do it for 2 or 3 and even less on clay where fitness made even more the difference. 

Asap Djoko understood the dynamic of modern game, Nadal kept on losing. Once Federer found out as well by increasing his racquet head, Nadal was history too. 

So please Nadal has had the easiest by far...helped also by slowing of all the courts and dodgy draws to help him get through the rounds. 

How easier do you want it for him?

Nadal is probably the most unlucky player in the history of tennis, if not all sport.

As I mentioned in terms of competition, he has a genius like Federer 5 years older to him, and then an uber-efficient robot 1 year younger who hasn't lost any speed despite being 30+. 13 slams won vs those 2.  

He's had more injuries then there are bones in the human body. Knee, wrist, back, abdomen, feet... I never had to revise orthopaedics because as a Nadal fan I already had in depth knowledge of every injury a human being could possibly suffer.
Cumulative effect has slowed him down, hence he's miles worse since 2014.

Draws? Each draw ceremony I watch with faint hope, but every time I end up in a state of pure shock and disbelief at yet another nightmare path. Example is this FO where he has to face Zverev in QF and Thiem in SF, while Djokovic faces no one. Same happened in AO.

Lastly, due to China mishandling a public health situation, he is suddenly having to play his best Slam in the middle of October. It is extremely cold, and there are now rumours of a storm brewing. We should never forgive China for this. I will not.

Tenez wrote:Ok....Here are mines:

Djoko - Berettini
Rublev -Tsip
Schwartz - Thiem
Nadal - Zverev

As much as I enjoy Berretini´s game, I dont think he can get through Bautista nor Carreño on clay

but lets see


tsitsipas is great, but I have little confidence in his grand slam strengh

As for zverev... seeing how he suffered against Herbert, I see a real threat in cecchinato

naxroy wrote:

Tenez wrote:Ok....Here are mines:

Djoko - Berettini
Rublev -Tsip
Schwartz - Thiem
Nadal - Zverev

As much as I enjoy Berretini´s game, I dont think he can get through Bautista nor Carreño on clay

but lets see


tsitsipas is great, but I have little confidence in his grand slam strengh

As for zverev... seeing how he suffered against Herbert, I see a real threat in cecchinato

It will be easy to add up when the 4th round is over....and see who was right and who was wrong. 

But frankly I am not watching as much tennis as before so I am not as sharp on the players form.

I am watching Sinner now (for the 1st time) v Coria. Easy power....You may have a point.

Curious fact:

Nadal has not yet played a rival with whom he had already played before, the same will happen in 4th round with Korda, both never met.

And for the 1/4 finals, only Zverev has played Nadal before.

And we all know how difficult is to play Nadal for the first time.

As I see Nadal... I think Thiem is a real threat... and could he get through that, Djokovic will surely wait in the final.

Novak has a great chance this time