Tennis 2024 (and beyond?)

Hi Dave, good to see you. As you said, so much great tennis!

I didn't see that very long tiebreak, I'll find it on Youtube.

Oh, I think John McInroe is a shitty commentator and that Nick Kyrgios is a good one. I hate that Jim Courier talks about getting scalps. Unfortunately, Tennis Channel is a Sinclair-owned network and I bet they don't see it the same way.

I'm enjoying Zverev vs Norrie, really liked Jim Courier's post-match interview with Medvedev. I like the Portugese player via Mississippi, Nunu Borges - no fear. Even though I really like Tsitsipas, I was impressed with Fritz's play, especially the end of the last set. There's a lot of great play!

I started watching the Rybakina / Blinkova tiebreak, the longest tiebreak ever - it is so long. So well played but I may not choose to watch the whole thing because there's so much live tennis on tv. I have to do other things around the Open hours.

Yes, I saw it! A very good match, a hell of a match! Zverev is so ready!

I like James Blake a lot, too. And Chris Eubanks and Nick Kyrgios continue to add really good information, they really know their stuff. Without putting anyone down.

I wonder if Medvedev is less curmudgeonly now because he's a dad?

I am very happy with the results of Sinner v Djokovic. The AO is full of unexpected twists and turns.

By the way, I'm feeling a little less uncomfortable with Johnny Mac.

I'm not going to be able to watch all of Zverev v Medvedev tonight; I'm so happy someone will replay it tomorrow morning.

Well, there've been some really uneven and surprising matches. When I went to sleep last night Zverev was doing well. When I woke up this morning and watched the replay, it was not to be.

Onward.

Well, I saw the first 2 1/2 sets of the Championship match... and picked it up this morning at the beginning of the 5th. What a match! What a Champion!

And again, Sinner! I was sorry that today's Delray Beach final was rained out; Fritz vs Paul should be fun.

What do you make of the coaching merry-go-round (or is it roulette?)? I wonder if Rune will coach himself? He's divesting himself of pretty much everyone and of continuity. Life without mom at matches could be freeing or perhaps untethering in a difficult way. And Thiem, Pegula, and Sakkari. Thiem may retire, and the others?

I can't remember if I've brought this up: Tennis players, managers, broadcasters seem to view players and matches as entertainment. I haven't thought of them that way til recently, and now it's still not my thought but I'm thinking about it. My excitement watching tennis is more about geometry of shots, player's reactions to opponent's play, the physicality... but I didn't think that I was being entertained, I just marveled. Well, now I get that it is entertaining. Life is interesting.

See you at the courts.

Dave, I just finished watching the tie-break between Blinkova and Rybakina from the AO. Wow! It took them almost as long as it took me to watch it. That was a hell of a tie-break; those women played!!!

Indian Wells here we come!

The young Italian, Luca Nardi, is playing so well against Djokovic, who isn't playing so well. Looking good! Nardi took the first set and Djokovic is about to take the second. Onward.

Dave, doing okay?

There was some great play at Indian Wells. Miami next.

Dmitrov was great through the Miami Open, but Sinner was even better. Good matches, good final.

Good to see you, Dave. I'm with you about Dimitrov, Tsisipas, Sinner and Zverev - these guys are making tennis fun to watch.

Tsitsipas is looking so good especially following his Monte Carlo win. 

I loved seeing Nadal on court again today. He seemed like his body was comfortable. Will he retire for good after Roland Garros?

I finally figured out that I have T2 (through my son's Amazon Prime) and I can watch some of the matches that aren't on Tennis Channel. That's added tennis fun!

I hope all is well.

Hi Dave,

Yes, to everything you said. I'm sorry that Theim is already out.

Clay is such a challenge to some people's talents and styles, I love it. Hearing from Jim Courier or someone that you need to slide into your shot, not slide after it, was a revelation that makes so much sense. nd just think, the grass season is nearly upon us.

I was remembering being in Paris during the Open but not going, and in London during Wimbledon and also not going. I'm glad I can watch from here.

I hope you have a great summer, too.

I got to watch the 3rd set of Zverev vs. Nadal. Man, luck of the draw...

Both of their speeches after the match were lovely and moving. Just right.

Kid Rafa is pretty cute with his kid racket.

The Swiatek/Osaka match was so good! Yes, Wow! I've been watching a little more of the women's matches and there are some excellent athletes competing these days! I still gravitate to the men, though.

Tsitsipas is playing doubles with his brother and mixed with Badosa - I hope she continues to play well, without injury, and Stef calls off anything outside of singles if he thinks he should. Who knows where players find their most satisfaction...

Just saw Tsitsipas's match against ZZZ - he was beautiful, elegant, fluid, precise.

Korda and Alcaraz are on now, more fun!

Tennis Channel is replaying the Djokovic/Musetti match now.

I saw a lot of the Zverev/Griekspoor match. By the end Zverev was looking kind of spent. It was tough as it stretched into the 5th, and the match tiebreak was so uneven; I like Tallon's playing. Go Zverev!

I didn't know NBC was covering RG. There's so much I don't know.

Thank you so much for letting me know about NBC weekend coverage. I couldn't find the Hurcacz v Dimitrov match on Tennis Channel then found it on NBC. Then, the Sinner v Moutet match supplanted that one while it's still in play. Now, they went to Peacock, to which I'd have to subscribe if I want to see it. Sheesh. As you said, TC coverage is all screwed up.
Both matches are still in play. I'm just watching live scores and may be able to catch the matches later.

What the heck is going on with Sinner?

I watched the last couple of sets of Zverev v Rune this afternoon. Great play, great outcome. Why do you think Rune sneers so much of the time? (I've noticed that TV commercial fashion models sneer and almost never smile, too. Things I don't understand.)

Thank you for your great information about TV and streaming. I have cable, ESPN, and I have access to T2 on Prime through my son's account. That helps. And I do love Andrea Petkovic who seems to do commentary there. TC+ seems too expensive. My current TV is starting to pixilate, to have streaks where there was movement, usually, think how that would be in a tennis match.  I have to get a new one. It's a 27" and those are hard to find in these modern days and I don't have anywhere for a larger one. I'd like a smart TV but it seems they don't make those in 27" models. Yes in 31", but nowhere to put one... I hope it'll come together just before this on dies.

Happy watching!
Tomorrow, a day of excitement!

Quarter-final·Philippe-Chatrier

4:45 AM

G. Dimitrov vs J. Sinner

Quarter-final·Philippe-Chatrier

11:15 AM

S. Tsitsipas vs C. Alcaraz Garfia

I'm sorry that Djokovic is injured, but glad he had to withdraw. I don't think he's well overall, more than his knee. There's something going on in his body that isn't right. I hope he figures it out and has a return to excellent health. And retires from the game.

This is the first year that none of the "big 3" is in the tournament, right?. Different world.

The run was fun, more for some than for others. I enjoyed it.

I'm ready for grass. I hope to have the TV situation in place by then.

Yes, the women are playing rallies that are fun to watch and you can see their athleticism and dedication to the sport. Ha! I just realized that they see it as SPORT, not just ENTERTAINMENT. I think many more of the men are there thinking they are entertainment for us. Women are often giving much better matches! So yes.

You'll pay more attention and you'll have a lot of fun.

Alcarez is pretty great! Good outcome of the Gentlemen's final.

There really were a terrible amount of injuries. And injury withdrawals, which must crush the player. So little time to make the adjustments from clay to grass.

Speaking of Italians, I thought Musetti really showed himself to be the player he is and I wish he'd gone further. 

I've got a pinched nerve in my lumbar spine which causes me to wake up in the night. I love being able to watch a little tennis from Europe and go back to sleep for a while. I'm glad there are a few more European tournaments  going on before the North American season starts.

I will enjoy the hard courts again. 

I hope to catch Nadal vs Djokovic tomorrow. I've missed the matches so far, including the doubles. (Some of the women's gymnastics were good - waiting for the men's.)

Wow! I heard there were problems with ATT and Disney negotiations - I guess it's never good timing for something like that, but in the middle of the U.S. Open? That's a bummer. Comcast, as much as I don't love them, has continued to broadcast what I want to see.

i've seen a lot of the matches and enjoyed many. The upsets, too. Grigor is playing quite nicely, as is Tiafoe. And Zverev, of course. And and and. I hope your viewing returns.

I loved watching the Sinner/Paul match, it was really tough.

I saw Badosa/Navarro and saw some of but missed much of the Zverev/Fritz match - I was at a place for lunch and they were playing the Fritz/Zverev match but I was silly beingpolite to my lunch mate and didn't watch it. I did look up at the end just after the last point and came home to watch some highlights. Tiafoe and Dmitrov are on now - I had some things to do away from the tv but will go back now. I want both of them to win, as I did in the Z/F match.

Are you able to watch now? I enjoyed the men semi's and am looking forward to the final.

Draper continues to get better and it was too bad that he was sick during the match with Sinner. I thought Draper played very well through the tournament until later in today's match. Sinner seemed more even than he's been in some recent matches, for most of the match. Both are so good!

Fritz/Tiafoe was fun to watch and I was rooting for both of them, so the result was fine with me. Looking forward to Sunday!

Pegula vs Sabalenka will be interesting, I'll probably watch.

Good men's final! Great antenna! Glad it worked.

Well, we made it through a long year of many tournaments, personnel changes, doping and near doping, players getting greater, some not doing as well as they had been. It's been fun for me, though I don't get very excited by the end of year "best of"s or round robins. A couple of the exhibitions have been enjoyable. Anything stand out to you?

The Maldives sure have a magnetic appeal for some players.

See you in NZ/Australia...