All Things 2024 Tennis Thread

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This was a much needed win for Tiafoe. He's had a really bad year, hope this gives him some confidnece.


Go Tiafoe!!
 

Wimbledon’s New Era: Big Money and a Youth Movement​

A youthful new era is rapidly emerging at the 147-year-old Wimbledon, one destined to shake up one of the most tradition-bound events in not only tennis, but all of sports.

The major begins Monday in London, but many of its former champions and established stars are either absent or participating in a limited capacity. Two-time Wimbledon winner and 22-time major champion Rafael Nadal is skipping the tournament to prepare for the Paris Olympics. Novak Djokovic, a seven-time Wimbledon champion and last year’s runner-up, is still formally in the draw, but how effective he’ll be is still an open question after recent surgery for a torn meniscus in his right knee. A similar situation surrounds Andy Murray, another two-time Wimbledon winner but dealing with a back injury, and he’s waiting until Monday to decide whether to compete in singles.

Spotlighting this year’s field instead is a rising wave of young stars including 2023 Wimbledon men’s champion Carlos Alcaraz (21 years old), top men’s seed Jannik Sinner (22), and top women’s players Iga Świątek (23), Coco Gauff (20), and Qinwen Zheng (21).

New Money and Maybe New Facilities​

This year’s Wimbledon also has a new monetary look as the All England Club raised the prize money fund by 11.9% to a record $64 million. Last year’s 8% bump in Wimbledon prize money helped prompt similar increases at the other three tennis majors, and is fueled in part by still-rising fan demand for tournament tickets.

“Interest in attending Wimbledon has never been greater, with unprecedented demand for tickets through our public ballot and corporate hospitality,” said Deborah Jevans, All England Club chair.

The All England Club, meanwhile, is still attempting to pursue a dramatic, $250 million enlargement of its facility. Local officials have shown concern about the effort—several years in the making—to build a new, 8,000-seat stadium and 39 additional courts, but the matter is now in front of the office of London mayor Sadiq Khan in what remains a divisive local issue politically.

“I’m all for expanding. It’s bumper-to-bumper crowded when you walk into Wimbledon,” said Chris Evert, Tennis Hall of Famer and an ESPN broadcaster. “I definitely think that all the Grand Slams are going to continue [to pursue expansion]. It’s not going to stop now. I mean, whatever will suit the spectators, because they’re really the most important people in this whole thing, what makes it easier, more comfortable, more doable for them to roam around.”

Bristol Focus​

ESPN’s “First Ball to Last Ball” coverage of the tournament will span more than 240 hours across the network and several other Disney-owned platforms.

The network’s coverage includes the addition of recently retired star player John Isner and the currently inactive Nick Kyrgios as guest commentators, something also advancing the theme of changing on-court talent at Wimbledon. Kyrgios, a finalist at this tournament two years ago, will also appear in the BBC’s event coverage.

Go Gophers!!
 

I caught the 50 cent tiebreaker of Shelton versus a guy named Harris from South Africa. Very entertaining tiebreaker and Harris just missed a few shots at the end allowing Shelton to advance.
Very curious how it even got to that point.
 

Frink said:
I caught the 50 cent tiebreaker of Shelton versus a guy named Harris from South Africa. Very entertaining tiebreaker and Harris just missed a few shots at the end allowing Shelton to advance.
Very curious how it even got to that point.
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Harris served like a mad man today. 30 aces. Two big servers holding serve, Shelton has to be relieved getting out with a win.

The Novak match was fun to watch. Played a young Brit who played for TCU just last month. He has only played 3 Tour level pro matches including today. He has no main endorsements and had a TCU Barstool logo on his shirt, and most of his teammates were in attendance.

It’s fun seeing more and more college players emerge in pro tennis.

Go USA!!
 



Bummer Tiafoe couldn't pull this match out. He had to do it in 4 sets. These are the opportunities that Tiafoe needs to take advantage of to ever become a serious contender for a Slam.

But all credit to Alcaraz, he's an amazing player and is absolutely the new face of men's tennis. He and Sinner are going to have epic battles for many years to come. I just hope one of these young American's can consistently get in that conversation.

Go USA!!
 

BleedGopher said:
Bummer Tiafoe couldn't pull this match out. He had to do it in 4 sets. These are the opportunities that Tiafoe needs to take advantage of to ever become a serious contender for a Slam.

But all credit to Alcaraz, he's an amazing player and is absolutely the new face of men's tennis. He and Sinner are going to have epic battles for many years to come. I just hope one of these young American's can consistently get in that conversation.

Go USA!!
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💯 Post.

Was fortunate to see a match in Tiafoe’s run in the 2022 Open to the Semis - hope he can get over the hump and grab a major in the next couple of years.
 

I love watching Shelton play. His energy, his power, the pace at which he plays, etc. Another 5 set win, and now he’ll face Sinner. It should be a great match.

Go USA!!
 

Good reminder that Coco is still only 20 years old. She just came unglued in that second set against Navarro.
 



Frink said:
Good reminder that Coco is still only 20 years old. She just came unglued in that second set against Navarro.
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I suppose “unglued” is a fair description. She was definitely losing her cool. Navarro played flawlessly. Gauff couldn’t get Navarro on her heels with her power, like she usually can to her opponents. Both women were hammering the ball. Gauff’s backhand is next level - which is why Gilbert was telling her to hit cross-court backhands to Navarro, but Emma was so solid and handled and matched the power, moving Coco all over the court. Very impressive performance. Gauff was super frustrated because she had no answer.
 

GopherJake said:
I suppose “unglued” is a fair description. She was definitely losing her cool. Navarro played flawlessly. Gauff couldn’t get Navarro on her heels with her power, like she usually can to her opponents. Both women were hammering the ball. Gauff’s backhand is next level - which is why Gilbert was telling her to hit cross-court backhands to Navarro, but Emma was so solid and handled and matched the power, moving Coco all over the court. Very impressive performance. Gauff was super frustrated because she had no answer.
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Yep, Navarro really threw a lot of different shots at her, with accuracy too.

Also a real shame about Keys injury. Really an awful way to lose
 
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Big wins for Fritz and Paul!!!!


Go USA!!
 




What a massive missed opportunity for Fritz today. That is a match you have to find a way to win. To get blown out in the 3rd and 5th sets like that is brutal.

And another Slam goes by without an American winner...

Go USA!!
 




Gopher_In_NYC said:
Good Saturday appetizer on now - unfortunately Paolini just double faulted to give a service break to Krejcikova in third set.
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Great third set, Krejcikova dug deep to pull it out - she had to play 175 games, the most by any Woman’s Wimbledon champ ever.

Krejcikova Won 7 matches to win the trophy, which equals the number of matches she had won previously all year 🤯
 
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Gotta love the Joker.... Just fantastic, well done good man!


 

An absolute clinic by Alcaraz, wow! Djoker wasn’t moving well and had some uncharacteristic unforced errors, but all credit to the now 4x Slam Champ! What a career he has ahead of him, so fun to watch.

Go USA!!
 

BleedGopher said:
An absolute clinic by Alcaraz, wow! Djoker wasn’t moving well and had some uncharacteristic unforced errors, but all credit to the now 4x Slam Champ! What a career he has ahead of him, so fun to watch.

Go USA!!
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He clearly felt the pressure there a little bit with three match points but apart from that he was just incredible.

There's no telling the future of course but you can already call him great. No doubt he will go down as one of the all-time greats as well.

Going to be very curious to see how joker bounces back for the US Open. I still think he has a legit shot at another major.
 


Should also mentioned I was disappointed to see Paolini lose. What a fun player she is.
 
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Nadal plays Bjorn Borg’s son tomorrow:


Go USA!!
 

The Gold Medal match was incredible and very cool to see how much the win meant for Novak.


Go Tennis!!
 

Big Tourney win for Korda over the weekend:

Sebastian Korda completed a father-son double Sunday night in the Mubadala Citi DC Open for his second ATP Tour title.

Thirty-two years after father Petr won the then-Sovran Bank Classic in 1992, the fourth-seeded Korda beat 10th-seeded Flavio Cobolli of Italy 4-6, 6-2, 6-0 in a match delayed at the start because of rain.

They are the first father-son tandem to win the same ATP Tour event.

"We have a lot of history with this tournament," Korda said during the trophy presentation. "Obviously, one of my biggest goals was one day coming here and hopefully winning the tournament and putting my name up there on the stadium. Now that I have the opportunity, this is probably the most special moment of my career so far."

www.espn.com

S. Korda wins Washington title 32 years after dad

Thirty-two years after father Petr won the then-Sovran Bank Classic, Sebastian Korda beat Flavio Cobolli 4-6, 6-2, 6-0 in the Mubadala Citi DC Open final Sunday night.
www.espn.com www.espn.com

Go USA!!
 

Nadal will wrap up his career in a similar way Federer did, at The Laver Cup:


Go USA!!
 


Incredible tournament for Tiafoe so far. He plays Sinner in the finals tomorrow but this is a great sign for ‘Foe!


Go Tiafoe!!
 

This is an incredible point regardless of the circumstance, but 5.5 hours into a match is just ridiculous.


Go Tennis!!
 

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