Remarkable non-GB performances

wolf · Tennis legend

Remarkable non-GB performances

Spectator · All-time great

JonH wrote:
Harrison, Venus, Young and Gonzalez in the mens doubles final at RG. a) when was the last time two Americans played in a RG mens doubles final and didnt have the name Bryan ? b) when was the last time two unseeded pairs/players made up the final two in any GS event, I am sure it has happened, but I cant remember when?!

In answer to your questions, 1993 (the Jensens). Looking this up made one aware just how extraordinary the Bryans' career has been. The second was easier: 2015 at Australia when Bolelli and Fognini defeated the then-newly-formed pair of PHH and Mahut. It feels a bit unfair, though, that - as the latter have turned into such a dominant pair. Interestingly, the last time two unseeded pairs met at Roland-Garros was the aforementioned 1993 final, in which the Jensens defeated Marc-Kevin Goellner and David Prinosil. The RG final in 1992 also had two unseeded pairs.

Incidentally, Ryan Harrison and Michael Venus took the first set. It's proving a very tight match.

Edit: And Ryan Harrison and Michael Venus took the title. This makes Venus only the second Kiwi to win a Grand Slam in the Open Era. Congratulations to them both!

-- Edited by Spectator on Saturday 10th of June 2017 05:26:11 PM

-- Edited by Spectator on Saturday 10th of June 2017 06:25:32 PM

Spectator · All-time great

La Decima stands alone - extraordinary. And Roger Federer, I've just noticed, is one match from winning his 1,100th. Also extraordinary. Like it or not, Nadal and Federer (1 and 2 in the race, as well) are exceptional.

Congratulations also to Bethany Mattek-Sands and Lucie Safarova for winning their third straight GS.

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

Ostapenko GS champion at age 20! A star is born.

The Optimist · ATP qualifying

Ostapenko was certainly impressive and set for a spectacular career....but having seen her line-calling, gamesmanship and tantrums first hand whilst she was a junior I just can't warm to her!!

brendan · Strong Club Player

The Optimist wrote:
Ostapenko was certainly impressive and set for a spectacular career....but having seen her line-calling, gamesmanship and tantrums first hand whilst she was a junior I just can't warm to her!!

agreed - wish they both could have lost that final

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

brendan wrote:
The Optimist wrote:
Ostapenko was certainly impressive and set for a spectacular career....but having seen her line-calling, gamesmanship and tantrums first hand whilst she was a junior I just can't warm to her!!
agreed - wish they both could have lost that final

I haven't seen that side of her. I'm not sure what to make of the kids being well - kids. I could say the same for Dan who made some very homophobic remarks and acted like are real brat when I saw him on tour the year before he did well at the USO. I've never really taken to him for that reason.

The thing is that we were all kids once and have done stuff we're not proud of. Some have better parents/teachers/peers to guide them too. I would hope that I wouldn't be judged for what I did as a child (thank god I've realised and changed for the better). These kids are growing up in the spotlight with pressures most of us never had. Maybe we should cut them a little slack. (I'm talking to myself as much as anyone else reading this).

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Extremely well put, Helen.

I remember a 'conversation' on here with RJA about Sascha Zverev.
As said, as far as I'm concerned, they've all got until 21 to 'grow out of it'.

-- Edited by Coup Droit on Monday 12th of June 2017 12:02:10 PM

The Optimist · ATP qualifying

Fair comments but, well, she was in a class of her own behaviour-wise! I appreciate her tennis and don't wish her ill in any way......I just don't warm to someone I've seen behave so appallingly to their opponents. Maybe time and maturity will mellow Jelena...... and my views!

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

Coup Droit wrote:
Extremely well put, Helen.

I remember a 'conversation' on here with RJA about Sascha Zverev.
As said, as far as I'm concerned, they've all got until 21 to 'grow out of it'.

I'm not sure I could put an age on it. People were still critisising Andy lots into his mid 20s. I'm not sure when I stopped behaving like a child, arguably some people never do. I will watch her with interest. She sure does have guts and a great game, arguably you need some brattiness for that fight.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

I agree with you, Helen - the age is completely artificial. Some people grow up a lot later than others (some not at all).

But I meant that, up till 21 (approx), I'll put idiot actions/comments or whatever down to youth, rather than character. And that goes for those in the public eye or not (although it's obvious that those in the public eye are more visible and get more attention focused on their misdemeanors).

After then, I'm far more willing to openly criticise them - you can't keep giving people the benefit of the doubt indefinitely (although, if they then change later, that's great).

blob · All-time great

Ostapenko can be a right little madam, no question.
She is not in the Putintseva league though.
Jelena has at least acknowledged it as not only something that she's embarrassed at times by, but also that she understands is also holding back her game, as it causes her to lose focus. Which at least shows self-awareness and an attempt at self-improvement.

To me, 21 seems like a very long time to afford someone the protection of 'youthful indiscretion' as a defence. Though it does seem the common Western European/American limit set on such things, it has no real basis in anything other than the norms of the latter part of the 20th Century (and beyond). Social mores being rather off topic; I'll not disappear down that particular rabbit-hole at this juncture.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Congrats to 16 year-old Felix Auger Aliassime who has just won the Challenger at Lyon.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Alex Hunt, who was born with one arm and has had a prosthetic left arm since a toddler, got his first MD win today, winning 6-0 6-0, no less!

There's an article from 6 months ago about him here:

www.stuff.co.nz/sport/87725093/onearmed-nelson-tennis-player-alex-hunt-to-face-tennis-aces-at-te-anau-tennis-invitational

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

As "remarkable non GB performances", this one is a bit different. It may not start out as tennis, but read to the end.

All those football fans out there will no doubt have heard of Italian and AC Milan hero, Paulo Maldini. He spent 24 years as a professional at AC Milan and was capped 116 times by Italy. Having finished with football however, he has obviously decided to give tennis a real go.

Maldini and his coach have now qualified to play in the doubles at the Milan Challenger at the end of this month. Maldini will be 49 years old on day one of the tournament. Makes Daniel Nestor look like a spring chicken.

www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/40348565

Some people are just too talented for their own good.