Remarkable non-GB performances

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

RE: Remarkable non-GB performances

AliBlahBlah · All-time great

insomniacfolder wrote:
Santina now up to 40 consecutive wins, with another title, at the Premier Level event in St. Petersburg.

And, much like the Bryan brothers managed to do, they're making doubles a talking point at every event they go to.
By all account, there was actually more interest in the doubles in St. Petersburg from Russian media than the singles, despite several good home performances in the singles. Also, majority support for Santina in the doubles final, despite Dushevina being one of the opponents. That's very unlike most Russian crowds, which are often uniformly partisan.

They're edging closer to the 44 streak of Novotna/Sukova in 1990. Still some way to go to catch the all-time record, Navratilova/Shriver's remarkable 109 match streak from 1983.

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

Congratulations to Roberta Vinci, who on Monday will become the oldest Top 10 Debutant in the Open Era, at 33 years and 4 days.
She's continued to purvey her unorthodox and highly entertaining tennis, building on those amazing nights in New York last Autumn, picking up title number 10 last week in St. Petersburg, along the way.
It seemed for a long time that she was condemned to be marooned permanently on her previous best of an agonisingly close WR11, first achieved in June 2013, but happily she has finally earned her way in to the elite.
More proof, if such were needed, given the exploits of her compatriot, Ms. Pennetta (amongst others), that these days ladies tennis careers are very far from over, even the 'wrong' side of 30.

indiana · Tennis legend

AliBlahBlah wrote:
insomniacfolder wrote:
Santina now up to 40 consecutive wins, with another title, at the Premier Level event in St. Petersburg.
And, much like the Bryan brothers managed to do, they're making doubles a talking point at every event they go to.
By all account, there was actually more interest in the doubles in St. Petersburg from Russian media than the singles, despite several good home performances in the singles. Also, majority support for Santina in the doubles final, despite Dushevina being one of the opponents. That's very unlike most Russian crowds, which are often uniformly partisan.
They're edging closer to the 44 streak of Novotna/Sukova in 1990. Still some way to go to catch the all-time record, Navratilova/Shriver's remarkable 109 match streak from 1983.

1, Martina Hingis 12925

1. Sania Mirza 12925

3. Casey Dellacqua 5810

That's dominance for you, Mr Djokovic

Would have loved to have seen how Martina would have done all these missing years in singles, but for the big injury issues and the recreational drug issue, for which I have never quite understood the severe treatment.

-- Edited by indiana on Thursday 18th of February 2016 08:20:06 PM

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Congrats to Roberta Vinci who, as of next Monday, will be the oldest woman to break into the top 10.

She's going to break in at age 33 and 4 days (says the WTA site).

A perfect example of a good player who spent most of her twenties ranked in the 60s and 70. It wasn't until age 29 that things really started to shift.

Always great to see perseverance and work ethic come through.

And, at the other end of the scale, hats off to 16 year-olds Kayla Day (Q), and Cici Bellis who have just made the quarters at the 25k in Surprise.

As has 17 year-old Kenin, who beat the top seed.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

You've got to hand it to them....

pbs.twimg.com/media/Cb1h-5JUkAEzvE_.jpg

Spectator · All-time great

Sad to say, CD, but I was simply surprised by the "historique" - if you'd asked me, I would have said it was the normal state of affairs. It generally feels that way. All the more remarkable (thank you, Messrs Murray x2, Ward, Smith et al) that the DC is residing in the UK.

indiana · Tennis legend

Great system by all accounts with much to admire and great achievement to have 5 in the top 20 ...

... and won so little.

The French Tennis Forum must at times be frustration with bells on.

-- Edited by indiana on Tuesday 23rd of February 2016 01:55:35 PM

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

They would give their eye teeth to have a Roland Garros winner (preferably male)

Not sure the other Grand slams count so much.

And the Davis Cup was a certainly bitter blow.....(you've got to smile)

I think, in terms of health of the industry, though, they're very happy - so many people play and watch tennis, I'm not even sure that a Aussie Open win, for instance, would make any difference.

The key thing for them, though, is that 4 of those players are age 29 or 30 or 31

And though France has a nice number of players in their early twenties in the top 250, there's very few in their mid-twenties who look set to carry the flag when the 'older' set step down.

I think it's just one of those things, not because of any strategic changes, and things can change quite fast, but - as Spec says - it's been so normal to have so many in the top 30, say, they'll find it very strange if suddenly they haven't.

RJA · Hall of fame

A shout out here for Dominic Thiem who has had a wonderful 3 week Latin American swing.

Won Buenos Aires 250 on clay beating Nadal in the process, SF in Rio 500 on clay beating Ferrer in the process and then won Acapulco 500 on hard. He now has 5 career titles (he won 3 clay 250s last summer) and is up to 14 in the rankings.

It is a nice to see someone with an attractive game and an endearing personality continue his journey to the top of the game.

indiana · Tennis legend

RJA wrote:
A shout out here for Dominic Thiem who has had a wonderful 3 week Latin American swing.

Won Buenos Aires 250 on clay beating Nadal in the process, SF in Rio 500 on clay beating Ferrer in the process and then won Acapulco 500 on hard. He now has 5 career titles (he won 3 clay 250s last summer) and is up to 14 in the rankings.

It is a nice to see someone with an attractive game and an endearing personality continue his journey to the top of the game.

Very good. I'd actually noticed earlier that he was up at #3 in the race and had wondered how that had happened and then forgot about him.

That'll be how it happened then. Well done indeed.

-- Edited by indiana on Tuesday 1st of March 2016 05:32:23 PM

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

Not what this thread is usually used for, but I'd like to nominate Venus, who, next week, will do something utterly un-remarkable, and play a tennis match.
Respect.

Spectator · All-time great

Lovely article, IF. Thanks for the link.

The Optimist · ATP qualifying

Yes, a lovely article indeed. Enjoyed reading that.

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

Bud Collins passed away this week.
Not an immediately recognisable name to Brits, perhaps, but, if you've ever watched US archive footage from the 70's-90's, then Bud was probably commentating, as he did for over 35 years on NBC.
In some senses, he was like the American Dan Maskell (I suspect Dan would never have worn Bud's flamboyant and brightly coloured outfits!)
Bud was a strong advocate for women's tennis and supporter of the fledgling WTA, as Billie Jean King said, ""He was one of the few that cared about women's tennis before it ever became popular, and I will never forget that."
He's the one that christened Steffi, 'Fräulein Forehand', amongst other monikers he gave over the years that entered the public tennis vocabulary. Also, as Courtney Nguyen put it, "he was tennis' Wikipedia before there was Wikipedia".
I hope no one minds me marking his passing here; a man with an immense love of the game, who will be missed, with gratitude.