All new TENNIS thread- are we ready for clay? The road to Roland Garros starts here...

[Raahh]

well, it has already started so, get the vanish out, the orange stuff gets everywhere.

Highlights to include- can Rafa win a tournament this April?
Is Djok starting a losing streak wishful thinking ?
Will Murray get enough sleep to retain his title in Madrid? (Doesn't appear to be scheduled to play Munich)
Will Stan's shorts be a patch on last year's?
And never discount the Rog Bot!

So, Vamos! Allez! Let's go!

Me & DS1 are just the same. He's a male version of me. We bicker away like an old married couple at times, but we completely 'get' each other.

I'm well past the age of having babies, so last year I got a lovely squishy puppy instead.

The clanging bell is the rubbish pick up truck (according to Inverdale, yesterday).

Wait till you get PFGC - then you'll get broody all over again

Well quite, Raahh.

I don't think Radek will be the easy win the commentators think it will.

The clanging bell is the cleaners of RG going round in their little vehicle tidying up. Apparently they do it very regularly.

I initially thought it was a warning for spectators to take their seats on court till John helpfully enlightened me yesterday.

Are we also talking teenage girls? I have 2 13 year olds... the hormones in this house are not pretty! I do often feel sorry for DH.

That clanging bell is LOUD, isn't it? Is it to hurry the crowds into the stands perhaps? Tell them that lunch is finally over?

Oooh, squishy puppies can be lovelier than newborns ! (No offence, Grouchy).

Its one of my favourite things to do. Look at baby puppies I can't have. That and reading texts by dog. Very amusing.

I much prefer the idea that the bell is to get bums back on seats. I've noticed more and more over the last few years how slow people are to sit down. They should be made to wait. Til the end if the match.,< harsh>

Yy, Drama DS will go at it with me too.

All great fun. I think DH ends up bewildered and I have to pacify and explain to him.

Its him that can be worse than the DCs.

Ooh, Raahh. Thing is, sometimes you just have to go....

That was what terrified me about hurting my back. Felt like I'd lost sensation and knowing when I needed a wee. Horribly frightening. Very annoying too, specially when in bed, in pain and realising I'd GOT to get up. Trying to stand was bad enough but then oh my word the agony of trying to bend to lift the toilet seat, then sit on the thing !

Its a bit better now but I still can't bend properly.

Nishikori through.

Heather up next, finishing from yesterday.

Come on !

okay- what was going on with Jack Sock and Hasse? caught the last gamne (was watching Stan and rosol) and the crowd were booing Sock- then Hasse had words with the umopire after?

You know they changed from white balls to yellow to make it easier to see on tv? (God knows how they even saw white balls on black and white tv) mi can never see the yellow balls on whatever surface. Anyone else have that prob? I only guess where balls going by seeing where the players are moving.

and Stans got Moobs !!

Very pleased for Heather.

Well Done Heather !

Dimitrov - OUT

Errani - OUT

Lisiki - OUT

I am sad about Lisicki. I really like her.

She is a sweetie. Better suited to grass, I think.

Well done Heather !

Getting irrationally annoyed by Mark and Sam,'s inability to pronounce Kyle. They keep saying Carl.

I'm annoyed they're showing it.

well, quite!

Its cos they are waiting for Halep to finish so they can immediately switch to Murray. Who wont be coming on court shortly, apparently cos it will be Too Late.

I know Halep was 4-0 up in the first, not sure how its going now ?

Oh ! That was timely. Murray just announced on PC.

Halep won 6-0 6-2.

We'll be switching shortly then.

I'm glad Halep won, because she's only little. In tennis terms, that is- she's still about 9 inches taller than me.

I'm probably too short to hold the brollies up.

Oh, bless you lovely.

You can hold my brollie, if we ever get to a Slam together. We'll probably be sitting.

Or I'll kneel.

So, we're just watching Carl Kyle lose this first set.

Then we switch to Mr. Angry.

Oh no, we're switching now. Not even going to see him lose the first set tie break.

I wouldn't let MardyMurray play-what's he muttering already? If it's late for him, I'd just give the match to Radek.