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!

I wish John would break Andy cos it might stun Jim and 'Petch' into silence.

Who is the rotund umpire ?

Umm, the line calls are almost always dubious at RG.

Once again, dh has invited bil for a BBQ.
And then went into work for 6 hours leaving me with all the prep. And he knows I have things to watch.

So I will look ignorant if I ignore them both a d watch TV. 😡

He had better not plan anything for next week!

Oh my word, Raahh ! For as long as I've known you, you've had this bbq !

Its not even bbq weather down here.

Start a new thread before you bbq-off then.

And a linky.....

Argh ! Come ON, John !

Well done, Stan!

Did you see him playing tennis with the ball boy at one point? Awwwww...

Wouldn't see Novak doing that.

TheOnly

I do happily believe I have 'met' someone who dislikes Novak as much as I do.

Am I right ?

I like Isner's outfit. It's very coordinated. Murray looks as if he got dressed in the dark. Again.

So if Stan's through what do I do with my thwarted strop then?

COME ON JOHN !

Postpone it, TheOnly.

Keep it simmering.

Oh rats.

At least if Andy is going to play better and better it means he stands half a chance of beating a 'not playing at his best' Novak.

WHO requested this musak ? Its a bit twee.

MrsVamos - sometimes I try to reflect on it rationally and think of all the reasons I shouldn't dislike him: he's a brilliant player, and seems like a good man, and I know does a huge amount of charity work and is probably kind to puppies and so on. I'm also genuinely touched by the way he talks about what it was like to grow up in the Balkans when he did. But there's an arrogance to him, and an unconscious sexism, and he is just almost too clean-living and flawless. I like Stan's erratic nature, and Andy's moodiness on court which is offset by his generosity and feminism off court. And I love what a wonderful ambassador Rafa is for the sport and his genuine humility and his beauty, and I've always been a fan of the beauty of Federer's play.

I just can't find that one thing to love about Djokovic.

Ooh ! Ooh ! Gasquet has an early break of serve !

Allez Richard !

I could have written what you wrote TheOnly except I suspect you did it much more eloquently than I could have.

Totally agree with you, TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross (& I love your name, btw)

Am so bored by the Isner/Murray match that I fell asleep in front of it.

I want to see Gasquet - Now!

Don't fall to pieces, John. Keep going !

mummy ! Hello lovely.

I'm trying to maintain enthusiasm...

The Davis Cup really changed my opinion on Murray, actually. The heart he put into it, and how much it meant to play for a British team for him. He pretty much carried that final but would never have admitted it.

He and Jamie carried the whole thing. I have a lot of respect for him for doing that.

If it wasn't for Andy though, Britain definitely wouldn't have won. Not a chance.

I don't mind Andy. I just prefer other players than him sometimes. And I'm not always going to support him just because he's British.

havestartednew thread,but can't link.

Uh-oh. Lots of umbrellas gone up.

magimedi -thank you! I stayed off MN for quite a while after the whole hacking debacle (but have been around for ages) and then fancied a new look. It's been my favourite song ever since I heard it as a young impressionable uni student .

I had a little nap during the first set of this match too and when I woke up it was still the first set...

Ok, will go find it....