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!

[Raahh]

Must be crap for the Bryans. Imagine being twins they are twins? and one of you messes up?

Jamie won a GS first,and got to number 1 first which Andy won't mathematically, Novak would have to retire tomorrow and the other top 5 players lose everything, all year, , for Murray, (A) to get to number one in the singles in the next 12 months. And the youngsters are rapidly catching up...

Rafa has been there done that, so he's nothing to prove

[MrsVamos]

I don't know though. I mean, yes it must be crap when you lose, but surely if you play for as long as they have you get to know strengths and weaknesses ?

Perhaps that's where no recriminations comes in ? You know you both played as well as you could have...

Maybe its part of it. If you play doubles there can be no blame. But then lots of players seem to switch partners ?

Can't see Andy getting that No.1 spot.

Rafa is my GOAT

[Raahh]

Jamie has had a lot of partners. but he's obviously good enough. He must be sought out.

The Woodies were my favourite doubles pairing. They were just fab laid back Aussies without the Kyrgios attitude



I'M EXCITED ABOUT TOMORROW!

[Raahh]

RAFA IS MY GOAT too.

Absolutely. Results aside.

Edberg will always be my favourite player, absolute teenage crush and I'm 44 and still stalk him- but RAFA is GOAT to me.

[MrsVamos]

Yy, Jamie is obviously the better player !

I'm excited too. But .

[MrsVamos]

Still don't get the Edberg love. I liked Goran, and Andre, and others. Not fussy.

Rafa's my favourite. Remember when people first started to take notice, the matches with Roger etc ? It WAS thrilling to watch.

Tennis isn't like that often anymore. Great to see some of the young pups showing so much promise.

It will be sad days when the R's retire.

[Raahh]

I ADORED Stefan. One of the first players I saw 'live'. Still stalk him now-a true gent. Rafa is similar in that he is such a gent , on and off court.

I even learnt Swedish at university, and hate his wife.Cow

Goran I like watching Cilic, just to glimpse Goran.

[Raahh]

I can't think about Rafa retiring.

There just doesn't seem to be proper 'replacements'.

When Borg/Connors/Mac were in decline Lendl/Becker were coming good.
I like Thiem/Goffin/Zverev- but are they slam champions?

[MrsVamos]

Don't. Brain and heart hurty.

Time will tell with the young pups. Except Krygois. Twat. Shame really. Such potential wasted.

[JaneJeffer]

Fingers crossed for today.

[MrsVamos]

Morning All !

Lovely, Jane

VAMOS RAFA !

[Mama1980]

Nearly match time.....vamos Rafa!!

[Raahh]

VAMOS

Dog walked , lunch eaten , all set.

Really looking forward to actually watching.

Umpire is Barnardes. Which is interesting.

[Raahh]

It is a really beautiful setting.

Rafa's orange shirt is making him blend in with the court.

[Raahh]

Rafa with a break.

[Raahh]

Which he promptly lost.

The crowd and commentators are very pro-Monfils.

Vamos!!

[DramaAlpaca]

Bah! DH has taken over the telly for hours & hours of hurling. Bloody hurling .

I'm recording the tennis & will catch up with the match, and the thread, later.

[JaneJeffer]

I keep thinking someone is going to get injured by those shade things they pull down!

[Raahh]

hurling??!

I wish Rafa would sort out his serve. Make my--his life easier.

[Raahh]

ooh....

0-40 Vamos- get this and serve for the set!

[DramaAlpaca]

Irish sport Raahh. Sort of like aerial hockey. It's actually quite exciting and I don't usually mind watching, but right now I want to watch the bloody tennis.

DH's argument is that as he is from one of the counties playing in the semi-finals today, he should get to watch the matches live, and as I am neither Spanish nor French I should watch later. Daft reasoning, no?

I may have to LTB.

[JaneJeffer]

You need a second telly Drama. I'm in the kitchen while the rest are watching footy in the sitting room.

[DramaAlpaca]

We have a second telly Jane, but the Sky box is refusing to work on it, which is another reason I'm grumbling. To be fair, DH did try to sort it out for me, but gave up when his match started. I'm currently googling how to fix it in between posting on here!

I'll be back later.

[Raahh]

Drama- as someone who doesn't go in for supporting the Brit just because I am British, I agree-very shoddy logic.

FFS- that's 2 breaks Rafa has lost now.

[Raahh]

Set point!