TENNIS THREAD!- From the Road to Rio, to Flushing Meadows...

[Raahh]

before my phone decides to give up altogether, here's a new thread to get us on our way.

Andy Murray still in the Olympic Singles, as is Rafa,

Jo Konta through for the women.

Lots of missing names from the top players- but we are edging towards the US open- without Federer- and who knows, maybe even without Djokovic.

Could we be heading for all change at the top?

Carabos he's definitely up there

Now, I must brave the cold.

ooh- stat - last time Rog/Raf and Venus /Serena were all in a GS final at the same time was 2008, Wimbledon.

Rafa won, (possibly one of the best matches ever), and Venus

Dimitrov was the Junior boy's champion.
.

Oh no Bagel hope your tv gets well soon. We get Eurosport via WiFi which is not the best as it keeps pausing

I'd love a Rafa/Roger final.

I found Eurosport online without having to subscribe! Watched last 2 sets of Roger match. Sorry for Stan, bit bored at the prospect of Roger/Rafa final again, tbh. But Rafa will surely beat Dimitrov, no?

She definitely wears the trousers, Raahh

Agree about Jim Courier, he's really entertaining and doesn't always ask just the standard questions in the interviews. I presume players like him as he's an ex-player so knows what they go through.

bagel It's been a while since a Roger/Rafa final, though, in any tournament. I'd be way more bored by the prospect of a one sided Djok/Murray one, really. I don't find their matches interesting- the last two year's have been very dull- but it could be because I have no interest in either of them winning . But hey, it's tennis. I have to watch it.

So far, because I haven't wanted to tempt fate, I have been convinced Rafa would have a really hard time against all his opponents. So I am hesitant to say that he should be ok against Dimitrov. Mainly because he is going through something of a resurgence in form himself. But Rafa has played so, so well this year. It would be great. And he should do it. I'm probably going to miss the first hour though.

I'm not sure my nerves will be able to stand going back to the old days of stressful Rafa slam finals though. I'm a bit out of practice. And it's too early in the morning for vodka.

Arghhhh.

I have just remembered that dd2 is going a build a Bear party at 12.30 on Sunday. What of the tennis isn't finished??? It's about 20 minutes away in a big shopping centre . Help!

Let her walk there and back unaccompanied, she'll be fine .

carabos that's a plan. I'm sure that's what motorways are for.

Otherwise, it will have to be a Rafa win ( Grigor permitting) in straight sets. In 3 and a half hours, to also include lengthy trophy presentation. That's doable. And would still be a reasonable final. sorted.

Amused at the Courier love. We get so sick of his commentating, reminiscences about himself and interview style here in Melbourne as we hear little else for 2 weeks.

saffron- we will send you Andrew Castle, constantly talking about Sir Andy Number 1 Murray and nobody else for weeks on end.It is extremely annoying, probably even for Murray himself. He has no sense of humour at all. He cannot talk about anyone else, or his contract will be terminated. And he can't dance.

You will soon wish Courier was back.

( Andrew Castle was a former British player, but he didn't win anything, and is now just 'famous' for being a breakfast tv presenter, and appeared on 'Strictly Come Dancing' where he had 2 left feet. ).

Just in case you didn't know.

He is in no way comparable in tennis terms to Jim Courier (who I saw at Wiimbledon on omy one any only trip in 1994, but not in the final).

sorry for the poor typing. Raahhdog has decided to join in.

I am sooooo excited about tomorrow.

Vamos Rafa (sorry Grigor, nowt, personal, but you know....)

This has been such a good week.

I have been feeling so gloomy lately, just the fact Rafa has got this far, and the matches I have seen have been so good- not just his, across the tournament really, - has really cheered me up .

I was so tempted to go to breakfast club this morning, but dd1 resisted.

Then I woke up DS for school at 6.30, because he takes a while to awaken from from his zombie state to catch the bus at 7.15

It's an inset day at secondary.

girls safely at school- it's freezing outside.

I've got my coffee. I am not budging

Good start for Rafa. Vamos

Marat Safin's birthday today He is 37. The fact he has been retired for so long, and is still so young, make me realise how good he was at an early age. Another one that was plagued with injures. Marat was lovely.

and - it was at the 2008 Wimbledon that Laura Robson won the Girls singles, and said he would be her ideal 'date' to the Champion's ball. . He didn't go to the ball with her, though, but I think I remember she had her picture taken with him. I didn't actually realise it was that long ago!

Well, I wasn't expecting an easy match. So this is going to plan .

Vamos Rafa.

Didn't Marat have a fling with the Duchess of York?

Oh, Marat Safin.... Happy birthday to him.

Hope your DS wasn't too displeased at being woken unnecessarily early

So am watching the scores in the Rafa/Grigor match. Vamos Rafa!

Did he carabos???

Don't think Grigor read the script about the fairytale final between rog and raf.

Great challenge.

Carabos I had not heard that, and the image is not one I want to think about . He was a bit of a bad lad at times though, Marat.

Drama- it was so funny. Normally, I can't get a sound out of him. He started saying 'I'm not in today' I was arguing, because in his zombie state he always thinks it's a different day. He always forgets his work/keys/head- but didn't forget it was an inset day .

I did know it was one, but momentarily forgot- because I remember seeing it, and thinking it was stupid, when they've only been back 5 minutes, and it's mid-term ..

I'm going to google it because I don't know why I would think that DoY and he would have had a fling! Other than a weird dream of course .