Tennis: at the end of the clay...RG final week

[JaneJeffer]

hello

Well that's something Jane , I'm fed up of the commentators making excuses for his behaviour.

I always feel like his 'camp' encourage his behaviour for their amusement. It's really odd.

Well done to Joe Salisbury, who I see has just won the mixed doubles title (obviously with his partner but I can't remember how to spell her name )
I saw they were up in the champions tiebreak and quickly put ITV4 on, only to find The Professionals followed by Minder being shown
What happened to full coverage, ITV4?

Jim is at it with the passion

I am just watching Doctors. I have been neglecting it the last couple of days . I am always happy to see PHH and mahut playing though. They make me happy.

Afternoon all, I didn't see cock last night - fell asleep early. Glad I missed it given the reports of his screaming and shouting. Vamos Rafa!!

Getting ready to watch the women's semis, have to say I'm not sure I know enough about any of them to have a favourite or predict the result.

Mama it is a bit odd. Pavlyuchenkova has been around a while, and I know a bit about Sakkari- but it's a certainly not the semi finalists that people would have expected!

Exactly Raahh I know their names but nothing more really. It's great to see others doing well, but I also understand what the radio presenters were saying yesterday, that's it's not ideal for the sport. Apparently there will be less than the maximum reduced capacity today to see the women....possibly due to the lack of 'big' names.

That's a shame Mama I'd love to see the second semi. Barbora and Maria have been great to watch. I haven't seen much of these two but am more familiar with Anastasia.

It's like the opposite of what is happening with the men- 3 men have bascially dominated for the last 15-20 years. Rafa has won RG 13 times. I think they said there have been 11 different women's winners, since Henin last defended the title in 2009. On the one hand, it's good that lot's of different women get the chance- but as a spectacle, I suppose it is less interesting when players you've never heard of suddenly appear. it seems to happen more with the women - than the men.

I think Karatsev, is the last man, who seems to have 'come from nowhere' to make a name for himself.

Whether we will still be talking about Zidansk in 12 months though- that's the big question.

Actually- I think Henin was even further back than that. 2007?

I feel so old

I'm pleased for Anastasia- she did well- and it has been a long time.

I am annoyed that nowhere is showing the doubles. I don't know why. Euro sport 2 is showing cycling, and now both ITV and Euro1 are just yacking.

I think Marion should stop watching this now.

It's making PHH nervous. And he can't even see her .

I love listening to her at the moment actually- it's more as a fan- rather than a pundit. It's very entertaining.

Phew! good thing too! I think Marion would have had heart failure.

Totally agree jane I'm always happy to watch any tennis. I have been to Roland Garros a couple of times (pre children I lived in Paris) and the atmosphere there is amazing.

This second semi is a bit topsy turvy - they both seem unsettled.

Living in Paris sounds very glamorous Mama

Just watching the second women’s semi - I like Sakkari - she’s just about in the lead but it’s a very close match

I’ve just realised that I’m out tomorrow when the Rafa/Djok match is scheduled (about 4.30pm) and I can’t even blame DH for that one! Hopefully I’ll be able to make an early escape and at least see some of it (not that I’m looking forward to it!)

Fizzy I'm not really looking forward to the Rafa match tomorrow I'm waiting for Djok to do something really stupid though. He claims to respect Rafa- but he only cares about himself.

I had to take the dog out- but this has been a close match. I think if Sakkari gets through, I would like her to win on Saturday.
Her shots are very close to the lines.

Yes Raahh hopefully Djok will have some sort of self destructive meltdown tomorrow - apparently last night was him liberating some of his tension or something

They seem to have abandoned the night matches now that they can have more people later - I did wonder if the Rafa/Djok match would be the night match but after yesterday I don’t think they would dare!

'liberating his tension' yes, I guessed it would be something like that

not just that he's an obnoxious jerk

Oof- come on Maria!

I don't think there are any 'night' matches now. The Rafa/Djok match is scheduled as 'not before 17.30'. So, early evening, but not late.

Maria may have thrown this away. But I do like Barbora too, what I've seen of her.

Oh Maria.

Yikes it’s very tense!

It is very tense- and Petch has been very rude about the match on a number of occasions - commenting on the quality and saying it's like shots you'd see at your local park.

Yes, that would be Mark Petchey- who won a total of 0 career singles titles.