TENNIS THREAD- it's '"Bienvenidos a Miami"- and then onwards to the clay season (with hopefully no unwanted injuries ) Vamos!

[Raahh]

Bit of Will Smith there to start a new thread.

I wanted to put 'and no anti- vaxxers' but the title was long enough already .

And yy to a Thiem comeback.

I would also love to see Alcaraz wipe the court with Djok, if he gets the chance. Novak hasn't had a lot of match practice, so it could happen.

Thanks Raahh I've left the final post for someone else

I'm also hoping for good things from Pedro Martinez this year.

Oh yes- Pedro.

In fact- it should be a good year for the Spanish players really (because Rafa will recover- no negative face) Davidovich Fokina is rising up the rankings too.

I haven't given up on my mate Casper though .

I hoping that Djok will manage to self sabotage- he's quite good at that.

magi

I have just enjoyed filling in the final post! (Sad old git that I am)

Have only score watched all the tennis for ages. Have not had a telly since moving here in December.

Such bad news re Rafa . Just hope he can make it to Roland Garos and that Djock can't.

magi! I hope you are continuing to enjoy your new life. No tv is probably a good thing.

I have everything crossed that Djok's season does not go to plan.

Hello magi

Thanks for the new thread Raahh

I think I saw somewhere that is coming back aswell. Can't remember when and where though

Evening kazza!

I will let Dan win Miami if it means Djok is on the next plane home.

I'd love to see Stan back- and Delpo.

Thanks for the new thread Raahh

magi I was thinking about you earlier - I had my first outdoor swim today (in a heated pool not the sea - I’m not as hardcore as you!) - hope you are enjoying your new life and managing some sea swims

I will be happy with anyone but Djok winning anything (although possibly not Kyrgios!)

Would love to see Stan and Delpo back

Boris could be going to jail

www.the42.ie/boris-becker-trial-tennis-grand-slam-5716713-Mar2022/

Ashleigh Barty has retired from tennis! I loved watching her. I'll miss her.

Jane I also reading about Boris the other day. He's in a heap of trouble.

Steala very sad about Ash- she is one of my favourites, and I thought she wiuld go on to win many more slams. Clearly this is the right thing for her though- go out on a high, and she's getting married too.
She's one if the nicest players on the tour- she really be missed.

That news about Ash is a surprise. As you said Raahh good to go out on a high, but she could have achieved so much more! Still, if it’s what feels right to her then that’s what’s important.

I will really miss Ash but I admire her for going out when she is. I wonder if she is pregnant??

Wow just seen that about Ash Barty retiring - that is a shock

I’ve been reading about Boris’s trial - apparently he used his business accounts like a personal piggy bank . He always seems to be in some sort of trouble

Sad not to be seeing Ash on the tour again. And for the rivalries that won’t happen - she would have made other players really lift their games to compete with her week in week out. A class act.

Shocked but maybe not surprised to read about Ash, if that makes sense! Such a shame but she's stepped away from tennis before and, as much as she loves the game, it's clearly not the only thing in her life. Her aim was to win Wimbledon and the Australian Open, so she achieved that.

Lots of love for her from the tennis world, which shows how popular she is. I liked Simona's comment about Ash now becoming a golf champion

And Boris is a numpty! He seems to have been in trouble with the taxman for the last 35 years

Yes I was really sad to hear about the Ash Barty retirement!

Just watched the video of her announcement, and it kind of confirms what I was thinking- I think she is tired of the pressures of the tour, and is very much a homebody. It might even have been a relief when Covid meant she couldn't leave Australia ages. Returning to the tour probably made her think about what is actually important to her.

It's a brave decision, when she is at the top of her game- but I admire her for it. She obviously has a really good team around her who are very supportive. She could all too easily have ended up in a slump like Osaka, if she felt she was no longer enjoying playing, but felt she had to. (Naomi is playing this week in Miami, but I worry about how fragile she seems to be mentally).

And I also love Simona's comment. I think Ash could do anything she set her mind to.

Stan is coming back at the Andalucia Open next week
Presumably it's meant he's had to cut down on the barbies and vino

Go Stan!

I've just seen that Jo-Willy is playing later in Miami- I had almost forgotten about him .
I probably won't get to see it, but I hope he does well (he's playing Jordan Thompson with the 70s moustache ).

So, Jo Willy lost, sadly.

And I 've just got around to checking scores for today, and Rublev has lost the first set to Kyrgios.

I am not a fan of the Return of the Dick, so I hope someone downs him soon.