TENNIS - high on a mountain in Torino the season comes to a close

[JaneJeffer]

Fizzy I think he probably does like to keep things a bit low key. He isn't a very 'flashy' type. He has a good chance to progress though.

Djok is a pain. That much is true.

Yes he is a pain Raahh

Just seen a really cute video of RBA’s son toddling over to him at a post match interview at the AO (not sure which match) - the interviewer said that Roberto junior was a good looking guy and RBA said it’s because of my wife - aah

Oh I think the interview was after a match at the Adelaide open - very cute!

It's a shame the Hubi/Korda match is on over night- would have liked to see that.
But I think the Stef/Sinner match could be pretty good.

Annoying schedule on Margaret court- doesn't look like there is a night match- Ostapenko/Gauff are over night, and Lehecka/Felix 'not before 4.30 am' nothing scheduled after that.

The schedule tomorrow is silly! Why is the world number 1 vs the Wimbledon champion on so early! Looking forward to Stef/Sinner, and hoping Lehecka/Felix starts later than 4:30am - I'm going for a 5:30 alarm, I think. Still haven't managed to see anything of Iga or Coco all tournament (actually, maybe I saw 20 minutes of Coco/Emma on my lunchbreak...).

I wish AO was a Sunday start - it's getting to the point now where there's not much left on by decent waking up times in the UK - by about 9/10am tomorrow it'll only be Rod Laver left with play on it. If it was a Sunday start there'd be a full day of play with tennis going on everywhere on a day when I could watch all morning...

Anyone remember what time the finals usually start for next weekend. I just remember alternating between coughing under my duvet on the sofa (I had covid but didn't test positive until the next morning) and trying to cook lunch whilst the mens final went on forever!

Has anyone noticed on the BBC Sport App that they list the matches with the juniors and seniors both as men's singles and women's singles? I suppose that that is what the AO do and BBC taking their lead from them. It's very confusing and quite weird.

Just checked out the AO App and they are calling them Junior Boys and Junior Girls. Strange

The final started around 8.30 ish, if I remember correctly ( I was also peeling spuds at one point for dinner.
I think it's the same with the women.

The Hubi/Korda match was a bit up and down- but as tight as I expected. Shame it wasn't on later.
Iga is out- haven't had chance to see her play. She seems to have struggled a but recently, more so than normal for her, anyway. Good win for Rybakina, who has been a big loser in the 'Wimbledon no points' thing- it made her vulnerable at the US Open, and put her in a position she could meet the number 1 seed this early.
Guaff is also out- I wanted her to make the second week- but her time will definitely come.

( still haven't seen what Ostapenko is wearing- she wore some interesting outfits last year.)

And Felix is out!

This should be Stef's match- I think he feels he should be the one who has now won a slam- and Daniil and Carlos have got there before him.

Jannik's t-shirt doesn't really go with his shorts.

(I hope this is a good match. I'm full of a cold, it's icy and horrible outside and I want an excuse not to do anything if I don't have to).

I have a feeling it might be a straightforward win for Stef (though this is just the first game).

Hope you feel better soon Raahh - I feel as if I’ve had a cough/cold for weeks - it’s rubbish!

I’m having a bit of a slow start today but want to watch some of the Stef/Sinner match - Stef seems to have been playing well this tournament but who knows

Some surprise results overnight - Felix is also out. I too am interested in Ostapenka’s outfit (dread to think what it will be like )

yes last year the finals started at about 8.30am uk time - I remember sitting in my PJs all day and my Tesco delivery arriving at a crucial time in the men’s final (at about 2.30pm) - at least we won’t have to go through that stress again!

DH has just put the tennis on the iPad so I’m watching in bed - I agree that Sinner’s top and shorts don’t go together - I might stay in bed all day!

Both DS’s are away this weekend - there’s still food in the fridge, the laundry basket is almost empty (for now) - hmm I wonder when they might move out …

Fizzy I don't want to go through the stress of last year's final- but I would do it again if Rafa was in it.
I was trying to work it out (as you do) -now he is out for 6-8 weeks, and probably back for the clay season, he runs the risk of dropping down the rankings and out of the top 10 - for the first time since April 2004 . That is some run- given all the times during that period he has been out injured. Just shows that even durng his roughest patches, he did enough (plus many around him lost ).
A lot will be made of that 'drop' I'm sure - though both Roger and Djok fell out of the top 10 more than once.

I thought I was heading for a migraine yesterday afternoon, on top of coughing myself inside out, - but I fell asleep for a bit and didn't feel so sick.

My ds went out Friday, and hasn't come back yet (he has a habit of looking at clothes and putting them straight in the wash)

I have peeled the potatoes for the roast, and have very little ironing- in fact only dd2's uniform- and she's got enough clean shirts til Wednesday- and her jumper probably doesn't need ironing. Might just leave it

Trading breaks, these two.

Our mate Aurelie wouldn't have given Rafa the benefit of the doubt re- the shot clock.

Hate the thing anyway.

oops- that should be April 2005 even Rafa isn't that good

It's 18 years, anyway

well, this doesnlook like being an epic. Though Sinner has come back from 2 sets before.

I suppose, looking ahead, Stef has the better chance of beating Djok?

The Tennis Podcast were talking about how long Rafa had been in the top 10 for and I was surprised especially as you say he has had some tough times with injuries etc (I’m not clever enough to work these stats out myself )

I’m still in bed - might get up now that Stef is 2 sets up (or maybe I won’t!) - we had sun earlier but the weather just looks cold and gloomy now

Maybe this could be Stef’s year?

I would like it to be Stef's year. Djok s half of the draw is very open. Since Ruud went out, that bottom quarter now has -RBA, Tommy Paul, Shelton and Wolf. A bet on that outcome would have been worth something !

Re- Rafa- I just know he will drop 1100 points in the next 2 months (after this- he's dropped from 2nd to 6th already). So unless everyone behind him does really badly in IW/Miami, his position is shaky (and will affect future draws, up to a point).

Blimey. 4-1 in this set to Sinner now.

Sinner seems to be making a comeback in this set

Just been reading about Dan Evans giving Rublev one of his bananas as he’d run out - after eating the banana Rublev turned into Bananaman, got lots of energy and went on to win the match

Bananas

Bet Dan regrets that then!

Dan said he didn’t mind sharing his bananas as Rublev is his mate

I like Grigor’s comment about Djoks ‘injury’ he said that ‘He seemed to manage very well. That’s about all there is to say about that’ - indeed!

Ooh third set to Sinner!