Does ANYONE actually watch the French Open ?????
- Thread starter dawgduice
- Start date
I'm watching it right now and that Spanish lass is pretty good!
She just beat Serena!
She just beat Serena!
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anon_xdc8rmuek44eq
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I do. Before I had kids wife and I would watch the finals in bed with Champagne. And I've been to the French Open and have been a tennis fan a long time, so I get a lot out of the non-stop coverage on the Tennis Channel.
But, tennis is having a tough time transitioning in both the men's and women's game. There just aren't enough competitive stars in the women's game after Williams (the best players are mostly foreign and US audiences aren't as excited by that) - with Sharapova out, Eugenie Bouchard and Caroline Wozniacki being more looks than game, it's just not that fun to watch.
The men's game continues to suffer from the 'Big 4' syndrome and Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic just aren't as compelling as Nadal/Federer. Murray is a world class whiner and if Nadal and Federer weren't at the tail end of their careers Djokovic might never have won a slam.
For me, and I was a very serious tennis player in my youth (actually received financial aid to attend college for tennis), the "game" was effected too drastically by the increase in the hitting service of the racquet. Kind of like putting aluminum bats in major league baseball.
For me the "modern" game has no strategy or finesse. It is all a game of who can hit the ball the hardest. Unless you have age and experience with the "older" game you have no frame of reference. I do realize other sports have "tweaked" equipment BUT not to the level of what tennis did.
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Big tennis fan here. Do not agree about Djokovic. He is playing at a very high level.
A couple of years ago friend of mine who is in sports marketing said USTA and tennis as a sport is headed for a decline and part of the decline is the inability to find and grow one or two US men players into the elite levels of the game. He also thought it is highly unlikely for a US man to win a grand slam in the next 50 years.
Well, that is mostly because NO ONE plays tennis anymore. I really do not know why. But tennis courts are hardly used anywhere. Does not seem like cost would be an issue, at least for casual players and that has really disappeared. I recall some years ago having to wait for courts to clear to get time. Now the courts are empty.
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anon_xdc8rmuek44eq
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He definitely is now, but he's benefitting from a serious lack of competition that seems to plague the men's game. I mean, in any other era, Andy Murray is Todd Martin at best.
If you want to play tennis move to Atlanta, ALTA is a city wide year round league (mostly doubles) with 80,000 players of all levels even a few former pros. Just about every subdivision has at least two courts because of ALTA... the development I used to live at had 16 courts and a tennis pro.
Agree about Djokovic. I still think Nadal 4 years ago was the highest level I'd seen any player play at ever. Even Federer.
I played in high school and a little in college and continue to play and watch. Going to see a live match really makes you appreciate the athleticism and talent of today's player. The players are just trying to hit the ball as hard as they can. No doubt it's a much different game from the 80's and 90's. I'm really hoping there's a resurgence cause I'm sick of going to public courts and seeing fu$king pickle ball lines drawn on the courts.
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anon_xdc8rmuek44eq
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I'd give Nadal the edge over Federer too, tough they're probably the two best ever.
Also, what is pickle ball?
I watch every minute of it I can! Then I tape the rest and watch it too!! Huge tennis fan... Have a daughter that plays in the WPIALS winners of 16 of the last 17 State championships.
Depends on where you live. Where I live, if you are not at the courts early on a nice day you don't have a chance to get one.
Yep, the game is far different today. Being older I do not think for the good. As you point out it is just about hitting the ball as hard as you can. The French Open in the 80s and 90s used to represent some of the best tennis "strategy" the game ever produced (at least in my mind). Drop shots, lobs, very different angles. NOW because to the massive tennis racquets it it all about power. I find it rather boring.
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American tennis will always go the way of it's American mens' singles competitors: When we have great players(Connors, McEnroe, Agassi, Sampras, Chang, Courier, Roddick), we love the sport and watch it. When we are awful(For the last ten years), we don't.
It's sad that our best and only hope to compete is a 6'10" guy who can't run, hit volleys, or bend down to get drop shots.
It's sad that our best and only hope to compete is a 6'10" guy who can't run, hit volleys, or bend down to get drop shots.
The massive, giant racquet, is a MAJOR, MAJOR problem: Now it's just horrible how you no longer need actual skill to win points.
I got tired of listening to grunting women, watching Sarena's suspiciously overdeveloped body, and players from Eastern Europen countries I'll never visit. Now on top of that, the use of PEDs and possible match fixing has eroded all credibility in the game for me. I used to enjoy watching tennis some decades ago, but no more. Bring back Crissy Evert, McEnroe, Connors, and I'll watch again.
Same with golf with the 460 cc drivers. I wish they would make the hole bigger though. It would speed up play.
