Tennis Thread

[Neurotic Guy]

Petty from Novak. He's mocking a 20 year old kid. Which is why even if he surpasses Roger and Rafa in terms of records he won't ever be as loved. Then again he likely doesn't care, and the winner can do what he likes.

Novak Djokovic mocked his defeated opponent Ben Shelton with a “hang up the phone” gesture after completing a straight-sets victory in the US Open semi-final.

The 20-year-old Shelton had used this distinctive celebration after his quarter-final victory over compatriot Frances Tiafoe, miming taking a call and then putting the handset down to suggest that he was “dialled in”.

So when Shelton banged his final forehand into the net, and Djokovic echoed his actions, it felt like a way of putting the young pretender in his place.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tennis/2023/09/08/ben-shelton-vs-novak-djokovic-us-open-2023-live-score/

Yep. He is who he is. Incredible tennis player… Not an incredible person. Will be pulling for Medvedev on Sunday.

Nasty Americans have been beloved. Connors and McEnroe come to mind.

[blink]

Petty from Novak. He's mocking a 20 year old kid. Which is why even if he surpasses Roger and Rafa in terms of records he won't ever be as loved. Then again he likely doesn't care, and the winner can do what he likes.

Novak Djokovic mocked his defeated opponent Ben Shelton with a “hang up the phone” gesture after completing a straight-sets victory in the US Open semi-final.

The 20-year-old Shelton had used this distinctive celebration after his quarter-final victory over compatriot Frances Tiafoe, miming taking a call and then putting the handset down to suggest that he was “dialled in”.

So when Shelton banged his final forehand into the net, and Djokovic echoed his actions, it felt like a way of putting the young pretender in his place.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tennis/2023/09/08/ben-shelton-vs-novak-djokovic-us-open-2023-live-score/

Yep. He is who he is. Incredible tennis player… Not an incredible person. Will be pulling for Medvedev on Sunday.

bolded +1 me too.

[blink]

Petty from Novak. He's mocking a 20 year old kid. Which is why even if he surpasses Roger and Rafa in terms of records he won't ever be as loved. Then again he likely doesn't care, and the winner can do what he likes.

Novak Djokovic mocked his defeated opponent Ben Shelton with a “hang up the phone” gesture after completing a straight-sets victory in the US Open semi-final.

The 20-year-old Shelton had used this distinctive celebration after his quarter-final victory over compatriot Frances Tiafoe, miming taking a call and then putting the handset down to suggest that he was “dialled in”.

So when Shelton banged his final forehand into the net, and Djokovic echoed his actions, it felt like a way of putting the young pretender in his place.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tennis/2023/09/08/ben-shelton-vs-novak-djokovic-us-open-2023-live-score/

Yep. He is who he is. Incredible tennis player… Not an incredible person. Will be pulling for Medvedev on Sunday.

Nasty Americans have been beloved. Connors and McEnroe come to mind.

but they were 'our entitled jerks' so it makes it a tiny bit better right (sarcasm)?

I have to say I was a huge McEnroe fan growing up.  I loved watching McEnroe play, great serve and volley player.  Maybe the best doubles player ever.  His antics were obviously worse that Djokovic's, but McEnroe softened as he got older.   Djokovic doing petty stuff like that at 36 is just dumb.  He should be above it and just take the high road.  Shelton wasn't ever a threat.  Honestly Shelton's actions are just dumb too, the hands to the ears, the dumb little gestures.  He needs to be more concerned about his inability to keep popping out an explosion of unforced errors.  But he is 20.

[Goldstar88]

Petty from Novak. He's mocking a 20 year old kid. Which is why even if he surpasses Roger and Rafa in terms of records he won't ever be as loved. Then again he likely doesn't care, and the winner can do what he likes.

Novak Djokovic mocked his defeated opponent Ben Shelton with a “hang up the phone” gesture after completing a straight-sets victory in the US Open semi-final.

The 20-year-old Shelton had used this distinctive celebration after his quarter-final victory over compatriot Frances Tiafoe, miming taking a call and then putting the handset down to suggest that he was “dialled in”.

So when Shelton banged his final forehand into the net, and Djokovic echoed his actions, it felt like a way of putting the young pretender in his place.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tennis/2023/09/08/ben-shelton-vs-novak-djokovic-us-open-2023-live-score/

Yep. He is who he is. Incredible tennis player… Not an incredible person. Will be pulling for Medvedev on Sunday.

Nasty Americans have been beloved. Connors and McEnroe come to mind.

Djokovic hit a lines judge in the throat with a ball and was DQ’d from the major.  He also hosted a tennis tournament with thousands of people in his home country during the height of the pandemic. This was after the ATP was already shut down and it resulted in players and fans getting sick. Then you have the whole fiasco with him flying to Australia for the AO which didn’t allow unvaccinated individuals to enter the country. Novak then tried to get an exemption so that he could still play, which was denied. This is stuff well beyond being a jerk to an opponent or umpire. Novak has repeatedly shown narcissistic tendencies.

[blink]

Sabalenka just steamrolled Coco in the 1st set.  But Sabalenka has a tendency to have mental breakdowns, and now Coco up a break in the 2nd. 

[Goldstar88]

Sabalenka just steamrolled Coco in the 1st set.  But Sabalenka has a tendency to have mental breakdowns, and now Coco up a break in the 2nd.

I’m rooting for Coco, but I do feel for Sabelenka as the crowd is cheering when she makes an error. Not very classy…

[blink]

Sabalenka just steamrolled Coco in the 1st set.  But Sabalenka has a tendency to have mental breakdowns, and now Coco up a break in the 2nd.

I’m rooting for Coco, but I do feel for Sabelenka as the crowd is cheering when she makes an error. Not very classy…

Well Coco raised the level of her game, started running EVERYTHING down, and Sabalenka is getting frustrated and then her mental mistakes start piling up.

When Sabalenka gets her head right, she seems tough to beat.  But Coco is just a human backboard out there.

[Goldstar88]

Sabalenka just steamrolled Coco in the 1st set.  But Sabalenka has a tendency to have mental breakdowns, and now Coco up a break in the 2nd.

I’m rooting for Coco, but I do feel for Sabelenka as the crowd is cheering when she makes an error. Not very classy…

Well Coco raised the level of her game, started running EVERYTHING down, and Sabalenka is getting frustrated and then her mental mistakes start piling up.

When Sabalenka gets her head right, she seems tough to beat.  But Coco is just a human backboard out there.

Oh, I 100% agree with that. Coco seems to get nervous during the 1st set of matches, but then she settles in. Hopefully she closes this thing out.

[Moranis]

1st American win at a grand slam in a long time.  Glad to see it.  Be nice for the sport if an American male emerged at some point soon

[Goldstar88]

1st American win at a grand slam in a long time.  Glad to see it.  Be nice for the sport if an American male emerged at some point soon

Kenin won the AO in 2020, but she’s fallen off a cliff since. Really happy for Coco. Her reaction after the final point was special. Pretty incredible that she won a major at 19 years old. Believe only Serena, Venus and Tracy Austin won as teenagers. Rare air.

[Moranis]

Novak is dialed in early, got out to a 3-0 lead, now 3-1 with Novak serving.

[blink]

honestly the level of play in the men's final right now isn't very good.  Lots of unforced errors on both sides.  Medvedev seems like he has a hangover, his energy level seems so low.  Both players just seem like they are playing not to lose.

I guess we got a really good men's semifinal and women's final so this just seems a bit blah so far.

[footey]

Novak is dialed in early, got out to a 3-0 lead, now 3-1 with Novak serving.

He’s the GOAT.

[SparzWizard]

Petty from Novak. He's mocking a 20 year old kid. Which is why even if he surpasses Roger and Rafa in terms of records he won't ever be as loved. Then again he likely doesn't care, and the winner can do what he likes.

Novak Djokovic mocked his defeated opponent Ben Shelton with a “hang up the phone” gesture after completing a straight-sets victory in the US Open semi-final.

The 20-year-old Shelton had used this distinctive celebration after his quarter-final victory over compatriot Frances Tiafoe, miming taking a call and then putting the handset down to suggest that he was “dialled in”.

So when Shelton banged his final forehand into the net, and Djokovic echoed his actions, it felt like a way of putting the young pretender in his place.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tennis/2023/09/08/ben-shelton-vs-novak-djokovic-us-open-2023-live-score/

Yep. He is who he is. Incredible tennis player… Not an incredible person. Will be pulling for Medvedev on Sunday.

Nasty Americans have been beloved. Connors and McEnroe come to mind.

Djokovic hit a lines judge in the throat with a ball and was DQ’d from the major.  He also hosted a tennis tournament with thousands of people in his home country during the height of the pandemic. This was after the ATP was already shut down and it resulted in players and fans getting sick. Then you have the whole fiasco with him flying to Australia for the AO which didn’t allow unvaccinated individuals to enter the country. Novak then tried to get an exemption so that he could still play, which was denied. This is stuff well beyond being a jerk to an opponent or umpire. Novak has repeatedly shown narcissistic tendencies.

Novak is like the LeBron of tennis in terms of behavior perhaps. Tho no denying he is currently the goat in his sport, now that Federer retired.

[Moranis]

1st American win at a grand slam in a long time.  Glad to see it.  Be nice for the sport if an American male emerged at some point soon

Kenin won the AO in 2020, but she’s fallen off a cliff since. Really happy for Coco. Her reaction after the final point was special. Pretty incredible that she won a major at 19 years old. Believe only Serena, Venus and Tracy Austin won as teenagers. Rare air.

3 years is a long time when talking about Americans and tennis.  Before Kenin it was Stephens at the 2017 US.  Serena won her last one at Wimbledon in 2016.  It has been awhile since the US had real chances to win consistently at Grand Slams.  The men is so ridiculously long at this point, I'm not sure when they will get one again.  In case you don't remember it was 2003.  Agassi won the Aussie and then Roddick closed the year winning the US.  Yes it has been so long for the American men that Andre Agassi was still active.