Love, Balls and Courting: Tennis V

[Sylvia]

C'mon Rafa - join the oldies group in the finals! He's currently up 2 sets to 1 on Dimitrov, 3-3 in 4th ...

ETA:

Dimitrov won the 4th set tiebreaker 7-4 - onto to the final set!

 

[Sylvia]

RAFA WINS!

 

[Marta24]

Yay! Fedal!

 

[Hindernisse]

Roger - Rafa final! This is so 2008.

 

[Lorac]

Both the men's and women's finals are such throw backs. I really can't call the men's one - I just hope it is a classic - though I would love Roger to win another GS. As much as I love Venus I don't think she can stop her sister - though I would prefer a Venus win. Here's hoping for great matches.

Go the oldies

 

[Sylvia]

Serena Williams Beats Venus Williams to Win Her 7th Australian Open Title
By CHRISTOPHER CLAREY
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/28/sports/tennis/serena-williams-venus-australian-open.html

“There’s no way I would be at 23 without her or 1 without her,” Serena Williams said of her sister in the on-court ceremony after their match. “Thank you, Venus, for inspiring me to be the best player I could be.”
...
“That’s my little sister, guys,” she said, pointing to Serena at the ceremony.
She then spoke to Serena directly. “I’m enormously proud of you,” Venus Williams said. “You mean the world to me.”

 

[Lorac]

Well as I thought Venus couldn't get past Serena. Still making her first GS final in 8 years with her medical condition is huge so I'm sure she is pleased with her result.

But congrats to Serena - 23 GS singles titles - what a record. I doubt that will be broken anytime soon and does add to the argument that she is the female GOAT!! Well done Serena

 

[aftershocks]

"2000s era tennis rivalries are getting a surprising encore"

http://www.sbnation.com/tennis/2017...er-federer-rafael-nadal-serena-venus-williams

"Venus vs. Serena and Roger vs. Rafa defined the sport of tennis in the 2000s. We’re well into the 2010s now, however, and this wasn’t supposed to happen again. Bask in this. It is hard as hell to reach tennis’ pinnacle, and it’s even harder to find a rival to take you there so constantly."

Here are highlights of Venus vs Serena final Australian Open 2017:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QZ0eDFKyi8

Here's the full Venus/Serena match:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-ZiLqDILis

"Venus vs Serena: How History was Made"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6JF0OuR39A

Serena's interview with ESPN:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQHZapY1uz4
Serena: "Venus and I are thirty-fun... [This was] a celebration for everything we've done in sport ... everything we've tried to do to inspire people..."

And a special surprise gift box is presented to Serena at the end of the interview from another great sports champion. Very cool.

From March 2016, here was Steffi Graf's classy take on the possibility of her record being broken by Serena:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/af...-Serena-Williams-break-major-record-soon.html

 

[my little pony]

i am too old for 3 am tennis, i feel like death

 

[miffy]

Vamos Rafa

 

[aftershocks]

Rafa interview about playing Federer again: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5Mb7qPnKCs

Federer interview about playing Rafa again: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeLD62_3Yy4

Road to the men's final: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63hXF_pOirM

 

[my little pony]

they are dressed too much alike for me. someone needs a neon shirt.

 

[miffy]

Nike must be making a lot of those matching shoes and socks up for sale

 

[Lorac]

OMG Federer did it . GS number 18. Way to go Roger

 

[fscric]

If I had one more day's rest, I would be fresh as a daisy, too.

 

[twinsissv]

YAY ROGER!!!
TWIN POWER DOES IT AGAIN!!!

 

[Jimena]

Thrilled about Roger. What great news to wake up to. He will forever be my GOAT.

 

[jenny12]

Congrats to Federer! I honestly thought he was done winning grand slams! Very impressive, old man!

 

[my little pony]

oh my GOAT you guys! everything is so shitty right now, this makes me almost feel human feelings again. thank you roger!

 

[oleada]

So happy to wake up to this instead of the usual tire fire
Roger! :encore;

 

[skatingfan5]

"Old man" Federer and his beautiful tennis win another major!

 

[FSfan107]

OMG!!! I'm sooooo happy!!!! ROGER!!!!!!! Number 18!!! So many counted him out.

I got up at 3:30 to watch the whole thing. Fell asleep immediately after the ceremony. I was sick to my stomach watching the 5th set!

 

[aftershocks]

Great match! But the best is how they're both amazing champions!!! Rafa Roger Forever

Some of those winning shots from both guys!

Match highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhM6BqKo9vw

 

[Vash01]

I am late coming to this thread.

Congrats to Serena and Venus for making it a great final, and of course to Serena on her 23rd Grand Slam title. Now she is behind only Margaret Court (24 titles). Can she tie her this season? We will see.

Unfortunately I missed the mens final. I forgot to set up my DVR (didn't want to get up at 1:30 am to watch it) and kicked myself afterwards. Sounds like a fantastic final between two great champions. Congrats to Federer on his record setting victory.

 

[Jimena]

You can stream it on ESPN with your cable subscription. So worth it.

 

[Lorac]

Watching the Davis Cup tie between GB and Canada and it ended with GB winning the final rubber with a DQ after the young Canadian walloped the ball in anger in the direction of the crowd and hit the umpire directly in the face.

To be fair GB were 2 sets and a break up - which was the point that got the Canadian so riled up but still. A very weird and sad way to win/lose a match. A tough lesson to learn for anyone.

 

[Rottie]

I guess I was so excited about the AO finals, I forgot to post here. But what a time-traveling experience! Serena is definitely up there with the greatest athletes of all time, and Roger... what can one say? #18 at age 35? It was a great five-set match and totally made my week. Will be rooting for Rafa to win another FO.

 

[missing]

Uncle Toni won't be coaching Rafa after 2017.

 

[douglasottawa]

I am late coming to this thread.

Congrats to Serena and Venus for making it a great final, and of course to Serena on her 23rd Grand Slam title. Now she is behind only Margaret Court (24 titles). Can she tie her this season? We will see.

Unfortunately I missed the mens final. I forgot to set up my DVR (didn't want to get up at 1:30 am to watch it) and kicked myself afterwards. Sounds like a fantastic final between two great champions. Congrats to Federer on his record setting victory.

Serena is already the obvious womens GOAT, even more obvious than Federer is on the mens side even though both are GOATs IMO. Still would like to see her break Court's mark. She doesnt need to, she is already firmly established as top women ever, but that mark bloated by illegit Australian Open has been around way too long and needs to be erased.

 

[Seerek]

In addition to Margaret Court's 24 singles majors, Serena could aim for Steffi Graf's record of Weeks at #1 as well (but yes, the 23 singles + 14 doubles majors, Olympic singles/doubles gold, 5 WTA Finals wins, etc. puts Serena in strong position to be considered best in the Open era for sure).