I’d still take Rafa on a flip v Thiem without a second thought.

I watched him beat Pospisil in this final. Pretty impressive. I think Novak said last month that Sinner has the skills to be world number 1 some day.

He's definitely on the radar for the 2021 thread curse. Rublev has made a strong push as well. No one else really jumps out at me, except Thiem I guess, but I think that goes against the spirit of the thread title player. I suppose Tsitsipas could throw his name in the hat.

I'm the one that started the tradition (as far as I know) and my idea was to pick someone that had a good previous year and who I thought had the best chance to break thru and win a slam in the new season.

They're playing this without linespeople- "Hawkeyes live" and the chair umpire calling the lines.

That's the way it should've been ever since hawkeye and similar systems were invented.

Every year at the WTF I try to watch some doubles and fall asleep after 10 minutes.

Here's how I handicap the rest of the RR matches:

djokovic > schwartzman by 7 games
medvedev > zverev by 3
zverev > schwartzman by 6
thiem - nadal flip
djokovic > medvedev by 2
medvedev > schwartzman by 6
nadal > tsitsipas by 5
rublev > thiem by 1
rublev > tsitsipas by 1
djokovic > zverev by 4

Australian Open updated plans here

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/20...ustralian-open

It seems Tennis Australia want to do all of the events, that normally would be spread across all 6 states, in Victoria and Melbourne. Essentially the same as how Cinci and NY were both played out in the same area, but at a larger scale.

Victoria Premier Andrews is less keen on the plan, and a few extra details are being worked through.

-----------------------------

Since March, different states have held different rules in regards to border closures to other states. Victoria got hit super hard in June and locked down for three months, only coming out in the last few weeks. As we speak, another cluster one state over (South Australia) has hit which is currently in progress. After months of no cases, 3 cases yeseterday and 17 today.

Depending on how this Adelaide/SA cluster shakes out the next few weeks will probably determine how/if the Australian swing of tennis goes ahead this year.

I'd probably say that the ATP/WTA end up making it happen. Australia can have sports with crowds atm, and that will likely stay the same at least until January, so its a pretty prime opportunity to make some money, as well as create a better product for TV then a generic crowdless court.

Australia has handled this so much better than most.

Zverev being completely useless today.

fixed

Would anyone be interested in a 2021 season long tennis PEEHS, and/or australian open PEEHS? If there is I'll run them, as long as I can get a volunteer to send my own answers to.

I'm in for either

In for both

This sets been really good, best set I can remember for a while.

4-2 in the tie breaker, been a load of mini breaks.

5-2 with rafa on serve. Thiems arse collapses when it matters. Again.

Or not, 5-4

Gets to 5-5 then double faults... just when you think

Well well well...

Ya that was high quality tennis. They are both playing great. Nadal seems to be a little frustrated, like hey I am playing this level go away.

Weird to say after blowing a 5-2 tiebreak lead in the 1st and being immediately broken back in the second, but it's still incredible to watch Nadal play the big points. It's so rare that he beats himself which is why so many epic points involving him happen in the biggest moments. That 30-40 point was just another example.

He's probably the most mentally tough player ever, across any sport.

His WIM is off the charts.

Fair play Thiem.

2 tb

3 out of 4 wins for him against Rafa now.

Tide slowly turning.

Rublev's got heart, such a grinder.

I really like all the young guns right now, except zverev. Whoever picked him for thread title that one year was an idiot.

wooow that was some nervous donkery in the tb

Rublev you gotta stop it with the serve and volley bro it's not working.

AO 2021 is shaping up to be a real cluster****: https://opencourt.ca/wordpress/2020/...r-pushed-back/

Quality stuff from thread title. He’s defo the best player outside the big 3 for me

Why does Medvedev's forehand look so strange? It's not just the unusual finish around the neck, the swing and contact look odd as well.

I'm I right in saying it's basically a straight knock out between Rafa v Tsits to play Medv and Novax v Zverev to play Thiem with the other two being dead rubbers?