Running Tennis Thread 2022

Meanwhile, Sharapova is pregnant.

Maria Sharapova announces pregnancy on 35th birthday - CNN

 

Much like the Masters, Wimbledon is held at a small private club, and that small private club has made the decision on the Russia/Belarus players. The ATP and WTA are trying to get involved but I don't know how much luck they'll have.

 

Don't know if any of you are paying attention to the runup to the French Open, but we appear to be witnessing the ascent of the next dominant player.

Carlos Alcaraz might be the best player on earth right now. Over the past few days he's beaten Rafa and Djokovic back-to-back to advance to the final in Madrid. He's won three tournaments this year -- he also won in Miami and Rio. He lost to Nadal in a tight match in the Indian Wells semifinals.

He's currently ranked No. 9, but that's going up, especially if he takes out Zverev to win the tournament.

Alcaraz is the guy no one wants to play at Roland Garros.

 

I read about him last year and have been tracking him. Really talented and appears to be nice person as well. Solid strokes with nice speed and footwork. FINALLY the next great one? I hope, I’m tired of the big 3 (plus Andy )

 

Alcaraz just blew away Zverev 6-3, 6-1.

He won’t be the No. 1 seed in Paris, but he is the man to beat.

 

Djokovic finally gets his first tournament title of the year by beating Tsitsipas in the Rome final. Alcaraz sat that one out. With Nadal's status iffy, I still think Alcaraz is the favorite in the French.

Meanwhile, Swiatek has established herself as the clear No. 1 on the women's side. She blew away Jabeur in the final for her fifth tournament championship this year. The only player who made her sweat even a little in Rome was Andreescu, who took her to a tiebreak in the first set but got bageled in the second.

Andreescu seems to be finally healthy and has played better of late. I'd love to see her become the factor she was a few years ago.

 

Not sure if it's set in stone yet, but ATP and WTA voting not to award ranking points at Wimbledon or its affiliated events --- basically any tournament banning players based on where they squirted out of a womb.

 

So both tours are not going to award ranking points at Wimbledon, which seems fair.

But the 52-week rolling schedule moves on, meaning all ranking points earned last year come off, which I'm not sure is fair.

It means Djokovic will lose the 2,000 points he got last year and will lose the No. 1 ranking (likely to Medvedev). While I agree Medvedev should not be punished in the rankings for not being able to play, he shouldn't be rewarded, either. Decision seems to punish the players who did best there last year. Medvedev lost in the Round of 16, so he only loses 180 points.

Seems like since they're treating the tournament as an exhibition, don't take away the points earned there in 2021 UNTIL you grant the players a chance to defend them, which would be next year, I guess.

 

Unless you’re a player, does anyone care? I don’t think so. A player who feels this all is so unjust should simply not show up this year and we all know that’s not going to happen.

 

Won’t publicly celebrating your win over Osaka trigger her mental health episode and be considered cruel?

 

Two-time French Open finalist and 2020 U.S Open champ Dominic Thiem loses 10th match in a row since coming back from a torn tendon in his right wrist. To a Bolivian ranked 87th.

Says he may play some Challenger-level (Triple-A) matches to see if he can win and regain some confidence.