Running tennis thread 2025

[da man]

Coco is out -- lost to Paula Badosa 7-5, 6-4.

Her shaky second serve cost her. She won just 35% of her second-serve points and just 24% (5-for-21) in the second set, with six double faults, four of them in the second set. Two of those came in the opening game of the set, in which she was broken, and another on a break point to go down 2-5. She finished with 31 winners but 41 unforced errors, 25 of those in the final set.

 

[da man]

Here's what I'll say in defense of the call: The feather was floating down in front of Zverev as the ball was coming to him, so the umpire probably called the let as a precaution thinking the player could have been distracted or confused by the moving object in his line of vision (not because it landed on the court). We've had to stop points in our Sunday tennis group when a yellow butterfly fluttered across the court while the ball was in play.

 

[da man]

"Pretty forking good" has a poor record in major semifinals. Andy Murray and David Ferrer were "pretty forking good" too.

Djoker might slip in one more a la Tiger Woods but let's face it, it's over.

Djokovic one game away from beating Alacaraz in the quarters.

Yeah, the guy should hang it up.

 

[da man]

And Djoker closes it out.

So it's Djokovic vs. No. 2 Zverev in the semis.

 

[da man]

Sabalenka had to battle, but she took care of business in the quarters, beating Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (Brad Gilbert calls her "Scrabble") 6-2, 2-6, 6-3.

There's still a ways to go, but we're setting up for a Sabalenka-Swiatek winner-take-all final for the No. 1 ranking.

Iga has been destroying people. She put up a bagel for the third match in a row in crushing Eva Lys (the first lucky loser to ever advance to the fourth round) 6-0, 6-1.

Iga has now lost a grand total of four games in those three matches. She'll next face Emma Navarro, who has fought through four three-set wins to get to the quarters.

 

[qtlaw]

Iga v Sabalenka would be great;

Djoker with an epic win; he won it, it wasn't given to him.

Amazing to think that all Alcaraz needs for the career Slam is the Aussie. So young.

 

[da man]

Well, Navarro's taken three games from Swiatek, which is more than anyone has accomplished since Round 1.

She lost the first set 6-1 and is even at 2-2 in the second.

 

[da man]

Semifinals are set.

Sabalenka vs. Badosa and Swiatek vs. Madison Keys tomorrow morning (for us).

Djokovic-Zverev and Sinner-Shelton the following day.

 

[da man]

So much for the Sabalenka-Swiatek showdown. Keys held tough for a stunning 5-7, 6-1, 7-6 (10-8) victory.

Iga broke to go up 6-5 and was serving for the match, and had a match point, but double-faulted on break point to send it to a 10-point tiebreak. She was up a minibreak several times, the last at 7-5, but Keys got back on serve, served an ace to tie it 8-8 and closed it out from there.

 

[qtlaw]

So much for the Sabalenka-Swiatek showdown. Keys held tough for a stunning 5-7, 6-1, 7-6 (10-8) victory.

Iga broke to go up 6-5 and was serving for the match, and had a match point, but double-faulted on break point to send it to a 10-point tiebreak. She was up a minibreak several times, the last at 7-5, but Keys got back on serve, served an ace to tie it 8-8 and closed it out from there.

Bummed, really wanted to see Iga v Sabalenka. Keys maybe only other player who can out hit her.

 

[dixiehack]

Is ESPN really benefiting by paying Chris Fowler to parachute into Melbourne for just the last couple of days?

 

[dixiehack]

And a reeling Joker retires after one lengthy set. Never looked right physically.