Tennis Forever

[JamesDap]

Er, the point again is I have not made wild allegations. I have simply used two different factual things: (a) Nadal's constant pleading and whining for slow courts and bashing of first strike tennis and (b) the slowing down of courts from 2008 onwards. There are plenty of quotable quotes from The Bull in that regard; if you don't believe me on that then google is your friend. I can show you videos of Fed-Roddick match in Aus Open 2007 vis a vis 2009; same players and relatively aggressive, flat hitting but the difference in pace is pretty evident. So don't tell me that is just a Fed fanboy myth, courts have very obviously and perceptibly slowed down and a few are playing a bit fast again this year.

I have also never said Rafa paid or otherwise coerced ATP to slow down the courts. I am simply referring to the fact that he and Toni publicly try to influence opinion in favour of long rallies and conditions that suit them. That I hate. It's simply none of Rafa's business what kind of tennis public should or shouldn't get to see. He's a player and he should do his job. My comment that perhaps ATP just got fed up of his whining and decided to speed up courts anyway was more sarcastic but that should have been obvious from the tone. But again, to insinuate that the only reason I or Arvind are saying Arthur Ashe is playing fast is because there is no Bull this time is rubbish. I mean, if you can't see the way the ball is simply exploding off the surface in Groth's serves to Federer (match going on as I type), then there is no point in discussing it further. This Arthur Ashe hasn't been there since 2009. Possibly they slowed it down that year in the hope of a repeat of the Fed-Rafa epic at Aus Open that year. I don't know what reasons but that they wanted to see more long rallies is evident.

[JamesDap]

Halep knocked out by Lucic! Was expecting this. I think with the court playing faster, the older players who have strokes are going to bash youngistan this time; there won't be infinite time to somehow dig out balls and stay in rallies. Peng also upset Radwanska on Wednesday. Though on the other hand, Venus lost to Errani in three.

[raagadevan]

My comment that perhaps ATP just got fed up of his whining and decided to speed up courts anyway was more sarcastic but that should have been obvious from the tone. But again, to insinuate that the only reason I or Arvind are saying Arthur Ashe is playing fast is because there is no Bull this time is rubbish.

Obviously, you don't know the meaning of the word "sarcastic"; or, you recognize sarcasm only when you yourself utter "rubbish"!

[JamesDap]

Yeah, right, whatever. I mean, if that's the best you've got. Just admit you felt offended at Bull bashing instead of trying so hard to sound 'neutral'. At least that would be honest.

[JamesDap]

You needlessly brought in Bull when all I and Arvind were saying was that Arthur Ashe seemed to be playing fast. I gave you a suitable riposte to that and from your subsequent responses, it's pretty clear my dart found its mark and hit home pretty hard. I hope you enjoyed it, good day.

[raagadevan]

You needlessly brought in Bull when all I and Arvind were saying was that Arthur Ashe seemed to be playing fast. I gave you a suitable riposte to that and from your subsequent responses, it's pretty clear my dart found its mark and hit home pretty hard. I hope you enjoyed it, good day.

I think you should leave Arvind out of this discussion. I am sure he would want to express his response on his own.

Just because you say you admire 19-year-old Nick Kyrgios, you do not become an unbiased lover of tennis admiring the new generation of players, or someone concerned about the future of tennis. You love Kyrgios only because he defeated Nadal at Wimbledon; plain and simple!

If you want to be delusional that your "dart found its mark and hit home pretty hard", there is nothing anybody can do to fix it! Obviously you are confused.

I too hope you enjoyed it, whatever it is! Good luck, and have a good day!

[JamesDap]

And what on earth has Kyrgios got to do with fast courts? I call BULLSHIT, BULLSHIT and triple BULLSHIT. Don't think you can just weasel out like that. Arthur Ashe IS playing faster this year. It is obvious even now in the ongoing Sharapova-Lisicki match. No amount of pretending by you that I am saying that just because I am an RF fan will change that. If you have ever picked up a racquet in your life, you wouldn't dispute my observation about the court speed this year...or maybe bias blinds you too much even so to admit to it.

FYKI, I noticed Kyrgios even before he was scheduled to play Nadal. I was tracking his progress and knew when he played Nadal that this was something to watch out for. I even noticed Luke Saville in a first round loss to Dimitrov because he showed talent and promise for a first timer in Wimbledon. I notice these things because I am not one of those star obsessed tennis fans I ranted about. Your pretending that I like him only because he beat Nadal exposes the full extent of your Bull-fanboyism even more and I am glad it is coming out. Carry on whining. Is there some similarity there between the Bull and his fans, I wonder...the wish to whine.

But, once again, how fast Arthur Ashe is playing this year has absolutely nought to do with Kyrgios or any other player. If it's fast, it's fast. I even specifically mentioned as fast as any time since 2001 because it was even faster in the 90s. It was a very objective comment and your pathetic attempt at 'humour' to take the edge of a whiny comment only ended up exposing how much of a Nadal fanboy you are. Ha ha, Kyrgios and Arthur Ashe, never would have thought somebody was going to make that connection. If I am not mistaken, he has yet to play on Arthur Ashe this time.

[raagadevan]

Goodbye, and have a good day!

[ajithfederer]

Must be realllllllllyyyyy Harrrrrrdddd for rafa fans to see a 33 year old father of 4 kids being fit and playing a grandslam compared to a 28 year old (supposed to be in his prime) not playing a grandslam for dubious reasons!!!!.Hey don't shoot the messenger!

[JamesDap]

^^^ Somebody (a Nadal fan, obviously) was trying to tell me (this was around Cincy, I think) that Fed is basically the greatest opportunist and preys on chances to win slams when none of his 'true' rivals are around. I said even if that is the case, it's been that way since 2003. When he was beating Hewitt, Rod or Safin, he was 'lucky'...lucky that some player didn't turn up that day or simply got injured. Same story continues even as Fed has won 5 slams post Bull dethroning him in Wimb 2008. So much for lucky player, huh. Wins 5 slams in the 'Golden Era' even when he is past his physical prime. Oh wait, I know how that rolls too. Got lucky that Murray beat Nadal to allow Fed to win USO, Soderling let him win RG and Rosol allowed him to win Wimbledon in 2012. And of course it's totally not Murray or Djoko's fault that they couldn't match Fed under the Centre Court Roof, it's just Fed getting lucky. And of course Fed deserves no credit whatsoever for playing well enough to reach the finals and seize these 'lucky' opportunities. And LOAT just pays no attention to such pricks and keeps giving his fans more glimpses of his artistry, which is all they have really been interested in from the beginning. So lucky he never had to pull out of a Grand Slam right from Wimb 2003 unlike 'poor', 'humble' Bull.