# Tennis 2012 Thread
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2012-thread/622620
**Category:** The Game Room
**Created:** [May 21, 2012, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2012-thread/622620 "2012-05-21T16:54:10Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2012, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2012-thread/622620/21 "2012-05-29T18:16:20Z")
> [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#):
>
> Except Roddick.
I know it is kind of silly to feel bad for a pro athlete who is worth millions, but I kind of do feel bad for Roddick. He rose to the top of the game briefly, only to be surpassed by a dramatic increase in talent by a few select players. For some reason, he was never able to elevate his overall game to Federer/Nadal/Djokovic levels, at least not on a consistent basis.
Hey, did Lleyton Hewitt retire this year?
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### Author:  [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2012, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2012-thread/622620/22 "2012-05-29T18:18:32Z")
No, not Roddick - not Donald Young or Sam Querrey either. But I think 12 Americans won in the first round and the women did especially well. I read that they won their first 10 matches.
Unfortunately that reminds me that Mardy Fish just disclosed that he has been unable to play because of heart trouble. He recently had surgery to fix an arrhythmia. He’s expected to be able to play again.
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### Author:  [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2012, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2012-thread/622620/23 "2012-05-29T18:20:28Z")
I’m not one of the ones who’d call it silly, I feel bad for him too. Just because he has a net worth that’s through the roof doesn’t mean he’s not a person with goals, dreams and aspirations. He’s tried so hard to be at the absolute top of the tennis world and keeps coming up short. How would anyone feel if they kept coming up short in things they were putting in as much effort as Andy has?
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### Author:  [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2012, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2012-thread/622620/24 "2012-05-29T18:23:42Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#):
>
> He rose to the top of the game briefly, only to be surpassed by a dramatic increase in talent by a few select players. For some reason, he was never able to elevate his overall game to Federer/Nadal/Djokovic levels, at least not on a consistent basis.
Roddick just isn’t as good. He did a lot to maximize the ability he did have, but for the most part he just couldn’t keep up with those guys. That being said, he was a top 10 player for about 10 years, which is not a minor achievement. He was in the year-end top 10 for nine years in a row through 2010, and he’s won at least one event every year since 2001. Federer is the only other guy who has done that.
> [@](#):
>
> Hey, did Lleyton Hewitt retire this year?
No, he’s still playing. He lost in the first round yesterday.
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### Author:  [@polar\_bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/polar_bear)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2012, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2012-thread/622620/25 "2012-05-29T19:07:21Z")
> [@Marley23](#):
>
> Nadal and Serena are the easy picks here. I hate to be boring, but there you go.
Well there goes that prediction, allthough Nadal is still a likely winner.
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### Author:  [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2012, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2012-thread/622620/26 "2012-05-29T19:07:36Z")
Well, I didn’t _quite_ see that coming. Serena was two points away from winning in the first round (in a second-set tiebreak) and managed to lose to Virginie Razzano.
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### Author:  [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2012, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2012-thread/622620/27 "2012-05-29T20:20:41Z")
Wow, I’m extra slow on the draw. I hang my head in shame.
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### Author:  [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2012, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2012-thread/622620/28 "2012-05-29T21:57:15Z")
> [@Marley23](#):
>
> Well, I didn’t _quite_ see that coming. Serena was two points away from winning in the first round (in a second-set tiebreak) and managed to lose to Virginie Razzano.
Wow, what a shocker. She’s not likely to win the French ever again, looks like.
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### Author:  [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2012, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2012-thread/622620/29 "2012-05-29T22:01:24Z")
No, probably not. And any other year that prediction wouldn’t have surprised me, but she was playing well and I thought she had a very good opportunity here. She’s also never lost in the first round of a major before. Razzano is a former top-20 player herself, although she hasn’t made any kind of significant run at a major in several years and has never been as far as a quarterfinal. This win must be especially difficult and sweet for Razzano because this is her home Slam and [she just marked the first anniversary of the death of her fiancee](http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/tennis/french11/news/story?id=6583028).
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### Author:  [@abbeytxs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abbeytxs)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2012, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2012-thread/622620/30 "2012-05-29T23:32:35Z")
I didn’t get to see the match,( it sucks having to work for a living), but did Razzano play that well, or did Serena play that badly? I read a little bit online and it sounded like Serena had some sort of mental let down. So hard to believe from her. She has always been a mentally tough player.
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### Author:  [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)
#### Post date: [May 30, 2012, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2012-thread/622620/31 "2012-05-30T01:32:31Z")
> [@abbeytxs](#):
>
> I didn’t get to see the match,( it sucks having to work for a living), but did Razzano play that well, or did Serena play that badly? I read a little bit online and it sounded like Serena had some sort of mental let down. So hard to believe from her. She has always been a mentally tough player.
They alternated playing horribly. I mean, _horribly_. It took over 20 minutes for either of them to string 3 points in a row.
Razzano also had the ref against her. She kept calling her for hindrance violations for shouting out in the middle of the point. I didn’t hear a thing, but it was a clear case of a ref interjecting herself into a match unnecessarily.
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### Author:  [@abbeytxs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abbeytxs)
#### Post date: [May 30, 2012, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2012-thread/622620/32 "2012-05-30T21:30:54Z")
> [@PunditLisa](#):
>
> They alternated playing horribly. I mean, _horribly_. It took over 20 minutes for either of them to string 3 points in a row.
>
> Razzano also had the ref against her. She kept calling her for hindrance violations for shouting out in the middle of the point. I didn’t hear a thing, but it was a clear case of a ref interjecting herself into a match unnecessarily.
I feel their pain! There are some days I would sell my soul just to put two points together!
That stinks about the ref getting overly involved in the match. While I would like to see a little more crackdown on the gamesmanship nonsense that goes on, there is a time and a place and a match where the wheels are falling off both players doesn’t seem like the ideal time or place.
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### Author:  [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)
#### Post date: [May 30, 2012, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2012-thread/622620/33 "2012-05-30T23:01:37Z")
Fernando Verdasco is through to round three. His lovely better half, Jarah Mariano, was there to cheer him on.
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### Author:  [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2012, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2012-thread/622620/34 "2012-05-31T00:41:07Z")
[The wicked witches are dead!](http://blogs.tennis.com/thewrap/2012/05/laughing-to-keep-from-crying.html)
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### Author:  [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2012, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2012-thread/622620/35 "2012-05-31T02:31:52Z")
> [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#):
>
> [The wicked witches are dead!](http://blogs.tennis.com/thewrap/2012/05/laughing-to-keep-from-crying.html)
There really ain’t enough :rolleyes:. But yes, it’s weird to watch a tournament and see Serena lose in round one and Venus in round two. I don’t know what era women’s tennis is in, but I know what era it’s _not_ in.
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### Author:  [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)
#### Post date: [May 31, 2012, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2012-thread/622620/36 "2012-05-31T11:21:16Z")
Serena’s image has definitely taken a hit these past few years. It’s too bad that she just can’t keep her mouth shut because she has the ability to play incredible tennis.
In the press conference after her loss to Razzano, a reporter asked if she knew Razzano’s hard-luck story (her fiancee died of a brain tumor a year ago). She had every opportunity to be gracious and sympathetic – after all, she’s no stranger to loss since her sister was murdered a few years ago. But, instead, she basically says, “Yeah, well, everyone has problems. I almost died last year. Venus has a terrible disease. Life sucks.”
Sigh.
I’ve got no issues with Venus, and wonder why anyone would lump them together as the Wicked Witches. Venus has shown maturity and class for as long as I’ve watched her play. Just because her sister is a brat doesn’t make her one.
Sorry that the American, Brian Baker, lost to Simon. What a shame his ailments have kept him out of the game for so long because he plays a really nice game on clay.
Once again, the recap shows don’t show Murray or Djokovic, but focuses on the Americans. It’s be nice to get a good look at how they’re playing before they reach the semis. I really need to look into internet coverage that would allow me to see more non-US players.
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### Author:  [@maplekiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maplekiwi)
#### Post date: [June 1, 2012, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2012-thread/622620/37 "2012-06-01T02:36:45Z")
What I saw of the Isner/Matthieu game was awesome (another one who has to work for a living)
Since the Williams sisters aren’t playing doubles I’m going to follow my heart & go for Erakovic/Nicolescu. They are the 16th seeds so its not imp[ossible. 🙂
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### Author:  [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)
#### Post date: [June 1, 2012, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2012-thread/622620/38 "2012-06-01T02:54:11Z")
I like Venus but I can’t stand Serena and I was thrilled to see her lose. I would like to see Caroline Wozniacki turn her game around and finally win a major.
I will rooting for Federer in the Mens. For some reason, I just don’t like “Wedgie-boy” Nadal. never have. I like D-Joker much more off the court than I do on the court. I don’t think any other guy has a chance.
How many Americans are still playing?
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### Author:  [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)
#### Post date: [June 3, 2012, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2012-thread/622620/39 "2012-06-03T14:49:59Z")
Spoiler alert if you have RG taped:
’
’
’
Women’s draw is now wide open. I’m happy for Cibulkova after her heartbreaking loss to Azarenka in Miami. Still rooting for Li Na, though her play just isn’t up to par.
Djokovic is battling back after being down two sets to Seppi.
As far as the Federer match goes, all I can say is “Wow.” Go David Goffin!
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### Author:  [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)
#### Post date: [June 3, 2012, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2012-thread/622620/40 "2012-06-03T15:23:01Z")
Oh, and despite their claims, I cannot get the live streaming to work at [TennisChannel.com](http://TennisChannel.com). I can see the CapitolOne Ad just fine, but after that, nothing. Rats cause I wanted to see the Federer match more than the Djokovic match.
I agree with the commentators that Azarenka’s attitude the whole tournament sucked.
Djokovic’s shorts are too tight. And Federer’s shirt looks like a bird shat on it.
That’s all for now.
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