# Tennis 2012 Thread **URL:** \ **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:** 27
**Author:** ![RedFury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ec9cab/32.png) [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2012, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2012-thread/622620/522 "2012-09-12T21:36:19Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > He’d have to be on the list too, although I think that’s an exaggeration of how good he was. He has 11 career titles and finished in the top 10 five times, although he never finished a year higher than sixth. Nalbandian was a very strong player for a while, but he never made another major final after Wimbledon in 2002. He’s actually a few months younger than Federer is. Basically he didn’t win anything of consequence after he turned 26 because he couldn’t keep up with Federer and Nadal and the others, and his results were tailing off a little even then. I blame it on his fat ass. He was all talent, no work. But if you watched the '07 Master Series in Madrid\* & Paris when he was in one of his best moments ever, you might remember just how good he could be – beat Nadal & Fed in consecutive semis and finals. Only man to do so until Djoker did it last year. Check this out: [**Roger Federer vs David Nalbandian – Paris 2007 Highlights**](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odkPtGvB6ck) So no, I don’t think I exaggerate. In fact, I wasn’t a fan of his, but couldn’t help but marvel at his game. Specially the insane angles he could create off of his exquisite backhand. \*on carpet back then. ---
**Author:** ![iamnotbatman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/858c86/32.png) [@iamnotbatman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamnotbatman)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2012, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2012-thread/622620/523 "2012-09-13T08:19:01Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I never got around to offering a final thought on Roddick and I’ve talked about his career at length in other threads, but in passing, the guy had a seriously great run. He had one of the hardest _and_ most accurate serves in the history of the sport, won a Grand Slam event, reached three other major finals For the record, he reached **four** other major finals (losing all four to Federer). ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2012, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2012-thread/622620/524 "2012-09-13T11:24:12Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > \*\* > Outside Thomas Johansson, who is the “worst” player to win a major? Men and women, if you like. \*\* > > And yes, please state if you think they are worse than Johansson. There was some Aussie who won the Australian Open while being ranked about 200. He has to be worse. In addition to Johansson, who did not win his major as much as Safin lost it. 1. Gaston Gaudio? Never amounted to much. Never got past the 4th round besides that final victory. Johansson at least reached Semis and Quarters of other majors. 2)Petr Korda. He was a mediocre player, though he did reach two slam finals. He was also a druggie to boot. 2. Alberto Costa. Never won anything except on clay. Besides that; Carlos Moya? Nah, was world number 1. Although that was in 1999, when _I_ could have been world number 1, the way the ranking bounced about that year was ridiculous. Richard Kraijek? He reached several Semi Finals in his career. Was unlucky to often have to play great players in tournaments. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2012-thread/622620/525 "2012-10-06T13:20:43Z")
Someone is threatening to kill Federer in China “purpose of tennis extermination”. [Read about it here.](http://tennis.si.com/2012/10/04/roger-federer-death-threat-shanghai/?section=si_latest) ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2012-thread/622620/526 "2012-10-06T15:37:00Z")
It’s probably just some crank on the internet, although the security people will have to make sure they do an A-plus job regardless. Murray and Djokovic are back in action this week and Shanghai will be Federer’s first tournament since the U.S. Open. Nadal’s camp is saying he may start practicing again soon, but they’re sending very mixed signals about when he might be ready to play a tournament. He is supposed to play Djokovic in an exhibition match in (I think) December. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2012-thread/622620/527 "2012-10-06T15:40:43Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > It’s probably just some crank on the internet, although the security people will have to make sure they do an A-plus job regardless. Murray and Djokovic are back in action this week and Shanghai will be Federer’s first tournament since the U.S. Open. Nadal’s camp is saying he may start practicing again soon, but they’re sending very mixed signals about when he might be ready to play a tournament. He is supposed to play Djokovic in an exhibition match in (I think) December. I’m hearing Nadal will be back December 27 at the Mubadala World Tennis Tournament, followed by the Australian Open. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2012-thread/622620/528 "2012-10-06T15:42:17Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > There was some Aussie who won the Australian Open while being ranked about 200. He has to be worse. > > . Are you thinking of Mark Edmonson? The last Australian player to win the Open? He did beat John Newcombe although he was probably at the end of his career. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2012-thread/622620/529 "2012-10-06T16:53:10Z")
> [@Cicero](#): > > Are you thinking of Mark Edmonson? The last Australian player to win the Open? He did beat John Newcombe although he was probably at the end of his career. Yes. That would be it. But the Australian Open was often poorly attended then. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2012-thread/622620/530 "2012-10-06T16:54:15Z")
When is Lleyton Hewitt going to retire? 2013 Australian? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2012, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2012-thread/622620/531 "2012-10-30T01:22:53Z")
[Federer lost to Del Potro and is pulling out of the Paris Masters to focus on the year-end championship.](http://edition.cnn.com/2012/10/29/sport/tennis/tennis-federer-djokovic-ranking/index.html?hpt=hp_t2) He loses the #1 ranking to Djokovic for doing so, but I honestly don’t blame him. “It’s just too much,” he said. Tennis does require way too much from these guys and I think he made the right move. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2012-thread/622620/532 "2012-10-31T20:33:34Z")
Djokovic celebrates his #1 year-end ranking security by bageling(6-0) Same Querrey in his first match since he learned he would be #1 this year. [Then loses the match](http://www.tennis.com/news/2012/10/paris-querrey-d-djokovic/39971/#.UJGKlYZriok). Final score: 6-0, 6-7(5), 4-6 Very funny. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2012-thread/622620/533 "2012-11-01T15:19:04Z")
D’oh! Novak had one of those rare off-days I think. Anyhow, we are now at the end of a long season and I think we can forgive the top guys for taking their eyes of the ball (ha!). It’ll be interesting to see how it pans out at the O2 tournament in London. It is one that they tend to save themselves for in a last hurrah and looking at the form going I reckon you have to fancy Murray for it. Home crowd, favoured surface, an excellent second half of the season, his fitness looks good. He could do well. As for the others, there is no doubt that Federer is starting to wind down (as he fully deserves) Novak is looking a little erratic and poor Rafa is having a world of trouble with his knee. I mentioned it earlier in the thread but I really think we have seen the last of him as a major force. I just don’t see how he can play his astonishingly dynamic game on dodgy knees. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2012-thread/622620/534 "2012-11-01T19:46:22Z")
Murray is out as well, now. What and odd tournament. Roger should have joined in and he might have just walked through to a victory. Or not, I doubt he cares. Anyway, Murray lost to Jerzy Janowicz, the rare player I have zero memory of. Good for him. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2012-thread/622620/535 "2012-11-01T19:49:46Z")
Spain David Ferrer Czech Republic Tomáš Berdych France Jo-Wilfried Tsonga Serbia Janko Tipsarević Spain Nicolás Almagro Switzerland Stanislas Wawrinka Forgive the messy pasting, but that is who is left of our seeds. Who will win? I think it will be Wawrinka or Ferrer. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2012-thread/622620/536 "2012-11-01T19:50:13Z")
Del Potro also lost. This tournament is making a very loud “the season is too long” argument. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2012-thread/622620/537 "2012-11-01T20:03:47Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Del Potro also lost. This tournament is making a very loud “the season is too long” argument. No kidding. I think it is more likely that Federer is just home laughing about the whole thing. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2012, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2012-thread/622620/538 "2012-11-04T23:12:36Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Who will win? I think it will be Wawrinka or Ferrer. And…it was Ferrer, winning his first Masters tournament. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2012, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2012-thread/622620/539 "2012-11-12T01:25:55Z")
Federer vs. Djokovic for the year-end final. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2012, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2012-thread/622620/540 "2012-11-12T05:05:12Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > And…it was Ferrer, winning his first Masters tournament. Ending a streak of 17 straight Masters events won by the Big Four. The last guy outside the top four to win one of these was Soderling in Paris at the end of 2010. I hope Soderling comes back at some point. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2012, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2012-thread/622620/541 "2012-11-12T08:39:35Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Federer vs. Djokovic for the year-end final. Hands up who predicted that? Ah, about half of you. Hands up who predicted Murray v Djokovic? Ah, the other half. I have to say that, though I predicted a Murray win Federer played some frankly unbelievable tennis yesterday. Really rather special. I suspect the little break he had has done him good. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2012-thread/622620.md?page=26) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2012-thread/622620.md?page=28)