# Tennis 2023 Discussion **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** tennis\ **Created:** [January 9, 2023, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2023-discussion/977929 "2023-01-09T17:20:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2023, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2023-discussion/977929/61 "2023-07-16T03:01:58Z")
She just had a baby. The desire to have a normal life and not put off childbearing into your 30s isn’t that strange. Naomi Ōsaka just did the same. > [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > She really could’ve kept on going. (more so than Halep currently is) Apparently an elite cricketer, she just figured…actually I honestly don’t really know why she decided to stop playing professionally. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2023, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2023-discussion/977929/62 "2023-07-16T04:55:37Z")
> [@Mighty\_Mouse](#): > > She just had a baby. The desire to have a normal life and not put off childbearing into your 30s isn’t that strange. Naomi Ōsaka just did the same. Of course it isn’t strange, I just didn’t realise that that was the reason. Looking forward to tomorrow’s final. Finally catching some, for once. Heh, here’s hoping it’ll psyche me enough to replicate exactly as played when I hit the grass court tomorrow. (I actually look after the court, mowing it every Friday, fertilizing, coring, etc.) ---
**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:** [July 16, 2023, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2023-discussion/977929/63 "2023-07-16T15:38:36Z")
It’s a heck of men’s final. Alcaraz lost the first set in 30+ minutes and it looked like an easy victory for Novak. Nope, Alcaraz won the tiebreak in the second set and is actually up in the third set. I still think Novak will come back and win this thing because he is so fit and unstoppable when he is at his best, but I would not be shocked at this point for Alcaraz to win. ---
**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:** [July 16, 2023, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2023-discussion/977929/64 "2023-07-16T16:04:44Z")
They just played a game with about 14-15 deuces and Alcaraz won, putting him 4-1 up in the third set. It really is incredible to watch Djokovic almost look frazzled. ---
**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:** [July 16, 2023, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2023-discussion/977929/65 "2023-07-16T17:20:24Z")
An incredible final for Wimbledon this year. ---
**Author:** ![Stanislaus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stanislaus/32/3391_2.png) [@Stanislaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stanislaus)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2023, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2023-discussion/977929/66 "2023-07-16T17:49:18Z")
This is unbelievable. Can he hold his nerve now? ---
**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:** [July 16, 2023, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2023-discussion/977929/67 "2023-07-16T17:51:48Z")
30-30 now. Two points to win it. ---
**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:** [July 16, 2023, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2023-discussion/977929/68 "2023-07-16T17:53:39Z")
Alcaraz wins. This guy is the real deal for sure. Imagine how much he can win once Nadal and Novak are retired. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2023, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2023-discussion/977929/69 "2023-07-16T17:56:04Z")
Reckon Nadal is retired and doesn’t know it yet. ---
**Author:** ![Stanislaus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stanislaus/32/3391_2.png) [@Stanislaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stanislaus)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2023, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2023-discussion/977929/70 "2023-07-16T17:56:16Z")
One of the great finals. Djokovich is hardly done yet, but feels like the beginning of a new era ---
**Author:** ![Lantern2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lantern2/32/3010_2.png) [@Lantern2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern2)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2023, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2023-discussion/977929/71 "2023-07-16T18:16:56Z")
What a match and that endless game in the third set was just amazing; I am wondering if it beat the record for the longest game in a grand slam final. Some beautiful and gutsy drop shots by Alacaraz in the fifth set too. Alcaraz shows he is a worthy successor to the Big Three. I suspect in a decade or so he will become part of the GOAT debate and this win against Dojokovic in a five-set grand slam final will be an important point in the 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:** [July 16, 2023, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2023-discussion/977929/72 "2023-07-16T18:16:59Z")
> [@Mighty\_Mouse](#): > > Reckon Nadal is retired and doesn’t know it yet. Possibly. ---
**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:** [July 16, 2023, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2023-discussion/977929/73 "2023-07-16T18:23:30Z")
Novak has the right mindset. “I won a couple finals I should have lost. So this is ‘Even Steven’.” It’s true. He’s won nailbiters for sure. ---
**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:** [July 16, 2023, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2023-discussion/977929/74 "2023-07-16T18:31:35Z")
Alcaraz was born almost two years _after_ 9/11. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2023, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2023-discussion/977929/75 "2023-07-17T12:40:02Z")
That was absolutely amazing to watch. Especially the 3rd set 27-minute back and forth! I was trying to do laundry, but it was on pause until the end of that set. I think that might have been the best match I’ve ever seen. ---
**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:** [July 17, 2023, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2023-discussion/977929/76 "2023-07-17T13:21:42Z")
2008 with Nadal and Federer is the best of all time, but this was terrific. When Nadal met Federer, it was two titans at peak performance both delivering tennis on a level never before seen. Federer had won many Wimbledons and Nadal was proving he was his equal. I’ve seen all the big ones since. Nothing has matched that day. Edit: The best matches are when both players play their best and that is why Carlos win is so amazing. Novak actually did quite well. Carlos had him rattled, a truly rare accomplishment. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2023, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2023-discussion/977929/77 "2023-07-17T14:21:27Z")
Yes, that was an exciting final. Alcaraz was nervous the first set, and lost it quickly. He was playing very aggressively and not making his shots. But he settled down in the second set. After losing the tiebreaker for second set, Djokovic was visibly rattled the first game of the third. He doesn’t lose tiebreakers! After getting his service game broken for the second time, he gave up the set. Djokovic was back to form in the fourth set, but getting tired in fifth. The hard fall on his butt didn’t help. His age really started to show at the end, while Alcaraz still had plenty of energy. Good sportsmanship from both. Djokovic got teary eyed during his interview. Alcaraz looked shocked. Line judges again showed their anachronism. Why pro tournaments don’t universally use automatic calls is beyond my understanding. If it’s a cost issue, simply sell the naming rights to it, “Close Call by State Farm” or whatever. I’m surprised the players aren’t making a bigger issue of it, since they’re the ones being cheated by the bad calls. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2023, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2023-discussion/977929/78 "2023-07-17T14:29:42Z")
Women’s final was fun to watch, too. Ons Jabeur lost in two close sets to unseeded Markéta Vondroušová. This is the second year in a row she’s lost the Wimbledon final as the favorite. Very emotional for her. Not helped that her practice was interrupted because of a clothing violation. (So, the clothing code of Wimbledon is stupidly classist, putting conformance ahead of performance. Even when they’re privately warming up and practicing for their matches.) ---
**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:** [July 17, 2023, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2023-discussion/977929/79 "2023-07-17T14:42:57Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > Line judges again showed their anachronism. Why pro tournaments don’t universally use automatic calls is beyond my understanding. If it’s a cost issue, simply sell the naming rights to it, “Close Call by State Farm” or whatever. I’m surprised the players aren’t making a bigger issue of it, since they’re the ones being cheated by the bad calls. I think it is only a matter of time before all line calling is done by computers. ---
**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:** [September 4, 2023, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2023-discussion/977929/80 "2023-09-04T00:58:17Z")
Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe, and Ben Shelton are all American men into the quarterfinals of the US Open. A great showing for US men. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2023-discussion/977929.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2023-discussion/977929.md?page=5)