French Open

[Hiber-nation]

Can't see a thread for this. Nadal v Djokovic an absolute war of attrition. Not to mention the contest of who can bounce the ball the most times before serving .. Djokovic at 17 times, ridiculous.

[Hiber-nation]

3-1 Djokovic, incredible game. Will we ever see Rafa in another major final? Played well but Djokovic was something else.

[Sir David Gray]

Outstanding - you really can't beat men's Grand Slam tennis when it's played like that, no sport comes close in my opinion.

I wanted Nadal to win as I'm a huge fan of his but Djokovic is number one for a reason.

Rooting for Tsitsipas on Sunday but can't see past Djokovic.

I'd love to see Nadal win another Grand Slam, I certainly wouldn't bet against him.

[makaveli1875]

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Outstanding - you really can't beat men's Grand Slam tennis when it's played like that, no sport comes close in my opinion.

I wanted Nadal to win as I'm a huge fan of his but Djokovic is number one for a reason.

Rooting for Tsitsipas on Sunday but can't see past Djokovic.

I'd love to see Nadal win another Grand Slam, I certainly wouldn't bet against him.

If Djokovic wins tomorrow he's going to be the only man to have won multiple slams on every surface . The pressure is on him but if he plays the way he did against Nadal then Tsitsipas has no chance.

[Sir David Gray]

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If Djokovic wins tomorrow he's going to be the only man to have won multiple slams on every surface . The pressure is on him but if he plays the way he did against Nadal then Tsitsipas has no chance.

Yep in the Open Era (since 1969). Rod Laver and Roy Emerson both managed it pre-Open Era.

It would be a great achievement if he pulls it off but I still hope Tsitsipas can do it.

[Hiber-nation]

Women's final today. I was watching a few of the early games in the vain hope of getting a decent bet but every time any player looks like doing something they either get injured like Barty, Halep etc or dramatically lose form in the next game. And there's the Osaka situation of course. Impossible to predict.

[Calmbegbie]

Honestly think we will see Djokovic end up with more slam wins than Nadal and Federer now

[Sir David Gray]

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Honestly think we will see Djokovic end up with more slam wins than Nadal and Federer now

I think that's a certainty.

[He's here!]

I find Djokovic impossible to warm to. There's something about him which doesn't sit right. Something almost inhuman, like he's part alien or android. I've always found the gluten free diet/hyperbaric chamber explanation questionable when it comes to explaining his almost overnight transformation into a relentless multi-slam winning automaton. The only time I can recall him really coming off the rails was a few years back when off-court allegations about marital issues surfaced.

I didn't see Friday's match but I saw Nadal destroy him in straight sets in last year's delayed French Open final and, again, that level/speed of improvement seems extraordinary, like he's got some sort of re-programming facility other players don't have access to.

I used to know a girl who went on to cover tennis for a press agency and she said he's not a pleasant character beneath the humble Mr nice guy image he tries to project. He certainly does seem desperate to share some of the love the fans have for Federer and Nadal but that's just not going to happen.

[He's here!]

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Women's final today. I was watching a few of the early games in the vain hope of getting a decent bet but every time any player looks like doing something they either get injured like Barty, Halep etc or dramatically lose form in the next game. And there's the Osaka situation of course. Impossible to predict.

Agree re the women's game, but what's also worth noting is how bereft the men's game also appears to be of anyone truly outstanding to replace the old guard. It seems scarcely credible how long Federer, Nadal and Djokovic (plus a pre-injury Andy Murray) have dominated the Slams. You get the sense that the younger generation are just waiting for these guys to retire rather than trying to step up to the mark and usher in a new era.

Hopefully Tsitsipas will prove me wrong.

[Hiber-nation]

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Agree re the women's game, but what's also worth noting is how bereft the men's game also appears to be of anyone truly outstanding to replace the old guard. It seems scarcely credible how long Federer, Nadal and Djokovic (plus a pre-injury Andy Murray) have dominated the Slams. You get the sense that the younger generation are just waiting for these guys to retire rather than trying to step up to the mark and usher in a new era.

Hopefully Tsitsipas will prove me wrong.

I hope so too. Djokovic is up there with Seb Coe and Phil Taylor as my least favourite sportsmen ever.

[G B Young]

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I hope so too. Djokovic is up there with Seb Coe and Phil Taylor as my least favourite sportsmen ever.

I can't stand him. I actually can't bear watching him so I never do now.

[Sir David Gray]

Looks like Djokovic will end up winning this now.

Tsitsipas two sets up but is now injured and Djokovic won the third set and is now a break up in the fourth set.

[Sir David Gray]

Two sets all, Djokovic a certainty from here.

[Sir David Gray]

Game, set and match to Djokovic in 5 sets.

First man in the Open Era to win each Grand Slam more than once and moves just one behind Federer and Nadal in the all time list.

Hard luck Tsitsipas I'm sure his time will come.

[CloudSquall]

I'm glad I'm not the only one that can't warm to Novak, I admire his success but there's just something about him that screams total prick.

The nice guy mask started to slip also when he got some flack over his criticism of quarantine requirements for certain tournaments.

[McD]

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I find Djokovic impossible to warm to. There's something about him which doesn't sit right. Something almost inhuman, like he's part alien or android. I've always found the gluten free diet/hyperbaric chamber explanation questionable when it comes to explaining his almost overnight transformation into a relentless multi-slam winning automaton. The only time I can recall him really coming off the rails was a few years back when off-court allegations about marital issues surfaced.

I didn't see Friday's match but I saw Nadal destroy him in straight sets in last year's delayed French Open final and, again, that level/speed of improvement seems extraordinary, like he's got some sort of re-programming facility other players don't have access to.

I used to know a girl who went on to cover tennis for a press agency and she said he's not a pleasant character beneath the humble Mr nice guy image he tries to project. He certainly does seem desperate to share some of the love the fans have for Federer and Nadal but that's just not going to happen.

Completely agree

as well as the incredible (or incredulous) rapid improvement from barely being able to play 5 sets to some kind of iron man, I think he’s the worst kind of gamesmanship cheater.

Very often if he’s down a set or 2 and/or his opponent has some momentum, he claims some kind of injury, asks for the doctor and stretches every second out of it before miraculously recovering and going on to win, having conveniently stopped the momentum of his opponent. Also partial to taking a very long time before serving to drag the pace down.

[makaveli1875]

Always struggled to like Djokovic , mainly because of what he used to do to Murray . I'm warming to him though , can't really deny it now he is the best men's tennis player ever . Its not just the grand slams , he's the only guy to win every masters event . He has a winning record against all his rivals . He's sure to get another 2 slams and overtake Nadal and Federer . Only thing he hasn't done is win the Olympics and he'll be gunning for that this year .
Always thought Murray had the game and the shots to beat him he just struggled a bit with Djokovics mind games and shoddy behaviour and let it get to him at the vital moments .

[ekhibee]

Don't like Djokovic but he's an awesome Tennis player. I will never cheer on a Serbian. I'm not saying I hate them, I'm just saying I will never cheer them on, in any sport.

[Stairway 2 7]

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Don't like Djokovic but he's an awesome Tennis player. I will never cheer on a Serbian. I'm not saying I hate them, I'm just saying I will never cheer them on, in any sport.

I will never cheer a Catholic, black, German or American. The previous has been said before by many, but its no a good way to be. Civilians aren't a regime or government. My grandad thought it was bad that I liked going to Germany on holiday, due to what he'd seen in the war. I told him the people were amazing and the sins of the fathers ect

[bigwheel]

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Don't like Djokovic but he's an awesome Tennis player. I will never cheer on a Serbian. I'm not saying I hate them, I'm just saying I will never cheer them on, in any sport.

???? not liking an entire nationality because of actions of the government…come on - surely you realise that’s a really poor opinion to have

[WeeRussell]

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Always struggled to like Djokovic , mainly because of what he used to do to Murray . I'm warming to him though , can't really deny it now he is the best men's tennis player ever . Its not just the grand slams , he's the only guy to win every masters event . He has a winning record against all his rivals . He's sure to get another 2 slams and overtake Nadal and Federer . Only thing he hasn't done is win the Olympics and he'll be gunning for that this year .
Always thought Murray had the game and the shots to beat him he just struggled a bit with Djokovics mind games and shoddy behaviour and let it get to him at the vital moments .

As much as he is Scottish, supports Hibs and was a hell of a tennis player, I personally don't think Murray ever really comes close to the other 3. Appreciate he got a few slams at a time when it was very hard to do so, and spent some time ranked number one. But he's not anywhere near the argument as far as greatest players go.. whereas the other 3 could all stake a claim to be the best ever.

[Kato]

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As much as he is Scottish, supports Hibs and was a hell of a tennis player, I personally don't think Murray ever really comes close to the other 3. Appreciate he got a few slams at a time when it was very hard to do so, and spent some time ranked number one. But he's not anywhere near the argument as far as greatest players go.. whereas the other 3 could all stake a claim to be the best ever.

Agreed. It does make Murry's achievements all the more impressive given he's been up against them his whole career.

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[Stairway 2 7]

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As much as he is Scottish, supports Hibs and was a hell of a tennis player, I personally don't think Murray ever really comes close to the other 3. Appreciate he got a few slams at a time when it was very hard to do so, and spent some time ranked number one. But he's not anywhere near the argument as far as greatest players go.. whereas the other 3 could all stake a claim to be the best ever.

Murray would have had a dozen majors in an other era but being up against the best to ever play. He'll settle for being number 1 for a year, 3 majors, 46 single tournaments, winning the tour finals in 2016, winning both gold medals in his 2 Olympics, almost single handedly winning his nation the Davis cup.

Think he can settle with that in the end, well along with his 65 million in prize Money and over 100 million in endorsements

[WeeRussell]

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Murray would have had a dozen majors in an other era but being up against the best to ever play. He'll settle for being number 1 for a year, 3 majors, 46 single tournaments, winning the tour finals in 2016, winning both gold medals in his 2 Olympics, almost single handedly winning his nation the Davis cup.

Think he can settle with that in the end, well along with his 65 million in prize Money and over 100 million in endorsements

Not sure if you’re listing all his achievements and prize money that I’m already aware of as if I don’t like the guy or am playing it down, but that’s not the case. He’s had a brilliant career and done fantastically well to win as much as he has.

But kind of like you’ve just backed-up in your post - he could have won more if it wasn’t for 3 players being so far ahead of him (and everyone else) during that time.

[Stairway 2 7]

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Not sure if you’re listing all his achievements and prize money that I’m already aware of as if I don’t like the guy or am playing it down, but that’s not the case. He’s had a brilliant career and done fantastically well to win as much as he has.

But kind of like you’ve just backed-up in your post - he could have won more if it wasn’t for 3 players being so far ahead of him (and everyone else) during that time.

No I'm just saying you don't have to compare against the best. Iniesta was no Messi but he was still a legend and its just daft and pointless to compare. You said you can't compare him to best ever but why would you.

[ekhibee]

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???? not liking an entire nationality because of actions of the government…come on - surely you realise that’s a really poor opinion to have

No, I most certainly do not realise it's a poor opinion to have. My wife is half Bosnian and if you had any idea what her family had to endure you would never make a remark like that. And further more, I didn't say I hated Serbians, even though they were the ones who believed in the ethnic cleansing of another sovereign state, I'll leave that to them. So you have your opinion and I have mine, I'm not trying to score points here I am just explaining why I feel the way I do.

[Stairway 2 7]

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No, I most certainly do not realise it's a poor opinion to have. My wife is half Bosnian and if you had any idea what her family had to endure you would never make a remark like that. And further more, I didn't say I hated Serbians, even though they were the ones who believed in the ethnic cleansing of another sovereign state, I'll leave that to them. So you have your opinion and I have mine, I'm not trying to score points here I am just explaining why I feel the way I do.

You'll have to hate all Germans Chinese Russians Americans Belgians Portuguese engyptians British Cambodians Australians.... not sure what sportsman you can still like. And of course the suffering in Bosnia was horrific but government and citizens are different. Although novak is an ******** anyway mind

[ekhibee]

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You'll have to hate all Germans Chinese Russians Americans Belgians Portuguese engyptians British Cambodians Australians.... not sure what sportsman you can still like. And of course the suffering in Bosnia was horrific but government and citizens are different. Although novak is an ******** anyway mind

I don't have to hate anybody and I don't, I made that perfectly clear. I have my opinion on the topic, others have a different one.

[WeeRussell]

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No I'm just saying you don't have to compare against the best. Iniesta was no Messi but he was still a legend and its just daft and pointless to compare. You said you can't compare him to best ever but why would you.

Well that'll be that then. He's good at tennis but it's pointless and daft to discuss how good.

My post was intended to be a harmless response to Makaveli1875 saying he always thought Murray had the game to beat Djokovic (Makaveli if you're still reading and not bored to death by this now - I appreciate you weren't necessarily stating Murray was always the better player) and the fact many talk about a 'top 4'.

Oh and Iniesta would be amongst the votes for best central midfielders to play the game, but isn't in the conversation with Messi as greatest footballer of all time. Hopefully that doesn't offend anyone.