The Natural Posted May 18, 2023 Share Posted May 18, 2023 (edited) Big breaking news: Quote Rafael Nadal will miss the French Open for the first time in 19 years after a hip injury ruled out the record 14-time men's singles champion. The 36-year-old Spaniard, who has won 22 major men's titles, also said he plans to retire after the 2024 season. "I didn't make the decision, my body made the decision. To play Roland Garros is impossible," he said. "Next year will probably be my last year, that is my idea. If I keep going now I won't be able to make it happen." Nadal holds the joint record number of men's major triumphs alongside Serbia's Novak Djokovic. He has won 70 other ATP titles and spent 209 weeks at world number one - the sixth longest amount in ATP history. Known as the 'King of Clay', Nadal has won 112 of his 115 matches at the French Open. However, the Mallorcan left-hander has not played since sustaining the problem at the Australian Open in January. Nadal has been practising in recent weeks, but not been fit enough to play a tournament in the run-up to Roland Garros. The French Open starts in Paris on 28 May and runs until 11 June. "I was working as much as possible every single day for the past four months and they have been difficult because we were not been able to find the solution to the problems I had in Australia," he added. "I'm still in the position where I am not able to feel ready to compete at the standards I need to be to play at Roland Garros. "I am not the guy who will be at Roland Garros just try to be there and in a position where I don't like to be." Nadal said he needs to stop playing for the foreseeable future in order to make a full recovery and return healthy to complete a farewell season in 2024. His participation at Wimbledon, which he won in 2008 and 2010, remains in doubt. The Championships start at the All England Club on 3 July and run until 16 July. "I will stop for a while, maybe one month and a half, maybe two months, maybe three months or maybe four months. I don't know. I do not like to predict the future," he said. "I will do the right thing for my body and personal happiness. "My goal and ambition is to try and stop and give myself an opportunity to enjoy the next year. "That is my idea but I can't say 100% it will be like this. My idea is to try to enjoy and say goodbye to all the tournaments that have been important for me. "My motivation is to enjoy the season and say goodbye to all the tournaments I have enjoyed in my career." Nadal injured his hip during a second-round defeat by American Mackenzie MacDonald in Melbourne and initially expected to be sidelined for six to eight weeks. An MRI scan two days after the match showed a tear in his left psoas muscle. Last month, Nadal announced he would not be able to play the Madrid Open because the injury "still hadn't healed" and was planning a different course of treatment. Then he withdrew from this month's Italian Open - another important clay-court tournament before the French Open - saying he had still not been able to train at a high level. On Thursday, he announced he will miss Roland Garros for the first time in his career in a news conference at his academy in Mallorca. Nadal won the French Open title in his first appearance there in 2005, going on to triumph another 13 times in the following 17 years. No player has won as many singles titles at one major tournament as the Mallorcan left-hander has at Roland Garros. In a message to Nadal, the French Open said it could not "imagine how hard the decision" was for the player. "We'll definitely miss you at this year's Roland Garros," it said in a statement. "Take care of yourself to come back stronger on courts. Hoping to see you next year in Paris." bbc.co.uk. Fuck. Rafael Nadal's French Open record is the most impressive record in all of sports, I'd say. 14 titles. 112-3 win loss record there. Insane stats. Edited May 18, 2023 by The Natural Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Natural Posted May 19, 2023 Share Posted May 19, 2023 13 hours ago, The Natural said: Big breaking news: Fuck. Rafael Nadal's French Open record is the most impressive record in all of sports, I'd say. 14 titles. 112-3 win loss record there. Insane stats. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/65633576 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobra Commander Posted May 20, 2023 Share Posted May 20, 2023 "Would you tell Simona Halep that she's still suspended for doping" - ITIA President Eric Bischoff Quote Simona Halep, the two-time grand slam champion and former world No 1, has been charged with a second anti-doping rule violation while provisionally suspended following a positive doping test last year. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced on Friday that Halep’s athlete biological passport (ABP) returned irregularities after an assessment of her profile by an independent expert panel. Anti-doping bodies use the biological passport system to monitor an athlete’s various blood indicators over a long period of time in order to identify irregularities that could indicate rule violations. The additional doping charge is a catastrophic development for Halep’s case. She responded to the new charge by accusing the anti-doping bodies of “harassment”, an accusation that was also echoed by her coach, Patrick Mouratoglou. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/may/19/simona-halep-charged-with-second-anti-doping-offence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tabe Posted May 21, 2023 Share Posted May 21, 2023 20 hours ago, Cobra Commander said: "Would you tell Simona Halep that she's still suspended for doping" - ITIA President Eric Bischoff https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/may/19/simona-halep-charged-with-second-anti-doping-offence Yes, the old, "I didn't knowingly take that illegal substance but my sample was contaminated and they're picking on me" defense. She'd sound less guilty if she admitted it, lol. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Natural Posted May 30, 2023 Share Posted May 30, 2023 French Open shocker: Quote Second seed Daniil Medvedev was stunned by qualifier Thiago Seyboth Wild in a big French Open first-round shock. The Russian battled windy conditions and the Brazilian's outstanding forehand in a 7-6 (7-5) 6-7 (6-8) 2-6 6-3 6-4 loss. Medvedev had arrived at Roland Garros in good form and in contention for the world number one ranking. But 172nd-ranked Seyboth Wild pounced on Medvedev's inconsistency to book a first Grand Slam second-round spot. Bbc.co.uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolfan in NYC Posted June 9, 2023 Share Posted June 9, 2023 Joker beat #1 Carlos Alcaraz in 4 sets. He ties Chris Evert for the most major finals in the Open era. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Natural Posted July 4, 2023 Share Posted July 4, 2023 Today. Roger Federer, Legend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Natural Posted July 4, 2023 Share Posted July 4, 2023 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Natural Posted July 6, 2023 Share Posted July 6, 2023 Two legends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Natural Posted July 7, 2023 Share Posted July 7, 2023 Exactly ten years ago, Andy Murray wins Wimbledon ending the 77 year long wait for a home men's champion. I really fancied Murray to win that day and so he did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolfan in NYC Posted July 8, 2023 Share Posted July 8, 2023 Only Wimbledon would have a retractable roof built then not use it when it rains 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Natural Posted July 13, 2023 Share Posted July 13, 2023 (edited) Ons Jabeur vs. Marketa Vondrousova in the Wimbledon Women's Singles Final. Jabeur was beaten in last year's final by Elena Rybakina but beat her in the quarter-finals this year. Vondrousova is the first unseeded player to reach the Wimbledon women's singles final in the Open era. Jabeur is the sixth seed and I hope she goes one better in the final. Edited July 13, 2023 by The Natural Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Natural Posted July 14, 2023 Share Posted July 14, 2023 (edited) Novak Djokovic wins a 34th consecutive match at Wimbledon in the Wimbledon semi-final and a 44th in a row on Centre Court. Novak's through to an outright record 35th Grand Slam final, he's won 23 of them and has the chance to land a record tying eighth Wimbledon men's singles title with Roger Federer. Edited July 14, 2023 by The Natural Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Natural Posted July 15, 2023 Share Posted July 15, 2023 (edited) Czech Marketa Vondrousova beats Tunisian Ons Jabeur in Wimbledon women's singles final, straight sets. Vondrousova becomes the first unseeded woman to win Wimbledon in Open era. Jabeur has lost all three Grand Slam finals. Two years running at Wimbledon. Feel for her. Doesn't feel like it's going to happen for Jabeur. Edited July 15, 2023 by The Natural Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Natural Posted July 16, 2023 Share Posted July 16, 2023 Wimbledon Men's Singles Final. Novak Djokovic won opening set 6-1 in 34 minutes, Carlos Alcaraz took second 7-6 (8-6) and the third 6-1. A game in the third set went 26 minutes, 13 deuces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolfan in NYC Posted July 16, 2023 Share Posted July 16, 2023 JOKER DOWN 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Natural Posted July 16, 2023 Share Posted July 16, 2023 Carlos Alcaraz beats Novak Djokovic 1-6 7-6 (8-6) 6-1 3-6 6-4 to win men's singles. Get in! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odessasteps Posted July 16, 2023 Share Posted July 16, 2023 One for the good guys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohtani's jacket Posted July 17, 2023 Share Posted July 17, 2023 It's crazy how Alcarez was able to win Queens and Wimbledon having played only two tournaments on grass, but at the same time that's a damning indictment on the rest o the tour. It annoys me when people throw out that old line about Federer winning Grand Slams during a weak era for tennis yet here we are with so few grass court specialists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolfan in NYC Posted July 17, 2023 Share Posted July 17, 2023 Last little bit from the All England Club... as has been noted, this is the first time since 2002 that someone not named Federer, Murray, Dickhead, or Nadal has won the tournament. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolfan in NYC Posted August 13, 2023 Share Posted August 13, 2023 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuerrillaMonsoon Posted August 30, 2023 Author Share Posted August 30, 2023 Wonder how last night's Obama and Djokovic meet up went down Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuerrillaMonsoon Posted August 30, 2023 Author Share Posted August 30, 2023 I'd really love a major tennis tournament to do away with the pretense of a random draw and book a tournament better than any North American promoter has booked a tournament in the past 25 years. Give McEnroe the wacky GM role. Completely lean into the sports entertainment space. Nothing fixed or predetermined in the actual matches, just clear storylines about what you want to eventuate, twitter beefs settled in the opening rounds, serial retirees punished with matches against dominant seeds, the equivalent of big meaty men slapping meat with servebots instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolfan in NYC Posted August 31, 2023 Share Posted August 31, 2023 New fun thing. Since marijuana is legal in New York, and the US Open happens in the biggest public park in Queens... Well, some competitors (the nerds) are complaining about the smell of pot, especially when on Court 17. The tournament director basically said there's nothing they can do about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohtani's jacket Posted September 10, 2023 Share Posted September 10, 2023 Congrats, Coco! Tears were shed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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