Tennis 2015

**Real ale Madrid** · 15/07/2015, 9:54 AM

Originally Posted by Acornvilla

If James got a WC that would be amazing for him, but Kudla would rightly feel very hard done by if he didn't get it.

Kudla ended up in the 4th round as well!!! He is up to WR97

Ireland take on South Africa away in the Davis Cup this weekend. Ireland have James McGee and Sam Barry playing singles and probably James Cluskey / David O'Hare in the doubles.

Kevin Anderson who gave Djokovic his toughest match in Wimbledon, is out for SA as is their top doubles player Raven Klaasen - on the face of it we have a decent chance of winning. Win and we stay in EUR/AFR Group 2 - Lose and we are relegated to Group 3.

**Crosby87** · 15/07/2015, 1:30 PM

Wow you know a lot about the wilderness areas of tennis! Raven Klaasen? Is he related to Raven Symone from the Cosby show? Clusky&O'Hare sound like a second rate Private Investigator firm.

**Acornvilla** · 15/07/2015, 1:34 PM

Watching Challenger level tennis is a bit like watching League of Ireland football I guess. Were all mad.

Is Thiemo De bakker playing? I'd worry he'd win both singles matches. But We'd probably win the other 3.

It's really good that Cluskey and O'Hare are playing together every week, probably helps each other a lot with support, coaching, travel and all that, hopefully they'll improve as a pair over time. But their results so far have been very, very ****.

Klassen is actually pretty good and rather well known for what it's worth Crosby!

**Crosby87** · 15/07/2015, 1:51 PM

He's 32 years old and his career singles record is 7-5. So doubles is for people not good enough to play singles? I mean what's the point really? If I played doubles I would just keep trying to hit the guy in front with the ball. It still counts right?

**Real ale Madrid** · 15/07/2015, 3:29 PM

Originally Posted by Acornvilla

Is Thiemo De bakker playing?

Not against us anyway - He's Dutch!

**Acornvilla** · 15/07/2015, 3:36 PM

Originally Posted by Real ale Madrid

Not against us anyway - He's Dutch!

I'm an idiot, this is who I meant..

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rik_de_Voest Think he as good as retired over 12 months ago thou now, just plays the odd usta challenger in canada.

Should be a handy enough win for Ireland really, the rest of the SA players are pretty weak.

**Acornvilla** · 15/07/2015, 3:57 PM

Regarding doubles Crosby, I'm sure almost every lad who ends up concentrating on it, dreamt of playing singles, but didn't have the game, stamina, work ethic or whatever else was required. But doubles is as good as a different sport in itself. Entirely different skill sets are necessary for it. Very rarely when the top singles lads enter doubles draws do they make a dent, obviously if they played it every week they'd improve, but I think it's unfair to brand all doubles players as far inferior, sometimes doubles just suits their skill set far better. Tis great entertainment too, especially at the top level.

**Spudulika** · 16/07/2015, 11:30 AM

The draw is up for the Davis Cup:
Wolmarans - McGee
Vorster - Barry
Dean O'Brien and Roelofse - Cluskey and O'Hare

Reverse singles without change in players.

This will be difficult for Ireland, though the thought of dropping down a division is petrifying! Irish players will go in unafraid, but it'll be tight.

The doping and Serena issue is going to rumble on and my greatest fear is what happens when someone squeals. Her boyfriend has known associates who are doping doctors and yet the ITF just close their eyes. Tennis is riddled with it but it won't change, ever. Plus there are far, far greater problems that will won't even address.

Here's hoping our Irish boys win this weekend!

**Crosby87** · 16/07/2015, 1:14 PM

Wolmarans can cement his legacy.

**Acornvilla** · 17/07/2015, 11:14 AM

McGee loses 3-1, that's pretty cat.

**Spudulika** · 18/07/2015, 2:30 PM

Well, it's Division 3 next year and it will be a pain to escape from it. We'll probably be without the 2 James and probably Sam. I don't believe Conor Niland is the right man for the job, as much as he is a good guy. But it'll be impossible to get Garry back.

**Crosby87** · 18/07/2015, 11:37 PM

Spuds what do you think about this?

http://thinkprogress.org/sports/2015...edon-cheating/

**Real ale Madrid** · 22/07/2015, 10:01 AM

Irish Open on this week - in Fitwilliam in Dublin.

James Cluskey has also got into the ATP 250 doubles event in Bastad, Sweden with Andreas Silkestrom of Sweden - they are currently playing the No.1 seeds in R1 Cabal/Farah of Colombia, and have lost the first set 7-5

Edit - beaten 7-5 6-2

**Spudulika** · 22/07/2015, 10:32 AM

Originally Posted by Crosby87

Spuds what do you think about this?

http://thinkprogress.org/sports/2015...edon-cheating/

I heard about his tweets and suspicions, just didn't know about his TV appearance. Is Serena clean? From experience in tennis, no. How unclean is she? Questionable. It is not her physique that is at question, it is the stamina and recovery - and interestingly she's "taking an injury break" right now, which is immediately suspect. Her boyfriend is too closely associated with very dodgy doctors and he has, in his academy, allowed doping coaches in and let them do their stuff. And the most tested athlete bit - I really get the spidey senses tingling when I hear this.

Sadly tennis is too big and too powerful to question or attack and the vast majority (if not all) journos are completely compliant and useless in this regard. The majority of coaches, vast majority, are good and clean - and none will ever step out of line and report anything. They know that if they do report something, they'll never work again!

**Crosby87** · 10/08/2015, 9:46 PM

More evidence that serena is actually attractive and not manish...or a little manish but still attractive. I think. Anyway she is ripped.

http://nymag.com/thecut/2015/08/sere...y-to-make.html

**Crosby87** · 16/08/2015, 8:45 PM

Hard to not be impressed by Bencic. She beat Eugenie, Woz, Ivanovic, Serena...then Halep today. Halep was hurt and quit but still. One thing about Halep....everywhere she goes there are these 1000 or so rabid romanian fans. Are these people who live in Romania and have the money to follow her around All over? It seems strange.

**Spudulika** · 17/08/2015, 6:52 AM

Originally Posted by Crosby87

Hard to not be impressed by Bencic. She beat Eugenie, Woz, Ivanovic, Serena...then Halep today. Halep was hurt and quit but still. One thing about Halep....everywhere she goes there are these 1000 or so rabid romanian fans. Are these people who live in Romania and have the money to follow her around All over? It seems strange.

Bencic was being coached by Hingis' Mother, though not as "intimately" as with the daughter. She's been knocking about the circuit, building herself up well. I think she caught a good tailwind with some out-of-sorts opposition - plus Serena is "rehabbing". Halep has been an idol in Romania and her bill is footed by some oligarch there. Romania's a poor country in a way, but there is a heap of cash (especially EU) there.

**swinfordfc** · 17/08/2015, 12:35 PM

Is McGee injured? ..... not seem him play for a while .....

**Real ale Madrid** · 17/08/2015, 12:45 PM

Originally Posted by swinfordfc

Is McGee injured? ..... not seem him play for a while .....

Yes - had a knee op after wimbledon quals.

**Spudulika** · 20/08/2015, 6:40 AM

Jenny Claffey picked up a doubles title in Sharm last week. These tournaments are for beginners or comebackers, though you'd hope to see more Irish players make use of them. She's picked up 2 doubles titles this year and is just outside 800 singles and doubles. It's a good sign for our Fed Cup, though Amy Bowtell's physical condition is a worry. She's played 3 tournaments this year and will soon be out of the top 500. Her big tournament win this year (especially beating former sparring partner Sirotkina in the final) wasn't followed up on, so there a bit of talk that she may quit the sport. A real shame.