United Cup - Sydney

Aussie Darcy

Bionic Poster
Incredibly tight.

Rybakina served for set 1 up 5-4 but Iga did what she does best and got it back on serve. Then held to love for 6-5.

Now we are in an absolute battle, a 10+ minute game which has seen Iga have 2 set points.

Some insane rallies and shot making!
 

tx10is

Semi-Pro
rybakina not hitting her spots on 1rst serve and not keeping the ball deep to take time away from iga.
 

jmnk

Hall of Fame
Does Swiatek look more buff especially in her arms or am I imagining it? Maybe some ‘effective’ melatonin pills during the offseason?
she does look well trained. I do not know about arms - but her legs are now massive. She has just grown into her frame so to speak and she is a gym rat really. There was an article not long ago where they talked with an under-20 male junior tennis player training with her - and he was apparently puking while Swiatek was just chugging along.....
 

Subway Tennis

G.O.A.T.
muchova v gauff :)

as good as muchova is, she has always had trouble with gauff. tennis is such a game of matchups
Amazing level from Coco there. Was hoping Muchova could get that second set but Gauff is just too tough at the moment.

My guess is that Czech Republic is in big trouble now. Machac has to fight off Taylor Fritz, who is close to unstoppable at United Cup. Taylor Fritz is basically the United Cup GOAT
 
Amazing level from Coco there. Was hoping Muchova could get that second set but Gauff is just too tough at the moment.

My guess is that Czech Republic is in big trouble now. Machac has to fight off Taylor Fritz, who is close to unstoppable at United Cup. Taylor Fritz is basically the United Cup GOAT
Looks like Machac is making a match of it - won the first set TB.
 

Subway Tennis

G.O.A.T.
Looks like Machac is making a match of it - won the first set TB.
Yeah, wow, Machac looks in form. Did you see him yesterday? He was playing like a man possessed. Smacking the felt off the ball. Fritz is the United Cup GOAT, so this will be an epic win for Machac.

Be very cool to see a live dubbs after this. If it’s a live dubbs, who do you think will play? All 4 singles players might back up and play dubbs as well o_O
 

Aussie Darcy

Bionic Poster
Jeez. What happened in the off season to the men?

First Krajicek retired in doubles yesterday in Brisbane QF.
Then Thompson retired against Dimitrov in Brisbane QF.
Then Dimitrov retires against Lehecka today in the SF.
Now Machac retires against Fritz in the SF of United Cup.

4 retirements in 24 hours to start the year..?
 

Aussie Darcy

Bionic Poster
Wow just saw the footage, he simply just quit. Aussie commentators are stunned. He got angry and was throwing rackets and yelling and then quit all cause Fritz broke him. He could’ve called a MTO, had some hydration but nope, just quit. He was up a set.

He just let his country down.
 

Subway Tennis

G.O.A.T.
One of the worst / craziest things I have ever seen in a team competition from Machac. He has let everyone down.

I don’t think he will be invited to play here or Davis Cup again for a very long time.

His brain seemed to be completely broken for some reason.
 

D-Lite

Hall of Fame
He didn't look injured on that final point at all but then once walking around seemed a bit heavy legged so that's probably put on to force the illusion somewhat. Losing a lead against a top player really shouldn't trigger this level of mental breakdown but perhaps he felt he had nothing left to give to keep it competitive - no excuse though. Also retiring a set up seems a bit like you want to retain the illusion that you were leading/possibly going to win the match when people look back at the H2H. Odd all around.
 

Aussie Darcy

Bionic Poster
One of the worst / craziest things I have ever seen in a team competition from Machac. He has let everyone down.

I don’t think he will be invited to play here or Davis Cup again for a very long time.

His brain seemed to be completely broken for some reason.
He didn't look injured on that final point at all but then once walking around seemed a bit heavy legged so that's probably put on to force the illusion somewhat. Losing a lead against a top player really shouldn't trigger this level of mental breakdown but perhaps he felt he had nothing left to give to keep it competitive - no excuse though. Also retiring a set up seems a bit like you want to retain the illusion that you were leading/possibly going to win the match when people look back at the H2H. Odd all around.
Truly pathetic, even if it's some sort of injury we didn't see (which i'm guessing it might be since he told Fritz it was cramping?) but to not even try a MTO or treatment of picklejuice while up a set and literally like one game and a tiebreak from victory to keeping your country alive in the competition?

That is truly pathetic. If he plays the Aus Open he will look like an absolute knob.

Poor Muchova and poor Czechia.
 

D-Lite

Hall of Fame
He was angry because of bad cramping. Already happened to him in the past and he needed to retire. He didn’t retire bc Fritz broke him that would be madness at 1 set up.
He was 5-2 up and serving for the match in the second set, then he had 2 MP on Fritz' serve up 5-3. Even if he was having a bit of cramp he also wasn't clutch and going down in the set having served for the match 2x and losing 2 MP added a lot of fuel to the mental fire that's for sure. When you add the fact the Czech Republic's continued participation in the event relied on Machac it's just not a good look at all. He's got a great top level no doubt which I hope he can make the most of but the retirement was hot headedly premature unfortunately.
 

Aussie Darcy

Bionic Poster
He was angry because of bad cramping. Already happened to him in the past and he needed to retire. He didn’t retire bc Fritz broke him that would be madness at 1 set up.
I've watched tennis for a long time, seen players limping with cramps and in tears fighting just for their own match. Not even factoring that match which was keeping his country alive to make the FINAL of an event. He didn't even try to get treatment, no pickle juice, no MTO. Nothing. He smashed some rackets and yelled at his countrymates. That was not right.

He was upset he coughed a lead and then made up an excuse. I'm sure he had cramping, but then you get treatment. You don't quit in the SF's ruining your countries chances without trying something.
 

D-Lite

Hall of Fame
Truly pathetic, even if it's some sort of injury we didn't see (which i'm guessing it might be since he told Fritz it was cramping?) but to not even try a MTO or treatment of picklejuice while up a set and literally like one game and a tiebreak from victory to keeping your country alive in the competition?

That is truly pathetic. If he plays the Aus Open he will look like an absolute knob.

Poor Muchova and poor Czechia.
He's scheduled to play Adelaide, so we will see if he does. I expect he will withdraw simply because he's had enough match play this week but going ahead and playing it will make his withdrawal look extra weak that's for sure.
 

D-Lite

Hall of Fame
I've watched tennis for a long time, seen players limping and fighting just for their own match not even factoring keeping your country alive to make the FINAL of an event. He didnt get treatment, no pickle juice, no MTO. Nothing. He smashed some rackets and yelled at his countrymates. That was not right.
Heck we have seen players on the floor having full body cramps and screaming to fight on at 250/500 events. I don't doubt he wasn't feeling discomfort/frustration but retiring like that at 24 just seems immature.
 

Aussie Darcy

Bionic Poster
He's scheduled to play Adelaide, so we will see if he does. I expect he will withdraw simply because he's had enough match play this week but going ahead and playing it will make his withdrawal look extra weak that's for sure.
He's an incredible player, someone who i've tipped to be top 10-15 by year end but a deep run at the Aus Open will really make him look like an immature jerk. He didn't even attempt treatment. Just got angry and abused the team. I'd be filthy if I was team Czechia and Karolina Muchova who fought so hard all week.
 

Aussie Darcy

Bionic Poster
Heck we have seen players on the floor having full body cramps and screaming to fight on at 250/500 events. I don't doubt he wasn't feeling discomfort/frustration but retiring like that at 24 just seems immature.
Wozniacki had like a full body spasm, we've seen players spew and continue playing. He didn't even try any treatment!

I'll eat crow and apologize forever if it turns out he has some insane injury that sees his benched for a while, but i'm sure he'll be ready to go in just over a week. Ruined Czechia's chances cause he got broken twice.
 

Subway Tennis

G.O.A.T.
Wozniacki had like a full body spasm, we've seen players spew and continue playing. He didn't even try any treatment!

I'll eat crow and apologize forever if it turns out he has some insane injury that sees his benched for a while, but i'm sure he'll be ready to go in just over a week. Ruined Czechia's chances cause he got broken twice.
I remember that Wozniacki one. I think she was playing Azarenka? She literally fell to the ground after one of the points because she had a full leg lockup and couldn’t balance herself. Absolutely insane stuff.

The Machac one is worse for me not only because he gave up, but one of the racquets he threw nearly hit a ball kid and he didn’t even acknowledge it. The ball kids are sacrosanct above even the chair umpire for me. You can’t ever, ever do that.
 

Winner Sinner

Hall of Fame
Truly pathetic, even if it's some sort of injury we didn't see (which i'm guessing it might be since he told Fritz it was cramping?) but to not even try a MTO or treatment of picklejuice while up a set and literally like one game and a tiebreak from victory to keeping your country alive in the competition?

That is truly pathetic. If he plays the Aus Open he will look like an absolute knob.

Poor Muchova and poor Czechia.
But enough with this false do-goodism.
 

Aussie Darcy

Bionic Poster
US v Poland is the final the tournament deserves; top singles players in both men's and women's. Who do you think will take it?
Whichever female wins the first match is the country that'll win in my opinion. I think it'll be Poland because I rate Hurkacz more than Fritz in their singles match. BUT in the doubles, a pairing of Fritz/Gauff is better than Swiatek/Hurkacz.

So if Iga can win the first and Hubi secures it then it's over. If Gauff wins the first, I think it's over.
 

Zetty

Hall of Fame
I've watched tennis for a long time, seen players limping with cramps and in tears fighting just for their own match. Not even factoring that match which was keeping his country alive to make the FINAL of an event. He didn't even try to get treatment, no pickle juice, no MTO. Nothing. He smashed some rackets and yelled at his countrymates. That was not right.

He was upset he coughed a lead and then made up an excuse. I'm sure he had cramping, but then you get treatment. You don't quit in the SF's ruining your countries chances without trying something.
I get the frustration, but when you start cramping it's probably already over. You need more than a 10 minute MTO to get thru that.
 

D-Lite

Hall of Fame
I remember that Wozniacki one. I think she was playing Azarenka? She literally fell to the ground after one of the points because she had a full leg lockup and couldn’t balance herself. Absolutely insane stuff.

The Machac one is worse for me not only because he gave up, but one of the racquets he threw nearly hit a ball kid and he didn’t even acknowledge it. The ball kids are sacrosanct above even the chair umpire for me. You can’t ever, ever do that.
Peng Shuai had crazy full body cramp at the USO SF vs Wozniacki also back when Wozniacki made the final where she played Serena.
 
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