Are you team Ben Shelton or Djokovic?

[mike carey]

"That's the best tennis I've ever seen. Even Rod Laver is out of his seat cheering that 27 shot rally that Sinner just won." ABC radio commentary from the match in the seventh game of the final set.

[mike carey]

An epic final. Forza Italia!!

[Andy768]

On 1/24/2024 at 10:51 PM, Andy768 said:

Team Carota.

Yes, I am quoting myself. Carota delivers! What a comeback!

[mike carey]

6 minutes ago, mike carey said:

An epic final. Forza Italia!!

(He's from the German speaking South Tyrol region of Italy.)

[BSR]

4 minutes ago, Andy768 said:

Yes, I am quoting myself. Carota delivers! What a comeback!

Congratulations Team Carota!!  Wow, coming back from a 2 sets to love deficit is a helluva feat.  So happy for Jannik, such a deserving first-time Slam champion.  At the same time, you gotta feel sorry for Daniil, who lost his 5th Slam final and his 2nd after leading 2 sets to love.

This is Sinner's first Slam victory, but it won't be his last.  He has the game to win many many more in his career.  We'll be seeing a lot more goofy carrot costumes in the stands.

[BSR]

On 1/28/2024 at 4:39 AM, mike carey said:

(He's from the German speaking South Tyrol region of Italy.)

Some trivia about Jannik:  yes, he grew up speaking German at home because his parents are Austrian.  I assumed he learned Italian in school, but as you point out, he grew up in a German-speaking region of Italy (his hometown is only ~3 miles from the Austrian border).

At 13yo when he went to live & train at Riccardo Piatti's tennis academy, he knew only the basics of Italian, couldn't speak it.  He lived in the home of one of the coaches who spoke German, but when the coach was out, which was often, Jannik had no one to talk to because the wife & kids didn't speak a word.  Until Jannik learned to speak Italian, he eased his loneliness by speaking German with the family dog.  Lucky for him the dog was fluent.

Edited February 2, 2024 by BSR
Wording

[mike carey]

37 minutes ago, BSR said:

Some trivia about Jannik:  yes, he grew up speaking German at home because his parents are Austrian.  I assumed he learned Italian in school, but as you point out, he grew up in a German-speaking region of Italy (his hometown is only ~3 miles from the Austrian border).

At 13yo when he went to live & train at Riccardo Piatti's tennis academy, he knew only the basics of Italian, couldn't speak it.  He lived in the home of one of the coaches who spoke German, but when the coach was out, which was often, Jannik had no one to talk to because the wife & kids didn't speak a word.  Until Jannik learned to speak Italian, he eased his loneliness by speaking German with the family dog.  Lucky for him the dog was fluent.

At the risk of one of those tangents, I remember as a kid reading the Britannica Yearbook (yes, I was and am that sort of person) and seeing the Südtiroler Volkspartei as being represented in the Italian Parliament. South Tyrol was an Austrian province until it was annexed by Italy after WW1 and remains majority German-speaking.

[samhexum]

 

Djokovic tells fan in Monte Carlo to ‘shut the f–k up’ in wild meltdown

[BSR]

Ben Shelton became the highest-ranked American male this week after Taylor Fritz lost in the 1st round of Monte Carlo.  Shelton is currently #14, Fritz #15.  I knew Shelton would end up being the top American, just didn't think it would happen quite this fast.  Congrats to Ben and his coach (and dad) Bryan!

[Andy768]

Shelton showing good trajectory!

Congrats to Sitsy on taking the title! After wins over Zverev, Sinner, and Ruud, he must be feeling peachy! 🍑😉

[marylander1940]

On 2/1/2024 at 7:46 PM, mike carey said:

At the risk of one of those tangents, I remember as a kid reading the Britannica Yearbook (yes, I was and am that sort of person) and seeing the Südtiroler Volkspartei as being represented in the Italian Parliament. South Tyrol was an Austrian province until it was annexed by Italy after WW1 and remains majority German-speaking.

Taking this slightly off subject but the "Britannica" in all forms was the fastest way to misinformed and create a bias point of view about history, reality, etc. I'm not surprised the outrage Germanic people living under Italian rule. 

 

On 4/14/2024 at 12:54 PM, samhexum said:

 

Djokovic tells fan in Monte Carlo to ‘shut the f–k up’ in wild meltdown

I think it's time for him to go... soon his anti-vaxxer stand will be a minor issue about his personality. It's not going to end up well. 

[+ WilliamM]

On 4/14/2024 at 12:54 PM, samhexum said:

 

Djokovic tells fan in Monte Carlo to ‘shut the f–k up’ in wild meltdown

So?   Shows Novak is human