Tennis 2025

wildchild said:
Sharapova — said substance Meldonium became illegal only a few months before she was caught. I think this case was negligence more than attempting to cheat. Of course, a punishment was in order.
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This is the most unlikely one yet!

All the Russian meldonium positives across multiple sports and you really think she wasn’t part of the Russian drug machine that literally EVERYONE was involved in?
 
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Halep was not similar to Swiatek either- the drug company massively denied that contamination had happened and she was supposedly going to sue them.

Funnily enough, never happened…
 
For my job, I subscribe to "Doping in Sport by Edmund Willson", which is a weekly round up of articles on doping and stuff like that- a lot of it is hidden behind the paywall, but there is a weekly digest of various things, and this week (as you can imagine), there's a lot on tennis, which I thought might be interesting to post here:
  • The Court of Arbitration for Sport has imposed a four-year doping ban on the British tennis player Tara Moore after a successful appeal by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA). “At the time of the original ban in May 2022, the 32-year-old topped the British rankings for women’s doubles. She returned a positive test for nandrolone and boldenone,” (link). You can read the ITIA’s press release here (link). At first instance, Moore was cleared of wrongdoing after an independent panel ruled that she had tested positive for nandrolone and boldenone due to contaminated meat consumed at a tournament in Colombia (link). However at appeal, Moore was unable to explain successfully why the level of nandrolone found in her urine sample was seven times higher than the legal limit, as referenced in paragraphs 13-15 of the first instance decision (link). Conversely, Moore was able to demonstrate that her positive for boldenone, which another player also tested positive for at the same tournament, was due to meat contamination.
  • The two-time Wimbledon mixed doubles champion Jamie Murray says that it was a bad ‘look’ for tennis that Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek won Wimbledon, even though he believes the sport is clean. “I'm sure there will always be people that will try to bend rules and stuff but, the thing with tennis is it’s such a skilled sport. If I started taking drugs tomorrow it's not like I'm suddenly going to be number one in the world. Of course, for those guys who are already at the top, like every little gain can make a big difference,” (link). In 2019, Jamie Murray won the US Open mixed doubles title with the American player Bethanie Mattek-Sands who was once refused a therapeutic medical exemption to take the anabolic agent DHEA while working with a doctor who has helped ‘thousands of steroid-using athletes’; “Dr. Rogol said DHEA, a precursor of testosterone, should never be approved for use by a female athlete” (link).
  • The Daily Mail published an opinion piece titled ‘Don't celebrate these Wimbledon winners - it's a shocking look for tennis that they failed drugs tests and they never should have been there’. “Sadly for the sport, it appears more and more that tennis has given up on anti-doping,” (link). Forbes published a similar piece titled ‘Why Doping Is Still Persistent In Tennis’ (link).
  • The 1987 Wimbledon champion Pat Cash publicly defended both Sinner and Swiatek claiming the substances found in their systems were not ‘performance-enhancing’. “I’m happy for him and his team. I know his coach Darren Cahill very well, he is a good mate of mine,” (link).
  • Meanwhile, the former Italian Olympic swimmer Federica Pellegrini says that she was pleased Sinner won the tournament even though she has faced online abuse for sharing her opinion on the player’s case (link). In 2018, Pellegrini’s boyfriend was banned for four years after doping substances were sent to him. He was cleared on appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (link).
  • The former French tennis player Richard Gasquet believes tennis anti-doping authorities need to operate with more transparency. “I think the case is being handled very badly. You suddenly learn, 'look, he's been tried.' During this time, nothing happened, we didn't know anything. It's not normal, it's not professional,” (link). Unlike in the cases of Sinner and Swiatek, Gasquet’s provisional suspension, following his positive cocaine test, was publicly disclosed in 2009 (link).
 
Some interesting comments there- although he contradicts it later in the sentence, I hate that "tennis is a skilled sport" argument from Murray- at that level, as he says, the slightest advantage in endurance/ strength IS going to make a massive difference. The high jump and pole vault are skilled sports, but didn't stop the Russians throwing the dianabol at their stars in those events.

Pat Cash's is bollocks as well- clostebol (Sinner's drug) is a steroid and Swiatek's trimetazidine is becoming increasingly popular as it increases blood flow and endurance. Both are entirely known for performance enhancement abuse. I don't know where they get this shit from other than a need to just defend their sport as clean...
 
Cash’s response is even worse because he LITERALLY says ‘Cahill is a mate of mine’… that doesn’t strengthen your defence of them Cash 😂
 
Pat Cash is just dreadful all round to be fair. Talking about Bencic at this year’s Wimbledon he said he couldn’t imagine why someone would want to be out there when they could be at home with their little one and I was aggrieved nobody pulled him on it.

I think match fixing at the lower levels of tennis is more of an issue than doping but of course it exists,
 
Well it’s only 1st round doubles I know and her using up wild cards is another discussion but it did the heart good to see Venus Williams getting a standing ovation for merely walking onto the court and then proceeded to win with partner Hailey Baptiste in Washington. The only match to play to a full house today and the second set was delayed because of so many trying to get in.
 
Well she’s won the first set of the singles here too…! Can’t believe she’s doing this tbh.






Somebody test her urine pronto.
 
Jark said:
good for her!!!

Raducanu v Osaka should be a good one tomorrow. I think Emma can win that.
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Emma won! Into the quarters and reclaims British number 1 ranking... if she can get one more win, she is likely to be seeded for the US open. I think Sakkari awaits who she has not lost to before, so she has a real chance at a run to the final here.
 
Her run is all the more impressive especially with her playing doubles and making the semi final with Rybakina, who is still to play her own singles QF before the doubles SF. :shock:
 
rhythmbandit said:
Her run is all the more impressive especially with her playing doubles and making the semi final with Rybakina, who is still to play her own singles QF before the doubles SF. :shock:
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It's almost as if she's finally realised that getting the match play is key. Would love her to snatch this singles title to quieten the haters.... and also here for more Raducina action in future doubles please.
 
Leylah Fernandez is also through to the semifinals. Wouldn't it be iconic if they end up being the finalists.

Either that or doubles partners Emma and Elena facing off in the final.
 
I really do wish that Fernandez had won that match in 2021 - she's consistently been the better performer since and even this week when Raducanu threatened to overtake her in the rankings, Fernandez then won the tournament to solidify her place well above her still.
 
Emma through to the third round in Montreal where she will play Anisimova :o

Bouchard was beaten by Bencic. Osaka through to play Ostapenko. Pegula played great to deal with Sakkari in two last night.
 
I missed it last week, but did we notice Sinner has rehired the physio who supposedly was responsible for his “contamination”.

What a fucking joke :D
 
Sheena said:
I missed it last week, but did we notice Sinner has rehired the physio who supposedly was responsible for his “contamination”.

What a fucking joke :D
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It’s outrageous and people for some reason are just turning blind eyes all over the place when it comes to him.
 
cwej said:
It’s outrageous and people for some reason are just turning blind eyes all over the place when it comes to him.
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I've got a friend who is very into athletics, so knows ALL about doping, and her reaction was "oh, I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt" as "there's no real doping in tennis".

I find it fascinating that people think that about tennis. Is it because of the skill factor involved? Probably. But there is doping in ALL sports, full stop.
 
Sheena said:
I've got a friend who is very into athletics, so knows ALL about doping, and her reaction was "oh, I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt" as "there's no real doping in tennis".

I find it fascinating that people think that about tennis. Is it because of the skill factor involved? Probably. But there is doping in ALL sports, full stop.
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Yeah, a lot of the consensus amongst tennis people over the years seems to be, well, there's nothing you can take that helps you hit the ball inside the lines. And of course there isn't, that skill is innate, but at 5 all in the 5th set of a 4 hour long match there's plenty of things that will give you more stamina, fresher legs & likely a win. Anyone in the top 100 is clearly a player of top quality skill, & little things like that make all the difference.
 
Sardonicus said:
Yeah, a lot of the consensus amongst tennis people over the years seems to be, well, there's nothing you can take that helps you hit the ball inside the lines. And of course there isn't, that skill is innate, but at 5 all in the 5th set of a 4 hour long match there's plenty of things that will give you more stamina, fresher legs & likely a win. Anyone in the top 100 is clearly a player of top quality skill, & little things like that make all the difference.
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There's a whole world of products for doping- diuretics to reduce weight loss, amphetamines for extra zip, EPO and blood doping for stamina...all of that before you get to the strength based steroids etc. Some sports have issues with muscle relaxants and drugs taken to calm nerves too.
 
Pegula out to Sevastova. it's been a rubbish run for her since the title at Bad Homburg.

Keys on the other hand was quite emphatic to close out a three setter against McNally. insane UE count though. I don't think Madison's current ranking really reflects how excellent her tennis is when she's on... love her and I think she could make the final in Montreal.
 
I think Keys ranking is completely right - I don't think anyone who has 2000 points from winning a grand slam is ever underranked really. She's appalling when she's off, which is why she's never been ranked higher. (I appreciate what you're saying about her absolute best tennis though - it's near perfect, it's just rarely seen).
 
Wild unforced error count all week. But I do think they’ve gone to the really light Wilson balls now and that’s a hassle to adjust to initially.

As for Sinner’s rehiring - the mind boggles.
 
The draw for Cincinnati is out and Emma is on course for another third round meeting with Sabalenka, FFS. I think that means hopes of being seeded at the US Open are really relying on withdrawals?

I didn't see that scoreline against Anisimova coming considering the h2h prior to that, but guess it was nice to see Amanda get a couple of solid wins in following the Wimbledon final.
 
Anisimova flopping out to Svitolina who then flopped out to Osaka (who looks on top form right now and will surely win the Canadian?). not Rybakina please, she's so boring.
 
Jacques said:
The draw for Cincinnati is out and Emma is on course for another third round meeting with Sabalenka, FFS. I think that means hopes of being seeded at the US Open are really relying on withdrawals?

I didn't see that scoreline against Anisimova coming considering the h2h prior to that, but guess it was nice to see Amanda get a couple of solid wins in following the Wimbledon final.
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Tbh not been seeded 'could' serve Emma better at the US (as long as she avoids one of the top seeds in the first couple of rounds). A seeding of around 29 to 32 would surely mean a third round encounter with Sabs, Iga or Gauff anyway. A better draw might be having a more beatable seed in her section early on.
 
passthatdutch said:
Tbh not been seeded 'could' serve Emma better at the US (as long as she avoids one of the top seeds in the first couple of rounds). A seeding of around 29 to 32 would surely mean a third round encounter with Sabs, Iga or Gauff anyway. A better draw might be having a more beatable seed in her section early on.
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If you’re seeded 25-32 you face one of the top 8 in round 3, rather than 29-32 facing the top 4. I’m pretty sure. But still I agree with you - she may be better off being just outside the seedings.

Much more excited about the Osaka resurgence and Mboko’s run this week.
 
Victoria Mboko becomes the youngest player since Serena Williams at the US Open 1999 to beat 4 Grand Slam champions in one tournament to win Montreal.

Osaka, meanwhile, all but gave up mid match in the face of partisan support for Mboko. Girl, you're playing a Canadian in the final. What did you expect? She didn't even congratulate her in her speech. I honestly wonder why she bothers to play. She's made enough money & she clearly has no love for the game.
 
I didn't watch but congrats to Mboko! incredible achievement. Naomi seems to still be going through it a bit mentally even though her game is on the up.
 
Jark said:
I didn't watch but congrats to Mboko! incredible achievement. Naomi seems to still be going through it a bit mentally even though her game is on the up.
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When has she ever not been struggling mentally. It's a tough sport but there always seems to be a struggle for her. It increasingly seems she isn't cut out for it emotionally.
 
Splitting from Patrick must have been a big help to her game, her attitude was very poor last night though.

Also, yikes for Katie Boulter, another heavy defeat in Cincinatti.
 
Emma is playing one of the best matches I've ever seen her play. brilliant tennis in this second set especially, Sabs looking a bit off it.
 
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