Tennis: All Purpose Tennis Thread XIII

[kihei]

Sinner with a very entertaining win, 4 and 6, over a very game but overmatched Norbert Gumbos of Slovakia. Jannick has the ability to turn it on when he needs it, that's for sure.

 

[discostu]

I'm so happy for Vasek. Every win is a huge milestone.

Yeah, I'm really happy that he's been able to play himself back to the top 100 so quickly.

I was out of the country and limited access for the last couple of weeks, so couldn't comment on the Canadian tennis happenings, but looks like a lot happened.

Glad to see Felix with a strong run. Sounds like he came up against Monfils when he was on his game, so not too much help could do. Still, the finals run came just as he has a lot of points to defend, so helps prevent a dramatic backslide.

On a below the radar note, Brayden Schnur has taken a dramatic fall in the standings. He had a run to the finals of the New York 250 event last year as a wildcard entry that really propped upon his ranking. He's not really had much success since, and with those points now gone, he's fallen to 176.

Back to Pospisil, in terms of being able to get his ranking back up, he's had a very different journey than his former doubles partner Jack Sock. I noticed he's a wildcard entry in Delray this week and remains unranked in singles. His last singles win that counted was October 2018. He won a big match at Laver Cup, that doesn't count for points.

As an American, he'll have a lot of opportunities to get wildcard spots, but, he probably needs to start winning some soon if he wants to maintain his singles career.

 

[kihei]

Opelka versus Gulbis--now, this I gotta see.

 

[kihei]

....And an entertaining match it was with Opelka nudging out Gulbis 7-6 in the third set. Both players had flashes of brilliant tennis, with Opelka winning more thna his share of the long rallies. I can't think of a another super-tall guy w ho is as much fun to watch play tennis as Opelka.

 

[discostu]

Jack Sock wins his first official match in a year and a half. Moves up to 765 in the rankings.

 

[Tuggy]

Vasek wins again, straight sets over Hurkacz. His resurgence continues!

Felix on the schedule a little later today.

 

[discostu]

Vasek wins again, straight sets over Hurkacz. His resurgence continues!

Felix on the schedule a little later today.

It looks like he likely has Tsitsipas next, and it speaks to level of play right now that I look at that matchup and I think Pospisil has enough of a chance.

Even with this recent big wins, I presume that Pospisil likely isn't high enough for direct entry into IW and Miami, but probably high enough for qualifying.

I think he's high enough for the Majors for the rest of the year, and if he sustains this play, will have direct entry to key grass and hard court tournaments later this year.

Outside a first round upset at the US Open, I don't think he has any points to defend until the late fall, so he can really push that ranking. I think he peaked at 29 earlier in his career. I think it's feasible he can get back there.

 

[Tuggy]

It looks like he likely has Tsitsipas next, and it speaks to level of play right now that I look at that matchup and I think Pospisil has enough of a chance.

Even with this recent big wins, I presume that Pospisil likely isn't high enough for direct entry into IW and Miami, but probably high enough for qualifying.

I think he's high enough for the Majors for the rest of the year, and if he sustains this play, will have direct entry to key grass and hard court tournaments later this year.

Outside a first round upset at the US Open, I don't think he has any points to defend until the late fall, so he can really push that ranking. I think he peaked at 29 earlier in his career. I think it's feasible he can get back there.

He still has tournaments left on his PR and he's using it for IW and Miami. He's on the entry list for both.

You're right about points. He only had 360 total points in all of 2019 (thanks to injury time off) and he's already at 289 in 2020. Nowhere to go, but up. He didn't even play his first match until Wimbledon last year, so it's all good until the grass season starts. He'll get direct entry into Wimbledon and the US Open.

He actually got up to #25 in 2014.

If he can remain injury free, then he's definitely going to climb the rankings this year.

 

[MsMeow]

Stephanie Myles said he's around 89 in live rankings with this win. Hoping for a win against Tsitsipas.

 

[discostu]

Thanks. Glad to see him at IW and Miami. By that point, he stands a good chance at being ranked higher than when his injuries started and won't need any more PR status.

It definitely need to try and get to the Rogers Cup this yeariin Toronto. It should be a great year for Canadian players. Barring injuries, I think all four of Raonic, Felix, Denis and Vasek should get main draw entrants. That opens up a lot of wildcard spots for other Canadians.

The Olympics may mean other top players withdraw, but there's actually no direct overlap this year (as there have been in other years) , so, outside the big 3, I think you'll see a competitive field, but still have a good shot to see a Canadian male tennis player win a championship on home soil.

 

[Tuggy]

Felix beat Travagila. He blew the first set, which means he played longer than he should have. Saved 2 MP's.

 

[Tuggy]

 

[kihei]

I think these 250s are just what the doctor ordered for Felix. He gets to develop his game and his confidence a bit before jumping in with all the sharks. He's never going to have a killer instinct, but let's hope he learns to win the tough ones, like he did today (even if the pain was largely self-inflected}.

 

[kihei]

Quite a match going on right now between Carlos Alcaraz, all of 16-years-old, and Federico Coria, currently a set apiece. Alcazar is all kinds of inexperienced, but he has made some scintillating shots that suggest that he could be a force to be reckoned with in the future.

...he lost the third set, too impatient, especially on return of serve. However, wow, has he got a high ceiling or what?

 

[discostu]

Federer to be sidelined until end of the clay Court season. Wimbledon is probably his best chance to win another major, so hopefully he's at full health by then.

 

[Tuggy]

Quite a match going on right now between Carlos Alcaraz, all of 16-years-old, and Federico Coria, currently a set apiece. Alcazar is all kinds of inexperienced, but he has made some scintillating shots that suggest that he could be a force to be reckoned with in the future.

...he lost the third set, too impatient, especially on return of serve. However, wow, has he got a high ceiling or what?

Early days, but he looks like a good one for the future. Physically (like Felix was), already very mature. Spain will always be looking for their next clay king, maybe this is the one

 

[Tuggy]

Federer to be sidelined until end of the clay Court season. Wimbledon is probably his best chance to win another major, so hopefully he's at full health by then.

38 years old and knee problems aren't a good combination.

I've already said I don't think he'll ever win another major and this certainly doesn't help.

But like you said, hopefully he can come back at full health.

 

[MsMeow]

Roger's news came as a surprise. Hope he heals well.

 

[Tuggy]

Denis and Cilic underway. They've split their first two meetings.

Felix/Herbert later. Herbert won their only meeting a couple of weeks ago.

Sinner/Medvedev sandwiched between them on the schedule. Could be a good one.

Vasek also playing doubles with Mahut. Good chance to win the title.

 

[Tuggy]

Federer has 3180 points to come off before the grass season...damn. And he won Halle last year, so 500 more if he returns at Wimbledon.

 

[discostu]

38 years old and knee problems aren't a good combination.

I've already said I don't think he'll ever win another major and this certainly doesn't help.

But like you said, hopefully he can come back at full health.

I think the decision to shut down in time for the grass court season feels like he's try to give it one last go.

If he does return for Wimbledon, the rankings going into that period will be interesting. He's probably dropping a few points if he's missing that much time. Federer winning another title will require some luck on the draw, which gets a little harder as his ranking declines.

 

[Say Hey Kid]

Roger's news came as a surprise. Hope he heals well.

Idk if you guys mentioned this part, but he had arthroscopic knee surgery.

 

[ffh]

faa shapo and popsicle playing in open 13. tsn- we'll broadcast the rio open. thanks tsn you guys get it.

 

[Tuggy]

Denis wins in 3 sets over Cilic. Denis rolled through the 3rd set.

faa shapo and popsicle playing in open 13. tsn- we'll broadcast the rio open. thanks tsn you guys get it.

It would be nice but TSN doesn't have the rights to 250's in Canada. DAZN has rights to WTA and ATP 250's. TSN does have rights for everything else outside of Davis Cup.

 

[kihei]

I just saw the third set. Denis, in full bouncy English setter puppy mode, charged off to a 2-love lead and I buckled up for the usual white-knuckler from here on out, but it didn't happen. Perhaps frustrated by Denis's lucky line calls and let chords, Cilic gave up a second break and Shapo served it out at love.