Tennis: All Purpose Tennis Thread XIV

[MsMeow]

Tuggy: Are you being held hostage? Can I help?
MsMeow: Cat got your tongue? Where is everybody?

I'm here! Haven't been watching because of the time zone difference of the clay court tournies and work.

 

[kihei]

Bublik first serves like a demon, keeps points short (only five points went over nine strokes), catches Karatsev on a low energy day, and wins 4 and 3 to make the quarters. More, please.

Poor Rublev. He played almost flawlessly (32-10 w/ue ratio), second served at 71%, won 14 more points than Isner in the match, and lost 7-6, 3-6. 7-6. Andrey never managed a single break point opportunity, though. People tend to forget how good a clay court player Isner is.

 

[MaxV]

People tend to forget how good a clay court player Isner is.

This is interesting to me.

I guess I don't know enough about tennis, but I was under impression that players with big serves and power shots have an advantage on faster courts but often struggle on clay. Wasn't that an issue with Sampras?

 

[CanadianFlyer88]

Anyone catch the Zverev-Nadal match?

Game score is interesting. Nadal broke first, but, Zverev only faced one break point for the remainder of the match.

Statistically, a very clean win by Zverev.

 

[kihei]

Anyone catch the Zverev-Nadal match?

Game score is interesting. Nadal broke first, but, Zverev only faced one break point for the remainder of the match.

Statistically, a very clean win by Zverev.

Yes, calm and steady for Zverev against a Rafa, who especially in the second set looked old and tired. He mustered only five winners in in 20 games, and never put up much fight surprisingly.

 

[kihei]

Thiem is three sets against Isner. Dominic isn't there yet but he is rounding into form and looks relaxed. The layoff might have been exactly what the doctor ordered for him/

Ruud over Bublik in straight sets. Bublik mixed the usual array of loose points with some brilliant tennis in the first set (there seems no opponent Bublik can't utterly dominate--for fifteen minutes), but Ruud is as steady as Bublik is mercurial, and the second set went in a flash.

 

[kihei]

Sabalenka who has been absolutely annihilating opponents all weet won the first set in the final against Barty at love with 11-1 w/ue ratio. Then she went full Sabalenka and fell apart for awhile before recovering to take the deciding set 6-4. I lost 1 grand vcash on it, but some poor sod lost $800,000. Aryna certainly has #1 potential if she can keep her head together.

 

[kihei]

Dominant straight set wins for Zverev and Berrettini over Thiem and Ruud respectively, who both get to the Madrid final in style. Should be a beauty.

 

[kihei]

Zverev takes Madrid in three sloppy, error-proned sets. I'm trying to think if I have ever seen a Top Ten player with a weaker backhand than Berrettini. Nobody else is coming immediately to mind.

 

[kihei]

Rome with its slower courts should be a more accurate gauge of Rafa's preparedness for Roland Garros than Madrid.

 

[kihei]

Even a mediocre Sinner was enough to own Humbert 2 and 4. Must be depressing for Ugo, Sort of puts a ceiling on his ambitions.

 

[kihei]

Once again Paire falls behind and tanks a match, like really obviously. How long is the ATP going to put up with this nonsense from a jerk who clearly doesn't respect the game?

 

[Tuggy]

Felix makes easy work of Schwartzman.

Nice to see a straight forward win for him.

Delbonis or Goffin next.

 

[kihei]

Though Schwartzman did seem asleep at the start of the match, that's a fine win and a rare one. Since Toronto 2019 Felix has only beaten three players ranked above him, Shapo twice, RBA and now his first top ten kill in a long while Schwartzman.

 

[Tuggy]

Karatsev without much trouble against Medvedev.

Karatsev has to be top 3 in power. Crazy how this guy has basically come out of nowhere.

 

[kihei]

Karatsev without much trouble against Medvedev.

Karatsev has to be top 3 in power. Crazy how this guy has basically come out of nowhere.

I kjnow it was on clay, Medvedev's worst surface, but I thought that match was another Karatsev jaw-dropper. He out-Medvedevd Medvedev running him around the court like crazy. At one point it appeared Daniil pulled out a courtside plant in frustration. Imagine the poor upper seed who meets Aslan in the round of 32 at Roland Garros. Whoever that guy is, he better be prepared for a long day.

 

[kihei]

Rublev in three arduous sets against Struff. Andrey is looking like he thinks this slow clay court stuff is a lot of work.

 

[MaxV]

With that win, Karatsev moves into top 25, passing Khachanov.

 

[kihei]

With that win, Karatsev moves into top 25, passing Khachanov.

Amazing. From #114 journeyman career nobody to top 25 serious contender in 4 and a half months.

 

[kihei]

Sinner gave Nadal a battle but still lost 5 and 4. While Jannik achieved three breaks in the match, his own serve wasn't enough of a problem for Rafa not to take advantage. Sinner also needs to improve his net game which was virtually non-existent all night. He's got a ways to go before he can beat Nadal, but this was another positive step in the right direction for him.

 

[Tuggy]

Amazing. From #114 journeyman career nobody to top 25 serious contender in 4 and a half months.

Then he loses to Opelka this morning in straight sets.

Denis out to a quick 3-0 start against Nadal.

This service game for Nadal at 3-5 has been a battle.

And Denis gets the break and the first set!

Best I've ever seen Denis play on clay.

We'll see how he comes out in the second.

Big hold to start the second for Denis.

Denis breaks AGAIN! Up 2-0 with a powerful forehand down the line.

Tougher hold this time and some nervy moments, but Denis holds 3-0.

There is the break back for Nadal, 3-2.

Nadal holds, 3-3. But Denis seems to be in every Nadal service game.

Another break for Nadal, that's 4 games in a row. Things are not going in a good direction for Denis.

Denis avoids a virtual bagel and holds to make it 5-4. Nadal to serve for the second set.

Nadal holds and takes the second set. Can't see Denis winning this now.

Well, well, well. Denis not going away and gets the break! Up 3-1 in the third.

Nadal breaks right back.

First match point for Denis at 6-5...ahh just long. Back to deuce.

Match point #2...and Denis shanks it

Nadal holds. 3rd set tiebreak to settle it.

Not a very good TB for Denis and Nadal takes it.

Real, real tough loss...

 

[John Price]

 

[Tuggy]

Felix knocked out by Delbonis.

 

[Maestro84]

Don't think I've ever seen a player be able to problem solve and just grind it out to win a match when they aren't at their best better than Rafa has done throughout his career. He's been doing this since guys like Denis and Stefanos were in kindergarten!

 

[Hadoop]

Well ol'Rafa pulled it out. Of course he did. Shapo played really well in the loss though.