Tennis: All Purpose Tennis Thread XIV

[kihei]

With courts this slow, the Paris final may come down to fitness. Nole might have a letdown after clinching the year end #1 for the 7th time, so going with Medvedev.

 

[kihei]

Daniil wins the first long two points of the match, and Nole immediately goes into "shorten the point" mode. Not a positive sign, though maybe a practical tactic. 2-love Medvedev.

Nole ups the variety and the aggression, 2-2.

Medvedev wins a very close, well played, tactically interesting first set 6-4.

 

[kihei]

2nd set: Nole breaks for 3-1. A pleasure to watch the two best players in the world look exactly like the two best players in the world.

It takes 12 minutes for Nole to hold serve for the set. It is only fair that this match is going to a third and deciding set.

 

[kihei]

3rd set: Continuing great tennis as both players chase down everything.

Nole breaks for 3-2 in a match that has been as much a battle of wits as it is a physical challenge.

Nole methodically moving Daniil around the court more than the other way around.

Nole gets a second break as Medvedev finally wears down, 5-2.

Then he has a let down and Medvedev breaks for 3-5.

And a record breaking 37th 1000 title.

 

[Hadoop]

This is some spellbinding stuff.

 

[kihei]

Congrats to the GOAT.

 

[kihei]

For the first time, FAA is ranked in the top ten.

 

[kihei]

Poor Andy. With one exception, Murray has had nightmare draws all year or at least since the end of February. In Stockholm he draws Singer in the second round this time.

 

[kihei]

Next Gens are underway and diminuitive Sebastian Baez from Argentina knocks of a continuing off-form Musetti in four mini-sets. Baez played his first ATP match on indoor hardcourts (he won five Challengers on clay in South America this year) and looked like Schwartzman's younger brother (he's 5' 7") but with more of a nose for the net.

Gaston should have upset Korda but couldn't win some big points and lost in five. Alcaraz and Nakishima won easily.

 

[kihei]

The way Alcaraz is playing so far in this competition underscores the certainty that he is the best young tennis player to arrive on the scene since Djokovic. Just breathtaking.

 

[Tuggy]

Murray takes out Sinner in Stockholm.

Shapovalov defending his title there (from 2019).

 

[Tuggy]

Nice win for Felix over Krajinovic.

 

[kihei]

Murray takes out Sinner in Stockholm.

what a fine match and what a superb performance by Murrày.

 

[Tuggy]

Felix into the SF!

 

[kihei]

What else in new? Another gruelling three setter for Murray, this time a loss to Tommy Paul who played beautifully in the first and third set and who was 34 for 39 at net. Paul now at #50, a career high, always seems under-ranked to me. He's a top 35 player in disguise.

 

[kihei]

Shapo gets to the semis in Stockholm with a tough come-from-behind win over Rindernech in three sets. He'll face FAA.

 

[kihei]

You can bet your house that there will be an American and a Canadian in the Stockholm final. It cannot be otherwise.

 

[Tuggy]

Yup, Denis vs Felix for a spot in the finals.

I'll be rooting for Felix.

Getting in the top 10 for the first time while winning his first tournament would be a nice way to do it.

He's going to be top 10 no matter what, but it'd look better with a title

 

[kihei]

Watching Korda, man, those are the best strokes money can buy. Helps if your dad is a former Grand Slam champion, I guess. But, also, Kordas swimmer's body and patrician bearing do help to accentuate the effortless nature of his game.

 

[kihei]

For three sets Nakashima was clearly the better player, but he tightened and Korda won in five. If Nakashima ever gains confidence, he has the potential to make a splash.

 

[kihei]

FAA broken in first game behind three utterly avoidable unforced errors. He's getting hard to watch with this continued nonsense.

 

[kihei]

Turned into a fine, intense, hard hitting match with Denis clearly the superior player on this day.

Shapo plays Tommy Paul, a come-from-behind winner against Tiafoe in the other semi. Paul really deserves his good fortune and this will be his first ATP final appearamce/

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Paul wins in three. Nice win for him. I think he has top 30 potential.

 

[kihei]

Alcaraz beats Korda in straight mini-sets 4-3, 4-2, 4-2. Korda, three years older, played well, but Alcaraz played better and won virtually all the clutch points.

 

[kihei]

After a typically slow start, Nole defeats Ruud in straight sets.

An aggressive Rublev exploits Tsitsipas' suspect backhand mercilessly and wins in straight sets as well