Tennis: All Purpose Tennis Thread XVI

[kihei]

Carlos and Hubie putting on a show in Cincy, Carlos often spectacularly, Hubie much more quietly. Currently a set apiece as Alcaraz has a slow, Djokovic-like start, 2-6, but wins a second set breaker after being down a match point earlier and then going down 1-4 in the breaker. Mucho fun.

 

[kihei]

Djokovic/Zverev is a curiously listless affair most of the way. Despite being dominated from the baseline, a very rare thing, Djokovic takes the subsequent breaker from Zverev, 7-4. The second set is passionlessly business-like until Nole can't serve out the set, and then it gets exciting for about three minutes, that is, until Nole immediately breaks back. At least, we get the dream final tomorrow.

 

[kihei]

The women's so-called "Big Three" have hit a rough patch. Not one of them has made the final at Wimbledon, Toronto and now Cincinnati where it took two upsets in the semis to quell their hopes. Gauff, looking like it will soon be the "Big Four," knocked out Swiatek in three exciting sets, and Muchova came from a set down to eliminate an increasingly nervy Sabalenka in three sets.

 

[17futurecap]

4:30 tomorrow Novak vs Carlos, what else can you ask for?

I hope I say the same thing on September 10th.

 

[kihei]

Nole breaks; Carlos breaks right back, 4-3. Game on.

Going into the US Open, I think Nole needs to win this much more than Carlos does.

 

[17futurecap]

This is good stuff.

 

[kihei]

I can't believe it pleases Nole to see how carefree Carlos looks and is playing.

In contrast, Nole seems a little cranky and not exactly brimming with confidence.

 

[17futurecap]

Novak looks like he wants no part of the heat and humidity.

 

[kihei]

Carlos breaks for 6-5. He's digging a very deep hole for Nole at the moment.

 

[17futurecap]

Two unreal shots in that service game to close the set.

 

[kihei]

Novak needs to find a way to shorten points in the second set. At the moment, over the last five games or so, this match looks a little one-sided.

 

[kihei]

Nole looks about four drop shots away from intravenous fluids.

 

[17futurecap]

Kind of a letdown. Early weather looking good first week of the Open, nothing like this.

I wonder if either player will ask for an afternoon match during the first week?

 

[kihei]

What kind of day has it been? The best service returner in history has failed to return nearly 40% of Carlos' second serves.

 

[17futurecap]

That break back came out of no where.

 

[kihei]

Didn't see this coming. Four unforced errors, all of them egregious, and Nole is gifted a service break and the set is even again, 4-all.

 

[kihei]

Shadows finally cover the whole court diminishing the heat, and guess who is looking fresher all of a sudden?

 

[kihei]

Nole's most dominant game of the match takes the second set to 6-5.

 

[kihei]

What a time to try a pair of totally gratuitous lobs. Carlos been talking to ADF too much lately?

And Nole somehow takes the set?

 

[17futurecap]

I want JCF’s gig of just saying Vamos.

 

[17futurecap]

Unreal, what an atmosphere.

 

[CupofOil]

Epic match. Novak has the heart of a warrior. These Alcaraz-Djokovic have Big 3 feel to it and I love it, it's too bad that Djokovic isn't a few years younger as I'd love to see many years more of this.

 

[kihei]

Of course Carlos' tendency to get overexcited or nervous at key points in matches has always been part of what makes his matches so exciting. I thought his matches would get a bit duller as he grew out of these lapses, and he has to some extent, but they obviously can still bite him in the ass occasionally and that makes for more fun, more excitement and longer matches for fans.

 

[Novak Djokovic]

Novak crumbles in heat, windy weather, etc...it's actually so surprising given his mental toughness otherwise. So typical, luckily the sun has vanished from the court.

 

[PanniniClaus]

Well.. a fine match to finish this week.