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2019 Nitto ATP Finals...ATP 1500...London, England

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  • stroke
    replied
    Originally posted by arturohernandez View Post
    I think Djokovic's shoulder and elbow problems are becoming chronic. Not sure he ever got to 100% and will continue to struggle for some time. Might need surgery in the offseason. We really need one GS with fast courts. The game has become to monolithic with the slow courts and poly strings.
    I personally disagree. We have 4 Majors, 2 on hard courts with roofs at times. I do not think an indoor major would be a good thing.

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  • arturohernandez
    replied
    I think Djokovic's shoulder and elbow problems are becoming chronic. Not sure he ever got to 100% and will continue to struggle for some time. Might need surgery in the offseason. We really need one GS with fast courts. The game has become to monolithic with the slow courts and poly strings.

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  • stroke
    replied
    The 1st set was the Gold Standard in full flight. A perfect storm for Fed, to me like Micheal Jordon, looking like no one else ever has, in his perfect conditions, 2 of 3 sets on a fast indoor hard court. And total love/crowd support. As tough an ask for Novak as there as is in tennis, with the exception of Nadal at FO.

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  • don_budge
    replied
    Originally posted by arturohernandez View Post
    It is a fast court so that favors Federer.
    Judging by the way Federer's serve is moving through the court...it is fast. Roger is serving lights out. To be continued.

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  • stroke
    replied
    The Gold Standard is at his level obviously from the 1st ball. Novak a bit shaky early on but we all know how great Novak is. Just a real treat of a match. To me, early on, what I am seeing from Novak as he takes control of a rally and forces Roger to slightly float the ball, instead of coming forward to finish, he is staying back and just running Roger. Probably a good strategy for Novak.

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  • don_budge
    replied
    Originally posted by stroke View Post
    And the match of the day, Roger has the stand alone game, the tools. Slice the ball short in the court forcing Novak to come forward and make him volley. I still think if he stuck to this strategy from the go, he could frustrate Novak and take away his confidence in what is going on out there. I know it is a tough ask. Novak's rally depth is sometimes beyond belief. If that is going on, it is not really possible to bring him is consistently. I will certainly be watching the match.
    Excellent points. All have come into the play in the first game. I also think that Novak is a bit shaky on the backhand when played low with skid. Roger must dominate his service games and not give Novak too many looks at break points. Novak takes care of his serve as well as anyone.

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  • arturohernandez
    replied
    Originally posted by stroke View Post
    "they don't like each other, why should they" so true db. That is one great quality Stef has, he is completely honest about who he is to me, no airs, even more so maybe than Medvedev. I am certain that loss to Stef here for Alex stung more than most. Nadal, what else can we say about him, or Roger. And the match of the day, Roger has the stand alone game, the tools. Slice the ball short in the court forcing Novak to come forward and make him volley. I still think if he stuck to this strategy from the go, he could frustrate Novak and take away his confidence in what is going on out there. I know it is a tough ask. Novak's rally depth is sometimes beyond belief. If that is going on, it is not really possible to bring him is consistently. I will certainly be watching the match.
    It is a fast court so that favors Federer. To me the big 3 look wobbly. Djokovic has his on again off again shoulder. Federer, I think, needs a break. Rafa won agains Medvedev but looked shaky to me.

    I feel like next year will be the changing of the guard. This is the first year where the younger players outnumber the older players. Not sure that the big 3 will be able to keep up with them. Thiem in particular looks like he is strong and fit enough to go five sets in a final and play at a very high level for two weeks.

    Tonight should be interesting. But my guess is that Djokovic will be too much of a wall for Roger. Unless, his shoulder starts acting up. Then it might a battle that Federer can win.

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  • stroke
    replied
    Matteo wins 1st set vs Thiem in tiebreaker. Matteo's rpm's on his forehead the 1st set were the highest(per 1st set stats provided) that I ever seen, including Nadal. It is so compact and brutal

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  • stroke
    replied
    "they don't like each other, why should they" so true db. That is one great quality Stef has, he is completely honest about who he is to me, no airs, even more so maybe than Medvedev. I am certain that loss to Stef here for Alex stung more than most. Nadal, what else can we say about him, or Roger. And the match of the day, Roger has the stand alone game, the tools. Slice the ball short in the court forcing Novak to come forward and make him volley. I still think if he stuck to this strategy from the go, he could frustrate Novak and take away his confidence in what is going on out there. I know it is a tough ask. Novak's rally depth is sometimes beyond belief. If that is going on, it is not really possible to bring him is consistently. I will certainly be watching the match.

    Leave a comment:


  • don_budge
    replied
    It's nice to watch some tennis during a dreary November rainy day...rainy days. When we get a reprieve from the rain for one or two days then comes another deluge. Or a projected one that doesn't materialise. But you know what? It's only weather. Put the right clothes on and nothing can stop you. Or go pick your spots and walk between the raindrops. Take your pick. You've got options. Or just stay inside and bitch about things. Life in general.

    A couple of entertaining matches yesterday. At least to a point. It was thoroughly entertaining watching Stefanos Tsitsipas pinning the ears back on Alexander Zverev. Zverev coming off a big win over Rafael Nadal. I sort of see a pattern here with Zverev. Obviously he has talent. Even potential. But it seems like if he has a big spike in his expectations he has difficulty dealing with it. Here is a perfect case in point. An unexpected takedown of "The Skunk" and then it is a matinee opportunity against one of his most terrible and taunting nemesis. He and Tsitsipas have had some nasty little back and forth...obviously they don't like each other. Why should they? There isn't any reason to. But he just got rolled by Tsitsiopas. So now the shoe is on the other foot for Stefanos and it his turn to take on Nadal.

    Daniil Medvedev forgot to get the horse in the barn yesterday. But he looked great getting to that point. Nadal did not. Even when he came back it was almost more the case that Daniil just ran out of gas. Mentally. That seemed like a bit of a burnout moment to me. He is going to get some serious rest now and next will be the Australian Open where he is going to pick up where he left off. The kid is tough and yesterday wasn't the end of the world for him. The end of the tournament but that came to an end with his loss to Tsitsipas.

    Stefanos Tsitsipas on the other hand is granted another opportunity to put up or shut up. He made some squeals about Nadal's "talent" to make you play poorly. Now it is time to reverse the trend. Nadal looks vulnerable. Beatable.

    But today Dominic Theim will continue to dominate the other side of the draw. Which side is it anyways? It is the Great Imposter's group...Andre Agassi's. I have about as much use for Andre Agassi as I do for Fafa Nadal. Two splendid imposters. Two self centred beyond egotistical monsters who need to have a wooden racquet put into their inflated ego hands to bring them down to earth. Poster boys for the big shiny graphite bazookas in my book. Dominic should have his way with Matteo Berrettinni. Matteo the man with the two letter trend down to perfection in his name. No less than five letters of the alphabet repeating in his name. That's almost twenty percent of the alphabet. That should count for something. Big forehand Matteo. That's his nickname.

    The match of the day? Well...you know who. It's Roger Federer versus Anybody. In this case it isn't just anybody. It's none other than the most boring Meteor to ever hurl itself through space. Get the coffee ready Novak Djokovic. That's his new nickname. But today it is a different story. Federer makes everyone look exciting. There isn't anything boring about his matches. The last of the Classic Game. The Once and Future King. The Living Proof. I have to believe that Roger would like to have this one. It has been awhile and the last meeting was in London as well. Interesting enough that that match with Novak was a match that I couldn't wait to end. Novak Djokovic...the one player in the world that can make a Federer match boring. The stuff that sleeping aids are made of.

    But let's just see. Wait and see. Time is marching on. All three of the old Daddy's are looking rather vulnerable. Maybe with the exception of Novak. Let's see if Roger can neutralise him somehow. I haven't got a read on the court speed. Federer has to get up on that baseline and go forwards. He has to be aggressive. Relentless. Because Gumby is on the other side of the net. Novak absorbs...and absorbs...and absorbs...and absorbs...and absorbs...and absorbs...and absorbs...and absorbs...and absorbs. Well...I guess you get the picture.

    Get a life he said. Yeah...this is your life. Isn't it?

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  • gzhpcu
    replied
    Love him or hate him, Nadal is a great fighter! Down match point 1-5 30-40, missing his first serve and battling back to win the match in a tiebreak is incredible. And against Medvedev!

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  • don_budge
    replied
    Originally posted by stroke View Post

    I actually saw the end of the Novak Thiem match. Just luck as I was out and about and the bar I was at had it on. Theim if course served for the 3rd set and was broken and had to go to tiebreaker. Forged by steel time, and he answered the bell. Too good. That is how it is done. Of course, more work to be done here. We will see. No easy ask
    ...and I actually watched the first set. A disappointing loss for Theim but as I said Dominic Theim is a different animal these days and "tough asks"? There always are but he is rising to the occasion. So now he has taken out two of the Big Three and the third is cat food. He's off his meds and looking human...whether he likes it or not. Remember that comment in the article about his not being human. He's on drugs. No question. He started to believe that he was superhuman. He will come down to earth...gravity is like that.

    Roger versus Novak becomes even more dramatic and Roger has been saving up for this one for a long time. They have been ducking each other since Wimbledon and it won't be long now. That should be interesting. Look what is up today...Nadal and Medvedev. We didn't have to wait long for this. As tired as Medvedev is he should be able to get up for this one. Good stuff going on here. The old guys are barely holding on. The young guys are chomping at the bits.

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  • stroke
    replied
    Originally posted by don_budge View Post

    Thanks for dropping in on your vacation. If I was a betting man I would bet you are having fun...enjoy! The rest of your life is going to be one big vacation! But good observation regarding El Skunko...Rafael Nadal. He didn't look like what we have come to expect. Perhaps it was creeping in on him. He is human after all.

    Settling in for an afternoon with Roger Federer and Matteo Berrettini. Federer needs to make a statement here with a match in the offing with Novak Djokovic. I hope he manages it because that could be interesting if the court is quick enough for Federer to get the quick drop. Berrettini is the perfect match to warm up for Djokovic.
    I actually saw the end of the Novak Thiem match. Just luck as I was out and about and the bar I was at had it on. Theim if course served for the 3rd set and was broken and had to go to tiebreaker. Forged by steel time, and he answered the bell. Too good. That is how it is done. Of course, more work to be done here. We will see. No easy ask

    Leave a comment:


  • glacierguy
    replied
    Enjoyed watching Federer win vs Berrettini. It looked to me as if Berrettini hurt himself on first point of his serve at 5-6. Top of right leg/lower abdomen??

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  • don_budge
    replied
    Originally posted by stroke View Post
    I am on vacation right now and not watching things unfold here as I usually do, but I did see that Stef had taken down Medvedev, and that is huge for Stef. And I saw that Alex beat Nadal, which I was not shocked at after watching Nadal at last hard court tournament. We will see if he even stays in the draw here.
    Thanks for dropping in on your vacation. If I was a betting man I would bet you are having fun...enjoy! The rest of your life is going to be one big vacation! But good observation regarding El Skunko...Rafael Nadal. He didn't look like what we have come to expect. Perhaps it was creeping in on him. He is human after all.

    Settling in for an afternoon with Roger Federer and Matteo Berrettini. Federer needs to make a statement here with a match in the offing with Novak Djokovic. I hope he manages it because that could be interesting if the court is quick enough for Federer to get the quick drop. Berrettini is the perfect match to warm up for Djokovic.

    Leave a comment:

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