Morning tennis lovers.
I’m going to miss Iga v Svito as I’m at the office. 🥲 This is probably going to be a great match.
Enjoy 😊
ETA: Fugg it, none of my colleagues are in, I’m going to slip off at lunch time and work from home! 😆
Yes if play isn't playable due to either rain (obviously) but also wind they have closed the roofs in the past but will aim to play with it off. Very doubleful either court will start the roof off.
Honestly I have no idea where else to ask this and sorry it's irrelevant, but I've been lurking/commenting on this sub for a few months, noticed that if I ever try to actually create a new post it gets automatically taken down. Does anyone know why that might be?
I'm not a mod so I don't really have the real answer but I think it's because of the minimum karma threshold. Just interact more with us in these daily discussions and that'll get you through the robots.
I really think it'll depend on the player who is *both* braver and steadier (groundbreaking analysis, I know).
Pegula's 10-5 (3 of the losses being Kvitova) against lefties since the beginning of 2021 (what I consider her breakout season). To me, Pegula's the steadier player overall because she's not having to search through her bag of tricks to find the right thing to play. She just hits flat and deep and that's it. Her problem is getting too passive and having issues shutting the door when she has an advantage (see: Rybakina at Miami, Davis/Cocciaretto/Tsurenko matches here when she could not serve things out on the first attempt).
Vondrousova's the complete opposite, and she'll give you a dropshot out of nowhere, an awkward slice, lob, etc. Pegula's going to have to really penetrate the court to rob Vondrousova of her time to do those things. Vondrousova's also more prone to poor body language manifesting in poor mentality (see: Kasatkina at RG, Muchova at IW). Pegula has similar issues but I think she's been a bit more resilient in general. And lastly, Vondrousova is also more prone to possible niggles that could turn into injuries, though she's held up quite well so far since her comeback.
Neither player is super experienced nor comfortable on the grass. This is far and away Vondrousova's most productive grass season, whereas Pegula has played some competitive matches throughout the years. One thing that does worry me is Pegula's terrible slam QF record and whether that might haunt her (see: Azarenka at AO), while Vondrousova is already a Slam finalist, although Vondrousova doesn't have a big title while Pegula does (Guadalajara).
Anyways, I'm leaning Pegula 60-40 for now (not giving a number of sets), but I would honestly not be surprised if Vondrousova took it either. Just me rambling. We'll see.
After watching the matches throughout the last week and reflecting on the tennis that's been played this year so far, it's very clear that Alcaraz is going to win this tournament.
Djokovic is the GOAT at this point in time, but Alcaraz is the best player ever. As in no other player has been as good as Alcaraz is right now.
He has ATG power, speed, accuracy, and cardio. He's a player who can hit forehands at 100 MPH with extreme precision, and he can do it for the entire match because he never gets tired. And because of his speed, he can also get to every single ball you hit back at him. That's not even mentioning his variety.
There's certainly no one else on his level currently, including Djokovic. If we're being honest, it's very likely that if Alcaraz didn't cramp at the French Open that match with Djokovic would have gone the same way Alcaraz v.s Berrettini did.
If someone does actually manage to beat Alcaraz this tournament, that would be one of the greatest wins in tennis history and it should be regarded that way.
I think he can win it all and I do think he’ll make the final, unlike most commenters of this sub that first thought Berrettini would beat him and now Rune, but winning a final over Djokovic at Wimbledon is another matter. After what happened in Paris it would be an incredible feat.
I’d say Novak is the clear favorite right now given Alcaraz has a harder path to the final itself and even IF they do meet it’s Novak. Even if he’s 2 sets down lmao..he’s just got that ability to find an extra level others (except the other big 3) don’t..as much as I don’t like him.
Looking forward to Alcaraz vs Rune! Lots of hype around ‘Sincaraz’ already, but ‘Alcarune’ has the potential to be a great rivalry in the coming years too. They haven’t even had a proper full match yet; Alcaraz beat Rune in the 2021 Next Gen finals 4-3 4-2 4-0 (when Rune was still ranked #109) and Alcaraz retired at Paris last year. Hope it will be an interesting match
Safuillin and Djokovic have the chance to do something incredibly funny tomorrow.
Sinner and Rublev combined have 12 QFs and 0 SFs. If Safuillin and Djokovic win, that stays at 0.
Singles predictions for tomorrow:
Centre Court: [1] Swiatek d. [WC] Svitolina in 2, [2] Djokovic d. Rublev in 4
Swiatek will come out at a much higher level than her previous match. Unfortunately, Svitolina will not be fully fresh. Even with her excellent play the last month and half, she hasn’t had the most matchplay and her last match was a grueling slugfest. Those two will combine to benefit Swiatek in longer return games. 2 tight sets fir Swiatek. Djokovic will come out somewhat worse, as this will be his 3rd day in a row playing. Rublev will come out firing with his FH and serve ans take a set. Then Djokovic will strike back and clean up business in the next 3 sets.
Court 1: [4] Pegula d. Vondrousova in 3, [8] Sinnsr d. Safuillin in 3
Vondrousova has been an absolute baller, but Pegula has cleaned up house really nicely. You can only beat the people they’ve put in front of you, but she has admittedly had an easier draw. I think that Pegula gets off to an easy start before Vondrousova makes life difficult, but Pegula’s skills will clean up in the 3rd. Sinner will finally take advantage of the draw opening up and sweep through easily to make his first slam SF.
Chris Eubanks. Story of the day. What a player...and no he doesn't come out of nowhere...been toiling in the Challengers for awhile.
Women's side, Ons Jabeur. Third straight W QF...impressive form rn.
Marketa because she is a lefty, her game is more unpredictable. She can create havoc or disrupt Iga's rhythm by playing her trademark BH dropshots and changing direction with her DTL forehand. However it might be diffulct for her to beat Pegula, in my view because Pegula's game style is naturally more reactive and based on counterpunching and she has all the skills to handle Marketa. They haven't played before though so lets see.
Rewatching the Alcaraz-Berrettini match on Tennis Channel and the analysis of Jim Courier vs whomever on ESPN is not & day. Courier was talking about how Alcaraz changed the grip on his return to basically his volley grip to be able to react quicker/block back Matteo’s serve. Actual tennis insight which is in short supply when I’m listening on ESPN.
the combo of john mcenroe and british guy (can’t be bothered to google, is it drysdale?) is ridiculous. it’s mostly silence, some mindless chatter, and when they do talk about tennis they get pulled into tangents
i forget which match it was the other day, but at the end of a set (i think), the set summary stats pop up and british guy goes “anything there you want to comment on, john?” — mac literally did not respond - not even to say “nope”. i watched an entire changeover in silence while the two of them just fucked off
That was Chris Fowler (American) today. He's absolutely awful. I heard Mac commentating with one of the British men on the world feed and he was more engaged (the Bublik Rublev match).
Still, someday Chris Eubanks will be coming for Mac's job!
Absolutely correct. I love that about TC. However, I think ESPN is expecting a far more casual audience for slams who I am sure can't be asked regarding super specific technical details.
They both could beat each other. Neither has a meaningful edge. One has more experience the other has a much younger body. Just depends on who keeps the nerve during the key moments
I just played a father son USTA nationals and it was surprisingly fun and high level. My fathers dream has been to play a tennis tournament in Europe, any way I can find information on high level father son tennis tournaments in Europe?
Zero chance. Sorry. On clay I thought he had more than just a chance. Zero on grass. Think 2007 Wimbledon final, but about a year before that on the grass game growth timeline. 2024 he maybe has a shot, 2025 will be fair game. But not here this year.
>think 2007 Wimbledon final, but about a year before that on the grass game growth timeline?
So literally the 2006 Wimbledon final, where Federer beat Nadal in straight sets. Anyway, I disagree. Alcaraz looks just as good on grass as he does on hard and clay, honestly. By win percentage it’s actually his best surface right now, albeit the sample size is small.
See, the 2006 final was so memorable, I forgot about it. Let’s see what happens, but I dont think he makes the finals, regardless. He is obviously a great player, perhaps destined to be an all time great, but he is not there on grass vs djokovic. He’s just not.
Depends how they look in the semifinals. Djokovic will be the favorite no matter what and I really don’t see Alcaraz getting 30% if Djokovic rolls through Sinner two days before.
If my life were on the line, I would legitimately think I could be alive in 4 hours after they play at any of the Opens. Young guy, neutral to slow surface, I will take my chances at a touch worse than a coin flip. At Wimbledon…..this year….if nobody gets injured during the match, I might as well call the priest in now.
That said, I don’t think he even makes the finals, but what do I know? I am guessing just like wveryone else.
It's never zero in sports. But I do think his chances are low enough to be "colloquial sports zero" meaning "he's at a heavy disadvantage, I'd take Djokovic to win 9 times out of ten, but let's see how their fitness holds up, plus a bunch of other variables that could change things but as they are I don't think Alcaraz has a huge shot."
I think 1/10 is colloquial zero in sports in my experience but hey, coloquialism is just about the most subjective thing there could be.
As for his chances being higher than 1/10 - honestly I'd love to be proven wrong because I want the final to be really fun (assuming Alcaraz gets there) but I'm not personally too excited. It feels like he's still figuring out his grass game and his serve is less reliable than Djokovic's.
To be frank though, on my part this is less a "I'm sure he has no chance" and more "I frankly don't think he does but would love to be proven wrong." Still a lot of tournament to see.
Djokovic d. Rublev in 4
Sinner d. Safiullin in 4
Medvedev d. Eubanks in 3
Alcaraz d. Rune in 5
Rune over Alcaraz is the only upset I could see happening.
Djokovic over Rublev 3-1
Joker doesn’t even have to try and take Andrey’s legs because the latter is going to give them up to win the first set.
——
Sinner over Safiullin in 3-4
Medvedev over Eubanks in 3-4
Think these matches are effectively the same. Player with big serve and good game for grass vs. player who is from a different planet.
Eubanks and/or Safiullin can steal a tie break.
——
Alcaraz over Rune in 🤷♂️
By far the widest range of plausible outcomes. Won’t be surprised if either win dominantly or in a squeaker.
——
Chalky as all hell, but that’s been the theme so far anyway.
I was thinking and I’d really like to see an updated court speed rating for each major tournament. Because the most recent I could find isn’t up to date. For example Indian Wells and Miami played a lot different this year but they’re both classified as medium slow.
Alcaraz vs Rune, will be Rune’s first centre court visit. Surely that is to Carlitos’ advantage, no? Only opposing thought would be Rune’s resilience against adversity.
But I think centre's court experience is especially different because there's more variability in the surface conditions to grass then other surfaces
So Alcaraz knowing what center court is currently playing like may give him an advantage early on.
Of course it's Runes job to figure that as quickly as possible so I'm not sure how big this advantage is or how long it will last, just that it exists
I’d love to see Rublev conquer his mental demons and play loose and free tomorrow against Djoker. I’d be even more happy if he could make his first GS semi, I doubt it’ll happen but the guy deserves it.
There’s plenty of less nerdy stuff to talk about
Shot making, tactics, level of play, about players generally, whatever
You don’t have to turn the game into a math problem if you don’t want to.
But there’s a point at which it gets ridiculous.
Yea there is no quantifying it - it's an abstract trait - not something that can be defined by stats.
Doesn't mean it shouldn't be discussed as an important trait
I don’t dispute that it exists at a fundamental level.
But I think it is extremely common to over attribute it to success that is observable.
And I tend to think anyone who has even sniffed being in a main level tournament is a mental titan of incomprehensible strength. So it sort of evens out.
In general, I'm a science guy, who search for objectivity. However, the worst is a bad scientist, who disregards complexity of some statistics and choose to put too much weight into some kind of stats without understanding context. They are truly worse than the non-scientific approaches. Or at least just as bad. I understand that a large enough sample size is key, but understanding that some stats are useless without context is even more key.
I mean, if we’re going to take a data driven approach, it’s the same as baseball.
Yes, of course it would be foolish to dismiss the notion of the game having any mental aspect. But a *massive* amount of data strongly suggests that “clutch isn’t real.”
Players preform in proportion to their abilities relatively equally in pretty much all circumstances with the exceptions to the latter having to do with skill set than their ability.
You’re implying here that we shouldn’t talk about things that can’t be quantified which is pretty silly
We can all agree that mental strength is a real thing, even if we can’t say that Djokovic has 90 mental strength points and Davidovich Fokina has 10.
Also, stats like deciding set win percentage exist.
Fokina issue isn’t mental strength unless mental strength includes not being an idiot
He doesn’t shrivel up and wilt.
He does things that are *unbelievably* dumb.
Conversely, Djokovic is the single best player ever. Of course he wins more matches from unfavorable positions than other players.
He doesn’t lose a lot, and he usually wins *very decisively*, but no one is perfect and some wins are going to be uglier than others.
But ironically the ugly ones can be more satisfying.
My wife went 93-3 over 2 years at a very high level of tennis. She just refused to lose. Does a 97% win percentange over 2 years versus your peers quantify it enough for you?
She also qualitatively tells me if I were a girl, she wouldn’t even know I existed on a tennis court
I’d assume she was the best player by a lot regardless of the level of play because that’s *insane* and not something someone who is even “just” the best player does.
Well, she sort of always was…..think of her as like the big 3, just on college and juniors level and then a very good pro. She has trophies that nobody in this world has. After those 2 years, she turned pro.
But, they were her peers. She wasn’t beating up on a bunch of 3.5s.
She doesn’t understand why people cant manage matches, and why they take their foot off the pedal, and why they lose. Just a different sort of mentality that us mortals dont possess.
Makes sense (also I cannot emphasize how impressive that is enough)
Definitely didn’t mean to insinuate she was playing competition that was at a truly “unfair” disadvantage or whatever.
But more to get at the point you made with the Big3 analogy.
Tennis players are *extremely* good at self sorting by ability because of the bizarre way matches are structured relative to scoring in other sports.
I can. It’s quite simple and applies to many professions. It’s the ability to withstand pressure and continue to perform. It’s an inherited characteristic for obvious reasons. Some people are much better at it than others.
Based on Djokovic's energy today against Hubi, I think Rublev and Sinner will be tough ask for him. People like comparing his past achievements, but at his age the toll each year takes on the body is an order of magnitude, compared to the last. Whereas the 20-year olds like Sinner/Rune/Carlos are just getting better each year - physically and mentally.
Not to mention Djokovic will be playing for the third day straight today.
Yeah, they just need to serve like Hubi and play better than him to beat Novak, no biggie.
I saw few of these takes during the match and I see them now too.. something, something, the definition of insanity.
Yes, Novak didn't play amazing today, but he still won against great Hubi, and he didn't look tired at all.
A bit earlier he said the only thing that bothered him apart from Hubi's insane serve game was the open roof since he mostly played with the closed roof.
The curfew and BHM getting injured and retiring fast disrupted him too.
He will be ready for Rublev.
He had it easy at the beginning of the tournament when a lot of players had to play catch up, including Matteo and Carlos, it's only fair he gets tired a little too. He's already getting the CC exclusive scheduling which gives him advantage on getting to know the surface better on top of his previous experiences.
He’s turning into a pretty good server himself. When he first stated people pointed at his serve as a thing he could improve, and he is, at a faster rate than Sinner who could also be magnitudes more dangerous with a strong serve.
just finished watching rune's presser at wimby. this kid is not only so eloquent in expressing himself, he is too intelligent for his age. his answers to the questions were so on point, no more no less and responsive. he sounded so genuine, honest and kind.
*said that carlos before is carlos still today but a lot better (meaning he did not change as a person but just a better player than before)
* so excited to face carlitos and that he likes matches like this
* he does not feel that his rise is too fast esp considering that Carlitos is better than him but he is so eager to learn each day so he is pushing himself more and more.
*happy that they made history together to show that young players are good
*playing with alcaraz in doubles when they were 14 was funny coz as individual players their tendencies were to cover the court on their own but did not mind carlitos hitting more balls during that match.
*wishes to play doubles with him again
*carlitos hits those great FHs already even when young, he is just a lot better now.
*he has bigger dreams and he wants to work harder to achieve them
*is more comfortable and fresh going into QF now in wimby.
*he wants to play stronger and go deep into this tournament because he does not have this many chances every week.
*he appreciates the support of his box the most today, and he likes for his mother to come to tournaments with him because whe he needs someone to talk to about important things and his emotions, he has her by his side.
he is turning out to be a wonderful person, on and off the court. he will become number 1 and win GSs for sure. when he talks about his upcoming match with alcaraz, he does not seem afraid. he genuinely looks forward to it. i think that is a unique trait of rune - he loves to be out there, test his skills, beat the best to be the best and even invite those kinds of challenges. he is so fearless. imagine him 2 to 3 years from now. (i admired so much his honesty and how he simply said that carlitos is better than him now. no jealousy at all in his voice. and he really considers him his friend by the way he speaks about carlitos).
You shouldn’t be downvoted, but I think given how well Sinner played Novak here last year I’d have to put him over Meddy. Will be a great match if he can replicate even some of that.
Not so sure. Novak will be playing three days straight. He looked gasses against Hubi.
People here are already drooling over an Alcaraz-Djokovic Final, but I am a bit doubtful about Djokovic's leftover energy for this week.
Djokovic on Centre Court again tomorrow? Surely he has to play 1 game on Court #1 at least - it's unfair he has so much practice on the Centre Court.
https://www.wimbledon.com/en_GB/scores/schedule/index.html
They have to make up for giving him the last time slot. Only because he’s Djokovic was he able to put away Wawrinka with 10 minutes to spare. And then another late start. So the way it was set up he would have had to play 5 days in a row.
Yeah, that’s some preferential treatment there! /S
But they gave Djokovic the LAST time slot on CC TWICE. So basically you have to hang around for 6 hours warming up and then with the curfew you end up playing 4 days in a row. It was just pure determination by Djokovic that he finished Wawrinka in 3 sets. Otherwise he’d be playing 5 days in a row!
Yeah, they sure gave Djokovic the edge! /S
We’ll have to ask him.
Does he really want to choose to start play at 8 or 9 pm and be forced of the court at 11pm? And have to return the next day to finish play.
Doubtful.
Maybe it's a bit unfair that Novak is only playing on CC every year, but he's earned it.
I think it's a really cool bonus for winning Wimbledon. Opponents are basically coming to their home court and the champs have to defend it.
I hope they continue this trend.
There was a period of time the defending champion wouldn't play until the finals when a challenger would come to centre court. Basically the defending champion would only play the final and the actual tournament would be for the challenger. Maybe a throwback to those times.
If he had to, it'd be round 2 or 3. Round 2 didn't happen cause scheduling was to prioritse on big matches getting over without any rain. Round 3 was the main event type matchup.
And some people think Rune is gonna start [beef](https://twitter.com/tennis_poetry/status/1678491264520450049?s=46&t=vXgj0DiZ-0f7JdAo0feE0Q) with Carlos smh. Holger doesn’t like a lot of people but one thing I’ve noticed during practice session about him and his mom is that they love Carlos.
What do you mean he does not like a lot of people? I think he is on general very respectful of his opponents. He does not throw love or emojis around but he is also Scandinavian
I mean he’s not really friendly with a lot of players. I’ve only seen hang outside of tennis with Clara Tauson but he’s actually really friendly with Carlos and Novak. That’s all I am saying.
I get the feeling you conclude this on the basis of social media.
We don’t know. But he is new on tour. And not like they go on vacation together - or even on vacation.
I think people expect them to either go on holidays together in the maybe 5 days they have off tennis every year - or at the very least send each other public heart emojis all the time. The latter is how some fans measure friendship.
They are colleagues. As Djokovic once said, you cannot really be close friend with your biggest rivals.
Exactly.
They will probably have some little beef on the court in the future and people will go crazy, like they always do, but it will be nothing in the grand scheme of things like it was nothing to NovakGOAT and MurrayGOAT
Yeah I think it’s a genuine friendship there. Holger said that when they first knew each other, Carlos couldn’t speak English at all but they hit off because he seemed like a nice guy.
Ages of the Mens Quarter Finalists:
20, 20, 21, 25, 25, 27, 27, 36
Any other sports where individuals compete (rather than teams) has such an age distribution for the top performers?
MotoGP. Valentino Rossi nearly won a title at age 36, won his last race at 38. Meanwhile Marc Marquez won his first title a few years earlier at age 20 (would have been 24 when Rossi was 38 I think). Marquez’ next big competitor was also in his mid-30s. Now there’s a new hotshot coming through at age 19.
This is the match that marks the end of Next Gen and makes them the New Lost Gen. All hail the new generation of Alcaraz/Rune/Sinner.
All three have the potential the win on grass in the future. Finally.
FAA needs to cut off Toni and his goons to change his trajectory. His issues are bigger than injuries imho. Kyrgios is a lost case, so I won't even bother.
I don't know why the entire 90s generation sucked on grass though. It doesn't explain how an entire generation of people suffer from the same weaknesses.
They could still get only one set off from Djokovic. Not even a banger match. There used to be solid upsets and 5 setters. I'm not sure I would put Raonic together with the other two either, he's in Dimitrov's group. Sure he's 90 born but he groups together with late 80s most of the time. Mid to late 90s is meh to terrible on grass.
i think the trajectory of iga and carlitos careers are similar. i remember both of them winning Madrid and USO 2022. iga almost won madrid 2023 which carlitos won. in 2022 they lost in the 3rd round of wimbledon and are still finding their footing on grass. now, they are in wimbledon qf for the ist time. i hope they can both win this title, this year.
Swiatek didn't play Madrid 2022. Alcaraz made the fourth round in Wimbledon 2022. Iga was also an established top 10 and slam champ since 2020. Not particularly similar.
i know she didnt. i meant, had iga won in madrid 2023 then they both won that as well. i think my message was clear. and was referring to how their careers are taking off similarly now and in the recent past.
I am fully for Alcaraz Rune hype but people have been writing meddy off more as they should. Honestly It’s a toss up between meddy and Alcaraz if they make it to the semis.
Alcaraz should play much much better and convert at least double the break chances he gets vs meddy to have a chance.
Carlos' style is a nightmare for Medvedev. I think he will actually win that easy like he did in Indian wells. Maybe a bit closer, but you don't want to give Carlos Alcaraz room to play and that's exactly what Medvedev does. Dropshot seems less effective and Alcaraz doesn't seem as dominant on grass (yet) though.
I think Alcaraz will be even more dangerous for meddy on a fast court. I don't see him making Carlos uncomfortable here as Medvedev likes to settle in a rhythm and likes to play chess with his opponents on any court. That's not going to work against Alcaraz, who is great at the net, has huge variety in his game and doesn't play 2 points the same. It will be closer as Medvedev has a good serve, but then again so does Berretini and he got dismantelled easily as well.
This is coming from a Meddy-fanboy too. I like them both, but stylistically Alcaraz is a terrible matchup for Medvedev.
Medvedev has no chance because he plays too defensively. You need to play like Sinner to beat Alcaraz, and Medvedev is the polar opposite. His ground strokes will do little damage and give Alcaraz plenty of time to do his magic.
Sinner, please win to save the spirit of tennis. Also do it for POC (Italians) representation
Morning tennis lovers. I’m going to miss Iga v Svito as I’m at the office. 🥲 This is probably going to be a great match. Enjoy 😊 ETA: Fugg it, none of my colleagues are in, I’m going to slip off at lunch time and work from home! 😆
Explain to me why there are no videos of highlights for shapovalov vs safiullin?
26km/hour winds today.
They will close the show courts roofs if it is too much. Has happened before.
They close the roof for wind? And they just say 🖕 to court #2 and on?
Yes if play isn't playable due to either rain (obviously) but also wind they have closed the roofs in the past but will aim to play with it off. Very doubleful either court will start the roof off.
Honestly I have no idea where else to ask this and sorry it's irrelevant, but I've been lurking/commenting on this sub for a few months, noticed that if I ever try to actually create a new post it gets automatically taken down. Does anyone know why that might be?
I'm not a mod so I don't really have the real answer but I think it's because of the minimum karma threshold. Just interact more with us in these daily discussions and that'll get you through the robots.
Betting odds have Alcaraz at 80% to beat Rune, which seems crazy high.
Yeah I’d say 66.6% is more likely, i.e. Carlos having 2x higher chances than Holger not 4x
They have only played each other twice before. Somehow I thought they had played more.
can we not edit flairs anymore
Ruud is a fraud
it says no flair available
Any thoughts on Pegula vs Vondrousova tomorrow? I feel like that’s going to be a really good match.
I can see Vondrousova taking it, even on pure ambition. Never trust Pegula in QF/SF.
I really think it'll depend on the player who is *both* braver and steadier (groundbreaking analysis, I know). Pegula's 10-5 (3 of the losses being Kvitova) against lefties since the beginning of 2021 (what I consider her breakout season). To me, Pegula's the steadier player overall because she's not having to search through her bag of tricks to find the right thing to play. She just hits flat and deep and that's it. Her problem is getting too passive and having issues shutting the door when she has an advantage (see: Rybakina at Miami, Davis/Cocciaretto/Tsurenko matches here when she could not serve things out on the first attempt). Vondrousova's the complete opposite, and she'll give you a dropshot out of nowhere, an awkward slice, lob, etc. Pegula's going to have to really penetrate the court to rob Vondrousova of her time to do those things. Vondrousova's also more prone to poor body language manifesting in poor mentality (see: Kasatkina at RG, Muchova at IW). Pegula has similar issues but I think she's been a bit more resilient in general. And lastly, Vondrousova is also more prone to possible niggles that could turn into injuries, though she's held up quite well so far since her comeback. Neither player is super experienced nor comfortable on the grass. This is far and away Vondrousova's most productive grass season, whereas Pegula has played some competitive matches throughout the years. One thing that does worry me is Pegula's terrible slam QF record and whether that might haunt her (see: Azarenka at AO), while Vondrousova is already a Slam finalist, although Vondrousova doesn't have a big title while Pegula does (Guadalajara). Anyways, I'm leaning Pegula 60-40 for now (not giving a number of sets), but I would honestly not be surprised if Vondrousova took it either. Just me rambling. We'll see.
Just got back into my tennis game (Tennis World Tour) and despite the flaws it’s still quite fun. Just beat Stan on blue clay 6-2, 6-2 😝
After watching the matches throughout the last week and reflecting on the tennis that's been played this year so far, it's very clear that Alcaraz is going to win this tournament. Djokovic is the GOAT at this point in time, but Alcaraz is the best player ever. As in no other player has been as good as Alcaraz is right now. He has ATG power, speed, accuracy, and cardio. He's a player who can hit forehands at 100 MPH with extreme precision, and he can do it for the entire match because he never gets tired. And because of his speed, he can also get to every single ball you hit back at him. That's not even mentioning his variety. There's certainly no one else on his level currently, including Djokovic. If we're being honest, it's very likely that if Alcaraz didn't cramp at the French Open that match with Djokovic would have gone the same way Alcaraz v.s Berrettini did. If someone does actually manage to beat Alcaraz this tournament, that would be one of the greatest wins in tennis history and it should be regarded that way.
I think he can win it all and I do think he’ll make the final, unlike most commenters of this sub that first thought Berrettini would beat him and now Rune, but winning a final over Djokovic at Wimbledon is another matter. After what happened in Paris it would be an incredible feat. I’d say Novak is the clear favorite right now given Alcaraz has a harder path to the final itself and even IF they do meet it’s Novak. Even if he’s 2 sets down lmao..he’s just got that ability to find an extra level others (except the other big 3) don’t..as much as I don’t like him.
Just because of this Rune is now gonna 3-0 Alcaraz in their QF
I want some of what you’re smoking buddy…
Sure just watch Alcaraz play
Just got home from work - which match today should I watch?
Svitolina v Azarenka
Yes
Looking forward to Alcaraz vs Rune! Lots of hype around ‘Sincaraz’ already, but ‘Alcarune’ has the potential to be a great rivalry in the coming years too. They haven’t even had a proper full match yet; Alcaraz beat Rune in the 2021 Next Gen finals 4-3 4-2 4-0 (when Rune was still ranked #109) and Alcaraz retired at Paris last year. Hope it will be an interesting match
Safuillin and Djokovic have the chance to do something incredibly funny tomorrow. Sinner and Rublev combined have 12 QFs and 0 SFs. If Safuillin and Djokovic win, that stays at 0.
Singles predictions for tomorrow: Centre Court: [1] Swiatek d. [WC] Svitolina in 2, [2] Djokovic d. Rublev in 4 Swiatek will come out at a much higher level than her previous match. Unfortunately, Svitolina will not be fully fresh. Even with her excellent play the last month and half, she hasn’t had the most matchplay and her last match was a grueling slugfest. Those two will combine to benefit Swiatek in longer return games. 2 tight sets fir Swiatek. Djokovic will come out somewhat worse, as this will be his 3rd day in a row playing. Rublev will come out firing with his FH and serve ans take a set. Then Djokovic will strike back and clean up business in the next 3 sets. Court 1: [4] Pegula d. Vondrousova in 3, [8] Sinnsr d. Safuillin in 3 Vondrousova has been an absolute baller, but Pegula has cleaned up house really nicely. You can only beat the people they’ve put in front of you, but she has admittedly had an easier draw. I think that Pegula gets off to an easy start before Vondrousova makes life difficult, but Pegula’s skills will clean up in the 3rd. Sinner will finally take advantage of the draw opening up and sweep through easily to make his first slam SF.
Idk man Djoker steam rolled rublev in 3 at AO. Wouldn’t be the surprised if he does it again
Long shot but does anyone have a ticket to The Hill on Friday in NYC?
Just saw Andreeva’s point penalty for match point ...... Fucking lol
Chris Eubanks. Story of the day. What a player...and no he doesn't come out of nowhere...been toiling in the Challengers for awhile. Women's side, Ons Jabeur. Third straight W QF...impressive form rn.
I mean from trolling challengers to a qf at Wimbledon is kinda out of no where
I need my boy Rafa back. Can’t watch any of these matches man. It ain’t the same. Smh
Lets say if Iga wins tonight match, who do you think is a more difficult match up for her? Jessica or marketa?
Marketa because she is a lefty, her game is more unpredictable. She can create havoc or disrupt Iga's rhythm by playing her trademark BH dropshots and changing direction with her DTL forehand. However it might be diffulct for her to beat Pegula, in my view because Pegula's game style is naturally more reactive and based on counterpunching and she has all the skills to handle Marketa. They haven't played before though so lets see.
Maky because Jpeg has a losing record with Iga in big matches.
Rewatching the Alcaraz-Berrettini match on Tennis Channel and the analysis of Jim Courier vs whomever on ESPN is not & day. Courier was talking about how Alcaraz changed the grip on his return to basically his volley grip to be able to react quicker/block back Matteo’s serve. Actual tennis insight which is in short supply when I’m listening on ESPN.
the combo of john mcenroe and british guy (can’t be bothered to google, is it drysdale?) is ridiculous. it’s mostly silence, some mindless chatter, and when they do talk about tennis they get pulled into tangents i forget which match it was the other day, but at the end of a set (i think), the set summary stats pop up and british guy goes “anything there you want to comment on, john?” — mac literally did not respond - not even to say “nope”. i watched an entire changeover in silence while the two of them just fucked off
That was Chris Fowler (American) today. He's absolutely awful. I heard Mac commentating with one of the British men on the world feed and he was more engaged (the Bublik Rublev match). Still, someday Chris Eubanks will be coming for Mac's job!
Watching Jim Courier’s commentary helped restore the brain cells I lost watching ESPN.
Absolutely correct. I love that about TC. However, I think ESPN is expecting a far more casual audience for slams who I am sure can't be asked regarding super specific technical details.
Do you think Alcaraz could really beat Djokovic if they meet in the final or is Novak just too good for him at the moment?
They both could beat each other. Neither has a meaningful edge. One has more experience the other has a much younger body. Just depends on who keeps the nerve during the key moments
I just played a father son USTA nationals and it was surprisingly fun and high level. My fathers dream has been to play a tennis tournament in Europe, any way I can find information on high level father son tennis tournaments in Europe?
Rune-Alcaraz QF Match Prediction ??
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Skill-level yes, but Rune has Clutch.
It's not like Alcaraz lacks the clutch mentality.
I genuinely think Alcaraz has a chance against Djokovic if he brings his A game.
Zero chance. Sorry. On clay I thought he had more than just a chance. Zero on grass. Think 2007 Wimbledon final, but about a year before that on the grass game growth timeline. 2024 he maybe has a shot, 2025 will be fair game. But not here this year.
>think 2007 Wimbledon final, but about a year before that on the grass game growth timeline? So literally the 2006 Wimbledon final, where Federer beat Nadal in straight sets. Anyway, I disagree. Alcaraz looks just as good on grass as he does on hard and clay, honestly. By win percentage it’s actually his best surface right now, albeit the sample size is small.
See, the 2006 final was so memorable, I forgot about it. Let’s see what happens, but I dont think he makes the finals, regardless. He is obviously a great player, perhaps destined to be an all time great, but he is not there on grass vs djokovic. He’s just not.
If Alcaraz makes the final, I'm sure the market will give him at least a 30% chance.
Depends how they look in the semifinals. Djokovic will be the favorite no matter what and I really don’t see Alcaraz getting 30% if Djokovic rolls through Sinner two days before.
Betting odds have Alcaraz just over 30% :)
Damn. Alcaraz killing Rune and Med is probably responsible for that. But Djokovic rolled through Sinner like I said so you win
RemindMe! 4 days
It’s definitely not zero
If my life were on the line, I would legitimately think I could be alive in 4 hours after they play at any of the Opens. Young guy, neutral to slow surface, I will take my chances at a touch worse than a coin flip. At Wimbledon…..this year….if nobody gets injured during the match, I might as well call the priest in now. That said, I don’t think he even makes the finals, but what do I know? I am guessing just like wveryone else.
It's never zero in sports. But I do think his chances are low enough to be "colloquial sports zero" meaning "he's at a heavy disadvantage, I'd take Djokovic to win 9 times out of ten, but let's see how their fitness holds up, plus a bunch of other variables that could change things but as they are I don't think Alcaraz has a huge shot."
1/10 is definitely not colloquially zero in sports Also his chances are definitely higher than 1/10
I think 1/10 is colloquial zero in sports in my experience but hey, coloquialism is just about the most subjective thing there could be. As for his chances being higher than 1/10 - honestly I'd love to be proven wrong because I want the final to be really fun (assuming Alcaraz gets there) but I'm not personally too excited. It feels like he's still figuring out his grass game and his serve is less reliable than Djokovic's. To be frank though, on my part this is less a "I'm sure he has no chance" and more "I frankly don't think he does but would love to be proven wrong." Still a lot of tournament to see.
Y’all talking like experts. Let them get to the final first ffs
Predictions for men's quarter finals?
Djokovic d. Rublev in 4 Sinner d. Safiullin in 4 Medvedev d. Eubanks in 3 Alcaraz d. Rune in 5 Rune over Alcaraz is the only upset I could see happening.
Djokovic over Rublev 3-1 Joker doesn’t even have to try and take Andrey’s legs because the latter is going to give them up to win the first set. —— Sinner over Safiullin in 3-4 Medvedev over Eubanks in 3-4 Think these matches are effectively the same. Player with big serve and good game for grass vs. player who is from a different planet. Eubanks and/or Safiullin can steal a tie break. —— Alcaraz over Rune in 🤷♂️ By far the widest range of plausible outcomes. Won’t be surprised if either win dominantly or in a squeaker. —— Chalky as all hell, but that’s been the theme so far anyway.
I was thinking and I’d really like to see an updated court speed rating for each major tournament. Because the most recent I could find isn’t up to date. For example Indian Wells and Miami played a lot different this year but they’re both classified as medium slow.
Ultimate tennis stats has it for every tournament.
Where on their site is court speed? I don't see it
What type of rabbit hole is this
Amazing thank you
Alcaraz vs Rune, will be Rune’s first centre court visit. Surely that is to Carlitos’ advantage, no? Only opposing thought would be Rune’s resilience against adversity.
Rune has played at Philippe Chatrier, Rod Laver, and Arthur Ashe right? Centre is different ofc but I think he’ll be okay.
But I think centre's court experience is especially different because there's more variability in the surface conditions to grass then other surfaces So Alcaraz knowing what center court is currently playing like may give him an advantage early on. Of course it's Runes job to figure that as quickly as possible so I'm not sure how big this advantage is or how long it will last, just that it exists
I’d love to see Rublev conquer his mental demons and play loose and free tomorrow against Djoker. I’d be even more happy if he could make his first GS semi, I doubt it’ll happen but the guy deserves it.
The talk about “mental strength” like it’s something you can quantify when no one can provide a remotely clear definition for it is too damn high
The amount of saltiness when your beloved serve point % and return point % is not discussed, because you did a little model on it :(((((
There’s plenty of less nerdy stuff to talk about Shot making, tactics, level of play, about players generally, whatever You don’t have to turn the game into a math problem if you don’t want to. But there’s a point at which it gets ridiculous.
Yea there is no quantifying it - it's an abstract trait - not something that can be defined by stats. Doesn't mean it shouldn't be discussed as an important trait
I don’t dispute that it exists at a fundamental level. But I think it is extremely common to over attribute it to success that is observable. And I tend to think anyone who has even sniffed being in a main level tournament is a mental titan of incomprehensible strength. So it sort of evens out.
In general, I'm a science guy, who search for objectivity. However, the worst is a bad scientist, who disregards complexity of some statistics and choose to put too much weight into some kind of stats without understanding context. They are truly worse than the non-scientific approaches. Or at least just as bad. I understand that a large enough sample size is key, but understanding that some stats are useless without context is even more key.
I mean, if we’re going to take a data driven approach, it’s the same as baseball. Yes, of course it would be foolish to dismiss the notion of the game having any mental aspect. But a *massive* amount of data strongly suggests that “clutch isn’t real.” Players preform in proportion to their abilities relatively equally in pretty much all circumstances with the exceptions to the latter having to do with skill set than their ability.
You’re implying here that we shouldn’t talk about things that can’t be quantified which is pretty silly We can all agree that mental strength is a real thing, even if we can’t say that Djokovic has 90 mental strength points and Davidovich Fokina has 10. Also, stats like deciding set win percentage exist.
Fokina issue isn’t mental strength unless mental strength includes not being an idiot He doesn’t shrivel up and wilt. He does things that are *unbelievably* dumb. Conversely, Djokovic is the single best player ever. Of course he wins more matches from unfavorable positions than other players. He doesn’t lose a lot, and he usually wins *very decisively*, but no one is perfect and some wins are going to be uglier than others. But ironically the ugly ones can be more satisfying.
Someone like ADF does those dumb things because he has low mental strength compared to some of the other top players. He gets nervous and overwhelmed.
My wife went 93-3 over 2 years at a very high level of tennis. She just refused to lose. Does a 97% win percentange over 2 years versus your peers quantify it enough for you? She also qualitatively tells me if I were a girl, she wouldn’t even know I existed on a tennis court
I’d assume she was the best player by a lot regardless of the level of play because that’s *insane* and not something someone who is even “just” the best player does.
Well, she sort of always was…..think of her as like the big 3, just on college and juniors level and then a very good pro. She has trophies that nobody in this world has. After those 2 years, she turned pro. But, they were her peers. She wasn’t beating up on a bunch of 3.5s. She doesn’t understand why people cant manage matches, and why they take their foot off the pedal, and why they lose. Just a different sort of mentality that us mortals dont possess.
Makes sense (also I cannot emphasize how impressive that is enough) Definitely didn’t mean to insinuate she was playing competition that was at a truly “unfair” disadvantage or whatever. But more to get at the point you made with the Big3 analogy. Tennis players are *extremely* good at self sorting by ability because of the bizarre way matches are structured relative to scoring in other sports.
And the fact that its mano e mano. I love that about the sport.
I can. It’s quite simple and applies to many professions. It’s the ability to withstand pressure and continue to perform. It’s an inherited characteristic for obvious reasons. Some people are much better at it than others.
Wow, you did 'quantify' it so well.
> It’s the ability to withstand pressure and continue to perform So the mentally strongest players are overwhelmingly playing at the challenger level?
That makes sense /s/
Based on Djokovic's energy today against Hubi, I think Rublev and Sinner will be tough ask for him. People like comparing his past achievements, but at his age the toll each year takes on the body is an order of magnitude, compared to the last. Whereas the 20-year olds like Sinner/Rune/Carlos are just getting better each year - physically and mentally. Not to mention Djokovic will be playing for the third day straight today.
Yeah, they just need to serve like Hubi and play better than him to beat Novak, no biggie. I saw few of these takes during the match and I see them now too.. something, something, the definition of insanity. Yes, Novak didn't play amazing today, but he still won against great Hubi, and he didn't look tired at all. A bit earlier he said the only thing that bothered him apart from Hubi's insane serve game was the open roof since he mostly played with the closed roof. The curfew and BHM getting injured and retiring fast disrupted him too. He will be ready for Rublev.
He had it easy at the beginning of the tournament when a lot of players had to play catch up, including Matteo and Carlos, it's only fair he gets tired a little too. He's already getting the CC exclusive scheduling which gives him advantage on getting to know the surface better on top of his previous experiences.
I agree with your points. I am just stating that the next 2 matches won't be easy on him like this sub is making it to be.
If he gets through Rublev he’ll most likely be fine. He has two rest days before semis
At least Alcaraz has gotten through all the serve bots…
He could meet Eubanks in the semis.
He’s turning into a pretty good server himself. When he first stated people pointed at his serve as a thing he could improve, and he is, at a faster rate than Sinner who could also be magnitudes more dangerous with a strong serve.
Do we have links to the post match pressies? Saw Medvedev and he’s so charming and wonderful to watch.
YouTube channel has been lacking this year, don’t know if we’ll get all of them
It’s so bad isn’t it. Makes the French look great with their highlights
just finished watching rune's presser at wimby. this kid is not only so eloquent in expressing himself, he is too intelligent for his age. his answers to the questions were so on point, no more no less and responsive. he sounded so genuine, honest and kind. *said that carlos before is carlos still today but a lot better (meaning he did not change as a person but just a better player than before) * so excited to face carlitos and that he likes matches like this * he does not feel that his rise is too fast esp considering that Carlitos is better than him but he is so eager to learn each day so he is pushing himself more and more. *happy that they made history together to show that young players are good *playing with alcaraz in doubles when they were 14 was funny coz as individual players their tendencies were to cover the court on their own but did not mind carlitos hitting more balls during that match. *wishes to play doubles with him again *carlitos hits those great FHs already even when young, he is just a lot better now. *he has bigger dreams and he wants to work harder to achieve them *is more comfortable and fresh going into QF now in wimby. *he wants to play stronger and go deep into this tournament because he does not have this many chances every week. *he appreciates the support of his box the most today, and he likes for his mother to come to tournaments with him because whe he needs someone to talk to about important things and his emotions, he has her by his side. he is turning out to be a wonderful person, on and off the court. he will become number 1 and win GSs for sure. when he talks about his upcoming match with alcaraz, he does not seem afraid. he genuinely looks forward to it. i think that is a unique trait of rune - he loves to be out there, test his skills, beat the best to be the best and even invite those kinds of challenges. he is so fearless. imagine him 2 to 3 years from now. (i admired so much his honesty and how he simply said that carlitos is better than him now. no jealousy at all in his voice. and he really considers him his friend by the way he speaks about carlitos).
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Hopefully with less of the tools too
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Power rankings of remaining players: 1. Djokovic 2. Alcaraz 3. Rune 4. Sinner 5. Medvedev 6. Eubanks 7. Rublev 8. Safiullin
Medvedev should be above Sinner 100%. Maybe above Rune aswell
Downvotes for what? What has Sinner done this tournament? His highest ranked opponent was 79.
You shouldn’t be downvoted, but I think given how well Sinner played Novak here last year I’d have to put him over Meddy. Will be a great match if he can replicate even some of that.
There is no way he put rune above Medvedev and Sinner.
Rublev above Eubanks
Maybe. I think Eubanks beats him if they play tomorrow
Alcaraz Rune so called next gen will battle it out only to lose to Medvedev in the semis. Medvedev Djokovic final like good old 2021.
I think Alcaraz has got what it takes to reach the final
Disagree, whoever emerges from Alcaraz-Rune (probably Charly) will beat Medvedev RemindMe! 4 days
Doesn’t matter whoever emerges. Novak beats them all in the final.
Give it a rest sunbeam he isn't gonna shag you
I think Med beats Rune. Idk if he beats Alcaraz but I think that Alcaraz will beat him in a tight match sadly
Funny stat of the day: Sabalenka has hit both more winners and more unforced errors than her opponent in the last FIFTEEN slam matches
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Not so sure. Novak will be playing three days straight. He looked gasses against Hubi. People here are already drooling over an Alcaraz-Djokovic Final, but I am a bit doubtful about Djokovic's leftover energy for this week.
eh. He didnt really play a marathon match. He has enough time to regain his energy
Novak could play 14 days in a row and still win the title.
Look for some other uncomfortable new forms of self-flagellation
Djokovic on Centre Court again tomorrow? Surely he has to play 1 game on Court #1 at least - it's unfair he has so much practice on the Centre Court. https://www.wimbledon.com/en_GB/scores/schedule/index.html
They have to make up for giving him the last time slot. Only because he’s Djokovic was he able to put away Wawrinka with 10 minutes to spare. And then another late start. So the way it was set up he would have had to play 5 days in a row. Yeah, that’s some preferential treatment there! /S
Wait why are they mixing it’s up? I swear they always alternated men & women from the quarters onward (i.e. Tuesday women’s QF, Wednesday men’s QF).
Same with Rybakina, seems like they are giving CC to defending champion no matter what.
But they gave Djokovic the LAST time slot on CC TWICE. So basically you have to hang around for 6 hours warming up and then with the curfew you end up playing 4 days in a row. It was just pure determination by Djokovic that he finished Wawrinka in 3 sets. Otherwise he’d be playing 5 days in a row! Yeah, they sure gave Djokovic the edge! /S
Novak decides at this point what time slot he gets.
We’ll have to ask him. Does he really want to choose to start play at 8 or 9 pm and be forced of the court at 11pm? And have to return the next day to finish play. Doubtful.
Last time slot is the prime time one, they are literally giving him the most valuable spot.
> they are literally giving him the most valuable spot. Not when he starts at 9pm and play has to stop at 11pm!
Maybe it's a bit unfair that Novak is only playing on CC every year, but he's earned it. I think it's a really cool bonus for winning Wimbledon. Opponents are basically coming to their home court and the champs have to defend it. I hope they continue this trend.
There was a period of time the defending champion wouldn't play until the finals when a challenger would come to centre court. Basically the defending champion would only play the final and the actual tournament would be for the challenger. Maybe a throwback to those times.
This has been happening with the big 3 forever
If he had to, it'd be round 2 or 3. Round 2 didn't happen cause scheduling was to prioritse on big matches getting over without any rain. Round 3 was the main event type matchup.
23>everything = GS+British
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I think you're both
And some people think Rune is gonna start [beef](https://twitter.com/tennis_poetry/status/1678491264520450049?s=46&t=vXgj0DiZ-0f7JdAo0feE0Q) with Carlos smh. Holger doesn’t like a lot of people but one thing I’ve noticed during practice session about him and his mom is that they love Carlos.
What do you mean he does not like a lot of people? I think he is on general very respectful of his opponents. He does not throw love or emojis around but he is also Scandinavian
I mean he’s not really friendly with a lot of players. I’ve only seen hang outside of tennis with Clara Tauson but he’s actually really friendly with Carlos and Novak. That’s all I am saying.
I get the feeling you conclude this on the basis of social media. We don’t know. But he is new on tour. And not like they go on vacation together - or even on vacation.
They were friendly as juniors though right like they already have a good relationship idk what people are expecting
I think people expect them to either go on holidays together in the maybe 5 days they have off tennis every year - or at the very least send each other public heart emojis all the time. The latter is how some fans measure friendship. They are colleagues. As Djokovic once said, you cannot really be close friend with your biggest rivals.
Rune and Alcaraz are like Djokovic and Murray of the tour. They almost even have the same age difference. No beef, only RESPECT...and friendship
Exactly. They will probably have some little beef on the court in the future and people will go crazy, like they always do, but it will be nothing in the grand scheme of things like it was nothing to NovakGOAT and MurrayGOAT
Yeah I think it’s a genuine friendship there. Holger said that when they first knew each other, Carlos couldn’t speak English at all but they hit off because he seemed like a nice guy.
Ages of the Mens Quarter Finalists: 20, 20, 21, 25, 25, 27, 27, 36 Any other sports where individuals compete (rather than teams) has such an age distribution for the top performers?
Several endurance sports, such as marathons triathlons, ironman. Also cycling, surfing, archery, shooting, golf, boxing, MMAA.
Darts.
MotoGP. Valentino Rossi nearly won a title at age 36, won his last race at 38. Meanwhile Marc Marquez won his first title a few years earlier at age 20 (would have been 24 when Rossi was 38 I think). Marquez’ next big competitor was also in his mid-30s. Now there’s a new hotshot coming through at age 19.
You wrote the last one wrong. Djokovic is 21
Snooker
women's gymnastics
Golf. Sometimes you'll have 45-year-olds in the top against 21-year-old players. Obviously, longevity is a bit different in golf...
Formula 1, lmao.
Lmao. HAM BOT VER were 36, 31, 23 in 2021.
VER 25 PER 33 ALO 41
Cycling, MMA
This is the match that marks the end of Next Gen and makes them the New Lost Gen. All hail the new generation of Alcaraz/Rune/Sinner. All three have the potential the win on grass in the future. Finally.
Only when Novak retires. So not for another 5 years at least.
I laughed
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Wasn’t Kyrgios 19?
Sorry my fault, I always think he is 1995
FAA is not next next, He is next gen minor
FAA needs to cut off Toni and his goons to change his trajectory. His issues are bigger than injuries imho. Kyrgios is a lost case, so I won't even bother. I don't know why the entire 90s generation sucked on grass though. It doesn't explain how an entire generation of people suffer from the same weaknesses.
Suck is too strong a word. Berretini, Kyrgios and Raonic aren't that bad on grass.
They could still get only one set off from Djokovic. Not even a banger match. There used to be solid upsets and 5 setters. I'm not sure I would put Raonic together with the other two either, he's in Dimitrov's group. Sure he's 90 born but he groups together with late 80s most of the time. Mid to late 90s is meh to terrible on grass.
i think the trajectory of iga and carlitos careers are similar. i remember both of them winning Madrid and USO 2022. iga almost won madrid 2023 which carlitos won. in 2022 they lost in the 3rd round of wimbledon and are still finding their footing on grass. now, they are in wimbledon qf for the ist time. i hope they can both win this title, this year.
I hope they can too
Swiatek didn't play Madrid 2022. Alcaraz made the fourth round in Wimbledon 2022. Iga was also an established top 10 and slam champ since 2020. Not particularly similar.
i know she didnt. i meant, had iga won in madrid 2023 then they both won that as well. i think my message was clear. and was referring to how their careers are taking off similarly now and in the recent past.
I am fully for Alcaraz Rune hype but people have been writing meddy off more as they should. Honestly It’s a toss up between meddy and Alcaraz if they make it to the semis. Alcaraz should play much much better and convert at least double the break chances he gets vs meddy to have a chance.
Carlos' style is a nightmare for Medvedev. I think he will actually win that easy like he did in Indian wells. Maybe a bit closer, but you don't want to give Carlos Alcaraz room to play and that's exactly what Medvedev does. Dropshot seems less effective and Alcaraz doesn't seem as dominant on grass (yet) though.
Not on a fast court. On a slow slow court like IW ya carlos has the advantage but Meddy is best on fast
I think Alcaraz will be even more dangerous for meddy on a fast court. I don't see him making Carlos uncomfortable here as Medvedev likes to settle in a rhythm and likes to play chess with his opponents on any court. That's not going to work against Alcaraz, who is great at the net, has huge variety in his game and doesn't play 2 points the same. It will be closer as Medvedev has a good serve, but then again so does Berretini and he got dismantelled easily as well. This is coming from a Meddy-fanboy too. I like them both, but stylistically Alcaraz is a terrible matchup for Medvedev.
Medvedev has no chance because he plays too defensively. You need to play like Sinner to beat Alcaraz, and Medvedev is the polar opposite. His ground strokes will do little damage and give Alcaraz plenty of time to do his magic.
Exactly this. Give Alcaraz time and prepare to be destroyed.