Zverev is in good form. Shapo is progressing nicely. Expect him to be knocking on the top 10 by end of year.
Tennis 2018
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He was there earlier.
Feel sorry for both players for the lack of crowd and playing so many hours after Thiem.
Anyone think Rafa should skip Rome?
He hasn't won there since 2013 and that heavy schedule and at his age might take a toll at him where it matters most - RG.
He hasn't won there since 2013 and that heavy schedule and at his age might take a toll at him where it matters most - RG.
He's already there.
No chance he's skipping it.
Zverev - Thiem just started, early break for Zverev
No.
I don’t know why people keep saying this. Besides Thiem, every match he has had resembled a practice session. He won 50 sets in a row since last year on clay before Friday.
His whole tennis season revolves around clay. Yeah he might win a hard court title, but clay is where he is going to get his most success. He’d get plenty of rest before the French.
It’s going to take a toll on the player who manages to take three sets off him at the French. They’d have to play a game of a lifetime to do it for three sets.
He's also not played much tennis before the clay court season. Australian Open is the only non clay tournament he's played this year.
I thought the same before Madrid. But now he got out early he should play Rome or else he's risking being undercooked.
This dance should be abolished by law.
Didn’t know Wawrinka was playing. He lost in the first round of Rome.
He does have a injury history tho and I don't see him keeping up with that heavy clay schedule deep in his 30's.
There's no competition on clay currently with Djoker struggling to find his feet, but even winning in straights clay is a grinding surface that takes toll on even the best clay courters in history.
Perhaps. Although to me the biggest obstacle for him to lose at the French is an injury. He took a long time off during the Spring HC season and came out pretty fresh without a sign of rust.
Solid first set from Zverev
Zverev is quickly becoming the real deal.
Blatant sexism on the TV here regarding the ball ladies.
How so?
Regarding the beginning of the tournament when the girls made mistakes: "But you know how it is, we always forgive the pretty ladies *creepy laughter*
I do think something has clicked with Zverev. He's been consistent on the tour and provided he doesn't feck this up, he'll have won 3 Masters 1000 titles.
I see him having his breakthrough in one of the slams this year by making a SF and winning one next year. He'll be a threat on all surfaces too.
My only reservation with him would be around the net firstly in his approach but also volleys.
I see him having his breakthrough in one of the slams this year by making a SF and winning one next year. He'll be a threat on all surfaces too.
My only reservation with him would be around the net firstly in his approach but also volleys.
Fantastic, dominating performance from Zverev. He was totally on top of his serve and going for jugular on Thiem's serve early in both sets paid off.
Yes, however he is improving in that aspect.
Definitely improving but still could do with some work.
I think it will cost him in any potential matches vs Nadal and Federer this year.
Nadal and Federer are somewhat out of his reach, especially if he meets them in slams
Zverev has to do better in slams this year. Last year also he was doing well in other ATP tournaments including masters but had poor slams. Atleast one semi final run is needed this year. I have been following him closely since last year and he certainly has been getting better mentally which will help in slams. He was prone to starting strong and then fading away till last year. Since March or so this year, he has become more resilient and has come back from set down on quite a few occasions. When clay season started this year, he was getting broken a lot but as season progressed his serve has got better. Given the serve he has and groundstrokes he can play with his wingspan, he can do well on most surfaces. Grass hasn't remained as fast anyways nowadays so he should do well there as well as his career progresses.
Given his ranking, he should not get some favourable draws.
I think we might see him well at Roland Garros and Wimbledon.
I think we might see him well at Roland Garros and Wimbledon.
Is Rafa playing since 15?
Zverev needs to stop playing in pointless doubles matches. I would understand if it was due to lack of matches.
He’s won Munich and Madrid in the last few weeks in a row. So should be taking it a lot easier and focusing on his singles. It’s not the first time he’s done this and then ended up going out early.
He’s won Munich and Madrid in the last few weeks in a row. So should be taking it a lot easier and focusing on his singles. It’s not the first time he’s done this and then ended up going out early.
You expect it?
Over best of 5, I'm not convinced he's ready to do anything of note just yet
That's typically how future top players emerge to the next level. They hover in the back ground as young players by racking up ATP points here and there, in the process knocking off players ranked above them. Then at some point they break through at a slam. Sampras was ranked 81 as an 18 year old and finished the next year winning the US Open and rocketing up to #5 in the world. Leading up to that no one thought he was that good until he showed he was that good. Similar situation with Agassi who reached 3 slam semis as a teenager. Shapo is positioning himself in a similar manner. If he manages a slam semi or better this year then that will be a pretty good sign that he is going to be a force to reckon with in the coming years.
When I compare him to Zverev (even a year or two ago), I think he'll be a better player and he's done nothing in slams despite being 2 years older.
The field is now more open though, so who knows.
The field is now more open though, so who knows.
Zverev looks in great form this year. I wouldn't be surprised to see him challenge for a slam.
Thiem has just lost to Fognini in his first match in Rome.
Considering he's 24 now and is tipped to have a future big thing on clay, it's poor that he's only won one ATP 500 or above on clay. Looking that up it was Rio, which is played in Feb, so the line up is often weak given almost everyone else is still playing on hard courts.
Definitely a tricky opponent today but I think this guy lack mentally what someone like Zverev has.
Considering he's 24 now and is tipped to have a future big thing on clay, it's poor that he's only won one ATP 500 or above on clay. Looking that up it was Rio, which is played in Feb, so the line up is often weak given almost everyone else is still playing on hard courts.
Definitely a tricky opponent today but I think this guy lack mentally what someone like Zverev has.
That is something which is irking me since last year. It is not even as if Sascha and Mischa are great at it. It is as if they do it out of some 'family obligation'
Probably as an attempt to improve his play at the net, which is wise, but he seem to enter doubles an awful lot
Nishikori and Dmitrov locked in a serious battle at the moment.
He can do that when he hasn’t won two tournaments back to back. He needs to stop trying to be a good brother and do what Andy did.
Thiem is out to Fognini. What a disappointment. I said last week he needed to back that win against Rafa up and he didn’t. Put a poor performance against Zverev.
Djokovic looked decent but as always too early. Whenever I say that he gets knocked out next round.
Shapovalov only plays one-handed backhand, is it? Watching him vs Hasse and so far hardly any double handed backhand.
He can't seem to decide between a classic one handed backhand or a semi-one handed where he occasionally uses his other hand to help support the racket position prior to hitting the ball.
Yeah I observed that in this match too and was going to mention. He gets in typical double handed backhand position, but at time of striking goes through with one hand only.
Tough match so far. Haas is pretty determined to not get taken down today.
Shapo v Rafa tomorrow.
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