Tennis 2018

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Raoul said:
He's definitely the clear favorite but it won't be the sort of dominant performances we've seen in the past. He just recently lost to Thiem and has been pushed very hard three setters this tournament.
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Nadal is traditionally poorer in Madrid and Rome as compared to Paris, Barcelona and Monte Carlo.
What's the basis for saying it won't be as dominant a performance as earlier? Up until the Thiem match, he was having his best clay season ever. No one even got 5 games against him till that loss . And Madrid has always been the one clay court where he's sort of struggled anyway.
He's dropped 4 sets in 4 tournaments, won 3 of the 4 and beaten all his rivals on the way. Maybe he won't be as dominant but there is absolutely no basis to say that based on this year's clay results.
As for Zverev, he's been the King of Masters for a while now but he just doesn't turn up at all for Slams and I won't be shocked if he loses to some average player before week 2 again. He's still got to massively improve on his fitness and stamina. Doing it over 5 sets isn't as easy as over 3.
 
Skills said:
That must be so frustrating for Zverev. He's playing arguably the most dominant player ever on a single court and even the gods give him a break at the right time.
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The rain break certainly helped Rafa but the changing conditions were what helped Zverev in the first place Imo.
Raoul said:
For me, irrespective of his past slam results, its a matter of if not when for Zverev to win a slam. He's playing the best tennis on the tour alongside Rafa right now and is nearing that point in his young career where he takes a slam. This match today should've been one that Rafa took fairly comfortably after a fatigued, slightly injured Zverev barely made it to the final and yet it nearly went to Zverev. The complete implosion in the 2nd set is a warning sign to Rafa that the French isn't going to be gifted to him any more.
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When has it ever been gifted to him? He's always had to beat the likes of Federer and Djokovic to win the thing. He's pulverized his opponents and won it time and again. I'm more worried about Djoko getting back to form rijjt
 
Think Thiem is the only one who can complain with that draw. Zverev really has no excuse not to make the QFs
 
I see Rafa only dropping 30 or so games before the final with that draw. Looks like the draw gods were pretty kind to Serena too, the lesser Pliskova twin in the first round and nothing too bad until R4 where she could play Sharapova or the superior Pliskova twin. Still half expecting her to pull out before it starts though.
 
Giggsy92 said:
I see Rafa only dropping 30 or so games before the final with that draw. Looks like the draw gods were pretty kind to Serena too, the lesser Pliskova twin in the first round and nothing too bad until R4 where she could play Sharapova or the superior Pliskova twin. Still half expecting her to pull out before it starts though.
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I think Edmund is in the Cilic quarter. I think he might make another slam SF.
 
Pretty good draw for Rafa and nice to see him avoiding Djoko and Thiem in his quarter for a change! Good t see all of Kei, Stan, Zverev, Tgiem and Djoko in the other half!
 
wr8_utd said:
Pretty good draw for Rafa and nice to see him avoiding Djoko and Thiem in his quarter for a change! Good t see all of Kei, Stan, Zverev, Tgiem and Djoko in the other half!
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I've not seen Stan's draw, but I doubt he's even making R3. Lost today to Fuscovics.

Think Kei might take out Thiem too.
 
Decent draws for everyone. Hope the best players go deep so we can see some good matches in week 2.
 
saivet said:
I think Edmund is in the Cilic quarter. I think he might make another slam SF.
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Not sure I'd fancy his chances against Fognini, big chance for another surprise semi-finalist in that section though with Delpo not being fit and Cilic not being a great clay courter.
 
Thiem played four sets today as his game from yesterday got delayed due to rain and had to play the semi final on the same day. He has the final tomorrow vs Giles Simon. Still not convinced why he needed to play this tournament. Wouldn’t it be better time used on the practice courts with your coaches. He’s in the tough section of the group, so he doesn’t want to be tired out by the second week.
 
saivet said:
Potential draws for the mens 4 favorites.




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I know in potential opponents at later stages people go by seedings but it is funny to see Dimitrov name in later stages :D. He has losing record at RG and never has gone past 3rd round. He has favorable draw this time till 4th round but that's his ceiling imo unless he plays miraculously well here.
 
The Man Himself said:
I know in potential opponents at later stages people go by seedings but it is funny to see Dimitrov name in later stages :D. He has losing record at RG and never has gone past 3rd round. He has favorable draw this time till 4th round but that's his ceiling imo unless he plays miraculously well here.
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Agree with that. Dimitrov is such a non-entity at RG that it'd take a complete reinvention for him to push on there. Boring as it is to say, I just can't see beyond Nadal unless Djokovic suddenly rediscovers the form and fitness of a few years back. I don't think Thiem can beat Nadal here over 5. I can't see Zverev doing it either, albeit I'd give him a slightly better chance. It probably needs someone like Cilic or Anderson to play absolutely career best, lights out tennis for 3 or 4 sets and just hit him off the court. Which won't happen.
 
That's a favorable path for Novak imo. If he makes it to the semis, he could beat Delpo or Cillic if he continues his recent form.

Best case scenario for the tournament is if Rafa gets upset along the way and a new player emerges.
 
The Man Himself said:
I know in potential opponents at later stages people go by seedings but it is funny to see Dimitrov name in later stages :D. He has losing record at RG and never has gone past 3rd round. He has favorable draw this time till 4th round but that's his ceiling imo unless he plays miraculously well here.
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I find Dimi overrated but he's definitely better than Zverev at handling Slams. Zverev is far less likely to make to the second week than Dimi.

Raoul said:
That's a favorable path for Novak imo. If he makes it to the semis, he could beat Delpo or Cillic if he continues his recent form.

Best case scenario for the tournament is if Rafa gets upset along the way and a new player emerges.
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Hope this happens at Wimbldon and with Federer and not here.
saivet said:
I've not seen Stan's draw, but I doubt he's even making R3. Lost today to Fuscovics.

Think Kei might take out Thiem too.
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Yeah Stan has been out for too long so I'd rule him out too. The one disappointing thing about Nadal not having all these guys in his half is that he'll have to play a Djoko/Thiem in the final instead of earlier rounds.
 
wr8_utd said:
I find Dimi overrated but he's definitely better than Zverev at handling Slams. Zverev is far less likely to make to the second week than Dimi.
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Dimitrov was 23 when he first got past 4th round. He is 26 now with only 4 performances of QF or better. Zverev is 21. Not apple to apple comparison.
 
Dolgopolov and now Kyrgios pulling out.

Quite a lot of lucky losers
 
wr8_utd said:
Hope this happens at Wimbldon and with Federer and not here.
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That wouldn't make much sense since Roger isn't the clear favorite to win there, whereas Rafa is the clear favorite at RG. It would be great if he were upset since it would actually make the tournament more competitive and fun to watch. I'd love to see a young player emerge or an older one break through.
 
wr8_utd said:
Hope this happens at Wimbldon and with Federer and not here.
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Goffin 2-0 down to Haase. I put a bet on yesterday for him to make it to the SFs :lol: (alongside Zverev, Nadal and Edmund)
 
Stan's now out of the top 250 after losing to Garcia-Lopez. He probably should have won in 4 and he's lost to GGL in R1 before here so perhaps not the worst loss he's ever had, but still a long way back for him you'd think.
 
Nadal now two sets up. Certainly not as comfortable as the scoreline suggests.

Bolelli was was a break up and had an opportunity to make it 4-1 in the second set. Missed his chance and didn't win another game in the set.
 
Now Bolelli up a break in the third set, so 3-0 up.

It's raining, so not sure how much longer it will continue for today.
 
Can't say I've watched him but Lajovic's results in the clay court swing were fairly impressive. Think he may test Zverev today.

Thiem's first important match rtarts today against Tsitisipas. I think he'll win but think his draw is tough and he'll go out in R4 or the QF
 
saivet said:
Can't say I've watched him but Lajovic's results in the clay court swing were fairly impressive. Think he may test Zverev today.

Thiem's first important match rtarts today against Tsitisipas. I think he'll win but think his draw is tough and he'll go out in R4 or the QF
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Two breaks up in the first, will be interesting to see how Zverevs fitness looks like if he needs to go four sets at least.
 
Twins said:
Two breaks up in the first, will be interesting to see how Zverevs fitness looks like if he needs to go four sets at least.
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Have you been watching?

I'd still expect him to go through, as surely Lajovic isn't physically all there.

Dimitrov now a set down to Donaldson.
 
saivet said:
Have you been watching?

I'd still expect him to go through, as surely Lajovic isn't physically all there.

Dimitrov now a set down to Donaldson.
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Keeping an eye on it next to working, Zverev with a lot of easy mistakes, still gotta say Lajovic is doing a really good job so far. Will be interesting to see if he can keep this up.
 
Twins said:
Keeping an eye on it next to working, Zverev with a lot of easy mistakes, still gotta say Lajovic is doing a really good job so far. Will be interesting to see if he can keep this up.
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I've just got the scores, but not streaming.

I think Lajovic will have to win in straight sets. If it goes 4 or 5, I fancy Zverev.
 
Nishikori, Zverev and Dimitrov all 2-1 down and a break up in the 4th.
 
Dimitrov survives by the skin of his teeth. He will struggle to go deep if he continues playing like this.
 
Those noises from the RG crowd before "Ole" or "Allez" or whatever the feck they shout. Especially when children do it. Cringe.
 
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