Bit of both. I mean Alcaraz was terrible for sure but Goatic won some amazing points.
Tennis 2024
- Thread starter Jippy
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Bit of both. I mean Alcaraz was terrible for sure but Goatic won some amazing points.
Generally speaking, top players unable on the day to perform at their usual level for whatever reason, just do not show up, oppos get a walkover and that’s it… Rybakina the latest one.
Wait what the feck, Zandschulp beat Alcaraz in straight sets? 
Alcaraz was never in this game. He looked twitchy, almost nervous and chaotic, which was strange to begin with. Most of all VERY impatient. He was forcing shots left and right from awkward angles, his tennis IQ was down the drain tonight.
Credit where it's due, Botic won some amazing points. First set was ridiculous, dude was a demon at the net.
Credit where it's due, Botic won some amazing points. First set was ridiculous, dude was a demon at the net.
I did think I hadn't heard Botic's name in a while and looking at his form over the past year, he's been in pretty woeful form. He had a nice run a few years ago and was once potentially tricky draw but it's been a long time since then.
Alcaraz has those periods at this early stage of his career. Had it after his 2022 Us Open win and had it after winning Wimbledon for the first time in 2023. Took him many months to get back to his best.
Or maybe it was the Djoko defeat in a tight final in the 2023 summer which unnerved him last year - and also did it this time around after the olympic final. We recently saw him smashing a racket. Very uncharacteristic of him.
We have to remember how young he is His summer has been incredible anyway. He is still learning.
Or maybe it was the Djoko defeat in a tight final in the 2023 summer which unnerved him last year - and also did it this time around after the olympic final. We recently saw him smashing a racket. Very uncharacteristic of him.
We have to remember how young he is His summer has been incredible anyway. He is still learning.
Yes.
The defeat in Paris last month against Djokovic did to him what the defeat in Cincinnati did to him last year (against Djokovic too). Alcaraz is streaky.
Last year he made the Semifinal at US Open and lost to a redlining Medvedev
He struggled in the indoor season, but he's yet to figure out the fastest surfaces
He struggled in the indoor season, but he's yet to figure out the fastest surfaces
Yeah he's had an especially awful year in 2024. I think both him and Tim van Rijthoven had a sort of decent season a while back, but Dutch tennis in general has been rubbish for what feels like 2 decades.
Although it's still rubbish, it beats having Haase as our only pro player
it also doesn't help that Griekspoor plays Sinner 10 times a year.Ahh yeah, he had good grass court run and I don't recall hearing about him again
Reading some of his comments after yesterday's match it sounds like Alcaraz has run out of energy - mentally/emotionally if not physically.
“Now I’ve reached this swing and I’ve taken steps backwards, like I’m not doing well mentally, I’m not strong. I don’t know how to control myself when faced with problems and I don’t know how to handle it. I have to see exactly what happened, or what’s going on with me.
“It’s been a very emotional summer, very demanding... I’ve had my moments of disconnection, but I think I’m still learning about myself. Maybe, as a person, I need more time. I have to get to know myself, what I need. Maybe I’m the kind of person who, with a calendar like that, demands too much of himself mentally. I have to see exactly what’s going on.”
https://www.atptour.com/en/news/alcaraz-us-open-2024-r2-reaction-spanish
“Now I’ve reached this swing and I’ve taken steps backwards, like I’m not doing well mentally, I’m not strong. I don’t know how to control myself when faced with problems and I don’t know how to handle it. I have to see exactly what happened, or what’s going on with me.
“It’s been a very emotional summer, very demanding... I’ve had my moments of disconnection, but I think I’m still learning about myself. Maybe, as a person, I need more time. I have to get to know myself, what I need. Maybe I’m the kind of person who, with a calendar like that, demands too much of himself mentally. I have to see exactly what’s going on.”
https://www.atptour.com/en/news/alcaraz-us-open-2024-r2-reaction-spanish
The greatest example of this is Martin Verkerk who came out of nowhere to make the RG final only to never do anything of note in the rest of his career.
As long as it's not a Coria sort of breakdown, he just has to relax a bit
Badosa vs Ruse has been great
Great drama and some thunderous ground strokes but the game iq of teenagers. Navarro vs Kostyuk has been much higher quality.
Shelton breaks Tiafoe early in set 1
Yeah, that's what made it fun
nothing but haymakers 
Agree about Navarro - Kostyuk but I've turned on Shelton because I'm a sucker for preposterous serve speeds
Think Tiafoe has some mental block when it comes to Shelton though
Tiafoe managed to win in five sets. Musetti out and Djokovic down 2 sets to 1 and a break in the 4th.
Popyrin will have two chances to serve for the match.
Did it at the second time of asking. No slam for Djokovic this year.
Medvedev vs Dimitrov final it is
Thought Djokovic would waltz through this draw tbh. But that being said, I did expect his motivation to crash after the Olympics so I guess it should not be THAT surprising.
Medvedev vs Sinner is now the defacto final pretty much!Medvedev vs Dimitrov final it is
If not for the Olympics I would say Djokovic is finished at the very highest level. That’s the one outlier in a very poor season. On the other hand he looked so convincing at the Olympics.
It's only because he was extremely motivated there. He just can't seem to raise his level anymore otherwise.
First, Sinner has to get there. Second, Medvedev won this tournament in the past, so no. If Medvedev beats Sinner, someone other than those 2 will win the US Open
Think either Dimitrov or Fritz will come out that side of the draw personally. It *should* be Zverev but that giant turd luckily has the mentality of a fainting goat
I don’t know, doesn’t make sense to me for it to be a motivation problem. Why would he suddenly struggle with motivation when consistency and application was always his stand-out abilities?
Because he's 37 and the Olympics were the only tournament left for him to win the sport of tennis
He's admitted as much, he trains for 5 minutes and then stops because he'd rather spend time with his family instead, so he does that.
Where are you reading this?
Just woke up and seen the result! Shocked but as far as R3 matches go, this was a tough one. Popyrin won in Canada and Novak hasn't played on hard courts since, Indian Wells
Heard it from Ljubicic on italian tv
Feels wrong that a cohort of these lads could end up with the same or more Slams than Murray.
The only one who looks like he might right now is Sinner though
Best of 3 sets eh
This one is hardly a shock, sadly. Struggling with his serve all tournament, hit the net more than Messi. Not the first time Popyrin's serve gave him trouble either.
How many would he have won in a normal era
Too hard to compare across eras. Differences in rackets, balls, surfaces have dramatically change the sport. In his era, without the big 3 he wins 20 GS
That's what I meant without the other guys
If not Sinner, then I'd really like Dimitrov to go all the way and win it this time.
Sadly, it's probably unlikely. He always hits a hot streak that dies in the latter stages.
Sadly, it's probably unlikely. He always hits a hot streak that dies in the latter stages.