Scholarship table
Novak guts out an incredible win over Fritz. He was obviously in serious pain, but it looked like the pain-killers must have kicked in because he was moving much better in the 5th set.As soon as Fritz blinked - as soon as he couldn't ride only his serve to point after point - he was done for.Fritz is the typical big hitter whose overall game is inferior to the best pros. If the serve is on and he doesn't make too many unforced errors, he has a chance. If his serve isn't close to perfect (and/or if his opponent isn't injured), he isn't good enough.After the match, Djokovic said his injury was "a tear," which if true could keep him from winning. With Rafa also hurting some, this is shaping up as another wide-open major.
I think your assessment if Fritz is a bit too dismissive and short sighted. Fritz' game is a bit different from some of the Big Man tennis players like an Isner etc.... He has better cross court groundstrokes, variety, top spin lob etc...much better movement than some in that category. He also isn't at the level yet of a Medvedev, Zverev and a few others closer to his size. His game is a bit different. He's in the middle.He's made the Top 32 in all of his past four Slams, coming very close to Shapovalov at the U.S. Open, Djokovic here etc...5 setters. He's been very consistently steadily progressing and is a player that is sitting just outside the top 20 in the World that is working towards taking the next step. Winning Slams isn't an easy thing to do. Djokovjc for example, didn't start his run of winning Slams until he was Fritz' age and after. Fritz recently turned 23, and he has made some good choices with coaches in Nainkin and Annacone. He's also divorced with a small child at a young age. He's had a lot going on.Fritz has been working off the court on some physical things that can help him take the next step in his game, to be a 2nd weekend Slam player, snd beyond, to be able to grind the distance.He doesn't have to be Federer or Nadal or Djokovic. There's a big World of Tennis out there outside of three players.
I will defer to your knowledge of Fritz. I've seen him only a few times, and every time if he was serving superbly he was dominating and if he wasn't he was flailing. I'd love to see a few of the younger guys actually make a stand. Maybe he'll be one of them.
Huh?I will make an exception responding here, after your previously ridiculous, discriminatory Women's tennis comments.I think you forgot the part where his opponent is the defending U.S. Open Champion. Thiem has made 4 Grand Slam Finals in the past few years. He's ranked 3rd in the world and has been ranked in the top 10 for 4.5 years. You can like who you like. But no objective person has had anything but praise for Kyrgios' play and effort last night. 5 sets, a match that can go either way against one of the world's best.
Taylor is former World Junior #1 player. So he’s been around the block a time or two at the highest levels. I think there is a bit more variety of games with some of the bigger players. Fun fact: For a long time, many of the Grand Slam winners were roughly 6’1 or so in height. Fed, Sampras, Nadal, Djokovic is maybe 6’2 and so on. It’s as if it has been a sweet spot of height for some of the best players. Just under and just over 6 feet. Sure you have had some outliers, Del Potro is 6’6 with one of the gamea best forehands. And of course you have had past grass court players and other exceptions. Edberg, Becker, etc...Medvedev and Zverev are a newer type of player, big guys that can move and sit out there all day with groundstrokes. Fritz is about 6’4. In hoops he would be someone that is food at different things, but is trying to complete his game and handles. He’s not going to be Zverev or Medvedev. And that’s okay. But he has more long term potential and ability than some Big Man, Isner type of players. He does need to serve well to be successful. But he can return serve, he has some of the shot variety that I mentioned. He is still putting it all together. And I believe physically and mentally off the court are recent points of emphasis with him. Isner for example, is what he is. He is a big man tennis player that is limited probably mostly by his return of serve. Interestingly enough he has had somesuccess on clay getting more time to return. Now Fritz may or may not turn the corner, etc..but if you watch him play or practice, you can see the progression. He isn’t there yet, but I believe he can be a more consistent 2nd weekend player, and make a run once in a while. And that’s pretty good. Your favorite Jenn Brady, didn’t turn a corner until after she was 25 years old. Then she started winning titles, making Slam Semis and looks pretty good so far in Melbourne.We’ll see.
Thanks for all that on Fritz. You are Mr. Tennis.I can pretty safely say that I will never watch Fritz or any other athlete practice - and I'm talking about tennis, golf, basketball, badminton, curling, Jarts, you name it. I guess I'm the fan version of Allen Iverson - "Practice? You talkin' 'bout practice?"
I'm feeling a little better about Rafa's chances today. He looked superb against Norrie, a good player who tested him. Rafa moved easily, hit a lot of blistering shots from both sides (especially forehand), served well. He even seemed to benefit from the court being hard - but of course Norrie is not a big hitter.Next comes Fognini. He has beaten Rafa before ... but not this time!Wonder what the latest is on Djokovic. Hope he's doing better.
100% agree about Fogini. If he focuses and grinds, which he can do, and has done, he can give Nadal a lot of trouble.If, on the other hand, he goes "full Italian" constantly bitching and complaining and wildly hitting the ball, it will be a short evening of work for Nadal.I guess it depends on what Fogini's betting paymasters want of him (yes, this has long been rumored about him. Betting on Tennis is HUGE in Asia and the Middle East and match-fixing is a big problem).Joker is supposedly hurt and might not continue.
Wow ... in one short post you managed to spell Fognini's name wrong repeatedly, make some kind of anti-Italian slur, and accuse him of being on the take. Hat trick! Congrats!
There are no real proofs however.
Whoa... Osaka down 5-3 in the 3rd set.
My god what a finish. Down 5-3, then 2 set points against her down 15-40....then she storms back and blasts her way to 4 straight games to take the third 7-5
It's starts with 128, but, the 2021 Australian Open reached the Round of 16. 25% of the Women's Round of 16 is American. (5 if you count Osaka)Ash Barty vs Shelby RogersElise Mertens vs Karolina MuchovaDonna Vekic vs Jennifer BradyJessica Pegula vs Elina SvitolinaHsieh Su-Wei vs Marketa VondrousovaGarbi Muguruza vs Naomi OsakaAryna Sabalenka vs Serena WilliamsIga Swiatek vs Simona HalepFavored players don't always win which is how we got here and why it's fun. Barty is favoredMertens is favoredVekic v Brady toss upSvitolna favoredVondrousova favoredMuguruza v Osaka is a toss upSabalenka v Serena is a toss upHalep is favored/toss upMen's Round of 16Djokovic v RaonicLajovic v ZverevThiem v DmitrovAuger-Aliassime v KaratsevRublev v RuudMcDonald v MedvedevTsitsipas v BerretiniFognini v NadalDjokovic will be favoredZverev favoredThiem favoredFAA favoredRublev favoredMedvedev favoredToss Up Nadal favoredYou See Elle Aye has two Americans in the Round of 16 w/Jenn Brady and Mackie McDonald.
Looking forward to Nadal-Fognini and Djokovic-Zverev.Definitely looking forward to the likely Serena-Naomi semifinal.