US Open 2018, Flushing Meadows, NY USA - Grand Slam (Men)

[Andy22]

I haven't seen any sign so far that Rafa is in the sort of form that presents a problem to either Novak or Roger here. I'm not sure he gets to the final. Stan seems to be doing ok, and Delpo ain't chopped liver either. The problem with these draws is that we make assumptions which aren't often right. Let's see

Well nadal way better form then federer just won rogers cup lol its very clear, he's been playing better tennis, Djokovic its the head to head, not Djokovic being in better form because he's not.

 

[DarthFed]

Well nadal way better form then federer just won rogers cup lol its very clear, he's been playing better tennis, Djokovic its the head to head, not Djokovic being in better form because he's not.

Djokovic is in better form at this point, he won Wimbledon and just made it through a pretty tough draw at Cincy. Certainly tougher than what Nadal faced in Toronto. But anyways it is about the matchup and the fact Djokovic is simply a better HC player than Nadal. He's beaten Djokovic two times on HC since 2010, both came in a four week span in 2013 after he gained a huge mental edge winning the close RG match. A good Djokovic just devours Nadal on HC, turns him into an all-defense yoyo due to his backhand.

 

[Andy22]

Djokovic is in better form at this point, he won Wimbledon and just made it through a pretty tough draw at Cincy. Certainly tougher than what Nadal faced in Toronto. But anyways it is about the matchup and the fact Djokovic is simply a better HC player than Nadal. He's beaten Djokovic two times on HC since 2010, both came in a four week span in 2013 after he gained a huge mental edge winning the close RG match. A good Djokovic just devours Nadal on HC, turns him into an all-defense yoyo due to his backhand.

The form thing highly debatel but anyway your right the match up favors Djokovic, but might not happen at this event.

 

[nehmeth]

Chair umpire called a ball out on break point for Zverev... it was in. Kohli got it back to deuce. Zverev is 0-3 in the third set.

 

[El Dude]

Another early exist for Sascha brewing. This kid needs to get his act together. As a pretty good all-court player he should be reaching the QF or better at most Slams. Still inconsistent and tempestuous, but I suppose he is only 21.

Feeling a bit more hopeful about Roger-Novak, given Roger's third set play and the fact that Novak is dropping sets to players like Fucsovics and Sandgren. They are both solid journeymen, but that wouldn't have happened in 2011-16. I'd still give the edge to Novak, but not as lop-sided as it was a day ago. If Roger can play like he did in the 3rd set for at least three sets vs. Novak, he can win.

 

[Busted]

Another early exist for Sascha brewing. This kid needs to get his act together. As a pretty good all-court player he should be reaching the QF or better at most Slams. Still inconsistent and tempestuous, but I suppose he is only 21.

Feeling a bit more hopeful about Roger-Novak, given Roger's third set play and the fact that Novak is dropping sets to players like Fucsovics and Sandgren. They are both solid journeymen, but that wouldn't have happened in 2011-16. I'd still give the edge to Novak, but not as lop-sided as it was a day ago. If Roger can play like he did in the 3rd set for at least three sets vs. Novak, he can win.

Sascha Zverev's problem is that he's #4 in the world due in part to Djokovic, Wawrinka & Murray (and Nishikori and Raonic) being injured and off-form for nearly 2 years. He came up the rankings too fast because he was winning 2-of-3 set matches against a decimated field. Any time he has to win 3-of-5 sets he's struggled - and not just physically. A lot of his struggle is mentally keeping it together when the match is even or he gets down a break.. It's part of why I thought he should have played Milan last year - played with guys his own age where they all struggle with the mental part of the game - and who ironically he tends to struggle against. Instead he thought he was all that and a bag of chips and skipped it to concentrate on the ATP Tour finals - where IIRC he only won 1 match. Sometimes I think he's spending too much time looking at all the pretty trees and fails to notice he's lost in the forest.

As far as Roger/Nole - not gonna lie. That's not a match I expect Roger to win. He played better today than he has since he inexcusable loss to Anderson at Wimbledon, but he's going to have to throw it into another gear against Djokovic - and frankly hope that Djokovic doesn't play as well as he did in Cincy. Roger can't afford slopping serving and a ton of UEs - like in Cincy - against Djokovic and he knows it.

 

[El Dude]

re: Sascha, I hear and agree with your point about the decimated field, but I don't think you give him quite enough credit for his three Masters titles. It isn't like he snuck one in; once you win three, it isn't a fluke - and he has beaten some good players to do so.

But yeah, with better health from the elite, he'd have been more of a #6-10 player over the last couple years rather than #4-5.

That said, I still expect multiple Slams from him. I just don't see him as a future all-time great (6+ Slam winner). As I've said before, I see the NextGen era having a bunch of contending players but no one who really separates himself from the pack and dominates the field, unless one of the two young Canadians (Shapo or Auger Aliassime) jump to that level. But if that happens it is likely a few years away, and clearly the Holy Trinity aren't done.

 

[Carol]

Djokovic is in better form at this point, he won Wimbledon and just made it through a pretty tough draw at Cincy. Certainly tougher than what Nadal faced in Toronto. But anyways it is about the matchup and the fact Djokovic is simply a better HC player than Nadal. He's beaten Djokovic two times on HC since 2010, both came in a four week span in 2013 after he gained a huge mental edge winning the close RG match. A good Djokovic just devours Nadal on HC, turns him into an all-defense yoyo due to his backhand.

Federer will be the one turning himself into an all- defense yoyo playing vs Novak like he was in Wimbledon playing vs Anderson and in Cincy too

 

[atttomole]

Sascha Zverev's problem is that he's #4 in the world due in part to Djokovic, Wawrinka & Murray (and Nishikori and Raonic) being injured and off-form for nearly 2 years. He came up the rankings too fast because he was winning 2-of-3 set matches against a decimated field. Any time he has to win 3-of-5 sets he's struggled - and not just physically. A lot of his struggle is mentally keeping it together when the match is even or he gets down a break.. It's part of why I thought he should have played Milan last year - played with guys his own age where they all struggle with the mental part of the game - and who ironically he tends to struggle against. Instead he thought he was all that and a bag of chips and skipped it to concentrate on the ATP Tour finals - where IIRC he only won 1 match. Sometimes I think he's spending too much time looking at all the pretty trees and fails to notice he's lost in the forest.

As far as Roger/Nole - not gonna lie. That's not a match I expect Roger to win. He played better today than he has since he inexcusable loss to Anderson at Wimbledon, but he's going to have to throw it into another gear against Djokovic - and frankly hope that Djokovic doesn't play as well as he did in Cincy. Roger can't afford slopping serving and a ton of UEs - like in Cincy - against Djokovic and he knows it.

Busted is back!

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

zed lost early doors again. lots of work for lendl to do then.

 

[DarthFed]

Zverev is worthless in majors, pretty shocking these last couple. Losing to Gulbis and an aging Koleslaw just shouldn't happen.

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

nick k is mentally weak.

never mind about immature or any of that stuff anymore, when the going gets even a bit tough. nick gets gone.

 

[Front242]

Federer will be the one turning himself into an all- defense yoyo playing vs Novak like he was in Wimbledon playing vs Anderson and in Cincy too

Yeah, going ahead 2 sets to love and holding 2 match points is definitely defensive play lol. From then on, the score was 7-5 6-4 13-11 to Anderson. Really looks like a defensive match there alright and in Cinci, Federer played really badly. I can even pull up quotes by YOU if you want where you stated he played very badly. He wasn't playing defensively though. He was serving crap, returning crap and making loads of errors. That IS NOT defensive tennis and you hilariously accused Darth earlier of knowing nothing about tennis and then write this. And all because he hates Nadal. Makes sense...

 

[Fiero425]

nick k is mentally weak.

never mind about immature or any of that stuff anymore, when the going gets even a bit tough. nick gets gone.

It might as well of been a tank job! Notwithstanding more highlight reel shot-making from the maestro, Federer really wasn't doing much to overwhelm Nick! NK was his usual sloppy, careless self; esp. early on with L-40 on Fed's serve and didn't break! It was all downhill after that with glimpses of what he could do; a true waste of talent! Someone prescribe something for this poor mentally challenged child!

 

[atttomole]

The Schwartzman takes the third set.

 

[Carol]

To watch Kyrgios playing is a joke. The guy has probably one of the best serve of all the circuit but he can't hit the ball right more than three times in a roll and when the things are not going well on his side he throws the match to the garbage. He is too overrated and his 'ego' doesn't allow him to think correctly. He is the kind of player who has to have very illuminated day to beat the top players like he did before and others players have done before too but they don't have so much 'advertising' because they don't like to clown around like he likes to do

 

[Jelenafan]

Another early exist for Sascha brewing. This kid needs to get his act together. As a pretty good all-court player he should be reaching the QF or better at most Slams. Still inconsistent and tempestuous, but I suppose he is only 21.

.

I'm not all that convinced Zverev is a future Major winner, TBH. Sure he's talented, and won Masters, but the mental implosion at the Slams, losing to journeyman players with no outstanding weapons in early rounds is developing into a pattern that could be hard to break. He's almost frozen with fear and unravels in the ugliest way possible.

Lendl his current coach had a hard time winning Majors at first, but he was making Finals and SF's until his breakthrough in his 4th final beating Mac at the French Open.

Even players who did reach a Finals earlier in their career , Tsonga, Baghdattis, couldn't do it again. For now I'd be happy if Sasha made a Semifnals anywhere..

There is no reason to believe Sasha's contemporaries aren't going to get more competitive so it's not even a given he's going to be the top Nextgen player.by next year.

It's one thing to get blown off the court by a red hot player, instead he seems to play down to the level of his opponent. I mean, we're talking Kohlschreiber who hadn't won against a top player in years. Kohlschreiber!

Not wishing him ill, but I just dont' think it's a slam dunk we're talking a future champ.

 

[Carol]

Novak tonight will beat Gasquet playing with the left hand..... very tough draw too B-)

 

[DarthFed]

The only really worrying thing about Zverev is that there hasn't been the slightest bit of improvement at majors the past couple years. But he is 21, that was young even before the current era and now it's very, very young. I'm not buying that it's a physical/fitness issue, definitely seems more mental at this point.

 

[atttomole]

Who has a better backhand between Gasquet and Wawrinka?