2018 French Open Mens QF: Djokovic - Cecchinato

[GameSetAndMath]

Yes, actually this is a very good chance for Thiem. Usually his problem is to come up with another big win after one. This time he deals with a "light weight" and so he actually will have lot more chance.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Do you think Marco has a better chance than Thiem to .....................

Hello no. There are two issues with him in that match-up: His serve and his rally backhand. While he's clearly a good shot-maker, his rally backhand is very meh (lacks depth and direction). He's capable of hitting winners off that side but he can't set up the point properly (the slice was handy against Novak, but that's about the last shot you want to play against Nadal). The other problem is while he's very smart in the way he uses his serve, it lacks pace and he doesn't get enough free points. I don't think he gets past Thiem, but if he does and plays Nadal, I think he'll get hammered.

 

[Moxie]

Hello no. There are two issues with him in that match-up: His serve and his rally backhand. While he's clearly a good shot-maker, his rally backhand is very meh (lacks depth and direction). He's capable of hitting winners off that side but he can't set up the point properly (the slice was handy against Novak, but that's about the last shot you want to play against Nadal). The other problem is while he's very smart in the way he uses his serve, it lacks pace and he doesn't get enough free points. I don't think he gets past Thiem, but if he does and plays Nadal, I think he'll get hammered.

Obviously I can't analyze tennis the way you can, but I thought that Marco's shot choices were often poor, even though he beat Novak. He seemed often to neutralize the point, or hit to Djokovic, when he could have chosen a winning shot. Weird fact: Novak won more points in that match. 144-140, I think.

 

[Moxie]

I haven't found any video for Novak's press conference, but by all accounts it was a terse and techy meeting with the press. I'm hoping that his notion that he may not play the grass season is him just being petulant after a tough loss, and not about injury.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

I haven't found any video for Novak's press conference, but by all accounts it was a terse and techy meeting with the press. I'm hoping that his notion that he may not play the grass season is him just being petulant after a tough loss, and not about injury.

yes, he is just dejected, not exactly injured. When a reported said looks like novak is back, he retorted, "yes, back in the locker room".

 

[Chris Koziarz]

faker tried everything in this match. Shouting at ball boys, timewasting, ballbouncing, faking injury, screaming like a gorilla when opponent missed an easy smash, grunting loudly on important points to distract his opponent, pushing like there's no tomorrow. This was peak fakervic but it wasn't enough.

Though you clearly exaggerate, monfed, here and in most of your comments, you receive lots of likes (including mine). Your cynic style is fun (of course when taken lightly) and unique on this site.
To follow up a bit more seriously: yes this was one of the toughest and most lamenting frustrations Djoker has shown on court to date. And the return of time-violating ballbouncing, the ritual he successfully curbed in recent years, is a sign of that toughness. But I would not worry about it I was Djoko's fan. What I would worry is his strangely short press conference where he was cutting short all answers and his announcement (perhaps half-serious?) about skipping grass season. Either the injury is really back (somewhat predictably, all players talk about injuries after losses only & I bet there would be no shoulder injury talk had he won this match) or this frustration is overwhelming and affects his motivation.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Though you clearly exaggerate, monfed, here and in most of your comments, you receive lots of likes (including mine). Your cynic style is fun (of course when taken lightly) and unique on this site.
To follow up a bit more seriously: yes this was one of the toughest and most lamenting frustrations Djoker has shown on court to date. And the return of time-violating ballbouncing, the ritual he successfully curbed in recent years, is a sign of that toughness. But I would not worry about it I was Djoko's fan. What I would worry is his strangely short press conference where he was cutting short all answers and his announcement (perhaps half-serious?) about skipping grass season. Either the injury is really back (somewhat predictably, all players talk about injuries after losses only & I bet there would be no shoulder injury talk had he won this match) or this frustration is overwhelming and affects his motivation.

Top players mention it and then say, "I don't want to talk about it".

Novak said he had two issues (not just one), but refused to articulate on the issues he had.

 

[Chris Koziarz]

So we have an upset, that was pre-told (exactly as it happened - Marco in 4) by only one person (myself) in the poll above. I feel like I should play lotto this weekend.
But I didn't expect Djoko would be affected badly by the loss, as the press conference revealed, so I feel sorry now & hope he'll be OK and changes his mind with the grass season.

 

[Moxie]

yes, he is just dejected, not exactly injured. When a reported said looks like novak is back, he retorted, "yes, back in the locker room".

He was understandably down in that presser. I'm not taking him at his word that he won't play on grass this year. I think that would be a huge mistake. Unless he's honestly injured, but I don't think he is, to the point of skipping the grass season.

 

[Moxie]

So we have an upset, that was pre-told (exactly as it happened - Marco in 4) by only one person (myself) in the poll above. I feel like I should play lotto this weekend.
But I didn't expect Djoko will be affected badly by the loss, as the press conference revealed, so I feel sorry now & hope he'll be OK and changes his mind with the grass season.

Do take your bow for calling Marco in 4.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Another talented Italian has been in the circuit for several years and has not reached SF at any slam.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Marco at #27 in live rankings, will likely be seeded at Wimbledon.

 

[Chris Koziarz]

Another talented Italian has been in the circuit for several years and has not reached SF at any slam.

Well, if you're talking about Fognini, he was born in Sanremo which is close to France & Monte Carlo.
On the other hand, Cecchinato was born and still proudly resides in Palermo, Sicily.
On paper, it's the same country but in reality I can assure you, it's a world apart. Sicilians tend to be a bit chauvinistic about their island and they often despise their mainland compatriots. I'm not sure if that sentiment is reciprocated by the mainlanders but when I meet someone of an Italian name and ask "you've been born in Italy?", a Sicilian always corrects me: "No, I've been born in Sicily", often scornfully.
EDIT: I just corrected my misspells "Cicily" (sic!), hopefully before upsetting any Sicilian here.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Here is the FULL 22 minute TB of 4th set.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Here is the extended highlights of the whole match.

 

[El Dude]

@Chris Koziarz, I'm half-Sicilian, although you have to go back a few generations--my maternal great grandparents, I think--to find the boat voyage from Sicily to the States. But interestingly enough, I recently did a DNA test and found out--suprisingly--that I am more Greek than Italian, meaning most of my "Sicilian" is actually Greek....which goes along with what you said about Sicily being its own thing. It is kind of a melting pot of Southern European and Northern African (I'm also about 5% African).

 

[mrzz]

Well, if you're talking about Fognini, he was born in Sanremo which is close to France & Monte Carlo.
On the other hand, Cecchinato was born and still proudly resides in Palermo, Sicily.
On paper, it's the same country but in reality I can assure you, it's a world apart. Sicilians tend to be a bit chauvinistic about their island and they often despise their mainland compatriots. I'm not sure if that sentiment is reciprocated by the mainlanders but when I meet someone of an Italian name and ask "you've been born in Italy?", a Sicilian always corrects me: "No, I've been born in Sicily", often scornfully.
EDIT: I just corrected my misspells "Cicily" (sic!), hopefully before upsetting any Sicilian here.

I have zero information on Fognini's background, but he surely does not look like someone from that very particular and peculiar region, neither as a stereotipical northern Italian (Seppi behaves much more like such). Fognini's biotype and "body language" are typical of central/southern Italy. Haven't got too many chances to hear his accent, though. But he is totally Italian, I can tell you that...

 

[GameSetAndMath]

@Chris Koziarz, I'm half-Sicilian, although you have to go back a few generations--my maternal great grandparents, I think--to find the boat voyage from Sicily to the States. But interestingly enough, I recently did a DNA test and found out--suprisingly--that I am more Greek than Italian, meaning most of my "Sicilian" is actually Greek....which goes along with what you said about Sicily being its own thing. It is kind of a melting pot of Southern European and Northern African (I'm also about 5% African).

I did my DNA test and to my surprise, I found that I am 5% fan of Rafa, despite being 65% fan of Fed and 30% fan of other players. I would recommend this test to other posters.

 

[Federberg]

I did my DNA test and to my surprise, I found that I am 5% fan of Rafa, despite being 65% fan of Fed and 30% fan of other players. I would recommend this test to other posters.

Lol! This came to mind about DF. Imagine if there were such a test and DF found he had some Rafa loving in him?

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Hello no. There are two issues with him in that match-up: His serve and his rally backhand. While he's clearly a good shot-maker, his rally backhand is very meh (lacks depth and direction). He's capable of hitting winners off that side but he can't set up the point properly (the slice was handy against Novak, but that's about the last shot you want to play against Nadal). The other problem is while he's very smart in the way he uses his serve, it lacks pace and he doesn't get enough free points. I don't think he gets past Thiem, but if he does and plays Nadal, I think he'll get hammered.

I watched the entire 4th set TB and the extended highlights also. Based on that I find Marco's backhand to be solid. He actually rarely hit a slice in those clips. Most of them were drive backhands.

But, Marco does hit short balls often (I think the first bounce happens before the service line at least 40% of the times) and am surprised that Novak did not attack them as much as one could have done.