2023 ATP General News

[MargaretMcAleer]

In the final at Umag,
Popyrin serving for the 1st set 5-4 and Wawrinka broke 5 all now in the 1st set
TB it is for the 1st set, Popyrin serving well, until he had a poor service game and was broken while serving for the 1st set.
Neither player served well in the TB, though I thought Alexi was the better player till the end of the TB, Stan held his serve when it mattered and won the 1st set 76(5)

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

We are going 3 sets in Umag, Popyrin played a good 2nd set of tennis and held his nerve serving for the 2nd set 63. This is only Popyrin's 2nd final

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Of course seeing that the Umag final has gone to a 3rd set
Fritz- Vukic about to start the final in Alanta

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Alexei Popyrin will serve for the match 5-4 in Umag, against Wawrinka, he has been the better player since the 2nd set, hopefully nerves wont set in
Alexei Popyrin comes back from a set down to win his 2nd ATP title at Umag, defeating Wawrinka 67(5) 63 64
Bad luck Stan though good to see you making a final at 38 years young!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

In the final between Fritz v Vukic in Alanta I was only SB as I was wtching Umag final live
Fritz won the 1st set 75

 

[the AntiPusher]

Of course seeing that the Umag final has gone to a 3rd set
Fritz- Vukic about to start the final in Alanta

Is Fritz the best American player since the "not one known as Sir Andy'

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Is Fritz the best American player since the "not one known as Sir Andy'

I dont know about that, seeing you are an American you tell me lol!

 

[don_fabio]

Alexei Popyrin will serve for the match 5-4 in Umag, against Wawrinka, he has been the better player since the 2nd set, hopefully nerves wont set in

Stan let this one slip away. Popyrin had cramps in his right quad, he struggled for a few games, Stan was pushing, but not enough. Crucial point at 3:2 in 3rd set for Stan, he had a BP, they played a long point and Stan netted a BH, he was kind of waiting for Popyrin to miss, should have just went for a shot instead. Kudos to the young Aussie, he fought well, waited for his chance and took it.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Stan let this one slip away. Popyrin had cramps in his right quad, he struggled for a few games, Stan was pushing, but not enough. Crucial point at 3:2 in 3rd set for Stan, he had a BP, they played a long point and Stan netted a BH, he was kind of waiting for Popyrin to miss, should have just went for a shot instead. Kudos to the young Aussie, he fought well, waited for his chance and took it.

Don, I thought Alexei was gone when he got cramps, to his credit he pushed through, he was brave, bad luck to Stan he did have a great week getting to the final

 

[don_fabio]

Don, I thought Alexei was gone when he got cramps, to his credit he pushed through, he was brave, bad luck to Stan he did have a great week getting to the final

Yeah, me too. He looked done for a while, but he really pushed and won. Amazing effort.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Yeah, me too. He looked done for a while, but he really pushed and won. Amazing effort.

Quite frankly I was surprised Alexei got to a final on clay? his game suited more to HCs, faster surfaces, good learning curve that you dont give up and push through the pain, a good reward in the end.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

There will be a TB for the 2nd set at the final in Alanta
Fritz won the 1st set 75, Aussie Vukic has a good first serve, though he needs to address his 2nd serve, it failed him towards the end of the 1st set
Vukic won the 2nd set 76(5) good returning was his reward of winning the 2nd set
Going 3 sets in the final

 

[Fiero425]

Fritz was up in the 2nd set, but couldn't close out Vukic w/ a double MP vs serve! Alek got up in the TB & closed it out to go 3 sets in Hotlanta!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Fritz wins the Alanta final over Vukic 75 67(5) 64
Not too bad for my Aussie playing in his 1st ATP final

 

[Fiero425]

Stan let this one slip away. Popyrin had cramps in his right quad, he struggled for a few games, Stan was pushing, but not enough. Crucial point at 3:2 in 3rd set for Stan, he had a BP, they played a long point and Stan netted a BH, he was kind of waiting for Popyrin to miss, should have just went for a shot instead. Kudos to the young Aussie, he fought well, waited for his chance and took it.

I won't be a hypocrite when it comes to the aging player! If Murray's past it, Stan's even more so! He had one of the true great 1-handed BH's ever, but so under-achieved! He had a huge mental block w/ Fedalovic, breaking thru a handfull of times over the years to steal 3 majors from Djokovic! I feel for the guy losing time off the tour w/ injury & surgery, but that's telling him what his mind won't tell him! "It's time!"

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

AP,

If you are around Fritz has won the title in Alanta, still waiting for your return post to me, is Fritz as good as Andy Roddick, though Roddick did manage to get to a GS final
BTW this is Fritz 6th ATP title, he has the 2nd most titles among active American men, behind Tented's favorite John Isner

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

With Alexei Popyrin winning Umag he will be ranked #57 when the rankings come out in Monday and Vukic who lost in 3 sets to Fritz in Alanta will be a new ranking of #62

 

[the AntiPusher]

Don, I thought Alexei was gone when he got cramps, to his credit he pushed through, he was brave, bad luck to Stan he did have a great week getting to the final

I think Stan took his foot off the gas and didn't finish the player off in the 3rd set. Tough loss for Stan

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I think Stan took his foot off the gas and didn't finish the player off in the 3rd set. Tough loss for Stan

I am proud of my young Aussie he stood brave and worked through cramps etc and didnt give up he deserved his win, as Don Fabio and I discussed earlier, good to see Stan at 38 years young making a final.

 

[Jelenafan]

I won't be a hypocrite when it comes to the aging player! If Murray's past it, Stan's even more so! He had one of the true great 1-handed BH's ever, but so under-achieved! He had a huge mental block w/ Fedalovic, breaking thru a handfull of times over the years to steal 3 majors from Djokovic! I feel for the guy losing time off the tour w/ injury & surgery, but that's telling him what his mind won't tell him! "It's time!"

Well one of those he “stole” from Nadal.

I hearya Fiero, but on the other hand don't you think it’s to Stan’s credit he did breakthrough & didn’t give up despite being close to 29 years old? Add Stan wasn't happy to be a one slam wonder but went on to 3 more Slam finals, winning two more, all three winning Slams be beat the top ranked player in the world in the final.

Stan won the junior FO title & was ranked as high as # 7 as a junior. Good but not exceptionally promising as many Juniors fall by the wayside year after year. TBH, his professional record from 2005-2012 isn’t all *that* promising, it follows the trajectory of players who intermittently show flashes of brillance. He only reached his first Major SF in 2013, a few months before his shocking 2014 AO Slam win.

Most of the young promising and talented players of generations past show it early and then fade; they couldn’t do what Stan accomplished. He’s literally the ONLY guy to do it at that age bracket in 100 years so with him I tend to look at it as glass half full rather than glass half empty.