Australian Open [Men] - Grand Slam

[mrzz]

what is up with Tsitsipas lol, three early ish slam exits in a row

That is a bandwagon I was not in...

 

[Jelenafan]

“The fifth set is not about tennis, it's about nerves.”
Boris Becker

Stan proved it.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Allez Stan!

Wawrinka d Medvedev 62 26 46 76(2) 62.

 

[Moxie]

That is a bandwagon I was not in...

I am, and not ashamed. He'll find his way back. So much for the folks on the Medvedev bandwagon. And Medvedev will do better, too. It just doesn't come all at once, for most of them.

 

[rafanoy1992]

Damn! Stan "The Man" is back for now...but wow!

As for Medvedev, it is just tough luck because he ran into Stan "The Man" today. He did not played bad at all today. Stan just went into Stan The Man mode and the racket out of his own hands.

 

[mrzz]

banana peel

Banana peel? I would say a gorilla...

I had this match in my draw and gave a long thought about it... but figured that Wawrinka would not be able to deal with Medvedev's strange pace. He rolled over it.

 

[Jelenafan]

Stan is 34 years, 10 months young.

Just saying.

 

[Moxie]

Banana peel? I would say a gorilla...

I had this match in my draw and gave a long thought about it... but figured that Wawrinka would not be able to deal with Medvedev's strange pace. He rolled over it.

I went with experience, because I also thought it would go long, if Stan was fit. Medvedev did nearly get him, in the 4th, and he'll regret this loss, I think. I've said this about the FO final v. Novak, and I catch Hell for it, but I think Novak started to play "not to lose," and he fed Stan's confidence. There was something of that in this match. When DM pulled back and started playing "not to lose," Stan stepped it up, gear by gear, and that's when he bulldozed him.

 

[Bonaca]

I went with experience, because I also thought it would go long, if Stan was fit. Medvedev did nearly get him, in the 4th, and he'll regret this loss, I think. I've said this about the FO final v. Novak, and I catch Hell for it, but I think Novak started to play "not to lose," and he fed Stan's confidence. There was something of that in this match. When DM pulled back and started playing "not to lose," Stan stepped it up, gear by gear, and that's when he bulldozed him.

Absolutely agree. I was also thinking about that F.

 

[AnonymousFan]

Anyone think Rublev might win tonight and even make SF?

 

[Jelenafan]

So NextGen hopes rest on Zverev & Rublev.....

 

[rafanoy1992]

Anyone think Rublev might win tonight and even make SF?

Actually, Zverev is 3-0 over Rublev and he has not lost a single to Rublev. So, I would say Zverev might reach his first slam SF...

 

[Jelenafan]

Anyone think Rublev might win tonight and even make SF?

Raising hand.

 

[Moxie]

Absolutely agree. I was also thinking about that F.

I'm glad you agree. People say that I'm not giving Stan credit for that win when I say that but I absolutely do. Today, I really did say (above) that Stan probably wasn't winning it, even early in the 4th. But then, as the commies said, DM started playing tentatively, i.e., not to lose, and Stan blazed through that opening.

 

[Jelenafan]

Actually, Zverev is 3-0 over Rublev and he has not lost a single to Rublev. So, I would say Zverev might reach his first slam SF...

Except that the pressure is now squarely on Zverev and Rublev is on a tear.

 

[Moxie]

Raising hand.

Rublev is the winningest player ATM, but he's played a lot of tennis. I still take Zverev.

 

[rafanoy1992]

If Nadal wins today against Nick, that potential QF against Thiem is basically a de-facto semifinal match for Nadal. At this point, Nadal would rather face Wawrinka on a hard court (even if it is a slam) than Medvedev. So, if Nadal wins today and survives Thiem, then I see him reaching the finals.

 

[Moxie]

Except that the pressure is now squarely on Zverev and Rublev is on a tear.

Fair point, and Zverev seems to wilt under the pressure at GS's.

 

[Moxie]

If Nadal wins today against Nick, that potential QF against Thiem is basically a de-facto semifinal match for Nadal. At this point, Nadal would rather face Wawrinka on a hard court (even if it is a slam) than Medvedev. So, if Nadal wins today and survives Thiem, then I see him reaching the finals.

I get the recency bias, but Nadal has never lost to Medvedev, and he's lost at the AO to Stan, albeit injured. Why would he prefer Stan to Dany?

 

[rafanoy1992]

The way I view it is this: Rublev is on fire at the moment but Zverev is playing smart and efficient tennis this week so far (have not drop a set yet), so I would go for Zverev because he his 3-0 against him.