Mutua Madrid Open, Madrid, Spain, ATP Masters 1000

[Fiero425]

Won’t be so easy at RG for Nadal because?
I would bet AZ loses in three sets to Nadal at RG. Were you referring to Thiem giving him trouble?

We can at least hope he's made to work for it! Straight set victories are embarrassing since the old geezers seem to still "own it!" Sasha's coming up fast! Too bad he'll lose his Rome points from last season! Strange how winning doesn't guarantee at least a status quo! Thiem actually dropped a position in the rankings to #8! Nadal dropping to #2 made sense since he lost early in Madrid!

 

[Carol]

We can at least hope he's made to work for it! Straight set victories are embarrassing since the old geezers seem to still "own it!" Sasha's coming up fast! Too bad he'll lose his Rome points from last season! Strange how winning doesn't guarantee at least a status quo! Thiem actually dropped a position in the rankings to #8! Nadal dropping to #2 made sense since he lost early in Madrid!

Yep, the #1 goes to the sofa to the other sofa but I hope this next time it will be playing in Roma

 

[El Dude]

If Zverev goes deep in RG, say the QF or better for the first time, then I think he has to be taken very seriously at Wimbledon and the US Open. He needs the step up at a Slam first to a QF/SF, though, and I think could do it at RG.

 

[10isfan]

Maybe fitness will prevent him from making too strong a mark at RG, but I expect him to do well at Wimby and uso.

Thiem needs to see a sports psychologist. His window is starting to close.

 

[kskate2]

If Zverev goes deep in RG, say the QF or better for the first time, then I think he has to be taken very seriously at Wimbledon and the US Open. He needs the step up at a Slam first to a QF/SF, though, and I think could do it at RG.

All depends on his draw. There are certain players he lets in his head, like Chung, Coric etc.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Won’t be so easy at RG for Nadal because?
I would bet AZ loses in three sets to Nadal at RG. Were you referring to Thiem giving him trouble?

i dont think Rafa will win without dropping a few sets

 

[britbox]

If Zverev goes deep in RG, say the QF or better for the first time, then I think he has to be taken very seriously at Wimbledon and the US Open. He needs the step up at a Slam first to a QF/SF, though, and I think could do it at RG.

I was one of Sascha's earliest cheerleaders but I'd dial back a bit on expectations at majors for the time being. I think the step up to really competing for major titles is going to be an evolution for him - it'll take a bit of time. I don't think he's got a great engine right now and that's something he's going to need to develop - physical and mental endurance for the long haul. Still, he's got some great weapons. I bought stock early but he's not my favourite player to watch.

 

[10isfan]

AZ isn’t my favorite to watch either. Fog, Monfils, Fed, Shapo, Dolgo and a few others are high on the list for their entertainment value. If a player wins, but nobody cares, does the victory matter? This is like the saying “If a tree falls, but nobody hears it....” Ideally, you want to watch a player who wins and entertains, which is why Fed is so well loved.

 

[El Dude]

I was one of Sascha's earliest cheerleaders but I'd dial back a bit on expectations at majors for the time being. I think the step up to really competing for major titles is going to be an evolution for him - it'll take a bit of time. I don't think he's got a great engine right now and that's something he's going to need to develop - physical and mental endurance for the long haul. Still, he's got some great weapons. I bought stock early but he's not my favourite player to watch.

I agree on most accounts, except I think the time is ripe for him to take that next step forward at majors - that we're going to see him turn into a real Slam contender over the next three Slams.

I haven't done research but I'm willing to bet that he's the only player in the Open Era who won three Masters before reaching a Slam QF.

He's really taken another step forward the last couple months. He was floundering back in January and some here were saying he had peaked early and wouldn't improve. But it turned out it was a "one step back, two steps forward" kind of thing.

 

[El Dude]

I recently watched highlights of the 2005 AO SF in which Safin beat Roger. I was struck by how Safin seemed to move very little, but instead dominated Roger by pushing him all around the court but staying relatively central. I've seem some of that from Zverev - he moves decently, but he does particularly well when he's blasting corner to corner. His return vs Shapo was just deadly. My point being, he reminds me a bit of Safin or even Stanimal.

 

[herios]

We can at least hope he's made to work for it! Straight set victories are embarrassing since the old geezers seem to still "own it!" Sasha's coming up fast! Too bad he'll lose his Rome points from last season! Strange how winning doesn't guarantee at least a status quo! Thiem actually dropped a position in the rankings to #8! Nadal dropping to #2 made sense since he lost early in Madrid!

Thiem loses a spot for a reason. He defended all his point and gained zero, while Anderson gained as he was defending nothing, thus he will pass Thirm for now.

 

[herios]

I agree on most accounts, except I think the time is ripe for him to take that next step forward at majors - that we're going to see him turn into a real Slam contender over the next three Slams.

I haven't done research but I'm willing to bet that he's the only player in the Open Era who won three Masters before reaching a Slam QF.

He's really taken another step forward the last couple months. He was floundering back in January and some here were saying he had peaked early and wouldn't improve. But it turned out it was a "one step back, two steps forward" kind of thing.

Sasha is on a strange pattern the last two years, and it seems to be enrolled once again on it, in spring he plays very well, then in the second half he became pedestrian. I will watch him again very closely, he has yet to convince me he can play a full calendar year.
Also I keep thinking why you consider him a treat at the USO. He was awful there every time, I think his worst surface is the fast HC.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

I was one of Sascha's earliest cheerleaders but I'd dial back a bit on expectations at majors for the time being. I think the step up to really competing for major titles is going to be an evolution for him - it'll take a bit of time. I don't think he's got a great engine right now and that's something he's going to need to develop - physical and mental endurance for the long haul. Still, he's got some great weapons. I bought stock early but he's not my favourite player to watch.

I completely agree. He is certainly not someone who I would pay money to watch, even if his resume gets stronger progressively.

 

[Moxie]

I agree on most accounts, except I think the time is ripe for him to take that next step forward at majors - that we're going to see him turn into a real Slam contender over the next three Slams.

I haven't done research but I'm willing to bet that he's the only player in the Open Era who won three Masters before reaching a Slam QF.

He's really taken another step forward the last couple months. He was floundering back in January and some here were saying he had peaked early and wouldn't improve. But it turned out it was a "one step back, two steps forward" kind of thing.

I agree with both of you, but I do also agree that it is time for him to step up at Majors. I think he just turned 21? And he's ambitious. He also said even in his speech that his working on his fitness, which I agree with the Baron on. I think he committed himself today, knowing that he's been falling short this year. What I saw, I didn't think Thiem was poor, just out-gunned. I was also impressed that Sasha even pressed at the net. I've been waiting for him to learn something from his big brother there. Not always successful, but gave Dominic something to think about.

 

[Moxie]

I recently watched highlights of the 2005 AO SF in which Safin beat Roger. I was struck by how Safin seemed to move very little, but instead dominated Roger by pushing him all around the court but staying relatively central. I've seem some of that from Zverev - he moves decently, but he does particularly well when he's blasting corner to corner. His return vs Shapo was just deadly. My point being, he reminds me a bit of Safin or even Stanimal.

He's always reminded me a bit of Safin, and, if I'm not wrong, I think he's one that Sasha admires. Serve and BH, for sure, but yes, they play(ed) the corners.

 

[Moxie]

AZ isn’t my favorite to watch either. Fog, Monfils, Fed, Shapo, Dolgo and a few others are high on the list for their entertainment value. If a player wins, but nobody cares, does the victory matter? This is like the saying “If a tree falls, but nobody hears it....” Ideally, you want to watch a player who wins and entertains, which is why Fed is so well loved.

I'm a little surprised at those who are painting AZ as "boring," or whatever. Some of your examples above include players that people disparage for being more about entertainment, yet less serious, or serious contenders. Don't get me wrong, I agree that all of your choices are entertaining to watch, and I'm in the camp that prizes them for that. As to today, I definitely find Sasha's tennis flashier than Thiem's.

I completely agree. He is certainly not someone who I would pay money to watch, even if his resume gets stronger progressively.

I'm a little surprised that you say you wouldn't pay money to see him play. Maybe because my first exposure to him was a barn-burner v. Kohlscreiber at the USO a few years ago, and everyone was squeezed in trying to see it. It was a thriller. Zverev is certainly more than a big serve and I like his attitude and ambition. Maybe that's just me.

 

[Moxie]

Shapo looks terrible. That coupled with some great returning from Zverev, who looks dialed in.

I didn't see this match, but Shapavolov has a lot of growing up to do, imo. His tennis is as messy as his self-presentation. He's young. I think a lot of people look to him because he beat Nadal. He needs to clean up his game a lot from the ball-bashing that it is. He's got talent, but he's really all over the place.

 

[mrzz]

I really wasn't expecting Zverev to win. Could not see the match, but from the highlights, from what I read here and on the press it seems Thiem played bellow average, while it seems Zverev was doing everything right.

Zverev is getting the results, no doubt about it. But I am honestly far from convinced yet. He is, well, in general quite predictable (even if one drop shot today was a beauty, and the drop volley on the final game was really good), and I agree that he is a bit boring to watch just because of that. I strangely dislike him a bit more every time I watch him. I doubt he sees the second week in RG, but he may finally do something in other majors.

 

[herios]

I didn't see this match, but Shapavolov has a lot of growing up to do, imo. His tennis is as messy as his self-presentation. He's young. I think a lot of people look to him because he beat Nadal. He needs to clean up his game a lot from the ball-bashing that it is. He's got talent, but he's really all over the place.

Messy or not, he was efficient so far, according to his age.
By that measure, he is actually one step ahead of Sasha, in terms of their ranking at the same age.
Sasha broke into the top 50 about 2 years ago, when he turned 19, while Shapovalov managed that several months before turning 19.
Of course, Sasha kept moving up after that, so we shall see how Denis will do.
I am really positive about him, because 1 month ago he looked like will do not much on clay, and a few weeks later he made the SF of a master. Again, that is outstanding considering he just turned 19.

 

[Moxie]

I think we'd all agree it's rather unexpected that he has 2 clay MS 1000s.