Rolex Paris Masters 2023, Bercy, France - ATP Masters 1000

[Moxie]

What a shot by Rune!

 

[Moxie]

Great to see the Danish Angel playing well again. They say the pinched nerve or whatever it was is all healed now. I hope @Jelenafan was watching.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

QFs,
Friday November 3,
Starting at 2pm,
H.Hurkacz (11) vs G.Dimitrov
S.Tsitsipas (7) vs Karen Khachanov (16)

Not before 7.30pm
N.Djokovic (1) vs H.Rune (6)
A.Rublev (5) vs A.De Minaur (13)

 

[Moxie]

He played almost 1300 matches on the tour. He is out there sometimes just to get the job done. Some days it's easy and other days not so, depending on many factors.

This is something that Alcaraz still has to learn, just to win ordinary matches with whatever game he can summon that day, even if only B or C game, but just find a way to win.

OK, but Carlos has played 193 matches on tour. 153-40, with 12 titles, including 2 Majors. Let that sink in for a second. (I just looked it up, and I'm still in shock.) They are at vastly different places in their careers. Sure, Carlos needs to learn patience, and how to "win ugly." (Novak definitely won ugly today.) But you can't expect the same from them. Look at Novak at 20, as @Kieran has said. Wisdom will come. The impetuousness of youth also has something to be said for itself. I have faith that Carlitos will find a good balance.

Interesting side-bar: Top 10 men with fewest matches to 100 wins:
https://www.tennis365.com/atp-tour/top-10-men-fewest-matches-100-atp-wins-carlos-alcaraz

 

[nehmeth]

Not sure what Novak is thinking with that zit on his forehead that looks like a third eye and the tight stretchy outfit that looks as though Black Raspberry Ice Cream had sex with the Cherry Slushy. No potion is going to fix that.

 

[Fiero425]

Not sure what Novak is thinking with that zit on his forehead that looks like a third eye and the tight stretchy outfit that looks as though Black Raspberry Ice Cream had sex with the Cherry Slushy. No potion is going to fix that.

He probably picked up an infection from the butcher who's doing haircuts that week on tour! Those bad cuts on Carlos & Novak are the worst! Alcaraz may have been more concerned about that when upset Tues.! The clothing design's out of Djokovic's control! It's all about the $$!

 

[Kieran]

OK, but Carlos has played 193 matches on tour. 153-40, with 12 titles, including 2 Majors. Let that sink in for a second. (I just looked it up, and I'm still in shock.) They are at vastly different places in their careers. Sure, Carlos needs to learn patience, and how to "win ugly." (Novak definitely won ugly today.) But you can't expect the same from them. Look at Novak at 20, as @Kieran has said. Wisdom will come. The impetuousness of youth also has something to be said for itself. I have faith that Carlitos will find a good balance.

Interesting side-bar: Top 10 men with fewest matches to 100 wins:
https://www.tennis365.com/atp-tour/top-10-men-fewest-matches-100-atp-wins-carlos-alcaraz

Yeah sometimes I think we get too impatient with Carlos, wanting him to be perfectly great already, to be Big 3-sized and knocking Novak off his perch immediately, but he’s not there yet, and it’s not really surprising, when you think about it..

 

[PhiEaglesfan712]

Been done before & it'll happen again! The USO is famous for their scheduling incompetence! Some poor guy comes off the court after midnite, only to be thrown to the wolves w/ a top seed at Noon! I wouldn't have even gone on court; just like Sinner! That'll teach them; NOT!

And this is what separates the really good from the great. If that was Ben Shelton, he would have played, like he did against Sinner in Vienna. (I bet you if the situation was reversed, Jannik would have withdrew and not faced Shelton.) Roger, Novak, and Rafa at 21/22 would have definitely played.

 

[nehmeth]

QFs,
Friday November 3,
Starting at 2pm,
H.Hurkacz (11) vs G.Dimitrov
S.Tsitsipas (7) vs Karen Khachanov (16)

Not before 7.30pm
N.Djokovic (1) vs H.Rune (6)
A.Rublev (5) vs A.De Minaur (13)

Dimitrov 3-0 H2H against Hubert
Tsitsipas 6-1 against Karen
Rune 2-1 against Djokovic
DeMinaur 3-1 against Rublev

Picking Dimitrov, Tsitsipas to win. Hoping Djokovic and Rublev do the same.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Dimitrov 3-0 H2H against Hubert
Tsitsipas 6-1 against Karen
Rune 2-1 against Djokovic
DeMinaur 3-1 against Rublev

Picking Dimitrov, Tsitsipas to win. Hoping Djokovic and Rublev do the same.

MM @MargaretMcAleer I know you have mentioned Holger's injuries and how his play level has dropped.. He looks like he is moving extremely well this week. I didn't watch his previous loss I think a week or so against Felix to really have a benchmark of his level of play.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Did Holger Always have the Roddick's service motion or is that part of Becker's tweaking? He looks very confident!

 

[Moxie]

Did Holger Always have the Roddick's service motion or is that part of Becker's tweaking? He looks very confident!

They were talking about that very similarity yesterday on TC. I didn't hear them say if it was new, but must be, if you all noticed it just now. They also said his pinched nerve in the back is all better, to answer your above question.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

MM @MargaretMcAleer I know you have mentioned Holger's injuries and how his play level has dropped.. He looks like he is moving extremely well this week. I didn't watch his previous loss I think a week or so against Felix to really have a benchmark of his level of play.

I watched his match yesterday, agree he moved well,, and his serve has improved, due to his back problem.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

With the defeat of Hurkacz by Dimitrov to reach the SFs in Paris 61 46 64
Hurkacz is Out of the race to Turin
Good news for Rune and Zverev

 

[Moxie]

Yeah sometimes I think we get too impatient with Carlos, wanting him to be perfectly great already, to be Big 3-sized and knocking Novak off his perch immediately, but he’s not there yet, and it’s not really surprising, when you think about it..

Not to give @don_fabio a hard time, though. He was mostly talking about Novak, and in response to my question. I was just struck when he put Djokovic's age in terms of nearly 1300 matches, so I looked Carlos up. So the difference between them, in terms of experience, isn't just 16 years...it's about 1100 matches. Carlos needs some time to mature and to absorb some of the benefits of experience, but I expect he will.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Tsitsipas beats Karen Khachanov ( saves tennis) 63 64 to reach back to back SFs in Paris.Will face Dimitrov in the SFs.

 

[Moxie]

Novak got tired of everyone making fun of that sorbet-colored kit and went with classic blue today.

 

[Kieran]

Novak got tired of everyone making fun of that sorbet-colored kit and went with classic blue today.

Self awareness is a virtue - no matter how late in the day.

 

[Kieran]

Interesting to see how Rune reacts now. Sometimes get the impression players are satisfied with giving the 3 a good match, not necessarily winning. Rune has anyways been a spiteful, belligerent dude. Patting himself on the back was never really his thing. But he’s had a hard trot recently, with his back. I wonder how his stomach is..

 

[Fiero425]

Interesting to see how Rune reacts now. Sometimes get the impression players are satisfied with giving the 3 a good match, not necessarily winning. Rune has anyways been a spiteful, belligerent dude. Patting himself on the back was never really his thing. But he’s had a hard trot recently, with his back. I wonder how his stomach is..

It's been my only real problem w/ Rune; typical kid with a need tp pump himself up! I find it only disrespectful when they do it against senior players like Novak! There's Shelton, Rune, de Manaur, Fritz, & Sinner! He pays them back eventually, destroys them on court, then catches flack! WHY?