Time to remove the asterisk from Thiem’s USO

Nadalgaenger

Nadalgaenger

G.O.A.T.
All we’ve heard all year is how Thiem’s USO was cheap and deserving of an asterisk.

Now that we realize that Thiem beat a red hot Medvedev in straight sets last year and that Zverev is the real deal, his achievement does not look paltry. In fact, Thiem beat 3/4 USO SF this year (he also SS FAA) and took out Nole at WTF last year. The guy was in some great form.

Credit due!
 
Third Serve

Third Serve

Talk Tennis Guru
I like Thiem way more than Med but it's still pretty obvious yesterday's Med was leagues above the Med that showed up in that semifinal, especially mentally.

Thiem's run to the final last year was actually quite solid. Very clean stuff and it is also to his credit that he was able to shut Med down in straight sets. But that final is such a big black mark, man...

And then there's the shadow of Novak's DQ lingering over the tournament.
 
P

pj80

Legend
Third Serve said:
I like Thiem way more than Med but it's still pretty obvious yesterday's Med was leagues above the Med that showed up in that semifinal, especially mentally.

Thiem's run to the final last year was actually quite solid. Very clean stuff and it is also to his credit that he was able to shut Med down in straight sets. But that final is such a big black mark, man...

And then there's the shadow of Novak's DQ lingering over the tournament.
Click to expand...
Novak still had to beat PCB, Shapo, Zverev and Thiem (without pressure)
 
Third Serve

Third Serve

Talk Tennis Guru
pj80 said:
Novak still had to beat PCB, Shapo, Zverev and Thiem (without pressure)
Click to expand...
Certainly a draw he wouldn't have too many problems dealing with.

PCB could take a set (and I think he would indeed have closed out that first set) but like their RG match later that year, Novak would be able to pick things up from there as he usually does.

I don't see the Shapovalov match going much different compared to their Wimbledon match this year. Shapo is still basically the same player he was back then anyway lol

Zverev was actually pretty terrible in the 2020 US Open bar the first two sets of the final. He had the easiest draw he could imagine and still dropped like 6-7 sets along the way including going down 0-2 to PCB. The Coric QF, for example, was quite low-quality. He was better in this tournament and he still ended up losing to an up-and-down Djokovic in five. I don't see Novak losing here.

Thiem could push Novak a bit but his mental weakness would doom him from the beginning. Zverev wasn't able to punish him effectively enough, but Djokovic would simply feast on that.

I think it's hard not to see a Djokovic win, though I suppose there is a chance for Thiem if Shapovalov and Zverev somehow manage to tire him enough like Zverev and co. were able to do this year. Still, it's not like the 2020 US Open was coming off a particularly grueling season like the 2021 edition.
 
S

Slicehand

Guest
Tshooter said:
Covid Open with no fans, no Fedal and defaulted Egg. That asterisk will always be there. Just like Kodes 1973 boycott W.

No comment on the quality of the 2020 final match on both sides. :whistle:
Click to expand...
Yeah i mean, that the only grand slam that youve won looked like a practice with no crowd must feel pretty bad, he had a good year, but thats that
 
Jokervich

Jokervich

Hall of Fame
Nadalgaenger said:
All we’ve heard all year is how Thiem’s USO was cheap and deserving of an asterisk.

Now that we realize that Thiem beat a red hot Medvedev in straight sets last year and that Zverev is the real deal, his achievement does not look paltry. In fact, Thiem beat 3/4 USO SF this year (he also SS FAA) and took out Nole at WTF last year. The guy was in some great form.

Credit due!
Click to expand...
We can remove half an asterisk. The other half will remain there.

Also Thiem did not manage his body properly. Played too much tennis, his game was way too physical. Paid the price for that. Many experts are wondering how long he even has left as a professional tennis player.
 
M

martinezownsclay

Hall of Fame
There only was one for idiots in the first place. So yeah so for the idiots who thought that way I agree.

Laughable some of the very same people who call that a cheap slam, talk up Vilas as superior to Murray and equal to Courier due to his "4 slams".
 
Fiero425

Fiero425

Legend
martinezownsclay said:
There only was one for idiots in the first place. So yeah so for the idiots who thought that way I agree.

Laughable some of the very same people who call that a cheap slam, talk up Vilas as superior to Murray and equal to Courier due to his "4 slams".
Click to expand...

Borg was the Kryptonite of Vilas! He just couldn't beat him even with a lead or Bjorn with a cold! Vilas would have won a lot more titles if not for that lone domination! :unsure:
 
N

ND-13

Hall of Fame
How the standards have fallen !!
From the times of having to face big 3 and Delpo/Stan/ Murray in 2007-2014, now we talk of red hot Medvedev, clutch Zverev and super FAA !!
 
sredna42

sredna42

Hall of Fame
Nadalgaenger said:
All we’ve heard all year is how Thiem’s USO was cheap and deserving of an asterisk.

Now that we realize that Thiem beat a red hot Medvedev in straight sets last year and that Zverev is the real deal, his achievement does not look paltry. In fact, Thiem beat 3/4 USO SF this year (he also SS FAA) and took out Nole at WTF last year. The guy was in some great form.

Credit due!
Click to expand...
LOL No.

Not only is it asterixed forever, most people already he even won it. The tourney was a farce, the final was just the cherry on the turd.
 
Jokervich

Jokervich

Hall of Fame
ND-13 said:
How the standards have fallen !!
From the times of having to face big 3 and Delpo/Stan/ Murray in 2007-2014, now we talk of red hot Medvedev, clutch Zverev and super FAA !!
Click to expand...
Medvedev is a poor mans Murray. Has to rely on a cakewalk draw and playing a tired, highly pressured big 3 member to win a slam.
 
Bartelby

Bartelby

Bionic Poster
So does that imply that the current Medvedev victory requires an asterisk?

I think a lot here forget the ups and downs of tournament play, and think of tennis match-ups as one-off boxing matches.

Nadalgaenger said:
All we’ve heard all year is how Thiem’s USO was cheap and deserving of an asterisk.

Now that we realize that Thiem beat a red hot Medvedev in straight sets last year and that Zverev is the real deal, his achievement does not look paltry. In fact, Thiem beat 3/4 USO SF this year (he also SS FAA) and took out Nole at WTF last year. The guy was in some great form.

Credit due!
Click to expand...
 
TopspintheTerrible

TopspintheTerrible

Hall of Fame
Jokervich said:
Medvedev is a poor mans Murray. Has to rely on a cakewalk draw and playing a tired, highly pressured big 3 member to win a slam.
Click to expand...
MjAyMS0yLmpwZw
 
D

Defcon

Hall of Fame
Jokervich said:
Medvedev is a poor mans Murray. Has to rely on a cakewalk draw and playing a tired, highly pressured big 3 member to win a slam.
Click to expand...

your great joker couldn't even beat a poor mans Murray? guess he really is a joke.
and i thought he was fit, no? and didn't feel pressure? or is that only when he wins?
 
Lleytonstation

Lleytonstation

Talk Tennis Guru
Nadalgaenger said:
All we’ve heard all year is how Thiem’s USO was cheap and deserving of an asterisk.

Now that we realize that Thiem beat a red hot Medvedev in straight sets last year and that Zverev is the real deal, his achievement does not look paltry. In fact, Thiem beat 3/4 USO SF this year (he also SS FAA) and took out Nole at WTF last year. The guy was in some great form.

Credit due!
Click to expand...
.5
 
Jokervich

Jokervich

Hall of Fame
Defcon said:
your great joker couldn't even beat a poor mans Murray? guess he really is a joke.
and i thought he was fit, no? and didn't feel pressure? or is that only when he wins?
Click to expand...
He's fit obviously and great under pressure, but even this was pushing it too far for Djokovic. He had the weight of the earth on his shoulders in the final going for the ultimate achievement in tennis, and was immensely tired after the Zverev match.
 
D

Defcon

Hall of Fame
Jokervich said:
He's fit obviously and great under pressure, but even this was pushing it too far for Djokovic. He had the weight of the earth on his shoulders in the final and was immensely tired after the Zverev match.
Click to expand...

It happens to every player. Not sure why there's a need to insult Medvedev or make excuses for Djoker? Why do people act like he deserved to win and M got a 'cakewalk draw' ?
 
Jokervich

Jokervich

Hall of Fame
Defcon said:
It happens to every player. Not sure why there's a need to insult Medvedev or make excuses for Djoker? Why do people act like he deserved to win and M got a 'cakewalk draw' ?
Click to expand...
You really think a straight set loss is normal after he was beating everyone up until this point? He looked flat, exhausted, over-awed by the occasion. Obviously Medvedev can only beat what's in front of him, but you really think this was the best version of Djokovic he faced? That's not even taking into account the ridiculously easy draw he had up until the final. FAA toughest opponent lol. Give me a break.
 
D

Defcon

Hall of Fame
Jokervich said:
You really think a straight set loss is normal after he was beating everyone up until this point? He looked flat, exhausted, over-awed by the occasion. Obviously Medvedev can only beat what's in front of him, but you really think this was the best version of Djokovic he faced? That's not even taking into account the ridiculously easy draw he had up until the final. FAA toughest opponent lol. Give me a break.
Click to expand...

yes there is nothing 'abnormal' about a straight set loss unless you think Djoker is some god who should never lose. He faced a better player and lost, is it really so hard to accept basic facts.

its pointless to speculate about 'best version'. does anyone think Rafa faced the 'best version' of Fed each time?

there used to be a gentleman's code of honor in tennis - you are as you show up, never make excuses about sickness, tiredness etc.

Claiming one player had a tough draw and the other wasnt at his best is just sour grapes and making excuses. he lost. accept it and move on. nobody cares about speculation and it just looks like whining and moaning.
 
The Blond Blur

The Blond Blur

G.O.A.T.
Jokervich said:
Obviously Medvedev can only beat what's in front of him, but you really think this was the best version of Djokovic he faced?
Click to expand...
Yes, Joker played way moar sets and spent much moar time on court. That means he had way moar practice and experience. Make no mistake, this was peakest of Peakovic. The geometric mean backs my assessment.
 
Nadalgaenger

Nadalgaenger

G.O.A.T.
accidental said:
I don’t think there is an asterisk, but that sure was a crappy grand slam final. The worst I have ever seen by far
Click to expand...
Not having the crowd made it much worse. The 5th set choking stands out but rest of match wasn’t that bad…Zverev had a very high level in first two sets and really should have put Thiem away…
 
Nadalgaenger

Nadalgaenger

G.O.A.T.
Bartelby said:
So does that imply that the current Medvedev victory requires an asterisk?

I think a lot here forget the ups and downs of tournament play, and think of tennis match-ups as one-off boxing matches.
Click to expand...
For the record I never argued for asterisks! Medvedev was amazing yesterday.
 
MeatTornado

MeatTornado

Talk Tennis Guru
Nadalgaenger said:
Now that we realize that Thiem beat a red hot Medvedev in straight sets last year and that Zverev is the real deal, his achievement does not look paltry.
Click to expand...
The guy who still doesn't have a top 10 win is the real deal now?

What did he do in the last 12 months that we should view him any different than we did when Thiem beat him? Win a couple Masters? He'd already been there, done that way back in 2017. Win the Olympics? Not any bigger than YEC win in 2018.

He's proven to be the same guy he was in 2020; a massive slam choker. He was up a break in every set he lost to Novak in the AO quarters. He managed to wrestle all the momentum back from Tsitsipas in the RG semis but still laid an egg in the final set. Then did the same thing against FAA at Wimbledon. And then of course to cap it off his 5th set performance at the USO was very nearly a breadstick.
 
Nadalgaenger

Nadalgaenger

G.O.A.T.
MeatTornado said:
The guy who still doesn't have a top 10 win is the real deal now?

What did he do in the last 12 months that we should view him any different than we did when Thiem beat him? Win a couple Masters? He'd already been there, done that way back in 2017. Win the Olympics? Not any bigger than YEC win in 2018.

He's proven to be the same guy he was in 2020; a massive slam choker. He was up a break in every set he lost to Novak in the AO quarters. He managed to wrestle all the momentum back from Tsitsipas in the RG semis but still laid an egg in the final set. Then did the same thing against FAA at Wimbledon. And then of course to cap it off his 5th set performance at the USO was very nearly a breadstick.
Click to expand...
Whatever.
 
zagor

zagor

Bionic Poster
Thiem's level on the way to the final was pretty damn good actually, it's the final itself that was a horrible chokefest between two guys afraid to win and rolling in serves.

That said, there was never an asterisk for me, you beat who's in front of you.
 
itrium84

itrium84

Hall of Fame
Nadalgaenger said:
All we’ve heard all year is how Thiem’s USO was cheap and deserving of an asterisk.

Now that we realize that Thiem beat a red hot Medvedev in straight sets last year and that Zverev is the real deal, his achievement does not look paltry. In fact, Thiem beat 3/4 USO SF this year (he also SS FAA) and took out Nole at WTF last year. The guy was in some great form.

Credit due!
Click to expand...
Agreed.
 
El_Yotamo

El_Yotamo

Hall of Fame
I don't think there needs to be any debate about the quality of last year's final, which is one of the lowest we've seen. However I do think some have been too hard on Dominic, he played well outside the final itself and either way he deserved the title. If we're not asterisking most slams in the past two years, then we have no reason to asterisk Thiem's
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Nadalgaenger
  • Poll
Whose big wins impress you more: Thiem or Zverev?
2
Replies
50
Views
2K
smoledman
smoledman
T
Only Medvedev, Zverev, or Tsitsipas Can Beat Djokovic at USO
Replies
26
Views
1K
SonnyT
S
socallefty
Why did the servebots do well last week and not at USO?
Replies
10
Views
603
onyxrose81
onyxrose81
mike danny
  • Poll
Will the USO take the route of the WTF?
Replies
9
Views
347
goldengate14
G
Kralingen
Bo5 experience vs. top players = key to first time Slam winners (analysis)
Replies
17
Views
531
InsideOut900
InsideOut900
Top