2017 Rome SF: [8] D Thiem vs. P Cuevas

[fundrazer]

lol @Meles the robocup gif always makes me lol.

 

[stringertom]

Stringer goat.

I don't "hang" at the beaches you and your "partner" gp frequent and where you augmented your wardrobe with this purchase.

 

[Raindogs]

Die Dominic Thiem Methode in two relatively easy sets.

He's been a nice story this Cuevas has, but he's quite simply outgunned in this matchup.

 

[JRAJ1988]

Spoiler: Pablo Cooper?

 

[TheMusicLover]

Bring it on!

 

[Geoff]

Is there a reason for the delay of the start of this match? Not on TC or the ATP app.

 

[Krish872007]

Is there a reason for the delay of the start of this match? Not on TC or the ATP app.

Women's Final concluded a few minutes ago

 

[Thundergod]

as if thiem would do anything different?

Lol I think Thiem would probably bend over too, but slightly less only because they already faced each other this year. It's looking like yet another Masters the Big 4 wins.

 

[TheMusicLover]

Uhm... pardon me, but "Rome"?? I thought this match was due in Madrid?

 

[Red Rick]

Women's Final concluded a few minutes ago

Seriously, planning a ****ing WTA match of all events between ATP semi's when the final is tomorrow?

Great idea.

 

[yharzu]

Uhm... pardon me, but "Rome"?? I thought this match was due in Madrid?

where is the difference? the result is rafa wins ;P

 

[Charleneriva]

Bad luck for Thiem to be scheduled after Mladenovic/Halep. It surely doesn't help if you have less rest than Rafa. I just hope the women's match ends before 10pm.

I agree. I was a bit pissed off yesterday as Thiem and Coric had to play the very late night match. I certainly didn't expect Thiem (and Cuevas) would have to play that late again in their first Masters semis with Rafa waiting for him, possibly at 4PM tmr, in the final.

All the tourneys need to schedule both SF matches to be played right next to each other to minimise the advantage of the first finalist.

 

[Krish872007]

Seriously, planning a ****ing WTA match of all events between ATP semi's when the final is tomorrow?

Great idea.

Yeah, they should have put these guys on straight after Djokovic-Nadal and left the women for the evening slot.

There now appears to be a further delay following the presentation ceremony as one of the lights is being changed.

 

[TheMusicLover]

OK presuming this is indeed the Madrid SF Cuevas-Thiem thread... I'll post my comments on this match over here.

 

[TheGhostOfAgassi]

Finalemente!

 

[Krish872007]

Uhm... pardon me, but "Rome"?? I thought this match was due in Madrid?

Yaas, my fault lol - I've been obsessing over Rome so much the last few days.

Though by the time this match finally gets underway Rome may as well have started.

 

[Fedeonic]

Seriously, planning a ****ing WTA match of all events between ATP semi's when the final is tomorrow?

Great idea.

This is Nadal home, baby, home advantage.

 

[Krish872007]

On court now. Cuevas will serve first after the warm-up

 

[TheAssassin]

Maybe they made a mess by launching all those stripes on the court during the WTA ceremony so Nadal's opponent finishes the semifinal as late as possible.

 

[junior74]

As far as I know (I went to the kitchen to make an espresso every now and then, and when I came back, they had just played one or two points, so I wasn´t there the entire time) neither Rafa nor Novak got warnings today. How on earth can that happen? They were between 30 and 40 seconds a lot of the time

Can I complaint? Or at least get an argument?

 

[fundrazer]

Did half the crowd go home? So many empty seats.

 

[Charleneriva]

As far as I know (I went to the kitchen to make an espresso every now and then, and when I came back, they had just played one or two points, so I wasn´t there the entire time) neither Rafa nor Novak got warnings today. How on earth can that happen? They were between 30 and 40 seconds a lot of the time

Can I complaint? Or at least get an argument?

Yes you can. In the right thread?

 

[Krish872007]

Good start from both so far

Shame about the crowd - these two are definitely worth watching.

Cuevas recently hit the greatest shot in tennis for Pete's sake

 

[Steve0904]

Seriously, planning a ****ing WTA match of all events between ATP semi's when the final is tomorrow?

Great idea.

Yeah. Men's SF should have been first, or better yet directly after Nadal/Djokovic if they wanted Nadal/Djokovic to go first. The women's match was a final and they have more than one day to recover before Rome. Madrid TD has scheduled massively in favour of Nadal here let's be honest, and that's not at all surprising. To be fair, I highly doubt it will matter because Nadal will smoke either of these poor baztards regardless of how much recovery time the winner has, and it's not Nadal's fault or problem, (it's also not the first or last time that the hometown hero has gotten much better scheduling) but it should be pointed out.

 

[Fedeonic]

I'm loving this 1H BH duel.

 

[Steve0904]

Maybe they made a mess by launching all those stripes on the court during the WTA ceremony so Nadal's opponent finishes the semifinal as late as possible.

That's actually what's happening here. Seriously. I don't have a problem with it because it's the perks of being Nadal especially in Madrid, but it is exactly what's happening.

 

[Krish872007]

Great game this - BP Thiem

 

[Lord Anomander]

What a passing shot. Come on!

 

[Krish872007]

And the Thieminator draws first blood! @Meles on the charge...

 

[junior74]

Cuevas has played three almost perfect points in a row, and lost them all

 

[JRAJ1988]

Thiem is playing some rather high class tennis at the mo. When both of them play well they are prime time.

 

[yharzu]

great stuff from thiem!

 

[Meles]

Thieminated.

 

[Poisoned Slice]

That's actually what's happening here. Seriously. I don't have a problem with it because it's the perks of being Nadal especially in Madrid, but it is exactly what's happening.

It would be rude not to.

 

[merwy]

It's funny how big the differences between the players at the top of the game are. Thiem is just way too good for Cuevas. Every shot from Thiem is too heavy to handle for Cuevas. In contrast, Thiem won't be able to make the slightest dent in Nadal's game tomorrow.

 

[Lord Anomander]

Thiem's shot selection has improved greatly on clay. Great to watch so far. Very aggressive but still controlled.

 

[Meles]

Thiem's shot selection has improved greatly on clay. Great to watch so far. Very aggressive but still controlled.

Time to return to the Thiem.

 

[Krish872007]

It's funny how big the differences between the players at the top of the game are. Thiem is just way too good for Cuevas. Every shot from Thiem is too heavy to handle for Cuevas. In contrast, Thiem won't be able to make the slightest dent in Nadal's game tomorrow.

I think there isn't a whole lot of technical difference between most of the players in the Top 50 when they all play well, but whatever little differences there are become magnified on this surface in particular.
If someone hits a ball that is maybe 1% heavier than yours, you get a fraction less time to react, you're ever so slightly further back and slightly out of your desired position for each rally shot - add all these small fractions up together, point by point, then it becomes noticeable.

 

[fundrazer]

It's funny how big the differences between the players at the top of the game are. Thiem is just way too good for Cuevas. Every shot from Thiem is too heavy to handle for Cuevas. In contrast, Thiem won't be able to make the slightest dent in Nadal's game tomorrow.

I call it the tennis food chain. I can beat some guys, then some players could crush me, and some guys can demolish them, etc.

Thiem did give Nadal a decent fight in set one last week...maybe the different conditions will help him out, or maybe he goes in with a stronger gameplan. We'll see what happens. If he won this event though it would make up for some of the mug era stuff.

 

[Poisoned Slice]

Time to return to the Thiem.

 

[Raindogs]

Life of Pablo getting absolutely dominated. Actually starting to feel a little badly for him.

 

[Krish872007]

I'm buying the Thiem hype on clay now. Last year was good in patches, but terrible scheduling and questionable shot selection cost him in the matches that mattered (at Masters & Slams).

This year, he's not entering 1 tournament every week thankfully! Looking great so far. Another solid week in Rome (QF is fine) would set him up wonderfully for the French Open and make him a solid contender.

 

[Meles]

Cuevas averts disaster with hold from 15-40.

 

[Meles]

Thiem serving 4-3.

 

[Lord Anomander]

Cuevas averts disaster with hold from 15-40.

Some great serves there. Thiem's greatest weakness is his return.

 

[Krish872007]

Thiem not giving anything away on serve at the moment. Looks to be in control of this set.

Cannot let up in the next set regardless - Cuevas is known to enjoy 3-set battles and is more than capable of handing out bakery products like we saw with Zverev yesterday

 

[Meles]

Cuevas trolling Thiem? Making him feel over confident perhaps?

 

[Meles]

Some great serves there. Thiem's greatest weakness is his return.

Much improved this year, but against players with the big serve games its weak. Cuevas has a worse return game.

 

[Lord Anomander]

Cuevas trolling Thiem? Making him feel over confident perhaps?

I think that would be a terrible strategy. A confident Thiem smacks the balls. You don't want to get him rolling. Almost like Stanimal.

 

[Meles]

The difference in 2017 is a much better first return game on clay plus much more solid serving. He's able to win a lot more straight set matches. LOL if he serves 84% against Nadal like he did with Donaldson earlier in the event.