2018 ATP Tokyo Final - Nishikori v Medvedev

Who wins?

  • Total voters
    11
  • Poll closed .
Clank on a short 2nd serve return and Ninja holds for 4 all.

This really feels like if Kei could break through then maybe he can win this. He's really playing well now.
 
Speed gun is on the digital scoreboard but you can't really see it on the main camera.

Medvedev level this tournament has been unreal.

If Medvedev wins, this will be his third title this year. Interestingly he defeated De Minaur in Sydney, and Johnson in Winston, and is on enroute to take out another home country hero in Nishikori.
 
Med so confident on first he's hitting it as 2nd serve when up 40-0. Another love hold; his sixth. I miscounted earlier calling the 19 points straight on serve 5 games when it was only 4 love holds in a row.
 
Yoneyama said:
Speed gun is on the digital scoreboard but you can't really see it on the main camera.

Medvedev level this tournament has been unreal.

If Medvedev wins, this will be his third title this year. Interestingly he defeated De Minaur in Sydney, and Johnson in Winston, and is on enroute to take out another home country hero in Nishikori.
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We have a Trollvedev Pro match thread on just this aspect. Med gets off on this stuff; he won't let up in this match.
 
Yoneyama said:
Speed gun is on the digital scoreboard but you can't really see it on the main camera.

Medvedev level this tournament has been unreal.

If Medvedev wins, this will be his third title this year. Interestingly he defeated De Minaur in Sydney, and Johnson in Winston, and is on enroute to take out another home country hero in Nishikori.
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Interesting :eek: will he beat Fedr in the final of basel:eek:?
 
What a terrible game Kei played to lose the match. Three FH UEs plus a fh shank on championship point. Disappointing but not a bad tournament for him. Hopefully he will do better in Shanghai
 
PeteD said:
Nish was playing challenger this year
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9 months ago:rolleyes: He'd won a whopping 57% of points at Tokyo coming into this match where he probably won only 36% of points. Nishikori despite the slow start this year is currently 10th in the ATP race. Medvedev also made a fool of Raonic who is 12th in the ATP race.

2nd set of this match is the best I've seen Nishikori play. His first serve had been very effective the whole tournament and he still won 72% of first serve points against a rangy and goating Medvedev. 100% healthy for this one as well.
 
I Am Finnish said:
I heard he has not lost a set during this tournament ?
Had Someome broke his serve?
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He was broken and lost a set in qualifiers. At Winston-Salem he went through qualies and won without losing a set. Played Thiem to the death in St. Petersburg as well. Thiem and Coric can handle Med's low junk balling much better.
 
Med buttering up the fans calling them best in the world and complimenting attendance at event. Respectful to Kei call him one of greats in the sport.:rolleyes: Thanks coach, and says not easy to be around him all year. Thanks friend and family watching on TV. Wife didn't bother to even try coming to Japan after Australia issue.:D Smiling thanks Rakuten; usual Meddy smiling charm. Compliments Tokyo and that may be it if they have any sense... Says something in Japanese as hands back microphone. Very comfortable speech.
 
Meles said:
Med buttering up the fans calling them best in the world and complimenting attendance at event. Respectful to Kei call him one of greats in the sport.:rolleyes: Thanks coach, and says not easy to be around him all year. Thanks friend and family watching on TV. Wife didn't bother to even try coming to Japan after Australia issue.:D Smiling thanks Rakuten; usual Meddy smiling charm. Compliments Tokyo and that may be it if they have any sense... Says something in Japanese as hands back microphone. Very comfortable speech.
Click to expand...
what was the Australia issue?
 
Meles said:
Med buttering up the fans calling them best in the world and complimenting attendance at event. Respectful to Kei call him one of greats in the sport.:rolleyes: Thanks coach, and says not easy to be around him all year. Thanks friend and family watching on TV. Wife didn't bother to even try coming to Japan after Australia issue.:D Smiling thanks Rakuten; usual Meddy smiling charm. Compliments Tokyo and that may be it if they have any sense... Says something in Japanese as hands back microphone. Very comfortable speech.
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What was the Australia issue?

I have not been following this kid. I'm looking at stats, and he's a guy you can expect to win around 80% of service games. All of a sudden he has a serve like Raonic. Where did this come from? He looked like a bot serving, and the kid does not have a bad return game either.

This was impressive. Can he keep it up?

And why in the world does he have to play qualies?
 
Gary Duane said:
What was the Australia issue?

I have not been following this kid. I'm looking at stats, and he's a guy you can expect to win around 80% of service games. All of a sudden he has a serve like Raonic. Where did this come from? He looked like a bot serving, and the kid does not have a bad return game either.

This was impressive. Can he keep it up?

And why in the world does he have to play qualies?
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He's a bit crazy and loses his temper every now and then. His up and down game doesn't help him either. Anyway, it seems like this week everything clicked for Trolledev.
 
-snake- said:
He's a bit crazy and loses his temper every now and then. His up and down game doesn't help him either. Anyway, it seems like this week everything clicked for Trolledev.
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When's the last time someone had to squeeze out a qualie in 3 and then wins every match after that in 2?

I don't know what to make of these tall guys. Remember Jerzy? He's ranked 394 now. He was #14 about 5 years ago.
 
-snake- said:
He's a bit crazy and loses his temper every now and then. His up and down game doesn't help him either. Anyway, it seems like this week everything clicked for Trolledev.
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When's the last time someone had to squeeze out a qualie in 3 and then wins every match after that in 2?

I don't know what to make of these tall guys. Remember Jerzy? He's ranked 394 now. He was #14 about 5 years ago.
 
Gary Duane said:
When's the last time someone had to squeeze out a qualie in 3 and then wins every match after that in 2?

I don't know what to make of these tall guys. Remember Jerzy? He's ranked 394 now. He was #14 about 5 years ago.
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No idea, but that was impressive. I loved J. J. That nutter was way better than any of the nextgen mugs. Too bad it didn't pan out. Fearless big hitter with some touch, what a shame.
 
-snake- said:
No idea, but that was impressive. I loved J. J. That nutter was way better than any of the nextgen mugs. Too bad it didn't pan out. Fearless big hitter with some touch, what a shame.
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I haven't seen him play in years. Wasn't he like the king of drop shots?!?
 
In March 2016, Nishikori had a positive final balance on ATP tournaments - 11:5. Since then, he has lost 8 final matches in a row and now his balance is negative at 11-13. A sad fact for him.
 
Last edited:
Gary Duane said:
What was the Australia issue?

I have not been following this kid. I'm looking at stats, and he's a guy you can expect to win around 80% of service games. All of a sudden he has a serve like Raonic. Where did this come from? He looked like a bot serving, and the kid does not have a bad return game either.

This was impressive. Can he keep it up?

And why in the world does he have to play qualies?
Click to expand...
On the last question, he doesn't any more. Now #22.
 
PeteD said:
On the last question, he doesn't any more. Now #22.
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I already knew where he was on return because I use ATP profiles to get the big picture.

https://www.atpworldtour.com/en/players/daniil-medvedev/mm58/player-stats

22% of games on return for career. If you get lazy and only check AS, it usually is the same as HCs because grass and clay will cancel each other out.

Now look at 78% of service games. There is the past problem. Add 78 and 22, you get 100, which is around 50% of games. It's no surprise he has 50% of points, because those two stats are connected. That's an average player who will never go anywhere without getting those numbers up.

Now check this year:

https://www.atpworldtour.com/en/players/daniil-medvedev/mm58/player-stats?year=2018&surfaceType=all

79/23, so figure 102, 51% of games, somewhere around 50.5% of points. Not much more impressive.

So who is this new monster we saw last week?

It looks to me like someone tweaked the serve. I seem to remember that at some point Roddick changed something in his delivery or windup, or something like that, and suddenly he had the Roddick serve that everyone feared. I guess sometimes things snap into place. The serve I saw last night would earn him games in the high 80s, and when the serve gets a lot better, return games get better because there is more energy there to break.

I don't fully believe it yet. I have to see him hold onto this "new game", but if he does, look out world.

@Meles saw it first. I saw him tear the wings off Shapo, but at that point I thought it was just Shapo running out of gas.
 
Congrats to Medvedev on winning his 3rd title of the year, 3rd overall and 1st at 500 level. He suddenly seems to have come good and we can only wonder how far he can kick off from here? :cool:

As for Nishikori: now 8 finals in a row lost....just ouch!!! :eek:
 
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