2018 Delray Beach - ATP 250

BeatlesFan said:
Boy, I have to disagree here. Tiafoe's FH technique is not conducive to being a top 20 player. He will probably never have results on clay or grass with that wind up on his FH.
Click to expand...

Time's on his side, though. I expect he will make a few changes throughout his career. Something that cannot be acquired is the athleticism.
 
Sad that Shapo lost :(
He’ll rebound though! And he’ll certianly be more successful than Tiafoe who has an abysmal forehand.
 
I don't mind Tiafoe's forehand. It's very loose and he can slap it very hard. Reminds me of Kyrgios and no one has ever said he has a bad forehand. Only downside is that it looks injury prone but that's just a gut feeling, no idea if he'll be injured a lot or not.
 
Shapo has to know that more and more players know his strengths and weaknesses the more he’s on tour since he is no longer the new kid on the block.

This means that he must work on his weaknesses in order to continue to go up the ATP ranks.

During Fedr’s early years, opponents kept attacking his backhand since it was a bit of a liability back then. However, Fedr worked on that weakness (and any others) and look at what he is now.

On a less serious note, can Shapo ditch that ugly pink shirt? It doesn’t help him! lol
 
Jimmy Arias: "G's leg is fine. He's just telling everyone he lost the first set because his leg hurts. I expect a much tougher match from now on."
 
Gojo's form just kind of came out of nowhere really, won that title in Metz, more consistent results from then on. Reminds me of Basilashvili somewhat.
 
tastytowel.jpg
 
Congrats to Tiafoe on winning his maiden ATP title in his maiden ATP final at Delray Beach. He becomes the youngest American to win an ATP title since 19 year old Roddick at 2002 Houston and the 1st of the NextGen American players to do so .

He is also the 6th American to win the Delray Beach title and the 3rd in a row after Martin (1993), Gambill (2001,2003), Fish (2009), Querrey (2016) and Sock (2017).
 
iceman_dl6 said:
Shapo has to know that more and more players know his strengths and weaknesses the more he’s on tour since he is no longer the new kid on the block.

This means that he must work on his weaknesses in order to continue to go up the ATP ranks.

During Fedr’s early years, opponents kept attacking his backhand since it was a bit of a liability back then. However, Fedr worked on that weakness (and any others) and look at what he is now.

On a less serious note, can Shapo ditch that ugly pink shirt? It doesn’t help him! lol
Click to expand...
If the word wasn't out on the Shapo backhand before this match it sure is now.:rolleyes:
 
BeatlesFan said:
I've never seen him play before, but he looks totally average to me today with a weird Gulbis-like FH. Frances 6 points from the match now.
Click to expand...
Not Gojo's best and his game looks ill suited for wind which was still a factor today. Alluded to his trainers keeping him going in acceptance speech this week with hamstring issue (perhaps lost in translation, but not exactly the classiest moment if he was implying he was not well for the final.:confused:)

Big picture is Gojo is basically from the LostGen group so he'll have some success in the geriatric void taking the tour now, but it will be much more the 25 and under group as the only LostGen players still of note appear to be Cilic, Delpo, Goffin, and Dimi. Nishikori might have some life in him still, but fool me once,.... fool me twice... fool me ten times says Injurkori's days in the top 10 are done.:oops: Geriatrics Monfils, Tsonga, Anderson, and Fognini might have some life in them along with rest of Big 5, but its not a pretty picture right now.:confused:

Its a youthquake BF and there are more fish in the sea then Shapo. Looking forward to some much needed Fedal encounters this year and hopefully IW and Miami will produce.:p
 
BeatlesFan said:
@Meles, I don't get it. You are enthusiastic about all next Gen players, why not Shapo? This flies in the face of reason, surely?
Click to expand...
I love the Shapo serve game and have posted on its statistical significance. I'm waiting and seeing on his return game and now apparently his backhand. I go by stats and we really don't have enough matches to really determine even a baseline for his return game. His return game could end up being worse than Roddick.

I'm also deeply suspicious of the efficacy of an all court game these days. Federer is like the last of the jedi knights when it comes to this style of play. Young Shapo and Tsitsipas show hope of carrying the flame, but it seems an impossible task. Perhaps with Australian Open swing largely a success with fast courts plus expanded grass season will help these players, but its not going to be easy.

So I'll trumpet the greatness of Shapo like I've done on serve, but really with any player they have to have the stats. Pouille didn't have them and sure enough after back to back slam QFs he's fallen back to top 20 status. Fritz was an eye test that's gone awry for now. Also had my early Chung and Rublev periods that fizzled until the last six months or so.

I go by the numbers which is why I trumpeted Thiem and then Zverev on the eve of his Rome triumph when I realized what was a foot. Chung and Rublev got back on the radar with their return games in my analysis of the Milan field. Khachanov just won, but deeply skeptical of him doing any more than flirting with the top ten in a couple years. Medvedev is another member of the NextGen C team in my book and another tournament winner in 2018 who could make the top 10 if his serve game improved nicely over the next few years. Khach and Med have determination which may get them to overachieve a bit.

The eye test is troublesome, but already my beady eyes have their gaze upon Tiafoe and Jarry on clay.

Another guideline I'll use is player size and weight. Short generally is a problem, but Schwartzman is really making waves these days. Being tall and heavy (Raonic) is not a good combination. No matter how athletic and Raonic is very athletic, these players just can't change direction and move well. Generally results fade for many after age 25 or so. And despite some success, tall ones like Delpo, Cilic, Soderling, and Bendych just not really top tier material. Zverev and Jarry are quite light for their height and so it will be interesting to see how they push the envelope.

For those who don't know Jarry, he's a young 22 year-old from Chile with a complete clay court game that stands 6' 6". This isn't some hard court baseliner taking to clay like a Soderling; Jarry has got all the attributes of a clay court player plus saw 228 kph serve with bizarre beginner serve position. Another power clay courter and one of my favorite types of tennis players since Magnus Norman.
http://www.**************.org/imgb/56584/atp-rio-schwartzman-and-jarry-reach-qf-on-a-raindelayed-day.jpg
 
Both took out many top rank players this year to the finals. Glad Tiafoe won his first title! It not easy to win a ATP tour tournament even a 250 level.
 
Both took out many top rank players this year to the finals. Glad Tiafoe won his first title! It not easy to win a ATP tour tournament even a 250 level.
 
Well done to Tiafoe. Hopefully this is the first of many titles for him during his career.

ATP title winners below the US legal drinking age have been a rare commodity for a while now, so this is definitely hugely positive for the tour. He has come a long way since his interesting childhood that's for sure.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Otacon
2018 New York Open - ATP 250
6 7 8
Replies
394
Views
23K
slice bh compliment
S
James P
Indian Wells Super Challenger next week
2
Replies
86
Views
4K
stringertom
stringertom
Enceladus
2020 ATP season - 250 tournaments - New York & Buenos Aires
2
Replies
63
Views
4K
D-Lite
D-Lite
Enceladus
  • Poll Poll
2019 Indian Wells - ATP Masters 1000 - General Discussion
63 64 65
Replies
3K
Views
152K
Shangri La
Shangri La
RS92
  • Poll Poll
2018 Acapulco - ATP 500
9 10 11
Replies
529
Views
34K
SeeingDusk
S
Back
Top