2021 BNP Paribas Open ATP M1K, October 5-17

[stringertom]

Garin had a break lead early but now he must hold at 4-5 to stay in the set, Escobedo is no slouch and Garin is no HC wonder.

 

[stringertom]

Garin takes the final three games for a 7-5 first set.

 

[James P]

FAA goes down to Ramos-Vinolas. Pretty bad loss there, yikes!

 

[James P]

Hurkacz with the opportunity to leapfrog both FAA and Federer with a win over Tiafoe tomorrow. Would be live ranked #10 for the first time while knocking Federer out of the top 10, perhaps for the last time.

 

[Bubcay]

Brooksby breaks for a lead in the second set against Zverev.. 4:2 and serving...

 

[Steffi-forever]

Hurkacz with the opportunity to leapfrog both FAA and Federer with a win over Tiafoe tomorrow. Would be live ranked #10 for the first time while knocking Federer out of the top 10, perhaps for the last time.

Would be well deserved!

 

[Bubcay]

Brooksby leads 5:2 - smells of a third set here...

 

[Bubcay]

5:3 Brooksby serving for the set...

 

[Bubcay]

What a point - Brooksby is everywhere...

 

[James P]

This Zverev Brooksby match is really starting to heat up. Really good ball striking.

 

[Bubcay]

6:3 Third set it is... Zverev looks confused... Looks skinnier too (maybe I am just imagining things and my vision is getting bad lately )

 

[Kralingen]

Don't look now but this summer Jenson Brooksby has beaten FAA and taken sets off of Djokovic and Zverev - with a WTA serve and two-handed drop shots.

Not bad.

 

[gogo]

Don't look now but this summer Jenson Brooksby has beaten FAA and taken sets off of Djokovic and Zverev - with a WTA serve and two-handed drop shots.

Not bad.

I'm just not a fan of "Biff". He has the same kind of smirk on his face as Zverev used to.

 

[Bubcay]

Zverev breaks. 2:0....

 

[Ace of Aces]

Zverev gets the early break. Needs to keep attacking Jenson’s serve because it’s probably the shortest ball he’s going to get

 

[mightyjeditribble]

Looks like the Brooksby Renaissance was short-lived.

 

[bjsnider]

Gill Gross released a video about Brooksby today and said he might analyze the Zverev match too.

 

[stringertom]

Don't look now but this summer Jenson Brooksby has beaten FAA and taken sets off of Djokovic and Zverev - with a WTA serve and two-handed drop shots.

Not bad.

You lost me at beating FAA, especially after his fiasco today. And losing to Purcell in Tokyo or getting cut up by Lajovic at his nation’s biggest tournament. Felix is truly the boy with the big curl right in the middle of his forehead. His nadirs are very deep.

As to the stroke funkiness. I am reminded of one of the funniest lines ever, “fedr is just a poor man’s Santoro with a slightly better serve.” I like the funk but not the funky serve.

Isn’t it great they’re going three to give Muzziah a better shot?

 

[Kralingen]

I'm just not a fan of "Biff". He has the same kind of smirk on his face as Zverev used to.

I saw him at the USO 4R vs. Djokovic in person. Despite the fact that the crowd clearly wanted to get behind him his antics the entire tournament left me with a questionable feeling. Part of it could just be the name 'Jenson Brooksby' and his general face.

Mainly the grunting like an animal randomly vs. Fritz and Karatsev. I mean, not exactly an American hero we're talking about here, but he is only 20 I suppose.

Looking to be headed to the bakery now though.

 

[Bubcay]

Wel, that's that - Zverev wins with a breadstick...

 

[Harry_Wild]

Zverev in the 3rd serving for the match at 5-1! Brooksby is a goner! 6-1! Zverev moves on!

 

[TopspintheTerrible]

Zverev hits an 143mph serve to close out Brooksby 6-4 3-6 6-1.

 

[James P]

Seeds are really holding this tournament. 23 of 28, with 4 more matches remaining.

 

[Bubcay]

Tsitsipas is cruising vs Martinez so far - 3:0 in the opening set...

 

[Bubcay]

4:1 for Tsitsipas now...

 

[Bubcay]

6:2 for Tsitsipas in first- second set starting now

 

[Kralingen]

Have to be the only one in the planet watching this but Martinez just came up with one of the craziest passing shots I’ve ever seen.

running BH on a dime from like 10 feet behind the baseline, and in a small window as well. Just a reminder how ridiculously talented even a no name like Martinez is

 

[stringertom]

More resistance from the Red Sox flamethrower in the second set but Citypass has broken back to level at 4-4.

 

[stringertom]

Have to be the only one in the planet watching this but Martinez just came up with one of the craziest passing shots I’ve ever seen.

running BH on a dime from like 10 feet behind the baseline, and in a small window as well. Just a reminder how ridiculously talented even a no name like Martinez is

Anyone in top 100 can produce highlight reel shots. The depth in men’s pro tennis may not have ever matched current era, which probably will be deeper as we go along once the economics within the pandemic stabilize and Challengers get funded properly. The days of losing money to make the cut and get to ATP level are numbered.

 

[Bubcay]

Isner and Nishioka closing the day on Stadium 2.... 1:1 - Isner is twice the height of Nishioka...

 

[Bubcay]

Even Isner has earned in excess of 20 mil career prize money - more than 700 000 just this year... Why oh why did I not become a tennis player....

 

[Bubcay]

Pretty even match - 2:2

 

[Bubcay]

Not so even now - Isner leads 5:2 (30:30) - Nishioka serving

 

[Bubcay]

Isner has the first set 6:3, Nishioka leads 1:0 in the second

 

[Bubcay]

Serve - volley - Isner in action. Boring match to be honest.

P.S. It is weird to be talking with myself here... Nobody else seems to be watching this...

 

[Aabye5]

Serve - volley - Isner in action. Boring match to be honest.

P.S. It is weird to be talking with myself here... Nobody else seems to be watching this...

That last set of their Wimbledon match was pretty fun. Although that's probably because Nishioka was winning.

 

[Bubcay]

Isner must be the luckiest SB alive with this height and the serve. I mean 99% of his service points end within 20 sec. Nice way to earn a living - handsomely too.

 

[Aabye5]

Isner must be the luckiest SB alive with this height and the serve. I mean 99% of his service points end within 20 sec. Nice way to earn a living - handsomely too.

The guy with the shortest service games played the longest match.

 

[TennisFan3]

Titsp looks on form. The slow surface is ideal for his game.
I'd be really surprised if he does NOT win the tournament.

 

[Bubcay]

The guy with the shortest service games played the longest match.

Yes, absurd, but true...

The longest tennis match: An 11-hour marathon at Wimbledon

American John Isner and Frenchman Nicolas Mahut played out the longest tennis match at 2010 Wimbledon, with Isner winning after 11 hours and 5 minutes over three days.

olympics.com

 

[Bubcay]

Done and dusted - Isner vs Nishioka 6:3 6:4

 

[stringertom]

Isner had a return game working for a change…2 breaks and 37% points won on the lefty’s serve.

 

[stringertom]

Meddle gets a chance for revenge served very cold and late: his last loss at IW in 2019 was delivered by his 3R opponent Krajinovic. Conditions for their OoP coda matchup will be cool and windy. That fact may lead to a fairly low margin of victory but I still think Meddle gets it done, in two. Meddle is a very different critter than March 2019.

 

[Ray Mercer]

These threads are dead without the big 3.

 

[vive le beau jeu !]

only 5 of the 32 seeds have been ousted in their 1st match (R64).
seems like a high 'seed qualification %'... have we already seen better in this kind of '96-draw'?

 

[Nicklo22]

Meddle gets a chance for revenge served very cold and late: his last loss at IW in 2019 was delivered by his 3R opponent Krajinovic. Conditions for their OoP coda matchup will be cool and windy. That fact may lead to a fairly low margin of victory but I still think Meddle gets it done, in two. Meddle is a very different critter than March 2019.

I will be ok with him losing to the likes of huby, zverev or even tsitsipas(slow court) . But losing to filip will be bad , hopefully he gets it done .

 

[stringertom]

I will be ok with him losing to the likes of huby, zverev or even tsitsipas(slow court) . But losing to filip will be bad , hopefully he gets it done .

IMO, which may be flawed according to many a hard core armchair analyst here, too much is being made of a Meddle disadvantage based on court speed. The guy is a machine during summer/fall HC and Indoor HC tournaments (17-1 this year, 20-4 in 2020, 32-7 in 2019) on the ATP/slams schedule. The move to October is right up his alley. The only disadvantage I see is that the weather is very changeable this week and I hope he adapts to the cool weather (15 F degrees cooler than Sunday’s high) on Tuesday. Meddle is very definitely a creature of habit and would probably prefer he had a warmer day similar to Sunday to play his second match. He will get that from 4R on as it gradually warms each day.

 

[James P]

Going into the third round, Tennis Abstract rates the field as such:

33.0% Medvedev
20.3% Zverev
12.6% Tsitsipas
09.1% Rublev
03.9% Carreno Busta
03.6% Sinner
02.8% Berrettini
02.4% Ruud
01.7% Hurkacz
01.2% Schwartzman
01.1% Khachanov
01.0% Norrie

Matchups in the 3rd Round:

R3: (1)Daniil Medvedev (RUS) vs (27)Filip Krajinovic (SRB) [1-1]
R3: (23)Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) vs (16)Reilly Opelka (USA) [0-1]
R3: (9)Denis Shapovalov (CAN) vs (19)Aslan Karatsev (RUS)
R3: Francis Tiafoe (USA) vs (8)Hubert Hurkacz (POL) [2-1]
R3: (4)Andrey Rublev (RUS) vs Tommy Paul (USA) [3-0]
R3: (21)Cameron Norrie (GBR) vs (15)Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP)
R3: (11)Diego Sebastian Schwartzman (ARG) vs (18)Daniel Evans (GBR) [1-0]
R3: (26)Lloyd George Muirhead Harris (RSA) vs (6)Casper Ruud (NOR) [0-1]

R3: (5)Matteo Berrettini (ITA) vs (31)Taylor Harry Fritz (USA)
R3: (20)John Isner (USA) vs (10)Jannik Sinner (ITA) [1-0]
R3: (14)Gael Monfils (FRA) vs Kevin Anderson (RSA) [5-1]
R3: (WC)Andy Murray (GBR) vs (3)Alexander Zverev (GER) [2-0]
R3: Albert Ramos (ESP) vs (29)Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO) [0-1]
R3: (24)Karen Khachanov (RUS) vs (12)Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP) [3-3]
R3: (13)Christian Garin (CHI) vs (22)Alex De Minaur (AUS) [0-1]
R3: (25)Fabio Fognini (ITA) vs (2)Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) [0-2]

 

[James P]

Current state of the ATP Race:

Race Rank		Name	Age	Nation	ATP Race Points	ATP Race Points Added	Tournament	Next Race Points	Title Race Points
1		✓ Novak Djoković	34.3	SRB1	8370
2		✓ Daniil Medvedev	25.6	RUS1	6425	+45	Indian Wells R32 (R64 )	6470	7380
3		✓ Stefanos Tsitsipas	23.1	GRE1	5515	+45	Indian Wells R32 (R64 )	5560	6470
4		✓ Alexander Zverev	24.4	GER1	4960	+45	Indian Wells R32 (R64 )	5005	5915
		ATP Finals Qualification Cut			4575	​	​
5		Andrey Rublev	23.9	RUS2	4165	+45	Indian Wells R32 (R64 )	4210	5120
6		Matteo Berrettini	25.4	ITA1	4000	+45	Indian Wells R32 (R64 )	4045	4955
7		Rafael Nadal	35.3	ESP1	2985
8		Casper Ruud	22.8	NOR1	2970	+45	Indian Wells R32	3015	3925
9		Hubert Hurkacz	24.6	POL1	2820	+45	Indian Wells R32	2865	3775
10		Jannik Sinner	20.1	ITA2	2550	+45	Indian Wells R32	2595	3505
11		Félix Auger-Aliassime	21.1	CAN1	2330	+10
12		Aslan Karatsev	28.1	RUS3	1985	+45	Indian Wells R32	2030	2940
13		Pablo Carreño Busta	30.2	ESP2	1925	+45	Indian Wells R32	1970	2880
14		Cameron Norrie	26.1	GBR2	1885	+45	Indian Wells R32	1930	2840
15		Denis Shapovalov	22.4	CAN2	1835	+45	Indian Wells R32	1880	2790
16		Roberto Bautista Agut	33.4	ESP3	1630	+45	Indian Wells R32	1675	2585
17		Diego Schwartzman	29.1	ARG1	1570	+45	Indian Wells R32 (R64 )	1615	2525
18		Reilly Opelka	24.1	USA1	1505	+45	Indian Wells R32	1550	2460
19		Lorenzo Sonego	26.4	ITA3	1405	+10
20		Lloyd Harris	24.6	RSA1	1362	+45	Indian Wells R32	1407	2317
21		Nikoloz Basilashvili	29.6	GEO1	1330	+45	Indian Wells R32	1375	2285
22		Alexander Bublik	24.3	KAZ1	1325
23		John Isner	36.4	USA2	1305	+45	Indian Wells R32	1350	2260
24		Carlos Alcaraz	18.4	ESP4	1274	+10
25		Daniel Evans	31.3	GBR1	1250	+45	Indian Wells R32	1295	2205
26		Karen Khachanov	25.3	RUS4	1195	+45	Indian Wells R32	1240	2150
27		Alex de Minaur	22.6	AUS1	1190	+45	Indian Wells R32	1235	2145
28		Cristian Garín	25.3	CHI1	1180	+45	Indian Wells R32	1225	2135
29		✗ Sebastian Korda	21.2	USA4	1175	+10
30		✗ Márton Fucsovics	29.6	HUN1	1160	+10

People are officially getting eliminated at this tournament. As you can see at the bottom, Korda and Fucsovics have already been eliminated from the race. Andy Murray at #106 is the lowest ranked person technically "in the race."

 

[MeatTornado]

"Don't forget about Dominic Thiem. Jon Wertheim reminds us that the defending men's champ could be the one to take the torch from tennis' Big 3."

It's like Tennis Channel just comes up with these segments to talk about regardless of what's actually happening on tour.