2021 San Diego ATP 250 Discussion Thread

Who wins the 2021 San Diego Open?


  • Total voters
    17
  • Poll closed .

James P

G.O.A.T.
One of two ATP 250s this week. Top-20 players in play this week include: Andrey Rublev, Casper Ruud, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Denis Shapovalov, Hubert Hurkacz, and Diego Schwartzman. Wild cards are Andy Murray, Kei Nishikori, and Brandon Nakashima.

N5xNTg4.jpeg
 

Aabye5

G.O.A.T.
I'm making the pick I predicted HERE.

I want to believe...but his mental game let down against Berretttini. He has a good draw, although Fucsovics in your first match isn't fun. Hubert or FAA or Korda, hoping for a strong showing from these 3...

....lol, what is Andrey even doing in these smaller events. The Greedy Gus knows he'll have trouble beating the group of players ranked above him, so he has to keep pilfering these smaller purses.
 

James P

G.O.A.T.
....lol, what is Andrey even doing in these smaller events. The Greedy Gus knows he'll have trouble beating the group of players ranked above him, so he has to keep pilfering these smaller purses.
He's doing what he needs to do, what you're supposed to do, to keep your ranking up. He's losing a massive amount of points next week at the start of IW (three tournaments dropping, including a 500 and 250 title).
 

Aabye5

G.O.A.T.
He's doing what he needs to do, what you're supposed to do, to keep your ranking up. He's losing a massive amount of points next week at the start of IW (three tournaments dropping, including a 500 and 250 title).

Yes, and I don't blame him, really. It's just funny to see a top 5 player in a 250 draw, unless it's a tournament in their home country or an event that's special for them. I suppose with the Big 3, I have come to expect top 5 players to skip these types of events.
 

stringertom

Bionic Poster
He's doing what he needs to do, what you're supposed to do, to keep your ranking up. He's losing a massive amount of points next week at the start of IW (three tournaments dropping, including a 500 and 250 title).
Plus, it possibly takes away the sting of the 2-match losing streak he’s currently on. I’m hoping to see it extended to three by local youngster Brandon Nakashima after Sureshs’ protégé makes it even Fog-gier 1R.
 

Max G.

Legend
....lol, what is Andrey even doing in these smaller events. The Greedy Gus knows he'll have trouble beating the group of players ranked above him, so he has to keep pilfering these smaller purses.

According to his activity on ATPtour.com, this is only his second ATP 250 event this year; he played one more 250 event, in Doha. This seems like a reasonable number of 250 events to me.

Specifically, in rankings, what counts is the WTF, 4 grand slams, 8 masters events, and best 7 "other" events (ATP 250, ATP 500, ATP cup, etc.) (four of which have to be ATP500, one of which must be after the US open). This year so far he's played only 6 events in that category, so the *minimum* is that he needs 1 more, and a reasonable number is 2-3 more so he can drop the worst result or two. There's not that many months left of the year!
 
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James P

G.O.A.T.
According to his activity on ATPtour.com, this is only his second ATP 250 event this year; he played one more 250 event, in Doha. This seems like a reasonable number of 250 events to me.

Specifically, in rankings, what counts is the WTF, 4 grand slams, 8 masters events, and best 7 "other" events (ATP 250, ATP 500, ATP cup, etc.) (four of which have to be ATP500, one of which must be after the US open). This year so far he's played only 6 events in that category, so the *minimum* is that he needs 1 more, and a reasonable number is 2-3 more so he can drop the worst result or two. There's not that many months left of the year!
Moscow and Saint Petersburg (or Vienna if he wants his favorite 500 level tournament) are still yet to come. All four top Russians (Med, Rubles, Karen, and Aslan) are in the Moscow entry list.
 

Bubcay

Legend
Well, Hurkacz seems to be on a roll, and since I believe he will be a top 5 player soon, my vote goes to him.
 

El_Yotamo

Hall of Fame
I would pick Hurkacz, but he literally just played on the other side of the Atlantic so the transition might not be seamless... On the other hand, not Rublev bc it's not a 500 event, not FAA bc finals record, not Ruud bc this isn't clay... Maybe Shapo or Evans though I don't know tbh
 
V

Vamos Rafa Nadal

Guest
Fognini vs Nakashima, Kwon vs Evans, Sonego vs Basilashvili, and Nishikori vs Murray look to be interesting first round matchups.

I am thinking Hubert Hurkacz will win two in a row..

I have never heard of Gaio, Eubanks or Bolt...
 

stringertom

Bionic Poster
I would pick Hurkacz, but he literally just played on the other side of the Atlantic so the transition might not be seamless... On the other hand, not Rublev bc it's not a 500 event, not FAA bc finals record, not Ruud bc this isn't clay... Maybe Shapo or Evans though I don't know tbh
Points taken but you’re pinning two guys that have exactly one title each.

Of the 28, more than half will get down time to rest before their first (2R) match in IW; that cutoff is somewhere around the Fucsovics and Korda range right now. It would be hard to put in full energy knowing you’re scheduled Tuesday or Wednesday next week in IW. Korda sacrificed himself the week before RG to win that Parma title and went out 1R at the slam.

I’m leaning towards hometown Fritz, who will have a big crowd behind him every match. He plays the featured evening match tonight vs qualifier Caruso and then has a day off before playing the byed seed in his section (Shapo). He beat the lefty in another desert climate (Doha) for his one win in the 1-3 series h2h.

But, if you want to rely on eyes on the ground, let’s bring in local legend @sureshs who was so big to give up his dreams of playing there in favor of providing valuable volunteer labor at Barnes Tennis Center. He usually is full of opinions but this time he will be rating the talent right in front of him.
 

stringertom

Bionic Poster
According to his activity on ATPtour.com, this is only his second ATP 250 event this year; he played one more 250 event, in Doha. This seems like a reasonable number of 250 events to me.

Specifically, in rankings, what counts is the WTF, 4 grand slams, 8 masters events, and best 7 "other" events (ATP 250, ATP 500, ATP cup, etc.) (four of which have to be ATP500, one of which must be after the US open). This year so far he's played only 6 events in that category, so the *minimum* is that he needs 1 more, and a reasonable number is 2-3 more so he can drop the worst result or two. There's not that many months left of the year!
Good research about their minimum participation requirements but I can’t find how much those rules have been changed due to the pandemic. For example, the lone remaining post-USO 500 is Vienna, going solo due to the cancellation of Tokyo, Beijing and Basel. I’m leaning towards there being more than 32 players that haven’t gotten to 4 at the previous smaller set of 8 before Flushing, 4 of which are played same weeks (Halle/Queens, Dubai/Acapulco. They won’t all fit in the Vienna draw.
 

El_Yotamo

Hall of Fame
Points taken but you’re pinning two guys that have exactly one title each.

Of the 28, more than half will get down time to rest before their first (2R) match in IW; that cutoff is somewhere around the Fucsovics and Korda range right now. It would be hard to put in full energy knowing you’re scheduled Tuesday or Wednesday next week in IW. Korda sacrificed himself the week before RG to win that Parma title and went out 1R at the slam.

I’m leaning towards hometown Fritz, who will have a big crowd behind him every match. He plays the featured evening match tonight vs qualifier Caruso and then has a day off before playing the byed seed in his section (Shapo). He beat the lefty in another desert climate (Doha) for his one win in the 1-3 series h2h.

But, if you want to rely on eyes on the ground, let’s bring in local legend @sureshs who was so big to give up his dreams of playing there in favor of providing valuable volunteer labor at Barnes Tennis Center. He usually is full of opinions but this time he will be rating the talent right in front of him.
Fritz could well do it, I just dunno what's up with him after his last few results after returning from injury
 

stringertom

Bionic Poster
Fritz could well do it, I just dunno what's up with him after his last few results after returning from injury
Seems healed; made SFs at Atlanta before losing to another “hometown” type Isner in three sets. Kinda up and down since then, despite that dizzy spell in the Toronto heat. Brooksby tripped him up at USO. Had Taylor closed that second set TB (10-12) to go up two sets, he might have gotten more attention. A slam 4R vs Joe Kovic was a possibility.
 

sureshs

Bionic Poster
But, if you want to rely on eyes on the ground, let’s bring in local legend @sureshs who was so big to give up his dreams of playing there in favor of providing valuable volunteer labor at Barnes Tennis Center. He usually is full of opinions but this time he will be rating the talent right in front of him.

I will be volunteering October 2 and 3.
 

Nostradamus

Bionic Poster
One of two ATP 250s this week. Top-20 players in play this week include: Andrey Rublev, Casper Ruud, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Denis Shapovalov, Hubert Hurkacz, and Diego Schwartzman. Wild cards are Andy Murray, Kei Nishikori, and Brandon Nakashima.

N5xNTg4.jpeg

Look for kwon to destroy everyone in the tournament and win it. this guy just won the ATP 250 event ,, and in form player. I will be there to watch him dismantle Evans

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tudwell

G.O.A.T.
Gonna see the semis in-person. Hope it's Rublev-Shapo from the top half. Bottom half has a number of match-ups that could be fun, as long as Ruud doesn't get there.
 

stringertom

Bionic Poster
Karatsev opened the tournament with a dominant breadstick set and a competitive second set sweep of Delbonis.

Will he earn trivia history years from now as the guy with the premiere victory at the San Diego Open?

The Calved One will play the winner of the match between last week’s Metz champion Hubert Hurkacz and qualifier Alex Bolt.
 

stringertom

Bionic Poster
Pretty straightforward holds (1 BP each) on the way to a first set TB that the Fog rolls in 7-5. Nakashima needs to win two straight now to sassify the partisan San Diego crowd’s craving for local success.
 

stringertom

Bionic Poster
Veteran Fog uses the break in between sets to gather and start competing again. It works with an opening game break.
 

Kralingen

Talk Tennis Guru
BH is becoming a weapon.
Yeah this kinda stood out to me as well. Think it's what got him through the Wimbledon qualies, and it's definitely been a huge part of his wins during the summer hard court season.
Probably not a surprise that his coach is a Serbian named Dusan Vemic whose main claim to fame was working as an assistant coach to some guy called Novak Djokovic in prior years.

Very interesting route he’s taking. highly ranked junior player to uVA to Pat Cash to Serbia. His choices really seem to be working for him though.
 

atatu

Legend
Who is the "bro" screaming Ya Baby every time Fognini or Caruso win a point ? Doesn't sound like an Italian.
 

stringertom

Bionic Poster
Solid day for the San Diego twins, Fritz advancing with a straight set (4&6) win vs Caruso.

Not a bad day for leading off the action at the all new 250.
 
Poor turnout for fritz' match, looks like stands are only a quarter full--don't think it's due to covid restrictions since SD has a rational mayor--maybe low attendance is due to Monday Night Football? The planes constantly flying right overhead must be really annoying to play under--you can even see the planes shadows on the court. The players were even having trouble hearing the umpire's instructions at the coin-toss.

Considering Indian Wells, just a couple hours away from SD, gets such a huge turnout that it's considered the "Fifth Slam", it's rather pathetic there are so few in the stands. The event should maybe been held at La Jolla, that's hosted Davis Cup in the past.

Caruso's cow-outfit may be the worst in tennis history, next to the one with the shirt with the cutouts for ventilation in the back that looked like a reverse bra.
 
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mightyjeditribble

Hall of Fame
What do you think Murray's chances are here? He hasn't played Nishikori since 2017, but I think Andy should have a chance to win that one. Neither has really had great results recently, but I think in the end I favour Andy to come through this.

So what about Ruud? On paper, this is a tough task against the #2 seed and a top ten player, but I am not too convinced by his results on hard courts. I think Casper should come through this, but if Andy can improve his level from what it has been, he could have a shot.
 

stringertom

Bionic Poster
Our host @sureshs should program a reconnaissance flyover and provide us a Birdseye view of the facility. It looks like they did a great job on the fly to make this a first class venue.
 

Larry Duff

Legend
They are quite close to the ocean there, I think for the semi's and finals they are placing a large object to act as a wind block.
 
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