ATP 250 Shenzhen Open - Shenzhen, China: Potential Zverev vs Zverev SF

[The Green Mile]

Zverev does it! Five straight points in the TB to win. Amazing battle of wills it turned into, what a win for Zverev, looked down and out many times. 4-6 7-6 7-6. Darcis so close, unfortunate for him, showed a lot of heart as well.

 

[reaper]

The Zverev brothers nearly got a chance for a social game not a semi final.

 

[SeeingDusk]

Zverev does it! Five straight points in the TB to win. Amazing battle of wills it turned into, what a win for Zverev, looked down and out many times. 4-6 7-6 7-6.

Told you Zverev was going to win lol. Just knew he was somehow going to come back despite being 2-5 in TB.

 

[rainingaces]

Expect him to withdraw from the doubles game he is still to play tonight.

 

[Charleneriva]

He should pull out of Beijing after this. He loves tennis, I don't think he would ever consider tanking.

Definitely. When he broke Darcis back I knew he would take this match in the TB. Now chances are he will win this event and definitely should pull out of Beijing, much to my regret that some potential juicy matchups that involve him will not happen there.

Expect him to withdraw from the doubles game he is still to play tonight.

He's taking Rafa's route of the yesteryears. Sth tells me he will still play.

 

[stringertom]

Big Bro Mischa stepped in a pile of Dudi.

 

[stringertom]

Expect him to withdraw from the doubles game he is still to play tonight.

Please, no! He needs to practice net play as much as possible.

 

[rainingaces]

Definitely. When he broke Darcis back I knew he would take this match in the TB. Now chances are he will win this event and definitely should pull out of Beijing, much to my regret that some potential juicy matchups that involve him will not happen there.



He's taking Rafa's route of the yesteryears. Sth tells me he will still play.

I thought Darcis was going to win, Zverev looked very tired during the match. At 5-2 in the tb Darcis had a easy drop shot to set up 4 match points and he put it into the net or it could have been different. I think Darcis choked badly in the breaker.

Please, no! He needs to practice net play as much as possible.

He did the only sensible thing and withdrew.

 

[veroniquem]

What a win !!!
Glad he withdrew from doubles

 

[veroniquem]

I think that might be enough, Darcis breaks to love and Zverev looks spent.

The season, humidity and Laver cup have taken it out of his legs.

He's gonna pay a high price for playing that useless exo (and I'm not talking about money ha ha). His schedule is frighteningly packed. What a shame if he ends up defaulting his first WTF ever...

 

[Charleneriva]

I thought Darcis was going to win, Zverev looked very tired during the match. At 5-2 in the tb Darcis had a easy drop shot to set up 4 match points and he put it into the net or it could have been different. I think Darcis choked badly in the breaker.



He did the only sensible thing and withdrew.

Darcis chocked, yep. But that was to be expected.

Zverev saved 2BPs at 1-4 in the 3rd set when it all looked over, then broke him right back after a lengthy game in which he had 4BPs and Darcis 3GPs - yep, I expect Zverev, tired or not, to win the match, mostly in the TB given how they were playing. He's simply much stronger mentally. And voila, 3 love games followed, then a TB.

Zverev is already one of the best TB players on tour, no doubt. He will be the best after Fed retires imo.

Glad to hear he withdrew from doubles.

 

[Meles]

Commentator talking about a flu? Wasn't aware, lame....

Yikes. Quarantine him from Sascha.

 

[Meles]

I do believe in scoreboard pressure, yes. Especially when one player is a class above.

And that was the difference today.

 

[stringertom]

And that was the difference today.

Yes, Darcis nose howe two beet Nadal.

 

[Meles]

I thought Darcis was going to win, Zverev looked very tired during the match. At 5-2 in the tb Darcis had a easy drop shot to set up 4 match points and he put it into the net or it could have been different. I think Darcis choked badly in the breaker.



He did the only sensible thing and withdrew.

What did you think of the "duck" today? Darcis was definitely a matchup issue as the guy played very high level so has to be seen as solid win. Was impressed that he was able to handle Darcis slices to his backhand by coming in off his own slice and winning at the net.

All of those positives aside, don't like Zed on these low bouncing, fast Chinese courts. Both he and Thiem look a bit like fishes out of water. Zverev needs to drop the China Open for sure if he makes the final here, but doubt he does it.

Who really is going to excel on this Oriental swing? Nadal, Thiem, and Zverev don't look like favorites. Dimitrov and Kyrgios maybe? Maybe I'm downplaying Zverev's game on these courts and he'll dominate.

 

[Red Rick]

Darcis beating Alex Zverev in a Bo3 and outside of Davis Cup?

Many people lost their entire net worth today

 

[veroniquem]

What did you think of the "duck" today? Darcis was definitely a matchup issue as the guy played very high level so has to be seen as solid win. Was impressed that he was able to handle Darcis slices to his backhand by coming in off his own slice and winning at the net.

All of those positives aside, don't like Zed on these low bouncing, fast Chinese courts. Both he and Thiem look a bit like fishes out of water. Zverev needs to drop the China Open for sure if he makes the final here, but doubt he does it.

Who really is going to excel on this Oriental swing? Nadal, Thiem, and Zverev don't look like favorites. Dimitrov and Kyrgios maybe? Maybe I'm downplaying Zverev's game on these courts and he'll dominate.

Isn't Marseille fast and low bouncing too?
I don't think surface will be a problem. Just overplaying. But he is only 20 after all. He should have boundless energy at that age

 

[Meles]

Isn't Marseille fast and low bouncing too?
I don't think surface will be a problem. Just overplaying. But he is only 20 after all. He should have boundless energy at that age

This and Shanghai are the fastest (Beijing no doubt more of the same.) Your Zedbot was adapting nicely to the situation with a lot of fine slice approaches and net play.

These courts look very different from Marseille and play almost like indoor carpet if I'm remembering rightly. At Chengdu in particular they also seem to defang 2nd serves quite a bit for some players.

We'll see, but after three hours in the heat for this match I share your concerns about his schedule. This is going to be a gauntlet and the Zedbot will have to play much more efficiently in his upcoming matches to deliver stellar results:
1. Win Shenzhen
2. Final at China Open
3. SF or better at Shanghai (betterer if Federer drawn for SF)

Z will have a bye at Shanghai, but no byes for Beijing which means back on court after only one day off.

 

[The Green Mile]

Laaksonen vs Zhang first up, about to start.

 

[The Green Mile]

Anyone seen Zhang play before? Seems to have a decent service game, controls the middle of the court with the forehand. Good hold for 2-1.

 

[The Green Mile]

Zhang pressured in a couple of his service games, but has come through them wonderfully, rising to the occasion every time. No breaks yet, Zhnag holding for 4-3.

 

[The Green Mile]

This is Zhizhen Zhang by the way, 20 years old, not the older Ze Zhang.

Clutch serving from Laaksonen, holds for 4-4, 1st set. Competitive encounter so far, evenly matched in this first set.

 

[The Green Mile]

Zhang DF, and it's 15-30. Responds with a huge serve out wide. 30-30. Tight looking backhand from Zhang and Henri has BP.

What a defensive slice from Henri dtl, Zhang choosing to play the volley, doesn't execute it properly. Henri breaks for 5-4. That slice looked like it was going out.

 

[The Green Mile]

Some excellent serving, and Laaksonen serves out the first set comfortably. 6-4.

 

[The Green Mile]

Will be a first ATP tour level SF appearance for either guy here.

 

[The Green Mile]

Zhang doesn't posses that great of anticipation skills it seems, quite easily wrong footed and off balance a lot. Difficult to really say though, after only a set watched.

Does hold for 1-0 though, saving a couple of BPs. Chance for Henri there, poor misses on BPs.

 

[The Green Mile]

What a backhand dtl from Zhang, though a terrible game from Laaksonen nonetheless. Zhang has the break for 4-2, 2nd set.

 

[The Green Mile]

Zhang levels it at one set all.

 

[The Green Mile]

Zhang has quite a cool composure about him, just going about his business on court, doesn't really get down on himself. 1-1 in this final set.

 

[The Green Mile]

Laaksonen draws first blood in this final set, a good cross-court pass off a rather passive forehand approach. 3-1.

 

[The Green Mile]

So good from Laaksonen, opening up the court so well with that off forehand, dictating with that thumping forehand. Comes through a tough game for 5-2, final set.

 

[The Green Mile]

Laaksonen through to his first SF, 6-4 3-6 6-2. Pretty nice match overall, some quality ball striking at times.

 

[The Green Mile]

Goffin make the final with this path in front of him. Young in the QF, coming up after the Dolgo/Sela match that's being played right now (Dolgo took the first set).

Laaksonen would be the SF opponent. Please Goffin. A title would be nice. Two titles in his career so far, ridiculous... Only 26 years old though, plenty of time to add to that total...

 

[rainingaces]

Sela takes his first chance to break without blinking. Into the third we go.

 

[The Green Mile]

So Sela retired early in the 3rd set, what happened?

 

[rainingaces]

What did you think of the "duck" today? Darcis was definitely a matchup issue as the guy played very high level so has to be seen as solid win. Was impressed that he was able to handle Darcis slices to his backhand by coming in off his own slice and winning at the net.

All of those positives aside, don't like Zed on these low bouncing, fast Chinese courts. Both he and Thiem look a bit like fishes out of water. Zverev needs to drop the China Open for sure if he makes the final here, but doubt he does it.

Who really is going to excel on this Oriental swing? Nadal, Thiem, and Zverev don't look like favorites. Dimitrov and Kyrgios maybe? Maybe I'm downplaying Zverev's game on these courts and he'll dominate.

14 alerts from you, Meles this morning. Zverev played a patchy match overall. Darcis was consistently making Zverev guess what was coming next and his slice caused problems for Zverev. Zverev did seem to lose as many as he won up at net. Zverev's big serve and return game got him free points when he was starting to wilt in the humidity.

Federer should win one of the Masters and maybe a chance for a new winner. I don't know about Del Potro's fitness, I thought if he was fit he could win. Out of the guys you mentioned Kyrgios is most likely to win a few matches, he hasn't had a taxing season and indoors suits him.

 

[rainingaces]

So Sela retired early in the 3rd set, what happened?

Idk, I switched to the Donaldson match and didn't see.

 

[The Green Mile]

Goffin with a beautiful change of direction on the forehand, stretched out wide and goes down the line, forcing the error. DF from Young, love 30. A 2nd DF, and Goffin has 3 BPs.

LOL, unreal backhand pass on the full stretch, the control.... Breaks for 1-0.

 

[The Green Mile]

Excellent serving from Goffin to consolidate for 2-0.

 

[The Green Mile]

Where are these monster serves coming from Goffin? Saw it in his Davis Cup match against Kyrgios as well. Holds comfortably for 3-1.

 

[The Green Mile]

Nice combo from Young there, silder out wide on ad side, followed by the backhand into the open court. 30-0. Lovely feel from Young at the net, drop volley. Holds convincingly to love for 2-3.

 

[The Green Mile]

Goffin isn't mucking around between points, no toweling off, quickly back to the baseline. 40-15 to deuce, as Goffin misses back to back volleys.

Young's backhand lets him down, Goffin holds on for 4-2.

 

[The Green Mile]

Goffin with a nice return, forcing the error, right inside the baseline to receive. Love 30. 15-30. Goffin has 2 BPs. Young caught in no mans land there.

Extremely out classed so far, Goffin has the double break. 5-2. Gorgeous tennis from David, so nice to watch him play like this again.

 

[The Green Mile]

Goffin quickly holds for 6-2, cruising so far, 22 minutes played. Young left helpless, that backhand return setting Goffin up very nicely.

 

[The Green Mile]

Young feeling the pressure of Goffin's 2nd serve return it seems, I know he DFs quite a lot regardless... A couple here and it's deuce.

Good hold from Young in the end, 1-0, 2nd set.

 

[The Green Mile]

What a play from Young, damn. Huge return down the middle, quick to approach the net, and puts away the volley. Goffin left flat footed.

 

[The Green Mile]

Point of the match there wow. Goffin with a ridiculous backhand pass, steals the point. Love 30.

 

[The Green Mile]

Young fighting hard to hold here, Goffin not making it easy. Young with a solid volley, though Goffin manages to squeeze the pass down the line again. Young raises his arms to his box afterwards.

You can't afford to approach like that against Goffin, you're going to be caught in no mans land, more often than not. Long game here.

The backhands are just worlds apart, BP Goffin. Saved, Young with a few better spot serves at the start of this 2nd set.

 

[The Green Mile]

Young's 6th DF, and Goffin has BP again. Young finally over hits, and Goffin has the break. 2-1, 2nd set.

 

[The Green Mile]

Well, Goffin's hard work going to waste here, gifting some poor points. 3 BPs for Young.

Excellent point from Young, anticipates the cross-court backhand, and passes Goffin dtl. Back on serve. 2-2.