Difference between Alcaraz vs Medvedev & Djokovic vs Medvedev

[Omega_7000]

The difference was the serve. Djokovic has a better serve and was able to take advantage of Medvedev's ridiculous return position whereas Alcaraz just wasn't able to hit his spots and make Medvedev pay. Both had the same plan in trying to S&V for obvious reasons but Djokovic's serve allowed him to execute the plan much more effectively. This is something Alcaraz really needs to improve. His serve is the biggest hole in his game. He needs to get a top tier serve to not only increase options but also to save himself from injuries by getting free points. Alcaraz was still competitive despite this but if his baseline game is off like it was in the SF, he would have something to fall back on. Alcaraz should stick with Ferrero but needs to add a serve coach like Goran to get him there.

It's also ridiculous that the #3 ranked player is unable to step in to make returns even on second serves.

 

[mental midget]

novak also more solid off the ground...pretty flawless display of percentage tennis with injections of pace to force the issue.

thought medvedev might be able to out-consistency him from the baseline but he just didn't have his best, or maybe, djokovic didn't allow it to come through.

not that it would of changed things but medvedev seemed to forget you can lob the ball...MANY instances in that final where he just hit a mediocre pass where there was opportunity to throw up a good lob, particularly against novak you would have thought he'd go into this match thinking lob, lob, lob.

 

[Omega_7000]

novak also more solid off the ground...pretty flawless display of percentage tennis with injections of pace to force the issue.

thought medvedev might be able to out-consistency him from the baseline but he just didn't have his best, or maybe, djokovic didn't allow it to come through.

not that it would of changed things but medvedev seemed to forget you can lob the ball...MANY instances in that final where he just hit a mediocre pass where there was opportunity to throw up a good lob, particularly against novak you would have thought he'd go into this match thinking lob, lob, lob.

Alcaraz's ground game was off and I am not sure why. Did he just have an off day or was there something specific Medvedev was doing to throw him off. He was injecting pace too but was making significantly more unforced errors.

I did see many lob opportunities as well. Probably because he does not have confidence in his lobs? You would think the #3 ranked player can hit lobs.

 

[Rafa4LifeEver]

Didn't watch the Alcaraz match but yeah Medvedev laid a big egg in the F.

 

[Robert F]

Agree.
The relative "weakness" I see in Alcaraz's game is his ability to get free points.
Serve is a clear example for him. He can hit big, but he can't rely on just the big serve. Needs to hit more spots and get more aces or unreturned balls.
But also from the baseline and forecourt, it seems he has to set up points most of the time--which is great. But Nadal, Fed and even Djoker had the ability to shorten points when necessary.
Seems when he tries to shorten points we get an error.

 

[WeekendTennisHack]

Yeah tiny has quite a poor serve especially as the match goes on, just can't make big serves when he needs them the most. Probably height related.

 

[LeastExhaustingPlayer]

The difference was Novak Edberg's volleys.

 

[mental midget]

Alcaraz's ground game was off and I am not sure why. Did he just have an off day or was there something specific Medvedev was doing to throw him off. He was injecting pace too but was making significantly more unforced errors.

I did see many lob opportunities as well. Probably because he does not have confidence in his lobs? You would think the #3 ranked player can hit lobs.

novak hits through the ball better than alcaraz, and so when medvedev hits those deep flat shots novak can basically return the favor and get back to neutral, whereas carlos is more likely to cough up a spinnier, shorter reply which let medvedev get more offensive, find sharper angles etc and take control of the point.

med's level definitely was lower in the final, but credit to novak for playing a bulletproof match...was pretty much in control from start to finish.

 

[Krish0608]

The difference was the serve. Djokovic has a better serve and was able to take advantage of Medvedev's ridiculous return position whereas Alcaraz just wasn't able to hit his spots and make Medvedev pay. Both had the same plan in trying to S&V for obvious reasons but Djokovic's serve allowed him to execute the plan much more effectively. This is something Alcaraz really needs to improve. His serve is the biggest hole in his game. He needs to get a top tier serve to not only increase options but also to save himself from injuries by getting free points. Alcaraz was still competitive despite this but if his baseline game is off like it was in the SF, he would have something to fall back on. Alcaraz should stick with Ferrero but needs to add a serve coach like Goran to get him there.

It's also ridiculous that the #3 ranked player is unable to step in to make returns even on second serves.

I agree. He needs a consistently better serve. And his forehand was bang average against Medvedev. So many errors. He needs that shot to consistently fire in the big matches.

 

[mental midget]

The difference was Novak Edberg's volleys.

honestly...he has turned into a damn good volleyer. still not the natural cat-like 'handsy' feel we've seen from some of the very best, but man he makes pretty much everything he should, and more than a few he probably shouldn't.

 

[Fed_Nole]

Med level dropped sharply from semi to F. Nole has much better UFE control than Carlos.

 

[JasonZ]

Yeah tiny has quite a poor serve especially as the match goes on, just can't make big serves when he needs them the most. Probably height related.

he served well in the wimby final.

 

[FeroBango]

he served well in the wimby final.

The potential is there. The off season should make it a little better.

 

[AnOctorokForDinner]

Alcaraz still won the vast majority of net points, something like 75-80%. The biggest issue were all those impatient errors on big points. Gotta rein them in.

 

[DSH]

Alcaraz's ground game was off and I am not sure why. Did he just have an off day or was there something specific Medvedev was doing to throw him off. He was injecting pace too but was making significantly more unforced errors.

I did see many lob opportunities as well. Probably because he does not have confidence in his lobs? You would think the #3 ranked player can hit lobs.

Don't ask too much of the Russian octopus.

 

[Omega_7000]

Alcaraz still won the vast majority of net points, something like 75-80%. The biggest issue were all those impatient errors on big points. Gotta rein them in.

Yeah but he was letting Medvedev in to his service games far too many times by not being able to serve as effectively thus making him unable to come in to volley.

 

[Omega_7000]

The potential is there. The off season should make it a little better.

Will it? Maybe Ferrero can only take it so far and he needs to bring a serve specialist on board? I'm guessing he already might have but it's probably not an ex great like Becker or Goran

 

[AnOctorokForDinner]

Yeah but he was letting Medvedev in to his service games far too many times by not being able to serve as effectively thus making him unable to come in to volley.

Outside of the second set, Karl only faced BPs in one game, when he got broken in the fourth. I agree his serve was lacking but he still utilised the net very well in 3/4 sets. Baseline/return UEs were the problem, cut them in half on big points and he wins.

 

[TheNachoMan]

Outside of the second set, Karl only faced BPs in one game, when he got broken in the fourth. I agree his serve was lacking but he still utilised the net very well in 3/4 sets. Baseline/return UEs were the problem, cut them in half on big points and he wins.

He was too busy going for highlight moments.

 

[AnOctorokForDinner]

He was too busy going for highlight moments.

Lack of discipline to me, yep. Needs to learn to prolong the deal when brave attacking doesn't work. Or rather he knows it but it wasn't working in the match, didn't want the endless rallies you get with Medvedev I guess but you have to suffer to win.

 

[Dominic & Andrey]

Most people probably don't care about this guy but his analysis of the final is pretty good and detailed :

Basically it's what has been said before : Med absolutely needs to figure out a way to deal better with S&V. The problem is, he had so much success against most of the field these past few years with his returning position that it will be really hard to change it now.

 

[Djokodal Fan]

Alcaraz lacks plan B when Plan A doesn't work. YOu need to learn to hang in there on your bad days and play at your 50% and find a way to win. This is believe is what separated the Big3. They just hang in on bad days and let the opponent destroy himself.

He is a quick learner and he will pick that up in a season or two

 

[FeroBango]

Will it? Maybe Ferrero can only take it so far and he needs to bring a serve specialist on board? I'm guessing he already might have but it's probably not an ex great like Becker or Goran

It should. We must remember that he spent the entire off-season just healing from the injuries he'd sustained this time last year. 2023 has just been match experience making him a better player and it's included a better serve including the appearance of a rudimentary slice serve that excelled in the Wimbledon final.

Let's see.

 

[mental midget]

would be a big change, but...alcaraz might want to experiment with a heavier racket. nadal added weight and it definitely helped.

 

[Omega_7000]

would be a big change, but...alcaraz might want to experiment with a heavier racket. nadal added weight and it definitely helped.

You would think this would make him more susceptible to injuries.

 

[mental midget]

You would think this would make him more susceptible to injuries.

maybe...could be the opposite. racket does more of the work, wouldn't have to torque so much to generate that power and could smooth out his swings a bit. my amateur's opinion...

 

[Robert F]

Obviously this guy can crack the ball. But I wonder if a little more weight would help him when driving flatter finsihing balls and if he can drive those with less spin, it won't sit where defensive monsters like Medvedev and Djoker can get them back.

 

[FeroBango]

Obviously this guy can crack the ball. But I wonder if a little more weight would help him when driving flatter finsihing balls and if he can drive those with less spin, it won't sit where defensive monsters like Medvedev and Djoker can get them back.

He very well can and essentially copied Federer (taking it early, timing and redirecting it) to win the title. Since then he's played confused Tennis.

 

[McGradey]

Alcaraz lacks plan B when Plan A doesn't work. YOu need to learn to hang in there on your bad days and play at your 50% and find a way to win. This is believe is what separated the Big3. They just hang in on bad days and let the opponent destroy himself.

He is a quick learner and he will pick that up in a season or two

Alcaraz can already win with his B game, he’s done it numerous times. In fact that is one of his key advantages over Sinner, Zverev etc. He finds solutions when things aren’t going his way. It’s just not always going to work every single time. Medvedev played a blinder and can beat anyone when he does that.

 

[FeroBango]

Alcaraz can already win with his B game, he’s done it numerous times. In fact that is one of his key advantages over Sinner, Zverev etc. He finds solutions when things aren’t going his way. It’s just not always going to work every single time. Medvedev played a blinder and can beat anyone when he does that.

Pretty much. I don't even respond to these posts because what's the point in replying to someone who clearly hasn't won much of Raz' matches and the many different ways and levels he's relied on to win.