Few USO23 SF impressions

[itrium84]

1. Novak's serve is not that great last few months, but in SF it was very good. If he wants to win Med, it will need to be even a little bit better in the finals. I'm not optimistic about this.
2. Alkaraz was playing big3 level tennis in this SF (except that 2nd set drop), he was great but unfortunate to meet Med in the zone.
3. Med provided his highest level HC tennis similar to his USO21 finals one, and it's intimidating. If he manages to replicate this vs Novak... He'll be a champion again.

 

[FeroBango]

Intimidating is the right word. The world shall never mock HC Daniil again.

Octopus in the scariest possible way with tentacles to suffocate.

 

[itrium84]

Intimidating is the right word. The world shall never mock HC Daniil again.

Octopus in the scariest possible way with tentacles to suffocate.

Yeah, for years we all intuitively put him in same bucket with Tsitsi and Zed, but with time it's becoming clear he's a class above, serious ATG material.

 

[FeroBango]

Yeah, for years we all intuitively put him in same bucket with Tsitsi and Zed, but with time it's becoming clear he's a class above, serious ATG material.

He is a hall of famer but if he doesn't retire an ATG, he'd have underachieved big time.

 

[MeatTornado]

Let's see him actually win more than 1 slam before we even discuss the possibility of becoming an ATG.

 

[FeroBango]

Let's see him actually win more than 1 slam before we even discuss the possibility of becoming an ATG.

True true. I hope he gets that one Sunday.

 

[tennis3]

Let's see him actually win more than 1 slam before we even discuss the possibility of becoming an ATG.

Gauff is an ATG, so why not Meddy?

 

[MichaelNadal]

 

[junior74]

So Medvedev operates on a level above Big3 level.

Groovy.

 

[FeroBango]

So Medvedev operates on a level above Big3 level.

Groovy.

Alcaraz only played like he's supposed to in patches to be fair. The rest was questionable Tennis.
Med was insane throughout however. It was a thorough 12/10 performance.

 

[junior74]

Alcaraz only played like he's supposed to in patches to be fair. The rest was questionable Tennis.
Med was insane throughout however. It was a thorough 12/10 performance.

Some of us have commented Alcaraz has been below his best for a while.

Medvedev demands you beat him. Irresistible part of his game and personality.

 

[rUDin 21]

Yes the prime example of that is Atp F RR vs Djokovic last year.
He tortured Novak to third set TB even though he was already eliminated after 2 matches.

 

[weakera]

So Medvedev operates on a level above Big3 level.

Groovy.

But not all

 

[FeroBango]

Some of us have commented Alcaraz has been below his best for a while.

Medvedev demands you beat him. Irresistible part of his game and personality.

Some of you (us) have been correct then. This whole USO swing has been pretty weird from Raz. Still, he was on track to defending even with confirmed hammy issues. With a Djokovic kind of draw, he'd have made the finals and even when not fully there, Raz demanded Meddy play the match of his life to take him down. Some positives there.

Let him go home and seethe; and come back better for it.

 

[jeep2008]

Problem on the left wrist of Alcaraz and too much slice from the backhand side was the reason he underperformed....

 

[FeroBango]

Problem on the left wrist of Alcaraz and too much slice from the backhand side was the reason he underperformed....

Raz has had these issues for a while now, along with the return of the hammy trouble (plus cold as as did a few others at the USO).

Still, he was prepared to suffer and ask others to suffer to beat him. Props to Daniil for being up to the task. Will he have anything left tonight?

 

[junior74]

But not all

Yes, Medvedev's choking tendencies have been shown several times against Rafa.

5-1, 40-0? Comedy.

Rafa never gives up. Ombeleebel fighting spirit and belief in that guy!

- - -

Do you think Meddy has a chance today?

 

[weakera]

Yes, Medvedev's choking tendencies have been shown several times against Rafa.

5-1, 40-0? Comedy.

Rafa never gives up. Ombeleebel fighting spirit and belief in that guy!

- - -

Do you think Meddy has a chance today?

It's amazing how Nadal's finals opponents choked 22 times, it would have been several more too had he not missed 15-20 slams with injury

 

[Jonas78]

USO is defintely the most competetive slam atm. Meds chances are good as long as he doesnt do a Rafa AO 2022 meltdown.

 

[Jonas78]

Yes, Medvedev's choking tendencies have been shown several times against Rafa.

5-1, 40-0? Comedy.

Rafa never gives up. Ombeleebel fighting spirit and belief in that guy!

- - -

Do you think Meddy has a chance today?

Yep this is it imo. As long as he doesnt mentally collapse as he did vs Rafa, his chances are good.

 

[weakera]

USO is defintely the most competetive slam atm. Meds chances are good as long as he doesnt do a Rafa AO 2022 meltdown.

The only set that could be called a meltdown would be the second, when Nadal gave it away while serving at 5-3.

After the first 35 minutes of the Final, Medvedev was completely outclassed by the better player.

 

[junior74]

It's amazing how Nadal's finals opponents choked 22 times, it would have been several more too had he not missed 15-20 slams with injury

How did you get there?

 

[weakera]

How did you get there?

It's the same old tired cliché, hardly a reach from your post, and ironic given Nadal's own 2nd set choke serving at 5-3 in the AO Final to give Medvedev a lifeline.

 

[Jonas78]

The only set that could be called a meltdown would be the second, when Nadal gave it away while serving at 5-3.

After the first 35 minutes of the Final, Medvedev was completely outclassed by the better player.

Funny how the "win the first two sets, then lose the match" syndrome always has to do with the Big3, not the NextGen

 

[junior74]

It's the same old tired cliché, hardly a reach from your post, and ironic given Nadal's own 2nd set choke serving at 5-3 in the AO Final to give Medvedev a lifeline.

Ok. Even McEnroe said Medvedev choked - and he is a big Rafa fan. Med was in a winning position.

But I have never suggested Rafa earned his other titles because of chokes. Not sure why you responded that way, amigo...

We are all in awe of Rafa's fighting spirit, of that I have no doubt.

 

[weakera]

Funny how the "win the first two sets, then lose the match" syndrome always has to do with the Big3, not the NextGen

I don't really care to discuss other matches or Djokovic bathroom voodoo, in a vacuum, Nadal outplayed Medvedev and should have won in 4.

Ok. Even McEnroe said Medvedev choked - and he is a big Rafa fan. Med was in a winning position.

But I have never suggested Rafa earned his other titles because of chokes. Not sure why you responded that way, amigo...

We are all in awe of Rafa's fighting spirit, of that I have no doubt.

Oh well if McEnroe said it lmao. I don't need McEnroe to tell me that Rafa choked himself serving at 5-3 or that Medvedev was outplayed in 4 different sets in the match. It is rather evident. While Medvedev was in a "winning position," that quickly became a mirage as Nadal took control of the match.

 

[junior74]

I don't really care to discuss other matches or Djokovic bathroom voodoo, in a vacuum, Nadal outplayed Medvedev and should have won in 4.



Oh well if McEnroe said it lmao. I don't need McEnroe to tell me that Rafa choked himself serving at 5-3 or that Medvedev was outplayed in 4 different sets in the match. It is rather evident. While Medvedev was in a "winning position," that quickly became a mirage as Nadal took control of the match.

Medvedev was up 2-0 and had 3 BPs to go up a break in the third. That's a winning position.

Let's agree on disagreeing this time

 

[weakera]

Medvedev was up 2-0 and had 3 BPs to go up a break in the third. That's a winning position.

Let's agree on disagreeing this time

I already said he was in a winning position lol, part of what made the win so epic

 

[NeutralFan]

Medvedev was up 2-0 and had 3 BPs to go up a break in the third. That's a winning position.

Let's agree on disagreeing this time

Rafa should have won the second set imo, he was serving for it and was two points away and then complicated it

 

[alexio]

Rafa should have won the second set imo, he was serving for it and was two points away and then complicated it

match depended mainly on meddy, not ndal..if to be objective and look at it without possible moment about bias of a fan

 

[optic yellow]

Problem on the left wrist of Alcaraz and too much slice from the backhand side was the reason he underperformed....

The biggest issues I saw were the lack of adjustment to Medvedev return position (i.e. drop serve him) and too frequently losing the plot on FH hits. There were a few points where he unleashed the full arsenal of variety he has to great success but all too often he fell into ruts of overbashing topspin. I think it was just some fear about missing that led to a more conservative approach.

 

[Jonas78]

match depended mainly on meddy, not ndal..if to be objective and look at it without possible moment about bias of a fan

What?? It never depends on the NextGens, its ALWAYS Big3 stepping up, then everyone else is chanceless.

 

[alexio]

What?? It never depends on the NextGens, its ALWAYS Big3 stepping up, then everyone else is chanceless.