Montecarlo 2018 SF: Kei Nishikori vs [3] Alexander Zverev

[Legend of Borg]

i hope glass-kori stays in one piece if he reaches the final

 

[helixx]

Zverev lost 16 times serve in 3 matches, nishi only 5

 

[flyingboris]

Amazing sprint by Nishi to catch that dropshot. Watching tennis is fun again!

 

[heninfan99]

Chang proud of that get

 

[Legend of Borg]

good to have k-san back

been too long

 

[reaper]

Zverev lost 16 times serve in 3 matches, nishi only 5

He should have a much bigger serve given his height.

 

[Steve0904]

He should have a much bigger serve given his height.

Who? Z or Nishi? jk.

 

[zagor]

Kei's BHs...

 

[helixx]

nishi will kill Z with his bh dtl

 

[Backspin1183]

Lol and some TTW expert said that Kei's bh is average and not a weapon.

 

[albertobra]

Kei's BHs...

That would be a clue shot vs. Rafa.....Nishi executes it so well.

 

[heninfan99]

 

[flyingboris]

Some fun points this match so far, I'm sticking around.

 

[helixx]

break from 40.0

 

[ACE of Hearts]

Zverev finding ways to win matches on clay. It shows you how weak this clay field is.

 

[zagor]

Ain't a break till you confirm it, Zverev has been shaky on his serve this tourney.

 

[Legend of Borg]

jeez i wish any of these 10 stream links would actually work so i can watch this

 

[zagor]

Zverev finding ways to win matches on clay. It shows you how weak this clay field is.

He didn't start winning on clay this year, he won Rome last year.

 

[Steve0904]

The infamous Zverev net game rearing its ugly head again.

 

[Steve0904]

He didn't start winning on clay this year, he won Rome last year.

You could pick either 2017 or 2018 as a starting point. The clay field has been weak since prime Djoker disappeared without a trace.

 

[ACE of Hearts]

He didn't start winning on clay this year, he won Rome last year.

I know that but it's surprising seeing a guy that tall play well on clay. Credit to him. If he makes the final and wins more than 8 games i will be impressed even more.

 

[Legend of Borg]

He didn't start winning on clay this year, he won Rome last year.

and yet he doesn't actually seem like a true clay court grinder

 

[heninfan99]

nice volley from Kei

 

[Freddy Cat]

Normally I'd like to see Nishikori win. But I'd like to see a humbling moment for Zverev in the final more.

 

[zagor]

I know that but it's surprising seeing a guy that tall play well on clay. Credit to him. If he makes the final and wins more than 8 games i will be impressed even more.

He won 8 games against Nadal in DC in last two sets IIRC. We'll see how he does.

 

[clayqueen]

Kei is trying to avoid playing Rafa in the final.

 

[heninfan99]

set one completed.

 

[Steve0904]

You could pick either 2017 or 2018 as a starting point. The clay field has been weak since prime Djoker disappeared without a trace.

I should also note that it wasn't altogether strong in 2015 or 2016 if Nadal is the measuring stick (which he obviously is).

 

[ACE of Hearts]

and yet he doesn't actually seem like a true clay court grinder

Well fed wasn't much of a grinder on this stuff either and he made 5 finals so it's possible playing a hard court style on this court.

 

[clayqueen]

He won 8 games against Nadal in DC in last two sets IIRC. We'll see how he does.

That was Bo5.

 

[zagor]

and yet he doesn't actually seem like a true clay court grinder

He's more of a grinder than you'd believe given his height, very consistent off the ground. Often reminds me of a taller Novak.

 

[ACE of Hearts]

Kei needs to go home.

 

[zagor]

That was Bo5.

Sure but he still won 8 games in two sets.

 

[robthai]

both men are playing for 2nd place lmao

 

[zagor]

I should also note that it wasn't altogether strong in 2015 or 2016 if Nadal is the measuring stick (which he obviously is).

Well going back, 2014 wasn't anything special either. Nadal wasn't really playing his best in CC masters or in the FO final (he did play well against Murray in the semis though IIRC) but Novak was sick and couldn't take advantage.

The last time two best CC players of the 2nd half of Nadal clay era were in prime form was 2013.

 

[Legend of Borg]

how many games for zed in the final?

i'll say more than grigolo but still no tiebreak

 

[robthai]

facing Nadal on clay is pointless these days. Players just show up to collect their paycheck once they've lost serve in set 1.

 

[robthai]

how many games for zed in the final?

i'll say more than grigolo but still no tiebreak

whatever it is, it'll be ugly for Zverev

 

[Steve0904]

He's more of a grinder than you'd believe given his height, very consistent off the ground. Often reminds me of a taller Novak.

That's part of his problem in BO5 IMO. Too much grinding. Not a good enough mix of quick points. He should have a better serve for his height, if truth be told.

 

[mike danny]

Nishi's Djoko smash followed by Zverev's Paire FH and Nishi breaks eventually.

 

[clayqueen]

Sure but he still won 8 games in two sets.

No, not really because the first 2 sets were 61 64. If that was a Bo3 , Rafa would have won it 61 64 so that would be 5 games for Sasha.

 

[zagor]

That's part of his problem in BO5 IMO. Too much grinding. Not a good enough mix of quick points. He should have a better serve for his height, if truth be told.

Yep, he plays the wrong type of game for BO5 given his build. Definitely should have a better serve (especially 2nd serve), he gets broken way too often.

 

[Legend of Borg]

Well going back, 2014 wasn't anything special either. Nadal wasn't really playing his best in CC masters or in the FO final (he did play well against Murray in the semis though IIRC) but Novak was sick and couldn't take advantage.

The last time two best CC players of the 2nd half of Nadal clay era were in prime form was 2013.

you know, that 2014 RG final is really puzzling for me in retrospect

i thought that was really the year djoker was gonna take it hafa on the red stuff and just overcome the hurdle he was so close to doing in 2013

instead, he fizzles out as the match progresses and hafa just coasts to another GS title

he actually did better in the previous year's SF than in that final

really strange match

 

[mike danny]

Well going back, 2014 wasn't anything special either. Nadal wasn't really playing his best in CC masters or in the FO final (he did play well against Murray in the semis though IIRC) but Novak was sick and couldn't take advantage.

The last time two best CC players of the 2nd half of Nadal clay era were in prime form was 2013.

FO 2013 was actually a very impressive campaign for Nadal. Defeated Nishikori, Wawrinka, Djokovic and Ferrer all in a row. Not a bad slew of players on clay.

 

[Steve0904]

Wasn't a good drop shot, but Zverev was so far behind the baseline it didn't matter.

 

[heninfan99]

both men are playing for 2nd place lmao

400

how many games for zed in the final?

i'll say more than grigolo but still no tiebreak

He's fallen in love with the drop shot. That will be the only interesting aspect of the match.

 

[zagor]

you know, that 2014 RG final is really puzzling for me in retrospect

i thought that was really the year djoker was gonna take it hafa on the red stuff and just overcome the hurdle he was so close to doing in 2013

instead, he fizzles out as the match progresses and hafa just coasts to another GS title

he actually did better in the previous year's SF than in that final

really strange match

He got sick already against Gulbis IIRC.

Who knows with Novak, he can be the greatest fighter one moment then look like a walking zombie in a slam final.

He's never been as stable mentally/emotionally as Fedal. Always having ups and downs and searching for something more than just being a tennis player.

 

[zagor]

No, not really because the first 2 sets were 61 64. If that was a Bo3 , Rafa would have won it 61 64 so that would be 5 games for Sasha.

OK, fair point.

 

[ACE of Hearts]

you know, that 2014 RG final is really puzzling for me in retrospect

i thought that was really the year djoker was gonna take it hafa on the red stuff and just overcome the hurdle he was so close to doing in 2013

instead, he fizzles out as the match progresses and hafa just coasts to another GS title

he actually did better in the previous year's SF than in that final

really strange match

In order to beat nadal on this stuff you have to be consistent from point to point. Even if he loses the first set you still feel he could win the match. It's like a gladiator in the ring. Even when Novak won the first set i still didn't think nadal was losing the match.

 

[robthai]

FO 2013 was actually a very impressive campaign for Nadal. Defeated Nishikori, Wawrinka, Djokovic and Ferrer all in a row. Not a bad slew of players on clay.

underrated. But Ferrer in a slam final is like being fed to the lions.