robyrolfo
Hall of Fame
With Dimitrov retiring injured, and Tsitsipas out, they really need to make a rule about 1HBH players meeting so early in a slam. Such a shame.Of course my two favorite players are meeting in round freaking 2
With Dimitrov retiring injured, and Tsitsipas out, they really need to make a rule about 1HBH players meeting so early in a slam. Such a shame.Of course my two favorite players are meeting in round freaking 2
With Dimitrov retiring injured, and Tsitsipas out, they really need to make a rule about 1HBH players meeting so early in a slam. Such a shame.
We need Shap, not many highlight reels around now.Go, Shap (though I ilke Musetti too)!
Unfortunately Perricard is out too. I think he has a good game, deceptively quick hands for such a big guy.With Dimitrov retiring injured, and Tsitsipas out, they really need to make a rule about 1HBH players meeting so early in a slam. Such a shame.
I'm a big Shapo fan, but I always found it funny that he owns RBA.Also, RBA is exactly the type of player who's Shapo Kryptonite. Steady, unflashy, mentally tough. Beating him after dropping the first set speaks volumes about where Shapo's mentality is at right now.
Hate that he's drawn Musetti in R2, I can't decide who to root for. Denis Skywalker or Lore Atreides
did not see match. haven't seen much of shapo in a long time. always rooting for his game, fun to watch. but yeah...RBA should be, like, the exact kind of player he'd lose to. i guess he's getting old though. nice to see denis win a round in a major. could certainly beat musetti but that's really a 'who the heck knows?' shrug emoji match from my perspective.I'm a big Shapo fan, but I always found it funny that he owns RBA.
I wasn't on the forums at that time, but I'm assuming people weren't as negative about the 1HBH because Thiem was using it so well (and Roger was still active)?Do you recall nearly as many posts about the onehander being dead back when Thiem was still around?
Something about those big guys doesn't quite make it as stylish, though. Eubanks is the same.Unfortunately Perricard is out too. I think he has a good game, deceptively quick hands for such a big guy.
True about not stylish, but for your point about Dimitrov, that is his day when everything he hits goes for a winner. If not then how many more times has he done that to a top level player. He has not hence the reason for his poor showing in the GSs.I wasn't on the forums at that time, but I'm assuming people weren't as negative about the 1HBH because Thiem was using it so well (and Roger was still active)?
I mean, all the talk of it being "dead" is just ridiculous anyway. I've posted this same remark about 10 times now, but anyone who thinks it is dead should re-watch Dimitrov absolutely dismantle Alcaraz in the Miami semi-final last year. It was glorious, and he won so many points with shots/play that is only possible with a one hander.
Something about those big guys doesn't quite make it as stylish, though. Eubanks is the same.
I agree that it was one of those days for Dimitrov where everything was going his way. But my point is that a 1HBH isn't a liability, and can even be a special weapon, it just needs to be used correctly.True about not stylish, but for your point about Dimitrov, that is his day when everything he hits goes for a winner. If not then how many more times has he done that to a top level player. He has not hence the reason for his poor showing in the GSs.
Liability/inferiority for the modern game is debatable, but what makes it so difficult to even have a decent debate, is the fact that so few players use the stroke at all at this point (for juniors, it has to be in the low single-digit percentile, and that's probably too generous). So aside from biomechanical debates, there's such a small talent pool from which to draw real-life examples of how far one can master the stroke, it could quite frankly be that the best of the best of what we're seeing nowadays just isn't as high a level of mastery as what we used to see, and what we're currently seeing from the best of the best 2-handers.a 1HBH isn't a liability, and can even be a special weapon, it just needs to be used correctly.
I agree with all of this. The issue is that so few players are using it, especially younger players that will be the pros of the future, so the debate will always be tainted. And that's a shame. So many young kids and coaches taking the easy route.Liability/inferiority for the modern game is debatable, but what makes even having a decent debate possible is the fact that so few players user the stroke at all at this point (for juniors, it has to be in the low single-digit percentile, and that's probably too generous). So aside from biomechanical debates, there's such a small talent pool from which to draw real-life examples of how far one can master the stroke, it could quite frank be that the best of the best of what we're seeing nowadays just isn't as high a level of mastery as what we're seeing from the best of the many-fold-larger pool of 2-handers.
As such, the statistical chances of any 1-hander developing the level they need to reach the top of the game from this point forward, has been continually decreasing, and continues to do so. As of now, I would say Thiem or Wawrinka, maybe Guga (but that is questionable due to changes to the game since he played), were as close as we'll ever see, of having a truly reliable and threatening 1HBH. It's really the consistency piece and return percentages that are lacking in most 1-handers for the modern game.
Good match so far. We saw Denis The Menace in the first set, but now he's back to being the Federer Lite we've seen over the past 2-3 months and has taken the second 6-2. Fritz really has no answers when Shapo is cooking, and he's #4 in the world.
If Shapo can take this match he will validate all the noise I've been making. I think he has the game to beat anyone and this would prove it.