The Undiscovered Country: Zverev vs Thiem, SF 2016 BMW Open, Munich

[Dolgopolov85]

Thiem has such a big swing... surely that's a disadvantage?

Not on clay. Got all the time in the world. Baby Wawrinka...

 

[Meles]

The conditions aren't exactly great either. Too cold. Maybe that's throwing him off.

Thiem is erratic. He got hot on the serve at Acapulco and he'll have to have that go deep at Madrid or Rome. This isn't going to work.

 

[pound cat]

Hmmm.... Thiem takes the second set. Getting ready to eat my words...

AZ should stop being so dramatic and just PLAY HIS GAME! (add stop looking at his father}

 

[mellowyellow]

2nd set Thiem off of shaky Zverev service game! "Alright everybody, Adults swim all kids out of the pool!"

 

[Meles]

Thiem has such a big swing... surely that's a disadvantage?

Okay on clay. Fast hard courts will be interesting this year. In 2016 Thiem has had great first return on hard (article link above). He's catching the ball early and bunting it back deep and putting pressure on server with this play. That style of return not so great on clay. If it flies on North American hard it will help Thiem a lot from last year where the was 26% on first return for hard courts in 2015.

 

[forthegame]

Zverev imploding.

 

[flyingboris]

I like how Zverev called Thiem over to check the mark. And that Thiem complied!

 

[Meles]

How many times Sascha says even imploring Thiem for overrule of mark call:

 

[sdont]

Ridiculous from Z. Lol.

 

[stringertom]

Typical Thiemtimetable...struggle mightily early only to right the wrongs of his ways and cruise to all even headed for the third.

 

[forthegame]

slice n dice

 

[Dolgopolov85]

Too much variety from Thiem. He's playing like clay GOAT again now.

 

[Meles]

Z is the superior returner though

Haha. Triple jinx post. Sascha hasn't held serve since.

 

[mellowyellow]

Nice to see these 2 are so close. That brought a huge smile to my face!

 

[Meles]

slice n dice

Thiem has a lot of variety if opportunity call for it. More shots in the bag then any player in history.

 

[Dolgopolov85]

One bad game, that's all it takes in tennis.

 

[Meles]

Great return by Z to break back! Zverev 1-2 in 3rd. This kid is not done. He is a fighter.

 

[Sambuccashake]

 

[mellowyellow]

Zverev need to work some more east/west on his shots, as it stands he mostly north/south. It would add another element for opponents to worry about. Maybe by the time he is 20?

 

[Meles]

Dazzling Thiem with a fourth break in a row!

 

[Sysyphus]

Great match!
Surprised Zverev fought back after meltdown.
Go Domi though! Gets the break again

 

[mellowyellow]

Zverev looks a to be a little weary at this point.

 

[mellowyellow]

Nice 1hbh utl to break in the 3rd!

 

[sdont]

I like Thiem but his grunt is a bit over-the-top.

 

[Meles]

Thiem in clay GOAT mode. Torturing Sascha.

 

[Sysyphus]

Thiem's superior fitness serving him methinks

 

[Meles]

Haha. Nice one! Did you make that?

 

[Meles]

Thiem's superior fitness serving him methinks

He's got his game face on now and its very hard to stop. Hope he can play like this last set against the big boys in Madrid.

 

[mellowyellow]

Zverev must think the whole court is one big line today? Would have liked to see him change his return to take on the serve at least to try something different.

 

[Dolgopolov85]

Zverev is woeful at the net. Took a long time for Thiem to latch onto that but he's exploiting that to the hilt now.

 

[Meles]

Is it me or does Thiem look faster than ever? He actually looks fast which I never thought would happen.

 

[Sambuccashake]

Haha. Nice one! Did you make that?

Yeah.

 

[Meles]

Zverev stops the bleeding and only down a break. This is not over.

 

[Dolgopolov85]

Is it me or does Thiem look faster than ever? He actually looks fast which I never thought would happen.

Yeah, excellent court coverage today.

 

[Meles]

Zverev is woeful at the net. Took a long time for Thiem to latch onto that but he's exploiting that to the hilt now.

Zverev doesn't like drop shots and we're seeing why.

 

[mellowyellow]

That looked Like a Guga serve their getting the reverse bounce. Zverev needs to stop complaining, those kickers have been going on all day clay bounce or not...

 

[Dolgopolov85]

Finally a good volley by Zverev.

 

[mellowyellow]

Zverev doesn't like drop shots and we're seeing why.

On hard I thought he did ok with them for a teen...

 

[Meles]

Zverev won only 46% of first serve points in 3rd set. I'd say Thiem first return is developing on clay!

 

[Meles]

Zverev doing great on clay. Thiem was just too much in the end today, but no shame as Thiem is one of the top clay court players. Only Pella and Nadal have beaten him on clay this year. Pella had a gassed Thiem as his victim.

 

[flyingboris]

http://www.br.de/mediathek/video/event-livestream/1-eventlivestream-154.html

for the non tennistv ppl

Thanks for that link, this was too much fun to watch on a crappy stream.

 

[beast of mallorca]

I think Thiem will be my new Nadal.......

 

[pound cat]

On hard I thought he did ok with them for a teen...

I did not like Zvarev's histrionics.....showmanship that was not necessary or productive for him

He needs a coach ...none of of this looking to dad during the game

PfffffffffT

 

[SoBad]

Thiem eager to build up mickey mouse h2h over the younger German.

 

[beast of mallorca]

I like Thiem but his grunt is a bit over-the-top.

Don't be so precious, Chichi.......

 

[LinePainter]

If you follow this link later @LinePainter should have replay.

Thanks!

 

[beast of mallorca]

Thiem has a lot of variety if opportunity call for it. More shots in the bag then any player in history.

Ahhhhh, NO.......

 

[I Am Finnish]

Unmotivated Fognini

 

[Meles]

Thanks!

Did you find it? Get to watch?

 

[Meles]

Ahhhhh, NO.......

Got to name one with more. Thiem even has tremendous serve and return variety. Thiem is capable of much more variety than Federer, Djokovic, or Nadal.