Thiem Taking It to the Top I Tell Ya

Meles

Bionic Poster
It does appear that Thiem has subscribed to the Rafael Nadal school of power variety.

To use a video game analogy, Thiem is a glass cannon type player who is training to play a bruiser's game.

His conditioning would be a huge asset if he played less sustained offence and played more unpredictably. One way of doing this is to play with pace. He has neither the power nor the stamina to sustain extended baseline exchanges or blow his opponents off the court.
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Meles

Bionic Poster
Yes, he can hit hard, but he can't keep that up over five sets.

There's no harm in playing around with pace, which, upon looking at my previous post, is not what I appear to have typed. Oh well, that's what I meant.

No harm in hitting softer, neutral balls, then smacking groundstrokes when he sees an opportunity.

Hitting hard constantly just tires you out and gives your opponent rhythm. And that's what seems to be doing him Thiem--at least based on what I've seen or the Goffin match.
(y)
 

Meles

Bionic Poster
I approve of this thread, the guy has more potential to crash and burn (stands far too back, goes 100% on every ball, terrible schedule etc.) rather than reach the top but whatever, I find his game more fun to watch than most other 20-something players at the moment so good luck to him.
winetoast.gif
 

Gazelle

G.O.A.T.
I saw Thiem live at Rotterdam 2017 and he still remains the most spectacular player I've ever seen live. Everyone should experience him at least once, you will never have seen anything like it.
 

Meles

Bionic Poster
So I just watched the highlights.

I'm so ****ing impressed by Thiem. When Thiem is playing his peak, he's an absolute monster. It's not even funny how strong Dominic Thiem is. He's way stronger and more athletic than Wawrinka. It's absolutely unprecedented how good his one handed backhand is while moving backwards. Any other player has to step in and risk mistiming or move back and hit some spinny, loopy shot. He's really coming into his own now on clay. He's starting to flatten out his shots at the right time, he can hit the right defensive shots, he can hit the right aggresive shots, and he can blast his way out of rallies when he needs to with one shot from both wings.

Dominic Thiem has more potential than Wawrinka. All that he need now is to keep up his huge controlled agression.
(y)
 

Meles

Bionic Poster
well that is interesting because he is coming up on 24 yo and has yet to take a MS1000 clay shield.

A guy who just turned 20 just beat him to winning a clay master's 1000 shield. So you certainly have an interesting perspective on who the next up and comer on clay is going to be. At some point at 24 the excuses are going to run out. He has been in prime GS winning age group for 2 years now.

My own take is he does not keep it in the court. simple as that. He is a ball basher who makes a lot of errors. I like him and am waiting for the next gen to start winning. But alas he has dissapointed so far, like MR GD and KN before him.
:eek: Thiem speed peak at 25.5 to these eyes in Barcelona 2019.
 

Meles

Bionic Poster
......DT turned pro around 4 years ago. The prime grand slam winning ages are established. they have not changed. Yes some players do win a TOKEN slam later in life as Muster did. If that is the career path you see for DT I could see that. What I am saying is that the excuses will be running out soon. So just remember that all the excuses you provided him will be running out soon.
:-D:-D:-D
 

Meles

Bionic Poster
my take is that there just hasn't been a prodigy in a long time. but I believe there will be under 20 slam winners in the future. we have had a drought. but I don't think it's permanent. Just a long time since we have had such a person come on the scene. I think the opportunity is close. There seems to be an unprecedented number of over 30 in the top 100. There is going to be a massive amount of turnover in the next 3 years. There is going to be an opportunity for a very young player to make their mark. just my opinion and I know it is controversial and contrary. ;)
:unsure::love: Predicted Diamond Age you did
 

Meles

Bionic Poster
So @Meles

I want the full story of your US Open. I want all the ins and outs of the

- preperation
- the party
- the hangover

What booze was drunk, what sort of hookers were there, I need to know the purity of the cocaine. Tell me everything.
My preparation was spent working on a new PC, doesn’t get much geekier than that.:sneaky:

Covid lol. Pizza salad bourbon highballs. This was before the match or as it started and then I was cozied up with my iPads rotating them. My home theater system is down right now due to windows failure and another failure, so at least one of my iPads was a 13 inch screen. A little bit distracted from ttw posting as one of the members in our Telegram group has a serious family emergency. No hangover but let’s just say after two weeks at the French Open I’ll be trying out for quite a few days.:sick:

Last year’s final was terrible in comparison. I gave the green light to a large party to come over as the second set of the final was wrapping up. I was unable to watch much of the rest of the match as it got good with my hosting duties for approximately 10 people. We did as a group turn the volume on and watch the Mad Lad fight in the fifth set.:p
 

-NN-

G.O.A.T.
@-NN- We both were too pessimistic as Thiem was a late bloomer on his speed peak. Vampiro amazing
Both of my negatives overcome by Tim.:love:

According to Thiem in the post-match presser: he psyched himself out and was thus playing tight for a lot of the match, which would have heavily contributed to later fatigue. He also states he was, is and will be physically fine. Depending on how he rebounds emotionally from this win, he could be ready for a serious assault on RG. On his "best surface". The mountain peak is simply higher to conquer over on the dirt, however. Mt.Nadal is the equivalent of 9000m tall.
 

Meles

Bionic Poster
According to Thiem in the post-match presser: he psyched himself out and was thus playing tight for a lot of the match, which would have heavily contributed to later fatigue. He also states he was, is and will be physically fine. Depending on how he rebounds emotionally from this win, he could be ready for a serious assault on RG. On his "best surface". The mountain peak is simply higher to conquer over on the dirt, however. Mt.Nadal is the equivalent of 9000m tall.
Agree.

This thing all things devours:
Birds, beasts, trees, flowers;
Gnaws iron, bites steel;
Grinds hard stones to meal;
Slays king, ruins town,
And beats high mountain down.
 

-NN-

G.O.A.T.
Agree.

This thing all things devours:
Birds, beasts, trees, flowers;
Gnaws iron, bites steel;
Grinds hard stones to meal;
Slays king, ruins town,
And beats high mountain down.


Indeed but this Mt.Nadal range is not so close to the fate of the Appalachian Mountains. Still, I'll be cautiously optimistic.
 

chjtennis

G.O.A.T.
Thiem's run to the tile was also very impressive. Beat a NextGen, Munar, by default, then Nagal, instead of Nadal, in the 1st 2 rather easy rounds, but after that, he just marched through tough competition. Cilic, FAA, De minaur, Meddy and then Zverev. 5 quality opponents in a row.
 

Meles

Bionic Poster
Imagine if he wins RG as well! (would be epic but I know its impossible)
Thiem's run to the tile was also very impressive. Beat a NextGen, Munar, by default, then Nagal, instead of Nadal, in the 1st 2 rather easy rounds, but after that, he just marched through tough competition. Cilic, FAA, De minaur, Meddy and then Zverev. 5 quality opponents in a row.
Thiem winning RG will be the greatest back to back slam wins in the history of the game.o_O:-D:-D:-D
 

Gazelle

G.O.A.T.
Thiem looks very good. But Plays very average.

Kind of Dmitrov 2015-16

See him on a good game , you think Thiem is a lock for FO title, the very next game he has all the makings of 10-20 ranked player. Plus choice of tournaments shows he is like Ferrer and does not have champion mentality like Zverev or Kyrgios

Erm what?
 

GrandSlam24

Semi-Pro
I don't think Thiem was able to cope with the fact that he had to celebrate his greatest success without an audience. That was very strange. He never recovered from that.
 
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