TRS: 2021 Cincinnati Masters 1000-general discussion

[Goosehead]

Every hosting nation’s tennis governing body awards WCs. Do you get upset with TA in January when an unknown Aussie gets in at AO? How about FFT when a young Frenchman gets in at RG? How about LTA for Brits at Wimby? At least USTA sets two of their rewards: win the Zoo 18s or be an American winner of the NCAA. Both are traditions going back decades and both imply the player was busy doing more than building a ranking. One was probably in HS instead of on the tour; the other was in college.

Bellyache all you want. They will not listen.

i know all majors do it..but for me, the majors is not the place to be giving out freebees to folk outside top500, maybe a smaller event, and you are right, they will keep doing it.

 

[Mark-Touch]

Monfils struggling in the heat and humidity.
Going to the shoelaces and hitting big.

Do you reckon Rublev can sense that Monfils is off the boil, going a bit wild now?
And all he needs to do is keep moving Monfils around.

 

[Mr.Lob]

Do you reckon Rublev can sense that Monfils is off the boil, going a bit wild now?
And all he needs to do is keep moving Monfils around.

Yep. Monfils really going for his shots. Rublev needs to go bigger. Monfils misses on first set point

 

[guga_fan]

Hurkaz has turned into such a good player. Not a lot wrong with his game.

 

[Mr.Lob]

5-5. Monfils had his chance to take that 2nd set on a short ball to his forehand he hit into net.

 

[Mr.Lob]

Monfils up 6-5.

 

[junior74]

Paire (14) has more aces than Isner (11) lol

Even stranger: Yesterday, Ruud had more aces than Opelka (21-17)

Both Isner and Opelka struggled physically, of course...

 

[Mr.Lob]

Monfils using his racquet as a cane between points. 3-3 in tiebreaker

 

[Mr.Lob]

Great return by M9nfils. 5 5

 

[Mr.Lob]

Should have gone down the line Monfils

 

[Mr.Lob]

Rublev wins in 2 on df

 

[TennisFan3]

Is PCB playing some of his best tennis? He's handling HH rather easily.

 

[Mark-Touch]

Hurkaz has turned into such a good player. Not a lot wrong with his game.

Then why is he losing to Carreno?

 

[fundrazer]

Is PCB playing some of his best tennis? He's handling HH rather easily.

He might be. Also think Hurkacz getting overrated a little bit.

I won't forgive him for losing to Liam Broady in Tokyo also.

 

[Pablo1989]

Rublev-Monfils was entertaining.

 

[flyingboris]

I just now got that the TRS in the title stands for "The Real Slam"

 

[flyingboris]

Monfils using his racquet as a cane between points. 3-3 in tiebreaker

Guru turning into Yoda

 

[fundrazer]

Pella won 4 points on Zverev's serve the entire match.

 

[fundrazer]

As I say that, Pella had half a chance at 0-30. Zverev has been too good on serve though.

 

[Pmasterfunk]

The Hurk wins a 12 minute game on serve, PCB like a wall out there.

 

[fundrazer]

Ruud and Schwartzman looks like it's going to be fun from the first few games.

 

[Swingmaster]

That’s a tradiditional WC awarded to any American that wins the NCAA title. Do you have a problem with that of their other traditional reward that goes to the Kalamazoo Boys 18 champion? Both Riffice and Zachary Svajda have gotten in the same way many others before them. Sock is different. As I stated, Cincinnati gave him a WC into qualies, not main draw, and he didn’t finish a set. At #192, let him qualify or give him the same level reward that Cincinnati did if he failed to make the cut. Or a WC into dubs and mixed dubs. It’s outrageous to keep rewarding mediocrity that has devolved into being out-of-conditioning mediocrity.

Unfortunately he didnt warn Cincinnati that he would only be lasting a set. They thought he might last a longer and attract a bunch of American Sock fans.

 

[fundrazer]

Ruud really should have converted on his 2nd break chance. Opened court up so well with inside out forehand but then didn't do enough with his backhand approach. Blaaaaaaah.

 

[stringertom]

i know all majors do it..but for me, the majors is not the place to be giving out freebees to folk outside top500, maybe a smaller event, and you are right, they will keep doing it.

Sometimes they pay off with a good match.

The now 18s Zoo winner Svajda got a WC at age 16 in 2019 and forced a fifth set from down two sets vs old pro Lorenzi. Maybe he wins that fifth set if it happens this year.

I remember Matthias Bourgue got the FFT WC into RG’16, won a round and then scared the hell out of Murray in five sets.

Going way back in the time machine, a very young Lleyton Hewitt got two consecutive WCs to 1997 and 1998 AO. He lost to a slam champion Bruguera the first time but got a slightly softer draw and beat Jonas Bjorkman in straight sets in 1998. This was immediately after winning the Adelaide ATP title for his first ever 5 ATP matches so he had no ranking when the WC was awarded.

 

[stringertom]

Unfortunately he didnt warn Cincinnati that he would only be lasting a set. They thought he might last a longer and attract a bunch of American Sock fans.

The point you’re missing: why reward him at a higher level than a lower level tournament decided was appropriate? WC into qualies: all good; WC into his specialty dubs main draw, also all good; WC into singles MD, all bad in rewarding him for a nothing burger comeback attempt after a mediocre (4R best) USO track record.

 

[ttwreader]

Ruud looks pretty good.

 

[ttwreader]

PCB beat Hurkacz, will play Med next. Chance for Med to revenge the lost at the Olympics?

 

[fundrazer]

Well, after Ruud took the first set I fed my dog and took her for a walk. Came back and he holds for 3-0 in the 2nd set. Nice!

 

[fundrazer]

Wonder if Diego is making an adjustment. Came to net 2 or 3 points in that service game and got a very quick hold.

 

[stringertom]

Zverev vs Ruud in an all NextGen QFs. Hopefully, Ruud literally shows up this time…they were scheduled for their first meeting in the Acapulco QFs but Casper ghosted out with a walkover offered to Zedraffe.

Zedraffe has looked like Tokyo Zed. Zero BPs faced in his matches vs Harris and Pella. Only 4 DFs and 81% service points won.

Ruud has been nearly that dominant on serve, avoiding any breaks by saving all 3 BPs against him, all against Opelka. Schwartzman did not challenge him on service.

As good as Ruud has looked though, this match should go Zed’s way. Straight sets, maybe one TB and one 1-break set.

 

[James P]

Zverev vs Ruud in an all NextGen QFs. Hopefully, Ruud literally shows up this time…they were scheduled for their first meeting in the Acapulco QFs but Casper ghosted out with a walkover offered to Zedraffe.

Zedraffe has looked like Tokyo Zed. Zero BPs faced in his matches vs Harris and Pella. Only 4 DFs and 81% service points won.

Ruud has been nearly that dominant on serve, avoiding any breaks by saving all 3 BPs against him, all against Opelka. Schwartzman did not challenge him on service.

As good as Ruud has looked though, this match should go Zed’s way. Straight sets, maybe one TB and one 1-break set.

Off tomorrow. Can't wait to watch this match.

 

[ttwreader]

Sonego broke Tsitsipas. 6-5 1st set.

 

[Vamos Rafa Nadal]

Sonego broke Tsitsipas. 6-5 1st set.

I have the feeling Tsitsipas will still win in 3 sets...

 

[ttwreader]

1st set Sonego.

Guess how long Tsitsipas needs for bathroom break this time. #wearadiaper

 

[fundrazer]

1st set Sonego.

Guess how long Tsitsipas needs for bathroom break this time. #wearadiaper

Judging by how soaked his shorts are he didn't change his kit.

People still defending this bathroom break nonsense. He's literally doing it every match now.

 

[ttwreader]

Tsitsipas broke Sonego's serve after saving 3 BPs to hold his first service game of the second set.

 

[longmacchiato]

Chichi gets the 2nd set

 

[fundrazer]

Not really a fan of Sonego and his grunts, but he's fighting hard out there. Nice to see.

 

[Rafa.the.Magnificent]

Sonego is going crazy!!

 

[Devil_dog]

Big fan of Ralph Macchio's game!

 

[MeatTornado]

I'm not just saying this because he missed on that 15-0 point, but does anyone else feel like Tsitsipas' volleys have actually gotten worse over the years?

It was the part of his game I was most impressed with when he first broke out in 2018 and early 19, but it seems like he stopped coming in as often and he's gotten rustier up there as a result.

 

[ttwreader]

Tsitsi-need-a-diaper won 2-1.

Now Berrettini vs FAA.

 

[James P]

Damn, didn't realize it, but Ruud wins tomorrow, he becomes the provisionally live ranked #10 in the world.

 

[James P]

There's a match being played right now, better do a recap of a match you just watched before going to the action.

 

[Open Stance]

For the Love of God Tennis channel, cut the studio jibber jabber and show the Berrettini match.

 

[Open Stance]

Only missed the first 4 games.

 

[Bubcay]

Not really a fan of Sonego and his grunts, but he's fighting hard out there. Nice to see.

He played really well, but I always have to watch his matches on 'mute' as I can't stand his constant grunting. ATP should really do something about it as it must be distracting to his opponents all the time.

 

[Mark-Touch]

Neither player playing with any authority. (Felix/Ber)
Poor ball-striking in general.

 

[Notorious_Junkballer]

Big fan of Ralph Macchio's game!

 

[Notorious_Junkballer]

What's that paint job Berre is using?