cluckcluck
Hall of Fame
He had that first set in the bag...then never came back. Ugly QF performance.
Zverev Biggest Choke To Date?
- Thread starter cluckcluck
- Start date
HetTheGreaterer
Banned
Please predict something
Sadly for Djokovic Zverev was dreadful but still took him over 2 hours. At 32, that will take recovery time, whereas Thiem, physically stronger, got off court 30 mins earlier.
Thiem favourite for the event now.
Phoenix1983
G.O.A.T.
Don't be too harsh on Zverev.
He's now up to winning 9 games in a slam quarter-final, up from winning 7 games last year.
At this rate, he will finally win a slam quarter-final in about 5 years' time.
He's now up to winning 9 games in a slam quarter-final, up from winning 7 games last year.
At this rate, he will finally win a slam quarter-final in about 5 years' time.
HetTheGreaterer
Banned
Agree
Tennis_Freak99
Legend
I don't think Zverev played 'bad' today...
I watched that match and the commentator alluded to Zverev having a reputation for being shaky in closing out matches. He barely won a point after squandering that match point and his mental demons are still with him.
Benjamin Rio
Professional
Nole had to spend an extra 30 mins on court, with less than 24 hours recovery time and being in his 30's against the fittest guy on tour, I think that is going to be crucial.
Federer has more than 20 percent IF he serves volleys constantly as Edberg beat Muster on clay using that tactic and Nadal stands so far back on return it amazes me nobody employs it
Deon Sanders
Legend
LOL the women regularly play for 2 hours and come back for another match next day.
jklos
Professional
Djoker is just too tough to beat with a basic baseline game. Zverev can crush the ball and has a good serve but there needs to be more variety to challenge Novak. Whether it's taking the ball earlier, bringing Novak in, mixing up serves.... Whatever it may be, it has to be more than just banging from the baseline. He'll eventually break your will with that tactic.
Djokovic said he was tired in Rome? his SF was 2hrs wasn't it? a 3 setter. like today
helterskelter
G.O.A.T.
But that was the effect of playing three days in a row. He was fine in the semis despite the long quarterfinal. So he should be fine tomorrow. He will need Saturday for recovery, certainly.
I Am Finnish
Bionic Poster
Zedzilla will be back
TennisFan3
Talk Tennis Guru
It's more Djokovic less Zverev.
It's impossible to even win sets against Djokovic in slams.
It's impossible to even win sets against Djokovic in slams.
If he doesn’t considerably raise his level tomorrow, he’ll have the Sunday off as well
BeatlesFan
Bionic Poster
And this is what separates Zverev from someone like Rafa. Zverev gets broken serving for the set and then just totally collapses and gets steamrolled. Nadal could be down two sets to love and he still fights, still shows positive body language and almost never gives up. There's just no excuse for this type of panty-waist mentality in the young players. At this point, I really think the big 3 can be winning slams at age 40 because the young guys just cannot step up.
Lendl was saying during the AO he thinks it's because of phones and young players addictions to phones and social media. They have no attention span and no ability to think through a long match.
lidoazndiabloboi
Hall of Fame
Zverev's brutal volleying and drop shot. He shouldn't try those at all
cluckcluck
Hall of Fame
Case in point, Genie Bouchard.
Ann
Hall of Fame
It is impossible to quantify "biggest" choke with Zed. It would be easier to list the important matches where he didn't embarrass his family.
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Looks like Thiem v Djokovic may finish on Saturday. Nadal and Federer have massive advantage. Weather post 3pm tomorrow in paris is supposed to be woeful
You know Nadal Federer and Djokovic must be thinking like you. Everyone bangs on about Next Gen yet every Major these 3 or there or there abouts. Thiem (on clay) and Tsitispas seem only two remotely capable of challenging. Even that is a long shot.
Federer will want to win a Major at 40. No reason why he cant at Wimbledon. Rafa on clay still formidable. Djokovic an all round winner.
jm1980
Talk Tennis Guru
He made Djokovic look like Stefan Edberg out there today
ScottleeSV
Hall of Fame
I'm not sure that will make a difference. I would have even backed Federer to come back and play well tomorrow after 'only' two hours of cruising against Zverev, and Djokovic still looks very very fit for 32.
If Zverev had won that first set... well, let's just say the kid will not be a popular person with Nadal/Thiem tonight.
lidoazndiabloboi
Hall of Fame
Tennisgods
Hall of Fame
Hi Pantera
Do you mind me asking; are you a Djokovic fan?
I’d be willing to bet good money that Djokovic’s 2 hour match will have absolutely no influence on the outcome whatsoever. There is no evidence that Thiem will match Djokovic’s level of tennis, never mind the fact that Djokovic (yes, even at 32) is far and away one of the fittest players on tour.
This match is on Djokovic’s racket, whether the match lasts 2 hours or 4. Fitness level is surely an irrelevance.
duaneeo
Legend
Have to admit, this is a good one.
Thundergod
Hall of Fame
Choked the first set, sure but plenty of people have lost a set while serving for the set. His pitiful Sets 2 and 3 show me that he was probably going to lose in 4 even if he won the first set.
O
OhYes
Guest
So bcs of those extra 30 minutes, not 90, not 2 or 3 hours, but 30 minutes, Thiem is favorite ?
What about overall time or fact that Thiem lost 2 or whatever sets while Djokovic lost 0 ?
As Tenisgods said - Thiem and Djokovic are not palyers with equal capabilities. If they were the same, an exhausting match could be stumbling block, but as we saw Djokovic didn't have that today.
dunlop_fort_knox
Professional
nobody buying what pantera is selling. ND had 2 days off before today. and he will have a day off when he wins tomorrow. masters series you play daily and matches often go 3 sets. so as much as you wish to ring the "alarm" I know it's false.
Mainad
Bionic Poster
He'll only be Fed's age. Plenty of time.
Mainad
Bionic Poster
Difficult to say. If he had closed out that 1st set it may well have boosted his confidence to keep up his level for the remainder of the match. Failing to close it out probably punctured his already fragile confidence.
O
OhYes
Guest
Nadalgaenger
G.O.A.T.
I missed it. What happened in the first set? Did Nole earn the break or was it gifted?
Z up 30-15: Hits a rally ball backhand wide. Under no pressure.
30-all: Long rally. Z hits crappy drop shot, Djok hits what should be a winner right to his forehand, which goes weakly into the bottom of the net.
30-40: Another rally, Z does nothing to try to control the point and loses it.
titoelcolombiano
Legend
We have to remember that Djoker at his best is pretty devastating. Look at the AO final, Nadal swept everyone aside, was playing pretty well and got squashed like a bug in the final. There was probably not a lot Zverev could do about it.
Thundergod
Hall of Fame
Maybe, but I don't trust someone whose entire confidence and play hinges on the result of a first set.
Pmasterfunk
Hall of Fame
Right on time to reach his peak at the tender age of 37.
duaneeo
Legend
I disagree. Djokovic won his first slam 11 years ago, and it's been 8 years now since he hit his peak. Nole's current best is beatable.
Zverev beat Nole when they met for the first time in a Masters final, and beat Nole when they met for the first time in a WTF's final. Even in failing to beat Nole in their first slam meeting, win a set or two at least! Very disappointing.
He was as youd expect from one of the better returners to have played the game. Zverevs inability to deal with the drop shot short on his fh side cost him dearly, admittedly the ball was very low when he got to it, but to me it felt like he was improvising (not very well) on the spot, the Djoker hits that drop shot all the time he needed to plan and work on how to deal with it. Twice he tried to go dtl and got stung with volley lobs, then he started to go acute cross court and netted his replies. Well see what happens next time they play on clay, if he lets that happen again I'll give up on him haha
In general, when it came to the crunch Zverev didnt believe in himself and he played too many tentative shots, he needed to commit to his shots and be damned. (Which he did for periods of the match, including the 1st 8 games of the 1st set). This was a match where self belief played a big part in the outcome of the match, where a multiple slam winner had more faith in himself than a talented player who still has doubts he can get the job done in majors against the best of the best.
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Lleytonstation
Talk Tennis Guru
Maybe, but Tsits seems much better at this. I think it's a passion thing. The young guys seem to be okay with making QF's or less, because they make millions and have millions of followers. Zverev just looks like guy that's not that passionate. Tsits looks like a guy who is and it shows.
If Im thinking of the right point, Zverev had every chance to make the pass, but played a very tentative push, halfway up the net at best.
I think he went away from what was successful. Also he didnt put in the fight, and gave too many soft points away therefore releasing pressure. Has the game but not the brain or maybe the heart
Lleytonstation
Talk Tennis Guru
Yes, he is afraid and does not trust himself or believe in himself. That is why he chokes. He is the opposite of Tsits, Zverev is not aggressive enough. Way too conservative. You have to win points against the best, not wait for them to mess up.
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