'24 Aus Open ATP Singles Draw & Discussion

[ashkor87]

I think this Sinner will beat this Djokovic 60-40 Sinner. Djokovic did not play all that well against Fritz..maybe the heat? Day match..? Sinner, in the other hand, reminds me most of ...Djokovic!

[Suliso]

Funny that a year ago (or two) there were still arguments that Musetti is better...

[ponchi101]

Musetti has more variety, and the game is more elegant (whatever that means).
But I don't recall anybody saying he was better than Sinner. And that would be a very strange statement to make.

[Suliso]

Musetti seems to have stalled in his development, but of course still very young.

Incidentally there is now a small group of very young French players coming up --> Arthur Fils (19, #35), Luca Van Assche (19, #65) and Arthur Cazaux (21, #83). I've not yet seen them play much...

[jazzyg]

I thought Djokovic played very well against Fritz except on the break points. He could not get his first serve in during the first set, but once the ball was in play, he was terrific as he almost always is. Fritz hit 40 winners in the first two sets alone, so I don't want to hear anything about how he is not that good of a player. His game went down dramatically in the third and fourth sets, but he was redlining in the first two.

[nelslus]

I thought Djokovic played very well against Fritz except on the break points. He could not get his first serve in during the first set, but once the ball was in play, he was terrific as he almost always is. Fritz hit 40 winners in the first two sets alone, so I don't want to hear anything about how he is not that good of a player. His game went down dramatically in the third and fourth sets, but he was redlining in the first two.

.....Fritz is not that good a player. (I mean, it IS true).

[nelslus]

Funny that a year ago (or two) there were still arguments that Musetti is better...

.....Where was I when this argument was taking place?!?!




(As i quickly scroll through MY TAT post history, and, if necessary, delete any idiot Musetti vs. Sinner comment that I might have made.....)

[skatingfan]

Whatever happened with Fritz's ankle in the 3rd set had a big impact on the match.

[jazzyg]

I thought Djokovic played very well against Fritz except on the break points. He could not get his first serve in during the first set, but once the ball was in play, he was terrific as he almost always is. Fritz hit 40 winners in the first two sets alone, so I don't want to hear anything about how he is not that good of a player. His game went down dramatically in the third and fourth sets, but he was redlining in the first two.

.....Fritz is not that good a player. (I mean, it IS true).

I guess I worded my post poorly. Does not matter how good Fritz is. He was on fire for the 1st 2 sets, hitting 40 winners. In those two sets he was really good. If you can't see that, you can't see.

[ponchi101]

The #12 player in the world, who has been top 10 and the USA's #1, is NOT a good player.
And you (Nelslus) have at times reminded me that sometimes I go too extreme
C'mon, the guy is damn good. He just simply lives in an era in which... you know.

[nelslus]

The #12 player in the world, who has been top 10 and the USA's #1, is NOT a good player.
And you (Nelslus) have at times reminded me that sometimes I go too extreme
C'mon, the guy is damn good. He just simply lives in an era in which... you know.

.....In what era would Taylor have excelled?

[nelslus]

PS: TO be clear- I said that Taylor is not THAT good a player....to, say, win a Slam, and in any Slam match facing Novak. Obviously, Taylor can play great, and win many matches. All of these players can play great. However, Taylor has managed, over the past few years, to show some great play more often than almost all of the other players.

I go back to when John and I once heard Davenport say on Tennis Channel- when Madison Keys plays her best- no one can beat her. I mean, sure- if she went to a Slam final and hit all aces and nothing but winners- she'd win a Slam title. But, you have to make the great, big shots on the big points to win Slam titles. Very, very few ever can do that. Taylor and Madison have huge weapons. (I was there live to see Madison absolutely make Sabalenka irrelevant in the first set of their US Open SF last year- amazing, even at times breathtaking tennis. Even had a match point in the second set, with her level dropping some. Then.....) Some players just are not meant for greatness.

[Suliso]

Some players also get a bit lucky. Was Flavia Pennetta (as much as I liked her) really meant for greatness? There are few more GS winners like that...

[jazzyg]

Luck is definitely a factor.

Rublev gets killed for being 0-10 in quarterfinals, but he is better than a lot of players who have broken through to a semifinal (say, Khachanov). Wasn't mentally strong enough earlier in his career and has been stuck with brutal opponents in the quarterfinals last year and this year.

[nelslus]

Isn't this all lovely? AT least for now- Broom Closet Boris is right about Carlos- They figured him out! He's all washed up! Novak and Medvedev decided, of all things, to make snarky comments about.....Ben. So that none of them have to deal with their own deplorable s**t and histories. As Milquetoast Courier gets to provide the on-court post-match triumphant interview with Zverev. What- he beats up women?!??! NOTHING to see here!!!!

So, our remaining male SF's are three absolutely horrible people. AND.....well, Sinner.

For now, I ignore the rest of the men's tournament. Go Hseih!!!! (Until we inevitably find out something horrible about her). And put off thoughts on how much I want to spend tons of $'s on the likes of the US Open. And how much I can still love this sport.

OH, AND, btw, a psycho monster has a great shot to become the USA President for the second time. Just to add to my pleasant current mood. NOTHING to see here!!!! USA!!!! USA!!!!

I MEAN- If you can't see all of this, you can't see.