The anticipated Alexander Zverev vs. Dominic Thiem quarterfinal showdown has come to fruition at the French Open. In the other section of the draw’s bottom half, Novak Djokovic has a more surprising opponent on his hands in the form of Marco Cecchinato.
(7) Dominic Thiem vs. (2) Alexander Zverev
Zverev and Thiem will be facing each other for the sixth time in their careers and for the second time during this clay-court swing when they battle for a spot in the French Open semifinals on Tuesday. Thiem leads the head-to-head series 4-2, but Zverev has won two of their last three meetings after most recently triumphing 6-4, 6-4 in the Madrid final. Thiem is still in front 3-1 on clay, having prevailed three times in 2016–including via a 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 decision at Roland Garros.
Just 19 years old when they first squared off in Paris, Zverev is now one of the undisputed best players in the world and certainly one of the most capable on clay. In fact, this a matchup between arguably the second-best clay-courters on tour behind Rafael Nadal. Zverev is an amazing 21-3 on the red stuff in 2018 (21-1 against opponents other than Nadal) with titles in Munich and Madrid plus a runner-up finish in Rome. Thiem also owns a pair of titles this season, having won in Buenos Aires four months ago before lifting the trophy a little more than a week ago in Nice. The latter gave the eighth-ranked Austrian plenty of momentum going into Roland Garros, where he has defeated Ilya Ivashka, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Matteo Berrettini, and Kei Nishikori in mostly convincing fashion. Already a two-time French Open semifinalist, Thiem enjoys the Paris conditions much more than those of Madrid and he is playing well enough to take advantage of an opponent who may wear down in another competitive contest having already played 18 sets during this event.
Pick: Thiem in 5
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Marco Cecchinato vs. (20) Novak Djokovic
While Nadal is making mincemeat out of a weaker top half of the bracket, Djokovic’s draw has worked out nicely for him on the other side. The 22nd-ranked Serb has not run into anyone inside the top 12 of the rankings and that will continue through the quarterfinals, in which he has a surprising date with Cecchinato on Tuesday. Having recovered from an elbow injury and with his old team back in place, Djokovic finally heated up for the first time in 2018 by reaching the Rome semis and testing Nadal in a tight two-setter. The former world No. 1 has cruised for the most part in Paris, taking out Rogerio Dutra Silva, Jaume Munar, Roberto Bautista Agut, and Fernando Verdasco.
Cecchinato’s run is nothing short of shocking, as the 72nd-ranked Italian had never won a main-draw match at any Grand Slam in his entire career prior to this fortnight. In fact, he was a mere 12-32 lifetime at the main-tour level heading into the French Open. From completely out of nowhere, Cecchinato earned an improbable place in the quarters by beating Marius Copil (10-8 in the fifth set), lucky loser Marco Trungelliti, No. 10 seed Pablo Carreno Busta, and eighth-seeded David Goffin. The 25-year-old has at least been relevant on clay over the past couple of seasons, but even on this surface it will be tough for him to handle the enormity of the occasion against an opponent who is recapturing his world-class form.
Pick: Djokovic in 3
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who ya got?
Djojovic in 4 due to the grind and gamesmanship. However, the upset is very possible.
Zverez is a terrible matchup Thiem. I’d be interested to know Zverev’s record against players with a SHB other than Federer.
Zverev in 4
Cechinatto’s run is not shocking, it’s amazing. At 25, he’s now playing to potential.
Sascha in 5 😀 again!
Novak in 4
Thiem in 5
Djoko in 3
Thiem & Zv should be awesome to watch…can’t wait….Thiem in 4;…and Joker in 4.
Thiem in 5
Djoko in 4
Court Philippe-Chatrier
Play starts at 2pm
Dominic THIEM (AUT) [7] vs Alexander ZVEREV (GER) [2]
Perfect, I’ll be sitting right behind the players for this one.
Thiem in four Djokovic in three
djoko ended up getting the easiest qf of all..how strange..he had to play dimi n goffin n ended up playing none..so lucky
Thiem in 3 easy ( unders and Thiem -2.5 to both hit)
Djokovic in 3 tight sets ( still the overs and Cecchinato +8.5 will both hit)
Women’s side –
Keys in 2 ( unders and keys -4.5 both to hit )
Stephens in 3 tight sets ( 2 tight sets and 1 run away set ) ( over and handicap +.5 to hit .
Best of luck all. My reasons posted in main forum .
You must be Nostradamus to be able to predict the future with certainty.
Zverev in 4. Zverev for once took some time off before a slam, and that has worked great for him, and he is not in his deepest run in a slam. And it’s not over! People think Zverev is tired? He is young, and had a week off before FO. Thiem didnt have a break, and came from winning a tournament straight to Roland Garros, he is the one who is tired, and if not already, Zverev will make him today in a tough battle with few short points. Zverev played 3 b2b 5 sets, true, but Thiem played b2b 4 setters, which means Zverev just played 3 sets more than Thiem.
Zverev in 4 sets.
Thiem should win this one. Sasha is tired! He played much more matches and sets than Thiem from MC to RG; in fact he played the most matches so far this year.
Thiem’s matches were shorter too this FO compared to Sasha’s. I think slow clay is more of Thiem’s forte than Sasha’s; Sasha is/was taken to the distance at Rome and RG, two places where the clay surfaces are/were slow, much slower than that at Madrid.
Like most, I thought Thiem v Zverev was the most likely match-up for that part of the draw. I said it’s pretty much 50-50 at the start of the tournament, with the slight edge to Thiem, if anyone. The first four rounds haven’t really changed that view, since Zverev has struggled a bit at times, while Thiem has had it easier, despite a tougher draw.
I think Zverev has turned a corner by making it this far, and also by fighting through in those five set wins, which I feel he probably would have lost in the past. Still, he is not that convincing, and three B2B five setters may test his fitness here if it goes the distance. It probably will go the distance, as Zverev is not an easy match-up for Thiem, but Thiem has more firepower and experience on clay, so I’m going for him in 5.
For the other match, I haven’t seen much of Cecchinato, but I’d agree with the standard pick of Djokovic in 3. Djokovic is not quite back to his best yet, he’s maybe 75 or 80%, but that’s still good enough to beat most players, and I don’t think he’ll let an opportunity to neutralize an unknown guy slip by him.
Djoko will most likely get every ball back and makes his opponent frustrated and thus extracts errors from his opponent. It’s never easy to hit through Djoko on the slower surfaces.
Theim in hitting that ball so hard!!! Whoa!!!
First break to dom!!!
And the first set!
Zverev’s weakness on the forehand is a big problem for him
And the first set!
Zverev’s weakness on the forehand is a big problem for him
Break dom!
Zverev in trouble now!
zverev in triple trouble! a set down, a break down and hamstring! Hope ha can turn this around!
Dom saves break point!
He is playing with so much intensity!
Cmon Zverev!!! Cmon!!
Dom breaks again!
Zverev has trainer out!
This could be over very quickly!
Even before the injury Zverev was being outplayed. I don’t think he’s coming back from this.
Zverev hurt his left thigh at the beginning of the match.
Zverev got injured during the 3rd game of the match (if not earlier):
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/De7uucoX4Ac5ljz.jpg
Yeah, he was! And perhaps he’s tired too. Poor thing!
So you like Zverev mona??!!😀
Yeah, kinda!, lol. When he first came on tour I realised his potential straight away!
But, alas, today is not his day!
Zverev’s MTO:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/De7kZJIWAAAEUUr.jpg
Oh dear what a damp squib!
This is what happens when you play 3 5 setters back to back!
But kudos to lovely dom!
Well, well, well.
Cechinatto actually expects to win.
I heard about Zverev losing in straight sets. That should have been a good match but I guess those five setters did take a toll.
What’s going on with nole!
Just come back to see him struggling!??
Cecchinato havingca tough time serving it out.
Cecchinato gets it done. Wins the first set.
Commies say he in pain! Is it the elbow?
Cecchinato in a slam semi is just silly!
It seems to be the neck. That is what the trainer was working on,
How come Djojovic is sore today and it the other day when he was winning?
Do you do anything but sneer and cast aspersions??!!
There is obviously something wrong with nole!
Amy I agree. Unlike his lovely namesake, the great Jim Courier, our guy doesn’t exactly have a gracious streak, lol!
He spends all his time sneering at the top players! He disappears completely when rafa and Nole are winning!
It’s very distasteful!!
Well, well, well.
The grind and gamesmanship that has netted half a dozen majors for this chap doesn’t seem to be working right now.
#realdeal
12!! Get it right dummy!! Holding all 4 at the same time!!
Half a dozen? Which six?
6 were highway robbery, the other 6 were sort of legitimate.
Amy,
Don’t let this guy get to you. If you fon’t know tennis then you just spew out garbage. He is clueless.
Novak broke back in the second set. They are showing Kasatkina and Stephens. Just giving updates on the score in the men’s match.
Go Daria!!
I love her and her tennis!!
Who are you supporting nny?
Amy,
I am supporting Daria!
What is the score??
Us Open semi against Fed. A few against Murray where he gained injuries and magically came back to life to win and there was a few others.
Amy,
He is trying to goad you by saying stupid s d outrageous things. This is the person who picked Marterer to beat Rafa! LOL
You are right nny!!
A study in malfunctioning masculinity!!😀😀
Amy,
Well said! Just think that if you have to go on a tennis forum and get attention by saying idiotic things, then you can’t have much of a life.
This site has been invaded by some low life’s who don’t know tennis and are here just to place bets on matches and try to make money.
This is the time when I really miss VR!
What he got away with made a mockery of the sport.
Dominic is by now one of the best clay courters after Rafa. But today’s match didn’t offer many clues. Zverev wasn’t beaten by Thiem, but he has beaten himself by playing all those unnecessary five-setters. While Zverev has definitely turned the much anticipated corner, he still has to learn a lot as far as slams are concerned. They are a different animal than masters events, and it’s necessary to be economic with one’s fitness resources over two weeks. One cannot get involved in so many five-setters against lower ranked players and still expect to perform well against the true rivals in the later rounds. But kudos nevertheless to Zverev for coming back from the brink and staging thrilling comeback wins three times in a row.
We will see how Dominik will fare in the semis and maybe even in the final. If Rafa is his opponent, I still think the king of clay will have the upper hand because of his vast experience and higher tennis IQ. The circumstances in Madrid were very different.
But Rafa hasn’t exactly dazzled so far. Hopefully he will still have a good fitness reservoir because he won his matches fairly easily so far, and will be able to summon his best tennis against his remaining opponents. Schwartzman, Cilic/Delpo will definitely be able to test him, and the weather might not be so favorable for him. And a final against Thiem or the Djoker would mean that he has to beat three high quality opponents in a row for winning the title. From now on it won’t be a cakewalk anymore for Rafa.
A final against Thiem would be very nice for many reasons. It would match up the Clay GOAT against the future of clay court tennis, and I like and respect Thiem. For some reason, which I don’t fully understand, yet, I don’t like Zverev a lot. He’s still young, though. Let’s see how I will see him in a few years from now. He will definitely be around at the top for a long time to come if he remains healthy. Unlike many others he seems to be able to live up to his potential. Whether I like it or not – he is the immediate future of tennis.
Coaching violation Djokovic Lol
Anything else?
Yes I really miss vr!!
And yes the bettors are the lowest of the low with their laughable machismo!!
The reply was for nny above!
Nole can’t hit the bhdtl today. Don’t know if he can win without it…He can’t just keep hitting cross court..
Bring on Theim next!
Unbelievable play by the Italian! I am impressed! I did not see this coming! I still think Novak will win this just will have to do it hard way…
The Italian outplayed Novak in the TB. Now let’s see if he can finish it off. Novak is in a big hole here.
Saves 3 BPs. That’s big.
A very big hole! Hope he can turn this around though, As a Rafa fan, hate to see the top players struggle like this!
He has a break so lets c what happens from here
Just got home and tuned in to the Novak match in time to see the 2nd set tiebreak. Amy mentions above ND is obviously hurt. In what way apart – from the regular brain freezes? From what I’ve seen so far it will come down to who can hold their nerve and commit the least number of stupid errors.
Novak had treatment for a neck issue in the first set.
Cecchinatp has hit the wall.
Didn’t get to see the Thiem-Zverev match but from the scoreline the Slam jinx still has a hold over Sascha.
Zverev had a thigh injury. All those five setters caught up with him.
Cechinatto is capitulating for no reason. Crazy Italian lol
Djoko running with this now
God knows if Thiem will be able to stop Djokovic
Looks to me that this Italian guy is tanking the match. I don’t believe he’s so unfit after only two hours of tennis! He’s much younger than Djoko!
Thiem would beat this Djoko, judging by how Thiem and Djoko played. Thiem won’t allow a two sets lead go away to lose the match, unlike this Italian. Djoko isn’t impressive so far, it’s this Italian making him look good, after the first two sets.
The weird Italian seems to have lost the faith! Too bad he could have made a match of this! This way he is fading for no obvious reason…Novak is still not doing anything special…
Nole is gonna lose now!
Not a chance if he plays the way he has today. The Italian’s level dropped significantly in set 3 and the former No.1 had the experience to profit when his opponent buckled. He won’t have that luxury against Thiem.!!!!
I like the way the crowd are giving encouragement to the underdog.
I think Marco suffered from losing his grip on the match at the beginning of the 3rd set, then he got upset for a code violation for something after losing the set and he just lost control of his game.
I think Djoko is slowly getting there considering where he was at the beginning of the claycourt season.
This match is ugly. The first two sets Djoko played so poorly and it’s only in the second set TB that it’s more competitive. In the third and fourth sets the Italian played/plays so poorly like he’s tanking, and it’s only nearing the end of the fourth set then things get more competitive.
Really disappointing QF matches today.
The Italian guy doesn’t even know how to move his legs to move closer to the baseline, really not very smart player.
See, drop shot and hitting it at the wrong place! When will he have a second chance of a MP? He’s letting Djoko back into the match!
What a miss at match point!
Well done Cecchinato, the win of his life! (so far)
I feel for Novak, he served for the forth!
I feel for him too, he wasn’t at his best, but tried. Both had critical errors at pivotal moments. Minus Set 3, it was a good show from the players.
Well said mona!! The hater on here could learn some class from you! He is an utter pain!
Esp when Novak mishit that ball into the crowd and when it hit the netcord, both at set points! Unlucky!
Yes exactly mona!!😀
CHECCHINATO!!!!!
Cechinatto, Wow! Top 3 in the world quality! Bring on Theim!
Nonsense!
Thiem will reach his first slam final.If Rafa will be his opponent, he will face the only player who has beaten him on clay in the last two seasons. That would be an interesting constellation – if it comes to pass….
His backhand is unreal.
Hi Sanju! What is your feeling?
🙂
haha..I am happy augusta..I did not want Novak close to Rafa..though maybe I was worrying too much 🙂
Unbelievable gutsy performance from the Italian! Well done! Amazing TB! Novak fought so hard but this guy was on the mission!
CECCHINATO WOW
Holy Smoke. What a come back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bookies had Djokovic a 1.08 chance. They were a bit off the mark with that one.
I had a feeling he could trouble Djokovic because although Djokovic has been winning so far I wasn’t convinced about his form. 5 sets to beat Bautista-Agut is not a good sign and Marco has a big game and a great serve.
Exactly, Djoko wasn’t convincing in his wins so far. He’s doing retrieving most of the times and throwing in high loopy defensive shots that first Verdasco, now this Italian, had problems dealing with when they either hit a overhead shot info the net, or hit a weak return back to Djoko who could get back into position by then.
Credit has to be given to Djoko though, for he’s able to up his level once he sensed his opponent’s lapses and could pounce immediately. Verdasco imploded, this Italian guy Marco fortunately didn’t and caught his second wind to win in the end.
Verdasco was awful in his encounter with Djokovic by letting him off the hook, making UFEs, everytime he had the chance to hit a winner.
The Djoker had a very benign draw. But that he went out against a total nobody – I didn’t see this coming.
I’m fairly sure he was bothered by this injury
Djokovic was in the zone and still lost. Lets see what odds they give Theim.
Sanju needs to examine his gut feeling. Thank goodness he won’t bore us with his call on who would win a title anymore.
haha….its the love for rafa that is inducing fear of him losing to his once dangerous opponents..
I cannot understand the meanness though through a personal attack ..but anyways what else can I expect from you..seen this from you many times towards multiple people 🙂 get well soon 🙂
Sanju…I am sorry u always had to endure a ‘stingy’ post from badline10 & augusto08…They act like that coz they love Rafa so much..and i so want to suggest to them to apply to be Rafa’s bodyguard…It suit them!
Oh!…Feel free to voice your opinion next time Sanju!…That’s why we’re all came here…To relief our fears,frustration,disappointment & sharing happiness that’s related to Rafa…WE’RE RAFANS AFTER ALL!!…Yeeehaaa!!
Mira Andi says AT 10:09 PM: “…i so want to suggest to them to apply to be Rafa’s bodyguard…It suit them…Feel free to voice your opinion next time Sanju!
===
I am going to be Rafa’s ‘bodyguard’ on the GS! 🙂
And, secondly, I feel free to voice my opinion on the GS (until it suits to the owner of the site)! 🙂
augusta!..Hahaha…Yeah!…I know that too!…It’s just,it’s hard to see u slashed our fellow Rafans here..They’re all nice people augusta….Oh!How i wish u would come to TX & deal with Rafa haters there!…Urgh!!..It’s unbearable sometimes!
Mira Andi AT 4:14 AM,
I read TX in 2010/2011 (I have read many websites to get information), but anti-Rafa propaganda made by its owners/employees made the website unbearable.
You guys are lucky to have Mira as a Nadal fan here. She’s one connecting the bricks and reminding everyone thay despite having different temperaments and views sometimes, you are still on the same side. Well done lady.
Geez Nadline, chill out! Sanju was just giving his opinion. Just because he happened to be wrong and the initial opinion wasn’t in favor of Rafa doesn’t mean you have to be so damn condescending to Sanju and so sensitive/defensive about your guy. You don’t have to take every comment that isn’t worshipping Nadal as a personal insult towards him.
Finally, what a point to win the MP and the match!
Djoko is there for the taking,I’m sorry to say that, and it’s the Italian guy’s inexperience that it takes him so long to win this match. My commies here said this is the greatest match at RG, my goodness, how low is their standard! The greatest match for this Italian guy maybe, certainly not a high quality match except there’s the drama of an underdog beating a former champion here.
Djoko was really serving very poorly in the TB, he had SPs and couldn’t convert to stay in the match. The Italian guy’s team members are so emotional about this win, one guy is crying, really happy for them for winning this match against Djoko and reaching the SF of a slam for the first time.
Both Bolelli and Foggy must have envied this Marco’s path to the SF at least, when Bolelli has to meet Rafa in R1, and Foggy has to deal with Cilic, even if he won that one there’s still Delpo to deal with.
I disagree, this match was of the highest order. Top 3 in the world quality from both of them.
Hahaha.!!!you are so full of it! Given your obsession with betting why don’t you stay on the daily picks thread with the other bettors! That’s much more your style and you would be with kindred spirits!
Theim 1.14
Cechinatto 6.70
There will be a ocean of money for Cechinatto at that price.
Wouldnt surprise me if those odds come into 3s.
The errors Nole made several times with the open court show how lacking in confidence he still is…I know that pleases some people but the tour would be a lot better with him and Andy back on form
I think his neck or shoulder issue might have hindered him, some of his misses in the TB esp after he leveled the score were inexplicable.
According to Eurosport, Djokovic declined to go the press conference but held one with just a handful of journalists and he says he might skip the grass season.
Huh? Skipping the grass season? That means his injury issues are more serious than we thought. Poor soul, I wonder did he really fully recovered before making a comeback in Jan this year.
What happen to these top players (Djoko, Murray, Stan and also Raonic)? Why are they getting so seriously injured and have to take so long to get fully recovered? And, they all suffered serious injuries at about the same time!
Very very weird indeed
Tennis reporter Carole Bouchard tweeted: “Djokovic rushed to press but not in the main room.
“Settled in room 2: chaos followed. He’s obviously dejected, super angry and disappointed.
“Said he missed too many chances. Added that he wasn’t sure if he’d be playing on grass at all.
“P***** off is an understatement for his mood.”
A visibly disappointed Djokovic appeared in no mood to chat during his press conference but credited his opponent for an entertaining affair.
“I mean, he played amazing and credit to him. Congrats for a great performance. He came out very well,” Djokovic said.
I struggled from the beginning. Unfortunately, it took me time to get well, and struggled with a little injury, as well, at the beginning. And after, when I warmed up, it was better.
But, yeah, just a pity that I couldn’t capitalize on the chances in the 4-1 in the fourth set and some break points that I thought I had in there, but he came back and credit to him
Maybe, the Djoker is just frustrated. Why should he skip the grass season?? Doesn’t make any sense. He was slowly getting better after all. Can’t he deal with his lowered status? A true champion has to deall with these situations. If the Djoker can’t do this, he may be really finished..
Btw, Rafa has been the oldest player in the singles draw for quite a few rounds now! I haven’t checked if there even was an older player in the draw.
Tennis: Beaten Djokovic Says May He Skip Wimbledon
By Reuters
June 5, 2018
PARIS — Novak Djokovic said he does not know if will play the grasscourt season after tumbling out of the French Open on Tuesday.
The Serb, three-times a Wimbledon champion, appeared distraught after his quarter-final defeat by unseeded Marco Cecchinato in which he was treated for neck pain.
“I don’t know if I’m going to play on grass,” Djokovic told a media conference room minutes after walking off court.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
Does anyone get through a long tennis career without a serious injury or three?
The wonder is that Djokovic lasted so long without major injury. As well as needing to rehab his knee I believe Stan lost Magnus Norman as his coach, which was a serious blow. Raonic seems to be prone to problems. Murray’s had some issues, back surgery a couple of years ago, among other things. But really what’s happened to all of them is gettin’ older.
Why did Stan part with Magnus Norman? The guy has done wonders for him.
Watch ITV 4 for Djokovic’s statement now.
I just came home to see that Novak lost. Reading his comments after the match are concerning. How much is injury and how much is him not being able to find his form again? He sounds pretty bad from what I have read.
He wasn’t injured. I watched every minute of the match. He made errors.
right calf injury supposedly
here are some tweets
Christopher Clarey
Verified account
@christophclarey
50m50 minutes ago
More
Have seen Novak Djokovic at quite a few low moments. That rushed news conference was one of the very lowest. He didn’t see that defeat coming
Christopher Clarey
Verified account
@christophclarey
19m19 minutes ago
More
Just to be clear: It was Djokovic’s decision to come to his press conference so quickly after the match and it was Djokovic’s decision to go into a smaller interview room despite being informed that it was not the ideal spot given the interest in the match.
Matt Zemek
@mzemek
41m41 minutes ago
More
Everything which *seems* to be coming out of the Djokovic presser *appears* (I won’t use absolutist language here) to reflect frustration more than the confusion which marked Djokovic’s March and early April…
which tells me the “no-grass” remark contains no real news value.
Yes, saying he might not play the grass season was just a flippant comment because of his mood, I don’t think he really means it. Unless he’s injured, it would be churlish of him to skip the grass season because of his disappointment of losing the match today. All players have had bitter losses, but they still get over it and carry on. Rafa lost to Verdasco in the 1st round at the AO in 2016 after a disappointing 2015 but still kept working to improve his game.
Cecchinato had as much right to win the match as Djokovic. It the outcome is decided by reputation only then there would be no need to play the match. Matches are won on court that’s why predictions are only for fun.
NNY, the Djoker had a super comfortable draw. I think he might be extremely frustrated right now. He really should’ve made it into the semis, even if Thiem would probably have been too high a hurdle for him atm. Let’s wait how the world looks for him after a few days…
littlefoot,
Thanks. I was thinking that Novak might sound a bit rash right now. When he calms down, he will see things differently.
I do agree that Novak has a favorable draw. He knows it, too. He should have won this match. He knows that, too. I also agree that Thiem would have been too much for him.
He just needs to calm down and get some perspective.
I feel sorry for him nny!
Missing some of those set points with an open court has to hurt!
He shouldn’t have spent so much time with that idiot pepe…it’s affected his competitive abilities! I hate people who set themselves up as gurus!!
amy,
This is a tough loss for him. It’s a psychological blow. The fact that he had chances makes it even worse. But being two sets down is always a difficult climb,
Novak needs to calm down and put this in perspective.
You think that guru is really responsible for his woes now?
amy says AT 7:02 PM:”He shouldn’t have spent so much time with that idiot pepe…it’s affected his competitive abilities!”
===
Hmm. But he is still yelling at ballkids:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/De8AHXmXUAA8CyB.jpg
Well it’s Nole ‘s responsibility for frittering away time listening to him! But he certainly had a very bad affect on his game and then the time away for injury. When he made the inexplicable errors it reminded me a bit of when rafa lost confidence in 2015. Not that I want to start comparing rafa and Nole as there are so many obvious differences!
When you lose confidence, playing against a significantly lower ranked player who everyone expect you to beat can be really tough! We saw a bit of that when rafa went mentally AWOL against Marterer in the third set. The pressure rafa is under with everyone saying he will win RG probably without dropping a set is really horrible and I do get scared for him at times.
amy says AT 7:45 PM: “We saw a bit of that when rafa went mentally AWOL against Marterer in the third set. ”
===
It’s just your interpretation!
Rafa said: “…in the third set, I had the chance at the beginning to get the break and probably take an important advantage to close the match, but I didn’t convert it. I then made a couple of mistakes with my serve, and then I suffered in a tough third set. I stopped [using my] legs a little bit, in terms of playing aggressive, and that, of course, made the match more equal. He’s a good player.”
https://youtu.be/JZaQWxIKpW8
Djoko obviously not at his best and still some way to go. It’s not only in this match but in his previous matches too, it’s obvious for those watching him to see that.
It’s more the Italian guy’s own undoing during the third set that they needed the fourth set that gave Djoko some hope. The Italian hit so many winners and his serve was a weapon; Djoko wasn’t as match fit as he used to be so he couldn’t maintain a high level (when given a chance once his opponent had his lapses) throughout.
His previous few round opponents weren’t good enough to capitalize on Djoko’s weaknesses, this Marco at least got a second wind and managed to do that. Djoko is not going to beat Thiem even if he gets past Marco, imo.
rafa on chartier tomm..he got chartier over cilic-delpo..
rafas match follows garbine maria match
Not surprising. Rafa is the world #1 and 10 times champion.
Cecchinato is from Sicily and has once been banned for match fixing. Wow! Well, he has earned so much money the honest way in the past week that he may not have to resort to these desperate measures anytime soon, lol!
While match fixing is totally wrong, I’m hesitant to ride the high horse and condemn the low level players. They really earn far too little, and it’s very hard to make a living for them.
What I cannot understand is why players like Dolgo become involved in such schemes…
littlefoot,
To be clear, Cecchinato was cleared of the match fixing charges.
NNY, no I don’t think so! He has been actually banned. But maybe, you have a different source…
In my source it said explicitly that match fixing had been proven.
NNY, you are right. It took a while to clear him, though. I looked up another source.
They said on the tennis channel that he was cleared,
NNY apparently he has been banned for 18 months and was hit with a huge fine. But an appeal court cleared him. That’s quite a story. I need to learn more about this.
Match fixing is a huge problem on the lower levels because it’s fairly easy in comparison with team sports, and it’s hard to prove. Even if the bets get suspended it’s hard to prove if the match was fixed or not. Lower ranked players need to earn more money.
It’s a huge problem, littlefoot. According to the pro at my local club, you pretty much have to be in the top 150, maybe 100, to earn a decent living in tennis.
By comparison, if you’re the 100th best player in the world in many sports, you’re a multi-millionaire. Tennis may be the most unequal sport in terms of pay, even more so than golf.
Joe, I agree with you. The income of the lower ranked players is ridiculously low, although they may technically still belong to the best tennis players in the world. It’s just not right. And the tempatation to fix a match is huge, because it seems to be so easy, and the player may get more money than he would earn by winning the whole low thier tournament.
he wasn’t technically cleared
Ittlefoot,
Thanks for getting more info. I don’t know that many are familiar with this. I was surprised when I heard about Dolgopolov being accused of match fixing.
that is incorrect
Could you elaborate? The various accounts differ.
Ricky, you are right. Cecchinato hasn’t been technically cleared at all. But there have been irregularities in the process of evidence collection, and the evidence could therefore not be used against him.
Whatever -he won this match fair and square. I highl doubt that the Djoker fixed this match, lol! Although his 4th set collapse looks highly suspicious to me.
The bbc forecast for tomorrow is awful with thunderstorms and light rain all day…
But the forecast for semi-final day is perfect! Sunny and light winds!
Well, Rafa and Diego both have to deal with the bad weather tomorrow. But if Rafa makes it into the semis on Friday, good weather might be important since he will face one of the big hitters, who could make life unpleasant for him on sluggish clay with heavy balls.
Uh oh! Bad weather! No!
littlefoot,
Thank you again for the clarification regarding match fixing with Cecchinato. They did not get into it in any detail on the tennis channel. But they did say he was cleared. It sounds a bit more complicated. If the evidence could not be used against him, then that would be whinthe appeals court might have cleared him.
But as you said, he won this match fair and square.
NNY, yes, the case seems to be complicated.
Dologopolov’s case is stunning. As far as I know, it could not be proven. But insiders who watched the match swear that Dolgo tried his damned best to lose that match. And the betting pattern was so suspicious that most betting agencies shut the bets down. One should think, though, that Dolgo can make a living as a tennis pro without supplementing his income through match fixing . But then, he is Ukrainian, lol! And since he has some kind of chronic illness which can always flare up, it’s very hard to prove anything conclusively since he has a built-in excuse for playing great one day and lousy the next.
I should add that Dolgo is one of my favorite players. I’m not accusing him lightly.
littlefoot,
I remember hearing about the accusation of match fixing against Dolgo. It was during a match he was playing and they talked about it quite a bit, I don’t remember when this was. I can believe it would be hard to prove, given that he is so inconsistent. But it is really disturbing to find out that this is going on in the sport.
NNY, it became known during last year’s US Open. Dolgo was asked about it, and basically told all journos to get lost, lol!
I don’t think that match fixing is a big problem at top level tennis. As we have discussed, it’s normally the lower ranked players who are tempted because it’s easy and they need the money.
I think what we’re finally seeing, as I’ve been saying for awhile, is clear evidence that the top guys are past their best. Novak did not play poorly today, though he didn’t capitalize as he said. But he is 31, and dealing with nagging injuries that anyone that age has to deal with. Murray and Stan are both past their best, even if they come back. They won’t be winning slams, and Djokovic is not going to attain his 2015-16 level again.
I also think Nadal is past his best, which was last year in a short last hurrah. He is good enough that he is still the best on clay, and he may win another couple RG’s (more likely just one, imo). He is 32 and almost certainly done winning slams elsewhere. Fed, meanwhile, is long past his best, which ended around 2010-11. Only the switch to a larger racquet helped to prolong his career, which had been in decline before then. But even on an abbreviated schedule he is no lock to win more slams. Perhaps this wimby will be his last.
We’re finally looking at the end of the greatest era of men’s tennis.
That’s the normal course of the things,father time catches us all in the end.
Just saw the replay of the match and fair play to Cechinatto,was ripping winners in the first two sets and played some really inspired tennis troughout the match.
IMO,Djoko STILL has time to rack up some Majors. He’s definitely a step slower now,but still a fast player around the court. The thing is,he can’t just retract himself behind the baseline,relying on his defense and grinding out everyone,like he did in the past. He has to start taking more risks,being more agressive and going for the lines. Sure that’s a bit far from his comfort zone right now,but remember,he was a very agressive player on his early years. It’s just on his head,if he has the will to improve like Fedal always had,he’ll be back to a very good level of tennis before fading away.
But Fedal’s will is pretty unique. The Djoker might not be on par with them in this category…
littlefoot,
I agree with you. I do not think that Novak is on a par with Rsfa and Fed in this category. I think what Rafa and Fed are doing now is extraordinary. It is a testament to their love for this sport and their willingness to keep on keeping on.
I am not saying that Novak is done for certain. I would never say never. But I think he is going to have to search inside himself and find the will and desire to keep on fighting.
NNY, and you know what? If the Djoker doesn’t find this extra gear which is necessary for playing near the very top – well, maybe there are other more important things in his life now. Tennis isn’t everything. The Djoker had one of the greatest tennis careers ever. Whatever he does with the rest of his life, it’s his business.
You are probably right littlefoot. Everything was going amazingly well for Novak and suddenly everything started falling apart.First,the personal life problems(cheating stuff) and then the physical ones. That surely makes it even harder to comeback to a higher level again.
The balance between personal life/career of Fedal is just notable.
To think that Rafa had so many setbacks due to injuries and was always able to comeback stronger makes him such a special individual!
It really makes me angry to see people talking about Djoko like if he’s a complete nobody. After all,he had a brilliant career and whatever happens from now on,he already is a stablished ATG.
IMO,Djoko probably was never as strong as Fedal off the court. I remember that after losing to Melzer in 2010 RG,he said that he thought about retiring after that loss.
In the other hand,Federer said that he wasn’t thinking about retiring,right after all those painful losses in GS finals against Djoko.
Agree woth Joe and Gaviria. I wouldn’t add that the change of generations is already happening, probably faster than most of us expected, although Fedal won the last 5 slams.
Craig O’Shannessy, the strategist for the ATP Tour and an adviser to Djokovic, was impressed with the Italian’s game plan, suggesting he could even threaten Nadal, should they both make the final.
“Cecchinato is a really bad match-up for Nadal, out of everyone who’s left, and maybe the way he’s playing right now, if he carries this form in, maybe even more than Thiem,” O’Shannessy told ESPN.com. “Sneaking in, the drop shots, he’s so smart. It’s great, it’s entertaining, smart, he’s so good this guy.”
Cecchinato has already shown that anything is possible. Should he get past Thiem, then even Nadal might be concerned.
http://www.espn.com/tennis/story/_/id/23706509/french-open-nowhere-marco-cecchinato-now-road-somewhere-paris
I doubt that he will get past Thiem. I also doubt that he will be a bigger threat for Rafa than Thiem, should they meet in the final. That’s laughable!
Jim Courier AT 10:28 PM,
The Fed devotees’ propaganda apparatus always dreams of beating Rafa!
It wasn’t Stan’s choice. Magnus Norman moved on to other things, I forget the whole story. Maybe something to do with his kids getting older.
Novak was too nervous in this match! He acted wildly in some of his celebrations and I was unpleasantly surprised when he had one of his celebration outbursts on Checcinato’s huge miss at the net! I felt sorry for the guy and thought how that would pretty much kill his underdog confidence and belief. But out of nowhere he came back and fought for the win! Respect for that!
Novak clearly has issues not only form wise but mentally as well. He did not expect to lose this one, neither did his team. But these things happen on the way back from the injury lay off and Novak should overcome this situation and move on. I don’t think he is injured, he is just too disappointed at the moment to think clearly. Don’t think he will skip grass season!
All these injury reports are completely bs and are to be used for a excuse. Look at del potro. He said he has a groin tear and wasn’t even gonna play French open but he did and he is completely fine. Ya can’t use I jury excuses for djoker.
After re-watching the end of the match, it wouldn’t surprise me if Novak is still having problem with his elbow. The form on his FH looked off to me, and although it’s possible that it’s due to fatigue, I think it’s more likely that the elbow hasn’t fully healed or perhaps was re-injured recently.
I doubt Djokovic would flippantly suggest skipping the grass court season simply as a reaction to a tough loss. He’s had too much success on that surface for him to skip it unless he has a good reason, so I’m guessing that there really is an injury of some sort.
Novak himself totally denied this. Why would he lie about such a thing?
We will see if he really will skip the grass court season.
But this reaction is indeed alarming. He could’ve said that he couldn’t wait for the grass court season.
Yes, all the injuries is BS. There were no complaints when he was dishing it to his opponents and winning in straight sets. All of a sudden when the scoreboard changes, the injuries start hurting and affecting their gameplay.