'23 RG Day 13 OoP & Discussion

[ti-amie]

Court PHILIPPE-CHATRIER

Women’s Wheelchair Doubles
SEMIFINALS
JPN Y.Kamiji (1)/RSA K.Montjane (1) vs FRA P.Deroulede/FRA E.Morch
Men’s Singles
UPCOMING
SEMIFINALS
ESP C.Alcaraz (1) vs SRB N.Djokovic (3)
Men’s Singles
UPCOMING
SEMIFINALS
NOR C.Ruud (4) vs GER A.Zverev (22)

Court SUZANNE-LENGLEN

Women’s Legends
FRA N.Dechy/FRA T.Golovin vs USA L.Davenport/SVK D.Hantuchova
Men’s Legends
UPCOMING
ESP S.Bruguera/SWE M.Wilander vs FRA M.Bahrami/FRA A.Clement
Mixed Legends
UPCOMING
ITA F.Pennetta/USA M.Chang vs ITA F.Schiavone/FRA H.Leconte

Court SIMONNE-MATHIEU

Women’s Doubles
SEMIFINALS
CAN L.Fernandez (10)/USA T.Townsend (10) USA vs C.Gauff (2) USA/J.Pegula (2)
Women’s Doubles
UPCOMING
SEMIFINALS
USA N.Melichar-Martinez (6)/AUS E.Perez (6) vs TPE SW.Hsieh/CHN X.Wang

Court 14

Girls’ Singles
SEMIFINALS
--- A.Korneeva (3) vs --- A.Oktiabreva
Boys’ Singles
UPCOMING
SEMIFINALS
USA D.Blanch vs CRO D.Prizmic (3)
Girls’ Doubles
UPCOMING
SEMIFINALS
--- A.Korneeva (1)/JPN S.Saito (1) vs SVK R.Jamrichova (3)/ITA F.Urgesi (3)
Boys’ Doubles
UPCOMING
SEMIFINALS
AUS C.Camus/CZE J.Hrazdil vs ITA L.Sciahbasi/ITA G.Vulpitta

Court 7

Women’s Wheelchair Doubles
SEMIFINALS
NED D.De Groot/ARG MF.Moreno vs JPN M.Tanaka (2)/CHN Z.Zhu (2)
Men’s Wheelchair Doubles
UPCOMING
SEMIFINALS
FRA S.Houdet/JPN T.Sanada vs ESP M.De La Puente (2)/ARG G.Fernandez (2)
Men’s Wheelchair Doubles
UPCOMING
SEMIFINALS
GBR A.Hewett (1)/GBR G.Reid (1) vs BEL J.Gerard/JPN T.Oda

Court 6

Boys’ Singles
SEMIFINALS
BOL JC.Prado Angelo (8) vs USA L.Tien
Girls’ Singles
UPCOMING
SEMIFINALS
PER L.Perez Alarcon (6) vs --- A.Gureva
Boys’ Doubles
UPCOMING
SEMIFINALS
--- Y.Demin (1)/MEX R.Pacheco Mendez (1) vs GER D.Fix/GER M.Majdandzic
Girls’ Doubles
UPCOMING
SEMIFINALS
JPN S.Ishii (4)/JPN E.Koike (4) vs USA TC.Grant (6)/USA C.Ngounoue (6)

Court 13

Quad Wheelchair Doubles
SEMIFINALS
JPN K.Sugeno/USA D.Wagner vs AUS H.Davidson (2)/CAN R.Shaw (2)
Quad Wheelchair Doubles
UPCOMING
SEMIFINALS
NED S.Schroder (1)/NED N.Vink (1) vs GBR A.Lapthorne/RSA D.Ramphadi

[ponchi101]

First break goes to Novak, and Carlitos is spraying some balls.
To watch or not to watch.

[jazzyg]

Whether or not he comes back to win this match, Alcaraz needs to improve his return of serve. When he faced Djokovic in Madrid last year, the only reason the match was close was the number of serves he could not get back into play, and it really hurt him in the first set today.

Djokovic has a good serve, but Alcaraz seems to have more problems with it than most top players.

[Suliso]

So far the new generation doesn't impress so much. Yet again...

[ponchi101]

Alcaraz serves for the set. Can't.
Three set points for him on Djokovic's serve. Can't.
But this guy is playing the GOAT. We have to remember that.

[ponchi101]

Carlos has cramped, and this may be pretty much over.

[Suliso]

Alcaraz serves for the set. Can't.
Three set points for him on Djokovic's serve. Can't.
But this guy is playing the GOAT. We have to remember that.

GOAT indeed, but at the very end of his career. A loss here on his favorite surface will be a huge setback for Alcaraz. No hiding from it...

[ponchi101]

Remember what I said a few years ago. Whenever these guys would lose (Rofer/Rafa/Nole) it would be age, not any new player. They were/are that special.
Has Carlitos stated clay is his favorite surface? He obviously likes it, but his slam was at the USO and he plays very well there. Serious question, I really don't know.

[Suliso]

Carlitos was supposed to be GOAT level, not merely another Tsitsipas. I measure him by that standard.

[ponchi101]

How about Medvedev level? One slam, several MS1000's, still of course an entire career ahead of him.
BTW. Rune also seems to have stamina issues; sometimes he looks gassed. Is it they are too young? That should be counterintuitive, because you should have all the energy in the world. They play similar styles, and this would be the second time in one year that Alcaraz can't finish a match playing well because of physical problems (he broke down in Rio).

[Suliso]

Must be fitness issues. Obviously Alcaraz might come back from this stronger and win 10+ Slams. However, I believe it would be dishonest for him or his fans to say it's no big deal.

Is clay Alcaraz's favorite surface? By results yes, by his opinion I don't know.

[mick1303]

Must be fitness issues. Obviously Alcaraz might come back from this stronger and win 10+ Slams. However, I believe it would be dishonest for him or his fans to say it's no big deal.

Is clay Alcaraz's favorite surface? By results yes, by his opinion I don't know.

I do not agree that this is a major setback for Alcaraz. He'll have a plethora of chances. He has a clear direction where to improve - the return. At his age Federer and Djokovic did not have neither results nor a complete game like this. Carlito will be all right

[jazzyg]

You can just look at Alcaraz' game and know he is better than Medvedev, Tsitsipas or any player from the last 20 years not named Djokovic, Federer or Nadal.

But the cramping issue is a concern for the short term and maybe longer if he cannot figure out the problem. I seriously doubt it will be a long term thing, but you never know.

Djokovic looked to be the better player even before the cramping, but that means little. Jabeur was the better player than Haddad Maia until she wasn't.

[Suliso]

Roger beat Pete at his favorite tournament at age 19...

[ponchi101]

Roger beat Pete at his favorite tournament at age 19...

I did not want to bring up the accomplishments of the past champions because it makes me look like the "old man yells at clouds" and I know Skatingfan is waiting to put that GIF up once more
But...
As you say, Roger beat Pete.
Pete beat Lendl at the USO at 19.
Wilander took out Vilas in 1982 at 17, Chang took out Lendl, while cramping, in 5 sets. Borg was already a machine at 17, and I can't remember him ever cramping in any match.
The number of players that at 19 were already in top shape is not trivial. I remember the story of Gullikson sending Sampras to train with Lendl for a week, and, upon returning, calling Lendl to ask him what he had done to Pete (Pete was destroyed after one week of training with Lendl). Lendl, reportedly, told him: "He has all the strokes, but he needs to get in proper shape".
Of course, Pete did.