ATP & WTA rankings

[nelslus]

Shelton will crack the top 20 next week with 5 of his countable ranking slots still being taken by challengers.

#19 at present. Insane. Didn't get the chance to watch this. Will have to look at this match when I get back to Chicago. SO impressive.

He played loose and took his chances. Big-match player. I give him a puncher’s chance vs Djokovic (at least to take a set). He loves the crowd.


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I'd say, 0 sets. VERY happy if I'm wrong.

[atlpam]

After watching the 3rd set, which had 6 breaks of serve before going to a tiebreak, Djokovic will need to be ill/hobbled for Shelton to take advantage. He can't hang with Djokovic for long rallies, and Djokovic will put serves back in play. Ben still has a tendency to showboat, going for the serve speed record when up 40-0 on his service game, which resulted in 2 double faults in a row, in one case (and Dad/coach shaking his head in the stands). Djokovic will not let him get away with that.

[ponchi101]

Shelton will crack the top 20 next week with 5 of his countable ranking slots still being taken by challengers.

#19 at present. Insane. Didn't get the chance to watch this. Will have to look at this match when I get back to Chicago. SO impressive.

He played loose and took his chances. Big-match player. I give him a puncher’s chance vs Djokovic (at least to take a set). He loves the crowd.


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I say he has not played a "big match" yet. QF's against Tiafoe does not quite make that category.
Semi's vs The Goat at the USO? Now you are talking.

[meganfernandez]

#19 at present. Insane. Didn't get the chance to watch this. Will have to look at this match when I get back to Chicago. SO impressive.

He played loose and took his chances. Big-match player. I give him a puncher’s chance vs Djokovic (at least to take a set). He loves the crowd.


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I say he has not played a "big match" yet. QF's against Tiafoe does not quite make that category.
Semi's vs The Goat at the USO? Now you are talking.

I think QF night match at the Open against a Top 10 player is a big match. Nothing compares to playing the GOAT or an established champion, but there were a lot of eyes on this match with a spot in his first semi on the line. Biggest match of his life so far. He loves it.

[meganfernandez]

After watching the 3rd set, which had 6 breaks of serve before going to a tiebreak, Djokovic will need to be ill/hobbled for Shelton to take advantage. He can't hang with Djokovic for long rallies, and Djokovic will put serves back in play. Ben still has a tendency to showboat, going for the serve speed record when up 40-0 on his service game, which resulted in 2 double faults in a row, in one case (and Dad/coach shaking his head in the stands). Djokovic will not let him get away with that.

You might be right about long rallies, but I'm optimistic that he will impose his game. That's one thing Ben does really well. He definitely won't have the crap attitude that Fritz did for the whole match. Ben will embrace the moment and that will help him. You cynics! Do I expect him to win? No, but I expect him to show, to compete very well, and possibly make it interesting. I think he has a puncher's chance with that serve, big game, attitude, and crowd. This is Djokovic's worst Slam and he evidently isn't feeling 100%.

[Fastbackss]

The stat that got me is that he has not won 2 matches in a row since the Australian Open (challenger excluded). So yeah, he likes the stage.

But I agree. I don't see him being able to "push" Djokovic off the way he often did to Frances. Ben controlled more points than he will be able to against Novak. With his serve he could still take a set but I don't see him being ready... yet.

(And I chortled when he did the "big second serve" TWICE when up 40-0)

[meganfernandez]

The stat that got me is that he has not won 2 matches in a row since the Australian Open (challenger excluded). So yeah, he likes the stage.

But I agree. I don't see him being able to "push" Djokovic off the way he often did to Frances. Ben controlled more points than he will be able to against Novak. With his serve he could still take a set but I don't see him being ready... yet.

(And I chortled when he did the "big second serve" TWICE when up 40-0)

That stat is crazy, and good observation about the stage. I wonder if he isn't as motivated in smaller tournaments, too. He lost to No 178 Jerry Shang, former junior No. 1, twice in a row in the summer - DC and Atlanta.

[meganfernandez]

Iga's thoughts on losing No. 1. Very insightful and positive.

[ti-amie]

He played loose and took his chances. Big-match player. I give him a puncher’s chance vs Djokovic (at least to take a set). He loves the crowd.


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I say he has not played a "big match" yet. QF's against Tiafoe does not quite make that category.
Semi's vs The Goat at the USO? Now you are talking.

I think QF night match at the Open against a Top 10 player is a big match. Nothing compares to playing the GOAT or an established champion, but there were a lot of eyes on this match with a spot in his first semi on the line. Biggest match of his life so far. He loves it.

Both Zverev and Medvedev said they would be watching Shelton vs Tiafoe.

Tiafoe had his chances but surprisingly he lost the third set TB.
That third set was a war.

[FredX]

After watching the 3rd set, which had 6 breaks of serve before going to a tiebreak, Djokovic will need to be ill/hobbled for Shelton to take advantage. He can't hang with Djokovic for long rallies, and Djokovic will put serves back in play. Ben still has a tendency to showboat, going for the serve speed record when up 40-0 on his service game, which resulted in 2 double faults in a row, in one case (and Dad/coach shaking his head in the stands). Djokovic will not let him get away with that.

You might be right about long rallies, but I'm optimistic that he will impose his game. That's one thing Ben does really well. He definitely won't have the crap attitude that Fritz did for the whole match. Ben will embrace the moment and that will help him. You cynics! Do I expect him to win? No, but I expect him to show, to compete very well, and possibly make it interesting. I think he has a puncher's chance with that serve, big game, attitude, and crowd. This is Djokovic's worst Slam and he evidently isn't feeling 100%.

And he seems to be completely fearless...which is something Djokovic doesn't really ever face. I figure if Djere can take two sets off of him, why not Shelton?

[nelslus]

THIS time, I feel it's gonna be a blood-bath. Novak's gonna want to show this "kid" something. I expect a very, VERY bad scoreline. I more just hope that Ben can find a very solid career, and keep on improving. He WILL have to learn how to play better at "regular" ATP events. In any case, his Aussie and US Open results are very impressive, regardless. (BTW, IMO, his Tommy Paul win DOES qualify as a big-match Slam result. AND- perhaps to a lesser extent- his destroying Karatsev.)

[ponchi101]

...

And he seems to be completely fearless...which is something Djokovic doesn't really ever face. I figure if Djere can take two sets off of him, why not Shelton?

Djokovic does not face fearlessness? He has been playing Roger and Rafa for over 20 years. I don't recall those two every showing fear.
Djere took two sets from Novak because he is Serbian too and Novak does not like to crush his fellow countrymen.

And about this match being a bloodbath: nah, that's not going to happen either. It will be a controlled win, but we are not going to see a 1-1-2 scoreline. It will be a regular, methodical win.

[ti-amie]

I expect a bloodbath too. He doesn't want another "kid" showing him up like Carlos did at Wimbledon.

[skatingfan]

I expect a bloodbath too. He doesn't want another "kid" showing him up like Carlos did at Wimbledon.

Djokovic will want to keep the crowd out of it, and the best way to do that is to blunt Shelton early, and often.

[FredX]

...

And he seems to be completely fearless...which is something Djokovic doesn't really ever face. I figure if Djere can take two sets off of him, why not Shelton?

Djokovic does not face fearlessness? He has been playing Roger and Rafa for over 20 years. I don't recall those two every showing fear.
Djere took two sets from Novak because he is Serbian too and Novak does not like to crush his fellow countrymen.

And about this match being a bloodbath: nah, that's not going to happen either. It will be a controlled win, but we are not going to see a 1-1-2 scoreline. It will be a regular, methodical win.

I would say that Novak's been in both Roger's and Rafa's headspace for at least the last decade.