'24 Aus Open Day 11 Order of Play & Discussion

[texasniteowl]

Is he THAT good today or is Alcaraz helping a lot by underperforming?

Both?

I mean...I don't watch Zverev a ton...but this has got to be the best match he's played since the ankle injury at least...everything is clicking...especially the serve. I think ESPN showed the stat that through the first 2 sets he only missed 5 first serves?

Alcaraz's errors and energy are certainly somewhat unusual, but Zverev is ON so far.

[texasniteowl]

and of course I had to say something, but he has definitely tightened up trying to serve for it.

[texasniteowl]

so, from 1-6, 3-6, 3-5...does Alcaraz come back to win it?

Zverev has gone from tight to tentative (and tired?). And Alcaraz has completely picked it up.

[texasniteowl]

Well, that was still a heck of a match for Zverev. He should have won it in the 3rd but good for him for being able to still pull it out.

[ashkor87]

Zverev is really a better player than people think.. last year's FO performance was awesome..

[jazzyg]

I didn't see that coming either, but Zverev actualy was good against Norrie, who played the best tennis of his career at this tournament. Norrie took out Ruud easily in the previous round, and Ruud had crushed him the two previous times they met. I was really impressed by how Zverev won the match tiebreak against Norrie 10-3. Up until that point it was an even match, and he just dominated the tiebreak.

Alcaraz has not won an event since Wimbledon. He certainly has not been at the top of his game for several months.

[Suliso]

Yes, but we were expecting more from Alcaraz.

[nelslus]

I think Zverev is trying really hard to to move up as high as possible so he can get a good protected ranking while in jail for domestic abuse.

Prepare yourself for Novak's near-future tear-stained Newport* Tennis HOF Induction speech for Zverev.

While Ben Shelton gets a lifetime ban due to his telephone shtik. 'Cause, as Novak and Medvedev have pointed out- THAT is what is REALLY wrong with tennis.

(*Although by that point, they'll have switched the HOF to Saudi Arabia).

[ti-amie]

I think Alcaraz plays too much. I was surprised to see him on the entry lists for some of the Golden Swing tournaments .

[JTContinental]

Zverev is really a better player than people think.. last year's FO performance was awesome..

I'm not sure that's true. I think most people think Zverev is pretty good, they just don't want him to be because he is a garbage person off the court.

[skatingfan]

Prepare yourself for Novak's near-future tear-stained Newport* Tennis HOF Induction speech for Zverev.

This is the last year for the tournament at Newport so will they still bother with a Hall of Fame event if there's no tennis tournament.

[ashkor87]

I wonder how much Alcaraz is affected by Ferrero's absence....

[Fastbackss]

The thing that stuck out to me during that match was how cleanly (and effortlessly) zverev was hitting the ball.
Alcaraz was consistently the one pressing just to try and stay in points