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ATP Finals: Novak Djokovic is flawless

November 17, 2022 by
Novak Djokovic
Mal Taam/MALTphoto

Novak Djokovic is climbing. On Wednesday he crushed Andrey Rublev 6-4 6-1. In the second set, the multiple Grand Slam champion played spectacularly, with his super consistent backhand, speed, and deep returns. When Djokovic is on, it is very tough for the best players to upend him.

Rublev can whack his backhand. But, if he can’t figure out his opponent, he collapses.

“He went down in his energy a little in the second and I wanted to use the momentum and energy from my side in the first few games and it was a flawless second set,” Djokovic said.

Djokovic has won four sets in his first two round-robin matches, gaining a path into the semis. Yes, when he is on, he can beat anyone. He is the favorite, ready to win another huge event. , but there are still some very good players who can overtake him.

Stefanos Tsitsipas almost lost against the former No. 1 Daniil Medvedev, but he won 6-3 6-7(11) 7-6(1). Medvedev was up 5-4 with a break. But he made a few awful errors, and it was 5-5. After that, he collapsed, while Tsitsipas rose up, with some wonderful shots.

Medvedev won’t advance to the semis, as he lost both matches. He did win at the 2021 US Open, but this year, he has had some bizarre tournaments. Of course he is extremely consistent when he is on. However, over the past 12 months, he has not added his game. Of course he has a fast first serve, and also, his forehand and his backhand are more regular, but he doesn’t come at the net enough. Also, he does not attack on his returns. If he wants to win another Slam next year, or at the ATP 1000s, then when he practices in December, he was to changed it up.

Tsitsipas and Rublev are are 1-1 in the Red Group and will face each other on Friday. The pressure will be huge. Whomever wins will go into the semis, so they will slash each other, toe to toe.

In the Green Group, Rafa Nadal lost both matches in straight sets and won’t advance. Casper Ruud is undefeated and Taylor Fritz and Felix Auger-Aliassime are vying for a slot in the semis.

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Will Stefanos Tsitsipas become No. 1?

November 13, 2022 by
Stefanos Tsitsipas
Mal Taam/MALTphoto

Stefanos Tsitsipas may actually end the year at No. 1. He has had a very good year, but not phenomenal. The reason Tsitsipas could jump into the top slot is the current No. 1. Carlos Alcaraz got hurt in Paris and has stopped playing the rest of the year. Had he actually played in Turin, then almost for sure, he would have stayed No. 1 at the end of 2022.

Tsitipas has to win all his ATP Finals matches to ascend to the holy grail of No. 1. That streak will have to include Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev and Novak. Djokovic in the Red Group.

That will be difficult, because in 2021, he was injured and he could not sustain that level. But when he is on, he can be sprited. In 2019, he won it at the ATP Finals in London edging Dominic Thiem in three tough sets. He wants to do it again. Next week the current No. 3 needs to nail more winners to take down all comers.

In Paris, the Greek was so close to beating Novak Djokovic in three amazing sets. But the former No. 1 hit some incredible shots. Tsitsipas could have put it away with great shots close to the corners and deep, but he became confused right at the end and he went down 6-2, 3-6, 7-6(4). He was frustrated,

This year, Tsitsipas won two titles in Mallorca and Monte Carlo. Yes, he took down some of the best players. But he lost to the top 15 a good amount.

“I unfortunately played just one match and I didn’t really have the opportunity to show my real game out there,” Tsitsipas said. “I’m really excited to be playing in Italy. The Italians are really passionate when it comes to tennis. They put a lot of their energy out on the courts and the stadiums. They have a great culture in tennis the last couple of years. They’ve always loved my game, they’ve always greeted me very nicely. They have a sort of different aura when it comes to the game, which I appreciate a lot.”
When he finishes a match, then he can go home at a hotel, and he can think about where he is. He studies the matches, what he did, and also, did he do it the right way, or was it all wrong?

“I do chase [ranking] points a lot,” he said. “I know they are very important. I understand their value, what they can offer in terms of a ranking upgrade or having a better season than the ones before. I calculate, of course, I try to use my mind to improve in terms of points, things like defending and all that stuff.”

If he makes to reach the semis, then he might face Rafa Nadal, Casper Ruud, Felix Auger-Aliassime or Taylor Fritz. The three young players are right there, ready to win it for the first time, in front of the massive crowds.

However, Djokovic has won it five times. The 21-Grand Slam-winner Djokovic is biting his lips, ready to crush all comers. Tsitsipas is doing that too, possibly in a secret. Right now, when it is super close, he has go for the lines and smash another winner. He cannot hold back.

NOTES
What a great year by American Brandon Nakashima, who won the Next Generation ATP Finals in Milan. He beat Jiri Lehecka in the final. He also won San Diego. Next year, the fast hitter has a good chance to get into the top 30 soon. Now, he is very confident.

The Next Generation ATP Finals started a few years ago. The 21-and-under, format has included winners some of whom are now in the top 10. The winners were Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Tsitsipas and Chung Hyeon. The runner-up were Andrey Rublev, Alex de Minaur and Sebastian Korda. I think it is pretty obvious that when you see them play, they are already moving fast, with some terrific strokes. Yes, they have to improve their consistency, but if they keep on it, then for sure, they will beat some of the high players. They already have.

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Weekend winners: Félix Auger-Aliassime and Daniil Medvedev

October 31, 2022 by
Felix Auger-Aliassime

By winning in Basel Félix Auger-Aliassime has taken three crowns in a row. He has been hitting some terrific serves. Last year, when he was serving, the first serve was effective, but the second serve proved to be pretty flat and predicable. But now, he understands how to vary speed and placement. During his winning streak, he knows which way to go.

His confidence is soaring. Now, he has a solid shot to make the ATP Finals in Turin.

Imagine that? The 22-year-old is convinced he finally understands the combinations and how to succeed with his big forehand, consistent backhand and hard returns hard into the corners. Plus, he can thrown in lot of spin, and he change it up. Also, he is very fast.

Perhaps the Canadian can beat all of the top players, eventually. But, right now, the challenge is to win an ATP 1000 or a Grand Slam. He has not done it yet, even though that he upset the No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz in the semis in Switzerland.

“It’s been an amazing week,” said Auger-Aliassime. “Once again in the final, not getting broken all week. … [It’s been] a long year, a long stretch of wins, and it’s not over. So hopefully I can keep going, but right now I’m feeling all the good emotions that come with winning a tournament.”

Medvedev takes Vienna

The former 2021 US Open champ Daniil Medvedev won again, this time he grabbed the ATP 500 Vienna Open, stepping past Denis Shapovalov in three sets. The Russian has had a strange year, winning and also getting upset. So it is still hard to say that when he arrives in Paris, will he be pumped up or a little bit wild on court?

However, last week he was locked in. When he is mentally sound, then he can pound the ball all the time. He can sprint, he can nail it down the line, and he can dominate cross court with both wings.

Medvedev does not smile that much, on court, but when he hits an amazing winner, then he cheers, with the fans. The No. 3 is growing up.

“I like to play indoor hard courts at the end of the season,” Medvedev said. “I feel that I do a great job with my team not to arrive burnt out. I am looking forward to the last two tournaments of the year which are really important and I usually play well.”

Last year in Paris, he lost in the semis to Novak Djokovic. The Serbian will play along with Rafa Nadal, too. But if Medvedev goes deep indoors he could go up against Auger-Aliassime. That could be a fantastic match.

The only U.S. man who have change to play on the ATP Finals is Taylor Fritz. But it is almost impossible to pull it off unless he plays lights out and wins Paris. At least he has a very good year.

The American men are in Paris are Frances Tiafoe, Sebastian Korda, Brandon Nakashima, Tommy Paul, John Isner and Maxime Cressy. They are all in the top 51. That is good, but for many fans, they want all of them to crack into the top 10. Next year, they hope.

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ATP Finals: Rafa Nadal, Novak Djokovic needs to win or else

November 19, 2020 by
Dominic Thiem

In the ATP Finals, it is fascinating two 2020 Slam winners – Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic – might lose again and will fail to reach the semis. On Thursday, Djokovic will have to play Alexandra Zverev, who has been up and down. On Friday, Nadal will go to play Stefanos Tsitsipas. While it should be very close, the Greek is on fire. But, can he adapt as the pressure mounts.

On Wednesday in London, Daniil Medvedev was sealed in, and he was belted the ball, slamming his forehands and backhands. He bent down at the net. And he sprinted, while when he was busting.

What was a terrific day of matches. But, not for Djokovic, because he was irritable and disheartening. He made a number of errors, which is unusual. He lost seven games in a row, and that was odd. Every day, you can play awful, but that is not Djokovic, who has won so many titles. But, the Serbian can’t be perfect.

Nadal mostly wins, and he when he is not playing well, still, he keeps trying. As the Spaniard said, you have to stir it up. But, there are times when he is off. A couple days ago, Nadal lost to Dominic Thiem 7-6(7) 7-6(4).

The Austrian starts way back, just like with Nadal, and he hits with heavy twist. He is more patient now, and against Nadal, he was just fine waiting for a chance to take him. He really has improved over the past three years and how he is much better.


Thiem has won two matches, so he will be in the semis on Saturday. During the last few days, he wanted to show that eventually, he can become No. 1. No doubt, he is proving his point.

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ATP Finals: It is all about exposure

November 14, 2020 by
Stefanos Tsitsipas

Next week at the ATP Finals at London, the top seeds will be the favorites, with Novak Djokovic and Rafa Nadal. Not like the Slams where matches are three out of five sets, the ATP Finals play two out of three.

That is why the Serbian and Spaniard, who have won so many Grand Slams, won’t be the overwhelming favorites. But, at least US Open champion Dominic Thiem will represent the youth movement, having one a Slam. The others can’t claim one. However, in their favor, is the indoor environment and quick courts.

To start, on Monday, Thiem will face Stefanos Tsitsipas, and, at night, Nadal will play Andrey Rublev. On Tuesday, No. 1 Djokovic will be against Diego Schwartzman, and then it will be Daniil Medvedev versus US Open finalist Alexander Zverev

Believe it or not, Nadal has been spotty in London. Going in, he won 16-12. Perhaps his legs are sore at the end of the year, and that is a portion that he just wanted to go home. But, this year he hasn’t played many matches. Plus, he likes to rally, and when the court is quick, he can pound fast.

This is the first time that Andrey Rublev will play the ATP Finals. Over the past couple months, he has risen, smashing the ball and being more rational. But can he attack early and make sure that he won’t push into Nadal’s amazing forehand. He must mix it up and try to sprint into the net. Three years ago, Nadal crushed him at the US Open. But, that is then, and now the years favor the Russian. If Rublev has no fear, then he could push Nadal. He can control what he is doing, and drive Nadal into the wall. The problem is Nadal thinks hard all the time and he can change his tactics. It might go to the third set, but Nadal will win it.
 
Exactly one year ago, Tsitsipas won the event, edging Thiem 7-6(4) in the final. The tall hitter kept on chucking, hustling, and go for the lines anytime he wanted to. After that, Thiem won a Slam and he showed that he was super splendid. The Greek Tsitsipas had a good year, but sometimes he would check out mentally and really fall off. And then he will lose. But, on different days, he is totally into it, staying way back with some good spin, or blitz into the net.

Tsitisipas and Thiem had played seven times: four wins by Thiem, and three by Tsitsipas. They have played each other in 2018 and 2019. But this year, they haven’t played each other, hampered by the COVID-19 break.

Both of them are cagey, and they will twist and vie for position. Thiem and Tsitsipas will get into the third set, and at the end, the Greek will touch the lines. It is all about exposure.

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Tsitsipases wins the ATP Finals

November 18, 2019 by
Stefanos Tsitsipas

In the ATP Finals, there are moments that Stefanos Tsitsipas got upset, and he would yell loudly on court. But,t the Greek can turn it around in a second, and refocus.

On Sunday, Tsitsipas won the ATP Finals, edging Dominic Thiem 6-7, 6-2, 7-6(4). Right at the end, he truly believed that he would not gag, while the Austrian was so close, but he backed off and he made a few errors at the end.

The youngster Tsitsipas can go up and down, but he is so confident when he is on a roll, and when he misses a few shots, he thinks, “I have to be steady, rather than to cracks it in the corners.”

Thiem had it, really looked like he had it, and then he didn’t have it.

Tsitsipas has had a tremendous year. He is tall, he can smoke his serves and his big forehand. He is quick, and he can run.

In 2019, Tsitsipas was terrific, and then he was somewhat bad. That has happened with most people, even the very good players, like a few Grand Slam winners, such as Juan Martin del Potro, Marin Cilic, Stan Wawrinka and Andy Murray. They won it a Slam, at the US Open, Wimbledon, and the Australian Open, but they all have played horribleer lat. Ask them. They will tell you. What has been rare is the best competitors — Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic — who have won so many Slams. But, once in a while, during a year, they can slip up and lose. No one can be perfect. That is totally impossible.

Tsitsipas has yet to win a major. At the start of this year, he reached the semis at the 2019 Australian Open. He beat Federer in the fourth round, he edged Roberto Bautista Agut, and then he lost easily to Nadal.

I have said this many times, but I will repeat it again: It is one thing to beat everyone in a two out of three, but to do it in three out of five — that is totally different. Physically and mentally, you have to bring it.

Federer, Nadal and Djokovic have won 55 Grand Slams. Five of them who played in London at the ATP Finals — Tsitsipas, Thiem, Daniil Medvedev, Sascha Zverev and Matteo Berrettini — have yet to win a Grand Slam. Zero.

Maybe a few of them can do it in 2020, but you really do not know until they actually get there. Thiem has reached to the final at Roland Garros – twice — which is wonderful, but he lost against Nadal — twice. Thiem wasn’t very close to upset the Spaniard because Nadal has won it 11 times in Paris, grinding and keeping his head up. He rarely gets tired over hours of play, but Nadal gets hurt frequently now. Even if his knees are wrecked, he keeps on pushing.
 
Tsitsipas did exactly the same thing at the ATP Finals. However, even though it is a terrific event, it is only two out of three, not three out of five.

Next year, the 21-year-old Tsitsipas will be ready to snare a Slam. Without a doubt, in Melbourne, in January, the No. 6 will be ready to dance. If he can sing after he wins it all, Tsitsipas can take a dive into the famous lake. Splash.

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Zverev has started to climb up the mountains, beats Nadal

November 12, 2019 by
Alexander ZAverev

No. 1 Rafa Nadal can play fantastic in the winter, the spring and the summer. But, in the fall, the Spaniard’s legs collapse. He wants to play — he always wants to walk on the court and crack the ball — but he is 33 years old. While he can win another Grand Slam in 2020 (isn’t Roland Garros his for the picking?), or to win the ATP 1000s, too, that does not mean that he can compete a lot year after year.

Yes, this season, Nadal won Roland Garros and the US Open. That is tremendous, but he absolutely has to rest. He does a bit, but in the ATP 1000 Paris two weeks ago, he pulled out after the quarters. He wanted to be healthy in anticipation for London.

Against Alexander Zverev on Monday, Nadal couldn’t play well at all. He could not smoke the ball. He hit it short, and all over the place.

Zverev did play quite well; he was solid, strong and patient. He beat Nadal 6-2, 6-4, which was a little bit surprising, considering that Nadal had beaten the German five times. But, not this time. As the Spaniard said, he came to London, but his body is suspect.

“I am disappointed, because knowing that I will not be at my 100 percent in terms of feelings, in terms of movement, in terms of confidence or hitting the ball. I needed my best competitive spirit , and I was not there in that way,” Nadal said.

How about this? Zverev hit 26 winners, while Nadal hit just three forehand winners. Given that his forehand is the best in the game, he just wasn’t sharp. He is dealing with his abdominal injury. Maybe on Wednesday, Nadal will shake it off and pound it.

“What really matters is I need to play much better in two days,” Nadal said. That’s the only thing.”

The good thing about Zverev is that he admitted that he has had a so-so year, and he struggled, a lot. Last year, a year ago, he was riding high. Then he slipped way down. Over the past month, he has started to climb up the mountains. On Monday, Zverev looked very different.

Can Zverev, the defending champ, win it again? It is too early to say, because they just started and they will play three matches, win or lose. Zverev really likes the London O2. On Wednesday, Zverev will go against Stefanos Tsitsipas, who just beat Daniil Medvedev.

At the Slams, Nadal has played for 15 years, while the other three are just starting out. All three of them are enthusiastic, but Nadal must be irritated because he lost. He doesn’t like pushing the ball, so on Wednesday, win or lose, he is going to swing much harder and, hopefully, inside the lines.

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Nadal, Djokovic and Federer will clash at the ATP Finals

November 8, 2019 by
Rafael Nadal, Rafa Nadal

Rafa Nadal comes into the ATP Finals with just a week off since he withdrew from the Paris Masters semifinal with an abdominal strain, and there are a lot of questions about him physically — but not about his game.

The lefty can smash his forehand, stay very patient, and is still willing to have long rallies where he will blast it into the corners when the other player is exhausted. The 19-time Grand Slam champion has also improved his backhand — it’s deeper now — and he is tough to beat at the net, when he comes in. Though he stands way behind the baseline when he is returning, almost on the wall, he can get it back regularly and then get into the point.

While people know that he is the best player ever on clay, winning 11 times at Roland Garros, he has won on hardcourts both at the Australian Open and the US Open. So when Nadal is healthy, he can beat them all everywhere.

But the problem for Nadal at the ATP Finals has been being healthy, because he’s withdrawn or retired there six times, exhausted from a long season. This time, he says he doesn’t know what shape he will be in when he takes the court. He really wants to win it, though, badly, and certainly can if he plays like he is capable of.

Serbian Novak Djokovic has won here a lot of times before, and he might do it once again. The photos show why — when he is locked in, his eyes are very wide, and he is looking directly at the ball. He will return deep, and then he will camp on the baseline with his amazing backhand, and he will rally crosscourt until he can knock it down the line. He has won 16 Grand Slams, and this year, the Australian Open and Wimbledon. That was crazy, considering that the Spaniard and Djokovic have played each other 50 times. Most of it, it was darn close.

Djokovic just won ATP Masters Paris, and while he was a little bit injured and off during the last few months, he has been around for a long time and he knows that as long as he practices, he will eventually return playing terrific. Currently, he is very close to playing 100 percent, and he is feeling confident. He wants to become No. 1 again, and push everyone aside. Without a doubt, he is the top favorite to win it again.

Roger Federer has had a solid year. He was unable to win a Grand Slam again, but he also won four tournaments, which means that he is still alive. In July, at Wimbledon, Federer lost 13-12 in the fifth against Djokovic. Even if he lost, he is still good on the move, and he can be spectacular. Federer thinks deeply, and he can change the tactics when he has to, using his variety. At the ATP Finals, he has won a record six titles. He has beaten them all, but he has lost, too. In 2018, he went down to Alexander Zverev. In London, he has a fine chance to win it once again, standing at the net and putting away his volleys. Federer is always very competitive against the top players.

The ATP Finals odds have three distinct tiers, according to Sports Betting Dime. Djokovic (+120) is in a class by himself, followed by Federer (+400), Medvedev (+450) and Nadal (+500). Zverev (+1200), Tsitsipas (+1200), Thiem (+1400) and Berrettini (+2200) are the longshots. The best value among the bottom four looks to be Tsitsipas. With wins over Djokovic, Federer, Nadal, and Zverev (twice) this season, his upside is as high as Medvedev, though his consistency is lacking.

Daniil Medvedev has had an incredible year. He started back in July, when he reached six finals in a row. It took the 23-year-old Russian five years to become smarter and more thoughtful about when to go for it and when to hold back. He is tall, steady and he can rip his first serve, his forehand and his backhand. Now, he’s aiming to show the fans who he is. Recently, Medvedev said that he wants to become No. 1 soon. Yet he first has to upend the big boys — Nadal, Djokovic and Federer. He has a wonderful shot to win it all.

Dominic Thiem is no longer one of the youngsters, as he is now 26 years old. But, the Austrian still has a long career in front of him, so he can grab a major, perhaps next year. On clay, he has reached the final twice at Roland Garros, and looked very good as he has heavy strokes, deep shots, but he could not do enough to upset Nadal.

On the hardcourts, Thiem has improved a decent amount over the last couple years and his first Masters title this season was on this surface. He moves well inside the court, he can be aggressive and go for the lines, both ways, with his forehand and his backhand. Yet to win the tournament would be his best performance ever and, at the moment, he doesn’t quite look close enough.

Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas has had a very good year at times, though he can be up and down. He has played a number of long matches this season, showing he can smash his first serve, pin his forehand and he can also rally, too. He certainly needs to return better, but in the past year, the 21-year-old is very steady with his backhand. Tsitsipas is intelligent, he listens to his coach, and his goal is that one day, he will become the best player on tour.

Maybe he will, but first, in London, he has to focus every moment to upset the great veterans and he must find the corners because of the speed of the indoor court. Tsitsipas may not win it all, but he is very excited to be there for the first time, so he will give it all. To win it would be surprising. He isn’t ready yet. But, soon.

When Zverev is on, he can be very positive, but when he isn’t, he can become very angry. Problems off the court this season have sometimes left him not concentrating fully on the court. That is why from March through September, he lost early and often. Yet in the fall, he recomposed himself, and while he isn’t playing fantastic, but he is much better than he was at the US Open. He was mentally gone there, saying he had no confidence.

It was very different at the 2018 ATP Finals, which Zverev won, beating Federer and Djokovic. It looked like he was going to win a major, but he didn’t. Perhaps, some year, but currently, mentally, at the ATP Finals he is not playing at the level to win it again.

From nowhere, an Italian made into the ATP Finals and it wasn’t even Fabio Fognini. Matteo Berrettini is pretty young, and he has yet to win a big tournament. But, at the US Open, he upset Gael Monfils in the quarters, 7-6 (5) in the fifth. He was overjoyed. When he started the year, he was ranked No. 54, and in April, he took off.

Berrettini is a huge hitter with his forehand, but he can be steady, too. He is 23 years old — so he is still young — and he will have to get better all around. Yes, next year he can make an attempt to enter the top 5, but this week at the ATP Finals, he has virtually no chance to win it. He will be very nervous.

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ATP Finals: Zverev wins biggest title, stunning Djokovic

November 19, 2018 by Leave a Comment

Here’s a wrap-up of the 2018 season for the eight ATP Finals singles players.

Alexander Zverev
From August all the way through November, Zverev played well at times, but mostly mediocre. But last week in London, Zverev stood up tall, stunning Novak Djokovic 6-4, 6-3 to win the title. 

He was so locked in, so good, smashing his serves, his forehand and backhand and also being patient. The 21-year-old won Munich, the ATP 1000 Madrid, Washington and now, London. “I’m unbelievably happy, obviously it’s the biggest title that I’ve ever won,” said Zverev. And how. 

This year, he beat eight Top 10ers. On Saturday and Sunday, he overcame Roger Federer and Djokovic. That is almost impossible to do. The No. 4 Zverev has yet to go very deep in the Slams, but in 2019, he will be very confident and stoical.

Novak Djokovic
The 14-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic has had a terrific second half of the year, winning Wimbledon, Cincy, the US Open, and Shanghai. On Sunday, he had only lost twice since June, to Stefanos Tsitsipas in Toronto, and Karen Khachanovin in Paris. It looked like he was almost invincible. 
But in the final, he played OK, didn’t serve well during the second set, and he didn’t return with his usual tour-topping skill. However, you cannot win every week; it is going to happen, once in a while. Djokovic will stay as the No. 1 at the start of 2019, but the most important thing for him is to keep on churning.

Roger Federer
The 37-year-old Federer had two good wins against Dominic Thiem and Kevin Anderson, and two losses against Nishikori and then in the semis to Zverev. Not good enough for him? Probably not, because he wants to win at the most important events, and the No. 3 really, really wanted to grab it in the ATP Finals. He would have had 100 titles, in front of everyone, and he would have been so darn happy. But, he did not and for the next two months or so, he will be stuck at 99 wins. He must be think: “Ugh.”    

Kevin Anderson 
The South African/American looked terrific, winning two matches against  Nishikori and Thiem to start, but then the tide turned, and he lost easily to Federer and Djokovic. Yes, he had a fine year, winning two small events and he reached the final at Wimbledon. Can Anderson win a major in 2019? Hard to say. He has improved his backhand and speed, but the tall man is still a little bit slow. However, if he can return better, then maybe he can raise the Slam trophy in 2019. Maybe.

Marin Cilic 
There are days when you think that he is playing so clean, so smart, and so intense. But there are also days when inside his head, that he gets frustrated and then he gets mentally down. Yes, he had a very decent year, but for Cilic, unless he gets to No. 1, he is very disappointed. He has won one major title, the 2014 US Open, and he has also reached the final at 2017 Wimbledon, and this year,  at the Australian Open. There is no doubt that he will be a force again in 2019. But, to get his second Slam, he has to be steadier and focused at the net.

Kei Nishikori
After the Japanese stunned Federer, it looked like he was ready to take down all of them. But he did not, and he flipped out, losing so easily against Anderson and Thiem. Later, he said he had no idea why. That is so true. However, he did play pretty well most of the season, and he wasn’t that hurt at all, which is very good, considering that he had been injured for so many years. 
Nishikori is very fast, he leaps up into the sky a lot, and he puts the ball away.  
Can he actually win a Grand Slam someday? That is questionable because in the second week, he eventually gets tired and then starts coughing up the unforced errors. Hopefully, in 2019, he will continue to be healthy. If he does, Nishikori will go deep at some big events.
   
Dominic Thiem 
The Austrian has been creative this year. He mixes it up, he will spin it, chop it, and flatten it out. On clay, he was way up there, reaching the final at Roland Garros. But, on the hard courts, while he has improved during 2018, it has taken the 25-year-old a pretty long time to be a force. He is trying, though, he is stuck on the baseline. Maybe, he can push himself forward. He played a few good matches last week. He wasn’t able to reach the semis, but maybe next year in London at the O2, he can grab and actually win it.
  
John Isner 
The American was pretty thrilled that he made it into the ATP Finals, slipping in when Rafael Nadal and Juan Martin del Potro had to withdraw because of another late-year injury. He was excited and he was hopeful. He tried but lost all three of his matches. As he said before it started, there are some amazing players here. So, Isner had a small chance. Unfortunately, he couldn’t raise his game. Without a doubt, he did improve his backhand, and at net game, bending low. Maybe in 2019, Isner can crack the top 5. That would be even more special. 

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ATP Finals: Anderson wins, Federer loses to Nishikori

November 12, 2018 by Leave a Comment

Kevin Anderson has had such a solid year. The 33-year-old veteran has improved his backhand,  his speed, and net play. Go back five years and he was struggling mentally, but now, he is pretty calm and directed.

On Sunday in the ATP Finals in London, Anderson overcame the Austrian Dominic Thiem 6-3, 7-6(10), attacking the net regularly.

Thiem has also improved this year. He was always very good on clay, but he had to understand what he needs to do on hardcourts, which are much faster. However, both of them still have return substantially better, just like Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer do. And today, Nishikori also did it, especially serving.

Champions like Djokovic and Federer return well all the time, and that is why they have thousands of  break points. Indoors, in London, it is warm and there is no wind, so Anderson  can swing out — when he wants to. Maybe the South African can reach the semis, but he has a long way to go. He was nervous, but today, he settled in.

“I definitely felt a little bit nervous. But very quickly and find a really good rhythm, taking care of my service games nicely [and I] created quite a few opportunities on his serve,” said Anderson. “He wasn’t serving at a very high first-serve percentage. I felt I was getting into quite a few points. The second set could have been anybody’s set. When it’s 12/10 in the tiebreak, it really could have gone either way.”

At night, Kei Nishikori stunned the 20-time Grand Slam winner Federer 7-6 (4), 6-3. Now that was surprising, not because the Japanese has had a very decent year, but because the Swiss has played in London extremely well over the years, on grass and indoors on hard courts. But in his first match, he was frustrated.  

“I hope I don’t go on vacation with three losses. Let’s put it that way,” Federer said. And how.

So Federer lost, but it is a round-robin, so he can reach the semis, but he has to re-compose. He committed 34 unforced errors, and that is a lot. He does not do it often, but he received a code violation for banging a ball into the crowds. Ouch. Federer won the Australian Open, skipped Roland Garros, and then he was ousted at Wimbledon and the US Open. Recently, he won Basel again, but the 37-year-old might be aging a little more. That is inevitable.

“My season [in 2018] was never going to be exactly like last year,” Federer said. “I knew that going into the season. If you thought I was going to have, I think you are dreaming. I’m happy how I played this season. I didn’t feel like playing less was a problem.”

He did add that Nishikori had a very good year. At the end of 2017, he was hurt and he couldn’t play. He came back in February and it took him awhile to be comfortable. He is now.

“I’m really happy for [Kei] that he qualified for this event – not taking me out today – but I’m happy for him because he started playing challengers this season,” Federer said. “That was a bold decision early on and deserves credit and respect. I think we all have that for Kei because he’s a great fighter.”

Federer will plays Thiem on Tuesday, while Anderson will face Nishikori.

NOTES
The United States lost 3-0 against the Czech Republic in the Fed Cup finals. That is the sixth time in eight years that the Czechs have won it. They are so good. Katerina Siniakova  saved two match points and won it 7-5, 5-7, 7-5 over Sofia Kenin. Close but no cigar for the Americans. …

Stefanos Tsitsipas won the Next Gen ATP Finals title in Milan over Alex de Minaur. The Greek will crack into the top 10 pretty soon. He is very tall and he just crushed the ball off of both wings.
 
The coach and broadcaster Darren Cahill has stopped coaching Simona Halep. “I’ve decided to take a 12-month break from coaching to be home more for support as our children enter important stages of their lives with the final year of high school, sports and college preparations all becoming more time consuming,” Cahill wrote.

Czech Lucie Safarova, who peaked by reaching the 2015 Roland Garros final, will retire at the Australian Open in January. Her body is declining. “I had a great career, but my health doesn’t allow me to continue,” Safarova said. That is too bad, she always hustles and she always smiles, too.

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