Tokyo, ATP 500

[stroke]

Zverev, number 3 seed, goes out in first round to Jordan Thompson, in 2 pretty much routine sets. Not a good loss for him.

[jimlosaltos]

Zverev, number 3 seed, goes out in first round to Jordan Thompson, in 2 pretty much routine sets. Not a good loss for him.

Zverev is risking a slot in Turin, with Fritz, Rune (among others) at his heels and top seeds in Tokyo and Stockholm respectively.

[stroke]

Yes it is a big deal no doubt making the final 8 for the season ending Masters.

[stroke]

Fritz just went out in 3 sets to 20 year old number 215 ranked Mochizuki. Fritz was defending champ here. Fritz won 1st set 6-0. Mochizuki fought back hard and was able to win 2nd set 6-4 with one break. Then won 3rd set tiebreaker.

[jimlosaltos]

Fritz just went out in 3 sets to 20 year old number 215 ranked Mochizuki. Fritz was defending champ here. Fritz won 1st set 6-0. Mochizuki fought back hard and was able to win 2nd set 6-4 with one break. Then won 3rd set tiebreaker.

Sounds like a great comeback (or a great collapse?). Big setback for Fritz aiming for Turin WTF.

ATP: "Japanese wild card Shintaro Mochizuki continued his dream run at the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships on Thursday when he stunned World No. 10 Taylor Fritz 0-6, 6-4, 7-6(2) to reach the quarter-finals.

The 20-year-old rallied from 2-5 in the third set, breaking Fritz’s serve to love when the American was trying to close out. Roared on by vocal home support, Mochizuki then raced to a 3/0 lead in the tie-break before sealing victory on his first match point after two hours and three minutes.

"I don't really know what is happening right now," Mochizuki said. "I lost the first set so easy, so quick. Everyone knows he is a great player but I kept fighting and that is all I could do. I am so happy. I don't know how, but I won the match.

"I was a bit nervous at the start, not swinging. I was scared to miss. Then I tried to forget about everything and just started playing my game from the second set and that is how it went."

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/mochizuki-fritz-tokyo-2023-thursday

[stroke]

Sounds like a great comeback (or a great collapse?). Big setback for Fritz aiming for Turin WTF.

ATP: "Japanese wild card Shintaro Mochizuki continued his dream run at the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships on Thursday when he stunned World No. 10 Taylor Fritz 0-6, 6-4, 7-6(2) to reach the quarter-finals.

The 20-year-old rallied from 2-5 in the third set, breaking Fritz’s serve to love when the American was trying to close out. Roared on by vocal home support, Mochizuki then raced to a 3/0 lead in the tie-break before sealing victory on his first match point after two hours and three minutes.

"I don't really know what is happening right now," Mochizuki said. "I lost the first set so easy, so quick. Everyone knows he is a great player but I kept fighting and that is all I could do. I am so happy. I don't know how, but I won the match.

"I was a bit nervous at the start, not swinging. I was scared to miss. Then I tried to forget about everything and just started playing my game from the second set and that is how it went."

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/moch...-2023-thursday

Yes this was clearly an especially brutal loss for Taylor, as he may very well now not make the Final 8 now for the season ending Masters.

[stroke]

Karatsev pretty much routines and overpowers the demon in 2 sets. Karatsev has such great technique off both sides, but particularly his forehand. It is as good as anyone's out the on tour it seems to me.

[jimlosaltos]

Karatsev pretty much routines and overpowers the demon in 2 sets. Karatsev has such great technique off both sides, but particularly his forehand. It is as good as anyone's out the on tour it seems to me.

Mini-Fed. Hugs the baseline like Fed.

I remember when Karatsev beat Djokovic on clay in {Serbia? } a couple of years back by grinding him into submission with his backhand. Just relentless.

[jimlosaltos]

So, it's going to be Mochizuki Madness! vs Karatsev in one semi in Tokyo. Kewl.
Wish both could win.

[jimlosaltos]

Tokyo finals set: Ben Shelton in his first ATP final vs Aslan Karatsev.

Shelton was down a set and 2 points from elimination before he came back vs Giron, 6-7(2), 7-6(5), 6-4 in two-hour, 50-minutes.

Karatsav had an easier time against the 20 yo local, winning in straight sets, in fact not having dropped a set in the event.

Quotes via ATP;

Shelton. “Definitely one of the toughest matches I’ve played in my life. Marcos was waxing me from the baseline in almost every rally and I had to completely change my game to even have a chance against him. To be able to get through that match, to not only figure some things out but get a win and be going into my first ATP final, the win couldn’t be sweeter.”
.

NOTE: I have not yet seen this and would love to hear what Ben changed and how he turned it around. From the scoreboard, Giron won a significantly higher percentage of first serves (77 to 67%), more total points (116 to 109), and held 10 BPs to 8. He who laughs last laughs best.

Karatsev: “Everybody came to support this young guy, it was something special to play here with the crowd full,” said Karatsev after his 94-minute win. “I tried to keep my game plan very simple, not pay too much attention to the crowd, and I managed to do it.”

Look at that scoreboard:

filedata/fetch?id=102441&d=1697909036&type=thumb

[stroke]

Karatsev with his heavy heavy game has looked very good this week. Should be a great final vs Ben. In the match of the day in Antwerp, ATP 250, Fils took out Tsitsipas in 2 sets, both tiebreakers. Fils certainly has the game to win a Major or 2.

[jimlosaltos]

Ben Shelton wins his first ATP title and a not-small-one in the Tokyo 500.

Won all sorts of ways this week, coming from way back in the semi vs Giron, and today leading from the gun to the checkered flag.

I won't watch the recording until tonight, but I'll include highlight links at the end for your convenience. Looking at the stats Ben served lights out.
While yesterday, he barely won 2/3 of his first serve points against Giron, he not only got 80% in today but won 80%. If he can keep that up, sky is the limit.
But Aslan is a different kind of returner - attempting to hold the baseline on returns ala Fed, which might be more difficult vs Ben's velocity than Giron's fast feet game.

Top line stats.

filedata/fetch?id=102449&d=1697996725&type=thumb

YT highlights, 6:16 min from Tennis TV

[jimlosaltos]

Ben via ATP: "That meant a lot to me and my team," Shelton said. "We have been working really hard since the beginning to build my game and win titles on the ATP Tour. I made some deep runs lately. You see the great champions, they finish weeks off. They win titles, they don't just get to finals. They are able to maintain their level throughout the week. I am not saying I am anywhere there yet, but to be able to do it for one week, put together five matches in a row in Tokyo is really special."

[stroke]

Ben via ATP: "That meant a lot to me and my team," Shelton said. "We have been working really hard since the beginning to build my game and win titles on the ATP Tour. I made some deep runs lately. You see the great champions, they finish weeks off. They win titles, they don't just get to finals. They are able to maintain their level throughout the week. I am not saying I am anywhere there yet, but to be able to do it for one week, put together five matches in a row in Tokyo is really special."

Well said. Ben is clearly listening to his Dad. Team Sheldon has it going on.