Paris Olympics Tennis

[stroke]

Musetti played a very edgy out there today Novak great up until 4-5, game point to go to 5 all. On that point, he had an in top of the net sitter forehand and instead of just hitting in the open court, he tried to go back through Novak. Novak threw up a dink lob over his head, and Musetti made it worse attempting an unnecessary tweener, which was not successful. Then Musetti just lost 2 more points to lose the set.

[stroke]

Novak is going all Kyrgios on his box today. Just not a good look. He has received a warning, to the umpires credit, for a time violation, and a follow up 1st serve forfeited for a 2nd such violation. Also a verbal obscenity warning.

[jimlosaltos]

Meanwhile, Sir Andy broke the internet with this post:

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[stroke]

Meanwhile, Sir Andy broke the internet with this post:

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Truth be told, most do not like their jobs.

[stotty]

I watched a replay of Carlos v FAA. That was quite a dismantling. I don't think even Novak can counter Carlos if every department of Carlos' games is working. If a player doesn't get his 1st serve in the odds of winning the point plummet dramatically. FAA won just 20% of the points on his second serve.

It's the dropper that's killer. I am not sure how Novak is going to deal with that.

[jimlosaltos]

Truth be told, most do not like their jobs.

I think Sir Andy loved his job - so much so he couldn't stop even when suffering through that hip injury.

[jimlosaltos]

Novak is going all Kyrgios on his box today. Just not a good look. He has received a warning, to the umpires credit, for a time violation, and a follow up 1st serve forfeited for a 2nd such violation. Also a verbal obscenity warning.

Remember Djokovic's meltdown in Tokyo? Smashed his racket on the net post near the ball boy's face, sending a shower of graphite shards that had the kid ducking and throwing up his arm to protect himself. If Djokovic was acting as you described when he was winning, look out Sunday if he's not.

[jimlosaltos]

Here are the Saturday and, up early, Sunday Orders of Play. Time shown should be PDT (Pacific US) not Paris.

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[jimlosaltos]

Men's Doubles gold medalists are Eben and Peers edging Ram/Krajicek in three (3) tiebreaks. 6-7(6) 7-6(10 and 10-8

Score this one for the doubles specialists. With all the very good singles players entered, two veteran doubles teams met for the gold. Ram/Krajick downed "Nadalcaraz" decisively.

Haven't seen the final yet but their silver medalists' match with Rafa and Carlos was interesting. While the Spaniards won prior matches with great athleticism, their match with Ram/K was brute forehands aimed at the net-man tennis. I guess the doubles guys returned so well, they negated the singles' guys athleticism? When the ball was in play, both teams hit at the net guy. Rafa/Carlos hit beaten for pace, when the tables were turned Ram & K just said "Good forehand. But I can volley the all day."

[jimlosaltos]

Women's gold goes to Zheng Qinwen of China 2 and 3 over Donna Vekic. Both players got less than half their first serves in, so perhaps nerves? Which is understandable.

Great result for both. Big win for 21 yo Zheng. As for Vekic, she nearly quit this May, struggling in a long comeback from knee surgery. Now, she's made the Wimbledon semis, and gotten a Silver.

Kudos both !

[jimlosaltos]

How many close matches have there been in Paris? A whole lot.

After the men's doubles was decided by 3 tiebreaks, including the third set as a 10 point tiebreak, I check and found this from Randy Walker.

1) Emma Navarro of the USA served for the match and had match point on eventual gold medalist Qinwen Zheng in the third round

2) Of the 16 total matches in the 2024 #Olympics mixed doubles competition, nine were decided by a 10-point match tiebreaker. Zhang and Wang, the silver medalists, had all four of their matches decided as such...

[jimlosaltos]

Zheng will be a celebrity in China, I believe Li Na, her idol, is the only Chinese player to win a 'slam title, having 2 perhaps?

This about the crowd in the Gold Medal Match with Vekic: Right before Zheng delivered the first serve of Saturday's contest at Court Philippe Chatrier, loud shouts of "Jia You!" in Mandarin rang out from all sections of the 15,000 capacity stadium as fans waved red-and-yellow flags. It's a phrase that literally means "Add oil!" -- in other words, "Hit the gas!" -- and is loosely equivalent to "Let's go!"

[stroke]

Alcaraz the strong favorite vs Novak with an implied probability of winning at 71%. Musetti wins the Bronze with a 3 set win over FAA.

[jimlosaltos]

Alcaraz the strong favorite vs Novak with an implied probability of winning at 71%. Musetti wins the Bronze with a 3 set win over FAA.

FAA made a good comeback in the second, but Musetti got the only break in the third set. Both won an identical 81 points but Musetti had more break chances: 3/12 vs 3/4.

Not sure how tennis players feel about the bronze, given that their sport usually stops with a loss and you move on. FAA already has a bronze -- in mixed only days ago with Gabriela Dabrowski.

[jimlosaltos]

As we await their gold medal match, here's the ATP list of their matches.

Carlos' ascent in the rankings was so fast that the two have never met before a semifinal, 3-3 H2H.
Djokovic won their only meeting on this court - the French semi in 2023 when Carlos cramped, he admits, from nerves.

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