Rodgers Cup

[stroke]

The 4 quarters draw: Medvedev(#1 seed)quarter has Hurkacz, Sinner, the demon, JB, and Bash. #2 seed Nadal quarter has Harris, Nick, Opelka, Grigor, and RBA. #3 seed Tsitsipas quarter has Ruud, Norrie, FAA, Karatsev, and Umbert. #4 seed Rublev has Fognini, Isner, Denis, and Korta. The top 16 seeds have 1st round byes. Notable 1st round matches, Nick vs Opelka, Norrie vs Khachanov, Struff vs Fognini, Bash vs JB, and Evans vs Bublik.

[don_budge]

Nick goes out in 1st round vs somebody. Oh well.

That "somebody" would have been Mackenzie McDonald. Ranked #107...Mackenzie in prime position to take down a couple more big names in the next couple of rounds. This kid has got a little somethin/somethin. Hmmm...

Gutty performance by Mackenzie McDonald last week in taking out some pretty good names in the game. He's got first round Benoit Paire in a rematch. It will be tough to rebound from the week and fatigue will surely play a role. I'm curious to see how he responds.

Shapovalov is popping off...telling the world that he is a force to be reckoned with. He's flashy...but is there enough solid fundamental foundation. Great teams are built around their defence. Tennis players must rely on great defence.

[stotty]

Fognini pips Struff to the post win in three. Not easy to play the swashbuckling Italian. One minute he's trying, the next he isn't. He blows hot and cold in both his temperament and his game. He looks incredibly lazy and 'can't be bothered' for spells but then springs back into life. Poor old workmanlike Struff left in a huff in the end...and who can blame him.

[stroke]

Fognini pips Struff to the post win in three. Not easy to play the swashbuckling Italian. One minute he's trying, the next he isn't. He blows hot and cold in both his temperament and his game. He looks incredibly lazy and 'can't be bothered' for spells but then springs back into life. Poor old workmanlike Struff left in a huff in the end...and who can blame him.

Pretty much sums it up. Fognini talent level certainly up there at the very top, a bit of a poor man's Federer without serious ambition. Can't help but think how many Majors and Master 1000's David Ferrer might have won with Fabio's talent level.

[stroke]

Not a good look for Nick last night vs Opelka. Nick manufactured a slight by the umpire midway through the 2nd set and behaved as really only he can for the remainder of the match. Nick's new ranking as a result of this loss makes him the coolest kid in school with not so good of a ranking. Opelka to his credit stayed professional and won the match. Some good matches today: Medvedev vs Bublik, Humbert vs Tsitsipas, Norrie vs Khachanov, Ruud vs Cilic, Brooksby vs Bash.

[stroke]

JB went down in 3 sets to Bash. Bash really pushed him around out there. Huge difference in firepower. JB did all the running.

[don_budge]

Gutty performance by Mackenzie McDonald last week in taking out some pretty good names in the game. He's got first round Benoit Paire in a rematch. It will be tough to rebound from the week and fatigue will surely play a role. I'm curious to see how he responds.

Shapovalov is popping off...telling the world that he is a force to be reckoned with. He's flashy...but is there enough solid fundamental foundation. Great teams are built around their defence. Tennis players must rely on great defence.

I had a feeling it was going to be a tough rebound after such an emotional week for Mackenzie McDonald. Benoit Paire is the quintessential slash and burn player. Catch him on a good day and he will be tough for anybody. Denis "The Menace" Shapovalov is living up to his bratty nickname. Loose lips sink ships and his flash in the pan style of play hasn't exactly paid big dividends so far. Fafa "SOAT" Nadal is a no show. I love the article in the ATP with the picture of his little angelic smile as he says all of the right things...knowing full well he doesn't mean a word of it. It's all about him. It's all about Novak Djokovic too. He withdrew from Cincinnati...the Western and Southern. Oh well...get used to this look in tennis. It is going nowhere fast. Roger Federer was the glue that was holding it together and he is probably for all intents and purposes done at this point. There doesn't look to be any saviours coming down the pipe any time soon.

[stroke]

To me, the 2 matches of the day going on now, Fabio vs the Goblin and Khachanov vs Karatsev. Fognini is definitely engaged today and Rublev is always engaged. Good stuff there. As for as the Russian match, to me, just very interesting.

[stotty]

RBA routines Tommy Paul. I find RBA a bit dull to watch but he does what it says on his tin - which in essence says: miss nothing you're not supposed to.I am not an RBA fan but I admire his work ethic, and he's a terrific benchmark for aspiring younger players to beat and gauge where they stand in the game. Every sport needs an RBA.

[stroke]

Tsitsipas looking very good in this tournament. And Bash. But Bash would also be the most difficult one to predict match to match.

[stotty]

RBA did what it says on his tin again. Great final two games...didn't miss a thing in the clutch.

[stroke]

Stefanos really looked good and totally engaged taking out Ruud in 2. Those 2 guys certainly have 2 of the highest rpm forehands out there. 20 winners and only 11 unforced errors for the match for Stef.

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Opelka through to final vs Medvedev. I have long felt like he could very well be the 1st giant to win a Major. His movement and groundstrokes are simply much better than Ivo or Isner. All 3 have the best serves in tennis, hard to say which is best. That would be a statistical argument at best. Oddsmakers have Medvedev as a very heavy favorite at about 80% of winning the match.

[stotty]

Opelka through to final vs Medvedev. I have long felt like he could very well be the 1st giant to win a Major. His movement and groundstrokes are simply much better than Ivo or Isner. All 3 have the best serves in tennis, hard to say which is best. That would be a statistical argument at best. Oddsmakers have Medvedev as a very heavy favorite at about 80% of winning the match.

Not an easy player to beat that Opelka if he is serving well. It's really hard to get rhythm against him I imagine. Tsitsipas certainly struggled returning that serve. Opelka hit a couple of second serves with such tremendous kick...don't think I have seen any other player kick a serve so high.

[stroke]

Not an easy player to beat that Opelka if he is serving well. It's really hard to get rhythm against him I imagine. Tsitsipas certainly struggled returning that serve. Opelka hit a couple of second serves with such tremendous kick...don't think I have seen any other player kick a serve so high.

So true. It is hard to say who is the best server of those 3, but Opelka no doubt to me has the most oppressive total game.