Australian Open 2022

[stroke]

Carlos is favored over Berrettini. Carlos clearly not longer a dark horse

[arturohernandez]

Nick has added a new annoying wrinkle to his underarm serve routine where he fakes it at times. Very annoying. No one does annoying like Nick. It could be a very interesting match. I can certainly see Medvedev getting annoyed out there in this matchup.

I mean if tennis is about winning and these guys are standing WAY back, it is fair game. Johnny Mac often thinks that all the players are too nice to each other these days. Even Soderling lost his edge when Nadal called him out. Same with Nick. I just don't see why they hate him so much for doing what he should do to win.

Would they be annoyed at Sampras for basically volleying them to death?

I am waiting for Nick to just mix in his underhand and overhand serve and make them pay. If you cannot return from a reasonable distance, then someone should make you pay. And when they do, you should admit that this is a bad hardcourt strategy. Calling someone out for a legal play that shows a true weakness is not reasonable. If you don't like it, move in and return. You cannot have it both ways.

As you can imagine, I have spent a few Nadal and Medvedev matches wondering why people are just letting them float return after return in. Then, they lose in straight sets. Why not try something different? You will still lose but at least you got them out of their comfort zone.

I am sure that Nick never tries this ploy with Djokovic or Federer. Fed in particular would have a field day with underhand serves. Even Stan would simply push returns back in and then pounce on any short ball.

Can you tell I am annoyed by this deep return position thing?

[glacierguy]

I mean if tennis is about winning and these guys are standing WAY back, it is fair game. Johnny Mac often thinks that all the players are too nice to each other these days. Even Soderling lost his edge when Nadal called him out. Same with Nick. I just don't see why they hate him so much for doing what he should do to win.

Would they be annoyed at Sampras for basically volleying them to death?

I am waiting for Nick to just mix in his underhand and overhand serve and make them pay. If you cannot return from a reasonable distance, then someone should make you pay. And when they do, you should admit that this is a bad hardcourt strategy. Calling someone out for a legal play that shows a true weakness is not reasonable. If you don't like it, move in and return. You cannot have it both ways.

As you can imagine, I have spent a few Nadal and Medvedev matches wondering why people are just letting them float return after return in. Then, they lose in straight sets. Why not try something different? You will still lose but at least you got them out of their comfort zone.

I am sure that Nick never tries this ploy with Djokovic or Federer. Fed in particular would have a field day with underhand serves. Even Stan would simply push returns back in and then pounce on any short ball.

Can you tell I am annoyed by this deep return position thing?

I am with you 100% arturohernandez - underarm serves are part of the game, if you don't like it, suck it up. I would like to see all of the deep-position returners scrambling to reach underarm serves.

[stroke]

I was referring to this new wrinkle of the "fake" underarm serve being annoying, not the underarm serve itself. I have no issue with the underarm serve.

[stroke]

Medvedev wins 1st set in a tiebreaker, 7-1. It looks to no big surprise and Medvedev's superior fitness is a big factor here. Nick was moving Med around a lot in the baseline rallies with his forehand, but Med went to work doing what he does, just working.

[glacierguy]

Medvedev vs Kyrgios: Medvedev's concentration and focus is truly excellent. Kyrgios dyes his hair. Who knew?

[stroke]

Medvedev was clearly perturbed about the way the crowd behaved during the match and said so in his on court post victory interview. Hard not to like Medvedev. He competes hard, does not like BS and owns it.

[stotty]

Sinner looked solid today against Johnson. I am hoping Sinner will make the quarters. I like the way he steadily improves every time I see him play, and he certainly knows how to play a tennis match. I will be watching him with interest...and Alcaraz, who has a tough match ahead.

Would have been interesting had Kyrgios won the first set against Medvedev. It was always going to be all uphill if he didn't.

[stroke]

Sinner looked solid today against Johnson. I am hoping Sinner will make the quarters. I like the way he steadily improves every time I see him play, and he certainly knows how to play a tennis match. I will be watching him with interest...and Alcaraz, who has a tough match ahead.

Would have been interesting had Kyrgios won the first set against Medvedev. It was always going to be all uphill if he didn't.

Sinner and Alcaraz both are serious contenders here. Coming up Sinner vs Berrettini will be a real tell. And Karatsev a real dark horse contender to me

[arturohernandez]

I am with you 100% arturohernandez - underarm serves are part of the game, if you don't like it, suck it up. I would like to see all of the deep-position returners scrambling to reach underarm serves.

It might not take an underarm serve to do it. Have you seen Maxime Cressy. He took Rafa to three sets. Now he took down Isner and Machac. He just keeps attacking and it is working for him.

Was not even in the top 6 at UCLA his freshman year. Then he stopped working on his baseline game and just worked on S&V. He is ranked 70 and rising.

“It doesn’t matter who you are. [even] the best players in the world. If he is executing, he’s going to win the point. If he’s coming forward, there’s only so much you can do with a 135 mph serve in the corner and a volley to the open court,” Rapp said. “It doesn’t matter how good you are. It kind of takes the racquet out of the best players’ hands. I’m pretty confident in saying that when Cressy loses, he loses and when he wins, he wins. It’s not generally [about] what the other guy does on the other side of the court.”

https://www.atptour.com/en/news/cres...n-2022-feature

How high can he go? Top 50, Top 20, Top 10, Top 5.

What do you guys think?

[stroke]

Great win for Berenttini over Carlos, very tough loss for Carlos. One of those matches where the winner ended up winning less points in the loser.

[stroke]

Mannarino up 2 sets to 1 over Karatsev. Very good match. Mannarino is really good at managing and redirecting Karatsev pace.

[arturohernandez]

A sleeper here is Shapovalov. Shaky in his first two matches but pulled through. Solid against Opelka. The only top 20 player who looks to attack. Huge serve and great sped. See how he holds up going forward.

[stroke]

A sleeper here is Shapovalov. Shaky in his first two matches but pulled through. Solid against Opelka. The only top 20 player who looks to attack. Huge serve and great sped. See how he holds up going forward.

No doubt Denis has the game. I think FAA may be an even better sleeper. Deep sleeper, Fritz.

[jimlosaltos]

Is Darren Cahill the best coach ever? Amanda Anisimova knocks out defending champion Naomi Osaka 4-6 6-3 7-6[5] to advance to the fourth round. After great teen break through, Anisimova hadn't won a title in three years. Cahill joins her on a trial run, she wins a tune-up title, and now takes out the Osaka, who some call "The best hard court player in women's tennis." I have no idea what Darren did, but I don't believe in coincidences.