Antwerp ATP 250

[stroke]

In the semis, if was all FAA could do to take down Gasquet in 2 tiebreakers in a very good match with great shot making from both players. Gasquet still a great player. FAA certainly one of the best players around right now, and this kind of match just reiterates how dominant and great the 3 were. They basicly obliterated Gasquet's career.

In Stockholm final tomorrow, Tsitsipas vs Rune should be very good. Tsitsipas playing very well and Rune is coming on real fast. Rune has had some great wins to reach this final.

[stroke]

That being said, the first round match in Antwerp, Gasquet vs Wawrinka, was just as good. Gasquet saved 3 match points in the 2nd set, and won the 3rd. Those 2 to me still have the easiest on the eye one handed backhands ever.

[stroke]

Rune wins 1st set is Stockholm vs Stef. Rune seems headed for top 10 very quickly. He really overpowered Stef in that set. He hits very big off both sides and does not overly run around to hit his very big model type 3 forehand. I love his positional take back of his forehand. It is so simple, not much to go wrong.

[stotty]

I didn't see the match but it looked fairly routine from the scoreline. Amazing to think Rune is just 19 years old. From memory, didn't Rune beat Stef at Roland Garros as well? I rather like his forehand too.

[stroke]

I didn't see the match but it looked fairly routine from the scoreline. Amazing to think Rune is just 19 years old. From memory, didn't Rune beat Stef at Roland Garros as well? I rather like his forehand too.

He did. Rune looks like the real deal. Very good technique on all shots. I think he is a serious contender at RG, maybe even top 5 contender. I love his forehand and his backhand, and he does not run around his backhand like Stef and Alcaraz (and so many others).

[stotty]

He did. Rune looks like the real deal. Very good technique on all shots. I think he is a serious contender at RG, maybe even top 5 contender. I love his forehand and his backhand, and he does not run around his backhand like Stef and Alcaraz (and so many others).

I tend to prefer players who are more or less equally balanced on both wings. Running round backhands is not quite the trend it was with some of the emerging players. The bottom line is if you are going to put all that extra legwork to a round backhands, it has to be worth it. A forehand can certainly make more of a dent than a backhand, but more balanced players like Novak and Meddy seem to fair just as well as the players in the run-around-club.

I wonder what the stats are with running around backhands in terms of point won as a result.

[stroke]

I tend to prefer players who are more or less equally balanced on both wings. Running round backhands is not quite the trend it was with some of the emerging players. The bottom line is if you are going to put all that extra legwork to a round backhands, it has to be worth it. A forehand can certainly make more of a dent than a backhand, but more balanced players like Novak and Meddy seem to fair just as well as the players in the run-around-club.

I wonder what the stats are with running around backhands in terms of point won as a result.

I personally think that the runaround is dated. Certainly it is still viable with someone as fast as Alcaraz, but I still do not like it. Too much work, and too much court given up. Moya and Courier were the first great players to me to do it at all cost. So many still do, not just Alcaraz, Stef, Berenttini, Ruud, Sock, so many. Rune does not, nor does Fritz or Meddy or Zverev. Meddy to me is just too technically unsound to maintain the number 1 ranking for any really significant time. That being said, he got there, which is no mean feat.

[jimlosaltos]

I didn't see the match but it looked fairly routine from the scoreline. Amazing to think Rune is just 19 years old. From memory, didn't Rune beat Stef at Roland Garros as well? I rather like his forehand too.

He did. Beat Stef there then -- first thing that comes to mind whenever I think of him -- Rune had his own mother removed from his player's box vs Casper claiming her presence was causing his outbursts <g>. So bad even the mild-mannered Ruud lectured him mid-match and (per Rune anyways) later in the locker room.

But Rune's ability to hold the baseline pushed Stef back in Stockholm. Impressive.