Paris Masters Begins

[jimlosaltos]

The demon wins it. Superb match, nothing between them.


https://photos.app.goo.gl/Tj3MCtp22PvGSkmd7

Interesting. One of those matches, Medy had more winners, fewer UFEs, more unreturned serves - lost.

[jimlosaltos]

Anyone see Stan Wawrinka appear to give Holger Rune a lecture at the net after their match (Rune won after saving 3MPs, I believe ti was).

Stan held on to the handshake and talked (whispered?) into Rune's ear. Teen looked a bit chagrined

[stroke]

Anyone see Stan Wawrinka appear to give Holger Rune a lecture at the net after their match (Rune won after saving 3MPs, I believe ti was).

Stan held on to the handshake and talked (whispered?) into Rune's ear. Teen looked a bit chagrined

See post number 10 on this thread. I posted an article on that.

[stroke]

Nadal wins first set vs Paul with 3 winners and 9 errors. That pretty much tells the tale.

[stotty]

Nadal keeps getting himself out of trouble in the second set with superb play. He's moving real well and his second serve pace has been a set saver.

[stroke]

Well Paul gets to a 3rd. Well done. I would say he is favorite now. Nadal just does not look like a serious contender here to me.

[stroke]

And once again I am just SMH at scheduling. The last match, still to come, is going to be compleded way too late in fairness to the players.

[jimlosaltos]

See post number 10 on this thread. I posted an article on that.

Ah, thanks!

Not sure Kane from Tennis Channel is a good source, given what I've seen from him. Aside from claiming Stan called Rune a "big baby" on court, it doesn't say why -- nor how anyone could know given Stan was whispering in Rune's ear. Guess Stan hasn't said afterwards. Curious.

[stroke]

Ah, thanks!

Not sure Kane from Tennis Channel is a good source, given what I've seen from him. Aside from claiming Stan called Rune a "big baby" on court, it doesn't say why -- nor how anyone could know given Stan was whispering in Rune's ear. Guess Stan hasn't said afterwards. Curious.

To me, and I watched the match, Stan was a bit out of line, piling on the Rune narrative. I would have liked to have seen the same scrutiny from the players and crowd for Nick(who to me was and is way more of a bad guy), but alas, I know I am an outlier.

[stroke]

Nadal looked kind of like Murray to me, just not really a contender. I would not be surprised at all if he pulls out of the season ending final 8 Master's and just gears up for his last FO.

[stroke]

The stylish game of Musetti on full display vs Ruud. I am starting to think his 1 handed backhand is better than Thiem's or Tsitsipas'. He just rained down too many winners off both sides for Ruud. I am not sure which shot is more dangerous, his forehand or backhand. His forehand is very good also. He seems to have the very neutral wrist position takeback like Fognini and Berrettini. Maybe Italian tennis is teaching that rather than the extended wrist racket tip up that Fed and so many use.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/brXvyaQXPE4bz5xg6

[stroke]

Rune just outslugged one of the biggest sluggers on the tour in Rublev. Super impressive. Next up, the match of tournament, at the very least thus far, Rune vs Alcaraz.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/sXfMPj8xnCgT8X7C7

[jimlosaltos]

To me, and I watched the match, Stan was a bit out of line, piling on the Rune narrative. I would have liked to have seen the same scrutiny from the players and crowd for Nick(who to me was and is way more of a bad guy), but alas, I know I am an outlier.

Not sure you're an outlier. Many (including me) complain about Nick's behavior.

But Nick is so bad that there's a lot of room to be less-bad than Nick and still have unacceptably bad behavior <g>

As for Rune, I kind of like him so far. But you have to admit, when Rune had his own mother kicked out of his players' box because her presence was making him misbehave (vs Ruud), Rune did put a spotlight on himself <g>. That's a new one. To me. {Tomic did ask a chair to warn his own father for coaching, sort of similar).

The little I've seen of Rune didn't seem that offensive, but it appears to be things he says that gets on opponent's nerves, constant complains we don't hear, apparently.

I admit that, compared to hitting lines people with balls, or screaming obscenities at officials, that is pretty tame.

[jimlosaltos]

Gilles Simon didn't go out quietly. He's been anything but "retiring" during his purported last tournament.

Finally lost to a hot Felix Auger-Aliassime, but he did some damage to the seeds first.

After taking out Andy Murray, he's now dispatched Taylor Fritz eliminating him from the Turn/Race competition. Thus, there will -- yet again -- be no Americans in the year-end competition between the top 8 players in the world.

At world number 188 and 37 yo, Simon topped Fritz 7-5, 5-7, 6-4.

The Turin/ WTF finals 8 is set;

Alcaraz
Nadal
Tsitsipas
Ruud
Medvedev
Auger-Aliassime
Rublev
Djokovic

Djokovic is in under the apparently little-known exemption for a holder of a major title, ranked in the top 20. He could still qualify on points after Paris, tho.

[jimlosaltos]

If anyone is interested in Holger Rune's stroke, here' a short video on Twitter at the link.

This is simply practice hitting, but several swings on both sides.

Very compact forehand IMHO.

https://twitter.com/holgerrune2003/status/1588132609804177410