Australian Open

[stotty]

Well, after that comprehensive win vs the demon, Novak is the comprehensive favorite vs Rublev, with an implied winning percentage of just over 86%. That is something, and it was certainly something how he made the demon look like a lower level practice partner. The demon is a very good, tough player, who competes for every point. In today's game of such small margains, 4th round of a Major, it is hard to put into words how impressive that was. It is looking like maybe only an in full flight Tsitsipas can really have a chance to beat him.

I'm watching Tsitsipas versus Lehecka at the moment. Tsitsipas is going to have to play better than he is right now to beat Novak. I haven't watched Lehecka before. He certainly has a heavy game (who doesn't these days) but not exactly the most entertaining player, bit robotic. Roger has been gone a while now but I do miss him. I think he'd carve Lehecka up pretty darn quick.

[stroke]

I'm watching Tsitsipas versus Lehecka at the moment. Tsitsipas is going to have to play better than he is right now to beat Novak. I haven't watched Lehecka before. He certainly has a heavy game (who doesn't these days) but not exactly the most entertaining player, bit robotic. Roger has been gone a while now but I do miss him. I think he'd carve Lehecka up pretty darn quick.

Lehecka seems to have a better, more reliable backhand than he does forehand, which is of course unusual. He does have a nice, all court game, and very strong legs. Tsitsipas is large and in charge with his forehand, which is hurting Lehecha. Tsitsipas certainly looks to have one of the very best forehands on tour, and he is so good at stepping in and taking the ball early with his weight moving through the shot, a la Federer. His backhand will certainly have to be at its absolute best to have a chance if he gets Novak. He would certainly be a big underdog.

[stroke]

That is the way to get it done and close out a match. Stef really wants it. So does Khachanov, who has quietly gotten to the semis.

[jimlosaltos]

What Happened to Big Servers in Men's Game?

This gave me pause. Brad Gilbert said Ben Shelton might have the biggest serve on the tour now, serving frequently at 140 mph.

Another announcer I usually don't pay attention said "Lots of people serve at that velocity" then went on about the lefty-ness.

But then I started thinking about how the Big Trees in tennis have fallen. Virtually everybody around the 7 foot mark has departed or is barely playing. O'Pelka is still around, but last I saw him he never reached 140 mph.

But even aside from the Big Trees, top speeds seem to be declining. (Not overall average speeds, and more players than ever each 130 mph, but the real top)

I recall when Ryan Harrison served 150 mph, and saw Fernando Verdasco miss (or not, there was no Hawkeye) getting 150 mph serve in.

The Dear Departed Big Servers: Sam Groth, Isner (almost), Raonic (oft injured), Dr. Ivo (did he ever officially retire?), Greg Rusedski, Andy Roddick. Dying breed?

Random noise in the universe or trend? Am I missing somebody?

[jimlosaltos]

Sebi Korda's injury sounds eerily like that of Dominic Thiem and, years earlier, Andy Murray. Which is scary. Hoping the best.

~~~~

He experienced the same issue "a little bit" at the Adelaide International in early January before it thankfully disappeared.

But after mishitting a forehand return in the second set against Khachanov – who edged Korda in a five-set thriller at Wimbledon in 2021 – the discomfort resurfaced.

Korda kept going as long as he could, but the pain became too much (Getty Images)
"I don't know what it really is," Korda told reporters. "I had it in Adelaide and then it went away completely. Now it just came back out of nowhere.

"Some forehands I couldn't even hold the racquet. Volleying was almost impossible for me. So it was a little tough.

"See a doctor right after this and figure out more."

[don_budge]

2023 Australian Open Match of the Day...Novax vs. The Ruskie

The Russian Prevails...

The Ruskie lives to play another day. Afterall...isn't that what it is all about? Live to play another day. Survival. He survived the Dane who threw everything including the kitchen sink at him. Now he gets what he "wants". Novak "Novax" Djokovic. Novak is in full assassin mode with only revenge on his mine. Revenge on the whole ball of wax. You see...he doesn't like being painted the villain. He's a God fearing man with children. Only love in his heart and only survival on his mind. Rather than jeopardize the future of his children on an unknown vaccine he elected to play it smart. No vaccination for him...please and thank you. None for me either. Anybody want mine? You can have it. But I recommend against it.

I don't know where you get your information but where I come from I see nothing but odious information coming around after the fact. After millions and billions have rolled up their sleeves on an experimental shot. Clinical trials? The recipients are the trial. How's the trial going? It depends upon who you ask but this much is for certain. Without the vax you are 99.8 secure you will live to play another day. With it...who knows. It doesn't work. Do more people die now that are vaccinated than are not? Some information seems to suggest that they do. It isn't clear. I am not advocating for you either way. You must make up your own mind. But at the same time...have just a little respect and let the next guy make up his. If the vaccination works you should have nothing to worry about, right? If you are vaccinated. But so many get the "virus" that are vaccinated. It doesn't work. I love the "general consensus" that the herd repeats ad nauseam..."your chances of surviving it or not having to be hospitalized are greatly reduced if you are vaxed". Hahaha...says who? Says the same people that were saying it is a pandemic of the unvaccinated.

So I can see how Novak is motivated in over drive. Anyone that thought De Minaur had any sort of chance against the human wrecking machine yesterday afternoon is hollow. Devoid of any sort of judgement. Putting any sort of illusion De Minaur had any chance because he is "quick" is a real stretch. Novak put a hurt dance on that "Demon" real bad. Good night Irene to the Australian crowd. He sent them home crying. He really wanted to make them wish their mommies never had them. "You got to be like that Nikki", I wrote to that young man from Serbia on the forum so many years ago. So it is Novax against the Russian. What is a lib to do? What is a "woke" person to do? On the one hand you have the COVID denier and the other you have someone who just so happens to be a citizen of the country that stands in the way of NATO. It doesn't matter. Novak is holding all the cards. He has his own destiny on his own racquet. He has the experience to handle this monumental pressure. The occasion. Not that I rule Rublev out. Not that I am condemning the Russian. Because I feel for him too.

It isn't just lovely how the tennis universe manages to dehumanize these Russian players by taking their flag away from them. How childish. For the Lord's sake...be a man about things. How many times were American players denied their representation of their flag for all the war and carnage they have spread around the world. That makes as much sense as giving Barack Obama a Nobel Peace Prize before he launched bombing missions on no less than eight different countries. Using drones to target humans from the air. What about the war mongering Brits? How many times were they denied their flag? Russia believes they are defending their country from a military alliance that is surrounding them. They are right too. Even Sweden and Finland are trying to get in on the act. If they manage to succeed in joining this unholy alliance it is game over. Now you have cornered the bear and her cubs in a corner. Have you ever seen a wild animal protect her young. It is the strongest force in nature. Now for sure the real losers of this massive act of terror is the Ukrainian people. But the West continues to pour gasoline on the fire with money and weapons instead of a negotiated settlement. Russia thought that they had one in the Minsk Agreement...but that also turned out to be negotiated in bad faith.

By the way...the Serbians are sympathetic to Russia. So are the populations of the BRICS alliance. Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. That is a lot of people so that anyone that believes the entire world is behind the West is grossly mistaken. Let us just hope to God that some rational player comes into the mix and ends this thing. Donald Trump? This never would have happened if he were President. He lost a very dubious election and this was etched in stone once he lost. It never would have happened. I never personally liked Donald Trump. I wrote a scathing post or two about him before he ran for President. But he had some real solid ideas about our country. In terms of survival. In terms of living to play another day. The first that got my attention was better relations with the Russians. See how they vilified him for that. The Russia Hoax? All coming unraveled by the way courtesy of Elon Musk exposing the inner working of the Grand Information Conspiracy. The Twitter Files.

So come on Novak. Come on Andrey! This is a fight of layers upon layers of twisted facts and innuendos. COVID and the RUSSIAN HOAX. Both coming unraveled. Nothing good to come of either. But it is just another tennis match isn't it? It is the match of the day. The winner will live to play another day.

[stroke]

No question match of the day. Further info on just how strong of a favorite Novak is, he has now moved to a 71%+ implied probability of winning the Title.

[don_budge]

2023 Australian Open Match of the Day...Novax vs. The Ruskie



The Ruskie lives to play another day. Afterall...isn't that what it is all about? Live to play another day. Survival. He survived the Dane who threw everything including the kitchen sink at him. Now he gets what he "wants". Novak "Novax" Djokovic. Novak is in full assassin mode with only revenge on his mine. Revenge on the whole ball of wax. You see...he doesn't like being painted the villain. He's a God fearing man with children. Only love in his heart and only survival on his mind. Rather than jeopardize the future of his children on an unknown vaccine he elected to play it smart. No vaccination for him...please and thank you. None for me either. Anybody want mine? You can have it. But I recommend against it.

I don't know where you get your information but where I come from I see nothing but odious information coming around after the fact. After millions and billions have rolled up their sleeves on an experimental shot. Clinical trials? The recipients are the trial. How's the trial going? It depends upon who you ask but this much is for certain. Without the vax you are 99.8 secure you will live to play another day. With it...who knows. It doesn't work. Do more people die now that are vaccinated than are not? Some information seems to suggest that they do. It isn't clear. I am not advocating for you either way. You must make up your own mind. But at the same time...have just a little respect and let the next guy make up his. If the vaccination works you should have nothing to worry about, right? If you are vaccinated. But so many get the "virus" that are vaccinated. It doesn't work. I love the "general consensus" that the herd repeats ad nauseam..."your chances of surviving it or not having to be hospitalized are greatly reduced if you are vaxed". Hahaha...says who? Says the same people that were saying it is a pandemic of the unvaccinated.

So I can see how Novak is motivated in over drive. Anyone that thought De Minaur had any sort of chance against the human wrecking machine yesterday afternoon is hollow. Devoid of any sort of judgement. Putting any sort of illusion De Minaur had any chance because he is "quick" is a real stretch. Novak put a hurt dance on that "Demon" real bad. Good night Irene to the Australian crowd. He sent them home crying. He really wanted to make them wish their mommies never had them. "You got to be like that Nikki", I wrote to that young man from Serbia on the forum so many years ago. So it is Novax against the Russian. What is a lib to do? What is a "woke" person to do? On the one hand you have the COVID denier and the other you have someone who just so happens to be a citizen of the country that stands in the way of NATO. It doesn't matter. Novak is holding all the cards. He has his own destiny on his own racquet. He has the experience to handle this monumental pressure. The occasion. Not that I rule Rublev out. Not that I am condemning the Russian. Because I feel for him too.

It isn't just lovely how the tennis universe manages to dehumanize these Russian players by taking their flag away from them. How childish. For the Lord's sake...be a man about things. How many times were American players denied their representation of their flag for all the war and carnage they have spread around the world. That makes as much sense as giving Barack Obama a Nobel Peace Prize before he launched bombing missions on no less than eight different countries. Using drones to target humans from the air. What about the war mongering Brits? How many times were they denied their flag? Russia believes they are defending their country from a military alliance that is surrounding them. They are right too. Even Sweden and Finland are trying to get in on the act. If they manage to succeed in joining this unholy alliance it is game over. Now you have cornered the bear and her cubs in a corner. Have you ever seen a wild animal protect her young. It is the strongest force in nature. Now for sure the real losers of this massive act of terror is the Ukrainian people. But the West continues to pour gasoline on the fire with money and weapons instead of a negotiated settlement. Russia thought that they had one in the Minsk Agreement...but that also turned out to be negotiated in bad faith.

By the way...the Serbians are sympathetic to Russia. So are the populations of the BRICS alliance. Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. That is a lot of people so that anyone that believes the entire world is behind the West is grossly mistaken. Let us just hope to God that some rational player comes into the mix and ends this thing. Donald Trump? This never would have happened if he were President. He lost a very dubious election and this was etched in stone once he lost. It never would have happened. I never personally liked Donald Trump. I wrote a scathing post or two about him before he ran for President. But he had some real solid ideas about our country. In terms of survival. In terms of living to play another day. The first that got my attention was better relations with the Russians. See how they vilified him for that. The Russia Hoax? All coming unraveled by the way courtesy of Elon Musk exposing the inner working of the Grand Information Conspiracy. The Twitter Files.

So come on Novak. Come on Andrey! This is a fight of layers upon layers of twisted facts and innuendos. COVID and the RUSSIAN HOAX. Both coming unraveled. Nothing good to come of either. But it is just another tennis match isn't it? It is the match of the day. The winner will live to play another day.

He is playing like a man posssessed...or more like a man obsessed.

[stroke]

He is playing like a man posssessed...or more like a man obsessed.

Yes, I am picking him to win this match. Oddsmakers now have him at a 98.7% implied probability of winning this match.

[don_budge]

Yes, I am picking him to win this match.

Just a song playing in between sets at the 2023 Australian Open...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGdGFtwCNBE

[stroke]

Love that song.

[don_budge]

Who's Next...The Who (1971)

Kicking ass and taking names. No prisoners. Any questions? Who's next?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTugfDAH2xM

[stroke]

Novak seems to be loving his situation even more that Roger is gone. I always felt he was a bit envious of the crowd adoration Roger got. No longer an issue.

[arturohernandez]

I am waiting for Novak to run up against a real opponent. Now I am wondering if he is the second coming of Agassi and Sampras. Both hit so flat and Djokovic grew up wanting to play like both of them. Is that what throws people off? It just looked like Rublev was missing easy balls at times. And he was often just out of time.

Is the field in a way just thrown off by Novak's ball? Is he actually an old school shot that is flatter and doesn't sit up as much. Like a ball Lansdorp would hit at all this trainees. He always said tennis was about hitting a skidding ball that is near the lines. He complained about Pete reversing his forehand when the ball came too fast.

Rublev looked like a young Pete trying to hang with Lansdorp's feeds last night. The modern game is modern until an old school player comes and shows its deficiencies.

Is Djokovic just showing the deficiencies of modern tennis?

[jimlosaltos]

I am waiting for Novak to run up against a real opponent. Now I am wondering if he is the second coming of Agassi and Sampras. Both hit so flat and Djokovic grew up wanting to play like both of them. Is that what throws people off? It just looked like Rublev was missing easy balls at times. And he was often just out of time.

Is the field in a way just thrown off by Novak's ball? Is he actually an old school shot that is flatter and doesn't sit up as much. Like a ball Lansdorp would hit at all this trainees. He always said tennis was about hitting a skidding ball that is near the lines. He complained about Pete reversing his forehand when the ball came too fast.

Rublev looked like a young Pete trying to hang with Lansdorp's feeds last night. The modern game is modern until an old school player comes and shows its deficiencies.

Is Djokovic just showing the deficiencies of modern tennis?

Interesting question, Arturo.. Historically, and this is from memory going back to John Y's seminal work on measuring topspin from video manually and HawkEye, Novak's TS is lower than the other members of the Big 3 but not substantially, and his shots were NOT flat ala Medvedev's.

Looking quickly for you on AO stats, I pulled a couple of winners from his quarterfinal win - no attempt to be representative or scan widely.

What's I'm hearing (and I have not been able to watch a lot of AO) is that Novak is going for a lot more on his first serve & his forehand than is typical, also that he bulked up a bit during the off season.

Here' a Djoko forehand with moderate RPMs and a second with near-Rafa levels. Make of that what you will <g>


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