Rome aka the Internazionali BNL d’Italia

[jimlosaltos]

Men's semifinals

Ruud, having a down year, is 4-0 vs Rune, all on clay. Rune has won 1 set in those 4 losses, that at last year's French. Rune won the French juniors. Bit surprised. I'd thought he was a hard court player, but proved otherwise in win over Djoko.

Tsitsipas vs Medvedev 4-7, but Stef has won their last 2, both on hard courts, and their only Roland Garros meeting, 2021. Medy is quietly playing as if he actually likes clay! No drama Octopus?

Tsitsipas just might have gotten his A game back finally after elbow surgery. Hit some spectacular half-volleys and overheads in Rome. Serve seems back as well.

Here are Tsitsi's first serves through the quarters; hasn't lost a set and I think only broken twice in fortnight?

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[jimlosaltos]

But here's Tsitsipas's achilles heel, backhand service return. Tries to block-drive ala Fed and misses too many. Again through quarters and via TennisTV.

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[stroke]

Rune and Tsitsipas are both slight favorites in their semi's with an implied probability of winning at about 60%. I certainly think this "shot quality " stat TennisTV is providing at times is very interesting and telling. Just recently, Rune had an 8.4 or so on his backhand, to no surprise to anyone watching the match. Tsitsipas vs Coric, Tsitsipas at one point on his forehand, had the highest score I have seen reported, at 9.7.

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Ruud just hit a forehand winner with a reported rpm of 4200.

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https://photos.app.goo.gl/nhoTFSFR31iSgbLa7

Now in 3rd set

[jimlosaltos]

Rune and Tsitsipas are both slight favorites in their semi's with an implied probability of winning at about 60%. I certainly think this "shot quality " stat TennisTV is providing at times is very interesting and telling. Just recently, Rune had an 8.4 or so on his backhand, to no surprise to anyone watching the match. Tsitsipas vs Coric, Tsitsipas at one point on his forehand, had the highest score I have seen reported, at 9.7.

Best I've found is 9.6 for Alcaraz from March

https://twitter.com/TennisTV/status/1641621314912899076?s=20

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This dynamic, late in the 1st set, Med vs Stef, with Stef and his parents and their chatter is something to behold. Tennis wise, Stef was up 40 love at 5 all 1st set, and lost his serve, and then Med held to win the set 7-5. Stef's to me dicey 2nd serve under extreme pressure(to me his grip a culprip) reared up again.

[jimlosaltos]

So, we'll have Medvedev vs Rune in the final of Rome? Very interesting.

Medy's 'salty dance' after winning was apparently mocking Stef's dance after beating Medy in Cincinatti. Lots of bad blood there.

Win or lose, Rune will go into Roland Garros having taken out two of the top clay contenders left on tour after Rafa's sad time out.

Meanwhile, it just tolled 12 Midnight in Rome -- and the women are starting the second set of their FINAL. Nothing says "professional tennis" like playing the women's final in the rain after midnight. Rybakina won the first set. {Did I mention they get paid a lot less than the men in Rome? In fact, their share has declined in recent years.}

Supposedly very current photo from the courts. Photo from Rome by Alex Pantling.

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[jimlosaltos]

Rybakina wins when Kalinika retires, injured on the wet surface after only one game post return to court.

Award ceremony includes crowd booing the sponsor (supposedly, I can't follow it), Rybakina's mike doesn't work, and players apparently don't know why the crowd is booing.

Just another Internazionali BNL d'Italia masterpiece. Sigh.

[stroke]

So, we'll have Medvedev vs Rune in the final of Rome? Very interesting.

Medy's 'salty dance' after winning was apparently mocking Stef's dance after beating Medy in Cincinatti. Lots of bad blood there.

Win or lose, Rune will go into Roland Garros having taken out two of the top clay contenders left on tour after Rafa's sad time out.

Meanwhile, it just tolled 12 Midnight in Rome -- and the women are starting the second set of their FINAL. Nothing says "professional tennis" like playing the women's final in the rain after midnight. Rybakina won the first set. {Did I mention they get paid a lot less than the men in Rome? In fact, their share has declined in recent years.}

Supposedly very current photo from the courts. Photo from Rome by Alex Pantling.

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Hey, the crowds say all.

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https://www.sportskeeda.com/tennis/news-most-hilarious-feud-tennis-childish-daniil-medvedev-s-italian-open-victory-dance-mocking-stefanos-tsitsipas-amuses-tennis-fans

[stotty]

https://www.sportskeeda.com/tennis/n...es-tennis-fans

They both need to man up somewhat. Talk about childish. It's a bit like the tit-for-tat spats you occasionally get here on the forum...futile...no one wins...pointless.

[stroke]

They both need to man up somewhat. Talk about childish. It's a bit like the tit-for-tat spats you occasionally get here on the forum...futile...no one wins...pointless.

I think it will be a long time before they ever come to some kind of mutual understanding. Med seems to really not like Tsitsipas, and Tsitsipas does not care.

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Oddsmakers have Rune as a very slight favorite over Med, implied probability of winning at about 54%.

[jimlosaltos]

Medvedev breaks Rune for first time on set point 7-5.
Rune tried a very good drop shot, which won points against Tsitsipas and Djokovic -- but Medy, coming from well back, pounced.

Rune screams at Mouratoglou, who is leaning over the railing on change-over "I'm pushing the ball. Pushing the ball."
Announcer Robbie Koenig agrees.

Rune had the only two break points previously but failed to convert either.
Medvedev won 80% (20/25) behind first serves. Rune's great return from his win over Djokovic not to be seen so far.

I did not remember that Rune had won their only meeting, that in Monte Carlo Qs, also on clay of course.

Update: So coached by PM, Rune comes out and promptly breaks Medvdev at love stepping inside the court 3 times. And we have a match.
That was easy.