Washington Open

[don_budge]

What an entertaining match: Kyrgios might be a bit nuts, but he was absolutely brilliant, mixing up all kinds of shots, great serving, involving the crowd. So fun to watch. Tennis needs characters like him.

Nuts? Maybe dysfunctional. Who isn't? He's on stage for everyone to look at him through the microscope and of course everyone likes to play psychologist. One thing about him is that he isn't "cookie cutter" mindset. Lots of tennis purists like to see the behaviour within 3 sigma. Within the control limits. But with Nick "The Jerk" Kyrgios you are going to be hard pressed to reign him in. Some of his antics I can do without. Those that suggest a lack of effort are the most galling. Some of the hot dogging I can do without. But that is a sign of the times. As you say...sports are entertainment now. So...who's to blame? Nick didn't discover the hotdog. But in tennis he is taking it to another level.

I only got to see a few points of the highlights. It was apparent that he had his head into the match and his goal was to win. Not sure why he cannot seem to muster the effort night in and night out. Although all indicators are that this week he has done just that. He mentioned in an article that he was getting help in this regard. That's a good thing. Tsitsipas is a good rival as his behaviour is usually exemplary. It is often the contrast in life that keeps it "entertaining" and prevents us from dozing off from boredom. I think that it was a good match for Stefanos. Nick is a bit older and more physically mature. I was wondering if he just might bully over Tsitsipas. Apparently not. But from all indications Tsitsipas competed well and that is what I am looking for in this young man as he matures...that ability to bring it night in and night out. Still I wonder if that serve doesn't need a bit of a tweaking. At his height there is no reason why he cannot rock that pill. Much as Kyrgios does. He can bully nearly anyone with his serve and play to the tie-breaker. That is his given tactic on his lesser nights.

I have been saying for a long, long time that the match of the day is Roger Federer versus Anybody. It's nice to know that at least on a given night that Nick can keep it together mentally and give the crowd what they are paying for. In this case he has done it all week...against albeit lesser players. But now is the moment of truth. He is up against an opponent who has the capability to playing like an immovable object. It will be interesting to see which Nick shows up. Dr. Jekyl or Mr. Hyde.

[gzhpcu]

Kyrgios obviously enjoyed playing and interacted with the crowd. Giving fist bumps, high fives and asking a spectator how he should place his serve on match point. He then ended the match and highfived the spectator who was overjoyed... Quite the entertainer. Terrific mover, does the unexpected...

[stroke]

Nick actually hit a very nice topspin one handed backhand approach shot in the 1st set. Never seen him do that before. They are approximately the same size but Nick's serve is just so much better. Stef will never get close to that level of serving. Nick along with Raonic has the best sub 6'10" serve out there to me. A brutal scary fast twitch delivery. His forehand is bigger than Stefanos' also to me. Think about how much different this matchup would look if they had each others serve.

[stotty]

Nick loves to prove a point, i.e.: "I may not be a GOAT but I can certainly beat any GOAT". He also loves to create drama and put a spanner in the works. I haven't see his match with Tsitsipas yet but will try to catch it on the replay channel.

[gzhpcu]

Nick loves to prove a point, i.e.: "I may not be a GOAT but I can certainly beat any GOAT". He also loves to create drama and put a spanner in the works. I haven't see his match with Tsitsipas yet but will try to catch it on the replay channel.

Ever try TennisTV?

[stotty]

Ever try TennisTV?

Thanks. Yes I am a member so will catch the match later tonight.

[stotty]

Mr Clean versus Mr Dirty

Great match. I have watched the first two sets. The first set and a bit is the best I have seen Nick play. Sheer controlled power. Tsitsipas's serve is greatly improved. The hitch is disappearing. He still shifts laterally to the left after serving but not as bad as he once did. Nick is a better model for weight transfer for sure. He moves directly and balanced straight in to the court after serving.

Tsitsipas started to play well in the second. He wants it and is a psychopath for sure. I am looking forward to the third set.

[stroke]

Thanks. Yes I am a member so will catch the match later tonight.

I watched the relay on Tennis Channel Plus

[stroke]

Mr Clean versus Mr Dirty

Great match. I have watched the first two sets. The first set and a bit is the best I have seen Nick play. Sheer controlled power. Tsitsipas's serve is greatly improved. The hitch is disappearing. He still shifts laterally to the left after serving but not as bad as he once did. Nick is a better model for weight transfer for sure. He moves directly and balanced straight in to the court after servingt

Tsitsipas started to play well in the second. He wants it and is a psychopath for sure. I am looking forward to the third set.

Not much separates them in the 3rd. Beating a dead horse with those 2, but in a tiebreaker, Nick's much better serve is a huge advantage.

[stotty]

I watched the third set. The match always seemed more on Kyrgios's racket than Stefanos's. He has the bigger game...fast twitch serve and forehand. The match was very watchable as both players get on with it and there was decent shotmaking in-between the big serving. I find Stefanos's game elegant while Nick's is quite ugly. It's a good match-up for entertainment. I enjoyed it.

[don_budge]

Never saw a point this week...the time difference. Too much golf. But how can you not like a guy who says this:

"This has honestly been one of my favourite weeks of my life. I've made massive strides," Kyrgios said. "I started becoming friends with the smoothie guy, he knew what smoothie I wanted. I was playing ping pong with some kids before I'm playing. You guys were amazing. It was honestly a week to remember."

“I’ve had people behind me, backing me, and they never lost faith in me even when I lost faith in myself. This week means a lot. It’s great to get the win, but I’ve proved to myself and the people backing me that I can still produce at the highest level.”

I'm happy for him.

[stotty]

I watched the first set of the final. It was terribly dull...a serving fest. Medvedev won the first 15 points in a row in the opening set on his serve. Kyrgios couldn't get a return back. It was pretty much the same the other end too. The tiebreak, which Nick tried to throw away early on, was worth watching. I couldn't bear to watch another set, and it was late here so I went to bed. I imagine the second set was much the same as the first.

I don't know whereabouts Nick is on the spectrum or whether it will be possible for him to put something together at the US Open, but it sure will be interesting whose half of the draw he falls into.

[arturohernandez]

I watched the first set of the final. It was terribly dull...a serving fest. Medvedev won the first 15 points in a row in the opening set on his serve. Kyrgios couldn't get a return back. It was pretty much the same the other end too. The tiebreak, which Nick tried to throw away early on, was worth watching. I couldn't bear to watch another set, and it was late here so I went to bed. I imagine the second set was much the same as the first.

I don't know whereabouts Nick is on the spectrum or whether it will be possible for him to put something together at the US Open, but it sure will be interesting whose half of the draw he falls into.

You get the feeling that if Kyrgios got on a roll and made it to the finals of a major he just might pull it off. I mean who can hit 134 mph second serve aces, serve and volley, drop shot and win from the back.

He seems to be slowly improving to the point that he is winning smaller tournaments. With his talent and a few lucky bounces he could win one.

[stotty]

You get the feeling that if Kyrgios got on a roll and made it to the finals of a major he just might pull it off. I mean who can hit 134 mph second serve aces, serve and volley, drop shot and win from the back.

He seems to be slowly improving to the point that he is winning smaller tournaments. With his talent and a few lucky bounces he could win one.

What you don't see from Nick, nor his dumb mate Tomic, is development. Nick was a precocious teenage talent but his game has developed little since then. The game he already had has naturally got better but he has never sought to 'change' a stroke to improve it. He might want to improve his backhand as it would turn out handy if his serve wasn't working one day. The thing is I can't see Nick setting about doing such a thing the way Roger has improved his backhand or Nadal his...through diligent hard work and being willing to strip a shot apart and start over.

[arturohernandez]

What you don't see from Nick, nor his dumb mate Tomic, is development. Nick was a precocious teenage talent but his game has developed little since then. The game he already had has naturally got better but he has never sought to 'change' a stroke to improve it. He might want to improve his backhand as it would turn out handy if his serve wasn't working one day. The thing is I can't see Nick setting about doing such a thing the way Roger has improved his backhand or Nadal his...through diligent hard work and being willing to strip a shot apart and start over.

It is kind of frustrating, isn't it? Definitely, a magician. But he seems to be winning these small tournaments. It's like a Jekyl and Hyde thing. He keeps fighting himself but over time he is becoming more and more controlled. He is starting to care.

I agree that he is definitely NOT Nadal or Federer. I don't think he will win multiple majors.

But he could win one. Like Ivanisevic did. Just finally hang around so long that eventually he pulls it off.

HIs talent might overcome even his own internal battle.