US Open

[arturohernandez]

Medvedev and Zverev, at the 6'5 to 6'6" height, have no physical advantage over a 6'1" Thiem with their style of play. Mevedev probably does move better than anyone ever at that height though. He is like a Djokovic lite to me, but multiple Master's 1000's and GS's could change that I suppose, though very unlikely he will ever get close to what Novak has done. I will say he has the most consistent type 2 forehand (to me) I have seen. His backhand is nearly as good as Novak's.

The height advantage is Thiem's in this case. 6'1" being the average height of GS winners in the last 25 years or so. Cilic may be the tallest but he was playing Nishikori in the US Open when he won it. Nishikori is also not average on the other side.

All thing being equal, Thiem has the advantage of being right at the average height for the last 25 years.

If they were playing basketball or soccer, then Thiem would be acceptable but no longer ideal.

[stroke]

Medvedev and Zverev, at the 6'5 to 6'6" height, have no physical advantage over a 6'1" Thiem. Mevedev probably does move better than anyone ever at that height though. He is like a Djokovic lite to me, but multiple Master's 1000's and GS's could change that I suppose, though very unlikely he will ever get close to what Novak has done. I will say he has the most consistent type 2(to me) I have seen. His backhand is nearly as good as Novak's.

[jimlosaltos]

Medvedev and Zverev, at the 6'5 to 6'6" height, have no physical advantage over a 6'1" Thiem. Medvedev probably does move better than anyone ever at that height though. He is like a Djokovic lite to me, but multiple Master's 1000's and GS's could change that I suppose, though very unlikely he will ever get close to what Novak has done. I will say he has the most consistent type 2(to me) I have seen. His backhand is nearly as good as Novak's.

Medvedev, to my eye, is one of the best movers in tennis, regardless of height. Many tall players (like Zverev) are fast but Medy is both fast, quick, and agile -- even tho he looks like a gooney bird trying to land while doing it <g>. There was one sequence vs Rublev that was astonishing. Medvedev hit a very good, wide slice serve, but Rublev anticipated and blasted a return that would be a winner against even most top ATP players. A few, incl Fed might have hit a reflex volley forehand and stayed in the point. But Medvedev recovered from his serve and saw that early enough to take it from his doubles alley and hit a forehand winner down the line, into the corner. Medvedev's speed turned a return winner into a serve-plus-one winner. I've never seen another tall player that could have made that play.

[stroke]

Medvedev, to my eye, is one of the best movers in tennis, regardless of height. Many tall players (like Zverev) are fast but Medy is both fast, quick, and agile -- even tho he looks like a gooney bird trying to land while doing it <g>. There was one sequence vs Rublev that was astonishing. Medvedev hit a very good, wide slice serve, but Rublev anticipated and blasted a return that would be a winner against even most top ATP players. A few, incl Fed might have hit a reflex volley forehand and stayed in the point. But Medvedev recovered from his serve and saw that early enough to take it from his doubles alley and hit a forehand winner down the line, into the corner. Medvedev's speed turned a return winner into a serve-plus-one winner. I've never seen another tall player that could have made that play.

I agree completely. That being said, he is to me no better mover than Thiem. A 40 yard dash between those 2 would be very interesting. 2 very good times I would guess, but I would still pick Thiem. Medvedev is favored per oddsmakers vs Thiem, and Zverev is a bigger favorite vs PCB. Both matches are a bit of a toss up to me.

[arturohernandez]

I agree completely. That being said, he is to me no better mover than Thiem. A 40 yard dash between those 2 would be very interesting. 2 very good times I would guess, but I would still pick Thiem. Medvedev is favored per oddsmakers vs Thiem, and Zverev is a bigger favorite vs PCB. Both matches are a bit of a toss up to me.

So far height seems to be ruling the day. The shorter PCB is making Zverev look bad. People might think it looks like Zverev is choking but he is facing an opponent equal in skill but with a more ideal height. We will see if it holds up...

[arturohernandez]

Maybe Sascha needs to hire Delpo to develop a bigger forehand. And Rafter to teach him a kick serve. He is playing like a small player in a big body.

[stotty]

Busta up 2 sets to love...

Disaster so far for Zverev. He has zero rhythm or confidence. He needs to relax and just go of it from here. He just has no feel for a low forehand and doesn't seem to have the ability to get under a low incoming ball on that wing. It's his weakest shot by a mile and a very easy one for opponents to exploit.

He just needs to relax, hug the baseline, and red line it from here on in.

[stotty]

Zverev snatches the third doing just what Stotty suggested. His playing closer to the baseline and finding big first serves. Still a mountain to climb but it is doable if he keeps it up and perhaps even goes for a little more. I won't see the rest of the match as it's bedtime over here in Blighty. I won't see Thiem v Medvedev which looks, on paper, to be a way better matchup...wouldn't like to pick that one.

[stroke]

A good win no question for Alex. Hr will never be anywhere close to Novak, Roger, or Rafael though obviously though.

[don_budge]

A good win no question for Alex. Hr will never be anywhere close to Novak, Roger, or Rafael though obviously though.

And Dominic Thiem will never be Roger Federer. But a rather good win all the same. Straight setter over Daniel Medvedev aka "Mr. Pencil". Got up in the middle of the night out here in the middle of nowhere. Who cares? I switched on the tele to see what I could see. Tuned into the match and lasted two or three games. Back and forth. The monotony of a metronome...a device used by musicians that marks time at a selected rate by giving a regular tick. That about sums it up. Roger...where are you?

The most boring spectacle of tennis ever. This tournament will go down in the annals to time as...there are no words. Now for the anticlimax. Alexander Zverev versus Dominic Thiem. Was there ever a more pathetic potential champion than Alexander Zverev. It doesn't matter what he does. The constant lifting of his shirt is just pitiful. The pink shorts. It all adds up...go figure.

I miss writing the threads of the Grand Slams that I did for ten plus years. But there is nothing to write about. I cannot even watch this slop. Sure...I can admire the athleticism. I understand that these are the best players in the world at what they do. But the game is so dumbed down. So engineered. So monotonous. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that somebody can stomach this. Does anyone actually watch these matches in their entirety. I haven't lasted more that two games in any given match and I am a tennis connoisseur.

[stroke]

That pulling up of the shirt thing is very annoying no doubt.

[glacierguy]

I just thought I'd mention that in the women's doubles final, Siegemund was absolutely outstanding. I haven't seen anyone play doubles that well for ages, man or woman.

[glacierguy]

That pulling up of the shirt thing is very annoying no doubt.

Although not as annoying as pulling your shorts out of your ass crack.

[stroke]

Although not as annoying as pulling your shorts out of your ass crack.

True

[doctorhl]

And Dominic Thiem will never be Roger Federer. But a rather good win all the same. Straight setter over Daniel Medvedev aka "Mr. Pencil". Got up in the middle of the night out here in the middle of nowhere. Who cares? I switched on the tele to see what I could see. Tuned into the match and lasted two or three games. Back and forth. The monotony of a metronome...a device used by musicians that marks time at a selected rate by giving a regular tick. That about sums it up. Roger...where are you?

The most boring spectacle of tennis ever. This tournament will go down in the annals to time as...there are no words. Now for the anticlimax. Alexander Zverev versus Dominic Thiem. Was there ever a more pathetic potential champion than Alexander Zverev. It doesn't matter what he does. The constant lifting of his shirt is just pitiful. The pink shorts. It all adds up...go figure.

I miss writing the threads of the Grand Slams that I did for ten plus years. But there is nothing to write about. I cannot even watch this slop. Sure...I can admire the athleticism. I understand that these are the best players in the world at what they do. But the game is so dumbed down. So engineered. So monotonous. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that somebody can stomach this. Does anyone actually watch these matches in their entirety. I haven't lasted more that two games in any given match and I am a tennis connoisseur.

A filmed battle of giants exhibiting racket skill and guile, with steely determination for victory, but cloaked in genteel regard for each other and for the game. A game of life played out in front of fan behavior that required that they respect and understand that what they were witnessing was bigger than tennis. They were witnessing the end of an era represented by human examples of the best ideals of Western colonialism. We all know the shortcomings of elitism and Western colonialism, but if sport reflects society, we seem to be aspiring to reach “regression to the mean of baser instincts”.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ucA95M8kZHw