2021 BNP Paribas Open...ATP 1000...Indian Wells, California

[stotty]

1 set each.

The shotmaker versus the never-miss-a-ball-player are always the most entertaining matches. Let's hope Dimitrov can keep up his fine form. I fancy Medvedev will regroup in the third. Not that I will see it as it's late here over the pond.

[stroke]

Well some times the prettiest does win.

[stroke]

What a win for Fritz, all coming together with a very hard earned win vs a game Sinner.

[stotty]

Well some times the prettiest does win.

And it's great for tennis when shotmaking wins. Dimitrov is such a good player who has all the shots. I am surprised he hasn't done a lot more. It's a big ask rallying with Medvedev and knocking him off the court when the right moment comes around, but he did it for large chunks of that second set and one assumes the third set too.

Medvedev's way of winning isn't dissimilar to Novak's but I am not sure he has the 365-day- a-year-form that Novak has shown over the last decade...only time will tell.

[stroke]

And it's great for tennis when shotmaking wins. Dimitrov is such a good player who has all the shots. I am surprised he hasn't done a lot more. It's a big ask rallying with Medvedev and knocking him off the court when the right moment comes around, but he did it for large chunks of that second set and one assumes the third set too.

Medvedev's way of winning isn't dissimilar to Novak's but I am not sure he has the 365-day- a-year-form that Novak has shown over the last decade...only time will tell.

His game is no doubt similar to Novak's from a defensive standpoint, but he certainly does not have the perfect hitting athletic posture of Novak, not close. Grigor had an even more impressive win vs Hurkacz, coming back vs an in form player that has all the shots, and gutting it out for the win. Very impressive physically and mentally.

[glacierguy]

Watching Dimitrov beat Medvedev and then Hurkacz, I've lost count of the number of times Dimitrov hit a defensive backhand slice at full stretch and then followed it up with a topspin backhand or forehand winner after the opponent went for the kill and failed on the very slow court. It's an impressive pattern. I hope he gets some rest before his semi. He's been great to watch.

[stroke]

Bash starting out 4-1 completely overwhelming Tsitsipas with his unparalleled pace off both sides. No one has more pace off both sides than Bash, and he does it seemingly rather naturally, bordering on effortless power.

[stroke]

Bash wins 1st set 6-4 and Tsitsipas felt the pain. Brutal power display.

[stroke]

Stef, being the top 5 player he is, did not give in, he dug in, and wins the 2nd set.

[stroke]

Bash gets through. All credit to him. Stef did not give in. Bash did it.

[stroke]

Bash very interesting post match interview. I think that was the 1st time I have seen him interviewed like that.

[stotty]

I missed the Bash/Stef match but Zverez took the first set handily against Fritz and must be strong favourite to win the tournament, although the term 'strong favourite' might become a thing of the past once the big three exit the game. You feel the next generation will be winning and losing to each other rather frequently.

Fritz goes 3-1 up in the second. Really going for his shots now and coming up trumps.

[stotty]

Zverev tries to serve out at 5-3 in the third and wobbles terribly. His second serves woes never seem to go away. The stats say 82% percent 1st serves in here in the third, but the stats seldom reveal the small wobbles at critical moments.

[stroke]

I missed the Bash/Stef match but Zverez took the first set handily against Fritz and must be strong favourite to win the tournament, although the term 'strong favourite' might become a thing of the past once the big three exit the game. You feel the next generation will be winning and losing to each other rather frequently.

Fritz goes 3-1 up in the second. Really going for his shots now and coming up trumps.

I don't think there is any question much about that. What the 3 did in Master's 1000's(particularly Novak and Nadal) is every bit as impressive as their Major dominance to me. We never saw it before and will not see it again.

[stroke]

I think I like Fritz to win this tournament at this point. I have long thought he would break through at some point.