This draw is pretty loaded, Tsitsipas #1 seed, Rublev 2. It took every bit of all Tsitsipas had to get through 1st round vs very tough Davidovich Fokina. FAA, Norrie, Hurkacz, Fucsovics, also in draw. Denis and Bash already gone in 1st round. Murray plays FAA in round 2 today. Murray gets past Bublik in 1st round, after Bublik wins final last week over Zverev.
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is Jiri Lehecka any good? 20 yo qualified then beat Shapo and Moutet in perhaps his first two main ATP tour matches ever?
Not a bad start
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FAA really pushed Murray around 1st set. FAA forehand mauled him pretty much.Comment
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Someone told me today that this kid is really good. I haven't seen him yet but will take a look at a replay if I can find one.is Jiri Lehecka any good? 20 yo qualified then beat Shapo and Moutet in perhaps his first two main ATP tour matches ever?
Not a bad startStottyComment
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Rublev was belting the ball against Fucsovics. I find him rather boring but effective nevertheless. It seems all he wants to do is hit the ball as hard he possibly can.StottyComment
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I watched all of Musetti vs Lehecka, mainly because I like watching Musetti's ohbh. Lehecka is definitely a contender, and reminds me a little of FAA - he has a great step-in down the line backhand, for example. One thing I like about his serve is how quickly he gets out of the knee bend - very fast down & up.Comment
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Lehecka plays Tsitsipas today. I plan to watch it.Comment
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Tsitsipas lost 1st set, wins next 2. Tsitsipas simply cleaned up his game. His winners to errors stats looked much better in the last 2 sets. He dug in and got the job done. Lehecka played well.Comment
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From ATP site: Stefanos Tsitsipas Survives Jiri Lehecka Scare, Reaches Final In Rotterdam
Jiri is a 20 yo who came through qualies and in his first, main tour event beat Shapo, Zandschulp, Musetti and took the first set off top seed Tsitsipas.
Not a half bad debut! Some highlights at the link.
https://www.atptour.com/en/news/tsit...-2022-saturday
“He was really pushing me,” Tsitsipas said. “I did not know what to expect, so I was trying to figure out his patterns and his game. He was playing incredibly well after the first serve, pressing and attacking like I had never seen before. I had to stay in the match and I managed to survive.”Comment
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I took a look and also found a few other clips online. He's very much the modern bog-standard tennis player. Nothing too much stands out to me. He doesn't mind the odd trip to the net, though, which elevates him a little up the likeable ladder for me. His attitude seems great too - very focused.
What I am dying to see is someone with natural flair who bucks the trend. It's a shame the whole tour has aimed to imitate the play of Novak and not Roger. I actually don't mind watching Novak...but not a 100 Novak's. We need another McEnroe, Nastase, or Mecir. Someone to break up the monotony. I don't think it's Jiri Lehecka.StottyComment
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FAA takes Tsitsipas in 2 pretty routine sets. It clearly meant an awful lot to him getting through a final as a winner. He no doubt to me could be a future #1.Comment
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This after FAA went up 2 sets to love on Medvedev at the Australian, so maybe he's starting to make a move.
One problem for players that burst on the scene early is that we (ok, maybe me and not you) tend to get impatient, think that they "haven't done anything yet with all that talent" because it seems as if they've been around forever when they're still young. I remember McEnroe ridiculing Fed for "not living up to his potential" and "hasn't won a 'Slam yet".
Not everybody is Borg or Rafa.
My amateur guess: FAA went through a big growth spurt, getting to 6 ft 4 in a couple of years back. It seems to affect his game, where he had to get used to his new frame and regain lost consistency.
He's also a rhythm server, can be on, can be off. Prior Aussie he was erasing Karatsev, a good returning, then lost it. Boom. Gone. Out.
Seems like a good guy, too.
Stef-Felix rivalry goes way back. I remember that FAA can won perhaps 5 straight going back to juniors plus their first two ATP meetings. Then it looked like Stef "Solved Him" and rattled off four straight across both hard and clay courts. Until today/ last night.
Back to the earlier theme, Stef is only 23 yo. Has beaten Rafa twice (Once on clay !), beaten Fed at AO bum rushing the net, and beat Djokovic twice, both on hard courts. AND coulda', shoulda' won a 'Slam title at Roland Garros where he led Novak 2 sets to love.Comment
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