Tennis: Australian Open 2024

[kihei]

Well Nadal apparently was not 100% in that one, so I don't rate it. I also don't know if I would rate this as a huge one since Prizmic looks like a player, I watched him at the end of last season too and he looked decent to me then as well.

Rafa never gave any indication at the time that he was not 100% against Soderling. Before Wimbledon, a few weeks after Roland Garros, he did say that he was bothered by tendenitis in his knees after Madrid. But about his loss to Soderliing, all he had to say was that he lost, not because he wasn't physically fit, but because he didn't play well.

Prizmic is a potential star in the making, no doubt about it. He is the reigning junior French Open Champion. However, any 18-year-old not named Alcaraz knocking off the world #1 and GOAT and heavy favourite to win the Australian Open in the first round of the tournament would be a historically mammoth upset. A non-Grand Slam comparable of lesser magnitude would be an unheralded 18-year-old Denis Shapovalov, ranked #143, knocking off Rafa Nadal in Montreal in the round of 16 in 2017. I remember the press conference afterward, and Rafa was upset because the loss prevented him from regaining #1 at the time, calling it the worst loss of the year and among his worst ever. That match remains the second greatest upset in men's Canadian Open/Roger's Cup history, with the exception of German journeyman Hans Plotz incredible win over Bjorn Borg in 1975 round of sixteen. A Prizmic win would have trumped that by tenfold.

 

[Scouter]

Rafa never gave any indication at the time that he was not 100% against Soderling. Before Wimbledon, a few weeks after Roland Garros, he did say that he was bothered by tendenitis in his knees after Madrid. But about his loss to Soderliing, all he had to say was that he lost, not because he wasn't physically fit, but because he didn't play well.

Prizmic is a potential star in the making, no doubt about it. He is the reigning junior French Open Champion. However, any 18-year-old not named Alcaraz knocking off the world #1 and GOAT and heavy favourite to win the Australian Open in the first round of the tournament would be a historically mammoth upset. A non-Grand Slam comparable of lesser magnitude would be an unheralded 18-year-old Denis Shapovalov, ranked #143, knocking off Rafa Nadal in Montreal in the round of 16 in 2017. I remember the press conference afterward, and Rafa was upset because the loss prevented him from regaining #1 at the time, calling it the worst loss of the year and among his worst ever. That match remains the second greatest upset in men's Canadian Open/Roger's Cup history, with the exception of German journeyman Hans Plotz incredible win over Bjorn Borg in 1975 round of sixteen. A Prizmic win would have trumped that by tenfold.

Actually it was blatantly obvious he was not 100% he wasn't doing Nadal like things and you could tell he was physically hampered in that match and even said so I believe. Not to mention the fact that Sodrling was ranked #23 at the time and was one of the top claycourters himself.

Actually it was blatantly obvious he was not 100% he wasn't doing Nadal like things and you could tell he was physically hampered in that match and even said so I believe.

If it's a decent player no it's not a big upset, but if it's Stakhovsky then yes it is. Shapo's a decent player, so it wasn't really that big, what you heard there was Nadal's ego talking.

 

[kihei]

Actually it was blatantly obvious he was not 100% he wasn't doing Nadal like things and you could tell he was physically hampered in that match and even said so I believe. Not to mention the fact that Sodrling was ranked #23 at the time and was one of the top claycourters himself.

L
If it's a decent player no it's not a big upset, but if it's Stakhovsky then yes it is. Shapo's a decent player, so it wasn't really that big, what you heard there was Nadal's ego talking.

In what universe was Soderling a "top clay courter"? He was a good clay courter, not a great clay courter. Sheesh.

And Nadal in his prime had not lost to a player as lowly ranked as Shapo, let alone an 18-year-old. If you truly don't believe that wasn't that big an upset, well, we see the game very differently then.

 

[kihei]

What a contrast in styles, the exuberant Shelton versus the almost fastidious Bautista-Agut. Shelton takes the first set easily.

 

[BMOK33]

What a contrast in styles, the exuberant Shelton versus the almost fastidious Bautista-Agut. Shelton takes the first set easily.

I swear Agut is just trying now to win this 7-6 7-6 7-6, he is literally making zero effort in his non service games

 

[kihei]

Shelton closes it out 2, 6 and 5. RBA doesn't have much left in the tank and he practically wrapped up the final service break in the third set with a pretty ribbon and a big bow. Good start for Ben but he will have to serve a lot better next round.

 

[PanniniClaus]

Shapo seems irritated once again and i'm not sure what the issue is.

 

[kihei]

Shapo in deep water, now down two sets to love against Czech teenager Jakub Mensik. Not a pretty sight so far.

Shapo bombs away somewhat better this set, but then coughs up an easy service break and Mensik holds just as easily for the match. Denis is just a mindless basher these days, and I have no idea how he will ever be able to turn his career around at this point. It almost seems he has stopped trying. Nice win for the young Czech, though, clearly the superior player beating Shapo at his own game.

 

[PanniniClaus]

Straight sets. Never seen the young Czech before but he looked decent.

 

[kihei]

Aided greatly by Coria's pronounced tendency to choke badly late in sets, Zhang grabs a two set lead 6-4, 7-6. The guy has a beautiful forehand.

 

[MsMeow]

Milos took the first set vs de Minaur but apparently injured his hip. Dropped the second 6-3 and when I turned it on he was obviously very injured and withdrew down 0-2. He had trouble walking up the stairs and his wife was crying in the crowd.

Felix up 1 set to love and 5 all in the second.

 

[MsMeow]

Watching Felix and Denis these days is painful. I wish Felix had Leylah's heart.

 

[Elvis P]

Watching Felix and Denis these days is painful. I wish Felix had Leylah's heart.

They're both under 25. Who knows what the future holds? Even if they never become top 5 and win a major, if history didn't include players like that it would be much less interesting. Kyrgios will probably never win a major but he's fascinating. Up 4-1 in the 5th set Felix should win.

 

[Tuggy]

Felix goes the distance and gets it done in the 5th set. Quite a battle.

Not shocked Denis lost. Out for a long time and way out of form.

 

[kihei]

With about a quarter of first round matches to go on the men's side, no major upsets so far and only one minor one (Jarry?).

Osaka out to Garcia in straight sets. Not surprising.

Etcheverry's 4, 2, 2 demolition of Murray must have Andy thinking retirement. Wimbledon the last hurrah, maybe.

 

[Tuggy]

With about a quarter of first round matches to go on the men's side, no major upsets so far and only one minor one (Jarry?).

Osaka out to Garcia in straight sets. Not surprising.

Etcheverry's 4, 2, 2 demolition of Murray must have Andy thinking retirement. Wimbledon the last hurrah, maybe.

Feel like he's hinting at something like that.

 

[BMOK33]

With about a quarter of first round matches to go on the men's side, no major upsets so far and only one minor one (Jarry?).

Osaka out to Garcia in straight sets. Not surprising.

Etcheverry's 4, 2, 2 demolition of Murray must have Andy thinking retirement. Wimbledon the last hurrah, maybe.

Several close calls though...feels like USO has more and maybe because by then players are tired. Rune/Dimitrov face opponents tonight who could upset them. Women's side has had many though none were overly shocking. I would watch for one of Rybakina/Swiatek/Haddad Maia to lost tonight though all 3 would have to have their opponent play completely out of their minds to do it, all 3 opponents are capable of it. I felt Osaka would put up a better fight but appears her movement is just gone now, she might not return to winning slams unfortunately.

Felix goes the distance and gets it done in the 5th set. Quite a battle.

Not shocked Denis lost. Out for a long time and way out of form.

Hard to not like FAA's section and quarter if he gets hot, he should win his next match, Medvedev is absolutely a beatable opponent for him, he gets past him its Fokina/Dimitrov/Rune/Hurkacz...Rune is honestly the only guy there I would look at in a QF and say I feel he is unlikely to beat, the others are all good to very good but inconsistent.

 

[TheTotalPackage]

Raonic will be looked back on as an "If only / What could have been" type talent. Could never break through to win a Grand Slam title.

Sadly, Shapovalov seems to be trending in that direction. Bouchard herself basically mirrors Raonic -- a Grand Slam final to their name, was considered one of the sport's next best, but never hoisted a trophy.

 

[kihei]

Al

Watching Felix and Denis these days is painful. I wish Felix had Leylah's heart.

Just watched the replay of FAA's match. That comeback was sure Leylah-like, though. Losing two long gruelling sets in a row, two hours and sixteen minutes worth of toil, than going down 15-45 in his service game to start the fifth set, man, Felix coming back really didn't seem in the cards. But he did, showing a ton of grit and character in the process. As a Felix fan, it was good to see and something Felix can build on.

 

[kihei]

Set apiece and 4-all in the third, Rune begins to struggle a little. Playing Nishioka in the heat is nobody's idea of a good time. Cramping a danger?

The set goes to a breaker and Nishioka picks a bad time to play poor tennis. Pressure off for the time being.

 

[kihei]

The first round is now complete and amazingly only two seeds on the men's side have been defeated---#18 Jarry and #31 Bublik. I wonder when was the last time this happened in a major.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Andreeva up 4-1 on serve against Jabeur in the second after bageling Jabeur in the first. Looks like a high seed is about to go out.

 

[MsMeow]

Andreeva up 4-1 on serve against Jabeur in the second after bageling Jabeur in the first. Looks like a high seed is about to go out.

Jabeur is embarrassing herself. I'd be pissed if I paid to watch that.

 

[17futurecap]

Mirra is going to be special.

 

[kihei]

I would have liked to see Jabeur win a slam but it seems that opportunity is now permanently closed. Her game is deteriorating while her principle competition is getting better and better.