ZachaFlockaFlame
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- Aug 24, 2020
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Well, the optics of Sasha Zverev in the AO final is averted. Sinner v Meddy will be a very fun final, need to give Meddy liquid IQs until then
That is absolutely crazy.With Zverev's collapse, Djokovic/Tsonga in 2008 remains the most recent Aussie final without a previous slam winner.
Absolutely not.Has Novak won his last major?
One bad match is not sufficient evidence to jump to any conclusions. He will rebound. This debacle actually might provide needed motivation at this point in his career.Has Novak won his last major?
Trendy? At this point in the tournament? Sinner has dropped a single set; he's played six fewer hours of tennis than his older opponent; after losing to Medvedev six times in a row, he has defeated him in their last three meetings; he is winning second serve points to the tune of 60%; his serve has never looked better; and his opponent has just played two gruelling five setters in a row. I think all that makes him the "logical" pick, not the "trendy" pick.Sinner is going to be the trendy pick for the final, but beating Djokovic takes a lot out of you emotionally. Can he rebound from that to beat a guy that we have a good idea is going to be stubborn and make him earn it? Medvedev might even simply outplay Sinner.
He could be due for a second slam. He had a slump for like a year, but if you look at his results of late, he was a finalist at US Open beating Alcaraz, and had his best ever Wimbledon getting to the semis. Now back in his third AO final.
It seems crazy, sure, but the run is even longer at the French and Wimbledon.That is absolutely crazy.
At the same time, Medvedev is ranked higher, has gotten over the big hurdle already of winning his first slam, and is generally a lot more experienced of a player. I agree that Sinner is probably in better form. Yet, Medvedev is also in very good form. Taking out Hurkacz and then Zverev proved that.Trendy? At this point in the tournament? Sinner has dropped a single set; he's played six fewer hours of tennis than his older opponent; after losing to Medvedev six times in a row, he has defeated him in their last three meetings; he is winning second serve points to the tune of 60%; his serve has never looked better; and his opponent has just played two gruelling five setters in a row. I think all that makes him the "logical" pick, not the "trendy" pick.
That isn't to say that Medvedev couldn't win, just that Jannik has well earned his role as favourite. Sinner seems to be managing his emotions with a new maturity, but if any one can test that newfound equanimity to the fullest, it is definitely Medvedev. I think in his third set turnaround against Zverev, Daniil looked like the old utterly relentless Medvedev who I haven't seen in a quite some time. If that Medvedev shows up and is fit, he is fully capable of upsetting Jannik's apple cart. I'm picking Sinner to win, but a lot of me wants the upset,
At the same time, Medvedev is ranked higher, has gotten over the big hurdle already of winning his first slam, and is generally a lot more experienced of a player. I agree that Sinner is probably in better form. Yet, Medvedev is also in very good form. Taking out Hurkacz and then Zverev proved that.
You could really make an argument for either. I don’t think there’s a clear favorite. Everyone was talking about Sinner beating Djokovic of the two semis, and that’s understandable why it’s more than just the quality of the opponent on the other side of the net that he beat. He beat a dominant figure at arguably his best tournament. I think though that this match has no clear favorite, even if some will try to make Sinner into a huge favorite for reasons that I’m not sure are necessarily a positive.
Sabalenka in straight sets over Zheng later tonight. Though Sabalenka has done a great deal to overcome her nerve management issues, there are still occasions when her self control can seem a little iffy. Zheng, in her first GS final, will have nerve management challenges of her own. She likely requires an Aryna meltdown of some kind to win. But Qinwen has played very well all tournament and she won't be a pushover.