Week 2 - ATP 250 - Apia International, Sydney, Australia (hard)

Jimmy09 · Intermediate Club Player

Week 2 - ATP 250 - Apia International, Sydney, Australia (hard)

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

L16: (1) Jamie Murray & Bruno Soares (BRA) CR 7 (4+3) "defeated" Nicolás Almagro & Paolo Lorenzi (ESP/ITA) CR 466 (287+179) by a walkover

****

QF: (1) Jamie Murray & Bruno Soares (BRA) CR 7 (4+3) vs Florian Mayer & Philipp Petzschner (GER/GER) CR 453 (382+71)

The Germans had a titanic strugqle against Bopanna & Cuevas in the first round, eventually overcoming them by 7-6(5) 6-7(4) [11-9] in an hour & 41 minutes, so they'll have their eye in!

thejester · Satellite level

Elias took the first set against Thiem in a tie break. On serve in the second though.

Smudge226 · Strong Club Player

Elias playing well and Thiem making a lot of errors. Elias has excellent movement, Thiem can really hit hard, fore and back, 139mph serve. Second set to Thiem. Fingers crossed Elias can best Thiem. Evo beat Elias on hard last summer.

Smudge226 · Strong Club Player

Level in deciding set for Elias and Thiem, still think Thiem might edge it but very tight, good match.
Evo beat Elias at Winston Salem last year on a hard court with similar court speed to Sydney, based on % ace points in 2016.

Smudge226 · Strong Club Player

Thiem has the break now in the deciding set. Thiem not particularly prolific on hard courts in 2016, his record significantly better on the dirt and Sydney's hard courts do seem to be slightly on the quicker end of the hard court scale in Evo's favour.
Thiem serves for the match now at 5-4 in the 3rd.

Smudge226 · Strong Club Player

Elias breaks back with amazing serve return pass... Can't call this one at the mo.

Smudge226 · Strong Club Player

Eventually Thiem comes through and will play Evo intomorrows evening session from six thirty local time.

Smudge226 · Strong Club Player

Eurosport1 are showing Evo's quarter final tomorrow from 7.30am by looks of schedule

thejester · Satellite level

Hopefully that match has taken a bit out of the tank for Thiem. Big task for Evo tomorrow but if he shows up on form there's always a chance he can get a result.

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

The top seed finally prevails in two hours & 39 minutes:

QF: (1) Dominic Thiem (AUT) WR 8 (CH = 7 in June last year) vs Dan Evans WR 67

EddietheEagle · County player

Up to 60 on live rankings.

I wonder to what extent Evans' life on the circuit is hampered by his relatively compact physique and lack of height. He works hard for his wins with his very skilful and entertaining brand of play but when he takes one brute down he's then finds himself up against yet another modern prototype who's that much bigger and more powerful than him. More credit to him for what he's done for himself over the past year or so.

Vandenburg · Futures level

EddietheEagle wrote:
Up to 60 on live rankings.

I wonder to what extent Evans' life on the circuit is hampered by his relatively compact physique and lack of height. He works hard for his wins with his very skilful and entertaining brand of play but when he takes one brute down he's then finds himself up against yet another modern prototype who's that much bigger and more powerful than him. More credit to him for what he's done for himself over the past year or so.

Agreed, in another era, and I mean by that 15 years ago, Evans would have excelled. The game was less about brute force and more about touch. When the atp made the courts slower and the balls heavier this made tennis a game about 6 packs. Even take Hewitt, I think he was actually a better player after he won his 2 gran slam, but could make inroads into the new style of game.

I also think peak Henman playing in this current era would struggle to be top 50, and Greg, well.......

Mervatron2 · Challenger qualifying

Totally disagree with you. Yes, there is more power today but therefore Evans is a bigger hitter than he would have been 15 years ago. Plus racket technology has helped a great deal.

Hewitt was a generational gap #1 between Agassai/Sampras and Federer. He was lucky to get 2 GS.

Priesty · Challenger level

stevemcqueen wrote:
Hi Priesty, I am probably the doubter you are referring to! You pretty much hit the nail on the head when you said he needs to stay injury free and keep working. When he is playing well, there is no better player to watch.
Did anyone see the match?

Not sure it was you - it was those in the 2017 rankings predictions thread who predicted a three figure end of year ranking for him. IMO he can do much better than that and I agree - when he is playing well there is no-one I'd rather watch.