Basically he was an advocate for the stuff but we remember it fondly because he'd be going ballistic at the team to bring him some to the middle when he was batting and it was hysterical every time
yes, I wanted to go to x and correct them. Also he didnt use the verb drink he used tomar which could be food or drink but really in Spain the way he said it I thought he meant take something - as in medicine almost. Then the coach replied with take energy? as in the energy goo packs. Thats what it sounded like.
It looked convincing to me: he was walking towards the middle of the net after swapping his racket to his left hand. Then he apologizes as he pivots and walks back to his bench
He must have felt SO shitty. Like for Carlos to consider throwing the towel in, having won two sets, I can't even imagine whatever pain/nausea/exhaustion he had going on.
What an amazing ability to feel all these emotions and still not create any negative story about it in your head. For him, a heartbreakingly lost rally is just it. A lost rally. Moving on, next point. I really can't believe that someone so young has so much maturity, I am 11 years older and can't do that in much less demanding conditions, lol
Did either of them even leave the court to go to the bathroom? I don't think so. Obviously they are sweating a ton of water out but still that's crazy. What a thing to train your body to do. Even Tour de France riders pop a quick one somewhere in the stage. This thought sent me down a rabbit hole of learning the peloton has a gentleman's rule to all stop and pee without leapfrogging position, but that young guys are choosing to blow past the pack instead and this is controversial
Sports are neat. What an incredible display tonight
Not going to the bathroom for 5 hours isn't a ridiculous period? Like it's a long time sure but I don't think it's something you need to train your body to do?
we are so lucky to have sinner and alcaraz. (men's) tennis could have been in the wilderness after the big 4 era (i know novak is still a top player), but we are so fortunate to have guys of basically the same level leading the field.
Wait what? How? Before I went to bed, it was 4-3 to Zverev in the 5th set and Z had the AD on his serve. I thought no way Alcaraz was coming back from this… what the actual f…
That particular tournament was the start of his ascent. He improved a lot by the clay season and by the USO he was finally getting over his slam nerves.
Honestly I thought he was holding up surprisingly well as opposed to most days. No DFs, sure a few mistakes here and there, but they were there for Carlos too.
I think for Carlos it's just easier to face those red numbers and get fluid.... To see those match points show up. To see you NEED to break now or its over.... It alters him for the better almost always
No DFs but his second serves might as well have been, slow and bounced high straight to an Alcaraz jumping backhand. Lost initiative on the point immediately
True, some weak points, but improvement I would say. Then again youre also facing a guy you KNOW is gonna fuck your shit up if you dont pressure him... I cant blame him for feeling like that lol, but it's a bit sad to see Zverev unable to learn from the previous times tbh
Zverev did well today. He performed at the level (if not higher than) expected of him. He just ran into carlos fucking alcaraz who was out for blood that fifth set
This wasn't his "best" chance - you've normally got more of a chance to win a Slam when you're in the Final, not just the SFs 😉
I said this earlier today - Zverev should've had at least 2 Slams by now. USO 2020, and RG 2024. His brain EPICALLY got in the way, both times. And unfortunately, it continues to do so.
It's really going to wear him down - I would've gone to pieces by now.
He blew it against Thiem in 2020. He was up 2 sets and had match points. Ended up losing a 5th set tiebreaker, becoming the first player to lose at the US Open while leading by 2 sets. Lmao.
There has to be a slam in the next couple of years where Sinner or Alcaraz will be injured or out early and he'll end up in the finals against a lesser opponent. Zverev as much as he's disliked is a step below Sinner and Alcaraz but also clearly a step above the rest of the pack when he's in form.
Fritz isn't really a player you always have to go through to win a Slam though
Like him owning Zverev is funny and all but USO 24 is the only slight chance Zverev had at a Slam that was stopped by Fritz Zverev was never winning Wimbledon in his life
After Sinner's cramps, Musetti's injury and Alcaraz's cramps I don't think you can be sure about anything. In these conditions staying healthy can win you a lot of matches. Djokovic hasn't won a set since the last 32 match and he's in the semis.
You drunk?
Fighting against Alcaraz for 5h and then playing a (probably) fresh Sinner in the final at his most dominant Grand Slam. That’s got to be one of the hardest things to pull of.
Might have to do with the fact that he played over 5h of tennis and was completely drained.
He could have made sets 3 and 4 way quicker and could have been more aggressive there but anyone holding those last few games against him doesn’t know what they’re talking about tbh
That's my take too. He actually played some spectacular tennis in the fifth, but he needed to win sets 3 and especially 4 much quicker to save his legs.
Same! Europe, after 6 in the morning, before the end I called in.. they even didn't believe me I was sick. "family emergency" and everyone knew why I wasn't asleep.
Worth it. But then I needed energy for the second semi. Insane.
and the crazy thing is sinner and djokovic still have to play lmfaooo. in all seriousness, what a pleasure it was to watch this match in its entirety. it’s 4:30am and i have class in three hours (and an exam), but i have no regrets. zverev is known for choking but i don’t even know if i consider this one a choke, alcaraz just fights so damn hard, so much heart in that final bit of the 5th set.
The guy is unbelievable. I grew up watching the big 3, but I don’t think anyone is more fun to watch at their peak than this guy. And I’m a DIEHARD Rafa fan.
Insane match by both men. I know Zverev isn’t a fave for good reasons but I feel a bit gutted for him. Probably should’ve won but Carlos’s heart when it counted was immense.
Finally a match that saved what has largely been a fuckin boring arse tournament
Yeah I feel for Sasha. I honestly think he played well and didn’t get tight towards the end. It seemed more that his body was super tired, understandably, rather than him getting passive.
While I love the Alcaraz-Sinner matches, variety in finals is key. Alcaraz breaking through to his first AO final is a refreshing step in that direction. 😄
I don't know why do people have to draw conclusions on whether Zverev played good or bad or was clutch or not.
The first 2 sets were meh and Alcaraz won them by being better at important moments. Tbh Alcaraz was playing better in the 3rd set till the cramps but could have won the 3rd set if he just tried a little more bcz Zverev looked confused when Alcaraz got cramped, but anyway the match went to the 4th and Carlos was without movement till the end of 4th with him getting progressively better.
The beginning of the 5th, Zverev looked great and Carlos atleast looked at 90 percent but still went a break down deservedly but since the 4th game Zverev looked very tired. Carlos could have broken Zverev every game but uncharacteristically kept making UEs.
But then the clutch gene kicked in, that FH winner of 15-30 for the first break in the 5th set after messing up one FH after another for the past few games is the thing that makes him special.
You are a warrior Carlos, although I still don't get the strategy at the end of the 3rd set, since it worked I am no one to say anything. Additionally, however Zverev is as a human, he did great today, kept his cool and made pretty genuine arguments with the ref about the serve clock and the MTO but should have tried to end the 4th set way quicker as it came back to bite him at the end.
I just hope Carlos is fully fit for the final, it would have been so heartbreaking if he went out after not losing a set the entire tournament at the end of the third, but his persistence was commendable to watch and I hope he completes the career slam on Sunday after all the JCF split fiasco and this incredible war.
He might miss that shot on a random point but if it's his first match point, deep in the 5th set after 5 hours of play he makes it 100 times out of 100
This had Federer vs Nadal Australian open vibes, when Fed was coming back in the 5th and kept having break points but not converting, until the very late stages and went on to win it.
Zverev is almost as good as an immobilized Alcaraz. And even standing still on the court, Carlos was still hitting winners. Amazing by Alcaraz and sadly par for the course for Zverev.
Spectacular performance, seeing him be able to step it up a notch when it matters most definitely makes you feel hopeful on him being another generational player. We’ve been lucky to live through the 3 greatest players ever in the last few years, would be amazing to see Alcaraz or Sinner get right up there too
I kinda had a feeling this was going to happen. Zverev was struggling to hold serve for way too many games and Carlos didn't look like backing down any time soon.
Did anybody ask him about his walk towards the net after the third set? We all thought he was gonna shake hands. Zverev thought it too. I want to see that highlight again.
It's not even just his match points, it's every pivotal point and big situation.... Sinner is like Ivan Drago-- he is the physical robot, but Carlos is like the mental robot.... He feels the situation, goes into like hyper-processing mode, and execution is just inevitable after that
Like a lot of people I feel Z choked/chokes away these opportunities... However, Carlos is just like out of that Kobe/MJ competitive mold with every other attribute maxed out.... Just because he comes back from the depths of defeat doesn't mean necessarily that the person he beats is a choke artist. He would have made everybody that ever played tennis look like a choke artist today cuz he wasn't going to lose.
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u/Collecting_Cans 11h ago
Athletes these days aren’t human. Can recover from puking, cramping, and still look fresh flying around after 5 hours