ATP ATP 2024

[Drummond]

250 tournament from Montpellier, France is underway shortly. It’s a weak but interesting enough field, but a little surprised Fils isn’t competing here given its in his home country and he reached the SF here year, his tour breakthrough. Top seed is Holger Rune who you’d suspect will take this as he seems suited to indoors, but which Holger will turn up.


Most of the top seeds are all badly out of form, but I guess that’s why they’re here. Trying their hand at a post AO 250 with a depleted field. How badly has Shapovalov fallen away btw, yikes. You see his name and think he’ll turn it around, but he’s dismal right now. Can Murray find something after a horror AO?

 

[JamisonRun40]

Coric or even Bulik might win. I think Rune should of taken some more time off and did a bit of intense training with Becker. But what do I know.

 

[FreoRicci]

250 tournament from Montpellier, France is underway shortly. It’s a weak but interesting enough field, but a little surprised Fils isn’t competing here given its in his home country and he reached the SF here year, his tour breakthrough. Top seed is Holger Rune who you’d suspect will take this as he seems suited to indoors, but which Holger will turn up.

View attachment 1894078
Most of the top seeds are all badly out of form, but I guess that’s why they’re here. Trying their hand at a post AO 250 with a depleted field. How badly has Shapovalov fallen away btw, yikes. You see his name and think he’ll turn it around, but he’s dismal right now. Can Murray find something after a horror AO?

All I see with Rune and this draw is he will be beaten first round. Can’t shake that feeling whenever he goes up against 150 ranked battlers, he just falls in a heap. Bizarre with this guy

 

[matt_897]

Usually a quiet few weeks, Rotterdam is a really nice tournament but generally I don't start watching till Acapulco. Looks like most of the Aussies will be doing the American swing with ADM in Rotterdam

 

[BobbyMorri]

Rune must have got a nice appearance fee, lets be honest.

The guy needs to play a lot less.

 

[BobbyMorri]

Murray lost first round to Paire.

It must be Murray's last year. Cant see him going on after Wimbledon/Olympics.

 

[danstar]

Rune should win this week but you really cant tell with him, his form is so inconsistent

 

[Drummond]

Murray lost first round to Paire.

It must be Murray's last year. Cant see him going on after Wimbledon/Olympics.

That’s an awful loss. Terrible start to the year, although the narrow lost to Dimitrov in Brisbane wasn’t bad. Still, I think he’s got to be questioning what it’s all worth.

Shapo on overnight, can’t see him doing anything but it’s a shame. When he tested Djokovic at Wimbledon a few years ago I thought he was going to really kick on. The guy unfortunately has the lowest tennis IQ I’ve seen with zero patience.

 

[FreoRicci]

That’s an awful loss. Terrible start to the year, although the narrow lost to Dimitrov in Brisbane wasn’t bad. Still, I think he’s got to be questioning what it’s all worth.

Shapo on overnight, can’t see him doing anything but it’s a shame. When he tested Djokovic at Wimbledon a few years ago I thought he was going to really kick on. The guy unfortunately has the lowest tennis IQ I’ve seen with zero patience.

He was doing well last year. Got into the top 40. Probably wants to prove himself and everyone wrong and make top 20 max.

But gee. 2016 was probably the best year anyone could’ve played. Even rivals Novak’s 2015.
Tough Aus Open final loss.
Went all out on Wimbledon, made the French open final- got the first set before losing.
Olympic gold at Rio. Stupidly loss v Nishikori at US Open.

Seems like he was ready to take it up next level.
Bang 2017 happens. Never the same since. Amazing how quickly it can just fall apart just as fast as it reached the top.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Shapalov is an interesting one, do feel he's been a victim of very poor coaching. When you look at his game he has everything to contend not saying win but in that top 16 bracket in the world. What he doesn't have is consistency and I do feel that's coaching, too often he is going for 2/10 shots and as usual misses more than he makes. He hits the ball way too flat especially as a lefty where you can use the angles. Compare Norrie to him and it's like how on earth is Cam seeded higher, but the biggest difference is coaching and knowing when to use his shots.

 

[Drummond]

Shapalov is an interesting one, do feel he's been a victim of very poor coaching. When you look at his game he has everything to contend not saying win but in that top 16 bracket in the world. What he doesn't have is consistency and I do feel that's coaching, too often he is going for 2/10 shots and as usual misses more than he makes. He hits the ball way too flat especially as a lefty where you can use the angles. Compare Norrie to him and it's like how on earth is Cam seeded higher, but the biggest difference is coaching and knowing when to use his shots.

Totally agree. With the right coaching and program maybe he reaches his potential. You’d still see shortcomings and he’s probably always going to have suspect mental strength, but there’s no way someone as athletically gifted and such a talented shotmaker should be this bad. He won last night which was nice to see.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Totally agree. With the right coaching and program maybe he reaches his potential. You’d still see shortcomings and he’s probably always going to have suspect mental strength, but there’s no way someone as athletically gifted and such a talented shoemaker should be this bad. He won last night which was nice to see.

Yep I see no reason he can’t be as good as Rune and yet one has a good coaching team behind him.

 

[Drummond]

Shotmaker not shoemaker. Although given the way his career has been on free-fall maybe thats where he’s be better served lol. He plays Bublik overnight, imagine the collective brain functioning!

Gasquet lost last night to a kid I’ve never heard of. He’s only 21 so maybe he’ll be good but honestly can’t see Gasquet playing much longer. At this point what’s he honestly hoping to achieve? I mean he can do whatever he wants but just seems a bit pointless. His opponent now faces Rune.

 

[Hamingja]

At this point what’s he honestly hoping to achieve? I mean he can do whatever he wants but just seems a bit pointless.

He can just cruise for the year and pick up $500k for losing in the first round at every slam.....

 

[Drummond]

He can just cruise for the year and pick up $500k for losing in the first round at every slam.....

But is he needing the money? I guess it can’t hurt and you wouldn’t turn it down but surely money isn’t his motivation?

Also this…

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Shotmaker not shoemaker. Although given the way his career has been on free-fall maybe thats where he’s be better served lol. He plays Bublik overnight, imagine the collective brain functioning!

Gasquet lost last night to a kid I’ve never heard of. He’s only 21 so maybe he’ll be good but honestly can’t see Gasquet playing much longer. At this point what’s he honestly hoping to achieve? I mean he can do whatever he wants but just seems a bit pointless. His opponent now faces Rune.

Apparently there have been whispers he’s retiring at the Olympics, so French Open then Olympics

 

[JackNah_8]

Murray lost first round to Paire.

It must be Murray's last year. Cant see him going on after Wimbledon/Olympics.

Murray was upset that a reporter suggested he should retire

 

[Drummond]

Shapo lost after having 2 match points in 2nd set TB. That’s disappointing but a good start nonetheless.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Shapo lost after having 2 match points in 2nd set TB. That’s disappointing but a good start nonetheless.

I missed the first set watched the second just missed some key opportunites but it was very close

Was watching Yastremska lol

 

[BobbyMorri]

Murray was upset that a reporter suggested he should retire

understandable.

It is a pretty crap question to ask when you think about it, unless the conversation leads to it.

 

[JamisonRun40]

I find it interesting that Russian tennis player Schvenko has defected (I know wrong term to use) to Kazakstan, however, his wife Potopova has remained Russian. Bublik and Schvenko have teamed up to play doubles in Rotterdam. Maybe getting in some practice to represent Kazakstan in doubles at the olympics.

 

[Hamingja]

It would just come down to which oligarch is funding them

 

[Drummond]

I’m watching the Montpellier semis. Bublik is so infuriating, imagine coaching him. He just has no sense of occasion, which I guess can be a good thing, but sometimes you do need it. Serving down 4-5 and he makes some terrible UE‘s including a wild FH at 15-40. FAA didn’t have to do much except get the return in.

Speaking of FAA, he really is just very vanilla. I think his current ranking of 30 is fair, and I think he’ll hover in the 18-30 range for a long time. His BH is so weak, and when pressured or rushed falls apart. Serve fine, forehand fine, but when you do a thorough viewing of his game you see the flaws. How in the world did he get to #6?

 

[LukeParkerno1]

I’m watching the Montpellier semis. Bublik is so infuriating, imagine coaching him. He just has no sense of occasion, which I guess can be a good thing, but sometimes you do need it. Serving down 4-5 and he makes some terrible UE‘s including a wild FH at 15-40. FAA didn’t have to do much except get the return in.

Speaking of FAA, he really is just very vanilla. I think his current ranking of 30 is fair, and I think he’ll hover in the 18-30 range for a long time. His BH is so weak, and when pressured or rushed falls apart. Serve fine, forehand fine, but when you do a thorough viewing of his game you see the flaws. How in the world did he get to #6?

Look at the period he got to no6 most of the top 10 was retiring and the next gen was useless. They don’t call it Gen Hopeless for a reason

 

[Drummond]

Watched both semis. First one was a close contest but felt a bit flat. Bublik deserved to win for actually being quite disciplined all match. As for FAA, he is really quite mediocre. I’m done expecting anything from him. Such a rubbish BH and constant reluctance to come into net. Hard to fix such a flaw like that BH and the top players will always target it.

As for the second semi, Rune…that was pathetic. Got an early break, then lost the break from a mixture of poor play and good tennis by Coric. Slammed his racquet down after going down 0-40 (when 3-2 on serve). Then when he started to lose, he starts losing pace on his serve, calls for a MTO, then quits in the second set. Booed off the court lol. Not seeing the hype to be honest.