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Chung 🎥 Del Potro



Shapovalov 🎥 Raonic



Dimitrov 🎥 Djokovic (First two sets only. Match suspended due to rain.) RESULTS 🎾 💥 = Beatdown

🤕 = Injury

‼️ = Upset

🌧 RAIN DELAYS HAVE POSTPONED/SUSPENDED MOST MATCHES UNTIL FRIDAY 🌧

Djokovic vs Dimitrov 2-6, 6-3, 2*-1(Play Suspended Until Friday)



The first set and a half of this match was a lesson by Grigor Dimitrov in how to play Djokovic when he's not feeling great on the court. Using the cross-court slice to Novak's backhand, making the Serb generate his own pace, infuriated Djokovic and produced error after error (it looked like Novak was regularly punching his bh rather than using his normal full swing). It also made Novak predictable with his next shot (rarely hitting down the line) allowing Grigor to step in and dictate with his forehand. That Dimitrov also landed 82% of his 1st serves 😳 also helped.



After breaking early in the 2nd set and then donating the break back, Grigor's serve started getting abused by the improving Djokovic return: Novak won 40% of 1st serve return points and 67% of Grigor's 2nd serve points in the 2nd set. This resulted in the match getting tied up at 1 set all, with Dimitrov looking less tactically sound than he had been earlier in the match. Novak's backhand wasn't looking so shaky anymore.



Djokovic started the 3rd set by breaking serve to go up 2*-1 and the heavens opened again...



Federer vs Mayer Postponed until Friday

Del Potro vs Kyrgios Postponed until Friday



Also



Cilic vs Khachanov 6-7(5), 6-3, 1-1 (Play Suspended Until Friday)

Wawrinka vs Fucsovics 2-1 (Play Suspended Until Friday)

Anderson vs Goffin (Postponed until Friday)



Del Potro d Chung: 6-2, 6-3 💥

Raonic d Shapovalov: 7-6(6), 6-4

Carreno Busta d Haase: 6-4, 6-2



(Carreno Busta and Raonic are the only players who won't have to play twice on Friday).

(TennisTV) Players came back on court only for it to start raining almost immediately.(TennisTV) doublefault28 SHOTS OF THE DAY 😮 Easy but devastating power from Delpo. Such a simple stroke.

(TennisTV)

(TennisTV) No one better at the drop-shot-off-a-drop-shot than Novak.(TennisTV) Full Point

(TennisTV) Amazing athleticism from both Djokovic (white) and Dimitrov (green). The slice backhand down the line was brilliant, as was the get from Novak forcing Dimitrov to hit a tough forehand. But Grigor deals with it and then some...(TennisTV) Full point Crowd reaction to that Dimitrov smash.

(TennisTV) WHO'S PLAYING TOMORROW? ⏰ Cincinnati Centre Court

11am Start - Local Time (4pm UK)



(2nd Match On Court)

Djokovic vs Dimitrov 2-6, 6-3, 2*-1 (TBF)

Federer vs Mayer

Raonic vs Djokovic or Dimitrov



NB 7pm - Local Time (12:00am UK)



(2nd Match On Court)

Wawrinka or Fucsovics vs Federer or Mayer



Grandstand

11am Start - Local Time (4pm UK)



Del Potro vs Kyrgios

Wawrinka vs Fucsovics 1-2 (TBF)

Del Potro or Kyrgios vs Anderson or Goffin Stadium 3

11am Start - Local Time (4pm UK)



Anderson vs Goffin

Cilic vs Khachanov 6-7(5), 6-3, 1-1 (TBF)

Cilic or Khachanov vs Carreno Busta





EXTRAS...🔍🎤📊 --

New Davis Cup TL;DR

- 24-team qualifying event that takes place in February, with the ties being played under the home and away format. Four singles and one doubles (best of three tiebreak sets) over two days.



- The 12 winning nations will advance to the Finals in November where they will be joined by the four semifinalists nations from the previous year’s Finals as well as two wild card nations.



- Ties at the finals will be two singles and one doubles (best of three) in one day.



- The two teams with the worst record after the round-robin phase of the Finals will be relegated to Zone Group action the following year. The 12 teams that finish in 5th to 16th position will compete in the qualifying event the following year.



- The first Davis Cup finals event will be held in Madrid or Lille. Will be announced in the coming weeks.

Source



- By reaching the last-four of this year's Davis Cup, France, Spain, Croatia and the USA have already clinched their place in next year's finals.

Source



(Full Structure) Context = Pique (the Barcelona defender) is the founder of Cosmos, the sports and media investment vehicle, that is funding the Davis Cup re-development. Some current and former players were not keen: Some were more optimistic: Feliciano Lopez Funnily enough this was actually the most salient point made by any of the players. The lack of player participation/consultation in all these decisions, both ATP and ITF, is just plain stupid, regardless of whether or not you think the changes are a good thing or not. This is the biggest problem with the ITF's and ATP's plans. The calendar is already too congested and yet players will be expected to cut into their already non-existent off-season to participate in more events. The timing of BOTH these tournaments is bad. The new ITF Davis Cup immediately follows the ATP Finals, when the best players are already exhausted and Tomas Berdych is already poolside in the Maldives. And the ATP World Team Cup (10 day event) will threaten the existence/participation of the Brisbane, Doha, Pune, Sydney and Auckland tournaments during the same dates 🤷‍♂️.

Source Federer, Cilic, Wawrinka and Anderson all sharing one practice court. LOL 😂 Shapovalov making friends.

Source Raonic getting some very special medical attention...

(Credit to Redditor Eniotnacram95)

Source

Source Andy Murray's Bizarre Instagram Adventures: Episode 27, Snow Angels in the pool. TFW when you're trying to run away from life's responsibilities...

Source Dimitrov break point down...

(TennisTV) 'The Racquet' is concise ATP tennis news, stats and analysis, delivered weekly/daily to your inbox. Make sure you never miss an issue: Subscribe Tweet Forward GAME, SET & MATCH 👋 The Racquet is created, and written, by Matt. You can find me on twitter by tapping/clicking this. You early subscribers (Beta testers) get access to 'The Racquet' Discord. Tap/click the Discord button below to join (we even have Jerzy Janowicz emojis). If you know anyone who would like 'The Racquet' here is the link to send them so they can sign up: https://theracquet.co See you tomorrow for Cincinnati Quarter-Finals Day!