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NO SPOILERS 🎥

If you don't want to see the results yet, and want to catch up with the highlights first, stop scrolling now. (If these links have been taken down, tap the ‘view in browser’ button at the top of this email and there should be updated links):

Nishikori 🎥 Chardy (Brisbane)

Tsonga 🎥 Medvedev (Brisbane)

🇨🇭 Federer 🎥 A.Zverev 🇩🇪 (Hopman Cup🏆)

🇨🇭 Federer/Bencic 🎥 Zverev/Kerber 🇩🇪 (Hopman Cup🏆)

Berdych 🎥 Bautista Agut (Doha🏆)

Karlovic 🎥 Anderson (Pune🏆)

RESULTS 🎾

💥 = Beatdown \\ 🤕 = Injury \\ ‼️ = Upset

Brisbane 🇦🇺

(ATP 250 - Hard)

Medvedev d Tsonga: 7-6(6), 6-2

Medvedev continues to impress in a match that was probably one too many for Jo Wilfried in his comeback, with the Frenchman looking a little jaded and error-prone today vs earlier rounds. Medvedev was the more stable player throughout, hitting 14 winners and just 4 unforced errors in the opening set, to Tsonga’s, much more wild, 18 winners to 23 unforced errors. Medvedev is doing lots of different and interesting things compared to the vast majority of the rest of the tour. Whether it’s his flatter than usual backhand, his variety and tough-to-read directionality off the forehand, or even his doubles positioning on the deuce side serve (GIF below). A lot of it’s working:

— Normally this serve positioning would be suicide on the singles tour because of how much of a hole it opens up down the line for the returner. But Medvedev has clearly worked very hard on finding some pretty ridiculous angles on his wide serve (as above). Not only that, but because Tsonga and Medvedev’s other opponents expect the wide serve from this position, a bomb down the T becomes a nice switch up surprise, which the Russian has used effectively during his final run this week.

By the end of the 2nd set, after gifting quite a soft, early break to Medvedev, Tsonga became a bit of an error machine, missing the huge forehands that had been so impressive vs De Minaur a round earlier, and struggling to get his footwork right in the face of some very effect variation from Medvedev. A great final (Nishikori vs Medvedev) awaits.

Nishikori d Chardy: 6-2, 6-2

Doha 🇶🇦 Final 🏆

(ATP 250 - Hard)

Bautista Agut (RBA) d Berdych: 6-4, 3-6, 6-3

Stunning win from RBA, who impressively didn’t suffer a comedown after his gruelling victory over Djokovic yesterday. The Spaniard was so consistent throughout the match, apart from a slight blip in the second set, and was still crushing those lethal forehands, that had so troubled Djokovic, late into the decider. Berdych will be a bit disappointed with how he served today, not finding the usual pace and placement that was a hallmark of his better days on tour. The Czech, surprisingly, was out-aced (and out winnered in set 1: 10-13) by his smaller opponent, by 3 aces to 5, and had a tough time landing first serves when facing pressure in the final set (8 BP’s faced total vs 6 faced by RBA). This gave RBA plenty of looks at 2nd serves during important moments, with Berdych winning just 5/10 points on 2nd serve in the third set, and 16/31 overall. A nasty couple of double faults, in one game at the start of the third set, all but sealed Berdych’s fate. RBA’s serve on the other hand, had continued to go from strength to strength after a strong serving week, landing a high number of 1st delivery’s throughout the match (71%), and coming up with some faster than usual power to earn some precious free points. As with Tsonga in Brisbane, Berdych will probably feel like this final came a bit too early into his comeback, with certain shots not quite clicking as they had in earlier rounds (the miss while break point up at 2-4* in the final set was a bit of a shocker). But full credit should go to RBA for stringing together a full week of stunning performances. The Spaniard’s 9th ATP title.

Pune 🇮🇳 Final 🏆

(ATP 250 - Hard)

Anderson d Karlovic: 7-6(4), 6-7(2), 7-6(5)

This was very nearly a brutal loss for Anderson, who had been the better player in open play for the vast majority of the match, yet faced a 2-5 deficit in the final set tiebreaker. Normally when a player is facing a serve like Karlovic’s, and all the 6ft 10 giant has to do to win is bomb down a couple of serves to close out the match, they’d start preparing their runner up speech. But Anderson managed to find two fantastic returns (on two Karlovic 2nd serves) to get back to 4*-5, and eventually ran out the deserving winner. This match was probably never going to end any other way that multiple tiebreaks, but Anderson did create 8 break points (converting 0) to Karlovic's 0. Karlovic to his credit however, came up with some characteristically clutch tennis in the bigger moments to frustrate Anderson, and extend the match to a decider. Good win for Anderson and further proof Dr Ivo can keep on thriving into (tennis) old age with a serve and not much else.

Hopman Cup 🇦🇺

(Exhibition - Hard)

🇨🇭Federer d A.Zverev

A very high quality match from Federer, in which the Swiss’s quick-tempo tennis was just way too hot to handle for his young opponent. Federer has a huge ability advantage against next gen players (and most others tbh) when he's pulling off first strike tennis like this. Zverev just isn't ready to, or used to, rushing his shot selection like he had to today. Sascha consistently went for way too much, too early in the point, trying to match Federer groundstroke for groundstroke, which vs Federer in todays mood, is a bit like trying to outsprint a cheetah. These kinds of matches expose Zverev’s lack of versatility in that the German was never able to change the pace of the point to his terms with some different paces, slices or depths. Instead he was too content to try and trade topspin groundstrokes until he invariably sprayed an error. Zverev’s fellow next-gen star Tsitsipas actually talked about this effect after playing Federer on Thursday:

“An unusual game, I’m not used to such a fast game, fast tempo.”

For a generation who have grown up (mostly) building their game on steady, baselining point construction. Federer's first strike onslaught must be jarring.

Federer had well documented struggles with his first serve % for much of the 2nd half of 2018. He spent lots of matches hovering around the 40-50% ranges. It's still very early days in 2019, and Hopman Cup is just an exho, but so far Roger has landed: 68%, 59%, 68%, 77% (1st set today), vs Norrie, Tiafoe, Tsitsipas & Zverev respectively. This shot is vital for Federer when it comes to facilitating the quick-tempo tennis mentioned above (especially as a high number of 1st serves translates to a high number of attackable 2nd shots on his forehand). Fans of the Swiss should be encouraged by a refreshed and confident looking Federer going into the seasons’s first slam.

Fun fact: Federer finished his Hopman Cup singles campaign going 8-0 in sets, and hitting 105 winners to just 64 unforced errors.

🇨🇭Bencic/Federer d Kerber/Zverev 🇩🇪 4-0, 1-4, 4-3(4)

— Switzerland win the Hopman Cup 🏆

— A huge shame this event has now been discontinued. It was a unique and important part of Tennis’s heart and soul.

SHOTS OF THE DAY 😮

— Great feel on the lob from Medvedev (vs Tsonga).

— We saw flashes of Tsonga’s best today.

— Medvedev let Tsonga back into this point with a terrible smash, but Tsonga’s single-handed lob was special.

— Federer has no intention of rallying with Zverev today. Devastating first strike tennis.

— Bringing Zverev into the net with short, low balls, given Sascha’s volleying skills (or lack thereof), worked very well for Federer today.

— Federer and Zverev putting on a show in the mixed doubles.

— Really good doubles court positioning and awareness from Federer here. Gives the little fake into the centre of the court to give Kerber an alley down the line, but immediately moves to cover that shot with a tough volley.

— The Racquet is usually only ATP coverage, but this, from Kerber, was just way.too.good. Going toe-to-toe with Federer and then finishing with an over the net post winner. Ridiculous stuff.

— Bad smash from Berdych but a great reply from RBA.

— Awesome wrong-footer from Berdych.

INTERVIEW & PRESS BEST BITS 🎤

Federer after beating Zverev:

“It was a good match for me. I think conditions are really quick here so when you put together a nice serve and volley game, like I did today, it's always going to be tough for the opponent. I think Sascha struggled and I made the most of it.”

Federer on beating tall players (after beating Zverev):

“It's not fair but it is what it is. We're eating a lot of vegetables I guess! Nowadays the big guys are unbelievably quick, we saw it with Tsitsipas the other day and now again with Sascha, they're able to slide on the court. What can I say, the game has evolved. And I've had to adapt my game accordingly. The first 10 years I played a certain way, the second 10 years I've played differently because of those big guys, like Novak, too, he's almost 6'3 as well and he moves unbelievably well.” (On court interview)

Zverev, after him and Kerber lost the doubles to Federer/Bencic:

“We’re sick of you guys. Especially you (Roger). You’re thirty-whatever. Why? Just why?”

*turns to Federer*

“What the hell are you laughing at? Jesus. What a nice guy. (LOL)”

🎥 Full Trophy Ceremony 🎥

Bautista Agut after winning the Doha title vs Berdych:

“It's been a fantastic week for me. Today was not easy to manage all the emotions I had yesterday on court. Well, I'm so happy.” Source

Berdych after the loss:

“It's been an incredible week. In those six months (of injury layoff), it's been very long but the time passed very fast. I'm here for the first week of the season (and happy) I could manage to go all the way to the final. Today, Roberto was too good. But, you know, I'm happy with the week.” Source

ORDER OF PLAY - SUNDAY ⏰

Match to watch = 🔥

BRISBANE - Semi-Finals

— (@ 7pm Local, 9am UK, 3am CT) —

🇯🇵 Nishikori vs Medvedev 🇷🇺 (H2H: 1-1) (Hard H2H: 0-1)

Prediction: Nishikori in 3

EXTRAS 🔍📊🎤

— Whatever you think about Tennis Australia’s ‘innovations’ (for e.g. killing the Hopman Cup in favour of the ATP Cup), the nations’ continued investment in its biggest tournaments, and tennis in general, is excellent for the sport as a whole.

📊 Roger Federer has now won the most titles in the Hopman Cup history:

2001 (Partner: Hingis)

2018 (Partner: Bencic)

2019 (Partner: Bencic)

— It’s catching on…

*whispers*

…for good reason (don’t @ me).

📊 This is the fourth consecutive year that Bautista Agut has won an ATP title in the first two weeks of a year. Always a strong starter.

— I wrote a mini-thread about the Hopman Cup ending, and in particular the ‘war’ between the ATP vs the ITF. First tweet in thread above👆.

NEW BALLS PLEASE 👀

— Medvedev getting tricky…🤔 (vs Tsonga). Credit to @AnnaK_4ever

— Zverev’s serve a little too hot for Bencic to handle.🔥

— Roger getting a rinsing about his foot speed…

… And Fognini boasting about his:

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GAME, SET, MATCH 👋

— The Racquet is created, and written, by Matt.

— You can find me on Twitter here.

See you tomorrow for the Final of Brisbane!

Banner Image Source: Hopman Cup Twitter