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Kyrgios 🎥 Wawrinka



Djokovic 🎥 Basic



Dzumhur 🎥 Tsitsipas



Coric 🎥 Cilic



Chardy 🎥 Shapovalov



Match Of The Day : Dimitrov 🎥 Verdasco RESULTS 🎾 💥 = Beatdown

🤕 = Injury

‼️ = Upset



Featured matches:



Wawrinka d Kyrgios 1-6, 7-5, 7-5 (🤕 Kyrgios: Hip) ‼️



Absolutely bizarre match. On the one hand both guys finished with positive winners to unforced error ratios:



Wawrinka: 35 winners, 23 unforced errors

Kyrgios: 44 winners, 34 unforced errors.



(Wawrinka also won 9 fewer points than Kyrgios over the course of the match, 90-99...)



On the other, nothing in this match really made sense. A few incredible forehands aside, Kyrgios's decision to play in the first place makes no sense to me if his hip injury is anywhere near as bad as he indicated during the MTO. Even weirder is his decision to enter the doubles this week as well 🤦‍♂️. As for Stan, his lateral movement is still worryingly slow vs his pre-knee-surgery days, but this match brings some much needed confidence and more match practice. Hopefully this will finally light the spark on Stan's comeback.



Djokovic d Basic 6-3, 7-6(3)



A solid 1st set from Novak followed by a few blips in the 2nd. The Serb was a set and a break up twice and wavered each time when ahead in the scoreline in the 2nd set. Once at 4*-3, after a blistering backhand from Basic, and then again when serving for the match at 6*-5, donating the break back with a double-fault. Clearly a bit of rust, but nothing serious. Novak served very well for most of the match: 76% 1st serve points won + 61% 2nd serve points won.



Dimitrov d Verdasco 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(5)



Brilliant match and a great fight from both guys. This could be one of Dimitrov's best wins this year in a patchy 2018 so far. He showed mental strength and big shotmaking when it mattered, early and late in the 3rd set, to win enough of the big points. Grigor crucially saved 4/4 break points in the decisive set and even won a gritty, 35-shot rally on match point. Finally we're seeing flashes of the mental resolve of 2017 Dimitrov.



Video: 35 shot rally on match point.



-----



Also:



Cilic d Coric: 6-3, 3-6, 6-1

Shapovalov d Chardy: 6-1, 6-4

Querrey d Mannarino: 6-2, 7-5

Fognini d Johnson: 6-4, 6-4

Haase d Nishikori: 7-5, 6-1 ‼️

Khachanov d Krajinovic: 6-3, 6-2

Tiafoe d Cecchinato: 7-6 (3), 6-1

R. Harrison d McDonald: 6-4, 6-2

Tsitsipas d Dzumhur: 6-3, 7 -6 (3)

Donskoy d Rublev: 7-6(7), 6-4

Auger-Aliassime d Pouille: 6-4, 6-3 ‼️ SHOTS OF THE DAY 😮 Kyrgios hitting a 114mph forehand. Interestingly it looks like he hits this with something close to an eastern grip (his usual grip is western). This is flat as a pancake and about as pure a slap as you'll ever see. Unreal.

(TennisTV) Another angle. 🔥

(TennisTV) Ridiculously good forehand from Donskoy at the absolute end of his range. Crazy how he got enough power (for it to be a clean winner) and spin (to control it) given where he played it from.

(TennisTV) Kyrgios 100mph+ forehand No.2. of he match. 'The Monfils'.

(TennisTV) INTERVIEW/PRESS BEST BITS 🎤 Wawrinka after beating Kyrgios:



- "I think after the first set I start moving better, being more aggressive on my serve, having those little step inside the courts [made it] a bit better to get more points for myself...



- "For me, it was important to stay focused on myself, on my game. I'm looking for confidence. I'm looking for matches."

Source

Kyrgios post-loss:



- "no, I can't take any positives away from this at all."



- "My hip is, obviously, a little bit sore."

Source

Djokovic after beating Basic:



- "I thought I served very well today... except those double faults in the game when I lost the break. But, in general, I worked a lot on that shot recently."



- "Obviously, it takes a little bit of time to get used to the new surface. The conditions here are quite different from practising in Europe or other places... So I'll just focus on this week and see how it goes."

Source



Novak on his Anderson doubles partnership:



“It was exciting and strange to play doubles with Kevin. In one moment you’re playing a Wimbledon final against one another and now you’re on the same team”

Source WHO'S PLAYING TOMORROW? ⏰ Centre Court

11am Start - Toronto (4pm UK)



Djokovic vs Polansky (H2H: 1-0)

Raonic vs Tiafoe (1st Meeting)

Shapovalov vs Fognini (1st Meeting) 🔥



NB 6:30pm (11:30pm UK)

Nadal vs Paire (H2H: 3-0)



NB 8pm (1am UK)

Medvedev vs Auger-Aliassime (1st Meeting)



Grand Stand

11am Start - Toronto (4pm UK)



Del Potro vs Haase (H2H: 5-0)

Thiem vs Tsitsipas (H2H: 3-1) 🔥

A.Zverev vs Klahn (1st Meeting)

Wawrinka vs Fucsovics (H2H: 0-1) Court 1

11am Start - Toronto (4pm UK)



Carreno Busta vs Khachanov (H2H: 2-0)

Donskoy vs Anderson (H2H: 0-4)

Schwartzman vs Querrey (H2H: 1-0)

Anderson/Djokovic vs Herbert/Mahut



Court 4

11am Start - Toronto (4pm UK)



R. Harrison vs Ivashka (1st Meeting)

Herbert vs Isner (H2H: 0-3)





EXTRAS...🔍🎤📊 Kyrgios is defending 600 points (final) in Cincinnati next week. If he pulls out of the tournament due to his hip injury he will be close to losing his seeding for the US Open. 1225 points is the total of No.32 in the world (Querrey). Nick currently has 1855.

Happy 37th Birthday to Roger Federer `🎉🎉

Grigor seems mesmerised by Rafa's practice session. Tennis players mirin.Grigor seems mesmerised by Rafa's practice session. Source

Source Novak ran out the new shot clock a few times today without any warnings. He was only ever over by a second or two so perhaps this is a sign that umpires will be using discretion rather than blanket penalising everyone who goes over. Or maybe this is just the transition phase with more leniency. Another angle of Kyrgios's "Monfils Air"

(TennisTV) LOL 😂 When you try and superman your clothes off but you're not quite strong enough.... (Rublev)

(TennisTV) doublefault28 This went on for a while...

(TennisTV) doublefault28 TFW the players are stinking up the court but you still have to focus on the call.

(TennisTV) doublefault28 '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 Day 3 of Toronto!