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Tsitsipas 🎥 Goffin



Chung 🎥 Sock



Federer 🎥 Gojowczyk



Edmund 🎥 Shapovalov



Match Of The Day: Kudla 🎥 Kyrgios RESULTS 🎾 💥 = Beatdown

🤕 = Injury

‼️ = Upset



Goffin d Tsitsipas 7-5, 6-3



The tank was empty today for Tsitipas after his heroics in Toronto last week. Goffin did everything better, winning more service points, 68% to his opponents 60%, as well as return points, 40% to 32%. Tsitsipas's post-Toronto fatigue was most noticeable on the bigger points, on which he had been so clutch and impressive last week: while Goffin saved 7/8 break points in the match, Stefanos only managed 1/5 and looked vulnerable on serve throughout the match. Good signs for the slumping Goffin, but hard to read too much into a result like this.



Kyrgios d Kudla 6-7(2), 7-5, 7-6(9)



Kyrgios saved a match point with a 2nd serve ace, won only 48% of the points and came out 2nd best in almost all of the match stats. But he won, somehow, while looking physically frail at times. Dealing with a new knee injury (assuming patella tendonitis) and his hip from last week, this was at times an exercise in efficiency for Nick. The Australian only got near Kudla's serve a few times in the 2nd set, and created no chances or deep games in the decider on his opponents serve. Nick was content to rely on his serve and win the tiebreakers. Good for Nick that he came through a tight match not moving/playing that well, but it's concerning that his physical problems keep mounting up, with no solution in sight.



Federer d Gojowczyk 6-4, 6-4



Pretty light work for Federer in a match lasting just over an hour. The only area of concern were the 5 break point opportunities that Gojowczyk created. But each time Fed faced these moments of pressure he responded impressively with some aces or big/angled serves that set up simple 1-2 punch, put-aways. Roger served well, especially on 2nd serve (winning 68% of points), and just straight-up abused his opponents 2nd serve, winning 62% of points when Gojo didn't land his 1st serve in. A small amount of rust evident, but a good start from Fed.



Shapovalov d Edmund 6-4, 7-5



If last weeks loss to Haase showed how far Shapo has to come in terms of shot selection and bad errors, todays performance was like we were watching a Shapovalov with 4-5 years more maturity. The Canadian still ripped brilliant winners and hit 5 double faults (less than his 13 vs Haase last week at least), but saved 8/10 break points with some impressive serving, and played with much more margin than what we've seen recently.



Also:



L Mayer d Pouille: 7-6(7), 6-4

Raonic d Lajovic: 6-3, 6-3

M. Zverev d Dzumhur: 6-3, 6-4

Haase d Krajinovic: 4-6, 6-2, 6-3

Khachanov d Ramos-Vinolas: 2-6, 6-3, 6-2

Copil d Kohlschreiber: 6-4, 6-2

Coric d Medvedev: 6-2, 6-3 💥

Chung d Sock: 2-6, 6-1, 6-2

Fucsovics d Hurkacz: 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(6) SHOTS OF THE DAY 😮

(TennisTV) The laziest of tweeners🤦‍♂️.(TennisTV) Full Point Great pace from both Sock and Chung and then Sock finishes with a volley that just dies on the other side of the net.

(TennisTV) Nice exchange between Federer and Gojo.

(TennisTV) Federer flick backhand (tm).

(TennisTV) Beautiful backhand pass on the run from Shapovalov.

(TennisTV) Some Wii tennis from Shapo & Edmund. Shapo with great hands to flick this down the line.

(TennisTV) Another forehand SLAP from Kyrgios. Absolutely crazy how he gets so much power with a pretty compact swing, falling backwards and so far back in the court.

(TennisTV) INTERVIEW/PRESS BEST BITS 🎤 Kyrgios on the 2nd serve ace that saved match point (and essentially saved his seeding for the US Open) (GIF below):



- "I don't feel as if I can miss that serve again, so I just go for it. And it came off today, but obviously some days it's not going to work. But on days like today it obviously gave me the win."

Tennis Channel's 5 minute, post-match interview with Federer: Video



Most interesting bit:



- "I'd like more Best of 5 matches in finals especially in Masters 1000s and the Tour Finals."

Zverev hoping to play better in Cincy:



"In Toronto I didn't feel like I played my best, I'm ready to have a turnaround here."

Source

Kyrgios on his bromance with Murray:



"People probably think he's boring, but he's a REALLY funny guy."

Source WHO'S PLAYING TOMORROW? ⏰ Cincinnati Centre Court

11am Start - Local Time (4pm UK)



A. Zverev vs Haase (H2H: 2-1)

M. Zverev vs Dimitrov (H2H: 0-3)



NB 8:30pm - Local Time (1:30am UK)



Del Potro vs Chung (1st Meeting) maybe🔥



Grandstand

12:30pm Start - Local Time (5:30pm UK)



Djokovic vs Mannarino (H2H: 3-0) 🔥



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



Nishikori vs Wawrinka (H2H: 4-4) 🔥 Stadium 3

11am Start - Local Time (4pm UK)



Cilic vs Copil (H2H: 1-0)

Anderson vs Chardy (H2H: 1-1)

Querrey vs Khachanov (1st Meeting)



Court 4 (11am)



Raonic vs Jaziri (H2H: 1-0)



Court 7 (NB 11am)



Carreno Busta vs Klahn (1st Meeting)



Court 10 (11am)



Paire vs Goffin (H2H: 3-1) 🔥

Kyrgios vs Coric (H2H: 1-1) 🔥



EXTRAS...🔍🎤📊 Vasek Pospisil is the newest addition to the ATP Players Council. Here is what he wants to change: Full Article

Players weigh in on the first few weeks of the Shot Clock. Full article



Most interesting was this:



"the average time between points at Washington was the same as a year ago—18 seconds."



(Matt): What's funny about this is that last year the time between points was measured when one point ended and when the next one started. This year it's measured by the shot clock which only starts when the umpire calls the score, not counting seconds while the crowd noise dies down or if the umpire gives the players a bit more time. That means the avg time between points in Washington was greater this year, with the shot clock, than last year, without it.

Dominic Thiem has withdrawn from Cincinnati with an illness (sounds like same issue as Toronto). Replaced by Lucky Loser Garcia-Lopez.

Source

The US Open announced their wild cards for this year:





- Brooksby

- Klahn

- Kubler

- Mmoh

- Moutet

- Rubin

- Smyczek

- Wawrinka



Murray is already in due to his protected ranking.

After losing to Chung today, Jack Sock has now lost 8 consecutive matches, is 5 wins to 16 losses in 2018, and is waaaay back in 176th in the ATP race.

Federer has not lost in Cincinnati since 2013 (loss to Nadal in QF's).

Source Fed's dark navy Uniqlo looking good. This was Kyrgios's huge 2nd serve ace that saved match point. Ridiculous.

(TennisTV) LOL 😂

(TennisTV) For the love of GOD Stefanos, please stop diving on hard courts.(TennisTV) doublefault28 Federer aces the camera.

(TennisTV) Kyrgios left his shoes in the locker room. He also arrived to the court with an un-gripped racquet. He offered to warm up in his socks. Kudla, his opponent, was just 😂.

(TennisTV) Full Video Daily Express headline tomorrow:



"NiCk KyrGiOs dEcaPiTAteS sPeCtAtor, yOu wON't beLiEve wHaT hAPPenS nExt"



(TennisTV)

Source Skills from Liam Broady. Nedelko attempting to hit the moon with a slice backhand. He lost the point. Shocker I know.

Source 🎼When the SABR doesn't work like it used to before.🎼

(TennisTV) doublefault28 Medvedev closer to hitting his gonads than the tennis ball with this tweener.

(TennisTV) doublefault28 Old man Nick, sitting in his rocking chair, singing a tune with his mummified leg.

(TennisTV)

Source Marcelo Melo cyberbullying Diego Schwartzman 😂 '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 Day 4!