Cincinnati Masters 2026, Ohio, US - ATP Masters 1000

[Fiero425]

Medvedev really has melted down today. Had 3 or 4 mps in the second set, raised all types of Mad Russian hell today and crashed so far in the 3rd set.

Med's been such a disappointment! He had the most talent in the group we coined as "Lost Gens II." His wins have been great, but the losses more memorable! Y'all well recall I thought him t/b the only player to stop Novak from completing his CYGS in 2021! Djokovic didn't help his cause by going to Tokyo for the Olympics! Sure enuf Daniil annihilated Novak in str. sets in the USO Final! Med's 2 Big losses to Rafa at the AO & USO Finals made little sense but for the tenacity of Rafa refusing to give up when it seemed hopeless! Djokovic has aquitted himself well over his 20+ yrs. on tour, but there have been times that he just wasn't there & didn't look t/b winning a match! I could tell at times B4 it got started like 2012, '16, & '21 USO's & 2013 Wimbledon! I still haven't watched those "so called" classics from the FO vs Rafa except 2021! End Rant!

 

[the AntiPusher]

I thought USO was more about Rafa holding on than Danill's play bothering Nadal. The AO was different, he got chased down by Nadal while he was definitely imploding.

 

[Fiero425]

I thought USO was more about Rafa holding on than Danill's play bothering Nadal. The AO was different, he got chased down by Nadal while he was definitely imploding.

The way I saw it, Daniil was sabotaging himself by playing so deep; nearly trying to avoid linesmen & ballboys! Rafa exploited that by dropshotting Daniil which eventally cost him! I could go on, but ladies just called to play cards! That's what us "Oldsters" do these days!

 

[kskate2]

Rafael Jodar provides spectacular comeback in Cinncinnati, but controversy remains

Rafael Jodar denied a match point against Denis Shapovalov in the second round

www.tennisworldusa.org

What are his shoelaces made of ? Licorice? LOL

seems like much ado about nothing. To preempt anyone whining I noticed he carried a garbage bag full of shoes on court today.

 

[PhiEaglesfan712]

I thought USO was more about Rafa holding on than Danill's play bothering Nadal. The AO was different, he got chased down by Nadal while he was definitely imploding.

To me, the 2019 US Open was a classic example of a great doing just enough to close it out. Rafa found a way to win, even when it appeared to be slipping away. That's what separates Rafa from Danill and Jannik. We've seen Danill (at the 2022 and 2024 Australian Open finals) and Jannik (at the 2025 French Open final) fail to close things out up 2 sets.

 

[Fiero425]

Tirante is taking full opportunity of his upset of Novak get'n to the 4th Rd.! Many players never get to this round in a Masters! Very impressive!

 

[El Dude]

Of the final 16, only 3 have won Masters (Zverev, Fritz, Mensik).

 

[El Dude]

Med's been such a disappointment! He had the most talent in the group we coined as "Lost Gens II." His wins have been great, but the losses more memorable! Y'all well recall I thought him t/b the only player to stop Novak from completing his CYGS in 2021! Djokovic didn't help his cause by going to Tokyo for the Olympics! Sure enuf Daniil annihilated Novak in str. sets in the USO Final! Med's 2 Big losses to Rafa at the AO & USO Finals made little sense but for the tenacity of Rafa refusing to give up when it seemed hopeless! Djokovic has aquitted himself well over his 20+ yrs. on tour, but there have been times that he just wasn't there & didn't look t/b winning a match! I could tell at times B4 it got started like 2012, '16, & '21 USO's & 2013 Wimbledon! I still haven't watched those "so called" classics from the FO vs Rafa except 2021! End Rant!

I'd argue that Zverev was/is more talented. Daniil had/has more...feist. But the two together have been sort of neck-and-neck, in terms of "Best of Lost Gen II." I think Zverev jumped ahead when he won his maiden Slam. The rest of his resume is better than Medvedev's.

Anyhow, dear Fiero, this is another episode in the show: "If He Ain't Borg, He Sucks." Always amusing. Medvedev as been a very good player - and I think easily one of the top 5 single-Slam players of the Open Era, along with Zverev, Roddick, Chang, and either Ivanisevic or Muster. Del Potro gets an honorable mention, but he lost too much key time to injuries and ended up with just the Slam and one Masters.

 

[El Dude]

Plus, I think these guys like Del Potro, Cilic, Thiem and Medvedev deserve accolades for managing to win a Slam during the Big Four Era. It is also what makes Stan so hard to assess historically, because he won three - and none were easy. But other than that, his career was like, I don't know, Taylor Fritz's. He's the opposite of Andy Murray, who won the same amount of Slams but was consistently an elite player for almost a decade, winning a ton of Masters and going deep in tons of Slams.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Of the final 16, only 3 have won Masters (Zverev, Fritz, Mensik).

I have my money on Felix he seems rested and Focused.. I think he will take care of Foe

 

[the AntiPusher]

Plus, I think these guys like Del Potro, Cilic, Thiem and Medvedev deserve accolades for managing to win a Slam during the Big Four Era. It is also what makes Stan so hard to assess historically, because he won three - and none were easy. But other than that, his career was like, I don't know, Taylor Fritz's. He's the opposite of Andy Murray, who won the same amount of Slams but was consistently an elite player for almost a decade, winning a ton of Masters and going deep in tons of Slams.

I would say Stan was similar to Guga... won the big slams but not really a threat for the YEC.. am I cottect

 

[El Dude]

I would say Stan was similar to Guga... won the big slams but not really a threat for the YEC.. am I cottect

I see them a bit differently. Guga DID win the YE #1 once, and almost twice except for injury (he fizzled out at the end of 2001, gifting the #1 to Hewitt).

Plus, Guga did win the YEC in 2000, as well as five other Masters. He just was never the same player after 2001.

Of course, to be fair to Stan, he played in a much harder context, while Guga peak in one of the weakest periods of the Open Era (late 90s to early 00s).

 

[Fiero425]

I'd argue that Zverev was/is more talented. Daniil had/has more...feist. But the two together have been sort of neck-and-neck, in terms of "Best of Lost Gen II." I think Zverev jumped ahead when he won his maiden Slam. The rest of his resume is better than Medvedev's.

Anyhow, dear Fiero, this is another episode in the show: "If He Ain't Borg, He Sucks." Always amusing. Medvedev as been a very good player - and I think easily one of the top 5 single-Slam players of the Open Era, along with Zverev, Roddick, Chang, and either Ivanisevic or Muster. Del Potro gets an honorable mention, but he lost too much key time to injuries and ended up with just the Slam and one Masters.

You can argue all you like, but few can argue that Zverev isn't "Johnny 1-Note!" He has no backup game! It's the reason he not only had troube defeating the Big 3, but just about anyone could upset him if they make him work & think about it! He had Thiem in 2020's USO! He was serving "for it" at the 2026 SF vs Alcaraz! Who's crumbled in better situations over the yrs.? I've never been a fan of Medvedev, but I marvel at his quickness & improvisational skills while on the run! I give him more credit for his athleticism due to his being so tall! He really gets "down to the ground" like no other man I can think of! Very impressive!

 

[El Dude]

You can argue all you like, but few can argue that Zverev isn't "Johnny 1-Note!" He has no backup game! It's the reason he not only had troube defeating the Big 3, but just about anyone could upset him if they make him work & think about it! He had Thiem in 2020's USO! He was serving "for it" at the 2026 SF vs Alcaraz! Who's crumbled in better situations over the yrs.? I've never been a fan of Medvedev, but I marvel at his quickness & improvisational skills while on the run! I give him more credit for his athleticism due to his being so tall! He really gets "down to the ground" like no other man I can think of! Very impressive!

Zverev has more weapons than Daniil so that, when he's playing at his best, he's more dangerous. IMO. He's also had a longer prime period, winning big titles from 2017 through 2026 (at least) - that's a ten-year span. Daniil won his first big title in 2019 and his last in 2023, but he reached a Slam final in 2024, which i see as equivalent to winning a Masters (at least). So their prime years (capable of winning a big title and/or reaching a Slam final):

Prime Years (as Elite)
Zverev: 2017-2026+
Medvedev: 2019-2024

Slams (W-F-SF-QF)
Zverev: 1-4-7-6
Medvedev: 1-5-3-2

Titles (GS-TF (Oly)-Masters-500-250)
Zverev: 1-2(1)-7-6-8
Medvedev: 1-1-6-5-10

W%
Zverev: 70.6%
Medvedev: 70.1%

They are very close overall, but I think Zverev has been the better player. It is very interesting how close their W%s are.

 

[kskate2]

Spanish teen sent to USO early after RG finalist shows some metal. Rafa's had a good 3 weeks. Deep in DC and Canada, won a few rounds here. He's got more than a week to get ready.

 

[Fiero425]

Zverev has more weapons than Daniil so that, when he's playing at his best, he's more dangerous. IMO. He's also had a longer prime period, winning big titles from 2017 through 2026 (at least) - that's a ten-year span. Daniil won his first big title in 2019 and his last in 2023, but he reached a Slam final in 2024, which i see as equivalent to winning a Masters (at least). So their prime years (capable of winning a big title and/or reaching a Slam final):

Prime Years (as Elite)
Zverev: 2017-2026+
Medvedev: 2019-2024

Slams (W-F-SF-QF)
Zverev: 1-4-7-6
Medvedev: 1-5-3-2

Titles (GS-TF (Oly)-Masters-500-250)
Zverev: 1-2(1)-7-6-8
Medvedev: 1-1-6-5-10

W%
Zverev: 70.6%
Medvedev: 70.1%

They are very close overall, but I think Zverev has been the better player. It is very interesting how close their W%s are.

Well he did it again! He was in control of his match today vs Tommy Paul! Sascha got to match point in the 2nd set TB, blew it; lost in 3 sets!

 

[the AntiPusher]

Zverev has more weapons than Daniil so that, when he's playing at his best, he's more dangerous. IMO. He's also had a longer prime period, winning big titles from 2017 through 2026 (at least) - that's a ten-year span. Daniil won his first big title in 2019 and his last in 2023, but he reached a Slam final in 2024, which i see as equivalent to winning a Masters (at least). So their prime years (capable of winning a big title and/or reaching a Slam final):

Prime Years (as Elite)
Zverev: 2017-2026+
Medvedev: 2019-2024

Slams (W-F-SF-QF)
Zverev: 1-4-7-6
Medvedev: 1-5-3-2

Titles (GS-TF (Oly)-Masters-500-250)
Zverev: 1-2(1)-7-6-8
Medvedev: 1-1-6-5-10

W%
Zverev: 70.6%
Medvedev: 70.1%

They are very close overall, but I think Zverev has been the better player. It is very interesting how close their W%s are.

Wow that's Close.. I think to break the tie.. We can use their H2h vs Novak as the benchmark

 

[Fiero425]

Wow that's Close.. I think to break the tie.. We can use their H2h vs Novak as the benchmark

Zverev has caught Djokovic in a few BO3 matches, 3 instances that I can think of OTOH; the '21 Olympics SF, '18 YEC Final, & '21 YEC SF!

 

[kskate2]

Mensik & Zed gone. That only leaves Tay as the last man standing to win a masters

 

[Murat B.]

FAA is driving me nuts ! Will he ever learn to step up? Guess I will keep on waiting.