Roland Garros / French Open 2025 [Men] - Grand Slam

[Moxie]

First break to the Italian.

 

[El Dude]

I went out at 2-0 in the 3rd to run a couple of quick errands before it gets too hot, and came back and it was done! Agassi said something about Musetti saving himself for the grass, so doesn't sound like one specific thing that just happened, but the accumulation of body insults from clay??

If that's true, shame on Musetti (or, if not true, Agassi for suggesting it). This was a SF at a Grand Slam event, against Carlos Freakin Alcaraz. You give it your all until the very end.

 

[Jelenafan]

Novak needs to start perfectly and play like he did in OG final. Flawless and clutch serving plus super agressive from the baseline.

The problem is he’s playing a 2.1 version of himself in Sinner, who can grind it out in a way that Alcaraz doesn’t quite yet have the self discipline to do.

Sinner’s game is “boring”, in the best sense, in that he’s damn consistent these days.

However whoever Alcaraz plays he should have beyond strong motivation and be up for the finals;,

if it’s Novak obviously to exorcise the demons of the 2024 Olympic finals on the same court,

If it’s Sinner, the satisfaction of proving again that the #1 player in the world, despite the rankings, is clearly your bitch.

Figuratively of course ; )

 

[don_fabio]

The problem is he’s playing a 2.1 version of himself in Sinner, who can grind it out in a way that Alcaraz doesn’t quite yet have the self discipline to do.

I was just thinking about it today. Terminator 2 movie came to mind where the new and improved model replaces an obsolete one.

Sinner’s game is “boring”, in the best sense, in that he’s damn consistent these days.

However whoever Alcaraz plays he should have beyond strong motivation and be up for the finals;,

if it’s Novak obviously to exorcise the demons of the 2024 Olympic finals on the same court,

If it’s Sinner, the satisfaction of proving again that the #1 player in the world, despite the rankings, is clearly your bitch.

Figuratively of course ; )

Well I had Sinner and Alcaraz in the final from the draw anouncement and they really are the best players right now, level above the competition.

Alcaraz should be highly motivated who ever comes through here, but if he faces Sinner which is more likely, he'll get a tougher opponent than last year SF.

 

[don_fabio]

Every serve that Novak holds feels huge. There is no denying that he is giving all he's got, but still no a single BP offered from Sinner.

 

[atttomole]

He looks grizzled. Mother Nature and Father Time are catching up with him.

 

[Front242]

Who the hell was the yoke in the crowd with the diagonal demonic eyebrows?

 

[don_fabio]

Who the hell was the yoke in the crowd with the diagonal demonic eyebrows?

Don't know, that was a glimpse of horror.

 

[Front242]

Get this break back, Novak.

 

[don_fabio]

Finally, Sinner cracks for a moment.

 

[Fiero425]

He looks grizzled. Mother Nature and Father Time are catching up with him.

It happened a while back! The only difference is in the last year or so, Dokovic isn't getting any "gifts" to allow him to keep on playing & winning! He can still depend on Sascha, Stefanos, & Daniil to have a loose game, miss a sitter, or double fault having MP giving Djokovic his opportunity to hang in there! Today, not only the elites are stepping on those gifts as Novak is going down to just about anyone w/ a good serve & can hold their nerves! It's already happened in early rd. clay matches, then in a Masters final this year w/ Mensik in Miami! Up until last season, Novak's experience might carry him thru! No more! He has to work for it, & stay ahead of these newbies! I doubt Sinner will choke away this match even though "broken" for the 1st time all tourney!

 

[Front242]

He's toast now even if we get the common 3rd set walkabout and he wins set 3, the lanky doper will perform his fatality move in set 4.

 

[atttomole]

He's toast now even if we get the common 3rd set walkabout and he wins set 3, the lanky doper will perform his fatality move in set 4.

You hate dopers!!

 

[Front242]

You hate dopers!!

I sure do. Especially after reading this. Dirty cheating bastards in Italy. 1 hour window to catch them. They know he's filthy and they won't give him a proper 4 year ban. Ah sure this nerdy looking carrot head has to be innocent, leave him off with a slap on the wrist, it'll protect the sport's image etc.

Italy’s Clostebol doping crisis across tennis, football and the Olympics

An anabolic steroid once given to East and West German athletes has resurfaced in elite Italian sport. Honest Sport investigates whether the drug is now being used similarly to testosterone creams.

honestsport.substack.com

"Salazar, and his disgraced doctor, Jeffrey Brown were able to ascertain that an individual could apply four pumps of testosterone gel yet pass a drug test an hour later. The experiment took place on Salazar’s sons at the Nike Labs in Oregon, USA.

The former head of the Portuguese anti-doping agency, Luis Horta, has now told Honest Sport that he is concerned that sports doctors have begun to use Clostebol creams as they do testosterone gels."

 

[Federberg]

Novak is literally facing Novak 2.0. The A.I version. He can rage against the machine, but the machine will win

 

[Moxie]

What'd I tell ya?

 

[Fiero425]

What'd I tell ya?

Well you said Both Sincaraz would straight set their opposition off the courts! Unfortunately for you and your predictions, Musetti was firing rockets! I doubt he'd of won even w/o the injury, but he's been quite impressive this season! His one-handed BH is a thing of beauty and he embarrassed Carlito more than a few times w/ it!

 

[Federberg]

I would have loved to have seen Sinner go against Prime Rafa on Chatrier. He has absolutely no problem with high balls to his backhand, just like Novak. Don't get me wrong, I think Rafa wins. I just think he would be forced to play differently against him. I suspect he would employ more drop shots and come to the net. Rather like Carlito does when he plays Sinner. Rafa's movement on clay is still the best there's ever been..

 

[Federberg]

looks a bit like the belief is starting to bleed out of Novak after that failed return..

 

[Moxie]

Well you said Both Sincaraz would straight set their opposition off the courts! Unfortunately for you and your predictions, Musetti was firing rockets! I doubt he'd of won even w/o the injury, but he's been quite impressive this season! His one-handed BH is a thing of beauty and he embarrassed Carlito more than a few times w/ it!

I was talking about Front.