@@englishiguana4304 I suppose it's part of his memory strategy, it's called 'selective memory' and it serves to remember only the most important things at that specific moment 🤣
that's a ridiculous take. Did "ok" against Sinner (who hit his most UE's per set all tournament so was not at his best) but 41, 64, 74, 39 and an injured ADM was the sort of run that only comes around rarely tbh. Will have to "do it" in a stronger draw run in the next slams coming..
Only concerning thing with jack draper is his health. And also jack has huge problems with humid conditions. I can't remember who he player in AO bit je was in bad shape.
I feel that Steve is overstating , somewhat, Taylor's ability to progress from here. Even if he did that progression I still don't see Taylor winning against Sinner, Alcaraz or Meddy in a final like this.
The Draper love is music to my ears. I'm biased as a long time fan, but his tennis has long met the eye test and he would be a great addition to the upper echelons of the sport.
Did "ok" against Sinner (who hit his most UE's per set all tournament so was not at his best) but 41, 64, 74, 39 and an injured ADM was the sort of run that only comes around rarely tbh. Will have to "do it" in a stronger draw run in the next slams coming..
@@huzcer Pretty normal run for a seeded player when the top seed in their section goes out early. But I agree with you, Jack mostly only played ok, I've seen him play a lot better. His first serve % was low all tournament, but he still reached the semis without dropping a set and gave the No.1 player his longest match of the tournament. So plenty for Draper fans to be optimistic about. 👍
@@Bard_Land Yeah, I guessed you're a Brit and that's why you're such a long time fan of his. To me I just don't get why people are such nationalists. I'm 100% Swiss and an Alcaraz fan, no affiliations with Spain at all, I'm just a pure tennis fan and love Alcaraz's game style. As a Swiss I understand Stricker will never ever win a Slam in his entire career.
8:34 was the point of I was trying to make before Sinner won Cincy and US Open. Yes, Sinner needs to improve his fitness in best of 5 matches, but he can’t just play a 5 set match, so he can improve his fitness.
actually he can but not against everyone he struggles against Zverev and Meddy but he probably will lose to Nole (in form) and Carlos. Ideally he can beat them all in 4 on hc but I can't say the same for clay and grass.
@@creepsus24 nah he's miles ahead of everyone except maybe peak Carlos in clay. Next year with a free mind during Summer It will become painfully evident.
@@riccardoaquilini6610 statwise he isn't. He is the best on hc, no doubt. He is top5 on clay and top 3 on grass, Alcaraz still has more weapons than him on both these surfaces.
@@creepsus24 yeah it's not clear...yet. As I said, next Summer will be the test. From what I saw, to beat a 80% Sinner outside of hc you need the best Alcaraz but I might be wrong. From what I saw the Spaniard needs a big step up and the others are simply too far (Djoko only because of age, at his best he still has the best shot against Sinner but his best might come only 2-3 times a year.
yeah, Fritz and his expectations for himself - that's the problem. It is borderline with arrogance, same as Zverev, sometimes Tsitsipas, or even Tiafoe sometimes Rune, and it is not expectations by themselves, but the way they go about it. The way they go about it is not the mindset of a champion. It is a very subtle difference, but at the highest level it is all the difference you need to win or lose. I could go into details of hows and whys, but it would be too long, so I choose not to at this time. Intuitively, you might see what I mean. But it might change. Djokovic struggled with the same syndrome for quite a while, but then something changed in his mind and he became what he become. ok, just a little clue. Steve was addressing what Tiafoe said - "I felt that most of the time I was a better player". Do you see it? That's the core of a problem. How Nadal won AO against Medvedev? Did he thought he was a better player for a second? No. Here is another point and this is what I'm going to try to do. If I can't do it, it's ok. But I will try my best. And that is what separates the champions from a very good players, who think they should be winning. I was impressed about Draper too. He (and not Rune) might be the 3nd big one in this era. let's wait and see.
@@borisnahalka3027 Sorry, but your whole comment makes no sense. A player saying they were the better player on that particular day (even after a loss) doesn't prove that they're arrogant. Every player has called their own match saying they themselves were the better player (win or lose). Heck, Foe actually was the better player in the Fritz match, but he gassed out towards the end, Lastly, look at the draw Draper faced leading up to Sinner. That's not your regular draw for a slam. That's the same case as Sinner's Wimby SF run he did in 2022, so calling Draper the 3rd player to rival Sinner/Alcaraz especially since Draper hasn't won a Master's yet, is ridiculous.
@@malekat8539 he isn’t wrong in his comments. Better on the day is Popyrin over Novak or Tsonga over Fed at WM11… it’s a one-time super effort; unless you’re Cilic USO14, you’re “better on the day” for one match cuz those guy don’t win the tournament Boris is right: the Big 3 have 66 majors from 2003-2023. The greatest players of past generation always fall short: BORG-CONNORS/MCENROE-LENDL-WILANDER: 41 (1974-1988) SAMPRAS-AGASSI-COURIER-CHANG: 27 (1989-2003) BECKER-EDBERG: 16 (1985-1996) The greatest players born between 1934-1938 are the only ones to set the standard to modern Big 3 equalled and surpassed LAVER-ROSEWALL-EMERSON: 54 (Pro/Amateur) 1960-1972 Lower tier pros have really no chance to win a major unless they have a magic carpet ride and play another first timer in the Final. Theim won USO20, but he was a runner up 3 times already, RG18,19 AO20. That’s different
Federer had moments where he expressed similarly and he won 20 majors (look up his 2011 US Open semifinal post match interview). So I think you're overgeneralizing Fritz doesn't have the game to beat a reasonable performance from Sinner or Alcaraz, just from a matchup perspective. I don't think the issue is mental, I just think there's a ceiling for him that is too low Zverev in contnrast is quite close, and I think despite his mental game being his biggest weakness, he will manage to snag a slam in the next 3-4 years. He has the game and he'll get plenty of oppurtunities. Its just a matter of the dominoes falling into place for him mentally. Dude has a gold medal and has won the world tour finals, and win those when I'd argue he was mentally weaker, so we know the dominoes can fall into place on occasion
You might comment on Alcaraz first round match against Tu. This was a match up he should win easily, yet during the third set Tu looked much the better player. In particular I was concerned with the ease with which Tu was returning Alcaraz first serve. The Alcaraz serve seemed a shadow of the superb serving he produced against Djokovic in the Wimbledon final.
So what? The kid had a burnout after winning Wimbledon, French Open, Olympic silver medal. While Sinner sit Olympics out and could easily prepare for hard courts.
Let's be honest a very very dull slam. Carlos, Novak out early and not due to incredible performances from opponents. Few if any? noteworthy matches. Fritz in the final who has the charisma of a Sampras, with a style of play which is tedious to watch. Tiafoe Sinner final might have 'saved' it from being a slam we won't remember for long.
Also agree unfortunately. I was pumped for the last slam of the year. Thinking about it, the two best high level matches were Sinner - Medvedev (also this was not much of an epic) and arguably Fritz - Zverev or Tiafoe - Fritz?!
When Tiafoe said it was a mental thing and he wasn't tired I genuinely laughed. There's zero chance he wasn't tired the way he was moving. He could barely get into his return position after each point. I'm sure he was mentally struggling too at that point, largely because of how tired he was.
Well, what he claimed was nerves made him cramp. So he wasn't saying he was physically 100%, he was explaining why he wasn't physically 100%. The match was fast for a 5 setter, barely longer than Sinner's straight sets semi over Draper, and Tiafoe's QF wqs basically only 3 sets as well as Dimi was playing the fourth injured So it makes sense that the drop in physical form would be more than just running out of gas Also why would you lie about the nerves getting to you? Its not like thats a better look. Its definetly worse
And re Draper: he "took apart" DeMinaur who was injured since Wimbledon and now canceled LC as well because he is not fully fit. How do you not have context about what is going with players when you make this bold judgements?
Gill, please talk about Holger Rune. He seemed to be a of the same class as sinner and alcaraz a couple of years back but he keeps loosing in starting rounds. What is wrong with him ?
I think something that doesnt get pointed out about Sinner physical issues betweeen Monte Carlo and Wimbledon, is not only the mental aspect, but also the facf he literally had to fire his fitness coach and his physioterapist.
@@mireafelder8194he pronabky kept them around so they woild testify on hos behalf. An Italian player recieved a four year ban for clostobol a couple years back and one of the key elements of the case was he couldn't get aholdnof the physio to testify on his behalf
@@andieolivia maybe not Wimbledon cause Alcaraz was crazy good there, but a top form Sinner would have won RG semifinal, Alcaraz wasnt playing his best at all there
Alcaraz sets the precedent which makes Sinner emulate and try to do it better. Its always being like this since USO 2022. At RG, Sinner and Alcaraz were both not at their best form and were only playing 80 percent. I dont think peak Sinner can win against a peak Alcaraz at RG. Same with Wimby especially if it rains at Wimby, which increases the rate at which the soil hardens and becomes slower and bouncier. If its constantly sunny at Wimby, then i see peak sinner having a good chance against peak alcaraz
I am a Meddy fan and your analysis on him holds him to the standard of a multi grandslam champion. The truth is he won only one 3 years ago and lost a lot of finals. I am honestly quite happy with his year. AO final, good win at Wimbledon and a rather close loss against Sinner here. Not too bad. And yeah, indoor season is still coming.
Thanks for this interview. Sr Flink was always that kind of gentleman from others times, always peaceful, honest an kindful, in certain ways his charactery it's like the one of Sinner or David Bowie in music. He have always time for speaking of Tennis with Scanagatta after a slam, and it's such a pleasure listening to him , he always have do it for us Italians, offcourse even before the growing of Sinner, Fognini or Berrettini, more than ten years ago. So, that's why I really appreciate it, not only a champ from the past, but also a gentleman that have time for explaining tennis to a Nation were, still today, for the masses, exist only Soccer. Thanks Sr Flink. Greetings from Italy.
Gill, I have a mailbag question, I don't know where to put it so I hope this is the right place. There is quite a big discussion in Poland right now about Iga Swiatek, with quite a few experts stating that she is lacking so called "plan B", and even when she plays poorly, and misses a lot of shots she doesn't change antyhing in her game, she is constantly staying close to the line and playing agressive tennis, when she could for example take a few steps back and play safer, or go for more drop shots, slices maybe even serve&volley. There are also a lot of people criticizing those experts, even a former player Joanna Sakowicz-Kostecka who stated that going for "plan B" is possible on a junior level, but going for it on a professional level is not successful a lot more often than not. She also stated that right now in WTA we have only 3 players who have effective plan B (Muchova, Krejcikova and Paolini). I strongly disagree with that statement, because we have a lot of examples of going for "plan B" in men's tennis. For example Djokovic in Us Open 23 final. Knowing he can't go for a constant physical battle with Medvedev he turned into serve&volley and attacking the net, winning 36/43 net points. Medvedev reacted to that in next year's Australian Open and returned the ball from few metres closer to the line, to prevent serve&volley actions. What is your take? Should Iga develop "plan B" and is it possible to develop a successful "plan B" on professional level, and should players go for it, when they regular game is not working.
@@andieolivia it was back in the spring, two tests 8 days apart, not at different points in the year lmao its the key to his innocence. both tests had the same amount disproving drug cyling and half life decay of the compound. it aligns with the exposure period by his physio and the antispetic spray he used on himself to heal his finger (you can see his finger wrapped during the IW matches). the amount in both tests did not have the ability to enhance performance, which was determined by experts who didnt know player identity or rank. players are also tested heavily throughout the year at random, even more so at the slams. it'd be unreasonable imo to discredit his work and performance throughout the year, like at the ao or this us open... :)
@@JohnPaulJones-e6o Why did Sinner's team have the same banned substance-an anabolic steroid that 38 Italian athletes were caught using in the last four years-anywhere near him? Sinner and/or his team definitely knew. The extreme level of incompetence and negligence required for that substance to end up being massaged into Sinner's system by his own team is hard to rationalize. There's even a giant doping label on the cream's box, for crying out loud! And Sinner only fired this extremely incompetent physio and trainer two weeks ago, despite knowing about this since March? There's just so much in this case that doesn't add up or make any sense.
@@JohnPaulJones-e6o I never once said it was at different points of the year. I said he was going through a doping controversy all year. Because facts are he was it was behind-the-scenes for what five months? Maybe read my comment first before commenting? Just a thought?
I completely agree with Steve Flink about Sinner’s performance at Roland Garros and Wimbledon. It was odd seeing him lose to Alcaraz and Medvedev with his mental ability when playing during previous matches. Sinner has the ability to make more physically fit players come out second because of his mindset and I honestly thought he was going to win French Open and Wimbledon if he could just get back to his form and racing to different gears
@@sawyer7191 Dude, Sinner didn't even win his first Masters title yet at Carlos current age. Meanwhile Carlos won 4 Grand Slams, 5 Masters titles at only 21 years of age.
Thank you for your all around covering Gill!! Just to bring to your attention the night before the match with Medvedev at Wimbledon Sinner barely slept cause he had lots of thoughts about the doping situations and this fact has been reported by people close to him. In RG he wasnt ready phisically but in Wimbledon his Lost was due to this in fact he seemed pale and only put the ball in the middle of the court.
He just won't hear it. He convinced himself Sinner struggles physically and can barely play past 3 sets, and he won't listen to any facts pointing to the contrary. It's a pity, cause his coverage when it comes to technical and tactical aspects is flawless. But he's becoming as stubborn as a flat-earther.
Zverev was not 100% physically against Fritz though. He was injured in Wimbledon and not recovered from illness for US Open. Fritz was lucky he got through all the way through the finals to be honest.
Zverev in an interview after said he didn't lose bc of health reasons at the US Open, but thay he felt his game had left him, especially his backhand. Fritz was cooler under pressure and it carried him through
Maybe Sinner was mentally affected at RG but Alcaraz won that match and RG "without" a forehand and with barely clay matches in his legs, so I don''t agree that Alcaraz only won beacuse Sinner was affected
Sinner's legs were affected more because he was unable to do any form of training before RG because he was sick. Carlos only had an arm injury before RG, so he could still train his fitness.
Still not sure how one of the best physio’s in the world used clobestol spray (which has a doping warning) on a wound and then massages Sinner with no gloves where his open wound and Sinner’s open skin breaks touch. This violates basic medical code this physio would have learned in his first medical class. The story is so unbelievable IMO. If it is true, this physio is the dumbest person of all time in an elite profession. Don’t buy it. Sinner should have fired them immediately after such an amateur mistake - an offense worth legal action. As such though, we live in a backwards world.
Based on my understanding, only the box has the label, not the spray itself. Given that the spray is a common over-the-counter antiseptic for cuts and lesions (like Polysporin or topicals) found in many homes, it's not too far-fetched, in my opinion. If they had obtained it from someone else, like a friend or family member, or simply didn't have the box, there's no way to know the danger. This is a common reason for contamination as said by lawyers and prosecutors. Also, I don't believe "wound" implies a "traditional" lesion/cut. It was said that he has psoriasis... having it myself, you don't often have traditional open wounds that bleed or scab over (unless experiencing a heavy flare or in the early stages/cycles of treatment). If treated and maintained, the "wounds" are usually small abrasions and breaks in the skin that aren't visible to the naked eye, felt, or cause much discomfort-just resulting in dry skin. I agree that if the flare-up was bad, gloves needed to be worn, but if that's not the case, then it's normal not to wear gloves. I've never seen trainers or physios work on players on the court with gloves lmao Scratching or simply itching normal skin can also break the skin barrier to allow for dermal transfer. A major issue in the case was the discrepancies between what the trainer (who had the spray) and the physio (who used it) said, particularly regarding whether it was okay to use it. Sinner also asked the physio multiple times about his finger and was reassured that it was fine. Given this, it seems to me like complete and absolute foolery that screwed the player over. It appears that the trainer really messed up and is mostly responsible, while the physio was collateral damage. Regarding their removal from the team, I believe Sinner removed them before the official statement of their release became public last month. Around the time of the incident, the trainer and then the physio were no longer visible in his player's box, behind the scenes, or traveling with him, while a temporary physio was seen traveling with him instead. It starts with the trainer, who I think is mostly to blame and isn't visible, and then the physio, who, to me, was collateral damage due to the player's lack of confidence afterward. I think the official release from the team was mentioned a few weeks ago to avoid early speculation and to keep them around for statements until the case was fully closed. The media also seems to be bringing up the possibility and speculation of the player suing those responsible on the team... The facts reaffirm this for me, as the two tests were 8 days apart and had the same minimal amount. This discredits intentional doping cycles, tail-end amounts, and half-life decay of the compound and aligns with constant exposure to the contaminant by the physio during the duration of the spray being used. The amount was also said to have negligible ability to enhance performance by experts who did not know his rank or identity. This seems airtight to me. It could also be due to his ability to hire a good legal team to strongly advocate for his innocence with the actual evidence and knowledge.
@@JohnPaulJones-e6o You must still believe in Santa Claus too? In the medical profession it’s a cardinal sin to be massaging/touching someone with an open cut with no gloves on. Even more so considering Sinner’s skin condition. This is complete negligence by the physio. Any common nurse would know this let alone an elite/world class physio. Where there’s smoke there’s fire. It’s comical how many people are buying this story. Anyone that works in the medical industry would laugh at this. Of course there’s always the chance this world class physio truly is that stupid. It’s just very unbelievable given his education, training, experience and pay as an elite physio.
@@JohnPaulJones-e6o you must still believe in Santa Claus too? For this to be true, the physio has to be the dumbest physio on planet earth, which I don’t believe he is. He’s elite; well trained, which is how he got to the position he’s in. He massages Sinner, who has his skin condition with scratches and sores, with NO GLOVES when he has a larger cut? A simple nurse (and common sense) would know to wear gloves. This is basic medical code. This is extreme negligence on the physio. Bodily fluid exchange is possible in this scenario. This is like a tattoo artist not changing the needle. This story is legit insane. Where there’s smoke there’s fire. Sorry.
@@JohnPaulJones-e6o you must still be in Santa Claus too? For this to be true, the physio has to be the dumbest physio on planet earth, which I don’t believe he is. He’s elite; well trained; which is how he got to the position he’s in. He massages Sinner, who has his skin condition with scratches and sores, with NO GLOVES when he has a larger cut? A simple nurse (and common sense) would know to wear gloves. This is basic medical code. This is extreme negligence on the physio. Bodily fluid exchange is possible in this scenario. This is like a tattoo artist not changing the needle. This story is legit insane. Where there’s smoke there’s fire. Sorry.
you must still be in Santa Claus too? For this to be true, the physio has to be the dumbest physio on planet earth, which I don’t believe he is. He’s elite; well trained; which is how he got to the position he’s in. He massages Sinner, who has his skin condition with scratches and sores, with NO GLOVES when he has a larger cut? A simple nurse (and common sense) would know to wear gloves. This is basic medical code. This is extreme negligence on the physio. Bodily fluid exchange is possible in this scenario. This is like a tattoo artist not changing the needle. This story is legit insane. Where there’s smoke there’s fire. Sorry.
If Tiafoe were World number 1 and what happened to sinner in Indian wells happened would the global reaction be the same. Also atp ceo and the atp chairman are from what country? Just saying
The only tough player Sinner met was Meddy in quarters. First three rounds were walk in the park beating unseeded players above top 75. Semi finals was Draper, ranked above 25 and Fritz in the finals ranked 11. In contrast to all claims about Sinner having the toughest of draws, it all turned out to be dead easy when getting translated as outcomes. Don't exaggerate the magnitude of his victory too much 😂😂
@@vijayla21 Oh really !! In 2021 Wimbledon: Novak met : 1st round - Draper 2nd round - Kevin Anderson 3rd round - Qualifier Kudla 4th round - 17th seed Garin Quarter finals - Fucksovicks Semi finals - 10th seed Shapalov Finals - 7th seed Red hot Berretini, before injury who was a far better player and more dangerous than he is today which his seeding reflects. Your D0per lost to Fognini. LoL 😂 😂 Your Frauderer got bageled by Hurcakz in quarters. Alcaraz lost to Medvedev. Whether Nadal played or not is irrelevant because he cannot just win and the last Wimbledon he won was in 2010. LoL 🤣 🤣 2022 - Wimbledon First round - Unseeded Kwon Second round - Kokkanakkis Third round - 25th ranked Kecamanovic Fourth round - Qualifier Vin Rijithoven Quarter final - Sinner Semi final - 9th seed Norrie Final - Kyrgois Well Nadal cowered away facing Kyrgois claiming he cannot win two matches in a row. If you claim a pale shadow of this version of Meddy was a great test, then by that yardstick Novak beat Sinner. LoL 😂 😂 Well it is rather obvious who had the easy draw gleaning from the data I provided. Now go to sleep 😪😪
@@vijayla21That is your b1@$ed opinion and not facts. LoL 🤣🤣 You cannot even analyse facts properly. In 2021 Novak beat Draper in first round who your Sinner only beat in semi finals. LoL 😂😂 Then he beat Anderson, Kudla, 17th seed Garin, Fucksovicks in QF, 10th seed Shapalov in semi finals and 7th seed Berreteni in finals. Sinner beat 28th ranked Draper in Semis and 11th ranked Fritz in finals. Here itself your argument lies shattered in the light of facts that Novak beat better seeded players than Sinner 😂😂😂😂 In 2022 Wimbledon Novak beat Kwon in first round, Kokkanakkis in second round, 25th ranked Kecamanovic in the third round. As far as the players and seedings goes, this itself is better than what Sinner faced in US open in first three rounds. Then in the fourth round, he beat unseeded Rijithoven and 10th Sinner in quarter finals. He beat 9th seed Norrie in semis. The only unseeded player he beat in his whole victorious slam career is Kyrgois. But for that you need to blame Nadal who ran away from facing Kyrgois claiming he cannot win two matches in a row. 😂😂
Please, Steve, don't mention the clostebol case. Gill doesn't want to hear it. He's already embarrassed enough for his hasty take, and he's trying to move on pretending he never took part in that pathetic witch hunt. He was doing such a good job at ignoring that ever happened, but now you're bringing this up again!
Steve Flink's memory is something that needs to be studied: how does he remember exactly all the games and scores of each match? It's impressive!! 👏👏
Hall of fame memory, hall of shame player name pronunciation 😮
@@englishiguana4304
I'll never forget how he says Felix's name 😭💀
@@malekat8539 oh man it’s so brutal 😂 and for the love of god it’s not Daniel Medvedev. It’s okay though he’s a great guest and it’s funny.
Still cannot «remember» that Medvedev’s name is Daniil, not Daniel.
@@englishiguana4304 I suppose it's part of his memory strategy, it's called 'selective memory' and it serves to remember only the most important things at that specific moment 🤣
Gill is leveling up before our very eyes. We will see him commentating on TV someday.
he’s already better than literally all of them
he comments on tv already for TennisChannel and more
Great read on Medvedev👍Nothing Fritz could have done against Sinner. It doesn’t matter how well he serves. His foot work is nowhere near Sinner’s.
Fritz is such a boring player as well
as Pegula. Look at Muchova for beautiful tennis. Where have the John Mcenroes gone ?
Please dump gambling ads.
Believe me this is what makes him the most money
I know, but he needs to pick a side. It’s not about money
@@markobaturan1831 i fully share your sentiment
Best tennis creator out there! Thanks for your videos! I love it
Draper Top 5 already next year is a very spicy call
that's a ridiculous take. Did "ok" against Sinner (who hit his most UE's per set all tournament so was not at his best) but 41, 64, 74, 39 and an injured ADM was the sort of run that only comes around rarely tbh. Will have to "do it" in a stronger draw run in the next slams coming..
Only concerning thing with jack draper is his health. And also jack has huge problems with humid conditions. I can't remember who he player in AO bit je was in bad shape.
I feel that Steve is overstating , somewhat, Taylor's ability to progress from here.
Even if he did that progression I still don't see Taylor winning against Sinner, Alcaraz or Meddy in a final like this.
Excellent analysis by both, as always
The Draper love is music to my ears. I'm biased as a long time fan, but his tennis has long met the eye test and he would be a great addition to the upper echelons of the sport.
Did "ok" against Sinner (who hit his most UE's per set all tournament so was not at his best) but 41, 64, 74, 39 and an injured ADM was the sort of run that only comes around rarely tbh. Will have to "do it" in a stronger draw run in the next slams coming..
So you're probably a Brit and biased, right?
@@mireafelder8194 I literally said "I'm biased as a long time fan" in my comment. 😂 Can you read? 🤣🤣🤣
@@huzcer Pretty normal run for a seeded player when the top seed in their section goes out early. But I agree with you, Jack mostly only played ok, I've seen him play a lot better. His first serve % was low all tournament, but he still reached the semis without dropping a set and gave the No.1 player his longest match of the tournament. So plenty for Draper fans to be optimistic about. 👍
@@Bard_Land Yeah, I guessed you're a Brit and that's why you're such a long time fan of his. To me I just don't get why people are such nationalists. I'm 100% Swiss and an Alcaraz fan, no affiliations with Spain at all, I'm just a pure tennis fan and love Alcaraz's game style. As a Swiss I understand Stricker will never ever win a Slam in his entire career.
8:34 was the point of I was trying to make before Sinner won Cincy and US Open. Yes, Sinner needs to improve his fitness in best of 5 matches, but he can’t just play a 5 set match, so he can improve his fitness.
actually he can but not against everyone he struggles against Zverev and Meddy but he probably will lose to Nole (in form) and Carlos. Ideally he can beat them all in 4 on hc but I can't say the same for clay and grass.
@@creepsus24 nah he's miles ahead of everyone except maybe peak Carlos in clay. Next year with a free mind during Summer It will become painfully evident.
@@riccardoaquilini6610 statwise he isn't. He is the best on hc, no doubt. He is top5 on clay and top 3 on grass, Alcaraz still has more weapons than him on both these surfaces.
@@creepsus24 yeah it's not clear...yet. As I said, next Summer will be the test. From what I saw, to beat a 80% Sinner outside of hc you need the best Alcaraz but I might be wrong. From what I saw the Spaniard needs a big step up and the others are simply too far (Djoko only because of age, at his best he still has the best shot against Sinner but his best might come only 2-3 times a year.
yeah, Fritz and his expectations for himself - that's the problem. It is borderline with arrogance, same as Zverev, sometimes Tsitsipas, or even Tiafoe sometimes Rune, and it is not expectations by themselves, but the way they go about it. The way they go about it is not the mindset of a champion. It is a very subtle difference, but at the highest level it is all the difference you need to win or lose. I could go into details of hows and whys, but it would be too long, so I choose not to at this time. Intuitively, you might see what I mean.
But it might change. Djokovic struggled with the same syndrome for quite a while, but then something changed in his mind and he became what he become.
ok, just a little clue. Steve was addressing what Tiafoe said - "I felt that most of the time I was a better player". Do you see it? That's the core of a problem. How Nadal won AO against Medvedev? Did he thought he was a better player for a second? No. Here is another point and this is what I'm going to try to do. If I can't do it, it's ok. But I will try my best. And that is what separates the champions from a very good players, who think they should be winning.
I was impressed about Draper too. He (and not Rune) might be the 3nd big one in this era. let's wait and see.
@@borisnahalka3027
Sorry, but your whole comment makes no sense.
A player saying they were the better player on that particular day (even after a loss) doesn't prove that they're arrogant.
Every player has called their own match saying they themselves were the better player (win or lose). Heck, Foe actually was the better player in the Fritz match, but he gassed out towards the end,
Lastly, look at the draw Draper faced leading up to Sinner. That's not your regular draw for a slam. That's the same case as Sinner's Wimby SF run he did in 2022, so calling Draper the 3rd player to rival Sinner/Alcaraz especially since Draper hasn't won a Master's yet, is ridiculous.
@@malekat8539 he isn’t wrong in his comments. Better on the day is Popyrin over Novak or Tsonga over Fed at WM11… it’s a one-time super effort; unless you’re Cilic USO14, you’re “better on the day” for one match cuz those guy don’t win the tournament
Boris is right: the Big 3 have 66 majors from 2003-2023.
The greatest players of past generation always fall short:
BORG-CONNORS/MCENROE-LENDL-WILANDER: 41 (1974-1988)
SAMPRAS-AGASSI-COURIER-CHANG: 27 (1989-2003)
BECKER-EDBERG: 16 (1985-1996)
The greatest players born between 1934-1938 are the only ones to set the standard to modern Big 3 equalled and surpassed
LAVER-ROSEWALL-EMERSON: 54 (Pro/Amateur) 1960-1972
Lower tier pros have really no chance to win a major unless they have a magic carpet ride and play another first timer in the Final.
Theim won USO20, but he was a runner up 3 times already, RG18,19 AO20. That’s different
Federer had moments where he expressed similarly and he won 20 majors (look up his 2011 US Open semifinal post match interview). So I think you're overgeneralizing
Fritz doesn't have the game to beat a reasonable performance from Sinner or Alcaraz, just from a matchup perspective. I don't think the issue is mental, I just think there's a ceiling for him that is too low
Zverev in contnrast is quite close, and I think despite his mental game being his biggest weakness, he will manage to snag a slam in the next 3-4 years. He has the game and he'll get plenty of oppurtunities. Its just a matter of the dominoes falling into place for him mentally. Dude has a gold medal and has won the world tour finals, and win those when I'd argue he was mentally weaker, so we know the dominoes can fall into place on occasion
The dynamic duo returns!!!
Thank you for this video. 👍
Draper isn’t working with Wayne Ferreira anymore, is he? Semifinal commentators were saying that Jack wanted “one voice” in the box
Correct, they split up (amicably) between Cincy and the US Open.
You might comment on Alcaraz first round match against Tu. This was a match up he should win easily, yet during the third set Tu looked much the better player. In particular I was concerned with the ease with which Tu was returning Alcaraz first serve. The Alcaraz serve seemed a shadow of the superb serving he produced against Djokovic in the Wimbledon final.
So what? The kid had a burnout after winning Wimbledon, French Open, Olympic silver medal. While Sinner sit Olympics out and could easily prepare for hard courts.
Let's be honest a very very dull slam. Carlos, Novak out early and not due to incredible performances from opponents. Few if any? noteworthy matches. Fritz in the final who has the charisma of a Sampras, with a style of play which is tedious to watch. Tiafoe Sinner final might have 'saved' it from being a slam we won't remember for long.
Some may find this comment negative, but I personally find it hard to disagree. Even the styles of tennis in the later rounds was fairly dull.
@@funnight56 The TV ratings agree with you both.
Also agree unfortunately. I was pumped for the last slam of the year. Thinking about it, the two best high level matches were Sinner - Medvedev (also this was not much of an epic) and arguably Fritz - Zverev or Tiafoe - Fritz?!
Enjoyed reading the Draw especially the Petkovic piece…
Good show Gil. Heard you on Us Open radio-great job btw.
Really enjoyed this - thank you!
I enjoyed the discussion, thank you both! Why let the comment section get so toxic? It should be moderated
Same with the discord group
When Tiafoe said it was a mental thing and he wasn't tired I genuinely laughed. There's zero chance he wasn't tired the way he was moving. He could barely get into his return position after each point. I'm sure he was mentally struggling too at that point, largely because of how tired he was.
Well, what he claimed was nerves made him cramp. So he wasn't saying he was physically 100%, he was explaining why he wasn't physically 100%. The match was fast for a 5 setter, barely longer than Sinner's straight sets semi over Draper, and Tiafoe's QF wqs basically only 3 sets as well as Dimi was playing the fourth injured
So it makes sense that the drop in physical form would be more than just running out of gas
Also why would you lie about the nerves getting to you? Its not like thats a better look. Its definetly worse
And re Draper: he "took apart" DeMinaur who was injured since Wimbledon and now canceled LC as well because he is not fully fit.
How do you not have context about what is going with players when you make this bold judgements?
Gill, please talk about Holger Rune. He seemed to be a of the same class as sinner and alcaraz a couple of years back but he keeps loosing in starting rounds. What is wrong with him ?
Tiafoe's gas tank leaks badly 😂 😂 he gon need a blanket to soak up his shayt
I think something that doesnt get pointed out about Sinner physical issues betweeen Monte Carlo and Wimbledon, is not only the mental aspect, but also the facf he literally had to fire his fitness coach and his physioterapist.
He only fired both of them in late August, while already knowing since March how incredibly unprofessional both of them were.
@@mireafelder8194 no i dont think so, he officially did it in august but Ferrara was not seen in his box for a couple months already
Yeh they weren't around as much. I think it probably hurt him quite a bit to fire them too as I think he liked them as people.
@@milosc__7310 They were both seen with him as late as in Wimbledon.
@@mireafelder8194he pronabky kept them around so they woild testify on hos behalf. An Italian player recieved a four year ban for clostobol a couple years back and one of the key elements of the case was he couldn't get aholdnof the physio to testify on his behalf
This US Open was a l9ng Sinner monologue get used to seeing him dominate everywhere, it will be no surprise when he wins all 4 slams next year.
You said he was winning the Golden Slam this year. Just wondering how that worked out for you? Lol 🤣😂
You’re clearly drinking the Carota juice! 🥕🥕🥕🥕
Carlos alcaraz says hi
@@andieolivia he might have done it very well without the doping scandal and connected mental issues
@@andieolivia maybe not Wimbledon cause Alcaraz was crazy good there, but a top form Sinner would have won RG semifinal, Alcaraz wasnt playing his best at all there
IVE NEVER CLICKED ON A VIDEO SO FAST😭😭🙏🏾
Alcaraz sets the precedent which makes Sinner emulate and try to do it better. Its always being like this since USO 2022. At RG, Sinner and Alcaraz were both not at their best form and were only playing 80 percent. I dont think peak Sinner can win against a peak Alcaraz at RG. Same with Wimby especially if it rains at Wimby, which increases the rate at which the soil hardens and becomes slower and bouncier. If its constantly sunny at Wimby, then i see peak sinner having a good chance against peak alcaraz
I am a Meddy fan and your analysis on him holds him to the standard of a multi grandslam champion. The truth is he won only one 3 years ago and lost a lot of finals. I am honestly quite happy with his year. AO final, good win at Wimbledon and a rather close loss against Sinner here. Not too bad. And yeah, indoor season is still coming.
Why does a channel such as this only offer 720p in a dual podcast while most offer 4k which is like sixteen times clearer; what a waste!!!
Mr. Gross, might I suggest: Flat affect - not emotional flatness.
Hi Gill waiting eagerly for your next episode of 3,
Thanks for this interview. Sr Flink was always that kind of gentleman from others times, always peaceful, honest an kindful, in certain ways his charactery it's like the one of Sinner or David Bowie in music. He have always time for speaking of Tennis with Scanagatta after a slam, and it's such a pleasure listening to him , he always have do it for us Italians, offcourse even before the growing of Sinner, Fognini or Berrettini, more than ten years ago. So, that's why I really appreciate it, not only a champ from the past, but also a gentleman that have time for explaining tennis to a Nation were, still today, for the masses, exist only Soccer. Thanks Sr Flink. Greetings from Italy.
Wish Flink would improve his sound
Gill, I have a mailbag question, I don't know where to put it so I hope this is the right place. There is quite a big discussion in Poland right now about Iga Swiatek, with quite a few experts stating that she is lacking so called "plan B", and even when she plays poorly, and misses a lot of shots she doesn't change antyhing in her game, she is constantly staying close to the line and playing agressive tennis, when she could for example take a few steps back and play safer, or go for more drop shots, slices maybe even serve&volley.
There are also a lot of people criticizing those experts, even a former player Joanna Sakowicz-Kostecka who stated that going for "plan B" is possible on a junior level, but going for it on a professional level is not successful a lot more often than not. She also stated that right now in WTA we have only 3 players who have effective plan B (Muchova, Krejcikova and Paolini). I strongly disagree with that statement, because we have a lot of examples of going for "plan B" in men's tennis. For example Djokovic in Us Open 23 final. Knowing he can't go for a constant physical battle with Medvedev he turned into serve&volley and attacking the net, winning 36/43 net points. Medvedev reacted to that in next year's Australian Open and returned the ball from few metres closer to the line, to prevent serve&volley actions.
What is your take? Should Iga develop "plan B" and is it possible to develop a successful "plan B" on professional level, and should players go for it, when they regular game is not working.
Not sure if Gill will see it here, but his last mail bag episode he took questions from his Discord.
@@daniellydford6142I see, thank you for this info!
So, the matches Sinner lost this year were only because of injuries and illnesses. If he was healthy, he would have 100% effectivity.
Pretty sure the guy was in a doping scandal all year, but I digress. 🤔
@@andieolivia it was back in the spring, two tests 8 days apart, not at different points in the year lmao its the key to his innocence. both tests had the same amount disproving drug cyling and half life decay of the compound. it aligns with the exposure period by his physio and the antispetic spray he used on himself to heal his finger (you can see his finger wrapped during the IW matches). the amount in both tests did not have the ability to enhance performance, which was determined by experts who didnt know player identity or rank. players are also tested heavily throughout the year at random, even more so at the slams. it'd be unreasonable imo to discredit his work and performance throughout the year, like at the ao or this us open... :)
@@JohnPaulJones-e6o Why did Sinner's team have the same banned substance-an anabolic steroid that 38 Italian athletes were caught using in the last four years-anywhere near him? Sinner and/or his team definitely knew. The extreme level of incompetence and negligence required for that substance to end up being massaged into Sinner's system by his own team is hard to rationalize. There's even a giant doping label on the cream's box, for crying out loud! And Sinner only fired this extremely incompetent physio and trainer two weeks ago, despite knowing about this since March? There's just so much in this case that doesn't add up or make any sense.
@@JohnPaulJones-e6o I never once said it was at different points of the year. I said he was going through a doping controversy all year. Because facts are he was it was behind-the-scenes for what five months? Maybe read my comment first before commenting? Just a thought?
I completely agree with Steve Flink about Sinner’s performance at Roland Garros and Wimbledon. It was odd seeing him lose to Alcaraz and Medvedev with his mental ability when playing during previous matches. Sinner has the ability to make more physically fit players come out second because of his mindset and I honestly thought he was going to win French Open and Wimbledon if he could just get back to his form and racing to different gears
Carlos is a better player than sinner in 5 setters. Simple as that
@@malekat8539 physically he is but tennis isn’t just physical. But that just you under estimating Sinner. All good!
@@sawyer7191
He literally is mentally more clutch at 5 setters than Sinner.
@@sawyer7191 Dude, Sinner didn't even win his first Masters title yet at Carlos current age. Meanwhile Carlos won 4 Grand Slams, 5 Masters titles at only 21 years of age.
@@mireafelder8194 that doesnt matter at all, who won titles at what age.
Love the tiers idea
Thank you for your all around covering Gill!! Just to bring to your attention the night before the match with Medvedev at Wimbledon Sinner barely slept cause he had lots of thoughts about the doping situations and this fact has been reported by people close to him. In RG he wasnt ready phisically but in Wimbledon his Lost was due to this in fact he seemed pale and only put the ball in the middle of the court.
He just won't hear it. He convinced himself Sinner struggles physically and can barely play past 3 sets, and he won't listen to any facts pointing to the contrary. It's a pity, cause his coverage when it comes to technical and tactical aspects is flawless. But he's becoming as stubborn as a flat-earther.
@@Julian_orwell
That's ironic calling him stubborn. I'd look in the mirror if I were you
Zverev was not 100% physically against Fritz though. He was injured in Wimbledon and not recovered from illness for US Open.
Fritz was lucky he got through all the way through the finals to be honest.
Zverev in an interview after said he didn't lose bc of health reasons at the US Open, but thay he felt his game had left him, especially his backhand. Fritz was cooler under pressure and it carried him through
Draper top 5? I don't think so.
Impressed with the ways Flinks invents reasons to detract from Alcaraz constantly 🙄
Maybe Sinner was mentally affected at RG but Alcaraz won that match and RG "without" a forehand and with barely clay matches in his legs, so I don''t agree that Alcaraz only won beacuse Sinner was affected
Yeah he play without a forehand 😂 ridiculous
Sinner's legs were affected more because he was unable to do any form of training before RG because he was sick. Carlos only had an arm injury before RG, so he could still train his fitness.
Mentally sure but it was his hip that was not working.
Nah, if Sinner was health6, he would have 100% matches won this year.
Sinner isn’t that great. People act like the guy is gonna win the grand slam. He’s not even close over big 3. Let’s be real here.
Sinner fear only Alcatraz and Djockovitc
Fritz was over playing against Sinner
Steve is right. Draper will be one of the big three.
Players to be treated fairly…Sinner should be suspended for longer…..doesn’t deserve this title
Still not sure how one of the best physio’s in the world used clobestol spray (which has a doping warning) on a wound and then massages Sinner with no gloves where his open wound and Sinner’s open skin breaks touch. This violates basic medical code this physio would have learned in his first medical class. The story is so unbelievable IMO. If it is true, this physio is the dumbest person of all time in an elite profession. Don’t buy it. Sinner should have fired them immediately after such an amateur mistake - an offense worth legal action. As such though, we live in a backwards world.
Based on my understanding, only the box has the label, not the spray itself. Given that the spray is a common over-the-counter antiseptic for cuts and lesions (like Polysporin or topicals) found in many homes, it's not too far-fetched, in my opinion. If they had obtained it from someone else, like a friend or family member, or simply didn't have the box, there's no way to know the danger. This is a common reason for contamination as said by lawyers and prosecutors. Also, I don't believe "wound" implies a "traditional" lesion/cut. It was said that he has psoriasis... having it myself, you don't often have traditional open wounds that bleed or scab over (unless experiencing a heavy flare or in the early stages/cycles of treatment). If treated and maintained, the "wounds" are usually small abrasions and breaks in the skin that aren't visible to the naked eye, felt, or cause much discomfort-just resulting in dry skin. I agree that if the flare-up was bad, gloves needed to be worn, but if that's not the case, then it's normal not to wear gloves. I've never seen trainers or physios work on players on the court with gloves lmao Scratching or simply itching normal skin can also break the skin barrier to allow for dermal transfer.
A major issue in the case was the discrepancies between what the trainer (who had the spray) and the physio (who used it) said, particularly regarding whether it was okay to use it. Sinner also asked the physio multiple times about his finger and was reassured that it was fine. Given this, it seems to me like complete and absolute foolery that screwed the player over. It appears that the trainer really messed up and is mostly responsible, while the physio was collateral damage. Regarding their removal from the team, I believe Sinner removed them before the official statement of their release became public last month. Around the time of the incident, the trainer and then the physio were no longer visible in his player's box, behind the scenes, or traveling with him, while a temporary physio was seen traveling with him instead. It starts with the trainer, who I think is mostly to blame and isn't visible, and then the physio, who, to me, was collateral damage due to the player's lack of confidence afterward. I think the official release from the team was mentioned a few weeks ago to avoid early speculation and to keep them around for statements until the case was fully closed. The media also seems to be bringing up the possibility and speculation of the player suing those responsible on the team...
The facts reaffirm this for me, as the two tests were 8 days apart and had the same minimal amount. This discredits intentional doping cycles, tail-end amounts, and half-life decay of the compound and aligns with constant exposure to the contaminant by the physio during the duration of the spray being used. The amount was also said to have negligible ability to enhance performance by experts who did not know his rank or identity. This seems airtight to me. It could also be due to his ability to hire a good legal team to strongly advocate for his innocence with the actual evidence and knowledge.
@@JohnPaulJones-e6o You must still believe in Santa Claus too?
In the medical profession it’s a cardinal sin to be massaging/touching someone with an open cut with no gloves on. Even more so considering Sinner’s skin condition. This is complete negligence by the physio. Any common nurse would know this let alone an elite/world class physio. Where there’s smoke there’s fire. It’s comical how many people are buying this story. Anyone that works in the medical industry would laugh at this.
Of course there’s always the chance this world class physio truly is that stupid. It’s just very unbelievable given his education, training, experience and pay as an elite physio.
@@JohnPaulJones-e6o you must still believe in Santa Claus too?
For this to be true, the physio has to be the dumbest physio on planet earth, which I don’t believe he is. He’s elite; well trained, which is how he got to the position he’s in. He massages Sinner, who has his skin condition with scratches and sores, with NO GLOVES when he has a larger cut? A simple nurse (and common sense) would know to wear gloves. This is basic medical code. This is extreme negligence on the physio. Bodily fluid exchange is possible in this scenario. This is like a tattoo artist not changing the needle. This story is legit insane.
Where there’s smoke there’s fire. Sorry.
@@JohnPaulJones-e6o you must still be in Santa Claus too?
For this to be true, the physio has to be the dumbest physio on planet earth, which I don’t believe he is. He’s elite; well trained; which is how he got to the position he’s in. He massages Sinner, who has his skin condition with scratches and sores, with NO GLOVES when he has a larger cut? A simple nurse (and common sense) would know to wear gloves. This is basic medical code. This is extreme negligence on the physio. Bodily fluid exchange is possible in this scenario. This is like a tattoo artist not changing the needle. This story is legit insane.
Where there’s smoke there’s fire. Sorry.
you must still be in Santa Claus too?
For this to be true, the physio has to be the dumbest physio on planet earth, which I don’t believe he is. He’s elite; well trained; which is how he got to the position he’s in. He massages Sinner, who has his skin condition with scratches and sores, with NO GLOVES when he has a larger cut? A simple nurse (and common sense) would know to wear gloves. This is basic medical code. This is extreme negligence on the physio. Bodily fluid exchange is possible in this scenario. This is like a tattoo artist not changing the needle. This story is legit insane.
Where there’s smoke there’s fire. Sorry.
SINNER IS A CHEATER ATP IS CORRUPT
Lmao might be time to go smell some grass
Earth is flat
Only the brainwashed think he’s not a doper. Hopefully WADA fixes this mess
🥱
If Tiafoe were World number 1 and what happened to sinner in Indian wells happened would the global reaction be the same. Also atp ceo and the atp chairman are from what country? Just saying
The only tough player Sinner met was Meddy in quarters. First three rounds were walk in the park beating unseeded players above top 75. Semi finals was Draper, ranked above 25 and Fritz in the finals ranked 11. In contrast to all claims about Sinner having the toughest of draws, it all turned out to be dead easy when getting translated as outcomes.
Don't exaggerate the magnitude of his victory too much 😂😂
Medvedev alone is more competition than the Toilet break champ in Wimbledon 21 and 22.
I agree 👍🏾 💯
@@vijayla21 Oh really !!
In 2021 Wimbledon:
Novak met :
1st round - Draper
2nd round - Kevin Anderson
3rd round - Qualifier Kudla
4th round - 17th seed Garin
Quarter finals - Fucksovicks
Semi finals - 10th seed Shapalov
Finals - 7th seed Red hot Berretini, before injury who was a far better player and more dangerous than he is today which his seeding reflects.
Your D0per lost to Fognini. LoL 😂 😂
Your Frauderer got bageled by Hurcakz in quarters. Alcaraz lost to Medvedev. Whether Nadal played or not is irrelevant because he cannot just win and the last Wimbledon he won was in 2010. LoL 🤣 🤣
2022 - Wimbledon
First round - Unseeded Kwon
Second round - Kokkanakkis
Third round - 25th ranked Kecamanovic
Fourth round - Qualifier Vin Rijithoven
Quarter final - Sinner
Semi final - 9th seed Norrie
Final - Kyrgois
Well Nadal cowered away facing Kyrgois claiming he cannot win two matches in a row. If you claim a pale shadow of this version of Meddy was a great test, then by that yardstick Novak beat Sinner. LoL 😂 😂
Well it is rather obvious who had the easy draw gleaning from the data I provided.
Now go to sleep 😪😪
@@michael8597 Lmao someone' insecure. Sinner 2024 USO > Novax Wimbledon 21+22. Pure facts
@@vijayla21That is your b1@$ed opinion and not facts. LoL 🤣🤣 You cannot even analyse facts properly.
In 2021 Novak beat Draper in first round who your Sinner only beat in semi finals. LoL 😂😂
Then he beat Anderson, Kudla, 17th seed Garin, Fucksovicks in QF, 10th seed Shapalov in semi finals and 7th seed Berreteni in finals.
Sinner beat 28th ranked Draper in Semis and 11th ranked Fritz in finals.
Here itself your argument lies shattered in the light of facts that Novak beat better seeded players than Sinner 😂😂😂😂
In 2022 Wimbledon
Novak beat Kwon in first round, Kokkanakkis in second round, 25th ranked Kecamanovic in the third round.
As far as the players and seedings goes, this itself is better than what Sinner faced in US open in first three rounds.
Then in the fourth round, he beat unseeded Rijithoven and 10th Sinner in quarter finals. He beat 9th seed Norrie in semis. The only unseeded player he beat in his whole victorious slam career is Kyrgois. But for that you need to blame Nadal who ran away from facing Kyrgois claiming he cannot win two matches in a row. 😂😂
Please, Steve, don't mention the clostebol case. Gill doesn't want to hear it. He's already embarrassed enough for his hasty take, and he's trying to move on pretending he never took part in that pathetic witch hunt. He was doing such a good job at ignoring that ever happened, but now you're bringing this up again!
@@Julian_orwell what are you talking? 😂 never read such stupid shit lol
You can watch something else if you so firmly disagree with him, given you hold some confidential information that the tribunal that judged him didn’t
Gil' take is perfectly fine. Stop being a delusional fanboy.
@@Julian_orwell
Goddamn. Leave the channel if you disagree with him to that extent
@@vijayla21 No, it was not. it was rooted in lack of knowledge, as he himself admitted. Maybe you missed that.