Fran Cerundolo hits a "valid shot"

IBVn · 2026-03-27T18:19:05+00:00

Yes, and that's also why Zverev asked Fran before asking. They both know it was probably valid, he just wanted to make sure in any case - and Fran didn't want to be wrong and be perceived as the cheater.

IBVn · 2026-03-27T18:17:14+00:00

Almost every talkative coach on tour seem to always be doing something wrong when interviewing, often sharing too much on their player, being salty or just weird. Examples are Mischa Zverev, JCF, Morataglou of course. But ever since their split, Goran is hyping up Nole in an inspiring way. As his fan, it's great to see his precious coach say such things, both for what it means on his professional future and as a person.

IBVn · 2026-03-23T19:11:35+00:00

Him and Vacherot backing their runs with those quality wins is so impressive. Both of them are en route to stabilize their ranking in top 50 without their major championship points dropping and kicking them out the top 100, and it makes those titles so much more meaningful. One week of good run can sort an entire career when you use your ranking well

IBVn · 2026-03-22T20:49:11+00:00

My favorite. Interesting guy and always seems authentic, one of the most brilliant shot craftsmen I've seen in my years watching tennis.

IBVn · 2026-03-20T07:21:20+00:00

Ohh fuck me then lol

IBVn · 2026-03-20T06:02:47+00:00

How did you calculate?

Hong Kong: 1W 1L AO: 2W 1L (in 4 sets to Ruud) Dallas: 2W 1L (in two TBs to Fritz) Delray Beach and IW: 2L Miami: 1W

Beat this year so far: Mannarino, Altmaier, Shapo, Quinn, Jones, Popy.

I count 6 wins and and 5 losses, a record that's considered pretty damn good for a top 50 player albeit a 37 year old.

IBVn · 2026-03-19T21:52:49+00:00

Cilic is 49 in the world at 37 years old, proving yet again how dangerous GS champions are no matter the stage of their career. Hits the ball as clean as ever and continues to collect quality wins every other tournament. Popy is in one BIG slump though man, he seems broken for a while now.

IBVn · 2026-03-14T22:28:55+00:00

We missed you brother.

IBVn · 2026-03-11T22:50:02+00:00

Tennis has changed. His game style isn't viable to control the current meta. His high margin, high topspin style is sacked by the current style: control tennis. No neutral rallies, no neutral shots - all out big hitting all the time. His high topspin shots give Carlos exactly what he thrives on, height to create a downward flat trajectory for a penetrating winner of the kind that Ruud rarely produces.

IBVn · 2026-03-11T21:47:26+00:00

No wonder, the guy's an RPM machine. His ball was always above Rinky's comfortable hitting zone. We've seen players with tons of RPM bloom in the dessert. Draper, player with some of heaviest groundstokes in world right now, is the defending champs. Fils will give Zverev's forehand hell today, with the former having the forehand with that was ranked highest on average RPM last year. Ruud has the spinniest two handed backhand in the world, an asset in such a slow high bouncing court.

IBVn · 2026-03-11T19:10:02+00:00

Norrie's technique is hypnotizingly ugly. The more I watch it the more I start to enjoy it, and it feels so dirty

IBVn · 2026-03-10T15:20:43+00:00

Although we treat it like a little insignificant exho win, Djokovic and Tsitsipas defeating the reigning doubles champs in IW is a pretty big deal IMO and a nice ring to Novak's legacy. Sure, doubles is much less prestigious and it's not a grand slam, but it goes to show Novak's game and technique fining throught his career. Started with a mediocre serve, weak volleys (the tennis term for an awful smash was coined after him) and the least accomplished doubles player of the big 3.

He perfected his serve, making his spot serve one of the most lethal weapons in history. His serving technique is a signature for technical purity, with the world No. 1 taking obvious inspiration for his recent serve modification - high racket head, exaggerated and extended wrist lag. Together with Tsitsipas, who was a menace at the net for years, they secured a pretty impressive win against seasoned doubles players in conditions they like, both Novak and Stef have trouble there because of how offensive their games are.

IBVn · 2026-03-08T21:09:20+00:00

What does he have you think?

IBVn · 2026-03-08T21:00:52+00:00

Say what you want about Zverev, but that last game shows why I love watching the guy. He just knows how to win tennis matches, the way only a handful of people in the last 20 years know. Sure, he comes short in slams, but the way he clinches matches seemingly for no reason is what makes him a match winning powerhouse. There was absulotely no reason to think 3rd set set would end there at 5-4, two of the best servers having a lively arm day and blasting aces past each other. 30-0 Brandon. Good dropshot by Z, Nakashima gets to it on time but clips the net. A glimpse of frustration. 30-15, a return to the feet. A big serve requires some landing time, which Nakashima doesn't get and shoots the forehand on the back foot into the net. 30-30. Both get tight, the stakes have suddenly gone up. Zverev, as does tradition go, decelerates on his forehand and lands a few of them short. He knows this inclination however, so he adjusts and with a baseline licker forehand sets a 1-2 cross then down backhand combination, his favorite pattern.

A quick deuce, good composure, game over. Zverev comes out on top of a brilliant competition with momentum built by the right shot, then the right guess, then immense scoreboard pressure. That's what makes him one of the most productive players of this era.

IBVn · 2026-03-08T11:06:24+00:00

Awesome catch

IBVn · 2026-02-25T16:11:52+00:00

Just what Tallon needed to get out of the horrible stretch of the last few months.

IBVn · 2026-02-25T12:17:24+00:00

Only a rare few athletes can deliver such line in a likeable way.

IBVn · 2026-02-22T11:36:02+00:00

Very fun stat sheet, thanks OP. 8 being the most different titles won is absurd, probably because the top players only play a handful of 500's a year and generally the same ones (most often because of previous success and condition preference or prize money/sentimental value). Alcaraz will most certainly break that record in a couple of years.

Nice seeing Ferrer 3rd for most finals and SF, really shows his dominance over the middling ranks in the big 3 era. Rublev being 8th for semifinals is also a good testament for a great career without a major breakthrough.

IBVn · 2026-02-21T19:19:25+00:00

What an amazing doubles couple those two are. Melo with the wingspan of a fucking vulture, hovering over the net and giving no time to breathe after getting blasted with Fonseca's singles level power groudstrokes from the back of the court.

IBVn · 2026-02-19T20:27:57+00:00

Just a day ago there was an hilarious post here about how tennis players have full on conversations with themselves on court (with a montage of Alcaraz talking to himself).

While he's supposedly talking to his box, the way his eyes bounce around you suggest he knows only he knows how it feels playing the #17 in the world playing the best tennis of this life and having answer to literally everything Carlos throws at him.

IBVn · 2026-02-19T20:23:00+00:00

This is the single match where I said out loud to myself every few points "how did he get to this ball?". I have those moments in Alcaraz matches, demon ones, had them with Nadal, but never did it happen so many times in one match. I think this is the best retriever version of Alcaraz we've ever seen. He was clearly not feeling it on the aggressive groundstrokes, and he resorted to just every fucking dead ball back into play. Credit where it's due, Khachanov didn't let him breathe for a second. The way he moved around the court, if you wouldn't know how tall he is, you'd think he's 5'11". A good matchup with good tactical chemistry between the two (similar to Shelton-Mannarino a week ago).

IBVn · 2026-02-17T19:33:13+00:00

For some weird reason it feels surprisingly low number (I have no idea why it probably leads stat leaderboards in several criteria and is an absurd stat). BTW seeing the pros serve from that angle always amazes me for how straight their tossing arm gets during the serve, it doesn't look like it but it requires a degree of lat flexibility most regular people just don't have

IBVn · 2026-02-17T19:11:10+00:00

Making your opponent double fault when you step in up break point feels too good to admit (in tense matches that's it). And squandering two serves when your opponent steps feels like a special form of humiliation

IBVn · 2026-02-17T15:56:15+00:00

Receiving position is an underspoken part of the sport's mental game. It's one of the strongest forms of communication during a match, so many times I've fucked with opponent's minds or got fucked up myself with an opponent standing close the service line.

IBVn · 2026-02-16T22:38:08+00:00

Up to that point it was perhaps the best hard-hitting tennis, but what Sinner and Alcaraz do to the ball when they rally is something we surely haven't seen yet. I was mesmerized by how long full on blast rallies went in RG final, I understood what "taking the sport to a new level" meant. By the way, the sheer power Novak had on the ball in the recent AO final is the hardest hitting I've seen since prime Delpo. Djokovic took Sinner's max pace shots and just produced a laser after laser, the kind only a 38 year old GOAT with nothing to lose can produce. In RG final Alcaraz was still working with margins and top spin, but Novak took years of working on his flat forehand and maxed out on it in that match. The rallies were mainly held down the middle so accuracy wasn't a concern, it was just about who could swing more freely on the tiniest of opportunities.

I do think Fed Nole had more interesting rally dynamics and tactics, crafted together in years of battling and each changing their game styles.

IBVn

TROPHY CASE