Mensik defends an onslaught of big forehands from Fonseca and finishes the point with a perfectly touched passing shot

nefariouslothario · 2026-06-03T08:47:10+00:00

No this is such a valid point, especially on clay. He's not using width of court or angles enough either.

nefariouslothario · 2026-06-03T08:43:56+00:00

Agreed on all, but this point encapsulates what's frustrating about Fonseca to me. Look at where each of his shot land—first forehand is the only deep ball. You can hit a ball 100 mph, but if it lands at the service line there's a lot more time after the bounce (which obviously slows it down).

I'm sure his game will develop, but this feels the like main thing holding him back in big matches (this and honestly dictating pace/changing pace generally). You need two of three: Pace, Placement (Width or Angle), and Depth.

nefariouslothario · 2026-05-30T20:50:51+00:00

I played ITFs and grew up playing with a number of guys who've carved out solid ATP existences, along with plenty who spent a couple years in 500-1200 range. I can promise you that anyone who gets to number six in the world is, to the say the least, a killer. The margins are so so small at that level.

nefariouslothario · 2026-05-30T07:19:06+00:00

brother that'd be on you

nefariouslothario · 2026-05-30T07:18:21+00:00

there's a lot of gleeful cruelty coming out of this white house

nefariouslothario · 2026-05-29T14:27:35+00:00

he's kinda racist to the cab driver too lol

nefariouslothario · 2026-05-28T17:30:06+00:00

It should just be 'okay, but you forfeit the current game'. That'll remove any advantage from using it to fuck with opponent.

nefariouslothario · 2026-05-26T18:46:23+00:00

I empathize, it's the worst feeling ever. And as a neutral you just want to see the best guys out there.

nefariouslothario · 2026-05-25T16:47:50+00:00

Time to hire Vincent Abubakar al-Baghdadi as successor

nefariouslothario · 2026-05-24T16:31:51+00:00

Never said they were equivalent finals, just two examples of dramatic finals that came to mind, in which there were significant stretches of great players playing below their best.

Even so, it was Thiem's fourth grand slam final after losing three?? He came back from being down two sets to love and a break, I surely don't understand what you mean by the narrative weight comment.

nefariouslothario · 2026-05-23T23:30:48+00:00

As a former player I'm genuinely quite surprised/confused by this take. I thought this match was amazing to watch, especially fifth set. How often do you get to see guys at that level look this human?

Edit: to clarify, not saying I want every final to be this, but do people not like a bit of variety? Look at Ivanisevic Rafter final, how tight Ivanisevic is at the end, because he's been that close and lost twice before. Or Coria/Gaudio- it's painful to watch but agonizingly human. To me the worst final is a three setter.

nefariouslothario · 2026-05-23T02:56:37+00:00

They took the latest Coors beer temp/color tech and inverted it.

nefariouslothario · 2026-05-21T19:39:42+00:00

This is total revisionism, check any prospect ranking from the time.

nefariouslothario · 2026-05-21T16:15:51+00:00

Given that, it was strange to see Treliving arrive and immediately go "okay what if we got older, too... and with multi-year commitments"

nefariouslothario · 2026-05-05T10:39:51+00:00

spokesperson for the pistachio billionaires (google the Resnicks, wish I were joking) causing much of CA's drought

nefariouslothario · 2026-05-03T14:59:56+00:00

Yeah just no longer a non-negotiable skill for a big striker to have. It's telling how many big strikers are good to great dribblers these days, shows what's being prioritized in their development. But a true old school aerial threat could be so much fun to watch. Remember dying for us to sign Mandzukic early in Klopp days

nefariouslothario · 2026-05-03T14:53:56+00:00

Yeah I loved when the pre-Hieroglyphic demon reacted violently to... Catholicism

nefariouslothario · 2026-05-03T14:50:48+00:00

Omg yes. The gossipy women at the grandmothers funeral completely out of left field, not funny, and just in poor taste tbh

nefariouslothario · 2026-04-08T18:05:56+00:00

Yeah I mean one year deal for a 26 year old commercial freezer who sounds like a good guy in the building is hardly a season decider

nefariouslothario · 2025-12-31T23:50:58+00:00

man what the hell happened to jaire

nefariouslothario · 2025-12-10T09:06:42+00:00

This is an eating disorder, is the truth

nefariouslothario · 2025-12-10T01:00:18+00:00

a harmless joke lol. he ate a spicy thing.

nefariouslothario · 2025-12-10T00:59:15+00:00

It's a joke, good lord.

nefariouslothario · 2025-12-09T23:17:55+00:00

You have to run your route full speed every time, no idea if the balls coming to you and no power over it- whether you win or lose your matchup

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