Aus open prediction game: Day 6

Goffin (42) vs Medvedev (30)

Djoko (2) vs Shapovalov (50)

Fognini (24) vs Carreno Busta (33)

Halep (5) vs Venus Williams (33)

Serena (16) vs Yastremska (66)

LS: Medvedev, Shap, Fog, Venus, Serena

My winner wishes:

Goff
Shapo
Foggy
Halep
Yastremska

Not good from Shapo....lost first set with 2 breaks! looks like he lost both his serves serving against the sun. He is not playing badly but again slightlt more mistakes than consistent Nole.

It's good to be watching tennis again.

Shapo does not return well enough.

way too many UEs from shap.

its incredible the damage a scooping FH can do when you have good legs.

again Shapo losing serve and set serving against the set.

But anyway he is not winning more than a point on Djoko's serve so 0 chance of troubling and therefore winning.

Hopefully Medv will provide more of a challenge.

I fear Shapo will be lacking mental strength all his career.

Foggo and Shapo out. Depressing!

Tenez wrote:I fear Shapo will be lacking mental strength all his career.

Just restraint really. I admire the live by the sword and die by it, but now and then helps to have a shield! 

If he can get an ounce of self discipline, he might well still have a glittering career.

legendkillar wrote:Foggo and Shapo out. Depressing!

I didn't expect Shapo to win, but Fabio had to beat boring Busta.
Simply love watching him on clay.

Tenez wrote:I fear Shapo will be lacking mental strength all his career.

What makes you say that?

I haven't seen much tennis this AO, but as the plot begins to thicken, fun will be guaranteed!

I am genuinely excited about 2019 mainly as we have top 3 playing great as well as the third next gen providing decent talent (Medved, Tsits).
I still think Khach is iffy, he is good when on, but because of his size, he will probably end up being a new Berdich at best.
I haven't seen Shapo play for a while, he needs to work on his game seriously, it's flashy but has lots of wholes for today's field where returners dominate.
Talent, charm, charisma, x-factor...it's all there.

Last night I ended up watching Osaka vs that thin Asian player with a difficult name. Funky match. Both played very well for two sets.

Of course, happy Osaka won. Great gal!

legendkillar wrote:

Tenez wrote:I fear Shapo will be lacking mental strength all his career.

Just restraint really. I admire the live by the sword and die by it, but now and then helps to have a shield! 

If he can get an ounce of self discipline, he might well still have a glittering career.

Nobody wins playing like that. Maybe Dustin Brown in challengers once in a blue moon.
You've gotta have tons of game to be able to sustain smart rallies even with all the talent he has.
He is more of a gambler than a tennis player.
Born in the wrong era for that mentality.

I went to bed with Shapo down 3:0 in the third.  Cannot believe he somehow took that set - probably Djoko could not be bothered.  The match was depressing to watch.  Shapo looks no better than two years ago, and he was giving Nole exactly zero trouble.  Nole did not have to do anything other than keep the ball in play - and that is all he was doing.   Very dull but it gave him an easy win.