Alcaraz vs. Dimitrov Post-Match, plus Semifinal Preview | Miami 2024

Summary

In the 2024 Miami Open quarterfinal, Gregor Dimitrov secured a spot in the semifinals by defeating Carlos Alcaraz in a thrilling 6-2, 6-4 match. Dimitrov showcased exceptional returning skills and consistent play, particularly with his one-handed backhand. Despite a late comeback from Alcaraz, Dimitrov maintained control, capitalizing on Alcaraz's predictability and serving well. The analysis highlights Dimitrov's performance as one of his best, with his movement, serve, and forehand being key factors in his victory.

Takeaways

• 🏆 Gregor Dimitrov secured a spot in the 2024 Miami Open semifinals after defeating Carlos Alcaraz in a thrilling quarterfinal match with a score of 6-2, 6-4.
• 🎾 Dimitrov's performance was exceptional, particularly his return game, which was described as the best the commentator has ever seen him play.
• 📊 Alcaraz's first serve win percentage was 55.9%, which is notably low considering his past performance and his usual serve statistics.
• 👊 Dimitrov's aggressive play on second serve returns was a highlight, exploiting Alcaraz's kick serve with depth and speed.
• 🏓 Dimitrov's one-handed backhand was consistent and effective, especially on return points, contributing significantly to his victory.
• 🤔 Alcaraz showed signs of panic and desperation as the match progressed, leading to tactical and positional changes that may have been unnecessary.
• 🔄 Dimitrov made a key adjustment in his service game, which helped him save break point and maintain his lead.
• 🏆 Looking ahead to the semifinals, Dimitrov is set to face Andrey Rublev, while Daniil Medvedev will take on Jannik Sinner.
• 📈 Rublev's strategy against Dimitrov will likely involve consistent, deep shots to the backhand and a patient approach, aiming to exploit any weaknesses in Dimitrov's return game.
• 🏃‍♂️ Physical endurance may play a role in the outcome of the matches, as Dimitrov's stamina appeared to waver during the quarterfinals against Alcaraz.

Q & A

Who won the quarterfinal match between Carlos Alarz and Gregor Dimitrov at the Miami Open 2024?

Gregor Dimitrov won the quarterfinal match against Carlos Alarz with a score of 6-2, 6-4.

What was notable about Gregor Dimitrov's performance during the match?

Gregor Dimitrov's performance was standout, with his exceptional return of serve being a highlight. He consistently returned with depth and accuracy, which is considered his best performance in this aspect.

How did Carlos Alarz's first serve win percentage compare to his previous matches?

Carlos Alarz won 55.9% of his first serve points, which is lower than his usual win percentage. This was the lowest of his career, except for two matches in 2022.

What was the significance of the 4-5 game in the match?

In the 4-5 game, Dimitrov broke serve to win the match. This was a critical point where Alarz's serve was under significant pressure, and Dimitrov capitalized on this opportunity.

How did Dimitrov's one-handed backhand contribute to his victory?

Dimitrov's one-handed backhand was highly effective, especially on second serve returns. He was able to hit it with perfect timing and generate a lot of speed and depth, which was a key factor in his win.

What was the commentator's critique of Alarz's mental approach during the match?

The commentator felt that Alarz showed signs of panic and desperation. Despite playing well, Alarz took bigger risks in an attempt to stay in attack mode, which was not necessary given the high quality of the match.

What was Dimitrov's strategy against Alarz's kick serve to his backhand?

Dimitrov stood inside the baseline and took the kick serve early on the rise, hitting it aggressively with his one-handed backhand. This was a successful strategy until Alarz made an adjustment.

How did the court conditions at Miami affect the players' performances?

The court conditions in Miami were faster and had lower bouncing, which affected the players' strategies. Dimitrov was able to exploit these conditions, especially with his aggressive forehand.

What was the commentator's prediction for the upcoming semi-final match between Dimitrov and Zev?

The commentator predicted that Zev would win in straight sets. He believes that Zev's consistent, patient playstyle and his ability to exploit Dimitrov's return of serve would be the key factors in his victory.

What was the commentator's analysis of the match between Daniil Medvedev and Jannik Sinner?

The commentator believes that Medvedev needs to serve better and adopt a more aggressive baselining strategy to counter Sinner's physicality and varied playstyle. However, he feels that Sinner has more options and ways to win, making him the favorite to win the match.

What did the commentator suggest about Alarz's tactical approach in future matches?

The commentator suggested that Alarz should learn to stay calm when losing and not allow panic to influence his game. He should also consider staying the course with his tactics rather than making unnecessary changes when facing high-quality opponents.

Outlines

00:00

🏆 Match Recap: Dimitrov vs. Alcaraz

This paragraph recaps the quarterfinal match between Gregor Dimitrov and Carlos Alcaraz at the Miami Open 2024. Dimitrov secures a victory with a score of 6-2, 6-4, advancing to the semifinals against Verev. The summary highlights Dimitrov's exceptional performance, particularly his serve return skills, which are deemed the best the speaker has ever seen him play. Alcaraz's late comeback attempt is mentioned, as well as the statistical breakdown of the match, emphasizing Dimitrov's dominance, especially on second serve returns.

05:00

🎾 Dimitrov's Performance and Strategy

The focus of this paragraph is on the specific elements of Dimitrov's game that led to his victory. It discusses his consistent depth on first serve returns and the strategic importance of his one-handed backhand. The paragraph also points out Dimitrov's ability to adapt and exploit Alcaraz's predictability, particularly on second serve returns. The summary touches on Dimitrov's movement, serve, and forehand as key strengths that have contributed to his recent success and consistency on the court.

10:02

🤔 Alcaraz's Mental Game Critique

This paragraph critiques Alcaraz's mental approach to the match, noting signs of panic and desperation. It contrasts Alcaraz's tactics in the beginning of the match, where he had break points, with his later approach, where he started taking bigger risks. The summary suggests that Alcaraz should have maintained his initial strategy rather than altering it in response to being behind. It also discusses the importance of staying calm and not allowing panic to influence decision-making in tennis.

15:03

🌞 Surface and Tactical Considerations

The paragraph discusses the impact of the court surface on the players' performances and strategies. It highlights how Dimitrov was able to use the surface to his advantage, particularly with his aggressive forehand. The summary also notes the change in Dimitrov's game from the Indian Wells tournament, where he used more top spin and net clearance, to a heavier ball with less loop. The paragraph concludes with a brief mention of the upcoming semifinals and the contrasting styles of Dimitrov and his potential opponent, Verev.

20:04

🏆 Anticipating the Semifinals: Dimitrov vs. Verev

This paragraph provides a preview of the anticipated semifinal match between Dimitrov and Verev. It contrasts their playing styles, with Verev being described as someone who keeps the game 'boring' and Dimitrov as someone who may need to adjust his tactics based on past encounters. The summary also touches on the physical aspect of the game, suggesting that Verev may have an edge in endurance over Dimitrov, who has shown signs of fatigue during the tournament.

25:05

🔥 Medvedev vs. Sinner: A Tactical Analysis

The final paragraph analyzes the upcoming match between Medvedev and Sinner, focusing on their previous encounters and potential strategies. It discusses Medvedev's need to serve better and be more aggressive to counter Sinner's physicality and baseline power. The summary also highlights Sinner's ability to mix in various game styles, such as drop shots and serve and volley, which could challenge Medvedev's defensive posture. The paragraph concludes with a prediction for the match, favoring Sinner in a three-set victory.

Keywords

💡Gregor Dimitrov

Gregor Dimitrov is a professional tennis player discussed extensively in the video. Known for his athletic and explosive style of play, Dimitrov's performance against Carlos Alcaraz in the 2024 Miami Open quarterfinal is analyzed in detail. The video highlights Dimitrov's exceptional serving, backhand, and return game during this match, which contributed to his victory.

💡Carlos Alcaraz

Carlos Alcaraz is another professional tennis player who is the opponent of Gregor Dimitrov in the discussed match. Alcaraz is noted for his strong serving game, but in this particular match, his first serve win percentage was lower than usual, which impacted his overall performance.

💡Miami Open 2024

The Miami Open 2024 is the tennis tournament in which the quarterfinal match between Gregor Dimitrov and Carlos Alcaraz took place. It is a significant event in the tennis calendar where top players compete, and this particular match stood out for Dimitrov's stellar performance.

💡Serve and Return

Serving and returning are fundamental aspects of tennis. The server aims to win points by making it difficult for the returner to handle the serve, while the returner tries to set up advantageous rallies by effectively handling the serve. In the video, Dimitrov's return game, especially against Alcaraz's first and second serves, is highlighted as a key factor in his victory.

💡Backhand

In tennis, the backhand is a shot played with the back of the hand facing the net. Both Dimitrov and Alcaraz are noted for their one-handed backhands, but the video emphasizes Dimitrov's backhand as being particularly effective during the match, contributing significantly to his win.

💡Tactical Adjustment

Tactical adjustments refer to changes in game plan or strategy during a match to counter an opponent's strengths or exploit weaknesses. In the video, Alcaraz is criticized for not making tactical adjustments sooner, while Dimitrov's adjustments, such as standing inside the baseline to handle Alcaraz's kick serve, are praised.

💡Mental Game

The mental game in tennis refers to the psychological aspects of competition, including focus, resilience, and the ability to manage pressure. The video discusses Alcaraz's mental approach during the match, noting moments of panic and desperation that may have affected his performance.

💡Court Speed and Conditions

Court speed and conditions refer to the physical characteristics of the playing surface and the environment, which can influence the pace and bounce of the ball. The video analyzes how the court conditions in Miami affected both players' games, particularly Dimitrov's ability to hit aggressive forehands and Alcaraz's difficulty with depth on his shots.

💡Endurance

Endurance in tennis refers to a player's ability to maintain a high level of performance throughout a match, especially during long rallies or under physically demanding conditions. The video suggests that Dimitrov's endurance appeared to wane during the match, which could have been a factor in the outcome.

💡Neutral Rallies

Neutral rallies are exchanges in tennis where both players are unable to dictate the play or force errors from their opponent, often resulting in long, drawn-out rallies. The video discusses how one player, Zev, prefers to engage in neutral rallies and wait for the right opportunity to attack, contrasting with more aggressive playing styles.

💡Semifinals

The semifinals are the penultimate stage of a tennis tournament, where the final four players compete in two matches, with the winners advancing to the final. The video provides a brief outlook on the upcoming semifinals, discussing potential strategies and outcomes for the matches involving Dimitrov and other players.

Highlights

Gregor Dimitrov beats Carlos Alcaraz in a thrilling quarterfinal match at the Miami Open 2024 with a score of 6-2, 6-4.

This victory marks the second straight meeting between Dimitrov and Alcaraz, with Dimitrov advancing to the semifinals against Verev.

Dimitrov's performance was described as one of the best ever seen, particularly his return serve, which was consistent and deep throughout the match.

Alcaraz had a first serve win percentage of 55.9%, which is notably low for him, as he has never won a match with such a percentage before.

Dimitrov's one-handed backhand was a standout feature of the match, especially on second serve returns.

Dimitrov made an adjustment in the match to counter Alcaraz's kick serve, which was a key factor in his victory.

The commentator praised Dimitrov's movement, serve, and forehand as the main reasons for his consistent performance over the last seven to eight months.

The match showcased Dimitrov's ability to exploit his opponents' weaknesses, particularly Alcaraz's predictability on second serve returns.

Despite the loss, Alcaraz's performance was not without merit, showing great mental confidence and a strong start to the match.

The commentator critiqued Alcaraz for his unnecessary panic and desperation mid-match, which led to tactical errors.

Dimitrov's physical fatigue was momentarily evident in the match, but he managed to maintain his performance level.

The commentator highlighted the importance of patience and staying the course in tennis, using Rafael Nadal's strategy against Roger Federer as an example.

Alcaraz made a tactical adjustment in the second set, which helped him save a break point and temporarily improve his serve.

The match conditions, particularly the court surface, played a role in the players' strategies and the overall flow of the game.

The upcoming semifinal match between Dimitrov and Verev is anticipated, with the commentator discussing potential strategies and player strengths.

The commentator predicts a straight sets victory for Verev over Dimitrov, based on Verev's consistent play and potential physical edge.

In the other semifinal, Daniil Medvedev is expected to employ aggressive tactics against Jannik Sinner, following the strategies used at the Australian Open.

Sinner's versatility and ability to adapt his game gives him multiple pathways to victory against Medvedev, despite the latter's defensive strengths.

The commentator concludes that Sinner's array of options and physical prowess make him a formidable opponent against Medvedev, predicting a three-set victory for Sinner.

Transcripts

hey everyone Gil gross here postmatch

Carlos alarz versus Gregor demitro Miami

open 2024 quarterfinal if you're not

here for spoilers click off the video

dmitrov beats alarz for a second

straight meeting this one is

6264 he advances to the semis he'll face

verev I'll talk about the semifinals

quickly at the end of this video not

going to do a full preview but I'll

offer my thoughts on it as for this

match where Gregor demitro had a point

for 5-1 in the second so it was almost

blowout city late comeback from alcaraz

breakup serve at 45 by dimitrov to win

the

match but from start to finish it might

have been the best I've ever seen Gregor

dmitrov play it is without a shadow of

the doubt definitively the best I've

ever seen him return serve

it was so good where in the first couple

return games I thought oh my God his

return it's it's incredible there's no

way he can keep this up the whole

match he pretty much kept it up the

whole

match the consistent depth on the first

serve return was staggering from

demitro you can you can look at it

statistically I mean alarz won it was

56% 55.9 to be exact of his first serve

points so let's say 56% so first of all

I have two stats for you first of all

alcaraz has never won a match in his

career with a first serve win percentage

that low the lowest he's been is

57.4% he won a match against fuvi in

20121 so he's never won a match with

that low a first serve win percentage

how often has that happened well since

first of all in 2021 it happened quite a

bit he had basically no serve in

2021 but let's go from the start of 2022

when alcarez really became a top player

he's only been worse twice it's a match

against uh David gofan in estana and the

match at Rolan garos the semi-final

against jokovic where who knows you know

the the last two sets 61 61 where he was

cramping should we count that because we

know he was barely playing the last two

sets and that's going to really make the

stats go down so

statistically it really follows the eye

test of what I was seeing and what I

think everyone was probably seeing with

dimitrov's return of alcaraz's serve

where he was dictating so often on

alcarez first serve return points

meaning the the return would be so deep

and so stifling that dimitrov would get

an aggressive forehand into play on the

fourth shot of the rally off of his

return and that's the first serve

return but another thing that was

evident in this match that highlights

what a stratospheric level that demitro

was able to reach was the consistency at

which he was hitting his one-handed

backhand when he was driving it with

perfect timing right in the middle of

the string

clean as can

be and sure that's important in

rally yeah but I think where that was

most important was on once again the

return but this time the second serve

return the first serve return often

times he's going to chip the backhand

and he was just chipping it with

fantastic depth and a lot of speed and

really good stick um but on the second

server turn alcaraz is going to hit a

kick serve to dimitrov's back back hand

that's going to be alcaraz's second

serve he made an adjustment eventually

and if he didn't it would have probably

or potentially been a 6261 win for

dimitrov I'll talk about that later but

until alcaraz made that

adjustment

dimitrov was standing way inside the

Baseline and taking that alcaraz kick

serve early on the rise and just

hammering it absolutely ripping it off

the one-handed backhand and never

missing I I just don't think he was

really missing uh when he was being

aggressive on that second return

so I I you know would critique alcaraz's

predictability there you know he he

should have recognized it and mixed it

up sooner but also it's in it's in The

Scouting Report you know dimitrov is not

always really all that good at hitting

aggressive second serve returns with the

one-handed back end it's not a strength

particularly when you ask him to hit

down the line on the ad side or inside

out on The Duce side both of which he

did extraordinarily well and I will add

at this time as well that in the 4 five

game when dimitrov broke serve at the

the love all point the first point of

that alcaraz service game he decided to

go back to the dimitrov backhand he had

been going to the forehand on the on big

points in the last like 10 or so minutes

or the previous 10 or so minutes and he

thought okay I've I've mixed it up I've

gone to the forehand let's go to the

backend again bang winner dimitro hit a

winner love

15 and while we're on the topic of

dimitrov's backhand well let's just say

that on the the next Point dimitro hit a

scorching backhand down the line that

forced an error and on the point after

that alcaraz tried to approach the

demitro backhand and Gregor hit this

fantastic low dipping biting slice

pass um so that made it did that make it

love 40 or that made it 1540 might might

have been love 40 uh then another really

good second serve return rushed

alcaraz's forehand on the match point

bang all she wrote that was the match so

you know when you talk about how good

dimitrov's backhand was in this match

look no further than that four five

game so let's take a moment also to

think about who dimitrov is as a player

how he's

constructed and how you might be able to

get relief when you're playing Gregor

demitro well his movement has always

been Elite the serve and the

forehand has been to me the main reason

why he's been so difficult to beat and

so consistent over the last seven or

eight

months where he's probably been and I I

know it's arguable because the rankings

haven't always really played out this

way but I think he's been a top eight

player over the last you know seven

eight months or

so he's knocking on the door of the top

10 in in the rankings now if he beats

verev he'll enter the top 10 uh so

movement serve forehand where do you get

relief against demitro usually it's his

return and it's his

backand those are the parts of his game

that can be vulnerable so when the

return is going to be stupendously good

and the backand is going to be

exceptionally

good what do you do what do you do so

all this is to

say I just thought dimitrov put in

a spectacular performance and of all the

times we've seen alcaraz lose matches in

the last uh you know I'll just say since

Wimbledon uh this has to be up there

with

just the least concerning of the bunch

alcaraz came in in a really good place

mentally very very confident now I do

have

critiques and I will get to those

critiques um

but all in all I don't know if it was

really all that possible to beat

dimitrov on this day maybe if a couple

of the big points went differently early

it could have changed the tenor of the

match uh maybe

if if

alarz found a way to make first serves

in that four five game because he he

only made one of five I I highlighted

how good dimitrov's backand was but as

his first serve also massively failed

him in that game uh yeah maybe at at

some point or another demitro could have

dipped I I do think physically there was

a point in the match where grigor did

fatigue that is you know when alcarez

got the break of serve back in the

second set I felt his his legs weren't

really there um after a long and

physical return game where he almost

went up

51 um and then in the in the next

service game the the serve in the

forehand they it just looked tired to me

and alcaraz just really jumped on

demitro from there made some aggressive

returns hit some massive massive

forehands and ended up breaking serve

getting back level um but again all in

all 10 out of 10 performance from

dimitrov and in that respect I'm not all

that critical of

alcaras um

okay a couple different ways I could go

from there uh but let's let's talk about

the one thing that I I would critique

alarz

for

mentally I think

that there was some panic and some

desperation that set in unnecessarily so

the first five games of this match were

of a really really rich quality very

high quality

and alarz had break points in dimitrov's

first two service games and on both

occasions dimitrov was able to hold

serf all that to say that the first five

games of the match could have gone many

ways and I think for alcarez all he

needed to do at that point was stay the

course it was you know one thing that

man I must have read rafen adal's book

that that he wrote it was a long time

ago and I read it a long time ago it's

maybe been like 15 years since I read

nal's book but one of the things that

stuck with me at the time as a as a

young student of the game I've never

forgotten it is just how much he talked

about when he was playing Roger

feder and feder was playing his

best sometimes it was just a waiting

game I'm changing nothing I am not

panicking I'm just waiting until the

level

dips that is such a virtue in tennis I

don't think alcarez has an ounce of that

in his body cuz he played great he

played great and he was down 4-1 but he

didn't recognize that he didn't need to

change anything instead you could see he

started to take bigger risks to try to

stay in

attack not it wasn't n always with to

its credit it wasn't always harder

harder harder uh you know some of it was

playing closer to the sidelines hitting

Drop shots ser and

voling sometimes upping the pace

sometimes shrinking the targets but you

could see that the percentage tennis was

starting to shift after that first few

games you could

see a change in return

position and the deep return position

that alcarez started the match with was

actually working pretty well he was

generating consistent break points but

he changed it and he started to stand in

you could see him constantly going to

Ferrero constantly at this

point not something that I'm usually

critical of not something that I think

takes away from alcaraz as a player but

I think it did in this case demonstrate

a certain desperation that's that's set

in uh tactically for alcaraz because he

felt like he needed answers what am I

going to do what am I going to change to

me the answer was nothing you're playing

great just stay the course the other

thing you could see was all the joy

leave his

face it seemed like he kind of

recaptured some of that levity the last

couple weeks he said many times that

when he's playing well he is smiling

that he's not all that stressed out he

got very very stressed very quickly and

I just think in time he'll learn how to

just stay calm when losing you know he

hates being a passenger he obviously

hates losing everybody does uh but at at

some point or another I think he'll

figure out a way to just be a little bit

more calm when it happens and to not

kind of allow for himself to start to be

more erratic as he was end of the second

set or sorry end of the first set start

of the second set where I just thought

there was a lot of panic in his game he

did eventually make the second serve

adjustment probably too late it it cost

him before he ended up making the

adjustment but I will give credit

alcaraz to alcaraz for starting to serve

you have two options so I mentioned that

demitro was absolutely pummeling the

kick serve to the back end there are two

things you can do first of all Gregor in

order to Pummel the backhand return was

having to take the ball before it got

above the shoulders in order for him to

do that he had to stand really really

close so what can alcaraz do serve the

Body Hit the second servant of the

body the other option is to try to rush

the forehand return of dimitrov that's

what he that's what he ended up doing

for the most part um and it was very

very effective he saved break point to

go down 5-1 and it was I think the first

second serve he hit to dimitrov's

forehand all match long good adjustment

there um the other thing that I'll

mention this is not a criticism it's um

a lot of it is just a compliment to

dimitrov it's just a reality of these

conditions and it's the last thing I'll

say about the match you know at Indian

Wells he was hitting a loopier ball with

uh more net clearance and heav your Top

Spin and then at some point or another

certainly injecting Pace

or some of these examples there's still

a ton of pace it's just there's pace and

spin it's just an extraordinarily heavy

ball that alcaraz is able to hit well I

felt that at times when alcaraz tried to

impart heavier Top Spin on the ball and

it landed

short at Indian

Wells whether it be a against CER or

against

meddev there was so much jump off the

court surface that out it wasn't hurting

alarz in this

match dimitrov was hurting him he was

hitting great high forehands he was

hitting great On The Rise forehand

taking time away and he was taking

advantage of the surface two things are

going to happen one it's going to be a

lower bounce incoming that's going to

make the alcaraz Top Spin

simply less problematic when it comes to

uh jumping out of The Hitting Zone so

that's the first thing the second thing

is when dimitrov hits his aggressive

forehand from shoulder height and he

flattens out that ball which he does

very well it's going to be a quicker

bounce on that outgoing Ball by dimitrov

and where where alcaraz was gaining a

lot of defensive advantages from hitting

the loopier ball giving him more time to

get in position and forcing his

opponents to generate more Pace from the

middle of the Court exceptionally

effective against CER um at Indian

Welles particularly in the third set

when yanuk just started missing it uh

demitro was not missing it and

alarz was not able to really neutralize

and defend as well as he was able to do

at Indian Wells goes back to the court

speed so in general the the depth when

Al was not finding

depth it was not going unpunished credit

to demitro for that but also note the

the lower bouncing and faster Court

surface let's talk about these semis a

little bit um I am going to try to keep

this

tight dimitrov hasn't beaten Zev in a in

a sorry other way around no no I said it

right dimitrov hasn't beaten Zev in a

long long time he beat Zev I think it

was 16 Sasha uh had legs that were were

this this thick now they've grown to

being like this much but they were like

that so uh it's been a very long

time I think Sasha does a couple

things and I'll I I do want to try to

create a contrast from what alcaraz does

Zev will keep it boring he he loves

boring he will not have to he will not

try to be creative he will not get out

of position he will not

necessarily look to uh break out of

neutral rallies he's just going to pound

the demitro

backhand with terrific depth terrific

consistency terrific

patience pretty good

pace and he'll just wait he will and and

he will feel that he has the um the

physical it not only a consistency

Advantage not only is he just more solid

um if he's able to just play dimitrov's

neutral backhand but also I think

physically Zev usually has an advantage

here he he grigor is athletic and

explosive but he is not a Titan of

endurance and I think we've seen that at

this tournament I'm uh really hot right

now so I'm going to take off this jacket

mid

analysis this shirt is a little

embarrassing though um

anyway so that's what Zev does I think

in neutral rallies but also he he's able

to attack

dimitrov's I'll call it return weakness

it's one of those things I don't think

dmitrov has a terrible return but it's

just a little bit average and when

you're talking about facing elite

players average is bad you know what I

mean so with with verb serve pace that's

been effective against dimitrov in the

last seven meetings which is seven wins

in a row for Zev uh dimitrov has never

broken Sasha more than

twice what dimitrov tried to do at the

US Open to try to counter the whole

backhand thing was just slice a ton

slice slice slice makes verev lift up on

the backhand and then be really

aggressive on the next forehand that's

what he tried to

do what Zev did in part was uh first of

all it kind of worked kind of worked

dimitrov had a chance to go up two sets

to love both of the first two sets were

very very close at the US Open I was at

that match ultimately it was

unbelievably physical because demitro or

sorry

Zev it's not really a way to be off how

do I how do I put this Z ver is content

to just try to hit a good backhand trade

and hang in you know just he's not going

to miss off of dimitrov's

slice and he he might do a pretty good

job of remaining unattackable off of

dimitrov's backhand slice crosscourt

so it's a good tactic for grigor I'm

curious to see how much does he drive

how much does he slice slicing is

usually a better call for him but it's

not an easy way to win it it still is

very hard physically it requires him to

work the point quite a

bit all right ultimately I actually look

I I know as well as demitro played here

it was unbelievable but as we've seen

you know every match is different Gregor

almost lost to Al my Darkhorse Alejandro

tabilo in in his first match here was

very close um lost the first set second

set was a tight tie break almost lost to

herot in the the the round of 16 that

went to a third set tie break Gregor was

exhausted was kind of Lucky to win that

two- all point when herot's foot touched

the net and then here against alcaraz he

played maybe the best match ever so you

just don't have this is how tennis is

every match is different and I I don't

think dimitrov will will replicate the

level I think zov will win easier points

with his serve and I think the he'll

find the backhand way more often than

alcaraz did because he's more diligent

about being boring and monotonous in

that way and uh he'll untap possibly a

physical Edge because Gregor's endurance

has looked at times a little shaky here

in Miami so I pick uh

Zev I'll say in um I'll say in Straits

actually uh meddev versus Center danil

will have a full gas tank this

time but I still think we'll see shades

of the Australian Open tactics that medd

have deployed against sinner uh which is

closer return position more aggression

from the Baseline try to rush yanic a

little bit hit ground strokes Hard Play

Down the Line quite a bit I think denil

understands that his typical way of

playing is uh is not quite good enough

against the yanic center that he just

needs to do a little bit extra that

making every ball deep into the court

changing direction often but

just doing the I'm more consistent I'm

very difficult to attack I'm incredibly

hard to hit through

and under that pressure you're just

going to fold that's the game plan

that's the default game plan siner it's

a different animal because he's arguably

just as physical now he

has more Baseline power to hit through

but he also has the auxiliary tools to

mix in the drop shot and to come forward

and to play sharper angles all of the

Fantastic skill set that is actually

good enough to find a way to beat meddev

even in the most defensive of

postures so denil needs to attack more

and he needs to shut down the serve and

volley and the serve plus one drop shot

and I think he'll do those things the

concern is that sinner has beat him in

the last what four meetings in such a

vast variety of ways uh it was in

Beijing where sinner used heavy variety

I'm going to oversimplify uh for the

sake of time it was in Vienna where he

was out solid and he was more solid and

More Physical than medev and danil's

legs actually uh reached the the empty

point before Center's legs did at the

ATP finals well denil did try to be more

aggressive and he actually made quite a

few errors at the year end championships

when they played then at the Australian

Open it was really uh you can't

summarize the match in one sentence

because there were different phases of

the match you know we know that meddev

blitzed center with offense in the first

two sets in the third set there was

still residue of

of Medvedev playing a a fantastic level

and kind of taking Center by surprise

and shell shocking Center in a way but

Yanik in the third set vastly out served

Medvedev and it was really the the serve

battle that kind of flipped that to

me bought Center enough time to finally

get comfortable in the match win the

third set and then the last two sets

that's when danil's fatigue really set

in he and

CER uh didn't let meddev use his serve

as a weapon from there you know made

tons of returns and was the stronger

player from the Baseline in every way

sets four and

five so the argument for Medvedev is

this we haven't seen him put all the

pieces together against CER the close

return position the aggressive

baselining a full gas tank and getting

more first serve help which by the way I

I the reason why I

didn't my Logic for not picking Medvedev

to defend his title here other than how

good Center is in Miami and how well

he's been playing is that I just felt

like denil needed to serve better last

couple matches have looked a little bit

better so uh getting for serve

help you know would also be a part of

the equation a must for meddev if he

wants to win this match but I I still

I'm going to go back on the feeling that

Center just has more options more ways

to win more paths to Victory the ability

to beat medvedev's defense the ability

to hang in physically if they play a lot

from the Baseline uh the ability to win

the game of Errors if meddev is going to

try to uh really take the the role of

aggressor in the match and that is why I

will say Center in three hope you

enjoyed don't forget to subscribe I'll

see you next

time