Qatar ExxonMobil Open ATP 500

[britbox]

Your being too polite Baron

after he's cleaned out the elephant enclosure. With the elephant having an upset stomach.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

after he's cleaned out the elephant enclosure. With the elephant having an upset stomach.

Stop it LOL! I want it Burnt!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

There is a 'silver lining' for Jannik when he turns around his game he has no points to defend until Rome! so any wins or tournament wins is gravy, I am positive Jannik will dig himself out of this 'funk' he has got himself in, he is too good of a player not to.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Semi Finals,
Friday 20th February,

Alcaraz (1) vs Rublev (5) Alcaraz leads their H2H 4-1

Mensik (6) vs Fils H2H tied at 1 all.

 

[El Dude]

Mensik became only the eighth player to beat Sinner going back to late 2023. Players who have beat Sinner in last two+ years (26 months):

• 14 losses in 152 matches played (138-14, 90.8%).
• 7 losses to Carlos Alcaraz.
• 7 losses to other players (Mensik, Djokovic, Griekspoor, Rublev, Medvedev, Tsitsipas)

For comparison's sake, here's Carlos:

• 22 losses in 157 matches played (135-22, 86.0%)
• 2 losses to each of Sinner, Djokovic, Zverev, and Draper
• 14 losses to other players

 

[Murat B.]

Rublev always looks like he is fighting 3 opponents on the court...the other player, himself (game wise) and his demons. I know he is working on it as I have listened to him in Toronto in a panel , talking about these issues. It just doesn't look like he is winning the battle. Breaking a string on your knee is not good.
The guy has the shots. He is putting Alcaraz in difficult positions. It is a close match.
He mentioned he was talking to Safin about his issues ...and I am like , would I talk to Hannibal Lecter if I had an eating disorder...

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Just tuning into Fils v Mensik
Gee Fils has lost weight, he was a Big Unit, though I read that his team wanted him to lose weight but not muscle, because they felt it would not put too much pressure with his back fractures, which kept him out of the game for sometime, also adding Goran Invanisevic to his team, is a great addition
Fils looking good 64 1st set, got the early break, Mensik appears to be flat, more tennis to be played.
Mensik taking a toilet break.
Fils must feel great reaching a SF, after being off the tour since August last year, with back fractures.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Super effort from Mensik he converts BPs back on serve in the 2nd set 4 all
Fils will serve to force a TB in the 2nd set 5-6
Great depth from Fils on the FH side
6 games all, TB for the 2nd set
Mensik to serve first
Longest rally of the 2nd set so far, Fils with a great fhand winner, 23 shot rally
Mensik lost his legs on his 2nd serve, maybe that long rally took a lot out of him
Fils 4-1
Fils 5-3
Mensik huffing and puffing at the back of the court
Fils with 2 MPs
Fils d Mensik 64 76(4)
Well done Fils making the final! Mensik ran out of gas, the match with Sinner was too much for him to recover, though all credit to Fils his fhand was on fire, and making a final after being off the tour since August last year gives him soo much confidence for the 2026 season

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

BTW I am still out on Mensik, he deserved his win over Jannik, but he could not recover for his SF match against Fils, who deserved his win, this is where he should have been able to win against a player that has just come back on tour since last August and only Fils 3rd tournament since returning to the tour
I know he defeated Novak to win his first Masters 1000 title, though he has had a lot of withdrawals in tournaments last year, the year is still young, lets see how he moves forward in 2026

 

[El Dude]

Give it a minute (re: Mensik). He's only played about two seasons worth of ATP matches, is 20 for most of the year, and in the top 20 with a big title already. He doesn't have to be Sincaraz (he won't be) to be a very good player for years to come. I think the key this year is to bring greater consistency than what we saw last year. He doesn't even need to win a big title for it to be a better year - just go deeper in more tournmanents, get close to or into the top 10. He still has "second tier" as his likely prime outcome--sort of like a Tomas Berdych type, but with probably more opportunities due to not playing his prime in the Big Four era--but he has a dangerous quality that could make him a spoiler for the top players, and maybe even sneak into the top 5 and a chance at a Slam or two. But I think he'll need another year or two to reach his prime, so let's give him a bit of time before we hang on every match to determine whether he's a dud or not.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Give it a minute (re: Mensik). He's only played about two seasons worth of ATP matches, is 20 for most of the year, and in the top 20 with a big title already. He doesn't have to be Sincaraz (he won't be) to be a very good player for years to come. I think the key this year is to bring greater consistency than what we saw last year. He doesn't even need to win a big title for it to be a better year - just go deeper in more tournmanents, get close to or into the top 10. He still has "second tier" as his likely prime outcome--sort of like a Tomas Berdych type, but with probably more opportunities due to not playing his prime in the Big Four era--but he has a dangerous quality that could make him a spoiler for the top players, and maybe even sneak into the top 5 and a chance at a Slam or two. But I think he'll need another year or two to reach his prime, so let's give him a bit of time before we hang on every match to determine whether he's a dud or not.

Hey I never said he was a Dud okay, I also said he did have a lot of withdrawals last year, though I think it was too Presumptuous for people to say yesterday when he defeated Sinner he could challenge Alcaraz or Sinner,
I like you want to see more consistency for starters. I will sit back and wait for another year or 2.

 

[El Dude]

Hey I never said he was a Dud okay, I also said he did have a lot of withdrawals last year, though I think it was too Presumptuous for people to say yesterday when he defeated Sinner he could challenge Alcaraz or Sinner,
I like you want to see more consistency for starters. I will sit back and wait for another year or 2.

Yeah, that was a bit much (saying he could challenge Sincaraz). That said, he's got enough firepower that if he becomes more consistent and rounds out his game a bit, he's going to be "dangerous" and probably beat those two every so often.

This gives me another thread idea...

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Yeah, that was a bit much (saying he could challenge Sincaraz). That said, he's got enough firepower that if he becomes more consistent and rounds out his game a bit, he's going to be "dangerous" and probably beat those two every so often.

This gives me another thread idea...

Agree it was a bit too much in this point in time he could challenge Sincaraz, lets wait and see when or if he becomes more consistent to challange
I for one would like to see a player that can challenge the Top 2 on a more consistent basis

 

[britbox]

Semi Final Video Highlights

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Mens ATP500 final,
Saturday 21st February,
Alcaraz (1) vs Fils
Alcaraz leads their H2H 2-0
Both matches were on a clay court
First meeting on a hard court.

 

[Federberg]

BTW I am still out on Mensik, he deserved his win over Jannik, but he could not recover for his SF match against Fils, who deserved his win, this is where he should have been able to win against a player that has just come back on tour since last August and only Fils 3rd tournament since returning to the tour
I know he defeated Novak to win his first Masters 1000 title, though he has had a lot of withdrawals in tournaments last year, the year is still young, lets see how he moves forward in 2026

I wasn't shocked Mensik lost. Sometimes the distractions after such a big victory lead to this sort of thing. Remember Federer tamely losing to Henman after defeating Sampras? It happens. There are very few Rafa's out there who treat victory and defeat both as impostors. What I want to see from Mensik going forward is that he maintains the level, and next time he has such a big win he'll be better prepared mentally. Happy for Fils, he's a character, and a talent as well. I almost forgot what he was capable of.The more of them that are capable the better

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I wasn't shocked Mensik lost. Sometimes the distractions after such a big victory lead to this sort of thing. Remember Federer tamely losing to Henman after defeating Sampras? It happens. There are very few Rafa's out there who treat victory and defeat both as impostors. What I want to see from Mensik going forward is that he maintains the level, and next time he has such a big win he'll be better prepared mentally. Happy for Fils, he's a character, and a talent as well. I almost forgot what he was capable of.The more of them that are capable the better

I wasnt shocked either, how many times have we seen in the past and present when a player beats a top player in a tournament and then gets defeated in his next match. Mensik needs consistency like any other younger player in the tour, what bemuses me is when people proclaim players who get the odd victory over a top ranked player as the 'next big thing' or a future No 1 player ? personally I wait to see their consistency over a period of time before proclaiming the player is the 'next big thing'.

 

[kskate2]

Agree it was a bit too much in this point in time he could challenge Sincaraz, lets wait and see when or if he becomes more consistent to challange
I for one would like to see a player that can challenge the Top 2 on a more consistent basis

I don't think right now there is one player that can challenge the New 2 consistently. What you have is a hodge podge of really good players, playing the match of their life and besting the New 2 here and there. I think it will be this way for at least another year, maybe 2 before we see that one player emerge that can consistently challenge them.

 

[Moxie]

Well, that went fast! But good to see Fils back and healthy. Hopefully, the beginning of a good year for him. (Ha, he just called Carlos "cabrón". (Kinda means "asshole." They both laughed.)

 

[kskate2]

Well, that went fast! But good to see Fils back and healthy. Hopefully, the beginning of a good year for him. (Ha, he just called Carlos "cabrón". (Kinda means "asshole." They both laughed.)

well maybe he'll watch Charlie on TV now. When asked if he watched the Oz final between Djoke/Chuck, Fils said he only watches 3 players on TV: Foki, Perricard and Shelton. Maybe Carlitos read that and took offense. LOL