Wednesday’s QF matches:

Schwartzman just played a dandy five-setter, but we believe he’ll push Nadal to four sets, no?

No? Nadal is 5-0 v the diminutive Argentine and recently beat him in Madrid 3 and 4. I have to think Schwartzman plays him smart and gets into a set or two, avoiding the bakery goods, the embarrassment or what we refer to as the Rafa exhibition. The king of clay specialization will continue, but all we can hope for is a match. Say good things to yourself in the mirror, Diego. Believe in yourself. Hey, ATP gents: be accountable. Quit acting like a bunch of losers.

Good luck, Diego.

The Cilic v Del Potro match seems to favor Cilic with his attacking ROS and consistency over the past year, especially in majors.

But I’m leaning Del Potro in this one, again. He seems to have that edge and if we’re to miss the opportunity to see Nadal v Del Potro (in form), shame on RG. We need Nadal v Delpo. I circled four matches: Thiem v Zverev (x), Schwartzman v Nadal (x), Del Potro v Nadal ( ), and Nadal v Djokovic.

Let’s try to keep this quick on the Djokollapse today v Cecchinato.

A lot of people, smart tennis people, talk of the great form of the Italian, the massive quality of the match today, etc. You have to think I’m more than enjoying the progression of this Italian tragicomedy. This one-hander is incredible, his creativity highlighted by sensational drop shots and court coverage facilitating his sneaky power and dirty grace.

But Djokovic is still not right. The body language of the Serb and Marian (or maybe he ate some bad escargot), though probably reacting to the match, to a certain point or two, speaks to still much bigger problems with Novak.

Back in 2015 or 2016, a reader of Mcshow asked me what I thought might spell the descent of the Serb. I said, point-blank, that’d he’d lose his clutch in those big points, in those turning-points. Novak had been so unbelievably stellar in the BP, SP, MP stare.

That second set today was a progress report on the Serb. He should have evened that match at 1-1 and rushed the SF.

I love the Italian’s game and can’t wait for his 3-4 set loss to Thiem, for a show-case of one-handers that only a guy like me can appreciate. I just hope the Italian can hang with Dominic.

But, again, Novak is not right. I’ll give Marco some credit, but there’s just a lack of stability and confidence (execution obviously) with Nole.

Nadal, on one leg, beats a guy like Cecchinato because he suffocates the inferior. Sure these upsets happen, but at this point in time, with this much on the line (there’s a ton on the line for Novak, folks), the greats stomp on the Italian dirt-baller types.

Indeed, Novak was apparently as caught off-guard as we were. Which is perhaps worse. He has no answers.

I do. He lacks final four form.

If you’ve been reading, I’ve made a few comments about Thiem’s form, that he may be a very difficult out in that bottom-half. If Novak wins in 3-4 today, frankly, I probably lean Djokovic. But Thiem has been pretty much in cruise control. I still DO NOT LIKE how deep he gets to pull trigger on those GS, but Thiem is rolling.

He stomped Zverev as we ultimately thought.

And given Thiem’s clay prowess, his beat-down of Novak last year in the RG QF, that would have been a tough call.

But we get Thiem and Cecchinato. Wow. Thiem in the FO final should become a fairly common sight.

Let’s see at least one of the Argentine’s make the SF tomorrow. 😉

Sorry for the delay, folks and thanks for reading!