PicoBlog

Hi Hugh,

Great analysis, as always. Hope the final steps of your thesis go smoothly.

While Alcaraz’s genius and mentality was in full display in that 5th set, I think part of it is just that he is an ever so slightly better player, with a margin that, with a margin in those slower conditions that would have needed Zverev to overperform / hit a purple patch, which is just so hard to do in the moment of truth of a slam final .

If you look at that match overall (and that ended up transpiring in that 4th and 5th) I felt Alcaraz was the better player, and Zverev lacked some volleys and FH ability that, as you said in this write up, if it was always like that, would lead him to greatness. But it’s not. Don’t get me wrong, Carlos hit a rough patch too in those 2nd and 3rd, but you felt like he could turn the screws. In my opinion, while the decisive breaks came in thanks to Alcaraz’s incredible defensive creativity and Zverev’s shaky volleys, the biggest edge was that Alcaraz was producing so much more with his FH, and allowing a gap to build up that was bigger than what Zverev got off the BH. Coming in to this tournament and up until this final (because that Sinner - Alcaraz match didn’t reassure me) I was concerned about Carlitos forearm, but today he hit the FH at full capacity and that was key. Zverev’s didn’t necessarily break down, he is just not that error prone, but the offense and creation gap was so so big. 5th set had Alcaraz at 8 FH winners to Zverev’s 0.

Add that Zverev lost the first set due to many FH passivity problems and was just bothered all the way by Alcaraz’s variety (contrary to AO where Carlos gave him rythm), had trouble killing his +1s, had trouble returning a lot deuce wide serves, that just compounds. You can’t hide forever.

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