Shapovalov and Goffin promise fireworks at the 2020 US Open
None remaining in the men’s draw play as aggressive as Denis Shapovalov and David Goffin. In fact, all others including Novak are pure retrievers and counter punchers, or baseline ball bashers at best, compared to David and Denis. Both Goffin and Shapovalov, on the other hand, play aggressive all court tennis and aim to strike first. Shapovalov and Goffin promise fireworks at the 2020 US Open.
Shapovalov and Goffin promise fireworks in the pre-quarters
Denis Shapovalov plays an explosive, all court brand of tennis and Goffin too is an aggressive all court player. Both take the ball early and aim to draw first blood. Neither is shy of approaching the net, and executing a flawless volley. The kind of tennis we enjoy at 138 mph, and also the kind facing extinction because of the slowing down of the courts and balls across surfaces and events.
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Because of the single handed backhand, Shapovalov’s game is a little more explosive and error prone than Goffin’s. David Goffin leads 1-0 in their head-to-head but this would be an opportunity for the young Shapovalov to even the score between them.
The match between Cilic and Thiem was a downer
Dominic Thiem appeared visibly relieved after the four set win against Marin Cilic. Thiem cut down the unforced in the first and second sets but lost the plot in the third. He went back to playing ten feet behind the baseline and died by the angles he gave Cilic in the third.
Thiem does not lack the touch and finesse, but relies predominantly on extended back-swings and brute force on the ground shots. He puts too much effort into his shots. Standing ten feet behind the baseline during rallies while creating heavy top spin on the ground shots requires tremendous effort. And, all that effort drains the energy and fight out of Dominic by the fourth. Against the top players like Rafa and Novak, he runs out of gas by the end of the third. Thiem, therefore, stands a better chance in a best of three format against the master grinders of Novak’s and Rafa’s caliber.
Thiem would not make the fourth in his current form against Novak.