Alcaraz Triumphs Over Zverev for First Roland Garros Title | Monday Match Analysis

[@GillGross]

Here's that Discord link. I hope this is the start of something great: discord.gg/wW3WPqFTFJ

[@pureffm]

You gained a subscriber. Your analysis is spot on, and you correctly assessed the hawkeye situation. Officially it is 2.2mm error margin, but on clay it could be more. You are a voice of logic and reason. Your flow is impeccable. Best tennis commentary I have seen so far.

[@a2dsouza]

Your take on the line call is spot-on. The margin of error on Hawkeye seems to be often misunderstood. I think Andy Roddick maybe doesn't understand it either, based on his post-RG quickfire edition of Served. He, and many other great tennis analysts, are clearly experts when it comes to playing tennis, but this specifically is a point about metrology and statistics.

[@josedelgado4790]

This kid turned me into a full time tennis fan over the last few years. I now watch all the matches because of carols. Mad it took me so long to realize how exciting tennis could be but excited to see what Carlos does and the new generation

[@XheraPhine]

The same happened to me, but with Rafa. I'm old enough to remember Borg and McEnore - I watched them "live" on TV when I was a chid, but my love for tennis didn't properly bloom until Rafa. I'm glad you found your Rafa :-)

[@bbplizzybee]

Don't fret about this! Look up here on KZbin Carlos vs Tsisipas, US Open 2021 (here I'll share a link here of the extended highlights: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z5bSYZKtgMxkjck). I watched this match and kept my eye on this kid. During Steph's press conference, he expressed his shock at how hard Carlitos was hitting that ball. At 18 years old! Enjoy!

[@enigmaparadox987]

That's one of the highest compliments you can pay a professional athlete: becoming a devoted fan b/c of their display of poetry on court. Carlos has me excited, much in the same way I became a huge tennis fan b/c of Novak, Rafa and Federer, but especially Novak!

[@BeepsAndBeats]

No wonder there have been so many idiotic takes lately, new tennis fans

[@xux1459]

Carlitos is a truly brave player, he tries high risk points in crucial moments. Even if he loses the point that sends a message to the opponent and it is part of his bold nature.

[@xfg007]

He loses points and smiles, knowing he tried his best and will do it again without hesitation

[@adrianam1009]

Opponents got confused bc he does a lot of variations and surprise them with brilliant shots. Espectacular resilience !

[@benitadewet9344]

He explained this in his post match press interview.

[@xux1459]

Yes, his interview was quite enlighten.

[@chocosquirrel3319]

😂😂 not a great mindset

[@warzonehardcore]

“Head, Heart, Balls” was something his grandfather used to to tell him over and over to push him.

[@Xena657]

Djokovic did the same sign language at AO 2023.

[@rt0935]

@@Xena657 Djoktardism at its best 🤣🤣🤣 "Cabeza, corazón y cojones" is Alcaraz´s motto years before your alleged Djokovic anecdote, and it´s been known by everyone from day 1 of his professional career. Nice try though.

[@br1729]

Gill, your assessment of the double fault call at 2-1 was fair as far as it went. One key additional fact is that the margin of error of human line calling using the mark left by the ball on clay is the same as that for electronic line calling using cameras, 2-3 mm. On hard courts, the human line calling margin of error is substantially greater, about 40 mm. Thus, although you should rely on the method with the lowest margin of error, on clay both methods have a similar margin of error, and you have to just pick one and live with the result.

[@enigmaparadox987]

As a huge Djokovic fan, I can’t help but smile at the way Alcaraz has evolved into the electric superstar that he’s become at age 21. It will be fascinating to witness his development and arc over his career. As much as I’d like to see Djokovic’s records stand the test of time, it wouldn’t be a terrible thing if this kid could challenge them one day. Lord knows he has the talent and desire. He’s charismatic, mesmerizing and likeable in much of the same way I was drawn to Novak. Nothing but respect and admiration for Carlitos! He’s got legendary aspirations… let’s see if he gets there…

[@adrianam1009]

That is the correct way to talk as a fan. Objective not passionate and respectful. Other Nole’s fans should learn from you.

[@Xena657]

​@@adrianam1009 I am just to lazy to write . .....😂

[@Xena657]

I am still so sad about Nole . Congratiolations to Carlos. I was rooting for Zverev, comming from my home country.

[@yuyangwang9632]

@@adrianam1009 So are the federer nadal fans

[@Andres-qm1xx]

Fake Nole fan if you are comparinf the Goat to this Spanish grunting kid

[@barbaragillett9904]

As a Novak fan l love Alcatraz he has a beautiful smile so proud of him amazing performance thank you Gill great analysis 👏👏👏👏❤️🇬🇧

[@radieschen79]

Who's Alcatraz? Is it so hard to remember the right name for a 3 time Grand Slam champion?

[@kurofune.uragabay]

With regards to that 3-2 15-40 line call, I think you did a good job on your read of the situation and agree with you 99%, both in relation to the present as well as the issues likely to arise from next years change. The 1% discrepancy comes from that all-important question that you reminded all of us of: _Can-you-see-a-space-between-the-mark-and-the-line?_ ... (even considering that the lines are not crystal clear on a clay court all the time) We are talking about is a top, top chair umpire with a huge resume refereeing clay court tennis, picked to referee a final. I think he saw no space, I'm going to trust his call here 100%.

[@brianmoney410]

Been waiting for you Gil. Thanks for getting the video out so timely!

[@JDSammy]

Just wanted to say how much I love this damn podcast. You really are the best in the biz, Gil. Thanks so much.

[@carolinaprioglio1315]

I love, love your analysis of every match, player, tournament. The best! If I want to learn about tennis, I listen to you!

[@georgejoshua7746]

Last set was really weird. A combination of Zverev missing shots a 10 year old could make and Alcaraz making incredible passing shots.

[@knightdance8377]

Zverev spent more time on court than any player in French Open history. It's not really a surprise in the 5th set, he had little left to give

[@JuanAMatos-zx4ub]

@@knightdance8377 Same thing happened to Meddy at the AO Finals

[@themarinect]

Alcaraz was making many unforced errors too

[@priyaravindran6150]

The entire match was really weird. Both had more unforced errors than winners, but it wasn’t a chokefest like the US Open 2020 was. There was still some great shotmaking in the match, but it was no where close to the Rafa-Djokovic semi 2021 level, and def Alcaraz was lucky to not have played an injury-free Nadal or Djokovic in the final, because his level wasn’t quite there. Neither played at a consistently high level at the same time. However, Carlos was better than his opponent when it mattered; took great risks and won great rewards, and he thoroughly deserves the title.

[@priyaravindran6150]

@@knightdance8377 Zverev playing multiple 5 setters at majors is nothing new. It’s been his MO for a while now.

[@georgfritzsche6399]

Thank you Gill for your continued excellence. Your comment section (especially today) reflects your quality analyses. You are always willing to be impartial and reasonable even if there would be many reasons to deviate from that. Lots of respect!

[@paulthomas7720]

Honestly this match was Sasha's to lose. But if you can't hit a forehand winner against someone of the calibre of Alcaraz it's going to be tough to win.

[@seanl6885]

Alcaraz showed up with a plan to make the giant either bend forward or fall backward.

[@malekat8539]

​@iannovak5223I wouldn't listen to someone calling a sleep deprived person "cute" Sick...

[@thebooknanny]

Carlos is such a dynamic player and so fun to watch. He is transforming tennis. He’s drawing new fans to the sport and forcing other players to become all-court players. Unbelievable how he has such a complete game at such a young age. Makes me feel the era of baseline tospinners is over and honestly that old game tactic is now boring to watch. Carlos is truly a breath of fresh air! Thank you Carlitos!!! You are an inspiration and a true tennis ambassador ❤🎾❤️ I’ve been a tennis fan since 1979 and watched lots and lots of players since the Borg era, and am a 100% Carlitos Fan Girl!!! Vamos!!!

[@soheiladam7510]

What do you mean that era is over🤦, Carlos is a baseline topspinner too, btw that comment of your is delusional asf.

[@johnnytampocao7671]

Yes, we're in the same age probably and the praise given to Alcaraz how he defer from other players if he is in his best it's difficult to beat due his variety of play that haven't seen before in every surface.😀

[@kimi-de1ox]

you are entitled to your opinion and i respect that, but could you elaborate on how alcaraz is transforming tennis, because I have yet to see the transformation. I don't see anything that he's doing on the court or otherwise that has never been done before, maybe you are referring to him smiling during matches. in terms of attracting fans, for the most part, he is has inherited a fan base that nadal, probably to a lesser extent what federer has build, unless, of course you have taken a survey/poll that shows otherwise. if so, please share!

[@thebooknanny]

@kimi-de1ox: thank you for asking! Carlos is transforming tennis means players are realizing that the days of staying at baseline with long rallies waiting for the opponent to make an error isn’t going to cut it anymore. Yes I know serve and volleyers have been around since the beginning of time, but the rise of two-handed backhands and baseliners in the 70s with Borg and Evert created a new generation of players that played like them. Yes we still had net players but it switched to more baseline rallies. And now with Carlos and his success, we’re going to see the rise of new generation of juniors who want to play like him (aggressive all-court game). So IMHO, that’s how he is transforming tennis. It’s in process :)

[@kimi-de1ox]

@@thebooknanny thanks for the analysis, but with all due respect to alcaraz's achievements, thusly, from my perspective, he hasn't developed his own identity yet. for the most part, he tries to imitate nadal absolutely too much; e.g. baseline game, shot selection, trying to get to every ball, extra effort to get fans to react to him the way they react to nadal etc. it is very obvious. even with things that are not tennis-related; for example, nadal plays golf, so alcaraz has to be seen playing golf; nadal plays a board game with his team. alcaraz has to be seen playing a board game with his team. nadal is seen displaying his excellent football skills with his feet using a tennis ball, next thing you know, alcaraz is doing the same; nadal has this no-look over the shoulder shot that he does and of course, alcaraz has to try it too. nadal coined the phrase, "suffering on court to win" but instead of alcaraz creating a phrase of his own, he takes credit for what nadal has created. The list goes on and on. All of this may sound elementary and irrelevant but your statement regarding alcaraz transforming tennis, actually trigger my thoughts. credit to him for having achieved 3 slams at age 21, nonetheless, I believe if a player is said to be gifted, a great champion that is transforming the sport; then he should also be an example of uniqueness and individuality in terms of original ideas and creative thinking, etc.

[@user-fp4dr1ne7z]

I think Alcaraz changed his game plan after complaining about the court to the ref. He adjusted because the court was playing firmer. He moved more back on the serves and he played more vollies. He started to get more into rythm and he got back in control

[@nomdeplume92]

Don't know what to make of the match. Bizarre dips and slips in Alcaraz's game, and then brings out his best in the nick of time. Don't care much about the abuser. I'm just glad he didn't get to lift the trophy. Perfect on-court settlement.

[@lucienfantke]

So you have been to the court? You don’t know the meaning of “allegedly”? I guess someone once accused you of lying. So now you are “the liar” to us. According to your own “logic” 😂😂😂

[@malekat8539]

Delusional comment

[@chloe2475]

​@@lucienfantkehe just bought the silence of his victim, if that doesn't speak volume to you, not sure what does.

[@rectangulardots]

It‘s also his press conference where he says „dropping the case means innocence“ but they only decided on a settlement, which means he payed her, which doesn‘t actually look innocent to me. Especially if he‘s kind of lying about it meaning being innocent and telling the reporters in an aggressive way, „I never ever wanna hear another question about this subject again“

[@lucienfantke]

@@rectangulardots haha ok. Welcome to German law where privacy actually matters. It’s not the UK or the US where public stampedes on one’s reputation are a daily occasion. I wanna see you if you play professionally and every press conference for years people bring up the same thing. Why he paid? Only he knows. Thinking he’s not innocent just means assuming. And we know if you assume you make and ass out of u and me. 🤐

[@alexh1823]

Great breakdown G! There was one other thing I was struck by, with regards to how Carlitos responded to Zverev’s forehand suddenly catching fire in the middle of the match (which seemed to click after one particular DTL forehand winner that clocked in at 110mph…). Initially, Carlitos was trying to disrupt Z’s forehand by testing it with heavy balls with tons of shape. This was a reasonable tactic, with the intention of shaking the confidence in Zverev’s forehand, but it just wouldn’t happen - to my surprise, Zverev continued to swing aggressively and stay locked in on his forehand, and he was able to consistently take control from the baseline even off Carlitos’ disruptive, loopy shots. In this type of situation, where you can’t ‘actively’ disrupt confidence in a shot (by giving it a variety of different looks), the alternative approach to achieve the same goal is to deprive the opponent of opportunities to hit that shot, and let their rhythm/confidence fade simply through ‘shot denial’. Accordingly, Carlitos seemed to begin accepting many more extended ad-court rallies, going backhand to backhand much more, and not pattern-changing as often. Although this is Zverev’s preferred pattern, Carlitos was able to live with it long enough to let Zverev’s forehand eventually come off the boil - again, simply through denying him reps/rhythm until his FH cooled off. Then, Carlitos was eventually able to start exploiting Z’s forehand again in the late stages of the match, by which time Carlitos’ investment had paid off; Z’s forehand had lost its rhythm, and he wasn’t about to regain it in such a pressurized situation, while trying to close out the match. Maybe it was a conscious tactic, or maybe it just subconsciously resulted from trying to avoid getting hurt by Z’s forehand, but either way, it really struck me that Carlitos was able to problem-solve and experiment with more than one approach to disrupt Zverev’s forehand. The technical completeness of Carlitos allows him to make these types of adjustments and try out different point patterns, instead of needing to stick to any particular pattern - nothing is off the table. It’s nice to see that his maturity and humility are progressing to the point where he can actually cash in on his technical versatility, which in turn is finally potentiating the tactical malleability it makes possible!

[@zedearl5181]

@alexh1823 The best comment I’ve read today on Gil’s channel. Bravo sir you definitely know your tennis. Thank you. ☺️ 🙏🏾

[@alexh1823]

Yo thanks I appreciate that :)

[@StingrayMk1]

Great content. I hang off every sentence you utter. I watch your vids start to finish. Normally, I don't watch vids that are over 12 minutes long. Unless they're by someone like you. Thank you, Gill. You are the best tennis analyst.

[@domagojhrgovic7419]

It's incredible how good Alcaraz is at the age of 21. Imagine him in his prime. He will dominate the game like we've never seen before.

[@Intinity13]

Hopefully there will be others at high level to challenge him, otherwise it's going to be boring

[@fretstain]

fun fact: this morning I had two videos loaded up to watch - this one and Andy's. Yours is my first pick.

[@andrewhimes1923]

Great call on this match Gill. I was dead wrong in my prediction of Alcaraz and Sinner crashing out early with injury concerns and I really believed it was Zverev s tournament to win based on form and his victory over Alcaraz at RG 2 years ago Fearlessness is correct. When the heat is on, Alcaraz plays better. Pressure just doesn’t bother this kid and you don’t see this too often from many players. Youngest to win Slams on all 3 surfaces. Extraordinary! Rafa had 3 slam by age 21 but it was 3 RG wins Novak had 1 GS by age 21 and didn’t win his 3rd until age 24 but the FO was later We are witnessing a legend and an all time great in the making. He not only has every shot in the book, he’s not afraid to deploy these weapons even when the odds of success are low. He just doesn’t care. He goes for it and lets the chips fall where they may and more times than not, he hits these ridiculous shots that have no business falling in but do!

[@timtimtim915]

Love your take on the line call Gill! We don't even have to wait 1 year to see if Hawkeye on clay removes the controversy around calls, we just have to look back at last month. I remember seeing several points where Hawkeye disagreed with the mark in Madrid and players complained in the exact same way you described

[@Tuzzz94]

I like the Discord idea, Gill!

[@streetfightsguild7480]

Carlos won with stronger mentality

[@haniotis3421]

They've turned a physical game into a psychological war. It's pure nonsense, but they all talk about it and believe it exists. You think Federer gave a sh*t about psychology when he was serving like God himself when he won all those slams?

[@adrianam1009]

I think is an important part in tennis for all players.

[@seanl6885]

Federer even walked like a god on the court. He had that swagger. Zverez doesn't.

[@mireafelder8194]

@@haniotis3421 Tbf Federer only won his first Slam at 22 years of age and only was developing his God like serve at that age. And yes, mentality plays a huge role, how to control your nerves etc. Maybe Federer should have engaged a better mental coach, I'm still having PTSD from 40:15.

[@freemangriffin4953]

My #1 hope for Carlos in 2024 was for him to win the French Open and he did it! (: (: (: Overjoyed! (: (: (: I predicted an Alcaraz vs Zverev final with Carlos winning it and I was correct! (: (: (: What a rollercoaster match! Both the semis and final! Carlos's mental game is so superior to Zverev's and that for me was the difference.

[@Floodland-bn3ol]

Using the electronic calling on clay will expose how innacurate it is. The better system are cameras on the lines. They used to call it the Mac-Cam but I have seen this concept used in smaller tournaments and it works excellelntly.

[@MrBoboiscool]

Everyone always wanting to try and take away from alcaraz, he is a killer, he has won more at his age than basically anyone, he will still get better, you can call him lucky, but when someone is 'lucky' that much its likely you just dont like him and he is just talented. Sinner and alcaraz will run tennis for years, up to sinner to find it at slams more often.Zverev for all his obvious talents doesnt have the mentality, unable to get over the line, dealing with personal issues with the court case, maybe he wins a slam, but he will not be a multiple time winner year on year.

[@z1az285]

Winners make their own luck, truth be told Zverev was a tad unlucky but no one asked him to play two five setters and get tired from.set 4

[@GabrielGardner-wx2ph]

*cases He has two seperate cases of abuse from two different women “innocent till proven guilty” 🤡

[@seanl6885]

By nature Zverev is a timid survivor, not an aggressive champion

[@mireafelder8194]

@@seanl6885 Zverev a timid survivor, yeah right. 🤣 kzbin.info/www/bejne/oHWQd559msqFY7c

[@benitadewet9344]

​@GabrielGardner-wx2ph don't forget attacking an umpire's chair when he got cross...😮

[@wildlive1296]

People need to let go of the "Zverev was robbed" stance. How quickly we forget that Ruud was up a set in the SF before his stomach started bothering him. Zverev might not have been in the final at all if it wasn't for that.

[@haniotis3421]

Why, what did Ruud eat before the game? Prunes? lol

[@samy29987]

What does Ruud have to do with Zverev getting robbed of a line call? That makes no sense at all.

[@wildlive1296]

​@samy29987 it all evens out over time is what I'm saying. Good luck against Ruud. Potential bad luck against Alcaraz.

[@BillyBob-xi9ih]

Forget Ruud, what about Griekspoor being up 4-1 in the 5th? Zverev might have not even reached round 4

[@BillyBob-xi9ih]

@@PlayAllGamer2022I was just adding to the original commenter’s point

[@williammarella5261]

Hi Gill! Love the coverage! One thing to work on is improving the screenshots so we don't see the overlay and desktop icons. Keep up the great work!

[@luizfelipemedeiros7506]

Hey Gill! Great analysys as usual! One advice: you should bring in more video studies (or pictures) cause I confess sometimes is hard to follow your technical/tactical analysys by only listening, I often have to replay some bits to hear again and process the information. By using some visual tools it does make it a lot more clearer Thanks!

[@jeffriedalrymple2134]

Gill. Zverev wasn't up 2 sets to 1 against Thiem in 2020 US open final. He was up 2 sets to 0!

[@BillyBob-xi9ih]

Technically he’s still right because after the 3rd set Zverev was up 2 sets to 1

[@davidharris2517]

Unexpected factorial

[@hkmamba824]

This MMA was great my guy, might have been your best one I have seen so far ✌🏽

[@MrBoboiscool]

You cant claim zverev was robbed when he choked the final 2 sets 6-1, 6-2.

[@haniotis3421]

Cant(ar)....cant(ar).....cant(ar)....con una voz! Cant(ar)....cant(ar)....cant(ar)....con una voz! Lol go Tsitsipas beat that Carlitos next time!

[@joelhoffman7173]

@@haniotis3421 Puedes explicar eso?

[@treymaust3873]

@@haniotis3421who is Tsitsapas

[@adrianam1009]

@@haniotis3421I didn’t get it, can you explain please?

[@shiftt.]

He didn't choke in set 5, he would be 2-2 serving which changes the whole dynamic of the moment. Instead he felt robbed, and had to play 1-3.

[@SrinivasRao-vd4ki]

7:55 Alcaraz is the new superstar of mens tennis. Coming back from 2 sets to 1 down in the final stages of a slam would boost his confidence level and make him mentally strong. Now he is on the same level of the Big 3. Sans tough competition he would run away with slam titles and by 24 yrs age his slam title count would be in double figures.

[@automatonpilot5040]

It’s called high frame rate cameras pointed at the lines. Hawkeye must have some great sales people and entrenched business contacts because high frame rate cameras are physical proof.

[@MasseyVF]

Gil, you are a natural at these analyses 🙌✨️👏I know you have key points noted, but you are remarkable in talking 'off the cuff' & making so much sense. So many goodies in here, but really appreciate the perspective you brought to that controversial call in the 5th set 🙌

[@mixnettv7993]

Alcaraz always advantage in terms of talent and physicality when the thougher gets though to both players playing in their lowest in most toughest and critical situation. Lifting trophy is the sweetest result.

[@dansandoval6759]

Zerev bounces ball 20 times. Thinks he is taking advantage. Plus any crowd noise bothers him. Alcaraz plays on through most noise. I’ll root for anybody against zerev

[@markng899]

Thanks for the video Gill. Hawkeye margin of error on hardcourt and grass is 2-3mm, it can be up to 7mm on Clay due to the dust factor.

[@Aliceteacup]

The national temperament of the Spaniard is one of great honour and pride. Spanish players have incredible mental discipline and drive. They rise to the challenge and are seldom seen melting down or breaking racquets. Mediocrity has never been applauded in this country and poor sportsmanship is considered shameful. Tennis is the most difficult and beautiful sport. They recognize and celebrate this by giving the game the respect it is due. Congrats to Carlitos! 👏🇪🇸🏆🏆🏆

[@2kool4myskool]

Carlitos will win more majors but i don't think he will beat Novak's 24 because the big 3 are once in a life time generation.

[@blackkitty9054]

He will write his own story. There is no point in speculating on something that is years away. Only time will tell how far he goes. Meanwhile, I prefer just to enjoy (and suffer) every chapter of his story, which is just getting started.

[@juanquintana6070]

Thanks Gil for an excellent analysis. Your prediction was Sinner to Zverev in 4, instead Carlos beat him in 5. I think that nobody can deny the brilliance of Carlitos, a freak of tennis and a player who is showing signs of excellence.

[@teekatheking2155]

Im new tennis and wow i didnt expect tennis to be a really mental and emotion based sport. One bad shot could ruin your momentum and the whole game is over

[@joshbugg5363]

I feel like Zverev's five set record is deceptive because he has so many 5 set matches against lower ranked players, if you split it he's 21-3 when facing people lower ranked than himself, and 2-9 when facing someone higher ranked (at RG 10-0 and 0-2).

[@BillyBob-xi9ih]

Great point, it’s actually kind of a bad record when you look at it that way. He goes to 5 against players he shouldn’t go to 5 against and when he goes the distance against fellow top players he ends up losing. Best 5-set win was against Sinner who had physical issues

[@alexjcarr91]

Man this match was painful from set 2-5. I really felt like the match was on a knife edge right up the midway through the 5th and it was just so tense!

[@prabhjitsinghthind5224]

Damnn, that take on controversial line call was fire. The contradiction produced by hawk eye margin of error and the mark itself. Amazing, so introspective.

[@Perple]

Hey Gill, about the line call situation. The only thing I just can't understand is why Carlitos got his first serve back. He already missed his first serve, and the second serve was called out by the line judge, but according to the umpire the serve was in. Does that not seem unfair? Because Sascha surely had more chance to still win the point if Carlitos had to serve a second serve instead of a first serve.

[@jonathangarabedian344]

I wonder if any of these pro players listen to this channel to learn from your analysis. Perhaps their coaches already tell them, but this sounds like very useful info as an overview.

[@robert111k]

The sentence of the three Cs is by Carlos' grand father.

[@Aliceteacup]

As always, thank you GG for your crisp analysis and two good points: 1. Everybody gets robbed. Get over it and move on. Even Sinner said as much after Monte Carlo. It has no bearing on the record of any player. 2. The best servers don’t win grand slams, only the best players do. The two are not synonymous. Three set matches and five set matches are a universe apart to navigate.

[@jzsnshn]

Solid analysis, Gill, but missing on Carlos's unforced errors: where they always happen. Beginning of second set and when he should consolidate gains in early going. He gets bored, he needs a challenge. Sinner never does this: He banks his leads and builds on them. It's an ongoing psychological issue more serious than the lack of accuracy on the serve.

[@Tuzzz94]

Maybe I'm not aware of how all the tennis rules work, but how the hell is it that a 2nd serve gets reverted to a 1st serve just because the umpire decided it was in? Just replay the 2nd serve!

[@xuanli2897]

It always works like this. If it‘s a corrected call during a rally started with a second serve, and the point needs to be replayed, it’s a first serve because this whole point is replayed. The issue might not be that obvious if it’s after a long rally (people tend to forget whether it’s a second serve), but imo still quite unfair (AND FIXABLE by changing the rule so that we replay the point from second serve). But some people might argue that asking a player to directly serve a second serve might actually disrupt his/her rhythm because they’re not used to it. So there’s not a perfect solution. ELC might be the closest to perfect solution though.

[@dorothygale1104]

It gets reverted to a 1st serve by rule because of the disruption / delay in the flow of the game that checking the ball mark, overruling and dealing with player objections to the overrule causes. In a normal 2nd serve situation, the server goes straight to a 2nd serve after faulting on a 1st serve in the normal flow of the game. But in an overrule situation on a 2nd serve, which now really only happens on clay because Hawkeye is making line calls on other surfaces that can’t be challenged, there is a delay to the normal flow of the game that puts the server at a disadvantage if a 2nd serve was replayed. Keep in mind that an umpire overrule is a determination that the line call was wrong (whether that line call was made by a human or machine) and replaying the 2nd serve would put the server in an inferior position due to the disruption in play that an overrule causes which would not exist if the wrong line call hadn’t been made. If the rule was to replay the 2nd serve in an overrule situation, do you know what every receiver would do in that situation? Answer: they would argue the overrule with the umpire for as long as possible to cause as long a disruption in play as possible before the server could replay a 2nd serve, which effectively puts the server in an inferior situation in replaying a 2nd serve that only exists because a determination was made that an error was made in calling the 2nd serve out. So making the server replay a 2nd serve when the umpire overrules the line call would effectively be penalizing the server for a line call error by making the server wait around while the receiver causes as much delay as possible debating the overrule with the umpire in order to make a replay of a 2nd serve as difficult as possible. Since the rule in a 2nd serve line call overrule situation is that the server gets a 1st serve, the receiver can’t benefit by being able to use a strategy of delay by arguing with the umpire. The receiver can still debate the overrule with the umpire, but the rule prevents the receiver from using debate or argument as a strategy to put the server in an inferior position because the server is going get a 1st serve no matter how long the receiver wants to debate with the umpire.

[@DavidRodriguez-yb1qb]

When the game was om the line one was scared to win and the other was hungry for victory

[@seanl6885]

At crucial moments, Zverev broke down, mentally

[@alexjames6468]

They showed every Hawkeye replay of the close calls except for the one that mattered!! I wonder why! 🤔. Zverev knew that serve was out!!

[@brendandennis5868]

Yeah they didn't show it on the feed to Australia. Who got to see it?

[@shiftt.]

On ESPN they didn't show as well, very shady indeed.

[@roddlecoddle]

Spot on analysis. I saw your tweet at 2-1 and agreed at the time. Alcaraz has more cojones than Zverev. Nicely explained why with real examples. Archeological evidence with the clay ball mark. Love it. Totally correct about Hawkeye margin of error. I don't want it to be used in clay events. There's something romantic about the ball mark and when players hit it that close you have to go with in over out which is how it should be. I also wish they would show replays as well as Hawkeye graphics to give viewers something they know they can trust.

[@z1az285]

Great champions win even when they are not at their best. And carlos has displayed this in spades in each of his slam wins. He is only going to improve, but i do hope he won't get injured so often

[@mireafelder8194]

His injuries get exaggerated, he only had a few muscle tears and recently this tendinitis in the forearm, nothing chronic really to be worried about.

[@raghumanda2tanush496]

He will get injured often as he is shorter and has less wingspan, so he need to hit more harder and run more to neutralize opponents strength

[@mireafelder8194]

@@raghumanda2tanush496 I never heard of that theory before, lol. But whatever you Alcaraz haters (and Nole fans probably) can come up with to discredit Alcaraz...🙄

[@raghumanda2tanush496]

@@mireafelder8194 u can check his injury history, he missed 2022 nitto 2023 ao, got injured in 2023 Rio finals, missed 2023 monte Carlo, 2023 rg semis cramps, 2023 Paris masters missing, 2024 Rio injury, missed so much of 2024 clay season In 2022 and 2023 he played less than 75 matches per year, where as rafa used to play 85-90 matches during his younger days, carlos will be another del Potro.

[@raghumanda2tanush496]

@@mireafelder8194 this era is full of taller players, so in order to match them he needs to hit harder and run more, so he will get injured often unfortunately.

[@oivaristimaki677]

Great analysis, Gill - as always. What I would add is that a bunch of Alcaraz’s returns, especially those he hit on the forehand, were balls hit with extremely high intensity. And I don’t think that this intensity only manifested in spinniness and depth either. To my eye there was actually a lot of speed to these returns. It is just that it takes a long time for the ball to reach its target because of the return position and the trajectory of the ball. In my view this was an aspect of Alcaraz’s return that troubled Zverev. It would be interesting to see the speeds of some of those loopy returns.

[@generalshockwavekingpin326]

Alcaraz can win multiple Grand Slams on all surfaces. His Grand Slam tally can go into double digits.

[@El_amigo_de_Sebas]

The CCC comes from his grandpa, I believe.

[@danbotez1307]

Wonderful job, Gill ! I especially liked your discussion re Hawkeye's margin of error Another point for humans vs. the AI-wave hype.

[@milesfromneworleans]

In such a close match the incorrect umpire call going against Zverev in the fifth set was a disaster. Of course Zverev had his chances later, but the miscall may have tipped the scale. Who’s to say how the break would have effected Alcaraz mentally or uplifted Zverev? Seen this way, yes, Zverev was robbed.

[@DjHomerr]

regarding the discord: am i the only one that has problem with the captcha? I can't seem to get it, now i'm blocked for 4 minutes..

[@HSA-]

Zverev was tired by the time it got to set #5 His shots didn't have the same power and he didn't even want to track down a couple of dropshots It's going to take a lot more than that to win over Alcaraz who is younger and has good variety to move the big guy tennis player around

[@iceescape]

That's not the reason he was missing easy volleys, double faulting and missing forehands by 20 feet... It's his mental stamina/choking that is his real weakness.

[@seanl6885]

That's the price to pay being a ball-chaser. Simona Halep is an example.

[@vijayla21]

@@iceescape When you are exhausted, you play worse. It's not rocket science.

[@joelhoffman7173]

Gil, that was just outstanding analysis. I watched the whole video and once again appreciated your insights. Question: Is Zverev's height a disadvantage in your opinion? It seems to me the perfect height for tennis is 6' to 6'3" (which is why I suck at the game). Of course it depends on a player's frame, but do you think a guy with Zverev's build and height has a harder time getting low and changing directions and being quick at the net?

[@anonymous4711_]

Hawkeye needs a little mobile robot with a camera that rolls out after each point, checks the mark (and quickly sweeps the court to make sure there are no ambiguous marks)

[@brianjackson2272]

I remember as a teenager falling in love with Boris Becker, then years later with Nadal and now … can’t love Carlos, until the king of clay retires. I do feel really bad for Zverev. Your presentation is second to none, I really enjoy it.

[@Mike-ut2gf]

Awesome analysis Gill. So happy Carlitos won. Quick question on the hawk-eye margin of error: Is it applicable only for clay (considering the dynamic movement of clay during a match) or does the margin of error also apply to hard courts?

[@GillGross]

The margin of error is thought to be slightly larger on clay due to the movement of the particles. Both surfaces have a margin for error though.

[@rick13953]

"Just refer to the line judge" is the reason VAR infuriates all football fans.

[@johnnytampocao7671]

If Alcaraz played his best Zev will be beaten in 3 sets but when you win the match with so many UF error you're special. That's Alcaraz. No robbery here.😂

[@blackkitty9054]

Alcaraz took the scenic route.

[@thomasoberhofer7403]

Allcredits to Alcaraz good win, but on the other side Zverev was looking afraid all the time of hitting balls like he used to earlier, a lot of unforced errors was damaging for him, and Alcaraz mixed opp the game to disrupt Zwerev

[@emobaldi75]

I thought this first name is Carlos. Where does Carlitos come from? I’ve never heard him mentioned that way

[@deccarian8458]

I think players would accept hawkeye's error on clay more generously because 1) it's been used for all the other surfaces already 2) at least it doesn't make a gigantic mistake which humans sometimes do. I agree, you have to live with one way or another, but if you have to choose a side, I'd say it should be the electronic system.

[@luistorrent4905]

Hi Gill, thanks for your analysis, your channel is amazing. I have a question. A lot of people are complaining because of the umpire issue on the 5th set. Nevertheless, I think in RG they do not use hawkeye technology for a reason, and that is because clay is the only surface where you can clearly see the ball marks on the ground, and eyehawk technology is only a prediction of where the ball would have bounced, and it is not infalible since it has a standard deviation in accuracy of 3.26 mm. What do you think?

[@luistorrent4905]

Sorry, I wrote this comment before watching the full video, you seem to agree with me

[@michael8597]

Most unfortunate that Zverev couldn't capitalise upon his biggest opportunity to finally win a slam. He failed miserably despite his opponent playing well only in patches and sailed with mediocrity for long. The biggest let down was his serve and there was an intense competition between the two about who will be topping in double faults. After winning the second and third set, Zverev suddenly changed his strategy and began foraying to the net more than often and his volleying let down big time. Why he made this change when he was dictating from the back of the court is perplexing to say the least?? Finally in the fifth set at 1-2 (a break down) and with two break points up in the 3rd game on his opponent's serve came that crucial mistake by the umpire as hawk eye clearly established it as a double fault. From there Zverev never really recovered and was reconciled to defeat. Fluke became a saviour of Alcaraz yet again. With this defeatist mindset, I do not think Zverev will win a slam in his career.

[@haniotis3421]

Defeatist mindset? He needs to serve better for 3 sets. Can he do that? Can Tsitsipas do that? Can Sinner? They must do that. And when they do, they will be calling it an upset, but I will be calling it what should have happened well over a year ago!

[@michael8597]

​@@haniotis3421 If Sinner hadn't cramped in the second set, the kid would never have won. He is very lucky always and that is why I have monikered him as "mole kid".

[@seanl6885]

Zverev's mind froze in those moments when decision making and self confidence mattered the most.

[@gmac9201]

@@michael8597 The cramping wasn't the difference, Alcaraz cramped too. But he was prepared for it this time, unlike the previous FO loss against Djokovic.

[@NamTran-xc2ip]

Djokovic fanboys crying as usual 😂😂😂

[@seangill83]

Great discussion on electronic line calling. To add another point, electronic line calling does not always work perfectly, and needs to be properly calibrated, which I understand is more difficult and time intensive on clay. If the system is not perfectly calibrated and in working order, you get what occured in Atmane vs Schoolkate at s-Hertogenbosch the other day, the electronic line calling was making phantom "fault" calls in the middle of the point, and often not calling balls out. It clearly distracted Atmane and was probably a significant factor in him losing the match.

[@GlennSyndallius]

Looks like I'll have to rejoin Discord now! I haven't used that thing in years, I'll track it down and head over there. Thanks for the analysis Gill, perfect as always! So tough for Zverev... I'm an outlier in the fact that I hope he grabs a Slam at some stage... most people are extremely Anti-Zverev, I get that. He was the better player for part of this match, it just felt like, as you said, he kinda self-destructed at the start of the 4th set when he must have started thinking about "hey, I might win this thing!". From there on he just fell apart. I legitimately think he needs to do some work with a sports psych to get over that hurdle... even towards the end of the 4th set I felt like Carlitos had it wrapped up because he's just more steady emotionally when he's in a winning position. That, I think, is what makes him a champion. Being able to handle those moments where you're getting close to winning a Slam, and not choking. Amazing from Carlitos - winning a Slam on all 3 surfaces at age 21 - just ridiculous. It makes me SUPER happy that in this ALMOST-POST-BIG-3 era, the Tennis Gods have given us another 2 incredible champions in Carlitos and Jannik... we asked, and we received!

[@brendandennis5868]

36:40 Alcarez was up 5-2 in the third (one break)

[@aziz_29]

Great analysis ♥️♥️

[@enriquegirard7324]

a line call doesn't go his way, zverev mentally collapses and can't get his head back into the game to capitalize on any of the multiple other break points, loses the set and the match, is not the defense of zverev these people seem to think it is. "he lost a line call and was mentally rattled!! he could have won! he was robbed!" lmao, get real. If losing a line call rattled him so much he didn't deserve to win. Imagine djokovic or nadal mentallly caving like that. Like Gill said, it's scar tissue. Either the umpire was right and they correctly replay the point or it was a mistake and zverev needed to refocus which he proved incapable of, that's his flaw & his weakness. The mental game is part of the game.

[@TuningintotheOne4BLN]

Ups & downs. 3rd set Carlos's ghosting act. 4th set Sasha meltdown. 5th set ump call + Sasha NOT breaking back being up L-40! Carlos brought the mojo in crucial pressure points. Deserved it! Thanx. Best, Milan

[@jennysims1]

Great analysis Gill

[@ManuelPorcell-el9cx]

The worst double fault not called in a crucial match was for the gold medal in Athens 2004. It happened in the 4th set 1-1 tied with Mardy Fish up 2 sets to 1. However the chilean Massú took as a personal challenge, won the crowd which invigorated him and took gold 🥇

[@janetterceira4201]

That is twice this year. Sinner was robbed at Monte Carlo without question. Today still changed the game and why did that umpire not call to replay the point which he did for Carlos many times today.

[@benjaminpedersen9548]

Wrt. Hawke Eye uncertainty it is important to also understand that even the reported uncertainty is not a guarantee. Usually these errors are reported as a 2 or 3 "sigma value" corresponding to about 95% or 99.7% respectively, i.e. there is a small chance that the error is higher. Clearly better than real time line calling. I don't know about mark reading. Some umpires seem to have different criteria for mark reading.

[@Adaobieistyping]

What do they give these Spanish boys to have such amazing endurance. Nadal and Alcaraz never look tired

[@goldwolf5160]

Alcaraz could've worn a blindfold in the final set and he still would've won! Zverev gives choking a whole new meaning 😂

[@seanl6885]

After the 6-1 set, Alcaraz smelled blood

[@namos369]

I would say for no explicable reason he has an exchange of words with his father in the beginning of the fourth set and his entire game collapses…when he was on top and just needed to continue the fourth as he did in the third set. Also these unnecessary arguments over line calls shows a lack of confidence - the best players don’t make such a big deal and move on. He still had two break points…with this mental game i doubt he will ever win a slam…he needs a whole lot more cogones from ‘nerve management’ aisle in the super market. It’s another tale of should have, could have…

[@420benton2]

In the last set Zverev missed way to many easy shots. Alcaraz's counterpunching wouldn't have been enough to beat a decent level Novak.

[@punns643]

Prove it You can't

[@jennysims1]

Carlos did beat Novak at Wimbledon 2023 😉

[@z1az285]

Tough 💩, no one asked Novak to play two five setters. Zverev got tired in set 4 because he played 2 five setters too

[@tjr-007tt]

Alcatraz would’ve used different tactics to beat Novak.

[@z1az285]

@@tjr-007tt Exactly, it's true Carlos FH is at 95% (his coach) but he adapted beautifully. He has a very high tennis IQ

[@Dust880]

Head, heart, balls is something his grandfather passed onto him

[@zetristan4525]

'archeological evidence'! Loved the strong finish to this video. Zverev is still a child worshipping his dad. He knows how to play all the shots; he should ask Gill Gross to be his coach instead, for a year or two.

[@stefannedeljkovic4395]

You fell into the recency bias a bit. I don’t agree with the ‘best variety you've ever seen’ comment. Djokovic demonstrates that tactical versatility you're talking about in a huge number of matches-changing directions, mixing paces, heights, spins, and lately adding more slices and net approaches. Roger even more versatile. The three film study points you mentioned to praise Alcaraz's shot-making are more indicative of Zverev's choke job than anything. That finish on the first point you called a tough spot for Zverev, which he eventually hit out, was actually a pretty manageable shot-he could have gone for a more angled diagonal, a drop shot, or just a straightforward drive to then position himself well at the net with his 6 ft 6 frame, especially with Alcaraz stretched out on the other end of the court. Ironically, in the second point you showed, Alcaraz received almost the same shot as Zverev did in the first, and you called it an 'easy ball'. In that second point, Zverev's forehand +1 was laughable, landing mid-court with hardly any pace. He had tons of space for a drop shot since Alcaraz was practically out of the stadium. That third point? Zverev just got confused; he received an easy ball to attack-Alcaraz didn't do anything spectacular there. As an aside, I think Alcaraz's innate technical offensive capabilities, what many would call 'talent,' are truly on par with Roger's, especially that neutral forehand/damage-power generation off the ground. But I don't think that's a guarantee for the success many predict. A big part of his success so far is because he hasn't faced several opponents who consistently produce a super high level like the Big 5 did year in and year out. Djokovic is at a stage in his career where he's obviously lost a step and can't keep up with his previous intensity, especially on slower courts. Sinner is up and coming, still finding his game on clay and was slightly hampered by health issues, and other opponents are inconsistent. None of these competitors have yet reached the peak levels of the Big 5. If Sinner and Rune start to consistently bring out their A++ game and a few more players tag along at that super high level, as Tsonga, Del Potro, Murray, and Wawrinka did, I think Alcarz might not reach the level of achievement many predict for him. Comparing him with the Big 3, I think he might end up more like Roger than Rafa and Novak in terms that others' high level of play will disrupt him more than it did Rafa and Novak (and potentially Sinner in the future).

[@danbotez1307]

Hey, Gill ! Do you agree with me now that there is such a thing as an Alcaraz factor, similar to the famed Rafa factor ?

[@vivahernando1]

If Carlos is going to reach BIG 3 status, which is kinda crazy to even be bringing up at this point, he has got to be more efficient. Way too many UEs and undisciplined play which he overcomes with spectacular shot making. Roger could pulled down by Rafa and Novak because their consistent defense could eventually draw errors. There will be players that will use this method vs Carlos in the future

[@just2share]

None knows what would happen, but if that call in fifth set was called correctly it would be 2-2 instead of 3-1 for Alcaraz, which is an important difference. It might help Zverev to play better in the fifth set. It was maybe a decisive point of the match.

[@propgee]

Those short returns of serves Alcraz implemented per chance or by plan destroyed zverev in the crucial moments. Zvetevs inpatients with the high show balls also hurt him. His refusal to come unto the noon balls n volley hurt him too. No volleys, no dropshots, no slices, all hurt him

[@sterloin]

Based as usual

[@03cobra4]

Agreed. Gil is very based on his analysis. Unfortunately others tend to be more biased.

[@priyaravindran6150]

The better man won, both on and off the court. Zverev showing that he still can’t beat a Top 5 player in a major, even when they are injured. His performance in Rome and Paris was a bit overrated, as the only Top 20 player he beat until the Ruud match, was Fritz and De Minaur. Then, Ruud was sick. At least he can take solace in the fact that this match wasn’t on his racquet like the 2020 US Open was. Neither Alcaraz nor Zverev played a particularly clean match. Heck, both didn’t really play a clean tournament. Both showed vulnerabilities throughout, but Alcaraz was always able to raise his level when it really mattered, and that’s what happened in the fifth against Sinner, and in the fourth and fifth against Zverev. This tournament has really been one of injuries. Luckily, Alcaraz was able to find a way to manage his and still win the title. As bummed as I was about Djokovic’s surgery, I’m happy at least the winner is someone worthy in his tennis and in regards to his personality as well.

[@lucienfantke]

You may know zverev personally to be so judgmental. But hey you are just another internet troll pretending to know what he doesn’t know. Carlos was the better player. Zverev wasn’t. Had zverev won he would have been maybe better maybe luckier. Whatever. No one deserves anything. It’s a game. You play for it. That’s all. But snowflakes like you make it about “personality” etc while not knowing the guy at all. 😂😂😂

[@l.rongardner2150]

Zverev = Tomas Berdych 2.0.

[@priyaravindran6150]

@@l.rongardner2150 Depends on how you want to look at it. Zverev has a better career outside of the grand slams, with multiple 1000 titles, 2WTF, and an Olympic gold. Berdych has only one masters 1000, with some 500s and 250s, however, he’s one of only three to have beaten all the Big 4 at grand slams. He made it to only one major final compared to two now from Zverev, but Tomas beat the Big 4 at majors in their prime. While Zverev has yet to beat a Top 5 at a major, let alone the Big 3 or 4( and he played them when they were much older), and his record against Top 10 players at majors is pretty piss poor too.

[@georgesunaryo5080]

Which court do you think that suits alcaraz best?