2 Responses to uo16pouille_nadal

1. Voo de Mar says:

   December 31, 2020 at 11:30 am

   Six-minute medical time-out before the 3rd set

   Points won by each set: | 27-13, 21-32, 40-34, 24-32, 44-45 |
   Points won directly behind the serve:
   22 % Pouille – 36 of 162
   12 % Nadal – 18 of 150

   A match of [25] Pouille’s life. In the opener he played a flawless tennis (returned all serves of Nadal), and kept the high quality throughout, his backhand was better than I’ve ever seen. In the decider the Frenchman seemed done anyway as he was trailing: *0:2 (deuce), *2:4 (0/15), 3:4* (0/30) and finally faced a mini match point at 4-all after a terrible overhead when had plenty of space, yet hit the ball towards Nadal [5] who instinctively lobed him. Prior to that match, Nadal had won all his three matches when a deciding tie-break was required, that time he had less luck. Pouille led 6:3*, Nadal saved a triple match point, but at 6-all he made a forehand error from a position he usually plays winners. On the fourth match point Pouille played a rally on his highest level and finished the 4-hour drama with a forehand winner, then celebrated the biggest win of his career on his back showing the tongue. It was similar tie-break to the one Pouille escaped a straight sets defeat to Chiudinelli (the Swiss improved from 2:6 6-all before losing two points in a row) # It’s amazing that Pouille won not only his third five-setter with in five days, he won them all being close to defeat in 3-, 4- and 5-setters respectively! The Frenchman had a 2-9 Grand Slam record in the initial phase of his career, then reached back-to-back quarterfinals (Wimbledon & US Open ’16), enjoying an 8-2 record.

   # Comparison of Pouille’s three consecutive matches:
   2R: Pouille d. Chiudinelli 4-6, 3-6, 7-6, 6-2, 6-0… 3 hours 9 minutes… Total points: 145-123… two points away
   3R: Pouille d. Bautista 3-6, 7-5, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1… 3 hours 24 minutes… Total points: 155-159… six points away
   4R: Pouille d. Nadal 6-1, 2-6, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6… 4 hours 7 minutes… Total points: 156-156… two points away
   

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2. Voo de Mar says:

   December 31, 2020 at 3:25 pm

   Here’s an unfolding of Pouille’s serves obtained directly with unreturned serves (aces). He possesses a great curved serve as displayed on it, but it wasn’t his main weapon in that match, I think he won that thriller mainly because his shaky backhand was working tremendously well.

   

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