Sinner Out for the Season! Djokovic’s Finals Surge, Alcaraz Still a Level Above? | EP 221

Sam Querrey (0:00)

All right, on today's episode of Nothing Major, we're gonna go over the finals from Tokyo and Beijing. We're also going to go over what we think is the toughest era in tennis history, and we also have fan questions and life advice. Let's get going. Big John, Stevie and Sam. Got close a few times, never won a slam. Nothing major. All right, welcome back. I got John, got Stevie, myself. The suits are always here at CIF. We can't do this without them, so thank you to the suits. All right, everyone, we're gonna interrupt the main, what are we doing here?

Steve Johnson (0:31)

We're interrupting the main program, so just jump in.

Sam Querrey (0:35)

We're gonna interrupt the main Thursday show to jump in to the finals review of Beijing and Tokyo. As you know, the Monday when we recorded, Beijing and Tokyo hadn't completed yet. They're done now, so we're gonna go over that. Let's start in Tokyo. Our boy, Carlos Alcaraz gets it done over Jiri Lehecka 7664 This is a good one, as we thought. Lehecka breaks Carlos out of the gate. Carlos ends up breaking back, gets him in two tight sets. This was a good match between two good players. Stevie, big...

It's not a big win for Carlos, because he doesn't need it, but just- It's a big win. Yeah, it's a big win. He's right back where he left off, and like always, he's utilizing the drop shots on big points. He's hitting passing shots left and right. It was Carlos being Carlos out there.

Steve Johnson (1:23)

It's crazy, dude. The drop shots that he hits are absolutely insane.

You assume he's not going to hit 30 a match, but he does, and he hits everyone really good. In the biggest moments. I've never seen him just brick one on break point down. It's like a service line like mere mortals usually do. But no, I think this is a big win for Carlos. Just if there was any ounce of doubt in his mental state about his wrist, if there was any, I think it's gone, especially after the US Open, after the Labor Cup. Now, he's put that to bed. He's healthy, he's ready to go. But he's just electric to watch. His movement is a joke. I don't know if there's ever been a more explosive athlete.

Sam Querrey (2:11)

I can't think of one.

Steve Johnson (2:12)

It's crazy because he takes routine standard run of the mill ground strokes and is able to hit 100 plus mile per hour forehands on a consistent basis. And it never looks like it's out of his shoes, right? It looks pretty measured, which is nuts. But it's great to see Carlos. I think he's got to cut the hair, quite frankly. It's too much hair. I wanted to see him go back, get a little bit more aerodynamic. But all things being equal, it's great to see Carlos back.

Two-time Tokyo champion and just picks up exactly where he left off.

Sam Querrey (2:46)

Talking about his movement, on the backhand side, there's rarely a ball that he can't get out and get his left leg behind. He gets out there so fast. It's nuts. Also, I feel like I noticed his labor cup in Tokyo, he's got the drop shot. Obviously, it's the greatest of all time.

He's using the short slice, the one that Fed used a lot. I feel like he used it a lot in labor.

Steve Johnson (3:08)

Other players used it too, just not as notable.

Sam Querrey (3:11)

You used it as well. Sorry. He's taking a page out of your playbook, and he must be watching your highlights. He's using the short little backhand slice now, and he's just adding things to his game and fun things. He's going back to the drop shot, beautiful drop shot. He actually missed the drop shot down, break point first game of the match. Yeah, but did that hold him back after that? No, it did not because he threw up other drop shots in big moments, including the tiebreaker. He had a sick little half volley pickup in the breaker as well.

He's so fun to watch.

Steve Johnson (3:43)

Yeah, but the drop shot is even more impressive because he hits the forehand so hard, you have to back up.

You have to respect that as an opponent and then he hits the drop shot. So it doesn't even have to be that good and he still hits them. You would set up a bucket or something a few feet past the net and just hit him in practice or something. I feel like he would be automatic, just 10 out of 10 every time if you just put a bucket out there and just drop it in there.