Wanderer

[hide] Second Round September 6th - September 9th, 2019 16 Nations, 2 Groups, the 1st and 2nd Nations from each Group will qualify for the Quarterfinals Group I Date & Time (GMT +8) Nation 1 T1 T2 Nation 2 September 6th 2019, h. TBD Poland Russia September 6th 2019, h. TBD Argentina Venezuela September 8th 2019, h. TBD Poland Argentina September 8th 2019, h. TBD Venezuela Russia Group J Date & Time (GMT +8) Nation 1 T1 T2 Nation 2 September 6th 2019, h. TBD Spain Italy September 6th 2019, h. TBD Serbia Puerto Rico September 8th 2019, h. TBD Spain Serbia September 8th 2019, h. TBD Puerto Rico Italy Group K Date & Time (GMT +8) Nation 1 T1 T2 Nation 2 September 7th 2019, h. TBD United States 5 Greece September 7th 2019, h. TBD Brazil 5 Czech Republic September 9th 2019, h. TBD United States 20 Brazil September 9th 2019, h. TBD Czech Republic 10 Greece Group L Date & Time (GMT +8) Nation 1 T1 T2 Nation 2 September 7th 2019, h. TBD France 8 Lithuania September 7th 2019, h. TBD Australia 20 Dominican Republic September 7th 2019, h. TBD France 10 Australia September 7th 2019, h. TBD Dominican Republic 25 Lithuania [/hide]

Second Round Prediction Design available here

You MUST hide your post. To do that, you have only to delete the space between the bracket "[" and the text "hide" in "[ hide]" at the beginning of prediction post. Do the same at the end of prediction post with "[ /hide]" too. PREDICTION DESIGN - START COPYING HERE ---> [ hide] Second Round September 6th - September 9th, 2019 16 Nations, 2 Groups, the 1st and 2nd Nations from each Group will qualify for the Quarterfinals Group I Date & Time (GMT +8) Nation 1 T1 T2 Nation 2 September 6th 2019, h. TBD Poland Russia September 6th 2019, h. TBD Argentina Venezuela September 8th 2019, h. TBD Poland Argentina September 8th 2019, h. TBD Venezuela Russia Group J Date & Time (GMT +8) Nation 1 T1 T2 Nation 2 September 6th 2019, h. TBD Spain Italy September 6th 2019, h. TBD Serbia Puerto Rico September 8th 2019, h. TBD Spain Serbia September 8th 2019, h. TBD Puerto Rico Italy Group K Date & Time (GMT +8) Nation 1 T1 T2 Nation 2 September 7th 2019, h. TBD United States Greece September 7th 2019, h. TBD Brazil Czech Republic September 9th 2019, h. TBD United States Brazil September 9th 2019, h. TBD Czech Republic Greece Group L Date & Time (GMT +8) Nation 1 T1 T2 Nation 2 September 7th 2019, h. TBD France Lithuania September 7th 2019, h. TBD Australia Dominican Republic September 7th 2019, h. TBD France Australia September 7th 2019, h. TBD Dominican Republic Lithuania [ /hide] ---> PREDICTION DESIGN - STOP COPYING HERE

If you only judge by a name, you wouldn't guess around 50% where certain athletes come from Anyway, Italian tennis federation, as flawed as it can be, really is one of the strongest around there. There is a challenger level tournament almost every week in Italy! Which is a very helpful, plenty of young players get opportunity to play a professional tournament and often against decent opponents. And good thing is - even there are bunch of challengers in China/Japan/Korea - the level at the tournaments in Italy is much higher. Geography Just checked - this year, around 20 challenger tournaments in Italy alone

Let's hope Bianca finishes it in two sets

Understandable But he is the youngest in the top 300 (On Live Ranking Sinner is 127th)

U21 players are usually considered as NextGen. It first started in early 2000s when Hewitt, Federer, Nalbandian, Fererro, Roddick, Safin were young players and were making their way to the top of the game. It is mainly marketing thing. Since all of them became GS champions as soon as they started the hype (unfortunately only Nalbandian didn't win a slam, lost Wimbledon final to Hewitt in 2002) people hope it would happen with NextGen 2.0. Looks like they are just WindowsVista while old guard are wonderful, long living Windows XP But I think Tsitsipas among the mentioned ones would win Slam first. Felix Auger also if he stays healthy. And Zverev when he gets brain transplant.

He is not in top 100 yet

Well, he always had the talent but I believe he struggled with injuries when next gen was promoted. And he is born in 1996 so he's definitely NextGen player, luckily not as hyped as Zverev

Starting with Schiavone, Italian tennis keeps growing. Now on the men's side. Jannik Sinner is such a talent! There are also Zeppieri and Musetti as notable young talents but overall bunch of upcoming young players.

This is why Slams have that "thing"

I completely forgot that Ferrer had retired

Matteo

Monfils double faulting Matteo's road to SF

Wow this was crucial challenge for Matteo

Dimitrov had 0-7 H2H with Federer, Schwartzman is 0-7 with Nadal. If you know what I mean

He has a good fighting spirit

Verkerk? Yup, that was surprise, I was a kid, cheering for Agassi and was a bit angry how some unknown guy was there but not my hero

And speaking of that RG 2004 - four Argentinians in the quarterfinals, three in semis and the winner was the lowest ranked of them all

Feli Lopez did have some injuries, but still managed to play all the slams Always in the main draw!

I am among those who blame Radek for Vaidisova's career. She might have returned sooner than later and MIGHT.... well

IF, IF Schwartzman wins, this would be first slam after... Roland Garros 2004 where none of Federer/Djokovic/Nadal names won't be heard in the semifinals. The year I started high school and now I am starting my thirties

C'mon Matteo If only Schwartzman could do wonders later

[hide] Second Round September 6th - September 9th, 2019 16 Nations, 2 Groups, the 1st and 2nd Nations from each Group will qualify for the Quarterfinals Group I Date & Time (GMT +8) Nation 1 T1 T2 Nation 2 September 6th 2019, h. TBD Poland 2 Russia September 6th 2019, h. TBD Argentina 12 Venezuela September 8th 2019, h. TBD Poland 8 Argentina September 8th 2019, h. TBD Venezuela 10 Russia Group J Date & Time (GMT +8) Nation 1 T1 T2 Nation 2 September 6th 2019, h. TBD Spain 5 Italy September 6th 2019, h. TBD Serbia 20 Puerto Rico September 8th 2019, h. TBD Spain 5 Serbia September 8th 2019, h. TBD Puerto Rico 10 Italy [/hide]

Provisional Standing after Day 5 available here