Tennis News

I 'll give a miss on those. Not interested.

Interesting proposed changes for next Olympics (Rio 2016) :

"Tennis officials are considering adding third-set tiebreakers at the 2016 Rio Olympics after marathon matches in London this year.

Also, bronze-medal matches could be eliminated to lighten the loads of players entered in multiple events.

ITF president Francesco Ricci Bitti tells The Associated Press at the European Olympic Committees meeting in Rome that the matches this year were "very balanced and very long and that ruins the scheduling somewhat.''

Roger Federer beat Juan Martin del Potro 3-6, 7-6 (5), 19-17 in the London semifinals and was soundly beaten by Andy Murray in straight sets in the gold-medal match.

If bronze-medal matches are eliminated, it would mark a return to handing out two bronzes for each of the semifinal losers, as happened at the 1988 Seoul Games."

Personally, I'd keep best of 5 format not only for he final but the entire tournament. I'd also award more ATP points for those wins, (stg between 1000-1500).

The reason for eliminating best of 5 or bronze match is ridiculous, as it gives other players an opportunity to take part in the tournament, as well.
Basically for the sake of someone like Serena Williams who take part in singles and doubles, they want to make matches best of 3 AND to have a tie-break in the 3rd set.

I really want to know how people like this Rici Bitti or Blatter or Huan Samaran get these jobs, basically for life and manage to ruin everything in the process....

French news

Leconte on Monfils: Gael Monfils is "completely lost at the moment and doesn’t know what to
do.” (Le Monf has dropped his ranking from 7 to 77 thanks to his knee injuries. He only managed to play 29 matches in
2012).

“Maybe he’s going to stop playing tennis, you never know for sure, I hope not. He has a strange way of training, thinking about sports, about his life, his entourage, his everything. It’s a nightmare. He doesn’t know where to go ... He’s been lost for two years. It’s a shame,because he’s so talented.”
Poor Monf

Roger Rasheed (Tsonga's new coach) on Tsonga: "There are a few areas I’ve identified: When high-risk is worthwhile and when high-risk is not. If he can just tighten that up a little bit it’ll make him a better player. But his natural flair, you won’t take that away from him, because that’s his drive.”

Now, I'd really like to see how Rasheed is going to do the "tightening" bit...I would've gone the opposite with Tsonga. I hope he doesn't ruin him.
When I saw them practise in 02, Tsonga looked very unsure of himself, I was amazed to see his forehand look poorer than Gasquet's.
It would be a great shame to stuff him, and I have a feeling Rasheed is going to do just that. I thought Rafter would've been a better choice for his coach.

Bernard Tomic: "“I’ve had a slippery slope the last year, it’s changing me and I’ll prove I’m going to be the best-ever player one day to play this game.”

I like his belief, he doesn't lack it. Go Bernie give it you best shot

Interesting pieces of news there NITB.

Yes strange about Monfils....but expected as he certainly has no focus on the court.

Regarding coaching Tsonga, it's a tough job whoever it's going to be. Tsonga also misses that key focus when it matters, key concentration and determination. If I were him I woudl just practice a lot more the BH.....that's a shot he can improve and when he builds confidence on his BH, then he will be in a better position to pick his aggressive/risky shots.

Don't like Tomic...so will pass on this one.

On deciding set tie-breaks: I am not a big fan of a deciding set tie-break, but I am more and more leaning towards favoring it, except in the final. Even for the slams. At the end of the day, once you are at 6:6 in the fifth, you have to accept that luck will play part in who wins whether or not you play tie-break. And very long fifth sets do ruin matches in the following round.

On Tsonga: Agree with Tenez that he needs to work on his backhand, but also with Rasheed that he needs to pick his spots more carefully. It is not possible to play recklessly at the highest level - certainly not these days but not really even in the past (unless maybe in the very distant past that I do not remember).

On Tomic: LOL

Now that Federer has left IMG and the only big names left are Nadal and Sharapova IMG is for sale!
It will be interesting to see if and how it affects Dubai and Miami...

"Variety reports
that IMG, which manages sports events, represents athletes, and sells
licensing and broadcast rights, is being prepared to be sold by Goldman
Sachs in a deal that could fetch as much as $2 billion.

Forstmann Little acquired IMG in 2004 for around $700 million shortly
after the death of IMG founder Mark McCormack. IMG has been a critical
player in tennis since it was founded; among other things, it currently
represents Rafael Nadal and Maria Sharapova, runs the Sony Open in
Miami, and negotiates broadcast rights for Wimbledon and the WTA.

There have been rumors that the company would be sold since the death
of Ted Forstmann in November 2011, who was a big tennis fan and grew
close to Roger Federer. Federer and his agent, Tony Godsick, left IMG
when their contracts ran out last June.

An IMG spokesman denied that the company is for sale."

Fans break down in tears when meeting Federer

"In an interview with Tages Anzeiger,Roger Federer discusses how overwhelmed certain Brazilian fans have been when meeting him on his current exhibition tour of the country.

“I met more fans that collapsed in tears than elsewhere,” he said. “It was amazing how many were shaking, had great joy and began to cry, so I take to practically take them in my arms and had to say: ‘It’s okay, it’s okay.’ I’m sure they are glad to see me, it’s probably a certain euphoria…I have to constantly remind myself again about where I come
from, and tell myself who I am. I also like the normal life still - backto reality, family, friends, just quiet, please. And then, sure, sometimes I dip into the other incredible life I have.”


awwwww....

That's it now, he's got to be playing in Rio in 2016

And a few more bits and bobs:

Mouratgolou on Ferrer:

"He seems to have some kind of complex when he faces the Big Four players- he had nine defeats in 10 matches in 2012,yet, he has within himself the capacity to do better. Firstly, on a mental level, I think he just needs to click. Every year, he is never very far off. In 2012, he nearly embarrassed Nadal on clay, most notablyin the Barcelona final. But he could not win the points that would haveturned the match in his favor. You get the impression that he has a
little too much respect for these players. Perhaps this season he might have come to realize this and 2013 will be his season."

I say - no way Jose!

Federer on Del Potro & being a coach:

"He is already among the best, now he just has to train hard and stay onthe same path, he was No. 4, he’s now 7, but he could be No. 1. Sometimes the difference is in the small details.”

Federer also told La Nation that in 20 years, he may still be involved in tennis and that he “could be a coach, but I do not know. I’ll see what the situation with my daughters and my wife is. I still like to travel, but also enjoy being at home. I’m so happy.”

Federer coaching someone and sitting in the crowd....now that's a novel concept!

Tennis goes to Columbia:

"The ATP Board of Directors has approved the sale of the Los Angeles tournament to a group in Bogota, Colombia. The new tournament will be staged at the Centro de Alto Rendimiento, the same locale that hosted an ATP event from1997-2002. The Bogota tournament will take place on outdoor hard courts from July 15-21, 2013. Consequently, the tournament in Atlanta will take place a week later, July 22-28."

I don't know why, but I feel a bit uncomfortable about tennis being stretched out to all corners of the earth like this...I mean, I'm happy tennis is getting more and more popular, but it feels it's losing something this way, too.

I knew behind all that exciting tennis there had to be a cheeky spirit hidden somewhere, and I was not wrong. Absolutely love it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=cHbAX5JJBhY

In case anyone was interested in the less talented Belgian "sister":

"ANTWERP, Belgium -- Former No. 1 Kim Clijsters ended her career with a
6-3, 6-3 victory over Venus Williams in a ceremonial farewell match in
Belgium.

Clijsters retired after the U.S. Open but organized a match to thank
her fans, 13,000 of whom turned up at Antwerp Sports Palace, including
Crown Prince Phillipe and Princess Mathilde.

In the lighthearted encounter, Clijsters was destined to win but still
wowed the crowd with the play that made her famous before injuries added
to her retirement at 29.

Clijsters beat Williams on the way to her last two U.S. Open titles, in
2009 and 2010, and she held a 7-6 edge over the American on the WTA
Tour. She also won at Flushing Meadow in 2005 and earned the 2011
Australian Open crown."

US final already moved for Monday next year. Seems Super Saturday is set in stone & untouchable:

"The U.S. Open tennis tournament is moving the women's final to Sunday and men's final to Monday in 2013, building in a day of rest ahead of each title match for the first time.The U.S. Tennis Association, which runs the Grand Slam event played in New York, is announcing the changes Friday - but only for next year.

USTA spokesman Chris Widmaier tells The Associated Press a decision about 2014 probably will come after the 2013 tournament.

The moves end the tradition of "Super Saturday,'' when both men's semifinals and the women's final all were on the schedule. The USTA is scrapping its Saturday night session in 2013.

Rain forced the USTA to postpone the men's final from its scheduled Sunday slot to Monday the last five years."

After a lot of talk of moving French Open out of Roland Garros in the last couple of years, it seems that it's not going anywhere, and that a renovating, modernising and expanding programme is on the cards, delayed, of course.

"A project for Roland Garros expansion has been pushed back a year, French Tennis Federation president Jean Gachassin told France’s Tennis magazine.

The cost of the project, which will expand the tournament’s footprint from 21 acres to 30.8 acres, has climbed to 340 million euros from 273 million euros. Lights and a roof will be installed over the Philippe Chatrier court and another show court, among other improvements."

So, one day there will be a roof to play under and the final will be played like a proper match, in one day, best of 5, not two separate mini matches in two days like it was the case this year....ah well...

Players speak out about changes announced regarding US Open Monday Final & an the prize money increase for earlier rounds:

Murray: "I’m pleased that the USTA has modified the U.S. Open schedule to
include a day of rest between the semi-finals and final. Together with the prize money
increase, it’s good that they’ve taken on board the players’ concerns.”

Strakhovski: was not thrilled with the schedule changes, tweeting, “Very nice of
#USTA to make a Monday final without talking to players....it’s gonna be
a good one next year" and added that he disagrees with
holding the first round over three days.


Strakh makes a very good point about first round being played over three days and then squeezing premium matches in two days. Plain ridiculous!

Obviously no changes have been made to providing covers for the courts in order to reduce and minimise play interruption.

All the changes are cosmetic and won't make any difference to anyone.

Well it's a goo move to have provided a day of rest between SF and F....but how strange to make it a Monday?

WTF in London have made the final to be played on Monday, as well.
Personally, it doesn't bother me, so long as the finalists have enough rest for the final and it's played on the same day, not split like this year's RG

Despite pre Christmas time the tennis is still actual in Czech. Since tomorrow we have extraliga finals on the programme. Here is a list with some players who play in this:

Thanks for the update, Paul!
I didn't have a clue all this tennis is going on behind the scenes, virtually everyone is playing somewhere: Nole in charity events & tropical islands, Fed, Delpo, Tsonga, Serena Wozniacki, Sharapova in Rio, Nadal in his dreams , and all these other people in CZ, fantastic!
Guess what, I met two "Czecholslovakian"girls in SAUNA!!! in my gym last week, one is from Slovakia and one from Czech, and apparently they were talking in a "mixed" language so they could both understand each other
The Czech one was very proud and impressed with my knowledge of Czech players and this year's success.

Yes, that would be very interesting to see Rosol vs Berdych, please pot the TV link if you find one or at least tell us the score!

I keep thinking about the Nadal Rosol match often, and am still so impressed with how Rosol played esp in the 5th set. He really was on a mission.
Do media there still ask him about it, or is it already forgotten?

noleisthebest wrote:Thanks for the update, Paul!
I didn't have a clue all this tennis is going on behind the scenes, virtually everyone is playing somewhere: Nole in charity events & tropical islands, Fed, Delpo, Tsonga, Serena Wozniacki, Sharapova in Rio, Nadal in his dreams , and all these other people in CZ, fantastic!
Guess what, I met two "Czecholslovakian"girls in SAUNA!!! in my gym last week, one is from Slovakia and one from Czech, and apparently they were talking in a "mixed" language so they could both understand each other
The Czech one was very proud and impressed with my knowledge of Czech players and this year's success.

Yes, that would be very interesting to see Rosol vs Berdych, please pot the TV link if you find one or at least tell us the score!

I keep thinking about the Nadal Rosol match often, and am still so impressed with how Rosol played esp in the 5th set. He really was on a mission.
Do media there still ask him about it, or is it already forgotten?

Hi Nitb, good to hear that Czech girls know the tennis stuff, but surely they do not have the knowledge as you have Czech and Slovak language is quite similar, you can understand 99,9% easily.

Czech tennis lives from Davis and Fed cups wins this year, so great Lukas´s win in Wimby is not big topic these days. Czech tennis association will give this year tennis awards to players on 21st December, so Berd with Stepanek will take everything for men for sure. Lukas should take something as an award for a big surprise of the year at least I would give him this award

Lukas Rosol is a player who can win big matches. He still needs to improve his concentration and game variaty. His game is always aggressive, a kind of Safin, but also too readable and not consistent.

I will check if the matches will be on tv somewhere, I rather think in a regional tv, but my perceptions will be definitely put here.

Yesterday there was a talk show on tv with Berd and Stepanek. both are heros for the end of this year. One insteristing thing was said by Stepanek. When he serves he chooses one ball which is less fluffy for the first serve and for the second the fluffiest ball

I can just imagine the super celebrity status they now have...how did CZ do at the Olympics?

Are tennis players best athletes there this year despite not winning any medals (except women's' doubles, silver)
And I can imagine the kind of stuff Stepanek invents now just to be funny and enjoy the limelight, incl the fluffy ball

Paul - I loved Rosol's performance at Wimbledon. That goes without saying really...but I think there were some circumstancial parameters that helped him win this big match and I doubt that he will be improvong much more in the future.

Essentially his raw power on grass versus someone who cannot take the ball early was what really helped Rosol. Nadal needs to have the ball slow down past the baseline to be able to time it confidently with a huge topspin and Rosol never gave him that comfort.

But against most other players who usually have enough talent to block back the kind of shots Rosol can pull, he may find it harder to make an impact on the tour.

noleisthebest wrote:I can just imagine the super celebrity status they now have...how did CZ do at the Olympics?

Are tennis players best athletes there this year despite not winning any medals (except women's' doubles, silver)
And I can imagine the kind of stuff Stepanek invents now just to be funny and enjoy the limelight, incl the fluffy ball

Stepanek enjoys the limelight very much and yesterday he showed how inventive he is. He was wearing a shirt with Rambo cameo

Czechs did well at OG. We had 4 gold winners: Knapkova - rowing. Spotakova - spear, Kulhavy - mountain biking, Svoboda - pentathlon. The award for the best sport team will be given the DC team for sure. FC women have a bad luck, they won Fed Cup for a second time in a row, so it is not as precious as winning DC after 32 years.

That's great!
Stepanek in a Rambo T-shirt! , he is a born comedian, he should be interviewed more, you never get to hear his press conferences as he is not a top 5 player, but I wish he was just to listen to the crazy stuff I'm sure he'd come up with.

I wonder how DC win will affect Berdych as he has already matured a lot in the last year, if he played with more confidence and purpose he could cause more trouble at the top, but he seems to be happy where he is, just not hungry enough.

He doesn't think "big"

Tenez wrote:Paul - I loved Rosol's performance at Wimbledon. That goes without saying really...but I think there were some circumstancial parameters that helped him win this big match and I doubt that he will be improvong much more in the future.

Essentially his raw power on grass versus someone who cannot take the ball early was what really helped Rosol. Nadal needs to have the ball slow down past the baseline to be able to time it confidently with a huge topspin and Rosol never gave him that comfort.

But against most other players who usually have enough talent to block back the kind of shots Rosol can pull, he may find it harder to make an impact on the tour.

Yes Ten, that is the case with Nadal. Rosol is a player who is able to win big matches when he plays in trance. When huge serves and great base strokes click together his game has a top parametres. Otherwise he is 27 and quite tall 196 cm, so his potential for a big move on ranking is limited. His biggest problem is mindset and focus on the game though. If he had it, he could be around 30 on ranking. But the player´s head makes a difference to a large extent as we know.

paulcz wrote: But the player´s head makes a difference to a large extent as we know.

With such a game of course the head has a huge importance...cause every shot is a make or break kind of shot.....so in fact I think "form of the day" is probably as big a factor.

Federer seems to be having a whale a of a time in South America,nice to see how
he has embraced their culture and how the fans down there have embraced him

No surprise from the match between Lukas Rosol and Ivo Minar, both members of Czech DC team. Rosol is a typical example of a player who struggles with concentration and game focus, just the mental case, which is pity. With the support of home crowd he finally won, so I could see the flashes of his demolishing attacking game. He seems to really play only when a challenge is the gigantic, otherwise his miss/hit tennis is rather the first case.
I love this small indoor events, when you are close to players, you can see and hear everything. After the match Rosol sit with with his girlfriend just a row above me, so we could greet him and wish him the best for the day. I was going to ask him about his opinion on morybundus disease, but he soon left for coffee with his blond squaw. Maybe next time on Tuesday is a chance to learn something

Thanks for the news, Paul, always great to hear right from the heart of action.
I'm sure Minar is a nice guy, but I'm glad Rosol won and that the crowd carried him to victory.
I watched him closely after Wimbledon, he played on some smaller clay tournaments during summer, and did not play badly.
He lost a tight match against Phau, who played really well in Munich, I think he got to the final or semi-final.
With Rosol, I think he lacks self-belief and gives up on himself easily. But I like the way he plays with so much heart and fire.
On that day against Nadal, in Centre Court, with that crowd, he had nowhere to go, he couldn't stop and that electric atmosphere completely consumed him and he played like in a trance. It must have felt absolutely brilliant, and he must be remembering that match every day.

I think his focus suffers because he appears a bit impatient - for a 27 year old he should have learnt that lesson better by now.

Nice that he has a squaw he can take to his wigwam, I hope this time it's the right one for him, see what difference it made for Berd!

And if you see him on Tuesday, just say that NITB has sent you on a morybundus mission, and you'll be fine.

I hope he plays at Wimbledon next year, and that I get to see him live even on a smallest court, I would love to congratulate him on his epic win over Nadal!

Interesting dig from Stan:

"StanislasWawrinka tells sport.ch that while he understands his compatriot Roger Federer’s decision not to play Switzerland’s 2013 first-round Davis Cup tie against the Czech Republic, he is disappointed.

The 31-year-old Federer recently said that if he chose to play Davis Cup next year, he would have to drop more tournaments from his schedule.He will already be skipping the Masters tournament in Miami, which begins in mid-March.

“Roger has been saying for years that he wants toplay the Davis Cup and it is important, but that’s apparently not the
case,” Wawrinka said.

“It’s a shame how he interprets things to suit his own opinion. Davis Cup is not a priority for him at the moment.”

I don't understand Stan's need for this. Esp after Fed "carried him" to that Olympic gold 4 years ago...

More sad news on Monf:

"There is concern in France about the playing future of former world No. 7Gael Monfils, who has struggled with knee injuries in 2012 and has seen his ranking drop to No. 77.

L’Equipe reported that it is unclear whether Monfils will return to play at the Australian Open, although his agent denies that.
The 26-year-old Frenchman is said to have been unreachable for several days. He recently split with his coach, Patrick Chamagne, as well as with his physiotherapist.
Chamagne said Monfils is tired of gossip and currently, “he is hiding but I would not be surprised if it was a return to hell.”
Monfils’ agent, Nicolas Lemperin, countered that Monfils is not depressed and is having a normal off-season.“I speak to him three or four times a day,” Lemperin said. “We just bought tickets to the Australian Open.”Former Top 10 player Henri Leconte recently said that Monfils “is completely lost.”
Leconte then told RTL.frthat: “When you’re hurt so long, you can quickly go into depression. But it is the turning point in his life.He gives the impression of a wounded animal. Beware if the beast awakes... “
Lionel Roux, who is a coach for the French Davis Cup team, said that the phone number he has for Monfils is down."

It's such a great shame that he is struggling with his situation. Obviously feels alone. Contrast his knee injury to Nadal's.
I hope he finds strength to get out of that hole.

noleisthebest wrote:Interesting dig from Stan:

"StanislasWawrinka tells sport.ch that while he understands his compatriot Roger Federer’s decision not to play Switzerland’s 2013 first-round Davis Cup tie against the Czech Republic, he is disappointed.

The 31-year-old Federer recently said that if he chose to play Davis Cup next year, he would have to drop more tournaments from his schedule.He will already be skipping the Masters tournament in Miami, which begins in mid-March.

“Roger has been saying for years that he wants toplay the Davis Cup and it is important, but that’s apparently not the
case,” Wawrinka said.

“It’s a shame how he interprets things to suit his own opinion. Davis Cup is not a priority for him at the moment.”

I don't understand Stan's need for this. Esp after Fed "carried him" to that Olympic gold 4 years ago...

Federer is not going to like that but STan has a point....But Fed is entitled to play or not. I woudl blame the ATP for not providing stricter rules to tournaments about pace conditions. PLaying a match nowadays is simply too exhausting. Bring back pacy conds and talent into it and I am sure Fed will find the time to play more.

Well the main thing is that Fed is payng tax to his country. Just like Andy Murray.

noleisthebest wrote:Well the main thing is that Fed is payng tax to his country. Just like Andy Murray.

Oh.. nitb. Paying tax is a different thing and being 31+ and playing for DC is a different thing. And he has chosen to pay tax during his best earning years.

Wawrinka may be upset about Fed not playing DC in 2013, but its expecting too much. Fed doesn't have a lot of years left in his. The physical demands of the tour aren't getting any lesser, in fact growing by the year.

I also think Fed doesn't feel very confident about Wawrinka's temperament in Big matches. So anyways he alone can't do much. I saw their doubles match and how poorly Wawrinka played in the R2 loss in the olympics.

I have never judged players based on their DC performances.
It' s an entirely a player's choice what he/she wants to do about t.
Great if they want to play but compleately no problem if they don't.
Schedule unfrtunately does not make life easy for players who want to participate.
DC could be actually played at the end or beggining of a season like a round robin tournament, stg like at the Olympics. It would lose the home crowd element but it would be fair to all in more than one way.

ATP opposes USO Monday final move. Interesting, esp knowing that WTF (ATP run) moved the final for Monday as well.

"LONDON (AP) The ATP opposes the U.S. Open's switch to a Monday final in 2013 and is not satisfied with the prize money increase for the tournament.

The governing body of men's tennis says "The ATP and its players have made it clear to the U.S. Open that we do not support a Monday final.''

The U.S. Tennis Association announced last Friday that the women's final would be moved to Sunday and the men's final to Monday next year.

The ATP says Monday "We strongly believe the U.S. Open should keep a similar schedule to the other Grand Slams, with the men's semifinals completed by Friday and the final on Sunday.''

The ATP adds ``it is unfortunate the U.S. Open response did not reflect our views on this issue and the ATP and its players will continue to pursue this matter in its discussions with the USTA.''

I just don't know why USO organisers don't reshuffle week one and stop wasting time with stretching round one over THREE days.

sphairistike wrote:Was this match in Brazil where Bellucci is the local boy? Not surprising he lost then. He'll beat Tsonga at least once but both times I'm not sure. He'll also most likely beat Haas as he lost to him in Halle so he'll seek revenge. Versus Del Po there are two matches and Del Po is the local boy in Argentina so Fed will have to lose one, I don't see him lose both tho, so I'd say 1-1, almost surely (unless Del Po is on a tear).

I'm glad I was right about the match results (even though they do not count) as they make sense from a marketing point of view. He managed to beat Tsonga twice but the latter was a bit more resilient the second time around. First match vs. Del Po was not as nice as second, not just because of result but also as Del Po seemed too serious (he still needed three sets to beat Fed). About the second match, please enjoy the following!

Fed double Tweener

How cool was this from Fed !

"Bild reports that Roger Federer’s surprise appearance at the Swiss Sports Awards stole the show. Federer flew in from Colombia as he was returning from an exhibition tour. The newspaper also reported that immediately after the show, he flew in a private jet to Dubai to join his wife Mirka and his twin girls, disappointing some other athletes who wanted a little face time with him.

“I wanted to get my sister an autograph, unfortunately, but Roger was already on the way to the airport. What a pity,” said ice skater Sarah Meier.

Triathlon champion Nicola Spirig said she chased Federer after the show“because I really wanted a joint picture with my husband Reto, but Federer was already gone.”


I just don't get why all these Swiss athletes didn't take photos with him at the Olympics if they were that desperate...

noleisthebest wrote:I think he lacks self-belief and gives up on himself easily. But I like the way he plays with so much heart and fire.
On that day against Nadal, in Centre Court, with that crowd, he had nowhere to go, he couldn't stop and that electric atmosphere completely consumed him and he played like in a trance. It must have felt absolutely brilliant, and he must be remembering that match every day.

I think his focus suffers because he appears a bit impatient - for a 27 year old he should have learnt that lesson better by now.

Nice that he has a squaw he can take to his wigwam, I hope this time it's the right one for him, see what difference it made for Berd!

And if you see him on Tuesday, just say that NITB has sent you on a morybundus mission, and you'll be fine.

I hope he plays at Wimbledon next year, and that I get to see him live even on a smallest court, I would love to congratulate him on his epic win over Nadal!

Nitb, absolutely. Rosol is a kind of impatient player, who really lacks focus on the game, just as happy go lucky approach. There is hardly any help from his coach, only way is to work with psychologist (not sure whether this can help him). In my opinion he does not give tennis too much, it just goes with him. Sometimes good on another day worse and what. Today I was sitting next to him couple of hours and could watch his reactions and his comments, he is carefree man, either/or at everything. From that came his win with Nadal, he can do when everything clicks in his way.

Some perceptions from today extraleague final matches. I was sitting 2meters behind a player/coach bend, so I could hear many advices from Dominik Hrbaty who adviced Igor Sijsling (NED), quite close to Rosol and other players, so quite interisting. You always need to change something when you are down. But on the painted concrete you need serve and serve well. Even on such a fast surface you need to play a very deep/precise ball to the line in order to play easier volleys. Serve, serve, serve again! Like at old times. 2/3 aces in a row, nothing special. I saw the match between Istomin and Becker and was quite surprised how Denis Istomin is a good player. Very consistent, pretty good ball feelling, cool head, really nice hitting (TOP20) and very good serve. He won deservedly, his 1st % was 87%, he could not lose the match. I could also admire Sijsling SHBH, but the pace of this fast surface is a hitch to hit it well. Nowadays hitting is much heavier and much higher pacy balls do not give a high chance to win SH against DH. But that was really nice to watch, just a pleasure to watch.

The question for today was is the concrete a surface for a big tourneys? I would say rather not. But Fed would appreciate it a lot for sure

Thanks for the update, Paul.
Did you get to talk to Rosol at all?

Interesting to hear all those comments coaches give, but, then they are meant and paid to say something, sand it's hard to say things when there's nothing to say.

I often think a word of encouragement and belief in your player goes a long way and it is often overlooked. If a player senses you have lost belief in him, he'll lose belief as well and that's the end esp on fast courts where things happen and change in one game.

I also like Istomin quite a lot, he is a nice, complete player and is very good on grass, old school, not a modern base-line basher.

Maybe a bit behind the times but lovely game. He could probably benefit from improving his fitness, just like Tsonga, but for a different reason.

Is that mini-league tournament now finished or are there any more Christmas surprirses?

Anyone for Lindt?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfWCEC6auqI

noleisthebest wrote:Thanks for the update, Paul.
Did you get to talk to Rosol at all?

Interesting to hear all those comments coaches give, but, then they are meant and paid to say something, sand it's hard to say things when there's nothing to say.

I often think a word of encouragement and belief in your player goes a long way and it is often overlooked. If a player senses you have lost belief in him, he'll lose belief as well and that's the end esp on fast courts where things happen and change in one game.

I also like Istomin quite a lot, he is a nice, complete player and is very good on grass, old school, not a modern base-line basher.

Maybe a bit behind the times but lovely game. He could probably benefit from improving his fitness, just like Tsonga, but for a different reason.

Is that mini-league tournament now finished or are there any more Christmas surprirses?

Nitb, exactly. The coach should give you confidence and belief in the first place. Then he should mainly advice an oponent´s weakness, where to play, what pace, which game pattern. I heard a post-match discussion or rather brushing when Voracova lost her match with her oponent. She lost a match in tie-break but was not worse player. She lost the match by the same pattern of serving. She did not serve on body´s oponent the whole match although her serve was pretty good. Her first serve was the same as the second so that her oponent just got used to it pretty well.

I only asked Rosol about tomorrow final match of this year extra league, what game schedule will be and if all matches will be played even when the match is already decided. Rosol will play with somebody from Berdych, Seppi, Mayer at host place and he commented his team´s chance in his usual way like "there is no chance for his team to win it". That is right because tomorrow oponents women are Kvitova and Radwanska, so no chance to get one from 3 matches as to women. This final of Czech tennis extra league is more or less as a session for players to be ready for next season, so it is played in a good atmosphere where you can meet all players on the court, coaches, just a nice session.

Berdych lost his today´s match with Stebe, who I do not know and Kvitova lost with Zahlavova, so that two best Czech players lost their matches.

Re Denis Istomin, absolutely agree. Complete player and really nice character. Shot making ability at the top level. If he could be faster on return (not sure about his stamina), he can play with everybody on the circuit.

When you see players playing on the concrete from short distance, then you get aware that stamina does not play any role in it. The longest rallies were about 15 shots and it was twice per whole match. If a player on his day is able to serve brilliantly then a surprise comes. No wonder that Ivanisevic could win Wimbledon nearly from nothing.

noleisthebest wrote:Anyone for Lindt?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfWCEC6auqI

Wow!! what an ad!! Luvs it!!

paulcz wrote:
When you see players playing on the concrete from short distance, then you get aware that stamina does not play any role in it. The longest rallies were about 15 shots and it was twice per whole match. If a player on his day is able to serve brilliantly then a surprise comes. No wonder that Ivanisevic could win Wimbledon nearly from nothing.

I think Tenez is going to love this observation....and I agree, courts have to be reverted to proper playing conditions, they are pros not amateurs that need time to get to the ball, they breathe tennis all their life, so should be able to play on the fastest surfaces with ease.
This dumbing down of tennis has to stop and tennis has to go back into all-court game, otherwise it's not going to be tennis in 10 years any more.

More news from around the tennis world, and no surprise the first one's on "money", players should not moan about Slams and prize money but their boss ATP:

• "Former Top 10 player Wayne Ferreira tells Tennis News Brazil that players should not focus their energy on fighting the Grand Slams for a bigger share of the prize money pool, but should go after their own association, the ATP, instead.
  

“Do not boycott the Grand Slams,” said Ferreira, who was once a leader of a (now failed) breakaway players' union in 2003. “You must boycott the ATP since its prize money has not grow for years while the Slams grow every year. When I stopped, a [Grand Slam] champion won $800,000-$900,000, and now he earns $2 million. The first round was paying $10,000; today, $25,000-$30,000. The amount of money the ATP 500 and 250s and Masters 1000’s pay are basically the same.”

Ferreira, who owns the modern-day record for the most consecutive Grand Slams singles tournaments played with 56, believes that Roger Federer, who currently is at 52, will pass him.

“No way I can cheer against Federer in order to to keep my record,” Ferreira said. “Federer will surely pass me, I have no doubt he should play for at least another four years. I like Federer and I want him to pass me.”

• Next bit of news is about how fast Andy Murray is, yes he is as fast as Usain Bolt, and that's according to that bald pump-fisting guy gracing Our Tennis Forum photo:
  

"Andy Murray’s fitness coach, Jez Green, tells the Daily Record that the U.S. Open champion has world-class speed.

“Andy is a phenomenal athlete,” Green said. “His time over short distances is the equivalent to 10 meters a second. He can move as fast as Usain Bolt over the first two or three seconds when he responds to a short ball on court. … The amount of strength Andy has in his legs is incredible. I reckon he is capable of running a sub-50 second 400m on the track.”

• An interesting and informative read from tennis.com about Super Saturday (how it all started etc) http://www.tennis.com/news/2012/12/theres-no-monday/45710/#.UND8JLal3go "There was another, less publicized complaint about Super Saturday, and it led to one of the more valid if amusing work stoppages in tennis. In
  1987, Stefan Edberg and Mats Wilander were scheduled to kick off Super Saturday with a 10 a.m. semifinal—you wouldn’t want a couple of mild-mannered, clog-wearing, ABBA-loving Swedes wrecking the big Connors vs. Lendl show, would you?
  
  Well, knowing that the stadium is almost entirely empty at 10 a.m., and thus an insult to the very idea of a Grand Slam semifinal, the Swedes decided to stall. Edberg refused to leave the locker room, while tournament referee Gayle Bradshaw had to go smoke out Wilander in the men’s room and plead for the pair to go on. Being good soldiers, they
  did (Wilander would win the match, but lose the final to Lendl)."
  

• And the last one on Nadal.....he is not coming back till next Christmas ...just kiddin'
  

As expected the best Czech sport team in 2012 is Davis cup team: Berd, Stepanek, Rosol and Minar.

Berd is going to focus on GS and he feels he has a chance to get it. If he does not get Nole or resuscitated Morybundus, he has a real chance to play SF or final again. He is definitely at his peak, so that two years time for doing it.

I am very curious about AO. And it starts in less than a month

Some very hot news tonight!

1) Djokovic signs the deal with IGM and replaces Federer as their big name

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-12-21/djokovic-hires-img-to-manage-tennis-career-after-leaving-caa.html

2) Ivan Ljubicic returns to tennis and becomes a coach to a talented Serbian pretty Nike boy Filip Krajinovic

http://www.croatiaweek.com/ivan-ljubicic-back-in-tennis-as-coach-of-rising-serb-star/

3) US Open recent Monday scheduling decision, may yet be changed again

http://www.tennis.com/news/2012/12/monday-night-maneuvers/45733/#.UNScfLal3go


4) Nadal is still worried about his knee

"Rafael Nadal is wary about his return to tennis after a seven-month layoff and believes it may be some time before his injured knee is fully healed.

Nadal told Canal Plus television Friday he's "prepared to accept" that his knee "may not respond well at the beginning." (i.e. he's already got the excuse for losing ready)

The 26-year-old Spaniard is set to play in Abu Dhabi on Dec. 27. He has considered playing off and on during the first three months of 2013. Nadal says his goal is to be back in top form for Monte Carlo in April."

Nadal talking to Canal plus? Well clearly he doesn't hold grudges against the company that made him look like the biggest doper.

Didn't he say he couldn't get his hands on the trophy just recently?
Now he's nervous. I can't keep up with all the inconsistent nadal news.

But I'm very curious to see how he'll fare on the 27th. Thank god I'm not a nadal fan. I'm enjoying the suspense.

Federer isnt represented by IMG anymore right? I believe the rumour is he is joining his manager in created their own agency

LOL @ Tenez's comment...I was wondering the exact same thing ??!!

Now that Djoko signs with IMG, he will get a nike contract, get to play on centre court and choose who he plays.