ATP 1000: Madrid

noleisthebest wrote:Nadal looks so pumped in that match, he must have been on some serious dope to be hitting forehand like that in the 5th set, and yes it was in 2005 when doping was legal in Spain

Exactly....though he looks as fit nowadays as he ever was...cause legal or not legal they are a good step ahead.

noleisthebest wrote:What do you think about Nadal playing Fed in the semi in Madrid?

I'd agree with LS. This is a better opportunity for Fed but essentially due to the shorter B03 format. The court has lost of bad bounces and that helps Nadal quite a bit.

Tenez wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:What do you think about Nadal playing Fed in the semi in Madrid?

I'd agree with LS. This is a better opportunity for Fed but essentially due to the shorter B03 format. The court has lost of bad bounces and that helps Nadal quite a bit.

This year the I'm seeing too many bad bounces, more than ever I must say. I don't know how is this year's court any better than last year's blue color which drew wrath to the extent of threatening from 2 players.

Robrado-haas is looking like a 4m behind the baseline slugfest. Not much enjoyable when every point is about same a the earlier.

Paire Nadal starting.

It's Paire's birthday today , go Benoit, shut that ugly crowd up!

It is so exciting to watch Paire play, his tennis is so instinctive!!!!

Tenez wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:Nadal looks so pumped in that match, he must have been on some serious dope to be hitting forehand like that in the 5th set, and yes it was in 2005 when doping was legal in Spain

Exactly....though he looks as fit nowadays as he ever was...cause legal or not legal they are a good step ahead.

You're right. Watching him now against Paire sprint and bounce, it's Nadal who looks 20 and Paire 50.

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:

Tenez wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:What do you think about Nadal playing Fed in the semi in Madrid?

I'd agree with LS. This is a better opportunity for Fed but essentially due to the shorter B03 format. The court has lost of bad bounces and that helps Nadal quite a bit.

This year the I'm seeing too many bad bounces, more than ever I must say. I don't know how is this year's court any better than last year's blue color which drew wrath to the extent of threatening from 2 players.

Yes....agreed. However they are slipping as much as last year (besides Dimi that is). Yesterday there was amazing retrieving demo from Djoko. And it is what those beep beep care about.

Very funny from Sky commentators. Nadal gets a time violation and teh commentators say that referee clearly doesn't "want" to stay in Madrid over the weekend.

And this confirms, albeit in an humoristic way, that referees are under heavy pressure from tournament directors not to apply the rules.

The crowd wisthling at every occasions...including nice shots from Praire.

Cowan is so right about the time violation....Castle is the worst commentator I have ever heard.

Completely useless. He sells top players like he'd sell ties in Oxford street: "Oh, wonderful, Oh marvelous...this is why he has x slams and TMS,..." all that non sense.

Commentators are giving so little credit to the wonderful tennis Paire is playing.
Yet, they can't drool enough over the absolute crap that comes from Murray's/Nadal's racquet.

And the lowlife just vamoses Paire's UE earning a BP...how little is he....in his humbleness....and how thick are those that buy it....

Wonderful match & tennis from Paire; life is much bigger than clocking on Ws at any cost and Benoit knows it.

Beauty will save the world! (or at least make it a bit more bearable)

I saw some of that first set. It was pretty close actually. I find Nadal being quite a bully nowadays on court. Arguing against time warning, questionning all clos line calls, fist pumping to stir the crowd even more.

Someone stop him!

Tenez wrote:I saw some of that first set. It was pretty close actually. I find Nadal being quite a bully nowadays on court. Arguing against time warning, questionning all clos line calls, fist pumping to stir the crowd even more.

Someone stop him!

Any suggestions?

Nadal has always been a bully.
Imagine what goes behind closed doors if he carries on like that in public....Probably has a high level of delusion of distorted self-importance and grandness from the daily worship he gets from all those dithering fans

There was a child once who dared tell the world the Emperor was naked, though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plbomcLe1rI

Tsonga beats Haase in two tie-break sets, that must've been a tight match!

Anderson manages to turn the match around and beat Monaco in 3.
Haas beat Robredo in straights.

Ferrer-Istomin starting, anyone?

Thought not.... (btw, what horrid draw for Ferru, one would've thought the was a local!)

On the other hand, Dr Misha managed to scramble out of the losing position in the first set against Almagro and win in the tie-break, this could be interesting, I'll have a quick look.

I thought Djoko had a pretty tough Draw...

Tenez wrote:I thought Djoko had a pretty tough Draw...

They couldn't've made it harder if they tried.

Order of play out for tomorrow:

2.15 UK time

Nadal-Youzhny/Almagro
Federer-Nishkori
Murray-Simon
Andersen-Berdych
Verdasco-Tsonga
Dimitrov-Wawrinka/Giraldo
Haas-Ferrer
Taver-Anduhar

And NO NOLE

So Dr Misha beat Almagro !!!!

And Stan seems to be in the process of sending Giraldo packing
Stan-Dimitrov will have to be match of the day tomorrow

and it will be played on the second best court.....

They made sure Alma and Youzhny had a late match while Nadal was resting. It's a bit like in a corrida, the picador on his horse does blunt the bull to make it more manageable for the bullfighter.

Tenez wrote:They made sure Alma and Youzhny had a late match while Nadal was resting. It's a bit like in a corrida, the picador on his horse does blunt the bull to make it more manageable for the bullfighter.

I haven't thought of that, but it's really depressing....This has got to be one of the worst and most obvious recent examples of Nadal being mollycoddled and getting ridiculous preferential treatment.

I am exercising tons of self-constraint not to say what I really think .

Well it is a kind of normal. They 'd do the same in Switzerland and Serbia for their respective players.

France on the other hand woudl make things difficult for Gasquet.

Tenez wrote:Well it is a kind of normal. They 'd do the same in Switzerland and Serbia for their respective players.

France on the other hand woudl make things difficult for Gasquet.

You're wrong. During Serbian Open, top 3 Serbian players (Nole, Tipsarevic and Troicki) who were all in top 30 at the time I think were all in the same half of the draw, leaving the other, foreign players with generally lower ranking have a virtual cakewalk draw and a jolly.
That was when Tipsarevic gave Novak a walkover. Had he not done it, Nole would have borken Mac's winning streak before that match with Federer at FO semi in 2011.
Which is why Troicki and Tisparevic refused to play there last year. Which is why the tournament probably died as it was financially not viable.
See, it costs to be honest and it's not only the French that "stuff" their own players.

Roger, Tommy

I am a bit conflicted on the Stan-Grigor match. On one hand I would really like to see Grigor get a really good result here (SF?, or even final?). On the other hand, I think at this stage it may be unrealistic to expect that and Stan may have a better chance to go deep. Also, I really like Stan's game when he is playing well. So, in summary, I will be happy with whoever wins here.

EXACTLY!!!!
Why do they have to be put against each other so soon! I would fancy both to do well here

Stan has certainy the better BH but the FH is more open to discussion.

I will certainly very interestingly look at it. I can say I have little preference there...maybe Dimi to speed up his arrival to the top.

luvsports! wrote:EXACTLY!!!!
Why do they have to be put against each other so soon! I would fancy both to do well here

Because the Dopelanders wanted their Dope Hero to win their home tournament.

Nishikori serving for the set vs feds

feds out

Fed is out and it is kinda sad indeed

What is weird do me though, is his stats are so much more superior to Nishikori, it almost does not make sense!?

Fed has a better 1st serve points won for a slightly worse 1st serve percentage. He has an excellent 2nd serve points won against a below 50% one. UE both are around 30 but Fed was also around 30 winners for Kei's 17... Is it all because he could not save the BPs and convert the ones he had?

sphairistike wrote:Fed is out and it is kinda sad indeed

What is weird do me though, is his stats are so much more superior to Nishikori, it almost does not make sense!?

Fed has a better 1st serve points won for a slightly worse 1st serve percentage. He has an excellent 2nd serve points won against a below 50% one. UE both are around 30 but Fed was also around 30 winners for Kei's 17... Is it all because he could not save the BPs and convert the ones he had?

Well, thats how tennis goes at times. There were times when Fed won more points and had better stats than Nadal, but still ended on the losing side.

Fed had major lapse in concentration, few good games then some absolute rubbish ones. Nishikori played solid and took his chances. So well done.

Tsonga, Nadal, Berdych, Nishikori, Ferrer, Anduhar through.

I didn't see much tennis today, just the third Federer-Nishikori set and the last 3 points from Ferrer- Haas.

Was sad to see those SBHs fly wild today. Fed's one was great while it lasted, though. Nothing to worry about, just some rust exposed by a good opponent.

Still, sad to see him go out in the 3rd round.

Dimitrov-Wawrinka next. Should be good.

Good match so far. But Dimi once again losing his serve avec breaking his opponent. Noticed it had been the case almost every single time.

Sad and surprised to see Fed goes so early.

Who do you think is going to win this?

I reckon Dimitrov in straight sets. Sans or avec losing his serve after breaking

The thing I pick with Dimitrov, he chooses to rally rather than step in and put away short returns from Stan.

noleisthebest wrote:Who do you think is going to win this?

I reckon Dimitrov in straight sets. Sans or avec losing his serve after breaking

Yes he looks the more confident and willing but STan can suddenly wake up. He is nogt playing his best.

What surprised me is that I expected Stan to have the better BH...but it's not obvious there.

Cowan is such a good commentator.

Tenez wrote:Cowan is such a good commentator.

I am listening to Bulgarian commentators, didn't know I can understand about 75%

The crowd is really partial and it's a bit annoying. But Dimi certainly seems to appeal to the crowd like no other youngster so far.

He seems to have a lot going for him for now.

Dimi is getting really good

Very funny altercation between Stan and referee. Stan is complaining about the crowd and teh referee says he cannot tell them off cause they only shout after the point is over....which of course Stan disagree with.

tenez did you see my pm?

I can certainly recognise kitten with the ball in Dimitrov.

Luthi next to Norman?

luvsports! wrote:tenez did you see my pm?

Hi LS - I did. Thanks. I am half way answering it and shoudl be finished it before I go to bed. Very good question again but quite difficult to answer though the answer is obvious. .

gallery play wrote:Luthi next to Norman?

Can yuo remind me who is Luthi? Rings a bell....Federer's former trainer?

Tenez wrote:Very funny altercation between Stan and referee. Stan is complaining about the crowd and teh referee says he cannot tell them off cause they only shout after the point is over....which of course Stan disagree with.

STan still going on about the crowd at change end.

Tenez wrote:

gallery play wrote:Luthi next to Norman?

Can yuo remind me who is Luthi? Rings a bell....Federer's former trainer?

Former?