ATP Masters 1000: Shanghai

This time last year the top looked like this:

1 Federer, Roger (SUI) 11,805 0 21
2 Djokovic, Novak (SRB) 10,970 0 18
3 Murray, Andy (GBR) 8,090 0 20
4 Nadal, Rafael (ESP) 7,085 0 20 ,

Fed received a death threat:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/rogerfederer/9589261/Roger-Federer-receives-bizarre-death-threat-from-mystery-blogger-ahead-of-Shanghai-Masters.html ,
Nadal's camp was still fooling the world that he would be back in no time (two weeks to be more precise) https://ourtennisforum.forumotion.co.uk/t140-nadal-is-backin-two-weeks ,
...and the race for year end number one was red hot!
https://ourtennisforum.forumotion.co.uk/t137-race-for-year-end-number-1

How things have changed...  

Still, life moves on, and we never know what nice things I could be typing here this time next year !

In the meantime, there's no escaping the cruel reality especially come Monday  !
1 Djokovic, Novak (SRB) 11,120 0 18
2 Nadal, Rafael (ESP) 10,860 0 20
3 Murray, Andy (GBR) 7,075 0 19
4 Ferrer, David (ESP) 6,710 0 24

So....
ATP 1000 Shanghai Rolex Masters, Indoor Hard
Good fortune continues to shine on the Shanghai ATP Masters 1000. In its first four years in 2009-2012, Shanghai was awarded ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Tournament of the Year, as voted by the ATP players. Rolex also upgraded its sponsorship in 2010 to become Title sponsor of the event, renamed as the Shanghai Rolex Masters.

Players:
So far, everyone except Murray. Possible withdrawal from Berdych due to injury, not announced yet.
The Draw
http://www.atpworldtour.com/posting/2013/5014/mds.pdf
Order of Play
http://www.atpworldtour.com/posting/2013/5014/op.pdf



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGaOlfmX8rQ

Nadal's draw looks good here: he's got in-form Dolgo in the first round, then probably Isner, then Stan/Verdasco....and then the big and mighty Delpo, the Beast from Tandil  .


Fed should have been in Ferrer's quarter. I hate the fact he's in Nole's.  
Hopefully Ferrer does not defend anything till the rest of the season (incl Paris Bercy and 1000 points there), then Fed can finish in top 4 and avoid terrible QF matches.

Shanghai Master's 1st round matches well under way with Granollers, Monfils and Isner though.
Tomorrow's picks:

Paire-Simon (ALLEZ Benoit!!! )
Hewitt-Seppi
Gasquet-Pospisil
Nishikori-Dimitrov

Day 2 nearly over in Shanghai and some surprising results:

Pospisil d. Gasquet (in straights)
In fact this is not such a big surprise as after seeing Vasek live in Belgrade, I have become a mini-fan of his smooth and elegant ballstriking as well as a relatively nice game for a DBH-er. He has very good length and is also consistent with it as well as a quality competitor, does not choke at all either, prefer him to Raonic any day!
As for Gasquet, shame he lost as he loses valuable points for London Race. Hope he is not injured.
Dolgopolov d Russel convincingly and is playing Nadal tomorrow. Def one to watch.
Paire d Simon in straights, saw the first set and, as usual, liked it. I got to enjoy the best of both worlds: Paire playing great and winning and Simon being upset and doing his cute muttering and gesticulation.
Seppi d Hewitt
Nishikori d Dimitrov Don't know what's going on with Dimitrov atm, I read that he is hiring Rasheed on a trial basis, not sure how that is going to help....but it seems that he has clearly taken his eye off the ball.
Also through: Fognini, Kohlschreiber, Robredo, Brands.

So, tomorrow, the big names are out to play and some super matches on offer. For me, match of the day: 

Dolgopolov-Nadal GO DOLGO!!!!!   
Djokovic-Granollers
Federer-Seppi
DelPotro-Kohlschreiber
Ferrer-Rosol
Anduhar-Tsonga
Wawrinka-Aderson
Fognini-Robredo
Monfils-Pospisil and a few more.....

Matches start at 9AM UK time (I think.... )

I knew 9 AM UK start was too good to be true, indeed it was 7 AM as I originally thought to be...
So, Delpo carves out a victory against an excellent Kholi in the 3rd set tie-break, Kholi served 22 aces and 50 winners, shame he had to be knocked out so early.

Nole time 

I know I go on about it, but I can't help myself every time I see it.
There is only one way to describe Dolgo's serve and that word is 

WOW!


Go Dolgo, the sultan of swing    !!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0ffIJ7ZO4U

Order of Play out for tomorrow, some utterly sumptuous matches on, starting at 7 AM UK time:

Centre Court
Del Potro- Haas
Monfils-Federer
Djokovic-Fognini
Nadal-Berlocq

Grandstand
Nishikori-Tsonga
Ferrer-F.Mayer
Wawrinka-Raonic
Almagro-Berdych

Things of note from today:
Novak had an MTO on his foot after landing awkwardly on it during the match. I only saw a few points from that match, and he looked pretty good.
Federer apparently played OK, I saw the highlights where he spent a lot of time at the net. His practice session was utterly mobbed, now that tennis fans can't take him for grated any more, he is beginning to receive some of the Beatles and Borg type fan hysteria.
Will be interesting to see how London responds in November.
I saw most of the first set of Dolgopolov-Nadal.
I have never seen anyone sweat like Nadal did today. The sweat was literally pouring down. At one stage, two people had to come and mop up the area around him, just before his serve. 
I can't really see Berlocq beat him tomorrow, but Delpo will hopefully have a feast of it.

It was also interesting to see Tomic watch Dolgo-Nadal match as well as Nadal watch Federer-Seppi.

Fed seemed nervous and low on confidence early in the 1st set.. a continuation of what we have seen.. but once he was fully into the match and saw what Seppi had that could or could not hurt him- Fed turned it on..  Large periods of the second set were sublime... shots that he made look easy that are nearly impossible for most other ATP players..      Much like we've seen though- the question is whether his low confidence will remain when he's facing the top players and realizes they can hurt him or beat him.. It's easy to climb out of a hole when you know the guy across from you doesn't have enough extra gears to hang with you if you elevate a bit.

Behind the scenes, Federer really seems to be enjoying the crowds and fans who are treating him like a rock star.. He had a great Twitter Q&A the other day that was hysterical..   He seems to be really enjoying himself which can only help his tennis I think.

Fed needs to player better. He shanked lot of balls yesterday off both wings. Monf returns a lot of balls and can serve good and play aggressive if required. Seppi was no pushover but really didn't test Fed by giving loads of UEs.

Is Fed getting back to his game? I honestly didn't see him any better than how he has been looking this whole year.

Delpo through to the QF after Haas gave a w/o.

Fed-Monf started.. and Fed's very first game under the gun 0-40.

Fed gets broken very early 

Fed's every single service games have been under fire. He is completely off atm.

Set-1 for Monf. The current Fed is playing worse than he ever did.

Cmon Roger !
I want him to reach the final here

A break down in the 2nd.. Shanghai 2013 is now for Fed.... i.e. over

Yesssss!

Break back.

GO ROGERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!         

Set !!

Again a break down in 3rd and perhaps a DB looming over.

Monfils a game away

:'(

Urgh

djoko and surprisingly almagro (beating bird on a 3rd set tiebreak) are through.

Dolgopolov vs nadal highlights.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nP7k_y-a0AU

Please go to the point at 1.35. UNBELIEVABLE!!!!

Fed has def lost his way.  He can talk all he wants about his confidence and game being back or close to being back- but the results tell us otherwise. The guy is fit- ripped really- but his shot selection is horrible, net play rushed and unfocused.  It has to be confidence and I just don't know how he reclaims it.  I've known so many athtletes start this slide, and so few ever can stop it. As a Goat, I have to think he has a better shot than most- but how many long training blocks can he have with no go good results?

ouah.....just saw the result.....Monfils has probably improved too.

luvsports! wrote:Dolgopolov vs nadal highlights.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nP7k_y-a0AU

Please go to the point at 1.35. UNBELIEVABLE!!!!

Yeah just checked that out, wow what hitting from Dolgo!

Hmm but that's the thing with this guy, he does that and the next few points he can suddenly look disinterested and play poorly.

Julia Santamaria wrote:

luvsports! wrote:Dolgopolov vs nadal highlights.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nP7k_y-a0AU

Please go to the point at 1.35. UNBELIEVABLE!!!!

Yeah just checked that out, wow what hitting from Dolgo!

Hmm but that's the thing with this guy, he does that and the next few points he can suddenly look disinterested and play poorly.

Yes,....though when it's Nadal hitting the ball, it 's me getting desinterested.

Tenez wrote:

Julia Santamaria wrote:

luvsports! wrote:Dolgopolov vs nadal highlights.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nP7k_y-a0AU

Please go to the point at 1.35. UNBELIEVABLE!!!!

Yeah just checked that out, wow what hitting from Dolgo!

Hmm but that's the thing with this guy, he does that and the next few points he can suddenly look disinterested and play poorly.

Yes,....though when it's Nadal hitting the ball, it 's me getting desinterested.

lol!
Yeah fine, I'll give you that.

Stan the man could finally ditch the perennial swiss no2 tag this week :O

Tsonga eases past Mayer 2 & 3 and delpo atm is a set up against almagro.

luvsports! wrote:Stan the man could finally ditch the perennial swiss no2 tag this week :O

Naah.. will not happen just as yet. He is ahead in the ATP race for this years points, but Fed still has more points from last year for now.

Stan though has a good chance provided he takes it instead of blowing them all like he has been doing off late. He had great chance to win Malaysia and have good result both in Beijing and Shanghai. But he lost them cheaply.

Its not going to be easy at all for him to be Swiss #1. The very same is the reason why despite having such skills and a huge game, he still hasn't had better results in his career.

Some really good tennis in the djoko monfils match. 6-5 djoko.

Monfils takes a high quality first set.

WHAT A SET OF TENNIS!!! 
Such a shame for stan, maybe he never will win a set vs nadal.

Yes I only saw the last 2 games of the first set. Real shame. SP wasted...did not see the TB.....but again typical...the shotmaker cannot syustain the form while Nadal loopy, riskless shots can be produced for ever and allow him to win the second set without sweat.

Tenez wrote:Yes I only saw the last 2 games of the first set. Real shame. SP wasted...did not see the TB.....but again typical...the shotmaker cannot syustain the form while Nadal loopy, riskless shots can be produced for ever and allow him to win the second set without sweat.

Nadal is a mighty tough opponent to beat. He gives up almost nothing especially on those big points. Wawrinka can pplay very well, but he hasn't learnt to beat the top players. His mental side is weak.

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:

Tenez wrote:Yes I only saw the last 2 games of the first set. Real shame. SP wasted...did not see the TB.....but again typical...the shotmaker cannot syustain the form while Nadal loopy, riskless shots can be produced for ever and allow him to win the second set without sweat.

Nadal is a mighty tough opponent to beat. He gives up almost nothing especially on those big points. Wawrinka can pplay very well, but he hasn't learnt to beat the top players. His mental side is weak.

Stan keeping up the tradition of the Swiss #1 letting  Nadal off the hook :-)

Stan is actually the 3rd most successful player against top 10 players with 7 wins. Not bad ey?

luvsports! wrote:Stan is actually the 3rd most successful player against top 10 players with 7 wins. Not bad ey?

He's come into his own for sure...gave Djokovic a BIG scare recently too!

He played some fantastic tennis in that first set. He had a 2 set points I believe. But as it is its 24 straight sets to Rafa

Want a Nadal Tsonga final.
If Djokovic wins, I hope it's a Djokovic Del Potro final.

Julia Santamaria wrote:Want a Nadal Tsonga final.
If Djokovic wins, I hope it's a Djokovic Del Potro final.

Hehe, you are a bit of a fanboy, are you not?

summerblues wrote:

Julia Santamaria wrote:Want a Nadal Tsonga final.
If Djokovic wins, I hope it's a Djokovic Del Potro final.

Hehe, you are a bit of a fanboy, are you not?

Quite possibly

Nadal Delpo could be good too, if Delpo plays well.

Their match at IW was superb.

If Delpo can play like he did in IW and this time he won't be knackered from beating murray and djoko back to back, he has a great chance vs rafa.
VAMOS DELPO!

Julia Santamaria wrote:Their match at IW was superb.

Yes.  Delpo had a few matches this year that made it feel like he was ready to separate himself from the rest of the chasing pack, but so far at least, it has not quite happened.