Re: Indian Wells Thread

[truffin1]

Fed and Stan still played the doubles late into the night and won again...  Maybe a Doubles and Singles title in the works for Fed 

[noleisthebest]

I only saw the end of the third set last night/this morning,  so don't know what happened.
According to Nole, Cilic played well...
I have an idea what the problem may be, and it's a combination of several things.
One one of them was rectified last night, as I saw Vajda's chubby, happy face smiling in Nole's box.
The other two, we'll see.

[noleisthebest]

Stan said his back was not the reason he lost the match:

"The back was not the problem at all. Because I won the set after. It’s not unusual. It’s just that I’m tight and tired.
I’m more disappointed in myself. I was tired mentally, but that’s not the problem. I should just accept and be more positive. I think I was negative on all the match. I was complaining a lot about my serve, about the way I was playing, and with that, I don’t deserve to win matches. It was more about the way I was trying to find solutions. I’m not really happy with that.

Now it’s a little bit different for sure. There is more expectation from tournament, from people, from fan. But I don’t think I will put more pressure on myself."

[Tenez]

He still could not serve and this was pretty clearly about the back. I cannot see why he would MTOs with intensive massage on his back if back was no problem.

I guess he doesn't want to make a mess like Nadal did in that AO final....but the truth is .....he just did.

I think it's time player buy a MTO with a service game penalty (or maybe 2 or 3 points on own serve so starting at 0/30 or 0/40 ). That will stop all the bad manners, gamesmanship and so on....and duly appease the healthy player who should not suffer from distraction cause his opponent needs a rest. If the injury is not that bad...then just don't talk about it and play.

[noleisthebest]

Gimelstob, Carillo, and Courier talking about how beautiful and stylish the tennis is they are seeing with Fed vs. Haas compared to the mindless baselining and physicality of most players now.  
Talking about how Sampras says most tennis is just high topspin rock throwing now and they agree that it's missing the artistry they are seeing now with these two..
Now talking about how the new racquet has allowed Federer to hit the "best topspin backhands of his career"  wow- a little over the top praise literly- but they are just gushing right now...
carillo now saying how wonderful it is to see a match played based on winners and not backstops waiting for the opponenet to make an error.

love it-- could the tide be turning sentiment wise?

Yes, but where was her/their courage during the AO 2012 final...

[Daniel]

Exactly... they will be back to praising Nadal and his boring baseline farce in the next match he plays. People need to start speaking out more. Federer is also worried about the lack of younger players in the elite. Is it any wonder?

[truffin1]

Gimelstob, Carillo, and Courier talking about how beautiful and stylish the tennis is they are seeing with Fed vs. Haas compared to the mindless baselining and physicality of most players now.  
Talking about how Sampras says most tennis is just high topspin rock throwing now and they agree that it's missing the artistry they are seeing now with these two..
Now talking about how the new racquet has allowed Federer to hit the "best topspin backhands of his career"  wow- a little over the top praise literly- but they are just gushing right now...
carillo now saying how wonderful it is to see a match played based on winners and not backstops waiting for the opponenet to make an error.

love it-- could the tide be turning sentiment wise?

Yes, but where was her/their courage during the AO 2012 final...

It may be wishful thinking- but they were much more forceful and pointed last night in contrasting the styles.  Courier was openly saying- that this court is ultra slow but they were proving how shotmaking and artistry still produces the best tennis and the way it should be played, and he was also calling for faster courts. Sure they will band wagon jump when it suits them--   look at McEnroe's continuous flipflopping... but last night was definitely unusual in the way they were presenting it.

[Tenez]

A lot of commentator speak in favour of attacking games, classy style often saying "that's how tennis should be played" when Gulbis, Federer, or Dimi are playing.

[truffin1]

part of Fed's presser after Haas-  I think some pretty good stuff in here about racquet, the conditions,etc

Q.  He's pretty good for somebody who you look at, age 36...
ROGER FEDERER:  He's very good.  Yeah, not pretty good.

Q.  Very good.  And you knew that coming in.  You had to play a special way against him?
ROGER FEDERER:  Well, what I like about Tommy is just his intensity he brings to the court.  Every shot he hits, it's with a purpose, it's with an idea.
You just feel that as an opponent, and that's where I think I did a really good job being able to handle that, and then playing my way, as well.  I think I served well when I had to, which is very encouraging.
It's something I struggled a little bit in Dubai and here's much slower, so I'm very happy how things turned out to be.

Q.  I know that you have been asked a zillion questions about the racquet and the larger head size, but one of the things I have not been able to find about this racquet is the weight.  What is the weight?
ROGER FEDERER:  I don't know.

Q.  You don't know the weight?  I was wondering if you were also tinkering with that along with string tension?
ROGER FEDERER:  You do.  But honestly I'm not a crazy nut about these little details.  I let the experts handle that.  I would tell them, I need more weight, more in the head, string tensions.
But in the end, what it really is, I don't know.  I can find out and maybe let you know, but it's pretty much based on the same weight and balance like the other racquet, I'm sure.
So it's not, you know, is something like I have never felt before, and it needs to feel comfortable, and you can always ‑‑those little things you can always then still play with.
But it's important to feel like the racquet is giving you what you're looking for.

Q.  So the weight has never been anything that's been that important to you?
ROGER FEDERER:  I mean, it is.  But honestly, I didn't change weight or balance a whole lot throughout my career.  It's stayed pretty much in a very fine line, I'd say.

Q.  At the start of the tournament, your half of the draw looked very, you know, very stacked.  You had a lot of accomplished players.  Now a lot of them have fallen off.  Can you talk about your thoughts about the draw, like initially when you first saw it and how it's played out so far in your half?
ROGER FEDERER:  Yeah, I mean, a lot of the guys in the top 8 have lost, which is unusual.  But then again, it's the first Masters 1000 of the year.
For some it's still maybe early in the season, and then some other guys play really well.  I think the guys who won against those big guys play very well, and it just happened that it all came together here.
Now, I mean, I don't overanalyze draws or anything.  At this point I need to just focus on my matches anyway.  I have been following the other guys, and it's just been good to see good matches, really.
I have a doubles now.  It's a lot of tennis right now.  So then I just hope I can come out tomorrow and play a good match.  That's really what I want to do.  I do play Anderson, I guess, right?  (Laughter.)  Maybe I am insecure now where I am in the draw.  Stan's not around.
So I know how tough he is.  He's the best here usually in the States, outdoors on the hard courts.  That's when he's had his biggest success.  I'm aware that this is not going to be an easy match just because he's not ranked in the top 10.

Q.  Just on playing Kevin, you know what his serve is like and all that, but while his serve may be affected in these sort of conditions, I would assume you know all the ins and outs of that court that you have played on it so much and won on it here four times.
ROGER FEDERER:  Yeah, I mean, you said it the right way.  I know the court very well, better than him.  But then again, I think the quickness of the air helps him here, plus the bounce.
It plays quite slow once the ball is in play, which gives him more time to get to more balls, and also then set himself up.  Sometimes too quick of conditions for big guys is also not great even though you think it helps him serve.  But then the return comes back quicker, too, so they have less time.
It's for me to find the right balance how I need to play him.  First I need to focus on my own service game so that I don't get caught playing a dodgy service game early on in the match in particular.

[Tenez]

But as mentioned yesterday, McEnroe, Courier, Carillo and co, along with the TDs (with Larry in particular) and the crowd, all want to see Nadal...and they want to see him win.

Nadal brings lots of money on the table with him and this is what feed all those commentators, players and other officials. As fans of tennis we might not be too happy but it's called the "open era"...meaning professional era.

This is why referees were so lenient for years. Nadal makes the game more popular and everybody bar the Federer and other players fans are happy.

Would I want to lose millions just for the sake of my fanship? frankly no.

[noleisthebest]

Really happy Dolgo is through and finally reach SF of a big tournament.
Would be great to see him play well against Fed.

[noleisthebest]

Excellent first set from Federer.
BH looking better by the minute.

Tenez, you were so right, Federer should have switched the racquet ages ago.

[summerblues]

Very confident performance from Federer.

[Tenez]

Yes I would have been vey surprised if Anderson had troubled Federer. However his next opponent should challenge him a bit more.

[truffin1]

Federer seems to be growing in confidence every day and if this form can hold come Major time--  he just might shock the world.

Of course, according to John McEnroe- it was him saying Federer was done winning Majors that motivated Fed..smh

[Tenez]

I remember vividly McEnroe saying during Wimbledon's 2007 on the BBC that Federer had lost a step!

[noleisthebest]

I remember vividly McEnroe saying during Wimbledon's 2007 on the BBC that Federer had lost a step!

He cannot be serious!  

[truffin1]

His newest thing is he was saying late last year that Federer wouldn't be able to win any more majors though he was amazed by Federer's love and desire to compete with all he's accomplished.   Now he actually said at the Power Share series when asked about Rogers year so far that "I think Roger heard me when I said he wouldn't win any more Majors and has used that as a real motivator to train and come back strong, try new things!"   lol...........  said with a straight face..  What an ego!

I am on the volunteer board of the Family Circle Cup in my hometown and we've had Mac down several times for the Expo night. He's cheap to hire, and actually a nice guy.. does some clinics, gives the fans their moneys worth.  I find him overbearing as a commentator though.

[Tenez]

His newest thing is he was saying late last year that Federer wouldn't be able to win any more majors though he was amazed by Federer's love and desire to compete with all he's accomplished.   Now he actually said at the Power Share series when asked about Rogers year so far that "I think Roger heard me when I said he wouldn't win any more Majors and has used that as a real motivator to train and come back strong, try new things!"   lol...........  said with a straight face..  What an ego!

I am on the volunteer board of the Family Circle Cup in my hometown and we've had Mac down several times for the Expo night. He's cheap to hire, and actually a nice guy.. does some clinics, gives the fans their moneys worth.  I find him overbearing as a commentator though.

Yes heard that. Even if he probably said it tongue in cheek, he has a big ego. I used to be a big fan....now much less. Too much of a sales rep for me.

[noleisthebest]

I liked him as a player, one of those who was born for it (and fortunately for him, in the right era, as well).
He comes across as someone who has never matured, though.

[Tenez]

I liked him as a player, one of those who was born for it (and fortunately for him, in the right era, as well).
He comes across as someone who has never matured, though.

That's so true. There would have been no room for those excentric outburts and losses of focus.

[Tenez]

Either the swiss pair is now physically suffering or Fed simply does not want to give more energy into it with his 2 tough matches ahead of him.

Not sure who got broken.

[N2D2L]

McEnroe is a great commentator.

[Tenez]

You means he sells Nadal very well!

[noleisthebest]

I got the time of tonight's matches completely wrong!
Glad I'm back to see a bit of Nole-Ben.

[noleisthebest]

Second set looks pretty dull and flat so far.

[Tenez]

Second set looks pretty dull and flat so far.

Still much better than the first set. Ben is playing terribly.

[noleisthebest]

Well, the agony is over. So happy Gulbis Isner is straight after and not at 3 AM   

[noleisthebest]

Earnie is a full package, so entertaining to watch. One of those players it doesn't matter who is on the other side of the net.  Rare thing these days...

[noleisthebest]

2.10m tall guy winning 28 shot rallies....something is very wrong with tennis today!

[Tenez]

2.10m tall guy winning 28 shot rallies....something is very wrong with tennis today!

That's so weird isn't it?

[noleisthebest]

Another tie-break

[Tenez]

and another loss!   

[noleisthebest]

That was some freak serving.
2012 here we come again!

[noleisthebest]

Nole will need a bit of this skill in his semi tonight:

[Tenez]

Again, easier to do with a 98inch than a 90inch. he can roll the ball that extra half of an each safely on the frame.

[noleisthebest]

Again,  easier to do with a 98inch than a 90inch. he can roll the ball that extra half of an each safely on the frame.

I have just bought original Dunlop Mac used to play with on Ebay, it looks so tiny....Can't wait for it to arrive!

I wonder when somebody somewhere is going to put a lid on the ever increasing frame sizes.

[Tenez]

The good thing about frame size increase is that it really helped develop 2 kind of tennis, essentially the one needed to win on clay and the one on faster surfaces. This allowed the real challenge for players to win on both different surfaces.

Larger frames than now shoudl become a liability. Like in table tennis bats have not really increased in size cause they is simply no need to so I think in tennis the same shoudl happen.

[truffin1]

Have any of you tried the 16X15 string pattern Wilson racquets?  Calling it spin technology....   

A friend of mine was raving about the 99S or LS....      I'm still playing with either a kfactor or six one 95 but thinking of moving up- following Federer upstream to combat loss of power..    :-) I don't play with much spin though so don't know if that 's the right racquet for me, but interested in thoughts on that string setup.

[Tenez]

No I have not but 16/15 that doesn't make many crosses...on what frame size?

I am sure this will make the raquet very spiny but the downside will be clearly precision.

[summerblues]

Roger

[summerblues]

Is it just me, or have the ads here become more intrusive over the last few weeks (same on 606v2)?

[Tenez]

What an amazing BH flick from Federer in that 2nd point. This is what Stan can't do. That woudl have been Dolgo point.

[Tenez]

Is it just me, or have the ads here become more intrusive over the last few weeks (same on 606v2)?

I don;t have any....I used to have some.....not sure how they disappeared.

[Tenez]

Good game between those 2.

[summerblues]

Pretty sad from Dolgo.

[noleisthebest]

I am really enjoying the match
Dolgo seems to be really loving testing his skill against Fed, who even on this slow court is able to rush the super quick Dolgo with his FH!
Shame the wind seems to be picking up.
Tennis, as it should be played...

[Tenez]

yes thrown this game away....the wind seems to affect the game a lot.

[noleisthebest]

What happened in the last 3 minutes while I was typing

[Tenez]

If Fed serves like that tomorrow, it should be his title.

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