ATP 500 Beijing and Tokyo

Both looked puffed out after only one set.
Good hold for Nole 3:1.

Funny to see him let Murray attack and make him run at the same time.
It must be so mentally draining to play like this.

Very happy with last Beijing results. Hat off to Martin Klizan and the umpire in particular. Not bad result for somebody playing quallies.
I couldn't have watched matches but when reading Nadal's words after his loss, then I  dont know what is the surface in Beijing. Nadal said that it is difficult to play on fast Asian surfaces. But many people see Beijing as quite slow. Isn't it that Nadal got slowed alone, is it?

Nole plays finally focused and is hungry again. Nole's matches always are mainly about patience and composure and unless Murray plays ridiculously well and Nole subpar, then Nole is a clear winner.

It seems that Berd wants to play WTF pretty much and started working  hard on the court. Berd match with Klizan could be good.

I didn't realise Klizan had to play qualies, that makes his win yesterday even more impressive as the intensity was full on and tennis very physical for 3 sets, so unless he can play another match on pure adrenaline, Berd should have an easy job today.

Nadal lost because his footwork was only a 100, not 110%.

Not only did he play qualies, he almost went out in the first round there. Apparently, he was 4:6, 1:5 down to Xin Gao, ranked #927.

Tomorrow's finals:

Tokyo (8 am uk time)

Nishikori-Raonic (H2H 3:1, Nishi defending champion)

Beijing (12.30 pm uk time)

Djokovic-Berdych (H2H 15:2, Nole going for the 5th consecutive title, 24 matches unbeaten run)

I got the Tokyo time wrong!

Match well under way, 3:3 in the 2nd set, 1st won by Nishi in the TB.

Raonic's BH is worse than ever, and Nishi so good at exposing it.

And Nishikori wins after Raonic chokes serving at 4:5.

After the handshake, he celebrates by slowly dropping to the ground on his back and taking the moment in.
Then gets up allowing all the emotion to finally come out with tears of relief.

Still overwhelmed, he goes to his box and seals reality with 4 hugs.

Tote-mo kire!

I hope this win somehow gets Nishi to the WTF. It seems to mean the world to him to qualify for it and rightly so!
This is what he said yesterday:
"The ‘cool’ answer would be to say I was doing it for the sake of Japan, but the truth is I want to play in London and I want the 500 points on offer here."

I would really love to see him play there live.

Now all we need is Nole to beat Berd in a few hours and claim a double crown for Uniqlo this weekend

I know it's not an atp match, but gutsy tennis guaranteed in this one!

Sharpova-Kvitova

Yes I would love to see Nishi at the O2.
Get ferrer out, berdy out and not fussed about murray.
I would like nishi there, dimi and gulbis but he's really got to win a masters 2bh.

Sadly, I don't think we'll see Earnie in O2 this year, or ever, in fact.

I'm glad I got to see him from row 1 against Fognini at Boodles this summer. He really is special.
I'm resigned  about  Dolgo and him becoming winning machines.
It's so upsetting in some way, not because of winning itself but just having a chance to see them play more often. Especially Dolgo.

DE-NO-LEI-TI-ON !!!

Typical rubbish from Berd I assume. Fear factor when playing Djoko.

I want to see a bagel, GO NOLE!!!!

And bagel it is!

luvsports! wrote:Typical rubbish from Berd I assume. Fear factor when playing Djoko.

He dreads Nole's returns, as that completely dismantles his game.

Come on Nole, do a double one!!!

5:1

I am here just in time for the Greatest Comeback of All Time.

he, he....would be something to see a 3rd set TB with Nole winning, of course.
Still, shame he didn't use that MP, that would've been super cool!

Crazy to think that this Berdych may well make it to the WTF.

So that's 5th Beijing title in a row now. Not bad.
Uniqlo boys rocking and rolling this week!

On to Shanghai.

I remember the days on the old BBC606, when people were putting Nole down as unable to defend a title

Fed has a chance to get to #1 at YE but not with Nole winning things, he would likely need Nole's help.

Do you know Nole's schedule for the rest of the year, will he skip anything on account of the baby arrival?

summerblues wrote:Crazy to think that this Berdych may well make it to the WTF.

Unlike Cilic, at least he made it to the final this week.
I really don't want to see Raonic there, his tennis & on court presence are a complete turn-off.

summerblues wrote:Fed has a chance to get to #1 at YE but not with Nole winning things, he would likely need Nole's help.

Do you know Nole's schedule for the rest of the year, will he skip anything on account of the baby arrival?

I don't think he is skipping anything.

Yeah, he did get to the final but almost got double bageled there. Also, he had much easier draw than Cilic.

When is the baby due?

I think the end of October.

There is useless to comment that match here, Berd says everything in his after match speech:

Tomas Berdych after the match : "I met somebody in the final who I've never seen before. The way that he performed today was really outstanding. There is really not much I can add to that because, really, I was just swept off the court. I just said to my coach now that I probably played over 700 matches in my career, and I met guys like Andre, Roger, all those probably in their best times. But I have never, ever experienced anything like that."

There is a factor of higher fans neutrality in Asia tour  in a comparison to RG or USO and Nole shows how his game level can raise when his spirit is fully on.

To get two baggels would be a bit degrading, so glad for Nole he dropped these two games.

paulcz wrote:There is a factor of higher fans neutrality in Asia tour  in a comparison to RG or USO and Nole shows how his game level can raise when his spirit is fully on.

That is very true, and one of the main reasons I go to support him live as much as I can. I know he always hears my voice!

paulcz wrote:To get two baggels would be a bit degrading, so glad for Nole he dropped these two games.

I actually think it's more degrading to deliberately lose a game and show pity than to dish out a bagel. I like to play in 100% sports spirit whether I win or lose. The score is irrelevant.

But the funny thing is, on Friday I did the opposite playing two older ladies in doubles, one of whom was Canadian.
Her partner who is from the club introduced her friend mentioning she was there for a visit and hadn't played for a while as she had lost sight in one eye after a botched laser surgery.
The poor thing was late seeing the ball and in my eyes  it was more important for her to enjoy returning to the game as she kept apologising to her competitive friend every time she made an error.

After the match, she was happy & told me how much she enjoyed playing and thanked me, and I ended up calling her Milos.

noleisthebest wrote:

paulcz wrote:There is a factor of higher fans neutrality in Asia tour  in a comparison to RG or USO and Nole shows how his game level can raise when his spirit is fully on.

That is very true, and one of the main reasons I go to support him live as much as I can. I know he always hears my voice!

paulcz wrote:To get two baggels would be a bit degrading, so glad for Nole he dropped these two games.

I actually think it's more degrading to deliberately lose a game and show pity than to dish out a bagel. I like to play in 100% sports spirit whether I win or lose. The score is irrelevant.

But the funny thing is, on Friday I did the opposite playing two older ladies in doubles, one of whom was Canadian.
Her partner who is from the club introduced her friend mentioning she was there for a visit and hadn't played for a while as she had lost sight in one eye after a botched laser surgery.
The poor thing was late seeing the ball and in my eyes  it was more important for her to enjoy returning to the game as she kept apologising to her competitive friend every time she made an error.

After the match, she was happy & told me how much she enjoyed playing and thanked me, and I ended up calling her Milos.

I hope that BB is the one, who should prevent Nole from a pity to dish out a bagel.
I think that this was rather a Nole's gesture to crowds to see at least a couple of games

Knowing a bit more Slovanian first names, you could call her Miluska or shortly Mila, if that was a woman
When thinking about Canada being a tennis country, then times have really changed. Even though it is due to immigrants.

I probably won't see her again, but I think she loved the Milos version as she said she wished she had his serve.
Talking of Canadians, they seem to be invading tennis world, as even the new candidate for our club's chairman role is Canadian (must be the only one in the club!)
He sent us his letter of introduction...it's so funny, feels like American presidential campaign

noleisthebest wrote:I probably won't see her again, but I think she loved the Milos version as she said she wished she had his serve.
Talking of Canadians, they seem to be invading te nis workd, as even (the only one so far) new candidate for our club's chairman is Canadian.
He sent us his letter of i troduction...it's so funny, feels like American presidential campaign

He must be surely very honoured by getting such a great position in UK. We would appreciate to read his initial speech 

OK, then...just for a laugh...this is the final paragraph of his very long letter (I edited the names, of course):

"How you can help
If you would like to endorse me for "x" Chairman, I just ask that you do three simple things:
1.       Forward this email message to other "x" members you play tennis with at the club along with your own thoughts on the subject, and ask your tennis partners to forward on as well with their thoughts too.
2.       Make a suggestion - Please visit a new website called  "x". Its been created just for "x" members to make suggestions to improve the club. You'll need to register first, and then you'll be able to see lots of suggestions from other "x" members. You can see how other members have rated the ideas, and rate ideas yourself. Everyone has a voice. If you make a suggestion and it reaches 50 positive votes from other members , you win a can of tennis balls.(3 cans max per member!)
3.       Vote (either way but vote!) - most importantly, as a member owner of your club, please come to the AGM and vote for the club that you want and we all deserve...

Vote for What You Want
Please attend the AGM"

And just in case we missed his point, the last two lines were in huge bold letters!

The courts in Bejing were slowed down for Nadal but it actually helped Nole no end.

Berdych is useless anyway.