ATP 500/250 Rotterdam, Memphis, Buenos Aires

Week two post AO, and we have a funky, multi-continental set of tournaments in Europe, Latin and North America.

Stronger field this week with several top ten players: Nadal, Ferrer, Nishikori, Gasquet.

Latest "update" of ipad OS as well as the increasingly infuriating new ATP website are making my weekly tournament thread a total pain.


ATP 500 Rotterdam, indoor hard


http://www.protennislive.com/posting/2016/407/mds.pdf

Order of play
http://www.protennislive.com/posting/2016/407/op.pdf

ATP 250 Memphis, outdoor hard


http://www.protennislive.com/posting/2016/402/mds.pdf

Order of play
http://www.protennislive.com/posting/2016/402/op.pdf

ATP 250 Buenos Aires, outdoor clay


http://www.protennislive.com/posting/2016/506/mds.pdf

Order of play
http://www.protennislive.com/posting/2016/506/op.pdf

GP, I know you must be heart-broken Federer is not playing in Rotterdam, but please keep us posted with anything interesting local.

I heard Krajicek is trying to sign Nole up.

Other than that, two great first round matches:

Gasquet-Chardy
Monfils-Gulbis

noleisthebest wrote:GP, I know you must be heart-broken Federer is not playing in Rotterdam, but please keep us posted with anything interesting local.

I heard Krajicek is trying to sign Nole up.

Other than that, two great first round matches:

Gasquet-Chardy
Monfils-Gulbis

The field for Rotterdam this year looks like a ATP250. Infact Buenos Aires has a stronger field in comparison.

You're right rotla...

I had a look at old threads:

2015: Stan&Murray
2014: Delpo
2013: Davydenko!!! (I wonder what he's doing these days...)

But I am glad Murray is not playing. He should only Be allowed tournaments Nole is playing.

Shame Fed couldn't come. Rotterdam is nice and fast from memory...

Buenos Aires is lookng good too with Dolgo, Thiem, Fognini & King of Clay.

I noticed Rosol & Vesely playing against each other back to back tournaments.
What a coincidence...

Paire had better pull himself together today!

And in Memphis the old youngster Harrison playing the new one - Tiafoe.

I'd like to see Chung v GL....not sure when it is.

That one is probably tomorrow.

Today's match of the day:
Shwartzmann-Dolgopolov

Yep.....not going to spend time on that one though.

Tenez wrote:Yep.....not going to spend time on that one though.

I'll grab a few games if it's on tennistv and not during silly hours...good job I checked what's on now: Paire!!!!

Off to make myself a nice cup of coffee...

ALLEZ!!!

Dodig looks like a football player...yet plays S&V tennis, rough as guts, though...

That was a sad watch for a Paire fan...

Dodig was so beatable. Benoit is angry these days. I hope his fiancee provides some kind of soothing anchor for that wild spirit of his.

I felt sorry for him. He is one of those pumas....

Well....I think he is injured. That is what his interview suggested.

Tenez wrote:Well....I think he is injured. That is what his interview suggested.

That's a relief in a way...because he did not want to move much..heavily relied on his serve...almost exclusively.

I hope he gets fit for European clay.

Some nice matches in Rotterdam today:

GG Lopez-Chung (not playing on central court, so no broadcast on tennistv, not even on bet365, but Chung broke GG in the very first game  , link anyone?)

Monfils-Gulbis

nope....no links unfortuantely.

Tenez wrote:nope....no links unfortuantely.

I even made an effort to look on the desktop mac...but nothing...hopefully he'll go through and play his next match on cc.

Unlucky for Chung.....points for double break 6/3.....now 5/6 down!

And loses 4 games in a row....so bizarre...he was winning his service games so easily before that.

Tenez wrote:And loses 4 games in a row....so bizarre...he was winning his service games so easily before that.

GG must be grinding him, you know what he's like....

I think it is more in the mind from Chung...he cannot cross the line. He is now 3/0 with double break. I guess it is a bit normal at this age.

Tenez wrote:"I think it is more in the mind from Chung...he cannot cross the line. He is now 3/0 with double break. I guess it is a bit normal at this age.

If that's the case, it's not a good sign...regardless of his age.

It's hard for anyone to play against a good grinder, though.

noleisthebest wrote:

Tenez wrote:"I think it is more in the mind from Chung...he cannot cross the line. He is now 3/0 with double break. I guess it is a bit normal at this age.

If that's the case, it's not a good sign...regardless of his age.

It's hard for anyone to play against a good grinder, though.

And he did it again.....balls for 6/1 and then 5/3!

No age is very important is those situations. It's teh way he overcomes that which matters. They all had it at some stage.

Tenez wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:

Tenez wrote:"I think it is more in the mind from Chung...he cannot cross the line. He is now 3/0 with double break. I guess it is a bit normal at this age.

If that's the case, it's not a good sign...regardless of his age.
It's hard for anyone to play against a good grinder, though.

And he did it again.....balls for 6/1 and then 5/3!
No age is very important is those situations. It's teh way he overcomes that which matters. They all had it at some stage.

I'll take your word for it.
Glad he managed to close the set at last!
From 5:1 to 6:4.

can't believe that...almost got doubled broken again!

...And Chung does it the hard way. Could have easily won that one 63 61 but made a meal of it.

Still a good win beating a player nearly 20 spots higher. The fact he nearly beat him losing 4 games shows his potential. Once he converts those points with added confidence, he'll be hard to stop.

Tenez wrote:...And Chung does it the hard way. Could have easily won that one 63 61 but made a meal of it.

Still a good win beating a player nearly 20 spots higher. The fact he nearly beat him losing 4 games shows his potential. Once he converts those points with added confidence, he'll be hard to stop.

Brilliant!
Very happy for him. Imagine how bad he would have felt had he lost!
Troicki/Kuznetsov next. Doable.

Doabale....for Kuz.....I guess for both. Tricki will be tired after last week.

Troicki a funny character...Kuz is trickier and in good form but a good challenge for Chung.

Glad he chose the 500 tournament and not 250.

Looks naturally robust.

Was sad a little to see Pouille lose to Mahut in r2 of qualies.
But his coach is a nice guy and will look after him.

Earnie in ripping mode (his poor dad - the millionaire -  looks so worried all the time)  Monfils wanting to win, too.

Can't go wrong with two quality players strutting their stuff!

I woudl like thiem to do well too.

Me, too. He is a very likeable player. 

Just checked the scores, he is through to the next round unlike....Fognini who managed to lose straight away.

I was hoping for his rematch with Nadal....maybe in Rio!

There has been some excellent tennis played on Rotterdam this week.
Haven't seen much, but what I have seen was quality:

A disciplined Monfils
A dogged Zverev (baby Murray and a much better version)
A smooth Simon (coo, I love watching him play!)
A wmderful, resugent Mahut..."baby where have you been all my life" kind of revival!


Players hitting the ball harder, going for more, those without weapons using guile rather than grinding.
Slice is back in vogue!!!
Even volleys.

We have not much to complain about after all.

Gutty's FH rocks! 

noleisthebest wrote:Gutty's FH rocks! 

However...Klizan's FH is in a world of its own right now.
Gutty is playing, but Klizan is trusting it.

Quite something to witness. Like he is walking on water with it.
Must feel really good.

I misssed it all.....including Chung's loss....2 days of intensive meetings.

Nadal struggling v Lorenzi!..on clay.

Some nice matches today.

Nadal-Thiem potentially quite promising. 

Who will stand further behind the baseline is the question.
Good chance for Thiem to make a step forward in his career.


Rotterdam has had some excellent tennis this week despite no "super names".
Both Mahut and Klizan have been walking on water, was great to see them in full flight.

Shame Fed couldn't play, he would've loved this court. There never is enough of magic...

Any news on his recovery?

Nadal: bald, dripping in sweat, shanking...

Bravo Domi, gutsy to the last point!

Dominic is only young player for whom I am able to root for.
Coric's disgusting grunting, Zverev's affected primabalerina approach, Vesely's gloomish and Chung's wishy washy court performance are not promising. Let's see for their progress, but only Dominic seems to be a likeble player ouf of these.

Yes, Domi is mature and plays tennis the right, old-fashioned way - he attacks!

His BH is very good in defence, too, and that's a no small thing.

I also like Rubi, The Little Dragon, he has some serious talent, and I hope he gets through this difficult adjustment stage he is in atm.

I am undecided about Chung...he is a bit wishy-washy and too safe compared to Thiem and Rublev, but has dangerous shots and a calm mind...

The main thing is that all these youngsters are good players and talented, it's not going to be boring at all.

Dimi will start winning soon, too.

There is also a group of young American players but haven't seen them enough.

wow...I missed that!

It's scary times for Nadal. They all improve with age except him as his lack of talent is simply preventiing him to adapt.

For year they helped him by slowing courts everywhere but now even slow courts is not good enough. And that is what is affecting his confidence.....not the other way around.

Tenez wrote:wow...I missed that!

It's scary times for Nadal. They all improve with age except him as his lack of talent is simply preventiing him to adapt.

For year they helped him by slowing courts everywhere but now even slow courts is not good enough. And that is what is affecting his confidence.....not the other way around.

Yes, so much so, clay will become his worst surface from now on.

He has zero confidence...started the TB with a double fault. Didn't even do his usual: make the opponent look good.

We don't often get players to comment on balls but after losng to Nishikori last night, Querrey complained about them:

=================================

''It's tough to hit it through him when the balls are so heavy,'' Querrey said. ''I had a look there at the end, but I was just too conservative on the break point.''

=================================

That is not a good sign. TDs in US favouring fitness even in these small tournaments.

Anyone watching Monfils-Klizan?

Klizan escaped from his last two matches, set down, match points saved...

No...just picked up the score. Is monfils injured or has teh idea of possibly winning his first tournament 500 frozen him?

I only saw second half of the match.

Monfils was anaemic and gutless...no other way to describe it.

Klizan played with lots of heart and made the most of what he had.

"I'm not going to count him out just yet"

Haha, 606v2 is like a stuck record with Nadal.


@Tenez.  Players don't improve with age.  The statistics are quite clear that 28 years of age onwards is the worst part of almost every player's career. Especially multiple slam winners -since even minor reductions in reflexes and speed result in more losses.

FedererKing wrote:"I'm not going to count him out just yet"

Haha, 606v2 is like a stuck record with Nadal.


@Tenez.  Players don't improve with age.  The statistics are quite clear that 28 years of age onwards is the worst part of almost every player's career. Especially multiple slam winners -since even minor reductions in reflexes and speed result in more losses.

You might end up believing yourself if you keep repeating it.

I am continually responding to your statements to the contrary of all Open Era statistics.