World Tour Final: 2016

noleisthebest wrote:Nishi's legs are long gone.

Just shows how much more physical tennis is now than in that AO 2012 final.

Well I think players like Nishi are not up to those top 2 players fitness wise. But also with Nishi smaller margins he was always going to be at a disadvantage on the distance.....And I just lost £100. Very stupid of me.

It's another great eye opener on why Murray and Djoko are number 1s despite better shot makers right back behind them.

Nishi could have won this one easily in 2 sets but simply was dragged into long rallies by someone who physically, because of his bigger frame should have ran out of gas well long before a short guy like Nishi.

But also the mental strain on Nishi to have to pull great shots one after the other why Murray can just relax hoping for an UE.

There is something missing in Nishi game. Confidence. Being able to play the key shots in a relaxed way.

Yes, I don't know why Nishi lacks belief...
If only I had his talent...

Murray throwing those high balls...are sooo bad, I couldn't look myself in the mirror.

I bet even Gilbert is blushing with shame...

Despite everything, Nishi's done well. 
I've never seen him fight like today.

Poor Nishi.

noleisthebest wrote:Despite everything, Nishi's done well. 
I've never seen him fight like today.

I am disappointed. he fought when he had nothing to lose. When it mattered he played very nervously.

I woudl have like a semi between Djoko and Murray.

I don;t think this Murray will be Djoko....though it is a very important match cause Djoko coudl be taken out by Nishi in the semi. .

Tenez wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:Despite everything, Nishi's done well. 
I've never seen him fight like today.

I am disappointed. he fought when he had nothing to lose. When it mattered he played very nervously.

I woudl have like a semi between Djoko and Murray.

I don;t think this Murray will be Djoko....though it is a very important match cause Djoko coudl be taken out by Nishi in the semi. .

I am actually not fussed about this number one "race".
It's all a joke.

Both Murray and Nole are playing pathetic tennis.

Murray is doped to his eyeballs playing super ugly tennis, Djokovic, with his Spanish love guru in the box, full of fear, striking the ball like he hasn't eaten anything for a week.
Desperate vs Gutless.

I wish they both disappeared and form a wrestling in the mud league with Nadal somewhere in Spain...

Neither am I bothered about the number 1 race but what is frustrating is seeing a decent player being tamely beaten by a pusher built like a tank who uses only his muscles to scrap around the court.

Tenez wrote:Neither am I bothered about the number 1 race but what is frustrating is seeing [ ]a decent player being tamely beaten by a pusher built like a tank who uses only his muscles to scrap around the court. [/b]

You're right.
Nishi played a good match, not in "batches" like in the past and still lost.

Those few bad shot selections did not cost him it, it was the relentless panzir tank's ugly game.

Murray could've gon for another solid hour maybe even two like that.

Hope Stan gives us a decent match.

Mad cows disease has spread to Switzerland...

Nice one.

Stan looking sharp.

Cilic - the new Berdych, except that Berdych had better shots.

noleisthebest wrote:Stan looking sharp.

Cilic - the new Berdych, except that Berdych had better shots.

Cilic has a slam. Berdych hasn't. Cilic has still more chances to add slams than Berds.

Tenez wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:Stan looking sharp.

Cilic - the new Berdych, except that Berdych had better shots.

Cilic has a slam. Berdych hasn't. Cilic has still more chances to add slams than Berds.

Berd played in tougher competition, though. I still think he is a better player.

My comment was for the uselessness of both at the WTF.

That aside, Stan is blossoming beautifully in his 30-ties.
He's now showing not only timing and pace but great variety on the BH and all freedom on all shots, really.

Pleasure to watch him.

Huh? Stan is spraying unforced errors all over the place and hasn't even had a break point despite Cilic serving at 34%. Very low quality match so far.

Great rally.

Stan finally wakes up, takes the TB.

...and gets broken on next game.

noleisthebest wrote:
Berd played in tougher competition, though. I still think he is a better player.

Don't think so. Cilic would have held his own better v Nadal. Cilic hammered Nadal when he was younger. And though Fed was not on top form....Cilic still played amazing well in that USO. Berdych is the ultimate choker.

Yesss Stan breaks back

I like Stan's parents. They look friendly and simple....in a way like Fed's.

Tenez wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:
Berd played in tougher competition, though. I still think he is a better player.

Don't think so. Cilic would have held his own better v Nadal. Cilic hammered Nadal when he was younger. And though Fed was not on top form....Cilic still played amazing well in that USO. Berdych is the ultimate choker.

you are allergic to Berdych, aren't you...

Cilic is as bad as Berdych when it comes to choking. Remember being a set and 5:1 vs Murray and losing at USO 2013?

Cilic yelling Stan-like loid c'mooon back to him...

He is such a peasant.

Good play from Stan, Cilic held good too.

Good win for Stan in the end. Played good percentage tennis and looked solid in the second set. Still leaves the group very wide open.

noleisthebest wrote:

Tenez wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:
Berd played in tougher competition, though. I still think he is a better player.

Don't think so. Cilic would have held his own better v Nadal. Cilic hammered Nadal when he was younger. And though Fed was not on top form....Cilic still played amazing well in that USO. Berdych is the ultimate choker.

you are allergic to Berdych, aren't you...

Cilic is as bad as Berdych when it comes to choking. Remember being a set and 5:1 vs Murray and losing at USO 2013?

Never liked him actually. But maybe not as much as you being allergic to tall Croatians (Cilic, Raonic).

Murray is qualified, right? How does it work? Can he finish second?

Murray can finish 3rd if he loses 2-0 to Stan and Kei beats Cilic 2-0. There are probably other scenarios he can finish third on game count-back as well.

Cilic is croatian from Bosnia, but Raonic is Montenegrin, Djoko is half montenegro/half croatian.

It's all some inter-border secret sex.

Slippy wrote:Murray can finish 3rd if he loses 2-0 to Stan and Kei beats Cilic 2-0. There are probably other scenarios he can finish third on game count-back as well.

Wow.But frankly I cannot see him v Stan.

Jahu wrote:Cilic is croatian from Bosnia, but Raonic is Montenegrin, Djoko is half montenegro/half croatian.

It's all some inter-border secret sex.

You know so much about it looks like you are the son of this regional orgy!

Hahahah, nice one, good laugh for the morning

Won't be watching today and tomorrow as I will be on the road again!

Fed shot just right there.

Come onnnn crush the fake canadian

So Monfils pulls out citing "long standing injury" why play in the first place you muppet!?

Wonder if Cilic will follow suit tonight.

Wawrinka winning today would put the cats amongst the pigeons.

Felt for Thiem. Was always going to be a walking corpse coming in to the event and a draining 3 setter with Djokovic was never going to help his chances here. Maybe making further inroads into the Masters 1000 events next year will help him with his schedule so he isn't playing so many lower level events.

Fingers crossed Goffin/Nishikori tonight.

goffin got battered yesterday

Well he got £100K for it. Be the most expensive battering!

When I see Murray throw those high balls then I really don't want him to be number one.
It's such a shameful and disgusting shot.


Even with his "best tennis" he looks like a joke compared to Stan.

noleisthebest wrote:When I see Murray throw those high balls then I really don't want him to be number one.
It's such a shameful and disgusting shot.


Even with his "best tennis" he looks like a joke compared to Stan.

i have never seen anyone make the game of tennis loo as ugly as murray does
its not just his on court mannerisms and stupid facial expression when he plays,everything about his game is unbearable to watch 
pity that stan loses serve after playing so well

legendkillar wrote:So Monfils pulls out citing "long standing injury" why play in the first place you muppet!?

Wonder if Cilic will follow suit tonight.

Wawrinka winning today would put the cats amongst the pigeons.

Felt for Thiem. Was always going to be a walking corpse coming in to the event and a draining 3 setter with Djokovic was never going to help his chances here. Maybe making further inroads into the Masters 1000 events next year will help him with his schedule so he isn't playing so many lower level events.

Fingers crossed Goffin/Nishikori tonight.

Why Woul dThiem be tired? He played a lot this year but hardly anything the last 2 months.

Veejay wrote:i have never seen anyone make the game of tennis loo as ugly as murray does

I subscribe to that. I still think Djoko has ugliest shots but he is a tiny bit gutsier than Murray and much less negative on the court.

Veejay wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:When I see Murray throw those high balls then I really don't want him to be number one.
It's such a shameful and disgusting shot.


Even with his "best tennis" he looks like a joke compared to Stan.

i have never seen anyone make the game of tennis loo as ugly as murray does
its not just his on court mannerisms and stupid facial expression when he plays,everything about his game is unbearable to watch 
pity that stan loses serve after playing so well

Yes, its pathetic. Try as I may, I just can't root for him.

Poor BBC. They have to pick up the 5 best shots of the  match as part of their  match summary and between Murray and Stan had no choice to pick 4 of them from Stan and 1 from Murray (to be polite).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/38031056

Stan had a fantastic start,  great frame of mind...Murray's face was showing panic...Stan then got broken and made a mistake of trying to steady his emotions, taking his foot off the gas.

Murray read it straight away and took advantage of it. He is like a vulture watching his opponents for any sign of "hope".

At the beginning of the 2nd set, Stan tried to restart the engine but was unlucky with a shot or two.

Emotional balance is crucial for an attacker of his calibre.
A slightest whisp left or roght off the centre and it all falls to pieces.
Such a shame.

I can see why slam best of 5 formst suits him more.

Yes but amazing how again, the retriever almost always ends up winning those close matches. It comes down to one or 2 point there and them making the huge difference. Had Stan converted a break, his shoulders would have opened up and it would have been tougher for Murray.

On faster conditions the pressure would reversed..on the retriever. Retrievers had almost no existence from the mid 90s. Chang made a brief flash in the pan but besides him it was all attacking tennis. no room for retrievers.

Yes, but despite slower comds, the key is retrievers' court coverage, speed.

The fact they are on average 10 cm taller all makes a difference.

I don't know what medicine does to make such thick legs like Murray'a sprint tirelessly in all directions in stop-start fashion.

Nadal is a natural athlete, Nole is light, but Murray can't even walk properly...not to mention the weights on his ankles.

Even in his "best 5 shots" FH today he was well within the lines, just a safe, cleanly struck, basic CC FH.

But that's him, and hes taken tennis to new "heights".

I really don't want to know what's next....

Wow, I loved one Kei's fans Japanese flag sprinkled with pink petals:

"Brave Blossom"

A poem in two words!

Nishi looks really tired.
I would have fancied his chances tomorrow if it was not for sheer exhaustion. Murray killed him.