Masters 1000: Shanghai

No, I haven't been there yer, I wanted to go 10 years ago, but given up in the meantime...

I know it's a dead place, but the tennis tournament is fantastic, so I'll probably go one day.

I love cote d'Azur.

Thanks for the charming peeling peppers offer.

I have just come back from Belgrade laden with jars of ajvar and slatko od sljiva.

Btw, how did Nole lose today?

Was it close?

Was he rusty?

He shouldn't've lost to Gutty however decent Gutty may be.

Contraband

Enjoy them with some freshly baked bread.

Just watched highlights, little off form, some silly UE;s, Agut motivated now knowing Djoko can lapse, then Djoko lost the plot a little.

Yes, that's what I thought happened.

Still, a lot of things in the air.

I think Becker is going to get the sack.

noleisthebest wrote:I just saw the smash/rip/argument clip.

Not good but good.

Good because he looked fired up.

Knowing him, he'll defend year end number one.

He wants to but he is a nervous player. Way too nervous.

Nervous in what way?

Panicking, highly strung, sensitive?

noleisthebest wrote:Nervous in what way?

Panicking, highly strung, sensitive?

I mean fearful. The fear of losing gets to him.

Always has; that's one part of spending so much time looking up at parents etc when things go wrong.

Not sure I've ever seen or heard of Federer looking to the entourage.

Jahu wrote:Andy is a spoiled immature kid, so his self-fighting, swearing and shouting at his box, is kind of normal, hoped him being a daddy would smooth him a little, guess not, Kim making him change nappies at 3am probably.

Have you been to MC? it's a pretty boring place, even Casinos are pretty bland, apart from that F1 street to have a go, not much to do, except cry from wealth and yachts.

So no, I'm not moving there, no one lives there, just Postal addresses for tax cheats

Done your turšija yet? i can help you with peeling baked peppers

Indeed, I went to the big casino on the hill and it was rubbish. The drive round is decent but there's a big "huh" after it.

Murray certainly plays like the new world number 1. His serve is a huge improvement from previous years and  his groundshots are as solid as ever.

He is once again the living proof that one doesn't decline at 29!....let alone 27!!!!

Tenez wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:Nervous in what way?

Panicking, highly strung, sensitive?

I mean fearful. The fear of losing gets to him.

Yes..

Yet he wants to change it all and start "enjoying himself on the court".

I actually noticed that struggle in him in hist first match in Shanghai amd started gettong hopeful.

It's obviously tougher than he thought...

bogbrush wrote:Always has; that's one part of spending so much time looking up at parents etc when things go wrong.

Not sure I've ever seen or heard of Federer looking to the entourage.

He does.
And that's always when his back starts to trouble him in matches.

Never seen it myself, in the many matches I've watched. If you did, you did but it's certainly very scarce and nothing like the gesticulation / appeals that Novak makes...... and definitely not the Murray madness!

Have to say the results were an unexpected outcome.

Murray wins Shanghai and the race for number 1 intensifies!

I think Djokovic losing the number 1 ranking might take some of the pressure and weight of expectation off his shoulders and relax him. Think he has carried the tag of "It's mine to lose" around with him for the last 18 months.

The question is also how the idea of becoming number one will affect Murray?

I think he is going to make it cause he is a very focused gritty player.

I don't think many are excited about Murray becoming number one. Nole has more fans in Serbia alone than Murray all over the world.

I flicked through tennis pages and only non-Murray news were interesting:

1) Federer: "I am nearly 100% and may play (forgot the name, that flying circus in far east in the off season)
2) Moya: "Nadal will win a few more slams."
3) Kyrgios to visit psychologist if he wants to return to ATP (banned for the rest of the season)
4) Chug won a match in some Chinese challenger against a...Chinese!
5) Serbian media contemplating Nole's downfall putting it down to his switch of necklace pendant - he has replaced the wooden cross with a stone - ametyst....


There you go!

Yeah, Djoko has given up on God and cross, and turned to Amethyst stones  

Amethyst is also considered a good stone for meditation and lucid dreaming, and opening man's ability to telepathy, a return to past lives and to communicate with angels.

Don't think it's working by the pic. Embarrassing, he is going down the drain faster than Nadal's hair loss.

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Well I hope he comes back...like the prodigal son.

Btw, who's "balder" Nadal or Murray?

No, he's done on all fronts, God, Love, Tennis, all gone, so start looking for next favorite player

Nadal is way balder, thin hair, at the top pretty much lost it, guess some spanish herbal mix did the job on his hair and knees, strange side effects...

There are many favourite players...but only one Nole.

And don't be so fatalistic Yahoo!!

While the sun rises there is hope!

Resistance is futile!!!

Hope? What Hope? Andy? Korgi getting banned every 3 months? Zverev?

Guess WTA has become more interesting, at least some new faces wining and no more of that Serena dinosaur.

I've given up, Fed mumbling something about a return, Moya barking Nadals more GS, etc etc,

A bad winter is coming

Fall in love, Yahoo!

Instant spring and sunshine even in the middle of winter.

Tenez wrote:The question is also how the idea of becoming number one will affect Murray?

I think he is going to make it cause he is a very focused gritty player.

He'll buckle. His main objective over his whole career was to win Slams. Number 1 ranking was never his goal and if you listen to some of what he says to me he clearly rated himself below Federer, Nadal and Djokovic and that why run yourself into the ground chasing the Number 1 ranking when those players have greater chances of obtaining it and that the better chances lay with winning Slams. I think that is clever thinking. Hell Stan has it right down to a tee.

Murray's view has clearly changed and he senses opportunity. Federer won't be near that summit again and Nadal is on the decline and Djokovic has had a wobble. He knows that it's now or never to achieve that goal and he will do it.

In an era of Federer/Nadal/Djokovic, Murray has had to be an opportunist. My only criticism is that he didn't win enough Slams with the chances he had.

I don't think Murray will carry the Number 1 ranking with the aura that he is the man.

Yeah, like Djoko's aura has been amazing for tenis world, NOT!

Andy deserves a little no1, been on the shadows forever, and since no one likes Djoko, would be a good change.

Jahu Your hate blinds you!

No-one is saying his dominance was enjoyable, but the fact remains that he was dominant.

I don't see Andy being as dominant as previous peers.

Think I'm starting to lose my hearing too

Andy has the chance to dominate now if he fixes his brain a little.

A WTF title would be good, then an AO for a nice 2016 start.

Djoko I guess will be at South African mines, searching for new power magic stones

Next year Andy and Stan to fight for GS'es, Fed and Nadal to take all ATP250's they never been to

I''ve just read the funniest comment about Murray:

"Murray's greatest offensive weapon is undoubtedly his mouth! "

And defensive weapon? His Mom?

Or maybe his FH...

WOW!!!

Federer, NADAL, Stan and MURRAY have been selected for ATP sportsmanship award....

I give up....

Why, because Djoko was not nominated?

You're so modest

No, Nole doesn't deserve it because of his untimely MTOs.

But Murray, Madal...c'mon...this world is rotten tho the core!

...and all who support and vote for them.

hahaha, a few hours ago you said till sun rises there is hope.

Now it's all rotten.

Woo needs Love now?

legendkillar wrote:

Tenez wrote:The question is also how the idea of becoming number one will affect Murray?

I think he is going to make it cause he is a very focused gritty player.

He'll buckle. His main objective over his whole career was to win Slams. Number 1 ranking was never his goal and if you listen to some of what he says to me he clearly rated himself below Federer, Nadal and Djokovic and that why run yourself into the ground chasing the Number 1 ranking when those players have greater chances of obtaining it and that the better chances lay with winning Slams. I think that is clever thinking. Hell Stan has it right down to a tee.

Murray's view has clearly changed and he senses opportunity. Federer won't be near that summit again and Nadal is on the decline and Djokovic has had a wobble. He knows that it's now or never to achieve that goal and he will do it.

In an era of Federer/Nadal/Djokovic, Murray has had to be an opportunist. My only criticism is that he didn't win enough Slams with the chances he had.

I don't think Murray will carry the Number 1 ranking with the aura that he is the man.

I think all players want, are desperate rather, to become number 1 spot. It's more valuable than a slam cause all your sponsors contracts have a 10 fold return on earnings and that you simply are on top of the world and everybody makes you feel that way.

So for that reason he may buckle but not the other way around.

Yes agree. It's now or never.....but he has certainly played like the number one since the end of the USo.

I am certainly not keen to see Murray end up world number 1.


It's not a gimme. Djoko can still stop him!

noleisthebest wrote:WOW!!!

Federer, NADAL, Stan and MURRAY have been selected for ATP sportsmanship award....

I give up....

Hang on. That guy has barely played this year!

Tenez wrote:

legendkillar wrote:

Tenez wrote:The question is also how the idea of becoming number one will affect Murray?

I think he is going to make it cause he is a very focused gritty player.

He'll buckle. His main objective over his whole career was to win Slams. Number 1 ranking was never his goal and if you listen to some of what he says to me he clearly rated himself below Federer, Nadal and Djokovic and that why run yourself into the ground chasing the Number 1 ranking when those players have greater chances of obtaining it and that the better chances lay with winning Slams. I think that is clever thinking. Hell Stan has it right down to a tee.

Murray's view has clearly changed and he senses opportunity. Federer won't be near that summit again and Nadal is on the decline and Djokovic has had a wobble. He knows that it's now or never to achieve that goal and he will do it.

In an era of Federer/Nadal/Djokovic, Murray has had to be an opportunist. My only criticism is that he didn't win enough Slams with the chances he had.

I don't think Murray will carry the Number 1 ranking with the aura that he is the man.

I think all players want, are desperate rather, to become number 1 spot. It's more valuable than a slam cause all your sponsors contracts have a 10 fold return on earnings and that you simply are on top of the world and everybody makes you feel that way.

So for that reason he may buckle but not the other way around.

Yes agree. It's now or never.....but he has certainly played like the number one since the end of the USo.

I don't dispute the prestige of being number 1. It's a big deal. Murray has always been a methodical and meticulous individual (except when he gets on court and gets blown away!) and I see the logic in making Slams a priority. In any sport the measuring stick is usually the major title count. The fame and money is a nice sidebar to that. Money doesn't last forever, but greatness does. I know this forum talks a lot about the physical nature. Think of the effort Andy would've needed to be number 1 say between 2004-2012.

He won't buckle provided the field doesn't catch up. When Federer was top dog, he had Nadal, Djokovic and Murray himself all bearing down on him. Similar for Nadal and Djokovic. You look at Murray's rise now, in a time when that dynamic has totally shifted. The challenge isn't likely to come from Nadal or Federer. When you consider NITB's thread about the number 1 player, question is if this blip from Djokovic is to convert into a full blown decline, who will then de-throne Murray? Quite the tantalising prospect as our attention will not divert to the upcoming players.

He has played well since the USO, but he has to sustain that form now.

Tenez wrote: Djoko can still stop him!

Oh god, did nitb give you some of her potion?

legendkillar wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:WOW!!!

Federer, NADAL, Stan and MURRAY have been selected for ATP sportsmanship award....

I give up....

Hang on. That guy has barely played this year!

Yeah, but he did it so nicely! I wouldn't rule out him winning it, it's almost habitual. It's like they wouldn't really know what else to do with it than give it to Roger.

This year for Fed it would be because Fans missed him playing and not much cause he played magic.

bogbrush wrote:

legendkillar wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:WOW!!!

Federer, NADAL, Stan and MURRAY have been selected for ATP sportsmanship award....

I give up....

Hang on. That guy has barely played this year!

Yeah, but he did it so nicely! I wouldn't rule out him winning it, it's almost habitual. It's like they wouldn't really know what else to do with it than give it to Roger.

You can play nice, but be a [email=tw@t]tw@t[/email] ala Mac!

They should rename it the "Roger Federer" Sportmanship Award. I mean he'll still win it in retirement!

For me, all French players bar Monfils deserve this award... more than Federer, maybe.

Yet, it seems to be reserved exclusively for slam winners (past or current).

To me that's stupid. I understand they carry most pressure as they play biggest matches, attract all theninterest and generate biggest share of momey, but it's become ridiculous to have one or two players win it.

I hope Stan gets it this year.

part 2

As if the players are expressing eir gratitude to top guys by voting for them...(it's the players who tive this award, isn't it?)...what a farce...then again, aren't all these award ceremonies just a joke.

90% is all rigged, anyway...

Rant over.

Do we care anyway about nicest, fairest, dullest player of the year?

They could give it to Kyrgios I woudl not care less.

I've never understood the award tbh.

The fact they call it sportsmanship and this might please NITB and that Djokovic has demonstrated several moments of sportsmanship over his career in matches and still never been near winning that award!

Need to do away with it.

Tenez wrote:Do we care anyway about nicest, fairest, dullest player of the year?

They could give it to Kyrgios I woudl not care less.

Exactly...

legendkillar wrote:I've never understood the award tbh.

The fact they call it sportsmanship and this might please NITB and that Djokovic has demonstrated several moments of sportsmanship over his career in matches and still never been near winning that award!

Need to do away with it.

Hehe, LK...

I do think Nole is better than Nadal who won it, and he is generally a very good sport, I just wish he didn't have to take those MTOs against Federer and Stan.

I mean, they are "legal", but just an unnecessary stain for him.

When it comes to playing the game I am a no-nonsense purist - just give me peace and quiet and fairness...don't need the opponent to clap good shots etc...it's all undersood in the game.

So from that point of view, the French are second to none compared to everyone, they really respect the game and as a result all play it well and with flair.

OK, they may not be the winning machines, but when all is said and done, what's e point of having "rusty" trophies?

noleisthebest wrote:

legendkillar wrote:I've never understood the award tbh.

The fact they call it sportsmanship and this might please NITB and that Djokovic has demonstrated several moments of sportsmanship over his career in matches and still never been near winning that award!

Need to do away with it.

Hehe, LK...

I do think Nole is better than Nadal who won it, and he is generally a very good sport, I just wish he didn't have to take those MTOs against Federer and Stan.

I mean, they are "legal", but just an unnecessary stain for him.

When it comes to playing the game I am a no-nonsense purist - just give me peace and quiet and fairness...don't need the opponent to clap good shots etc...it's all undersood in the game.

So from that point of view, the French are second to none compared to everyone, they really respect the game and as a result all play it well and with flair.

OK, they may not be the winning machines, but when all is said and done, what's e point of having "rusty" trophies?

It's voted for by the pro's and I think Roger must be some damn likeable to keep winning it as he does.

For me it should be awarded on the basis of sportsmanship. Think it was last year when Jack Sock was playing someone and he was receiving and the serve was called out and he told his opponent to challenge and he did and he was awarded the point.

Moments like that which I feel are more deserving of the award.

legendkillar wrote:

It's voted for by the pro's and I think Roger must be some damn likeable to keep winning it as he does.

For me it should be awarded on the basis of sportsmanship. Think it was last year when Jack Sock was playing someone and he was receiving and the serve was called out and he told his opponent to challenge and he did and he was awarded the point.

Moments like that which I feel are more deserving of the award.

For me it's a yes and no, and that's where I am with Federer who always lets the umpire do the job, as they should! (but often don't esp with the introductuon of hawkeye)


I watched Sock against Thiem at Boodles two years ago...he often said "shot!" as in "great shot" , it got on my nerves...that's this new school of sanitised "super nice guys".

It's totally against the spirit of competition, that's why it looks fake to me, even though it's probably not.

But tennis is changing...