Mercedes Cup, Stuttgart

naxroy wrote:whenever nadal sits in the defendant´s chair, we shall hand this forum´s archive to the judge so that he has proof enough to fullfill your dreams

Forum is a forum, court is a court.

The point of a forum is for people to be able to present whatever opinions they have.  There is no point artificially restricting what people are allowed to say.  Even if it means some opinions will be nonsensical, so what?  We can always ignore whatever we find not worth wasting time on, and respond only to the stuff that is worth the trouble.

So if people feel a player cheats, they should be able to say so.  It would be silly to impose presumption of innocence on a forum.

Kyrgios should be the first real test tomorrow.  Looking forward to watching first grass court matches of the season - they always look so different than clay - even if it is just the color of the courts.

It would be nice to see Fed win.  Still, I do not want him to kill himself.  The main thing is to play some matches before Wimbledon, and try to win there.  Stuttgart and Halle do not matter.

Fed in 2, but sure last 2 matches were leisurely.

Raonic been doing more S&V in here, then all his life.

unfortunately I won't be able to watch,  but... Go Rogeeeerrr, fly to he top where you  belong!!!

Good fast match Nick and Fed.

Fed missing BP's now losses the TB, wake up papi.

Yes I thought he played better during the whole set..having a couple of BPs...but then loses the TB very convincingly. Too conservative in that TB as if too much at stake whereas Kyrgios played as nothing to lose.

Break up Fed now, think he wanted to play 3 sets today anyway.

6:2 2nd set. Go go go

Fed wins on TB, perfect match to build for tomorrow.

It could have hardly been closer again.

Kyrgios a good loser.

Yay! Very solid match. 
Nick was relaxed, good tempered and because of his mum watching just enough inspired to play well throughout. In this mode Nick is as dangerous as a opponant can get on grass. And yet he never had a better look at breaking Fed's serve than 0-15. Fed played flawless in his service games.

#1 again.

Only one set in nine between the two settled before the tie break.

Congrats on Fed on his return to number 1.

May it switch hands multiple times this year

summerblues wrote:

bogbrush wrote:It's an odd thing with the ranking because if he pinches it back he then has to win Halle & Wimbledon to keep it, then we go off to N America where Nadal has to do great things to retain it... and so it goes on.

Let's not plan on it "going on" until at least after Wimbledon.  Fed has an awful lot of points to defend and he is not 35 anymore.

Course it’s going on. Exactly who else is taking #1 this year and after Wimbledon Federer has less to defend.

DEC1M7 wrote:Congrats on Fed on his return to number 1.

May it switch hands multiple times this year  

May it not switch hands again.

nice battle for number one between the best tennis players ever

After the FO win it seemed as if Rafa was certain to finish grass season as number one. However, now, if Federer wins in Stuttgart, Halle and W then Rafa would need to get to at least the quarters at W to retake number 1.

I'm expecting Roger to win tomorrow, and i'm hoping he peaks for W. Halle and number 1 in that case becomes inconsequential in my view.

Having said that, if Rafa finishes as YE1 then that equals Roger with 5   

#changeofGOAT

 

Emancipator

I expect Nadal to emerge from grass as #1, and Federer to finish the year as #1. Nadal will not win the USO again and providing Federer avoids a bad back he will improve his post-Wimbledon haul considerably.

Tumoro 2-3 TB, Raonic serving at 240 today, though Fed is the master blocker, but Fed to win in 2 or 3 sets.

Very solid from Fed.  In the first set, he was in practice mode and almost won it anyway.  If he can keep this same form for another three weeks, he will have a great shot at W#9.  I am tempted to suggest he tanks Halle.  The form is clearly there, no need to get tired unnecessarily.  #1 is inconsequential there.  If he wins Wimbledon, he will have a good shot to reclaim it anyway.  And if he does not win Wimbledon, winning Halle will be of little consolation.

I thought Kyrgios was playing quite well too, and was looking more focused than usual.  Hopefully he is maturing.  He is a fantastic talent - even if his game style is not quite to my liking.  He can hit the ball insanely early - especially on BH side.

gallery play wrote:Nick was relaxed, good tempered and because of his mum watching just enough inspired to play well throughout.

Yes he was.  I was thinking it was maybe more because of who he was playing rather than his mom.  He always plays quite focused vs Federer.  Also I wonder if he respects him more than he does some other players.  He was certainly on his best behavior throughout.  Or maybe he is just finally maturing.  It would be nice to see - we need good young players.

summerblues wrote:I thought Kyrgios was playing quite well too, and was looking more focused than usual.

It was not my impression. He lacks craft on grass. He has a great serve but after that there were way too many mistakes.

Ye, they had quite a few laughs with babies crying in the crowd and a few more, also Korgis mom did applaud nicely and in relaxing mood for Fed constantly (compared to teethy/angry Toni Nadals applause's for Fed that he used to do sometimes).

Tenez wrote:

summerblues wrote:I thought Kyrgios was playing quite well too, and was looking more focused than usual.

It was not my impression. He lacks craft on grass. He has a great serve but after that there were way too many mistakes.

Still like his game more then say Zverev's. His shots can be unpredictable from both wings and he is maturing more now, no useless teen bitching, at least last few days.

Tenez wrote:

summerblues wrote:I thought Kyrgios was playing quite well too, and was looking more focused than usual.

It was not my impression. He lacks craft on grass. He has a great serve but after that there were way too many mistakes.

I do not disagree that he lacks craft on grass.  But I thought he was playing about as well as he can.  I do not see him playing much better than this should he meet Fed at Wimbledon.

I don't think Federer should 'tank' Halle. He's played four matches in Stuttgart and doesn't start Halle 'till Weds. Then he has a week off before W. Halle matches will probably average an hour each or just over. 

He will not tire himself out or get injured from fatigue. The risk of a freak injury is always there and could happen at any time. 

By playing he gets to fine tune his game. Grows in confidence and increases his aura in the locker room. The latter could save him in a tight match when the opponent realises that he's playing 'unbeatable grass king' Roger Federer.

Speaking of craft on grass, has anyone seen Shapovalov's loss earlier this week?  I have not, but was wondering what happened there.  I was (and still am) hoping he will do really well on grass this year, but that loss makes me worry.

Emancipator wrote:I don't think Federer should 'tank' Halle.

"Tank" is maybe too strong, maybe I should not have said it quite like that.  But if a match looks like it requires a lot of effort to win, he should be willing to take the loss and move on instead.

I have said it many times, but it cannot cease to amaze me that Fed is almost 37, he skipped clay court season and yet has enough points to reclaim #1, and nobody other than Rafa is even anywhere near him pointwise.

No I did not see Shapo play earlier this week bit this loss doesn't worry me at all.

I just watched a replay of today's match and fed was really playing within himself. Did not want to force it (I hope). I expect him to give a bit more for Wimbeldon...Wimbledon final rounds that is.

summerblues wrote:I have said it many times, but it cannot cease to amaze me that Fed is almost 37, he skipped clay court season and yet has enough points to reclaim #1, and nobody other than Rafa is even anywhere near him pointwise.

rafa, always rafa

Nax, you hitting F5 every few seconds to wait for someone to mention Rafa so you can reply? 

naxroy wrote:rafa, always rafa

Believe me, I would have been happier if I could have just said "and nobody is even close to him pointwise".

How was Fed’s BH?
Closer to AO 17 or 18?

18. With a few bombs, meaning it might still be there some left from 17.

For me Fed’s BH is the finest gauge of where his game is.

I am not sure why his BH was not as good this AO as the last.

Is it a sign of lack of practice, slow decline, it really puzzles me.

Just saw the highlights...Fed looked pretty sharp...like he never made a three month break.

Again, a very hungry looking FH.

I don’t know what it is, but grass tennis looks so much better in Wimbledon...maybe it’s the white they wear and nice nets...here they sre black! Plus those ugly black and white commercials all around.

But one thing Stuttgart has over Wimbledon is the really beautiful birdsong you can hear, anyone noticed?

gallery play wrote: Yay! Very solid match. 
Nick was relaxed, good tempered and because of his mum watching just enough inspired to play well throughout. In this mode Nick is as dangerous as a opponant can get on grass. And yet he never had a better look at breaking Fed's serve than 0-15. Fed played flawless in his service games.

Yay!

Some good serving helps Feds make it to the TB. COme on Feds!!!

WINNERRRR!!!

Maestro rules!

noleisthebest wrote:

gallery play wrote: Yay! Very solid match. 
Nick was relaxed, good tempered and because of his mum watching just enough inspired to play well throughout. In this mode Nick is as dangerous as a opponant can get on grass. And yet he never had a better look at breaking Fed's serve than 0-15. Fed played flawless in his service games.

Yay!

And yay again!

Completely missed it, it started unusually early..

Wimbledon could be his 100th tour win, that would be quite something

Good win this, longest ever ceremony wtf.

Good to see Raonic back to some form at least, he could go to SF W easy.

Comfortable win.  I actually thought Fed played a little better yesterday, but then again, he did not need to play so well today.

Fingers crossed for Wimbledon.

gallery play wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:

gallery play wrote: Yay! Very solid match. 
Nick was relaxed, good tempered and because of his mum watching just enough inspired to play well throughout. In this mode Nick is as dangerous as a opponant can get on grass. And yet he never had a better look at breaking Fed's serve than 0-15. Fed played flawless in his service games.

Yay!

And yay again!

Completely missed it, it started unusually early..

Wimbledon could be his 100th tour win, that would be quite something

Don’t worry, I beat you to it by literally seeing only the match point!

If his back holds, Fed should make his 100th in Wimbledon.

Hopefully he avoids Cilic en-route, too.

Nadal will skip the whole thing most likely.

Jeez, there were some vintage baseline half volley shots on the ATP highlights reel, including one winner that brought to mind the down the line winner over Murray in 2012 Wimbledon and the stunner against a Nadal at the 2017 AO.

The man looks to have lost nothing of his touch.

Yes this short on the ATP makes him look very good.

Raonic did have many many points that Fed was totally left sleeping (excluding serve), so lets not get carried away 

I know I was wondering whether Federer had peaked...but having seen him play in Stuttgart, I think his FH is better this year than last.

He has again started hitting it with that old arrogant full-blooded romp like when he was young.

Fed certainly looks better to me now than he did at the AO.  I think he was playing very much within himself the whole week, but he was always able to step it up when needed.  He hit plenty of lovely shots.