ATP 500/250: Hamburg, Bogota

They are really running behind schedcule. How come? Even of the 2 matches went to 3 sets instead of 2... doesn't explain that Federer's match shoudl have started neary an hour ago.

Wow, Fognini destroying Haas, 6:2, at last I can sit down and watch some tennis!
Fed should probably start about 7 PM.

Haas does not look that great on clay at all.
Fognini should wrap this one fast.

Jason Goodall is such an in-our-face, big mouth nasty piece....wiping out the odd occasional reasonable comment.

And after a bit of a fightback from Haas, it all goes to plan for Fognini, really decent and entertaining player; hopefully, it should be a super match against Fed  tomorrow.

And now, Fed the 632 sq in frame SUPERMAAAAAAN tiiiiiiime !!!!!!!!! 

Come on Roger, relax and just enjoy yourself, you have absolutely nothing to prove!

Not an easy first set for Federer with Mayer loading his forehand like there is no tomorrow, all in all not bad.

Poor Fed wearing a jumper now over that beautiful light blue top, which he definitely sweated in a bit so far. Must be the wind that's sending the warning chill to the lower back. He'll cook in it!

Federer's been displaying occasionally really odd shot selection this week, avoiding his trademark mid-court inside out FH for some reason, and on big points, as well.

Fed's BH is shamelessly & shockingly good!              

Fed is definitely finding it harder to find range on the FH with this racauet.. BH is looking great, already paying dividends.

Fed serving to stay in the match now after squandering the break he had earlier in the set.
come on Rog, show this Kraut how its done in style 
Goodall desperate for Federer to lose. Saddo.

Fantastic long rally won by Federer sealed by an approving roar. That will mean the world of good to his confidence!
Serving for the match now. Go Rog!!!!

and.....4 points later job done! 

Had to deal with a lot of hard ball-striking from Mayer which was a good test. An important win that will mean a lot to him at this stage. Should be easier against Fognini tomorrow as well as more elegant for watching.

ouahh  much closer than I thought it would be.

Just watched the interview of Fed at the end of the match. He looks very thin. has he lost some weight? I read a few saying he put on weight....not on his face for sure.

It's going to be very difficult tomorrow v Fognini.

He does not look thin at all. He actually looks perfect in a nice, natural, athletic way.
I think he'll handle Fognini with more ease than Mayer, who attacked a lot and really went for his shots.
But it will certainly be a lot more fun to watch Federer vs Fognini, that's for sure.

Hate to be a bearer of bad news- but lots of reports from fans at Hamburg on his website that Fed tweaked the back again.. .damn,damn,damn...

Said he was getting treatment after the match.. during third set - stood up during changeover twice and the serve velocity dropped drastically...  I haven't seen the match, but an aweful lot of people are talking about it............

New racquet, desire,etc is just not going to fix what the real issue is......

I didn't see the second half of the second set only, the rest I did and didn't notice any difference in his performance, nothing dramatic at all.
He moved well, even did quite a bit of retrieving.

Tweaked back is painful and shows immediately.

I don't know which match those Twitter fans were watching.
As for the post match treatment, what kind of treatment? A massage?
I wouldn't say no to one even with a healthy back!

This hot weather has really fuzzed me out!

Just looked at the order of play and it's not Fognini  that plays Federer tomorrow but Delbonis  

11.00 AM

Fognini- Almagro
&
Federer-Delbonis

I don't even know what the guy looks like!

Fognini playing some good tennis.

Happy to see Fognini won and in straight sets.
We may see him play Fed (tomorrow) after all!

1:0 Delbonis
What an arduous set of tennis....

Every time I see groundsmen water clay court between the sets now, I think of what a scumbag Nadal was in that SF when he refused Novak's request for watering the court even at 6:6 IN THE FIFTH SET!!!!!

Federer's grounds shots are really improving but we can clearly see he is not feeling great especially on his serve.

The real progress with this racket can be seen on the BH. All his FH is loopier but safer.

Yes, that serve.....the sooner it returns, the better.
Do yo think it's lack of confidence, back problem or a bit of both?

Federer  really reminds me McEnroe nowadays. Same way of hitting his BH. His BH is actually flatter than before.

noleisthebest wrote:Yes, that serve.....the sooner it returns, the better.
Do yo think it's lack of confidence, back problem or a bit of both?

 I'd say essentially his fitness. He can't return as well as he should.

He also seems to have focus lapses (can't blame him!), could try and attack a bit more on Delbonis's serve, though...

..BUt looks like his getting looser.

This  Delbonis is looking a bit desperate, in a turn-off kind of way.

Come on Rog!!!

This delbonis is actually a better version of Nadal.

I say better cause he has an excellent BH. good BH and tennis seems more natural to him. He is only 22...so he is really a newcomer and I think he is going to be good on clay.

Tenez wrote:This delbonis is actually a better version of Nadal.

I thought the same esp with his moonball FH to BH strategy....and receiving 10m behind the BL. Not as fit as Nadal, though.

Tenez wrote:I say better cause he has an excellent BH. good BH and tennis seems more natural to him. He is only 22...so he is really a newcomer and I think he is going to be good on clay.

To me, he looks just like another Bellucci, although he doesn't mind moving forward in the court, which is good.
There are loads of players like him (esp Argentinians & Spaniards) swimming in the top 200 fish-tank, surfacing for one or two tournaments and then disappearing.

Delbo is a bit of a moonballer though.

noleisthebest wrote:

Tenez wrote:I say better cause he has an excellent BH. good BH and tennis seems more natural to him. He is only 22...so he is really a newcomer and I think he is going to be good on clay.

To me, he looks just like another Bellucci, although he doesn't mind moving forward in the court, which is good.
There are loads of players like him (esp Argentinians & Spaniards) swimming in the top 200 fish-tank, surfacing for one or two tournaments and then disappearing.

 He is quite complete and makes the game look easy on clay. He is 22 and plays better than his ranking suggests.

Time for a break!
Interesting to see how Federer goes about it THIS time.

Federer is not playing badly...but....

That was a great FH!

Tenez wrote:Federer is not playing badly...but....

Delbonis is holding his serve really well, Fed tried to attack, but got passed, then tried to rally but Delbonis hit the line.
But in the next point that FHDTL finally dispatched the guy. Fed is having to work hard.
Still, I can't see Fed losing this.
Or don't want to.

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo  

Well frankly...this Delbonis played really well. Fed was average on serve and returns but all in all he did not play badly at all.

Time to edit your previous post NITB.

Tenez wrote:Well frankly...this Delbonis played really well. Fed was average on serve and returns but all in all he did not play badly at all.

Time to edit your previous post NITB.

Stop it, you are making me blush.

When I said he played well....he moonballed a lot but can cover the court well, and his BH passes were particularly good.

I think we will have a better idea of his level tomorrow.....but I won't be watching this one.

On the road for the next few weeks.

Will try to post when on the move.

Weird for Fed to play well yet to lose to another top 100 player!

Tenez wrote:Weird for Fed to play well yet to lose to another top 100 player!

Yes, Fognini will have his hands full tomorrow. Delbonis is playing on pure adrenaline now.
I won't watch it either, being taken to a farewell lunch by friends moving to Boston, US. Already invited there for the next USO  

Tenez wrote:When I said he played well....he moonballed a lot but can cover the court well, and his BH passes were particularly good.

I think we will have a better idea of his level tomorrow.....but I won't be watching this one.

On the road for the next few weeks.

Will try to post when on the move.

Please do!!!!!
...and drive safely

Just read a very interesting comment that Delbonis is wearing braces!!!
That could explain the never-ending juice on the FH despite the fact that Delbonis played qualifying matches, as well as a long 3 setter against Verdasco the day before....

noleisthebest wrote:Just read a very interesting comment that Delbonis is wearing braces!!!
That could explain the never-ending juice on the FH despite the fact that Delbonis played qualifying matches, as well as a long 3 setter against Verdasco the day before....

Anyone beating a geriatric Federer must be on juice of some kind, perhaps the orange kind.

Tenez wrote:Well frankly...this Delbonis played really well. Fed was average on serve and returns but all in all he did not play badly at all.

DelBo played really well, but Federer squandered too many chances, with breaks being given back, and mini-breaks in TB with errors. A TB for Federer is now a very risky proposition. He can recover from 15-30, 30-40 in a game, but recovering in the TB, with added pressure, causes errors. The new racquet is also adding to this.