ATP 500: Beijing, Tokyo

After the warm up of 250 events last week, Asian swing gathers momentum and top players in its ATP 500 tournaments: Beijing and Tokyo.
Traditionally, Djokovic would play Beijing, with Murray and Nadal choosing weaker field in Tokyo.
Not so this year.
With Murray out for the rest of the season with his back surgery, Nadal, instead of sweeping it safely in Tokyo goes for Beijing.
That answers all our questions about his cycling up this autumn.

A lot is at stake, Nole is the defending champion, and his number one ranking is now on the line.
In order to secure it, Nadal needs to make the final.
If he doesn't, Nole catches up with Nadal's 102 weeks as the top ranked player.
From memory, they actually played a match here once, at the Olympics 2008, when Nole suffered one of his most heart-breaking losses to Nadal, and that was the only time I saw him hold back the tears as he was leaving the court. 

So...get ready for a very big one here everyone!  

ATP 500 China Open, Beijing, indoor hard, mixed event

The Beijing Olympic Green Tennis Centre, purpose-built for the 2008 Olympic Games, is the venue for the China Open. In 2011, the venue expanded to an 11-court stadia as it boasted a new 15,000-seat Stadium with a retractable roof, named the Diamond Court due to its likeness. The tennis centre employs space-age air-cooling technology to benefit players and spectators.


Players:
Djokovic, Nadal, Ferrer, Berdych, Gasquet, Wawrinka, Haas, Isner, Tomic, Dimitrov Davydenko, Verdasco, Hewitt, Kohlschreiber, Fognini
Draw:
http://www.atpworldtour.com/posting/2013/747/mds.pdf
Order of Play:
http://www.atpworldtour.com/posting/2013/747/op.pdf

First round matches not to miss on the opening day: Haas-Hewitt, Fognini-Robredo


ATP 500 Japan Open, Tokyo, indoor hard

The Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships is the longest-running ATP World Tour tennis tournament in Asia, first held in 1972. The ATP World Tour 500 tournament is played at Ariake Colosseum, an expansive tennis centre comprising 48 tennis courts and a stadium with one of the first retractable roofs in tennis. In 2012, Kei Nishikori became its first homegrown singles champion.


Players:
Del Potro, Tsonga, Raonic, NIshikori, Almagro, Simon, Tisparevic, Anderson, Baghdatis, Dolgopolov, Monfils, Chardy, R. Harrison
Draw:
http://www.atpworldtour.com/posting/2013/329/mds.pdf
Order of Play
http://www.atpworldtour.com/posting/2013/329/op.pdf

Some cracking first round matches here, as well: Tsonga-Monfils (opening day), Del Potro-Baghdatis

GO NOLEEEE!!!!!!        



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sj_9CiNkkn4

Some results from today:
Tsonga d Monfils
Agut d. Dimitrov
Tomic d. some Chinese
Fognini d Robredoin 3  
Kholi d. Montanes  it the 3rd set TB 
Dolgoppolov d Brands  
Nieminen d Monaco
Almagro d Becker (in two TBs!!!)

so....tomorrow is the BIG names day:

Del Potro-Baghdatis
Djokovic-Rosol
Giraldo-Nadal (go Giri !!!   )
Seppi-Wawrinka
Berdych-Anduhar
F. Mayer-Gasquet
Ferrer-Posisil ( go Vasek!  )

Haas - Hewitt still slogging it out for those who want to watch them...and...two sets later, it's Hewitt that ended up winning in two tight sets.

Funny how the tennis schedule sets up perfectly for doping cycles up and down...

Don't you think they are still cycling down? I expect a few surprises these coming weeks. Certainly this week.

I don't think they are doping or taken up riding a bike so not quite sure what you guys are on about.

And Truffin, what do you want for the schedule then?
What would you change?

Julia Santamaria wrote:And Truffin, what do you want for the schedule then?
What would you change?

I didn't say the schedule should or can change... just that the tennis schedule sets up perfectly for dopers...  It's a tailor made sport in terms of scheduling for classic doping cycles-- but it is a sport that needs breaks,etc for the players..  Prob not much that can be done other than actually spending the time and money to create testing technology that is ahead of the doping technology.

Tenez wrote:Don't you think they are still cycling down? I expect a few surprises these coming weeks. Certainly this week.

My understanding for most typical enhancers is 3-6 weeks so they should be starting to cycle back up or even be peaked over the next couple of weeks...   With some of the new stuff that is obviously out there- I am betting the cycles are even shorter than the past..

and the 'glow time' for being caught is greatly reduced now.

Wow, before I got the chance to see him, Nole dismisses Rosol in 53 minutes  
I suppose that was just a little message for the Czechs before the Davis cup final in November he,he.

Other results:
Querrey d Youzhny  
Stan d Seppi from a set down
Delpo d Baghdatis -II-
Gasquet d F. Mayer 
Zeballos d Harrison in 3
an anonymous Chinese on the verge of beating Isner
and hopefully the same will be said in an hour or two for Giraldo, who is starting playing Nadal any minute.

Go Giri!!!!! 

So far, the match looking interesting!

It was distressing to see a Chinese linesman look really, really worried for calling Nadal's heavily missed FH out....

Tenez wrote:Don't you think they are still cycling down? I expect a few surprises these coming weeks. Certainly this week.

You could be right...(again   )
Nadal def not looking his USO self.

I must say Truffin...I thought the first part of teh season is incrdible hard for those cycling up and down. I was wondering how Nadal manage to do that well from IW to Wimbledon....cause it is a long stretch asking for top form. We know now that it is almost impossible as he prefers to end the effort in Paris.

I am curious to see how he plans his schedule next year as he must be desperate to try Wimby again. He woudl want to win another Wimby over another FO.

Giraldo is useless.
I would have shown more guts than him 

Poor Giraldo...I shouldn't've been so hard on him. He is only human with human fitness. Not a bad player at all otherwise.
Such a shame...

Giraldo manages to recover one break as Nadal fails to serve out the match with some really horrible shots, eg BH volley moonballed  2m out!!!!

Tenez wrote:I must say Truffin...I thought the first part of teh season is incrdible hard for those cycling up and down. I was wondering how Nadal manage to do that well from IW to Wimbledon....cause it is a long stretch asking for top form. We know now that it is almost impossible as he prefers to end the effort in Paris.

I am curious to see how he plans his schedule next year as he must be desperate to try Wimby again. He woudl want to win another Wimby over another FO.

I saw my back doc today and asked him if he had any knowledge of it- and he said there are products on the legal market that only have a cycle down of 3 days while keeping your body peaking for up to 2 months, then a longer detox time of a few weeks before starting back up again...   insanity...    just imagine the potions they have in the secret market..smh

Yes I am not that surprised.

However look at cycling. Wiggins and Froome both winning the TDF and then clearly cycling down for the world cup.....or is it because it is a different type of race?

LA seemed only able to peak for a short period....but that's probably  because he did not bother about the other races?

Oh cmon Wiggins and Froome aren't doping.

Results, results results.....

Fognini demolishes Hewitt 6:0 6:2 ( I wish I saw that)
Dolgo d. Tipsarevic in 2
Dodig d. Tsonga (a bit of a surprise, shame Dodig isn't playing in China...)
Delpo, Raonic, Nieminen, Chardy thorugh

One to watch in a few hours:
Nadal-Kohslhreiber, go Kholi!!! 

Julia Santamaria wrote:Oh cmon Wiggins and Froome aren't doping.

You don't know much about cycling. And you certainly don't know much about doping in sport.

I certainly do actually, probably more so than you

Team Sky have been quite convincing to me, didn't they call for journalists to follow them around during training and races, as well as asking for blood tests every 24 hours (or something like that)?

It either means their technology is very very advanced which means they are so confident of not being caught, or they are actually innocent and trying to clear up the good name of cycling.
I'd give them the benefit of the doubt and say the latter, Wiggins to me doesn't look like someone who dopes.

Oh yeah JS...the doping/tester race is won by the dopers....so now the work is to convince journalists and public back....and you are one to be easily convinced. DO journalists take blood tests on a dayly basis? Do they sleep with the racers? You fall easily for the mkg crap...we heard it all before with LA....yet it was all a joke.

Is this a big wind up JS because congrats you have successfully achieved that. 
In the past you have said you don't follow cycling.
I cannot believe you actually said that! You clearly know nothign about team sky as you fail to realise so many of their flaws.
You know what I am not going to even go there because you are so far off the beaten track it's untrue.

After knocking out the second seeds (Bhupathi/Linstead), Nole/Stan have just demolished Haas/F.Mayer and are in the semis!

luvsports! wrote:Is this a big wind up JS because congrats you have successfully achieved that. 
In the past you have said you don't follow cycling.
I cannot believe you actually said that! You clearly know nothign about team sky as you fail to realise so many of their flaws.
You know what I am not going to even go there because you are so far off the beaten track it's untrue.

LS,here's something to fry your brain with....(in case you missed it):
https://ourtennisforum.forumotion.co.uk/t385-riding-in-the-tour-de-france-shocking-event

Tenez wrote:Oh yeah JS...the doping/tester race is won by the dopers....so now the work is to convince journalists and public back....and you are one to be easily convinced. DO journalists take blood tests on a dayly basis? Do they sleep with the racers? You fall easily for the mkg crap...we heard it all before with LA....yet it was all a joke.

Maybe you're right. I just have faith with Wiggins, he seems like such a down to earth guy and seemed so angry with Armstrong for putting cycling through what he did... but it may have been a bluff I admit.

luvsports! wrote:Is this a big wind up JS because congrats you have successfully achieved that. 
In the past you have said you don't follow cycling.
I cannot believe you actually said that! You clearly know nothign about team sky as you fail to realise so many of their flaws.
You know what I am not going to even go there because you are so far off the beaten track it's untrue.

Cmon LS, I have done a dissertation on Wiggins' sideburns it commands respect.

OOP out for tomorrow:

In Beijing 8 AM UK time
Djokovic-Verdasco
Gasquet-Tomic
and the anti-match of the tournament: 
Ferrer-Matosevic 
Stan-Querrey playing, the first match, very early.

In Tokyo:
Lacko-Vassein should be a nice one  for the finer, gentle souls
Zebalos-Almagro
Chardy-Raonic
Nishikori-Lopez

Tokoyo is Delpo's for the taking, it would be disaster if he fails given the level of playing field out there.

Kholi Nadal jsut started, Nadal already a break up, I think Kholi needs a bit of support

COME ON PHILIP!!!!!!!!!   

Kholi recovers the break serving for 4 all, come on Kholi!!!!!!! 
And he does it, 4:4 

Surprise exit for Stan, I looked forward to his match with Nole; ah well...at least they'll play in doubles.
Parts of Nole Verdasco match I saw did not turn out to be as bad, I forgot how well Verdasco can hit his FH...but there's only so much raw power can achieve without guile.
Nole was not that good, struggled with focus, but did hit a few good BHs and FHs. Serving a bit of a worry still.

Match of the day in Tokyo:
Dolgopolov-Del Potro
and (oh yes!) in Beijing it will be
Fognini-Nadal

Both Dolgopolov and Fognini seem to be playing well, so we'll see how far flair can take you these days vs power.

Time to see how Gasquet is dealing with Tomic.

I fancy Gasquet.....

His BH looking particularly good today.
I love it how he is so one with it, FH seems to be just a necessary evil for him

Gasquet has this really quirky habit of retaping his grip every changeover, so fascinating to watch him do it religiously and with such concentration

I never liked Tomic much, but after those Drouit diaries, I really can't stand him now.
Alleezz Richie!!!!!!

A sight for sore eyes, Federer practising in Shanghai:

http://sports.qq.com/a/20131003/005815.htm#p=14

noleisthebest wrote:A sight for sore eyes, Federer practising in Shanghai:

http://sports.qq.com/a/20131003/005815.htm#p=14

He's using the old racquet too!!! wow... I thought he would have transitioned to the new one durng this long break if he was going to do it at all.. This indicates to me that the racquet experiment is over and he's sticking with the 90"

I must say I am not sure it is. The frame looks rather big there. Maybe he plays with the 97 but painted as old so he doesn;t comprise its success in case he fails to deliver in Shanghai.

But obviously I might be wrong as it's difficult to see in those pics.

Tenez wrote:I must say I am not sure it is. The frame looks rather big there. Maybe he plays with the 97 but painted as old so he doesn;t comprise its success in case he fails to deliver in Shanghai.

But obviously I might be wrong as it's difficult to see in those pics.

I had a text chat with a Fed forum friend who is there and watched a good portion of practice.. He said it's def the older 90.  The good news is he said Fed is as thin as he's ever seen him, but also as ripped as he's ever seen him..   Seems that Fed and his team decided its his fitness and not the racquet that needed an overhaul..  Whatever works...though I am a bit disappointed as I would have liked to see what Fed could do with modern easy power instead of spotting his opponents with an instant technology advantage each match.

Said Fed is moving quicker than he's moved all year and was in very good spirits.. This guy was also at the US Open (retired and travels the circuit as much as he can) and said while Fed looked good in practice there he always seemed dejected and muted in demeanor..  So maybe these are all good signs.

Sounds good news Truff.

Fognini wasting a 52 opportunity in the second set after having won easily the 1st 62.

Nadal getting bald quickly.

Fog losing 4 in a row! 64 Nadal.

how can people say Nadal has one of the best FH ever????

Fognini FH winners 8 ....Nadal 2!!!!

BH Fog 7 ...Nadal 1!

Tenez wrote:how can people say Nadal has one of the best FH ever????

Fognini FH winners 8 ....Nadal 2!!!!

BH Fog 7 ...Nadal 1!

I know!
Nadal's forehand sums up everything that's wrong with his tennis...and anti-doping policies

Just saw the score, first set must have been great to watch!
What happened in the 2nd, did he choke or run out of steam?

Terrible terrible performance from Nadal, I really don't see him winning this week.

To be fair after winning USO it's probably difficult to get motivated for low level titles like these.

truffin1 wrote:
Said Fed is moving quicker than he's moved all year and was in very good spirits.. This guy was also at the US Open (retired and travels the circuit as much as he can) and said while Fed looked good in practice there he always seemed dejected and muted in demeanor..  So maybe these are all good signs.

That sounds really good, hope he lands a decent draw.

Julia Santamaria wrote:Terrible terrible performance from Nadal, I really don't see him winning this week.

To be fair after winning USO it's probably difficult to get motivated for low level titles like these.

either that....or the usual.....cycling down.

Fog asked for an MTO...but I don't think they can do anything for the brain! wasted a couple of 5/2 game points on his own serve.