ATP Masters 1000: Paris

What a strange set of tennis.
Fed looks almost bored, one to grind out with as little effort as possible...

Job done!

Perhaps saving his energy for WTF.

laverfan wrote:Perhaps saving his energy for WTF.

Let's hope so

I wonder how much effort he is going to put into Paris.  Three straight weeks of play would be quite taxing, so it makes sense to take it easy here - perhaps not to tank but just play nice and easy and see where that gets him.

I also hope that his performance against Del Potro last week was a sign of improving form rather than being a one-off.

Dimi vs Delpo is a hard one for me to choose who to root for.  On one hand, I like Dimi and want him to break through one of these days, but on the other hand I also like Delpo - one of my favorite top players and certainly my favorite DH among the current top 20 or so - and Delpo is more likely of the two to do really well in the later rounds.

summerblues wrote:Dimi vs Delpo is a hard one for me to choose who to root for.  On one hand, I like Dimi and want him to break through one of these days, but on the other hand I also like Delpo - one of my favorite top players and certainly my favorite DH among the current top 20 or so - and Delpo is more likely of the two to do really well in the later rounds.

This is why I don't usually root for one in that case. I just observe....or try to at least. I am happy if either win. If Dimi wins it proves he is a danger for the top players and confirms that it's only a matter of time before he gets there. Should he lose then it lowers my expectations and rightfully so. I do not want to be supporting someone who is overrated. That's the reason I hardly support those flashy players unless they play Nadal cause I know they can create the upset there (ie Gulbis though yet to be seen).

If he survives The Tree, Nole is going to be the man to beat in Bercy.

Plenty of BPs saved from Isner but in the TB it was one way traffic. 1st set the Tree.

Dimi making Delpo move....and Delpo is not that keen to move for some reasons.

With these flying balls, Bercy is rewarding good returners this year, Delpo struggling against Dimi.
Nadal-JJ should be a treat!

Disappointing TB from Nole, serves him right for playing safe on two crucial points.
Still, he should win this match.
Saw a bit of Raonic last night, his serving was morbid.

excellent stats from Dimi in that 1st set....can he keep it up? Delpo tried to rally hard to break that last game of set but Dimi did very well to force further rallying and moving a tiring Delpo.

Delpo asking for the trainer and takes some medecine...not sure what it is about though but I could see it was not quite his self

And also Delpo being considerably taller than Dimi, it shows how relatively poor Delpo serve is compared to his size. Dimi has 8 aces to 1 for Delpo.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DpEj-2mEmT0&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DDpEj-2mEmT0

6:1

Tenez wrote:And also Delpo being considerably taller than Dimi, it shows how relatively poor Delpo serve is compared to his size. Dimi has 8 aces to 1 for Delpo.

With this lazy and almost sedated looking motion, Delpo's serve is average even for someone of Kohlschreiber's height.
He really needs to hire someone to fix it if he wants to win any slams, spare himself injuries and prolong his career.
Although he can play quite fast from the baseline, he just has that slow-motion feel about him, I can't imagine him looking brisk like JJ for example.

Fed looked on his way back to his last year's indoor self against Anderson.
Kohli has been playing well recently though, so it will be interesting to see how Fed takes him on.
He's played a lot of baseline tennis since Basel, and I think it's time he struck some balance today and mix it up a bit, which he probably will now that he's qualified for WTF.

on serve in the 3rd between Delpo and Dimi...

I think Fed needs to play lots of baseline tennis for now as this is the only way he will get some confidence back. Once that base is solid he can then improvise and move forward.

What a collapse from Dimi....Delpo kept the ball in court and Dimi gave 3 UEs from his FH.

Delpo through.
Dimi totally gutless and with Rasheed on board it can only get worse.
He'd be better off hiring Masha as his coach.

Tenez wrote:

I think Fed needs to play lots of baseline tennis for now as this is the only way he will get some confidence back. Once that base is solid he can then improvise and move forward.

Yes, but it can be a double edge sword at this stage where any newly gained confidence is so fragile, which is why I suggested the mixing-up scenario.
He is an intuitive player, though, and that's why I was interested to see how he was going to play today since Kholi, although pretty predictable is still a bit more challenging than a baseline camper a la Anderson.

Fed's serve looking good.
What a difference a couple of matches under his belt have made....rolled back all those years of his!

And like in the olden days, Fed finally makes a win look routine, no sign of nerves at all, although any bit of extra confidence gained from wins this year is certainly not going to go amiss.
FH is just about there now, he looks ready for Lonfon to me.
Delpo awaits tomorrow, and I think that match is Fed's to lose.

nitb wrote:Saw a bit of Raonic last night, his serving was morbid.

What do you mean....poor or deadly?

yes fed Delpo should be fun,...Funny to hear JS saying Nadal's side was tough with Fed, Delpo, Djoko all on the same side.

Fed's decision making is worlds better now than just a few weeks ago..  His shot selection from baseline and net today were spot on--------   confidence is an amazing thing in sports..

Tenez wrote:

nitb wrote:Saw a bit of Raonic last night, his serving was morbid.

What do you mean....poor or deadly?

Deadly, although Haase's returning didn't help, which could have added to Raonic being relaxed and better than usual.
He is a different player as soon as somebody starts returning his serves.
He was serving routinely over 235kmph, and hitting the spots!

When he was serving for the match, 40:00 up, he threw in an underarm serve for "fun".
I really didn't like it.

[quote="noleisthebest"][quote="Tenez"]

nitb wrote:

When he was serving for the match, 40:00 up, he threw in an underarm serve for "fun".
I really didn't like it.

Ouah....I actually don;t mind a bit of exo. It might be seen as arrogant or respectless but to me it just changes the routine so I kind of like it.

Pathetic between Rao and Berdych...they all have missed multiple SPs on their own big serves in that TB!

We now have the 8 players confirmed for the WTF:

1 Nadal, Rafael (ESP)
2 Djokovic, Novak (SRB)
3 Ferrer, David (ESP)
4 Del Potro, Juan Martin (ARG)
5 Berdych, Tomas (CZE)
6 Federer, Roger (SUI)
7 Wawrinka, Stanislas (SUI)
8 Gasquet, Richard (FRA)

Really happy Richie and Stan made it, it's their first appearance, they are going to make this year's WTF so much more watchable.

Nole the man to beat in my opinion, Fed second favourite, Delpo close behind.
Can't wait for the draw!

It's such fun watching Gasquet play with his BH, as if he almost does not need a FH.

JS,
come out from behind that sofa for a minute and tell us your thoughts of Nadal-JJ match.
I hope JJ's back is in good shape. Can't ask for more!

noleisthebest wrote:JS,
come out from behind that sofa for a minute and tell us your thoughts of Nadal-JJ match.
I hope JJ's back is in good shape. Can't ask for more!

I am not behind a sofa LOL.

JJ is a mug, Nadal should routine him in typical Nadal-routine-fashion (ie one where you think Janowicz has a chance throughout but he actually doesn't).

Harsh words there, JS, very harsh words indeed....
Btw, how do you explain that "routine"?

Routine as in:
(Eg)
'Berdych was routined by Nadal yesterday (or whenever), Berdych had quite a few break points but Nadal came through 6-4 7-5.
etc.

That's what Nadal hatahs on MTL used to call: a player has been 'Nadulled'.

Mug looking pretty good so far!

noleisthebest wrote:Mug looking pretty good so far!

That's the point

I know what you mean by the routine and nadulled, but if you were to coach someone how would you teach them to "nadull"?

JJ roaring in every sense of the word.
Don't reckon we are going to see any "bumps" from Nadal at changeovers tonight....

noleisthebest wrote:I know what you mean by the routine and nadulled, but if you were to coach someone how would you teach them to "nadull"?

Tenez would say it's stamina, but I'd say no for the following reasons:
-In a BO3 match during a player getting Nadulled he may lost 6-4 7-5. In both the start of sets 1 and 2 he may be seemingly on the up and playing better than Rafa, only to lose in the big points of the sets. If the player was getting tired, how does he lose serve at the end of the 1st set, and then suddenly have the stamina to play well till 5-5 in the second?
-In BO5 match this becomes even more apparent, it happens in every set and sometimes in the third set the opponent can play his best set (ie Federer RG 2011), how can an opponent get tired for sets 1 and 2 but suddenly have the energy to start dominating the 3rd set again?

The pattern of Nadal just edging through at the end of each set is too well established for it to be linked to something like tiredness... fatigue would be something you'd expect to strike randomly depending on the stamina of the opponent, not conveniently at the business end of each set consecutively.

To answer your question, I'm not sure.
Against Djokovic this normally doesn't happen actually (even if Nadal wins), as soon as Nadal goes out of his comfort zone and starts having to try and hit FH DTL winners we can throw adjectives like 'routined' (aka Nadulled) out of the window.
I say normally though, but it can happen even against Djokovic rarely- ie the 3rd set against Nadal USO final. Djokovic could have easily converted a break point from 0-40 4-4... infact Nadal served his only ace of the match in the biggest point of the match at 30-40 (pretty convenient, no?)

Really like JJ, he's such a character!

I must admit, that was a "mug" game from JJ, what was he trying to prove by hitting all those drop-shots.....

I never saw that coming !

Wow !

Nadal does a Federer.
JJ drop-shots, Nadal runs to it, looks down the line, and dinks the ball the other way cross court ! Fantastic dummy

"Dinking" a ball is nothing JS....
Shame Nadal can't volley like Fed.

noleisthebest wrote:"Dinking" a ball is nothing JS....
Shame Nadal can't volley like Fed.

Oh it was superb disguise, JJ was totally tricked.
Nadal has volleyed well this match too

Nadal saves all the 3 crucial break points while serving it out to win 7-5 6-4.

Nadal only puts away safe volleys and that when he has no other options. Those don't really count.
He never comes to the net and defends it with volleys. No guts.

noleisthebest wrote:Nadal only puts away safe volleys and that when he has no other options. Those don't really count.
He never comes to the net and defends it with volleys. No guts.

?
At deuce at 5-4 he came to the net and angled a volley perfectly CC so it edged the line (I mean cmon JJ challenged it and we saw it on Hawkeye)

Edit: And break point down, Nadal stepped up after his serve and hit the ball at over 120kph on his forehand for a winner and that as we saw clipped the line as well (after JJ challenged), Nadal could have easily hit it cross court and started a rally but stepped up and hit a winner... you are running out of evidence here

OK class, what passive verb has JJ just been inflicted tonight?

Julia Santamaria wrote:OK class, what passive verb has JJ just been inflicted tonight?

There is no such thung as a passive verb, only passive form of a verb:

An here is the answer:
JJ has been mugged!