ATP MASTERS 1000: Monte Carlo

Well-said, T   

I am pretty sure he is not as emotional about it as it may transpire or the press want to believe. I think he just wants to be there when it happens, which is perfectly understandable but does not need to be there with them on a 24/7 basis.

Well said?  Here we are at the pregnancy debate again?  Come on, Mirka has given over many years to Fed's career and why should he not feel he owes her this?  Plus in this day and age new children are celebrated a different way, with lots of parental leave.  He would be a monster to abandon her.

bluenose wrote:Well said?  Here we are at the pregnancy debate again?  Come on, Mirka has given over many years to Fed's career and why should he not feel he owes her this?  Plus in this day and age new children are celebrated a different way, with lots of parental leave.  He would be a monster to abandon her.

Well that's my problem. We are the same as our parents and grand parents....We are just made to believe we are more special....when we are not. He does not owe her anything more than she has already....and vice versa. They both owe a lot to tennis...though I agree that tennis owes a lot to Federer too.

I think it is about putting things in perspective. Sure I'd understand if he'd miss a day or 2 but let's not make it as big as the return of the messiah!

noleisthebest wrote:Seeing how safely Nadal is short-balling esp on his BH, it's amazing Nole has allowed him to win so many times.
If he keeps his focus this year, Nadal has no chance. Not even in RG.
No amount of juice will help the lack of confidence he's got to be feeling against Nole this year. I noticed no panic at all there in Miami. Just a matter of keeping injury-free.

http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2014/04/djokovic-playing-hurt-wrist-monte-carlo/51195/#.U0-PKcu9KSM

I wonder what brought that one on...he has been putting wrist action on his FH for many years safely.
I really hope it's nothing serious, because when it comes to tendons, there are no magic shortcuts to recovery...

Sun beating down me on the sofa through the window, sun streaming at me from my ipod in beautiful Monte Carlo, Fognini and Tsonga rising to the occasion playing spectacular tennis...
It's another day of tennis dolce vita!  

Fabio having moments of too much fun and losing silly points (followed by customary opratic arm flapping theatrics)  Tsonga a mere spectator occasionally blasting a good FH and providing a good opponent for the match to be played in lovely spirit, crowd getting involved trying to outchant each other with FA-BIO and TSON-GA...it doesn't get a lot better than this as a starter in Monte Carlo....

The plot thickens...
After squandering a zillion BPs, Fabio lets Tsonga convert his only one in the next game and take the match to the third set!
Can't complain

Breaking news: Almagro gives Stan a w/o, so next on CdP Dimi vs Ferrer.
Now, this is where Dimi has a grand opportunity to make a break-through.
It's going to be very, very tough, though...

Wow!
From a flute of freshly bubbling champagne to a plastic bottle of flat Evian in just one game....
0:5 down in the 3rd set, Tsonga serving for the match.
Fabio at his tragic best....

Nadal wins easy.. as expected Seppi didn't want to stop him either... so all expected.

Dimi a set down, and looking not good.

Dimitrov needs to fix his service toss asap, he is hiting the ball from behind, losing all the height advantage he could have and more!

Dimi lost to Ferru, what a disaster.

Fed wins qucik and easy, just a wobble at the start of the match. Next is Tsonga in QF.

Another solid, no-nonsense, no-worries win for Fed...and yes, another very warm hand-shake with Rosol at the end

Which all masters Fed has never won? MC is sure one of them. Rome too?

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:Dimi lost to Ferru, what a disaster.

Yes, you could see clearly all Dimi's problems in today's match: his inconsistency, game impurity, frequent unintelligent shot selection, average serving...
I saw bits of most matches today and of all the players Fognini and Fed were the only ones not playing from 4m behind the base-line.
Raonic and  Rosol were the worst. New technology is killing tennis.

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:Which all masters Fed has never won? MC is sure one of them. Rome too?

I think he did win Rome.
Nole is only missing Cinci, Nadal Miami and not sure if any others, probably Bercy & Shanghai. And WTF, of course...
I wish we could have a masters on grass, I'd scrap IW and Miami tomorrow if I could, demote them to 500.

Nole-Busta next, expecting a short and sweet one from Nole.

noleisthebest wrote:

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:Which all masters Fed has never won? MC is sure one of them. Rome too?

I think he did win Rome.
Nole is only missing Cinci, Nadal Miami and not sure if any others, probably Bercy & Shanghai. And WTF, of course...
I wish  we could have a masters on grass, I'd scrap IW and Miami tomorrow if I could, demote them to 500.

Unfortunatly not...He should have won it in 2006 (2 mp's..i really believe the h2h with Nadal is seriously affected by those missed mp's) and 2008 (nadal out early) though.

I don't remember that one...will have a look on Youtube later. Very strange for the 2006 edition of Fed to blow 2 MPs, can't have been on his serve can it?
I remember Nole winning it in 2008, beating Stan in the final.

In the meantime, Nole bagels Busta in 18 minutes... 

And Nole busts Busta in 46 mins 6:0 6:1.

Last match left playing, Berd-GG Lopez,  Lopez just taken it to the 3rd set.

And Lopez takes Berdych out!

Berd's serve and especially FH were all over the place today, Lopez, who we remember from that great autumn of 2010 when he beat Nadal in Beijing I think, was killing him with low balls.

So, this is it for today's matches from NITB's/OTF's commentary booth/sofa...Tomorrow, another exciting day awaits with  3 SBH-ers left in the draw:


[3] Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) v [8] Milos Raonic (CAN)

[1] Rafael Nadal (ESP) v [6] David Ferrer (ESP)

[9] Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) v [WC/4] Roger Federer (SUI)

Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) v [2] Novak Djokovic (SRB)

noleisthebest wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:Seeing how safely Nadal is short-balling esp on his BH, it's amazing Nole has allowed him to win so many times.
If he keeps his focus this year, Nadal has no chance. Not even in RG.
No amount of juice will help the lack of confidence he's got to be feeling against Nole this year. I noticed no panic at all there in Miami. Just a matter of keeping injury-free.

http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2014/04/djokovic-playing-hurt-wrist-monte-carlo/51195/#.U0-PKcu9KSM

I wonder what brought that one on...he has been putting wrist action on his FH for many years safely.
I really hope it's nothing serious, because when it comes to tendons, there are no magic shortcuts to recovery...

Weird....especially considering how easy his wins have been.

God, I am sick of seeing Ferrer. He never seems to step up to the plate. I know that being smaller he has a massive disadvantage, but hell, seeing him beat a good player then fold is ANNOYING. Does anyone think he can beat Nadal?

Tenez wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:Seeing how safely Nadal is short-balling esp on his BH, it's amazing Nole has allowed him to win so many times.
If he keeps his focus this year, Nadal has no chance. Not even in RG.
No amount of juice will help the lack of confidence he's got to be feeling against Nole this year. I noticed no panic at all there in Miami. Just a matter of keeping injury-free.

http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2014/04/djokovic-playing-hurt-wrist-monte-carlo/51195/#.U0-PKcu9KSM

I wonder what brought that one on...he has been putting wrist action on his FH for many years safely.
I really hope it's nothing serious, because when it comes to tendons, there are no magic shortcuts to recovery...

Weird....especially considering how easy his wins have been.

Yes. He was shaking the wrist out in changeovers, and I remember I had similar pain with my elbow, it went down that muscle which links it with the wrist, at times I could feel it even while gripping the racquet...so it may not be the wrist problem per se.

noleisthebest wrote:I don't remember that one...will have a look on Youtube later. Very strange for the 2006 edition of Fed to blow 2 MPs, can't have been on his serve can it?
I remember Nole winning it in 2008, beating Stan in the final.

In the meantime, Nole bagels Busta in 18 minutes... 

yes Fed missed a straight forward FH hitting the tape of the net. And I agree with GP, those missed opportunities conditioned Federer for the future matches v Nadal. Having said that Fed came back very strong in 2007....until he got health troubles early 2008.

I got that pain/elbow trouble as I was silly enough trying to improve my serve and serving out a box of 200 balls all in one go  

He must have practiced a shot between Miami and Monte Carlo and inflamed or tired that muscle.

FedererKing wrote:God, I am sick of seeing Ferrer.  He never seems to step up to the plate.  I know that being smaller he has a massive disadvantage, but hell, seeing him beat a good player then fold is ANNOYING.  Does anyone think he can beat Nadal?  

I think he can. He has been close recently and over 2 sets it's all possible. Also Nadal must be scared to advance and have to play Djoko again. More so losing to an injured Djoko.

FedererKing wrote:God, I am sick of seeing Ferrer.  He never seems to step up to the plate.  I know that being smaller he has a massive disadvantage, but hell, seeing him beat a good player then fold is ANNOYING.  Does anyone think he can beat Nadal?  

Don't be too hard on poor old Ferru!
I know he's been a pain ruining draws in slams for ages, but he's been playing his socks off in the process...
He does not have any weapons, so no wonder he can't hit through road-runners, and as for Fed, well he's just an annoying mosquito for him.
I actually think he's got a chance against Nadal tomorrow of he is fit and healthy. Will definitely try and see as much tennis as I can tomorrow.

I saw some of Ferrer-Dimitrov today and the one to be annoyed with was actually Dimitrov.
He would play one good attacking point and then sit back on the next 10, rallying and scrambling. THAT was the problem.

He was never going to outrally and outscramble Ferrer on clay, so I don't know why he even thought he could.
His serve was not very good either. A commentator said a while ago how Rasheed urges him to move forward...I find it hard to believe.

He simply stands too far behind the base-line, and wastes all his energy achieving nothing (big). He has a great variety of shots, just needs to halve the number of shots per point.
Remembering him from Boodles , I doubt he ever will, he does not take his FH early, very similar to Nole, just happy to rally with it. He has more natural pace on it and probably hits it more cleanly, but the result is the same. Nole makes up for his FH with the BH, Dimi doesn't.

Tenez wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:I don't remember that one...will have a look on Youtube later. Very strange for the 2006 edition of Fed to blow 2 MPs, can't have been on his serve can it?
I remember Nole winning it in 2008, beating Stan in the final.

In the meantime, Nole bagels Busta in 18 minutes... 

yes Fed missed a straight forward FH hitting the tape of the net. And I agree with GP, those missed opportunities conditioned Federer for the future matches v Nadal. Having said that Fed came back very strong in 2007....until he got health troubles early 2008.

I saw the clip...Nadal looked like a freak in those sleeveless days....a 5 setter and he looked as juiced on that last point as he was on the first one, and how old was he then, 19?

It's disappointing from Dimi. Even Gasquet seems more consistent!

noleisthebest wrote:

Tenez wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:I don't remember that one...will have a look on Youtube later. Very strange for the 2006 edition of Fed to blow 2 MPs, can't have been on his serve can it?
I remember Nole winning it in 2008, beating Stan in the final.

In the meantime, Nole bagels Busta in 18 minutes... 

yes Fed missed a straight forward FH hitting the tape of the net. And I agree with GP, those missed opportunities conditioned Federer for the future matches v Nadal. Having said that Fed came back very strong in 2007....until he got health troubles early 2008.

I saw the clip...Nadal looked like a freak in those sleeveless days....a 5 setter and he looked as juiced on that last point as he was on the first one, and how old was he then,  19?

A year after having lost a 5 setter by losing the last 6 games of the last set (Miami 05). But there he made sure he got enough breathing time!

Tenez wrote:It's disappointing from Dimi. Even Gasquet seems more consistent!

I know this is utter sacrilege, but Dimi would be better off with a DBH, he is playing a DBH-er game, anyway.

Maybe we are expecting too much from him. I have never been the one to fall for hype, but from memory, he played better tennis 5 years ago, that's when he tried to even look as Fed (end of clip)

I just watched the Fed/Nadal Rome 06 last 4 games including TB. Amazing how fed leads all the way but Nadal still plugging in and wins from 5/3 Down in the TB. But what is disgusting there is how much time Nadal takes between the points.
 
It's obvious he is programmed to waste time between points. His brushing his hair behind his hears is suddenly like an act he remembers to do to make sure his absurd time taking does not look too awkward.
 
We should strip him of those titles where he breached the rules after every point. It's pure cheating and a disgrace to the sport and his opponents.

Tenez wrote:I just watched the Fed/Nadal Rome 06 last 4 games including TB. Amazing how fed leads all the way but Nadal still plugging in and wins from 5/3 Down in the TB. But what is disgusting there is how much time Nadal takes between the points.
 
It's obvious he is programmed to waste time between points. His brushing his hair behind his hears is suddenly like an act he remembers to do to make sure his absurd time taking does not look too awkward.
 
We should strip him of those titles where he breached the rules after every point. It's pure cheating and a disgrace to the sport and his opponents.

Of course!!!
It makes so much sense!  Toni even invented  OCD, or whatever it's called, I'm sure Amri knows all the ins and outs about it from every medical encyclopaedia under the sun....
Maybe he has finally realised he was wrong all this time and is coming to terms with it, trying to think of a new poster name
I didn't watch Nadal's match vs Seppi today, but apparently he was given time violation several times  and moaned about it.
He got away with so much in his career. Such a deeply negative character.
You know what, if ever I see Nole play Nadal live, I'll dare him to kick his bottles over!
Do you think it's possible he'll ever return the trophies? Agassi didn't even apologise.

Tenez wrote:I just watched the Fed/Nadal Rome 06 last 4 games including TB. Amazing how fed leads all the way but Nadal still plugging in and wins from 5/3 Down in the TB. But what is disgusting there is how much time Nadal takes between the points.
 
It's obvious he is programmed to waste time between points. His brushing his hair behind his hears is suddenly like an act he remembers to do to make sure his absurd time taking does not look too awkward.
 
We should strip him of those titles where he breached the rules after every point. It's pure cheating and a disgrace to the sport and his opponents.

Fed was ahead 4-1 in the fifth set too...Do you also remember the first tiebreak? (7-0 to Federer). He was not only outplaying Nadal (clay-outplaying that is), he also had a great chance to outlast him. In the end Nadal was just very lucky to win than one (after 5 hours).
To me this match was better than the Wimbledon 2008 final and  with more far-reaching consequences.

gallery play wrote:

Tenez wrote:I just watched the Fed/Nadal Rome 06 last 4 games including TB. Amazing how fed leads all the way but Nadal still plugging in and wins from 5/3 Down in the TB. But what is disgusting there is how much time Nadal takes between the points.
 
It's obvious he is programmed to waste time between points. His brushing his hair behind his hears is suddenly like an act he remembers to do to make sure his absurd time taking does not look too awkward.
 
We should strip him of those titles where he breached the rules after every point. It's pure cheating and a disgrace to the sport and his opponents.

Fed was ahead 4-1 in the fifth set too...Do you also remember the first tiebreak? (7-0 to Federer). He was not only outplaying Nadal (clay-outplaying that is), he also had a great chance to outlast him. In the end Nadal was just very lucky to win than one (after 5 hours).
To me this match was better than the Wimbledon 2008 final and  with more far-reaching consequences.

 
I agree. The thing about Wimby 2008 is that it was very windy before the rain break and Fed could not play sharp. A detail for most but crucial for Fed. I remember as I was watching the trees bending outside yet one could hardly notice on screen. Without being able to find margins, Fed was simply doomed, especially with his low 2008 confidence.
 
I remember Rome 2006pretty well. I also remembered then that Nadal looked breathless at the end of the first set!!! But when you have enough red cells in your blood it does not matter as much as a longer time taking between points gives you enough energy to carry on for the next point. I remember the 4/2 in the 5th in Rome with even points for 5/2? the 4th set 6/2 was also a better clay display that Nadal could ever provide.
 
One thing is certain is that Nadal  could never have been as fit in that 5th had he not cheated the time rule for 5 hours!!! Rome 06 is actually Fed's title! 

noleisthebest wrote:

Tenez wrote:I just watched the Fed/Nadal Rome 06 last 4 games including TB. Amazing how fed leads all the way but Nadal still plugging in and wins from 5/3 Down in the TB. But what is disgusting there is how much time Nadal takes between the points.
 
It's obvious he is programmed to waste time between points. His brushing his hair behind his hears is suddenly like an act he remembers to do to make sure his absurd time taking does not look too awkward.
 
We should strip him of those titles where he breached the rules after every point. It's pure cheating and a disgrace to the sport and his opponents.

Of course!!!
It makes so much sense!  Toni even invented  OCD, or whatever it's called, I'm sure Amri knows all the ins and outs about it from every medical encyclopaedia under the sun....
Maybe he has finally realised he was wrong all this time and is coming to terms with it, trying to think of a new poster name
I didn't watch Nadal's match vs Seppi today, but apparently he was given time violation several times  and moaned about it.
He got away with so much in his career. Such a deeply negative character.
You know what, if ever I see Nole play Nadal live, I'll dare him to kick his bottles over!
Do you think it's possible he'll ever return the trophies? Agassi didn't even apologise.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUma7TL_RDk

Look at 4h00mn05sec. 15/30 Fed 2 points from the match. Nadal suddenly remembering about his hair. Constantly abusing the time rule. As said, just a year before at Miami, he lost the last 6 games in a row...as then he did not have OCDs!

Bizarre SB never saw (or admitted) this obvious fact.

Yes, it's so obvious. Hard to watch without getting upset.

Go Stan!  

Raonic needs to play his FH more aggressively during Stan's service games, there's no way he'll outrally Stan from that far behind the baseline.
He seems happy to hold serve and wait for TB.
Will be interesting who chokes first if it comes to that.

Interesting and good TB.
Both showed plenty of nerves, could have gone either way.
It's so important to play TBs gutsily but also find the right balance.
Raonic tried with one S&V but got unlucky as Stan's BH pass sligtly clipped the tape. Still was too conservative on his FH. Stan's risk paid off with an awesome BHDTL.
Experience can surely help, especially if you are an emotional type of player.
Nice to see Ljubo in the box, I miss him, shame he had to retire early, his body just could not take it any more.

Stan is again there finally. Confidence and belief came back at the right moment. Stan is going to provide Frankenstein another MTO tomorrow. But that one will be much more tougher.

I have sore eyes from watching Raonic. He shows so dark spirit and poor emotions, that Murray has a new challenge in him. On the other hand he has improved his move and backhand, so Ljubicic helps him a lot. These tall guys have no easy life on the dirt.

Stan's got a perfect game for clay with those crazy angles he can play on his BH.
He needs to tidy his FH asap if he is to play Nadal tomorrow.
Serving for the match.

noleisthebest wrote:Interesting and good TB.
Both showed plenty of nerves, could have gone either way.
It's so important to play TBs gutsily but also find the right balance.
Raonic tried with one S&V but got unlucky as Stan's BH pass sligtly clipped the tape. Still was too conservative on his FH. Stan's risk paid off with an awesome BHDTL.
Experience can surely help, especially if you are an emotional type of player.
Nice to see Ljubo in the box, I miss him, shame he had to retire early, his body just could not take it any more.

Unlucky from Rao on that TB. Leading 5/3 he got a net call while at the net.

About time Stan won a TB anyway.

And Stan does it!
Really happy for him.

I knew Raonic was going to crumble in the 2nd set. He needs to get on top of his emotions and play more relaxed. Too much self-imposed pressure.

And now....

BUMOSSSSS DAVEEEEEEEEED!!!!!!!     

Tenez wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:Interesting and good TB.
Both showed plenty of nerves, could have gone either way.
It's so important to play TBs gutsily but also find the right balance.
Raonic tried with one S&V but got unlucky as Stan's BH pass sligtly clipped the tape. Still was too conservative on his FH. Stan's risk paid off with an awesome BHDTL.
Experience can surely help, especially if you are an emotional type of player.
Nice to see Ljubo in the box, I miss him, shame he had to retire early, his body just could not take it any more.

Unlucky from Rao on that TB. Leading 5/3 he got a net call while at the net.

About time Stan won a TB anyway.

It wasn't really a proper net call, just a brush, the ball did not change direction, but obviously threw him off for that split second.
Still, good he tried to come forward. With that serve, he should do it a lot more often.

noleisthebest wrote:

Tenez wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:Interesting and good TB.
Both showed plenty of nerves, could have gone either way.
It's so important to play TBs gutsily but also find the right balance.
Raonic tried with one S&V but got unlucky as Stan's BH pass sligtly clipped the tape. Still was too conservative on his FH. Stan's risk paid off with an awesome BHDTL.
Experience can surely help, especially if you are an emotional type of player.
Nice to see Ljubo in the box, I miss him, shame he had to retire early, his body just could not take it any more.

Unlucky from Rao on that TB. Leading 5/3 he got a net call while at the net.

About time Stan won a TB anyway.

It wasn't really a proper net call, just a brush, the ball did not change direction, but obviously threw him off for that split second.
Still, good he tried to come forward. With that serve, he should do it a lot more often.

Stan does it..    .  Finally some good tennis from him. I hope he can take out whoever he faces in the semis.

[ I'm not able to get some good smilys ( emoticons ). Shall I take the ones available in v2? They will call us copycats.

noleisthebest wrote:And Stan does it!
Really happy for him.

I knew Raonic was going to crumble in the 2nd set. He needs to get on top of his emotions and play more relaxed. Too much self-imposed pressure.

And now....

BUMOSSSSS DAVEEEEEEEEED!!!!!!!       

I don't think there is much hope with Ferrer here. He has an early break but I don't think he can make good use if it.

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:

[ I'm not able to get some good smilys ( emoticons ). Shall I take the ones available in v2? They will call us copycats.

Yes, those would be great, rotla...Let's copy v2 !