Masters 1000: Cincinnati

The draw for Cinci is out:

http://www.atpworldtour.com/posting/2014/422/mds.pdf

Order of play:

http://www.atpworldtour.com/posting/2014/422/op.pdf

Tsonga looks like he is struggling from last week winning run.
Heavy defeat looming against Youzhny.

6:1, 6:4

Youzhny is doing well for an old guy....

Federer-Pospisil tonight should be a good example of how an average player playing the modern game is able to challenge a 1st class talent simply because of the playing conditions and nothing else.

Dimi

Quite windy in Cinci, but Fed timing his serve beautifully.

Wind is really messing up the match, poor quality.

...but thankfully, Fed starting to attack (at last!), so match a bit more watchable now, 5:4.
Federer looks a bit bored, definitely not that engaged.

One set all...it's funny to see the contrast of ultra keen Pospisil and can't be bothered Federer.
Quite a dull match.

Federer does the wakey-wakey and is two breaks up in the 3rd.

Stan steamrolls Cilic in the last two sets for the loss of just 1 game!
JJ's good win over Dimi undone by a bad one against Benne

Murray loses the 1st set vs Isner.
He is yet to beat a top 10er i think this year, could be wrong.

I'd be very surprised if Murray ever won another Slam.  The injury was bad enough, but now it's the decline years too.  Unlike with Nadal, it was a real injury.

1 set all

Good win Murray!

Djoko really out of sorts. Loses the first set to Robredo.

Djoko out. What is going on?

He is likely resting himself for US Open. Not going all out.

Maybe his mind is elsewhere? His wife? Soon to be a dad.

luvsports! wrote:Djoko out. What is going on?

It's called "decline"! 

I'd advise anyone to watch the game at 1 all 3rd set between Fed/Monfils. Made of great points...considering how tired is federer after playingt 8 macthes in 10 days!

Great match! Would recommend to watch and observe objectively......

Tenez wrote:

luvsports! wrote:Djoko out. What is going on?

It's called "decline"! 

And yes, Djokovic is coming to the end now.  It's a growing slope in the next few years.  But that's not the num 1 reason he lost.  That's just not trying that hard... saving himself for US.  However, 2 years ago, he would have had more in the tank.  Age already having an effect.

Djokovic wins one or no matches at consecutive Masters 1000 tournaments for the first time since 2008 (first on hard since 2006).

Decline.

Decline starts at birth FK.

Tenez wrote:Great match! Would recommend to watch and observe objectively......

My wi-fi has been down so didn't see anything.
Glad Fed won.

I notice that all retrievers bar Nadal chose to be solely attacking when playing Federer.

Monfils, Murray, Djoko for instance are much more aggressive when playing Fed than any other player.....cause they know that pushing the ball won't be enough and they will on the court of exhaustion.

Monfils was very aggressive yesterday...hardly any retrieving which is I guess the reason he played very well.

Fed's footwork, volley reflexes were outstanding despite being completely exhausted. His FH was great which shows that his poor display at Toronto was clearly down to day conds as he clearly says in his presseer.

I am impressed....once again!

Thanks, T.
Good to know the FH is alive. I saw the highlights, and it looks like Fed was in good mood.
The match against Pospisil was the complete opposite.

As for Murray, the mere thought of his tennis ages me.... 

Fed said after the match that he is leg weary.. I think 10 matches in 12 days or whatever it is are really cathing up to him.  Yet he scraps and fights.   Too bad he's tiring right when he has to meet one of the so called big 4-  but maybe beating Murray will give him a little bit of extra motivation.  I can't see Fed winning the title against a well rested opponent from the other half, but beating Murray would be nice, then maybe throttle it back in the semis.

Yes, I don't think he cares much about winning and losing though yesterday he seemed happy to have gone through. Murray had a close call yesterday saving a couple of MPs but I expect him to be super fit.

Did you watch the match Truffin? tired he looked but more on his face than on his legs...he did move pretty swiftly.

Murray will exploit Fed's tiredness by making him run as much as possible......this is the direction the game went 7 or more years ago!,,,but harder to do on a faster surface.

Tenez wrote:Decline starts at birth FK.

Nope.  It doesn't.  From birth up until around 21-25, your body is growing.  Brain connections are being made at a rapid rate, skin looks, feels, and is younger.  Muscle mass is greater. Mental tasks and most mental abilities are stronger.  Everything about a person is growing and getting better, until the 20s.

Then it's downhill...  faster and faster.  Even by 30, your hearing has decreased a lot, and you can no longer pick up the higher frequencies you once could. 

There is a wealth of scientific evidence on this subject.

He was moving well.  I think he got a little adrenalin rush in the 3rd set when he was frustrated with the linesman and umpire.      Great variety the whole night too.  He was able to crush some forehands as well which was great to see.

The court is playing strange though- don't you think? I don't know if it was the camera angles which were a little lower than usual, but seems like the ball sits up a lot on this court-- though the comm's keep talking about the low bounce and Cinci historically is low bounce.

Some of his presser is out and Fed says that he's got all the match play he needs in preparation for the US Open. Said he will play free against Murray and if he wins- great, if he loses-no big dea- he's got all the prep he needs.

I don't know if that's the mindset he needs to beat Murray, but if might lead to some high risk, exciting tennis.  Fed is going to try and end everything quick tonight IMO.

FedererKing wrote:

Tenez wrote:Decline starts at birth FK.

Nope.  It doesn't.  From birth up until around 21-25, your body is growing.  Brain connections are being made at a rapid rate, skin looks, feels, and is younger.  Muscle mass is greater. Mental tasks and most mental abilities are stronger.  Everything about a person is growing and getting better, until the 20s.

Then it's downhill...  faster and faster.  Even by 30, your hearing has decreased a lot, and you can no longer pick up the higher frequencies you once could. 

There is a wealth of scientific evidence on this subject.

I am afraid, you are talking non-sense again.

You max brain cells number is reached at 16! From 16 they stop multiplying and they are dying after that age. Does it mean you you are at your most intelligent/smartest phase at 16? no!

You have maximum flexibilty at birth, after you are only getting rustier.....does that make you able the do the most amazing thing at birth? no.

So your 23-25age has absolutely no fundation. And more obvious in tennis now than ever than all the 23-25 youngsters are nowhere to be seen at the top.

And you dare talking about evidence?

truffin1 wrote:
The court is playing strange though- don't you think? I don't know if it was the camera angles which were a little lower than usual, but seems like the ball sits up a lot on this court-- though the comm's keep talking about the low bounce and Cinci historically is low bounce.

Yes it did not appear as quick as Toronto for instance but it still allowed for SVing. I think they both injected lots of topspin but you coudl see that if flattened the ball woudl fly.

Some of his presser is out and Fed says that he's got all the match play he needs in preparation for the US Open. Said he will play free against Murray and if he wins- great, if he loses-no big dea- he's got all the prep he needs.

I don't know if that's the mindset he needs to beat Murray, but if might lead to some high risk, exciting tennis.  Fed is going to try and end everything quick tonight IMO.

I think he'll try to beat him in 2 sets...I don;t think he'll fight for a 3rd set...and lots of SVing...I am sure to save energy.

Impressive result from Benneteau, he must be playing well.
I think he's been in 10 ATP finals and is yet to win a tournament, would be great if he could make another one!

Here are the highlights from last night, impressive ball-striking from Fed (among everything else...):

Yes....great shots from both sides....

And great interview from Fed.

http://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=101919

I would like Fed to win tonight but I agree that the most important thing is not to spend too much energy.

Go Roger!

two points in, and both the BH & FH looking gooood!

Murray: I can cry like Roger, but I wish I could decline like him...

Very interesting to see Murray attack exclusively when he is trying to save BPs.
Fed looking good, really nice to see him in his flow.

Murray is playing his tractor game, grafting his repetitive pushing, whereas Federer is literally, simply playing.
That BH slice approach shot! dear me...
He is really in the mood tonight

...and just like in Fed's pre-decline days, his serve comes to rescue!
And that's serving to "one of the best returners"

I see Fed takes the first set 6:3, with two breaks of serve. Not watching, but stats seem to suggest he took the set rather easily.

Very cool.

...and on that happy note, good night all...

One lucky defensive fluke and Murray's crawled back into the match.
Fed allowing to him generously.
Not phased by it either.

Murray "raising his level" by muscling the ball and trying to drain his opponent.
But Federrari delivers one if his finest FHs

ALLLLEZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He, he it's 2.50 AM here, but I'm so glad I stayed up and the wi-fi worked

I saw the last 4 points. Pretty good from what I saw.

I feel some of his fans here wish he had lost!

Yes, FK is changing his name tomorrow