ATP 250: Munich, Estoril, Istanbul

Nice thing about tennis 2015, we don't seem to have many "deaf" weeks...even in small 250 tournaments.
Last week it was Nadal, this week we have Federer and Murray.




ATP 250 Munich, outdoor clay
http://www.atpworldtour.com/posting/2015/308/op.pdf


ATP 250 Estoril, outdoor clay
http://www.atpworldtour.com/posting/2015/7290/op.pdf


ATP 250 Istanbul, outdoor clay
http://www.atpworldtour.com/posting/2015/7163/op.pdf

Match of the day:

Chardy-Coric

also, after a longish injury break, we have the name of Stepanek back in draws!

You really do find some gem pics nitb.

Thanks LS!

Ouch, judging by the score Coric eased past Chardy.
I saw a little bit of him last week, he plays the most irritating pushing tennis on clay...

Match of the Day:

Kohlschreiber-Vesely
Paire-Istomin
Kurgyos-Ramos
Kokkinakis-Lajovic


also, back from injury - Gasquet.

Rublev continues his ascension to the top...beating today convincingly a top 80 player...not much but at 17y it's something of note.

Yes, Rublev definitely looks like someone who is here to stay.
He is too good not to and I think he knows it.

I still can't believe how much pace he generates with that tiny body...and it looks natural, loose, not robotic like Davydenko.

So...the Serbs (Tipsarevic amd Lajovic) beat the Aussies yesterday (Tomic, Kokkinakis).
Can Krajinovc do the same against Kyrguos today?

I think I have given up on Tomic...he has no heart and stomach for the fight.

In Istanbul, Fed in action against Nieminen.

Rublev vs Giraldo will be interesting.

I am sure Fed will have a chat to Rublev at some point there...
I wish I could hear it.
I like how he looks out for young talent and tries to help them.

From Wicki:
Rublev was born in Moscow to Andrey Rublev Sr., a former professional boxer turned restaurateur,[2] and tennis coach Marina Marenko,[3] who worked with tennis players such as Anna Kurnikova. His coach, however, became Belarusian Sergey Tarasevich. His heroes include Federer, Nadal, Dimitrov, Raonic, whose matches Rublev regularly studies; for example, Raonic's serve, Nadal's foot play and physique, and Federer's fly play and forehand.[4] Outside tennis, Rublev practices boxing and basketball, he likes Mike Tyson.[5] His favourite bands include Metallica, AC/DC and Nautilus Pompilius, and he likes action packed movies like fighting.

I just saw his is 1.88m and only 65kg!!!!

Doesn't look like he's studied Nadal's physique very well.

Giraldo grinding Rublev down. He is exhausted after a set. But still manages to hit so many easy winners. His rallies hardly last 3 shots..on clay!

Still very impressive.

Just tuned in!


From 0:40 to deuce, great groundstrokes!!!

And now advantage...yes, really impressive!
Shame about that BH, but good thinking, he can't afford to be dragged in any long points and grinding and lose energy.
He needs every calory for the third set!

Is it actually possible to be 17, undoped and play more than 3 shots on clay in this competition?

He breaks...

Davai Andrei!

This Giraldo looks pathetic with his "frustration"...one day he'll be telling his grandkids he took a set off Rublev

I must say I really like his FH, there is something easy and Fed-like in it...the way he finishes the swing...

He, he...4:0!

Giraldo from pathetic to idiotic...just whacking the returns out, disgusted he can't do anything...who does he think he is?
A 1d bashing grinder...

Bagel him Andrey!!!

I like the fact Rublev is fearless, he's got all ingredients for a spicy champion mix!

And isn't his serve nice and natural?
Mind you, it's Giraldo across the net...I'm not complaining...

I reckon Rublev would be just as good with a SBH.

Fed seems to be enjoying himself in Istanbul

LOL!

Yes Rublev seems so good without great mouvement and power.

Above all, Rublev has lovely, thick, wavy, untortured hair...

And you right...good serve already. A sign of a champion.

What is that? Santiago having a sip at 2 all! That's not allowed!

Tenez wrote:LOL!

Yes Rublev seems so good without great mouvement and power.

I was relieved to see he's 6 ft 2...he doesn't look that tall, but same height as Giraldo...who is now trying to intimidate him by moaning to the umpire...

I hate how young players are disadvantaged now.

You have to be a Federer to have a hope of  even competing with b grade players at 17.

Break him Ruby!!!

Giraldo getting a massage...Shameless!

very murky/muddy the court.

Tenez wrote:Giraldo getting a massage...Shameless!

Dirty player...with a smiley face..and a squeaky grunty voice...I want to throw up!

Tenez wrote:very murky/muddy the court.

Well the Turks must have spent all their money on Fed's appearance fee and couldn't afford proper clay...

Tenez wrote:LOL!

Yes Rublev seems so good without great mouvement and power.

You are right about Rublev's movement, he is almost stationery on the baseline, but that can be easily fixed.
He also wasted several easy put-aways at the net...and in the end, it all added up.

I enjoyed watching him today, hopefully he'll continue to work hard.

In the meantime, Fed entertaining the full house...amazing how the Turks got this tournament, I don't remember they ever had any good players.

Fedal+Nole have really raised popularity of tennis like never before.

Where is everyone?

silly me...it's only R2 of a 250 tournament...

People only seem to watch Nadal these days...

Talking of movement, Fed is soo good on all surfaces.
Natural, light and nimble, one of the few players that looked graceful on that slippery blue clay.

And then there is grass, hard courts...he must be a great dancer!

Serving for the match now...a couple of dazzling FHs, waspy, elegant aces.....the crowd can't ask for more in R2.

And a jaw-dropping BH half-volley winner on the match point...dear me...I hope they put it in Hot-shot clip!

It really was sublime...the guy is worth every penny they paid him to come to Istanbul!

oops disappeared as my son is back from France for a couple of weeks and wanted to have a hit.

Match of the Day:

Fognini-Thiem
Dimitrov-Golubov

Here are the highlights of Fed's match yesterday, check out the very last shot!  

Match of the Day:

Kohlschreiber-Goffin
Murray-Rosol
Almagro-Gasquet
Federer-G.Traver
Coric-GG Lopez
Giraldo-Schwarzman

I tune un and what do I see?
A sublime FHDTL pass from Federer...
Looks like the first set was close.
Traver managed to outgrind Simon last week...I don't know where he gets the energy for it, but he is Spanish, no?


I hope Fed closes this in 2 sets...

Amazing how almost "nobodies" now can hit the ball so hard and keep it in play for ever.
Tennis is truly dead.

Tough times for domination...

I suppose the pleasure now is watching how Federer deals with the challenge deconstructing this physical wall today's tennis has become...cos if he can't do it, nobody can!

Fed needs to forget about moonballing his FH and stick with his flat striking...that's his only chance...

Feds in Trouble..

He played terrible.

I can only assume the muddy courts took a lot of his confidence away....hence this extra spin/moonballing.

I can't get the matches here in USA so haven't been watching.  What was the problem for Fed today? I noticed just like Monte Carlo where he served fantastic 1 match, then 1st serve and quality dropped in the second-- for most of this match- his first serve % was at around 50% and he was struggling.   Yet he looked great a few days ago.

Given his great consistent form the past year-  why is he having trouble stringing together good performances?

I did not see much of it but from what I saw he looked unconfortable. Coudl be anything, the court, fitness, or just a bad day.

I think the court (bad clay) certainly did not help.

I saw the 2nd set, the match was very physical.

Traver hits the ball very hard and is good at keeping it in.
He has a perfect game for clay.
He basically choked second set away, so Federer was lucky to get away with the win.

Playing Schwarzman today, and that will be completely different, Federer should be much more relaxed and able to play his game, still it won't be easy.

I really like Scwarzy...poor thing is only 1m 70cm tall...but a lovely, creative player.

He seems to be bumping into Fed a lot...from memory, third time this year.

noleisthebest wrote:He basically choked second set away, so Federer was lucky to get away with the win.

But he won that second set....didn't he? I saw that Fed missed quite a few break back points in that 2nd set and could have won despite playing badly.

Fed wasn't able to play his game, (his BH returning was poor for example) that was the point - he looked uncomfortable, whereas Traver was like fish in water.

It was not nice to watch.

In short...these days, he is vulnerable if he can't play his game...esp on clay. That's how he lost to Monfils in Monte Carlo.
It's become that physical.

I hope it changes in Madrid where conditions are faster.

Lots of matches in Munich today!!!
They must've had bad wether yesterday...all crammed up now.

So... Plenty to see!

Richie-GG should be good,