CAMELOT FANTASIES

So Andy's first title of the year, folks. A la 250 event but hey we will take it. Finally Andy has given some hope  to his fans but it was a very hard match to watch. Andy starts off the 1st set with not 1 but 2 double faults eventually losing the first game to Robredo. But he works hard and gets the break back and makes it 4 all - but only to lose it again at 5 all giving away the 1st set to Robredo. Story of Andy's matches so far, innit. 

And the story continues in the 2nd as well, but this time, Andy takes it to another level - drama of all drama - a la TB. But he gets a break early and leads Robredo 4-2 at some point of the 2nd set. Loses it and then takes it to TB and we see the highest drama there. First of all, he again starts off with a DF giving the 1st point to Robredo. Then he level things up on Robredo's serve but then ends up losing 2 more points on his serve giving Robredo a 6-2 lead and not 1 or 2 but 4 Championship points. The miracle starts to happen here. If no one but God was smiling down on Andy - it ain't over until I say it's over, Kiddo.

Robredo misses his first serve and Andy capitalizes the 2nd and this element continues in the same fashion until Andy makes it 6 all. Very tense so far but still hopeful for Murray fans but we see yet another dramatic turn as Andy loses his 4th point on his serve and gives Robredo another Championship point at 7-6. From this point on, Andy plays with lots of guts and passion and takes the TB in 11-9. A very big roar from the crowd. Andy looks at his team and points a finger to his head. I thought he should have pointed his finger up in the sky as he usually does after a match. But he means mentally he was there and didn't give up after being 2-6 down. I bet the team got it. 

In the 3rd set, we see Robredo totally giving up. The first two sets were long and he had no energy left for the long haul. Andy looks just as drained but he's now found a 2nd gear and a wing fly on and wins the set 6-1 and the match. And the tournament.  My deepest condolences to Robredo. It's a very tough loss for him I am sure.

But Andy needed this title so much and he even cried a bit under the towel after the match I suspect. He was holding a lot of emotion back and I am sure none of it was easy for him by any means. The expectation is just so high from the fans especially when they look at Rafa, Nole and Roger and constantly compare him to those very successful players. I hope this would give him the necessary confidence he needs going forward. He says he was lucky in the TB but you know I don't believe in luck. I believe when you work hard, the dividend pays off. Of course he had no business putting himself in such a position to begin with where he would have to constantly catch up, but Andy is just not in the same frame of mind these days and we should accept him the way he is. Let  him fight his own battle.

Onwards, upwards and Godwards, Andy.

Great recap. It didn't come on TV, that I could find, so I was a bit shocked at the score and the five match points. I had a strong feeling that Andy wouldn't let Robredo beat him no matter how shell-shocked he was. We get a glimpse into what Andy has been going through reading your recap. Had it been a more touted player Andy may have lost, but he can't afford to get beaten by a lower tier player, so I'm glad that he pulled it out. Now, at least he has a title. He can build on from here.

So happy for Andy.

order of play for tomorrow:


http://www.atpworldtour.com/scores/schedule.aspx?year=2014&eventid=747

wow - Rafa just smoked Gasquet in the 2nd set. After all these years Gasquet still can't get a win over Nadal and he's not a bad player at all. Loads of talent etc. and yet mentally so weak. Just doesn't believe he's good enough to get a win against Nadal.

Nole too only lost 3 games to Garcia-Lopez. GL is a solid player and he's playing very well for a while now as well but doesn't have the mentality to threaten a player of Nole's caliber unfortunately.

Andy didn't have much time to recover from his last win this Sunday but still managed to beat Janowicz just a day after. There's a significant difference in conditions between the two cities but seems like Andy adjusted himself well in the end. Janowicz is a tricky player and has animal instincts so he could be dangerous, but Andy was able to put him in his place after the 1st set. He faces P. Cuevas next. They haven't played each other since 2007 so it's been a long time and Cuevas has improved quite a bit since then. I see him as another tricky player but I expect Andy to come through.  Andy's got a really tough draw. After Cuevas he's set to meet Cilic and then Nole. Couldn't get any harder than this.

Nadal and Andy will play on Thursday. I am glad Andy's got a day off tomorrow. He needs it to mentally put it together.

Emma all 3 are off to a good start: nole, andy, and rafa are out the blocks and winning right away.


this should be a good event. nole would have to be the heavy favorite for me. he has won here what 5 times now.

this surface is perfectly suited for his game and lightening quick strokes.

emma darling I think I have found your next home. I saw this on twitter.



I am absolutely blown away. this is sublime.

I agree with all of this. 2003-2007 was a dismal period in tennis, not just because of the one man domination, but the pure lack of competitiveness and belief. I remember opponents talking about how it wasn't a shame to lose to Federer. What kind of crock is that? It's your job to try to beat your opponent. That's the nature of sport. Or, saying they couldn't concentrate on their own game for watching his beautiful shots.

Of course, a lot of this was influenced by the McEnroes, who both giveth and taketh away. It's not a surprise to see JMac backing off the claim since his "job" is to hold people's interests.

Yes, big props to Nole for having belief and finding a way. Another round of one man domination wouldn't be good for the sport either, so I take the wins and the losses with equal grace. Beatdowns are boring. I watch sports for competition, not to see players walking onto the court without belief. 

From a player's perspective, it's a great shame to lose to Federer again and again and again. From a fanatic's perspective, there's no shame in losing to Federer. That's how I see it.

Of course it was a weak period in tennis history. There are lots of fans who always claim there's no such thing as 'weak era' but there is and there will always be. Let me put it this way and ask these very fans again, if Nadal, Federer, Djokovic, Murray, Hewitt, Safin were all to pick up at the same time and if they were of same age, would that have been considered a weak era or very strong era? Or what if we take Djokovic, Murray, Del Potro, Wawrinka etc. away and leave only Federer and Nadal in the mix since 2008? Would that make it a strong era or weak? Clearly this makes the era weak since Nadal has total domination over Federer by 2008 and he would have no else to deal with. Who other than Nadal would have won all these Slams?

I really and honestly think JMac does a lot of it because he was told as he's the most recognized commentator out there and he's a legend in his own right and people especially casual fans will believe every word he says. This very JMac is now fully behind Nadal and once someone else comes and becomes popular he'd suddenly become his biggest fan. I really it's all a set up to lure casual fans in and also an attempt to increase the TV rating. They see it as a win/win since it increases tennis popularity. I highly doubt it. Yeah, the bring fans but they are unlikely to stick to the sport. Just wait until both Federer and Nadal retire. I am not a fan of any of these strategies. If anything, they damage the sport. A lot of the fans who became Sampras fans back in the  90s are still watching the sport even after their idol's departure, because they fell in love with the game too. That's highly unlikely to happen in Federer's case. I'd like to bet all my money on it in fact.

Beatdowns are horrible. It's very unattractive. Shame on those fans who prefer beatdowns. They don't understand that tennis is a game not a show.

emma darling I think I have found your next home. I saw this on twitter.



I am absolutely blown away. this is sublime.

Oh wow - on top of a mountain and by the sea. And how gorgeous is that architecture? I may never wan to leave that place - like ever! This is exactly how I like it.

Emma all 3 are off to a good start: nole, andy, and rafa are out the blocks and winning right away.


this should be a good event. nole would have to be the heavy favorite for me. he has won here what 5 times now.

this surface is perfectly suited for his game and lightening quick strokes.

As much as I love Nole, his run there has to end at some point, no? Enough is enough, yes? But I have Cilic to worry about first though.