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And Dr. Ivo did indeed play lights out for 3 sets and has upset the young #11 seed Grigor Dimitrov.
Grigor slipped up and got broken a game in each of the 1st and 2nd sets, one mini-break in the final set tiebreaker, and that's all it took.
Karlovic was extremely solid on serve and also played some nice volleys and shots from the baseline.
One of the best matches I've seen from 35 years young Dr. Ivo.
Andreas Seppi has come through against strong clay courter Santiago Giraldo. Seppi bringing his Davis Cup form in this match, and Giraldo was a bit disappointing.
As well as the demise of #3 Stan Wawrinka to a very solid GGL, #30 Pospisil went out yesterday to Gabashvili as predicted.
Paris is definitely upset city this week. The rest of round 1 should be finished today unless rain comes.
Still to come, #7 Andrew Murray, OBE, vs. Andrey Golubev.
Respectfully,
masterclass -
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the ageless and the incomparable dr ivo. it is just unbelievable what he is still able to do and achieve in modern tennis.
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Yes, almost unbelievable General. He does have a cannon for a serve. Doesn't hurt to be serving from the clouds either.
Memo to young Dynamitrov: Psst. You can't win if you can't break. You need to return better. Read it better, and when you get the chance, stop taking big cuts at a Karlovic serve. Short backswings and/or block it back with accuracy. It will go back fast enough, and if it's to the right location, Karlovic doesn't move well enough to track it down.
Example:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7tmJOATeoo
Respectfully,
masterclass
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Yes, almost unbelievable General. He does have a cannon for a serve. Doesn't hurt to be serving from the clouds either.
Memo to young Dynamitrov: Psst. You can't win if you can't break. You need to return better. Read it better, and when you get the chance, stop taking big cuts at a Karlovic serve. Short backswings and/or block it back with accuracy. It will go back fast enough, and if it's to the right location, Karlovic doesn't move well enough to track it down.
Example:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7tmJOATeoo
Respectfully,
masterclass
wow. what incredible returning general masterclass. those days roger was quicker than the quickest cats on the planet.
and he just knew when to take a cut and when to slice it back. -
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Yes sir.
And that footage was of course from their 2009 Wimbledon clash, and their 2012 Australian Open match, both of those won in straight sets by Federer. Of course, Federer most recently beat him this year in Miami, also in straight sets, 6-4, 7-6(4), extending his advantage over him to 11 wins and 1 defeat (Cincinnati 2008).
But Karlovic is certainly not easy. You really have to be focused, and try to zero in on reading his serve, or he'll just flatten you.
I think Dimitrov just needs more experience with servers like Karlovic, to know what to try and when, and it might also help if Karlovic isn't in the zone... 22 aces on clay today. 88% first serves won, 66% second serves won, 0 breaks, too good.
Respectfully,
masterclass -
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affirmative general.
that is just a monster performance by dr ivo. -
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Spartan Stan was 4-2 going into that match against GGL. he ran right over GGL in their last meeting in straights.
no telling what really happened. some say it was pressure and I am just wondering if he has lingering back issues.
that said, we have to give some credit to GGL. he did play a masterful match. it was controlled aggression and he kept his focus and his intensity for the full match.
GGL has been playing some pretty good tennis as of late. -
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And Dr. Ivo did indeed play lights out for 3 sets and has upset the young #11 seed Grigor Dimitrov.
Grigor slipped up and got broken a game in each of the 1st and 2nd sets, one mini-break in the final set tiebreaker, and that's all it took.
Karlovic was extremely solid on serve and also played some nice volleys and shots from the baseline.
One of the best matches I've seen from 35 years young Dr. Ivo.
Andreas Seppi has come through against strong clay courter Santiago Giraldo. Seppi bringing his Davis Cup form in this match, and Giraldo was a bit disappointing.
As well as the demise of #3 Stan Wawrinka to a very solid GGL, #30 Pospisil went out yesterday to Gabashvili as predicted.
Paris is definitely upset city this week. The rest of round 1 should be finished today unless rain comes.
Still to come, #7 Andrew Murray, OBE, vs. Andrey Golubev.
Respectfully,
masterclass
That was the best match I've ever seen Dr. Ivo play as well. His volleys were crisp and his shot selection was impeccable. He seemed to know exactly was Grigor was going to do, before he even did it. He also had a quiet confidence about him throughout. Once again Dmitrov loses due to his hot-dogging. I think he is trying too hard to live up to the lofty expectations than playing his game and mentally staying in the match. He seemed perturbed that what he was doing wasn't working and instead of buckling, staying in the moment, and making adjustments, he kind of came apart at the seams. -
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Yes, almost unbelievable General. He does have a cannon for a serve. Doesn't hurt to be serving from the clouds either.
Memo to young Dynamitrov: Psst. You can't win if you can't break. You need to return better. Read it better, and when you get the chance, stop taking big cuts at a Karlovic serve. Short backswings and/or block it back with accuracy. It will go back fast enough, and if it's to the right location, Karlovic doesn't move well enough to track it down.
Example:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7tmJOATeoo
Respectfully,
masterclass
wow. what incredible returning general masterclass. those days roger was quicker than the quickest cats on the planet.
and he just knew when to take a cut and when to slice it back.
The Big Four know how to stay in the moment, recognize that a serve machine is on the other side, and wait patiently for their chances. Dmitrov still has to learn how to do this. -
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So Mr. Andy Murray, OBE, got it done. He clearly needs to serve better. Golubev was too kind to Murray today, almost no patience, going for it on almost any ball. It worked in the 4th set, as he put more in than out, and Murray was serving woefully, inviting breaks.
So let's take stock on the upsets in the 1st round of 128 from top seeds to lowest. Top half in Pink, bottom in Red
[3] Stan Wawrinka
[9] Kei Nishikori
[11] Grigor Dimitrov
[16] Tommy Haas
[21] Nicolas Almagro
[30] Vasek Pospisil
Interesting notes:
1. Every seed upset except for Kei Nishikori was from the top half. Top half upsets have left parts of it wide open.
2. Almost all players that Rafa has had trouble with this year were upset. Only Ferrer and Djokovic remain.
3. 2 Top 10 + 11th seed upset in 1st round
4. 2 upsets as a result of injury/retirement - Almagro and Haas couldn't complete even a set.
Respectfully,
masterclass
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Ok. So now for the 2nd Round - or Round of 64 if you prefer.
Here is the list of matches, and those I see as likely or possible upsets. Make your own predictions without fear, nothing is certain here.
Top Half
(1) Rafael nadal vs Dominic Thiem - This Thiem can play very well and be a danger, or be nervous and be gone. Rafa must and probably will be ready.
Axel Michon vs (19) Kevin Anderson
(32)Andreas Seppi vs Juan Monaco - Monaco is a good clay courter when playing well, and if Seppi is off, then this upset can happen. But Seppi looked good against Giraldo, and got it done quickly, so I doubt this happens.
Simone Bolelli vs (5) David Ferrer
Donald Young vs (26) Feliciano Lopez
(23) Gael Monfils vs Jan Lennard Atruff - Monfils is almost always a possible upset candidate, but I think he'll move on here.
Thomaz Bellucci vs (14) Fabio Fognini
(12) Richard Gasquet vs Carlos Berlocq - I think this can happen. Berlocq took down a fair Hewitt in 4. and Gasquet is just returning from injury, only having to put away a poor Tomic. Berlocq to win in my upset pick of the day.
Pablo Cuevas vs (24) Fernando Verdasco - Curiously, Cuevas won their only previous match, but in 2008. A possibility, but not likely
(28) Philipp Kohlschreiber vs Denis Istomin - They split their only 2 previous clay matches this year. Not quite likely, but certainly very possible
Marinko Matosevic vs (7) Andy Murray
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Bottom Half
(6) Tomas Berdych vs Alexander Nedovyeseov
Benoit Paire vs (27) Roberto bautista agut
(17) Tommy Robredo vs Kenny De Schepper - The tall De Shepper will have to overpower Robredo to have a possibility of an upset.
Mikhail Kukushkin vs (10) John Isner - Kukushkin is not a bad player, so John mustn't slip up here.
(15) Mikhail Youzhny vs Radek Stepanek
Facundo Bagnis vs (18) Ernests Gulbis - Bagnis just had a monster of a match to beat Benneteau. If he can recover, he might have his chances against Gulbis, if Gulbis implodes, otherwise, no.
(31) Dmitry Tursunov vs Sam Querrey - 2-2 H2h all on hard. Should be a close match, Tursunov is a slightly better clutch player and should take it, but Querrey is certainly a possibility here.
Diego Schwartzman vs (4) Roger Federer - Diminutive 21 year old, all of 140 lbs, first time playing Roger. Time for school lessons.
(
Milos Raonic vs Jiri Veseley
Alejandro Gonzalez vs (29) Gilles Simon
(20) Alexandr Dolgopolov vs Marcel Granollers - If Marcel can keep it close, he is a threat if the match goes longer.
(13) Jo Wilfried Tsonga vs Jurgen Melzer - When Melzer is on, he can beat good players. Jo has to watch himself here.
Jarko Nieminen vs (22) Jerzy Janowicz - Janowicz has not been good lately, just won his first match in the last 9. Nieminen is a steady journeyman. If Jerzy can't play calmly and smart, he won't win.
(25) Marin Cilic vs Tobias Kamke
Jeremey Chardy vs (2) Novak Djokovic - Nole has never dropped a set in 8 matches with Chardy. Don't see that changing here, unless Novak is extremely generous.
Respectfully,
masterclass -
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First casualty of the day, and I didn't call it...
Elder Radek Stepanek still has some singles game in him. He beat #15 seed Mikhail Youzhny. Goodbye Colonel.
Radek refused to make many mistakes today. 40 winners and only 18 unforced errors. Congrats to Stepanek and his fans!
Court 3 looked fairly fast for a clay court and rather low bouncing.
Novak Djokovic and Jeremy Chardy getting ready to play on Chartrier as the sun comes out.
Respectfully,
masterclass -
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Well now the RG Women's draw is in shambles. #1 Serena follows #2 Li Na off the premises. She was knocked out and convincingly, by an amazing 20 year old Spaniard (born in Venezuela, Spanish father) named Garbiņe Muguruz known as Gabby, 6-2, 6-2. She'll now play 19 year old Slovakian Anna Schmiedlova, who beat the other Williams, Venus today. Gabby is 182 cm (6' 0"), and hits the ball hard and with accuracy. She played very solid and strong, put a lot of pressure on Williams, and Williams couldn't find the court today.
Respectfully,
masterclass -
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#20 Dolgopolov upset by Marcel Granollers much as I described in the earlier prediction post. Dolgopolov went up by 2 sets, but ran out of gas, and Granollers came from behind to win in 5 sets, including a bagel in the 4th. Of course, Dolgopolov is adversely affected by his medical condition, which is why it is likely he'll never do well in best of 5. So that's 2 upsets in the bottom half so far.
Tsonga comes through against Melzer in straight sets.
Respectfully,
masterclass -
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folks Tsonga can go far at RG.
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