CAMELOT FANTASIES
Camelot Tennis Universe => General Pro Player Discussions => Topic started by: Clay Death on March 11, 2014, 10:28:59 pm
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With Rafa, the lows feel devastating, but the highs obliterate any lows he might suffer. Of course, his back isn't 100%. So, he lost a match.
I'm over it.
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Rafa mentioned in his presser that he will travel to Mallorca on Thursday. So, he will have a couple of days to relax with his family (he mentioned his little cousins) and then start preparing for the clay court season. That gives him about a week of practice.
I think he will have enough time to play himself into form. Monte Carlo is crucial for his confidence, though. Last year he lost the Final to Nole and that did not seem to affect the rest of his clay season. But the circumstances were different then. He had just won Indian Wells and had about a month long break to recuperate, rest, and prepare for the clay.
This year he only has a week. The loss to Nole in Miami is probably still on his mind. Also, he might be still a little cautious about his back problems and not go out and serve/play at 100%.
I have seen Rafa battle through much tougher times so I am confident he will bounce back again. Can't wait for Monte Carlo :)
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All true General. But to just out rally the other guy, you have to be more fit.
And I don't think Rafa is close at this point. I don't see how he could be. He had the back issues which had to prevent him from training hard enough.
He had to protect the back first, if he wanted to continue playing, and then hope that his natural fitness and skills would be enough to win.
And against many it was enough, but not against Nole.
Looks like his back is ok, but who knows? If it is ok, he should be out on the clay almost every day for at least 4 hours.
I hear guys like Muster and Borg sometimes put in 6-8 hours/day.
Respectfully,
masterclass
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congrats to nole and his fans.
well done.
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I did not see the match and I do not intend to.
I know this fool's game so well that I can tell what happened without ever having seen the match.
anytime it is 6-3, 6-3 or 6-2, 6-3 or something similar, it is almost too easy to tell what happened with Rafa:
1. he did not return worth a ****.
that puts too much pressure on his own serve. now add even more pressure because nole has the best return in history.
2. extrapolating from the first, it was almost academic that he would lose his serve at least 3 times and he did. that number easily could have been 4.
he got just one chance break and he was not able to capitalize.
3. all this also leaves him out of position as he is almost always behind the 8 ball. and you cant do that against a player like nole who is a machine off both wings.
rafa won everything in sight last year so he did not lose because of confidence issues. he lost because of practice issues.
he is not working hard enough on his game and his fitness and it is showing.
nole on the other hand said that he has sworn to outwork everybody and it shows.
I cant make it anymore simple than that. if you want to beat nole than you have to win the long rally.
that entails it all: you get the ball back on returns, engage him in battle/rally, and you win the long rally. if you win majority of the rallies you can start to get yourself in a winning position.
same with the serve: you serve big possible but if not then you spin the serve in deep and you get into the rally. same thing all over again. you engage him in battle/rally and you win the long rally. you again try to win the majority of the long rallies when serving also.
you can shatter anybody to pieces if you can do that.
you want to win the match? win the long rally.
rafa has always been able to do that which is why he has the highest winning percentage in the sport. the trick is to practice hard enough so you can keep doing that on the biggest of stages. this was a fairly big stage so it is another opportunity lost.
no real worries. clay is the wellspring from which he flows so that is where he will hit his stride once again. and then he can take it from there.
but he has to step up his practice starting right away.
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Congrats to Djokovic and his fans for his second title of the year in sweeping the USA slow hard court spring series.
Commiserations to Nadal and his supporters.
Djokovic played very well, with no real blips, served and returned well, and kept the balls deep. His backhand was superb today, and he hit it with good disguise. Rafa often didn't know where it was going. Nole's game and confidence looks well set up prior to the clay season, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him take a couple of titles.
Nadal's return was pretty poor, quite short and his second serve was not effective at all. He was playing 90 % of his shots from behind the baseline, and played Djokovic's backhand too much and gave Djokovic too much angle to hit his cross court backhand wide to Nadal's forehand, which Nadal often couldn't reach because he was protecting his backhand side and failed to read Djokovic's backhand well. I think the good news for Nadal fans is that Nadal got off the court fairly quickly, not having a prolonged battle on the slow hard courts and hopefully got out of Miami without additional injury.
Nadal has to get on the clay and start preparing as soon as possible. I would say a Monte Carlo win is essential for his confidence now.
(https://www.camelotfantasies.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FhMyDmpZ.png&hash=52d73e66bdf93c06d3b84990eb64ccaede10a8dd)
Respectfully,
masterclass
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how are we feeling about the men's final?
I have good sensations, to quote Rafa. I think he really wants this and his hunger will put him over the finish line. Rafole matches are both the best and the worst, coz there's only a thin edge separating the two and there's no telling really, but I have faith.
That being said, I will be hiding behind the sofa later :D VAMOS!
great avatar scorpio1641.
I am picking Rafa in 3.
It would help Rafa's cause greatly if he can snatch the first set.
i think he has to win the long rally against nole
win the long rally and you win the match. winning majority of the long rallies will break nole's spirit and wreck his game.
win the long rally Rafa. return well, get into the rallies, and then take majority of them.
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how are we feeling about the men's final?
I have good sensations, to quote Rafa. I think he really wants this and his hunger will put him over the finish line. Rafole matches are both the best and the worst, coz there's only a thin edge separating the two and there's no telling really, but I have faith.
That being said, I will be hiding behind the sofa later :D VAMOS!
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Did anyone hear the bad news? Berdych just withdrew too.
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I will 2nd that. I have known general masterclass for 100 years.
he does call it like he sees it. zero spin and 100% objectivity.
it was just not meant to be this time around for Roger. it must have been nishikori's moment to shine and he did.
beating Roger on the hard courts is no easy matter.
this is a massive win for nishikori. now lets see if can use it as a springboard to further success.
l know. I thoroughly enjoy reading his posts. Masterclass is just that, a master class.
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Thanks Lady TT. I try to call it as I see it, but since I'm far from omniscient, I'm always mindful that there can be alternative views, facts, and explanations of events of which I am unaware. I tend to rely on my rather lengthy observational background and participation in the sport, and certain other factors, which I consider more pertinent than perhaps others do.
I do chuckle when some people are convinced that they are right and everyone else is wrong. But look, everyone is entitled to an opinion, right, wrong, or often a mixture of both, and I never mind a friendly discourse of those opinions to mutually arrive at a reasonable conclusion, or in the end, even agree to disagree. However, distortion of the facts whether purposeful or not, or various other argumentative ploys like red herring fallacies such as ad hominem, strawman, and countless other fallacies are laughable and simply not worth my time.
In this particular case, where many people expected or hoped for Federer to perform better or at least continue his excellence from previous matches, maybe he just had a poorer day at the office, combined with his opponent's good performance and was outplayed in the key moments. These guys are human not machines, despite their often glorified status. We can speculate until the proverbial cows come home, but in the end one player lost and the other won, and that's it. Time to congratulate, move on, and wish luck and health to the players. :)
Respectfully,
masterclass
We share the same viewpoint. I don't think that my opinion outweighs anyone else's opinions either. I think there are always many factors to consider and to think that I alone have the answers is beyond foolish to me. Offering different perspectives helps you to broaden your own perspective, but only if you are willing to learn. Anything else is rigidity which only serves to stunt a person's own growth. One of my greatest strengths is that I don't mind being wrong, because like you, I realize that I am not omniscient. But, I have seen many people struggle with the black or white principle without realizing that the world is gray.
Agree regarding Federer. It happened. That's it. A match, any match is an isolated event and has no bearing on the future. For all we know someone may be carrying a niggling injury, have a tummy ache, or didn't get enough sleep the night before.
Losses don't bear in-depth analysis. The match is over and the future awaits. Life is better this way.
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Rafa gets by Milos in 3.
congrats to Rafa and his fans.
(https://www.camelotfantasies.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1322.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fu572%2Fspartacus120%2Fspartan%2520images%2Fthis%2520is%2520sparta%2Fsparatus-1%2Fcool6%2Fmatchstats-1_zps86e58ebd.jpg&hash=ccec29146f2586ac8bead19c22f1e2d8c00c3c3c) (http://s1322.photobucket.com/user/spartacus120/media/spartan%20images/this%20is%20sparta/sparatus-1/cool6/matchstats-1_zps86e58ebd.jpg.html)
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I will 2nd that. I have known general masterclass for 100 years.
he does call it like he sees it. zero spin and 100% objectivity.
it was just not meant to be this time around for Roger. it must have been nishikori's moment to shine and he did.
beating Roger on the hard courts is no easy matter.
this is a massive win for nishikori. now lets see if can use it as a springboard to further success.
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Thanks Lady TT. I try to call it as I see it, but since I'm far from omniscient, I'm always mindful that there can be alternative views, facts, and explanations of events of which I am unaware. I tend to rely on my rather lengthy observational background and participation in the sport, and certain other factors, which I consider more pertinent than perhaps others do.
I do chuckle when some people are convinced that they are right and everyone else is wrong. But look, everyone is entitled to an opinion, right, wrong, or often a mixture of both, and I never mind a friendly discourse of those opinions to mutually arrive at a reasonable conclusion, or in the end, even agree to disagree. However, distortion of the facts whether purposeful or not, or various other argumentative ploys like red herring fallacies such as ad hominem, strawman, and countless other fallacies are laughable and simply not worth my time.
In this particular case, where many people expected or hoped for Federer to perform better or at least continue his excellence from previous matches, maybe he just had a poorer day at the office, combined with his opponent's good performance and was outplayed in the key moments. These guys are human not machines, despite their often glorified status. We can speculate until the proverbial cows come home, but in the end one player lost and the other won, and that's it. Time to congratulate, move on, and wish luck and health to the players. :)
Respectfully,
masterclass
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Kei Nishikori upsets Federer in Miami, 3-6, 7-5, 6-4.
This was a welcome surprise, or perhaps not so much of one from at least Kei's point of view. Kei looks much stronger this year (maybe we can thank Michael Chang for that), has a better serve, and has been playing consistently well. He did the same in this match, playing at a consistent very good level, showing a lot of quickness and aggression from all parts of the court, hung in there with considerable fortitude in the crucial stages, and took advantage when presented with the opportunity. It was an excellent match for him and well deserved victory.
Was it surprising from Federer's point of view? He should have been very happy with his play off the ground in the first set. It was superb. He was hitting forehands with pop and directing his backhands at will, and his return was as good as I've seen it in years. His play needed to be that good to win the first set, because his serving, the first serve in particular, was rather startlingly atrocious considering his dominating performance on serve so far in the tournament, not being broken, and moreover allowing only a total of 18 points by his opponents in 3 matches.
Federer's first service in percentage in the first set was a woeful 38%, so one of his prime weapons definitely wasn't firing. This is the weapon over which a player has the most control, and to not have it at one's beck and call is most unsettling for a player like Federer. Even so, he did not allow it's sudden demise to unsettle him and the rest of his game too much during the first set, but as the match wore on, even though his service marginally improved, it was missing in action numerous times, especially when he most needed it.
After being up a set and a break to be within 2 games of the match, it looked like Roger's frustration with his service began to take its toll when his ground play finally began to crumble as Nishikori continued his assault with great success and Federer began shanking balls and making unforced errors with abandon especially on the heavily pressured backhand wing. Federer was broken back and then finally broken again by Kei to seal the second set 7-5. All in all, Federer's serve was broken 3 times in a single set, when he had only faced a single break point in the 3 previous matches.
In the third set, Federer was hanging in there, but was always under fire from Kei, and looked rather disconsolate at times with his play, the conditions, perhaps as a result of Nishikori's fortitude or unwillingness to fold under pressure from the end of the second set. Federer couldn't begin to fashion a break, whilst always in danger of presenting one to Nishikori. Finally, at the business end of the set and match, Federer succumbed one more time on serve after going down love-40. He saved two match points, but was helpless to return a final sharply angled shot to his beleaguered backhand wing at the last.
As usual in a case like this, people will wonder and ask how and why Federer's service and ultimately his play failed him after doing so well the rest of the tournament. One might say it was Federer's first night match in Miami, or perhaps it was much chillier than his day matches, as evidenced by Federer wearing his Nike sweater vest during warmups, and maybe Federer couldn't get the proper rhythm and fluidity on his service motion, though he did crush a few serves here and there up to 129 mph. Some may use his age as an excuse, saying he's bound to put in a stinker more often these days. Still, one can't be certain which thing or things might have so suddenly affected one of his prime weapons.
Additionally, he obviously was faced with a player who was very aggressive, played well, and didn't collapse under pressure. Was he affected by the notion that he might have to play both Djokovic and Nadal in Miami's slower conditions? Was he already thinking about getting back to Europe and helping Team Suisse in their Davis Cup mission this year, and joining his teammates in what was already acknowledged to be one of the year's major goals by his confederate Wawrinka?
Who knows for sure? Maybe Federer, maybe his team. In the bigger perspective, his play has improved this year heading into the clay season. He seems more settled with his new racquet, and has produced some amazing tennis already to be in 3 finals, and winning the title in Dubai.
All one can say is commiserations to him, his team and supporters, and congratulations to Kei, his team and fans and good luck to both players as the year goes on.
Respectfully,
masterclass
Great post as usual. Your objectivity is unparalleled. And you're right, who knows why his serve failed, or if he was looking forward to the road ahead. The conditions may have been too hard to overcome, it could be anything. The bottom line is that Federer lost. Kei won and tennis continues to move forward.
It helps when one can watch a sport, maintain perspective, and look forward to the next match.
Thoroughly enjoyed your post.
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Kei Nishikori upsets Federer in Miami, 3-6, 7-5, 6-4.
This was a welcome surprise, or perhaps not so much of one from at least Kei's point of view. Kei looks much stronger this year (maybe we can thank Michael Chang for that), has a better serve, and has been playing consistently well. He did the same in this match, playing at a consistent very good level, showing a lot of quickness and aggression from all parts of the court, hung in there with considerable fortitude in the crucial stages, and took advantage when presented with the opportunity. It was an excellent match for him and well deserved victory.
Was it surprising from Federer's point of view? He should have been very happy with his play off the ground in the first set. It was superb. He was hitting forehands with pop and directing his backhands at will, and his return was as good as I've seen it in years. His play needed to be that good to win the first set, because his serving, the first serve in particular, was rather startlingly atrocious considering his dominating performance on serve so far in the tournament, not being broken, and moreover allowing only a total of 18 points by his opponents in 3 matches.
Federer's first service in percentage in the first set was a woeful 38%, so one of his prime weapons definitely wasn't firing. This is the weapon over which a player has the most control, and to not have it at one's beck and call is most unsettling for a player like Federer. Even so, he did not allow it's sudden demise to unsettle him and the rest of his game too much during the first set, but as the match wore on, even though his service marginally improved, it was missing in action numerous times, especially when he most needed it.
After being up a set and a break to be within 2 games of the match, it looked like Roger's frustration with his service began to take its toll when his ground play finally began to crumble as Nishikori continued his assault with great success and Federer began shanking balls and making unforced errors with abandon especially on the heavily pressured backhand wing. Federer was broken back and then finally broken again by Kei to seal the second set 7-5. All in all, Federer's serve was broken 3 times in a single set, when he had only faced a single break point in the 3 previous matches.
In the third set, Federer was hanging in there, but was always under fire from Kei, and looked rather disconsolate at times with his play, the conditions, perhaps as a result of Nishikori's fortitude or unwillingness to fold under pressure from the end of the second set. Federer couldn't begin to fashion a break, whilst always in danger of presenting one to Nishikori. Finally, at the business end of the set and match, Federer succumbed one more time on serve after going down love-40. He saved two match points, but was helpless to return a final sharply angled shot to his beleaguered backhand wing at the last.
As usual in a case like this, people will wonder and ask how and why Federer's service and ultimately his play failed him after doing so well the rest of the tournament. One might say it was Federer's first night match in Miami, or perhaps it was much chillier than his day matches, as evidenced by Federer wearing his Nike sweater vest during warmups, and maybe Federer couldn't get the proper rhythm and fluidity on his service motion, though he did crush a few serves here and there up to 129 mph. Some may use his age as an excuse, saying he's bound to put in a stinker more often these days. Still, one can't be certain which thing or things might have so suddenly affected one of his prime weapons.
Additionally, he obviously was faced with a player who was very aggressive, played well, and didn't collapse under pressure. Was he affected by the notion that he might have to play both Djokovic and Nadal in Miami's slower conditions? Was he already thinking about getting back to Europe and helping Team Suisse in their Davis Cup mission this year, and joining his teammates in what was already acknowledged to be one of the year's major goals by his confederate Wawrinka?
Who knows for sure? Maybe Federer, maybe his team. In the bigger perspective, his play has improved this year heading into the clay season. He seems more settled with his new racquet, and has produced some amazing tennis already to be in 3 finals, and winning the title in Dubai.
All one can say is commiserations to him, his team and supporters, and congratulations to Kei, his team and fans and good luck to both players as the year goes on.
Respectfully,
masterclass
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well lady TT. one thing for sure. everybody cant be a superstar in this sport.
it is what it is. I guess gasquet is just not in the same class of athletes like rafa, roger, andy, and nole.
over the years I have expected more from players like gasquet but things have not worked out for some of them.
That's true, but I think that they put too much pressure on him by touting him so much. I think he'd do better if they let him evolve on his own. Everyone doesn't respond well to hype, and I think Richie may be that type. He's such a nice guy. I hope at the end of his career he feels like he has achieved his own personal goals.
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here is the order of play for tomorrow.
Rafa has the night match.
http://www.atpworldtour.com/Scores/schedule.aspx?EventId=403
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well lady TT. one thing for sure. everybody cant be a superstar in this sport.
it is what it is. I guess gasquet is just not in the same class of athletes like rafa, roger, andy, and nole.
over the years I have expected more from players like gasquet but things have not worked out for some of them.
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poor gasquet. he just does not have enough confidence against the top players.
I know. How can you play the game and be so lacking in confidence? I remember when he came on tour and they were talking about how talented he was. I never thought so, just a one handed backhand, which I think they look awkward and off balance. But, for all the hype how on earth does he sit there year in and year out and see all of the newbies make bigger strides than him? What would it take for him to get some confidence? Every time he's up against one of them you can just see the fear on his face.
He not only can't handle pressure in France, it appears that he can't handle pressure anywhere. It's really sad.
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here is the order of play for tomorrow:
http://www.atpworldtour.com/Scores/schedule.aspx?EventId=403&Year=2014&Seq=10
looks like Roger has the night match.
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poor gasquet. he just does not have enough confidence against the top players.
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Federer is destroying Gasquet right now.
What did you expect? When is the last time Gasquet won a big match? I honestly don't recall one. Why he gets viewed as being so talented is beyond me.
They think anyone with a one-handed backhand is talented. I disagree.
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Federer is destroying Gasquet right now.
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Rafa was very determined today, no fooling around, just business. I am curious to see if Robredo can trouble Nole tomorrow.
Rafa looked really good tonight. I hope he keeps it up, but I can't Robredo troubling Nole at all tomorrow. Having seen Rafa's play, Nole will go out of his way to match Rafa's performance. I expect his level to rise exponentially.
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affirmative. maybe he can do it.
Robredo will have to serve big and hope Nole is a little bit off.
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My prediction is that Robredo wins at least a set tomorrow :)
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nole would have to be really off for robredo to have a chance.
robredo wont have the movement or the consistency to deal with nole.
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Rafa was very determined today, no fooling around, just business. I am curious to see if Robredo can trouble Nole tomorrow.
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order of play for tomorrow:
http://www.atpworldtour.com/Scores/schedule.aspx?EventId=403
andy murray vs Tsonga is a blockbuster battle.
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order of play for Monday:
http://www.atpworldtour.com/Scores/schedule.aspx?EventId=403
Isner and Venus get the night matches.
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good wins for Andy and Federer.
Gasquet marches on too as he gets by Anderson.
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here is the order of play for today. andy and roger will be in action.
http://www.atpworldtour.com/Scores/schedule.aspx?EventId=403
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In the first matches of the day, #3 Stan the Man Wawrinka beat #99 Daniel Gimeno-Traver in 3 sets. He steamrolled him in the 1st set 6-0, appeared to take his foot off the pedal and lose focus in the second and DGT was good enough to take full advantage, winning the set 6-3, and push it to a decider. Stan seemed to get his focus back, broke DGT right away in his first service game of the 3rd set, and was very strong on his own serve thereafter. Stan broke DGT for the second time in the set to end the match, 6-3.
In the other match, #43 in the world, Edouard Roger-Vasselin delivered a straight sets upset win over the #26 Marin Cilic, 6-2, 7-6(5). After a fairly good start to the year, winning 2 ATP 250 titles in Zagreb and Delray Beach and a final in the Rotterdam 500, Cilic has come back to earth and just didn't seem to have it today. He served poorly and returned even worse. Credit to ERV for playing well and taking it to Cilic though.
Next up, Robert vs. Berdych, Isner vs. Young, and Janowicz vs. Bautista-Agut. The late and feature match of the day is Nadal vs. Hewitt.
Respectfully,
masterclass
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I have the order of play for tomorrow sports fans:
http://www.atpworldtour.com/Scores/schedule.aspx?EventId=403
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Lleyton Hewitt notches 600th ATP tour singles victory!
(https://www.camelotfantasies.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tennisnow.com%2FFiles%2Flleyton-hewitt-600-wins-miami-2014-0320.aspx&hash=5ad666eaa77c642934af7743570637de26113265)
Congratulations to Rusty - Lleyton Hewitt, his team and supporters!
A fighter by any definition of the word, he has overcome many injuries, surgeries, time away from the game, has a beautiful wife (Bec) and 3 children (Mia 8, Cruz 5, and Ava 3), and still loves the game. Less than two years ago he was #233 in the world, trying to recover from another surgery, and has recently risen to be back in the top 40 players in the world. The two time major winner, including a prestigious Wimbledon triumph, defeated Robin Haase to capture his 600th tour singles win, joining Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal as the only active players to have reached the mark.
Not blessed with great height at a generous 5' 11" (180cm), his speed and agility around the court, along with one of the best return of serve in the game, not to mention his passing shots and perhaps one of the best lobbers of all time, and his fiery, never-say-die temperament propelled him to the position of the youngest male #1 player in the world ever, a position he held for 80 weeks, 4th on the active list, behind Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic. Many criticized Hewitt for lacking the big weapons, serves, ground-strokes, but with his tenacious spirit, all he did was win. A controversial figure at times, especially as a hot-headed youngster, he has been the spirited leader of his Davis Cup team, contributions including two Cup wins and two finals. Unfortunately, starting in 2005, he started to endure a series of injuries, almost yearly, which eventually knocked him out of the top 10 in the game.
He is next scheduled to play Rafael Nadal on Saturday. Best of luck to both.
Respectfully,
masterclass
I love Hewitt. I have been a fan of his since the beginning. There is nothing that I like more than a warrior. A player who goes out there and gives his best for himself and the fans every time gets high marks in my book. It is amazing how he has persevered for so long despite his setbacks.
They were saying during the broadcast, with one of his surgeries, the foot I think, nine doctors told him he would never play again, but Lleyton went to a tenth doctor who said it could be done.
I also like that it's always been about the game for him. He hasn't minded being 233 or in the forties, it's all about the love of the game.
Lleyton is awesome, and can never be discounted.
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General, Miami has typically been rated the slowest conditions on tour for hard courts. Balls fly through the air slower due to ever present humidity, compared to Indian Wells dry desert air. Courts don't have quite as high a bounce as Indian Wells normally does, but it's not low bouncing by any means.
But I did hear that the new layer of paint they put on this year may not be as gritty as in the past, which might help make things a bit faster this year. But I haven't had a chance to see any matches or get word from any players thus far, so I can't confirm yet.
Respectfully,
masterclass
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that should be a good battle general masterclass. these two are going to fill the stands.
does anybody know how the courts are playing in Miami? have the players made any remarks about the speed of the courts?
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Lleyton Hewitt notches 600th ATP tour singles victory!
(https://www.camelotfantasies.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tennisnow.com%2FFiles%2Flleyton-hewitt-600-wins-miami-2014-0320.aspx&hash=5ad666eaa77c642934af7743570637de26113265)
Congratulations to Rusty - Lleyton Hewitt, his team and supporters!
A fighter by any definition of the word, he has overcome many injuries, surgeries, time away from the game, has a beautiful wife (Bec) and 3 children (Mia 8, Cruz 5, and Ava 3), and still loves the game. Less than two years ago he was #233 in the world, trying to recover from another surgery, and has recently risen to be back in the top 40 players in the world. The two time major winner, including a prestigious Wimbledon triumph, defeated Robin Haase to capture his 600th tour singles win, joining Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal as the only active players to have reached the mark.
Not blessed with great height at a generous 5' 11" (180cm), his speed and agility around the court, along with one of the best return of serve in the game, not to mention his passing shots and perhaps one of the best lobbers of all time, and his fiery, never-say-die temperament propelled him to the position of the youngest male #1 player in the world ever, a position he held for 80 weeks, 4th on the active list, behind Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic. Many criticized Hewitt for lacking the big weapons, serves, ground-strokes, but with his tenacious spirit, all he did was win. A controversial figure at times, especially as a hot-headed youngster, he has been the spirited leader of his Davis Cup team, contributions including two Cup wins and two finals. Unfortunately, starting in 2005, he started to endure a series of injuries, almost yearly, which eventually knocked him out of the top 10 in the game.
He is next scheduled to play Rafael Nadal on Saturday. Best of luck to both.
Respectfully,
masterclass
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big day is here at last: andy and Federer will be in action tomorrow:
here is the order of play:
http://www.atpworldtour.com/Scores/schedule.aspx?EventId=403
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order of play for tomorrow is here sports fans:
http://www.atpworldtour.com/Scores/schedule.aspx?EventId=403
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Juan Martin del Potro has withdrawn from Miami. From his Facebook page:
Hi everybody. During these days I was training at the Crandon Park and followed the treatment to try to play in Miami, but I still feel pain in my left wrist and I don't feel competitive to go on court. It's a pity because this is a special tournament for me since there are many Latin fans and Argentines in particular. In the next few days I will visit my doctor again to determine the following steps. Sincerely, thanks everybody for the messages in this special moment.
A Lucky Loser will replace him in the draw - too bad for Gasquet .
I wish Juan to be healthy as soon as possible. The tour is not the same without him.
Respectfully,
masterclass
Gee whiz! That is one unlucky athlete. I forgot to add his name earlier. How old is Juan Martin? About 24 or 25? That is so sad.
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Juan Martin del Potro has withdrawn from Miami. From his Facebook page:
Hi everybody. During these days I was training at the Crandon Park and followed the treatment to try to play in Miami, but I still feel pain in my left wrist and I don't feel competitive to go on court. It's a pity because this is a special tournament for me since there are many Latin fans and Argentines in particular. In the next few days I will visit my doctor again to determine the following steps. Sincerely, thanks everybody for the messages in this special moment.
A Lucky Loser will replace him in the draw - too bad for Gasquet .
I wish Juan to be healthy as soon as possible. The tour is not the same without him.
Respectfully,
masterclass
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Interesting draw. Thanks for posting it.
I have mixed feelings about it for Rafa. On one hand, all of other 3 of the "Big 4" are in the Djokovic half.
On the other hand, almost all of the big hitters or servers are in Nadal's half or even quarter.
Historically, it has been the big hitters that have given Rafa most of the problems in the past.
But Rafa will likely start out in the second round (1st round bye) against one of the game's best fighters, one of the 7 active major winners, 2 time slam winner, Lleyton Hewitt.
Rafa is 5-0 in their clay court matches (4 at RG, 1 Hamburg), Hewitt is 3-1 in their hard court matches (2 at AO, 1 Toronto, loss in Beijing) and 1-0 on grass (Queens Club), albeit years ago.
It's amazing that Hewitt has finally been able to come back to a decent level and seeding after all of the years debilitated by injury.
He is around #44 in the world after being as high as #233 in the summer of 2012.
But he has failed to show renewed consistency as of yet.
Because of his class (inc. 2 majors), he always is a threat when he is able to put it all together, but those days are not so often anymore, which is expected. He is also a victim of the generally slower and higher bouncing conditions over the last few years and the stylistic change to mostly a power baseline game that gives him fewer targets, with which to use his counter punching skills.
All that said, Hewitt has never won the Miami title, his best showings are 3 consecutive semifinals long ago, lately not going past the second round, losing to Gilles Simon. I think the court is just too slow for him and his best days behind him. Rafa has to be the favorite here and now at Miami.
If Nadal beats Hewitt, he'll likely contend with Tursunov, then who knows, maybe Janowicz or Fognini, though Janowicz has not been in the hunt lately, then finally meet whomever comes out of the Del Potro 1/8th, where Raonic and Pospisil also reside. Of course the big unknown, and I mean big, is Del Potro. Obviously, if healthy, he can give Rafa trouble. The problem is that he hasn't been healthy, retiring in Dubai due to his left wrist injury and withdrawing from Indian Wells for the same reason. If it is still bothering him, I expect him to exit early.
In the other quarter in Rafa's half, the main contenders are Wawrinka, Berdych, Isner, Haas, Cilic, Dolgopolov. Who knows who will come out of that quarter to possibly face Nadal.
Though I'm pretty sure a majority of Rafa fans would disagree, I think it might be a blessing in disguise for Rafa to go out earlier here rather than later, so he can get off the hard courts and start his clay court preparation earlier for the clay season's ultimate prize, Roland Garros. But Rafa is one of the biggest fighters, so who knows?
In the other half, it's hard not to see a Murray-Djokovic quarter final, but perhaps Tsonga and Gulbis might have some say in that. Tsonga has been pretty woeful lately, and it would be sad for me to see him slip further away from the top players. Gulbis seems on verge of a break-through if he can control his emotions.
In the other quarter in the Djokovic half lurk Federer and Gasquet, Ferrer and Dimitrov with Anderson and Nishikori as spoilers. Ferrer is coming off an injury, so it's hard to know what his form will be. But he is the finalist from last year, so he can't be dismissed. It would certainly help him for Federer to lose as he has never beaten him, but he would have to get past the in form Dimitrov first. I think it is a good opportunity for Dimitrov to go far here, though I think he would prefer faster courts. I'm still not sure of his stamina against the best players, and Miami is not generally a court that favors attacking players.
Anyway, that's how I see it as of now. But as we all know, things can suddenly change in a draw, surely evidenced by most of the top 10 seeds ouster at Indian Wells prior to the quarter finals, excluding Djokovic and Federer.
Best of luck and health to all the players!
Respectfully,
masterclass
It will be interesting. I'm split on how much energy I want Rafa to expend on this tournament, but if he's playing well I don't see him having too much trouble, even from del Potro. del Potro's last win came after a four year drought with Rafa, so while he can, if he's on beat Rafa, it doesn't happen that often. Tursunov is too inconsistent and a showman, that gets him in a lot of trouble I think.
The only hurdle for Djokovic will be Federer, the jury's still out on Dmitrov for me. He's had a few good showings, but there's still a bit of inconsistency.
With that being said, you're probably right in everything that you've said.
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order of play for tomorrow:
http://www.atpworldtour.com/Scores/schedule.aspx?EventId=403
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you are 100% spot on as usual general masterclass.
he also has the most demanding style of play of any top player who has ever played the sport. so that takes its toll on him too.
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Yes, general, and the biggest key for him is staying healthy, that's the thing I fear the most given his long history. Seems he can't go more than a year or two at most without something to sideline him, and it's my belief it is mostly because:
1. His relentless drive to win every point, every game, every match.
2. He plays so many tournaments, especially on slower hard courts that do the damage.
3. He goes deep in so many tournaments because he is a great player, which gives him less chance to recover.
So in a way, he is own worst enemy, but what can you do? He is only one man. You just can't win everything without it taking it's toll.
You may be able to do it for awhile when you are at your peak, but it definitely gets tougher as the years go by.
So that's why I say he might be better off not going deep in Miami. Also, I'd like him to play one less clay tournament, like Madrid.
That might give him a better chance to get to Wimbledon not so exhausted.
Respectfully,
masterclass
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great analysis general masterclass.
with nadal it all depends on how well he returns and how well he is hitting his backhand. so he has to get that going to make it easier on himself.
you cant try to return from downtown Miami and then play the match from your forehand corner. you are at a huge disadvantage if you do that against anybody today, let alone the top players.
I just have a feeling that it will take clay for nadal to really get going this year. he could surprise as he has been doing for years and years now. just look at his performance in 2013. he ran over them all on the hard courts.
the favorites for the title are in this order:
1. nole
2. fed
3. andy
4. rafa
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Interesting draw. Thanks for posting it.
I have mixed feelings about it for Rafa. On one hand, all of other 3 of the "Big 4" are in the Djokovic half.
On the other hand, almost all of the big hitters or servers are in Nadal's half or even quarter.
Historically, it has been the big hitters that have given Rafa most of the problems in the past.
But Rafa will likely start out in the second round (1st round bye) against one of the game's best fighters, one of the 7 active major winners, 2 time slam winner, Lleyton Hewitt.
Rafa is 5-0 in their clay court matches (4 at RG, 1 Hamburg), Hewitt is 3-1 in their hard court matches (2 at AO, 1 Toronto, loss in Beijing) and 1-0 on grass (Queens Club), albeit years ago.
It's amazing that Hewitt has finally been able to come back to a decent level and seeding after all of the years debilitated by injury.
He is around #44 in the world after being as high as #233 in the summer of 2012.
But he has failed to show renewed consistency as of yet.
Because of his class (inc. 2 majors), he always is a threat when he is able to put it all together, but those days are not so often anymore, which is expected. He is also a victim of the generally slower and higher bouncing conditions over the last few years and the stylistic change to mostly a power baseline game that gives him fewer targets, with which to use his counter punching skills.
All that said, Hewitt has never won the Miami title, his best showings are 3 consecutive semifinals long ago, lately not going past the second round, losing to Gilles Simon. I think the court is just too slow for him and his best days behind him. Rafa has to be the favorite here and now at Miami.
If Nadal beats Hewitt, he'll likely contend with Tursunov, then who knows, maybe Janowicz or Fognini, though Janowicz has not been in the hunt lately, then finally meet whomever comes out of the Del Potro 1/8th, where Raonic and Pospisil also reside. Of course the big unknown, and I mean big, is Del Potro. Obviously, if healthy, he can give Rafa trouble. The problem is that he hasn't been healthy, retiring in Dubai due to his left wrist injury and withdrawing from Indian Wells for the same reason. If it is still bothering him, I expect him to exit early.
In the other quarter in Rafa's half, the main contenders are Wawrinka, Berdych, Isner, Haas, Cilic, Dolgopolov. Who knows who will come out of that quarter to possibly face Nadal.
Though I'm pretty sure a majority of Rafa fans would disagree, I think it might be a blessing in disguise for Rafa to go out earlier here rather than later, so he can get off the hard courts and start his clay court preparation earlier for the clay season's ultimate prize, Roland Garros. But Rafa is one of the biggest fighters, so who knows?
In the other half, it's hard not to see a Murray-Djokovic quarter final, but perhaps Tsonga and Gulbis might have some say in that. Tsonga has been pretty woeful lately, and it would be sad for me to see him slip further away from the top players. Gulbis seems on verge of a break-through if he can control his emotions.
In the other quarter in the Djokovic half lurk Federer and Gasquet, Ferrer and Dimitrov with Anderson and Nishikori as spoilers. Ferrer is coming off an injury, so it's hard to know what his form will be. But he is the finalist from last year, so he can't be dismissed. It would certainly help him for Federer to lose as he has never beaten him, but he would have to get past the in form Dimitrov first. I think it is a good opportunity for Dimitrov to go far here, though I think he would prefer faster courts. I'm still not sure of his stamina against the best players, and Miami is not generally a court that favors attacking players.
Anyway, that's how I see it as of now. But as we all know, things can suddenly change in a draw, surely evidenced by most of the top 10 seeds ouster at Indian Wells prior to the quarter finals, excluding Djokovic and Federer.
Best of luck and health to all the players!
Respectfully,
masterclass
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Finally a decent draw for Nadal ;D
Hoshi,
I had the same problem with my avatar showing up. It was too big. So, I copied it in Microsoft Word, cropped it into a smaller size, saved it, and fiddled with it until it fit.
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welcome to Camelot Hoshi.
agreed. finally a decent one.
now he has to try to make the most of it if possible. all the best to Rafa and his team.
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Finally a decent draw for Nadal ;D
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order of play for tomorrow:
http://www.atpworldtour.com/Scores/schedule.aspx?EventId=403
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I think one of Djokovic/Nadal wins Miami. It could be Murray too. Doubt Stan or Federer wins this.
If Nadal is hitting good, I'll take him. If he's struggling to hit deep like at IW, he's gonna lose to one of the in form players again.
Why do you doubt this? Especially Federer? I think he's playing and if he gets lucky, may end up winning it. I'd say he has better chances than Murray although Andy might feel comfortable there given his 2nd home.
But you were right about Nole winning IW in 3 but don't tell that to Federer fans here.
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Here's the draw. Still in PDF however.
http://www.atpworldtour.com/posting/2014/403/mds.pdf
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who has the draw for this one?
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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I hear ya general backspin.
jury is out for Rafa for now as far as I am converned. I am just going by what he said: he said that he was not able to serve for 10 days after Rio.
that tells me that back continues to flare up. that is my biggest worry. he has to be willing to let the Miami deal go if he is still struggling.
his clay season is way too grueling. he has so much to defend and he cant afford to let RG go.
lets see how it goes.
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I think one of Djokovic/Nadal wins Miami. It could be Murray too. Doubt Stan or Federer wins this.
If Nadal is hitting good, I'll take him. If he's struggling to hit deep like at IW, he's gonna lose to one of the in form players again.
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Rafa and Ana.
what a dynamic couple they would make.
lets get this party started. who is the heavy favorite for the title in Miami?
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Rafa and Ana ready for the Miami Sony Open ;)
Main draw: Monday, March 17, Noon |
Doubles draw: Tuesday, March 18, 2:00 p.m.
(https://www.camelotfantasies.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gotceleb.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fpics%2Fana-ivanovic%2Fsony-ericsson-open-promotion%2Fana-ivanovic-sony-ericsson-open-promotion-06.jpg&hash=9ffd5b0829d7dfddc16d934a1b3f2ca308c491c3)
Respectfully,
masterclass
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19.03.2014 Sony Open Tennis
Miami, U.S.A. Hard $ 4,720,380
($ 5,649,405) SGL 96 DBL 32 Email Inquiry
+1-800-725-5472
Lets get this party started.