CAMELOT FANTASIES

I am glad he went back to his old racquet.

It was not a good time to try the newer racquet.

Murray defends 'hate Rosol' outburst

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/murray-blasts-rosol-way-munich-semis-000407649--ten.html

Munich (Germany) (AFP) - Andy Murray defended his astonishing outburst at Lukas Rosol on Saturday when he told the controversial Czech he was the tour's most hated man.

Top-seeded Murray blasted his opponent during his stormy 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 quarter-final win at the Munich Open claycourt tournament when Rosol barged the Scot at a changeover. Playing in his first tournament since his marriage to long-time girlfriend Kim Sears, Murray led 4-1 in the first set before the Rosol turned in a furious rally to take the next five games.
The two players then clashed which brought complaints from the Scot and an intervention by the ATP supervisor Gerry Armstrong.

Murray told Rosol across the court: "No-one likes you on the tour, everyone hates you."
Murray, who later went on to defeat Spanish third seed Roberto Bautista Agut 6-4, 6-4 in the semi-finals, accused Rosol of deliberately charging into him. "He walked straight into me for no reason. If I walked into someone for no reason I would say sorry. But he did it and then ran to the other end," said Murray. "His fitness trainer later apologized. I should not have said what I did but if someone does that and you don't respond you let them dictate how the match goes.
"I was told by my father that if you get pushed around then you stick up for yourself."Rosol is no stranger to controversy.
When he stunned Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon in 2012, he was also involved in a shoulder-charging incident while the Spaniard complained about the Czech's gamesmanship.

"I have had no problems with him before, but a lot of players say he does those sort of things. It's just silly," added Murray.
"It gives more motivation and I told him that in the locker room."Murray will be playing his third final of the season on Sunday having reached the title match at the Australian Open and the Miami Masters.He will tackle Philipp Kohlschreiber after the world number 26 from Germany defeated Austrian qualifier Gerald Melzer, 2-6, 6-1, 6-4.
Kohlschreiber won the Munich title in 2007 and 2012.

Murray, who has never won a claycourt title, ended up playing three matches at the rain-hit event on Saturday, losing in the doubles with partner Jean-Julien Rojer.  Bautista Agut also lost the first set of his quarter-final before winning 12 games in a row to defeat Víctor Estrella Burgos of the Dominican Republic 4-6, 6-0, 6-0. But he was no match for Murray as the former Wimbledon and US Open champion hit form in what is his first claycourt tournament of the year.
Melzer made it through to the semi-finals with a 7-6 (7/5), 3-6, 6-3 win over young countryman Dominic Thiem, while Kohlschreiber outlasted Belgium's David Goffin 2-6, 6-3, 6-4

Torrential rain had washed out all four quarter-finals on Friday, leaving both the quarter-finals and semis to be played on Saturday.

Ha ha. Nobody can stand Rosol.

What the hell is wrong with him?

He just can't get along with anybody.


Even his own shadow can't stand him.

He's pretty stupid. I guess he's trying to use Soderlng's playbook. He may not gain any fans, but at least he'll get his name in print. That's his only recourse since he isn't winning anything big. Jerk.

More time on grass as Nadal chooses Stuttgart and Queen's

http://www.wimbledon.com/en_GB/news/articles/2015-04-20/more_time_on_grass_as_nadal_chooses_stuttgart_and_queens.html

Two-time Wimbledon champion Rafael Nadal will make the most of the three-week gap between Roland Garros and Wimbledon, slotting in two tournaments in the build up. Wimbledon.com reports...

What do the years 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2011 have in common for Rafael Nadal? They are years he won Roland Garros. They are also years he has played in a Wimbledon final. And they are also the years he prepared for The Championships at The Queen's Club. Four years after his last significant chance at the Wimbledon title, Nadal will once again compete at Queen's in the build-up to Wimbledon. And before that, at Stuttgart too, as the new three-week gap welcomes the German event to the grass court calendar for the first time. Stuttgart, formerly an ATP 250 on clay, has spent two years turning its red clay into green grass as it begins to anchor itself as one of the go-to events of the grass court season in the week following the French Open.

It is the happy fruition of a long process that began with a conversation between Tournament Director Edwin Weindorfer and AELTC Chief Executive Richard Lewis when the three-week gap was announced in July 2012.
"We announced we were going to do the three weeks, with the change of date and then the ATP put out invitations to tender for the extra grass-court slots," Lewis explains. "Then Edwin Weindorfer, the Stuttgart tournament director, made contact. He wanted to know what was involved before he put a bid together, talked to the (Stuttgart) club, the sponsors at the Mercedes Cup. We got to know each other and it went from there."

The AELTC has assisted with the preparation of Stuttgart's courts, offering advice from the groundstaff, and support in promoting the event. "We helped them first of all with advice. They visited us, mainly, to talk about what was involved, helping them access the right type of soil, let alone the grass seed. And the climate, what to do when, how to construct the actual court, then what to do when the grass starts going. It’s very interesting hearing all the different aspects they need to consider to create top quality grass courts," Lewis explains. "We also gave them a bit of support, in terms of being over there for a couple of press conferences, and just created a partnership, also helping them, to a limited extent, to promote the grass-court event, which we think is good for grass-court tennis."
And now, three years after those initial meetings, Stuttgart is just 60 days away.

 “I am very happy to play again in the city of Stuttgart. Last time I played there was a different event, on clay," Nadal commented. "This time it will be on grass and really looking forward to playing there. Great to be back playing soon in Germany.”
Former US Open champion Marin Cilic has also committed to playing in Germany, as are Feliciano Lopez, Tommy Haas and Marcos Baghdatis.

Queen's meanwhile, elevated to an ATP 500 event from 2015 onwards, is similarly delighted to be receiving the Spaniard this year.
“I always loved playing at The Queen’s Club and I am very happy that I will be back this year,” said Nadal. “It was a great experience for me to lift the trophy in 2008 because it is such an important and traditional tournament. To win Wimbledon a few weeks later was like a dream.

Nadal joins Andy Murray, Grigor Dimitrov, Nick Kyrgios, Milos Raonic, Lleyton Hewitt and Cilic, with more to come.

Rafael Nadal is still the 'King of Clay' says Greg Rusedski
Last Updated: 19/04/15 9:27pm

http://www1.skysports.com/tennis/news/12040/9814145/rafael-nadal-is-still-the-king-of-clay-says-greg-rusedski
Until Novak Djokovic wins that elusive first French Open title, Rafael Nadal is still very much the 'King of Clay' in the eyes of tennis expert Greg Rusedski.

Despite losing in straight sets to the Serb in the Monte Carlo semi-finals on Saturday, Nadal would have taken heart from a positive display on his favourite surface against the all-conquering world No 1.

Nadal missed most of the second part of last season - including the defence of his US Open title - with a wrist injury and then appendicitis.
But he seemed to be finding form when he secured his 46th clay-court title at the Argentina Open in Buenos Aires which was his first final since winning at Roland Garros last June.

Despite failing to go on and collect a ninth title in the Principality, Rusedski feels the 14-time Grand Slam champion is slowly finding his clay feet.

Having won nine French Open titles in 10 years, the Spaniard's speed, aggression and stamina is building as he aims to secure a landmark 'La Decima' of titles at his favourite home - Roland Garros - which starts on May 25.
"Nadal is still searching for that level of tennis while if you look Djokovic, he is taking the ball earlier, transitioning a little bit better and the serve has improved. Djokovic is going the right way, but if you have a long lay-off because of injury it takes a little bit more time to get back," Rusedski told Sky Sports 4.

"Last time when Nadal had that injury and was out for eight months he stormed back and won 10 tournaments. It's not that same Nadal yet but he's still got enough time to get ready for that French Open.
"Djokovic has to win the French before we can say we have a new 'King of Clay' and the best player always wins in a three out of five set match so until Djokovic does that Rafa is still the king.
"Nadal will go deep in Barcelona and don't be surprised if he wins that event and then after that you're going to have Rome and Madrid, so he's going to build nicely.
"He's also also changed his racket, so it's giving him a little bit more power and spin. It takes a little while to adjust. He finally put it into play in Monte Carlo so once those areas become what he wants it to be he will become even better.
"All those Rafa fans out there - don't worry - he's getting better week in, week out."

Monte Carlo Masters - 10 talking points

http://www.wimbledon.com/en_GB/news/articles/2015-04-20/monte_carlo_masters__10_talking_points.html

After the ATP breezed through the first clay Masters of the season, what have we learned? Wimbledon.com picks out 10 things to think about...

The world No.1 is thriving within his dominance

Novak Djokovic has well and truly quashed any fears that the pressure and furore surrounding his serene start to the season are affecting his performance on court. The 27-year-old withstood a barrage of heavy hitting from Tomas Berdych to win the Monte Carlo Masters 7-5, 4-6, 6-3. That’s a 17th straight win for the world No.1, a second Monte Carlo title and a 23rd Masters crown in total. The Serbian said after Sunday’s triumph he needs to pinch himself when reflecting on his start to the season, which has included the Australian Open and becoming the first player to win the first three ATP Masters events of the season (Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo).

"I'm 27," said Djokovic in his press conference. "Obviously I'm experiencing the time of my life on the tennis court, and also private life is very good. I became a father. I'm just trying to sometimes pinch myself and say, 'Where am I at this point in my life?' I'm very grateful for this, for everything that I have. That's the kind of philosophy."
Djokovic will now take a "much needed" fortnight break before turning his attentions to the Masters in Madrid and Rome. The rest of the draw will be desperate to avoid lining up against the soaring Serb.
Berdych can provide a sterner test on clay this season

Could Tomas Berdych be the man to break the dominance of the ‘big four’ this clay court season? It’s a question which frequently surfaces at Grand Slams as the Czech promises huge potential but has fallen just short in the past. The 29-year-old stormed to the Monte Carlo Masters final and pushed Djokovic for over two and a half hours. That’s impressive in its own right. However Berdych seems far more determined this season under the stewardship of Dani Vallverdu and with his ferocious power, he threatens to impact the end of tournaments on the clay court swing. Whether he can prevail at Roland Garros is another matter, his best showing a semi-final appearance in 2010, but he’ll have to maintain the aggression and persistence displayed in Monte Carlo to have a slither of a chance.

Is Rafa back?
The headlines highlight that the ‘King of Clay’ fell with relative ease 6-3, 6-3 to the on-song Novak Djokovic. However the lead up to the clay season had seen a discouraged Nadal concerned with on-court frailties and a lack of conviction in his game. The Spaniard was not at his lung-bursting best but the eight-time Monte Carlo champion managed to reach the semi-finals. He also managed, in a very Rafa like manner, to battle through a duo of gruelling three-set matches with John Isner and David Ferrer last week. So questions will still hang over Nadal’s potential, but Monte Carlo certainly proved he is back on the right dirt track.
 
Monfils on the march
Watching Gael Monfils at his playful, jovial best is a pleasure for any tennis fan. His inconsistency has always held back the hugely talented Frenchman but at Monte Carlo, Monfils appeared completely rejuvenated. The 28-year-old defeated Alexandr Dolgopolov before overcoming Roger Federer and Grigor Dimitrov with electric performances. He has the versatility to thrive on clay, having previously made a semi-final and two quarter-finals at Roland Garros. In Monte Carlo he expressed a hunger, a drive to beat the top names. The only issue was he picked up a measly five games in the last four loss to Berdych. However, if he continues in such a vein then the gregarious Frenchman can become a real dark horse for the upcoming clay swing.
Federer has plenty on his plate             
 
Roger Federer at the age of 33 is understandably managing his schedule and cherry picking events. The Swiss maestro skipped the Miami Masters to rest up and train for Monte Carlo. Despite this ploy, Federer fell to a shock third-round defeat by Monfils. The unpredictable nature of the mercurial Monfils doesn’t make it a huge surprise. Saying that, it is not a result you’d expect from Djokovic or Nadal on the red dirt. Federer’s camp has revealed the 17-time Grand Slam champion will skip the Rome Masters to provide him with an extra week of preparation for Roland Garros but surely the Monfils loss proved he needs match play to transform into a contender in Paris.

The chasing pack need to progress...quickly
Quite rightly so, all the talk on tour is about Djokovic steamrolling to titles. Aside from the usual suspects, just who is emerging to challenge the elite for titles on Tour? 2014 Monte Carlo champion Stan Wawrinka continues to stutter and was trounced by Dimitrov 6-1, 6-2. Wawrinka seems lost, lacking assurance in his game whereas Dimitrov was swept aside by Monfils. Promising Canadian Milos Raonic retired injured when behind to Berdych and US Open champion Marin Cilic was thrashed 6-0, 6-3 by Djokovic. In short, the chasing pack are not pushing the big guns hard enough. Can anyone break through in Barcelona?
Surprise package Isner
One possible contender to cause a stir on clay this season is towering American John Isner. The 29-year-old, who has previously featured in the top 10, took Nadal to three sets in Monte Carlo and managed to showcase a clay game of much more than just his giant serve. His movement seems to have improved on the dirt and Isner is in fine form this season, having made the Miami semi-finals, losing to eventual champion Novak Djokovic 7-6, 6-2. Isner will need to add more strings to his bow to challenge for titles during the clay swing but his recent showings have proved he can be a true threat on his day to the big guns.
Ferrer on the slide?

As Wimbledon.com has discussed previously, David Ferrer must be one of the best or the best player to never win a Grand Slam. The Spaniard has come close before, reaching the 2013 Roland Garros final on the clay. The 4-6, 7-5, 2-6 loss to Nadal in Monte Carlo had a far too familiar feeling to it. Nadal dominating, Ferrer battling back and never giving up, but ultimately his countryman prevailed in style. It sounds harsh but Ferrer is on the cusp of a decline. At the age of 33 it must be desperately hard to maintain his astonishing work rate and fitness levels. As he approaches a crucial period for ranking points, Ferrer is at a crossroads of competing again with the top players or falling down the pecking order.

Rolling onto Barcelona
The clay season now immediately heads to Barcelona. Reigning champion Kei Nishikori, who ended a run of 11 straight years with Spanish champions in Barcelona to cruise past Santiago Giraldo 6-2, 6-2 last year, retuns to the fold to try and retain his title. Rafael Nadal steps up his Roland Garros preparations alongside David Ferrer, Marin Cilic, Feliciano Lopez, Jo Wilfried-Tsonga. Can any emerge to capitalize upon Djokovic’s rest?

Fed Cup final line-up
Reigning Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova guided the Czech Republic to a 3-1 victory over France in the Fed Cup semi-finals by winning both of her singles matches against Kristina Mladenovic and Carloline Garcia. The 2014 winners will now contest their fourth Fed Cup final in five years against Russia. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Elena Vesnina were the heroes, winning the deciding doubles to defeat Germany in Sochi.
Slide-Back Saturday: Rafael Nadal, King of Kings
Posted on April 18, 2015 by Nick Nemeroff
Rafael Nadal is undoubtedly the greatest clay court player in tennis history.
No ifs, ands, or buts about it: what the Spaniard has done on the red dirt is simply unparalleled. No player, male or female, has accomplished what Nadal has on clay on any surface.
Throughout his professional career, Nadal has won a mind-boggling 93% of his clay-court matches. Nadal’s losses on clay over the last ten years have been aberrations of all aberrations – the Hayley’s Comet of tennis, if you will.
For just under a decade, he has faced the best of the best and has passed the test nearly every time. From 2005-2012, Nadal did not lose a single match at Monte Carlo. At the French Open, between 2005-2014, Nadal has lost once, and has only been pushed to a fifth set twice.

Nadal’s game is benefited by the clay more than any other player’s game is on any surface has been at any time in tennis history. But what makes Nadal so good on the surface?
It all starts with the forehand.
Contrary to popular belief, Rafael Nadal does not possess an extreme-western forehand, yet manages to generate an incredible amount of topspin. The stroke’s heavy whip is instead generated by the shape of his swing, and the amount of racket head speed he is able to create.

Nadal’s typically hits a reverse-forehand, meaning he finishes the swing on the same side of his body as it starts, as opposed taking the racket across his body and finishing over the opposite shoulder or arm.
This provides him a larger plane (or zone) to drive his racket up the ball, thereby allowing him to brush up the back of the ball with incredible racket head speed and force. Nadal wasn’t the first player to do this by any means, but he’s mastered uses it more frequently than anyone else. His racket head speed is a result of his strong technique and terrific coordination between body and racket.

To be sure, the topspin that Nadal generates from all of this is extremely beneficial on any surface. Basic physics tells us that the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection, meaning that Nadal’s high arching, heavy topspin balls will have loads of height, then jump off the court with an angle to match the height from which it came. No other player in the world can match the bite and explosive nature of Nadal’s topspin forehand. Players facing Nadal for the first time have often commented in amazement of his unprecedented forehand.
But this aspect of Nadal’s forehand is made infinitely more difficult to deal with on clay, due to high and slow nature of the bounces seen on the red dirt. His shot is already vaulting out of his opponents strike zones without the assistance of the clay.
Put him on his beloved terre battue and his forehand is a terror for opponents to handle.
The offensive forehand is not the only reason why Nadal has been so successful on clay. It’s important to also consider his remarkable speed and defense.

Nadal is one of the fastest players on the ATP World Tour. He’s able to cover a large amount of court in a small amount of time. For years, the former No. 1 has presented himself as an impenetrable wall, one that can stand behind the baseline and defend the width of the court with his speed and scrambling. He is also able to cover acute angles that opponents attempt to create to break those barriers.

What’s so tough about Nadal on clay? When you’re at the mercy of Nadal’s forehand and offensive repertoire, there’s not much you can do. When you finally begin to play offense, there’s only so much you can do, before you’re suddenly playing defense again, or have lost the point.

On a surface that requires players to grind, Nadal has not only figured out how to beat opponents by playing immaculate defense, but he has also brought one of the most lethal forehands in tennis history to the table, a forehand that simultaneously combines power and safety. Never before has a single shot been as safe yet as powerful as Nadal’s forehand.
A clay court is already made of dust, but Rafael Nadal broke ground all the same.

What is your favorite aspect of Rafael Nadal’s clay court tennis?

And Federer just took his 85th title in Istanbul over Pablo Cuevas, 6-3, 7-6 (13-11).  It was kind of ho-hum, with Federer taking a straight forward first set, until the second set when Federer gave back a break at  4-3 after having broken Cuevas. Then Cuevas upped his level and got it to a tiebreak, and the tiebreak was crazy.  First Federer had a chance to put it to bed, then Cuevas, then Federer, then Cuevas.  Finally Federer took charge with a couple of insane backhands, one clean winner off a first serve return, and then a superb backhand volley off a low drop shot, and finished it with a forehand winner for a 13-11 tiebreak win.

#85, and MTF has got that Federer 100 title thread going.  Now many people are thinking he is going to get that 100 (but not the 20 slams), and there has been a call to lift your ban there general.   I remember about 9/10 of the people thought you were nutty in the first few months of that thread for making that quest thread...  Who is nuts now?

Respectfully,
masterclass

Wow, how long was the ban? People are so crazy. CD called it, again. LOL.

And Federer just took his 85th title in Istanbul over Pablo Cuevas, 6-3, 7-6 (13-11).  It was kind of ho-hum, with Federer taking a straight forward first set, until the second set when Federer gave back a break at  4-3 after having broken Cuevas. Then Cuevas upped his level and got it to a tiebreak, and the tiebreak was crazy.  First Federer had a chance to put it to bed, then Cuevas, then Federer, then Cuevas.  Finally Federer took charge with a couple of insane backhands, one clean winner off a first serve return, and then a superb backhand volley off a low drop shot, and finished it with a forehand winner for a 13-11 tiebreak win.

#85, and MTF has got your Federer 100 title thread going.  Now many people are thinking he is going to get that 100 (but not the 20 slams), and there has been a call to lift your ban there general.   I remember about 9/10 of the people thought you were nutty in the first few months of that thread for making that quest thread...  Who is nuts now?

Respectfully,
masterclass

remember that we founded one of the largest chat threads ever on the planet there general.


it will live on and on.

MTF mods and admin were not too bright.



they did not see that I was fair and kind to all.


and that we were capable of founding visionary threads with lasting value.