Tennis Forever [Archive] - Page 6

raagadevan

4th July 2014, 10:13 AM

Here's a look at Roger Federer and Milos Raonic so far at Wimbledon 2014:

Statistcs courtesy: ATP News & IBM

Federer - Raonic

63 Aces 147
4 Double Faults 6
45% Unreturned Serve 57%
67% 1st Serve % 68%
83% 1st Serve Points 88%
68% 2nd Serve Points 66%
1 Broken 2
12 Break Points Faced 9
74 Games Served 86
99% Service Games Held 98%
127mph Fastest Serve 141mph
74% Returns In Play 66%
33% 1st Return Points Won 29%
55% 2nd Return Points Won 47%
21 Breaks Of Serve 16
58 Break Points 36
36% Pct. Converted 44%
71 Return Games Played 83
29% Return Games Won % 19%
44 Forehand Winners 67
32 Forehand Unforced Errors 41
26 Backhand Winners 23
31 Backhand Unforced Errors 37
198 Winners 285
73 Unforced Errors 87
113of 160 Net Points Won 92 of 133
71% Net Points Won Pct. 69%
52% Baseline Points Won 45%
52 Games Lost 70
1 Sets Lost 2
8:35 Time On Court 9:55

VinodKumar's

4th July 2014, 11:09 AM

Roger's break point conversion rate has been dipping consistently. With this form its going to be tough to break a big serving guy like Raonic. Only Roger's first serve can save him today.

ajithfederer

4th July 2014, 12:44 PM

Latest shenanigan!

WIMBLEDON, England — After Rafael Nadal lost the first set of his third-round match against Mikhail Kukushkin on Centre Court, he whispered something to the umpire and left the court.

He was gone for more than three minutes. Kukushkin, like a date momentarily abandoned at a cafe, sat in his chair, staring straight ahead, waiting for Nadal to return. He tapped his toes amid the white noise of murmuring fans and rain pattering on the roof.

Nadal returned and won the next three sets by identical 6-1 scores.

“I needed to go to the bathroom; that’s all,” Nadal said afterward. “I bring my T-shirt and my bandanna to change that there because I had to go to the bathroom. Not because I wanted to have a break, no.”

Something as ordinary as a toilet break has increasingly become a debated topic at the top levels of tennis. Does the player really need to go, or is it a ruse to buy time, clear the mind and alter momentum? Did he or she flush? Does it matter?

Read more here

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/04/sports/tennis/wimbledon-2014-federer-raonic-and-others-use-bathroom-trips-to-regroup.html?smid=tw-nytimes

raagadevan

4th July 2014, 05:10 PM

From the same New York Times article (Re "Latest shenanigan!"):

Roger Federer once used one [toilet break] to wait for the sun to move, after losing the first set of a 2010 Australian Open quarterfinal match against Nikolay Davydenko.

“When the sun comes from the side, the ball seems half the size and is just hard to hit,” Federer explained after rallying to win. “I never take toilet breaks. But I thought, Why not? I just hoped with every minute it took, the sun would move another centimeter.”

In a match that followed, Djokovic took a break against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, an absence largely excused because Djokovic said he had to throw up.

Last year in Montreal, the Canadian Milos Raonic acknowledged that he took a bathroom break “to regroup.” During last year’s Wimbledon final against Marion Bartoli, Sabine Lisicki took a bathroom break after losing the first set, 6-1. She was unable to find her game or her composure and lost the second set.

At this year’s French Open final, Maria Sharapova won the first set against Simona Halep, lost the second, took a break and won the third.

.................................................. ................................................

At Wimbledon in 2010, when John Isner and Nicolas Mahut played a match lasting more than 11 hours, divided over three days, they were lauded for their endurance and their ability to control their emotions — and bladders.

In the fading light of an impossibly long second day, Isner called a bathroom break at 58-58. Mahut followed. They each returned to win a service game and called it a night.

The chair umpire, Mohamed Lahyani, took no break.

“A few people have asked me how I managed to get through seven hours of tennis without using the toilet,” he said as part of a retrospective of the match by The Telegraph of London in 2011. “But when you are into the game and so focused, you don’t have time to think about food and drinks.”

VinodKumar's

4th July 2014, 06:41 PM

Novak leads1 set to 0. He got a early break in set 2 but Dimi breaks back again. If Dimi gets this set then it will be an interesting match.

VinodKumar's

4th July 2014, 06:48 PM

Dimi breaks Novak again. Leads 5-3 in second set.

VinodKumar's

4th July 2014, 06:51 PM

Dimitrov gets the second set. 1-1 now.

VinodKumar's

4th July 2014, 07:43 PM

Novak takes third set in tie-breaker

VinodKumar's

4th July 2014, 08:46 PM

Novak wins..

venkkiram

4th July 2014, 09:00 PM

Come-on! Dimitrov had all opportunities to win against Djoko especially the 4th set.. But he buried everything by skidding on the pitch. Very very unfortunate.

VinodKumar's

4th July 2014, 09:04 PM

Yes ... Poor guy.

venkkiram

4th July 2014, 09:19 PM

எவ்வளவுதான் முன்னேறி வந்தாலும் பழுத்த அனுபவத்திற்கு முன்பு பொடிப்பையனான தெரிகிறார் Raonic!

VinodKumar's

4th July 2014, 09:56 PM

He was very nervous in first set sweated like anything..

VinodKumar's

4th July 2014, 09:59 PM

He started firing his aces... He has won more points than Roger so far

venkkiram

4th July 2014, 10:31 PM

Federer leads. 6-4 6-4 2-2

Arvind Srinivasan

4th July 2014, 11:02 PM

That was perfect from Federer. Into the finals for the 9th time

VinodKumar's

5th July 2014, 12:00 AM

Only today I came to know that Dimitrov and Maria are in relationship.

omega

5th July 2014, 01:52 AM

That was perfect from Federer. Into the finals for the 9th time

If not anything Federer is just demonstrating how easily tennis could be played. Such a pleasure to watch his brand of tennis.

JamesDap

5th July 2014, 06:08 AM

^^^ Yesterday he showed that apart from him and some of the other veterans like Stepanek, nobody really understands/remembers how to use grass conditions. All the angles and variations he used, real masterclass. He may still end up on the losing side, but at this stage of his career to produce such a marvelous exhibition of tennis is incredible. To be fair to Raonic, he produced an unusually classical game too, didn't expect that from him. Some of his volleys were delectable too. But he kept choking whenever he needed to serve to 5-up and Fed didn't waste those opportunities.

raagadevan

5th July 2014, 09:23 AM

Roger Federer to try for a record eighth Wimbledon title in Sunday's final against Novak Djokovic

"Federer has reached his tenth final and he has a lot to thank Nick Kyrgios for. Instead of the projected match-up against his nemesis Rafael Nadal, Friday's semi-final opponent was Milos Raonic, the Canadian he has now beaten five consecutive times. The latest was fairly routine, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4, the tone set when Federer broke the enormous Raonic serve in the opening game."

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/tennis/roger-federer-to-try-for-a-record-eighth-wimbledon-title-in-sundays-final-against-novak-djokovic-20140705-zsx50.html#ixzz36Yweanjd

JamesDap

5th July 2014, 10:32 AM

And they have done it again. They have opened the door for fans of the problem solver to whine about Federer's performance. Yeah, it doesn't matter if Nadal can't even beat wildcards and journeymen at Wimbledon, but Federer didn't have to play him is all that matters. Nadal himself said Kyrgios served better than him in the tiebreak which was one of the keys. Fed outserved Raonic who outserved Kyrgios in the Q/F. Does that count for nought? Why does media take Fed's consistency for granted?

VinodKumar's

5th July 2014, 01:57 PM

ajithfederer

5th July 2014, 02:49 PM

Yeah nice try author! :)

What many idiots don't and never seem to understand is if you have to win other players and reach a final of a grandslam. I wish Kyrgios had kicked the match in 3 sets. And this is the 3rd CONSECUTIVE time he is losing in wimbledon too a 100th+ ranked player. Sorry you are not wimbledon final material if you lose that many times. You have to earn it to be in the final.

P.S: As omega said, I am still expecting an reason for the defeat in terms of injury from Uncle toni and co. I know one guy in my circle who stiill says Wawrinka won AO because Nadal was injured. Baloney!!!!

Roger Federer to try for a record eighth Wimbledon title in Sunday's final against Novak Djokovic

"Federer has reached his tenth final and he has a lot to thank Nick Kyrgios for. Instead of the projected match-up against his nemesis Rafael Nadal, Friday's semi-final opponent was Milos Raonic, the Canadian he has now beaten five consecutive times. The latest was fairly routine, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4, the tone set when Federer broke the enormous Raonic serve in the opening game."

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/tennis/roger-federer-to-try-for-a-record-eighth-wimbledon-title-in-sundays-final-against-novak-djokovic-20140705-zsx50.html#ixzz36Yweanjd

JamesDap

5th July 2014, 03:06 PM

This is why I wanted Fed Nadal match up. It doesnt matter even if Fed lose as we have seen lot. I want Roger to win Nadal in a Grandslam. Best chance for Roger is in Wimbledon but that doesnt seem to happen anytime. French open eludhi kuduthuralam. US open may be ??

Well, Fed has beaten Rafa twice in a row at Wimbledon. Of course, the problem solver group's weasel-like counter to this is that Rafa was still growing up and learning to play tennis so we can't count that. And I don't agree. Rafa was already world no.2 after the 2006 defeat and was beating Fed in RG already. What hadn't happened yet was courts at Wimby and US Open slowing down even more. I think this year maybe because of the heat, the courts started playing a bit faster (certainly looks faster to me, as fast if not more so than Dubai, the fastest court on tour currently) and that is why we have seen players with good serve oust clay courters like Ferrer or Verdasco. Didn't take Rafa very long to join their ranks. Also, I think they have banned shoes with certain kinds of spikes that provide extra grip. There was something about that in the commentary last year when the fall-epidemic on Wimbledon ensued. This has meant that players who slide on grass instead of using the traditional short steps-movements have struggled to maintain their balance. Now I am waiting for Rafa and Toni to drum up a campaign to convert grass to clay because grass is bad "for the spectacle of long rallies".

JamesDap

5th July 2014, 03:14 PM

Ah, I found it. Shoes with 'pimples' greater than 2 mm aren't allowed. Look how wsj is slanting Wimbledon as "the most dangerous tennis tournament in the world". What's dangerous is coaches, starting with Toni himself, telling players to use clay court techniques like sliding on other surfaces. It's important that we tennis fans must be alive to this propaganda and not let powerful players mess with the legacy of tennis.

http://online.wsj.com/articles/wimbledon-feel-the-pain-1403309412

JamesDap

5th July 2014, 08:59 PM

Kvitova was phenomenal today. Marana-adi for Bouchard. Serves, returns, groundies, everything was too hot to handle for her from all ends. She looked devastated and not a little angry and upset. She will get her chances in future if she plays as well as she did this time but maybe she needs to learn that destiny won't always be what you want it to be. Even Kvitova waited three years to repeat her 2011 feat, for one whose game is as well suited to grass as hers.

raagadevan

6th July 2014, 02:58 AM

Who is this Federer chap?

-By Kate Battersby; Wimbledon News, July 5, 2014

http://www.wimbledon.com/en_GB/news/articles/2014-07-05/federer_previwe.html

Djokovic vs. Federer: Wimbledon Final Preview

-by ATP Staff; ATP News, July 5, 2014

http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2014/06/27/Wimbledon-Saturday-Final-Preview-Federer-Djokovic.aspx

raagadevan

6th July 2014, 08:30 AM

Edberg, Becker renew Wimbledon rivalry after 24 years

When Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic meet for the Wimbledon title on Sunday, they'll be cajoled and encouraged by two former Centre Court warriors, Stefan Edberg and Boris Becker who are now their coaches. Edberg, 48, was hired by 17-time major winner Federer last December to help reinvigorate a career which was in danger of slipping into decline. A week earlier, Djokovic had hired 46-year-old Becker to help him cure a worrying trend in Grand Slam finals which had seen him win six but also lose six.Edberg and Becker enjoyed their greatest moments at Wimbledon where the brash German won three titles and the low-key Swede, two.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/tennis/wimbledon-2014/top-stories/Edberg-Becker-renew-Wimbledon-rivalry-after-24-years/articleshow/37844740.cms

JamesDap

6th July 2014, 11:29 AM

This is such a tantalizing match up. Fed is playing the most relaxed he has been in a very long time. He said he doesn't expect to be around another 10 years and is enjoying every chance he gets to be in a major final. That means he is swinging free and easy, not good news for Djoko. On the other hand, Djoko is such a fighter. He slips and falls and whines and yells but he scrapes through to the finish line. I think the match will be decided by whether Fed can serve as well as he has been through the tournament.

omega

6th July 2014, 04:59 PM

http://i57.tinypic.com/2vs1b4n.jpg

After playing second fiddle to Murray & Nadal in the recent Slam Finals, will Novak do the honors for Federer just one time?

For some crazy reason I believe Novak has got this....
Will be very happy to be proved wrong!!!

VinodKumar's

6th July 2014, 07:29 PM

Fed Choked in Tie-breaker :banghead:

VinodKumar's

6th July 2014, 07:32 PM

Roger gets the first set in tie breaker.

Arvind Srinivasan

6th July 2014, 07:36 PM

Djokovic looked the better player all through the set. Amazing as to how he had a set point with the serve. A very tight set and it was a struggle for Federer to come through. Good that he did

VinodKumar's

6th July 2014, 08:04 PM

Exactly. Novak corrected that mistake and got a early break in second set. Errors going up for Roger.

VinodKumar's

6th July 2014, 08:54 PM

Roger's first serve keeping him alive.

VinodKumar's

6th July 2014, 09:04 PM

Novak takes third. Leads 2 sets to 1.

VinodKumar's

6th July 2014, 09:05 PM

And he deserves that.

VinodKumar's

6th July 2014, 09:42 PM

Roger breaks Novak for the first time in match to stay in the match

VinodKumar's

6th July 2014, 09:43 PM

He is double faulting.

VinodKumar's

6th July 2014, 09:44 PM

Match point for Novak in Roger serve.

VinodKumar's

6th July 2014, 09:46 PM

Roger holds.

VinodKumar's

6th July 2014, 09:49 PM

OMG each ball gives me heart attack. Novak saved 2 break points.

VinodKumar's

6th July 2014, 09:54 PM

Roger takes 4th set and Novak goes for toilet break.

VinodKumar's

6th July 2014, 09:56 PM

Roger too.

Arvind Srinivasan

6th July 2014, 09:57 PM

That was probably the most nerve wrecking set that I have watched in a long long long time.....Go grass court tennis

VinodKumar's

6th July 2014, 10:06 PM

Novak calls for trainer.

Arvind Srinivasan

6th July 2014, 10:38 PM

Djokovic's won. But what a game....Well done Djokovic...:clap: :clap: :clap:
And Federer...kudos man...:clap: :clap:

Rbee

6th July 2014, 10:39 PM

Bravo Djokovic. You had to fight against two opponents ( partisan crowd ). Bravo

JamesDap

6th July 2014, 10:40 PM

That's got to be one of the all time best finals. Djoko's serve game was like an impenetrable wall and that was the key ultimately...in the fifth set when it mattered most. Fed simply couldn't break through and finally tired and gave up.

raagadevan

6th July 2014, 11:57 PM

Congratulations to Novak Djokovic; Wimbledon Champion and #1 in the Emirates ATP Rankings! :)

How The Wimbledon Final Was Won

-By James Buddell; ATP News, July 6, 2014

http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2014/06/27/Wimbledon-Final-Federer-Djokovic-Analysis.aspx

VinodKumar's

7th July 2014, 01:30 AM

Congrats Novak. Well fought Roger. Now I don't bel18ve.

Arvind Srinivasan

7th July 2014, 06:17 AM

I have my hopes up for the US open. For a nearly 33 year old to have showed up the way he did, I really do think it would be a folly to write him off. Lets see. And by the way he teared up again during the presentaion

raagadevan

7th July 2014, 11:11 AM

Big four remain free of danger, says Federer

Bulgaria's Dimitrov, 23, and Canada's Raonic, 23, made it to their first Grand Slam semi-finals at Wimbledon, but both came up short against Djokovic and Federer respectively. "I don't feel a huge threat from them. There's many good players from 5 or 6 to 20. But they're also somewhat exchangeable from 30 or 40," Federer said. In contrast, Nadal won his first Grand Slam aged 19, Federer at 21 and Djokovic at 20. "We all made the breakthrough much earlier than most of the guys," Federer said. "Rafa was incredible as a teenager. I was better at 21. That's when I started to make my rise. "The other guys we're talking about are all 22, 23 and have been already on tour for five years."

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/tennis/wimbledon-2014/top-stories/Big-four-remain-free-of-danger-says-Federer/articleshow/37940847.cms

raagadevan

8th July 2014, 04:14 AM

Winning a Battle of the Mind, Not to Mention the Backhands

-By Craig O'Shannessy, The New York Times, July 7, 2014

Djokovic defeated Roger Federer, 6-7 (7), 6-4, 7-6 (4), 5-7, 6-4, in a high-quality final, overcoming adversity that would send most tennis players to their knees.

It could have easily gone Federer’s way. He clawed back from 2-5 in the fourth set to rattle off five straight games, saving a match point along the way with an ace, and he had all the momentum with one set to play and the crowd roaring its support of his attempt to win an eighth title.

Djokovic could have gone away, as he said he did last month in the French Open final against Rafael Nadal. Not this time.

It was a victory of the mind and also a victory in strategy. Federer dominated the majority of the offensive totals, but Djokovic locked down two important defensive categories: the battle of backhands and second serves.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/08/sports/tennis/wimbledon-2014-for-novak-djokovic-a-mental-victory.html?_r=0

Arvind Srinivasan

30th July 2014, 10:48 PM

Nadal out of Rogers and Cincy with a wrist injury

omega

31st July 2014, 05:05 AM

Nadal out of Rogers and Cincy with a wrist injury

Just when you think that he would finally defend a non clay tournament comes a bizarre injury announcement!!
There goes another 2 chances to do it. Hope he recovers on time to try and defend US Open!!

Arvind Srinivasan

31st July 2014, 07:11 PM

The official announcement from his side says he will out of action for 2-3 weeks which leaves just about a week out for the US open. I guess he wants to play but I feel there is an equal chance of him pulling out if he doesnt recover in time.

raagadevan

31st July 2014, 08:34 PM

According to the National Post, "Nadal suffered the injury to his right wrist in practice Tuesday. "Nadal is left-handed, but the 28-year-old uses a two-handed backhand. In a statement, he said he would be out for a least two to three weeks."

The New York Times reports that Nadal’s wrist will be casted for two to three weeks.

JamesDap

3rd August 2014, 10:09 AM

All Canadian power hitting final lined up at D.C - Raonic v/s Pospisil. Be prepared for plenty of aces...and for ATP to start talking about making the balls even heavier to solve the problems of You Know Who. In spite of ATP's best efforts, the rising stars of tennis are bound to play in a very different way from the current top players - Raonic, Pospisil, Kyrgios, Dimitrov, all of these players are attacking and have a big serve.

raagadevan

4th August 2014, 05:23 AM

Roger Federer's neighbors are making him tear down his kids' playhouse

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/08/roger-federer-playhouse-switzerland-children

I wonder whether this is part of that great conspiracy between ATP and "You Know Who"! :)

raagadevan

4th August 2014, 05:24 AM

Canadian Milos Raonic beats countryman Vasek Pospisil 6-1, 6-4 to win the Citi Open crown...

http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2014/07/31/Washington-Final-Raonic-Pospisil.aspx

JamesDap

4th August 2014, 07:28 AM

"Evidently, Federer lost the fight, which makes sense because he’s always been terrible at challenges." LOL.

By the way, it's not a conspiracy theory but pretend it is if you like. Last year, there was a report in the paper about ATP considering heavier balls just because a few players had started exceeding 150 mph serve speeds. This is ridiculous, tennis was not born the day Rafa decided to play it, you know.

raagadevan

6th August 2014, 03:55 AM

Federer happy to be 'laid-back' going into Rogers Cup

-TSN/The Canadian Press; August 5, 2014

"I feel like I don't really have to prove anything to anybody, even though people are always going to disagree with that," Federer said. "For me it's about how do I feel in practice, how is my motivation, how am I actually really playing, how do I feel it, rather than how is everybody else thinking they see and know it. I can analyze it much more clearer today than I ever have."

http://www.tsn.ca/tennis/story/?id=458776

raagadevan

6th August 2014, 08:18 AM

Rogers Cup Updates:

-Wawrinka wins a close match against Paire.

-Federer easily beats Canadian wildcard Polanski.

-Pospisil loses to Gasquet.

-Women's fifth seed Eugenie Bouchard loses to Shelby Rogers.

raagadevan

7th August 2014, 01:28 AM

Djokovic almost loses to Monfils, but wins the third set tiebreaker. Score: 6-2, 6(4)-7, 7-6(2). Other winners so far: Tsonga, Murray, & Gasquet.

raagadevan

7th August 2014, 10:43 PM

Rogers Cup:

Men's Singles third round...

Kevin Anderson beats Stan Wawrinka 7-6, 7-5.

Doubles, second round...

Sania Mirza & Cara Black defeat Karolína Plíšková & Kristýna Plíšková 6-4, 7-6.

Leander Paes & Radek Stepanek beaten by Richard Gasquet & Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-7, 4-6.

Julien Benneteau & Édouard Roger-Vasselin defeat Rohan Bopanna & Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi 7-5, 6-4.

raagadevan

7th August 2014, 11:53 PM

…and Tsonga crushes Djokovic 6-2, 6-2!

raagadevan

8th August 2014, 09:03 AM

What a match! Roger Federer beats Marin Čilić 7-6, 6-7, 6-4 in a marathon match! Roger had 7 match-points in the second set, and the 11th game in the second set had 11 deuces!

VinodKumar's

8th August 2014, 11:39 AM

What a match! Roger Federer beats Marin Čilić 7-6, 6-7, 6-4 in a marathon match! Roger had 7 match-points in the second set, and the 11th game in the second set had 11 deuces!

It has been his problem for so many years.

omega

8th August 2014, 04:52 PM

Happy Birthday to "Tennis Maestro"
Aged to peRFection!!

raagadevan

8th August 2014, 06:13 PM

Aged to peRFection!!

Rightly so!

33-year-old Roger Federer is the 'last man standing' among the four top seeded players at Rogers Cup! Djokovic (1), Wawrinka (3) and Berdych (4) have all been eliminated! And this is not the result of any conspiracy, match fixing or use of PED!:)

Wish Roger many many more years of peRFection on and off the court!

Arvind Srinivasan

8th August 2014, 11:08 PM

Happy birthday Roger. Keep it going

raagadevan

9th August 2014, 01:02 AM

Tsonga in the semifinals, beating Murray 7-6, 4-6, 6-4.

JamesDap

9th August 2014, 09:27 AM

Fed through. Probably would have been home in 2 sets if he didn't suddenly go completely off the boil at 4-4 in the second. Lopez-Raonic match was brilliant. Had to give the third set a miss to get at least a few shots on the racquet before the rains return but glad to hear Lopez won. Lopez's volleys were so good the commentators even compared them at times to Johnny Mac. The semi line up is promising, hope both matches are hard fought.

omega

9th August 2014, 06:14 PM

Fed had an average day in office yesterday. Some of his volleys were outstanding!!
Glad it didn't end out to be a "No one beats David 15 times in a row" moment....
Hope he can win a Masters after nearly 2 years..

Arvind Srinivasan

9th August 2014, 11:09 PM

Calling Federer's performance yesterday as average or ordinary would be an understatement. He was poor IMHO. Blew hot and cold throughout the match.

raagadevan

10th August 2014, 02:06 AM

Semifinals action…

Venus Williams beats Serena Williams 6-7, 6-2, 6-3.

Agnieszka Radwańska beats Ekaterina Makarova 7-6, 7-6.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga overwhelms Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 6-3.

raagadevan

10th August 2014, 07:16 AM

It will be Federer against Tsonga in tomorrow's finals. Tonight was easy-going for Roger!

raagadevan

10th August 2014, 08:19 AM

Sania Mirza & Cara Black will meet Sara Errani & Roberta Vinci in tomorrow's Rogers Cup Women's Doubles Finals.

JamesDap

10th August 2014, 01:35 PM

Tsonga should be the favourite to win but (a) he is inconsistent and (b) he is a bit of a Federer fan (I think) and seems to revere him too much. Many of their matches have been close and this one should not be different. Or if Fed has a bad day again, it might be a straight set romp for Tsonga. I feel the chances of the reverse happening are less.

omega

10th August 2014, 06:51 PM

Fed is 2/6 in Finals this year...........This match seems to be definitely in Tsonga's racquet!!

raagadevan

11th August 2014, 02:28 AM

Jo-Wilfried denies Roger the Rogers Cup! Wins 7-5, 7-6.

VinodKumar's

11th August 2014, 02:30 AM

Fed yet again failed in important moments...

raagadevan

11th August 2014, 03:23 AM

Tsonga deserves a lot of credit too. He was ranked World #15, but defeated Djokovic (#1), Federer (#3), Dimitrov (#8) and Murray (#9) in this tournament. How often does that happen?

Arvind Srinivasan

11th August 2014, 03:43 AM

Tsonga's the man...Well done..Didint need to do anything spectacular with Federer handing the match to him on a silver platter....But still a win's a win...:clap:

Poor poor display from Federer. Couldnt get anything out of the backhand. Tried to balance it with some forehand play, overbalanced himself on the forehand causing him to shank those too. Dont know if the scheduling had a say on his performance. Had his first day match today. That could have had an effect on him finding it hard to cope with the pace of the court. But that's no excuse for a man of such experience. Lost his 5th final out of the seven he played this year.

raagadevan

11th August 2014, 04:33 AM

If anyone is interested in trivia, superstitions and/or statistics, Tsonga's lucky number seems to be #13! He was seeded 13 in Rogers cup 2014 which he won, and was also seeded 13 in the only other Masters-1000 tournament that he has won to date, the 2008 Paris Masters! :)

omega

11th August 2014, 05:05 AM

Federer's ground game was pathetic today. But I liked the way he compensated with some spectacular net game expecially in the 2nd set. Those pickup volleys were out of the world. Atleast he made a match out of it. If not for his net game & serve the score wouldn't have looked this decent...

JamesDap

11th August 2014, 07:49 AM

^^ So is Edberg modeling Fed's game along the lines of his own style (shades of which were always there in Fed's game anyway)? More serve and net game and less groundstroke domination. That is how it was in the Wimbledon final too and possibly one of the keys to Djoko's victory because he simply wasn't pressurised enough on his own serve games. I think this strategy might help prolong Fed's career in terms of physical effort but maybe not so much in terms of winning titles. He has won lots of matches this year but only two titles, neither of which were 1000 series.

Arvind Srinivasan

11th August 2014, 09:33 AM

CK, its kind of unfortunate that he hasn't been able to convert his good streak to titles. But he's been very close to winning in atleast two to three - Indian Wells, Wimbledon come to mind. I would definitely draw my conclusions once the year finishes.

Arvind Srinivasan

11th August 2014, 09:36 AM

omega

12th August 2014, 05:21 PM

I will not be surprised if Federer loses early @ Cincinati.
He is a 5 times champion & loves the pace of the court. Will have to see how he gets going...
Winning 5 matches in as many days could be impossible at this stage.

Anyway the proposed opponents,

2R - Pospisil
3R - Monfils
QF - Murray
SF - Berdych / Raonic
Finals - Novak

JamesDap

13th August 2014, 07:47 PM

Think he should have a better indoor season this year than last. Still, the weakness on the return game is a problem.

omega

13th August 2014, 11:42 PM

3/4 semi finalists from Toronto have lost in their first match @ cincy. We will know shortly if fed will join them.

raagadevan

14th August 2014, 04:09 AM

Federer beats Pospisil 7-6, 5-7, 6-2. Other winners include Djokovic, Ferrer and Murray.

raagadevan

15th August 2014, 02:00 AM

Djokovic loses to Robredo in the third round 6-7, 5-7.

JamesDap

15th August 2014, 07:00 PM

Caught the highlights of the Fed-Monfils match. Very entertaining. Fed's netgame this year is close to its absolute best. Maybe in 2001 up to 2003 it might have been that good. He was always good at the net but this year he is also being aggressive, going for really sharp volleys and smashes and not doing anything unduly cute. The moments he has chosen to get in have also been more high risk. Often I thought he wouldn't make it and then he pulled out an unbelievable volley. Monfils himself is incredible at the net so the very fact that on a few net exchanges Fed got the better of him speaks volumes. Irrespective of whether he wins titles, he is entertaining old school tennis fans with his approach this year.

VinodKumar's

15th August 2014, 11:10 PM

Wawrinka lost to Benneteau ...

JamesDap

16th August 2014, 10:15 AM

Fed, in his own words, stole the second set from under Murray's nose. Whattaplayer! With Stan also knocked out, suddenly the first ATP 1000 title since, incidentally, Cincinnati 2012 is looking like a distinct possibility. I hope he doesn't blow it. He may not get a better chance in a long time.

Arvind Srinivasan

16th August 2014, 11:15 AM

That was awful from Murray to be honest. Federer's ground strokes were pretty good today and his BH was also holding up pretty fine. Murray tried his best to rattle that side of Federers much to no avail. His net play however looks dicey with the number of unforced errors he's committting on that front, but it is good to see him get to position early.

JamesDap

16th August 2014, 01:40 PM

ATP hasn't put up the detailed statistical analysis yet. As long as the percentage on net approach points works out in his favour, a few errors are fine.

omega

16th August 2014, 05:14 PM

His net play has been exceptional the past couple of weeks. Problem is, while making some real difficult ones he is missing out on easy put aways.
May be thats were Nadal scores to get "The greatest volleyer" title from JMac's mouth... Offcourse to JMac 3/3 looks better than 24/30 right....What a bandwagoner!!

CK, Roger was 17/27 @ net yesterday.

Arvind Srinivasan

16th August 2014, 05:58 PM

^ +1...

JamesDap

16th August 2014, 08:24 PM

17/27 is a good percentage, around 63%. At that percentage, it's worth taking the risk of coming in. But yeah, agree that he should put away the put aways too if he can convert tough volleys.

JamesDap

17th August 2014, 07:20 AM

Yamma, Sharapova, serving for the match, makes double double faults to hand the break back to Ivanovic. What a disgrace!

raagadevan

17th August 2014, 08:59 AM

Federer to meet Ferrer in the finals!

Arvind Srinivasan

17th August 2014, 09:03 AM

Raonic just didnt show up in the first set. Even in the second, the paltry first serve percentage added to the inability to win rallies costed him dear. In the end it was just a matter of when rather than if. Federer was peerless. Great chance to get his first masters title in two years. Has never lost to Ferrer in all his fifteen outings against him. Lets see if he can add another one to that.

JamesDap

17th August 2014, 09:09 AM

Ditto. Pretty much a repeat of Wimb semis. Raonic's shot selection lacks judgment. He needs to know when to get in and when not to. His net approach conversion was not bad 10/17 but Fed's was a whopping 14/16 and Fed owned the groundstroke rallies so Raonic needed to win more at the net. First serve percentage was just not up to par. And unfortunately for Raonic, Fed's backhand returns worked really well today. The way he dealt with the high kicker to the backhand out wide to break Raonic was incredible.

The king is really shaping up well in the twilight of the season. As I said yesterday too, this is a great chance to win a Masters title again...against a player whom he has never lost to and on a surface that suits him. Hopefully he can sew it up. Even the commentators are beginning to discuss his US Open prospects now, which have suddenly begun to look very bright.

Arvind Srinivasan

17th August 2014, 09:12 AM

^ Wish he goes deep at the US open. Thinking of getting to NY for the semis or finals. Might be my only chance to watch him play a big match in a premier tournament. May leave the country for good later this year.

raagadevan

17th August 2014, 09:14 AM

Raonic's greatest weapon is his serve; the next one being power. On a day when his serves fail him, he is just another "average" player! Every Tom, Dick and Harry of the "new" generation of players has power. Hopefully, these youngsters would try to master other aspects of the wonderful game of tennis!

Arvind Srinivasan

17th August 2014, 09:17 AM

^ True. But the problem today was how uni dimensional his serve was. Federer was reading it like a book.

raagadevan

17th August 2014, 09:18 AM

Thinking of getting to NY for the semis or finals. Might be my only chance to watch him play a big match in a premier tournament. May leave the country for good later this year.

Good luck, Arvind (and of course, Roger)! :)

Arvind Srinivasan

17th August 2014, 09:30 AM

^ Thanks. Not giving it too much importance though. Lets see...

JamesDap

17th August 2014, 09:32 AM

All the best Arvind. And yeah, agreed that Raonic didn't use much variety on his serve. Pace doesn't bother Fed much, variety is what makes it harder for him to return. Or maybe a Djoko/Nadal-like focused attack on his backhand to wear him down. Raonic did neither and when he did attack his backhand, Fed gave as good as he got.

ajithfederer

17th August 2014, 01:31 PM

Yo!! yen ya?

I mean other than that I am glad that you're going to USO. I went there in 2010. It was a pretty good experience. Get closer seats if you can.

^ Wish he goes deep at the US open. Thinking of getting to NY for the semis or finals. Might be my only chance to watch him play a big match in a premier tournament. May leave the country for good later this year.

VinodKumar's

17th August 2014, 02:36 PM

Arvind,

Miss panneraathinga. Naa innum feel pannitu irukkaen. Appuram yedhukku India varinga ??? Mudinja angayae irundhurunga :).

JamesDap

17th August 2014, 05:00 PM

Arvind,

Miss panneraathinga. Naa innum feel pannitu irukkaen. Appuram yedhukku India varinga ??? Mudinja angayae irundhurunga :).

Ditto. In fact I am preparing for US CPA. There's a long 'gestation' period before I can even hope to get there (no sooner than 2016-end at the most optimistic) but I am gonna try real hard. I hope you are coming back because of a not so great experience, professional or personal, in US, or unavoidable family exigencies. Else, please don't fall for Babaji ka thulla aka Modi sarkar.

Arvind Srinivasan

17th August 2014, 06:32 PM

Dig- Just finished my masters this May. Searching for a job. Onnum amayala. Got another three months before the end of my grace period to land one. Inga music classes eduthukittu ottikittu irukaen. Else I will have to return. Athu poga, got concerts lined up this December in Chennai. So I cannot be missing that. Balancing this and music has been a challenge albeit enjoyable. But guess somewhere I have to draw a line. Personally speaking, I would like to work here considering the experience it offers. I am hopeful. Paapoam. End Dig

JamesDap

17th August 2014, 07:10 PM

OK, fair enough. Continuing the dig for just a bit, what do you do in music? Does December mean Carnatic season basically? Are you a vocalist or do you play any instrument?

Arvind Srinivasan

17th August 2014, 07:30 PM

^ I am a carnatic vocalist, CK. Taken part in the Madras Music Festival for the last four years.

JamesDap

17th August 2014, 07:31 PM

Great. Good to know. Either way, I wish you all the very best. And hope you will catch Fed lift his 18th slam at The Open! ;)

Arvind Srinivasan

17th August 2014, 07:36 PM

^ Thank you...Kind off optimistic that he will go the distance . Hasn't done well here at all in the last two years. Hopefully he turns the tide this time around.

JamesDap

17th August 2014, 07:41 PM

It is just a hope, pa. Athanaikum aasaipadungal. ;) Was just going with the flow. Yes, last two years have been pretty dismal.

raagadevan

17th August 2014, 10:46 PM

Masters 1000 Titles - Winning Record
(Prior to today's Cincinnati Open finals)

Rafael Nadal (ESP) 27
Roger Federer (SUI) 21
Novak Djokovic (SRB) 19
Andy Murray (GBR) 9
Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) 3
Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) 2
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) 2
David Ferrer (ESP) 1

(Source: ATP News)

VinodKumar's

18th August 2014, 02:40 AM

BAgel??

VinodKumar's

18th August 2014, 02:46 AM

Bagel denied.. He played like champ in first set and rookie like in second set

VinodKumar's

18th August 2014, 03:16 AM

Break point conversion is pathetic

VinodKumar's

18th August 2014, 03:22 AM

He gets it

raagadevan

18th August 2014, 03:22 AM

Well, well, well... whatever! Good comeback win for Roger!

ajithfederer

18th August 2014, 10:17 AM

Idhukku ninga vaazhthamale irukkalam :)

Well, well, well... whatever! Good comeback win for Roger!

ajithfederer

18th August 2014, 10:19 AM

Extremely well done roger. Winning with 4 kids and @ 33 years on the fastest court is a great accomplishment. As always proud to be your fan.

JamesDap

18th August 2014, 06:08 PM

Extremely well done roger. Winning with 4 kids and @ 33 years on the fastest court is a great accomplishment. As always proud to be your fan.

Exactly. At this stage, just that he is still playing is itself a great thing. That he can still win titles is just incredible. Let's not forget that, apart from being 33 and a father, he also has nothing left to prove. He could have walked away a long time back, maybe 2009 and he hasn't.

Arvind Srinivasan

18th August 2014, 07:54 PM

Good win for Federer. Hope he takes this form into the US Open. His inexplicable lapses of concentration in the second set as seen in the last two weeks should be avoided though. And Rafa's out. The news was just confirmed

JamesDap

18th August 2014, 08:47 PM

At the moment, Fed and, in spite of his poor form last two weeks, Djoko look the most likely to win USO. But things can change pretty fast in tennis. If either of these two fall early, it could really open up the tournament. Something that people who want rivalries dislike but which I would personally love (no, not Fed , though :P) as it makes things more unpredictable.

ajithfederer

19th August 2014, 10:14 AM

FEDERER TO RETURN TO BARCLAYS ATP WORLD TOUR FINALS FOR RECORD 13TH STRAIGHT YEAR
London, England
by Press Release | 18.08.2014

Roger Federer has punched his ticket to the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals for a record 13th year in a row after clinching a sixth title at the Western & Southern Open on Sunday. Federer joins Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal in the elite eight-man field at the season finale, to be held at The O2 in London from 9-16 November, where he will be looking to win his seventh crown.

Buy Your Tickets

The 33-year-old Swiss is the most successful player to compete at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, compiling a 44-11 record and claiming a record six titles in 2003-04, 2006-07 and 2010-11. He breaks the record of consecutive years qualifying for the championship, a mark he previously shared with Ivan Lendl (1980-91).

“It’s always one of the big goals I set myself at the beginning of the season,” said Federer. “It’s always an absolute honour being part of the best eight. Getting a chance to win an extra trophy at the end of the season – which is so prestigious, one of the biggest ones we have in the game and one I’ve done so well at – is a great feeling. Returning to the season finale is something I’ve been a part of since 2002, so to do it again is a privilege and I will try to play my very best there. I hope I can save some of my best for last.”

Federer opened his 2014 campaign by finishing runner-up to rival Lleyton Hewitt at the Brisbane International and reaching the semi-finals at the Australian Open. He enjoyed a 10-match win streak from late-February to mid-March, hoisting a sixth trophy at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships and reaching his 35th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 final at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.

The Swiss finished runner-up to countryman Stan Wawrinka at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters and advanced to four consecutive finals, beginning with a seventh Gerry Weber Open crown on the grass of Halle in early June. He reached a ninth title match at Wimbledon, followed by a run to the final at the Rogers Cup in Toronto. En route to clinching a sixth championship in Cincinnati, he became the first player to achieve 300 match wins at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 level and the third to claim 80 tour-level titles.

http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2014/08/34/London-Finale-Federer-Qualifies.aspx

Arvind Srinivasan

21st August 2014, 10:35 PM

US open R16, QF, SF showdowns-

R16:
Djokovic-Isner
Tsonga-Murray
Wawrinka-Robredo
Nishikori-Raonic
Berdych-Gulbis
Cilic-Ferrer
Dimitrov-Gasquet
Fognini-Federer

QF

Djokovic- Murray/Tsonga
Wawrinka- Raonic/Nishikori
Berdych-Ferrer
Dimitrov-Federer

SF

Djokovic-Wawrinka
Federer-Ferrer

Arvind Srinivasan

21st August 2014, 10:40 PM

VinodKumar's

21st August 2014, 11:04 PM

Arvind have u booked tickets to NY?

Arvind Srinivasan

21st August 2014, 11:06 PM

Was waiting for the draw. I might in a couple of days time.

raagadevan

21st August 2014, 11:49 PM

Djokovic's got a very tough draw and so has Andy Murray. Federer's gotta good one though. The matchup against Dimitrov may be a potential spoiler, but I guess its relatively hassle free compared to the other top players.

Well, we wouldn't accuse ATP of "fixing" the draw as "you know who" is not playing this year! :) However, there are others who think ATP, USTA and other vested interests have been manipulating the major tournaments for many many years!

The following reports are three years old, but probably still relevant:

U.S. Open random draw questioned

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/6850893/espn-analysis-finds-top-seeds-tennis-us-open-had-easier-draw-statistically-likely

How 'Outside the Lines' analyzed the U.S. Open tennis tournament draw

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/6854000/how%E2%80%90espn%E2%80%90lines%E2%80%90analyzed%E2 %80%90us%E2%80%90open%E2%80%90tennistournament%E2% 80%90draw

Here is an analysis by EU and sports law academic Ms. Katarina Pijetlovic:

Facts and statistics indicate fixing at the very top of men’s tennis

(Please google the above title and click on the link for this PDF document.

omega

22nd August 2014, 04:22 PM

US Open draw:

Draws for top 4:

Djoko:
1: Schwartzman
2: Muller/Mathieu
3: Garcia-Lopez
4: Isner/ Kohlschreiber
QF: Tsonga/ Murray
SF: Wawrinka/ Nishikori/ Raonic
F: Fed

Wawrinka:
1: Vesely
2: Belluci/ Mahut
3: Chardy
4: Robredo/ Youzhny
QF: Nishikori/ Raonic
SF: Djoko
F: Fed

Ferrer:
1: Dzumhur
2: Tomic/ Brown
3: Simon
4: Cilic/ Anderson
QF: Berdych/ Gulbis
SF: Fed/ Dimitrov
F: Djoko

Federer:
1: Matosevic
2: Groth/ Ramos-Vinolas
3: Karlovic
4: Fognini/ Batista Agut
QF: Dimitrov/ Gasquet
SF: Ferrer/ Berdych
F: Djoko

So many people are carried away by false hopes that Fed is going to have it easy.
Yes he has a slightly favorable draw compared to Novak, but at this stage nothing is given. Any top 30 player can trouble Federer on his day.
I see a real challenge from QF onwards (Dimitrov/Berdych/Novak). Berdych has not done well this whole season, but who knows could have a decent run here.
Surely a great oppurtunity for Fed but will he have enough left to grab it??

Arvind Srinivasan

22nd August 2014, 06:23 PM

So many people are carried away by false hopes that Fed is going to have it easy.
Yes he has a slightly favorable draw compared to Novak, but at this stage nothing is given. Any top 30 player can trouble Federer on his day.
I see a real challenge from QF onwards (Dimitrov/Berdych/Novak). Berdych has not done well this whole season, but who knows could have a decent run here.
Surely a great oppurtunity for Fed but will he have enough left to grab it??

+1...Gotta agree

JamesDap

22nd August 2014, 09:14 PM

Well, we wouldn't accuse ATP of "fixing" the draw as "you know who" is not playing this year! :) However, there are others who think ATP, USTA and other vested interests have been manipulating the major tournaments for many many years!

The following reports are three years old, but probably still relevant:

U.S. Open random draw questioned

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/6850893/espn-analysis-finds-top-seeds-tennis-us-open-had-easier-draw-statistically-likely

How 'Outside the Lines' analyzed the U.S. Open tennis tournament draw

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/6854000/how%E2%80%90espn%E2%80%90lines%E2%80%90analyzed%E2 %80%90us%E2%80%90open%E2%80%90tennistournament%E2% 80%90draw

Here is an analysis by EU and sports law academic Ms. Katarina Pijetlovic:

Facts and statistics indicate fixing at the very top of men’s tennis

(Please google the above title and click on the link for this PDF document.

All very interesting to read. I would not be surprised by draw-fixing at all. TV viewership is the major source of revenue for the tournaments and it is in their interest to do whatever they can to help top players find easy passage to the semis. In spite of their efforts, Fed goes and loses to Gulbis and Nadal to Kyrgios so the great game of tennis keeps trumping their attempts to get eyeballs. But it is indeed getting more and more programmed and predictable...because that's what the viewers want. Viewers have become lazy, they want the same match ups over and over. Tennis is not the cinema box office, it is a sport with in built unpredictability. When seeds toppled last year at Wimbledon, I noticed a lot of people were upset as they would be denied the chance to watch Rafa/Fed (esp since most don't even tune in during the early rounds). That's not the way to enjoy tennis but then the casual fans are much, much greater in number than serious fans so such a situation can't be avoided.

It's interesting that the numbers are much better for RG and Aus Open and these two tournaments have traditionally been relatively less predictable (though no longer the case in Aus Open). Of course RG of now is nothing like what it was in 90s when it was near impossible to predict the winner from among a big clutch of specialists but at least the chances of all of the big four reaching the semis or seem to be less bright in it and Wimb. In fact, RG is the only slam in which there was at least one instance between 2008-2013 of only one of the big four getting to the semis (Fed in 2009). And Wimb the only one where all four have never reached the semis in the same tournament.

It is perhaps also why RG and Aus are treated as lesser siblings in the media and it's Wimb and USO that have traditionally attracted all the glamour and hype (and the numbers from 2008 onwards suggest there has been an 'adjustment' in Aus Open?). The way tennis is sought to be marketed as well as what people want to see in pro tennis are, as in many other big moneyed pro sports, at odds with the true essence of the game. Can't be helped. But I'll watch as long as at least a few players play good shots. Count me out if it ever gets total bashball.

Arvind Srinivasan

23rd August 2014, 10:44 PM

Got the ticket for the final. Costed me about $172. But I guess it should be worth it.

raagadevan

23rd August 2014, 11:22 PM

Happy for you, Arvind! :) It sure would be more than worth it irrespective of which two players reach the finals.

Arvind Srinivasan

24th August 2014, 12:58 AM

^True...

VinodKumar's

24th August 2014, 09:45 AM

Super Arvind

JamesDap

24th August 2014, 10:09 AM

Kvitova machine guns her way to the New Haven title, her second in three years. Can she finally, finally convert that into a good performance at USO is the question. Apparently doesn't like New York and that's a tough starting point. Would really love to see her get to GS no. 3 and preferably not at Wimb again and pull clear of Li Na and Azarenka, as she is more talented than either of them.

ajithfederer

24th August 2014, 11:14 AM

Fed's draw can't be possibly true. It's his best chance to win USO back.

US Open draw:

Draws for top 4:

Djoko:
1: Schwartzman
2: Muller/Mathieu
3: Garcia-Lopez
4: Isner/ Kohlschreiber
QF: Tsonga/ Murray
SF: Wawrinka/ Nishikori/ Raonic
F: Fed

Wawrinka:
1: Vesely
2: Belluci/ Mahut
3: Chardy
4: Robredo/ Youzhny
QF: Nishikori/ Raonic
SF: Djoko
F: Fed

Ferrer:
1: Dzumhur
2: Tomic/ Brown
3: Simon
4: Cilic/ Anderson
QF: Berdych/ Gulbis
SF: Fed/ Dimitrov
F: Djoko

Federer:
1: Matosevic
2: Groth/ Ramos-Vinolas
3: Karlovic
4: Fognini/ Batista Agut
QF: Dimitrov/ Gasquet
SF: Ferrer/ Berdych
F: Djoko

So many people are carried away by false hopes that Fed is going to have it easy.
Yes he has a slightly favorable draw compared to Novak, but at this stage nothing is given. Any top 30 player can trouble Federer on his day.
I see a real challenge from QF onwards (Dimitrov/Berdych/Novak). Berdych has not done well this whole season, but who knows could have a decent run here.
Surely a great oppurtunity for Fed but will he have enough left to grab it??

JamesDap

24th August 2014, 11:17 AM

Berdych or Dimitrov could, if they catch Fed-error, upset him. If he gets to play Gasquet and Ferrer instead, yes, he might coast along to the final.

ajithfederer

24th August 2014, 02:21 PM

An injury timeline and tournaments missed by Nadal over the course of his career. Finally, somebody puts together a list of which I wanted to lay my hands on for a long time.

Rafael Nadal out of US Open – Injury timeline of the 14-time Grand Slam champion
By AFP @indiacom | August 18, 2014 9:14 PM | comment Tags: Rafael Nadal, Rafael Nadal injury, US Open

MADRID, August 18, 2014: Rafael Nadal, who said Monday he would skip the 2014 US Open because of a right wrist problem, has been plagued by injuries throughout his career.n AFP Sports looks at the problems suffered by the Spanish former world number one, winner of 14 Grand Slam titles, including a record nine French Opens:

2003: Misses French Open with elbow injury.

2004: Misses French Open and is three months off tour with left ankle injury.

2006: Left foot injury suffered in November 2005 means Nadal only starts 2006 season in February.

2008: Tendinitis in his left knee forces Nadal to retire from Paris Masters in the quarter-finals. Withdraws from Masters Cup and Davis Cup final.

2009: As four-time defending French Open champion, Nadal’s 31-match winning run at Roland Garros ended by Robin Soderling in the fourth round. Withdraws from Queen’s and Wimbledon, where he was defending champion, with tendinitis in both knees. Out for nine weeks in total, loses world number one ranking to Roger Federer. (9 weeks)

2010: Retires in quarter-final of Australian Open against Andy Murray with right knee injury. Off tour until Indian Wells in March. (6-7 weeks roughly)

2011: Loses in straight sets in Australian Open quarter-final to compatriot David Ferrer, complains of left adductor problem. Off tour for two months.

2012: Loses to world number 100 Lukas Rosol in Wimbledon second round on June 28. Tendinitis in left knee sees him miss Olympics, where he was defending champion, US Open, World Tour Finals and Davis Cup final. After six months out, cancels plans to play in Abu Dhabi exhibition.

2013: Misses Australian Open with stomach virus. After a seven-month absence in total, Nadal returns to win 10 titles in career-high 14 finals and finish world number one for third time. (1 month)

2014: Affected by back injury in his Australian Open final defeat to Stan Wawrinka and takes a month off. On July 30, Nadal withdraws from ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments at Toronto and Cincinnati due to a right wrist injury and on August 18 reveals he also won’t play at the US Open, where he is defending champion, because of the same problem. ( 2nd month running currently)

http://www.india.com/sports/rafael-nadal-out-of-us-open-injury-timeline-of-the-14-time-grand-slam-champion-121905/

omega

24th August 2014, 04:20 PM

More importantly none of Rafa's injuries has ever needed even a minor surgery....He sure does have a great medical team with him!!

JamesDap

25th August 2014, 09:50 PM

Ho ho ho, Halep drops a set against a college level tournament winner and wildcard Danielle Rose Collins. This is seriously pathetic. And it's not like Collins is some Capriati-like sensation. She's moonballing enough to make Nadal cringe and Halep can't handle it! With such strokeless wonders in the top 10 - no.2 to boot - how can BJK possibly say it's not about the no. of sets (w.r.t men v/s women) with a straight face! :rotfl:

Meanwhile, Kyrgios wins set no.1 against Youzhny and is a break up in the second too. Boom boom boom!

ajithfederer

27th August 2014, 10:46 AM

USO R1:

Roger Federer defeated Marinko Matosevic 6-3 6-4 7-6

JamesDap

28th August 2014, 11:07 PM

Arvind Srinivasan

29th August 2014, 12:44 AM

^ True..Arthur Ashe especially...Supposed to be the slowest of all courts there, but seemingly the fastest this time around.

JamesDap

29th August 2014, 08:00 AM

Exactly. Some of the smaller courts are still quite gritty and grinding but in Ashe it seems to be zipping away. As fast as at any time from 2001 onwards.

raagadevan

29th August 2014, 09:23 AM

Stan managed to drop a set against Belluci. Wow-rinka indeed! :| Seeds tumbling as usual in the women's draw. Pliskova served quite well to help Ivanovic choke herself to defeat. Radwanska lost to veteran Shuai Peng yesterday. Court is playing pretty fast this year, expect more upsets along the way.

^ True..Arthur Ashe especially...Supposed to be the slowest of all courts there, but seemingly the fastest this time around.

Exactly. Some of the smaller courts are still quite gritty and grinding but in Ashe it seems to be zipping away. As fast as at any time from 2001 onwards.

I am sure that "You Know Who" and Uncle Toni (Antonio "Toni" Nadal Homar) have to be (somehow) responsible for that :)

Hey guys... I'm just joking! :)

JamesDap

29th August 2014, 09:29 AM

Eh, maybe, on a serious note, the Grand Slam organisers did get fed up of their incessant whining and the lack of decency to even just serve within 25 seconds and not crib if the umpire docked him points for time violation. Because all three, Aus, Wimb and US Open have played faster this year than in quite some time. That has also been the case with Brisbane and Toronto. I called Brisbane on this thread at that time itself, if you recall. Maybe they decided it's time for a change, again.

Kyrgios won easily against Seppi. Faces a potentially tricky match against Robredo. Still, if he keeps his head together and serves well, he should probably win. I hope he will. Verdasco falls to another promising youngster Kuznetsov.

raagadevan

29th August 2014, 09:52 AM

Continuing "on a serious note", there is more than enough evidence that the "the Grand Slam organisers" have been scheming, manipulating and fixing schedules and matches so that the "popular with the crowd hero" will keep winning more tournaments (eg. Ferrer losing to Federer in the third set (2-6) of the finals at the Cincinnati Open after drubbing him 6-1 in the second set) and make "our" guy the GOAT (and of course sell more tickets for the tournaments)!

JamesDap

29th August 2014, 10:00 AM

I think the Ferrer case has more to do with Fed's own wild swings of rhythm because otherwise he is flat out the better player and has never lost to Ferrer ever. But on the larger point it's true that organisers do try to align draws and schedules in such a way that unduly favours the crowd favourites. Even yesterday morning, they put Azarenka-McHale on Ashe because McHale can pull local crowds. Whereas Nishikori and Andujar were put on the Grandstand and they were playing a much more entertaining match. As it happened, Andujar withdrew 2 sets down but this kind of thing has been happening for a long time and as their TV revenues increase, is getting worse. As I said in my last comment on this topic, the viewers also have to take some of the blame for this. They are lazy, they want to see stars all the time, they are not necessarily interested in just good tennis. I wonder how RG would have been marketed in the 90s if such had been the mentality at that time because it was completely unpredictable. I thought the unpredictability adds charm to events like the Slams or the Football World Cup but I wonder if a lot of people don't think like that anymore.

raagadevan

29th August 2014, 10:22 AM

JamesDap

29th August 2014, 10:30 AM

I am not ignoring them. I only said in this particular case I am not very much convinced and you will have to live with that. Please, he just beat Ferrer, Raonic and the likes, not Djokovic or Nadal (THAT would have merited some serious attention). It is not comparable to his 2012 Cincy when he bageled Djoko in the first set in the final.

I do find the cries of Federer the favourite for US Open suspicious because while he has found a second wind, it is not so overwhelming as to conclude that a player who lost to effing Robredo last time would suddenly become the hot favourite. My favourite for the tournament is still Djokovic, it's only a matter of whether he gets to the final or not. Either the commentators are being very fanboy-ish or this is an attempt to build up hype. It is well known that the US audience cares more about Fed and not so much the rest (in his absence), except maybe Nadal (who is also not playing). So claims of a Fed revival would get crowds back to the tournament. Overall, it is not a good prognosis for tennis. I think people should be more excited about the rise of Kyrgios than an 18th slam for a player who already has the record.

JamesDap

29th August 2014, 10:36 AM

And out of curiosity, what evidence exactly do you have which you claim is more than enough to PROVE that Cincy was fixed? Pl share it if there are any links, would like to read. You are talking about it as if it's all out there and it isn't.

JamesDap

29th August 2014, 10:45 AM

Whatever I have said about Nadal is in the papers. I don't have to reach too far to back it up. It was he who said he hated Sampras's brand of tennis and called it boring. So much for respect for a past champion and all time great. Seeing as it was 2012, probably his pastings at the hands of power hitters at Wimby since then might be Karmic retribution for his hubris. It is he who has often painted hard courts as enemy no. 1 of tennis just because it possibly hurts his knees, arguing for fewer tournaments when faster courts and shorter matches would suffice to reduce the extent of physicality in tennis. It was his uncle Toni who decried the reports of Aus Open playing faster (even before the tournament was even a few days old, maybe even before it started, I don't remember the exact timing) as it would deny the spectacle of long rallies. It is not too much to conclude that for a time ATP may have slowed down the courts to give Nadal a leg up on the traditionally faster surfaces because they like match ups and rivalries. We HAVE seen the courts slow down and we have seen some of them play faster again. It's not made up stuff. Basically he and his uncle can't seem to be able to keep their big mouths sewed lately (used to be that they were more subtle and less forthright about it for a long time).

On the other hand, if you want to say a sudden dip in form and a rebound is due to fixing and not something that just happens in tennis matches, you have to substantiate it. I am all ears if you can show some indications for it. Did you see Ferrer miss absolutely routine shots for no reason at all in the third set? Anything that or more blatant? I have seen that kind of stuff in cricket, that I can say for sure. It has to be a bit deeper than only circumstantial indications. I know that Fed winning Cincinnati is what the ATP wants to see and I wouldn't rule out rigging even if I am not personally convinced based on what I saw. But if you are going to argue that it was rigging beyond all doubt, then I need more than that to agree with you.

Arvind Srinivasan

29th August 2014, 11:16 AM

I for one will not rule out the possibility of the draws being rigged to get favorable matches for the who's who of tennis. But just that and not any further. After that its left entirely to the players to get the win IMHO. Going by your logic RR, am sure the organisers would have wanted a Federer win at Toronto. Wonder why that didnt happen. Was Federer's play that day so horrible he couldnt even force a rigged win ?

JamesDap

29th August 2014, 11:20 AM

^^^ Indeed. And Fed has won Montreal in the past by the way. Maybe, even though he doesn't admit to it, raga gets upset with the Nadal-bashing on this thread. So let me clarify here that none of this is to say that Nadal necessarily needed slower courts to win, especially against Federer! :P He beat him in Miami back in 2004 itself. He nearly beat Fed in Wimb 2007 as well. Last year, he produced a brilliant hard court season in North America. Winning Cincy was truly awesome. :) It has more to do with the organisers' desperation to see a match up that would thrill viewers (esp since it was Fed-daylight-competition in 2004-07). And it saddens me to see Nadal play up to that and try to pretend that this is how tennis should be played all the time, long, grinding and punishing rallies with no attack. I used to like him, but not after I heard him baselessly bash tennis tradition like that. There is a reason we have four slams and not all on clay and Nadal should respect that.

JamesDap

29th August 2014, 11:26 AM

There have been allegations of match fixing for a long time. I won't rule out fixing per se. Just that I am not convinced it was going on in Cincy. Maybe in other tournaments. It's not like we are suddenly seeing the arrival of Fed the clay GOAT. He is only winning on surfaces where he holds what remaining edge he has. He hasn't even been doing well in Indian Wells, a tournament he has won lots earlier. And even if an ageing Fed as the no.2 seed in USO is inappropriate at his age, it is hardly such a travesty as pygmy-sized timid Halep at no.2 in the women's draw. And is it just fixing or the complete lack of consistency as well as injuries for the other top guys? It still continues to be about big four with Wawrinka the only tentative addition to the club. Nadal didn't play and Murray is out of form for quite some time so who else but Djoko and Fed. Says more about the inability of the likes of Tsonga or Berd to play great tennis on a sustained basis.

omega

29th August 2014, 03:21 PM

For alll the hype around I don't think Fed is winning this at all. He may not even reach QF..
So Nadal worshippers can rest in peace. I am also very sure that Nadal will come back and start sweeping the tour again.

JamesDap

29th August 2014, 04:02 PM

^^^ +1, except I would back Fed to get to semis. Same as Aus Open. Will probably run out of steam and switch on Fed-error mode at that stage. And with Djoko a bit distracted, Murray off colour and Wawrinka becoming Yargh-rinka, it's all set for another Year of The Bull. Could be a 2010 to draw level with Fed.

omega

29th August 2014, 04:38 PM

Sure! We will ignore the allegations of ATP fixing the outcomes of Grand Slam tournaments and the Olympics (tennis) finals in favor of a player (not "you know who!), and we sure will believe that a certain old player's sudden resurrection into winning Masters 1000 and possibly more Grand Slam events is just the result of that player being the GOAT! :)

Looks like you've not been paying attention to anyone other than Bull....
Olderer has been playing great throughout this year. He is 50-9 so far for the season. Has reached 4 Masters 1000 final (2 of them when the chronically injured Bull was around). Has reached 1 GS Final (again when the stem cell fixed Kneedal was kicked by a 19 year old 144th ranked first strike tennis player). He has done pretty well in all the tournaments which had played faster than normal. This was not the first season he had won Cincinnati (it was his 6th). We know who had won it for the first time last year & promptly didn't show up to defend his title (because it was not clay).

So cut your crap about old player's sudden resurrection.

But like I said you don't have to worry much, Olderer could lose to anyone at this stage of his career. So the target will still be 17 & I don't see it becoming 18 inspite of an easy draw at the Open.

omega

29th August 2014, 04:43 PM

omega

29th August 2014, 04:49 PM

Coming back to Olderer, I think ever since he started using his 97 Prostaff his forehand has lost the zip. He is hitting with more loop which is either falling short or losing steam. However it has helped his serve & BH to certain extent. I know he must be still working on it but his once a big weapon (FH) has suffered the most. But then I can't complain much as his FH started to fade even with his old racquet last season. We can't have all of it I guess @ 33.

JamesFague

29th August 2014, 05:02 PM

Roger certainly playing well this year. I hope he will reach the final at US Open become a winner in the last edition of GS.

JamesDap

29th August 2014, 06:58 PM

If Olderer's revival is not a good prognosis for tennis, then its even worse for a chronically injured guy to have won 14 slams right?
Pardon my ignorance..

You got me completely wrong. Pl relax a bit and read what I said properly. I am saying what is not a good prognosis for tennis is the fact that people are more excited about yet another slam for Fed (or Djoko or Nadal for that matter) than the rise of an exciting young player like Kyrgios. I love Fed too, I like Djoko as well but tennis has to move on ultimately. And it needs new stars for that to happen. I wonder if Kyrgios will really win a lot of popularity even if he wins a few slams. People seem to be terribly obsessed with the Big Four. Not that everyone is like that but generally speaking that is the case. Most people don't even tune in before the QFs or semis of slams. We could see a sharp decline in interest in tennis once the big four are done or simply cannot play well enough to win slams anymore. Something similar is likely to happen in WTA too once Serena is done. I guess that's why WTA is already trying desperately to push young stars though picking Bouchard for said purpose is probably not going to help their cause.

None of it was ever intended to be a knock on Federer. He has played well this year...exclusively fast court tennis. He seems to have given up on finding a winning strategy on slow courts (refer his comment after losing in RG, was almost like a good riddance to clay). But that's where he has the best chance to do well anyway and he has focused on that.

raagadevan

30th August 2014, 03:02 AM

For the sake of argument, let us assume that Ferrer was told that he had to lose the Cincinnati finals. He agreed (had no other choice), but wanted to make a point. He played his “normal” game in the second set and won it 6-1, giving Federer, ATP and whoever else was behind the “fixing” panic attacks! And of course he lost the third set as per the “arrangement”!

Well; I do not believe that is what really happened. I agree with crimson king that “the Ferrer case has more to do with Fed's own wild swings of rhythm”. I was happy that Federer won another Masters 1000 trophy. The point that I was trying to make was that wild speculations and accusations could me made against any player, with or without “convincing” proof. I am 100% certain that similar allegations would have been made on this thread if a certain other player was involved in a similar match! :)

It is my personal opinion that Roger Federer is the most graceful player ever in the history of tennis. All considered, I also feel that he is the greatest of all time (GOAT!) as of the present time. It is also likely that Nadal would take over that position in the coming years.

We also have several up-and-coming youngsters who could beat any one of the top guys (veterans) on any given day. Let us hope that a few, if not all, of them would develop into great players mastering multidimensional skills in the art of tennis.

JamesDap

30th August 2014, 06:07 AM

Er, the point again is I have not made wild allegations. I have simply used two different factual things: (a) Nadal's constant pleading and whining for slow courts and bashing of first strike tennis and (b) the slowing down of courts from 2008 onwards. There are plenty of quotable quotes from The Bull in that regard; if you don't believe me on that then google is your friend. I can show you videos of Fed-Roddick match in Aus Open 2007 vis a vis 2009; same players and relatively aggressive, flat hitting but the difference in pace is pretty evident. So don't tell me that is just a Fed fanboy myth, courts have very obviously and perceptibly slowed down and a few are playing a bit fast again this year.

I have also never said Rafa paid or otherwise coerced ATP to slow down the courts. I am simply referring to the fact that he and Toni publicly try to influence opinion in favour of long rallies and conditions that suit them. That I hate. It's simply none of Rafa's business what kind of tennis public should or shouldn't get to see. He's a player and he should do his job. My comment that perhaps ATP just got fed up of his whining and decided to speed up courts anyway was more sarcastic but that should have been obvious from the tone. But again, to insinuate that the only reason I or Arvind are saying Arthur Ashe is playing fast is because there is no Bull this time is rubbish. I mean, if you can't see the way the ball is simply exploding off the surface in Groth's serves to Federer (match going on as I type), then there is no point in discussing it further. This Arthur Ashe hasn't been there since 2009. Possibly they slowed it down that year in the hope of a repeat of the Fed-Rafa epic at Aus Open that year. I don't know what reasons but that they wanted to see more long rallies is evident.

JamesDap

30th August 2014, 06:17 AM

Halep knocked out by Lucic! :D Was expecting this. I think with the court playing faster, the older players who have strokes are going to bash youngistan this time; there won't be infinite time to somehow dig out balls and stay in rallies. Peng also upset Radwanska on Wednesday. Though on the other hand, Venus lost to Errani in three.

raagadevan

30th August 2014, 08:10 AM

My comment that perhaps ATP just got fed up of his whining and decided to speed up courts anyway was more sarcastic but that should have been obvious from the tone. But again, to insinuate that the only reason I or Arvind are saying Arthur Ashe is playing fast is because there is no Bull this time is rubbish.

Obviously, you don't know the meaning of the word "sarcastic"; or, you recognize sarcasm only when you yourself utter "rubbish"! :)

JamesDap

30th August 2014, 08:20 AM

Yeah, right, whatever. I mean, if that's the best you've got. Just admit you felt offended at Bull bashing instead of trying so hard to sound 'neutral'. At least that would be honest.

JamesDap

30th August 2014, 08:29 AM

raagadevan

30th August 2014, 09:26 AM

You needlessly brought in Bull when all I and Arvind were saying was that Arthur Ashe seemed to be playing fast. I gave you a suitable riposte to that and from your subsequent responses, it's pretty clear my dart found its mark and hit home pretty hard. I hope you enjoyed it, good day.

I think you should leave Arvind out of this discussion. I am sure he would want to express his response on his own.

Just because you say you admire 19-year-old Nick Kyrgios, you do not become an unbiased lover of tennis admiring the new generation of players, or someone concerned about the future of tennis. You love Kyrgios only because he defeated Nadal at Wimbledon; plain and simple!

If you want to be delusional that your "dart found its mark and hit home pretty hard", there is nothing anybody can do to fix it! Obviously you are confused.

I too hope you enjoyed it, whatever it is! Good luck, and have a good day!

JamesDap

30th August 2014, 09:30 AM

And what on earth has Kyrgios got to do with fast courts? I call BULLSHIT, BULLSHIT and triple BULLSHIT. Don't think you can just weasel out like that. Arthur Ashe IS playing faster this year. It is obvious even now in the ongoing Sharapova-Lisicki match. No amount of pretending by you that I am saying that just because I am an RF fan will change that. If you have ever picked up a racquet in your life, you wouldn't dispute my observation about the court speed this year...or maybe bias blinds you too much even so to admit to it.

FYKI, I noticed Kyrgios even before he was scheduled to play Nadal. I was tracking his progress and knew when he played Nadal that this was something to watch out for. I even noticed Luke Saville in a first round loss to Dimitrov because he showed talent and promise for a first timer in Wimbledon. I notice these things because I am not one of those star obsessed tennis fans I ranted about. Your pretending that I like him only because he beat Nadal exposes the full extent of your Bull-fanboyism even more and I am glad it is coming out. Carry on whining. Is there some similarity there between the Bull and his fans, I wonder...the wish to whine.

But, once again, how fast Arthur Ashe is playing this year has absolutely nought to do with Kyrgios or any other player. If it's fast, it's fast. I even specifically mentioned as fast as any time since 2001 because it was even faster in the 90s. It was a very objective comment and your pathetic attempt at 'humour' to take the edge of a whiny comment only ended up exposing how much of a Nadal fanboy you are. Ha ha, Kyrgios and Arthur Ashe, never would have thought somebody was going to make that connection. If I am not mistaken, he has yet to play on Arthur Ashe this time.

raagadevan

30th August 2014, 09:40 AM

Goodbye, and have a good day!

ajithfederer

30th August 2014, 10:53 AM

JamesDap

30th August 2014, 11:02 AM

^^^ Somebody (a Nadal fan, obviously) was trying to tell me (this was around Cincy, I think) that Fed is basically the greatest opportunist and preys on chances to win slams when none of his 'true' rivals are around. I said even if that is the case, it's been that way since 2003. When he was beating Hewitt, Rod or Safin, he was 'lucky'...lucky that some player didn't turn up that day or simply got injured. Same story continues even as Fed has won 5 slams post Bull dethroning him in Wimb 2008. So much for lucky player, huh. Wins 5 slams in the 'Golden Era' even when he is past his physical prime. Oh wait, I know how that rolls too. Got lucky that Murray beat Nadal to allow Fed to win USO, Soderling let him win RG and Rosol allowed him to win Wimbledon in 2012. And of course it's totally not Murray or Djoko's fault that they couldn't match Fed under the Centre Court Roof, it's just Fed getting lucky. And of course Fed deserves no credit whatsoever for playing well enough to reach the finals and seize these 'lucky' opportunities. And LOAT just pays no attention to such pricks and keeps giving his fans more glimpses of his artistry, which is all they have really been interested in from the beginning. So lucky he never had to pull out of a Grand Slam right from Wimb 2003 unlike 'poor', 'humble' Bull.

raagadevan

30th August 2014, 11:37 AM

No amount of pretending by you that I am saying that just because I am an RF fan will change that.

Same story continues even as Fed has won 5 slams post Bull dethroning him in Wimb 2008. So much for lucky player, huh. Wins 5 slams in the 'Golden Era' even when he is past his physical prime. Oh wait, I know how that rolls too. Got lucky that Murray beat Nadal to allow Fed to win USO, Soderling let him win RG and Rosol allowed him to win Wimbledon in 2012. And of course it's totally not Murray or Djoko's fault that they couldn't match Fed under the Centre Court Roof, it's just Fed getting lucky. And of course Fed deserves no credit whatsoever for playing well enough to reach the finals and seize these 'lucky' opportunities.

Of course; I rest my case! :)

JamesDap

30th August 2014, 11:48 AM

Again, you are just deluded. I said the COURT, specifically the ARTHUR ASHE surface, was playing FAST. What does that have to do with anything? Did you, like, watch last year's tournament? Have you been watching it this year at all so far? Yes, I am a Fed fan, I have never denied that. But why does that mean I would necessarily be making it up when I say the court is playing fast? Have you ever played on a fast court and a slow court? Do you know how different it looks and feels on the racquet? You don't see the ball stopping to a grinding halt, sitting up to be hit after the bounce this year the way it was for the last few years. I don't know what made them suddenly speed up the courts again, but it is happening. Yesterday even on Court 17, a Janowicz bomb exploded so much that it literally flew off Anderson's outstretched racquet into neverland as he attempted a backhand return. THAT is a fast surface. You will really have to take that to ATP as to why they did that. But by repeatedly pretending that it's not true, you are only losing all credibility in this discussion.

Please answer these questions pointedly instead of making weasel-like accusations and beating around the bush.

P.S: And yes, believe it or not, I find it possible to watch the progress of upcoming players like Kyrgios eagerly even as I remain a Fed fan. When Safin broke on the scene, I was a Sampras fan but I was certainly excited about Safin. Kyrgios is much tougher mentally than either Raonic or Dimitrov though he lacks a bit of game in the groundies dept. He should hopefully win a slam one day. Sadly that doesn't fit into your binary hate/love classification of people and their viewpoints, I guess.

JamesDap

30th August 2014, 11:50 AM

Lucic-Baroni, a one time Wimbledon semi finalist, beat Halep yesterday. The courts are showing all the signs of favouring players who hit big, attacking shots and finish points quickly rather than those who try to compensate for lack of power with movement and placement. The impact is not visible so much in ATP because the Big Four/Five play well enough not to get blown away easily by power hitters but in WTA, seeds are tumbling. There is all the evidence you need to know that the courts are fast this year...IF you want to see it rather than whine incessantly.

raagadevan

30th August 2014, 12:50 PM

JamesDap

30th August 2014, 12:56 PM

Righttttt, whatever. It is clear you are more interested in rhetoric, you are loathe to even acknowledge that I am right about the courts being fast. I am done. Do carry on with your bull-apologist 'jokes'.

raagadevan

30th August 2014, 12:57 PM

And yes, believe it or not, I find it possible to watch the progress of upcoming players like Kyrgios eagerly even as I remain a Fed fan.

Of course; I knew that!!! Hmmm... How did I know that, I wonder!!!

JamesDap

30th August 2014, 12:59 PM

By the way, Bull did beat Fed even on the newly speedened up AO this year. More easily than 2012. Bull would beat him anywhere except maybe indoors where Fed's serve is too hard to retrieve and IIRC he beat him in the Year End Finals tournament in 2013. Letfie topspin serve on the backhand vallikudhu. ;)

raagadevan

30th August 2014, 01:03 PM

you are loathe to even acknowledge that I am right

Oh my God!!! Will you stop this silly discussion if I say you are right? Okay... here we go... "You are right..." WOW, What a relief!!! {I hope that is the end of it!!!]

JamesDap

30th August 2014, 01:08 PM

raagadevan

30th August 2014, 01:16 PM

Must be realllllllllyyyyy Harrrrrrdddd for rafa fans to see a 33 year old father of 4 kids being fit and playing a grandslam compared to a 28 year old (supposed to be in his prime) not playing a grandslam for dubious reasons!!!!.Hey don't shoot the messenger!

I don't know how I missed this one! Of course... thanks to the help from ATP and the match-fixing mafia, our "senior citizen" continues to do well in the ATP tournaments!!! [Note: I am just joking! Don't want any trouble from the mafia!!!]

raagadevan

30th August 2014, 01:25 PM

Then don't make silly apologist comments if you don't want to back them up. The earth doesn't go round the sun, I mean, the Bull, you know. You deserve this and then some for trying to pretend I was making it up without any basis whatsoever.

Of course... the earth doesn't go around the "the bull", but around the old man from Switzerland!!! Of course, you are the expert in "making it up without any basis whatsoever"!! Those are you own words!!!

JamesDap

30th August 2014, 01:26 PM

And that's all you have done throughout this discussion and probably all that you are capable of. I think they should put you on Arthur Ashe to face a serve bot so that you come back scurrying for cover.

raagadevan

30th August 2014, 01:30 PM

WOW!!!So you are trying to say that you have played tennis on Arthur Ashe court or even on a village playground in India??? Sure; Why not! ?

JamesDap

30th August 2014, 01:35 PM

And there you go again with your lofty and incredibly arrogant assumptions. While I have not played on Arthur Ashe and never will be fortunate enough to, I play tennis everyday...on hard courts. And I live in a big city with courts only 20 min walking distance from my place, not a village, so thanks for that. I also had the chance to play on a really fast hard court in IL, USA when I went over there visiting my aunt. That was the reason why I pointedly asked whether you know how different it looks and feels to play on a fast vis a vis a slow court. The courts back home are so sluggish I have to really lug the ball with topspin to generate pace (by the by, do you know what is a topspin grip and how to hit a topspin forehand. Eastern, Continental, etc). At IL, I had difficulty keeping it in because it was too much pace to work with. I am still very much a learner and I have a poor serve and backhand. But I already return well because I see the ball early and all these years of watching tennis help me anticipate shots a bit better than other beginners.

I use a Wilson Advantage for now. Maybe in a year's time, will move on to better and more expensive racquets.

raagadevan

30th August 2014, 01:45 PM

I did my posting before reading your latest. I am really happy for you. Want to reassure you that no personal offense or attack was intended. With all due respect to each other, let us agree to disagree on our perceptions on the current tennis players. Irrespective of who our favorite player(s) is (are), let us rejoice in the greatness of the game of tennis! Thank you my friend!

raagadevan

30th August 2014, 01:48 PM

Which you perhaps are not aware of because you are too arrogant to learn anything of consequence.

Of course! :)

JamesDap

30th August 2014, 01:50 PM

Ok, cool. I have also deleted those last two comments. I fully agree to disagree. I just want to say one thing in good intention only. Your tactic of assuming, first, vendetta and then ignorance and bluffery on the part of the other guy is a typical Madras mentality. This is an honest observation from a Mumbaiite because in our city we are more watchful about what we say. Pl don't do it, pl stick to disagreements on opinions alone, never cross that line. I have the capacity to understand where it's coming from because I have encountered it many times from Mamas and all in Madras but it's very rude and offensive. And also, you never know when the other guy may in fact be knowing a little bit about what he's talking about, as it happened today and then it will look very bad. So pl keep that in mind. This is not a lecture, just a friendly suggestion, take it in the right way. Cheers, bye.

raagadevan

30th August 2014, 01:54 PM

Thank you... I have been to Madras (now Channai) at least 5 times (that I can remember). I must have caught the bug during one of those visits!:)

JamesDap

30th August 2014, 01:57 PM

Sure. Maybe it's a cultural thing also because I get that sometimes (not often) from abroad-settled Tamils also. I don't know but that's one reason I usually don't open my mouth when I visit people in Madras. Ours is a cosmopolitan city whereas TN is constantly at loggerheads with the other Southern sisters so maybe those are the roots of this mindset. Anyhow...

raagadevan

30th August 2014, 02:01 PM

Sure. Maybe it's a cultural thing also because I get that sometimes (not often) from abroad-settled Tamils also

Of course, if you say so! I didn't know that till now! :)

JamesDap

30th August 2014, 02:11 PM

Well, Tamils are more interested in identity and 'camps'. Ivan endha kootathoda aalu,namma kootam illena vechu saathunga. In Mumbai, people, not all of them mind, respond to what is said rather than who is saying it. You should agree (or at least respectfully disagree) with a rational or objective statement even if it's coming from a certain 'camp' and not assume he is saying it from that camp only and with a certain agenda only. That is lacking at least among older generation Tamils, some of the youngistan are more chilled out. All IMO and these are just my perceptions and not the truth.

raagadevan

30th August 2014, 02:15 PM

Thank you. It is interesting to know :)

raagadevan

30th August 2014, 02:19 PM

Thank you once again! Goodnight (or good morning)! It is almost early morning here! :)

JamesDap

30th August 2014, 02:25 PM

Thanks to you as well. Good night and I am glad we could ultimately part on a pleasant note. Cheers.

JamesDap

30th August 2014, 03:03 PM

Murray takes on Kuznetsov on Saturday. Potential upset lurking there. Murray has not been playing great for some time and Kuznetsov is a promising upcoming player. COULD deliver the blow if Murray has an off day. Murray's got to be the favourite, though, needless to say.

omega

30th August 2014, 08:16 PM

For the sake of argument, let us assume that Ferrer was told that he had to lose the Cincinnati finals. He agreed (had no other choice), but wanted to make a point. He played his “normal” game in the second set and won it 6-1, giving Federer, ATP and whoever else was behind the “fixing” panic attacks! And of course he lost the third set as per the “arrangement”!

I know you are being sarcastic, but still this was plain pathetic even for that.
Tell me how many sets have Ferrer taken against Fed in all their 16 meetings (its 5 I think including the 2 he got recently,one in Torronto & one in Cincy).
Had you picked may be a guy like Berdych, Tsonga, Delpotro etc it would've made a little sense, but Ferrer is an absolute pigeon for Federer.
So by your logic this is exactly what happened against Bull in FO this year, Ferrer winning the first set to prove his game & then fading away to do the honors for the arrangement right? Ferrer just had beaten the Bull in MC few weeks earlier. So yeah it makes perfect sense to me...

JamesDap

30th August 2014, 10:35 PM

Krunic topples Kvitova in the biggest upset of the WTA section so far. From what little I got to see of the match, it wasn't as if Kvitova was too erratic. Just the level Krunic showed was astounding, must have taken Kvitova completely by surprise. So much intelligence and craft, was reminded of Henin. In the game where she served for the match, she converted a high backhand into a drop shot with unbelievable, and beautiful, disguise and she did it standing on the baseline. I thought only the Feds, Noles and Rafas did that. I hope she won't be a one tournament wonder and will go a long way in women's tennis because I seriously haven't seen anybody play like that in women's tennis in a long time. There has been a lot of power hitting, baseline bashing and moonballing but just the few glimpses of craft I got to see from Krunic reminded me of better days, better times in women's tennis when it actually used to be exciting to watch.

JamesDap

31st August 2014, 09:29 AM

Robredo-Kyrgios match is very fascinating so far. Very old school in the sense that it pits the aggressive, first-strike tennis of Kyrgios with Robredo's amazing retrieving skills, slices, lobs etc. And both guys are serving so well (Robredo the surprise package in that department) that every point is now beginning to resemble a pressure cooker, a must win. Very 90s Open match in that respect, hardly any margin for shanks and brainfades.

JamesDap

31st August 2014, 09:47 AM

Robredo up a break immediately in the fourth. Losing the third set tiebreak may have broken down Kyrgios. The irony is he could have won both the second and the third and lost through sheer inexperience.

raagadevan

31st August 2014, 10:12 AM

19-year-old teen sensation Kyrgios powered himself into a 5-0 lead in the first set against the 32-year-old veteran Robredo. It looked like the match would be over in less than an hour! However Robredo had other plans. By playing consistent old school tennis (forehand cross-court volleys, slices, drop shots, top spin lobs, etc.), he changed the pace and level of the match. Robredo won 3-6, 6-3, 7-6, 6-3. Wow; what a match! Fascinating indeed!

raagadevan

31st August 2014, 10:19 AM

Kyrgios complained of leg cramps in the final set, and there was some talk about him retiring from the match, However, the final game was played, which Robredo won.

JamesDap

31st August 2014, 10:25 AM

Yeah, the amazing thing was Robredo, all of 32, was much fitter, looking good for another hour of tennis, if needed. Kyrgios is inexperienced and gave his opponent too scant respect, something for which he paid the price. He missed the chance to go up double breaks in the 2nd set and from thereon it was downhill. But he showed a lot of willingness to learn on the job as he played Robredo, turning his strategy of draw-forward-and-lob on his head at times. That's a quality I haven't seen so far in Raonic, for instance. For a 19 year old, he is amazingly fearless and fights very hard. With a bit of tactical nous and the experience to guide him to go for safer shots to consolidate a hard earned lead, he can make it. He will learn that you can't fool around with a lead in a top level ATP match. But kudos meanwhile to Robredo for a brilliant lesson in defensive tennis. Defensive is not very fair actually because his forehand was superb and it got into Kyrgios's head. Served very well too to take full advantage of the fast conditions.

Arvind Srinivasan

31st August 2014, 10:43 AM

Was away for the entire duration of the match...Was counting on this match to be good. From the looks of it, I guess it was. Need to watch the HLs...

raagadevan

31st August 2014, 10:44 AM

JamesDap

31st August 2014, 10:48 AM

Very good match. Worthy of being put on Arthur Ashe as the last match of the night (though the real reason, they say, was to slot it such that Aussie viewers would be able to watch their local hope). The shot of the match for me was an incredible lob-forehand cross court Robredo hit in the beginning of the fourth (I think). He was well out of court and scrambling for the ball when he made that shot. And it landed in the diagonally opposite corner in Kyrgios's court. Nothing Kyrgios could do about it and he shook his head in grudging admiration. The unflappable, expressionless professor gave the swashbuckling student a lesson in the finer aspects of tennis. And I was glad to see Kyrgios take note. He will probably be playing such shots himself in a few years from now, rounding out his essentially devastating game and making it more complete.

JamesDap

31st August 2014, 10:51 AM

I agree. Robredo played a "mature" game and didn't try to match Kyrgios in speed and/or power. He also didn't let Kyrgios overwhelm him with his style of tennis. Kyrgios tried in the later stages to adapt his game strategy, but it was too little, too late. Seriously, I was expecting a very different outcome when the match started!

And so did I and so did the whole Arthur Ashe crowd, seemingly. :D The second and third were still on Kyrgios's racquet and a more experienced player wouldn't have squandered his advantage like that. But full credit to Robredo for working out a strategy to frustrate Kyrgios and drag him into a long duel of topspin and slice, eventually wearing him out. I think Robredo didn't make ANY unforced errors in the second and fourth sets. Incredible! That's why best of 5 rocks, allows for shifts of momentum rather than one player riding on momentum and hitting the other out of the park in 2.

Arvind Srinivasan

31st August 2014, 09:41 PM

A good match in the offing this evening with Dimitrov taking on Goffin. Two emerging players fighting it out for a spot in the next round. Should be exciting...

raagadevan

1st September 2014, 09:38 AM

Today's (August 31, 2014) results at the US Open:

Winners include Roger Federer, Tomáš Berdych, Marin Čilić, Grigor Dimirov, Gaël Monfils, 17-year-old Belinda Bencic, Caroline Wozniacki, and Scott Lipsky/Rajeev Ram (Doubles)

Losers include David Ferrer, Richard Gasquet, Maria Sharapova and Jelena Janković.

JamesDap

1st September 2014, 09:26 PM

Bencic upset Jankovic, already showing some glimpses of Hingis-like tactical brilliance. Loved that moonball bait in the tiebreak to extract the error from Jankovic and win the set.

Goffin played an incredible first set, then just disappeared to let Dimitrov go through. Fed too was not half as impressive as what the commentators were trying to make it sound. Still pretty much in Fed-error mode, save some glimpses of genius. In this kind of form, even a Q/F win over either of Dimitrov/Monfils is not a certainty. And that's provided he gets past Bautista Agut. Djoko looking very solid. Tough clash against Tsonga coming up for Murray.

raagadevan

4th September 2014, 04:59 AM

Kei Nishikori beats Stan Wawrinka 3-6, 7-5, 7-6, 6-7, 6-4!

JamesDap

4th September 2014, 07:42 AM

Wow comes up short again, possibly returning to pre-AO mode. Djoko-Murray match is off to a great start, both players fighting tooth and nail for each point. Djoko consolidating the early break to go up 4-1.

Arvind Srinivasan

4th September 2014, 08:01 AM

omega

4th September 2014, 09:18 AM

The match was on Stan's racquet. He literally opened the door for Kei to come back in the middle of the second and the start of the third set. Kei was also not without his mistakes. Forsaking a break of serve in the third to get the set to a tie breaker. But anyways it made for some entertaining tennis. Wonder how much its gonna take out of Kei come the semi final considering the number of times he's been forced to withdraw from matches in the past and also the grueling last two matches he's had. Will not be surprised if the guy's gassed out

It was a great match. Stan had so many opportunities even in the 5th set to go up a break but couldn't convert. Had just one bad serving game and it was enough.
Tennis could be cruel many times.

Nishi has two days off until the semis on Saturday which I am sure will be a night match for him. But with Nishi you never know until the last minute.

JamesDap

4th September 2014, 10:58 AM

Djoko did to Murray what Murray had done to him couple of years back at the final of the same tournament. Just wore him out and once Murray cramped up, was simply feeding him more balls to hit until he simply tired out and gave up. First three sets were amazing, fourth set as Djoko himself acknowledged was erratic, but understandably so. Both guys played very solid tennis with low margin for error. Fed will have to tighten up if he does get to play a final against Djoko. Should get through Monfils, though nothing is certain these days with Fed. But Berd, if he beats Cilic, has the capacity to upset Fed esp since he serves well and Fed's return game is a bit weak now.

JamesDap

4th September 2014, 11:05 AM

Fun stat: Djoko and Murray put together made 7 double faults over 4 sets, 1 less than Sharapova's 8 in a three setter against Wozniacki. And 8 is actually low by Sharapova's standards.

venkkiram

5th September 2014, 06:57 AM

காலிறுதி தாண்டவே ரொம்பவும் மெனக்கெடனும் போல. என்னைக் கேட்டால் இந்தமுறை காலிறுதிவரை வந்ததே ரோஜரின் அதிர்ஷ்டம். அவருக்கு சவால்களை கொடுக்கவல்ல எதிராளி காலிறுதிக்கு முன்வரையிலான ஆட்டங்களில் அமையப் பெறவில்லை.

முதல் சர்வ் நினைத்த நேரத்தில் கைகொடுக்க வில்லை இதுவரை. வழக்கமாக அரையிறுதி/இறுதி ஆட்டங்களில் தொற்றிக்கொளும் மெண்டல் பிளாக் இப்போதே ரோஜருக்கு வந்துவிட்டது. ஆனால் இவரை இதுபோல சவால்களுக்கும், அழுத்தத்திற்கும் உள்ளாக்கும்போதுதான் சிறப்பான விதத்தில் அதுவரை வெளிக்காட்டாத திறமைகளை வெளிக்கொணர்கிறார். ஆனாலும் இன்றைக்கு மான்ஃபிலை வீழ்த்துவது அவ்வளவு எளிதல்ல என்பதுபோலவே தோணுது.