Nadal Knocks Down Isner, Roddick, Murray Advance; Djokovic Falls at Indian Wells

by Sean Randall | March 18th, 2010, 10:19 am
  • 220 Comments

Rafael Nadal passed the sternest test of his Indian Wells title defense on Wednesday. The No. 3 seed had to go the distance to beat the big-booming John Isner 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 in fourth round play at the BNP Parisbas Open Tennis Masters. ADHEREL

The win puts Nadal into the quarterfinals where tonight he’ll meet Tomas Berdych. The Czech Berdych crushed Viktor Troicki 6-1, 6-3.

Also on Wednesday, Andy Roddick upped his perfect record to 10-0 against Jurgen Melzer following a 7-6, 6-4 win over the Austrian. Roddick, who has never reached the final in the desert, now gets Tommy Robredo who he is also 10-0 head-to-head. Robredo ended the run of Roger Federer-conqueror Marcos Baghdatis in three sets.


Robin Soderling squashed JW Tsonga 6-3, 6-4 to set up a Friday date with No. 3 seed Andy Murray, a winner when Nicolas Almagro retired with a bum ankle after one game in the second set.

The big semi-surprise of the day was Ivan Ljubicic’s 7-5, 6-3 win over Novak Djokovic. Djokovic was riding a 9-match win streak but the Serb had gone the distance seven of his last eight matches entering the showdown with the Croat. And all those matches and miles finally caught to Novak who said he was gassed afterward.

“This is a tournament where I definitely didn’t feel comfortable on the court,” said Djokovic, the 2008 Indian Wells champ. “It’s not because of the tournament itself. It’s just because I had a very tiring couple of weeks coming from Davis Cup, which was emotionally very exhausting for me.

“I am not happy with the overall performance that I had in this tournament, because I know I could have played better and could have done better. But under decent circumstances I still made it to the fourth round, which is quite okay.”

Djokovic needed to save three matchpoints in the third round against Philipp Kolhschreiber. I think he also needs to plan his schedule better. Is Dubai more important to him than Indian Wells?

Back to Nadal. I watched a good portion of the Nadal match and he looked pretty good. I question his strategy of delivering a lot of balls to John’s forehand when the American looked almost powerless from the backhand wing. Rafa did play one really poor service in the second to hand Isner his lone break. Nadal coughed up back-to-back double faults, then gave Isner a sitter forehand put away. But Rafa was far too steady in the end and really seemed to wear down Isner who by the third set was struggling with his first serve.

“Today was a really difficult match, so I know I have to play my best tennis,” said the two-time Indian Wells champ, Nadal. “I did really well, I think. I only played a really bad game in the fourth game of the second set, but the rest of the match I’m very happy how I did. I think John is a big player, very difficult to play against him, and he has unbelievable potential. So for me it is a very important and very good victory.”

Again, credit to Isner. The guy really is getting better. He hits his forehand a ton and his backhand, mobility and and court sense have all improve. I thought a couple years ago that he would crack the Top 20. He’s done that. Getting into the Top 10 is going to be doubly tougher but he’s on his way.

The match schedule today is a bit sparse compared to what we’ve seen this week – which in some was is good because the NCAA basketball tournament begins! The men’s day quarterfinal is Juan Monaco v. Ivan Ljubicic. In the evening it’s Nadal v. Berdych.

The depleted women’s draw fields it’s final two quarters in the afternoon. First on is Alisa Kleybanova v. Jelena Jankovic and after Ljubicic-Monaco Sam Stosur and Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez will battle. Already into tomorrow’s semifinal are good friends Agnieska Radwanska and Caroline Wozniacki.

Now to the pick portion of the blog. Ljubicic, who turns 31 tomorrow, I believe has had some good memories at Indian Wells. The guy’s reached the fourth round or better six straight years and I think about four years ago he led Croatia over the U.S. in Davis Cup at the Indian Wells tournament site (or at least it was in Southern Cal). Monaco, though, has been a hot player having already compiled a 16-3 mark on the season with a bulk of those wins on dirt. The two have split two prior meetings, both on clay. On hardcourts I’ll go with the experience of Ljubicic.

Tonight in the main event, Nadal and Berdych will clash for a 10th time with the lefty holding the 6-3 edge. In fact, Nadal has won the last five meetings all in straight sets (12-0 in sets) since Berdych’s last win at 2006 Shanghai. We talk a lot about Berdych’s big, flat game and how it matches up well with Nadal. But while Berdych seems to have all the talent and power in the world, when it comes to big matches on big stages the guy usually comes up short. And Nadal has won 19 of his last 20 matches in the desert. He doesn’t come up short here. The pick is Nadal.


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220 Comments for Nadal Knocks Down Isner, Roddick, Murray Advance; Djokovic Falls at Indian Wells

stu Says:

Exactly, I’ve been wondering why Djokovic bothered to play Dubai as well. And Rotterdamn. What’s up with the guy?

Go Rafa, defend your title and beat the other contender with the easier draw!


jane Says:

Sean ” Is Dubai more important to him than Indian Wells?”

Well, firstly, as Djoko said, he was tired due to his emotional DC matches ( a lot of pressure on home soil to get his country into its first QF ever). Had he opted out of DC, like most of the top guys, 3 of whom are still going – Rod, Nadal, Murray – he may still be going? Isner, Querrey, Cilic, Monfils, Tsonga all played DC and all are out – Cilic and Tsonga losing in round one. I don’t know if there is a correlation, but there could be.

Secondly, I think Dubai WAS important for Nole this year, for the sole reason that he has now defended a title for the first time. This follows him winning titles back-to-back for the first time at the end of last year. So maybe these were important hurdles for him. Also, it’s clear that Davis Cup was important to him this year because of what his team could achieve.

Thirdly, I’d say he should knock Rotterdamn off the schedule if anything. And he probably would’ve had he gotten deeper at the AO. But remember that he did adjust his schedule, playing only Kooyong before the AO. So he’s tinkered with it a little.

All that being said, I would like to see Novak peak in the important events and win an MS shield and another slam. I hope these are his goals going forward. His loss here is no big deal as he lost only one round earlier than last year, and now he has a teensy rest before Miami and clay.

I agree that Ljub has a good shot against Monaco as he plays well at IW (got Murray to 3 TBs last year), but Ljub’s serve has to be firing otherwise Monaco could grind out the win. Monaco is tenacious. I also couldn’t pick against Rafa. Berdych just doesn’t seem to think that clearly on the court in crunch moments, and Rafa will make him pay for errors.

I wish Aggy and Woz didn’t have to play each other as I like both. So may the best of them win in that match. Would like to see JJ and Stosur through also.


jane Says:

*sorry that s/b Cilic and *Monfils* losing in round 1 (or early anyhow).


jane Says:

* doh! Can’t think in morning. Ljub got Murray to *two* TBs last year not 3.


Andrew Miller Says:

Seems like Roddick’s tournament at this point: Federer and Djokovic are out, and he has a good shot at Murray if his confidence stays high. I don’t quite think Nadal is “back” to himself yet but he’s close. Maybe it’s Nadal’s tournament if he beats Berdych. 2 out of 3 sets is a shoot-out.


Sean Randall Says:

I raise Dubai into question because it’s clear that if Novak wins Dubai, then plays Davis Cup he’s going to be shot for a big event like IW.

In future, if Davis Cup – which i don’t fault him for playing – rests in between Dubai and IW then maybe he should skip Dubai to conserve for IW?


Ben Pronin Says:

I don’t think Djokovic’s problem was scheduling. His form has been poor all year, that’s the problem. In 2005, when Federer was coming into the year at 23 years old (not much older than Djokovic right now) he played Doha, AO, Rotterdam, Dubai, IW, and Miami before the clay season started. He won everything except AO where he fell in 5 long sets in the semifinals. No one was questioning his schedule. For a 22/23 year old, it’s a normal schedule. But Federer also didn’t play like crap and have to dig out 9 straight wins at one point (although he did some digging coincidentally against Ljubicic a few times).

Djokovic’s fitness isn’t even the issue, either. At least it doesn’t look that way. If Djokovic was playing well all this time, chances are he would’ve won Rotterdam, too, been in the semis of the AO, at least, and would’ve been playing Monaco today. But his poor form finally caught up to him and how many times can he win with such lousy play? The answer is 9 straight times, apparently. But he does have a lot of work to do with his serve and strategy on the court. He’s pulling too many Safin’s and hitting towards to middle instead of using the incredible angles that took him to number 2 in the world.


stu Says:

ouch, Ben. i hope Nole does not spend his free time reading tennis-x!


stu Says:

i completely agree tho, and i was complaining about the middle-of-the-court rallies too yesterday…


Ben Pronin Says:

Djokovic has been saying after every match that he’s not 100% so I think he knows what he has to do. There are plenty of positives to take from his ability to dig deep and produce wins that he wasn’t even close to getting.

As for Isner, this guy really looks like the real deal. He gave Murray all sorts of fits in the first set of their AO encounter before fading. He pushed Djokovic to 5 sets on his least favorite surface. And now he pushed Nadal to 3 sets in a very close match. He’s also beaten Roddick at the USO in 5 sets. I think once he notches that first win over a top 5 player, the gloves are really going to come off.


rafa Says:

Thats it. Sean jinxes my Nadal. I am pretty sure Berdych will dipatch him now. :(


madmax Says:

Ben,

some really insightful and interesting posts on novak. yes, he does say a lot in the pressers that he isnt “100%” and he quotes “being tired” a lot of the time – I think he needs to skip a tournament or two and reschedule, re-prioritise. I think Novak has done exceptionally well, coping with asthma as he has progressed on the men’s tour. I wonder if this has played a part in his overall performance?

He does seem to find it more difficult when it is exceptionally hot?


stu Says:

hi maxi

asthma, or any fitness-related issue for that matter, cannot be blamed for his loss at IW. it was purely psychological.


Voicemale1 Says:

Djokovic’s serve is structurally awful now. When he takes the racquet back he swings it laterally behind him after the toss, rather than take it immediately back to the traditionally “Trophy Pose” stance where it’s upright, cocked and ready for the drop to swing. His motion now is leaving him a lot of distance to cover on the forward swing upward to contact.

Looking at the Nadal-Isner stats, the most eye-popping one was the Break Point Chances. Isner converted 1 break point, and stunningly it was the only one he saw from Nadal in 3 sets. Conversely Nadal managed to get a look at 9 Break Points on the Isner Serve, cashing in on two of them. Nadal was doing something new: he stood almost on top of the base line to receive the Isner First Serves, and put a substantial number of those in play. Isner’s serve deteriorated in Set 3, no doubt feeling the pressure of the occasion. He had to survive a LONG hold in the 7th game of the final set. His movement will be a gap players can exploit. He’s so tall, and weighs in at 250 lbs. that once he commits to a direction that’ll be pretty much where he’s stuck. Going behind him, or making him change direction repeatedly will likely be more and more utilized. And any low slice on a court this slow will get him stooping more than he’ll want.

Here’s what’s amazing, and it’s a case study in having a Big Serve vs. having an Effective Serve. Nadal won an incredible 84% of points on his First Serve, but what was truly stunning is that he won 72% of his SECOND Serve Points. Conversely, Isner won 74% of his First Serve Points, but only won 44% of his Second Serve Points. That Nadal managed to win 10% more points on his first serve than a guy like Isner with a serve like his is amazing.


jane Says:

Sean, sure: going forward, if Serbia continues to do well in DC, then maybe Novak can drop Dubai. But let’s face it: most of the top guys play Dubai, so it’s not like his playing there is unexpected or odd. Fed, Nadal, JMDP were injured; Roddick played home tournaments, Memphis+San Jose (understandably) instead; and Murray, Cilic and others lost early. So Djoko’s schedule isn’t, technically, much different than other’s EXCEPT that he played DC.

Ben, I enjoyed reading your thoughts on Djoko and I hope he IS reading Tennis X and seeing the suggestions and thoughts people have (or at least that maybe one of his coaches is reading). I agree that his fitness seems fine. He can really grind out the wins. But he talked about being “emotionally” exhausted after DC because I think he felt he shouldered a lot of the burden of seeing Serbia through that tie. So the win meant a lot. Maybe he just wasn’t “in” IW mentally. He did seem to mentally check out, or lose focus, in a few matches. Sure: no doubt his form is struggling, has been uneven, and I am beginning to wonder if it has to do with having two coaches. Maybe he needs the input of JUST ONE. Either that or Vadja and Martin need to strategize and coach together so Djoko isn’t conflicted.


jane Says:

VM1 – good post on serves and what makes them effective.


Sean Randall Says:

Jane, Novak isn’t like the other “top guys”. Novak’s body doesn’t hold up well over a lot of matches. Federer, Roddick, Davydenko and others can handle the load of playing that many matches in that many days. Novak can’t. At least not yet.

Until he does he’ll need to pick and choose where he needs to be at his best, because clearly given his schedule he cannot be at peak for every event. And that should be the goal, shouldn’t it?

Re: the serving of Nadal and Isner. Nadal actually fared quite well against John’s serve. By standing in he cuts off the angle and height of the bounce, and he was effective doing so.

When Rafa’s serving, if he’s hitting his groundstrokes with confidence then it’s a mismatch. Rafa will eat up Isner off the ground which is what happened yest. Isner has virtually no chance to break Nadal unless Rafa implodes which he did in the second set.


NELTA Says:

I expected those type of serve stats from Nadal. On another thread I predicted Isner would win 1 set, but I said it would be in a tiebreak. I didn’t think Isner would be able to break Nadal, but he gifted 2 double faults in the 2nd set. His 1st serve was effective especially going into the body. The 2nd serve stats for Nadal are more about his baseline play than anything else. I would have liked to see Isner move his position to the left when returning serve and dare Nadal to hit a 2nd serve ace to the forehand side. Maybe he is just too slow and won’t be able to react.

Nadal’s return game was incredible(when he got the racket on the ball), but even so he was only able to break Isner once in the 1st 2 sets because of aces and big forehands. There were 3 break chances spread over 2 games. That’s hardly an abundace of break opportunites in 2 sets. It wasn’t until Isner went into a serving funk in the 3rd set that the break opportunities really piled up. It’s a shame that his serve broke down. I figured that would be the one thing that would be consistent all match. I expected him to maybe get tight and miss a few forehands or volleys.


skeezerweezer Says:

Sean,

I respectfully disagree about Rafa’s Implode in the second…

Rafa did do well against John’s serve, when he could get a racket on it. John also had 22 aces, pushed Rafa to 3 sets. Off the ground, yes Rafa controlled most of time, but John also had some monster FH winners. He is still raw. He also had a great showing against Nole in DC…Not bad for a youngin…..he has plenty of youth and growth on his side to get better. I have followed him since his college days, he is a determined monster :)
IMO I expect more good things to come from him….


sar Says:

He played to defend a title in Dubai and get that monkey off his back. He recently said in an interview that he knows he needs to work on his serve but his schedule is so packed that he can’t find time. I hope Vajda travels to the US because he feels more secure with him around-Paris and Dubai. I don’t think he’s won anything with Todd.

Can’t wait for Kleybs and JJ. I like JJ but Kleybs has the power.


Sean Randall Says:

skeezerweezer, I was referring to Rafa imploding in that one service game when he was broken. I don’t know what you would call consecutive double faults followed by gifting a sitter forehand then an unforced error to hand give the break. So for me “implode” is not a stretch to describe that game.


Mindy Says:

Voicemale1,

As usual, I enjoyed reading your analysis of the respective serving of Rafa and Isner. I did notice that Rafa won 84% of first serves and 72% of second serves. I thought that was quite telling. That’s when you know Rafa is doing something right.

I actually thought that Rafa kind of wore down Isner. After the match, Isner was quoted as saying that Rafa has a lot of “junk” on his ball. This was his first time playing Rafa and seeing that wicked spin on the ball.

Rafa’s mental lapse in the second set may well have been due to the pressure of playing a big server like Isner, where you must hold your serve at all costs or risk losing the set. That was the one blip in what was an excellent effort on Rafa’s part. Isner is the type of player who can give Rafa a lot of trouble. I am sick to death of hearing that Rafa can’t beat the tall, big serving guys. It was nice to see him get this win.


jane Says:

Sean, just wondering how you mean that Novak’s body is not like “the other top guys” exactly? He played more matches, and won more matches, than anyone last year. He got to quarters or better in pretty much every event he entered in 2009, save the FO. He is also rarely injured, whereas Murray, Nadal, JMDP and Roddick have all been injured lately (Roddick never used to be injured but he plays quite and bit, and has always played DC, and is getting “older”). If anything, I’d say Novak’s got a weaker immune system (which could be because of asthma -IF he has it) and thus tends to pick up viruses and the like. But his fitness has clearly improved imo.


skeezerweezer Says:

Sean,

Thanks for clarifying your post.

So it was one game?

I guess sometimes it depends on the way a person is seeing the match. I though Isner kept the pressure on with the big serving and Rafa felt it, they went 3 sets. I kinda saw it like Mindy suggested…

As Mindy said,

“Rafa’s mental lapse in the second set may well have been due to the pressure of playing a big server like Isner, where you must hold your serve at all costs or risk losing the set”…


Sean Randall Says:

Jane, Novak’s body (and mind) are just not built to take the day in, day out grind of the tennis tour. Physically, sure he doesn’t get injured much at all really.

But he has a lot of other issues – mental, emotional, psychosomatic, you decide. Asthma. Diarrhea and this week allergies troubled him.

After his win over Mardy Fish:
Q. You’re sounding very clogged up. Is it a cold or allergies or what?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Allergies, yeah.

The guy needs to either cut back on his schedule or toughen the hell up. If his immune system is week which it seems to be, why the hell is he entered to play so many events?


Ben Pronin Says:

Because he’s a professional tennis player and that’s what professional tennis players do. We’re too used to Federer picking and choosing his events however he pleases. But like I said, when he was younger, he was playing a sh*t load. Djokovic has a right to be emotionally drained and even physically exhausted after these past few weeks. He’s the second or third best clay court player in the world and you can’t be great on clay if you can’t handle the grind. Choose his schedule better, sure, but I think his top priority should be to get his game together.

I said this in a previous thread but Djokovic said Sampras promised to hit with him. Maybe if Djokovic stays in IW for a few days and meets Sampras, Sampras can help his serve.

Has anyone seen Todd Martin play on the senior tour? I’ve watched a number of his matches and his serve is quite odd because it is extremely abbreviated. But other than that, he does exactly what needs to be done during his motion. Why has Djokovic’s serve gone in the opposite direction Martin under MARTIN’S supervision? Rather strange, imo.


sar Says:

Nice match between Kleybs and JJ going on. I don’t think Kleybs likes the heat but I know JJ doesn’t mind. She won Cincy in brutal heat and humidity.

Sean, I think Novak is making a very nice living with his allergies, sh#ts, asthma, etc. If he does have asthma, then he should be commended for winning all that he has.

Ben, he needs to find time to work on his serve ASAP.


jane Says:

Sean, if Novak’s body and mind are “just not built to take the day in/day out grind of the tennis tour” then HOW ON EARTH COULD HE BE NUMBER 2? OR 3? He’s ended the year number 3 for 3 years running, which no one since Wilander has done. Heck, if he’s not suited for the tour, body or mind, how could he be even in the TOP TEN? What you say doesn’t make sense logically. He’s been on the tour for a number of years and is doing exceptionally well.

I have mild asthma, and I know that allergies and asthma often go hand-in-hand. Moreover, people with asthma are more prone to illness. I don’t know if Novak has it, but I do know that people with it can still be professional athletes if they manage it well, and like sar, I think Nole, no matter what his weaknesses may be, physically or mentally, is managing to “make a very nice living” while being very successful at it.

As for playing “so many events”, to compare him to the other guys in the top ten, he has not played that much more than them: only ONE event more than Roger, Rafa and Murray (all of whom have either been injured or sick, mind you) if you don’t include DC, and two more events than them if you do. Including DC, Djoko’s played the exact same amount of events as Roddick, Davydenko, and Gonzalez, and one less than Soderling and Cilic. So his schedule this year is about average based on the other top tenners so far.

It’s not Novak’s mind or fitness that is the problem Sean; it’s his serve. If he wasn’t constantly defending in his service games, then he’d be winning more easily, and not having to grind out wins (it’s admirable how much he’s done that in itself) so much, which would put less miles on his legs and less stress. Imagine stepping up to serve every time and not knowing if you’re going to hit a double or wtf? That’s got to be a bit taxing on the brain. So – to me – if Novak’s serve falls into place, he’ll be able to sail more smoothly.


sar Says:

I have mild asthma, and I know that allergies and asthma often go hand-in-hand. Moreover, people with asthma are more prone to illness

Jane, Sean’s just critical of Novak. If it were Monfils with asthma he’d be crying from the rooftops how great it was that Gael was able to get to number 2 with a breathing condition. LOL


stu Says:

I think Nole is the only one who plays all those events with integrity. Roger manages to bully his way out of them. Poor Rafa plays when he is not injured, but lately that hasn’t been very often. And Muzza is crafty about which ones he wants to succeed in, and which ones to tank. Novak lets his emotions – wanting to defend a title, beat RF in Basel, win the Serbia Open/ DC matches, heck even show Roddick who’s daddy – take over and wins matches that may not always be relevant in terms of points. The converse is true too. There was NO reason for him to let Roger have the USO semi on a platter like he did last year, applauding his every shot and giving him the GOAT treatment. That’s not what the Novak of 07-08 would do. The 09 Novak decided that that was the match he would prove to Federer that he _does_ respect his game. And now they’re friends again. With Muzza too, I have no doubt he has the talent, but not the mental makeup to beat him. My guess is that he can’t get over the fact that they used to be good friends on the junior circuit, and Muzz is an arch rival now (and acts like it). His fitness is fine. He just needs to stop being emotional about everything.


NELTA Says:

Ben Pronin says:
Has anyone seen Todd Martin play on the senior tour? I’ve watched a number of his matches and his serve is quite odd because it is extremely abbreviated. But other than that, he does exactly what needs to be done during his motion. Why has Djokovic’s serve gone in the opposite direction Martin under MARTIN’S supervision? Rather strange, imo.

– – – – — – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Martin had a shoulder problem so that’s why he has an abbreviated motion now. Funny thing if you take a look at some old video of Martin serving at Wimby or U.S Open it is very similar to the old Djoker serve.


Ben Pronin Says:

So why is he ruining Djokovic’s serve?


stu Says:

he’s jealous that Djoker has already achieved way more than he had at the same age.


sar Says:

he’s jealous

Stu, LOL too funny…maybe he is a double agent working for “westerners.”


stu Says:

maybe he gets a second, higher salary from a certain “westerner” :P


jane Says:

sar, what Ljub says is that Novak can’t aim to win at Dubai, DC and IW, so something’s got to give. This time, it was IW. That may be; it may be that in future seasons he has to drop Dubai or DC. But certainly leave off Rotterdamn, imo. However, I truly feel that if he was playing better and winning more easily, and so many of his matches hadn’t been extended the distance, then he may be good to go, even with both DC and Dubai in the schedule. It is a lot of flying around/time zones to cover in a short amount of time – from the middle east, to eastern Europe, to western USA, and as Ivan points out, change of surface, balls, etc. So that adds to things. MAYBE … the problem is also DC, and when it’s scheduled, as has been discussed here before.

But anyhow, he’s out and is onto Miami. Meanwhile it looks like Monaco will take the first set…


contador Says:

stu, c’mon. you know it’s all about the girlfriend. : ))

nole is worn out, happy and “in love.” didn’ t you watch those 3 videos on GTT? the Q&A “quickfire” one was telling. hear and watch his response when asked the most important thing in life.

ahh, so romantic.

then, wonder what RF would have answered at the same age. i don’t know, i am no expert, but i bet he’s have answered, “tennis.”

not now, of course…well i wouldn’t know but i bet RF would say his family….and breaking sampras #1 record, and…

rafa might answer, “family,” but that would actually equate to “tennis,” don’t you think?

to me, nole is a different animal than roger and rafa.


stu Says:

the ljuber is totally dominating set 2 tho jane!

contador, i did watch those videos. *sigh*. how can he be so lame on the tennis court and yet make me like him more? i used to think i was a fan of the sport rather than any individual player. and then came Novak Djokovic.


jane Says:

contador, “to me, nole is a different animal than roger and rafa.”

How so conty? ‘Cause he is a romantic? LOL – care to elaborate? Now what videos are you talking about you and stu; clearly I missed them!

I see that Ljub has taken control; I’d like to see the elderly statesman win here. : )


sar Says:

OMG Gimelslob is commentating on the Pico/Ivan match and he got a camera live shot of Murray doing core exercises on the practice court. LOLOLOL
What a fanboy.


contador Says:

didn’t davy have one of those quickfire Q&A’s and his answer went something like, making money to buy my wife diamonds and trips to the maldives.

*sigh* sexy davy…..hehee

who will win the match on now? i think lube will outsmart monaco in the decider.

about winning the title? i throw my hat in with sean randall and pick RAFA to defend his title. completely agree.


Kimmi Says:

Do you guys see monaco v Ljub match..Monaco is making exactly the same granting noise as Novak..I think…


sar Says:

I think Rafa will take his half and prob. defend but I’m always wrong.


Kimmi Says:

OK..i am wrong..now he is not doing anymore! aha i thought i heard something similar duh!


contador Says:

no, Jane. i don not care to elaborate, no, no.. *giggles* anyway, i would really embarrass myself. full stop. hehehee…

gototennis has the videos-3 interviews with nole, Jane the “quickfire” one is the one nole is asked what’s important thing in life.

http://www.gototennisblog.com/category/free-live-tennis-streaming/

this is where i get my livestreaming links but the “videos of the day” have the djoko feature.


skeezerweezer Says:

It all started here:

“Ben Pronin Says:

So why is he ruining Djokovic’s serve?”

And went down hill from there( or uphill in my case, the posts got funnier and funnier. Love love loved it…lol! )Tx everyone!


Long Live The King Says:

Reading the posts here, you would think Djokovic is the only player to have ever played DC.

Djokovic showed Roddick, who is the daddy? really? where? by retiring at the aus open? or getting his butt kicked by Roddick at last year’s IW?

or even better, getting booed by the new york crowd and have them look at him like a criminal in his next match against Federer.

There is one thing you can say for Roddick, win or lose, he lets it all out there on the court. Djokovic is light years away from that league.


jane Says:

contador – LOL. Okay don’t elaborate – I’ll go see the videos. Meanwhile WOOT! Ivan wins! : )

I said from round 2 that I thought Rafa will defend. For once, I just may be right on a prediction. That’d be a shocker.


contador Says:

hi skeezerweezer! how ya doin’

i saw a rumor, posted by a Gubis fan saying EG has withdrawn from miami.

anyone know anything about this?

or care?

maybe WTF network has the inside info?


sar Says:

Kimmi, I heard it during a long rally. Yes it was just like him.


jane Says:

LLTK: “Reading the posts here, you would think Djokovic is the only player to have ever played DC.”

I don’t think so: I pointed out above that a lot of the guys who played DC: Cilic, Tsonga, Monfils, Isner, Querrey etc are all out of the event.

As for Novak showing Roddick who’s daddy, well I agree with you LLTK. Novak may’ve won the match in NYC at the USO, but he lost more than he won there, imo. And since then Roddick has beaten him 3 straight I think. So I hear you.


stu Says:

LLTK, we know that Djokovic’s camp and Roddick’s have opposite views on US Open 08, so I’d rather not discuss it. The reason I brought it up is to illustrate how he let his emotions get the better of him (he did beat Roddick in that match = who’s daddy) at the risk of the semi against Federer, which I think was him displaying emotional weakness. My post had nothing whatsoever to do with Roddick.


stu Says:

“but he lost more than he won there, imo”

that was exactly my point, thanks jane!


Daniel Says:

I’ve said this before and will say it again: Nadal has never defended a title outisde of clay. I think he will remains like this, unless Robredo makes the final, then I will do a retraction.


jane Says:

stu, no worries. I think that was a bad turning point for Nole, as it lead to a lot of inner turmoil. But then again, something good came out of that tussle with Roddick and Novak retiring against him at the AO last year: Novak has not retired since. AND he hired a trainer and really worked on his fitness. So I guess that could be the silver lining in the cloud of that disagreement. And so in a way thanks to Roddick Djoko is fitter! SEE? That is why I like BOTH Andy Roddick, for telling it like it is (well, in this case using hyperbole or humour for effect) and Novak Djokovic, for learning from his mistakes, which is something I think he does well. He is not stubborn but he is open to improving and do what he needs to do to become better (which is also like Roddick).

conty – thanks for telling me about the videos – LOVE the quickfire one. <3


jane Says:

So Daniel, who do you think will win this title if not Rafa? Murray? Roddick?


andrew miller Says:

I like Roddick’s chances if the shoulder is OK.


Von Says:

jane: “I don’t think so: I pointed out above that a lot of the guys who played DC: Cilic, Tsonga, Monfils, Isner, Querrey etc are all out of the event.”

Let’s not go there please. Roddick has played DC every year, the Na tourneys, Dubai and IW, and and still played IW EVERY year. In 2009, he played both singles and doubles, reaching the SF in singles, and won the tile in doubles with Fish, who BTW, has a Bronze Olympic medal.

Isner was still playing in the tournament yesterday, until he lost yesterday to Nadal, who’s ranked a lot higher than Ljub. And, he’s still going strong in doubles with Querrey.

Ljubicic, at 31, is still in the IW tournament. didn’t Ljub play in DC? That said, your rationalization is flawed and what’s your point?? And, when Nadal and Roddick were playing DC, where was Djoko in prior years??

_________________
Long Live: Keep going, don’t stop. I love it!! Roddick’s not a Harley Davidson, he’s a Mercedes. LOOL


Von Says:

Ben: I don’t thiknk Martin is ruining djokovic’s serve, maybe his match strategy, but not his serve. The only person who can ruin Djoko’s serve is Djoko.


Ben Pronin Says:

Von, there’s no way Djokovic is single-handedly ruining his own serve. He’s been playing tennis for roughly 18 years of his 22 year old life. The serve, like everything else, becomes muscle memory. It takes some serious tinkering to change it. If it’s not Martin, then it’s another coach. Djokovic can’t randomly change his serve. Look at Nadal. He tried to, but he couldn’t stick to it because his service motion is intuitive.


Von Says:

“I think Nole is the only one who plays all those events with integrity. Roger manages to bully his way out of them. Poor Rafa plays when he is not injured, but lately that hasn’t been very often. And Muzza is crafty about which ones he wants to succeed in, and which ones to tank.”

Please tell me you’re just kidding?? Yes, Djoko played with integrity alright in DC when he retired and handed the match to Davydenko, even though he was leading. Yeah, that’s integrity for ya. Do you think Roddick would do that?? Hell, no way. He’s sat on the bench puking in between sets, and still took the court when he had to finish off the match.

Roddick is one guy with tons of integrity and has always given 100% for every tournament he’s played. And, yes, he’s the *daddy*, with the better H2H.


Von Says:

Ben: I agree with you about muscle memory, which is somewhat like instinct. If Djokovic decided a different approach to his service motion would be beneficial and changed it, then the muscle memory is established and remains that way, until Djokovic decides to change it, and only Djokovic and do that, as it’s his muscle and his body.

Nadal changed his service motion, but then went back to the other way because he felt his results weren’t as good as he would have liked.

roddick went to an abbreviated moltion when his should got injured. Muscle memolry can be changed, like most things and can be trained, but it takes times.


Von Says:

Kimmi: I know you posted on another thread, but I can’t remember which one, so I’ll answer on this one. You’re welcome. I have had a similar problem with my shoulder to Sharapova’s and even after two surgeries, it’s still not that much better. I don’t know how she does it playing tennis with such an injury.
__________________
Olly: Thanks for the good wishes. Sorry, I wasn’t watching yesterday and it’s why my keyboard couldn’t do any talking for your guy. However, I’ve got to tell you that it’s very temperamental, like its owner at times. LOL


jane Says:

Von, most players don’t win, win, win, event after event, other than Fed… and also Nadal on clay. Usually something has to give, as Ljub pointed out. That’s all I am saying. Players may win a couple of events then they may then experience a dip in form thereafter and go out earlier in the next event, especially if the events are all close together. Cilic also lost early at IW and he’s been on quite a run this year so far, in contrast to Ljub, say, who hasn’t won 2 titles already like Marin. The year Roddick won Dubai in 2008, he lost in the round of 64 at IW. Heck, even Fed has dips now and then after he wins a few events: last year after his amazing run through Madrid, FO, and Wimby, he lost unexpectedly to Tsonga in Canada. Then he won Cincy, made at the finals USO, and then had a bit of a dip in the Basel/Paris run. It’s normal. It’s tough for them to keep winning and winning. Eventually, for most players, it catches up. Anyhow, that’s my view. I won’t say more on it.

I agree with Ben that something has thrown off Djoko’s serve. It’s certainly gotten a lot worse.


Von Says:

“roddick went to an abbreviated moltion when his should got injured. Muscle memolry can be changed, like most things and can be trained, but it takes times.”

too many typos, and should read:

Roddick went to an abbreviated service motion when his shoulder got injured. Muscle memory can be changed, like most things and can be re-trained, but it takes times.


Ben Pronin Says:

I know it can be changed but players don’t just change strokes themselves, someone (a coach) has to give them the idea or show them how and whatnot. I’ve never heard of a player randomly waking up one day and deciding to change their motion. Not any legitimate player who plays serious competitive tennis, anyway. It’s only when problems occur that they change their techniques. Someone had to have told Djokovic his serve needed changing. I’m pretty sure it was Martin but I could be wrong.


Von Says:

jane: “It’s normal. It’s tough for them to keep winning and winning. Eventually, for most players, it catches up .”

I know that, but do you read your posts? Djoko could just finish winning one tournament, and when the next tourney comes around, you’ll say you want him to win that one also. What have you stated earier on today?, That you want for him to win a GS and an MS title this year.. Doesn’t he already have MS titles, so what’s the big deal for him to win another MS title this year?

I don’t think it’s the players, it’s the fans who are insatiable and can’t get enough of the wins. You used to complain about Fed fans wanting him to win everything, and you’d like to see the wealth spread around, but aren’t you doung the same for wanting Djoko to win everything?? Well, he can’t jane, because he’s not Fed, so be thankful when he wins and when he loses, just savour the good times, or else you’ll be coming up with excuses similar to the DC and everything else. Remember, all things in moderation.


Von Says:

Ben, changing a player’s serve could be mutual, coach and player. Or, it could be just the player who wants to try something new.

Djokovic’s serve has been slowly disintegrating, and it began before Martin was hired.


Ben Pronin Says:

It’s not like Djokovic’s serve was perfect before, so I can understand the desire to improve it on his end. But I think we can all agree that it’s gone the opposite direction of where anyone would’ve like it to go. I’ve always liked that Djokovic has a more elaborate motion than other players but now I’m thinking maybe abbreviating it wouldn’t be so bad. Anything that’ll improve his game, really, I’m up for it. I mean, it’s just terrible what’s going on.


jane Says:

Von, where are you getting the idea that I want Novak to “win everything!?” I have stated a number of times that I want Murray to win a slam and I’d love to see Roddick win Wimbledon, this year! That means all I’d like is to see Novak win a second slam, and while it’d be nice if it happened this year, it’d be fine with me if it happens next. Secondly, I openly said I’d be quite content if he lost early at IW and when others thought he could win I couldn’t even imagine it. Like any fan, I’d like to see Novak win a MS title and a grand slam because those are biggies, the highest achievements in terms the tour, and I’d like to see Novak do well. Never have I said I want him to be dominant and win everything.


jane Says:

Ben, very much agree with you @ 8:44. Novak’s serve has never been like a go-to weapon, as with Roddick or Fed. However, it was much more reliable in the past, when he could count on it in clutch situations, when he hit more aces than doubles, etc. Now, it’s like I cringe when he steps up to serve, lol. I figure it’s possible this is just a transitional period in that he’s learning to implement a new motion, and if that’s the case, then these may just be growing pains, which are painful nonetheless! Ay yi yi.


Ben Pronin Says:

But this transition looks to be leading down a dangerous path.

I’ll still never forget the 3 straight aces he served against Fish back in the 08 IW final. It’s been a mere 2 years since then and look at Djoker’s serve now. Go-to weapon or not, he could use his serve as a weapon when needed. Now, I don’t simple cringe, I also feel bewildered. I just don’t get what’s going on. It sucks.


jane Says:

Happily, all the ladies I wanted to win today, JJ and Stosur, have done so. With Aggy and Woz, I don’t care, as I like both.


Von Says:

jane: You’ve not come out and said directly: “I want him to win everything”, but there’s conversational implicature, wherein you imply, you’d like for him to win this and that, and the other. As I said, read your posts, and you’d see that you’re not being consistentent in what you say. Sure, the MS and GS are biggies, but as I said before, he’s got MS titles, so if he doesn’t win another, what’s the big deal?? I can understand about the second GS, but the MS, I don’t get it.

Anyway, I don’t care, who wins what. I’d like for my guy to win the one GS he wants and if he happens to win anything else, I’m very happy.


jane Says:

Ben, yep, it sucks. Not just with Fish; I did that other times, that clutch serving. Like he could pull aces out of his pocket at key or crucial moments. Now? No aces. Mostly Doubles. ugh. I hope it’s not a dangerous path, but it’s possible. I guess with change comes risk.


stu Says:

I think he needs to be allowed to bounce the ball as much as he wants!

Von, why on earth would you take what I said as a personal attack?! I repeat, my post had _nothing_ to do with Roddick and everything to do with Djokovic!


jane Says:

LOL. started writing … I’ve seen HIM do that at other times, but then decided to change it to he did that other times, but forgot to change the pronoun. *My* clutch serving is non-existent.


Ben Pronin Says:

Von, what’s wrong with wanting your favorite to win everything? Federer fans have been getting spoiled for 6+ years, why not other players’ fans? The big deal is that Djokovic has the potential to be a legend and MS are pretty important tournaments for legends, no matter how much some Federer fans undermine them. I don’t think Jane wants Djokovic to win EVERYTHING, but he hasn’t won all that much considering how capable he is. I’m not overly upset about Djokovic’s IW loss (even though him and Federer completely screwed up my bracket), but I want him to win one of the early season Masters. If not Miami, then one of the clay events. But the clay events are particularly hard with Nadal around.

As for MS titles in particular, wouldn’t it be great if Roddick won another sometime soon? I mean think about the confidence boost. It’s not like MS titles are easy in any sense. And recall when he won Cincy in 06 and immediately backed it up with a great USO final.


jane Says:

I don’t know why I want him to win MS events Von; I just do. I really haven’t analyzed it. But I like MS events a lot because all the top guns are there, and they’re kinda like mini-slams.

I don’t think I am inconsistent, but you’ve been telling me that for a long time. Generally I do re-read my posts (not always hence the typos and splleng errors, lol) and I try to fair in my comments. That said, my opinions on things change occasionally, which is fine with me. I can see different p.o.v.s


Daniel Says:

Jane,

I think one of Soderling, Murray or Roddick will win this title. Roddick for sure will play great tennis, as he is performing consistantly well lately. Murray can sure wins a master but is a litle “rusty”, if somebody is hot against him, he will lose, I even think Soderling will beat him, unless Soderling selfdestroy. if Soderling keeps his form and reach the final he will win it.

Nadal is playing too many moon balls and short balls, which implies that he is not that confident, not yet. Will see..


jane Says:

Daniel, thanks for your predictions. I hadn’t really thought that Soderling would get by Murray, but it’s true that Murray’s form has been a little rusty at times, up and down.

—————————————–
I notice that Roddick and Robredo are playing at 2:00 tomorrow with Murray/Soda after; I’d’ve thought they’d be playing night but they’ve schedule ladies, then doubles Isn/Querrey vs. Nestor/Zim.

When does Rafa/T-Berd start? Anyone know?


Kimmi Says:

daniel, its difficult to pick a winner at the moment. every match is different..Murray has not looked sharp I agree but he could bring his game tomorrow, who knows..he is been playing himself better in each round. I thought he was very good yesterday in that set with Almagro. Its a pity almagro had to retire.

Soderling and Murray played last in 2006..way toooo looong ago. So…Gooo Murray!


Andrew Miller Says:

Ben Pronin is right about Djokovic. Someone screwed his serve up and Djokovic went along with it. No player makes such a strategic change without tinkering – either their own or someone else.

New Serve: (More Complex)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcO5HHzDhy0

Old Serve: (More Compact)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLUxYxmOfnY&NR=1


Kimmi Says:

jane: re: Order of play tomorrow, I think to play at night will not be fair to the winner. Nadal and Lujb rest tomorrow so Murray and Roddick will play back to back days if they win their matches..semis are on saturday.


Von Says:

stu: I saw it as a personal attack on Roddick because out of nowhere the ‘big daddy’ comment was thrown it. If you didn’t mean to attack, how was that relevant? And, why even mention it? I can see where you want to make Djoko look good out of all the tip “4” guys, which i don’t agree with at all, but I don’t think it was necessary to pull Roddick into it, since he’s not a top 4 player, hence, why are you referencing Roddick and using the the ‘big daddy’ remark, if you’re not attacking him?? Where’s the relevance, stu??


Kimmi Says:

rafa/berdy starts at 7:30pm local time..


jane Says:

Kimmi, thanks, that makes sense. I guess Rafa/Berd and Ljub/Monaco played back-to-back yesterday/today, and the next set Roddick/Robredo and Murray/Soda will play back-to-back-to-back Fri QF, Sat, semi and Sun final.

Nice pic of Ljub at the ATP site with a huge grin; he looks so happy to be in the Quarters. Good for him.

I thought Murray started shakily against Almagro but then he definitely improved. However, I didn’t think Alamgro played very well either, making a lot of errors, and because it was only one set it’s tough to judge. However, given that Murray is such a good returner, I think he could nullify Soderling’s service weapon and that may see him through. I am looking forward to that QF.


NELTA Says:

Here is a video of the 2008 AO open Djoker vs Tsonga. The Djoker starts serving at the 1:50 mark. If you click the full screen button you get a better look at it. What I like about this ESPN2 vid is they don’t flash from a close up camera angle to the court view in the middle of the service motion(well they did do it a few times in the vid). Tennis Channel does this all the time and it drives me nuts especially when they do it right as the server is swinging. You have to refocus your eyes to pick up where the ball went and you don’t get a clear view of the entire service motion.

His arm goes pretty far back on the backswing, but the elbow does appear more bent and close to a 90 degree angle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mKx76T_RiM&feature=related


Von Says:

Kimmi: True about the amount of recuperation time, but that’s how the cookie crumbles, isn’t it, and some pundits feel that it doesn’t matter if an athlete is fit. i think differently and say it does matter. As a mater of fact, pam Shriver has said so on numerous occasions that it’s not fair to the athlete’s to play late at night in a SF and follow it up the next day with a good final performance.

I thank that Roddick does not benefit much from playing in the North American tourneys, because he’s 90% of the time scheduled to play in the night sessions and it’s not easy. Last year, he had to play Isner late at night in Legg Mason, while his opponent had a walkover prior to his match, then rRddick had to come back the next day and play a day match, which he lost.


Kimmi Says:

Nadal draw has opened up big time..that will be something if he wins this tourney without facing a top ten player..could be Robredo in the final..heheheh!


goat galz Says:

Here we go again. Von is destroying this blogsite. We finally get some nice new people on here and out comes the screaming banshee. Time for your meds, crazy one.


Von Says:

Ben:

“Von, what’s wrong with wanting your favorite to win everything? Federer fans have been getting spoiled for 6+ years, why not other players’ fans?”

Because jane has always said she’s a proponent of spreading the wealth, and it’s contrary to what I see her saying now, as it seems that she expects him to win all of the time.

Ben, it’s funny you ask that question, because weren’t you of like mind wanting Fed to win everything, so how come the sudden change of heart? Is it because you’re now a committed sjoko fan?


jane Says:

It’d be interesting to do a study to see how often the guy who plays the later SF (be it in MS or 500 events or even the later semi at the USO) comes back to win the next day. I am sure that the guy who plays later often loses. But it’s a touchy subject as one doesn’t want it to sound like excuse making. It’s just the way it is. But surely it must affect them a little bit. I know both times Djok lost the Cincy final (08,09) he had a late semi (both times versus Rafa actually) the night before.
——————————————-

NELTA, thanks for the posted video~! Will have to bookmark it and do a comparison the next time I watch Djoko play.


Von Says:

LOL, talk about Roddick always brings out the crazies. Ding, ding, pavlov’s bell’s a ringingggggg!!!


Kimmi Says:

Von, I agree, it is a tough one. Have you see women schedule for the semi..one semi starts at twelve noon, the other 7:30pm..for sure the winner of the night semi will have little time to recover. There is a danger of scheduling mens semi in the same way, it will definetly be a disadvantage if the night semi is a long fought out match (re:federer/baggy)


Von Says:

Kimmi: It’s all about ticket sales in the QFs, SFs, and finals, and the players don’t have much of a say in the schduling.

I think 24+ hours should be the norm for recovery time, not 16 hours.


Ben Pronin Says:

Because Federer has done enough to become the acclaimed GOAT. And considering his poor record at the MS events in recent years, there’s virtually no point in rooting for or against him, it is what it is with him. But the current young crop of players is incredibly talented and are all POTENTIAL legends, yet they continue to fail to deliver. Del Potro and Djokovic have won slams but Del Potro is injury prone. Murray still needs a slam. Djokovic, besides the asthma, is fit and flexible. He’s great on all surfaces. And he was finally gaining confidence at the end of last year. Now he’s serve is falling apart, he’s being pushed to final sets constantly. I feel like there’s no excuse for him to play as poorly as he is. He’s my current favorite because I love his game the most when he’s playing his best and I think he has one of the best personalities on tour.

I still don’t see anything wrong with Jane’s comments. She’s fair to other players 99.9% of the time. And if you ask me to find the 0.1% where she’s unfair, I wouldn’t be able to. But maybe deep down she would like to see Djokovic win everything more than anything else, I still don’t see a problem with that. She doesn’t preach Djokovic. When you have a favorite you’re going to come off biased even if try not to be, and I still don’t see the problem.


jane Says:

But I don’t “expect” him to win all the time Von. I was telling others he would NOT win IW, that I’d be surprised if he even made the QFs. Heck I was the one saying he could very easily lose to Fish (which you told me I was mistaken to think), and he certainly could’ve. That doesn’t mean I don’t want him to win some of the tournaments he enters, maintain/improve his level, or that I’d cheer for him to lose. I like to see him at his best level; it’s fun to watch him when he’s playing smoothly and confidently imo. That’s the good part.

Ben and I have had a conversation about this in the past, and I said to Ben then that if Djoko ever started to dominate I’d get tired of it and want others to win sometimes too. It’s nice to see different people winning AND it is also nice for me to see Djoko winning sometimes. And since one player can’t generally win all the time (barring a few exceptions, like Fed, or Nadal on clay, or Sampras on grass, etc…), it works out great. I don’t live by the “either it has to be this OR it has to be that.” To me, it can be both. Djoko wins some; he loses some. C’est la vie.


Von Says:

Ben and jane: I’m going to leave this topic now to you two. Ben, i’d love to answer your comments, as I think you have on blinders, but it’s not worth it to do so.

One crazy is already attacking, then there will be two more, I’m positive. Roddick is a hated word for some. It’s difficult to have a discussion on blogs where people want everything to be love and kisses, and no controversay or difference of opinions. That’s why there are blogs to air those opinions. How does one discuss different points of view?? Case closed for me.


stu Says:

Thanks for those videos Andrew Miller! That was awesome!

Von, I’ll try one last time to explain what I was saying, although even I will admit it was not all that profound :P.

I was trying to say – Djokovic WANTED TO SHOW Roddick who’s daddy – after Roddick made fun of him – and ended up jeapordising his own tournament, an HC Slam no less, in the process. An example of a time when he, Djokovic, let his emotions get the better of him.

Maybe it’s the word daddy that pissed you off, but I’d really rather contribute to tennis discussions than have to explain myself anymore.


Ben Pronin Says:

I don’t know what blinders you’re talking about. I don’t know why you get offended every time someone says something about Roddick, either.


Fot Says:

I see nothing wrong with what Jane said either. Heck, I wANT Roger to win every match! Since Djokovic is Jane’s favorite, nothing wrong with her saying she want him to win every match. We all know it’s not possible – but it’s what we WANT anyway! lol!

Right now, those who are left in the tournament – heck, I don’t know who I WANT to win! lol! I’m partial to the ‘older’ generation guys – the guys closer to Roger’s age instead of those 22-23 type year olds. But whoever wins – win.

It’s good to see Luby win – and he’ll celebrate his 31st birthday – I think – tomorrow.

I think Nadal will win his match tonight but as far as how close it’ll be will be determined by which “Berdych” show up. lol!

I know Roddick owns Robredo but Robredo has been playing pretty good. I still like Roddick in that match.


Von Says:

stu: No need to explain anymore. I wasn’t pissed off truly. Maybe it came across like that, but it takes a lot to ‘piss’ me off. Because of my field of work, I like to argue salient points. I’m a strong defender and it could be taken the wrong way by those who don’t know me. i even defend Federer and he’s not my fave. I’m the type of person, I argue, and after that all’s forgotten. Rest assured this discussion is now over. For you and Djoko, it’s moving on to Miami, and for me, well Roddick’s still at IW, along with Nadal and Murray, thus my interest is alive. do you have a preference as to who wins IW?

Take care stu.


jane Says:

I think that there are lots of differences of opinions expressed on this blog. And that’s why I like it. There is no reason why we can’t discuss differences of opinion while still being reasonable and even friendly. Over time these differences can even lead to changes in thinking. For instance, I certainly appreciated Long Live the King’s input above, agree with him on Roddick in fact, and wish he’d return and chat more.


Von Says:

Ben: I don’t know what blinders you’re talking about. I don’t know why you get offended every time someone says something about Roddick, either.”

Ben: aren’t you exaggerating just a bit? If I got offended *everytime* anyone spoke about Roddick I’d be arguing all of the time, as he’s been bashed by you and many others here. You’ve changed a lot since you’ve been writing articles. I’ve seen you become waaaaaayyyyy more offended than I’ve ever been, so please .
________________
FOt: Please read my post again. Did I say anything was wrong with what jane said? I’m saying that she’s not consistent with her wishes on some things, especially spreading the wealth around. You can view it as bad or good, but that’s my point of view, and I see it as inconsistent.


stu Says:

*heaves a sigh of relief*

I’d like Rafa to win, Von, because he is a fighter and he’s been a bit down on his luck lately. But the match I’m looking forward to the most is the Andy vs Andy semi. Since they’re both back from long-ish breaks, I have no idea what to expect from either of them.

Of course it will only happen if Muzza manages to get past Soda….

C ya tomorrow tennis fans!


Von Says:

stu: Thanks. I like your sense of humor, a dry one, but a good one.

Even though Roddick is my fave, I agree, Rafa needs to get to the final, as he’s had a string of bad things happening. I’d also want to see the Andys duke it out, as they’ve not played since Wimby and a lot has happenened since then. Enjoy the tennis when you watch.


Fot Says:

Von…calm down. I know in the past we’ve had our differences, but I wasn’t really saying what I said about Jane because you said something. I was actually commenting from what I saw Jane and Ben say! lol!

Remember, I said I’m pulling for the ‘older’ generation guys. I think Roddick fits into that category too.

OK… I’m getting ready to see the Nadal match. Now Nadal comes out in an orange warm-up jacket; pink head band and brown-ish plaid pattern pants. Not a good look (in my opinion). Did I hear or read somewhere that Nadal said he would retire those pants after this tournament? I hope so.

I think Nadal’s ‘outfit’ would look good if he had white pants on, or some color pants that’s in the shirt.

So…how do you guys feel that this match will go? I think Nadal will win but IF Berdych brings his ‘firepower’ it might be close.


jane Says:

Fot, I don’t love the pattern on Nadal’s shorts, and in a recent presser he said he thought the look was “too much” LOL.

I think Nadal will win. Maybe Berdych can win a set, but generally he kind of panics in those crucial moments in some matches.


Fot Says:

Right now, Berdych is playing too passive. If he keeps playing like that – Nadal will eat him up for dinner and win in 2 quick sets.


Von Says:

FOt: I’m not mad at you. All I’m saying is read my post as I thought you were agreeing with Ben, who has taken things out of context on one topic and merging my comments on onather topic on Roddick to the point of *exaggerating* with respect to my comments.

Give Rafa a break. I think Nadal is not into clothes and feels he’s playing golf, or maybe he’s been talking to Bud Collins with respect to wardrobe advice. Have you ever seen Bud’s outfits? LOOL, they are hilarous to watch. Anyway, Rafa’s pants are AOK, IMO, but it would look better with a solid brown/tan shirt and similar accessories. Or, a pair of white shorts would match the shirt. But, hey, he’s winning, so let’s call those pants his lucky charm. I love it that he’s broken out from the conventional and gone to Xs and Os. LOOL. Tic-tack-toe.


Fot Says:

lol! at Von’s description of Nadal’s pants. Yes I’ve seen what Bud Collins wears. I think Bud, Nadal, and John Daily (golf) all have been hanging out together at the same clothing store!

Nadal is off to a great start in this match. I think Berdych is in trouble!


Long Live The King Says:

Good points Von….. I don’t think Djokovic can ever match the integrity Roddick brings to each and every match of his. You never ever get the feeling that Djokovic is giving it his all in a match. I see that your posts have the loonies crawling out of their holes. Do not bother. Goat Galz has all the credibility of a 2yr old and that is being VERY generous.

Remember : Do not feed the trolls :)

Jane: I donot mean DC just this year, over the years, players have played DC ties and then given credible performances in tournaments that follow. Roddick is the best example. Never cites the DC ties as excuse. Djokovic fans shouldn’t either. DC is just one of the recent things. Over the years so many things have come into prominence just to explain Djokovic not being able to keep it together mentally and/or physically, long enough. they are all cited as “reasons” but excuses would be a more appropriate word. they are fast getting tiring.

I will give you a prime example : the madrid semi-final. Djokovic fans, including you bring it out ad nauseum to explain the slump that followed, yet just 3yrs ago Fed-nadal played a much more draining and longer match in rome and just went about the season fine. fed could have dwelled on forever about it, but he just got along with business. Djokovic doesn’t seem to do that and his fans follow suit digging up all sorts of reasons. and it is just one instant…..

Stu :

It is personal. You brought the big-daddy comment twice….. all for winning one match? roddick rightly called out djokovic for his antics and thank god for that! the retirements and medical time-outs were just inexcusable. good on djokovic for taking the pill, but he could have done it straightaway when Roddick tried to make it less pain-ful with humour, like only he can. yet djokovic had to go all drama-queen and make a big fool of himself. he learnt it the more-painful way with all the new york crowd booing him. and djokovic’s win was more of a loss and roddick was still the “big daddy” just so people in denial can get that point, roddick beat djokovic the next 3 times they played. I see there are people who still dont get the point.


Kimmi Says:

Nadal, is he baaaack or what!


Long Live The King Says:

Goat galz:

I think everyone knows who is trying to drive who away from this site.

A news flash for you : There are people with positive IQ you know. Just letting you know.

If you insist on being stupid, stick to your league and deal with people like “i like tennis bullies” and the like (unless that is you….). Von is way above your league and if you try to spit on people above you ( IQ and strength of character/integrity wise…), it lands smack on your face.

I guess sensible and intelligent posters around here know you are just the type to wipe your face off and pretend like nothing has happened. Unfortunately the thing is most other people here are smart enough to see through your moronic act. I generally dont deal with negative IQ people like you, but please grow up….. am sure we can bring your IQ to socially tolerable levels.

P.S: how the hell do you manage to run out of the asylum so frequently or do they give you internet connection in the facility? either way quite commendable, given your IQ or lack of it.

P.P.S: If you are not able to comprehend all the things I said above, I will come down to your league and tell you this

Please S T F U!


Rsutherland Says:

I really don’t get you anti-Nadal guys. OK sure he has some annoying habits (as do most). But he never screams and hollers nor whines ( as do some – and you know who they are) Also the guy fights so hard, always tries to improve and as a human being is universally recognized as a sweet and humble guy. ..just don’t get it, Alas…


jane Says:

Fot, Rafa has started quite strongly…

LLTK, well, I won’t debate on behalf of all of Djoko’s fans because they may differ in their views. But Novak has shown a tendency to get mentally bogged down by things, it’s true. He’s pretty mentally strong during matches overall; however he can let other things, maybe off court things, bug him too much. One example is the incident with Roddick that was discussed earlier.

However, w.r.t. the loss to Nadal at Madrid, I don’t think it’s that match in particular that lead to Novak’s loss of confidence or self-doubt. It was epic but it followed a couple of other battles in finals between Rafa/Nole last year. So it was probably a cumulative sense of frustration that he just couldn’t get past Rafa; his record versus Rafa on clay is similar to Fed’s. When players experience a tough loss like that I would imagine it can sometimes impact future matches, like a hang over effect, that’s all. Maybe some of Fed’s losses to Rafa might’ve had that kind of an impact on him at times, espcially on clay where Rafa kept thwarting Fed’s chances to win? It could be cumulative losses to one person or maybe one killer loss. Roddick’s loss to Isner at the USO last year could’ve been, in part, due to self-doubt after his marathon with Fed at Wimbledon. I don’t think that would be seen as an excuse. Just a truth that some losses may impact or hurt a player more than others, for whatever reason.

As for DC, the point that Djok may’ve worn out his legs after Rotterdam semis, Dubai win, DC 5 setters, and now IW still may be a valid factor. All players have different limits. That’s just the way it is. But the schedule was not really even my main point. It’s something Sean was talking about in the article, and also something Ljubicic talked about in his post-match presser.

As I said to Sean, imo, the main problem with Djoko is his lack of form, namely a reliable serve, at the moment, which means he’s had to grind to win. If he was playing well, he’d have more energy regardless of playing DC or winning Dubai.


Fot Says:

Rsutherland, people llike who they like! I bet the worse tennis player in the world still have fans! lol! Sometimes you don’t know why you like someone and why you dislike others…it’s just the way it is. Personally I have nothing against Nadal. Roger is my favorite. I don’t openly root FOR Nadal, but don’t really root against him either. He’s not not one of my favorites. But I admire what he’s done and have nothing ‘personal’ against him since I’ve never met the guy. *wink*


jane Says:

Kimmi, like I said since round 2 …. Rafa is looking good! Some nice down the line winners tonight.


Fot Says:

P.s I will say that Nadal is looking strong tonight.


contador Says:

no chance for berdie.

i finally have a match on a big screen! wooot!

thanks to FSN-idaho version. in shock.

rafa simply wears his opponents down, taking advantage, the ease rafa has of changing directions, playing yet another opponent who lacks speed…and the eyesore of those of those grunge pants is definitely intentional…briiliant.

vamos? c;mon berdie, let’s at least have a competative match

reality check. the only one left to challenge rafa at this point is muzz. rafa has to play someone who has moves well and has speed with a a great backhand = andy murray.

much as i’d like to have roddick or soda pop win the trophy.

break point berd? i don’t think so. rafa won’t let it happen….watch.


Rsutherland Says:

Fot –
Absolutely we all have our favorites and Federer has earned more fans than any of them. What makes me admire a player is the playing and the heart. What makes me ‘like’ a player is demeanor. Federer’s demeanor is quite classy so I get that. Nadal’s is sweet. But the behavior of some….OMG – just don’t get the attraction. I write this cause here I am watching Nadal again fighting (and never screaming when he blows a shot) with so much heart and feeling baffled by those who are openly against… “Chacun a son gout’…
I’m out.


jane Says:

After we all agree how strong Rafa is looking tonight, boom, he is broken. Ain’t that the way sometimes?


Long Live The King Says:

Rsutherland:

” OK sure he has SOME annoying habits (as do most).”

some? really? you can write a book on nadal’s habits. Like Douglas adams’ Hitch Hiker’s guide to the galaxy, it would be a trilogy in 4 parts, or maybe even 20-30 parts. you think he doesn’t whine? here is something to do….. go and kick his water bottles….. I have a feeling rafa will cry like a girl and roll on the ground if you do that :D

yea! he is a fighter, we get it. we get it so much that when we think of rafa, we think of armour and shield, knife and spear and all the works. Infact next time he plays, lets just give him a knife and take his tennis raquet away.

sweet and humble? universally acknowledged? you talked to the bird-man and soda pop regarding that? didn’t think you did….


contador Says:

no. i was wrong.

birdie did it. 4-4. maybe we have a match? can the czech hold?

i imagine rafa is not happy about now. rafa will break back.


Kimmi Says:

berdy breaks..really..cant believe it..now berdy get some confidence and give us a real match. We want a match like baggy v federer! impossible to get that, no?

No, berdy.0-40!! they don’t do it that way..sheesh!


Sean Randall Says:

Against Top 10 players Berdych is so damn weak. He breaks Nadal to get back on serve. Then if according to a script he immediately gets broken at love. Almost textbook for the guy.


jane Says:

Yep, we all have our own tastes, as Fot says and Rsutherland reiterates. Who knows why? Rafa is amazing in his fighting ability for sure; here he goes and breaks right back!

contador, very funny. I hardly think the shorts are a ploy. HA! Rafa himself says he is going to have everything changed for Miami because it’s too much.


Fot Says:

Maybe that’s why Berdych hasn’t won anything “major”?


jane Says:

Sean that’s weird with Berdych isn’t it? He rolls, literally cruises through draws, until bam! He meets a top ten or top five guy and he gets nervous or something. Is it mental? Do his tactics break down? Maybe both? I don’t know. But it’s too bad and I often feel sorry for the guy when I see it happening.


Fot Says:

Well one set down for Nadal – one more to go. He may go through this set something like 6-1 or 6-2.


Sean Randall Says:

After breaking back Berdych loses eight of the last nine points to drop the set. The guys is mentally challenged when he faces the bigger foes.

Now that Verdasco’s actually had some big wins, that leaves Berdych and Robredo as two players who never finish the job against the big names. It’s amazing.


Sean Randall Says:

I would actually guess a tiebreak in this one. Berdych has to feel so out of it that he’ll play well and play with pressure. Then again maybe he;ll get skunked!

Looks like a Rafa-Andy final. Andy Murray that is.


contador Says:

ah Jane , you know me. i’m mesmerized by the pattern. i can’t take my eyes off rafa and those…pants on shrooms; not his fault, nike made him wear. rafa could care less what he wears. he’s playing tennis, almost looking as good as he was last year against the czech.

nadal in 2. he may even serve a bagel or a breadstick is what it looks like to me.

i mean, EG beat birdie.

sean, you are so right.

next up for nadal? the ljube.

muzz has to get through soda and roddick, that’ll work in murrays favor.

at least the final has promise. murray can get a set off rafa, i think.


Kimmi Says:

Sean..Goo Andy M! I am worried about his perfomance so far..not very impressive but hope he can prove me wrong!

Berdy..this set is yours, c’mon! we want third set!


jane Says:

Gasquet is another player a little like Berdych.


jane Says:

contador, grunge shorts, shorts on shrooms. You’re cracking me up. LOL. It’s true Rafa doesn’t seem to care much for what he wears, but when asked this week about his looks, he had some funny replies:

Q. I have to ask, do you like those Nike shorts that you’ve got now? They’re certainly different.

RAFAEL NADAL: What do you think? You like it? (laughter)
No, no? Well, it’s different. I think — yeah, I don’t know. It’s more different than usual. (laughter.) That’s the thing, no?
It was a little bit fashion for me, I think. Is too much, a little bit for me, but going to be for this tournament.

Q. Just for this tournament?

RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah. I change everything in Miami.

Q. Many people liked the pink shirt at Roland Garros last year. They thought it was very, very nice. But because of the result we won’t see that shirt anymore?

RAFAEL NADAL: No, no, no, I’m not superstitious on that. The color of the shirt doesn’t affect anything of the game. So no, we will see in the future. I don’t know. I don’t know.
Similar color will be this year, but not at Roland Garros.


Kimmi Says:

oh noo, 15-30..no third set here..not looking good! berdy, you just need to believe!

Ok, 40-30 that is better! we could still have the third set! c’moon berdy

Duece..I lose hope


contador Says:

Kimmi. you are dreaming. i think.

nadal is sooo over berdie.

ohhh a lucky lob for the czech.

now choke point bird.


jane Says:

Well Berdy’s not having a breadstick OR a bagel for dinner. Good for him. Maybe he needs to dine on something more substantial.


contador Says:

ahh, another breakpoint for bird. hope lives

he got it, kimmi. wow, does rafa make him work tho.

you know this won’t, can’t last for tomas.

nadal can go on for 5-6 hours like this, unphased.

vamos! i say, only the muzza on hard court with less wind than last year can challenge rafa when he’s moving like this.


Kimmi Says:

“now choke point bird.” hahahahahahahahhhhhhh

never laugh this much today..that was classic!!

jane, love rafa interview..for some reason I don’t think we will see a pick shirt at RG!!


Kimmi Says:

the muzza has a mountain of soda forehands pop and Roddick serve before he can see rafa. Gooo Muzza


contador Says:

pink shirt no. who knows. nike seems to be on some sort of lark at a drawing board for rafa.

hmm, let me give that some thought.


contador Says:

nope the soda pop will fizz, fizzle on over, shaken by muzza’s return counter weaponry and speed.

now on clay? i think it’d be a different match-up between soda and muzz.


jane Says:

Kimmi, I think I’d like to see the all-Andy semi, even though Soda, when firing, can be a blast to watch, and a Soda/Rafa final could be exciting for the undertones of the match, or the buzz it might create.

conty, Roddick took a set off Rafa in last year’s semi, so who knows, he could challenge him here again?


Ezorra Says:

Rafael Nadal: “It was a little bit fashion for me, I think”

Poor Nadal… He thinks the short he’s wearing is “fashion…” I’m crying!


contador Says:

see rafa’s shirt is fine. he looks right in a t-shirt over the polo, i think. it’s the wrong pants. the lime shirt was okay. the navy squares better were than these alice in wonderland diamonds.

maybe paisley pattern pants for roland garros. color?

nadal is thinking in terms of winning each point. rafa not about to let bird have another game in this set.


Fot Says:

The one thing I wish Nadal would change (other than the pants) is the amount of time it takes him to serve one point to another. I’m sure he’s within the timeframe, but it just seem like a long time from one service point to another. I have time to read e-mails, bake a cake, and wash clothes by the time he serves another point. (OK…just joking..) But maybe this is why his matches (time-wise) are longer than a lot of other player’s matches. It’s not so much the length of the ‘playing match’…but the time in between points.


jane Says:

This be the match.


Kimmi Says:

here here here Nadal..15-40


Fot Says:

Nadal breaks, and I think this is the match!


Kimmi Says:

Ok, berdy break back here please..third set we want..c’mooon berdy


Fot Says:

Well guys, it’s been fun tonight but I have to go do some things. Talk to you all tomorrow!


Kimmi Says:

berdy could be listening to me..c’mooon berdy break back!


Kimmi Says:

berdy! salute..now dont fizzle!!


contador Says:

hahahaha, wow.

well, this looks identical to the first set. bird gets a break and needs a hold.


jane Says:

Wow T-BERD!


jane Says:

Night Fot – ttu tomorrow!


contador Says:

it’s not possible for tomas to prevent the choking. is it?


contador Says:

you are leaving now? Fot?


contador Says:

time for nadal to break


contador Says:

but no, t-bird is still alive. can’t believe it.


Kimmi Says:

at least beardy is listening..third set here we come!!


jane Says:

Kimmi, third set? I don’t know. Sean’s prediction of a tiebreak, with Rafa winning, just may be write. Wait a sec …. did I just write that Sean’s prediction might be right? LOL.

Actually Sean you got Ljub right – good on ya.


contador Says:

oh kimmi. you think birdie has a prayer for tie breaks? a mantra?

nadal is not going to fold.


contador Says:

sean doesn’t intend his jinxing. i don’t think?

all coincidence.


contador Says:

c’mon birdie! give us a decider.


jane Says:

No I don’t think Sean is sending out evil hexes. He just gets it wrong sometimes, well, quite a bit of the time maybe. I totally suck a predictions so I shouldn’t bug him. He always picks Fed, which bodes him well. : )


contador Says:

arrrgh matey, Jane.

not going to get a third.


contador Says:

no bird, no third


jane Says:

I can’t see it contador. Rafa’s Rafa. Inexorable and strong and uber focused.


contador Says:

wow….that was a great overhead winner from bird.

followed by a double fault choker


contador Says:

match point. damn that bird. i just wanted a third

vamos rafa….and a better match than expected jane, sean, kimmi, whoever is still watching.


Ezorra Says:

Yipppieee…


Kimmi Says:

OK, I was wrong but the berdy showed some heart..Goooo Muzza


jane Says:

Congrats Rafa & his fans (Ezzorra the shorts weren’t bad luck anyhow : P). A pretty well contested match – nice that Berdych played a good second set overall, and pushed it to a tiebreak.


contador Says:

congrats to rafa and all rafa fans. your man is BACK.


jane Says:

Sean you called it! You said the second set would be a tiebreak, nice foresight there. So since you said earlier you see a second consecutive Andy M/Rafa final, which one do you see winning?? Care to share?


Kimmi Says:

aarrrg! the commentators thinks Soda could pop Murray…*Gulp*


contador Says:

great quarterfinal.

can’t imagine the semi being this competitive but ljube is no slouch, ever…..he plays smart.

except the time he was ahead in that semi? last fall in paris and simon was playing on one leg and somehow beat ljube. deer in headlights, that time.


contador Says:

*burp*


contador Says:

they are wrong Kimmi. * double burp*


Kimmi Says:

let them be wrong conty! thanks guys for a wonderful company..jane Conty..good nite all tomorrow. Go Muzza


contador Says:

i say muzza in 2. first set kinda tight. 2nd, murray rolls.

roddick and tommy? tommy was bent over and green around the gills but still won baggy.

have to go with roddick. no contest.

murray over roddick : (

sad, but true. rafa/murray final is inevitable. like i know. but that’s how things look, right?


contador Says:

okay….i’m off to bed too.

thanks-kimmi and jane

a pleasure, as always.


Kimmi Says:

enough of the predivtion conty..enough..Go muzza


jane Says:

I think one of the Andys versus Rafa conty but don’t know for sure which one. I think I give an edge to Murray, for his returning skills. But it’s tough to call. Murray’s been a bit rusty here.

Anyhow, am off too, Night Kimmi and contador (is that like matador?). See ya tomorrow.


contador Says:

okay. i might like soda more but i pick muzza.

no worries. shhhh. i’ll be quiet. g-nite.


contador Says:

no. Jane. duro calls me cont-essa. my ego is enormous because of such flattery never known. :-) he thought i was a dude. hehehee

you know alberto contador, right? tour de france 2 x winner?

nite, Jane


blah Says:

I dont see why soderling cant beat murray. Hope it will be a close 3 setter. Completely contrasting styles.


Michael Says:

At the moment it appears Nadal is playing enthralling Tennis. I am hesitant to add the best superlatives which I might use at the end of the tournament. But judging the way Nadal is playing it will take a herculean effort to beat him and he will be the man to beat. I cannot see Murray or Roddick beating Nadal in the finals, the former because he is not at his best in the tournament and is also a virtual slogger. While Roddick may have the ammunition, but might lack the will to beat Nadal. You need to be overtly aggressive to beat Nadal and may be Soderling at his best in the finals could be the best answer. If it is Nadal Vs Soderling, what a mouth watering finals that will be.


Michael Says:

The Nadal Vs Berdych match was a very interesting one with Berdych matching Nadal shot-by-shot. But I thought his service let him down at crucial times and he had an average first serve percentage at 55% which is not enough to win big matches. The double fault at the tie break by Berdych when it was 4-4 made all the difference in the end. If Berdych had won that breaker, who knows what would have happened in the third ? But he didn’t and crumbled. However, unlike the Nadal Vs Isner match which was quite boring, this was quite an interesting one.


Michael Says:

Fot, I agree with you on the point of Nadal taking too much time between serves. He is not alone at the top and Djokovic too consumes so much time in between points. It is high time that the umpires issue a strict warning to these players to rush up their serves a little bit. Apart from lengthening the match, this delaying tactics also has psychological bearing on their opponents. I am quite surprised as to why the umpires are not making a serious issue out of this. This is really serious.


Daniel Says:

Damm, this was the best match from Nadal all year! He was hitting hard and deep, his forehand winners was insane, as the usual passing shots plus his return game. Very agressive and confident like I haven’t see in a while, chasing down everyball ike he didn’t have knee probems before.
I think now that Fed and Djoko are out he fet he need to win this title. Will see, i will stick with what I said earlier: Soderling, Murray or rod will win this title.


Mindy Says:

Daniel,

So how did you like all those moonballs and short balls Rafa was hitting against Berdych? NOT!!

However, I appreciate the fact that you are willing to give Rafa credit for his aggressive, deep forehand shots, his great return of serve and really stepping up when he needed to in that tiebreak!

You can stick with your prediction, but right now I like Rafa’s chances and the way he’s playing.


stu Says:

Roddick.

*waits for backlash*


skeezerweezer Says:

Jane,

Your post at March 18th, 2010 at 11:53 pm was very entertaining.

RAFAEL NADAL: Yeah. I change everything in Miami.

LOL…You could tell even Rafa didn’t like what he was wearing, no?

Congrats to Rafa fans btw…he is looking good otherwise….. :)

“Uh…


skeezerweezer Says:

Von,

Another hilarious post on Rafa’s outfit you posted March 18th, 2010 at 10:48 pm.

Sorry Gang, I seem to can’t get enough comedy on Rafa’s outfit, my bad. It’s even funnier when he doesn’t like it either. Now I’m all excited about what he is going to wear at Miami! Oh boy!

My prediction? “There will be no plaid”, unless he announces he has taken up another sport like Golf, Bocce ball, or……Curling :)

BUT, As Von was saying, if he’s winning, does anything else matter? He has the right to wear what in the heck he wants :)

You older folks …remember the Agassi fashion days……


skeezerweezer Says:

“Kimmi Says:

aarrrg! the commentators thinks Soda could pop Murray…*Gulp*”

Skeezer says: CLASSIC :) lol


andrea Says:

haven’t seen the nadal match yet but it sounds great. glad to hear he is playing at full steam….let’s hope his body holds out. how great would it be to get another epic GS final between him and fed this year????


jane Says:

Skeezer, I think it’s quite cute that Rafa, a guy who could normally care less what he’s wearing, or at least seems not to care too much (?), has hit a limit with his current ensemble. I always loved the old Rafa look best, with the sleeveless and long pants, but I am getting used to the new looks. Good point about Agassi’s fashion numbers; wowsa, he pulled some wild ones off!

p.s. Loved your quote “to laugh is to live” on the other thread! That’s why we need you around, our resident comedian. : D


margot Says:

contador: I just love your posts, you crack me up in a good way! Atta girl!
FOT: at AO I believe Andy M actually spoke to the umpire about the time Rafa was taking between points, which was very brave of him since they are good mates.


goat galz Says:

Oh Von there you go defending yourself with your sock puppet Long Live the King. Please spare us and get treated for your multiple personality disorder.

Stu Olly and other new posters, she wants you all to defer to her. Don’t be intimidated, she’s mad as a hatter.


sar Says:

Bravo JJ, good match. Sam was not on today.


jane Says:

sar, I am happy for JJ too. I think she has a pretty good shot at the title now; not sure about her H2H with Woz or Aggy, but one thing about Woz is that like JJ she plays great defense. Those two in the final could be interesting.


tenisbebe Says:

JJ got past Sam – good for her. Like JJ and thought she would turn the corner after she won Cincy in 2009 but didn’t happen. Perhaps the desert suits her but I really have not been bowled over by any of her matches thus far in IW until this one vs Sam. Good God – Sam’s inconsistency is oh so frustrating!


jane Says:

heya tenisbebe – long time no hear from; hope you’re well. It must almost be spring cleaning time for you? ; )


tenisbebe Says:

Jane – ha ha, you brat you! Was actually cleaning yesterday – 65 degrees and sunny so I can see the dirt! Today was doing yardwork – my crocus’ are coming up, yippee, I love Spring! This Murray/Soderling match is going to be a humdinger I think (and hope). How you be girl?


jane Says:

LOL. I be okay tenisbebe – I am in marking hell though, as am nearing the end of term. Am excited for it to be done so I can get MY spring cleaning done and then chill out through the summer. I can see cobwebs; there’s clothes that needs donating; windows need washing, etc… but still I have to mark. Sigh. I agree, this looks like it could be a tight match! Soda off to a quick start.


tenisbebe Says:

Jane – whoa is you…and your grading! I know what you mean about the cobwebs, etc.

Wow, Soda is on fire – really moving well.


tenisbebe Says:

Daniel says – “I think now that Fed and Djoko are out he feels he need to win this title. Will see, i will stick with what I said earlier: Soderling, Murray or rod will win this title.”

Well yes, of course since #1 and #2 are out Rafa knows this is a rare chance to steal a Master’s 1000 title & put himself back in the conversation. Soderling has proven to be a dangerous opponent for Rafa in the last 10 months but if it’s windy on Sunday (like last year), that will make things interesting. So you are picking 3 potential winners at the quarterfinal juncture? Hmmmm


jane Says:

tenisbebe, no kidding re: Sofa; he’s cruising around the court and hitting with mega-power. Hope Murray gets back on the rails here and makes a match of it.


jane Says:

oops = sofa s/b Soda obviously.


tenisbebe Says:

Jane, ha, ha. Yes, The Boy Wonder is definitely not a couch potato today. Murray opens the second set with a game, woo hoo. Ha ha, Doug the announcer on TC says “Murray certainly can’t play the second set as badly as the first…” and you can almost hear him adding “Can he?”


jane Says:

Well he’s broken now tenisbebe. Ouch. Chances for an all-Andy semi are slipping away. Not, Soda not a sofa at all today. Unless it’s one with wheels and a lot of power. : )


tenisbebe Says:

Jane – Doug said that Andy’s drop shop at 30-40, 3-5 match point was thoroughly audacious, Robbie added that yes, thoughtless, as if he doesn’t care whether he wins or loses (or puts up a fight).


tenisbebe Says:

Has Soderling awakened the sleeping giant?


Long Live The King Says:

Goat Galz :

Here’s a pity post for you :) Stu and OllyK are smart enough to know Von is a very sane person unlike the stupid beach you are. As I said, anyone with positive IQ will know that.

Time to come out with your aliases and talk to yourself. That Cindy/ Goat Gal circus would be funny, if it were not pathetic and sad. Didn’t anyone give you your meds? are you still out there, loose? Be nice and don’t bite anyone, alright? Not every one will be nice to you like Von. If you try your stupid insane rants on other people, they will kick you like the rabid dog you are.

God! it must be so sad, when no one bothers to throw you a biscuit, GG. I don’t want your insanity to affect more innocent, hence this pity post.

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