Nadal Eats A Bagel in Doha; Roddick v. Baghdatis Tonight in Brisbane

In an article dated Jan 5th 2011 ,also check out points to “Near Perfect Davydenko Foils Federer-Nadal Final in Doha” a 2010 article. It was so confusing when I read it without noticing the date.

January 5th, 2011 at 8:50 pm

the baghdatis-roddick match is out of my league for staying up for aussie tennis (non-roger late rounds, that is!), but it should be a great match.
as far as gulbis-rafa, i hope ernests can get another scalp and start playing up to his potential. i don’t need any new kids beating roger in majors or anything, but I really want to finally see these young guys succeed. so many hopes for so many talents just aren’t panning out, and even if your favorite player is not in this “young” group, you want to always see the sport growing, know what i mean?

roger sure as heck better wake up for troicki tomorrow. if not, he will be getting a little extra rest for AO tomorrow, whether he wants it or not!

January 5th, 2011 at 9:43 pm

Troiki played some mean tennis last fall. Glad he’s meeting Roger and not Rafa, although Rafa will more than have his hands full with Gulbis. Actually, Rafa needs to get rid of his bug and rest up for AO.

January 5th, 2011 at 9:57 pm

Oh, Nadal needn’t worry. Gulbis will choke, as he always does. If Federer hadn’t choked even worse in the third set at Rome, Gulbis would have lost there too.

I suspect Troicki will show no sign of the hesitancy he demonstrated in blowing multiple match points against Nadal last fall, or in squandering a two sets to one + break-in-the fourth lead against Djokovic at USO; he’ll play the tennis of his life and somehow find reserves he never knew he had, because everyone wants to be able to tell his grandkids that he once beat the best player of all time. Such is the price of greatness.

And if Nadal’s so sick, why on Earth is he still playing doubles as well as singles?

January 5th, 2011 at 10:34 pm

Federer’s crazy shot in real HD http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Y6p8e0XvlM

January 5th, 2011 at 10:53 pm

@Steve-o

Yeah agreed about Rafa, but Fed doesn’t look 100% either, saw him sniffing alot and blowing the nose…I guess whatever, hope it is short lived for both.

On another note, gotta give these two credit for playing through a pre lim tourney of sorts with AO looming and still giving it there all. They still keep there commitments, although in the future they should plan better( exho’s …errrr nada? ). Gotta be tougher on the Fed nowadays. If any of you have little ones you know what I mean. They catch anything and sometimes as a parent you feel they catch everything, and if they get it, you most likely will. It will be a different life for Fed now…..

January 5th, 2011 at 11:11 pm

Steve-O

Agree with you, Gulbis may choke but Troicky is a choker too, no?

January 5th, 2011 at 11:15 pm

“Well, when I lost the serve for the second time in the second, I didn’t fight anymore, because I say, ‘well, we gonna rest a little bit now and try my best in the third’,” said Nadal.

That’s the most shocking sentence I have ever heard from Nadal.

I wouldn’t say that such strategy for a normal player is not bad, but for Nadal, it’s bad. Nadal is feared by all his opponents because he never ever ever gives up. Until the ball has not bounced a second time, he goes for it.

Well, that’s good for his opponents to know his change of mind.

January 5th, 2011 at 11:19 pm

@GG

Yah I was a little unsettled to hear that from the “Heart of a Lion”. But alas, we all are human, no?

Still, it can go both ways. a sign of maturity in his game management or a weakness for his eventual opponents…

January 5th, 2011 at 11:29 pm

Troicki’s won Davis Cup recently, that will surely give him an extra shot of confidence.

I don’t know how sick Federer is, but it doesn’t seem too bad for him at the moment. Hope it doesn’t get worse.

January 5th, 2011 at 11:33 pm

i’m predicting soda pop taking out roddick in the brisbane final – that should help sean whet his appetite for eating his words all year ;)

wreck.

shop.

soda.

:)

January 6th, 2011 at 1:16 am

Who’s been keeping an eye on nole at hopman cup? I know its not the stiffest competition, but he is looking GOOD.

January 6th, 2011 at 6:29 am

Roddick CRUSHED baghdatis. did not expect this..wow!

January 6th, 2011 at 7:07 am

Kimmi- did you get to see the match at all? I still couldn’t find men’s Brisbane on.live stream. But I was happy to see roddick playing so well. Man, I wish he could bring home one more slam for double Decker.

January 6th, 2011 at 8:13 am

dari – did not, just saw results this morning. expected a closer match. looks like roddick is slowly but surely getting back to his old self.

tsonga with 2 set points. set!

January 6th, 2011 at 8:31 am

so far troicki no chance in this first set

January 6th, 2011 at 10:21 am

missing big points federer..c’mon

January 6th, 2011 at 10:32 am

missing more big points..aaah!

January 6th, 2011 at 10:42 am

missing another and another big point

he is getting a lot of them though

January 6th, 2011 at 10:49 am

he breaks….eventually! i mean troicki cant expect federer to keep missing.

January 6th, 2011 at 10:52 am

triocki cant hurt federer today. nothing! federer is cruising in his service games. federer gets a break point in almost every tricki service games. this match could have ended a long time ago…

commentator saying ia almost like fededer exhibition…i agree!

January 6th, 2011 at 10:56 am

federer keep missing though. missed 2 match points

January 6th, 2011 at 10:59 am

ok, third match point coming up.

game set match federer…6-2 6-2

January 6th, 2011 at 11:00 am

ok..lets see how many break points federer got today ..16 break point!

he converted 4…good enough!

good luck with tsonga tomorrow!

January 6th, 2011 at 11:04 am

Yeah Fed is playing better….still..doesn’t seem like a happy guy again today for whatever reason…or maybe its just me…

Anyways 15/19 Net Points won….transition game coming around….like it :) !!!!

January 6th, 2011 at 11:04 am

@Kimmi

Is Rafa vs “Wild Thing” up next?

January 6th, 2011 at 11:05 am

yes. the bull and “wild rhing” next. lets hope rafa is feeling better today.

go gulbis, i know you will lose but pls give us a match!

January 6th, 2011 at 11:08 am

nishikori still kicking butt in chennai. beats falla 4-6 6-3 6-2

January 6th, 2011 at 11:11 am

Agreed. Let’s hope Rafa is feeling better and “Wild Thing” keeps the ball in play today…. ;)

January 6th, 2011 at 11:12 am

Congrats to Nole and Ana for reaching the Hopman Cup final. Chennai is getting down to the wire now, with Tipsy, Hasse, Nishikori, and like Wawrinka being the final four. I see Cilic is still alive in doubles so at least he is still getting some play. Fed is still winning, and TSonga is through, although I think when TSonga faces another good server his chances are not quite as great as against someone whose serve is less consistent. Roddick did great against Baggy by the looks of it, and I think he beat him last year here too.

January 6th, 2011 at 11:30 am

Oops forgot some people in Chennai; I think Berdy is still in there too. I can’t see Tsonga being any trouble for Fed. Tsonga just isn’t a consistently good returner so he will make no dent in Fed service games if Fed’s serving as well as he did today. The only time Tsonga beat Roger it took a rather huge unraveling on Fed’s part.

January 6th, 2011 at 11:35 am

margot sounds like Soda has been practicing his volleying with his new coach:

*World No. 5 Robin Soderling believes he is ready to break the Federer-Nadal dominance at the Grand Slams in 2011 and finally lift one of his own. The two-time French Open finalist has never advanced past the quarterfinal stage at any of the other three majors. But the 26-year-old will be hoping that he can improve that record under the watchful eye of new coach Claudio Pistolesi. He has never advanced past the second round Down Under and insists this must improve. “I still feel I can improve and become a better player,” said the Swedish No. 1. “If I can do that then I’m pretty sure I have a good chance to do well this year. [During the off season] I tried to do a few things. I tried to work on playing a little bit more aggressively, coming into the net a little bit more.” He also laughed off the supposed gulf in class between the Top 2 and the chasing pack. “I never felt that the gap was very big,” said Soderling, who defeated Nadal (2009) and Federer (2010) en route to his only Slam finals appearances. “There are a lot of very good players and I think there are 10 or even 15 guys who can win the big tournaments like the Grand Slams. Of course, Roger and Rafa will always be the favourites in every tournament they play in, but I think there are a lot of players who have a chance to beat them.” (source tennis grandstand)

January 6th, 2011 at 11:43 am

0-40 gulbis…gulbis with break points

January 6th, 2011 at 11:56 am

back on serve. hmmm, crunch time now!

January 6th, 2011 at 12:02 pm

Rafa/Gulbis match heating up 4 all in the 1rst…

January 6th, 2011 at 12:02 pm

nadal serve hips of break points. wow! he came up with some wow shots

January 6th, 2011 at 12:07 pm

Gulbis is not fading today, at least not so far. He can be such a great player to watch, his forehand especially is crazy good when it’s clicking.

January 6th, 2011 at 12:08 pm

tie break! gulbis doing well to hang in there!

January 6th, 2011 at 12:23 pm

grrrrr! brain cramp! ernie!

January 6th, 2011 at 12:26 pm

nadal was nadal in the tie breaker. gulbis was gulbis..silly drop shot cost him.

January 6th, 2011 at 12:32 pm

And Rafa takes the 1rst. Rafa, at crunch time, as usual, keeps the ball in play, as if to say “I am gonna keep it in….are you?”

January 6th, 2011 at 12:33 pm

Glupis has everything, except patience. Pity.

January 6th, 2011 at 12:34 pm

When I watch him now, I have to reconsider. It’s not a question of patience, but he is not well placed.

January 6th, 2011 at 12:46 pm

ernie should leave the droppers in the locker room

now 15-40..nadal breaks here..that it ernie

January 6th, 2011 at 12:54 pm

Gulbis is a mental case, almost depressive.

January 6th, 2011 at 12:55 pm

nadal breaks. layani is getting blasted by commentators. poor officiating on that break point

January 6th, 2011 at 12:58 pm

Sometimes with Gulbis it seems like lack of hunger to win also. Does he really want to dig down and fight with all his might to win, or does he want to coast on his incredible talent? Seems to me he needs to have both good motivation and the talent to get into the top ten. (which I probably stupidly predicted he could…sigh, Ernie).

January 6th, 2011 at 1:00 pm

Wow, What a get from Nadal with this volley!

January 6th, 2011 at 1:01 pm

But then again, Nadal is Nadal, and he ain’t number one for nothing! So kudos to Gulbis for keeping it close. Don’t mean to be too hard on him.

January 6th, 2011 at 1:03 pm

Indeed, Jane. Rafa is playing exceptional tennis. Gulbis is playing quite well too.

January 6th, 2011 at 1:08 pm

I have the impression that Gulbis has problem with balls he hits on the run, especially high on the backhand. With his size, he is a bit slow when changing direction.

January 6th, 2011 at 1:11 pm

congrats to rafa. gulbis is always tough. unpredictable. rafa was ready for the task

January 6th, 2011 at 1:25 pm

nadals antibiotics are very strong i guess lol

January 6th, 2011 at 1:27 pm

Ah, this is where u guys r!
jane@ 11.43 ROL, ROL and ROL again! Fish and bicycle?

January 6th, 2011 at 1:32 pm

Missed all matches today :(
Good to hear improvements from both Rafa and roger. Was there a call placed between them last night deciding to pick up the pace? :)

January 6th, 2011 at 1:40 pm

davydenko breaks dr. ivo early on. NELTA, you are so right. dr.Ivo streak of going without getting broken ends here. with davy.

Go davy! take the set then break again in the second set!

January 6th, 2011 at 1:52 pm

@dari,

Inside unreliable sources say they shared some chicken noodle soup and a steam bath last night, feel much better today……

January 6th, 2011 at 1:54 pm

dr. ivo looks a little bigger. i think he is put on a little weight. maybe muscles…

January 6th, 2011 at 1:55 pm

wow! dr. ivo generated 2 break back point. his FH is big..he must have trained so much on his all court game. he is actually better now..i think

January 6th, 2011 at 2:06 pm

davy saved break point and takes the first set

January 6th, 2011 at 2:08 pm

Ivo definitely looks heavier which can’t be good for his movement. He still hasn’t been able to break anyone’s serve yet.

What if Ivo and Isner meet at Wimbledon this year?

January 6th, 2011 at 2:49 pm

margot, well you can’t fault Soda pop for lack of confidence, anyhow. ;)

January 6th, 2011 at 3:07 pm