Federer, Nadal Breeze In Basel; Murray, Ferrer Advance In Valencia

Wouldn’t say Murray had “no trouble” against Melzer, he was broken three times and only won 6 points on his second serve!

October 22nd, 2014 at 10:03 pm

So is Nadal in Basel to battle appendicitis or to battle in Tennis? Funny how the hype wants to confuse the 2. Either your fit play and you play to win, or you’re not. No excuses either way. Unless you’re just here to collect an appearance fee….doh!

October 22nd, 2014 at 11:41 pm

An uneven match – brilliant shots alternating with loose ones. I hope, and expect, that Andy will be more settled against Fognini. Melzer showed some impressive racquet-smashing skills; I wonder what the Italian will get up to this time. Let’s hope he doesn’t give the crowd the finger again!

October 22nd, 2014 at 11:42 pm

It is heartening that both the Champions posted emphatic wins at Basel. May be, we will be witness to a Roger vs Rafa final after quite sometime ?

October 22nd, 2014 at 11:50 pm

is Nadal really have appendicitis?

Appendicitis is a medical emergency that requires prompt surgery to remove the appendix.

Left untreated, an inflamed appendix will eventually burst, or perforate, spilling infectious materials into the abdominal cavity.

October 23rd, 2014 at 1:38 am

@ pogi : look up “chronic appendicitis”. It used to be called “grumbling appendix”.

October 23rd, 2014 at 2:35 am

Pogi is way out of the loop on this one……I guess has been on walkabout……lol

October 23rd, 2014 at 3:45 am

skeezer. Appearance fees are good, no? Nothing for fed? :(

October 23rd, 2014 at 6:21 am

Pogi, with current technology (CT scan) appendicitis can be differentiated into 2 types, one that needs emergency appendectomy and one that can be treated with antibiotics. The latter is called uncomplicated appendicitis. This is most likely Nadal’s case.

October 23rd, 2014 at 10:15 am

I think Rafa might have had the appendix issue before Shanghai. If you remember, shortly before the Shanghai tournament, he dropped out of the off-season exhibitions stating health reasons, even though he was returning to the tour around the same time he made that announcement.

October 23rd, 2014 at 10:48 am

@RZ…….^^^^^ You are right, I had forgot all about that, I remember thinking at the time it must have been the wrist, but very will could have been the onset of the appendicitis.

October 23rd, 2014 at 11:22 am

Didn’t Rafa play an Exo with Tsonga in Kazakhstan?? What other Exos was he scheduled to play?

October 23rd, 2014 at 11:30 am

Andy Murray, you little beaut!
Comms were very appreciative, saying coming back from a back op was a “huge ask” and what Andy is doing at the mo is “remarkable.”
Also commenting on how well he’s moving, back to pre op. speed.
Go Andy!

October 23rd, 2014 at 11:46 am

Always nice to see the Big 4 doing well. Djokovic still in peak form in spite of the distractions, Federer resufacing with a solid semblance of his old formidable form, Nadal still scary good and Federer’s kryptonite no matter what physical ailment ravages his body, and Murray starting to show focus and determination again (I believe his quest to make it to the YEC has beautifully reset his brain). I hope they all play in the YEC and may they all play their best. And may the best man win. Of course, I hope that would be Federer.

October 23rd, 2014 at 12:06 pm

@Giles – Rafa was scheduled to play in the new International Premier Tennis League during the off-season but withdrew due to health reasons. The story of his withdrawal was overshadowed somewhat by the announcement that Federer replaced him, followed by Fed’s “photoshop RF” twitter challenge.

Here’s one of the articles that mentions “health problems”: http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/09/22/tennis-league-nadal-idINKCN0HH14720140922

October 23rd, 2014 at 12:11 pm

@Margot – yay! Now that Berdych lost early, I really hope that Andy makes a move and wins Valencia to move ahead of Berdych.

October 23rd, 2014 at 12:13 pm

@RZ. Didn’t realise you were referring to the IPTL Exos. He withdrew due to his wrist problems. The appendix issue only surfaced in Shanghai just before the start of the tourney. He didn’t have any problems prior to that.

October 23rd, 2014 at 12:28 pm

@Giles – from what I read, it sounds as if the official reason given was “health reasons” which could mean a lot of things. It could be both, really.

October 23rd, 2014 at 12:29 pm

^ The point I’m trying to make is that while we didn’t know about the appencitis until Shanghai, we don’t know for a fact that Rafa didn’t know about it before then, especially with the type of appendicitis he has. I know if I were a pro athlete, I’d keep as much info as possible to myself about injuries, illnesses, etc. Of course all of this is pure speculation on my part (and in the grand scheme of things it doesn’t matter when he knew), but I’d think he would have withdrawn due to a wrist injury rather than “health problems” if it was the wrist.

October 23rd, 2014 at 12:33 pm

Polo what can you read into Rafas form though,especially as hes only beaten qualifiers?i suppose we will see where hes really at,when/if he faces a challenge of a top 10 player,anyway ill look at the glass half full and simply say,well at least he didnt get beat by a qualfier,and one cannot do anymore than win….

October 23rd, 2014 at 12:33 pm

@RZ……Thank you for your reply to Giles, I was getting ready to send a comment myself and now I won’t have to……you’re on the ball, even more than Giles!! Lol

October 23rd, 2014 at 12:37 pm

Hippy Chick, I noticed than when Nadal loses, it is often in the early rounds and usually to someone you least expect to beat him. He does better with top caliber players, maybe because he knows exactly what to do to beat them. His next opponent is somewhat unknown, so that could be interesting. If he passes that and eventually gets to the finals and if the other guy is Federer, I know who a betting man would put his money on.

October 23rd, 2014 at 12:59 pm

Polo lol your not saying who the betting man is putting money on though?anyway i would say Roger ATM,as hes the form player,but funny how Rafa more often that not is a pain in the ass for Roger,anyway tennis is always the winner when/if those two meet….

October 23rd, 2014 at 1:08 pm

Hippy Chick, Roger vs Rafa? You can throw away the form.

October 23rd, 2014 at 1:14 pm

Polo exactly all bets are off….

October 23rd, 2014 at 1:21 pm

Considering the venue and the current form of both, the intelligent money should be on Roger over Rafa.

I think it is more likely that Nadal won’t make the final.

October 23rd, 2014 at 1:22 pm

Roger just played the first set of his match against Istomin as if he has appendicitis.

October 23rd, 2014 at 1:26 pm

@Polo – I had to look up the score because I couldn’t tell if you meant he won it easily or lost it. Hoping he can turn the match around.

I’d love to see Rafa play Goffin.

October 23rd, 2014 at 1:29 pm

“I’d love to see Rafa play Goffin.”

So would I. Not least because that will mean he knocked out Raonic ;) Donald Young had chances today but had so many brainfarts.

Very interesting scenario in Basel right now. For the second year in a row, Istomin takes the first set from Roger. He’s good at these early charges but he tends to burn out before he can finish the job.

October 23rd, 2014 at 1:33 pm

News flash: Federer broke to go up 4-2 in the second set.

October 23rd, 2014 at 1:44 pm

Fed just needs to save several match points, and then the tournament is his!

October 23rd, 2014 at 1:46 pm

Just as I predicted, Fed wins after Istomin fades away. The 2/12 BPs converted isn’t encouraging but Fed fans can breathe easily: he lives to fight another day. Fun match.

October 23rd, 2014 at 2:43 pm

Yeah, one of Fed’s weaknesses is a poor BP conversion rate. Seems to come up a lot, whether he wins or loses.

October 23rd, 2014 at 2:45 pm

A wake up call for fed. Both popsy n dimi r way better players than istomin….if he loses the first set again, I can see him packing.

But if roger wins his next match, thats like a free pass to his 9th straight final at basel. Buf if he wants to win basel, he better wish that its not rafa the other side. Coz, no matter how bad rafa is playing or struggling against other players….if he sees roger across, he smells blood.

I dnt have to guess the winner, if fed n rafa lock horns in the finals….its that simple, IMO of course.

October 23rd, 2014 at 2:50 pm

Fed is through in 3. Thought Istomin gave Fed a tough challenge today, he played very well. Fed was off in the beginning, but the 3rd and 4th sets were very hard fought by both. Ultimately at key times Fed conjured up the magic stuff. Onward!

October 23rd, 2014 at 3:26 pm

“He didn’t have any problems prior to that.”
LOL.

October 23rd, 2014 at 3:29 pm

@Chick

Are you torn between two lovers??? Andy or Foggy?? LOL. Kidding of course…..I know your heart is with Andrew but your eyes swooning over the handsome Italian stallion!! Tee hee

C’mon Andy……I think he’s cute……charming personality! Love to hear Andy talk and his interviews are so good!!

October 23rd, 2014 at 3:46 pm

I’m with you there Perfect Fan. Federer against Nadal, sore wrist, bad knees, appendicitis and all, the safe money is still on Nadal. As you said, facing Roger, Nadal smells blood while Roger simply bleeds. It’s one of the world’s greatest mysteries.

October 23rd, 2014 at 3:57 pm

Federer is his pigeon, this is why.
Vamos Rafa!

October 23rd, 2014 at 4:02 pm

“but the 3rd and 4th sets were very hard fought by both”.
Lol. Was there a 4th set? Is Basel 500 a grand slam ?

October 23rd, 2014 at 4:06 pm

Looks like fed got the job done in 4. Well done fed!! LMAO!

October 23rd, 2014 at 4:10 pm

@Giles: lmao, seems like someone played truant when it was medication time as their mind sure has suffered: seeing 4th set when the world only saw 3,lol!

October 23rd, 2014 at 4:23 pm

Is Pospisil overrated? Many commentators and posters praise him but from what I’ve seen, he falls very short of those compliments.

October 23rd, 2014 at 4:33 pm

If Federer and Nadal are to meet in Basel final, and I think they will, my money is on Nadal.

October 23rd, 2014 at 4:39 pm

ok ok it was the 2nd and 3rd obvious typo.

October 23rd, 2014 at 4:58 pm

@Skeezer….I thought for a moment you were addressing me!! Ok, short for Okiegal?? I scrolled up and learned it wasn’t for me!! Lol

October 23rd, 2014 at 6:16 pm

:( :( :( :(

Caught some of the highlights of the dimi-popsy match….gotta say, the baby fed has really grown up into a man.

His quality of play, the scoreline of 6-2 6-2 and the earlier fed match all clubbed together….has built up into a migraine now.

Fed gotta pull up his socks for this dimi match….or else I can see him drop paris and gliding on red dirt for the dc preps.

October 23rd, 2014 at 10:10 pm

Okiegal @October 23rd 3.46pm,lol yeah so pleased for our Andy(Charlton Heston),hes playing well again,so i hope he wins this week,but also gains points for a high seeding next year at the AO,whether or not he qualifies for the WTFs remains to be seen,but id just like to see him end the year on a high.
As for fabulous Fabio,well hes a headcase,thats done some things that are unsportsman like to say the least which i would never condone,but he has alot of talent,but just needs to apply himself better,he outplayed our Andy in the DC earlier on clay this year,so there is alot of potential,failing that he has the looks and carisma to become a filmstar if all else fails,alongside Mr Jackman,two for the price of one lol :P….

October 24th, 2014 at 5:25 am