Murray Wins In Munich Clay Debut, Thiem Crushes Fognini; Federer Friday In Istanbul

ha ha – that picture of andy in the tub.

April 30th, 2015 at 8:20 pm

anna wintour loves her some tennis: nick the kid gets a vogue feature!

http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2015/04/17/Kyrgios-Vogue-Open-Court.aspx

April 30th, 2015 at 9:26 pm

jane, thanks for posting it, nice read. There is one thing that doesn’t fit his personality but yet he says it’s perfect for him:

Vogue also describes Kyrgios’s lifestyle as “decidedly small town”, with the Australian returning to his hometown of Canberra – “My favorite city in the world… It’s perfect for me”

Canberra is the most boring town for I’ve been in, it is a capitol, administrative center, full of concrete and glass, new buildings and round abouts, in winter fricking dry freezing and in summer hot with no breeze whatsoever. On the weekend looks like a ghost town, apart of Chinese tourists you can’t see a soul in the city. They are either in their suburban homes or in Sydney. It just doesn’t fit his personality that I have seen so far, but maybe he is mama’s boy and can’t live far away from his family.
If there are Canberra people reading this, sorry but said the same thing to my friends living in Canberra, but they say the love it overthere. Probably because Sydney is close enough so they can come here on weekends to taste real life;)

April 30th, 2015 at 10:14 pm

no problem wog boy. yeah, nick doesn’t seem like a suburban or small town fella. anyhow, i just think it’s great that vogue continues to tirelessly promote tennis.

April 30th, 2015 at 10:24 pm

Wog Boy – 3 questions…

1) So, Kyrgios is WRONG then; he can’t have an opinion?

2) Do you think as he matures and grows older he will become wiser and dislike his current favourite city?

3) in your verbal painting of the apocalypse that is Canberra you describe the only souls in the city being not just tourists, but “Chinese” tourists. Is that a worse kind of tourist?

May 1st, 2015 at 10:09 am

looks like fed had a tough go of it today. didn’t see the match, but two tiebreakers. 250s are crazy. :) 2 matches and rogers in the semis! but seems a good way to get a few matches in on the surface.

May 1st, 2015 at 10:28 am

Wog Boy, I’ve never seen Canberra, but with regard to Sydney, it’s a wonder the central district has any character left. I’m sure you know the spectacular Queen Victoria building in George Street. Well, when the city was being supposedly improved for the Sydney Olympics, there was apparently a serious possibly the QV building would be demolished!

I dislike the concrete and glass style as much as anyone – it’s one of the few things on which I’d agree with Prince Charles. Therefore, my favourite place in Sydney is the Botanical Gardens, where there are mostly trees and plants. Oh, and fruit bats – ugly brutes, but at least they aren’t made of concrete.

Of Urban Sydney, Newtown has some character still, though it’s sleazy and not very safe.

Meanwhile, back in Munich, the only winner is the rain. Let’s never hear Germans joking about the British weather.

May 1st, 2015 at 10:30 am

Why on earth Kyrgosss deserves a write-up in Vogue is beyond me. There are other more desirable young players who deserved this publicity. I guess the writer likes the uncouth!!

May 1st, 2015 at 11:07 am

@Gordon

Three answers:

1.No, it is my opinion about Canberra, do you think I am WRONG, can’t I have my opinion?

2. Second question is NOT APPLICABLE!

3. No, there are a tourist who are interested in different things, and it happened that mainland China tourists are interested in seeinig Canberra in package with Sydney, so we take them there, European are not interested so much so we take them somwhere else, North American are different again. Part of my job is to take them there and make them happy, that doesn’t mean I have to like every place I go, no? Some people prefer Dysneyland some Las Vegas, some people prefer Monte Carlo some Amalfi coast, some wants to see historical places where Australia was born the other just come to play golf or gamble in Sydney Casino. My job is to provide them with what they want and not with what I like? Do you GET it.

Question for you, what was your problem with my post? Are you trying to be smartass?
It was more or less observation between Kyrgios personality and personality of city of Canberra, more in jokingly manner. We do make a jokes here often between each others based where we live and we don’t get offended I guess it is the same all over the world.
Next time use “skip” button when you see my post, ok?

May 1st, 2015 at 11:33 am

Colin,
QWB is safe, they can’t demolish it, and you are right it is magnificent building perfectly restored, if you didn’t know it was originaly fruit market, now is “most beautiful shopping center boutique style” as per words of Pierre Cardin
after he visited Sydney, including the statue of Queen Victoria.
Next is Town hall with St Andrew’s cathedral, tramcar is making his way backin the near future in George st.
Rocks is the the place where Australia was born and penal colony established in 1788. Beautifully saved and preserved though it was clost to be demolished in early ’70s for new development but was save after outcray of local community, thanks God, now it is most visited place.
Newtown is now very popular for young people, with lot of good restaurants and alternative way of living.
RBG doesn’t have fruit bats any more they chased them away.
There is much more places in Sydney to vist, it is long list, Hyde park, St Mary’s Cathedral, Oxford st, Centennial park, Bondi beach, northern beaches, Art Gallery of NSW, Darling Harbour… Sydney is very vibrant city with lot to offer for everyone’s taste.

May 1st, 2015 at 12:00 pm

@11:07,
Yeah like how about a write up on the Ball Ladies of Madrid? That makes more sense.

May 1st, 2015 at 12:05 pm

i think anna wintour decides who gets featured in vogue, not the lowly writer. ;)

serena, maria, safin, fed, venus, chris evert, monica seles, rafa, ana, monfils (in a fabulous shoot!), delpo, andy, nole, and others, i am sure, have all been featured.

whether you like her choice of nick or not, the point is that she tirelessly promotes the sport in her magazine and attends matches when she can. she also plays everyday. it’s good for the profile of the sport imo. every little bit helps.

May 1st, 2015 at 12:17 pm

http://www.sport24.co.za/Tennis/ATPTour/Nadal-honoured-by-Spanish-PM-20150501?
There isn’t a Rafa thread so I’ll post this here.
Another accolade for Rafael Nadal. Well done Champ! Vamos!

May 1st, 2015 at 12:35 pm

my last post should say “QVB” not “QWB”

May 1st, 2015 at 12:40 pm

The semi’s are all set in Istanbul and Estoril.

Following scores only, Borna didn’t make it past GGL. Kyrgios did though.

Istanbul. Dimitrov d Dodig. And Federer is in. He’ll facenter fearless underdog Diego Schwartzman. Dimitrov v. Pablo the Cuevas.

May 1st, 2015 at 2:03 pm

3 matches for Andy tomorrow (if he beats Rosol in the first) – he will be the only player who may have to do this – seems disrespectful for the No. 1 player in any tournament – even though this is only a 250. – would RF/Nole/Rafa/Would YOU agree to this – would anyone?

Gross.

May 1st, 2015 at 2:04 pm

To be clear, Kyrigos made Estoril semifinal. He did not have to play GGL. I forgot already who he beat.

May 1st, 2015 at 2:07 pm

@KatH.

Very unfair!!!!

May 1st, 2015 at 2:09 pm

You’d think Munich organizers would extend the tournament…I don’t know.

May 1st, 2015 at 2:18 pm

He can withdraw from the dubs if it’s too much for him, no?

May 1st, 2015 at 2:21 pm

Thanks for your response Jalep and Giles:

Re. your suggestion Giles – but what a situation to be in. If he wins his quarter and semi-finals , he’s still facing a finals the next day….if Rosol wins then no decision needed.

However, if Andy goes through to semis and onwards – it would certainly be a difficult decision – should his doubles partner say “It’s OK mate, we’ll withdraw” on the basis that the “last straw might break the camel’s back” and jeopardise a FAIR result at a finals (against a fresh competitor – who had not played 3 matches in one day?

There’s always been some difficulty in tournaments when bad weather can force organisers make “emergency” arrangements, but I don’t recall a situation when one s0-called TOP player has been put in this type of situation.

As you can tell, I’m quite cross – I’d feel cross on behalf of any player, especially one who has at least earned a place in our respect/a tournament’s respect. Would it happen to Federer – I think not.

May 1st, 2015 at 3:46 pm

Wog Boy, I wrote a lengthy reply to your post about Sydney, but then, as I often do nowadays, I somehow clicked in the wrong place and deleted the whole damn thing. I’ll re-do it and tack it on another thread.

Funny thing – the Munich site has, or had, Federer listed as playing there.

May 1st, 2015 at 4:03 pm

Congratulations to Rafa on that medal…Very well deserved. Thanks for posting, Giles. I hadn’t heard about it.

On the other hand, we keep hearing about Kyrgios, who hasn’t even made a final… When will people learn that premature overhype can be harmful to players, especially if they are very young? Let’s see how he handles it…

Last, @Kath, I couldn’t agree more about Murray’s schedule. He’ll probably have to pull out of doubles. Scheduling is very important.

Maybe the organisers had no choice, given that Madrid starts on Monday. They cannot extend their tournament. Very difficult situation.

May 1st, 2015 at 7:56 pm

3 matches is definitely too much in one day; what a awful situation for andy.

May 1st, 2015 at 8:59 pm

indeed, congrats to rafa on his accolades; they are well deserved.

May 1st, 2015 at 9:08 pm

Thanks for that, Giles. A great honor for Rafa!

Does anybody know – is Andy going to have to play two matches back-to-back in one day?

May 1st, 2015 at 9:43 pm

@Colin,
No probs, I hope you left country with nice memories, I presume you were here well before Olympics 2000 (where and when Roger and Mirka fell in love and Crown Prince Frederik of Danmark fell in love with Mary, his future Aussie wife), the city changed a lot in the last twenty years, for the better..but traffic for the worst:(

May 1st, 2015 at 10:58 pm

Colin, one more thing, I said Princess Mary is Aussie but she is also Scotish, since her parents are from Scotland, and this is a speech of her father, Professor John Dalgleish Donaldson proud Scot from McDonald’s clan, who was dressed properly at Royal wedding in his clan outfit, the reason why I am posting this is that you and other Andy’s fans will find similarity in their dry sense of humor that I like very much, I am sure you will enjoy his speech:

http://youtu.be/pOBdXXEp8OU

jane, since you have Scotish connection too, have a look, you will love it too, very witty person:)

May 2nd, 2015 at 12:21 am

https://twitter.com/stroppadel/status/594428722826084352
Lol. You tell him Andy. Wonder what triggered that comment.

May 2nd, 2015 at 5:20 am

@KatH
I can’t get aerated about this, weather is as weather does, after all. He could always withdraw from the dubs, as I think Giles suggested?
Could be immaterial anyway, as he could lose to Rosol.
No, am still highly aerated, sad I know, because a certain Grand Slam didn’t, and doesn’t even now, have a roof! Know what I mean?

May 2nd, 2015 at 6:06 am

See what you are saying Margot – but can’t get my head around lack of good weather forecasting –

in the UK – we get reasonably accurate forecasting – and Munich isn’t in a third world country…there had to be strong indications that Friday would be a wash out the day before.

Withdrawing from the dubs – yes – but there is the partner to think about….

Ah well, done with complaining now – back to my sunny self (Hee haw).

May 2nd, 2015 at 7:27 am

Congrats Murray on his first clay final in Munich. Hope he gets the title tomorrow, most needed for his confidence and have a great run on clay.

May 2nd, 2015 at 10:35 am

@ Margot – Fingers crossed he has plenty of ice for his bath!!! Let’s hope the 2nd semi goes to 3 sets (tiring out Andy’s opponent a wee bit).

By the way, who is Gerald Melzer? He has taken the first set from Phillipp who is usually such a consistent, reliable player.

And is Grigor going to get a smacking from Pablo…wowey.

May 2nd, 2015 at 11:19 am

KatH think he’s younger bro of Jurgen.

May 2nd, 2015 at 11:32 am