Previews: ATP Paris Masters Field Loaded, Djokovic Defends

Novak to add another title !!

November 1st, 2015 at 7:10 am

so it’s at a new site this year? new stadium? novak said it’s playing “medium fast”, and andy said it’s hard to judge because it’s not quite finished yet. but the event starts tomorrow!

November 1st, 2015 at 12:30 pm

Think Novak has done a bit of cheating he has not played in the last few competitions. As you see the two who just played yesterday in that Basal final names are down to play.

November 2nd, 2015 at 10:45 am

^ ??? what a strange comment. novak played and won in both bejing and shanghai. he never plays basel or valencia. nor did murray play any of those events either, lisa, so has he been “cheating” too? maybe recheck the list of mandatory events, and the rules related to those.

November 2nd, 2015 at 11:00 am

It’s called jealousy

November 2nd, 2015 at 1:39 pm

Djokovic has 3 Paris Masters titles. He’s tied with Safin and Becker there, for most all time.

It’s interesting. It’s a Masters event that’s seldom been won by the biggest players. Soderling, Berdych, Ferrer, and Tsonga are all former champions. Top 10 players, for sure, but the same ones who tend to fall short when it counts the most. Federer only has won it once, that being in 2011, which is sorta shocking in how long it took him to get it, since it’s a surface that suits him well. Nadal has reach a final, losing to Nalbandian (during his hot streak).

Yeah, looking forward to a good tournament.

November 2nd, 2015 at 2:08 pm

Probably because many of the top players are a bit worse for wear at year end.

The fact that Novak has three is evidence of his incomparable conditioning and playing efficiency.

November 2nd, 2015 at 2:15 pm

I think b/c it’s so close to the WTF, some of the top players prioritize that over the Paris Masters. It’s always been the outlier in terms of the winners. Novak seems to be the exception.

@jane, if someone doesn’t understand the difference b/w 500s and 1000s, don’t bother

November 2nd, 2015 at 2:17 pm

I get why, it’s just interesting. Federer didn’t even play from 04-06, his best years. Then he lost to the hot Nalbandian, withdrew with a bad back, crazy upset against Benneteau, blew match points to Monfils, then finally won it.

But the players who have won it tend to show up at WTF. It doesn’t really hinder them. Federer beat Tsonga in 2011 and I believe they faced each other in the WTF final, too.

November 2nd, 2015 at 2:25 pm

it’ll be interesting this year because it’s a new surface/stadium. that may change the outcome.

novak’s scheduling has been a huge help to his success in the fall – and in general – i think. he just plays 2 events in china and then paris-london. that’s it. since he’s adopted a more precise schedule, with only 2 500 level events a season and no 250s, he’s been great in the fall. people who add tokyo, or basel, or valencia, tend to be tired out maybe, or as others have said, they prioritize the WTF.

November 3rd, 2015 at 12:23 pm