ATP World Tour Finals 2011, London Calling

First topic message reminder :

Here we go again!

Final tournament for the best 8 of 2011: Djokovic, Nadal, Murray, Federer, Ferrer, Berdych, Tsonga, Fish.


Some call it the 5th slam, some see it as an exhibiton, as for me, it presents as a super opportunity to expereience some more tennis thrill before the Christmas off-season, to see, hopefully some good matches and the legends of the game, LIVE!!!!

This time last year, the weather was awful, tube drivers were striking, 606v2 didn't exist, I had a near-death experience, and Nole managed to put TWO lenses in one eye and was considered by most to be a one slam wonder....


Haven't things changed in the meantime ?

So, I'm taking this last opportunity of 2011 to:

1) watch tennis in GMT time-zone and not have to wear massive bags under my eyes every morning
2) see a civilized scenario of 2 matches a day (must say a perfect portion!)
3) enjoy seeing those matches in the packed O2 arena every day for every match


And because one never knows what another day may bring, who may or may not be in London this time next year, because above all we all love tennis, let's enjoy the last stop of this 2011 quirky, cosy tennis ride, let the WTF commence


Order of play for Sunday, 18th of November 2011:

http://www.atpworldtour.com/Finals/2011.aspx


P.S.

There will be a few people form this forum going to O2 next week. Please find a bit of time to give us your first-hand impressions and perhaps photos and personal anecdotes.

God willing, I'll be there on Sunday and Monday evening sessions.

A privilige to watch the Genius that is Federer

Jossiah, the man with the food plan...

Bagel baaaaaaaaaaaaaaby.

Big fat fresh juicy bagel coming up.

Enjoy it The Nadull, you pusher.

This is brilliant stuff from Fed!!!

Us Fed fans knew Fed could always do this to Nadal: convincingly demolish him!

6:3:6:0,59 minutes. Masterclass

wtf. I just tuned in. Bagletastic.

Wow, that was some steamrolling.....great night for Federer fans....

And the demolition of the Mallorcan Monster is complete.

3rd 6-0 set for Federer over Nadal (Wimbledon 2006 and Hamburg 2007 being the others).

What an exhibition of sublime tennis. Poetry personified and embodied.

What will I do when the great man retires.

Catch him on the seniors tour I suppose.

I am basking in this.

Wow. Not what I expected. Awesome result.

I feel sorry for Nadal being beaten this way. Hope he plays better against Tsonga, otherwise he is out of WTF.

Koening and Woodford saying what I said the other day about indoor. What makes him so good there is that there is no external elements to affect his sharpness, essentially timing. He can make full use of his superior touch, timing and talent.

Let's hope Berdy & Ferrer prevail tomorrow.

Where have all Nadal fans vanished to stand by their man

This was such a joy. I mean Fed fans must be gleaming with pride. Over the years witnessing Federer succumb to the long gruelling days on the clay and then Roger thumps him. There is no end to what Federer can achieve in 2012. That performance was saying something.

Nadal: have the short stuff
Federer: yes please.....boom can I have some more?
Nadal: why indeed have some more
Federer: crash, bang, wallop

That has been a long time coming for Federer and his fans. Federer was seeing the ball so well. Nadals strokes seem to have less power tonight than a leaf falling from a tree.

Nadal not going to fancy a big and clean hitting Tsonga. What a match up that will be.

bogbrush wrote:I am basking in this.

I know what you mean. It was unreal. To be so stunned by this sublime tennis despite watching him for the last 8 years. It's like he is reiventing himself after every match.

Jahu wrote:Let's hope Berdy & Ferrer prevail tomorrow.

No prize for guessing why you hope for that

http://probioticsforinfants.net/images/baby-crying.jpg

Lydian...

My stream was so poor...

It kept cutting off just when Rafa was about to serve.. and then restarting after the point.

I only saw 2 points in the first set

Never mind.. thank God for youtube.

Haaaaaaaaaaaaaallelujaaaaaaaaaaah

Tenez wrote:

bogbrush wrote:I am basking in this.

I know what you mean. It was unreal. To be so stunned by this sublime tennis despite watching him for the last 8 years. It's like he is reiventing himself after every match.

You two are hilarious!

You cannot spell Slaughter without Laughter

My stream was so poor...

It kept cutting off just when Rafa was about to serve.. and then restarting after the point.

I only saw 2 points in the first set

Never mind.. thank God for youtube.

Haaaaaaaaaaaaaallelujaaaaaaaaaaah

You can basically just assume that every point you missed ended with Federer hitting a winner!

Bogbrush and Tenez:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZZStMaj2L2M/SrtgFSWpSlI/AAAAAAAAG00/5c2-pLSQBI8/s400/muppet-show.jpg

If you was introducing someone to the sport and they never seen it and you showed them this match, they would say "wow, he's a bit special ain't he"

OT: Has Boris Becker lost the other Ski shoe?

The key for Federer in this match is that his backhand became a potent weapon. He actually generated winners off of this wing and Nadal was not able to hurt him. This shot is usually the key in their duels with one another.

There is no need for tennis coaches to have a training manual. All they have to do is replay this match for their students to show them the way tennis should be played.

noleisthebest wrote:Bogbrush and Tenez:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZZStMaj2L2M/SrtgFSWpSlI/AAAAAAAAG00/5c2-pLSQBI8/s400/muppet-show.jpg

LOL!

Is that you?

http://expectaculos.net/uploads08/Muppets-Kermit-Miss-Piggy.jpg

Fed:Tsonga in Final.

legendkillar wrote:If you was introducing someone to the sport and they never seen it and you showed them this match, they would say "wow, he's a bit special ain't he"

...for an old man!

noleisthebest wrote:Where have all Nadal fans vanished to stand by their man

I am here. As Becker has said in the past... "It was just a Tennis match. No One died..."

Hope Nadal can recover and play better against Tsonga.

Tenez, first time in his life tries to be funny, and his link doesn't work...

http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/muppets-kermit-miss-piggy_l.jpg

Josiah Maiestas wrote:http://probioticsforinfants.net/images/baby-crying.jpg

Lydian...

Why is Lydian's name being dragged into a Nadal loss?

Glad I found a good stream. I still can't believe what I just saw that was unbelievable. A whole slam winners tournaments worth of highlights in one match. I don't know what was up with Nadal, whether he anywhere near his best but I suspect even if he could have made Fed hit more shots, today Fed would have been able to hit them.

Total bliss! What an atmosphere at the O2, more like a boxing match than a tennis match.

If I had to eat a bagle with Nadals sweaty underwear in it, and no mayonnaise, to ensure that Federer plays like that in the AO and wins it,
I would do it ten times over.

NITB, they've been gone for a while have they not? I can see a lot of pent up resentment for Nadal is finding it's way out, maybe moreso than when Novak beat him.

Tropical, get back into your fruit can, your nasty for a food element.

But I'm with you there.

break_in_the_fifth wrote:NITB, they've been gone for a while have they not? I can see a lot of pent up resentment for Nadal is finding it's way out, maybe moreso than when Novak beat him.

yes, but why did they go? Where's the grit and backbone?

That match was a case study in why I watch Federer play. He was on a completely different planet tonight. The way he demolished Nadal was borderline abusive.

JM - just why did you mention my name there in such a spiteful way?

I actually enjoyed the match, it is a great spectacle to see Roger play like that, indeed I havent seen him play that well for many years - he seems to be getting better and better with age! What tennis fan doesnt enjoy seeing tennis played at the highest level. All that said, its fair to say Nadal seemed completely bereft/impotent tonight with a lack of power, focus, even sounded dejected in the pre-match interview. However, thats not to take anything away from Roger's sublime performance - well done Fed, dont think anyone could beat him playing like that

noleisthebest wrote:

break_in_the_fifth wrote:NITB, they've been gone for a while have they not? I can see a lot of pent up resentment for Nadal is finding it's way out, maybe moreso than when Novak beat him.

yes, but why did they go? Where's the grit and backbone?

Well you're asking now but that's as if you were expecting them to come back now. There's 3-4 at the most Nadal fans that I know of here, most of them were gone after wimbledon weren't they? As for backbone and grit well I guess they've not needed it until this year but I guess we'll see it now, at least from the fans on here. I mean they've stayed loyal and kept believing post French open.

Tenez wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:Bogbrush and Tenez:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZZStMaj2L2M/SrtgFSWpSlI/AAAAAAAAG00/5c2-pLSQBI8/s400/muppet-show.jpg

LOL!

Is that you?

http://expectaculos.net/uploads08/Muppets-Kermit-Miss-Piggy.jpg

But of course it is !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7HYYKEbfLk

Nole and I have the same taste in music ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOlpMK6Youg

Spiteful? Never heard of banter eh..

To be honest I expected Roger to play a bit poorly in the 2nd set as he doesn't usually put 2 such good sets together anymore. Oh well

noleisthebest wrote:Bogbrush and Tenez:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZZStMaj2L2M/SrtgFSWpSlI/AAAAAAAAG00/5c2-pLSQBI8/s400/muppet-show.jpg

That's me on the right.

Now who might Fozzy Bear be?

I am actually the one on the right of this one.

http://expectaculos.net/uploads08/Muppets-Kermit-Miss-Piggy.jpg

lydian wrote:JM - just why did you mention my name there in such a spiteful way?

I actually enjoyed the match, it is a great spectacle to see Roger play like that, indeed I havent seen him play that well for many years - he seems to be getting better and better with age! What tennis fan doesnt enjoy seeing tennis played at the highest level. All that said, its fair to say Nadal seemed completely bereft/impotent tonight with a lack of power, focus, even sounded dejected in the pre-match interview. However, thats not to take anything away from Roger's sublime performance - well done Fed, dont think anyone could beat him playing like that

OK. Lydian, that's all great...now tell us how what you REALLY think

Let's not let joy turn to spite.

Lydian

Tenez wrote:I am actually the one on the right of this one.

http://expectaculos.net/uploads08/Muppets-Kermit-Miss-Piggy.jpg

How's this one?

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_5sZdPjTGuSU/S-hxWRqeFVI/AAAAAAAAAiI/G8r0g0TRr3I/s400/miss+piggy+tennis.jpg

Head to head is now 9-17 in Fed's favour. Fed's wins have been more rememberable therefore are worth double

That's because Nadal's victories over Fed are mostly routine.

I still haven't seen the match