Miami Masters Sunday ATP Matches of the Day

First topic message reminder :

STADIUM Start 11:00 am

[7] Tomas Berdych (CZE) v Grigor Dimitrov (BUL)

Not Before 1:00 PM
WTA

Not Before 3:00 PM
WTA
[25] Radek Stepanek (CZE) v [2] Rafael Nadal (ESP)

Starting at 7:30 PM
WTA

Not Before 9:30 PM
[19] Florian Mayer (GER) v [10] John Isner (USA)

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GRANDSTAND Start 11:00 am
[18] Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR) v [9] Janko Tipsarevic (SRB)
[13] Gilles Simon (FRA) v [22] Jurgen Melzer (AUT)
26] Milos Raonic (CAN) v [4] Andy Murray (GBR)
WTA

Not Before 5 pm
ATP DOUBLES

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COURT 1 Start 11:00 am
WTA
WTA
[6] Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) v [32] Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER)
[16] Kei Nishikori (JPN) v Lukas Rosol (CZE)

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COURT 2 Start 11:00 am
WTA
ATP DOUBLES
WTA


Pretty late I know, but I see that people are already discussing today's matches on this thread...

Raonic has withdrawn so Murray is through... Dimitrov has created an upset by defeating Top-ten player Berdych...

Tenez wrote:

Jeremy_Kyle wrote:I don't know , mentally he looks still too weak. He's got the shots though......

Yes I agree. Luckily he was facing an even mentally weaker opponent today.

However, He has good shots, doing what he does with a SHBH is certainly proof of a great talent.

What he needs to improve is very clear.

1 - Increase 1st serve %
2 - fitness (looked breathless most of the time)
3 - footwork...looks confused on the court.

i.e. no hope.....

Thats a bit negative isnt it, he's just beat #7 in world in a Masters.
Hardly a case of a no-hoper...if he can improve in a number of areas it gives a hint of what he could really achieve. The guy is still only 20...

It is great to see Dimitrov through to the 4th round of a masters.

It is really strange that Berdych is quite so flaky mentally with such a very good game.

lydian wrote:1 and 2 can be worked on (and agree he looked tired, as I commented also), 3 is harder as much of that is innate talent (unless its more a case of bad positioning than actual footwork per se)
Would add he needs to up the gas on the 2nd serve also.

Yes some are natural on the footwork (borg, Federer) but lots of work can compensate for it. Look at Murray, I don;t think he was a natural mover, and now he is one of the fastest. ...though the price to pay is many injury.

Nowadays, it's like everything, innate footwork or not, one needs lots more working on it.

I was impressed by Dimi's sliced BH too. His game needs more maturing but he has one o the most complete and natural game amongst the yougsters.

If they decide to speed the courts in the future, he may have made the right choice to go for SHBH.

noleisthebest wrote:

i.e. no hope.....

LOL!

You are worried about the new generation, aren't you?

Tenez wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:

i.e. no hope.....

LOL!

You are worried about the new generation, aren't you?

I actually liked him when he turned up 3 years ago but am disappointed he did so little in the meantime. If he hasn't sorted out his footwork by now, what hope IS there for him....still, had a lot of close losses recently, maybe this win could give him some belief and encouragement to persevere.

Watching Simon Meltzer, playing conditions seem tough, hot and humid, Simon is struggling. despite winning the first set in the tie-break.

In principle I don't like copies. So, I 'd like to see Dimi bring something different and new to Fed. I don;t think he has Fed's grace on the court but he may have more power, different strategies, etc...

However, they belong to "the classic" players with Haas, Youzhny, Almagro, Gasquet, each bringing something different so we are likely to see more of those kinds. And it's great to know there is one amongst the youngsters.

Such difference between IW and Miami: no loud music, no camera face hunting, and the crowd ALL dressed with no unsightly flesh on display.....always preferred Miami for some reason....

Tenez, any thoughts on Stepanek Nadal?

'Stepanek will be bossing Nadal and dominating him....
for the first 15 min, after which Stepanek will physically collapse and allow the no-hope to seal victory.'

No in all seriousness Nadal is playing well, and was impressive against Giraldo.
It will take a great effort from Stepanek to beat him, but nothing is impossible.

noleisthebest wrote:Tenez, any thoughts on Stepanek Nadal?

Very easy. Stepanek is a great talent and can do wonderful things with teh ball....as long as he receives a "normal" ball. Nadal is going to break his fine, touch game, with spiny bombs so he has zero chance to control the game and is going to be bulldozed in to a pretty straight and easy loss. Not going to be close I am afraid.

Yes, would agree he's the best talent out of the young breed (more so than Tomic IMO), also agree the BH slice is a very nice shot and Berdy had trouble with it...its not just an ordinary slice either, its got real bite to it - thats always the benefit of the SHBH, makes the slice usually more penetrating, and it does take real talent to hit a biting low slice off a driven crosscourt shot.

Whilst on BH talk, think he needs to improve the return of serve on that wing too. But this win moves him into top 85 so he's steadily moving up. As you say he needs alot of hard work to bring out the best in his game. But the talent is there for sure...would be interesting to see him play Federer if they ever get the chance, to see how he would react with Federer being his idol/base for his game.

5-0 H2H between Nadal and Stepanek BTW...and 4 of those before Nadal was 19, inc. wins on carpet as a 17 yr old. I think he has Turbot's number.

noleisthebest wrote:Such difference between IW and Miami: no loud music, no camera face hunting, and the crowd ALL dressed with no unsightly flesh on display.....always preferred Miami for some reason....

NITB. Yesterday I saw cameramen zooming in on couples where they had to kiss each other... So not much difference...

spuranik wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:Such difference between IW and Miami: no loud music, no camera face hunting, and the crowd ALL dressed with no unsightly flesh on display.....always preferred Miami for some reason....

NITB. Yesterday I saw cameramen zooming in on couples where they had to kiss each other... So not much difference...

awww....

Simon doing really well, 0:3 down in the second set, now 3 match points on his serve!

mp's?

I reckon Radek is going to give us a match....

Just saw Dolgo Tips highlights, Has anybody seen Dolgo's LATEST hairdo

Another super match coming up Tsonga Kholi

Go Tsongaaaaa

And he did 6:4 7:6. Acceptable match.

Rafa just does not miss. Great to watch.

kemet wrote:Rafa just does not miss. Great to watch.

After the first break in the opening set I thought, that's it... Stepanek might not even win a game from now on...

Surely it seems to be heading that way...

spuranik wrote:

kemet wrote:Rafa just does not miss. Great to watch.

After the first break in the opening set I thought, that's it... Stepanek might not even win a game from now on...

Surely it seems to be heading that way...

Yep. The commentator said it best, "Stepanek has hit shots that would be winners against anyone else, but Nadal"

That is the Rafa legacy. Always making players go for the extra shot.

Poor Stepanek.....I suppose it's late to start watching now...

noleisthebest wrote:Poor Stepanek.....I suppose it's late to start watching now...

Yep, this a straightforward win for Rafa.

Why does Nadal always have that miserable face...needs to spend more time with Nole

http://m24digital.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/nadal-djokovic.jpg

lol

The slaughter is complete.

Thrashing.
Let's hope he carries the same form against Nishokori.

Just woke up. Nadal the GOAT!!

Yes, so what?

Yes!