Roland Garros Day 6

First topic message reminder :

Nearing the business end of the opening rounds.

Djokovic and Federer in action. Verdasco and Tsonga also play today. Delpo and Berdych a good side act.

Wawrinka and Simon in what for me is match of the day.

On the womens side Azaranka, Radawanska, Sharapova, Stosur and Ivanovic all play.

Any upsets?

Sanchez to take out 15th seed Cibulkova

Maybe just maybe FOGNIIIINNNNNNIIIIIIIII

This thread, 5.50pm

Is Fed working on a right handed Rafa forehand?

Mahut brakes back!

how the hell did i miss that post

Roger will lose this match at this rate and he will deserve to...

Ok this match was kinda interesting at the start.

Now it's getting way too tight for comfort.

Beat him Roger... NOW

emancipator wrote:Ok this match was kinda interesting at the start.

Now it's getting way too tight for comfort.

Beat him Roger... NOW

Roger is really, really starting to infuriate me.

Don't worry Kemet.

I've started the beat the Mahut dance...

It shall be done in four.



emancipator - guardian of the ancient spells

Nore Staat wrote:David Goffin is now through to the fourth round - he was a lucky loser from the qualifiers (he lost in the final round of qualifier). He is 21 years old - so could this be his break-through tournament, or will he disappear without trace.

If you ignore the RG 2012 entry in this link pretty interesting year so far. http://www.atpworldtour.com/Tennis/Players/Go/D/David-Goffin.aspx?t=pa

He has played well. Will potentially play Federer.

Somebody slap Fed and wake him up, its a GS not Basel!!

Jahu wrote:Somebody slap Fed and wake him up, its a GS not Basel!!

He is saving energy for Goffin.

Hahahah, Goffin is cute....

Do the balls sound a bit harsh/sharp when hit this year, or its just my ears?

Fed brakes 6:5 finally

The dance is almost complete.

Ye may rejoice of minions..



emancipator

Goffin will be praying for Federer to win.

The kid will probably not sleep for excitement between now and the 4th round.

Jahu wrote:Hahahah, Goffin is cute....

I agree with Johnny Mac. Goffin does look like he is twelve.

emancipator wrote:The dance is almost complete.

Ye may rejoice of minions..



emancipator

Well I am relieved, but the shaky and inconsistent play from Roger makes me very concerned about his play going into the second week.

At least he admits that there are weaknesses in his game that needs to be worked on.

kemet wrote:

Jahu wrote:Hahahah, Goffin is cute....

I agree with Johnny Mac. Goffin does look like he is twelve.

This happens increasingly over the years.......

Anyone watch the Federer match? DO you think he is carrying any little injuries? Does his movement look normal?

Henman Bill wrote:Anyone watch the Federer match? DO you think he is carrying any little injuries? Does his movement look normal?

Roger's movement on the return was adequate. However, his backhand, overall was under par, even though he made some nice backhand winners. I am not sure whether he is carrying any injuries or whether the problem from Madrid (back or hip, I'm not sure).

His biggest shortcoming is being too passive in some of his service games, allowing Mahut to get the break in the process. He admitted in the post-match on-court interview with the Tennis Channel that he was surprised that Mahut played so well, in other words he underestimated Nicolas.

Mahut played well, so I do not want to take anything away from him, but Roger's concentration dips in the second and fourth sets allowed him back into the match.

If Roger has these dips against players such as Berdych, Tsonga, Nadal, or Djokovic, he may will not be so lucky.

Henman Bill wrote:Anyone watch the Federer match? DO you think he is carrying any little injuries? Does his movement look normal?

He absolutely played a rubbish B & C game through out, I dont think so he carries any injury, but way off his best, I watched the full match and Mahut was able to penetrate Fed's defense quite a few times easily, which is a real concern, if Mahut can penetrate Fed's defense, Del Po will punish Fed badly let alone Djoko or Nadal.

No idea whats the reason for thi under performance by Fed, either the court is way too slow for his liking or he just not spirited enough to fight or bring his A-game early in the tournament.

I certainly think he will step it up against Nole if he makes it, but at this rate he wont get past Del Po if Del Po makes it.

Btw Goffin looked like 15-16 year old kid, I was very surprised to know he is 21, he is having a great run so far, lets hope he doesn't vanish off.

OMG this is such a mis-match. Djokovic is gonna murder this french pygmy

It does look like a practice session for Djokovic.

Wow what a FH winner from the little guy; Screech gets broken.

Come on Devilder, knock his lights out

I thought Fed was ok, just very very complacent at times. He cant be playing flat out t this stage nyway.

Mahout played great too. I'd have been happy to pay to watch that, so much more variety and inventiveness than the standard 2012 ATP baseline borefest.

emancipator wrote:OMG this is such a mis-match. Djokovic is gonna murder this french pygmy

10 stone 3 and 5 foot 8. I've got a 14 year old who could beat him up. She's a bit skinny but she'd handle him.

Jahu wrote:Come on Devilder, knock his lights out

One breadstick, and perhaps a second.

Nadal and Djokovic look to be hitting form at the right time.

lever, can you knead?

Laver only provides information on a knead to know basis.

Hahahah, sorry that was half-baked question.

Djokovic is doing der Devil.

Can't wait to see Haas and Gasquet. Really relishing that match tomorrow. I will have my eye on Monaco and Raonic.

Also interesting Murray on Court 1. Amazed that Ferrer has usurped him. Bizarre

If I were a Federer fan I'd be concerned In his run to the final last year he dropped his first sets in the semi-final against Novak Djokovic. This year he has played three matches and dropped two sets against players ranked 92 and 89 in the world. He will meet far more stern challenges from the quarters onwards but has scored in landing a 4th Round match against qualifier Danny Goffin ranked 109 in the world. Cakewalk draw so far but how will Fed react when he comes up against the big boys?

You're not a Fed fan though CC, you do seem rather pessimistic on the whole. Didn't you say Fed was the worst of the top 4 a few days ago and even before Murray played his second round and we all know what happened....!

Fed hasn't been performing ideally. However, there's two sides to this coin, it could either be good and toughens him up or it could be a sign he is going to find it difficult to win in the latter stages. I think it's fair to say it's rather early to know, we'll know after R4 and Quarters if there is anything to worry about. All we can be sure of is that Murray certainly has got something to worried about. Although he is injured from the looks of it, so slightly different case.

One thing I know is that Federer I am used to seeing easing through the early rounds with mercurial ease but that isn't really the case here. The players he has dropped sets against aren't players I'd expect to win sets against him if he was in excellent form. Now he can benefit in the 4th Round as he has the chance to try to get a bit of form and rhythm against Goffin and even try out a few things as it really is as easy a 4th Round match he could ever have hoped for (no offence Goffin fans but it is true). I still fully expect him to reach the semis but he will get there with extra miles on the clock which won't help either. We shall see but has he looked like a player set to beat Djojkovic or Nadal so far bearing in mind how they have progressed?

I agree, it is strange he hasn't eased through as he typically does, although he's not exactly in danger of losing matches against these guys who he's lost sets to. I think me and other Fed fans have commented that these lapses in intensity or passivity or whatever you'd like to call it will cost him dearly if he doesn't keep his focus extremely high, especially against Djokovic and Nadal. However, he's displayed these lapses in the past and recently too, this is why he's not tipped to win slams so often now! He showed it in Rome a few weeks against Djokovic and against Nadal last year in RG and was also heading towards it @ IW (this year), but fortunately had already got a double break in the second set so it didn't cost Fed the match.

No doubt there is an issue which he needs to work on, and fortunately, his potential QF, SF and Final opponents will push harder and we'll see if he can keep his level high enough to eek out the wins he needs. Unfortunately I didn't see any of this match so I don't know how he was playing.

Early rounds don't matter. All that matters is fitness and winning.

But there's no rule that says a player has to lose 0 sets to win a slam. Many guys in the past have some through all manner of pivotal moments to win slams. Borg springs to mind...remember he was 2-0 sets down a few times at Wimbledon before going on to win the title.

Sometimes these 'lowly' ranked players can play out of their skin. For them playing Federer is their slam final and they raise their game. Some also have the talent to raise their game against much better players...but cant beat the rank and file at their level often enough to rise through those ranks.

Plus this is slower clay this year, winning is not easy sometimes in these conditions, you have to work hard all match long. For guys like Federer, lapses of concentration can come, and the opponents can go on mid-match purple patches. I wouldnt too much about it...in both matches he's come through easily enough in the end...it's not like they were tight 4 setters and he won 7-6 in the 4th (or went into a fifth). We need to see him playing a top20 player to see where he is.

Maybe he's taking it a little easier in first rounds? Thought on his post match interview Fed said, Mahut forced him to play a hard-court match on sliding clay, i.e trying to disturb the clay game Fed would play since Mahut is no good on clay.

His movement is nowhere near good as in either Rome or Madrid.

Federer hasn't been playing poorly. It is just even with a sub par game he can take out players ranked below him. I wouldn't be concerned. I mean if Djokovic and Nadal started dropping sets it wouldn't be let's reach for the panic button. I think Federer would like the plan of playing lower ranked players and not exerting the same energy he would normally against a Nadal, Djokovic or Murray.

Yes agreed there is no rule he can't drop a set going into semis and finals etc but if you look back through Fed's slam wins and final appearances I'd hazard a guess you could count on the fingers of your hand the amount of times he has dropped sets in the first three rounds against players ranked in the high 80's and low 90's especially in those that he has gone on to win.

Yep LK...he's probably conserving effort for Berdy, and then Novak.
Meaning he could have probably took out the last 2 guys in straights had he wanted to really push himself.

But make no doubt Berdych is going to stretch him royally (Berdy will beat Delpo...arggghhh I sound like Jersey!)

CaledonianCraig wrote:Yes agreed there is no rule he can't drop a set going into semis and finals etc but if you look back through Fed's slam wins and final appearances I'd hazard a guess you could count on the fingers of your hand the amount of times he has dropped sets in the first three rounds against players ranked in the high 80's and low 90's especially in those that he has gone on to win.

Well he dropped 2 sets and was half an inch from losing it all against #63 Tommy Haas, and had dropped a set to #45 Acasuso (and won 2 sets on tie breaks, the first of which Acasuso totally choked away from a winning position before the tb) the year he won the event. Plus a set to PHM.

CC.....well take the year he won Roland Garros...2009.
Guess how many sets he lost prior to the final? 6!!...including sets to Haas, Acasuso, Mathieu and Delpo. Didnt do him much harm!

lol BB...you beat me to the facts!