Queens/Halle Thread

[Guest]

First topic message reminder :

Thought I would get the ball rolling this week.

Queens is having an inspection at 12. If the forecast is correct, we might not get started until next week!

Not sure they are having the same problems in Halle though.

[Guest]

Nadal down a break against Kohlschrieber in the first

[Guest]

Nadal manages to starve off 2 further BP's. Sounds like he is in for tough time this afternoon.

[Josiah Maiestas]

6-4 Anderson.

Pretty good set by the SA man.

[lags72]

Well their last two meetings went the distance so maybe this one will too ..... (that's the Halle match I'm talking about)

[barrystar]

First set to Kohlschreiber 6-3, let's see if Nadal fights back. His record at Queens apart from the year he won it (2008) has been a procession of QF KO's after he's had some competitive grass under his feet. From Gerry Weber's point of view if he goes out at least Nadal has lost to a German - presumably he'll want Fed or Nadal to win his 20th Anniversary Tournament.

[Josiah Maiestas]

Murray should play Halle next year. Gives him a chance to finally meet Djokovic or Federer on grass.

[Jahu]

Nadal down 3:6 3:4 just got broken, Kohlschrieber to serve for 3:5

[bogbrush]

I'm quite surprised, I really didn't see this coming at all. I'd have though Rafa would want some decent hours on grass before Wimbledon, but I guess Kohnschreiber has other plans.

The organisers will be praying Federer beat Raonic if this carries on!

[Chydremion]

Kolhschreiber has a great record in Halle and has pushed Nadal in the past, although he hasn't won. Nadal tends to lose quite early in those warm-up tournaments for Wimbledon. If Nadal loses that isn't really a surprise.

[barrystar]

Kohlschreiber fought back from 0-40 down in one game, I thought it was all over. He's not a mug on grass, but their H2H suggests that Nadal has the beating of him.

[lydian]

He'll take the $1.2m fee, 2-3 hours of practice on grass and get home for a few days of fishing before heading to London...

[laverfan]

Kohli takes Nadal out.

[User 774433]

[barrystar]

A defeat, but not a huge surprise given his history at Queens. I think he treats these grass tournaments as warm-ups now, especially after a delayed RG final.

I am sure that neither Fed nor Nadal were particularly keen on a F showdown so close to Wimbledon.

I hope Gerry Weber got his money's worth from Rafa.

[Jahu]

Nadal sent home, let's see if Raonic will send Fed too.

Nadal probably delirious and tired from the FO win, now let's see will Fed make a statement about how good he will be at the W.

[Haddie-nuff]

Did anyone tell Rafa he was due out on court this afternoon... because there was some bloke out there wearing his shirt. :shock:

[barrystar]

A defeat, but not a huge surprise given his history at Queens. I think he treats these grass tournaments as warm-ups now, especially after a delayed RG final.

I am sure that neither Fed nor Nadal were particularly keen on a F showdown so close to Wimbledon.

I hope Gerry Weber got his money's worth from Rafa.

[lags72]

Think you've got it spot on there lydian ; in fact I imagine that was pretty much the strategy agreed in advance with Uncle Toni .... (although I did expect one more round myself)

[invisiblecoolers]

Nadal sent home, let's see if Raonic will send Fed too.

Nadal probably delirious and tired from the FO win, now let's see will Fed make a statement about how good he will be at the W.

Fed in his first match looked un interested to play as well, its hard on Nadal Fed to focus on 250 tournaments right after FO, I don't think so Fed/Nadal wanna play their best in warmup grass tournament, so it was well expected.

[User 774433]

Nadal

[User 774433]

Maybe he was too eager to get back on facebook and check he was still ahead of Roger http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2012/06/24/Facebook-Nadal-Federer.aspx

[lydian]

Exactly IC...you can imagine his head was probably anywhere except facing Kohli today.

Lets put it this way...it took a $1.2million fee to get him to appear.
This time tomorrow he'll be on a Majorcan beach laughing with his mates.

[lags72]

I was going to say I can hear the private jet starting up its engines ....

But wait a minute ..... is he not still in doubles with Granollers ....?

[Josiah Maiestas]

Nadal probably delirious and tired from the FO win

Or he's not good enough on quick grass.

This time tomorrow he'll be on a Majorcan beach laughing with his mates.

David Ferrer and Almagro were great mates for him at the French.

[jersey]

Expected. Once the dirtball season is over, Nadal stops winning titles.

[Guest]

jersey you remind of a dirtball I like to call a clinker!

[laverfan]

I was going to say I can hear the private jet starting up its engines ....

But wait a minute ..... is he not still in doubles with Granollers ....?

The jet engines are just warming up. Mayer/Kohlman should beat Granollers/Nadal today.

[laverfan]

Aces galore from Raonic.

PS: Average rally length - 2.

[Haddie-nuff]

Nadal probably delirious and tired from the FO win

Or he's not good enough on quick grass.

So that how he came to win Wimbledon twice was it....ahhh glad to see you are up on your tennis JM and know what your talking about

[lags72]

TB's on the way methinks. Breaking Raonic is no easy thing.

[lydian]

I would suspect Nadal's interest in the doubles ended with the singles...

[Josiah Maiestas]

Nadal probably delirious and tired from the FO win

Or he's not good enough on quick grass.

So that how he came to win Wimbledon twice was it....ahhh glad to see you are up on your tennis JM and know what your talking about

Grass is not quick in the second week.

[jersey]

Nadal only won Wimbledon in 2008 because Federer had mono and in 2010 because Berdych is a hopeless mug in slam finals. Like Soderling and Murray and Tsonga are hopeless mugs in slam finals.

[Haddie-nuff]

Ahhhh I see.. I understand now oh silly me

[JuliusHMarx]

...Murray and Tsonga are hopeless mugs in slam finals.

That would explain a couple of Djoko's slam wins I guess.

[Josiah Maiestas]

Federer Raonic in a tiebreak.

Dimitrov 4-2 up

[jersey]

It's very easy to win a slam final when playing a sick man or a mug.

[Josiah Maiestas]

First set Raonic, 7-4 in the TB.

[Haddie-nuff]

It's very easy to win a slam final when playing a sick man or a mug.

What a nasty person you are jersey...and you exhibit it with every post you make.

[bogbrush]

A break!

[lags72]

Yep, and just as well Fed managed to take his chance (only just ) to take that opener in the second. He may not get too many more if Raonic keeps up that ace count ......

[michael_o]

Wish that troll jersey would get off this forum. By using the term "dirtball" he's revealed himself to be American.

[lags72]

The Raonic ace count is remarkably consistent, and the challenge of playing Federer seems to bring out the very best in Raonic, as it did in their previous meetings.

And bizarrely it always seems to coincide with a (comparatively) mediocre ace count for Fed, very much against the norm by his own standards. In this match so far it's running at 18-4

[JuliusHMarx]

The Raonic ace count is remarkably consistent, and the challenge of playing Federer seems to bring out the very best in Raonic, as it did in their previous meetings.

And bizarrely it always seems to coincide with a (comparatively) mediocre ace count for Fed, very much against the norm by his own standards. In this match so far it's running at 18-4

A low ace count, but in 11 Fed service games and a tie-break, Raonic has won 11 points.

[lags72]

Good point (ha ha) JHM, and I guess a reflection once again of how important is the Fed serve placement rather than outright speed. The returner doesn't often get to play the sort of shot he'd like to play, and then Federer can control the rally ......

[lags72]

So heading for yet another TB surely - and Raonic will have just as much chance of edging it as will Federer ..... Maybe more so...?

[bogbrush]

Raonic got to be favourite in a tb, he's hardly losing a service point.

[Haddie-nuff]

Come on Roger

[bogbrush]

Federer on track to lose a match without facing a break point.

[Josiah Maiestas]

Marin Cilic through

Hopefully Dodig joins him.

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