Indian Wells Day 9 (MOTD: Murray vs Del Potro)

First topic message reminder :

It's time for the first MS1000 of the year! Red and I will be updating the opening post each day with previews of matches that catch the eye, as well as completed results and draws once the tournament moves along a little. If anyone wants to contribute, please do shoot one of us a PM!

96 players are in action with 32 seeds getting a bye into the second round, meaning that as Cogen highlighted, this is the first event since Wimbledon 2011 (at least) where all of the top players in the world are in action. A few of the narratives are the possibility that Federer could be overhauled by Murray at #2, Djokovic looking to continue his unbeaten start to the season, Nadal's triumphant return to hard courts, and numerous other players in reasonable nick - can they challenge for the title, or at least create a few upsets?

Prize: A cool $1 million ($5.4 million purse), and the invaluable 1000 ranking points.
Defending champion is Roger Federer, who defeated John Isner in the 2012 final.
Updated draw on the ATP site.

Preview from Red:


Andy Murray is on the hunt for his maiden Indian Wells title. He has reached the quarter final here, for the first time since he reached the final in 2009, but has a tough task to complete if he is to get his hands on the trophy. He is up against Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro in the quarters today, and if he gets through that he can potentially face Djokovic and Nadal in the next two rounds. In his Round 4 match Murray was not at his best, and looked irritated at the end of his tight 2 set win against Berlocq. Berlocq complained that Murray was taking too long between points, Murray complained that Berlocq was grunting too loudly, and well... I think Berlocq is not on Andy's Christmas card list anymore. With the world number 2 ranking potentially on the line if he reaches the final, Murray fans will be hoping a dismissal of Del Potro will help lighten his mood.

Juan Martin Del Potro has never won a Masters 100 title before. Will this be the week he breaks his duck? He has been on good form so far this tournament, an improvement to his relatively mediocre start to 2013. However he has not yet been tested, and with all respects to Bjorn Phau, a fixture against Andy Murray will be a real step up. In Dubai Del Potro tested Djokovic in both sets, but mentally let himself down in the key moments. Will the same happen here against the Scot? The Argentinian's record against Murray isn't great, and he will have to raise his game if he wants to have a chance of winning.

Key Tactics: Murray has a convincing 5-1 lead over Del Potro in the H2H, with Juan's only win coming on clay in 2009. Murray won the last two matches these two played (also both in 2009), and he will fancy himself to continue this run of wins and extend it today. For Del Potro to win, he must be extremely aggressive, in longer rallies Murray will coast. The higher bounce of the surface should suit Del Potro, as Murray's tactic of the low slice which has worked so well against him will be negated. Thus the onus is on Del Potro to force the play, and big serving and aggressive hitting will be his only chance of winning.

Predictions: I think Murray has too much variety and nous for Del Potro, I see the 2012 USO champion winning in straight sets: 6-3 6-4.

Tsonga really needs to attack the Raonic 2nd serve. Wonder if Raonic has the legs for back to back 3 setters.

Tsonga really struggling.

Raonic looks like a top 10 player. Maybe he hasn't developed his game enough on all surfaces to be there, or he just doesn't have the consistency. You can see him easily in the top 10 though, and quite soon.

Silver wrote:Holy hell, that serve is just a monster. An absolute monster. I can't help but be amazed by it every time I watch Raonic play.

Zzzzzzz. Has it finished yet? Maybe instead of counting seconds between points they should introduce a buzzer on the serve speed. Anything over... mmm. 130mph and it's a fault. The crowd would love it. They could all hold up home made banners saying "too fast, slow down" and laugh when a player gets angry for being penalised...

hawkeye wrote:

Silver wrote:Holy hell, that serve is just a monster. An absolute monster. I can't help but be amazed by it every time I watch Raonic play.

Zzzzzzz. Has it finished yet? Maybe instead of counting seconds between points they should introduce a buzzer on the serve speed. Anything over... mmm. 130mph and it's a fault. The crowd would love it. They could all hold up home made banners saying "too fast, slow down" and laugh when a player gets angry for being penalised...

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Watch the viewing figures and attendances decline

Actually, the crowd are robustly applauding Raonic's aces.

Henman Bill wrote:Raonic looks like a top 10 player. Maybe he hasn't developed his game enough on all surfaces to be there, or he just doesn't have the consistency. You can see him easily in the top 10 though, and quite soon.

Agreed, HB. I think he may struggle over five sets, although to be fair he has reached the 4th round of the last two slams, only being taken out by inspired performances from Murray and Federer on the day. If he works on his movement and conditioning, I reckon he could become a staple in the top 10.

hawkeye, I'm no great fan of a serve-fest either, but for me Raonic's delivery is poetry in motion.

Me too silver, and his action/prep is a little unorthodox, almost looks like he has an eastern grip on the BH with it, he must pronate massively.

Yep Raonic also has a certain calmness about him that shouts "winner". He'll be top10 soon and surely a slam final isn't too far around the corner.

lydian wrote:....he must pronate massively.

As long as he doesn't do it in public.

Ok, just to correct myself...

I completely messed up my calcs earlier. My chart was giving all the seeds who lost their first match 25pts instead of 10pts, caused by a bug from me messing around with my points algorithm earler today!

So Anderson actually has more points than Youzhny, and has the same points as Klizan. But he has more points in Slams and Masters than Klizan so goes above him as well!

So Anderson is actually up 8 places for the week... not 6.

Glad we sorted that out.

Shoot the umpire. No way should he have been allowed to challenge that.

Agree LK, that was almost cheating.

legendkillarV2 wrote:Shoot the umpire. No way should he have been allowed to challenge that.

What happened? I've switched channel to watch MasterChef!

Agree lydian. Annoys me when players challenge late in a bid to win or save a point.

Cogen wrote:

legendkillarV2 wrote:Shoot the umpire. No way should he have been allowed to challenge that.

What happened? I've switched channel to watch MasterChef!

Masterchef?

Raonic hit a FH, Tsonga returned a slice that went long and then challenged the FH which Raonic hit and HE showed it long.

Cogen wrote:

legendkillarV2 wrote:Shoot the umpire. No way should he have been allowed to challenge that.

What happened? I've switched channel to watch MasterChef!

Zzzzz... If everyone does that how will I know when it's finished? What are they cooking?

Lovely net play there.

Raonic really needs to work on his returning. He should be murdering the 2nd serves of players and isn't doing enough.

Kevin Anderson was in the 5LSX box wasn't he? Earlier in the week. I tell you, when he retires that guy could have a career as a commentator! Very good.

If I was Raonic's coach I would stomp his guts out if he loses this.

Whoa. Talks of Raonic of making the top 10, if he can't beat a guy on one leg the future doesn't look that good.

to Tsonga. Think he actually used his brain for once in a match.

Raonic for me was mentally weak when the pressure was on, serving to stay in the match. Harsh armchair judgement, but still that's what I think.

legendkillarV2 wrote:Whoa. Talks of Raonic of making the top 10, if he can't beat a guy on one leg the future doesn't look that good.

to Tsonga. Think he actually used his brain for once in a match.

When I said I thought Raonic would make the top 10 if anything I'm being conservative..even stating the obvious. What do you think? Do you think he'll never make the top 10 in his career?

Henman Bill wrote:

legendkillarV2 wrote:Whoa. Talks of Raonic of making the top 10, if he can't beat a guy on one leg the future doesn't look that good.

to Tsonga. Think he actually used his brain for once in a match.

When I said I thought Raonic would make the top 10 if anything I'm being conservative..even stating the obvious. What do you think? Do you think he'll never make the top 10 in his career?

Can't see him making it into the top 8. Commentators stating he needs to develop a B game. At 22 you have to say that he would have to develop it fast because being a tall and quite built guy speed and endurance will not be his friend.

Grosjean doesn't seem to age. What is his secret???

Come on Gasquet, steam roll this Berdy.

Come on Gassy move up to the baseline!!

Superb win for JWT. From what you lot have been saying, I'm guessing he was carrying an injury? Raonic shows that having a one dimensional game isn't good enough against the very best in the game. Sure, he'll get into the top 10 eventually and may even get into the top 5 when the Tsongas, Ferrers and Berdychs have retired but he's not good enough to ever be considered a great player. Harsh I know but it's what I think.

I'm a Raonic fan, although part of that is the fact that he's Canadian. I absolutely love Canada. I've spent 5 months there and it is my favourite country in the world. Hoping to move there permanently one day.

So, maybe I'm a little biased, but I do think he is capable of being a top 10 player. Last year he absolutely dominated the service stats. He just needs to do a bit of work on his return game. One break each set should usually be enough because when he's serving at his best he's more or less unbreakable. Karlovic reached #14, and he's a much more complete player than Karlovic ever was IMO.

In this case though, I'm glad Tsonga won. More points for me!

Raonic is not Canadian, he's Montenegrin. Just happens to live in Canada. He's Canadian as much as Elena Baltacha is British.

I'm sure he will win a GS someday, but history tells us that big tall servers, rarely stay at the top for long.

Jahu wrote:Raonic is not Canadian, he's Montenegrin. Just happens to live in Canada.

Exactly... that just means we share something in common! We're both not from Canada but we want to be Canadian!

I like Britain, but I do think I'd trade it in for Canadian citizenship...... Treachery, I know!

Petra Kvitova following in the footsteps of Dmitrov. Serving to stay in the set, she double faulted four straight times.

DJ decided to play "Rock Lobster", a song I thought Peter Griffin had made up.

Berdy on fire, damn. 5:1 already.

cogen: Canada rulez

Kirilenko can actually play well, it's just that people struggle to focus on the game when she's on court

Berdych seems to be hitting the ball so crisply. Just looks dangerous every time he gets into a rally, and Gasquet's not exactly been playing badly this week. I'm glad I predicted the Berd to make the final!

I'm sure Fed will have a few words to say to him, to revenge the Rotterdam loss.

Gasquet has 3 BPs. Will he or wont he?

If Gasquet could hit the ball as well as he hits his head, he would have the break-back.

Jahu wrote:I'm sure Fed will have a few words to say to him, to revenge the Rotterdam loss.

Rotterdam or Dubai?

What an incredible backhand that was from Gasquet. Wow!

Jahu, I think Federer would lose easily on current form. But, can't count the man out...

Lineswoman laughing at Berdych's challenge or on being correct?

5 BPs wasted. Gasquet. Gasmasquet done and dusted now?

Cogen wrote:

Jahu wrote:Raonic is not Canadian, he's Montenegrin. Just happens to live in Canada.

Exactly... that just means we share something in common! We're both not from Canada but we want to be Canadian!

I like Britain, but I do think I'd trade it in for Canadian citizenship...... Treachery, I know!

The way Britain is going, wanting to take anything you earn off you, I'm off to Canada some time. Immigration lawyer said I'd have a permanent resident visa in 18 months if I wanted it.

laverfan wrote:

Jahu wrote:I'm sure Fed will have a few words to say to him, to revenge the Rotterdam loss.

Rotterdam or Dubai?

Dubai, sorry.

Lever, never ceases to amaze us

MTO in the middle of the opponent's service game? Not sure that's on, unless Berdych genuinely has a serious injury.

Edit: Gasquet holds despite the interruption! Well played, still on serve.

Is it Berdych's turn to fall apart, like Gasquet did in the first set?

Berdych's is nicely feeding Gasquet's BH and not doing much with it. for Berdy.

Jahu wrote:

laverfan wrote:

Jahu wrote:I'm sure Fed will have a few words to say to him, to revenge the Rotterdam loss.

Rotterdam or Dubai?

Dubai, sorry.

Lever, never ceases to amaze us

Let us see what Federer (with his tweaked back) can do against Stan the Man.

Anyone else mildly disappointed that they're moving to the Fed match?

It's quite compelling viewing, this one!