Dubai/Acapulco 500

Lots of tennis action today with Federer, Djokovic and Murray all in action today. Come on posters lets he having you!

Federer breaks Stepanek. Leads 5-2 in the first.

Federer takes the first set 6-2. Stepanek seemingly out of ideas already!

Stepanek in control in this second set leading 4-2. Stepanek starting to time the ball better.

Federer breaks back and we are at 6-5.

Stepanek takes the tiebreak. We are into a third here folks this one still has mileage left in it.

And Stepanek breaks Federer!!

Federer now in control of this. That first break in the 3rd really hurt Stepanek 5-2 Federer in the 3rd and he will serve for the match.

Federer gifts a break back to Stepanek.

Fed finally won 6-3 in the third. Thought Stepanek might give him a good match as it is probably the kind of surface he likes. Wonder whether Stepanek's long match the previous day took its toll in the end.

Back from the vets and Djokovic is trouncing Bautista-Agut. Has it been solid from Novak?

Petchey purring over Novak's performance. Be interesting to see how that side of the draw shapes up.

Federer vs Rosol. The match we've all been waiting for, because if Roger wins this one, I reckon using advanced biased maths we can conclusively end the GOAT debate once and for all.

 

Supreme analysis.

Very good performance from Novak but, yet again, got broken when serving for the match.

Plus ça change...

Youzhny pulls out thus Djokovic advances to the semis

Watching the Murray v Sousa match. Never seen Andy hit so many FH winners.

Rosol and Federer exchange breaks of serve.

Rosol saving 3 BPs. Goes long on the FH volley and another break for Federer.

Federer breaks again with a velvet volley. Leads 5-2

And Federer wraps up the first set 6-2

Federer wins his 40th match in Dubai 6-2 6-2

So the Fed plays Djokovic... This is one of the most interesting matches in a while. It's a good chance for Federer to gauge where he's at against an opponent he's had the upper hand against for most of his career. Bookies make Novak the clear favourite.

A win for Novak will level the H2H at 16-16.

Is it that close?? I thought it was about 16-12 or something.

Murray back to 6th in the world (meaningless) but since Daveed is out, winning the title will take him back to 4th. I hope Daveed's ok - he retired 4-2 down in the 2nd but took the 1st 6-2 which indicates something sudden.

The Special Juan wrote:So the Fed plays Djokovic...  This is one of the most interesting matches in a while.  It's a good chance for Federer to gauge where he's at against an opponent he's had the upper hand against for most of his career.  Bookies make Novak the clear favourite.

Don't really agree with that. Since Novak turned 20 he has had an edge on Federer, albeit they have been relatively evenly matched.

The Special Juan wrote:Murray back to 6th in the world (meaningless) but since Daveed is out, winning the title will take him back to 4th.  I hope Daveed's ok - he retired 4-2 down in the 2nd but took the 1st 6-2 which indicates something sudden.

Shows how close the rankings are between about 4 and 8 - one good week and you jump 2 or 3 spots, a bad one and you can slip the same. Would be good for Andy's morale going into IW / Miami to get a tournament win under his belt (I know, there's still some way to go this week). Hasn't won a tournament since Wimbledon, so it should be a good confidence boost and demonstrate that his recovery from the back surgery is progressing well.

 What's with Andy's starts??

I know he's a notoriously slow riser (ooh er missus ) but even for him these first sets are bad

dummy_half wrote:

The Special Juan wrote:Murray back to 6th in the world (meaningless) but since Daveed is out, winning the title will take him back to 4th.  I hope Daveed's ok - he retired 4-2 down in the 2nd but took the 1st 6-2 which indicates something sudden.

Shows how close the rankings are between about 4 and 8 - one good week and you jump 2 or 3 spots, a bad one and you can slip the same. Would be good for Andy's morale going into IW / Miami to get a tournament win under his belt (I know, there's still some way to go this week). Hasn't won a tournament since Wimbledon, so it should be a good confidence boost and demonstrate that his recovery from the back surgery is progressing well.

In fact, this is his first SF since Wimbledon. Odd to say but he is probably underdog against Dimi. Whilst he looks to be hitting the ball well his movement and match sharpness still isn't quite there. If he can get through that test though then he should be confident of his chances in the final.

Being seeded 4 for the Masters would be a nice bonus if he can win. I got the impression Ferrer's injury wasnt too serious.

I have watched nearly 6 hours of tennis!!

Dolgopolov v Karlovic was a good match. Karlovic let a point get to him in the first set and that allowed Dolgo to take the first set. Only one break of serve and surprising Dolgo took it on the tiebreak.

Ferrer v Anderson. I forwarded this match as I can't bear to watch Ferrer. I saw him pull up injured.

Murray v Simon was a tight affair. Murray gifted the first set coupled with Simon hitting with real power. Simon kept reaching for tissues in between points. Not sure if he was under the weather. Good resurgence by Andy. Simon suffered with a shoulder injury it seemed.

Now watching Federer v Diokovic

The winner will meet Berdych. Djokovic holds serve.

Djokovic with break points and he takes with a lame BH slice into the net from Federer.

Djokovic 3-0 in the space of 8 minutes. Impressive start

Federer holds to love. He needs to work hard to get that break back

Federer with a sniff at 0-30. Djokovic pulls it back. Don't think I have ever seen a better defender than Djokovic. We hit deuce. Break point Federer which is saved. Boom the first ace and FH winner gives Novak 4-1 lead

Federer clings on to his serve. 4-2 Djokovic

Djokovic holds serve. 5-2. Federer to serve to stay in it.

Federer with a hold. Djokovic to serve it out. 5-3

And Djokovic has set point and let's it slip. He brings up another with an ace followed up a superb game of cat and mouse which Federer wins. Deuce. Djokovic brings up a 3rd set point and pow an ace takes it Djokovic 6-3

Federer gets the breakthrough and leads 4-2 in the second

Federer holds and leads 5-2. Djokovic to serve to stay in it

A Federer love service game brings up the second set. Federer 6-3. We are into a 3rd.

Come on Fed, nuke him into his cave.   

Federer breaks in the final set!! Could it happen?

Fed breaks on third set. 0:1

2 bp for Djoko

2 nukes from Fed, deuce

Federer brings up 2 booming serves to starve of 2 BP's and holds his serve 2-0

Omg,  oooooo mannnnnn shot of the month