Match Commentary Thread

[Born Slippy]

First topic message reminder :

A thread to provide commentary on matches at tournaments which don't have their own threads (as I'm watching Ferrer v Murray).

[CaledonianCraig]

Good on Anderson. Gets himself into a good position and doesn't hesitate, he aggresses Stan, goes to the net and Stan can't make the pass, Anderson nicks the second set 7-5.

Stan continues to be too inconsistent, too many cheap errors thrown in there. Third set is anyone's game IMO.

My money would still be on Stan. He clearly moves so much better than Anderson and the big South African doesn't hit many ball back with too much pace allowing Stan time to set himself and off-load a winner leaving Anderson flat-footed. If Stan loses this he will kick himself.

[CaledonianCraig]

Ferrer hammering Verdasco leading 5-1 and serving forr the first set. Meanwhile, Anderson hanging in there and leads Wawrinka 4-3 (on serve) in the final set.

[CaledonianCraig]

Stan breaks to lead 5-4 and will serve for the match with new balls.

[CaledonianCraig]

And Wawrinka from 30-0 up Stan throws in some bizarre shots and is broken - 5-5.

[Mad for Chelsea]

again I think you should give Anderson a fair bit of credit there, on the BP he had one chance on a short ball on his FH, he mullered it to the corner and put away the smash, just seems to be less afraid on the big points than Stan (who by contrast broke on an Anderson FH error).

[CaledonianCraig]

again I think you should give Anderson a fair bit of credit there, on the BP he had one chance on a short ball on his FH, he mullered it to the corner and put away the smash, just seems to be less afraid on the big points than Stan (who by contrast broke on an Anderson FH error).

He has definitely improved in this set as his confidence has risen. He is hitting through the ball more and rattled Stan with it. Done well Anderson.

[CaledonianCraig]

Anderson with two match points.

[CaledonianCraig]

And Wawrinka stays afloat - for now. Deuce.

[CaledonianCraig]

Wawrinka holds serve and we go into a third set tiebreaker.

[CaledonianCraig]

And Kevin Anderson clinches a big win for him beating Wawrinka 6-7 7-5 7-6. Who would have thunk it?

[Mad for Chelsea]

Anderson wins! another disappointing loss for Stan.

[CaledonianCraig]

Ferrer crushes Verdasco 6-1 6-2 and continues on coUrse for the WTF. Next up Murray V Dimitrov.

[sirfredperry]

Typical. The only bloke already thru to the O2 is the first to go out. Should be easy now for Berdych to reach the s-f and London. Doubt he'll have the same trouble with Anderson.
This does not bode too well for Stan in London or in the DC final in France. He's really gone off the boil.

[CaledonianCraig]

And without doing an awful lot Murray gets and early break to lead 2-1.

[CaledonianCraig]

Solid so far from Murray and he leads 4-2.

[Jahu]

Come on Raonic, blow away that little puppy.

Dimi to take a set on TB maybe.

[CaledonianCraig]

Andy Murray breaks again as he ups his game and takes the first set 6-3. Dimitrov yet to get into his stride.

[Mad for Chelsea]

Murray playing well. Dimitrov playing not particularly well. Easy so far.

[CaledonianCraig]

And Murray begins the second set with a hold to love.

[CaledonianCraig]

Murray playing well. Dimitrov playing not particularly well. Easy so far.

Yes Dimitrov has been disappointing but is dabbling with a new racquet.

[CaledonianCraig]

Murray with another early break of serve and leads 6-3 2-0.

[Mad for Chelsea]

yeah the commentators have been mentioning that CC, might explain it somewhat. Gulf in class out there at the moment though, Murray purring, breaks to lead 2-0.

[CaledonianCraig]

Another hold to love courtesy of a net cord and Murray leads 6-3 3-0. Playing very controlled and solid tennis. Dimitrov, on the other hand, isn't.

[Mad for Chelsea]

Dimitrov looking dangerously close to giving up.

[Mad for Chelsea]

so Murray throws him a lifeline with a couple of loose returns...

[CaledonianCraig]

Raonic takes the first set 7-5 as Dimitrov gets a game on the board against Murray.

[CaledonianCraig]

What a point!!

[CaledonianCraig]

Another hold to love and Murray leads 6-3 4-1.

[Mad for Chelsea]

Murray's first serve has clicked beautifully today, he's got so many free points off it.

[CaledonianCraig]

And Murray wins 6-3 6-3. Really hard to judge that performance from Andy. He was rock solid on his own serve whilst Dimitrov was erratic. Still he got the job done and wraps up a spot at the WTF for sure now.

[Mad for Chelsea]

fine win for Murray, who's through to the WTF

excellent performance today from Murray, never in any danger whatsoever, completely outclassed poor Dimitrov.

[sirfredperry]

Well, Andy's done it and with surprising ease. Must say I'd rather have seen Dimi in London than some of the others who might make it.
Good thing is that Andy's had two shortish matches and should not be too cream-crackered.

[Calder106]

Excellent. He has qualified for the WTF without having to rely on others losing.

[CaledonianCraig]

Raonic beats Bautista-Agut 7-5 7-6 to keep his WTF hopes alive.

[Mad for Chelsea]

Raonic sneaks through. Rather careless from BA that, was serving for the set only to get broken, and squandered a set point in the breaker too.

Raonic still in with a chance for London.

Nishikori has started brilliantly against Tsonga, breaking twice for 3-0.

[laverfan]

Tsonga-not-on-a-Songa is playing pretty badly.

[Mad for Chelsea]

Tsonga completely flat, but that might just be as good a set of tennis as I've seen this year from Nishikori, just brilliant stuff.

[Mad for Chelsea]

here's a question: should Tsonga have achieved more? He's got one Masters, a GS final and a handful of semis (4 I think?), as well as a WTF final. Not a bad list, but will he look back on his career and think "I could have been better than that"?

[DirectView2]

Just checked the stats Kei has always dominated Tsonga [3-1] on h2h, today is a hammering given Tsonga Monga is playing on his homesoil.

[biugo]

Maybe he won't have regrets of this kind, but his fans sure would. When you see how he can play when on tsong, and that he reached such level not just once, one could feel he could have done a Wawrinka and get a slam somewhere. (Same could go with this French generation - with Monfils and Gasquet, huge talent for all, but too much on the enjoyment side... Reminds me how at some point, Gasquet and Murray where the 2 fighting youngsters, until that Wimby match where Gasquet was serving for the match in set 3, and lost in 5 - uphill since then for Murray)

[Jahu]

Come on Tsonga, slice him harakiri style.

[Mad for Chelsea]

well well well. Tsonga has certainly improved beyond recognition this set, and he now breaks Nishikori to lead 5-4 and serve to level up the match!

[Jahu]

I like the Ninja, but I want Tsonga to win tonight.

[Jahu]

Tsong takes second set.

Come onnnnnn

[CaledonianCraig]

Tsonga has always been a talented but highly inconsistent player. He can go from electrifying to erratic in an instant and that will never be enough to win a slam.He has had some big wins sporadically in his career but the inconsistent up and down nature of his career just sums him up in one word - inconsistent.

[Jahu]

Yes, thought a few times a year or in two, when he clicks, its a joy to watch and will beat anyone.

Shame really.

[CaledonianCraig]

Yes, thought a few times a year or in two, when he clicks, its a joy to watch and will beat anyone.

Shame really.

Or conversely he can appear like someone who doesn't give a jot and lose against nobodies by comparison to him.

[Jahu]

True. Like now DF.

[Jahu]

And loses match. Ninja wins.

Poor end.

[lags72]

Tsonga has always been a talented but highly inconsistent player. He can go from electrifying to erratic in an instant and that will never be enough to win a slam.He has had some big wins sporadically in his career but the inconsistent up and down nature of his career just sums him up in one word - inconsistent.

The sheer inconsistency has indeed been his Achilles heel.

Just two Masters titles (+ 9 minor tourneys) and one Slam Final appearance is a relatively poor return over a career now spanning ten years. Fair to say that he has under-achieved in relation to his significant talent.

Will turn 30 next year, and I'm sure even JWT himself must feel that if he was going to do anything 'big', he would have done so by now.

Great personality, one of the most likeable guys on the tour

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