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).

[temporary21]

Oh Ferrer, why must you be soo typical

[laverfan]

Nishikori after two good games about to be broken.

[The Special Juan]

Ferrer's going to have Djokovic tomorrow, I reckon.

[temporary21]

My main concern with the Ferrer-Djoko matchup is the BH-BH exchange, it feels like Ferrers gonna lose it everytime

[laverfan]

Nishikori is getting too many short balls from Ferrer and running too much. A couple of drops would help Ferrer.

[laverfan]

Set!. Nicely done. Nishikori won one game from 2-0 to lose the set 6-3. His lack of first serve will cause problems in the second set as well.

[The Special Juan]

My main concern with the Ferrer-Djoko matchup is the BH-BH exchange, it feels like Ferrers gonna lose it everytime

Surely everyone who plays Djokovic looks like that though. I think he'll have a good a chance as anyone on this treacle court.

[temporary21]

Ferrers in particular though. Muzz feels like an even matchup in that respect, Federer at least has the short slice change up and nadal got the fhdtl. Ferrers BH feels a slightly less good version of his

[LuvSports!]

NISHI WINS! The lineup is now complete, no Ferrer

[summerblues]

Nishi vs Nole; that could be interesting.  I actually think Nishi might have a chance.

Disappointed with Fed, was hoping to at least get to see him play this weekend.  That second semifinal is now pretty boring for me.

[laverfan]

Nishi vs Nole; that could be interesting.  I actually think Nishi might have a chance.

The way Djokovic dismantled Murray, and Nishikori played the first set v Ferrer, it is a very small chance. The Bo3 format is is also tricky for Nishikori.

Disappointed with Fed, was hoping to at least get to see him play this weekend.  That second semifinal is now pretty boring for me.

The first set TB should have been played a bit better. O2 should also be a bit faster than Paris and closer to Basel.

[lags72]

I think all said & done, neither Fed nor Murray were overly disappointed to go out at this stage.

They have both enjoyed impressive winning streaks in recent weeks, and will be glad of an extra few days break & practice, ahead of gearing themselves up for the season's big finale in London (although Federer then has DC too of course ......)

Encouraging signs for them both in terms of 2015 prospects. Andy still has much to do if he is to get back to his very best - but nobody knows that more than he does. And there has certainly been lots of good stuff from him in recent weeks - not least all those saved MP's and battling wins.

As for Fed : the expectations/priorities are somewhat different at his sort of age. The book has pretty much been written already. He will, understandably, cling to any remaining faint hopes of recapturing the top spot ; personally I think it's incredible that he is even in contention. I was amongst those (the vast majority ....surely ...?) who  - when he stated immediately after the London Olympics that he fully intended to compete in Rio 2016 - regarded it with some scepticism, and as rather fanciful talk, a target too far. But the reality is that if he can manage a respectable season in 2015, then Rio suddenly becomes perfectly feasible.

[The Special Juan]

Murray was the real winner last night as he managed to ace Novak Djokovic, the greatest returner ever, with a second serve. That tickled me. I think it will be a Berdy-Djokovic final with some sort of horrendous hammering in the final.

[CaledonianCraig]

I think Murray is on the right track once more but I won't see him as back to where he was until he beats Djokovic, Federer or Nadal as those three are still the benchmark. His exit yesterday though allows him an extra few days to recharge his batteries and Ferrer's loss last night (by my calculations) means Andy will climb up to 7th in the rankings.

[Danny_1982]

^ agree with that Craig. As encouraging as the last few weeks have been, he has still been beaten fairly comfortably by Novak a few times in the very recent past.

It used to be that their matches were so tight and seperated by s few points, whereas Novak looks like he doesn't need to reach top gear in their matches now. In fairness, it was a bit tighter yesterday until he tired but he didn't return well enough or get enough first serves in really.

6 weeks ago I didn't see a return to top 4 or slam finals as realistic. But he's gone up a level since then. Still a couple of levels to go, but at least there's signs he could get there.

[The Special Juan]

The ani-Murray commentators I was listening to last night were saying that Djokovic has won 7 out of the last 8 now and that Murray/Djokovic wasn't really a rivalry. I wonder what that makes Fedal then? It's testament to Djokovic that he's involved in 2 of tennis's greatest rivalries - v Nadal and v Federer. The scary thing is that I think he can still add more to his game.

[lags72]

Andy has beaten Novak (and in impressive fashion) in two Slam Finals, in a number of MS events, and has often run him close even when losing.

More than good enough for a rivalry in my book .......

[temporary21]

I guess they forgot to mention the 1 out of 8 was the wimby final then

[Calder106]

Unfortunately it is very unlikely that you are going to beat Djokovic if you are only getting 50% of first serves in.

[YvonneT]

Ferrer's loss last night (by my calculations) means Andy will climb up to 7th in the rankings.

At the end of this tournament, the rankings and race are the same, so Ferrer is down to 10th and Murray will be 6th if the final here is Djokovic d Raonic or 7th for any other combination.

[YvonneT]

In other words, Murray is sure to be third in his group in the WTF (seeding wise).

[CaledonianCraig]

I think the WTF will afford Andy the chance to really test himself against the very best players and perhaps rebuild confidence further with a few wins. We shall see if he still has it in him to beat the very best which is what he will need to do in the future to taste further slam glory.

[The Special Juan]

How do they determine the groups? Obviously 1 and 2 will go into different groups but from then on? 3 & 4 randomly assigned, with 2 from 5-8 plonked into each group?

[Jahu]

Come on Raonic, spank him hard

[The Special Juan]

I think the WTF will afford Andy the chance to really test himself against the very best players and perhaps rebuild confidence further with a few wins. We shall see if he still has it in him to beat the very best which is what he will need to do in the future to taste further slam glory.

He's the 3rd best player there. Who's going to beat him outside Fedovic? Maybe Berdych has a shot but aside from that no one looks like doing it. Stan's in dreadful form, Cilic doesn't match up well against Murray, Raonic will struggle with Murray returning well, Nishikori's a poor man's Murray...

[Jahu]

Same can apply to any of those players.

In a good day, Nishi, Cilic, Berdy, Raonic, can beat any of the top 4 here.

[The Special Juan]

Same can apply to any of those players.

In a good day, Nishi, Cilic, Berdy, Raonic, can beat any of the top 4 here.

That's a very valid point but they'd need to have an excellent day to do so.

[CaledonianCraig]

I think the WTF will afford Andy the chance to really test himself against the very best players and perhaps rebuild confidence further with a few wins. We shall see if he still has it in him to beat the very best which is what he will need to do in the future to taste further slam glory.

He's the 3rd best player there.  Who's going to beat him outside Fedovic?  Maybe Berdych has a shot but aside from that no one looks like doing it.  Stan's in dreadful form, Cilic doesn't match up well against Murray, Raonic will struggle with Murray returning well, Nishikori's a poor man's Murray...

Yes but I'd take more from the WTF if he were to beat Djokovic or Federer in a group match and lose to a Cilic and Berdych say. He needs to turn a growing tide of losses against THE big guns - the ones that stand (still) above those ranked outside the top three.

[Jahu]

Raonic blowing balls apart.

Thought it might be just a serve play, but so far quite some good rallies and exchanges.

[Jahu]

What is going on with Tennis? Raonic and Berdy slicing some crazy shots and rallies.

Berdy broken.

[CaledonianCraig]

Is it really a surprise though Jahu?

Raonic is all about serve. He has an excellent serve and if that fires then you need an excellent returner to negate that and Berdych just doesn't come into that category. Also I think Raonic's all-round game is improving as we saw against Federer yesterday but I still think he is a work in progress.

[Jahu]

Yes, a bit wierd to see them both play some gentle slices and more all around game.

Sure, both are hard hitters, though Berdy has to be in top 5 of wasted talents to not win a GS yet.

[Jahu]

Milo takes first set 6:3.

Keep it up boy.

[temporary21]

This has final set tiebreak written all over it. Now watch them prove me right, but with 6 breaks of serve in a row

[The Special Juan]

Come on Berdy!!

[CaledonianCraig]

Raaonic does what he does best. Holds his serve throughout and capitalises on any slip-ups in the opponent and Berdych obliged imploding to lose serve losing in three sets. Raonic awaits Djoko or Nishikori in the final.

[Jahu]

Yessss Milo wins.

Berdy behaving like a kid.

Milo-Korgi 2015 W final

[Jahu]

Come on Ninja, time to advance to Samurai

[The Special Juan]

Pfffffffffff I can't stand Boring Milos. Hopefully Djokovic tans him in the final.

[CaledonianCraig]

Pfffffffffff I can't stand Boring Milos.  Hopefully Djokovic tans him in the final.

Agreed. He is not my cup of tea either - a kind of throwback to those serve-dominant players of the 1990s. Too one-dimensional for my liking.

[Jahu]

Come on, he is young, he will get some more skills and dimensions


Wanting Djoko to beat him, is as inhumane as beeing a heartless dipstick

[summerblues]

Nishi vs Nole; that could be interesting.  I actually think Nishi might have a chance.

The way Djokovic dismantled Murray, and Nishikori played the first set [...], it is a very small chance.

Reminiscent of the US Open then

I say Go Nishi!

[summerblues]

Pfffffffffff I can't stand Boring Milos.  Hopefully Djokovic tans him in the final.

You mean Nishi I hope.

[Jahu]

Djoko with 2 coaches, cheating little git

[The Special Juan]

Pfffffffffff I can't stand Boring Milos.  Hopefully Djokovic tans him in the final.

You mean Nishi I hope.

Spoken like a true Federer fan I like Djokovic and have no reason to root against him. For what it's worth though, I would root for Nishikori too and he would probably start as favourite against the Boring One.

[The Special Juan]

It's not just Raonic's game that I dislike, it's also his peronality and, weirdly, his face.  And his hair.  It's not cool, he needs a proper haircut like Ivan Ljubicic or James Blake.

[Jahu]

You are worst then me

[Jahu]

Come on Nishi, get the serve going.

Djoko breaks.

[temporary21]

To be fair to Milos ive been impressed this week. He knew going into the Fed match he had to beat the in form player currently or he was out of the WTF, and he stepped up. Hes got way more shots than he did this time last year, and if he keeps improving, the idea of a slam win isnt a far-fetched idea

[summerblues]

All Nole so far.  Nishi very poor; he has no serve today.

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