2015 250-500 Tournaments Thread

[temporary21]

First topic message reminder :

A thread intended for discussion of the smaller tournaments of the year. First up, its Doha.

[Jahu]

IMBL, you were just complaining about no rallies, bit of a cheap Nadal fan you are, distracting us and filling my Phone screen with your 59 meter long text on Live match thread

[It Must Be Love]

I suppose Emancipator you want everyone to congratulate Federer like you heap praise on Nadal after any match he plays.

To the intellectual extent of: 'Haha Nadull is getting humiliated' or 'Oh look, Nadull grinds out another lucky win'.

[Guest]

Not a word of congrats from a single non-Federer fan?

Not quite sure who we are supposed to be congratulating but my first comment on the result was to compliment Federer and highlight how the h2h is not shifting.

Which I applauded, see my next post after the one quoted.

[Jahu]

IMBL, This was not ANY match, it was a FInal agasint the No:1, don;t be so modest.

[It Must Be Love]

IMBL, you were just complaining about no rallies, bit of a cheap Nadal fan you are, distracting us and filling my Phone screen with your 59 meter long text on Live match thread

Well Emancipator asked why people would want a different surface to the one we have now- and I answered honestly. I was still supporting Federer today, and I thought he served well in the key moments and deserved to win (although Djokovic will regret not taking it to 3 sets).

[bogbrush]

Not a word of congrats from a single non-Federer fan?

Not quite sure who we are supposed to be congratulating but my first comment on the result was to compliment Federer and highlight how the h2h is not shifting.

I feel similarly. Unless Fed reads this forum there is nobody to congratulate. I certainly can't take any credit for the win.

[Jahu]

IMBL, Since nobody cares for Djokovic, I will accept your mild pro-Fed stance today

[Guest]

I suppose Emancipator you want everyone to congratulate Federer like you heap praise on Nadal after any match he plays.

To the intellectual extent of: 'Haha Nadull is getting humiliated' or 'Oh look, Nadull grinds out another lucky win'.

I always want Nadal to lose and yes I do write things to rile his fans up, however, I have also written lots of positive things about him AND congratulated him and his fans after his major tournament wins.

[Jahu]

Emanci, I am Pro Nadal when he plays DJoko, Berdy and many I don't fancy

[slashermcguirk]

Yes but look at finals head to head, djokovic leads 7-5, he has won their most important matches. Granted they are 1-1 in slam finals and 5-5 in slam meetings but djokovic has a positive record in finals vs federer in their career meetings

[HM Murdock]

Not a word of congrats from a single non-Federer fan?

Funny enough HMM never watches matches where Djoko loses to Fed

Ha! Now you come to mention it, I have missed the last couple of Federer victories!

And even when Novak wins, I spend most of the match not being able to look, so I don't actually get to see much of this rivalry!

[It Must Be Love]

I suppose Emancipator you want everyone to congratulate Federer like you heap praise on Nadal after any match he plays.

To the intellectual extent of: 'Haha Nadull is getting humiliated' or 'Oh look, Nadull grinds out another lucky win'.

I always want Nadal to lose and yes I do write things to rile his fans up, however, I have also written lots of positive things about him AND congratulated him and his fans after his major tournament wins.

I have seen a lot of evidence of the former; not too much of the latter so far, but I'll take your word for it.

[Guest]

Yes but look at finals head to head, djokovic leads 7-5, he has won their most important matches. Granted they are 1-1 in slam finals and 5-5 in slam meetings but djokovic has a positive record in finals vs federer in their career meetings

Dude, it's 7-5.

Not 10-2, and nearly all of Novak's finals wins have come against the declining Federer.

[Jahu]

Not a word of congrats from a single non-Federer fan?

Funny enough HMM never watches matches where Djoko loses to Fed

Ha! Now you come to mention it,  I have missed the last couple of Federer victories!

And even when Novak wins, I spend most of the match not being able to look, so I don't actually get to see much of this rivalry!

Hahah, you are a joke of a tennis fan, lucky Djoko for you, watching him only 5 times a year

[It Must Be Love]

Yes but look at finals head to head, djokovic leads 7-5, he has won their most important matches. Granted they are 1-1 in slam finals and 5-5 in slam meetings but djokovic has a positive record in finals vs federer in their career meetings

Yes but when Federer was prime and Djokovic was really young- they were drawn to play in the semi-finals like 99 times in a row; so I'd be a bit careful of leaving out the semi matches.

[Silver]

I didn't get to watch the match...

From Novak's perspective, I don't mind too much. It has to be all about the slams now for him but it's still disappointing to lose to a rival, especially as I gather he lost his serve rather cheaply at the end of the second set?

He did, unfortunately. As SB says, Novak was the better player for most of the second set, particularly in the latter half and was holding very easily compared to the first set. He was winning the vast majority of rallies from the back, and carved out plenty of opportunities - BPs in each of the last three Federer service games, including two SPs at 4-5, 15-40. He missed them (not much he could've done), and then collapsed from 40-0 up - Federer kept it tight and in play, but really Novak threw it away.

Basically, Federer just about edged the first set on level of play, and then absolutely served out of his mind in the second set. Seriously, constant clutch serving when break point down towards the end. I was feeling sorry for Novak because no matter how good you are on the return, there's just nothing whatsoever you can do against serving that good. The second Fed went BP down, a switch flicked and all of a sudden the aces and unreturnables started flying. The momentum was heavily against him in the rallies/set in general, but the old dependable carried him through.

Decent match. Not as good as Shanghai or many of their other stellar matches, but still better than plenty out there. Great win for Fed, now they both look to IW where they're defending finalist points...

[Silver]

Regarding the H2H, I wouldn't worry about it too much. Federer is just a difficult matchup for Djokovic compared to others, that's all. And it's not like he's some hick journeyman! No shame in losing to world #2.

[It Must Be Love]

You can almost taste the excitement here on v2 for Nadal vs Berlocq

[Josiah Maiestas]

You can almost taste the excitement here on v2 for Nadal vs Berlocq

Paint drying competition or Nadalocq...

[Haddie-nuff]

Well congrats EM though you have done enough for everyone!!! difficult to make comments when you can't view the match but make hay whilst the sun shines . Join the club

[Guest]

Well congrats EM though you have done enough for everyone!!! difficult to make comments when you can't view the match but make hay whilst the sun shines . Join the club

Thanks Haddie

[Haddie-nuff]

Hugs back IM no smilies having to use my tablet my puter is at the doctors !!!

[HM Murdock]

...and then collapsed from 40-0 up - Federer kept it tight and in play, but really Novak threw it away.

That's the only thing that irks me a bit.

No shame in losing to Federer, especially on a quicker court, and the guy is a master of clutch serving, so no shock there either.

I just get twitchy at Novak's tendency to throw a terrible service game in out of the blue.

Oh well. Onward to Indian Wells!

[Guest]

The Fed Express keeps on trucking

[laverfan]

Come on Fed, knock him out, all the way to an (fake) MTO

Please, have some compassion for Djokovic! He is now a father.

LF kiss btw (been some time)

Sweetheart.

[Belovedluckyboy]

Congrats to Fed for the win. Fed is still awesome on a quick court. He's a joy to watch playing like this especially on a court that suits his game.

[laverfan]

Congrats to Fed for the win.  Fed is still awesome on a quick court.  He's a joy to watch playing like this especially on a court that suits his game.

BLB, it is good to see that the Fedal debates affect you much less than some. Slams are a different beast and Federer can longer run the marathon of slams with loses to Seppi, et al.

[HM Murdock]

It strikes me that the reputed frostiness between Federer and Djokovic has now melted.

They were chatting happily with each other during the presentation ceremony and seem quite comfortable in each other's company. Federer said some very nice words in his interview afterwards:

"I think it's really become a very nice rivalry. I think we play very nicely against each other, and it seems people like the way we play against each other, as well. I don't think we have to adjust our games very much against each other, which I think is nice, as well. We can just play our game, and then the better man wins.

It's been nice seeing Novak's improvements over all these years. He's become such an unbelievable player, especially the past five, six years, and cleaned up his game so nicely and became the best mover in the game. It's really a pleasure playing against him every single time"

I enjoy a bit of needle in the game but I'm pleased that there is less of it in this match up now.

[Guest]

Anyone watching the challenger in Peru?

Berloq playing some amazing tennis. 1st set tie break against Nadal.

This is a good match. Rafa's court coverage is incredible.

[Guest]

Rafa saves 4 set points.

[Guest]

Oh man, what a missed opportunity for Berloq. 5 set points saved. 6-6.

[Guest]

This is just like their match in that other challenger a couple of years ago.

[Guest]

LOL, I musta jinxed him. set point Nadal.

[Guest]

Rafa takes it. This should be done in straights now.

[Guest]

Wow. After folding like a cheap deck of cards (6-1 up in tie break) Berloq breaks Rafa to love at the start of the second.

[Guest]

Berloq's SHBH generates so much pace.

[Guest]

Nadal breaks back. Surely it's over now!

[Haddie-nuff]

Hooray Rafa. Final against your best buddy VAMOS!!!

[Guest]

Rafa played really well. Berloq was playing lights out for a set and a half.

This is the best Rafa has looked in a match since last year's FO. His movement was incredible.

[Gerry SA]

Seems rather fitting that Rafael Nadal could equal Guillermo Vilas' Open Era record of 46 clay court titles in Buenos Aries, where the Argentine won 8 titles.

[summerblues]

I am glad I did not see that TB - from 6:1 to losing the set .  I have not seen much of Rafa this week but I am sure his form will be just fine for the FO.

It should be a close match against Monaco tomorrow.  They have played 5 matches on clay so far, Rafa won them all in straight sets, the score composition:

6:0 - 3x
6:1 - 6x
6:2 - 2x
6:3 - 1x

Monaco has never won more than 3 games in a set.

[summerblues]

One sign that Federer is playing better now than in 2013 is that I am once again getting nervous watching his matches.

By the end of 2013 and even most of last year I was pretty much resigned to him fading away and - even in important matches - I realized I was mostly enjoying watching him play but was no longer all that nervous about the outcome.

Today I was getting more nervous yet again.

[summerblues]

However I do think that line was relevant, given what I said just after that.

I did not find what you were saying very relevant but I am starting to suspect it may be due to English being my second language.

When you said

but not exactly that entertaining in my opinion- not many amazing rallies

I interpreted it to mean something like "I do not think it is that entertaining" in much the same sense one could say "I do not think it will rain tomorrow".  But maybe you meant something more like "I do not find it that entertaining" in much the same sense one could say "I prefer baseball to basketball".  If that is what you meant then fair enough.

[Haddie-nuff]

I will be happy just to see Rafa regain his confidence this has affected his game. Hardly ever have I seen Rafa looking like a scared rabbit.I never saw this match but if he is looking as good as I'm reading then I'm a happy bunny

[summerblues]

Another stat that shows how close Rafa's and Monaco's matches on clay have traditionally been:

They have played 85 games so far:

Rafa's service games: played 43, broken once
Monaco's service games: played 42, broken 30 times

[LuvSports!]

Cheers chief stato!

[Silver]

Broken 30 times from 42 service games?! That's truly remarkable returning venom from Nadal - very impressive. It's good to see that he's getting back into good nick, can't wait to see how he gets on at Indian Wells.

It strikes me that the reputed frostiness between Federer and Djokovic has now melted.

They were chatting happily with each other during the presentation ceremony and seem quite comfortable in each other's company.

Definitely. They were even practicing together earlier in the tournament (link here), along with another semi-finalist in Berdych. Clearly they agreed to monopolise the latter stages!

He's right when he says that their styles match up well and allow each other space to play their own game, rather than being stifled. It's not as simple as attack vs defence either, both are constantly switching and trying new tactics, even after 37 matches. It's great stuff.

[laverfan]

Nishikori's 22+ errors in 12 games! Pretty miserable and disappointing.

[summerblues]

Just turned Nishi vs Ferrer on - Nishi already down a set and a break at 3:4

[summerblues]

I was quite hopeful Nishi could win as has had a good record against Ferrer and won their last five matches.

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