Monte Carlo Masters thread

[It Must Be Love]

First topic message reminder :

http://www.montecarlorolexmasters.mc

All the top players are playing, with the exception of Andy Murray, who's busy getting married.

Beautiful tournament, love scenery, and a nice start to the European Clay Court season.

[temporary21]

Thats what he needs. Rafa has been scared into playing better. He needs to just survive matches like this, get through and build it up step by step.

[Belovedluckyboy]

I really don't understand why Rafa needs to be scared. I mean he knows his game is there, just execute it the way he does all along! Why is he having so much doubts and nerves? He's 'weird, I dont see Fed or Novak being nervous or scared to such an extent.

[temporary21]

Hes older, and he hasnt much to build on for a while. Players who are older are more aware of the time they have left and get more nervous. He was like this all of 2014, right until a set down to Ferrer at RG, and he scared himself to life.

[Belovedluckyboy]

Rafa is having brain cramp, why is he still standing so far back even now that they're deep in the third set? In the past, he would have adjusted his court position to return serves and makes Isner guessing. Isner S&V so often with successess because Rafa is standing so far behind the baseline!

[Belovedluckyboy]

Ha, I like that, 'scared himself to life'!

[Belovedluckyboy]

This match would be won in straight sets by Rafa of the past, this Rafa is making a mess out of it by being so defensive.

[Josiah Maiestas]

Nadal is favourite for MC and RG. He's unbeatable now on clay

[Jahu]

Fed showed up just for Rolex or what?

[Henman Bill]

court looks fast this year

[Henman Bill]

Maybe explains why Cilic, Berdych, Isner and Raonic all having decent tournaments

[CaledonianCraig]

Maybe explains why Cilic, Berdych, Isner and Raonic all having decent tournaments

But that goes against the grain then as supposedly Roger prefers quicker surfaces so it should have suited him?

[Silver]

Maybe explains why Cilic, Berdych, Isner and Raonic all having decent tournaments

But that goes against the grain then as supposedly Roger prefers quicker surfaces so it should have suited him?

Not every Federer defeat is due to slow courts, as you well know.

He just got beaten by the superior player today, LF's post is a good one regarding how it went down. Brainless tactics, mostly.

[TRuffin]

Fed just needs to stay healthy and somewhat match tough for Grass :-)...

[CaledonianCraig]

Maybe explains why Cilic, Berdych, Isner and Raonic all having decent tournaments

But that goes against the grain then as supposedly Roger prefers quicker surfaces so it should have suited him?

Not every Federer defeat is due to slow courts, as you well know.

He just got beaten by the superior player today, LF's post is a good one regarding how it went down. Brainless tactics, mostly.

Yes I realise that. Federer played far from shabbily but Monfils was better. Gael, though, is very liable now to go out and lose in the next round. It is why he has never managed to cement a top ten place in the rankings and yes I realise he has had spells of injuries but he still blows hot and cold when fit.

[Silver]

Yeah. It's kind of a shame that he likely won't go deep, although that side of the draw is still more interesting now that there's nobody left to sweep through it. We were talking about new MS winners the other day, and unless Berdych makes the final we'll have a candidate from that half of the draw now. They won't have a chance against Rafavic, but hey

I see Nadal won. Good lad.

[HM Murdock]

Noval serving for bagel #9 of the season...

[HM Murdock]

And takes it.

Nicely done.

[Matchpoint]

Yeah. It's kind of a shame that he likely won't go deep, although that side of the draw is still more interesting now that there's nobody left to sweep through it. We were talking about new MS winners the other day, and unless Berdych makes the final we'll have a candidate from that half of the draw now. They won't have a chance against Rafavic, but hey

I see Nadal won. Good lad.

I don't see him get pass Djokovic, especially if he needs another 3-setter to reach semi.

[temporary21]

its 8 more to go to beat the 06 Fed record now?
Fed was beaten today by some great hitting and a great game plan from la monf, frankly thats the way he should always play

[Belovedluckyboy]

Looking at the way Ferrer and Simon play, its likely that they'll go the distance and so I doubt the winner of this match could trouble Rafa.

Novak has an easy opponent today so I dont think he's playing top level tennis at the moment. Lets see Cilic vs Novak first before saying that Rafa can't beat this Novak. If anything, this match vs Isner would sharpen Rafa a bit, and if Rafa can handle big serving and S&V, I dont see why he couldnt handle the rallying vs Novak.

[greengoblin]

I believe the key to djokovic beating nadal on clay is his backhand down the line, but its just been so dodgy for the last 3 years. You could see in the RG final last year he lost confidence in his backhand and the final slipped away from him.

That shot is the big difference between 2011 Djokovic and 2015 Djokovic.

I think every other aspect of Novak's game has improved but, bizarrely, his kill shot seems to have all but vanished.

Yeah I'm no expert in technique but it seems he doesn't push through that shot smoothly like a Nalbandian would; it's a lot more jerky, which causes timing issues. What's your take?

Assessment of technique is really not my forte, but it's my impression that he's simply not hitting the shot as much.

I don't get the sense that he's going for it and messing it up, he just doesn't seem to take the shot on. If he goes down the line, then it's nearly always to set up another shot rather than a winner in its own right.

Which is surprising because winners gushed from that shot in 2011.

I'd like to know if he is avoiding it because he is less confident on it or whether it has become tactically less important to him. He seems more confident in his forehand as an attacking weapon nowadays, which may be a factor.

But it's a strange choice to abandon such a potent shot.

Yes I am assuming he abandoned it because he kept missing. I do remember a period in 2012/2013 where he was going for that shot and missing. Also I remember his old coach saying he had lost his timing on that shot. A bit mystifying why he would simply give it up.

[Haddie-nuff]

Yeah. It's kind of a shame that he likely won't go deep, although that side of the draw is still more interesting now that there's nobody left to sweep through it. We were talking about new MS winners the other day, and unless Berdych makes the final we'll have a candidate from that half of the draw now. They won't have a chance against Rafavic, but hey

I see Nadal won. Good lad.

I don't see him get pass Djokovic, especially if he needs another 3-setter to reach semi.

I would doubt very much somehow that Djokovic has your confidence..he would not write Rafa off if he was on crutches !!

[Henman Bill]

Maybe explains why Cilic, Berdych, Isner and Raonic all having decent tournaments

But that goes against the grain then as supposedly Roger prefers quicker surfaces so it should have suited him?

If I'm right about the surface being faster, and if conditions had stayed the same, then that would have given Rog an increased chance against Novak or Rafa had he got that far.

However, I'm not sure about Monfils. The clay at the Davis Cup at the end of the last year was equally fast, and he still lost to Monfils I think.

[lags72]

HB - yes, he did lose to Monfils in that DC rubber. But I'd say that was a very different scenario, because he came to that match in dodgy shape and with little clay practice, having only just withdrawn from the WTF Final v Djokovic at the O2 in London. Then got his act together in time to take care of Gasquet in definitive fashion, and of course finally add a DC trophy to the cabinet.

Today v Monfils he was, by all accounts, guilty of a very high UE count (especially compared to previous match against Chardy) and should have at least closed out the TB which would have taken it into a decider.

BUT .....Monfils can beat almost anyone on his day, and from what I read he was firing on all cylinders.

Interesting match-up awaits when Gael meets Grigor

[Haddie-nuff]

HB - yes, he did lose to Monfils in that DC rubber. But I'd say that was a very different scenario, because he came to that match in dodgy shape and with little clay practice, having only just withdrawn from the WTF Final v Djokovic at the O2 in London. Then got his act together in time to take care of Gasquet in definitive fashion, and of course finally add a DC trophy to the cabinet.

Today v Monfils he was, by all accounts, guilty of a very high UE count (especially compared to previous match against Chardy) and should have at least closed out the TB which would have taken it into a decider.

BUT .....Monfils can beat almost anyone on his day, and from what I read he was firing on all cylinders.

Interesting match-up awaits when Gael meets Grigor

If Gael had played all his career like he did today we may well have seen him pick up a few slams and been at the top, However much there are those who would love to tell you Roger was playing badly!!! he was because Monfils was making him play badly. I doubt anyone could have beaten Gael today, he was playing lights out tennis   Roger was beaten by a better player., When this Monfils is on court he is a delight to watch

[Jahu]

So for this MC now to be interesting and fair, DJoko and Nadal should lose in next round and let's have a NEW WINNER

[lags72]

All that you say in that last post is true Haddie, and there can be no doubt that the better player on the day won the clash, and deservedly so.

Like most fans of the sport, I would have loved to see Monfils make more of his fulsome talents, but I do wonder whether it's now too late to see him win anything on the biggest stages.

Monfils grabs our attention & interest because he is flamboyant and - at his best - very exciting to watch. Just what the game needs far, far more of ...!!

But in truth, there have been many Monfils over the decades : players who can provide a serious test for anyone on a given day, but who lack the critical consistency to make it to the summit of the sport. I think there was a thread here a little while back (Best players never to win a Slam .....or similar). The reasons can of course be many & varied .....lack of focus, lack of dedication, poor preparation, short-term intensity, not to mention all manner of mental demons.

On a day when he plays at his very best, Monfils looks to be on a par with the likes of Djokovic, Federer and Nadal. But then you reflect on the fact that Monfils has never won a Slam and the others have between them won bucketloads of them. You soon realise why that is, and the fact that sport at the very highest level is about more than pure innate ability or shotmaking talent, and highlight reels. And it's then that the gulf seems once again to be truly massive.

[Haddie-nuff]

All of what you say is true lags. All too little too late for Gael now me thinks.
So frustrating when you see what talent he has. There are few players I can name that show sheer brilliance, injected with good humour, and charisma as Montfils. Sadly though he shows this very seldom and goes on to have a disaster of a match later in the tournament. We could do with more of his kind but someone who would show the dedication to the sport.
Maybe its not possible for a player to do that..given the intensity, focus and concentration to play at today's level.. but let us live in hope. There is room for another Montfils. But todays match was a stunner.

[greengoblin]

Federer should retire. He looks like he should be on the seniors tour. Plus his awful forehand will usurp Federer's formerly masterful forehand in people's memories. Seriously his forehand now is a disgrace as compared to 04-08

[It Must Be Love]

Federer should retire.

[Haddie-nuff]

Federer should retire. He looks like he should be on the seniors tour. Plus his awful forehand will usurp Federer's formerly masterful forehand in people's memories. Seriously his forehand now is a disgrace as compared to 04-08

Could that be because his backhand has been so overused this past couple of years, he has forgotten he has a forehand.
Seriously it used to be the other way around !!

[lags72]

Federer should retire. He looks like he should be on the seniors tour. Plus his awful forehand will usurp Federer's formerly masterful forehand in people's memories. Seriously his forehand now is a disgrace as compared to 04-08

Seniors tour ? Age-wise, sure.

But .... performance-wise .....

That's funny greengoblin.

Have you actually watched Federer play this year at all ....?

And where would his retirement leave everyone else below him in the rankings ? Maybe time for them to retire too ?

[temporary21]

I watched the whole match myself. Federers errors all came from pressure applied to him from very aggressive ball striking from Gael, and his footspeed. Gael earned the errors off his raquet with the way he played and how he persisted constantly, he didnt let up.

Also one thing id like to add. Gael is still there and still swinging, theres still time for him to do something as long as he keeps going.

[Haddie-nuff]

Yes that's how I saw the match too I would like to think you are right about Gael .. we need him around for a while.

Temp on another matter can you tell me why I keep having to log on every time I come to the forum.. I have always left tick at the automatic sign in but it keeps shutting me out.. any ideas please????

[temporary21]

Im not sure, probably just a forum issue, ive had to do that a bit too. The FAQ might be your best place to ask

[Haddie-nuff]

[laverfan]

@Lags/Silver/CAS... I have never heard such language from the Old Man, but Nadal uses such language in his interviews after his losses, which is genuinely how he feels. (IMBL/T2/H-n/BLB... not attacking Nadal here.)

“I never felt at ease, and I never felt the way I wanted to be on the court,” said Federer, who was attempting to record his 200th match win on clay.

“There are many things I could have done better. I could have served better. I could have mixed it up a bit better. Also I didn't play my slice backhand well enough. There are some things I did a little bit better and some other things I didn't do well.  Anyway, I never felt comfortable during the whole match… I only have to accept what went wrong and go from there.”

http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2015/04/15/Monte-Carlo-Thursday-Federer-Reaction.aspx

The slice would have done well, and caused Monfils to work at generating pace.

[Haddie-nuff]

He was outplayed why could he just not admit that

[socal1976]

This presents a great opportunity for one of either Dimitrov, Berdy, or Monfils to get a masters crown at MC, or at least make the final. The thing is though of course that I can't see any of the three beating Novak or Rafa on clay and nothing those two have done so far leads me to believe that one of them won't be in the final. It just shows what a lock the top handful of guys have had on all these Masters events. Of the three I would go with Monfils as having the best shot at a breakthrough because of the X factor of his big talent and unpredictability. If he manages an entire week of focus and smart play he can beat anyone. But since that single week has never occurred in his life it is still a long shot. You feel that Berdych is both Nadal and Djoko's patsy and can't really do much to change the equation. Grigor I think would have a good chance against Djoko but not much of a chance against Nadal on clay with that one hander.

Monfils is an interesting case in that in terms of physical gifts I can't think of better tennis talent. He is tall, fast, and hits with power from all areas of the court. Can anyone think of a guy with 140 mile an hour serve that moves like Monfils? And on clay his deep court positioning doesn't hurt him as much.

[Matchpoint]

@Haddie, calm down. No one is writing Nadal off. He'll always be considered the clay king. But I also see the other more concrete writing on the wall. He lost MC to Djokovic when he was 2 years younger and not on crutches. Would love for him to prove me wrong. Someone needs to stop Novak! But when was the last time Nadal beat a top-10, let alone Djokovic? 
OK, this is clay. Let him get pass Ferrer first.  

[Matchpoint]

Wake up Fedddd, wtf move it on.

Is it just me. Didn't look like he was playing to win.  

Well done Monfils. 

[sirfredperry]

Knowing Monfils he'll lose comfortably today. Agree with much that has been written above about him. Remember that this was the guy who took the other three junior GS the year that Murray won the junior USO - yet Gael's career has been far, far less successful than Andy's.

[Belovedluckyboy]

Monfils issue is his fitness. Rafa or Novak, even Ferrer, would make him run like mad and as long as they could win a set and forced him to go the distance, Monfils would be gasping for air and then fades away. Had Fed hung tough to force a third set, I think he would've won the match.

I remember Monfils going five sets vs Fed at USO and vs Murray at FO last year and both times he lost. Fed wasnt even making him ran so much in those five sets; and Murray too on clay and Monfils simply faded away in that fifth set at the FO.

Against Novak or Rafa, Monfils would have to do lots of running as the ball would keep coming back at him!

[Jahu]

Wake up Fedddd, wtf move it on.

Is it just me. Didn't look like he was playing to win.  

Well done Monfils. 

I love Monfils too, the last funny entertaining guy on tour, but he will lose next match now, though I wish he would win the MC now and make this win worth it.

Fed together with Nadal should become Kings of ATP 250/500 and break all records now for the next 5 years.

[Belovedluckyboy]

Rafa lost to Novak at MC2013 because:

1) Novak was super aggressive on that day though Novak was struggling a little bit in the earlier rounds, I would say Novak wasnt even at his best the whole tournament but played the right way vs Rafa;

2) Rafa took a break after IW to have his knees treated. Rafa wasnt playing his best either, struggling vs Dimi, and was leading Tsonga comfortably but bizarrely lapsed in his concentration and let Tsonga forced a tiebreak.

We know that both have to play their best in order to have a chance to beat each other on clay. Im not sure Novak is playing that well here as his opponents so far weren't of the calibre that could test him. Cilic may be a better test. Though Cilic lost to Novak each time they played each other, Cilic was getting closer and closer to beating Novak - won 6-1 in the first set at IW last year; pushed Novak to four sets at FO and then five sets at Wimbledon. Cilic was playing well and beat Tsonga in straight sets here, lets see whether he could test Novak.

[LuvSports!]

Rao retires.

[Matchpoint]

That's at least the 4th time Raonic retired mid-match since 2010, not counting his infamous withdraw from last WTF. 

[CAS]

Monfils wins first set 6-1 yet is sucking air big time, stamina is pretty poor for such an incredible athlete. It's what holds him back

[Belovedluckyboy]

This Dimi/Monfils match - isn't that exciting the way I think it should be, Dimi is making too many errors. Monfils doesn't need to do much, just keeps the ball in play and Dimi will soon cough out an error. It's quite disappointing, these first two QFs.

[Josiah Maiestas]

Monfils wins first set 6-1 yet is sucking air big time, stamina is pretty poor for such an incredible athlete. It's what holds him back

He looks more juiced up than Robinsons fruit juice. Not in a negative "doping" way but yes he should get a tournament win this year he's 28 now if he can't take a big title this year he will never get there.

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