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.

[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

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.

the first game of the second set he was hunched of heavily breathing, drinking water as if it was in the fifth set! He could barely move the first game and Dimitrov had break points, then the Bulgarian just started spraying backhands. I'm convinced if Dimi decided to just not miss Monfils would have struggled. That being said that first set he was a beast, must have been the easiest preparation Gael ever had to do, basically execute the exact same game plan that he did against Federer a day earlier.

[Silver]

He was outplayed why could he just not admit that

Enjoy:

“This is not going to put me under too much. I know it's the first tournament on clay. Of course, I was really hoping to do better because I felt there was an opportunity. Unfortunately, Gaël played well today. It was always going to be a tough match.”

As he says, it was down to both him and Monfils. It often takes two to tango in a result like this.

Good to see Monfils following it up today though, wow! Awesome result. He must fancy his chances of turning Berdych over on clay.

[Belovedluckyboy]

Whoa, these top ten players, easily bageled in matches! What strong era we are talking about? Looks like Cilic is on his way to receiving a bagel now.

[Matchpoint]

Djokovic unstoppable.

[Silver]

I think it's more Novak than anything else! Even Murray's been picked off for baked goods twice this season.

What a monster.

[Belovedluckyboy]

Its more like these players cowed before him. Cilic certainly can play better than that but once he sees Novak across the net, he turns into jelly. Novak hardly needs to do anything special.

[It Must Be Love]

Cilic is really playing poorly here, Djokovic is very solid which is what he needs to be.

[temporary21]

Bagel number 9 inc?

[Josiah Maiestas]

Borderline criminal that Cilic won a GS last year. Novak is just playing with the entire tour this year like Federer in 2006

[Silver]

Bagel number 9 inc?

Yup...

Hope he sticks another one past him too.

[Matchpoint]

There's a reason why Djokovic is #1 and surpassed Nadal at # of weeks at #1. No denying how dominant he is right now.

[HM Murdock]

That was bagel #10 wasn't it?

#9 was yesterday I think.

[Belovedluckyboy]

Yeah, Rafa on his comeback was receiving a bagel too, from Berdych of all people. Berdych himself was at the receiving end of bagels, one each from Novak, Fed and Murray!

Stan got one from Novak, Murray got two and Cilic now on his way to getting two in one match!

So much disparity between the top guy or guys and the rest of the top ten players. I wonder how's Cilic feeling right now; to me its more of Cilic playing badly than Novak playing well.

Poor spectators, paying so much but get three poor quality matches so far!

[HM Murdock]

Novak's 2015 Bagels
Kuznetzov
Wawrinka
Murray x 2
Berdych
Klizan
Darcis
Dolgopolov
Haider-Maurer
Cilic

10 bagels, 5 against top ten opposition.

And it's only April.

[Matchpoint]

How about saving one for Nadal at the FO next month? 

[Belovedluckyboy]

No, its Rafa giving one to Novak, he nearly did that in 2013, 6-1 though. He may do that to Novak this year IF they get to meet.

[Silver]

How about saving one for Nadal at the FO next month? 

No chance! I can't see Fedal getting bagelled. Everyone else seems at risk though

[Matchpoint]

Never say never.

[temporary21]

Better effort in the second at least

[Matchpoint]

Better still not good enough. Djokovic is from another planet right now. Only a very old guy from a certain imaginary weak era can go toe to toe with him. 

[Belovedluckyboy]

You forget the guy who beat him at the FO last year?

[Matchpoint]

I'm talking right now, 4/2015. Let's move on. Every tournament is a new test.

[LuvSports!]

Ferrer?

[LuvSports!]

Better still not good enough. Djokovic is from another planet right now. Only a very old guy from a certain imaginary weak era can go toe to toe with him. 

Ferrer? Wink

[Matchpoint]

Phew, I think the audience will finally get their money's worth in this one coming up. It won't be less than 2-3 hours. 

[Matchpoint]

Better still not good enough. Djokovic is from another planet right now. Only a very old guy from a certain imaginary weak era can go toe to toe with him. 

Ferrer? Wink

I wish, but nah, I don't think So. But you never know.

[It Must Be Love]

If Nadal hit his second serve return with a bit less depth, it would probably bounce on his own side the court.

[Belovedluckyboy]

Yeah, but the last time I checked, that old guy was beaten at IW by Novak!

[Belovedluckyboy]

Oh I forget, there's another old guy who beat Novak this year so far - Karlovic!

This Rafa/Ferrer match, doesn't look like it'll go 2-3 hrs!

[temporary21]

Im not sure agassi has enough legs to beat Novak nowadays...

Good old fashioned slug fest for the fans to enjoy after a few absolute beatings earlier in the day.

[sirfredperry]

Well, I was completely wrong saying Monfils would fail to follow up his win over Fed. Only good thing for Dimi is that the official ATP site is featuring a terrific point he won. Looks like he didn't win many other ones though.

[temporary21]

Double break... then again Nadal has fallen off in second sets a lot lately, its not over just yet.

[Matchpoint]

No one beats Nadal on clay twice in a row, right? Somehow I don't see Ferrer winning this one.

[Belovedluckyboy]

Rafa always has problem closing sets these days, not to mention matches. Its as if he couldnt believe that he's going to win.

[Belovedluckyboy]

Rafa has already beaten Ferrer at FO last year!

[LuvSports!]

Djoko did it before.

[Matchpoint]

Thanks, LS, I was more thinking of other players than Djoko. 
Problem with Ferrer is that he can't usually beat players ranked higher than him. What was nadal's ranking last year when ferrer beat him here last year?

Game over for me. Nadal is the rightful opponent for Djokovic tomorrow.

[kingraf]

#1 I would assume. Only an assumption mind.

Score beginning to look eerily familiar for Ferrer

[Belovedluckyboy]

I really don't like the way Rafa plays these days, very defensive. He's allowing Ferrer to do all the attacking and he's just contented doing the counterpunching. The Rafa who blew everyone away at FO2008 and MC2010, or the one who appeared at NAHC swing in 2013 had disappeared totally.

[Belovedluckyboy]

Oh I suddenly remembers that those years (ie 2008/2010/2013) that the aggressive Rafa appeared were the years when Rafa finished the season as no.1 and winning more than one slam per season.

I really hope to see that Rafa again this year.

[HM Murdock]

OK, this is getting a bit weird with Rafa now...

[LuvSports!]

?

[HM Murdock]

?

Getting nervous.

Ferrer broke back with Rafa serving for the match.

[LuvSports!]

Is that becoming a common occurrence for him?

[Belovedluckyboy]

Like i said he plays to defensively, serving for the set and then the match, he's so passive.

[Belovedluckyboy]

He's letting the match slips away from his grasp, very disapoointing.

[Matchpoint]

WHAT??!! Not over yet? Match time just over 2 hrs. 1:1.

[Belovedluckyboy]

Rafa is messing up everything these days, looks like a long road back for him.

[It Must Be Love]

Nadal played quite well all match then, at 5-4 30-15, disappeared.

[Belovedluckyboy]

Rafa is two breaks up in the second set, yet when serving for the match he faltered and lost serve and then lost again!

There's no guarantee these days that Rafa is going to win the set even when two breaks up!

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