March/April 2021 Tournaments

First topic message reminder :

With the AO over, it's time to look ahead to spring. There are plenty of tournaments going on and we await the return of a certain 39-year-old Swiss to the action.

Having reached the final of an Italian Challenger and then losing in the first round in France, Andy Murray had a long three-setter before emerging victorious in Rotterdam. He had to come from 3-0 down in the third set to finally see off Dutch veteran Robin Haase.

Andy says he's happy enough with his fitness although he feels pressure to get wins.

Federer starts his comeback in Doha next week and may play Dubai, although he's decided not to compete in Miami. It would be asking a lot for him to make the sort of return he did in 2017.

Nadal pulled out of Rotterdam. This is the time of year when he does everything to be in peak condition for the clay-court season and the French.

One interesting fact is that Medvedev could move up to number two at the end of this week. Incredibly, he would become the first player other than the Big Four to reach number two since 2005 when Nadal replaced Lleyton Hewitt at numero duo.

Great drama, by all accounts, in that Barcelona final. Rafa had MPs to wrap it up in straight sets and then had to ward off a MP at 4-5 in the third.

I wonder if this is Rafa's longest three-setter since a ultra-long match with Djoko at Madrid in 2009. It may have been that match which rather ruined Rafa's summer that year. He lost to Soderling at RG and had to pull out of Wimbledon.

Rafa is back to number two in the rankings. We really don't want to see Rafa in the same half of the draw as Djoko at the French.

Wimbledon have announced there will be play on the middle Sunday at the championships next year.

This will end Manic Monday where ALL the fourth round matches are played on the same day.

Let's hope that the middle Sunday, as the middle Saturday is, will be a day when more ordinary fans can get tickets.

Djoko has pulled out of Madrid next week.

Wins today for Jo Konta and Cameron Norrie, who had a three-hour match and needed six MPs to get over the line.

A feature of the last few weeks has been the length of matches. Quite a few 3hr-plus marathons.

Another good win by Cameron Norrie today, beating second seed Christian Garin in three sets in Estoril.

A shock in Munich where number one seed Zverev was beaten in three sets by 107th-ranked qualifier Ilya Ivashka.

Woke up this morning and realised April had run out so will switch this topic to "Run-up to French Open 2021".