Feb/March 2022 Tournaments

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F A-A has beaten Murray and Cameron Norrie on successive days to reach the semis in Rotterdam. He's doing really well.

Djoko is expected to be back in action soon. Be interesting to see crowd reaction when he plays.

While Murray may soon not need WCs into the big events, the whole use of them can be questioned after what happened in a match in women's qualifying in Dubai today. Kuwait's Sarah Behbehani, with no ranking, was given a WC and played Britain's Harriet Dart.

Dart won in just 28 mins 6-0, 6-0, with her opponent winning FOUR POINTS. I don't know if this is some sort of a record but it's clear from the stats that this Kuwaiti girl should not have been on court.

Nadal beats Opelka in two tie breaks to move to 18-0 for the season.

Indian Wells 1/4 finals:
Carlitos Alcatraz vs Cameron Norrie
Rafael Nadal vs Nick Kyrgios
Miomir Kecmanovic vs Taylor Fritz
Andrey Rublev vs Grigor Dimitrov

Rafa is suffering from a foot problem and I wouldn't be surprised if Kyrgios beats him.

I thought Norrie might have had more of a problem with Brooksby than he did, dropping only six games. Dimi has taken advantage of being drafted in as 33rd seed to advance this far.

Halep and Swiatek have swept all before them and now meet in the semis.

Rafael Nadal beats Nick Kyrgios 7-6 5-7 6-4 to improve to 19/0 for the season. Nadal seemed cooked at the end of the second set but he had enough left and Kyrgios imploded again.

Nadal was pretty poor by his usual standards but Kyrgios just can’t keep his emotions under control. Even looked like he wanted to have a fight with Ben Stiller mid way through the final set smh. Kyrgios is a very unsavoury character.

Not sure Nadal is playing well enough to win this event.

A 2hr 45mins affair with Kyrgios again playing the villain.

Norrie went out to Alcaraz ( I always want to to type Alcatraz) in straight sets. Murray, for one, has tipped the young Spaniard as a future number one. Amazingly, he's still only 18.

It does look like the crowd at Indian Wells may not be the best. I was there in 2011 for the last few days and it was very different to Wimbledon.

There were a lot of people that would carry on conversations during the points and I seemed to be the only one surprised by it. When a lot of people are chuntering away it becomes more of a background noise.

The other thing was people would walk in and out and walk around during the actual points quite casually.

However, I went to the top deck for every ticket. The lower seats were very expensive, more than Wimbledon. It looked like there was perhaps less talking and walking down there.

But in the upper section it was ...well....if any of the stewards from Wimbledon had been hired to work there they probably would have fainted with shock.

Interesting to see the Guardian say that Indian Wells is "regarded as the tennis calendar’s “fifth grand slam”". Is that true? It does seem to be the most prestigious but I don't recall hearing the 5th grand slam talk much. I heard that about Miami in the 90s and maybe early 2000s.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/mar/18/rafael-nadal-keeps-cool-to-down-combustible-kyrgios-in-indian-wells-quarter-finals

Cameron Norrie has done a bit better than I expected since he won Indian Wells. I thought after the points drop he would fall back to the ranking he was before that tournament - of 26. However at the moment it looks like he could still get to around 12-20 (maybe around 15) in October when those points finally drop off.

Nadal not at his best, but still, he won a difficult match. He is clearly in a good wave but I have the feeling Alcaraz may end the streak

Andrey Rublev beat Grigor Dimitrov 7-5 6-2
Taylor Fritz beat Miomir Kecmanovic 7-6 3-6 6-1

While Alcaraz might eventually get to number one, in the women's there's a chance that we could have a new number one sometime soon in the shape of Poland's Iga Swiatek.

Her win over an in-form Halep yesterday was her 10th in a row and she could reach number two if she wins the final v Sakkari.

Liam Broady had a good win over Goffin in the q-final of a Challenger in Phoenix. There was quite a strong field for this tournament so another good week for the Briton.

Taylor Fritz upsets Andrey Rublev to reach maiden masters 1000 final. The American won 7-5 6-4.
Fritz looked absolutely spent during the second set but the home ground gave him the extra gear.

Rafael Nadal beat Carlitos Alcatraz 6-4 4-6 6-3 in an 3hr marathon match. Second set was ridiculous with the wind literally causing mayhem.

Great Rafa
Amazing Carlos.
It is remarcable how in windy conditions it was Alcaraz who adapted better

Been watching some clips from the Rafa match. Rafa came up to the net quite a lot which, of course, is absolutely the right thing to do in high winds.

He played some incredible volleys. You have to think that long match or not, Rafa will take the trophy today. What an incredible start to the season for him - and with his favourite time of the year to come!

Iga Swiatek wins Indian Wells, the first Pole to win this event. Swiatek is a phenomenal talent, this is her new third WTA 1000 along with a major. All at the age of 20.
Swiatek can dominate the tour. No doubts about it.

My feeling is that Rafa has often been a slow starter and his game win rate for the first 5 games of a match in his career is probably lower than the win rate of all games in his career. (I could be wrong of course, could just be a few cases that stuck in my memory.)

It could be that his major weapons in his career have been his physical and mental strength and they don't factor in the first 5 games, which is why he doesn't do as well.

I´m not convinced though. I think there is something else that makes him a slow starter at times.

Fritz takes the first set against Nadal 6-3
Nadal looks cooked

Fritz bags the upset win in the Californian desert 6-3 7-6. First American winner at Indian Wells in 21 years.
All in all a pretty poor final but I doubt the American will care too much.

Rafa was weak in the first set, at times he looked like he could be tired or slightly injured even - not sure.

Second set I actually got the feeling it would go Rafa´s way, he is good in the tight moments, but he was walking a tightrope for so long, constantly being a couple of bad shots away from defeat...
For those that didn´t watch it, he had 5-4 in the tiebreak and played a good point and ran forward to swing at an easy forehand volley, in a position where you would think he would win the point 8 or 9 times out of 10, and hit a terrible shot, seemed to miss it by quite a bit, and that was a key point in the match...he followed it up with another error.

Rafa didn´t play like the 2022 points race leader.

Taylor Fritz doesn´t look like he´s amazingly talented or on his way to the top 10 either. I imagine this will be the peak of his career but we´ll see. Just things came together for him...destiny...I see he has to win 2 matches on final set TBs in the early rounds.

I seem to have been a bit negative here, so perhaps finish by saying Ok match with some good points and good tournament for both.

Probably a match too far for Rafa, especially after a 3hr+ effort in the semi.

Still, he'll be delighted (perhaps amazed) at his start to the season and can go prepare for the clay-court swing now.

Re Swiatek - of all the young, first-time GS winners of late she has pushed on the most.

The circus moves on to Miami with the women's main draw already out. Emma R is playing. Can Swiatek do the sunshine double?

Both Fritz and Nadal had injuries.  It was mentioned that Fritz would likely default before the start of the final.  He twisted his ankle in  the last game of the semi-final.  He came into the final without having warmed up on the practice courts, with his ankle heavily strapped and on painkillers.   Nadal had an issue heading into the final but it was considered to be not as serious but there was something up with him as he called a medical time out.  Everybody knows that Rafael has never truly lost a tennis match - he only loses when he is injured or something.  That said the match was highly competitive and both players soldiered on through their physical difficulties like true martyrs to the sport.  Well done to Fritz for winning his first big tournament - it was the first time he had ever reached a Masters semi-final or final.

ps: the final was played in windy conditions that picked up during the men's final. There were weather warnings (high wind) forecast for the general area.

Consideration must be given to Rafa finishing as the year-end number one.

He's already chalked up massive points even before his favourite time of the year. For once, he actually has points to gain at the French and could also do better than he did last year at one or two of the other clay-court tournies.

Later, depending on his fitness, Rafa may well decide to play the USO which he skipped last year.

Andy Murray will face Daniil Medvedev in R2 of Miami if the he sees for Delbonis in R1.

Rafael Nadal out for 4-6 weeks with a cracked rib.
Misses Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Madrid. Touch and go to even play Roma.

Bad luck for Rafa but at least he's had a terrific start to the season. It may also mean that some of the tournaments he was planning on skipping later in the season might come back on to his radar.

A welcome win today in Miami for Heather Watson who came from a set and a break down to beat experienced Dutch p;ayer Rus in a 3hrs 26min battle.

Watson's had a very poor run of late and invariably loses tight matches. So this was a timely victory. She next plays Svitolina.

Not a huge surprise for Rafa that he is injured, it was very noticeable in the match that there were points he didn't chase down balls that he normally would have at least tried to reach them.

But 4-6 weeks from today still leaves open the possibility to do Rome before the French Open. Rome is week of May 9th-15th so that is 7 weeks from now.

If he comes to Rome fully fit then it isn't a complete disaster.

Presumably skip Madrid the week before even if he thinks he's fit. Don't really need back to back masters coming back from an injury at that age.

Something like Rome - FO - Wimbledon - Canada - US Open and nothing else all Spring or Summer could work.

sirfredperry wrote:While Alcaraz might eventually get to number one, in the women's there's a chance that we could have a new number one sometime soon in the shape of Poland's Iga Swiatek.

Her win over an in-form Halep yesterday was her 10th in a row and she could reach number two if she wins the final v Sakkari.
.

Certainly going to have a new number one as Ash Barty announced her shock retirement this morning...

Rocked people here and elsewhere : but she is - apart from being a wonderful tennis player - a woman who knows her own mind and has more than tennis to her life. I am sure she is totally good with her decision and wish her well in whatever she goes on to do. One of the most likeable sports stars in modern history who really graced the courts of the world and she will be missed from the game nonetheless.

Cheers , Ash

Bit of a shock to wake up to the Barty news. I guess that after she'd won three Slams including Wimbledon and the AO and been number one for many weeks that the slog of the tour - the travelling, the hotel rooms, the practising - was not something she wanted to carry on with.

I think it's a great shame for the women's game but you have to respect her decision.

Wow crazy news about Ashleigh Barty. After all she’s achieved she retires a legend of the game. All the best for her future endeavours.

Just when you thought womens tennis couldn’t get any worse! It was already the weakest ever era and now it’s even more abysmal

Jeff Navarro wrote:Wow crazy news about Ashleigh Barty. After all she’s achieved she retires a legend of the game. All the best for her future endeavours.

This for me is the disappointing thing, she doesn't retire a legend of the game. Legendary status require a prolong period of excellence and Barty falls well short of that, she was a very good player but I don't believe in extolling labels people aren't deserving of.

Wouldn't be entirely surprised to find Barty come back in a couple of years - only 25, so plenty of time left to take a mental time-out and still come back competitive if the desire returns.

Still, bad news for the women's game as she was one who brought some difference in playing style compared with most of the formulaic baseliners.

Good for Ashleigh Barty. I wish her all the best.

She's supposedly worth about £16 million, so she has options with whatever she decides to do in life. Besides, didn't she quit tennis before to play cricket?

Maybe Osaka should should follow Barty out of tennis seeing as how she never seems happy these days.

Good win by Jack Draper who beat Simon in straight sets in Miami. Draper is a WC in this tourney having had some fine results on the Challenger tour.

Raducanu and Murray in action today.

Murray won in straight sets v Delbonis and now takes on Medvedev. Emma R went down 7-5 in the third after serving for it at 5-4. She's finding it as tough this year as a number of people forecast.

Svitolina, beaten by Harriet Dart last week, went down to Heather Watson 7-6 in the third. Watson served for the match at 5-4 in the final set and then saved an MP at 5-6 before taking the tiebreak.

Draper will face Cameron Norrie, while there's an intriguing clash between Rublev and Kyrgios.

Norrie wins the Battle of the Brits, although Draper put up a good fight, going down 7-6, 6-4 in a two-hour fight.

Norrie will probably have to play Isner in the next round. Win the inevitable tiebreaks that will ensue in any Isner match and you have him beaten.

I'm sure Isner is a great guy but the sooner he retires the better. Tennis, surely, should be more than a 9ft bloke banging down unreturnable serves, rarely breaking serve himself and relying on tiebreaks to progress.

Nick Kyrgios demolishes Andrey Rublev 6-3 6-0 in 52 minutes. Kyrgios with one of his beast mode days.

Emma R. seems to be playing through various injuries, not quite serious enough for her to withdraw, but serious enough to restrict her movements.

Iga Swiatek creates history by becoming the first Polish player to ever reach world number 1.
This brilliant 20 year old could be the dominant force for years to come.

Terrific win by Kyrgios who seems to be in good form having hardly played last year.*

Norrie won't have to face Isner as the American is out. Andy Murray is first on the main show court today against Medvedev, while Heather Watson and Dan Evans are both in action.

Swiatek celebrated her rise to number one by demolishing her opponent with the loss of just two games.

Keep an eye on 16-year-old Czech player Linda Fruhvirtova. Given a WC, she has reached the third round by beating 20th seed Elise Mertens.

* Just seen a few clips of the Kyrgios match. The Australian looked in sparkling form - good enough to get a bagel off a top player.

Daniil Medvedev beat Andy Murray 6-4 6-2 as he begins his bid to regain the top ranking. To be honest Medvedev was a level above Murray.

Didn't expect Murray to beat Medvedev but thought he would get more than six games. Andy didn't even force a BP.

Unless Murray changes his mid about the clay-court season, that's it from him now for more than two months.

Cameron Norrie has beaten Gaston but only after the Frenchman saved 7 MPs.

Norrie is on the verge of the top 10 and entry to it will be some achievement.

Nick Kyrgios continues his good form by blasting through Fabio Fognini. The Aussie won 6-4 6-2, he didn’t face a BP. His serving has been incredible so far.

Carlitos Alcaraz eases past Marton Fucsovics 6-3 6-2

Kyrgios now takes on Sinner. The young Italian had saved three MPs in his previous match before taking on Carreno Busta.

This time Sinner saved FIVE MPs before edging it 7-5 in the third in 3hrs 11 mins.

Swiatek, about to go to number one, continued her winning run. She's been dishing up bagels and breadsticks galore in recent weeks and if anyone deserves the new numero uno position it's her.

Meanwhile, a lowly-ranked Briton Paul Jubb took a Challenger 80 title yesterday and will now soar around 60 places to around the 230-ranking mark.

Medvedev thru to fourth round in Miami and needs two more wins to reclaim number one spot.

Among the men's winners were Alcaraz and Brooksby.

Swiatek delivered another breadstick in her win over Gauff and will now meet Kvitova. Osaka had another good win.

In doubles, Joe Salisbury will become number one on Monday - a terrific achievement. He'll be just the third Briton to be numero uno in tennis, after the Murray brothers.

Norrie falls in straight sets to Ruud.

Two former number threes - Thiem and Wawrinka - made comebacks today in a Challenger 125 in Marbella. Both were beaten in straight sets by lowly-ranked opponents.

Kyrgios v Sinner coming up. Could be a cracker.

Sinner has beaten Kyrgios in straight sets. Brooksby served for the first set v Medvedev at 5-4, but didn't get it with the Russian going on to take it 7-5.

Zverev beat Kokkinakis 4 and 4, but at least the Australian can take heart from some good performances this season after a horror time with injuries.