Barcelona ATP 500

Ok its probably a locked on certainty for Nadal to reach the final and likely win...and another 8 in a row had he not withdrew last year citing fatigue.

Draw here: http://live.barcelonaopenbancsabadell.com/admin/media/uploads/cuadros/1335120531_mds.pdf
Daily order of play here: http://live.barcelonaopenbancsabadell.com/play-order.php

Raonic vs Falla should be a good match for contrast of styles

Question is:
Who do you see making the semifinal berths given for a 500 event is a very strong entry field...something like 50% of the Top20 will be there.

I'm going Nadal, Tomic, Haase, Verdasco.
Nadal v Tomic final (yeah ok...probably Nadal vs Murray...but lets see).

PS. "THE" Sergei Bubka (well son of...) made it through qualifiers...did you know he served at 157mph one time (but it was just out) which would have been the fastest ever.

he withdrew in 2010 btw he won it last year

i wish someone would just at least take a set off him to make it interesting.

Absolutely LuvSports - you're right, good spot!
I know Rafa sees this as his "home" tournament too...so he always has added motivation at this one.

I was also looking at the Serbian Open next week...its an unusual draw...Djokovic is there of course as his family bought the land on which the event is hosted but after Nole at #1 you dont have anyone else entering in the top 40 (well, the next highest is #39)...seems a little weird for a 250 event. They might as well hand the title to Djokovic there, lol.

Speaking of Nole...he'll play 3 weeks on the run...Belgrade, Madrid, Rome...if he ghoes deep at each one that'll be quite a run for him pre-RG.

call me insane, but i'm still of the opinion that Murray has at least some ability to make Nadal work on Clay. Nadal never really looks like he enjoys playing Murray - even on red stuff.

I'm hoping to see some dividend from Lendl on Murray. I do hope there is more input from Lendl on Murray beyond the occassional telephone call and grand slam period. I am still concerned that Murray's technical weaknesses under pressure are not going to be overcome, although I'm sure his "mental strength / belief" is going to be improved (as shown at AO 2012).

The season is long and hard, and includes the Olympics, so overall it's who paces themselves the best that is going to count.

Federer's post AO performances (plus his US2011 performance) should instill expectation that he is focussed and motivated on giving things a "good go" for the rest of the year (esp. the slams and Olympics).

Ps I am still waiting for Soderling to return (?), wishing Berdych a good year and wondering whether there is going to be a significant breakthrough from the young pretenders (Tomic, Raonic, Harrison) ... who are all getting older.

Sod'll be back once he's served his suspension I mean recovered, cough

reckoner wrote:Sod'll be back once he's served his suspension I mean recovered, cough

thats harsh man hes been so unlucky with this thing its been like 10months now

lydian wrote:Absolutely LuvSports - you're right, good spot!
I know Rafa sees this as his "home" tournament too...so he always has added motivation at this one.

I was also looking at the Serbian Open next week...its an unusual draw...Djokovic is there of course as his family bought the land on which the event is hosted but after Nole at #1 you dont have anyone else entering in the top 40 (well, the next highest is #39)...seems a little weird for a 250 event. They might as well hand the title to Djokovic there, lol.

Speaking of Nole...he'll play 3 weeks on the run...Belgrade, Madrid, Rome...if he ghoes deep at each one that'll be quite a run for him pre-RG.

i know man apparently seppi is the no2 seed :P
that says it all really, at big events these guys dont even get close to having a ranking!
im surprised more serbs arent there i.e. tipsy and troicki.
should be a doddle for novak, hopefully nalbo will have a good run!

LuvSports! wrote:

reckoner wrote:Sod'll be back once he's served his suspension I mean recovered, cough

thats harsh man hes been so unlucky with this thing its been like 10months now

Yeah sorry perhaps that is a little harsh - but that was the rumour flying around a while back. I know, I know... shouldn't give too much credence to rumours.

LuvSports! wrote:

lydian wrote:Absolutely LuvSports - you're right, good spot!
I know Rafa sees this as his "home" tournament too...so he always has added motivation at this one.

I was also looking at the Serbian Open next week...its an unusual draw...Djokovic is there of course as his family bought the land on which the event is hosted but after Nole at #1 you dont have anyone else entering in the top 40 (well, the next highest is #39)...seems a little weird for a 250 event. They might as well hand the title to Djokovic there, lol.

Speaking of Nole...he'll play 3 weeks on the run...Belgrade, Madrid, Rome...if he ghoes deep at each one that'll be quite a run for him pre-RG.

i know man apparently seppi is the no2 seed :P
that says it all really, at big events these guys dont even get close to having a ranking!
im surprised more serbs arent there i.e. tipsy and troicki.
should be a doddle for novak, hopefully nalbo will have a good run!

I know most tennis fans (myself included) don't want to go to a two-year ranking as in golf, but they do have an interesting approach to ranking points for individual events, I think, in that you get points based on the strength of the field. Different in tennis as it is knock-out but just thought I'd mention it.

Speaking of The Sod, did anyone see his tweet yesterday...he was haha'ing at a joke picture but thought it a little near the knuckle for a pro-player to send a tweet about....think it might have been taken down though as cant find it anymore!

Yeah been a tough run on the guy...rumours notwithstanding!

LuvSports - yeah hard to see anything other than a Djoko family win a week on Sunday. Like you say, weird there's not more Serbs there...and thought Tipsy and Nole were friends? (although some think not)

Welcome back Tom___ BTW, good to see you posting!

See Haase is schooling Bubka at the moment...with a breadstick (or was that a polevault) in the first set.

That's interesting Positively...didnt you used to get bonus points in tennis some few years back (when based on Bof14) based on who you beat in each event? It would certainly make the Serbian Open a lesser event potentially...if you took Djokovic out of the event its almost a high-level challenger.

That rings a bell lydian. I like the simplicity of the tennis system currently, but some tournaments of equal value are not very equal.

I think nadal really likes playing Murray. 13-5 head to head, probably the most one sided rivalry in the top 4. Didn't nadal also beat him in 3 slam semis last year. He would seem the worst match up for Murray!!

Looks like they should call it the Spanish open....8/16 into R4 are Spanish players....quite something from a draw with 50% of top 20 there. However no major upsets yet unless you count Tomic...which I don't. Nadal not pushed yet as expected...but nursing a sore knee...you wonder if he should have taken the week off like Nole is doing next week.