Indian Wells 2014 - 15 March

STADIUM 1 Start 12:00 noon

[28] Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR) v [7] Roger Federer (SUI)

[12] John Isner (USA) v [2] Novak Djokovic (SRB)

[1] Su-Wei Hsieh (TPE)
Shuai Peng (CHN)
v
[5] Cara Black (ZIM)
Sania Mirza (IND)

Not Before 5:30 pm

[1] Bob Bryan (USA) Mike Bryan (USA) v [2] Alexander Peya (AUT) Bruno Soares (BRA)

The ATP Singles are two excellent matches on the cards.  

IW 2012 SF saw an upset when Isner beat Djokovic in a third set TB. Can Isner repeat the feat?

Dolgopolov is playing some fantastic tennis, but can he beat the Old Man?

Enjoy!

Yes, on this form Dolgo certainly CAN beat the old man and four-time Champ, and I hope he then goes on to take the title too.

I'm desperate to see a new face holding a Masters trophy. I think the only winner outside the old Big Four in years (maybe still the same Big Four ......  ??) was David Ferrer - and Daveed has been around so damn long that he's virtually an honorary member of the band......

Come on Dolgo .......this is your time to shine ......

Yes, I was checking the other day - Ferrer is the only Masters 1000 winner outside the big 4 in the last three years.  The big 4 split them something like this (I may be off a bit): Nole - 11, Rafa - 8, Roger - 4, Andy - 3.

Is it just me, or have the ads on this forum become more intrusive the last few weeks?

Roger

summerblues wrote:Is it just me, or have the ads on this forum become more intrusive the last few weeks?

How do you mean? I notice there's 2 now instead of just 1.

One of the ads now blocks some of the forum page:

- it blocks the login page when I am logging in
- it blocks the top link to the "Tennis" section (each page has two such links, one at the top, the other one at the bottom, the top one is covered by the ad)
- it also blocks the previewed text when I hit "Preview" button

First set to Fed. Dolgo a little poor, Fed not so Fed...

One thing I hate about this forum platform is the 'watch this topic for replies' that sits below the page numbers, and I hit it often when I post from the phone.

summerblues wrote:One of the ads now blocks some of the forum page:

- it blocks the login page when I am logging in
- it blocks the top link to the "Tennis" section (each page has two such links, one at the top, the other one at the bottom, the top one is covered by the ad)
- it also blocks the previewed text when I hit "Preview" button

Odd. I've not got that.

Jahu wrote:One thing I hate about this forum platform is the 'watch this topic for replies' that sits below the page numbers, and I hit it often when I post from the phone.

LOL, yes, the exact same thing happens to me too.  Hate it.

Dolgo a seems to have a little 'im scared' on his mind. Not good at all.

O baby, what a point

All done. Fed takes it. Poor from Dolgo.

Fed looking better and better.  Nice practice for what may be a much more difficult test tomorrow.

Nole vs Isner should be a closer match.  I do not really care much about the result in that one.  Everything else being equal, I prefer Nole's tennis to Isner's, but if Isner wins, that is fine by me too.

Dolgo looked like the conditions and occasion both got to him, to an extent. Federer didn't give him many errors to work with, so he forced play a bit too much. Fed's got the experience in the wind to know how to handle it, could give him an edge in the final too. He played well today.

Let's bring on the next SF!

Come on Isner, ace him to history

Isner struggling with his second serve speed

Isner's only going to win this if it goes to TBs. He doesn't have anything in his locker to trouble Novak aside from the obvious.

Djoko would gladly give up one of his AO titles to beat Fed tomorrow. Boost his confidence a little.

Djokovic will be dissappointed with that return game. Had a chance there.

Isner lets 3 BP for a set go. Come on mannn

Oh John. What an opportunity that was! How did Djokovic make that return at 0-40 down.

Djokovic without a doubt the best returner I have ever seen.

And now pays the price. Djoko break up.

Come on, break himmmmm

Yessss 5:5

Was looking forward to the Federer-Dolgopolov match all day, that is actually my 2 favourite players, and it's the first time I saw them face off. I had to check to find out they played only once before, as I couldn't remember any.

I thought it was a fairly disappointing match. 2 players that I like individually in their game styles do not necessarily match well; tactically I thought the match was a disappointment with Dolgopolov just targeting the backhand a lot (boring) as he usually has more variety.

Quality wise it was fairly average, a few good points with players going to the net, but not a thrilling match, not close enough.

Dologopolov's performance was certainly down from his other matches in the tournament, with a lot of errors some of them really wild. It did cross my mind that semi and final at IW is a big pay cheque for the winner, someone like Dolgopolov will rarely have the chance to pay so much even other Masters offer less, and it might have been 5% or 10% of his annual take on this one match (complete guess) as I just wondered if that played on his mind at all? So many errors.

Federer I thought was no more than average, at least by his standards, but then he wasn't tested.

There are some echoes of previous tournaments in this match, 2012 it was also Isner-Djokovic in the semi with Federer in the final. Also one of Dolgopolov's previous greatest career successes happened at IW, winning the doubles in 2011, that was actually against Federer, so Fed got him back today. Incidentally Federer I think lost to Djokovic in the singles the same day he lost he lost the doubles final in 2011!

Just as I was starting to think that Novak was looking much better, he produces a shocking game when serving for the match. 

But Novak breaks straight back!

Some of his returns this match have been incredible.

Isner breaks back again !!!

6:6

And Novak fails to serve it out again! Broken to love!

What is going on with him?!

Unreal, what is Nole doing? He also almost got broken late in the first.

Isner is kicking his bum, what you mean whats going on with Djoko?

Come on guys some credit here for Isner.

5:1 up Isner on TB.

Take it to 3 baby.

If Novak makes the final, Federer will destroy him. I'm almost hoping for a mercy killing now!

Isner does it.

Djoko, keeping the tradition of a 2 minute mental collapse this year.

I really think Novak is done now. Not just today, for good.

Brain all over the place, marriage on the horizon, unproven and unlikely coach in Becker... tough to see any reason to expect a turnaround in fortunes.

HM, come on man, don't be so negative. He's come back always stronger after some crap periods of play during season.

HM Murdoch wrote:I really think Novak is done now. Not just today, for good.

Brain all over the place, marriage on the horizon, unproven and unlikely coach in Becker... tough to see any reason to expect a turnaround in fortunes.

Doom and gloom.

Not so fast, he has plenty of time to turn it around - and not just today.  But I think should sack Boris.  That was bad choice.  Between that and Sharapova hiring Connors, the second one sounded more promising to me.

Funny how all the fans of Nadal, Djokovic and Federer downplay each one's chances. It's always the same story!

Of course, so when they win, it feels double better   

Jahu wrote:HM, come on man, don't be so negative. He's come back always stronger after some crap periods of play during season.

I think he must be the first player to win the biggest titles and become less confident!

It's a regression. 2012 was worse than 2011. 2013 was worse than 2012. And 2014 is not shaping up well so far!

I don't think he's going to plummet but I think the odds are greater that he will remain on 6 slams than they are for him winning more.

I hate Isner's game but the guy has courage.

HM Murdoch wrote:I think the odds are greater that he will remain on 6 slams than they are for him winning more.

Are you giving him less than 50% chance to win one more slam for the rest of his career?  Surely not?

HM Murdoch wrote:I really think Novak is done now. Not just today, for good.

Brain all over the place, marriage on the horizon, unproven and unlikely coach in Becker... tough to see any reason to expect a turnaround in fortunes.

Nadal: Injured for 7 months in 2012, question marks over career.
Murray: Back surgery, currently unsure whether he'll match his previous level.
Federer: 2013, endless calls for retirement.

If they can get through that, then Novak will be fine getting past these minor blips! Let's be honest, despite having his 'brain all over the place', he's still in the final. And his only previous two losses this season were to the AO winner (narrowly), and the fast-court GOAT.

Some perspective, HM! It'll work out okay for Novak   I do see your point though, especially regarding the bizarre lapses at the end of sets.

It's not quite at the class of Amrit's Nadal 8th favourite for the French open, but it's not far off.

Here we go, Djoko swims it somehow.

summerblues wrote:

HM Murdoch wrote:I think the odds are greater that he will remain on 6 slams than they are for him winning more.

Are you giving him less than 50% chance to win one more slam for the rest of his career?  Surely not?

Yep, I am!

He's won 1 slam in the last 8, when he was aged 25 and 26, injury free, settled coaching team and with key rivals missing at times.

Do you expect him to increase his rate as he turns 27 and 28?

He may win more. I just think the odds are greater that he won't.

Henman Bill wrote:It's not quite at the class of Amrit's Nadal 8th favourite for the French open, but it's not far off.

That was classic  

"or 9th, depending on Almagro's form."

I mean, I don't like Djoko much, but what HM is talking, defies logic. Nonsense.