US Open Day 11 Thursday

First topic message reminder :

Hope it's OK to get this going. Just the two men's quarters to think about today. While Fed and Berdych must be seen as favourites to win, it could be that an inspired Monfils could take out Rog, while Cilic is not without hope against Tomas.

socal1976 wrote:Maybe Julius, certainly having mental focus and discipline is a talent like any other. But he has under used the physical and athletic gifts that he has had, maybe that is because of deficiencies mentally that are not as easy to diagnose. Will someone just give him some Ritalin.

If you're going to start agreeing with me, what's the point of you coming back on here?

JuliusHMarx wrote:I'm probably in somewhere in the middle of you and your Dad (is that a dangerous place to be?)

For some people that extra bit of mental discipline is actually extraordinarily difficult to achieve. No-one here knows enough about Monfils to know whether he's tried and failed to achieve it, or is too lazy to try or possibly too afraid to try. There could be many explanations - the human mind is very complex.

I just think it's too easy and probably too naïve to simply label and criticise the guy as an under-achiever.

If you were somewhere between me and my Dad you would need to duck or you would  be in danger of getting a right hook that was intended for me not you

JuliusHMarx wrote:

socal1976 wrote:Maybe Julius, certainly having mental focus and discipline is a talent like any other. But he has under used the physical and athletic gifts that he has had, maybe that is because of deficiencies mentally that are not as easy to diagnose. Will someone just give him some Ritalin.

If you're going to start agreeing with me, what's the point of you coming back on here?

Maybe is not an affirmation Julius? It is simply stating that there is a slim possibility for once that you could be right.

JuliusHMarx wrote:

socal1976 wrote:Maybe Julius, certainly having mental focus and discipline is a talent like any other. But he has under used the physical and athletic gifts that he has had, maybe that is because of deficiencies mentally that are not as easy to diagnose. Will someone just give him some Ritalin.

If you're going to start agreeing with me, what's the point of you coming back on here?

You are on form today Julius, enjoy

Haddie-nuff wrote:

JuliusHMarx wrote:I'm probably in somewhere in the middle of you and your Dad (is that a dangerous place to be?)

For some people that extra bit of mental discipline is actually extraordinarily difficult to achieve. No-one here knows enough about Monfils to know whether he's tried and failed to achieve it, or is too lazy to try or possibly too afraid to try. There could be many explanations - the human mind is very complex.

I just think it's too easy and probably too naïve to simply label and criticise the guy as an under-achiever.

If you were somewhere between me and my Dad you would need to duck or you would  be in danger of getting a right hook that was intended for me not you

Yea I know certainly a dangerous place to be in, poor Julius innocently question whether its a dangerous place to be in or not.

socal1976 wrote:Maybe Julius, certainly having mental focus and discipline is a talent like any other. But he has under used the physical and athletic gifts that he has had, maybe that is because of deficiencies mentally that are not as easy to diagnose. Will someone just give him some Ritalin.

Good to see you back, SoCal.

Ritalin (and similar drugs) are very dangerous and prescriptions should not be recommended easily. My dealings with ADD/ADHD/Autistic/Aspergers makes me want to start a protest and ban some of this stuff. Medicine and some of food supply kills the CNS first and then such monstrosities are designed to address the issue that should not have been there in the first place.

socal1976 wrote:

JuliusHMarx wrote:

socal1976 wrote:Maybe Julius, certainly having mental focus and discipline is a talent like any other. But he has under used the physical and athletic gifts that he has had, maybe that is because of deficiencies mentally that are not as easy to diagnose. Will someone just give him some Ritalin.

If you're going to start agreeing with me, what's the point of you coming back on here?

Maybe is not an affirmation Julius? It is simply stating that there is a slim possibility for once that you could be right.

Well, it was bound to happen eventually.

The problem with Monfils is the crunch moments with the best players...it's not that he lacks the ability to focus matches in general, its not that he lacks focus against the top guys, it's that he lacks the ability to focus against the top guys in the top matches. A separate thread on this to shortly follow.

lydian wrote:The problem with Monfils is the crunch moments with the best players...it's not that he lacks the ability to focus matches in general, its not that he lacks focus against the top guys, it's that he lacks the ability to focus against the top guys in the top matches. A separate thread on this to shortly follow.

Now I am starting to agree with you, he lacks the ability to focus against the top players in top matches coz he hasn't put himself in that position regularly and once he starts doing that he can make surprise results look more normal and natural, yes a separate thread warranted for it but do it after USO, lets keep the focus on the semi's as of now.

JuliusHMarx wrote:

socal1976 wrote:Maybe Julius, certainly having mental focus and discipline is a talent like any other. But he has under used the physical and athletic gifts that he has had, maybe that is because of deficiencies mentally that are not as easy to diagnose. Will someone just give him some Ritalin.

If you're going to start agreeing with me, what's the point of you coming back on here?

The Ritalin reference aside (laverfan's salutary point on this is well-made), I can only suppose that socal's general demeanour is softening - even if temporarily - making him just a little more disposed to consensus as the weekend's events begin to unfold.

And why wouldn't it .......?? He is, after all, about to enjoy the sight of his favoured one being crowned USO Champ for the second time, whilst picking up a VERY impressive eighth Slam title. And as if that's not enough, the process may very well include (depending on the Cilic-Fed outcome of course) another defeat by Djoko of socal's ultimate anti-hero. Things were close between them at Wimbledon, but I feel the gap will most likely be a lot bigger this time based on what I have seen so far of Djoko & Fed respectively in New York : near-flawless tennis, versus some respectable but very error-prone performances. Novak can cement his position as World Number One, and I for one won't be putting money on any other result come Monday.

I really like Nishikori, delighted he has fought his way through. Just hope he can acquit himself well in today's match, and that his fine run here can spur him on to more good things.