Miami

First topic message reminder :

Draw is out. Projected quarter finals are
Djokovic v Berdych
Federer v Ferrer
Wawrinka v Nadal
Murray v Nishikori

Del Potro playing Pella in the first round...if he wins that then it is Federer.
Kyle Edmund playing Vesely....if he wins that then it is Djokovic.

I don't intend to be mean but doubles rankings are meaningless these days, which is tough on a good doubles player like Jamie Murray. He would be better served by competing alongside the better players in the World.

legendkillarV2 wrote:I did see about Roger and Rafa pulling out.

Maybe their protecting their H2Hs against Novak!  

Now I think that Nadal needs to improve his H2H against Dzumhur. Hopefully he gets a chance soon

bogbrush wrote:I don't intend to be mean but doubles rankings are meaningless these days, which is tough on a good doubles player like Jamie Murray. He would be better served by competing alongside the better players in the World.

I take you just mean that the player who accumulates the most doubles points over 12 months is not necessarily the best doubles player, because the players who are best at doubles don't play the doubles draws year round? That's true.
Or maybe you meant that the ranking points are closer in doubles so less dominance - which is also true. I think part of that is the new scoring for tour doubles for the tour with the decisive deuce and match TB - throws up more random results than the normal scoring.
Anyhow, you'd expect that the results that lead to the ranking (including a slam and Davis Cup) would be considered a higher achievements - especially since he got the no.1 through someone else losing rather than his winning!

Double post.

Zeballos comes through Verdasco in a brilliant little match! Violation second serve on mp, both cramping, great last rally, Verdasco refusing a handshake at first. Brilliant

To Jamie, hes make 3 gs finals in a row, winning the most recent, and was instrumental in winning the DC for one of the weaker teams in the world group. I don't personally begrudge his status, I think its deserving in the short term at least

Wow a great day of tennis I would like to invite anyone who thinks Novak plays boring tennis to watch the last game against Sousa in the second set when he broke him at love. He hit an incredible backhand up the line winner, took a pretty good first serve from Sousa wide to his FH that pulled him all the way off the court and hit that up the line for a winner three inches inside the sideline and baseline, and won match point by hitting a deft little dropper that to be fair also caught the net and dropped over.

The Verdasco and zeballos last set was like watch the tennis equivalent of 15th round in a Rocky Balboa movie. He was cramping all throughout the third set but made some terrific shots especially off his backhand to upset Verdasco. And Verdasco was playing his typical flashy stuff as well. Love that guys forehand.

Thiem v. Djokovic should be very interesting because it will be the two players with the most wins so far this season on the ATP tour. The two form horses of the season so far clashing. Thiem's BH, well rounded game, and athleticism will pose a challenge. I am going to say Novak pulls out a tough three setter.

YvonneT wrote:

bogbrush wrote:I don't intend to be mean but doubles rankings are meaningless these days, which is tough on a good doubles player like Jamie Murray. He would be better served by competing alongside the better players in the World.

I take you just mean that the player who accumulates the most doubles points over 12 months is not necessarily the best doubles player, because the players who are best at doubles don't play the doubles draws year round? That's true.
Or maybe you meant that the ranking points are closer in doubles so less dominance - which is also true. I think part of that is the new scoring for tour doubles for the tour with the decisive deuce and match TB - throws up more random results than the normal scoring.
Anyhow, you'd expect that the results that lead to the ranking (including a slam and Davis Cup) would be considered a higher achievements - especially since he got the no.1 through someone else losing rather than his winning!

I meant the former. Gone are the days when the top players took doubles seriously, meaning it's the preserve largely of players who can't make it in singles. This was always a factor but still the best doubles teams had to overcome top ranked singles players.

Fair play to him though, he's a good player.

I guess but those glory days of doubles are long gone. In the end i couldn't reasonably begrudge him the status because the singles guy who would probably be better than him can't be bothered to play it

socal1976 wrote:Wow a great day of tennis I would like to invite anyone who thinks Novak plays boring tennis to watch the last game against Sousa in the second set when he broke him at love. He hit an incredible backhand up the line winner, took a pretty good first serve from Sousa wide to his FH that pulled him all the way off the court and hit that up the line for a winner three inches inside the sideline and baseline, and won match point by hitting a deft little dropper that to be fair also caught the net and dropped over.

The Verdasco and zeballos last set was like watch the tennis equivalent of 15th round in a Rocky Balboa movie. He was cramping all throughout the third set but made some terrific shots especially off his backhand to upset Verdasco. And Verdasco was playing his typical flashy stuff as well. Love that guys forehand.

Thiem v. Djokovic should be very interesting because it will be the two players with the most wins so far this season on the ATP tour. The two form horses of the season so far clashing. Thiem's BH, well rounded game, and athleticism will pose a challenge. I am going to say Novak pulls out a tough three setter.

Fortunately it was without blood
Dominic is really well-tempered very good player, but he stands far away behind the BL and will struggle against the best. Stan the Man should be his hero.

Paul, he looks well rounded, I do agree Thiem could stand in and take the ball on the rise more if he wants to be able to hurt the best players in the game. He doesn't have the raw physical power or bull like build of Wawrinka, but there are some similarities. I see Thiem as more of a finesse and all court player than Wawrinka, where Wawrinka is more of straight ball basher.

I see this thread shed some of its leaves and grew some new ones instead while I was away.

On vacation now with not much access to tennis video, so will rely on comments here for my impressions of the tournament.

But will be back home for the Thiem-Kyrgios final.

Relying on comments from posters here ey?
Even those who like to engage in a bit of frivolity?

Awful TB from Dimitrov, having played decently up to that point. Murray played a very solid TB by contrast, and took it 7-1.

Watched Jo Konta's win earlier, terrific performance with an excellent gameplan to be very aggressive from the go, moving into the net on every possible occasion. Lovely to watch

Murray then with a very Murray game at the start of the second set, broken to love, and getting annoyed at the crowd moving around.

Konta beginning to knock on the door of the top 20 now. Murray switched off totally here. Needs to re-engage here. Watson out earlier and very good win for Bautista-Agut.

Murray broken to love again seems to have just gone into a sulk. Now having an argument with the umpire. He may have a point, the umpire has been particularly appalling in this match, failing to over-rule on a couple of shots which were miles out, but Murray would be better served focusing on his own game right now...

Andy smashes racquet 8 times on his bag, gets some tough talk from Umpire.

Behaving like a spoiled kid, the No:2 in the world and a father!!!

LuvSports! wrote:Relying on comments from posters here ey?
Even those who like to engage in a bit of frivolity?

So stop being "frivolitcious", papi

Murray "you going to overrule it?"

Umpire "no..."

Murray "challenge then"

Call is overturned, point to Murray. It's entertaining if nothing else

Now the umpire finally DOES overrule, only to get it wrong. Murray challenges, and gets one break back. Feel Murray and this umpire will not be going out for drinks after the game

Didn't umpire say, If you challenge it will be worst or bad or something, in a sense that it was way way out.

I think even Stakhovsky would NOT go with Andy for a drink

That'll please Murray even more, some numpty in the crowd shouting out just as he's about to serve at BP down. Does well to regroup, three big first serves seeing him hold, and he's back to 3-4 (still a break down).

Dimitrov eventually does level at one set all, despite a bad wobble. Funny thing about Dimitrov is nearly all his DFs come from a second seve into the net, which makes me think it might be a technical issue.

Murray's tennis at present mirrors his game on a wider scale - very stop start or hot and cold. Needs to find a more consistent higher level.

dreadful from Murray, works hard to get the break at 3-1, and then just starts making loads of UEs, Dimitrov now with the break at 4-3. Murray must be close to 50 UEs for the match, just awful.

summerblues wrote:But will be back home for the Thiem-Kyrgios final.

...assuming Kyrgios gets past Dimitrov in SF, of course.

LuvSports! wrote:Even those who like to engage in a bit of frivolity?

I forgot to mention that yes, frivolity is accepted.

Lost 5 games in a row from 3-1 up in the third set to lose the match. I hope it turns out Murray has caught the illness going round because otherwise that was dreadful.

Pretty useless trip to the US for Murray this time - failed to consolidate the no.2 ranking with Federer out (well, he is clinging on for now, but has 1000 point to defend in Madrid) and the streak of not losing after winning the first set gone (I think that went back to the start of 2015 but not sure).

I'd take Thiem-Kyrgios final over a Djokovic-Raonic repeat for sure!

Will be interesting to see who comes out of the bottom half - probably Nishikori or Raonic but maybe Kyrgios or Monfils(!) have a chance.

Willian's neglect of conditioning starting to take its toll now. She's getting increasingly into trouble if the match goes any distance.

Serena? I'm not sure she's fit overall - this is only her third tournament since the US Open last year, and she's done pretty well to reach the final in the other 2 considering that. I'm not sure it's neglect of conditioning, just her body breaking down a bit. She is 34 now.

Murray looks out if Nick in general. He looks permanently tired at the moment. Could be his newborn, in which case he might not be back proper till the clay is finished

He was a bit scrappy in Australia too I thought.

The last 2 weeks have been poor tactics and poor focus on top on any tiredness, though I suppose the tiredness can cause the others. Who knows? He didn't have an off-season end of last year cause of the Davis Cup and planning to use Feb paternity break as his off-season but maybe it was too long. He could stay in Miami for some extra training before heading to the clay.

Funny how things can turn around completely from one season to the next - last year was all about the consistency in the Masters where he never failed to match his seeding, and that's what got him the year end no.2. So far this year, the complete opposite...

YvonneT wrote:Serena? I'm not sure she's fit overall - this is only her third tournament since the US Open last year, and she's done pretty well to reach the final in the other 2 considering that. I'm not sure it's neglect of conditioning, just her body breaking down a bit. She is 34 now.

Kuznetsova is also 31 yo.

Indeed, and even at 31, Kuznetsova can't manage any kind of year round, tournament to tournament consistency because it's difficult to sustain as you get older (ok, also she was never all that consistent at any age). But we expect it of Serena because of her record up til now. But the question is now, if she can't dominate year round, can she still dominate for the right fortnights in the year.

It is tough to maintain consistency year round, but taking longer breaks can cause lack of match readiness, and it can become a vicious circle.
Kuznetsova is also the victim of such a cycle.

Once errors start, they now flow, and cause a deadly spiral in Serena's case. After a good tight first set, she lost her way and never came back. Kuznetsova also put more pressure on her. Her FH was pretty good day today.

Yeah, it is getting a bit worrying in terms of Murray. Because it has been quite some time that at his physical peak,since he has won a major. He started strong this season by getting to the finals of AO but hasn't really done very much since then in a couple of tournaments that should suit him as hardcourt events. I don't know to me he has seemed to stagnate since his breakthrough where he won a couple of slams. I mean Rafa has all the injuries and mileage, Federer is old and has nothing to play for, but really what is ailing Murray?

Kyrgios moves on looked very comfortable in his win against an opponent who couldn't hurt him that much. Thank god Serena is out of the tournament and that concludes my commentary on the WTA, although I will say I am quite happy that the rest of the rounds will feature more ATP tennis on the US broadcast thanks to you know who being gone.

Djokovic looking good for his quest to become the sole Master of the Masters. I think he is a very strong favorite if he can even get into his B plus level.

To me he looks almost disinterested or like he'd rather be somewhere else - just my take on it but lots of valid points from everyone else here. May look to dig out that thread I posted a year or two ago about how Murray wouldn't win another slam.

Maybe the simple explanation is that he has now realised there are more important things to concern him than tennis.. who knows maybe the baby has a cold and he is just a worried dad he is a man not a machine

Haddie-nuff wrote:Maybe the simple explanation is that he has now realised there are more important things to concern him than tennis.. who knows maybe the baby has a cold and he is just a worried dad he is a man not a machine

Well if it is the first then his decline will be terminal. If it is the second it is a worry as well as there will be many times in the coming months when his daughter isn't 100% and Murray is knocking on the door of 29 so the sands of time are running.

I have 4 kids and none of them impaired what I did outside, apart from when one of them brought home chickenpox and turned me into a cross between Darth Sideous and a pizza for a week.

In the end, Andy is a top professional and Kim knows it, and I'm sure they can afford whatever help they need. This really doesn't need to be an issue.

Well I agree CC but it does make me wonder why Rafa has not married (even though now most of his compatriots have done so) maybe he feels he has enough distractions.. he has not got a baby daughter so what's his excuse ??

bogbrush wrote:I have 4 kids and none of them impaired what I did outside, apart from when one of them brought home chickenpox and turned me into a cross between Darth Sideous and a pizza for a week.

In the end, Andy is a top professional and Kim knows it, and I'm sure they can afford whatever help they need. This really doesn't need to be an issue.

If you managed to bring up your four kids with only chicken pox as your major problems.. then you were indeed a lucky man.
I with only two was not that fortunate

bogbrush wrote:I have 4 kids and none of them impaired what I did outside, apart from when one of them brought home chickenpox and turned me into a cross between Darth Sideous and a pizza for a week.

In the end, Andy is a top professional and Kim knows it, and I'm sure they can afford whatever help they need. This really doesn't need to be an issue.

I'd agree with that. The concern for me is has the hunger/desire died a bit. Last night, to me, it looked like Dimitrov was far the hungrier and wanted it more.

Haddie-nuff wrote:

bogbrush wrote:I have 4 kids and none of them impaired what I did outside, apart from when one of them brought home chickenpox and turned me into a cross between Darth Sideous and a pizza for a week.

In the end, Andy is a top professional and Kim knows it, and I'm sure they can afford whatever help they need. This really doesn't need to be an issue.

If you managed to bring up your four kids with only chicken pox as your major problems.. then you were indeed a lucky man.
I with only two was not that fortunate

Oh there are many other problems but they tend to kick in strongly after 12 or so!

Mine initially way before then,     then,      after then      and indeed now.........

I should have stuck with keeping dogs instead!!!!!

Didn't Djokovic struggle for focus a bit when he had kids in the summer of 2014 ?

Only saw the last three or four games of the match last night and on a pretty poor connection. It looked though that Dimitrov wan't having to do very much, apart from keeping the ball in court, to win the points. After a few shots in the rallies Murray was either hitting into the net or going long.

His concentration seems to be all over the place at the moment. Needs to focus on family, tennis and how to make it work rather than getting involved in the Sharapova and Womens Tennis issues. Otherwise it is going to be very difficult for him on court.

It Must Be Love wrote:Didn't Djokovic struggle for focus a bit when he had kids in the summer of 2014 ?

Yes I think he did.. its different strokes for different folks. Andy looked genuinely like he had one another grand slam after his baby was born.
For some men it can be overwhelming. He will settle you see

It Must Be Love wrote:Didn't Djokovic struggle for focus a bit when he had kids in the summer of 2014 ?

No.  

His son was born in October of that year and that ended up being the starting point of his hot streak.