2018 Qatar Open - ATP 250

[Otacon]

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has pulled out from Qatar Open due to a wrist injury.

 

[jaggy]

2018 could be a pretty strange year based on how it is beginning.

 

[SeeingDusk]

I’m predicting 2018 to be worst than 2017. At least we got to see all the top guys for half of the season.

 

[Mainad]

Djokovic is out:

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/dec/30/novak-djokovic-out-qatar-open-australian-open-fears

 

[3fees]

NOVAK DJOKOVIC has withdrawn from the Qatar Open following an elbow injury, casting further doubts on him making the Australian Open next month.

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/ten...bow-Injury-Australian-Open-Doubts-Tennis-News


The likelihood of Djokovic being available for the first Grand Slam of the season - the Australian Open - looks slim.

And he admitted after pulling out of the Mubadala exhibition this week that his early-season schedule could be affected.

“I need to accept this situation, and to wait for the results of the therapies, in order to start playing tennis again and getting back to full rhythm,” he said.

“This might affect the start of the season and the tournament plan, but the decision will be made in the following days.”

He may not play AO 2018.

Cheers
3Fees

 

[Meles]

Rublev with his ownership really could run rough shod over the Spanish Amarda; all 4 seeds Spaniards in the bottom half.

Top half a much tougher draw.

 

[marc45]

oh man, this was the best first week tournament of the year for quite a while..is my name in there?

 

[marc45]

Jabor for the win!

 

[stringertom]

Rublev with his ownership really could run rough shod over the Spanish Amarda; all 4 seeds Spaniards in the bottom half.

Top half a much tougher draw.

Despite the #2 seed and a 1-0 h2h on HC, PCB is the slight underdog vs Coric...2.05 to 1.77.

 

[marc45]

omg, Berdych must read here

wishes fans, and haters, a happy new year

https://twitter.com/tomasberdych/status/947601660402159616

 

[Meles]

Despite the #2 seed and a 1-0 h2h on HC, PCB is the slight underdog vs Coric...2.05 to 1.77.

Good. Coric will be motivated after Milan matches with Rublev.

 

[3fees]

The roster is full 3 Qualifiers added.

Congrats to Basic,Berretini,Tsitsipas blnt Seppi, Marterer, Ymer

Cheers
3Fees

 

[SeeingDusk]

Verdasco down a set. Was up 2-0 in second set and it’s now 2-4. Had a chance to break right back at 2-1 (40-15) but Sela held on.

Update 1: Verdasco breaks back for 3-4 but loses the first point on his serve again. Got broken each time that happened.

Verdasco wins 4-6 6-4 6-0.

 

[gogo]

Thiem ekes out the first set against Donskoy 7-6 after an hour. Thiem with a couple of poor errors.

 

[I Am Finnish]

I like the blue court

 

[stringertom]

I think Paris was the 15 minutes of fame for Krajinovic.

 

[Meles]

@Doctor/Lawyer Red Devil Bendy working on losing to a player wearing these

Struff takes first set 6-4

 

[Meles]

Coric with a gritty win over PCB today. Broke back twice late in 3rd set to finally reach tiebreak which he narrowly won.

Rublev looked really, really good yesterday and is clearly a quicker player in 2018. Thiem showing more potential, but still issues with 2nd serve game.

 

[SeeingDusk]

struff too clutch. goes down 0-30 in both his first two service games in the final set, and wins 4 points in a row to take the game each time. unreal.

 

[jaggy]

Lopez and Ram seem like an appropriate dubs partnership on so many levels.

 

[stringertom]

Elias Ymer's dubs partner is making me hunger for some good Ahi pan seared...Tuna Altuna!

 

[Pagoo]

Is Berdych back?

 

[Pagoo]

Duplicate.

 

[stringertom]

Is Berdych back?

BerdPoo is back for one match...he was not Struff enuff.

 

[Krish872007]

Lol, Bendych. Loses to Struff in his opening match, what a start to 2018.

Also Berdych:

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/tennis/898588/Roger-Federer-Rafael-Nadal-Tomas-Berdych - "I can win a Slam - Federer & Nadal era is drawing to a close."

 

[Nostradamus]

@Doctor/Lawyer Red Devil Bendy working on losing to a player wearing these

Struff takes first set 6-4

Will this be the Game changing fashion in 2018 ????????? Will Everybody play with this on ? will NIKE, and Adidas copy this ??? Will all the TW posters play with this on ??

 

[Nostradamus]

NOVAK DJOKOVIC has withdrawn from the Qatar Open following an elbow injury, casting further doubts on him making the Australian Open next month.

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/ten...bow-Injury-Australian-Open-Doubts-Tennis-News


The likelihood of Djokovic being available for the first Grand Slam of the season - the Australian Open - looks slim.

And he admitted after pulling out of the Mubadala exhibition this week that his early-season schedule could be affected.

“I need to accept this situation, and to wait for the results of the therapies, in order to start playing tennis again and getting back to full rhythm,” he said.

“This might affect the start of the season and the tournament plan, but the decision will be made in the following days.”

He may not play AO 2018.

Cheers
3Fees

He will be back with a Vengence after he talks with Jeff Salzenstein and cures his arm issues.

 

[Nostradamus]

Lol, Bendych. Loses to Struff in his opening match, what a start to 2018.

Also Berdych:

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/tennis/898588/Roger-Federer-Rafael-Nadal-Tomas-Berdych - "I can win a Slam - Federer & Nadal era is drawing to a close."

Struff played great,, Berdy didn't play bad. anyway , Struff's reward for winning this is Gael Monfils in the next round.................. very very HOT girlfriend of Struff watching.......

 

[jaggy]

Feddy comes through again for the troops

 

[Zebrev]

Coric looking good.

 

[Pagoo]

Lol, Bendych. Loses to Struff in his opening match, what a start to 2018.

Also Berdych:

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/tennis/898588/Roger-Federer-Rafael-Nadal-Tomas-Berdych - "I can win a Slam - Federer & Nadal era is drawing to a close."

I guess he fancies himself as part of the next gen no?

 

[Pagoo]

Lol, Bendych. Loses to Struff in his opening match, what a start to 2018.

Also Berdych:

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/tennis/898588/Roger-Federer-Rafael-Nadal-Tomas-Berdych - "I can win a Slam - Federer & Nadal era is drawing to a close."

I guess he fancies himself as part of the next gen, no?

 

[stringertom]

Struff played great,, Berdy didn't play bad. anyway , Struff's reward for winning this is Gael Monfils in the next round.................. very very HOT girlfriend of Struff watching.......

I guess you're predicting Monfils will have no problem with Lorenzi tonight in 1R. Hope Gael does not overlook the #43 player.

 

[marc45]

ATP World Tour‏Verified account @ATPWorldTour 13s13 seconds ago
It looks like @ThiemDomi made a new friend today @QatarTennis!

 

[Nostradamus]

I guess you're predicting Monfils will have no problem with Lorenzi tonight in 1R. Hope Gael does not overlook the #43 player.

lorenzy is #43 ?? wow. that is great. he is one of those players with no power. and he is doing so well in ATP against all the big hitters. so that tells you little guys can play in the Tour and do well. there is hope for all the guys in the challenger tour without big power game.

 

[underground]

Just tuned in the stream for the first time, didn't realise the changed the court colour! It looked very dirty in that I can see footprints everywhere on the court...

 

[SeeingDusk]

does anyone know why all pella and ramos matches go the distant? it's always 3 sets, every single time.

 

[3fees]

Lorenzy v Monfils going down the wire..

Cheers
3Fees

 

[SeeingDusk]

Clownfils clowning again. 5-2 to 5-4...

 

[Harry_Wild]

Monfil is choking the third set away! Not watching it anymore at 5-4 Monfil with Lorenza serving to tie it up. Monfils had a 5-3 lead! Ugh!

 

[Nostradamus]

Monfil is choking the third set away! Not watching it anymore at 5-4 Monfil with Lorenza serving to tie it up. Monfils had a 5-3 lead! Ugh!

he heard your pain and ripped off 4 winners in a row and blew away Lorenzi.

 

[Harry_Wild]

he heard your pain and ripped off 4 winners in a row and blew away Lorenzi.

Glad for Monfil to get back on track in his tennis career! 6-4 in the third but if he was in top form; he should do it in two! At least he is injury free and it a new year for him! He does not have many points to defend so Monfil should go up in rankings from the 30s!

 

[MichaelNadal]

My boy plays today #TeamThiem

 

[MichaelNadal]

Rublev takes out Dasco. #ThiemThiemTime

 

[Ronaldo]

How is this tourney on two networks?

 

[SeeingDusk]

Thiem choking. From 4-1 to 5-5... Also had a few set points and couldn’t capitalize on any of them.

 

[Harry_Wild]

Monfil is injures....again vs. Struff but continues with play!

 

[Harry_Wild]

Monfil takes 1set 6-3!

 

[stringertom]

Tuna Altuna is making me hungry again for a pan-seared Ahi filet as he and Elias Ymer start their QF dubs match vs Marach/Pavic.

 

[Meles]

Thiem choking. From 4-1 to 5-5... Also had a few set points and couldn’t capitalize on any of them.

What is the malady Dusk? We've seen Thiem not serve out sets and matches all over the place. Thiem is an odd duck as ALL of his numbers were up even in the 2nd half of 2017 except for one which was way down (2nd serve points won.) Thiem looked great today overall, but to my eyes it looks like he gets impatient and is trying to shorten 2nd serve points too much. My other add-on is that Thiem has had to back away from his big kicker and his 2nd serve isn't quite as good so he finds himself on the defensive more, but still has the expectation for shorter rallies which gets him into the above situation. He was winning medium and longer rallies handily for today's match, so nothing to fear from playing defense.

 

[Harry_Wild]

Struff up 4-1 in the second, looks like going to a third set! Monfil does not looking shape at all! Making lot of stupid shot selection that are sitters for Struff to just hit into the opening court.

 

[stringertom]

Typical melodrama in three acts by Le Professeur Clownfils:

Act 1, play like GOAT

Act 2, Try even more crazy shots, fail, then tank

Act 3, if there's enough left in the tank, start GOATing again but leave an opening for real melodrama at the end.