2019 Qatar Exxonmobil Open - General Discussion thread

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swordtennis said:
Wow love to. I love talking about lifting. Unreal JC is a legend. He has a swagger now having to compete against the great one RC all those years. No one had it tougher. FC had is tough against AS. But it might be blasphemy and i hate to say it RC is greater than AS.
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I will make a thread in the odds and ends and we can start chatting about lifting and bodybuilding there. ;)
 
1st time champion guaranteed on Saturday. Berdych playing his 2nd final in Doha (l. in 2015 to Ferrer) and looking to be more successful this time. RBA making his maiden final here.
 
It was a fantastic match! Agut played amazing and kudos to him for great win and performance. However, overall it’s still been a very positive week for week. Got a lot match practice in and got to fine tune his game. He was edged today but it was and we know in the slams, he raises his level, the conditions suit him better and over best of 5 suits him better. He still played really well today and pulled off some great shots but agut just won more of the bigger points.

Djoko is still the favourite For Australia but this result shows the depth is defo much stronger in the men’s game at present
 
Red Rick said:
Lol.
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Yesterday at 2:21 AM
#402
Agut may kick his arse.



Are you LOLing now?

Novk did not look too impressive to me at all, and when he drops two consecutive sets in BO3 as he did and not playing Fedr or Nadl he happens to get his arse kicked by anybody-in-form and Agut played really well yesterday and the day before. We do not know what is the current periodisation in training for Novk but his head isn't in it and if that happens again forget the second half of 2018! He will need to lift his game as the current form is quite ordinary.

And, keep LOLing ...
 
Just remember the Big Three are the Big Three for a reason, and they are all getting smarter as they are aging. Young players put the same energy into winning small events as majors, while they are busy learning how to win. Later, when they start winning majors, they still want to win everything, and they can because they are so young. But every aging ATG I've studied has always become more and more selective about going into top gear. Top gear wins tournaments, but it also leads to small injuries. When these aging ATGs take a chance on getting such small injuries, it is at the end of majors, when they leave everything but their blood on the court in the final rounds. I would never judge the level of any of these top guys until I see where they are in the second week of a major.
 
Djokovic_is_the_best#1 said:
It was a fantastic match! Agut played amazing and kudos to him for great win and performance. However, overall it’s still been a very positive week for week. Got a lot match practice in and got to fine tune his game. He was edged today but it was and we know in the slams, he raises his level, the conditions suit him better and over best of 5 suits him better. He still played really well today and pulled off some great shots but agut just won more of the bigger points.

Djoko is still the favourite For Australia but this result shows the depth is defo much stronger in the men’s game at present
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The thing is Novak got great match practice here and in Abu Dhabi. That is what this tournament was for. No need to win random ATP 250s now. Slams are what matters most at this point of the career.

He of course will bring his best come AO.
 
tennisfan2015 said:
Yesterday at 2:21 AM
#402
Agut may kick his arse.



Are you LOLing now?

Novk did not look too impressive to me at all, and when he drops two consecutive sets in BO3 as he did and not playing Fedr or Nadl he happens to get his arse kicked by anybody-in-form and Agut played really well yesterday and the day before. We do not know what is the current periodisation in training for Novk but his head isn't in it and if that happens again forget the second half of 2018! He will need to lift his game as the current form is quite ordinary.

And, keep LOLing ...
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In fairness to Red Rick, winning 6-4 in the 3rd after playing for over two and a half hours and twice being two points from defeat doesn't exactly constitute kicking someone's arse.
 
Hitman said:
And I am glad he did. Djokovic has played enough tennis in preparation for AO, anymore would be detrimental.
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That’s your excuse. I don’t think Djoker is happy going into the AO having been taken to 3 sets by Fucsovics and Basilashvili and losing to B-Agut. That must affect his confidence.
 
mike danny said:
We just see things differently. A guy with no slam QF in my book is not a top player.
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Well Nothing personal but fed fans think differently than tennis fans. It is what it is.
There are thousands of pros to compete with and to get inside the top 25 you got to know how to ball and be damn good at it.
 
clayqueen said:
That’s your excuse. I don’t think Djoker is happy going into the AO having been taken to 3 sets by Fucsovics and Basilashvili and losing to B-Agut. That must affect his confidence.
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Excuse? That is my reasoning. Go look at the match thread, I openly said it would be better if Djokovic loses this match, after he failed to close out the second set. Pushing hard for a third set, and then playing again, with all that play in Abu Dhabi, and also playing doubles...it is way too much.

If Djokovic didn't have three consecutive three set matches, your comment about me would hold water, but it doesn't in this case. I want him fresh and ready to go for the only title that matters this month.

I guess you need to cling onto some hope that his confidence must be affected. Either way, his confidence will still be a lot higher than Nadal's who lost the only match he played, exho or not.
 
tennisfan2015 said:
Yesterday at 2:21 AM
#402
Agut may kick his arse.



Are you LOLing now?

Novk did not look too impressive to me at all, and when he drops two consecutive sets in BO3 as he did and not playing Fedr or Nadl he happens to get his arse kicked by anybody-in-form and Agut played really well yesterday and the day before. We do not know what is the current periodisation in training for Novk but his head isn't in it and if that happens again forget the second half of 2018! He will need to lift his game as the current form is quite ordinary.
Click to expand...
Agut has always been a tough out. He scraps. Also if Djokovic wins one major this year that will be good for me. Prob most would agree in the Djokovic fan camp. 2 majors would be icing on the cake.
 
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Djokovic is getting a nice rest before a long Australian open tournament he will look at the videotape and see what adjustments he needs to make all will be fine
 
Hitman said:
Excuse? That is my reasoning. Go look at the match thread, I openly said it would be better if Djokovic loses this match, after he failed to close out the second set. Pushing hard for a third set, and then playing again, with all that play in Abu Dhabi, and also playing doubles...it is way too much.

If Djokovic didn't have three consecutive three set matches, your comment about me would hold water, but it doesn't in this case. I want him fresh and ready to go for the only title that matters this month.

I guess you need to cling onto some hope that his confidence must be affected. Either way, his confidence will still be a lot higher than Nadal's who lost the only match he played, exho or not.
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LOL I am seeing some odd behavior among the two GOAT fans heading into the AO. Let us hope we do not see a tanya harding episode at the AO. Djokovic walking back to his flat after some practice. Octo and queen of the clay waiting with Uncle Toni in the shadows. They wack him! lol JK.
 
swordtennis said:
LOL I am seeing some odd behavior among the two GOAT fans heading into the AO. Let us hope we do not see a tanya harding episode at the AO. Djokovic walking back to his flat after some practice. Octo and queen of the clay waiting with Uncle Toni in the shadows. They wack him! lol JK.
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It's just strange to me. Doha is about getting match play for players like Federer, Nadal and Djokovic, not about winning it. If they win it, great, but that is not the objective, the real prize is waiting in Melbourne Park. Djokovic has had enough match play to get rid of any rust he may have had after the off season, and also the tough matches will have battle hardened him mentally. Finally, he knows what to work on when he gets to AO and starts his prep there.

I clearly remember how hard Djokovic pushed in Doha 2017, first fighting off Verdasco and multiple MPs and then that massive battle with Murray. But the problem was, he put way too much into that event, and comes into AO and out in the second round...losing in the semi here this time round after failing to seal it in straights was the right thing. It is about competitive court time for him right now. I understand some fans of other players are hoping he just crashes and burns because he lost a warm up event...if they need to cling onto that ray of hope, sure, why not, but as far as I am concerned the build up is just fine.

The guy also lost in quarters in 2015, everyone saying he lost his momentum, we all know how that event and that year went. Djokovic will be ready for the big one...didn't he also lose Queens after having MP? Wasn't there talk about doubt in his head then also? That he can't even beat Cilic now even on CP? He turned that around, didn't he?

Djokovic is fine, and the fav for the title. But I have to say, I think Federer now second fav after watching him in Perth, especially that final performance against Zverev.
 
Hitman said:
It's just strange to me. Doha is about getting match play for players like Federer, Nadal and Djokovic, not about winning it. If they win it, great, but that is not the objective, the real prize is waiting in Melbourne Park. Djokovic has had enough match play to get rid of any rust he may have had after the off season, and also the tough matches will have battle hardened him mentally. Finally, he knows what to work on when he gets to AO and starts his prep there.

I clearly remember how hard Djokovic pushed in Doha 2017, first fighting off Verdasco and multiple MPs and then that massive battle with Murray. But the problem was, he put way too much into that event, and comes into AO and out in the second round...losing in the semi here this time round after failing to seal it in straights was the right thing. It is about competitive court time for him right now. I understand some fans of other players are hoping he just crashes and burns because he lost a warm up event...if they need to cling onto that ray of hope, sure, why not, but as far as I am concerned the build up is just fine.

The guy also lost in quarters in 2015, everyone saying he lost his momentum, we all know how that event and that year went. Djokovic will be ready for the big one...didn't he also lose Queens after having MP? Wasn't there talk about doubt in his head then also? That he can't even beat Cilic now even on CP? He turned that around, didn't he?

Djokovic is fine, and the fav for the title. But I have to say, I think Federer now second fav after watching him in Perth, especially that final performance against Zverev.
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Agree 100%. Could be wrong but losing might be better for him for the big prize. Now agut boxed his ears off. But djokovic is known to play better and go to that BOAT mode when he is down and everyone is against him and written him off.
Totally RF is the 2nd favorite. If we can get an RF vs ND semi or final i will be so pumped!
 
swordtennis said:
Agree 100%. Could be wrong but losing might be better for him for the big prize. Now agut boxed his ears off. But djokovic is known to play better and go to that BOAT mode when he is down and everyone is against him and written him off.
Totally RF is the 2nd favorite. If we can get an RF vs ND semi or final i will be so pumped!
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Djokovic v Federer in any round will blow the roof off of RLA
 
Great run by RBA. Congratulations to him on winning the title. Stan, Novak and Berdych, that's no joke. Very tough road for a 250.

Wasn't pleased with Djokovic's performance in his last two matches but he was tested hard and that's good preparation. I believe he will be ready for Australia, he has also reached that stage of his career when nearly total focus is on Slams, unlike during his very peak when he could afford going all out for every event he entered.
-NN- said:
Hopefully they are in opposite halves.
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I've stopped hoping for that a while ago, it's useless. :p
 
Hitman said:
Excuse? That is my reasoning. Go look at the match thread, I openly said it would be better if Djokovic loses this match, after he failed to close out the second set. Pushing hard for a third set, and then playing again, with all that play in Abu Dhabi, and also playing doubles...it is way too much.

If Djokovic didn't have three consecutive three set matches, your comment about me would hold water, but it doesn't in this case. I want him fresh and ready to go for the only title that matters this month.

I guess you need to cling onto some hope that his confidence must be affected. Either way, his confidence will still be a lot higher than Nadal's who lost the only match he played, exho or not.
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Why bring Nadal into it? He hasn’t lost to Bautista-Agut and it’s bo secret that he is coming back from injury.
 
clayqueen said:
Why bring Nadal into it? He hasn’t lost to Bautista-Agut and it’s bo secret that he is coming back from injury.
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Why not bring Nadal into it, you speak of confidence going down, well that helps his rivals in AO, but Nadal the world number two and Djokovic's biggest rival is in an even worse situation. No competitive match play to think of, and lost the last time he played, and I am sure you witnessed that in person in Abu Dhabi....
 
swordtennis said:
Well Nothing personal but fed fans think differently than tennis fans. It is what it is.
There are thousands of pros to compete with and to get inside the top 25 you got to know how to ball and be damn good at it.
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What Fed fans? Literally NO ONE considers Bautista Agut a top player in the true sense of the word.
 
Hitman said:
Why not bring Nadal into it, you speak of confidence going down, well that helps his rivals in AO, but Nadal the world number two and Djokovic's biggest rival is in an even worse situation. No competitive match play to think of, and lost the last time he played, and I am sure you witnessed that in person in Abu Dhabi....
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Yes, it was evident in AD that Rafa wasn’t match fit and didn’t want to push himself by being competitive so he was just going through the motions. I suspect Rafa only turned up in AD and Brisbane to help ticket sales because he is such a big attraction anywhere. Even after pulling out of Brisbane, he has stayed on to provide some much need stardust.

Rafa Nadal Fans:
Novak Djokovic: "Sport needs Rafa, no question about it. He is one of the greatest legends of all time and we want to see him play."

https://twitter.com/x/status/1081472172902629376
 
Last edited:
clayqueen said:
Yes, it was evident in AD that Rafa wasn’t match fit and didn’t want to push himself by being competitive so he was just going through the motions. I suspect Rafa only turned up in AD and Brisbane to help ticket sales because he is such a big attraction anywhere. Even after pulling out of Brisbane, he has stayed on to provide some much need stardust.

Rafa Nadal Fans:
Novak Djokovic: "Sport needs Rafa, no question about it. He is one of the greatest legends of all time and we want to see him play."

https://twitter.com/x/status/1081472172902629376
Click to expand...

Yes, this is true. No onewill disagree with that.
 
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