ATP250 Marseilles 2024

[Rattie]

The top four seeds received a bye into the second round and Hubie plays in defence of the title.

1. Hubert Hurkacz
2. Grigor Dimitrov
3. Karen Khachanov
4. Ugo Humbert
5. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
6. Lorenzo Musetti
7. Félix Auger-Aliassime
8. Jiří Lehečka

 

[Bill Lobsalot]

Where's Mannarino? Still licking his wounds?

 

[Rattie]

Where's Mannarino? Still licking his wounds?

Playing Dallas instead it seems

 

[Eureka]

Note that Seb Korda, Denis Shapavalov and Richard Gasquet are playing here too. Any of Grigor / Denis / Seb / Lorenzo winning here would be a good result for me.

 

[chuckersthenut]

I'm taking the winner of Korda and Dimitrov to win the title.

 

[mightyjeditribble]

Hurkacz is defending champion. I think he'll have a good chance of retaining his title.

 

[taylor15]

A Murray Dimitrov final would be epic.

 

[mightyjeditribble]

What happened to Goffin? Dropped out of the top 100 and having to play Marseille qualifying - did he have another injury? I thought he had been on his way back.

 

[tennisbuck]

Bottom half is looking stronger here, with Musetti and ADF not exactly in form or indoor hard court players to begin with

 

[Mainad]

What happened to Goffin? Dropped out of the top 100 and having to play Marseille qualifying - did he have another injury? I thought he had been on his way back.

Laid low by chronic injuries. He is 1 of the former top players I expect to call this season his last!

 

[Vincent-C]

Shapovalov for the Win. I see he's got Gaston 1R again.

 

[ultimathule]

If Gasguet played with half the heart and grit he's showing now, he may have won a slam in fis prime.

 

[Eureka]

I'm taking the winner of Korda and Dimitrov to win the title.

I'd have no objections to these 2 either. Glad to see Goffin through in the qualies and no doubt you'll be pleased to see Cressy through. He plays Kinderknech tomorrow who can be a sticky wicket.

As for the main draw matches today, I watched some of the Musetti / Marterer affair, until the poor quality made me stop. It was agonisingly tedious to watch these two 'play'. To add insult to injury, the silliness of wearing their caps back to front! Why do grown men do this? Anyway, I note that LM is through, and one hopes he'll play better next time.

Roberto B-A is such a work horse. He tries so hard and gives his best (at least when I've watched him play as I can't say I watch all his matches! Loool!) With Richard unable to raise his level these days, it was nevertheless good to see some flashes of his beautiful game. Roberto through.

My doubles pair this tournament are Venus / Rojer.

 

[Vincent-C]

It's nice to see all the OHBHs. God's kind of tennis..

Go, Shap! (Dimi, too)

 

[mightyjeditribble]

Laid low by chronic injuries. He is 1 of the former top players I expect to call this season his last!

 

[mightyjeditribble]

Hurkacz has a bit of a tricky other v Shevchenko. If he comes through that, he ought to make the finals at least, I think.

 

[robyrolfo]

Laid low by chronic injuries. He is 1 of the former top players I expect to call this season his last!

It's funny, last night I pulled up the "on demand" list for Dallas, thinking I may have missed some 1st round matches, and I see matches with J. Isner vs someone, and J. Sock vs someone, and S. Johnson vs someone... and I'm wondering how they managed to coax multiple players out of retirement for this one event.

Then I realized it was the 2023 feed I was looking at! And THEN I realized that Steve Johnson isn't retired, and he qualified for the main draw. Strange times...

As for the main draw matches today, I watched some of the Musetti / Marterer affair, until the poor quality made me stop. It was agonisingly tedious to watch these two 'play'. To add insult to injury, the silliness of wearing their caps back to front! Why do grown men do this? Anyway, I note that LM is through, and one hopes he'll play better next time.

Musetti is so frustrating. I always think I want to watch his matches, to see that beautiful style, but then his attitude and perceived effort are always so incredibly frustrating that I end up turning it off in disgust.

 

[Zardoz7/12]

Murray lost the first set, Machac is a handy player.

Food for thought, Murray has won only one match in nine.

 

[Krish872007]

Murray lost the first set, Machac is a handy player.

Food for thought, Murray has won only one match in nine.

That record has just become 1-10
One of the lowest win rates from any active multi-Slam champion

 

[mike danny]

That record has just become 1-10
One of the lowest win rates from any active multi-Slam champion

De Minaur broke him.

 

[Krish872007]

De Minaur broke him.

And this is just bad tennis - can't seem to find the court on return half the time, groundstrokes are ineffective and just sit up waiting to be punished

 

[Olli Jokinen]

And this is just bad tennis - can't seem to find the court on return half the time, groundstrokes are ineffective and just sit up waiting to be punished

He really should quit. His game is just gone.

 

[Rattie]

Just watched Murray and regretted it. Much as I root for Andy, it’s just demoralising and depressing to watch him lose time after time after time. Where he finds the motivation to keep playing beats me.

 

[Zardoz7/12]

Just watched Murray and regretted it. Much as I root for Andy, it’s just demoralising and depressing to watch him lose time after time after time. Where he finds the motivation to keep playing beats me.

He's the Pinata of the ATP tour, thing is he has nothing left to give.

 

[1hander]

Shapo letting Gaston back into the match. Let's see if he can grind it out.

 

[Vincent-C]

Shapo letting Gaston back into the match. Let's see if he can grind it out.

Yikes!

 

[Vincent-C]

Shapo letting Gaston back into the match. Let's see if he can grind it out.

Gaston takes it 6-3 in the third.

 

[Arak]

I hate it when Shapovalov loses, and I hate it even more when Gaston wins. This guy is so irritating and unbearable.

 

[Kralingen]

Crapovalov’s career continues down the toilet.

 

[Move]

Shapo played after losing the break completely without confidence, painful to see.

 

[Arak]

Shapo played after losing the break completely without confidence, painful to see.

He tanked the last game and didn’t fight when he was down 0-40 in two other games. I think he quit as soon as he got broken in the third.

 

[Eureka]

Shapo letting Gaston back into the match. Let's see if he can grind it out.

How disappointing that Denis could not find the wherewithal to grind it out after all. He had the momentum after winning the 2nd set so comprehensively. Poor chap, trying to find a foothold on tour again, it can't be easy. I hope he plays better next time. Gaston seems an eminently forgettable chap, but this was a good win by him.

I feel for Andy. He wants to play on, perhaps for that opportunity when everything will 'click' and he'll get deeper into tournaments and win a title. It isn't for anyone else to tell him how to / what to dream, but still, it is sad to see him so diminished on court. For me, he remains a diamond geezer. I hope he can achieve whatever it is that he's seeking on tour.

I see that my tally of players with games I usually enjoy is now reduced to Grigor / Lorenzo / Seb. Is it asking for too much for one of these to win it? This one with Seb/Grenier ought to be a straight setter ........... will it come to pass?

 

[Vincent-C]

Crapovalov’s career continues down the toilet.

He just started his comeback. Go, Shap!

 

[Baseline_Bungle]

Shapovalov for the Win. I see he's got Gaston 1R again.

NOBODY beats Gaston twice in two weeks.

Well, nobody named Shapovalov at least.

 

[Vincent-C]

NOBODY beats Gaston twice in two weeks.

Well, nobody named Shapovalov at least.

My Boy's just getting started..

 

[BeatlesFan]

How disappointing that Denis could not find the wherewithal to grind it out after all.

I was only able to watch the third set, but again, disappointed in Denis. Mentally he's a million miles away when it gets tough. Same approach as last year, same results. Just like with Nick - so much talent and the results just aren't there. As always, I try to take positives from Shapo matches, he did serve 17 aces and utilized the new block return again, though not as often as in Montpellier. Let's see what he brings to Rotterdam next week.

 

[Vincent-C]

Shap'll make the Rotterdam QFs- at least. Mark my words

 

[albatros_forehand]

I'm taking the winner of Korda and Dimitrov to win the title.

Korda totally out of form. He is winning nothing any time soon

 

[Bill Lobsalot]

Crapovalov’s career continues down the toilet.

He's got a bitchin' Civic though.

 

[Vincent-C]

He's got a bitchin' Civic though.

Good car to drive, after a War.

 

[Eureka]

I was only able to watch the third set, but again, disappointed in Denis. Mentally he's a million miles away when it gets tough. Same approach as last year, same results. Just like with Nick - so much talent and the results just aren't there. As always, I try to take positives from Shapo matches, he did serve 17 aces and utilized the new block return again, though not as often as in Montpellier. Let's see what he brings to Rotterdam next week.

He just looked jaded to me, and I too hope it's transient. The field in Rotterdam is such that he will require his best game, but I can't see him on the entry list.

Seb allowed this match to get further than perhaps it might had he been more focused, but he made it through. I hope he'll be more focused next time. Good effort by Grenier.

 

[Vincent-C]

Jaded at twenty-four? If so, it's a pity. There's no current player I'd rather watch
than Shap- when he's interested in playing tennis. Here's hoping.

 

[chuckersthenut]

Anyway, I note that LM is through, and one hopes he'll play better next time.

He didnt.

 

[top10]

I hope Dimitrov wins here, his first opponent (Korda) could be his biggest obstacle. The #1 seed and defending champ Hurkatz is his pigeon.

 

[Move]

Nice line up of matches coming up later in the day. Glad Humbert made it against Gaston, was a close contest but halfway in the 3rd set Gaston seemed out of gas and was broken df-ing all over the place. Ugo is a nice crafty player but his 1st serve % is often too low also at the big points. If he fixes this, gets stronger and more consistent he is top 10 material imo

 

[JJGUY]

ZZZ sent FAA packing 6:4 6:4

 

[Arak]

Very sloppy second set by Dimitrov but he somehow managed to keep his sht together.

 

[top10]

Dimitrov would be considered an old man in tennis (if not for Djokovic) and I think he is going to do some damage this year. He needs a few more wins this week to get into top 10 I believe…

 

[Eureka]

He didnt.

One by one my favs have been dismissed. I'll try not to take it personally - lool! Lorenzo / Denis / Seb all sent packing.

Grigor was just superb against Seb. From when he broke him in the 4th game to go up 3-1 in the 1st set, , GD kept his foot on the jugular, suffocating SK's efforts. Very effective serving. And beautiful, attacking tennis to boot. He won it 6-1. I'll give SK credit for making the 2nd set more of a match, especially as he was broken in the first game. He seemed to be avoiding hitting to GD's backhand, and this was effective. He served better too, holding to love in some games. Breaking GD in the 8th game by remaining focused and converting his advantage. There were momentum shifts in the tiebreak and SK seemed to have GD where he wanted him, breaking serve winning 5 points in a row but ...................... GD held nerve took it 7-5. From those supported here, Grigor inspired - especially in the first set. Can he remain focused and consistent?

In the QF's, I'm interested in the Grigor and Khachanov matches.

My doubles pair, Venus / Rojer given their matching orders without getting to the QF. Korda and partner / Zhang and partner / Ruusuvuori and partner all through in the QF's with Miedler and Erler the only remaining all doubles players. I hope they can get through.

 

[robyrolfo]

He seemed to be avoiding hitting to GD's backhand, and this was effective.

You wouldn't know it, based on all the people in here bashing the 1HBH in that other thread, but Dimitrov's backhand has looked awesome lately. A true weapon. Excellent power, angles and variety. I hope he can keep it up through this tournament, and then on through the Sunshine double.