FO 2017 QF: Andy Murray vs Kei Nishikori

[nowhereman]

Match point Murray.

 

[ACE of Hearts]

Nishikori's a mug who makes it deep into tournaments but can't get the job
done consistently against the big boys

 

[jaggy]

Whew, cant see how he gets past the next one though

 

[Terenigma]

GSM Murray! Nishikori was too good in the first set but Murray stayed consistent and got it done! Vamos!

 

[Doctor/Lawyer Red Devil]

He's has two straight set wins... the match with Karen was pretty straightforward

Ooops, forgot that one.

 

[nowhereman]

GSM Murray 2–6, 6–1, 7–6, 6–1. 4th straight RG semi. Pretty good.

 

[Desertman]

The importance of this win for Murray is that he pretty much guarantees he'll keep the number one spot after Wimbledon. Even if Murray scores zero points at Queens and Wimbledon, he keeps the number one spot. Nadal is his closest challenger and needs to win here, win Queens and at least reach the final at Wimbledon to catch him. The others are basically too far behind.

An important win for Murray to keep his nose in front.

 

[mike danny]

First top 10 win since Berdych in Doha.

His future seemed so bleak after Fognini had trashed him in Rome.

 

[Djokovic_is_the_best#1]

Great match from Murray! Looking like a boss! Wawrinka vs Murray will be a cracker!

 

[TrustTheNinja]

Nishikori's a mug who makes it deep into tournaments but can't get the job
done consistently against the big boys

are you done? so someone who 'makes it deep into tournaments' is considered a mug? what about those who lose in the first round? To you i think they deserved to be condemned to death then?

 

[Chanwan]

I understand what you mean but when you get to the SF of a major, your form is pretty much there. He and Murray both played themselves into the tournament last year but Murray just took him apart. I get that everybody enjoys Stanimal but he can be tamed as Federer has shown time and time again, and then Murray last year. He does not do well with a lot of variety and different tactics. He likes for players to stand on the baseline and feed him pace, and the same type of groundstrokes. He can be beat that way as well but you have to be 100% on your game and not let up. So I wouldn't completely rule out a Murray victory if he gets there.

Agreed, but I didn't rule out Muzz victory "Unless he rolled his ankled badly on the 2nd last point, I would have to favor him in the semis. He can lose to both of them, sure, but I'm not betting on it."

Would much prefer Stan to play this Nishi-doofus. Murray is def. dangerous.
But I maintain that Stan's playing better this year. And Murray worse though he's getting up there by now.

 

[RF-18]

@Chanwan

Lets see now who the bigger threat was as we talked about..

Wawrinka vs Murray in the SF.

 

[Terenigma]

The importance of this win for Murray is that he pretty much guarantees he'll keep the number one spot after Wimbledon. Even if Murray scores zero points at Queens and Wimbledon, he keeps the number one spot. Nadal is his closest challenger and needs to win here, win Queens and at least reach the final at Wimbledon to catch him. The others are basically too far behind.

An important win for Murray to keep his nose in front.

That's good to know! SF at RG was better than i was expecting for him this year after his clay form so i'm happy to hear he'll still be #1 after Wimbledon.

 

[ACE of Hearts]

are you done? so someone who 'makes it deep into tournaments' is considered a mug? what about those who lose in the first round? To you i think they deserved to be condemned to death then?

Take it to the next level!!! The guy can't do it. He's mentally weak and that serve will always be his problem along with his fitness

 

[heninfan99]

Did you SEE how far forward Murray was to hit that? LOL 5-1

free swing with house money

 

[ACE of Hearts]

Agreed, but I didn't rule out Muzz victory "Unless he rolled his ankled badly on the 2nd last point, I would have to favor him in the semis. He can lose to both of them, sure, but I'm not betting on it."

Would much prefer Stan to play this Nishi-doofus. Murray is def. dangerous.
But I maintain that Stan's playing better this year. And Murray worse though he's getting up there by now.

Would love to see Stan get another crack at a final. He just needs to serve well

 

[NoleFam]

Agreed, but I didn't rule out Muzz victory "Unless he rolled his ankled badly on the 2nd last point, I would have to favor him in the semis. He can lose to both of them, sure, but I'm not betting on it."

Would much prefer Stan to play this Nishi-doofus. Murray is def. dangerous.
But I maintain that Stan's playing better this year. And Murray worse though he's getting up there by now.

Haha. Oh I misread. Stan is playing better but Murray is definitely a dangerous match-up for him. Murray was confident last year with his clay run and he is not playing quite at that level. It's 50/50 match but if Murray plays he did last year, he will win.

 

[Djokovic2011]

Murray has magically discovered some form without any momentum whatsoever.

In a way I'm not that surprised. He nearly always raises his level whenever a slam's on the horizon.

 

[Chanwan]

Really hate to see great players collapsing like this. Kei is so good, when he's on. And when he's off, he's just completely off. Kind of like Stan outside of slams except this can happen to Kei in the biggest matches. Poor effort in the 4th. Almost as bad as in the TB.

Congrats to Muzz and his followers, gonna be an exiting semi.

 

[ACE of Hearts]

I hope stan doesn't throw a clunker. I worry about that. If he brings his best I feel he can trouble Murray in lots of ways

 

[mikeeeee]

Stan to get his revenge! Playing great this tournament.

 

[2HBH-DTL]

i'd like to see a stan vs thiem final. battle of the 1 handers!

 

[KarmaKorps]

The guy's the most overrated player on tour. I would grow grey hair if i was a fan of his

The grey hair statement = truth, but how in the world is Murray the 'most overrated player on tour'? Last year the guy wins Wimbledon (for the 2nd time), OGM (for the 2nd time), WTF, is the finalist in AO + FO, wins other master series titles, finishes at #1, and he's considered the MOST Overrated? He admitted to being a bit burned out by the effort and struggling to find inspiration, which you could argue explains a bit of his lackluster results so far this year (it's happening to Djokovic too). To me, Murray seems to be about the most crapped on player in terms of being derided. That's what he's the MOST guilty of, IMO.
Totally get it when people say they're not a fan of him, but being called the most overrated player is almost not worth rebuttal, despite me taking the bait .
You could take all three of his slam titles away and he'd still have 8+ times the slam final appearances that all the #nextgen players have - COMBINED. I'm not making any claims to Murray greatness here, just putting perspective on the comment!

 

[Terenigma]

@KarmaKorps I am pretty sure they were talking about Nishikori.

 

[gn]

are you done? so someone who 'makes it deep into tournaments' is considered a mug? what about those who lose in the first round? To you i think they deserved to be condemned to death then?

You took his bait. Ignore him!

 

[Chanwan]

@Chanwan

Lets see now who the bigger threat was as we talked about..

Wawrinka vs Murray in the SF.

Please remind me, have been in too many discussions these last few days

 

[Chanwan]

Haha. Oh I misread. Stan is playing better but Murray is definitely a dangerous match-up for him. Murray was confident last year with his clay run and he is not playing quite at that level. It's 50/50 match but if Murray plays he did last year, he will win.

If Stan plays as he can, I'm not sure Muzz will get the chance. Def. an open match, but Stan is still a 55-60 % favorite to me. Don't think the match-up is in Murray's favor, but it's neither in Stan's. Before Stan became part of the big 4,5, he still competed well with Murray (while losing every single time to the big 3).

 

[NoleFam]

If Stan plays as he can, I'm not sure Muzz will get the chance. Def. an open match, but Stan is still a 55-60 % favorite to me. Don't think the match-up is in Murray's favor, but it's neither in Stan's. Before Stan became part of the big 4,5, he still competed well with Murray (while losing every single time to the big 3).

Agree with this.

 

[Fed881981]

Win the first set 6-2. OK.
Then, lose the 2nnd set 6-1. It happens.
Oh, and then lose the 4th set 6-1.

I really don't like this.

 

[SeeingDusk]

Win the first set 6-2. OK.
Then, lose the 2nnd set 6-1. It happens.
Oh, and then lose the 4th set 6-1.

I really don't like this.

The inability to consolidate his own game after the early break in the 4th set changed everything.

 

[KarmaKorps]

@KarmaKorps I am pretty sure they were talking about Nishikori.

I reread his comment, and agree - I mugged that up pretty badly!

 

[Fed881981]

The inability to consolidate his own game after the early break in the 4th set changed everything.

That's why he 27.5 years old without a slam (despite being constantly mentioned as a potential slam winner).

 

[Steve0904]

Murray has magically discovered some form without any momentum whatsoever.

Yeah he's looking in form here. But his situation is not the same as Djokovic's either (not that you said it was). Murray never got to the heights Djokovic did and Murray still has more to achieve as a result. His rise in form doesn't particularly surprise me, but I thought it would come later at Wimbledon. I think Murray's biggest problem after 2016 (especially the 2nd half) was tiredness. You eventually get over that, but Djokovic is in a different situation. He looks more unmotivated than tired right now.

 

[Sysyphus]

I'll assume you have a better physique than a top athlete then

Did someone say sex symbol?

 

[BeatlesFan]

I gotta tell you rooting for Murray is so frustrating.

There's other guys you can root for.

 

[veroniquem]

Murray has magically discovered some form without any momentum whatsoever.

You mean, he's magically discovered cakewalk draws. With Djoko's draw, he would have lost in 1st week.

 

[BeatlesFan]

Murray has magically discovered some form without any momentum whatsoever.

Do you think he can withstand an unleashed Stanimal? I thought last year Stan would bet him easily at the FO, but Muzz got it done.

 

[BeatlesFan]

You mean, he's magically discovered cakewalk draws. With Djoko's draw, he would have lost in 1st week.

Djoker wasn't going to win this event even if he faced Chris Evert every round.

 

[tennis_pro]

There's other guys you can root for.

I know, I just bet money on Murray. It literally felt like NOTHING was in Murray's hands.

 

[Sysyphus]

I know, I just bet money on Murray. It literally felt like NOTHING was in Murray's hands.

For the title? Now that's a mistake. – sincerely, muzziaht@rd.

That said, from what I watched (not nearly the whole thing) it wasn't that bad today? Pressuring more with his forehand again, hitting some winners, dishing two breadsticks. That said, what were the winner/ue stats for both guys today?

 

[papertank]

Clown scoreline from two clown players. Didn't expect anything less.

 

[tennis_pro]

For the title? Now that's a mistake. – sincerely, muzziaht@rd.

That said, from what I watched (not nearly the whole thing) it wasn't that bad today? Pressuring more with his forehand again, hitting some winners, dishing two breadsticks. That said, what were the winner/ue stats for both guys today?

I think it was more of a Nishikori implosion, he was spraying balls for at least 2/3 of the match and Murray's C+/B- level was more than enough to take advantage of the situation. Murray did however hit his backhand and lobs well but his serving was mediocre at best, how many double faults did he hit? I counted at least 6-7 and like 1-2 to get broken.

 

[Mainad]

You mean, he's magically discovered cakewalk draws. With Djoko's draw, he would have lost in 1st week.

Do me a favour. Kuznetsov, Klizan, DelPotro, Khachanov and Nishikori most definitely do NOT constitute a cakewalk draw!!

 

[veroniquem]

Djoker wasn't going to win this event even if he faced Chris Evert every round.

Sure. That doesn't change the fact that Murray would not have survived Djoko's draw in a million years.

 

[Mainad]

Sure. That doesn't change the fact that Murray would not have survived Djoko's draw in a million years.

And it's perfectly possible Djokovic wouldn't have survived Murray's either.

 

[veroniquem]

Kuznetsov, Klizan, DelPotro, Khachanov and Nishikori most definitely do NOT constitute a cakewalk draw!!

Yes, it does, excuse-me very much. Try Schwartz (#1 returner on clay in 2017), Vinolas and Thiem for an alternative and see what happens to Murray.

 

[veroniquem]

And it's perfectly possible Djokovic wouldn't have survived Murray's either.

Oh he would have, easily even. Would have lost to Wawa though

 

[Sysyphus]

LOL, you know it's heavy times when you have to talk up a 4-foot Argentinian and Mugos Mugolas to make it through the day

 

[Mainad]

Yes, it does, excuse-me very much. Try Schwartz (#1 returner on clay in 2017), Vinolas and Thiem for an alternative and see what happens to Murray.

You are not excused because it doesn't and you are simply letting your pro-Djokovic bias affect your judgement. That's all.

 

[BeatlesFan]

i'd like to see a stan vs thiem final. battle of the 1 handers!

That's my dream too, but sadly, a dream only.