MONTE-CARLO ATP Masters 1000- 12-19 Apr. 2009

[Pirao]

Verdasco vs Djokovic is going to be very interesting.

 

[tacou]

it seems the matches have all been rained out for the day, I think it's not 9 o'clock over there and some matches have not even started.

does this mean a few players will be pulling double duty? or will they push the final back to monday?

 

[shadows]

double duty tomorrow tacou, check the OoP thread for tomorows schedule

 

[tacou]

thanks. that sucks, but at least all the double duties are playing other double duties..or..yeah.

 

[Leublu tennis]

Thanks, guys. I was gone all day and just read some 30 pages you wrote. Great commentary! Made the matches and rain delay fiascos seem real. Glad Verdaso knocked off Ferrer. That might make it easier for Djokovic. But then again the weather and the crowd is not the same as at DC. Tough on Federer. The decline continues.

Amazing day tomorrow with 4 players playing double matches. Wow. O.K. Those of you who have been following tennis a bit longer than I have, can you give a similar example?

Thanks again,

LT

 

[muzza123]

everyone seems to readily assume we will see an abundance of matches/ double duties tomorow...

as much as I hope for the same, let's not forget the forecast for tomorrow is also Sh1t....

 

[Leublu tennis]

According to Yahoo, its supposed to be sunny tomorrow and then three days of showers. Let just see.

 

[Love Game]

Results

Thursday, 16 April, 2009

Singles - Third Round
[13] S Wawrinka (SUI) d [2] [WC] R Federer (SUI) 64 75
[3] N Djokovic (SRB) d A Montanes (ESP) 61 67(4) 60
[7] F Verdasco (ESP) d [10] D Ferrer (ESP) 62 61
[Q] A Beck (GER) d J Monaco (ARG) 36 62 75

Darn that baby-face Beck! :evil:
? When did he do this????

 

[Leublu tennis]

You like more the worn out face of Spadea, Love? Did you file your taxes on time?

LT

 

[Moose Malloy]

Amazing day tomorrow with 4 players playing double matches. Wow. O.K. Those of you who have been following tennis a bit longer than I have, can you give a similar example?

Federer played 2 matches on 1 day at both Toronto & Gstaad in 2004.
Guga played his semi & final at Cincinnatti '01 & Indian Wells '03 on the same day(& he won Cincy!)
1998 Toronto also had 'double duty' for all the players, which resulted in Sampras & Agassi playing a rather lackluster 2nd match later in the day vs each other(Sampras beat Haas earlier in the day & Agassi beat Goran) Sampras looked like he was about to keel over when he played Agassi in his 2nd match.

I'm sure its happened many more times(& I think it happened a few other times at Toronto as well. Strange.) Outside of the slams, there really isn't any solution for this situation at 1 week events.

FYI, if Monte Carlo doesn't finish by Monday, the ATP will just cancel the event I believe(& split ranking points among the finalists, or semifinalists. I believe this happened at a WTA event last year or in '07)

 

[Moose Malloy]

Here's an article on 1998 Toronto:

The eighth-seeded Agassi beat the top-seeded Sampras 6-7 (7-5), 6-1, 6-2 Friday night in the quarterfinals of the $2.45 million du Maurier tennis tournament.

Sampras won the first set in just over an hour, but the Wimbledon champion was nowhere to be found after that as Agassi won the second set in 28 minutes and the third in 30 minutes.

"Once his legs start going he becomes a different player," Agassi said of Sampras.

After the first set it was clear Agassi was the fresher of the two. Both had to play two matches Friday because of a rain delay Thursday, but Agassi was the one with eagerness in his game. Sampras seemed more pre-occupied with line judges and close shaves.

"As the match went on I felt myself getting slower and slower," Sampras said. "He didn't have to do much in the second and the third sets."

Agassi advanced to the quarterfinals with a 2-6, 7-5, 6-3 victory over No. 10 Goran Ivanisevic of Croatia, who lost the match when he double-faulted on match point.

Sampras, after a three-hour rain delay, appeared sluggish, tired and frustrated in a 7-6 (7-5), 6-2 victory over Tommy Haas of Germany.

Against Agassi, Sampras' serve won him the first set - when he had 11 of his 22 aces. With declining speed and much less accuracy, Sampras uncharacteristically double-faulted 12 times in the match, nine times more than Agassi. Sampras capped it by making 50 unforced errors.

"He tapered off quite a bit," Agassi said. "He definitely got tired. It's been a long day of tennis, but I just kept telling myself to work and execute."

and Fed at Gstaad '04:

Wimbledon champion Roger Federer claimed his second victory in the space of five hours when he beat Radek Stepanek at the Swiss Open on Friday.
The top seed won 6-1 5-7 6-4 to reach the last four where he will face Potito Starace, a shock winner over defending champion Jiri Novak.

Federer earlier saw off Ivo Karlovic 6-7 6-3 7-6 (7-4) in a rain-delayed second-round match.

"In the second against Stepanek my legs were tired, I was down and I just couldn't push myself like I had," said Federer.

"I was serving into the tape and not over it and he had confidence, and for five or 10 minutes the whole match changed and I just had to start from zero again.

"I feel exhausted now, very tired. Six sets in one day is a lot - I just hope I can recover."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/3880033.stm

 

[mengpower]

We wont get to see Davy vs Nalby match now cos they are moved to Court 2. Yesterday they were spposed to play on show court.

 

[mengpower]

hmmm...Nadal match stopped because of rain. What will happen if the matches again can't get finished today? Will they extend the tournament to make up for the delays caused these 2 days?

 

[batz]

The sun is shining! yay

 

[maximo]

Murray and Nadal will play both the 3rd round and QF today if they get through of course.

 

[batz]

Murray and Nadal will play both the 3rd round and QF today if they get through of course.

So will a couple of others.

 

[maximo]

^^indeed.

10 char

 

[maximo]

Oh no, Murray starting off like he did yesterday.

 

[illkhiboy]

Oh no, Murray starting off like he did yesterday.

I'm glad if he loses a set. As much as I like Murray, I don't want him to be too fresh for either Davydenko or Nalbandian.

 

[Pirao]

Well if he finishes like yesterday it won't matter much anyway, will it?

 

[Pirao]

damn, Nalbandian broke Davy.

 

[maximo]

I'm glad if he loses a set. As much as I like Murray, I don't want him to be too fresh for either Davydenko or Nalbandian.

Espeacially when he's going to play one or the other later in the day :shock:

 

[Pirao]

Ok Davy breaks back.

Lol, neither player can hold their serves. And Nadal breaks (big surprise no?).

 

[Bud]

Nadal just broke for 2-1 over Lapentti.

 

[maximo]

Murray back on level terms.

3-3 on serve.

 

[Pirao]

Lapentti breaks Nadal, 2-2.

And now Nadal breaks back.

 

[maximo]

No commentary in the Murray match, its a bit boring.

 

[Bud]

Lapentti breaks Nadal, 2-2.

And now Nadal breaks back.

And Nadal breaks back for 3-2

 

[maximo]

Murray set to take this match 7-6 6-4

 

[Bud]

Nadal up 5-2 now.

 

[Pirao]

Nadal up 5-2 now.

Yup, looks like nadal is finally starting to feel comfortable again on clay, he started a bit slow (for his standards).

 

[Bud]

Yup, looks like nadal is finally starting to feel comfortable again on clay, he started a bit slow (for his standards).

He's simply wearing the old guy out :lol:

The rallies are lasting 9 shots on average.

 

[shadows]

I always get so confused where to discuss the match when there's the main thread and the match ones lol, everyone always seems to be in different places.

the old guy breaks back.

 

[Bud]

Someone shoot that helicopter down. How annoying.

 

[Bud]

Set point, Nadal.

1st set Nadal

6-3 in 48 minutes

 

[Pirao]

Lol Nadal is playing better when he doesn't serve, WTF?

 

[Bud]

Battle of the Babolats continues... :twisted:

 

[Nadal4ever]

Perhaps he prefers defence. I also feel weird while watching the match. It is funny though.

 

[Bud]

Lapentti is freakin tall!

I didn't realize Lapentti was 6'3.

He moves pretty well for a big guy. Looking at him... I was thinking 5'10 or so.

 

[Bud]

Lapentti really needs to take more chances and try shortening these points.

Nadal is running him ragged all over the court.

 

[Bud]

Nadal up 2-0

Nadal up 3-0

Nadal up 4-0

Nadal up 5-0

???

Nadal 6-0 in set 2

 

[Nadal_Freak]

Lapentti really needs to take more chances and try shortening these points.

Nadal is running him ragged all over the court.

I disagree. Maybe keep it deep more but your unforced error count will rise on clay against Nadal. Only on short balls should he take chances.

 

[Bud]

I disagree. Maybe keep it deep more but your unforced error count will rise on clay against Nadal. Only on short balls should he take chances.

It matters not if you're sporting a big fat 0 for games.

The score is now 4-0

 

[shadows]

Rafa's in the groove, I think he's so consistant that Lapentti fears taking chances because there's a good chance that it'll all keep coming back anyway.

Lubo up a set, Bolelli serving to stay in the match.

Davydenko up a set but down a break in the second.

 

[Bud]

Rafa's in the groove, I think he's so consistant that Lapentti fears taking chances because there's a good chance that it'll all keep coming back anyway.

Exactly... this is why he needs to shorten the points. Lapentti can't keep up when the rallies are going on average now... 11 strokes.

The second game of this second set was close to 12 minutes long.

 

[Bud]

5-0 Nadal
Set #2

 

[fps]

shortening the points isn't lapentti's game, what's the point hitting 10 UE's and going out in 3 minutes when he's still making Nadal work for the points by keeping the ball in play and trying to play tennis?

 

[Leublu tennis]

Federer played 2 matches on 1 day at both Toronto & Gstaad in 2004.
Guga played his semi & final at Cincinnatti '01 & Indian Wells '03 on the same day(& he won Cincy!)
1998 Toronto also had 'double duty' for all the players, which resulted in Sampras & Agassi playing a rather lackluster 2nd match later in the day vs each other(Sampras beat Haas earlier in the day & Agassi beat Goran) Sampras looked like he was about to keel over when he played Agassi in his 2nd match.

I'm sure its happened many more times(& I think it happened a few other times at Toronto as well. Strange.) Outside of the slams, there really isn't any solution for this situation at 1 week events.

FYI, if Monte Carlo doesn't finish by Monday, the ATP will just cancel the event I believe(& split ranking points among the finalists, or semifinalists. I believe this happened at a WTA event last year or in '07)

Hey thanks very much for the info. Appreciate your research effort.

If the tournament is cancelled, that will really create havoc. After all, last year's points are due to drop off on April 27.

LT

 

[Bud]

shortening the points isn't lapentti's game, what's the point hitting 10 UE's and going out in 3 minutes when he's still making Nadal work for the points by keeping the ball in play and trying to play tennis?

When he was shortening the points earlier, he was successful.

When you're being destroyed, it's no longer just about playing tennis. It's about getting your opponent off balance by trying something different. If he goes out swinging so be it. The score could not have been any worse for Lapentti in the second set.

 

[Bud]

Match point Nadal.

Nadal 6-3, 6-0