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

[thejoe]

Heard of Borg Jason?

 

[Pirao]

Break point, don't blow it Rafa.

Alright, Rafa breaks!

 

[shadows]

Lubo UEs getting up again and costing him the break

 

[cucio]

Ljubicic is playing the way Federer should be playing

Shanking easy backhands like that last one, you mean?

 

[shadows]

it almost feels unfair sometimes just how good Rafas defence can be

 

[6rump]

what's Ljubicic highs rank in the world?

 

[Pirao]

You mean highest? 3 I think. Right now it's 60 something.

 

[ruerooo]

Is it me, or does Rafa not even look like he's working that hard? 5-3 and his hair isn't even all the way plastered down yet.

 

[cucio]

He is currently ranked #66, IIRC, and reached #3 in 2006.

 

[All-rounder]

before when he broke nadal producing some nice DL and CC backhands

 

[Pirao]

Ljubicic is failing a lot.

1st set 6-3 Rafa.

 

[6rump]

You mean highest? 3 I think. Right now it's 60 something.

yes highest... oh ok, thx for the info....

 

[ruerooo]

Elegant passing shot to end the set.

 

[oscar_2424]

go Rafa!!!!

 

[cucio]

Ivan is getting burned every time he comes close to the net. He should respect Nad's passing shots more and try to come up with better approaches.

 

[All-rounder]

Shanking easy backhands like that last one, you mean?

ok i take that back the set is already over in the space of a reply of your message

 

[The-Champ]

Rafa is very inconsistent...

 

[Pirao]

yes highest... oh ok, thx for the info....

You're welcome .

 

[seffina]

Davydenko is one of the most fit players on the tour,, his stamina (not strength) matches and possibly surpasses even nadal.

But he's still recovering from his injury and might not be in the best shape. I just hope Davy wins. He needs to defend his semi points here. He's too good (IMO) not to be in the top ten.

Is it me, or does Rafa not even look like he's working that hard? 5-3 and his hair isn't even all the way plastered down yet.

Heh. He did get emotional at the end of that set with a few fist pumps. So maybe he has woken up and decided that he is here to play tennis not just play in the ocean with his gf.

 

[fps]

LOL ljubicic just brought that tool in his pocket? wtf!?

 

[All-rounder]

Rafa is very inconsistent...

yeah at losing

 

[Pirao]

Ljubicic is piling the UEs. But nice ace.

 

[cucio]

Some nice BH by Ljubo, but not enough. Nadal's serve is a bona fide weapon nowadays. They should change the denomination of clay tournaments to clay clinics, until Rafa starts to decline. The gap is so huge it is not even funny.

Huge serving now by Ivan, easy hold.

 

[Pirao]

Wow, amazing rally won by Ljubicic.

 

[fps]

ljubo can really thump the ball can't he!! that was a nice rally.

 

[Pirao]

Nice passing shot, Nadal is not playing very well (by his standards on clay) though.

Rafa breaks.

 

[cucio]

Ljubicic emulating Roddick at the net.

 

[Pirao]

^^Lol.

Rafa started playing better now.

 

[All-rounder]

nice win rafa 6-3 6-1

 

[fps]

commentators saying that with byes for the top 8, and no more back-to-back masters events, it might be time to bring back 5 set masters finals. i think it'd be great.

 

[The-Champ]

Rafa should stop dreaming and get down to business already

 

[icedevil0289]

whoa he already won. Last time I checked it was 2-1 and that was just a few minutes ago. That was fast. Good job rafa.

 

[All-rounder]

ok let me adjust 6-3 6-3

...hope im right

 

[shadows]

whoa he already won. Last time I checked it was 2-1 and that was just a few minutes ago. That was fast. Good job rafa.

eh, it's 4-2 in the second. I know Rafa is about 99% certain to win from here but it's not all over quite yet :/

 

[cucio]

Ljubicic lost two games at love, then he wins one at love. Huge swings.

 

[icedevil0289]

eh, it's 4-2 in the second. I know Rafa is about 99% certain to win from here but it's not all over quite yet :/

hahah wow, I just saw all rounder's score and that that was it. I didn't realize it was prediction. Silly me.

 

[Pirao]

eh, it's 4-2 in the second. I know Rafa is about 99% certain to win from here but it's not all over quite yet :/

It's all over as soon as the match starts haha, j/k.

 

[All-rounder]

i think my second prediction is coming true

 

[cucio]

Crazy angle for that ace, it bounced what... 2 meters behind the net?

 

[ruerooo]

commentators saying that with byes for the top 8, and no more back-to-back masters events, it might be time to bring back 5 set masters finals. i think it'd be great.

I love 5-set Masters, but is it being argued that MC and Rome and Barca are not back-to-back-to-back?

They won't be finished here until Sunday, and then aren't there only 3 days until Rome?

 

[fps]

wow. that serve was really unusual, a bit special. out wide on ad court halfway up from the end of the service line for an ace.
it's been a good effort from ljubicic, who must be looking forward to this year. nadal serving for the match.

 

[Kramerica]

Rafa's forehand is similar to my table tennis forehand

 

[aldeayeah]

What a friendly match, with both players fixing the bad calls for the sake of the opponent.

 

[Pirao]

What a friendly match, with both players fixing the bad calls for the sake of the opponent.

Yup, good sportmanship.

 

[fps]

I love 5-set Masters, but is it being argued that MC and Rome and Barca are not back-to-back-to-back?

They won't be finished here until Sunday, and then aren't there only 3 days until Rome?

i guess you're right, i don't know the schedule and these commentators have been wrong before....

 

[Pirao]

Done, 6-3 6-3, good effort by Ljubicic.

 

[shadows]

As expected Rafa progresses without much trouble, looking forward to the semis now :3

Lubo played some good stuff and had a great week, another good masters showing.

 

[ruerooo]

Two matches, two sets each, one day.

Truly intimidating, IMO.

 

[seffina]

Rome isn't next week. Barcelona is next week. Thus technically not a back to back Masters.

Congrats to Rafa! He looked very good in this match. What was the winners to errors count in this one?

 

[fps]

UEs is such a harsh stat, it often doesn't show what's happened in a match. ljubicic made a lot of those errors for a good reason. he had to go for more on his shots to force nadal into giving up putaways and points. it's not like he couldn't put the ball over the net like that djoker-federer match.