ATP 500 Basel 2011

First topic message reminder :

After a long pre off-season season, a week of delicious tennis is upon us.

The field is studded with top hard-courters lead by The Best, the In-Hot-Form and the Goat, formerly known as the local ball-boy.

Also in Basel we have: Berdych, Wawrinka, Fish, Tispsarevic, Roddick, Ljubicic.

The tournament sounds great on paper, and it's a shame we are missing French players Tsonga and Monfils.

The big question has been answered: Federer falls in Murray's half (cooo, I must say that sounds weird...)

The draw:

http://www.atpworldtour.com/posting/2011/328/mds.pdf


Matches start tomorrow, with the "big" names probably starting on Tuesday, Nole's first match against Malisse starts at 17.30.

Order of play (the final) for Sunday, 6th of November

http://www.atpworldtour.com/posting/2011/328/op.pdf


Provided he continues where he stopped in September form-wise, Nole should get through his half safely. The juicy question is: who will be on the other side of the net this time next week?

... and double break for Nishikori. Feel sorry for Berdy.

Wow, 2 people in the "crowd"...

noleisthebest wrote:Berdych looks so one-dimensional at the moment....

He is missing serves, BHs, FHs, the lot.

empty stadium, not too many fans around here. WTA was more full than this

Body server jam. 30-15 4-1.

I just don't understand why players wear caps INDOORS!!!

DF. Deuce. Focus Kei.

noleisthebest wrote:I just don't understand why players wear caps INDOORS!!!

Depends on stadium lights. 5-1 Kei.

Berdy needs a nice, lazy holiday, somewhere far, far away, where the sky is blue and she sun shines brightly....even in December!

From 40-0 to 40-30 for Berdych.

noleisthebest wrote:Berdy needs a nice, lazy holiday, somewhere far, far away, where the sky is blue and she sun shines brightly....even in December!

Australia or New Zeland.

Even Thomas Krupa looks frustrated.

BH DTL winner from Kei. Deuce.

Just looked at the score - what the %^$^ happened to Berdy?? He looked so solid in the first set!

Two nice BH shots from Berdych and he stays in the match... for now.

30-0. Berdych looks dejected.

Berdych goes long. GSM Kei.

Well, at least Berdy's spared himself from being a punchbag in London...

Well done Nishikori

What impact does this have on Berdych' WTF hopes??

Well that's all the seeds on Novak's side of the draw gone. Even without him being match fit he should surely get to the final now.

Almagro saves a MP in Valencia.

Berdych out.

WTF contenders in trouble.

Almagro loses. Berdych gone. In 1R.

Berdych 2940
Tsonga 2935
Fish 2875

Almagro would need to win Paris (probably) to be a contender. Berdych Tsonga may be safe.

Exciting race to the finals!

Berdych is such a disappointment so much of the time.

This seems to be the problem with the players outside of the current top four rankings. They don't seem to be consistent. Play really well for a couple of weeks then suddenly just seem to drop away again for a few months. You could actually exempt Ferrer from that his consistency has got him to number 5 but is not really challenging the guys above.

Ferrer is indeed exempt from that particular criticism Calder, consistency is his great strength; The problem when he faces the top 4 is that he's simply outmatched. There's nothing he does better than any of them IMO.

But for the rest of them you're right. Guys like Tsonga, Fish, Berdych are more than capable of matching and even outplaying the top 4 when they play at their very best, but will rarely do it for long enough to actually beat them. Tsonga vs Murray at Queens is a prime example: Tsonga played great for the best part of two sets, with Murray a bit below par. In the second set TB though he weakened, and Murray cruised home from there.

noleisthebest wrote:

Fedex_the_best wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:

time please wrote:fantastic line up today: http://www.swissindoorsbasel.ch/Daily-program-03-11-2009.563+M52087573ab0.0.html

will try the second stream on link you recommended last night NITB

try every one until one wors. Yesterday it was the bottom one. Today TennisTv starts, so I'll watch there

Nitb, can you please also send me the other link. Thx

http://www.sportlemon.tv/c-4.html

Thanks LF and Nitb

Fedex_the_best wrote:Thanks LF and Nitb

Hope you got to watch some tennis.

" Nice to see Fed can still get the schedule he wants even when he is not top seed. Still it's his home tournament so I suppose that's ok."
Looks like Fed might actually be through two rounds before some have even played their first match.

sirfredperry wrote:" Nice to see Fed can still get the schedule he wants even when he is not top seed. Still it's his home tournament so I suppose that's ok."
Looks like Fed might actually be through two rounds before some have even played their first match.

Yup - Roddick vs. Haas is a 1st round match kicking off today at 20.00 after the Fed vs. Neiminen tie.

Perhaps it's got something to do with this? http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2011/11/44/Basel-Tuesday-Federer-Named-Best-In-Basel.aspx

Almagro has been the most unworthy player in top 20. The guy can only play on clay courts. It is good that he wont be joining the elite at 02, it would have been the same like vardasco in 2009 and nadal in 2009 when they lost all their matches.
Comeon delpo.

Andy Murray has puuled out of his opening match in Basle against Robin Haase later today according to the BBC website.

it seems tipsy ha sretired too.

oh dear they're all dropping like flies aren't they?

Get well soon Andy, whatever a "right gluteal muscle strain in his leg" might be...

It's a pain in the ass.

baghdatis will bow out today. its 2-2 at the moment to former falt mate of TMF.

Mad for Chelsea wrote:oh dear they're all dropping like flies aren't they?

Get well soon Andy, whatever a "right gluteal muscle strain in his leg" might be...

Sounds like a right pain in the arse.

bogbrush wrote:

Mad for Chelsea wrote:oh dear they're all dropping like flies aren't they?

Get well soon Andy, whatever a "right gluteal muscle strain in his leg" might be...

Sounds like a right pain in the arse.

Yes to be expected with Federer around.

laverfan wrote:

Fedex_the_best wrote:Thanks LF and Nitb

Hope you got to watch some tennis.

Watching Fed's match right now on Sportlemon - thanks a lot guys again

Jarkko is such a tough player to shake off. He is everywhere.

Federer was 2 breaks down in teh second set .....reduced to one now.

Tenez wrote:Jarkko is such a tough player to shake off. He is everywhere.

Federer was 2 breaks down in teh second set .....reduced to one now.

Thats more to do with dismal quality from Fed than anything superlative from Jarrko

one set all.... first set for Nieminen against Fed in 24 attempts... poor, very poor from Fed after a majestic first set

not sure. I think Niem had a poor first set actually. Sure Fed made many mistakes in that second set but he was pushed as well by some great consistency from Jarko.

I'll never forget Nole's match against Niemenen, I think it was Brisbaine or Adelaide, it wasn't even a final, Nole needed just that win to overtake Federer before AO 2009, and he lost! I could never understand how and why, he so wasn't ready for defending his first slam title...

Not surprised NITB. Djoko is a better version of Niem but they have similar styles.

Federer needing 3 sets and 3 MPs to send Jarkko home. The depth of field is impressive as a 75 ranked player can play that well.

I am glad I am not a professional tennis player. Too tough out there.

Borg, Mc and Connors must realise how lucky they have been to play at the beginning of the Open era.

Over finally, third 6:3 for Fed. Rodick 5:2 vs Haas.

Tenez wrote:Federer needing 3 sets and 3 MPs to send Jarkko home. The depth of field is impressive as a 75 ranked player can play that well.

I am glad I am not a professional tennis player. Too tough out there.

Borg, Mc and Connors must realise how lucky they have been to play at the beginning of the Open era.

They are absolutely loving it! In my gym there is a huge poster of Johnny Mac (in his golden days) in flight, advertising the "oldies" in Albert Hall. That must be an agony to watch. I understand back then, but NOW!!! Has anyone been to any of those matches?

noleisthebest wrote:

Tenez wrote:Federer needing 3 sets and 3 MPs to send Jarkko home. The depth of field is impressive as a 75 ranked player can play that well.

I am glad I am not a professional tennis player. Too tough out there.

Borg, Mc and Connors must realise how lucky they have been to play at the beginning of the Open era.

They are absolutely loving it! In my gym there is a huge poster of Johnny Mac (in his golden days) in flight, advertising the "oldies" in Albert Hall. That must be an agony to watch. I understand back then, but NOW!!! Has anyone been to any of those matches?

Yes - I went to the Albert Hall and saw Ivanisevic v. Rafter and some doubles. It was quite fun, but some of the guys were severely out of shape (Leconte's barrel chest emphasised by his spindly legs). Rafter still has very deft hands at the net, which was a joy to watch, and Pernfors was still pretty good. I'd rather watch the first round of some ATP 250 though I must say.

barrystar wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:

Tenez wrote:Federer needing 3 sets and 3 MPs to send Jarkko home. The depth of field is impressive as a 75 ranked player can play that well.

I am glad I am not a professional tennis player. Too tough out there.

Borg, Mc and Connors must realise how lucky they have been to play at the beginning of the Open era.

They are absolutely loving it! In my gym there is a huge poster of Johnny Mac (in his golden days) in flight, advertising the "oldies" in Albert Hall. That must be an agony to watch. I understand back then, but NOW!!! Has anyone been to any of those matches?

Yes - I went to the Albert Hall and saw Ivanisevic v. Rafter and some doubles. It was quite fun, but some of the guys were severely out of shape (Leconte's barrel chest emphasised by his spindly legs). Rafter still has very deft hands at the net, which was a joy to watch, and Pernfors was still pretty good. I'd rather watch the first round of some ATP 250 though I must say.

I know....inevitable laws of life. I wonder what Roger will be like when he's 50...

Same here. I went once...McEnroe v Forget, double and the of course Monsieur Bahrami. Out of shape or not they all look very "human" compared to today's players.

I had no interest at all in who was going to win of course. I was just trying to compare my mouvement with theirs. And Forget and McEnroe were still pretty good...but of course...nothing we could compare with today;s players...including number 75!