ATP 1000 Paris Bercy 2011

First topic message reminder :

Here we are again...the last tournament of the year, the second indoor 1000 event, Paris Bercy 2011.


And just like in Shanghai, it seems it won't be complete with the best players around: as things stand Djokovic Murray and Federer are all playing, but few will be surprised to see Djokovic pull out in the light of Saturday's injury.

Nadal and Del Potro are also not playing, still, a strong field with Tsonga, Monfils etc promising good fun for tennis fans.


Assuming we have now only Federer and Murray left in the draw as number 1 and 2 seeds**, and that Murray doesn't have any "freak" night injuries, we still have plenty to look forward to in terms of tennis, especially as the surface of Paris Bercy seems to have been made faster*, giving us some really good matches and all-court tennis last year.
* ouch! the surface is back to "slow". According to Andy Murray.
** double ouch! Novak IS playing

The draw:
http://www.atpworldtour.com/posting/2011/352/mds.pdf


Order of play for the final, Sunday, 13th of November 2011:

http://www.atpworldtour.com/posting/2011/352/op.pdf

With only a few spots left for World Tour Masters year end event in London, it will be interesting to see how things unfold.

gallery play wrote:

He's definitely playing better than in 2007-2009, but he can't stay in this zone for long these days. That's why i think he was better in 2006.

Back then he was not tested physically like he is now. Or more precisely, when he was by Nadal he had trouble already. Now there are a few players that have learnt to make the most of those synthetic strings and you can see how all those players can generate angles now requiring more running than in 2005/6.

I find his game in 2005/6 was not as smooth and aggressive. He looks more of a tiger now...more of a sheetah then!

MAS-TER-CLASS!!!

Federer so loose, that looked like a relaxation session for him.

Robbie Koenig agrees with you GP. The best he has seen him this season.

Tenez wrote:

I find his game in 2005/6 was not as smooth and aggressive. He looks more of a tiger now...more of a sheetah then!

About the aggressive part: imo that's a matter of choice. He didn't had to play ultra aggressive back then because he outlasted his opponents anyway. Today he plays with an hourglass court side so has has to do it clean and quick. And if it works, like today, it's astonishing.
I also think he's more nervous these days.

But i'm not complaining. Can't see any other player coming up with a flamboyant performance like we've seen today

See Tenez, there was nothing to worry about. Fed is still hungry! Great for the coming WTF !
I'm beginning to get excited

Straight sets, eh. Didn't manage to see any of it. Was it a case of Fed playing well (serving stats looked awesome) or Berdbrain exhausted or a bit of both?

Tenez wrote:Robbie Koenig agrees with you GP. The best he has seen him this season.

And he's your favorite commentator right?
I knew you know your commentators

noleisthebest wrote:See Tenez, there was nothing to worry about. Fed is still hungry! Great for the coming WTF !
I'm beginning to get excited

I have never had doubt about hunger. The challenge however is to play back to back matches at 30. But today he was focused which is good> But he also played a player who maye have had heavy legs too.

Could only follow by live text unfortunately but sounds like Fed was finely-tuned and in total control throughout

Of the four guys he's come up against so far this week, three are battle-hardened campaigners and all a good deal younger. Yet between them they couldn't manage to take a single set from him

sirfredperry wrote:Straight sets, eh. Didn't manage to see any of it. Was it a case of Fed playing well (serving stats looked awesome) or Berdbrain exhausted or a bit of both?

Fed did play good, specially those backhand passing shots and slices, Bird didn't have great match either, he did look a bit tired but certainly not that tired that he can't perform even a set.

So I would say its a combination of both, Bird had to play super human level to beat Federer today and that just didn't happen and hence the result.

Very smooth from Federer, Berdy had no answer but maybe he felt yesterdays match a touch.

What I like about matches like that is that winners can still win matches. Nowadays your opponents UEs usually do it.

bogbrush wrote:................. Berdy had no answer but maybe he felt yesterdays match a touch.

This is what perplexes me a little. The guy has only recently turned 26 with far less miles on the clock than an ageing Fed ; and it's not as if it was a 5 setter vs Murray yesterday .......

I must say, I did not find Berdych particularly tired. But it would be very difficult to see. TO me Berdych was rushed by Federer's pace....like he had been in 9 of their previous encounters.

Berdy played nearly three and a half hours yesterday, and less than 24 hours after was back on court, it's not like a slam when you get a day's rest, so it takes more out of you. He looked tired to me, his movement was a step slower, but it was a great performance from Fed

Berdy will probably get another crack at Federer at WTF.

Mad For Chelsea wrote:Berdy played nearly three and a half hours yesterday.

These guys train for long matches and are very fit. It may have been more of the mental attitude. BTW, he will have a similar tough schedule in the later stages of WTF, if he gets there.

I'm with you on this laverfan

I reckon Berdy will feel he was outplayed today, pure & simple. Can't imagine he would want allowances to be made for any tired-after-yesterday's efforts theory.

And if a player does suffer a hangover from a previous round, well that's a price you pay for not being able to win more quickly. These days nobody is more conscious of this than the wily old Fed, who has for the most part been clinically efficient this week.

Over the past 20 years or so, Slam winners over the age of 29/30 have been famously rare. I imagine (though I don't know for sure) that it's a fairly similar scenario in the case of Masters titles. I'd say that if Federer triumphs tomorrow it will count as a very fine win.

the good thing is that now feds has a much better chance of holding onto that all important 4th ranking for next year unless he has a nightmare at WTF and ferrer gets out of the groups which isnt that far-fetched but i cant see it happening. Allez Federer!

Federer is a different class to Berdych. I'm not sure Berdych had a realistic chance against him, fit or otherwise.

Sure, a different class in terms of career achievements

But ........ earlier this year Berdy beat Fed at the Cincy Masters. Last year he beat him at the Miami Masters and then at Wimbledon

To me that says he had a very realistic chance today (and according to those who watched, he was perfectly fit)

I don't think Fed gave 100% in Cincy this year. He was too conscious of arriving tired at the USO. I'd be surprised if her ever won Cincy again.

So sad for Isner. He had 3 match points. First serve let him down on TB. Hope Fed takes care of Tsonga tomorrow.

Jahu wrote:So sad for Isner. He had 3 match points. First serve let him down on TB. Hope Fed takes care of Tsonga tomorrow.

Me, too. For once we agree on something

Tenez wrote:I don't think Fed gave 100% in Cincy this year. He was too conscious of arriving tired at the USO. I'd be surprised if her ever won Cincy again.

or USO

Order of play for tomorrow, final at 2 PM

http://www.atpworldtour.com/posting/2011/352/op.pdf

If Fed plays as he did today, he'll win. If he plays as he did against Monaco, he'll lose. I have a sneaky feeling it'll be the former, as he's lost to Tsonga a couple of times recently, and I think he'll want to put it right.

The match is on Tsonga's racquet tomorrow.

When I saw Tsonga at 5/1 yesterday to win Paris, I put a bit of money on him. ...though I still want Federer to win. So whatever happens I'll be half empty or half full.

Had Fed already won Paris, I'd be for Tsonga on that occasion (for the money essentially) but since he never did I want him to win tomorrow.

Tough job though. Federer would have got it easier with Isner.

noleisthebest wrote:

Jahu wrote:So sad for Isner. He had 3 match points. First serve let him down on TB. Hope Fed takes care of Tsonga tomorrow.

Me, too. For once we agree on something

Not true, we agree on Manor's apple

Let's see how tired can Tsonga be tomorrow as 3h of play today were heavy, thought his serve remained strong to the end.

noleisthebest wrote:The match is on Tsonga's racquet tomorrow.

You must be clairvoyant

I struggle to understand what exactly this old catchphrase means - if anything.

Always an easy quip to throw in to the mix (and then say see, I told you so when/if it goes right) but rarely is there any rational explanation offered before the match for using it ....

In reality the match is on the racquet of whoever who puts in the better performance of the day. Although on this occasion Tsonga will of course have the advantage of a highly partisan crowd

lags72 wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:The match is on Tsonga's racquet tomorrow.

You must be clairvoyant

I struggle to understand what exactly this old catchphrase means - if anything.

Always an easy quip to throw in to the mix (and then say see, I told you so when/if it goes right) but rarely is there any rational explanation offered before the match for using it ....

In reality the match is on the racquet of whoever who puts in the better performance of the day. Although on this occasion Tsonga will of course have the advantage of a highly partisan crowd

To me it means that Tsonga's in better and steadier form and has a bit more pop in his step at the moment.

noleisthebest wrote:

Tenez wrote:I don't think Fed gave 100% in Cincy this year. He was too conscious of arriving tired at the USO. I'd be surprised if her ever won Cincy again.

or USO

Ha ha! Federer has so many US Open trophies he doesn't know what to do with them all.

hawkeye wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:

Tenez wrote:I don't think Fed gave 100% in Cincy this year. He was too conscious of arriving tired at the USO. I'd be surprised if her ever won Cincy again.

or USO

Ha ha! Federer has so many US Open trophies he doesn't know what to do with them all.

You mean: ha,ha,ha,ha, HA!

noleisthebest wrote:The match is on Tsonga's racquet tomorrow.

No way, the match is always on Federers racquet. If he plays well he'll bust J-W up badly.

bogbrush wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:The match is on Tsonga's racquet tomorrow.

No way, the match is always on Federers racquet. If he plays well he'll bust J-W up badly.

Personally,I'd prefer Federer to win

Great hitting from both players so far.

Federer is going to suffer on his serve. After returning Isner yesterday, Tsonga must see the ball in slo-mo by comparison.

3:0 Fed.

4:0 Fed killing Tsongas second serve.

5:0 this looks like training session.

Tenez wrote:Great hitting from both players so far.

Federer is going to suffer on his serve. After returning Isner yesterday, Tsonga must see the ball in slo-mo by comparison.

Yeah, you are right tenez

no bagel

6-1

6:1 superb play from Fed. Tsonga hit the fastest winner of the week 173 kph.

crowd trying desperately to lift Tsonga

Tsonga looking a lot tougher this set, its not over by a long way.

yep still very much in the balance.

Yep, he's a tough guy is JWT, and quite scary too when he finds his range

He's still got every chance to take this set and then the decider

Tsonga can hit through the court but Fed can't. Maybe this belongs on the other thread but old Fed walks this.

break_in_the_fifth wrote:Tsonga can hit through the court but Fed can't. Maybe this belongs on the other thread but old Fed walks this.

Totally agree.

Fed 06 would have closed this out by now.

Not only was his movement better but he had more sting off both wings.

Plus he was more clutch.