ATP World Tour Finals 2011, London Calling

First topic message reminder :

Here we go again!

Final tournament for the best 8 of 2011: Djokovic, Nadal, Murray, Federer, Ferrer, Berdych, Tsonga, Fish.


Some call it the 5th slam, some see it as an exhibiton, as for me, it presents as a super opportunity to expereience some more tennis thrill before the Christmas off-season, to see, hopefully some good matches and the legends of the game, LIVE!!!!

This time last year, the weather was awful, tube drivers were striking, 606v2 didn't exist, I had a near-death experience, and Nole managed to put TWO lenses in one eye and was considered by most to be a one slam wonder....


Haven't things changed in the meantime ?

So, I'm taking this last opportunity of 2011 to:

1) watch tennis in GMT time-zone and not have to wear massive bags under my eyes every morning
2) see a civilized scenario of 2 matches a day (must say a perfect portion!)
3) enjoy seeing those matches in the packed O2 arena every day for every match


And because one never knows what another day may bring, who may or may not be in London this time next year, because above all we all love tennis, let's enjoy the last stop of this 2011 quirky, cosy tennis ride, let the WTF commence


Order of play for Sunday, 18th of November 2011:

http://www.atpworldtour.com/Finals/2011.aspx


P.S.

There will be a few people form this forum going to O2 next week. Please find a bit of time to give us your first-hand impressions and perhaps photos and personal anecdotes.

God willing, I'll be there on Sunday and Monday evening sessions.

Tenez wrote:Tipsy is out anyway. It's Almagro next.

Whatever's next....

noleisthebest wrote:Assuming this is not a WUM question, yes. I think Tipsarevic is desperate for 200 points and privately can't stand Nole. The only thing that may stop him killing himself there for that win would be his injury fom yesterday's slip, which I think was non-existent anyway. He is in better form than Nole, but I hope Nole manages to see him off in 2.

Why would Tipsarevic choose to go on holiday with Nole after this tournament ends then NITB - he doesn't strike me as a masochist (source, commentator yesterday afternoon's match). I am sure he will try because it would be a fantastic thing to bring the knowledge that he defeated Nole at WTF to their next match and all these guys are competitors, and top ones at that.........I think it kills them to lose.

Tenez, are you sure Tipsy is out? Nothing on ATP website.

Almugro would be the perfect opponent for Novak to play himself into form.

The guy's as useless as they come on HC's + he's gonna be rusty.

time please wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:Assuming this is not a WUM question, yes. I think Tipsarevic is desperate for 200 points and privately can't stand Nole. The only thing that may stop him killing himself there for that win would be his injury fom yesterday's slip, which I think was non-existent anyway. He is in better form than Nole, but I hope Nole manages to see him off in 2.

Why would Tipsarevic choose to go on holiday with Nole after this tournament ends then NITB - he doesn't strike me as a masochist (source, commentator yesterday afternoon's match). I am sure he will try because it would be a fantastic thing to bring the knowledge that he defeated Nole at WTF to their next match and all these guys are competitors, and top ones at that.........I think it kills them to lose.

Tenez, are you sure Tipsy is out? Nothing on ATP website.

I have a very reliable source....606v2! I read it somewhere...but I might be wrong. I actually thought I read it on teh ATP site but can't see it anymore.

And there was that inappropriate shot of Nole holding up that card whilst Tipsy was pretending to shoot him...

Also, Nole said this after their USO match this year: ""He's a great friend of mine and it's not easy to play against him today."

Looks like they get on just fine to me!

time please wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:Assuming this is not a WUM question, yes. I think Tipsarevic is desperate for 200 points and privately can't stand Nole. The only thing that may stop him killing himself there for that win would be his injury fom yesterday's slip, which I think was non-existent anyway. He is in better form than Nole, but I hope Nole manages to see him off in 2.

Why would Tipsarevic choose to go on holiday with Nole after this tournament ends then NITB - he doesn't strike me as a masochist (source, commentator yesterday afternoon's match). I am sure he will try because it would be a fantastic thing to bring the knowledge that he defeated Nole at WTF to their next match and all these guys are competitors, and top ones at that.........I think it kills them to lose.

Tenez, are you sure Tipsy is out? Nothing on ATP website.

Because there are layers and layers in any relationship; the last layer being the self itself. Very sad but true.

You mean he just loves him on the outside and will really spend his holiday seething with hatred?

Tipsarevic is due a retirement isn't he? Lets all pray that he can somehow finish the match tonight.

who is he going to finish it for - Jo-Wilfried or Rafa?

I am actually looking forward to this encounter. Nadal needing a victory so badily and I thought I would never write that into a sentence.

On the one hand you have a guy playing with much more confidence than ever before. Has had victories over Nadal and Federer this year and on the other hand someone trying to prove he can still hang out with the best. All the ingredients are there. It should be the most 'intense' match we have seen so far and I am hoping for a barnstormer!

I would love a 3 setter.

bogbrush wrote:You mean he just loves him on the outside and will really spend his holiday seething with hatred?

Tipsy apparently used to be a very promising junior. Now Nole (and until very recently Trocki) have overtaken him, and in some style.
He comes across quite immature with all those tattoos and piercings, Dostoyevski quotes in Japanese on his arm etc....obviously has to prove himself somehow. Now that he's won a few tournaments and got his massive monkey of the back, he probably calmed down.
The thing his ego can't stand above all else is telling him he's going to roll over for Novak....which is exactly what journalists do and he falls for it every time!
He busted himself against Novak at USO and managed to get injured with the amount of overexerting himself beyond what his body could sustain.
There's no way he can beat a fit Novak as Novak is a superior player to him. And what's the shame in that?
In one of the ATP interviews last year he vaunted that he "hated" Novak and being jealous of him in a , wait for it "positive" way....
There was also that gig in Monte Carlo where he portrayed Novak as condescending and full of himself (in a very negative way). Not the sort of thing you'd do to your mate. He enjoyed the clap from the fellow players in the audience but I don't think he won any of their respect for putting down his countryman
The fact that they play for a Davis Cup team and spend a lot of time on tour doesn't guarantee any genuine friendship. In another interview (I think it was one of those "funky" Paris Bercy ones), he says Novak is the biggest celebrity in his mobile phone address book. Of all the things to say...
He definitely admires him, but underneath the daily "mateship" and relief from the monotony of week-in-week-out hotel rooms and players' lounges (you see the importance of your own countrymen there in Murray's interview where he expresses the dislike of his loneliness in that respect), there's nothing genuinely warm there.
It doesn't have to be there, of course, I'm just trying to dispel the myth of Tipsarevic's potential rolling over for Novak tomorrow. I'm sure Novak would prefer to play Almagro, in fact.
These are just my observations, I could be wrong.

Nadal Tsonga time!

I really like this custom of a little child "taking" the player to his seat, oh yes, and the heartbeat

bottles, fiddling timewasting time, come on Nadal, get out of that seat everyone's waiting!!!!

Commentators talking about Nadal finding trouble breaking serve. With his stomach "problem" sounds like he has had trouble breaking wind, so we shall see if he can overcome both in this match.

legendkillar wrote:Commentators talking about Nadal finding trouble breaking serve. With his stomach "problem" sounds like he has had trouble breaking wind, so we shall see if he can overcome both in this match.

I'm sure his medical team could sort that minor problem out...he looks very ready. Should be a good match!
Gasquet in the house, nice !

Brad Gilbert going for Tsonga in two - I'm not so sure.

I think the chances are equal, with a slight advantage to Nadal because of his mental make-up

Tsonga very good from the baseline.

Nadal doesn;t want to lose that match! He thinks he is playing against Noah!

Go Tsongaaa, Go Nadalll....

Nadal's first serve is so weak right now. The last two in that game were 98mph followed by 103mph...

Nadal clearly trying to take the ball earlier. Good try but the UEs crip in.

I heard Nadal had pulled a stomach muscle which might account for why his serve is soooo weak here

Chazfazzer wrote:Nadal's first serve is so weak right now. The last two in that game were 98mph followed by 103mph...

THat's probably because he knows his second serve is easy cake for Tsonga.

Leyani bad call

Usual tedious play into the ad court.

lydian wrote:I heard Nadal had pulled a stomach muscle which might account for why his serve is soooo weak here

source please?

Also heard that Henman said that was the best he had ever seen Federer play the other night...

Yup playing his usual FH to BH routine.

Nadal's rhythm is so slow..it's really keeping the opponent cool.

Don't know about you, but I'm really enjoying this match ...Plenty at stake for both, no mind-games, both are going for it!

Yeah, Nadal hanging on by a thread here.

The match is all about what JWT does.

Quite a few UEs from Nadal as a result of trying to take the ball earlier.

Tsonga is so good to watch when on Tsong

Tsonga's had the upper hand so far, his inability to capitalise may come back and bite him in the end.

This is pretty abject from Nadal, no area of his game seems to be clicking at all....no power, no depth, no penetration, going no where near the lines, weak serve...just looks completely out of sorts to me

Tenez,
who would you say represents the French school of tennis most of the current bunch?

lydian wrote:I heard Nadal had pulled a stomach muscle which might account for why his serve is soooo weak here

Odd really, given it's his serve that's keeping him alive. That and the usual endless hit into the ad court.

noleisthebest wrote:Tenez,
who would you say represents the French school of tennis most of the current bunch?

It's Gasquet. Gasquet is the typical French player. Tsonga is teh modern version of it.

Problem with Tsonga is he doesn't know how to pace himself in the important games. Has he heard of putting your foot to the floor?

agree BB as the rest of his game is shot, but that said there;s no power in it at all. Similar thing happened that time he pulled a stomach muscle against Delpo at USO'09 although dont think its as bad a pull as that one. His ad court shot is probably the only shot he can play with any confidence at the moment...and even that is falling woefully short. Tsonga should have mopped up a while ago with Nadal on this form...he's in danger of playing Rafa into form!

Who says S&V is dead?

Tenez wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:Tenez,
who would you say represents the French school of tennis most of the current bunch?

It's Gasquet. Gasquet is the typical French player. Tsonga is teh modern version of it.

In what way? Surely not playing 5m behind the baseline?

That was awful. DF str8 after the mini-break

I honestly don;t think Nadal is playing crap. If he was playing crap, it woudl be 61 for Tsonga.

This is hilarious, my sound is slower than picture, so I hear Nadal every time Tsonga hits the ball

Tenez wrote:I honestly don;t think Nadal is playing crap. If he was playing crap, it woudl be 61 for Tsonga.

I can't put my finger on what's wrong but the closest I can do it is that his forehand looks toothless!

Tsonga takes the first set.

Well played JWT, but surprised it went to a TB really.
Marcus Buckland "What a set of tennis"...dont think so!