ATP MASTERS 1000 Indian Wells: Let The Party Commence!

First topic message reminder :

At last!

Tennis is back in town. And sleepless nights, and bags under the eyes in the mornings.

For a fortnight or so, we'll forget about fast courts and GOATs and watch some good tennis for a change.

Indian Wells first 1000 Masters event of the year, first "big" tournament after AO.

All players are there, fit and raring to go, the "come-backers": Davydenko, Querrey, Simon, the "newcomers": Tomic (I think he's already out), Raonic, Dolgopolov, and last , but not the least the "big" 4.

I'm sure you'll forgive me for focusing on the top 4 players, because at the moment, they all seem be pretty keen to win this tournament (which is not always the case when it comes to non-slam tournaments).

Nole, who loves slow hard-courts of IW, will want to continue where he stopped in Melbourne, and should he bump into Murray in the semis, show him who's the boss.

Nadal, match-free for nearly 6 weeks, must've worked on his game or serve in the meantime, 2012 is his make or break season in many ways, and it's usually this time of the year he gets going as a warm-up for clay season.

Federer, on a good winning streak since last autumn (lost only two matches, one to Nadal one to Djokovic), will want to get a good result and possibly close the points gap between him and Nadal, or at least keep Murray at bay.

Murray, with, I believe Lendl again by his side, must be hoping that this 2012 is his slam-break-through year: he has been working very hard for several years and generally improving his game and shots. His win over Novak in Dubai must have boosted his confidence immensely, still, he failed to capitalise on it and win Dubai, failing to Federer.
He has few points to defend in IW and Miami, and a great opportunity to move up the rankings.

The players have had a party last night, and all seem to be happy to be there and play.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jv8T10SOE

Indian Wells has apparently continued to improve their facilities and make life nicer both for players and fans :

( http://blogs.tennis.com/thewrap/2012/03/nice-work-if-i-can-get-it.html )

In today's order of play, we have some interesting matches, and Novak and Murray out on central court.

Order of play for Friday, 16th of March:

http://www.atpworldtour.com/posting/2012/404/op.pdf



So, let's enjoy the return of tennis and may the Best win

Finally, last but not the least:

GO NOLEEEEE

Sorry, didn't see your reply to prostaff.

My thoughts on him are the same future-wise. Not enough mind and plan about his game. I watched him yesterday, not fit enough. Huffing and puffing on the chair after a 4 shot rally which HE was dictating....
Still, managed to give Nole a bit of game at USO, so there's my hope (let)

I also saw a bit of Nadal yesterday . Graonles was so pathetic you couldn't judge his form at all, but I noticed he served over 120 regularly , which again makes him a pathetic humble you know what after that interview that fast serve doesn't suit his game. i bet that's all he was doing all February.

He can't change anything else, can he?

Yes he certainly has had so many lucky draws over his career. And even when they looked tough, they cleared for him round by round (ie USO10!!!).

You right. With Nadal, his only improvement has to be hitting or serving harder.....while keeping the margins safe.

For some reasons I would not mind Federer losing to him again in teh semi case I know Djoko will give him another lesson....if not Delpo.

Think dolgo will be tired meeting Nadal too given he had a longer match vs. Baggy...and his blood condition may affect his recovery too. Still, that aside dont see him extending Nadal too far beyond a tough first set perhaps.
Nalby vs. Tsonga will be interesting...can see Nalby winning there actually.

"Apparently, Layani made a massive hash of two wrong line calls, advising inexperienced Raonic not to challenge and was WRONG BOTH TIMES!!!"

Surely, with the challenge system, if an umpire is asked by a player if the ball was good/bad, all the umpire has to do is say: "Do you want to make a challenge?". Just as umpires should only overrule a linesman if there is a CLEAR mistake, they should not offer "advice" to players on calls.

sirfredperry wrote: "Apparently, Layani made a massive hash of two wrong line calls, advising inexperienced Raonic not to challenge and was WRONG BOTH TIMES!!!"

Surely, with the challenge system, if an umpire is asked by a player if the ball was good/bad, all the umpire has to do is say: "Do you want to make a challenge?". Just as umpires should only overrule a linesman if there is a CLEAR mistake, they should not offer "advice" to players on calls.

But they do all the time.

I watched Dolgo-Baggy, Nalbandian-Tipsy and Fed-Raonic.

1. Dolgo can beat Baggy, but Nadal is too much for him. Granollers (a clay courter to a very large extent) was ground to dust. These courts do not suit attacking players, the ball just sits up to be smacked.

2. Nalby was good, but he is close to the level where he can/should be.

3. Lahayani's 'bad calls' at 0-15 in the last game would have just prolonged the inevitable. If Raonic does not improve his overall court game, he will probably remain a better version of Isner. This is one specific downside of hawkeye (not the poster ) that spectators can see what the players cannot.

prostaff85 wrote:It'll be interesting to see in whose quarter Raonic will be in Miami next week. He could be even more dangerous there as the courts are faster.

It sure looks like Fed is - unlike in previous years - willing to put up a fight even in non-Slam events. Maybe he is after Sampras' record of weeks at #1 after all!

Good point, likewise made by sfp, ref Federer's appetite for a fightback even in non-Slams. Ironically perhaps the non-Slams have assumed even more importance for him. Critics might say ah that's because his chances of another Slam are so low - which is the truth I guess. But he does still pride himself on consistency as shown throughout last year when - even though hitting 30 - early exits remained a rarity with mostly semis or finals the general pattern. Dubai's field this year included eight top tenners, but he took the title in reasonable comfort.

I think a player like Raonic gives Fed a particular motivation at this stage of his career : the chance to test himself against a rising, young and very strong guy. Fed knows that he might no longer have enough to get past Novak or Rafa who are in their prime. But he wants to reassure himself that he can still cut it with new-kids-on-the-block, and he came through last night's test.

As rgds Sampras' Number 1 record .... I have my doubts re any expectations he might have. Sure he'd love it if it somehow happened, but enjoying time with his young daughters must surely be more of a priority than obsessing over specific targets. I think the change in perspective shows in his interviews these days, he seems way more at ease with himself and even going out to Rafa in this year's AO didn't bother him unduly.

On the match itself last night I see they matched each other not just in aces (10 each) but also DF's !! (6 each) .........As ever in tight clashes you have to take any rare chances that come - Federer took three of the four BP's offered got but Raonic couldn't convert any of his own three

Raonic surely has a good future ahead...... could this be a big year for him...?

Incidentally, the six DFs for Fed must been one of the higher ones in a match for him. He so rarely does them. I think one year his average per match was less than two which is really good. Anyone got any stats on this ?

Was there any wind last night...this often throws his timing...

lydian : in an earlier post Jeremy_Kyle states that it was "very windy out there"

sfp : I've no stats to offer, but safe to say if I had a pound for every DF hit by Fed in his career, I would not be rich

lydian wrote:Was there any wind last night...this often throws his timing...

it does when the likes of you and I play ...pros have no or very little excuse.

nitb : It's not about excuses. It's just a fact that wind can affect timing, pros and amateurs alike. Similarly with the very best golfers. It can often narrow the respective skills gap.

If you mean the top pros should be better able to deal with it than we mortals - then yes, of course they should, I'm with you 100% on that

lags72 wrote:nitb : It's not about excuses. It's just a fact that wind can affect timing, pros and amateurs alike. Similarly with the very best golfers. It can often narrow the respective skills gap.

If you mean the top pros should be better able to deal with it than we mortals - then yes, of course they should, I'm with you 100% on that

Of course it affects them, but they have no excuse, that's what I mean. when there's wind, it's obvious to see and same for both players, so what's the point of mentioning it.

Hmm ....

Well.... players mention it, reporters mention it, pundits mention it, spectators who go to tournaments mention it.....

I don't think the wind is a crucial factor but I do know if I was listening to a radio-only commentary I'd be interested to hear about it, in the same way that I heard about it from a poster who saw it live

Are we somehow not allowed to mention it on a forum ?

lags72 wrote:Hmm ....

Well.... players mention it, reporters mention it, pundits mention it, spectators who go to tournaments mention it.....

I don't think the wind is a crucial factor but I do know if I was listening to a radio-only commentary I'd be interested to hear about it, in the same way that I heard about it from a poster who saw it live

Are we somehow not allowed to mention it on a forum ?

They are paid to talk....My ideal case scenario is to have NO COMMENTARY at all. I mean it's obvioius if it's windy, it's obvious that the court is blue and that it's hot.

Of all the things that are said in the commentary, maybe 5% is worth listening to. And that's if in my opinion Boris, Mac or Robby are doing it .
I mean when they are not commentating , just watching at home , pundits don't talk, do they?

I know as a player in previous matches that wind affects different people in different ways, and like a very muddy or rough football pitch it becomes a great leveller of quality if there are clear differences of ability pre-match. I used to hate, positively hate playing in the wind....much rather it rained or was cold. The wind used to affect my ball toss..but other players got on with it fine.
We know Fed's timing is precise and perhaps even delicate to anything being out of place, and wind affects him badly. Always has. Then you have a guy like Nadal who was brought up in v.windy island conditions on Majorca and he positively loves the wind...they're all different. Yes its the same on paper for both players...but it doesnt necessarily actually have the same affect on both games. But like I say the wind often pulls down the quality of matches and it can become a game of roulette no matter if there are 100 places difference between the 2 players, its just becomes a case of who copes better on the day. Still...I dont think its been VERY windy this week yet...not like that Murray/Nadal final a few years back.

"We know Fed's timing is precise and perhaps even delicate to anything being out of place, and wind affects him badly. Always has."

I'd've never noticed with all the trophies he's won...imagine if wind didn't exist...

noleisthebest wrote:

lydian wrote:Was there any wind last night...this often throws his timing...

it does when the likes of you and I play ...pros have no or very little excuse.

Unfortunately that's not true. It does affect their games too and some are more affected than others. Those with safer margins will always do better in windy conditions than those taking the ball early and hitting the lines.

That's teh reason why Nadal does pretty well under windy conditions....and why Federer is simply deadly indoors.

I remember a match (semi at the FO 2008 between Djoko and Nadal and Fed commented afterwards that the wind was bigger disadvantage to Djoko that day.

noleisthebest wrote:...imagine if wind didn't exist...

There's a crude joke in there somewhere!

Good effort Raonic.

Fed won't go past the semi's.

Dolgopolov is my pick to cause upset of the tournament!

Where are the Ferrer fans today?

JuliusHMarx wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:...imagine if wind didn't exist...

There's a crude joke in there somewhere!

What's wrong with the wind?

Tsonga is too good for Nalbandage.

GO Nalby!!!!!

Nole demolishing 5:0

And Andovar double faults to a first set bagel....

Novak the baker, is back 6-0 beat down on poor pablo. Winners and playing cleanly high percentage tennis. Great first set Nole.

socal1976 wrote:Novak the baker, is back 6-0 beat down on poor pablo. Winners and playing cleanly high percentage tennis. Great first set Nole.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9x_HuQqQ0k

This is the story of Ma baker, the meanest cat of Belgrade town ...

Wow, nitb are u watchin this barrage of spectacular backhand winners. He had 3 in that game alone.

WoW!! Djoko 6:0, the GOAT playing his best ever tennis.

Almond'agro took 6:4 first one from Berdy.

Go Berdyyyyyyy

Credit to Andujar, really fighting here in the second set. Had a couple of break points this set should have done better. Novak struggling with 1st serve percentage this set.

Nadal fans, watch and learn how a Spainard can play nice, gutsy tennis on HARD courts...

Nole still playing his 2nd gear tennis. Time to wake up Nole and finish this match.

Wow, they're playing I'm a Believer , my kind of party

Almagro wins!!!

time please wrote:Almagro wins!!!

how, two sets already, did Bird retire?

Please retire Nole. Even Nadal did not lose a set to this Andujar from 3-5 down!

Nole....

Anybody happen to know what the pre-match odds were for Pablo even taking a set .....??

noleisthebest wrote:

time please wrote:Almagro wins!!!

how, two sets already, did Bird retire?

No but he asked the referee where was the bathroom leaving the court in a hurry.

Djokovic having a tough time with Andujar.

Tenez wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:

time please wrote:Almagro wins!!!

how, two sets already, did Bird retire?

No but he asked the referee where was the bathroom leaving the court in a hurry.

The IW champion is the 'IW Virus'.

laverfan wrote:Djokovic having a tough time with Andujar.

me, too

noleisthebest wrote:

laverfan wrote:Djokovic having a tough time with Andujar.

me, two

Djokovic will pull it out. 4-2 in third now.

Great fight from Anduhar, he played his heart out!

And now Nirvana...I haven't heard them for at least 15 years....

NitB... you can relax now. Djokovic pulls it out.

Anduhar is now my favourite Spanish player, didn't he go for it, so good to see!