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

I've turned the sound off.

Im not going to watch anymore ....

Congrats Amrit, your star should be through now, I expect a bagel in the 3rd set.

gallery play wrote:I can see a big bicycle kick/fist pump coming up. Time to hide

you can come out now

What a choke job in that last service game, now we know how Roger accumulated 16 slams with these type of chokers as his main competition.

gallery play wrote:I can see a big bicycle kick/fist pump coming up. Time to hide

LOL!

The commentators are so annoying. It's all about Nadal playing better but can't see it's Nalbandian's choking and tiring.

noleisthebest wrote:

gallery play wrote:I can see a big bicycle kick/fist pump coming up. Time to hide

you can come out now

Well, this match is gone, more bicycle kicks coming up. I call it a night.

socal1976 wrote:What a choke job in that last service game, now we know how Roger accumulated 16 slams with these type of chokers as his main competition.

Spoken like a man who says Fed is the GOAT! True colours showing socal?
What do you make of Rafa's UE festival in this match? Quality tennis?

Tenez wrote:

gallery play wrote:I can see a big bicycle kick/fist pump coming up. Time to hide

LOL!

The commentators are so annoying. It's all about Nadal playing better but can't see it's Nalbandian's choking and tiring.

you mean "dominating" with his forehand, i.e. whacking that poor ball to fluff.

Social I disagree with you here. Nalbandian is a great player, also he was injured for long periods or could have won many Grand Slams.

Does socal finally understands what tiring means in tennis/talent's terms?

Teh one with teh bigger lungsis going to win again, though he is clearly the lesser talented.

amritia3ee wrote:Social I disagree with you here. Nalbandian is a great player, also he was injured for long periods or could have won many Grand Slams.

I don't think so. He had his chances and didn't use them. Just like in this second set. There's more to winning than striking the ball pretty, just ask Nadal

CMOON

Tenez wrote:Does socal finally understands what tiring means in tennis/talent's terms?

Teh one with teh bigger lungsis going to win again, though he is clearly the lesser talented.

Tenez, Nalby lost because he mishit several sitters, not because he's not fit. This is a best of two not a slam. Fitness should not be an issue.

Classic Nadal, just keep the opponent running until he runs out of gas.

It'll be the same v Federer tomorrow, then a crushing by Djokovic who cares not about that.

We'll see Bogbrush.
I think Federer will win tomorrow, he's in good form.

amritia3ee wrote:Social I disagree with you here. Nalbandian is a great player, also he was injured for long periods or could have won many Grand Slams.

Cmon my grandmother could have hit a winner on that break point he shanked into the net. Roger was very fortunate to have talented but mentally and physically weak opponents to beat up on until the golden generation raised up and finally gave the maestro a real challenge.

JuliusHMarx wrote:

socal1976 wrote:What a choke job in that last service game, now we know how Roger accumulated 16 slams with these type of chokers as his main competition.

Spoken like a man who says Fed is the GOAT! True colours showing socal?
What do you make of Rafa's UE festival in this match? Quality tennis?

There was me thinking what it meant for the Golden Era to have another past it weak era guy showing the #2 up.

Dear me, poor socal loses track of his own opinions so easily.

noleisthebest wrote:

Tenez wrote:Does socal finally understands what tiring means in tennis/talent's terms?

Teh one with teh bigger lungsis going to win again, though he is clearly the lesser talented.

Tenez, Nalby lost because he mishit several sitters, not because he's not fit. This is a best of two not a slam. Fitness should not be an issue.

Precisely, he choked, something that the 2000-2005 guys were infamous for. He didn't get tired, he just had to hit the ball from a distance of 5 feet into the open court.

bogbrush wrote:

JuliusHMarx wrote:

socal1976 wrote:What a choke job in that last service game, now we know how Roger accumulated 16 slams with these type of chokers as his main competition.

Spoken like a man who says Fed is the GOAT! True colours showing socal?
What do you make of Rafa's UE festival in this match? Quality tennis?

There was me thinking what it meant for the Golden Era to have another past it weak era guy showing the #2 up.

Dear me, poor socal loses track of his own opinions so easily.

He really showed Nadal by tanking a hospital ball into the net on break point. Shows the mental weakness inherent in most of the players of his generation.

Well Nalbandian was injured for long periods.
And you say talented but at the end of the day these players were nowhere near as talented as Federer, irrelevant of choking.
If the likes of Baghdatis and Gonzalez went 2 sets up in a GS final and then choked it would be another story. They didn't believe, but that's understandable Federer was miles better.
The only choke came in Wimby 2009, really.

bogbrush wrote:Classic Nadal, just keep the opponent running until he runs out of gas.

It'll be the same v Federer tomorrow, then a crushing by Djokovic who cares not about that.

Yes. They crack mentally on the key points too cause unlike Nadal they know that they can't outlast him so they have more pressure on teh key points...hence "UE on those sitters".


NITB - Nole was teh same as Fed and Nalby until he became fitter and did not have to go for lines but could rally instead.

socal1976 wrote:

amritia3ee wrote:Social I disagree with you here. Nalbandian is a great player, also he was injured for long periods or could have won many Grand Slams.

Cmon my grandmother could have hit a winner on that break point he shanked into the net. Roger was very fortunate to have talented but mentally and physically weak opponents to beat up on until the golden generation raised up and finally gave the maestro a real challenge.

Come on Socal, Nalby came to this tournament with 12 match losing streak, and from there he played great in tournament, how do u expect him to hit winners in all direction consistently when he is no where near his 10% form?

You have to agree he showed his genius today and not physically [ both match wise and fitness ] wise for a long fight, at 30 he gave the peak world no.2 a fight of his life.

socal, it's at times like this your desire to denigrate Fed overcomes your desire to be seen as relatively neutral.
Personally, I find the honesty refreshing.

Tenez Nalbandian could have converted thosr sitters, irrelevant of how good Nadals defensive skills were.
But Invisible has a point, we're expecting too much from Nalbandian here.

By the way Invisible Coolers just wanted to add I like your posts. I don't agree with some of them (differing opinions) but they are still valid logical points.

Come on, he hasn't actually lost yet. He may come back, stranger things have happened!

JuliusHMarx wrote:socal, it's at times like this your desire to denigrate Fed overcomes your desire to be seen as relatively neutral.
Personally, I find the honesty refreshing.

Me too, it was fun when it became uncontrollable after he dumped him out the French last year.

No barring an injury or a miracle it's GSM.

JuliusHMarx wrote:

socal1976 wrote:What a choke job in that last service game, now we know how Roger accumulated 16 slams with these type of chokers as his main competition.

Spoken like a man who says Fed is the GOAT! True colours showing socal?
What do you make of Rafa's UE festival in this match? Quality tennis?

Julius, I am just wumming, I love to get people worked up sometimes, you should know by now when I am being jovial and sarcastic.

Here is another good one, Pete in his prime would have won 30 slams against these weak era jokers.

Bogbrush your Nadal hatred is uncontrollable.

bogbrush wrote:

JuliusHMarx wrote:socal, it's at times like this your desire to denigrate Fed overcomes your desire to be seen as relatively neutral.
Personally, I find the honesty refreshing.

Me too, it was fun when it became uncontrollable after he dumped him out the French last year.

You mean the asteriks FO of 2011? Fogninni!!! give me my 4th slam back!!!!!!!

amritia3ee wrote:Bogbrush your Nadal hatred is uncontrollable.

Not hatred, just dislike of a type of tennis that has always left me cold.

Tenez wrote:

bogbrush wrote:Classic Nadal, just keep the opponent running until he runs out of gas.

It'll be the same v Federer tomorrow, then a crushing by Djokovic who cares not about that.

Yes. They crack mentally on the key points too cause unlike Nadal they know that they can't outlast him so they have more pressure on teh key points...hence "UE on those sitters".


NITB - Nole was teh same as Fed and Nalby until he became fitter and did not have to go for lines but could rally instead.

Fed has always been super-fit. I still believe he caved in to Nadal mentally. There's nothing stopping him from swallowiing some pride and start sending Nadal mid-court balls, he of all the guys has virtually limitless options. Somehow, his mindset is cemented into forward moving where his SBH fits best, with the serve like his, I don't know why he doesn't try a bit more aggressive volleying. I know it's tiring, but he could at least mix it up a bit.
His game of early dominance does not work against Nadal, but even with pure baseline he shouldn't have any problem beating him in IW tomorrow. Nadal's far, far from his old form.
I'm sure Federer is able to beat Nadal without needing to rush him ALL the time, for that's why he tires most.

Now Nadal is really taking him to the woodshed.

Nalby can't move now, the commentators can't see it of course.

NITB
Nadal lost to Ljubicic and Roddick in 2010 IW and Miami.
IMHO his best HC performance of his life came against fed in the semi this year AO.

thats all she wrote folks

Nitb, Federer definetly looks to be in better form, but how many times has that been the case and then he plays Nadal and that form just disappears.

amritia3ee wrote:NITB
Nadal lost to Ljubicic and Roddick in 2010 IW and Miami.
IMHO his best HC performance of his life came against fed in the semi this year AO.

I didn't see that match, was buying a sewing machine in John Lewis (still haven't taken it out of the box)

noleisthebest wrote:

Tenez wrote:

bogbrush wrote:Classic Nadal, just keep the opponent running until he runs out of gas.

It'll be the same v Federer tomorrow, then a crushing by Djokovic who cares not about that.

Yes. They crack mentally on the key points too cause unlike Nadal they know that they can't outlast him so they have more pressure on teh key points...hence "UE on those sitters".


NITB - Nole was teh same as Fed and Nalby until he became fitter and did not have to go for lines but could rally instead.

Fed has always been super-fit. I still believe he caved in to Nadal mentally. There's nothing stopping him from swallowiing some pride and start sending Nadal mid-court balls, he of all the guys has virtually limitless options. Somehow, his mindset is cemented into forward moving where his SBH fits best, with the serve like his, I don't know why he doesn't try a bit more aggressive volleying. I know it's tiring, but he could at least mix it up a bit.
His game of early dominance does not work against Nadal, but even with pure baseline he shouldn't have any problem beating him in IW tomorrow. Nadal's far, far from his old form.
I'm sure Federer is able to beat Nadal without needing to rush him ALL the time, for that's why he tires most.

You miss the point about the issue of the SHBH. It's just incredibly wearing to play that ball from height, and th out sends then above shoulder height easily.
It's why, unless the game changes, there'll be no SHBH in the top ten in 3 years.

amritia3ee wrote:NITB
Nadal lost to Ljubicic and Roddick in 2010 IW and Miami.
IMHO his best HC performance of his life came against fed in the semi this year AO.

really???? better than his aus 09 or us 2010 wins?

I dont think rafa played that great in aus 2012, neither did feds

Nalbandian is one of the most skilled fat men in the history of sports. The colin montgomerie of tennis?

exquisite volley by Nadal. BB, Tenez how did you like that immaculate S and V point from Nadal. I know you guys love S and V there you go.

BP, Nalbandian willing to wait a little longer to get to his postmatch empanadas

Exhausted and physically spent Nalbandian breaks back, is this what exhaustion looks like?

at least he got one back

noleisthebest wrote:[Fed has always been super-fit. I still believe he caved in to Nadal mentally. There's nothing stopping him from swallowiing some pride and start sending Nadal mid-court balls, he of all the guys has virtually limitless options. Somehow, his mindset is cemented into forward moving where his SBH fits best, with the serve like his, I don't know why he doesn't try a bit more aggressive volleying. I know it's tiring, but he could at least mix it up a bit.
His game of early dominance does not work against Nadal, but even with pure baseline he shouldn't have any problem beating him in IW tomorrow. Nadal's far, far from his old form.
I'm sure Federer is able to beat Nadal without needing to rush him ALL the time, for that's why he tires most.

I am surprised you don't see it. You can't send Nadal midcourt balls unless you can rally for ever like Djoko and for that you need a DHBH. It's a sheer necessity.

And Federer is not super fit. He is very fit but his game is much more sensitive to fitness and needs a clam breathing.

You still cannot explain why Djoko, your titanium ball man was also losing many close matches on many key points. ...and only managed to reverse it when Djoko got suddenly much fitter and lost that urgency to close the key points..cause he coudl win over the distance.

Cowardly umpiring - waiting til 5-2 in the third before giving a time violation.

socal1976 wrote:exquisite volley by Nadal. BB, Tenez how did you like that immaculate S and V point from Nadal. I know you guys love S and V there you go.

I do, and his work in doubles is very smart.

Just a pity it's overshadowed by the moonballing.