Madrid Masters - Day 4 thread

[lydian]

First topic message reminder :

Morning all, a fantastic line-up of tennis matches today as we start getting to the business end of the event:

1 N. Djokovic vs. S. Wawrinka May 10, 7:45 PM
On this quick surface could Stan be the man? His BH is a great spectacle and Nole hates Smurf-Clay but hard to see a win for the Swiss understudy.

3 R. Federer vs. 14 R. Gasquet May 10, 5:45 PM
You have to figure Reeshard will be his usual whipping boy for Roger...BUT just how stiff will the maestro be today?

7 J. Tipsarevic vs. 9 G. Simon May 10, 5:30 PM
Simon has been in good form of late so I'm going with him in 3 sets - probably the most competitive - but boring? - match today.

5 D. Ferrer vs. 11 N. Almagro May 10, 3:30 PM
Interesting match-up...Almagro will blow hot and cold but 'Daveeeeeed' will grind him down with metronomic consistency.

2 R. Nadal vs. 15 F. Verdasco May 10, 2:15 PM
Oh dear...Verdasco hates facing Nadal as it usually entails a trip or two to the bakery. Usual order for Rafa today - grass shoes or not.

10 J. del Potro vs. M. Cilic May 10, 1:30 PM
Battle of the serve & FHs...Cilic has looked good this week, I'm going for the surprise upset with Cilic-Bang today.

4 J. Tsonga vs. 16 A. Dolgopolov May 10, 12:00 PM
Should be a very entertaining match---from 2 entertaining players! I fancy Alexandr to have too much clay guile for Jo-Dubya today.

6 T. Berdych vs. 12 G. Monfils May 10, 12:00 PM
As usual, what side of the bed will Berdy get out of this morning? Monfils is bound to bring his gangly brand of entertaining tennis. Berdy to edge it.

Any views on the above matches welcome

[lydian]

Quite agree HN, I've said right from the beginning that Rafa should speed up. But the umpires dont enforce the rules. However, there are many many players who abuse the time rules also inc. Djokovic (who took longer av. time between points at SW19 2011 than Nadal) and JMDP to name but 2.

[Guest]

He has played some sublime stuff and also made some stupid errors. It seems as if he gets a stiff breeze he has a whinge about it!! I would just say to him play the chuffing the game and get on with it.

[JuliusHMarx]

...hari-kari...

Harakiri

[Haddie-nuff]

It is bizarre in fact its like pulling teeth. Rafa hasn´t come on court all afternoon.
They are both in their own way, (Verdasco plainly demonstrating a lack of foot hold on the loose stuff at the back of the court) unhappy with the court conditions but saying that Verdasco is more at home than Rafa.
The crowd are torn I think.. but like you say lydian Verdasco is a home boy... probably went home for his lunch at Mums place !!!

[lydian]

Saw Federer complete a service game in 1 min 12 secs last night!

What a lazy slouch he can be at times. Have often seen him wrap up a service game in 58 secs flat.

Guess we have to make allowances given how rusty he must have been after the 5 week lay-off .......

H-n : fair points. It really is up to the powers that be to stop it, as you say. On the very rare occasions that an opponent does protest to the Umpire (understandably a tricky thing to do, given how much it can end up unsettling the 'complainant' rather than Rafa himself) then action is taken. But that's all the more shameful because it just highlights the fact that the Umpire isn't doing his job properly to start with.

haha lags...Fed must be getting old, I mean fancy taking over a minute to complete a game!

Meanwhile, we're up to 2hrs 20mins here for 2 short sets and 1-1 all in 3rd...and this is meant to be a fast court too!
Come on umpires, grow a pair!

[Guest]

That said he has thrown the serve away. So glad I do not support Nando!

[lydian]

hey JHM...the pedants are revolting

[Haddie-nuff]

I agree LK.. I think Rafa is so bothered about his feet he isn´t taking any notice of his head. I daresay he may be worried about the knees sub-consciously but pick it up Rafa and get on with it.

[bogbrush]

True lags.. and I would not dispute that for one moment.. I dont like it any more than anyone else. But once you apply those rules they have to be adhered to by ALL players. Rafa´s time wasting is obvious made so by the fact that all the Nadal bashers will make sure you are aware of it and so everyone is tuned in to watching and timing him. But there are other players out there who are much more subtle than Rafa... no I wont string of names but there are various ways of time wasting even challenging a call when they know full well its a correct call.
I would like him to stop but only the powers that be can do anything about it.
So until they do I just wish everyone would stop whinging about it.

I guess we should wait until its fixed to start moaning? Is that the logic?

Sorry, I can't hold anyone responsible for his gamesmanship than him, not even those who point it out.

[lydian]

Lost his serve again...Nando is chicken.

[Guest]

This match has been a scrappy affair, but also the lack of professionalism and attitude of Verdasco has been just painful to watch. That said Nadal must find it strange that someone is taking longer than him between points.

[JuliusHMarx]

hey JHM...the pedants are revolting

I am simply trying to be an unbiased educator

[lydian]

Yeah but BB, Rafa is hardly going to suddenly fall into 20/25 sec line now is he...nor the others. The horse bolted long ago, they arent about to come back and re-enter the stable and shut the door behind them. The umpires are going to have to do something...or the ATP...somebody. Its too big an issue now, its not just a Rafa issue...its becoming endemic. Increased media coverage helps and may get the ATP governing body thinking more...but the players wont starting adhering themselves to the rule all of a sudden.

[lydian]

hey JHM...the pedants are revolting

I am simply trying to be an unbiased educator

...oh lord, you werent him were you?

[Haddie-nuff]

True lags.. and I would not dispute that for one moment.. I dont like it any more than anyone else. But once you apply those rules they have to be adhered to by ALL players. Rafa´s time wasting is obvious made so by the fact that all the Nadal bashers will make sure you are aware of it and so everyone is tuned in to watching and timing him. But there are other players out there who are much more subtle than Rafa... no I wont string of names but there are various ways of time wasting even challenging a call when they know full well its a correct call.
I would like him to stop but only the powers that be can do anything about it.
So until they do I just wish everyone would stop whinging about it.

I guess we should wait until its fixed to start moaning? Is that the logic?

Sorry, I can't hold anyone responsible for his gamesmanship than him, not even those who point it out.

Then do what Lydian did and point out one or two others.... we know how much you are a fan of Nadal :shock:

[bogbrush]

Agreed Lydian, I just dont get the idea that Haddie said that we can only moan once they fix it.

[Guest]

What a handshuffle of a service game that was!

Nadal on his way to the last 8.

[bogbrush]

True lags.. and I would not dispute that for one moment.. I dont like it any more than anyone else. But once you apply those rules they have to be adhered to by ALL players. Rafa´s time wasting is obvious made so by the fact that all the Nadal bashers will make sure you are aware of it and so everyone is tuned in to watching and timing him. But there are other players out there who are much more subtle than Rafa... no I wont string of names but there are various ways of time wasting even challenging a call when they know full well its a correct call.
I would like him to stop but only the powers that be can do anything about it.
So until they do I just wish everyone would stop whinging about it.

I guess we should wait until its fixed to start moaning? Is that the logic?

Sorry, I can't hold anyone responsible for his gamesmanship than him, not even those who point it out.

Then do what Lydian did and point out one or two others.... we know how much you are a fan of Nadal

Why? Nadal made the thing his own and I feel under no pressure to try to mention Djokovic when doing so or not doesn't alter the fact Nadal abuses the time rules.

[Haddie-nuff]

I wouldn´t dream of stopping YOU moaning BB. :D
But try including some of the others in your whinge

[JuliusHMarx]

hey JHM...the pedants are revolting

I am simply trying to be an unbiased educator

...oh lord, you werent him were you?

God no, he was Simple_Analyst.

[Haddie-nuff]

Why? Nadal made the thing his own and I feel under no pressure to try to mention Djokovic when doing so or not doesn't alter the fact Nadal abuses the time rules..


Well then that says it all doesnt it BB: :whistle:

[Guest]

Wow

I hope these 2 are subjected to towel whipping by a gang of bodybuilders after the match!

[lags72]

Well, now that we're on the look-out for other suspects ..... lydian has already mentioned JMDP, who of course has carved out a little speciality all of his own : waiting (ahem) a little longer than he should to make a hawkeye challenge.

In fact he waits until he's had chance to watch the slo-mo replay on the TV highlights later that night ..........

[Guest]

Barry Cowan with his usual retarded comment of the day.

on spotting Boris Becker in the crowd he came out with the gem of 'Boris would've loved playing on these courts'

T0sser!

[JuliusHMarx]

Just once, I'd like to see a ballboy, when asked for a sweaty towel, reach for a pair of previously concealed tongs to pick it up.

[Haddie-nuff]

LK

[lags72]

Can you hear the score Fernando .....

Like I said .... not worth putting even a pound on. Think he must have signed a binding lifetime agreement to collapse to Rafa, wherever and whenever they meet ....

[lydian]

haha...yeah I've seen him do that too re: delayed HE challenge.

Agree LK, this match is like pulling teeth. Verdasco has clearly agreed to not hold his serve anymore and finally committed harakari (JHM...! Phew BTW).

It'll be a 3hr match by the time they finish...for 3 short sets!

[Guest]

I swear Barry comes out with these comments through boredem or something.

I amazed the guy was a pro.

Nando has netted more shots than Murray.

[Haddie-nuff]

Well lags to be honest I think anyone could have beaten Rafa today with the chances Nando has had... it goes down as being the weirdest, most bizarre match I have ever seen Rafa play.. any more like that Rafa and Im supporting Djoko :shock:

[lydian]

Nadal just 2 pts away...time for me to make a cuppa before MP then...

[lydian]

oh lord...BP! Whats going on!

Bizarre surely doesnt do the match justice HN?

[Guest]

If I was paying to watch this I would want a refund!

[Haddie-nuff]

Grief Lydian... Ive never watched a tennis match like it and thats the truth

[Haddie-nuff]

LK they would have to pay me

[lags72]

Whoa ! Nando breaks !

Let's have a tb and we might just nudge it closer to 4 hours .....

[Haddie-nuff]

Ive had better nightmares than this

[HarpoMars]

Hey guys, just logged in. Haven't seen any of the match.
Whats been happening to make it a bizarre match?? Are they just playing really badly, and slowly?

[reckoner]

whaaaat is this match still going?!

[Guest]

I am safe in the knowledge that Verdasco has a Poopie game in him to throw the match.

[Haddie-nuff]

Hey guys, just logged in. Haven't seen any of the match.
Whats been happening to make it a bizarre match?? Are they just playing really badly, and slowly?

Consider yourself lucky

[reckoner]

Sounds like the usual bag of fail when these two meet.

[Haddie-nuff]

Its worse believe me ...much worse

[lags72]

whaaaat is this match still going?!

The evening sessions have been put back till tomorrow. TV rights etc, don't want to transmit after 11pm.

[lydian]

5-4? As Marvin Gaye sang "What's going on"?

[reckoner]

Fair enough - I shall avoid it when catching up later... ciao

[Guest]

Hahaha Nando with more break points. It is laughable as I am sure he can't believe it.

[lydian]

0-30....lost for words now...

[Haddie-nuff]

Ill catch up with the score when its over I cant watch any more of this total RUBBISH

[Guest]

It is so bad from Nadal it makes me laugh in disbelief. Cowan is actually thinking Nadal is playing well!! F*ck off Cowan. His commentating has made this match the worst I have endured!

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