Bennateau confirms how easy to beat Federer these days

First topic message reminder :

One of easy wins for Benny who made Roger look like his Bunny, this is just another perfect example of how easy it is to beat Roger these days compared to his hey days. Any body who comes with a good game can catch Roger off color to produce what otherwise would have been a stunning win.

banbrotam wrote:I'm confused as to why Roger even entered this tournament. For instance last year, he didn't play many of these type of events

It surely that he's bothered by points loses / or penalties, he's well ahead of Murray

His lead may look comfortable but, in fact, is starting to get precarious. He actually won this tournament, Dubai and IW back to back last year for a total of 2,000 points. An early defeat in Dubai will give Murray a reasonable shot at overtaking him at IW.

As I said yesterday the difference in ability between 1-5 and 100-500 isn't as big as you'd think. Add in nothing to lose for overwhelming underdogs, a guy running at 60% of his prime and you have a potent mix. Good for Alund...

From Miami 2012 to now, Murray has 8170 points, Federer 8370 points. So Murray has to outscore Federer by 200 points, playing in one less tournament.

Murray wins Indian Wells

Federer would need to: win Dubai and reach the semis in IW OR finish runner-up in both tournaments

Murray finishes runner-up in Indian Wells

Federer would need to:

Win Dubai
Runner-Up Dubai and QF in IW
SF/QF/R16 Dubai and SF in IW

If Murray loses in the semis in Indian Wells, there's a chance for Murray to get 2nd, but he would need Federer to fail to get 160 points over these two events which I'd say is highly unlikely.

Good break down Ryan, very interesting to see what happens here Murray doesn't have a lot of points to defend in the clay court season so if he pushes through and improves on his past clay court results he stands a very good chance of getting to #2. Novak is sitting relatively pretty but no lead is safe as any injury hiccup or poor run of form could result in murray or fed going on a run like they did last year and taking the #1 ranking.

Murray had a pretty Poopie (at least by his standards) Masters 1000 hard season last year with Paris, Canada, Cincinatti and IW giving less than 300 points.

I'd probably have to play around with the numbers a bit to see, but I don't know at what point Murray gets closest to Novak on a 12-month total. For instance to get Number 1 for Wimbledon, Murray would need to outscore Novak by 1990 points, which seeing as he'll likely be playing on clay for 75% of that period, he's probably unlikely to do that.

Most plausible would be to outscore Novak by circa 1,500 points before the US Open.

EDIT: Interesting to see the effect one match can have. Had Murray won the Aussie Open instead of Novak, Novak would have only scored 390 points more points since Wimbledon and Murray would be ahead on the "race since the US Open"

ryan86 wrote:Interesting to see the effect one match can have. Had Murray won the Aussie Open instead of Novak, Novak would have only scored 390 points more points since Wimbledon and Murray would be ahead on the "race since the US Open"

That match was big. If Murray had won, I would have had him at about even odds to reach #1 at one point between now and Wimbledon. With the loss, I think it is very unrealistic. But I think he has a very good chance (quite a bit better than 50/50 in my mind) to be #2 by RG.

ryan86 wrote:Simon should retire so nobody else has the misfortune of having to watch him play.

QUote of the week

ryan86 wrote:Martin Alund was actually is a bit of a bizarre case. According to the ATP website, at the age of 27, before this week he had played 1 tour level match (Vina del Mar last week). He lost in qualifying, but got a lucky loser and then preceded to make it to the semis. Now he'll be able to tell the grandkids about the day he took a set off Rafa Nadal.

Lukus Rosol played just 12 tour level matches and was aged 27 when he famously beat Nadal in Wimbledon, and that something big to cherish .

ryan86 wrote:Murray had a pretty Poopie (at least by his standards) Masters 1000 hard season last year with Paris, Canada, Cincinatti and IW giving less than 300 points.

I'd probably have to play around with the numbers a bit to see, but I don't know at what point Murray gets closest to Novak on a 12-month total. For instance to get Number 1 for Wimbledon, Murray would need to outscore Novak by 1990 points, which seeing as he'll likely be playing on clay for 75% of that period, he's probably unlikely to do that.

Most plausible would be to outscore Novak by circa 1,500 points before the US Open.

EDIT: Interesting to see the effect one match can have. Had Murray won the Aussie Open instead of Novak, Novak would have only scored 390 points more points since Wimbledon and Murray would be ahead on the "race since the US Open"

Strong work Ryan, very good indeed. This goes back to a fundamental maxim about tennis, grandslam finals matter. Novak needed all 2000 of those points but when he got them he was sitting in a much stronger position. But at this point the points race is 2000 for Novak and everyone else is chasing. Good work, please more of the same.

invisiblecoolers wrote:

ryan86 wrote:Simon should retire so nobody else has the misfortune of having to watch him play.

QUote of the week

Can we simply conclude that simon is the dullest player on tour and be done with it. I don't know what it is about the guy but I can't stand watching his matches. He just doesn't go for his shots ever, I mean if he gets a short ball he will belt it, but it seems as if he is more than content to push the ball around for 30 or 40 shots if need be. I am not opposed to long rallies but I want to see two players who at least look for the option to finish the point. Simon to me is a pusher who has enough game not to be a pusher.

No, Granollers is dullest player without question.
His tennis is agricultural and mind numbing.
He is the human personification of the colour beige.

Simon is pretty awful as well, unless he is playing Novak I can't watch him, try to but I eventually tune out. I don't know why but his style is just abysmal for me, others might like it but I just can't get into his matches unless the other guy is someone I care about.

I was beginning to get frustrated for Klizan on Friday night, as it did feel as if he was the only person was trying to win the match.

I did kinda rejoice at the end of the set when it appeared Klizan had had enough and when he got Simon second serves in the tie break he moved to an extreme in the box so the ball was likely to be on his favoured side, Simon duly obliged and Klizan simply swung and hit two massive winners.

On a side note I'm hoping Tommy Haas can take down Raonic today in San Jose. He's already taken out Isner so as long as he keeps his serve I think he'll win.

Yep, would be a very popular victory I reckon TSJ.

Haas was the oldest title winner on the tour in 2012 IIRC ; beating a reasonably well-known guy who - by comparison - is positively youthful ....

He beat some youngster in the Halle final didn't he?

This court looks quite slow although that could be the not-so-great camera angle. Come on DelPo!

DelPo

He played very well.

Another indoor title for John Master of the Horse.

socal1976 wrote:Strong work Ryan, very good indeed. This goes back to a fundamental maxim about tennis, grandslam finals matter. Novak needed all 2000 of those points but when he got them he was sitting in a much stronger position. But at this point the points race is 2000 for Novak and everyone else is chasing. Good work, please more of the same.

And on the back of Shanghai and London as well. And if you're trying to chase someone [in this case Djokovic], you can't keep losing to them when you meet, because the points in those matches almost count for double.

The Special Juan wrote:DelPo

He played very well.

Yes Vamous Del Po, very well played

Raonic has won in San Jose.

Raonic is very impressive he is going to benefit big time if they speed up the conditions and balls and that is what they seem to be leaning towards on tour after the slowdown of the early 2000s. I think he will be a grandslam winner. His return and backhand looked much better this week in San Jose.

BB, from your posts I get the impression that you can just choose whichever Wimbledon tickets you want? Are you one of those corporate types then? Would be interested to learn more about that.