Madrid Masters 1000 match thread

[lydian]

Just somewhere to drop random comments on the matches outside the draw and picking threads.

Youhnzy got a good win over Fognini today winning in 3rd set TB.
Wawrinka continuing his good form with a win over Popsicle.
Paire and Monaco have also won.

However, THE match today has to be Djokovic vs Dimitrov at around 7pm UK time.
Can Grigor take heart from recent matches to keep pushing on?
Can he pose a serious challenge to Djokovic on lung-busting clay?
The faster altitude should help Grigor who has a fast serve and flashing groundstrokes.

[lydian]

Hot on the heels of his Munich win, Haas has just given Seppi a right old (35 year old) thumping....6-1 6-2.
The guy is on fire this year. Go Tommy....!

[lydian]

Is no-one watching Madrid...lol
Murray just wins 1st set TB, 13-11!

[socal1976]

Really impressed with Jerzy and Milos in their first round victories. Both should win those type of matches but what impressed was the way they won with the variety of their play I think Milos doesn't get credit for pretty good net play and a monster forehand. If he could just become an average returner he would be right there with the big boys.

[The Special Juan]

It's on Sky Sports 3. I only have 1 and 2

(Milos hasn't won yet; he's on the brink of losing the first set, unless the live scores are delayed).

[Danny_1982]

It never ceases to amaze me watching Murray on clay. Here is a serial masters winner, grand slam winner, Olympic champion, recent world number 2.... And yet you wouldn't think he was top 10 if you just watched clay.

He's 0-3 in the second set already!

[lydian]

Milos has just lost the first set to Verdasco 6-4.

Mayer is now 3-0 up in the 2nd set...will Murray going for another early tournament bath?

[JuliusHMarx]

It only seems like yesterday that I was watching Raonic beat Davydenko. Hang on, it was yesterday. He did indeed show soft hands on some half-volleys/volleys.
Needs some hard work now to get back into the current match.

[The Special Juan]

Murray should just skip clay the clay season

[The Special Juan]

I never knew that today's win was Murray's 400th career win.

[ryan86]

What I don't understand about Murray is why he he doesn't enter a 250? He may not win it, but why not try and get some practice against actual players in Munich or Oeiras. His clay season consists of 3x1000's and a slam and given that he's not comfortable on the surface, no wonder he struggles.

[Cogen]

Raonic loses final set tie-breaker after saving 2 MPs... Was 4-1 up at the start of the breaker. Dammit Milos!

[ryan86]

Djokovic v Dimitrov starting. This match will either mean that many people have wasted a DJOKER or split the picking game in two.

Verdasco might be halting his slide, into R16 after beating Raonic.

[invisiblecoolers]

Great match by Nando, I tipped him to win the match in 3rd set tiebreaker and hence made some money , but its very unfortunate for Raonic to lose thou and to bet against him

Dimitrov playing good atleast made a game so far, Djoko leading 2-1, I am tipping Dimitrov to take the 1st set in the tiebreaker or a score of 7-5, lets see, Bet365 believes Djoko gonna run away in the first set without trouble and in most cases they are right, so keeping my fingers crossed.

[invisiblecoolers]

Another cracking match starts, Pablo Andujar vs John Isner, could be either a serve fest or a dull one sided match.

[invisiblecoolers]

Djokovic v Dimitrov starting. This match will either mean that many people have wasted a DJOKER or split the picking game in two.

Verdasco might be halting his slide, into R16 after beating Raonic.

I wanted to play the picking game but still not sure how to play it, may be somebody could detail it a bit better, btw Dimitrov equalized 2-2 here.

[invisiblecoolers]

Djoko takes the lead 3-2 in the first set, Dimitrov to serve.

[The Special Juan]

I'm rubbish at explaining things so I'll end up confusing you. I wouldn't worry about Djokovic; Dimitrov will inevitably serve for the set before bottling it (again).

[supervisor]

Wow. Set point down and dimitrov serve and volleys for the first time in the match.
And Dimitrov breaks for 6-5. Impressive.

[ryan86]

TSJ, are you sure you've not seen a sneak preview?

[kingraf]

I'm beginning to buy the Dimitrov hype, but today is not the day to announce his arrival to to the tennis world! Too many people picked him as a Djoker, while I picked Djokovic. Come on Nole!

[The Special Juan]

I'm rubbish at explaining things so I'll end up confusing you. I wouldn't worry about Djokovic; Dimitrov will inevitably serve for the set before bottling it (again).

Tomorrow's lottery numbers are...........

[LuvSports!]

1st set dimi!!!

[ryan86]

Kingraf, thoughts now!

I think part of it's tactical. I won in Miami simply by getting fed up and giving Haas a DJOKER against Djokovic. Once one person goes with a possible huge score, I'm sure a few others follow.

[Chydremion]

What I don't understand about Murray is why he he doesn't enter a 250? He may not win it, but why not try and get some practice against actual players in Munich or Oeiras. His clay season consists of 3x1000's and a slam and given that he's not comfortable on the surface, no wonder he struggles.

Murray has grown up. Just like Federer he realises there's no glory for an adult to play in a mud- or sandpit for any longer than necessary.

[kingraf]

Ryan- This is, to quote Federer, a disaster!

[laverfan]

Dimitrov keeping up with Djokovic.

[kingraf]

Guess Im going to need an absolute miracle Djoker pick tomorrow

[invisiblecoolers]

Dimitrov keeping up with Djokovic.

I said that Dimi gonna win the 1st set in tie breaker earlier today, nice odds on him and thx Dimi got around 100 dollars for a very marginal bet on him.

I hope Dimi pulls it off in st. sets, I can't watch the match however, its very tensing.

[invisiblecoolers]

I'm rubbish at explaining things so I'll end up confusing you. I wouldn't worry about Djokovic; Dimitrov will inevitably serve for the set before bottling it (again).

Tomorrow's lottery numbers are...........

Well I got all 3 predictions right today and made some fortune on Tennis gambling, so you could ask me rather

[CAS]

Do people think Dimitrovs backhand is better than Rogers? I can't make my mind up, forehand isn't far way either, he does seem a touch more nimble, 10 years difference helps that!

[invisiblecoolers]

Btw Pablo pulls of a stunning upset over John Isner in st. sets.

Seems like Day of upsets, 2 already, in Pablo and Verdasco over Raonic [against North American players], but will Dimi get the biggest scalp of the day?

[The Special Juan]

I'm rubbish at explaining things so I'll end up confusing you. I wouldn't worry about Djokovic; Dimitrov will inevitably serve for the set before bottling it (again).

Tomorrow's lottery numbers are...........

Well I got all 3 predictions right today and made some fortune on Tennis gambling, so you could ask me rather

I see you did, very well done I'm sensing 7 and 9, are you?

[invisiblecoolers]

Do people think Dimitrovs backhand is better than Rogers? I can't make my mind up, forehand isn't quite there yet be he does seem a touch more nimble, 10 years difference helps that!

I don't buy that, Fed's back hand use to be sublime on his prime years, it invariably broke down with time and because of the reason people only target Fed's backhand it looks weaker but certainly not the case, btw Dimi has 2 handed right?

[The Special Juan]

Do people think Dimitrovs backhand is better than Rogers? I can't make my mind up, forehand isn't quite there yet be he does seem a touch more nimble, 10 years difference helps that!

I don't buy that, Fed's back hand use to be sublime on his prime years, it invariably broke down with time and because of the reason people only target Fed's backhand it looks weaker but certainly not the case, btw Dimi has 2 handed right?

SHBH

[Jahu]

Come on Dimitrov, deck him for good.

[invisiblecoolers]

Dimi breaks Djoko to go 4-2 up but facing a break point in his serve himself.

[invisiblecoolers]

I'm rubbish at explaining things so I'll end up confusing you. I wouldn't worry about Djokovic; Dimitrov will inevitably serve for the set before bottling it (again).

Tomorrow's lottery numbers are...........

Well I got all 3 predictions right today and made some fortune on Tennis gambling, so you could ask me rather

I see you did, very well done I'm sensing 7 and 9, are you?

I am only good at Tennis gambling unfortunately not the lotto, otherwise you would have been chatting with a billionaire

[ryan86]

Novak getting treatment on his ankle.

[invisiblecoolers]

So Djoko now claiming injury time out as usual, shame, real shame.

[Jahu]

Mistake.

[invisiblecoolers]

Djoko uses all techniques to scalp a win here, this is gonna hinder young Dimi's concentration, I hope he comes back strong.

Like the strict time rule being enforced, its time Refree's introduce the strict medical time out only after the set, if a player cramps its his loss and not the opponents. By this way we can prevent people abusing medical time outs.

[ryan86]

Grigor saves the break point.

[LuvSports!]

back on serve

[Chydremion]

MTO in the middle of opponents serving game? Djokovic is getting boed rightfully. Quickly becoming as classless as Nadal.

[kingraf]

I think players should lose a point for a MTO. After all, if you are in need of a MTO, then you probably would hav lost the next point in any case.

[The Special Juan]

Did he hit his head on the back of the court or was it just his ankle?

[invisiblecoolers]

Did he hit his head on the back of the court or was it just his ankle?

neither he hit a roadblock in Dimi and hence the medical time out, I have no sympathies for players who take medical time out in between points and then come back and play the next point with so much ease. Djoko at his trade mark best.

[ryan86]

Carlos Bernardes for Man of the Match. He's got his Eagle Glasses on tonight.

[invisiblecoolers]

Dimitrov is cramping now.

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