Madrid Masters 1000 match thread

[lydian]

First topic message reminder :

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.

[The Special Juan]

Ivanovic's toss is terrible.

(I am so sorry)

[lydian]

At last Robson goes for the corner rather than lame down the middle.

[The Special Juan]

She had a chance, she blew it. Of course it was a DF on MP. Roll on (Rome?).

[lydian]

Sorry but she looks like a choker...

[The Special Juan]

I dunno, she's had some massive wins which she hasn't choked. When her serve doesn't work her game goes to pot though and it's painful to watch.

[lydian]

Maybe but this was her biggest match to date...it would have been her 1st QF appearance in a premier WTA event. She was 5-2 up and serving for it then lost 4 games. The reason her serve didn't work is because she choked. Her ball toss went out of the window, her feet stopped moving and she was hitting down the middle...all classic symptoms of being tight.

[lydian]

I'll be further harsh by saying she's carrying too much weight vs where she wants to be in the game...being fitter would have seen her through that match mentally and physically.

[Danny_1982]

She'll get there. She looks top class in patches. As she gets older that consistency will come and the weaknesses will improve.

Still a top 10 player and potential slam winner in the making. Just a matter if time.

[Silver]

Nice to see Berdych and Murray reaching the 400 win mark at Madrid this week. Quite an achievement!

I'm looking forward to seeing Kei play tomorrow.

[ryan86]

It's easy to forget since she's been around so long that she's just turned 19.

[kingraf]

Sharapova
Williams
Nadal
Federer

following each other on court today. Not to often that 47 slams and four career grand slams worth of tennis will occupy the same court in one day

[kingraf]

Federer not looking imperious right now.

[kingraf]

Kei has won four points on return the whole set and yet is serving to win the set

[Guest]

What an awful set of tennis from Fed. He needs to tighten up.

[LuvSports!]

nishi takes the first set

[kingraf]

Dammit and people picked him as a Djoker!!

[Guest]

Still think Fed will come through but he's looking very rusty.

[CAS]

on Serve I think he has actually looked pretty great, returning has been so poor though. Just waiting for an error when the rally goes past 5 strokes

[Chydremion]

The madrid tournament looks so ugly now compared to last year with the blue clay.

[Guest]

Looking a lot better now. Tightened up. Less errors.

[The Special Juan]

Ah my pick got halfway there

[LuvSports!]

final set shoot out, COME ON FEDS!

[lydian]

Hard to see Fed losing this one.

[Guest]

It's amazing to think this is only Fed's second clay match of the year given how many matches Rafa has had.

[Guest]

some awesome dropshots.

[LuvSports!]

I think you can tell its only his 2nd match of the year on clay.

[Guest]

What a turnaround! Fed looked like he was taking control but it's Nishi who's got the break in the decider.

[Guest]

Fed makng so many errors on return.

[Mad for Chelsea]

well I didn't see this one coming, Fed looking very rusty indeed, and Nishikori good value for his lead with some lovely play there.

[CAS]

as much as I always want Federer to win, I don't really want to see another clay court mauling at the hands of Rafa in the semis....

[kingraf]

I was really looking forward to Nadal going 20-10 in Madrid being watched on by his people.

[The Special Juan]

I saw it coming. Nishikori is always a dangerous opponent and at Fed's age in his 1st tournament back for a few months he's bound to be rusty. It still wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if he still won the match from here but I'd be very annoyed.

[LuvSports!]

This imo would be the biggest win of nishi's career, bigger than the '11 sf vs djoko at basel and tsonga at the aus open '12.

[LuvSports!]

[CAS]

Oh Rog, Im dreading the Rome and French Open stretch right now

[Mad for Chelsea]

he does it! fully deserved, played some splendid tennis in that third set.

Federer rusty, and understandably so, but take nothing away from Nishikori, that was an excellent performance . Is the younger generation finally stepping up?

Incidentally, that confirms Murray will go back to n°2.

[laverfan]

Well played Kei.

Federer's FH/BH errors killed any fightback. Time marches on.

[laverfan]

Oh Rog, Im dreading the Rome and French Open stretch right now

Have faith, CAS.

[kingraf]

I wonder... Will CJB give me an extra Djoker if I correctly guess the Ferrer Haas match. 6-4 6-4 Ferrer... Please???

[kingraf]

At 5'10!!! Great work from Kei, doing.it for the (relatively) little guy.

[lydian]

Well blow me with a feather I didn't expect that.
Maybe Dimi's win the other night is inspiring the other young 'uns.
Well played Kei...Rog, you cant take 8 weeks out and expect to go far on return!
Oddly, the media was full of how Roger had no rust after beating Stepanek.

[CAS]

how long was Rog out when he won Madrid last year? I don't think it was as long but it wasn't far off maybe 6 weeks?

[kingraf]

To be fair to Rog, Lydian. He just saw Nadal go 27-2 having been out for sevenmonths.

What I find more interesting is that there was a thread on how light the tour is because Nadal is rampaging through these guys.. Suddenly Federer is 13-5 for the season, Djokovic knocked out by Dimi, and now everyone jumps on that train.

[lydian]

Well its an odd event this year for sure but we cant draw too many conclusions yet about the tour in general.
Rome is a better judge IMO...Madrid surface/conditions is always a little weird.

I bet Tiriac is just loving Djokovic and Federer going out early. Not.
He'll be praying Murray doesn't follow them tonight....

[Mad for Chelsea]

yeah Madrid being played at alititude has often thrown up a few odd results (last year's blue clay of course as well). Don't think Murray will lose to Simon though, Murray's won their last ten meetings only dropping two sets.

[Haddie-nuff]

The madrid tournament looks so ugly now compared to last year with the blue clay.

[hawkeye]

Pf**ftt! I had just cleared tomorrow afternoon from 2.15 onwards so I could watch a Nadal Federer double bill...

On the positive side Federer said yesterday he wasn't intending on playing a reduced schedule as it's more difficult to be competative. Taking 8 weeks off has left him rusty. He will get more court time with Rome next week. Also much as I like Nadal/Federer matches they should be finals. Better for Federer to have an early loss to Kei than potentially lose to Rafa in the semi's.

[invisiblecoolers]

Still think Fed will come through but he's looking very rusty.

Grandpa Fed was too lazy to move either side of the court, Kei didn't even trouble him bringing towards the net yet a comfortable win.
Fed was not even in a mood to bring Kei's best game. I won't be surprised if he opts out of FO and Wim as I don't see him progressing to the 2nd week.

[invisiblecoolers]

The madrid tournament looks so ugly now compared to last year with the blue clay.

I second you, the last we need is another upset by some underdog over Rafa, how good if it comes under the hands of Tommy Haas or David Ferrer.

[invisiblecoolers]

Well blow me with a feather I didn't expect that.
Maybe Dimi's win the other night is inspiring the other young 'uns.
Well played Kei...Rog, you cant take 8 weeks out and expect to go far on return!
Oddly, the media was full of how Roger had no rust after beating Stepanek.

Thats was a horrible match, 2 semi-retired players playing a masters 2nd round match

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