Rome Masters 1000 match thread

[lydian]

First topic message reminder :

So off we go again and Madrid isn't even done yet!

The home of gladiatorial sport sees the leading claycourters lock battle once again to the wonderful tree-lined backdrop. Rome Masters has been going since 1930 and seen many illustrious winners down the years including, some may not know, the current coach of Stanislas Wawrinka - Magnus Norman back in 2000 who beat none other than Gustavo Kuerten.



Can Nadal win his 7th title? Can Novak win his 3rd? Can Andy break his clay final duck? Can Roger get to another final...he's never won in Rome although held MPs in 2006.

It seems Rome always gives us great matches and interesting player arguments too!

Here's the interactive draw:

http://www.atpworldtour.com/Share/Event-Draws.aspx?EventId=416&Year=2013

[laverfan]

Looking forward to Federer v Janowicz and Nadal v Ferrer.

Methinks Paire and Djokovic would be through in 'easier' matches.

[laverfan]

Aah, you've rumbled me Laverfan darn it, I wonder what gave me away LOL.....I was talking about Murray as to your question, not Federer.

The Bullhorn still rings clear in my head, Jubba.

I still think Andy may be a doubt at SW19 if he's serious about getting his back in order, it depends how it plays in practice against his experience over the last 24 months, has it got worse...better or just the same amount of pain when it flares up? Latterly its manageable, the rest its a choice between trying it or leaving it.

I think he will play SW19. Back to AM, is the hip motion (and the resulting stress) and the current angle a device to prevent knee issues, dunno?

[invisiblecoolers]

Looking forward to Federer v Janowicz and Nadal v Ferrer.

Methinks Paire and Djokovic would be through in 'easier' matches.

I am not sure about Granola Bar marching out, he will take Paire down tomorrow, its gonna take much more effort to clean up a grinder than an attacker given Paire's style of play.

I am pretty sure Djoko will march on, rest of the 3 results could go either way eventhough Fed, Nadal and Paire start strong favorites.

[CAS]

“If you hit as hard as you can and hit every ball at 216 or 220 [kph] and that means being the best player, then perhaps he was the best player,” said Nadal. “For me, the best player [tries to] find solutions against the other player. When I served for the second set and I lost and also in the third, I still was fighting and I found solutions, so the best player won.”

Rafas comments, interesting view point.

[invisiblecoolers]

“If you hit as hard as you can and hit every ball at 216 or 220 [kph] and that means being the best player, then perhaps he was the best player,” said Nadal. “For me, the best player [tries to] find solutions against the other player. When I served for the second set and I lost and also in the third, I still was fighting and I found solutions, so the best player won.”

Rafas comments, interesting view point.

I guess ego clash is going on after the hard fought match inside the arena, exciting times.

[lags72]

CAS : was Rafa definitely talking about his match in Rome today there ..... ?

Sounds very much like a summary of his AO final 2012 v Djoko, where, as I recall, we had both players slugging it out for around six hours ....

(except of course Rafa came out on the wrong end of that one ....)

[invisiblecoolers]

CAS : was Rafa definitely talking about his match in Rome today there ..... ?

Sounds very much like a summary of his AO final 2012 v Djoko, where, as I recall, we had both players slugging it out for around six hours ....

(except of course Rafa came out on the wrong end of that one ....)

Actually I just saw both the interviews [including Gulbis recent one] both looked perfect for me, neither was slating each other and discussed the exact thing we had in mind.

[CAS]

You had the defender vs the attacker today, the defender won. Its clay so thats understandable, if Gulbis played like that indoors I can't see what Rafa could do, but he's Rafa so who knows. I would say there are quite a few players on the tour where when they play Rafa it is in their hands, he is going to be a beast but can you tame him? 95 percent can't, Federer said once "if I play my best I win, if I dont he wins"

[kingraf]

A little too simple from Federer, plus he makes it sound like the hth is close enough for him to make that comment (how old is it btw? If it preceeds 2007 then its acceptable).

For me, Nadal was the better player. Gulbis was very mercurial, Nadal knew that all he had to do was keep the ship steady. In 2010 Madrid, Nadal only hit about 20 winners, he was the better player then. This is tennis, not boxing, Gulbis didnt get done in by judges or a dogy commission. Nadal won more big points than Gulbis, thus he was the better player.

[LuvSports!]

It was rome 2010 when gulbis played nadal kingraf.

[laverfan]

A little too simple from Federer, plus he makes it sound like the hth is close enough for him to make that comment (how old is it btw? If it preceeds 2007 then its acceptable).

Sooner or later this subject does become emotional.

For me, Nadal was the better player. Gulbis was very mercurial, Nadal knew that all he had to do was keep the ship steady. In 2010 Madrid, Nadal only hit about 20 winners, he was the better player then.

By definition, the player who wins is the better player. Safin was the better player at AO 2005. Nadal was the better player at Rome 2006.

This is tennis, not boxing, Gulbis didnt get done in by judges or a dogy commission. Nadal won more big points than Gulbis, thus he was the better player.

There is not much difference, is there? Instead of fists, it is a racquet and a ball.

In the end, the player who keeps ball in play increases their chances of winning, a player who has errors, decrease their chances of winning.

[invisiblecoolers]

A little too simple from Federer, plus he makes it sound like the hth is close enough for him to make that comment (how old is it btw? If it preceeds 2007 then its acceptable).

SO Rosol, Davydenko are better players than Nadal, and Djokovic don't stand against Nadal coz he has trailing h2h as well , Nadal is a great player but he is more of a grinder than attacker, his game is not eye catchy but nevertheless does the job.

While I got no doubt Nadal the better player today doesn't mean he is the GOD and he can never be beaten, bit of luck here n there Gulbis could have won and who knows how it could turn out once he tastes blood.

[kingraf]

Youre talking about a 1-0 head to head, and a 5-6 head to head. Head to heads which are close enough for the player in the losing scenario to legitimately feel that he could win if he plays at 100%, he will win, regardless, hence I asked if the comment was from 2007 or before, where the match up was real close (8-6), when the head to head is 4-11 since the beginning of 2008 to still believe its a matter of simply playing your best tennis is completely fine in private courters but to say it publicly is personally, a misstep.

Is he the suggesting that two-thirds of the time he plays Nadal there is something ailing him, or bothering him? Maybe everytime he plays Nadal the twins want to have a midnight tea party, or he has cross-time zone conversation with Nelson Mandela and is so enlightened that for one match, tennis seems strangely pointless?

Of course Nadal can be beaten, you may be shocked to know this, but he has 125 career defeats. Nothing about him being GOD, I just simply dont think should have said that. When you lose to the same nearly 20 times, most of the time in finals, I have to wonder where your form mysteriously dissapears to.

LF- my boxing comment was more with respect to the fact that if a fight goes to a decision, and the judges have to declare the winner, they can at times give it to the guy with the home court advantage, regardless of how the fight actually was. So what I'm saying is that, unlike in boxing where the judges can sometimes screw a fighter over, in tennis the guy who the guy who wins the biggest points wins, thus he is the better player. Thats the equation of the game. You dont claim a basketball team was the better team just because they took more shots.

lGulbis played well, and good on him, but he had to fight back from a break down in the second, then the third, and saved match point. How much luck do you want to give him? A lucky net-cord every time he was Break Point down? It could very easily be argued he was the one hanging on once Nadal recalibrated from that remarkable first set.

[JuliusHMarx]

I always figured if Player A and Player B entered 100 tournaments and Player A won 90 of them without playing Player B, but Player B won the other 10 of them beating Player A 10 times, then Player A is still the better player - because the aim of tennis is to win the tournament, not beat a specific player.

[lags72]

......................

.................................................... because the aim of tennis is to win the tournament, not beat a specific player.

It sure is.

Always has been. Always will be. Whether top pro or enthusiastic amateur.

Anyone who has ever played the game, whether as a kid with their mates or well into later life, has secretly harboured his/her dream of lifting a glittering trophy at SW19, RG or wherever

I've yet to hear of anyone who dreamt of ending their career with a positive h2h against player X, Y or Z .......

[lydian]

Madrid and Rome have been weird events so far compared to past years.
Maybe some of the new order are starting to squeak through.
I'm not convinced about Paire, think Delpo was out of sorts.
Wouldn't mind seeng Roger lift the title...he was so near in 2006 plus he got to the final in 2003 losing the 3rd set TB 10-8 to Mantilla...showed his clay ability even then. Still...he'll have to go through Rafa or Novak to get it...his better chance is surely vs Novak from match up perspective?

[CAS]

do you guys feel that were Novak and Rafa have a crazy long match Djokovic would be the one to recover better? Crazy to suggest it a few years ago, but I still can't believe how well Novak played in Rome 2011 after the semi with Murray, Nadal seems to need that extra day, I can think of several occasions where he was fried in the final

[Jahu]

So this should be Fed's to lose (cliché)? I mean Djoko/Nadal will be slaughtered in Semi, so Fed might be fresh and if he moves and hits like the last 2 matches, he looks medium-well.

[HM Murdock]

Just to point out, the last five bo3 Novak v Rafa clay matches have been straight sets wins for one or the other.

Those expecting a marathon may be be disappointed!

[kingraf]

HM- I actually suspected that, but the journo in me keeps getting distratcted by a lead story reading "Modern day gladiotors Rumble in Rome"
or
"War in the Eternal City"

[CAS]

Just to point out, the last five bo3 Novak v Rafa clay matches have been straight sets wins for one or the other.

Those expecting a marathon may be be disappointed!

That still could mean 3 hours!

[CAS]

how Granollers reached 19 in the world I will never know

[Silver]

The farmyard implement is sputtering to a halt, this could be an embarrassment at this rate.

[lags72]

how Granollers reached 19 in the world I will never know

Quite a conundrum, isn't it ....

I can only imagine he has a special private arrangement with the ATP, whereby they allow Tesco Clubcard points to count towards his official ranking .......

[Jahu]

Your wrong. It's Nectar thingy.

[lydian]

Haha lags...had me laughing that one

The Massey Ferguson drove into the slaughterhouse today.

Injured? or just ran out of Clubcard points at the checkout?

[Jahu]

Go Berdy (don't like you one bit, but...) go on knock Djoko nicely.

[The Special Juan]

Jeez what happened to Granollers? Purveyors of agricultural tennis look away now. No wonder Murray battled through injury to avoid the shame of defeat to Granollers.

[lydian]

Looks like Berdy is getting plucked out there.

[CAS]

The Berd is cooked

[lydian]

Hang on...what do we have here?

At Gas Mark 5, the berd kicks open the oven door and escapes!

[Jahu]

Berdy brakes 4:5 and serving, come on take it to 3 sets

[lydian]

Berd not keen on getting back into the oven... 5-5

[lydian]

Berdman misses BP opportunity! But gets another....

[Silver]

He's an inspiration for turkeys everywhere at the moment - a prime example of how to stuff your captor into the oven instead!

[CAS]

What a turnaround 6-2 *5-3 30-15 to 2-6 *7-5, Angry Berd

[lydian]

...and b(r)eaks!

[Jahu]

Berdy brakes again! 5:6 serving for the second set.

[lydian]

This Berd has got very Angry and taken the 2nd set!!!!

[CAS]

I dont know what holds Berdych back against Rafa and Novak that doesn't against Roger and Andy, this is the Berdych that scares the crap out me as a fan of Muzza and Fed

[The Special Juan]

Chokovic

In all seriousness, as I'm not watching it, I can only guess that Djokovic is playing rubbish or Berdych is playing "one of those matches" where he paints the lines. Adje Novak!!

[Jahu]

Berdy brakes again 1:2

Joko is toast, full of feathers.

[lydian]

This is going to become a stamina sapping match now.

Which recovers first - the berd or the egg?

[HM Murdock]

I'd love to see some stats on how often Novak fails to serve out sets. It feels like it is becoming relatively frequent.

[Jahu]

Hahahaha nice one. I think the berdy, since he can walk, without the shell chamber.

[JuliusHMarx]

This is going to become a stamina sapping match now.

Which recovers first - the berd or the egg?

Oh, very good!

[CAS]

The Berd is giving Djok some harsh tweetment out there

[lydian]

This 4th game is taking on epic proportions.

HMM, Nadal has become much the same...

[CAS]

This is going to become a stamina sapping match now.

Which recovers first - the berd or the egg?

[The Special Juan]

This is going to become a stamina sapping match now.

Which recovers first - the berd or the egg?

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