US Open - Matches

First topic message reminder :

Have changed the topic so that this thread can run through the tournament. Hope that's OK

Bit harsh on Bellucci.

Admittedly he has slumped somewhat over last three years or so, but at least he has three ATP titles (albeit minor) on his CV and peaked at 21 in 2010 rankings. Not headline stuff, but a lot better than many players have ever managed.

Can distinctly remember him putting in a very respectable showing at Indian Wells last year vs Federer, who went on to take the title

lags72 wrote:Bit harsh on Bellucci.

Admittedly he has slumped somewhat over last three years or so, but at least he has three ATP titles (albeit minor) on his CV and peaked at 21 in 2010 rankings. Not headline stuff, but a lot better than many players have ever managed.

Can distinctly remember him putting in a very respectable showing at Indian Wells last year vs Federer, who went on to take the title

When he plays well he's absolutely devastating but he's so up-and-down it's hard to see him ever fulfilling his potential and at 25 he looks to be going down the rankings instead of up. That run at Madrid in 2011 to the SF though was very impressive where he beat Andjuar, Mayer, Murray and Berdych and took a set off of Djokovic too. He is great to watch when he plays well but as I alluded to, it's "all or nothing" tennis from him most of the time.

The Special Juan wrote:I think I read somewhere that Nadal has never lost to a Brazilian on the ATP tour.  I can't decide if that's impressive or not seeing as there hasn't been a decent Brazilian player in a decade.

Easier to achieve that on the men's tour. Plenty of decent Brazilians lie in wait in the women's locker room!

My terrible joking aside I have made a rare visit here to say a big well done to Dan Evans, that is some result after the first set and hoping he can fulfil his talent and start to challenge the top 50.

Really impressed by Evans, breath of fresh air and a good story. Tomic is frustrating to watch, periods of apathy then a terrific winner out of nothing. Part of it is a style thing, but I don't think he works hard enough generally.

Hard for him to train when nobody alive is "good enough" to be allowed to train with him

Robson vs Li Na. Li Na to win in 3 sets I think

I can't call it as there are far too many variables.

Robson to win possibly in straight sets.

It's going well!!

This will go to 3. On a long journey so won't be able to watch any

I have a new chant:

"Get your serve in, get your serve in Laura.  Bang it down down, don't double fault now now."

Would I be ejected for chanting that in the crowd?

Edit: I made it rhyme!!

Garbage so far from Laura, hopefully she'll turn it around. Anyway, I have places to be.

Li looking the better at the moment. Laura not getting enough first serves in and already a break down.

I always feel it can take Laura a while to settle into a match, and it's proving that way here she has just been broken again and it's 1-4

Li Na playing very solidly, Robson just not getting into enough points at the moment. Not getting enough cheap points on serve, either.

Li Na with yet another easy hold, Robson hasn't got close to her serve yet, and she takes the set 6-2. Quietly impressive from the world n°6.

Much better. Laura ahead 3-0 in the second set. Going big to the Li forehand is working a treat now. Getting a few more first serves in too.

Oh dear. Within the blink on an eye it's 3-3 and Laura looking vulnerable again.

The stats say 18 winners to 4 in favour if Li. Wow, that's absolutely dominant. I must admit I don't see Laura winning this at all. She's playing nowhere near well enough.

Robson is not good enough yet, so many flaws in her game

Li Na about to serve for the match. To be fair to her she has come well-prepared and determined not to lose again to Robson. Beefy serves well directed whilst Laura has never really got a rhythm going. She ca play better though so losing to a player ranked inside the top ten is no disgrace.

Danny_1982 wrote:Oh dear. Within the blink on an eye it's 3-3 and Laura looking vulnerable again.

The stats say 18 winners to 4 in favour if Li. Wow, that's absolutely dominant. I must admit I don't see Laura winning this at all. She's playing nowhere near well enough.

Those stats tell the story....

Li has been the better mover around the court, she's served better, served more aces, hit more forehand winners...been the better player overall.

Li has been playing very well this year, and was always favoured to win this in my books. Robson did well to put up a fight in the second set, but this match was always a foregone conclusion in my mind.

Robson has done well to get among the seeds. Now, she needs to take her game to another level. A good look at Li will tell Robson what she needs to do....

Djokovic now in Second Round action on Arthur Ashe against Benjamin Becker. The German is playing great stuff to hang in there and he has just broken serve to lead 5-4 and will serve for the first set.

Anyone thinking of taking a punt on Djokovic for the title would do well to watch how he is playing v Becker.

And save their money.

Meanwhile on Louis Armstrong, Tomas Berdych is also in action against unseeded Denis Kudla which is going with serve with Berdych surviving break points to lead 2-1.

TopoftheChops wrote:Robson is not good enough yet, so many flaws in her game

Well, she's nowhere near as good as she will be of course because she's a kid. I would disagree that her game is full of flaws though. Her mobility has already improved a bit and will improve further, and over time she'll be a bit more consistent and less hot and cold. That serve will improve too.

She is inconsistent as you'd expect for someone of her age, but when she's on it she can beat the likes of Li in slams. You only have to look back 12 months to see that.

HM Murdoch wrote:Anyone thinking of taking a punt on Djokovic for the title would do well to watch how he is playing v Becker.

And save their money.

I see what you are saying. Any more ideas to what the problem is HM?

Sadly, the fat bloke will not win and screech will live to fight another day. But don't worry, Rafa will kick his skinny butt.

CaledonianCraig wrote:

HM Murdoch wrote:Anyone thinking of taking a punt on Djokovic for the title would do well to watch how he is playing v Becker.

And save their money.

I see what you are saying. Any more ideas to what the problem is HM?

I suspect he just doubts himself when an opponent give him a real good scrap. Becker has played well (until serving for the set!) and Novak seems to be the one chucking up the errors.

He seems quite short of breath in this match too. Has someone spiked his drink with gluten?

emancipator wrote:Sadly, the fat bloke will not win and screech will live to fight another day. But don't worry, Rafa will kick his skinny butt.

On their respective current form, I'd fear a mauling. Could be a real beat down.

Djokovic finds some form to take the first set tie-break comfortably against Becker.

HM Murdoch wrote:

CaledonianCraig wrote:

HM Murdoch wrote:Anyone thinking of taking a punt on Djokovic for the title would do well to watch how he is playing v Becker.

And save their money.

I see what you are saying. Any more ideas to what the problem is HM?

I suspect he just doubts himself when an opponent give him a real good scrap. Becker has played well (until serving for the set!) and Novak seems to be the one chucking up the errors.

He seems quite short of breath in this match too. Has someone spiked his drink with gluten?

His game just seems a bit disorganised if you see what I mean. He plays some great points (like Novak of old) then chucks in some sub-standard stuff. Odd.

Becker fell into the same trap they all do when serving for a set against the top guys. He abandoned any point construction and tried to welly winners at the earliest opportunity.

Better from Novak though.

Tomas Berdych making hard work of taking the first set against Denis Kudla. He led 5-1 but has been pegged back to 5-4 and back on serve on Louis Armstrong.

Novak can get through in third gear against anyone outside the top 10. How he performs before the quarters is quite irrelevant.

He only loses in slams to great players, and usually only by a couple of points when he does.

I'd also remind people that Murray was extremely patchy early on last year, and won the damn thing!

Novak playing at a more consistent level now as he reduces his unforced errors a bit (until then oops).

Jeez I wish Berdych could sign a deal with another shirt maker as seeing him in H & M branded gear is weird.  

Berdych holds serve to lead 6-5 now and Kudla serving to save the first set.

Berdych serves and Kudla nerves are the story of the tie-break. Tomas Berdych takes the set in 67 minutes winning the tie-break 7-3.

CaledonianCraig wrote:

HM Murdoch wrote:

CaledonianCraig wrote:

HM Murdoch wrote:Anyone thinking of taking a punt on Djokovic for the title would do well to watch how he is playing v Becker.

And save their money.

I see what you are saying. Any more ideas to what the problem is HM?

I suspect he just doubts himself when an opponent give him a real good scrap. Becker has played well (until serving for the set!) and Novak seems to be the one chucking up the errors.

He seems quite short of breath in this match too. Has someone spiked his drink with gluten?

His game just seems a bit disorganised if you see what I mean. He plays some great points (like Novak of old) then chucks in some sub-standard stuff. Odd.

Actually that's how he always played. 2011 was the exception , not the other way around. Maybe he's just come back down to his consistent level.

Danny_1982 wrote:Novak can get through in third gear against anyone outside the top 10. How he performs before the quarters is quite irrelevant.

He only loses in slams to great players, and usually only by a couple of points when he does.

I'd also remind people that Murray was extremely patchy early on last year, and won the damn thing!

This is a way in which I think Novak and Andy are quite different.

Andy often grows into a tournament and improves as it goes on.

When Novak wins tournaments, he's usually looked good from the start. The only time I can remember him starting badly and getting better is MC this year. And he was feeling his way back from injury in that one, so it was an unusual situation.

Incidentally, I was impressed with what I saw of Murray v Llodra. Maybe if Andy is starting well, that means he won't win the tournament!

Novak now in total control leading 7-6 6-2 3-2. Meanwhile, Berdych leads Kudla 7-6 2-1 (with a break) but they are sharing some brutal long rallies. It has taken them an hour and twenty five minutes to play not quite a set and a half.

Berdych once more in a scrap in the second set. He was a break up against US qualifier Kudla but is now serving to save the second set as we approach the two hour mark. Not sure how much longer Kudla can go toe-to-toe with Berdych though. Surely, fatigue will tell.

Another tie-break on Louis Armstrong. Berdych goes favourite.

Berdych takes the second set on a tie-break (7-3) and leads 7-6 7-6 with two hours eight minutes of play on the clock. Kudla beginning to look fatigued but for a world No.104 he has acquitted himself very well.

Kudla breaks at the beginning of the third set but is struggling with a thigh injury and the trainer has been called.

Back on serve in the third set and Berdych looks set to win this in straight sets. A very good workout for him if a bit longer than he would have wanted. He leads 7-6 7-6 3-2.

Berdych through in straight sets winning 7-6 7-6 6-3 against Denis Kudla in just over two and three quarter hours. Next up on Louis Armstrong....Andy Murray against Leonardo Mayer.

Murray on Armstrong usually = drama.

Hopefully not today. Come on Andy!

Mayer started the match like a house on fire!

Hope the fire goes out pretty quick or this could be another Murray Armstrong nerve shredder!

Mayer was always going to come out hitting big and Murray taking his time to impose himself on the game.

Fair play to Mayer, he's playing exactly the type of tennis needed to beat Murray. What I type might look like something Boris Becker would say but: can he keep it up for 2 sets, 3 sets, 4 sets if needed?

unsurprising end to the set. Mayer was just red-lining his game too much and in the tough moments he was always going to get tight, which he duly did. Awful game but Murray did enough by making him hit the extra shot.

Murray in second gear breaks Mayer to take the first set 7-5 in 55 minutes though the Argentinian contributed to his own downfall.