Miami Masters 1000 Thread.

[temporary21]

Cue the 80's music! Roll up roll up for all things Miami!

[bogbrush]

Glad to see Federer stuck to not playing. There's nothing for him on the sludge of Miami except wear and tear.

Murray in Nadals half. No big hitters close to Rafa.

[temporary21]

Murray Rafa Semi... mmm.

These two should play more, quite frankly, heres hoping.

[bogbrush]

Murray is unlikely to get to the semi.

[temporary21]

Anyone know his route?

[HM Murdock]

Anyone know his route?

Turn left at Greenland.

[banbrotam]

Murray is unlikely to get to the semi.

Please tell us why

[temporary21]

Right so hes got Young up first, and then Stan in the quarters, should be pretty good.

[banbrotam]

Anyone know his route?

Projected: Young, Giraldo, Anderson, Wawrinka and then perhaps the SF's

[temporary21]

Ok that is quite brutal, he SHOULD make quarters at least though

[bogbrush]

Murray is unlikely to get to the semi.

Please tell us why

I honestly think he's in a mess. I wish he wasn't but I've never seen him show less interest in playing an attacking shot, and I can see Miami only encouraging that.

[banbrotam]

Murray is unlikely to get to the semi.

Please tell us why

I honestly think he's in a mess. I wish he wasn't but I've never seen him show less interest in playing an attacking shot, and I can see Miami only encouraging that.

I dunno. In fairness he looked quite aggressive in the first few matches at Indy, the Kohl match was particularly good to watch - until the rabbits in the headlights first 20 minutes against Novak

I think he's largely back against everyone else - but unfortunately it's back to 2010/11 when he plays the Top 3

I'm just praying for another hot Wimbledon like 2013 - problem is so is Roger

[Josiah Maiestas]

Andy can beat anyone if they have a useless return, which is 95% of the tour. He seems to love trying to get errors and won't go for his shots as bogbrush says. Don't see how he will another Masters if Novak or Federer meet him.

[bogbrush]

Yeah, maybe I'm being overly negative. I just thought the semi was really disappointing. Not just a loss but a mess.

Hopefully better this time.

[Mad for Chelsea]

the semi was awful, but overall Murray's played some very good stuff in the two big tournaments this year. I don't really see much to worry him en route to the semis, maybe Stan in the QFs if he gets there (not exactly been in top form himself recently). He also has a pretty strong record here, twice a winner in the past (and also runner-up at least once IIRC).

There's a potential all British R3 match with Kyle Edmund, which could be interesting (though Edmund would have to get past a qualifier and Giraldo, which doesn't seem particularly likely).

[Jahu]

Come on Roger, kick some ass NOW....oh wait

[temporary21]

Is federer going to miss Monte Carlo again too?

[slashermcguirk]

I wouldn't assume that Wawrinka will even make the QF. He is a great player on his day but he can be so inconsistent and his recent form is not great, with the exception of the Australian Open.

I would say there is a far better chance of Murray making the QF than Wawrinka on current form. I also don't think Murray is far away with his game, he was playing great tennis at the oz open and for 2 sets was playing some inspired tennis against Djokovic

[bogbrush]

True, Stan seems all over the place.

Outside of the top 3 it looks very much like the guy to watch out for at the moment is Raonic, though maybe that needs suspending until after the clay season (and not Miami really). I will say one thing for him; he is definitely improving the parts of his game that were extremely limited. His groundstrokes and even his movement seem better, and he's got temperament for certain. Compare that to Stan, who increasingly looks like a one tournament player.

[CAS]

he hasn't really kicked on a great deal since the US Open but I love watching Nishikori play, would love to see him make a big move here

[temporary21]

Raonic is getting there, but hes got Rodbricks problem, i.e dat backhand! Hes gotta find a way to be more comfortable on that, it would be very hard to win big nowadays having to compensate for a whole shot.

[Haddie-nuff]

So it seems yet another young gun Kokknakis receives his marching orders by a 32 yrs old..Berlocq.. The olduns still keeping their end up lol

[Jahu]

Hope Delpo does a QF at least, for his motivation.

[CaledonianCraig]

Murray is unlikely to get to the semi.

Please tell us why

I honestly think he's in a mess. I wish he wasn't but I've never seen him show less interest in playing an attacking shot, and I can see Miami only encouraging that.

Heck I actually agree BB. I have no expectations beyond the 4th or QF's here. Aggression is key but Andy is in full passive mode too much in key matches in recent months.

[Haddie-nuff]

Murray is unlikely to get to the semi.

Please tell us why

I honestly think he's in a mess. I wish he wasn't but I've never seen him show less interest in playing an attacking shot, and I can see Miami only encouraging that.

Heck I actually agree BB. I have no expectations beyond the 4th or QF's here. Aggression is key but Andy is in full passive mode too much in key matches in recent months.

I think CC he may have too many personal issues on his mind.. he is getting married this year isnt he?? Hopefully when he settles that little matter he will be back on track.. I actually think it helped Novak who seems to me in much more control mentally.

[CaledonianCraig]

Murray is unlikely to get to the semi.

Please tell us why

I honestly think he's in a mess. I wish he wasn't but I've never seen him show less interest in playing an attacking shot, and I can see Miami only encouraging that.

Heck I actually agree BB. I have no expectations beyond the 4th or QF's here. Aggression is key but Andy is in full passive mode too much in key matches in recent months.

I think CC he may have too many personal issues on his mind.. he is getting married this year isnt he?? Hopefully when he settles that little matter he will be back on track.. I actually think it helped Novak who seems to me in much more control mentally.

I am not so sure. Was the wedding on his mind for all of 2014? This trend has been running for far too long. He needs a fresh mindset but sadly I think he is just far too stuck in his ways. I think the crux is that passive and cautious gets the job done most of the time for him so he sees that as his blueprint too much. That just won't work against the big guns.

[Haddie-nuff]

Murray is unlikely to get to the semi.

Please tell us why

I honestly think he's in a mess. I wish he wasn't but I've never seen him show less interest in playing an attacking shot, and I can see Miami only encouraging that.

Heck I actually agree BB. I have no expectations beyond the 4th or QF's here. Aggression is key but Andy is in full passive mode too much in key matches in recent months.

I think CC he may have too many personal issues on his mind.. he is getting married this year isnt he?? Hopefully when he settles that little matter he will be back on track.. I actually think it helped Novak who seems to me in much more control mentally.

I am not so sure. Was the wedding on his mind for all of 2014? This trend has been running for far too long. He needs a fresh mindset but sadly I think he is just far too stuck in his ways. I think the crux is that passive and cautious gets the job done most of the time for him so he sees that as his blueprint too much. That just won't work against the big guns.

Maybe you are right but Ill reserve judgement.. Ive definitely seen a change in Novak since he became a husband and father.
I can understand your frustration.. but hang in there

[Born Slippy]

Except he wasn't passive in Australia, nor was he passive versus Lopez (the only match I saw in IW). It seems to me he clearly knows aggression is key - its no coincidence he has hired Mauresmo and Bjorkman as a coaching team. The issue is getting the balance right against Djokovic. If he does make the SF, a match versus Rafa will be an interesting test.

[bogbrush]

I think CC he may have too many personal issues on his mind.. he is getting married this year isnt he?? Hopefully when he settles that little matter he will be back on track.. I actually think it helped Novak who seems to me in much more control mentally.

What? A World class professional sportsman plays badly because he has a wedding coming up?????

These are top, top guys at the head of their profession, not infatuated teenagers. Their focus and competitiveness dwarfs their fellow professionals, who in turn operate on a different level to average humans.

Even I, who have no pretensions to their standard, only wrote my wedding speech on the way to the Church because I'd been really busy recently.

[Haddie-nuff]

Strangely I think of these players as human beings first, then tennis players.

So am I surprised at your response ..?? Not on your life

[temporary21]

Might not just be the wedding hes occupied about...
A wedding a big thing for a lot of people, and if families in the mind then maybe he is a little distracted. Hes human after all, maybe he does need some time, not everybodys a freak of sporting nature. Your own wedding is a huge occasion it can throw off even the most stoic of people, he might also be a lot more involved in the planning of the wedding too.

All I can say is I wish him all the best, its a big year for him outside tennis' tiny bubble and I hope its as good as he hopes for. Tennis in the end is secondary to all of that.

[Haddie-nuff]

I think your right temp. Its why I believe there are so many who have stayed single until their tennis career is over.

[CaledonianCraig]

Might not just be the wedding hes occupied about...
A wedding a big thing for a lot of people, and if families in the mind then maybe he is a little distracted. Hes human after all, maybe he does need some time, not everybodys a freak of sporting nature. Your own wedding is a huge occasion it can throw off even the most stoic of people, he might also be a lot more involved in the planning of the wedding too.

All I can say is I wish him all the best, its a big year for him outside tennis' tiny bubble and I hope its as good as he hopes for. Tennis in the end is secondary to all of that.

But I don't buy it. I say that because this poor form has been around since before Andy announced his engagement to Kim (some way before it). In fact I'd say the malaise in his form is worse than when he split from Kim so surely his mind would have been even more off the game at that time?

This is more, in my opinion, to do with poor gameplan, lack of aggression and struggling with getting first serves in to any great degree and lack of self-belief at key moments in matches.

[Calder106]

I would agree with CC here. For me it is not so much the losses but the manner of the losses which are the biggest worry. In the early part of 2014 it could be put down to recovering from the back surgery, then there was the loss of Lendl as coach (please note that the players who beat him deserve the credit for doing so and I am not devaluing their victories). However since the FO most of his defeats have been very comprehensive. Either straight set wipe outs or starting ok and then completely dropping away. The occasional really bad day is understandable but there seem to be just too many of them to have any confidence that he will reverse the trend.

[CaledonianCraig]

Exactly Calder. And some of his losses have been heavy and tame with no spark in his play which was virtually unheard of in his career until the last year and a half or so.

[Haddie-nuff]

Until he, or somebody else can make him, believe in himself and his own abilities, he will, and cannot be aggressive. Lendl was a fighter and I would suggest a no nonsense coach. He expected much of himself and he expected the same of Andy. I would go as far to say he was probably a bully. Andy frankly needed that.
He brought out the very best in Andy as a tennis player.. but again he is human and maybe he could not take it.

[Calder106]

You are probably right in most of that Hn. However as to what was reported Andy wanted more of Lendl's time which Ivan could not commit to.

[temporary21]

He DID reach the final of the Australian playing some pretty good attacking stuff less we forget. 
We're tslking like he's in a total rut and hasn't won a match in months.  He's not a natural attacking player, he never was thus his default when s little out of Nick is to counterpunch. He's out of form at the mo because he is, but he's still the number 4 so there's no panic button needed. Perhaps he'll free up after he's married

[CaledonianCraig]

I just think he looks at his career methodically and not enough out of the box or comfort zone. Like I said playing cagey and moving opponents around and manufacturing a chance of a passing winner works against most opponents but won't against the top players. The tactics he deploys as default are the cagey ones and not being aggressive comes back and bites him in latter round matches.

[Haddie-nuff]

Yes I agree ..not everyone can be naturally aggressive. Rafa even says in some of his post match interviews "I need to be more aggressive" this, in Rafa is replaced by a natural will and determination.  Your right, he is after all still at number four and up Rafa's exhaust pipe !!!   No panic..   (except for me lol )but time to put the foot on the accelerator Andy

[CaledonianCraig]

He DID reach the final of the Australian playing some pretty good attacking stuff less we forget. 
We're tslking like he's in a total rut and hasn't won a match in months.  He's not a natural attacking player, he never was thus his default when s little out of Nick is to counterpunch. He's out of form at the mo because he is, but he's still the number 4 so there's no panic button needed. Perhaps he'll free up after he's married

However, that was a oasis in an otherwise desert. And he did fall apart in that final when he had the advantage. True you can say he is still No.4 but now (unlike in the past) I am devoid of confidence when he plays any of the top three players.

[temporary21]

It's all perspective. Anyone remember how badly his formed dipped the last times he reached the final and lost? He's doing alright. I personally wouldn't equate "out of form" with "losing badly to Djokovic". Nobodies close to Novak on anything but a perfectly made surface for them. Plus the AO is a rather large oasis. All he's really done is fallen behind Novak, he'll either catch up slowly or won't, he's still one the top men in the places it counts

[CaledonianCraig]

But my point is he doesn't look to be anywhere near the top players level now whereas I always had hope going into those matches and just recently he has suffered hammerings against them which he never really had in the past.

[temporary21]

But hes only faced Djokovic this year so far. Every player has these times, theres no need to go doom and gloom and declare Andy dead in the water and hopeless, things can happen, Novaks too strong at the moment.
More than that, weve talked before at length at Rogers back issues, but what about Andys? Hes had to have actual surgery, that might be part of the problem.

[Haddie-nuff]

CC Andy showed his colours in the DC in Scotland.. he played well. Like Temp says anyone, but anyone, will have problems with Novak at the moment. That man, as Ive mentioned, since his marriage has his head right. Your glass his half empty at the moment, and I have suffered with that problem of late. Give him a while longer

[CaledonianCraig]

Playing well at home against Isner and Young (even then he had a dip and dropped a set) is not indicative of form that will convince me he is on the verge of beating Novak. Hell he was totally humiliated as well at the WTF by Roger Federer winning only one game. So you see it runs deeper than it being just Novak hammering him in these crunch matches.

[Haddie-nuff]

I dont think Rafa will beat Novak CC so he is in good company !!!

[socal1976]

But hes only faced Djokovic this year so far. Every player has these times, theres no need to go doom and gloom and declare Andy dead in the water and hopeless, things can happen, Novaks too strong at the moment.
More than that, weve talked before at length at Rogers back issues, but what about Andys? Hes had to have actual surgery, that might be part of the problem.

I agree, and I also agree with BS that he was being pretty aggressive at AO. I think this chalking every murray loss up to him not going for it enough or playing defensively is a little knee jerk. I struggle to see how he could have been more aggressive while barely winning 50 percent of his points on first serve. He was starting a good number of those points from behind because his serve was making no impression. Most pros play aggressive on their service games and defend on the opponents serve. Murray was forced to be more defensive because of Novak's returning and his own weak serving. Playing against Novak on a slow hardcourt and blasting through him with sheer aggression is much easier said than done. Especially, if like Murray you run up the error count and double fault count.

Nadal, Djoko, and Fed have their risk reward ratios figured out. What I mean is that they can dictate and be aggressive without making a large number of errors and having their winners/UEs ratio go ballistic. Djokovic and Nadal in particular are aggressive but can remain clean and safe in their hitting while doing it. Federer has figured out that for his style of attack tennis he will make a few more errors but he rarely makes enough errors to lose out on the value of going after the ball. Murray can't hit through people like Federer and if he tries he can't be safe and aggressive like Djoko or Nadal. At least at the moment, I also think he will be back and lifting big trophies in the near future.

[Born Slippy]

Murray's number 2 in the race and (apart from some typical messing around in minor events) has looked way better than last year. I thought he was the better player in the Oz Open final for 2 and a bit sets. Frustrating though the collapse then was, it was a very encouraging event.

Yes he played badly against Novak in IW. It should be noted though that Novak was one point away from leading Roger 63 52 in the final and handing a similar beatdown. Whilst Roger, great champ that he is, found a way to fight back, Novak was very tough for anyone on those courts.

Im currently cautiously optimistic about Andy. If he can make the final here - and he has a very good draw to do so - then he is very well set up for the rest of the year.

[Haddie-nuff]

Changing the subject Is anyone watching the return of Delpo .. so good to see him back.

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