Miami Masters 1000 Thread.

[temporary21]

First topic message reminder :

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

[summerblues]

I wonder how Tomic will do today. I thought he looked very good in IW.

[Calder106]

Might not be talent but goes a long way towards getting positive results.

[laverfan]

Wawrinka beaten by Mannarino. . He struggled mightily v Berlocq in the first two sets.

[laverfan]

It does beg the rather nasty question of does mental strength count as talent?

I do not think there is a right or wrong answer for this.  The term "talent" is somewhat nebulous and different people will include different factors in their own definition of "talent".  I personally do not count mental strength towards talent in tennis.

Mental strength (to echo Calder106) is part of the package each player brings to the court. Separating it, IMVHO, is like separating Murray's second serve from the rest of this game. Is it realistically possible?

Nadal d Andujar was won based on mental strength. Gulbis's lack of such a quality keeps him at bay from being top 10, as does Dolgopolov's physical condition. Federer d Monfils, ... there are many such cases. Rome 2006, perhaps.

[Haddie-nuff]

Mental strength is more of a skill/ability rather than a talen imo

[laverfan]

Tsonga.

[Mad for Chelsea]

I define talent as basically "natural ability". Therefore this includes mental strength but also physical ability. I mean, is it really more of a "talent" to whack one ball as hard as you can onto the line for a winner, than to somehow be in the right position to return a lot of difficult balls into places where it's not easy for the opponent to put the resulting shot away.

Tennis, in the most basic sense, is about hitting a ball over the net in such a way to make it difficult for the opponent to do the same. There are, as the saying goes, many ways to skin a cat, with hitting a clean winner as quickly as possible just one of them. For me any ability that contributes towards the above objective should be classed as a "talent". This, BTW, includes reading the game (which helps put one into a better position to accomplish said objective), which is always an area where I felt the top 4 stand head and shoulders above the rest.

[laverfan]

Mental strength is more of a skill/ability rather than a talen imo

Hand-eye coordination is also a skill. A set of skills make up the overall talent.

[It Must Be Love]

I define talent as basically "natural ability". Therefore this includes mental strength but also physical ability. I mean, is it really more of a "talent" to whack one ball as hard as you can onto the line for a winner, than to somehow be in the right position to return a lot of difficult balls into places where it's not easy for the opponent to put the resulting shot away.

Tennis, in the most basic sense, is about hitting a ball over the net in such a way to make it difficult for the opponent to do the same. There are, as the saying goes, many ways to skin a cat, with hitting a clean winner as quickly as possible just one of them. For me any ability that contributes towards the above objective should be classed as a "talent". This, BTW, includes reading the game (which helps put one into a better position to accomplish said objective), which is always an area where I felt the top 4 stand head and shoulders above the rest.

Very good point

[summerblues]

Mental strength (to echo Calder106) is part of the package each player brings to the court. Separating it, IMVHO, is like separating Murray's second serve from the rest of this game. Is it realistically possible?

Of course it is possible, why not?  Is that not exactly what we do all the time when we classify players' strengths and weaknesses?  We do not just say "player A is better than player B", we also say things like "player A has better serve than player B" or "player A would be better than player B but for his serve" - i.e., we keep separating various parts of players' games.

We can just as simply say that "player A is more talented but player B is better overall because of other factors".

[Jahu]

Come on Tsonga, wake up, take the set.

Stan still on his GS permanent honeymoon.

Come on Verdasco, don't be scared of Toni.

[Born Slippy]

Shot Nando - looks like Oz Open 09 so far. Verdasco has come to play.

[Jahu]

Nadal broken on DF, super play from Verdasco, really smart play.

[Born Slippy]

Nando will hand the break back now though.

[Jahu]

Slippy spot on. Verdasco scared with a break.

[Born Slippy]

Yep, missed volley and three unforced errors on the forehand. Real shame as he was so good for 8 games.

[Jahu]

Yeah, Nadal looks a little confused from hard pounding of Verdasco so far, apart from this crap game.

[Jahu]

Set point Verdasco

[Jahu]

Hhahaha Verdasco takes it, I swear!

[Born Slippy]

Shocking game from Rafa. First set Verdasco.

[Jahu]

Come on Tomic, roast that bird.

[Jahu]

Credit to Verdasco too, he pounded hard, thought Rafa's shots are no where to be found.

[Born Slippy]

Looks like it has got more windy. That won't help Nando.

[Jahu]

Its helping him now!

[Jahu]

Verdasco holds from 0:40.

[summerblues]

Just got back home - looks like we have a match here.

Vamos!

[summerblues]

I also wonder how Tomic is going to fare against Berdych. I thought Tomic looked really good in IW, hopefully he can build on that.

[Born Slippy]

Tomic an early break up.

Ridiculously good volley by Nadal. Johnny Mc would have liked that one.

[Jahu]

Verdasco has come for a win today.

Rafas FH is crap, yet he insists on staying 5m from baseline and barely makes it over the net.

[Born Slippy]

Why is Monaco - GGL on so late? Has someone genuinely decided that should be a night match?

[summerblues]

Verdasco looks to me a little like Klizan did at the end of the second set yesterday - hitting hard and not missing much.  I do not know if he can sustain it.

[summerblues]

Why is Monaco - GGL on so late? Has someone genuinely decided that should be a night match?

I think in the US tournaments on the weekends (USO and here), the prime slots often go to the day matches.

[Born Slippy]

Should have made that!

[Born Slippy]

Ridiculous luck for Rafa.

[Born Slippy]

Why is Monaco - GGL on so late? Has someone genuinely decided that should be a night match?

I think in the US tournaments on the weekends (USO and here), the prime slots often go to the day matches.

Even so - bar the fact Monaco is South American, thats not even a 2nd tier match.

[Born Slippy]

That insanely lucky net-cord may have just totally changed this match.

[summerblues]

What was that from Verdasco? The last two points were just silly.

[It Must Be Love]

Can't wait for Monaco-Garcia Lopez, should be a thriller, buzzing for that one.
Hopefully Monaco can play Berlocq in the next round, although the anticipation may be too much.

[summerblues]

Verdasco falling apart.  Tomic also lost his break

[Born Slippy]

Nice of Nando to hand that set to Rafa.

[Born Slippy]

The distance run stat really does put into context how lacking in physical requirements most matches are. They haven't even covered a mile each so far.

[It Must Be Love]

The distance run stat really does put into context how lacking in physical requirements most matches are. They haven't even covered a mile each so far.

Apart from 5 setters, it probably takes more stamina in football than tennis.

[Jahu]

Come on Verdasco, stop toying around.

Sure gifting the second set, was a little spanish friendly move, but move it NOW!!

[summerblues]

Verdasco somehow survives the opening game - in spite of two DFs and some horrible serving. Hopefully that will calm him down.

Tomic takes the first set.

[Born Slippy]

The distance run stat really does put into context how lacking in physical requirements most matches are. They haven't even covered a mile each so far.

Apart from 5 setters, it probably takes more stamina in football than tennis.

Footballers run over 10km in 90 minutes. There is less pressure on the joints etc but stamina-wise I would have thought football has to be tougher than a 5 setter.

[summerblues]

The distance run stat really does put into context how lacking in physical requirements most matches are. They haven't even covered a mile each so far.

???

[Born Slippy]

Verdasco is not hitting with any authority now.

[Born Slippy]

The distance run stat really does put into context how lacking in physical requirements most matches are. They haven't even covered a mile each so far.

???

At the end of the set, the stats they show (first serve % etc) now include distance run.

[summerblues]

The distance run stat really does put into context how lacking in physical requirements most matches are. They haven't even covered a mile each so far.

???

At the end of the set, the stats they show (first serve % etc) now include distance run.

I get that, but why is that the right metric to measure how taxing tennis is?

[Born Slippy]

Well what other metric is there? I can assure you hitting the ball itself is not physically taxing.

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