Possible Federer-Murray Clash in Dubai/ Djoko in Acapulco

First topic message reminder :

Draw is out for Dubai and Murray and Federer could meet in the semis. Stan the Man is the top seed in the other half of the draw. There are more top-tenners at Acapulco than Dubai, with Djoko taking a WC in the Mexican tournament. Of course, the big imponderable at the AO this year was whether Rafa or Rog would have got passed Murray or Djoko. At least Dubai offers the possibility of a Rog-Andy clash.
You can see why Djoko wanted to get some points on the board by playing Acapulco. He's got stacks to defend over the next few weeks, while Murray has very little to do to stay number one for a while. Andy, incidentally, is already a long way up the list of number one longevity, with Wilander (20 weeks in total at the top) the next target.

coolpixel wrote:struggling to understand why Nadal has to be fave for RG. Granted he isn't clay GOAT but he hasn't won a slam since 2014. he won Barcelona and Monaco last year but not much else. plus he too is getting old.  he is up there with other contenders but not  more so.

I say that for various reasons. Firstly, he is greatest clay court player of all-time. Secondly, who is in a position to deny him that are renowned on clay courts? Novak is way off form so I wouldn't say him. Andy perhaps but this is clay and still his weakest surface. Roger I don't see as any great force on clay capable of taking down Rafa. Stan is far too hit and miss to tip as a winner. Thirdly, Rafa is certainly in better shape now than he was last year and he was a contender last year until he had to pull out mid-tournament.

Yeah, I disagree that Rafa couldn't win a slam this year, given that he already reached a slam final on a quick HC. The question mark is on Djoko, we have to see how he does at IW and Miami. Murray's chance I feel is only at Wimbledon, given that he only reached the QF and then R4 at the last two slams. At Wimbledon, Fed may still be there as a stumbling block for Murray. We shall see....

Yeah Rafa has to be one of the fav at the FO. I mean all the other serious contenders are also getting old, not just Rafa! Rafa is in better form than Djoko and Stan at the moment, the two former champions. Stan may have problem vs Rafa on clay because of his SHBH. Djoko unless he recovers his form on time, if not Rafa could deal with him on clay over a BO5.

I feel the younger guys are not there yet to challenge for the slams - Dimi perhaps at Wimbledon? Cilic maybe, or even Raonic. I also have a feeling that by USO Delpo may be ready to challenge whoever there.

CaledonianCraig wrote:

No name Bertie wrote:I think Federer was the best returner of the power server, or at least he always seemed to beat them without too much effort.  This was one of the factors that allowed him to reach so many grand slam finals on the faster surfaces.

No it is widely accepted that the best returners of serve today are Murray and Djokovic. Federer is a very good returner but not in their class. Federer is a better server and his strength is his aggressive shot play so gets on top in a rally before it gets a real chance to develop.

Djokovic is the best at attacking returns. He turns the point in his favour often with his return. Murray is quite similar.

What Federer is better at, especially compared to Djokovic, is a defensive return. Federer will often block back a big serve and get the point started. Djokovic doesn't do this well enough, which is why he struggles with big servers more than Federer or Murray.

Belovedluckyboy wrote:Yeah Rafa has to be one of the fav at the FO.  I mean all the other serious contenders are also getting old, not just Rafa!  Rafa is in better form than Djoko and Stan at the moment, the two former champions.  Stan may have problem vs Rafa on clay because of his SHBH. Djoko unless he recovers his form on time, if not  Rafa could deal with him on clay over a BO5.

I feel the younger guys are not there yet to challenge for the slams  - Dimi perhaps at Wimbledon? Cilic maybe, or even Raonic. I also have a feeling that by USO Delpo may be ready to challenge whoever there.

I think Djokovic, Rafa & Murray are favourites for RG. With Stan in with an outside shout.

Wimbledon - Murray favourite. Fed, Djokovic and Dimitrov with chances too. Perhaps Raonic.

US Open - could be very open. Murray/Djokovic/Fed all have a good shout. Plus Del Potro if he's still fit and playing. Maybe Stan, Rafa and Dimitrov too.

sirfredperry wrote:If neither Rafa nor Djoko are going to win another Slam this year, you have to look at who could. Certainly Rog would be a possibility for Wimbledon, while you would think Murray would have a good chance at either Wimbledon or the USO.
  Then there's Stan who has already won the French and the USO. And could del Po manage a Slam? If this is neck sticking-out time, then let me predict that no one outside the six I've mentioned in this posting will win a Slam this year. Admittedly, this is not such a courageous forecast as that of the battling, brave banbrotam.

 Someone has to put their head on the chopping block, to get the debate going

I just think that they are currently very vulnerable to as many as a dozen players on form and are now seen as fair game

I'd put Stan and Andy slightly ahead for the French as I now think Andy's game has evolved enough for clay. But one thing that's making me think again is that there are usually no surprise winners on the dirt. Last 30 clay court Masters won by the Fab Five etc, so Novak could grind his way through

For Wimby, just like it's been for a few years now (2014 defeat was understandable due to his comeback) it's Andy's to lose, I just feel grass suits his latest style perfectly. Fed and Dimi could win though

The US is the one that will be wide open. Murray's record there is now poor, take the 2012 title away from him and he's done nothing for nearly ten years. Could see a surprise winner for this. This is the event I least fancy any of the big 4

Of course I'll be proved utterly and to totally wrong as Rafa when Novak clean up 

Guest82 wrote:

Belovedluckyboy wrote:Yeah Rafa has to be one of the fav at the FO.  I mean all the other serious contenders are also getting old, not just Rafa!  Rafa is in better form than Djoko and Stan at the moment, the two former champions.  Stan may have problem vs Rafa on clay because of his SHBH. Djoko unless he recovers his form on time, if not  Rafa could deal with him on clay over a BO5.

I feel the younger guys are not there yet to challenge for the slams  - Dimi perhaps at Wimbledon? Cilic maybe, or even Raonic. I also have a feeling that by USO Delpo may be ready to challenge whoever there.

I think Djokovic, Rafa & Murray are favourites for RG.  With Stan in with an outside shout.  

Wimbledon - Murray favourite.  Fed, Djokovic and Dimitrov with chances too.  Perhaps Raonic.

US Open - could be very open.  Murray/Djokovic/Fed all have a good shout.  Plus Del Potro if he's still fit and playing.  Maybe Stan, Rafa and Dimitrov too.

Wow! I genuinely hadn't read this before i posted. Amazingly how spookily close we are in our predictions 

Predictions are more difficult - I don't think there are any favourites any more.   There are doubts with Murray, Djokovic, Nadal, Federer.  There is no doubting the commitment of Murray, Nadal and Federer.  Difficult to know what is up with Djokovic - he seems to have lost something from his game - his iron will and consistency, and there is no evidence he is going to refind it as he enters his thirties.  He is still competitive but his air of invincibility has well and truly disappeared.  It seems to me that Nadal has an excellent opportunity of winning this years Roland Garos, while Murray has to be the favourite for Wimbledon.  It is probably at Wimbledon where there will be a greater chance of someone other than Murray, Federer, Djokovic, (Nadal?), Wawrinka of winning a slam.

Probably Dimitrov? I like the way he's playing now and grass suits him (he's Wimbledon junior champ one year).

Not many can play well on grass so Dimi has a good chance there.