Tennis Talk 2012

[breezybee]

I actually didn't ask about Feli and Fer but I add in having interest in the answer. I know that pairing couldn't win a doubles match together last year - but whether the issues were before or after that I don't know.

It was me that asked and I get the impression that the falling out was personal and not tennis related but who knows. They used to be inseperable.

[lt]

They used to be inseperable.

Remember we used to see all those pictures of them vacationing on that yacht? I have no idea what happened except that they stopped playing doubles together regularly, they tried it for Davis Cup (and sucked) and haven't seemed to play together since. A far cry from their heyday of when Feli would come to Fer's single match to watch him play. . . [url=
Of course, all that said, I am a huge soap opera fan so who knows what drama I am imagining. Speaking of Fer, he did not look good today against Almagro. Unlike other matches where it looks like he has the upper hand and then loses his momentum, in this one Nico was always going to win (and all of Fer's double faults didn't help--I kept hearing Chris Fowler's voice in my head, he hates Verdasco's double fault tendencies).

For those people who are good at reading body language, check out this video of Fer and Feli after losing the Davis Cup match. When one speaks the other guy is looking down or away--never at the guy speaking. Of course that is after a loss so, again, I could be imagining everything.

eta: hee, of all the doubles matches I care most about are the only two matches that who aren't tomorrow. I wanted to see Max/Daniel and Fer/Marrero one more time. Darn.

[oopssorry]

Just found out about Roddick beating Roger by a USTA announcement on my FB feed that said, "Bet you didn't see THIS coming!" I think that's funny! (perhaps because I am spared the temptation of a trip!)

[falafaclese]

A great win for Roddick. I didn't see much of it, but during the part that I saw, he seemed to be hitting through his backhand much more, and consequently getting much more power off that wing than before.

Venus is moving much better tonight than she was yesterday. I think this will still be a tough match given the way Ana has been looking lately.

eta: Nice win for Venus. The second and third sets really looked like vintage Venus. Somehow she bounced back from losing that first set and really controlled the entire rest of the match. I don't know what was wrong with her during her 3rd round match, but in this one she didn't seem to have any movement problems at all. I though Ana was going to put up more of a fight, especially after winning the first set, but the vast majority of the points after that were decided by Venus one way or the other.

Did anyone see the Azarenka match? I wonder what was going on. I must say though, that the way she fought back was eerily like an actual dominant number 1. It must have been a weird match.

[mooncreek]

From what I heard about the Vika match, she was behind because Cibulkova was playing lights out. Domi took her foot slightly off the gas, Vika utilized a rare-for-her coach's call (he was as baffled as she was, as everyone else was) and clawed her way back. I was amazed Domi didn't fade away in the third set. I don't think Vika of last year wins this match, though I'm not sure if it's Vika's attitude, the #1 mystique affecting the opponent or both.

The people with night tickets really got their money's worth. I don't know whether I was more impressed with Andy reverting to the way he played when he was #1 or Venus seizing what had been a close encounter and making that her court.

[acre]

Yeah, I had kind of put that down as a gimmee(sp?) fo- Fed, but actually although Fed has basically owned Andy, many of the matches have been tight. Wimbledon, anyone? And Fed always seems to have a ton of respect fo- Andy, mo-e so than othe- maybe compa-ably ranked playe-s. I think it's somewhat a function of age, they a-e pee-s, and came onto the scene big at the same time in 03-04. Plus I don't think it's eve- easy to face that serve.

Oh, yay Venus! Nothing against Ana, I'm happy to see that she's doing well, but still, yay Venus.

The snippet I saw about Aza was basically just a bad day, "like I was blind", couldn't pick up on the ball. But yes indeed she got ove- it. ETA: and yes, she gave all c-edit to Domi, the 1st pt was like she saw it all big and fast, I saw nothing. She didn't just say she played badly, but that Domi played fantastic.

Not that I saw any of these matches, just anothe- kibitzer he-e!

[lt]

Interesting--Roddick wears a shirt that fits to practice and a fitted practice tee makes him look way better than his ugly-ass fancy oversized match shirts. Actually makes his shoulders and chest look broader.

Petrova is in Fila now? Still with a stupid rufled skirt but nowhere near as bad as what Ellesse had her in. Nadia, Vera, Sveta and Maria Kirilenko all on one court. You'd think that much head case would rip a hole in time and space.

Simon has beautiful eyes and it always surprises me how much more handsome Murray is than what he looks like when I take a picture of him.

[breezybee]

I didn't see the match between Roddick and Federer yesterday but for those that did - can I safely assume that he didn't play the way he's currently playing against Monaco? My goodness that is bad.

[harry24]

I didn't see much of today's match, breezy, but he played good, solid, consistent tennis with strong serving against Fed. Fed was definitely very off form, and Roddick was able to keep the pressure up.

[mooncreek]

The way Roddick played yesterday was a way he hasn't in a long time. The way Roddick played today was basically what everyone had seen him do the rest of this year.

Speaking of those who have played terribly in 2012 suddenly being jolted into previous #1 form, Wozniacki has won the first set off of Serena.

[skyz]

Woz is about to win this match. Serena's just not on right now, but Woz is playing nice, clean tennis, and this will be a good confidence boost for her.

[breezybee]

The way Roddick played today was basically what everyone had seen him do the rest of this year.

I saw that 2nd set with Monaco and even for Roddick that was horrendous.

[falafaclese]

Way to ruin my day, Serena.

[mooncreek]

I have to think the conditions played a factor in the night matches. For Caroline to keep Serena controlled is one thing. For Ferrer to rattle del Potro so severely was a sight to behold. I don't think either one of them has played so complete a match from start to finish against such stiff competition. Both were serving beyond their normal levels and making greater strides off of it than the hard hitters.

[falafaclese]

It was definitely the night for grinders. I felt bad for Serena because it was obvious she was trying to will herself into that next gear, and she just ran out of time. That doesn't happen often for her, but Caroline played a good match for sure.