Tennis Talk 2013

[falafaclese]

'Pova/Stosur is as boring as I thought it would be. It looks like it will ne over in straights.

Nicholas Kiefer is in Maria's box in Doha. Is he helping with the coaching?

[harry24]

I'm just watching the Fed-Benneteau match, and the announcers just said that Serena has ascended to (her rightful place as) world No.1 a few minutes ago, based on her win today.

[falafaclese]

I didn't see the end of the third set, but when I left it, it seemed like Serena was working up a world-class meltdown. She was on the verge of tears. Kvitova was playing very well, and Serena was serving like she has all week; which is to say: not well. I'm glad she was able to pull herself together, and not surprised that it almost came down to a third set tiebreaker.

Eta: I went and looked at the stats for the match, and it appears that Serena served better than I thought. Still, maybe not a top serving day for her, but better than it has been, although the part that I saw seemed to be riddled with second serves and double faults.

[mooncreek]

I don't think I've seen Rafa play worse than in his SF match. Martin Alund is a 27 year old, career futures/challenger player who'd never won an ATP match before this week's run - and he wasn't exactly playing lights out against Rafa to win that set. Unless it's Rafa's mission to donate sets to Argentine players - he should have lost to Berlocq a round earlier but Carlos choked it away.

If you enjoy very quick tennis, Tommy Haas beat Isner 6-3 6-4 in exactly an hour, Raonic beat Querrey 6-4 6-2 in 1:01. It'll never not be funny how the Canadian dominates an American event housed in a venue that normally has hockey - he's played the last three years and yet to lose a set!

[mooncreek]

I'm not saying that I think Roger is getting old but a match like today's against Berdych showcases flaws due to age that have nothing to do with the physical aspect. Roger looked harried, making more questionable decisions as the match went on. The side effect of his reduced schedule is that it puts more pressure on Roger with matches like this one, knowing he couldn't afford another bad week because there's only one week before his two month vacation. Lose to Novak? Wouldn't likely be a big deal. Lose a match where he had 3 MPs and ending up out-headcasing Berdych? That's a message.

Meanwhile if you listen to commentary of Rafa's matches this week, you'd think he was playing his last year on the tour. I really can't tell where Rafa's game is at this point but playing Almagro (even if Nico is playing well, I cannot see him holding it together mentally) and Ferrer on back to back days will clear up the picture.

[falafaclese]

I'm watching the Indian Wells, and the commentators are talking about how they thing Fat Dave is the best player of the current era to never win a slam. I agreed at first, but then I started thinking about Tommy Haas, and given the amount of time that Haas has spent off the tour because of his various injuries, and the fact that statistically they are very close, I'm thinking he should be part of the argument for sure. Then when you take into consideration Haas' stronger mental strength and drive, and how he seems to be more consistent when he's actually healthy, I feel like he beats out Nalbandian.

[mooncreek]

Haas definitely belongs in the argument... but I think commentators give him the benefit of the doubt due to injury. Nalbandian has the talent but is basically Rios if he'd lingered around. Nalbandian is possibly the most frustrating player due to how high his peak is.

Speaking of talented players who are frustrating, Ernests Gulbis knows how to raise fans' hopes. The last month has been incredible. Always knew he could challenge the elite (see: Berdych at Wimbledon) but now he's beating the players he's supposed to beat, having qualified for three tournaments in the last month.

[breezybee]

I was watching Federer play yesterday and watched the entire first set thinking he was playing Tomic. I'm not sure when Istomin started wearing the matching shirt/headband/glasses on court but he might want to re-think that.

Speaking of talented players who are frustrating, Ernests Gulbis knows how to raise fans' hopes.

Did anyone see his match. He said he wanted to punch a fan but didn't because he knew he'd be disqualified. I don't know what happened though.

[falafaclese]

Here's a recent interview with Gulbis discussing some of that. I didn't get all the way through it, but here's my favorite exchange so far:

Q. I saw an interview you did in Rotterdam where you talked about how you’d stopped smoking and drinking and that was going to help you now. How much do you think that stuff was holding you back.

A. It is, you know, because I don’t say that I’m a heavy smoker or a heavy drinker. I’m just a regular young guy. But to be a professional athlete you need to not be a regular young guy. You need to watch what you’re doing a little bit more, and I wasn’t doing that. I could go out and get wasted and smoke some stuff, you know. Not some stuff, cigarettes. Marijuana, unfortunately, it’s not legal for tennis players, which I honestly don’t understand why. But that’s my own opinion. But yeah, now I quit everything, and I live a healthy lifestyle. I don’t know how long I’m going to do that. (Laughs) If the results come I’m going to keep on doing that. And now the results are coming. I tell you, it pays off.

Uhh . . . duh! I know at least part of that quote is a product of his sarcasm, but please! You're a world class athlete and you're running around partying, drinking and smoking? Of course your results are going to be subpar and inconsistent. Obviously he can lead his life however he likes, but I recently saw a quote from him in which he talked about how other players who were in the top 100 couldn't play tennis and yet they were ranked above him. Why be so arrogant and talk down about people who are probably where they are because they work harder than you, and care more than you do?

ETA: I found the quote- "I was really getting pissed to see who's in the top 100,'' Gulbis said after squeaking out a three-set victory over Denys Molchanov. "There are some guys who I don't know who they are. Some guys, I'm sorry, with respect — they can't play tennis."

[mooncreek]

Re: Gulbis wanting to punch a guy: The match was in qualifying against Christian Harrison, which was a three-set affair in which the teenage American won the first set. There was, understandably, a raucous pro-American crowd.

[harry24]

Just dropping in after an absence to comment that Roger's shirt this week is so poorly fitted around the collar. It's almost as shocking as if he'd strolled out in a baggy t-shirt and shorts and no socks.

[harry24]

Just popped in to watch a bit of the Arruabarrena-Maria S match, and on first glance Arruabarrena is another one who looks startlingly like Safina (Aga R being the other one who looks like her). Once you take a second look, Arruabarrena is less of a doppelganger, but I seriously thought it was Safina for a second.

[roseha]

I agree Harry, I still mix up Aga with Dinara sometimes. They do look a lot alike.

[mooncreek]

Saw Azarenka's match against Flipkens. I'm pretty sure that my interest in Kirsten is mostly Clijsters residue but she's had moments where she's really stepped up since Kim retired. She's now the top ranked Belgian and seems to be enjoying the role.

I can't believe the match I'm most interested in today (due to work, also the one I'm most likely to see) involves Rafa and a qualifier. But if there's any time it works in Gulbis' favor to face Rafa, it's right now.

[lt]

breezy, that photo looks so much like Tomic that I keep thinking it's him even after reading your post. Spooky.

No TTC so no Indian Wells for me. Since they're three hours behind me I'm not watching at work. Oh well, thank goodness for the World Baseball Classic--that's filling my sports time.

I am going to Miami next week. I'll only be at the Sony Ericsson Open Tuesday through Friday so I won't get much opportunity to see the seeded male players but hopefully I'll catch them practicing. I must admit, I wasn't crying when Feli lost in the first round at Indian Wells--after he got to the finals of Memphis I was thinking there was a shot of him being seeded at Key Biscayne if he played well in California. Yes, all this makes me a bad person. Tough.