Tennis Talk 2009

[roseha]

Jimmy Arias used to be a teen top player back in the ?80s? I think. I think IIRC he won the Italian Open maybe. Unless I'm thinking of some other American kid. anyway, I remember that "mindless" comment he made about Delpo. Quite condescending indeed Chesty.

I will have to look for reruns because between work and not remembering that this event began Sunday I've hardly seen anything yet.

BTW has anyone else see this ad on TTC that starting around Dec. 23 they will replay all 8 Slam finals from this year? That should be fun!

Note to acre - I hope you'll be at your new place with the new DVR by then.

[acre]

It's so nice of you to think of me roseha, but unfortunately, no TTC for me. I'm back online and my new dvr is hooked up, but all the tennis is lost pfft.

I'm following the YE through here and news for now, they will be televising on I think ESPSN2 this weekend.

[tikigirl]

Channelsurfing and ADTHE unfortunately aren't working for me, so all I've been doing is scoreboard watching. I'm looking forward to lt's report!

[Mpol]

Go ROGER! And Del Po and Verdasco... I hope that game is re-reun!

[lt]

ESPN2 definitely has the final and I think the semis--but I couldn't find the semis on the schedule before I left. Finals are live on Sunday.

I hope that mattress king joker from Houston is watching this event and realizing that his version of the YEC was penny ante. He pissed me off so much when he said "everyone" wanted the YEC back in Houston a couple of years ago. London is doing the tournament proud and I cannot get over how professional everything has been compared to Houston. Tonight made me think of that mattress guy because he wanted the Americans (it was Roddick and Agassi in 2003) to win so badly that Federer complained. After his win tonight Fed made a point to say how great the tournament had been to everyone and that the crowd was great, especially considering he was playing--and beating--Murray.

Nenad and Nestor had absolutely no energy and played lousy. Sucked all the energy out of the arena and it took quite a bit of Murray/Fed to build it back up. I hate when doubles matches go that way when they are in front of an audience that doesn't usually watch. The one good thing (and I do mean one) about the Bryans is that they are rarely lacksidasical (I'm not looking up the spelling on that) when they play.

Poor Fer. But that match was killer. And it was fun watching the unbiased crowd really fall for him as the match went on. His play is just so exciting to watch. The nice British ladies next to me went from just wanting a good match to cheering madly when Fer broke back in the third. But the crowd loved Delpo and were cheering just as much for him. Very even. And that match sure proves that these guys care a lot about this tournament--both Juan Martin and Fer were incredibly intense out there. Delpo was throwing his towel down and cursing to himself and I cannot believe Fer went for another overhead after he came down so wrong on the previous one. I was really afraid he'd hurt himself badly. Sorry Andy, but I hope Fer beats you. Fer won't make it out of the round robin but I don't want him going 0-3 when he's played so well.

Fed started off slow against Andy, like he did against Fer, but when he picked it up in the 2nd you could feel the energy level of the entire place pick up. The crowd was fair anyway--I think more people cheered for Fed than Andy in the introductions--but some of the shots Fed hit really made everyone cheer.

Some tournament minutiae: the ball kids were all kids from an all-girl school and they were the same kids over and over again. I hope they get better as the tournament goes on because they, well, don't have the skills the US Open kids have. A line judge I recognize from years and years at the Open was working this event. I think he's the head line judge because he comes out first and usually works the service lines. The O2 did a kickass job of the pre-match display. They put the video show on the big screen but also on the tennis court--it fit into the tennis court perfectly. "Let the Battle Commence" is the silliest phrase ever and every time the announcer would say it people would laugh. Makes me think of some Arthurian sword fight.

I'm off home in a few hours--watching the rest from home. But I'm coming back next year. I was thinking I would come back if there were players I liked in it--but I cannot see me not liking enough of the top 8 to not want to come. I'll be smarter about which days I get my tickets--but it worked out for me. I got to see Fed and Fer twice and that ain't bad. I'm also going to get all lower levels seats. I got so spoiled that I was a bit cranky about the view from up top when I saw Fed/Murray. However, I'm glad I was up there because I was better able to compare it to, say, tennis at the Garden. The O2 was much, much better. Better sight lines, better seating and you felt more part of the event. MSG relys too much on its history and doesn't make tennis fan-friendly or easy to watch unless you have super-good seats--and while I could afford the good seats at the O2 I cannot afford the good seats at Madison Square Garden--which is stupid considering how expensive London is and that this is the YEC and not an exhibition.

eta: oh, something else about Delpo. I was sitting a few rows behind his entourage--if you could call it that. A kid, her dad, two ladies and waaaaaaaaayyyyyyy off to the side, two coaching-looking people. Cracked me up.

When I walked into the site Max and A. Ram were practicing. So weird how whenever I go to a tournament I find Max practicing. Started my day off great. Okay, now I'm going to sleep.

[breezybee]

Thanks for the report lt. I was watching but I don't think I saw you. We're getting excellent coverage here in Canada. I've been able to see some of every match so far although sometimes I'm watching in French which I don't speak very well.

Sitting up close for the del Potro/Verdasco match must have been great. Did you notice how nice Verdasco's skin is? In Montreal I watched Verdasco and Lopez play doubles on a really small court and their chairs were about three feet in front of me. I really had to restrain myself from reaching out and touching because both of them had skin that looked like velvet.

Tikigirl have you tried this link?
www.fromsport.com/
I can always find the matches on this website.

[tikigirl]

Thanks much, breezy, I appreciate the help. Also thanks to lt for the report. You all are the best!

[harry24]

Thank you for taking the time to write such long, entertaining reports, lt. Hearing the warmth of the crowds I was wondering if they were a different crowd than the Wimbledon regulars. They just sound different. I also thought it was really nice how much support Roger got against Murray.

Tiki, I, too, have become a Soderling fan, much to my surprise. I really like him. That said, it was so distressing seeing Rafa as somewhat of a shadow of his usual great self. I pray he gets his mojo back soon, (hopefully before the end of the tournament, although that is probably too much to hope for.)

Now to an UO, but I think Arias is excellent. I haven't noticed him being a jerk about the Spanish-speaking players, although I'm now going to be on alert for any unjustified nastiness. That said, his analysis almost always raises points I never thought of before (like about Murray's and Verdasco's serves) and I really appreciate that. I also think he's pretty funny and makes a nice team with Leif what's-his-name. (Shiras?)

Vamos, Rafa!

Edited because I just found out "time" and "team" are two different words!

[Mpol]

Federer crowned World Tour Champion for the fifth time. GONGRATS ROGER! What an amazing yyea you have had.

www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2009/11/Federer-ATP-World-Tour-Champion.aspx

[tikigirl]

P.S. Yay, the link is working! Thanks again, breezy!

[prettyvacant]

I was really surprised to see that Soderling defeated Djokovic. I think next year it will be interesting to see what he does in the majors.

[falafaclese]

Nov 25, 2009 5:00:22 GMT harry24 said:

Now to an UO, but I think Arias is excellent. I haven't noticed him being a jerk about the Spanish-speaking players, although I'm now going to be on alert for any unjustified nastiness. That said, his analysis almost always raises points I never thought of before (like about Murray's and Verdasco's serves) and I really appreciate that. I also think he's pretty funny and makes a nice team with Leif what's-his-name. (Shiras?)

Arias doesn't bother me either, except for the vocal resemblance to Gimelstob, which isn't really his fault. My interest was piqued regarding Verdasco's serve too. His voice does seem to have a sort of chuckling tone to it though, and maybe that's part of why some people here find him condescending. Of course I haven't heard the comments he made regarding the Spaniards and the South Americans.

[breezybee]

What did Arias say about Murray's and Verdasco's serves? I believe they are showing Eurosport here in Canada so he's not commentation when I watch.

[chestylarue]

One of my main issues with Arias is that while he can provide some new and interesting analyisis he also can not go very deep into research for some of the players if it does not fit into his text. For example- he said that Rafa never hits flat and should add it as a weapon. Well- Rafa has at times added a flatter forehand to his arsenal. You could see it at AO this year but it really first made an appearance after he got big at the 2007 IW tournament. Rafa has also said that he wants to work on that. Of course it is not a consistent part of the game- and I think when he is not confident he reverts back to hitting more topspin on hard courts than he should. But it is not like he has never hit a flatter forehand ever…but it did not fit Arais’ meme about Rafa so he acted like Rafa has NEVER worked or added a flatter forehand. Interestingly, when Rafa was an up and comer he could hit the flat forehand quite well. Here is a match from when he was 17 against Hewitt and look at those forehands....

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikNlsRBT8-0



And as I mentioned before- his comments that Delpo is best when he does not think and that he was unmotivated just really rubbed me raw. If Delpo is unmotivated whey did he say this week all the areas that he wants to improve? And to imply that a player is only good when they do not use a brain is to me very condescending. There can be a difference between saying that a player should not over think things but to say that a player is best when there is nothing going on in the noggin is to me rather disrespectful. Others may not agree of course.

Love all of your reports LT- they have been great. I also agree that London shows what a chinsey TMC Houston was. I mean the O2 and Westside Tennis Club can not compare. And you didn’t see the tournament organizer wearing a big Union Jack shirt when Murray was playing the way you did with Jim McIngvale and his American flag shirt. I appreciate that Jim McIngvale loves the sport- but his inability to ever see that perhaps he maybe could have done some things differently was what got me. I did really appreciate though that after the soggy 2004 final he stood near the exit and shook people’s hands when they left. But yesterday when I was watching some of it with husband and I told him that this was the same tournament as the one we went to in Houston hubs was shocked. He was also shocked that the Houston tournament was held in higher status than Toronto/Roger’s Cup when the Toronto facilities were so much nicer. (He does go to some tournaments with me but still sometimes gets confused about what is what.)

I am aiming to go to a bigger tournament next year (Master’s level or grandslam) and I would like to actually go to TMC. My brother and his family live outside of London so it could be a good way to mix a family visit with a sports trip.

Oh- glad to see that Robin won today...I was worried that he may go off the rails after he blew some set points at 5-4 but he did not.

Now crossing my fingers for a Rafa win....I do not want to see the two Spanish dudes go 0-3 each.

[vallegirl]

Just because there are instances where Nadal was able to hit a flat forehand doesn't negate Arias' contention that he needs to develop it or "make it a weapon." Especially since, as you noted, Rafa agrees with Arias and needs to work on it so that it can...become a weapon.

As for what he said about del Potro, I just read the "better when he doesn't think" as just another, and non-judgmental, way of saying "don't overthink." It's a six of one/half dozen of the other. And if my own experience playing is any indication, which it really isn't but it's all I have, if you have to think about your shot you've already lost the point. And del Potro has had, or appeared to have, difficulties with motivation in the past.

I just find it hard to believe that someone named Arias is targeting the Spanish and S. American players for extra criticism. Especially when the criticism you cited is valid.