2007 ATP Discussion Thread

wow, I've never been to grand slam, i've only been to the Cincinatti masters last year

 

Are you going to Cincy this year?

The draw looks awesome!

 

Djokovic wins! Extremely high standard of shotmaking from both players. Federer had his chances to take the first set, but failed to convert. Novak winning 7-6 2-6 7-6, for his first win over Federer.

He also beat the world number 3, 2 and 1 back to back to back!!!!!

I'm a Federer fan, but am pleased to see Novak announce his arrival at the top of the game. Cincy and the US Open just got very interesting.

 

Cinicnatti should be a great tournament. Murray/Bahgdatis is the best first round match. However, i don't particularly like these 56 draw tournamnets. It should be 48 or 64

 

Wow. When's the last time Federer lost a final other than on clay?

 

The Tennis Masters Cup in November 2005 in Shanghai. He lost to David Nalbandian in five sets. 7-6, 7-6, 2-6, 1-6, 6-7. The surface is indoor hardcourt/carpet.



The reason why the draw has the byes for the top players is because of the back to back Masters Series. Last year Roger and Rafael had a titanic struggle in the final of Rome. The match lasted over 5 hours with Rafa winning 7-6 in the fifth, and equalling Vilas' record for 53 straight wins on clay. A feat Vilas did back in 1977 when Borg decided to skip the French and concentrate on Wimbledon.

The problem was that both players were exhausted and could not play in Hamburg. That tournament suffered because so many were tired or injured from the excessive play.

Then after winning Toronto last year for his 40th career title, Federer ran out of gas against Murray in Cincy.

The ATP decided to do two things.

1) All Masters Series finals will be contested in a best of three sets.
2) All top eight seeded players will get a bye to allow them to rest, so they don't avoid the tournament.

The Masters Cup in Shanghai will be remain a best of five.

 

OOPS!!!!

The last non clay final Federer lost was Dubai 2006 to Nadal.

But Shanghai was the last time Federer lost to someone whose name is not Nadal.

 

So Federer has 6 loses this year.

week 10 Indian Wells: Guillermo Canas
week 12 Miami: Guilermo Canas
week 16 Monte Carlo: Nadal in final
week 19 Rome: Volandri
week 22 French Open: Nadal in final
week 32 Montreal: Djokovic

 

Moya defeats Nalbandian in straights in the first round, 7-6, 7-6. Nalbandian's form has been slipping the past few months, he certainly is not the force he once was. It should really be no surprise that he lost to Moya though.

Moya has four Masters Series Shields. 2 at Monte Carlo. 1 at Rome. And one here at Cincy. He beat Nalbandian in straight sets back in Rome in 2004 to claim that title. He beat Hewitt here at Cincy back in 2002, when Hewitt was the top player. Moya has had a great run this season, wnining his 20th title in Umag on the clay before heading to North America.

He has also won a title for the last 10 years expect for 1999, which oddly enough was the year that he reached the apex of the game and became number in Indian Wells.


Safin again disapoints, and stands beside Henman as one of the guys going out on the first day.

 

Cincy coming alive yeesterday with some high quality tennis. Was a little disapointed with the Murray match, but having just recovered from a wrist injury, it will take him time to get back into the flow.

Hewitt was pushed all the way to 7-6 in the final set. He certainly was not playing his best, and needs to pick it up.

Good day for Blake and company as well.

 

Nadal, Djokovic both go down

 

Federer restoring order to the chaos that tore through the draw on day three of the tournament in Cincy.

Gasquet, who reminds me of Federer lost to Hewitt. He was the eight seed, and had to retire due to a blister in the middle of his palm. Hewitt though never let him get into the match.

Then seeds 2 and 3 falling back to back. I was watching both their matches, wondering how well they will transition to the acrylic decoturf surface in Cincy after the conditions in Montreal. Neither player was themself. Nadal looks like his heavy schedule is finally cataching up to him, retiring with a wrist injury. Djokovic pretty much tanked the match after falling behind.

This is the one thing that the ATP, ITF and even the WTA needs to address. The tops guys get so exhausted from playing deep into an event, that they are just not ready for another in a few days.

Moya's draw has opened up, and should be on course for a semi final showdown with Federer.

Something tells me we could a repeat of Cincy final 2005. Federer V Roddick. But with the way seeds are falling, anything is possible.

 

they ought to move the Rogers cup up to week 31

 

The only problem with that is the needlessly long clay season that takes place after Wimbledon. I mean why is there clay events taking place after Wimbledon, when the focus should just be on hard courts and the US Open?

Most Europeans and South Americans do not care about the hard season, and prefer to play as much on the dirt as possible. Despite the USTA saying that they will double the winnings at the US Open for the player who wins the US Open series.

The gold tour of South America lasts four weeks, before Indian Wells. Then the REAL clay season from Monte Carlo to the French Open. Then YET ANOTHER round up including Stuttgart, Gaastad, Baastad, Sopot, Warsaw and Umag.

The entire calender is terrible! There are NO Masters Series on Grass. And the ITF refuse to move the Slams around a bit to accommodate.

I remember the big issue that took place early in Spring, when radical changes were put forward to make the season better. But this included removing the Masters Series status from Monte Carlo and Hamburg on the clay. The players went crazy!!!! But someone has to address this issue. Too many tank jobs, despite the fact finals are now best of three, and top eight seeds get a bye in the first round.

 

Moya really showing some toughness in the intense heat, winning an epic match with Del Potro.

Del Potro is someone to look out for, especially when the clay season comes rolling around again. He is improving rapidly.

But what a quarter final set up, in the lower part of the top half. Moya V Hewitt. Both have really shown a resurrgence in form as of late. I remember that Moya was the only person who had a winning record against Hewitt, during his reign at the top in 2001 and 2002. That forehand, when it is on, can hurt anybody.

Hewitt really showed signs of the old, when he went the distance with Nadal, and almost broke his streak on clay in Hamburg. That turned out to be the last win Nadal got before losing to Federer in the final.

This is an interesting time for Federer. Last year he lost to Andy Murray, or should I say tanked to Murray. I was quite upset about that, not because he lost the match, but because he was one win away from tying Lendl's record of 18 straight finals. The streak bgean in Halle 2005 and ended in Toronto 2006.

Ok, back to the topic. This is his best chance to get some distance between himself and Rafael Nadal. Who will lose points from his quarter final success last year, losing to Ferrero in straights. IF he wins, he will also be only 11 points behind Nadal in the race to end the year at number.

Because whoever wins the race, ends the year at number one. Currently Nadal is ahead in the race, from his heavy schedule, despite being number two in the ranking systems.

 

and Roddick goes down!! I am loving all these upsets, if only he had more like this in the grand slams

 

uggh, that was ugly. what happened to Roddick's forehand? What a choker...

But I have to hand it to Ferrer, as he did play solid tennis.

 

Roddick looked lost mentally in that match. I knew that Ferrer would not have any problem playing Andy because he beat him in Miami last year in straight sets. But Roddick, who has won the title in 2003, 2006, and finalist in 2005 did not play the game he should have.

And now Roger and Marcos going at it!

 

Federer wins!

 

Blake playing some sensational tennis, getting past Ferrero, and getting some revenge for Wimbledon third round loss this year. Its good to see James raise his game like he has in the past going into the US Open.


Possible final Federer v Blake.

 

Here are some stats for the upcoming Moya V Hewitt showdown.

With Hewitt leading the series 7-5

2004 Tennis Masters Cup, Houston, TX, USA Hard RR Hewitt 6-7(5) 6-2 6-4
2004 Wimbledon, England Grass R16 Hewitt 6-4 6-2 4-6 7-6(3)
2004 Sydney, Australia Hard F Hewitt 4-3 RET
2003 AUS v. ESP DC Final, Melbourne, Australia Grass RR Hewitt ABN
2003 World Team Championship, Dusseldorf, Germany Clay RR Hewitt 6-2 3-6 6-3
2002 Tennis Masters Cup, Shanghai, China Hard RR Moya 6-4 7-5
2002 Cincinnati TMS, Ohio, USA Hard F Moya 7-5 7-6(5)
2002 Rome TMS, Italy Clay R32 Moya 6-3 6-2
2002 Monte Carlo TMS, Monaco Clay R64 Moya 6-4 6-3
2002 Indian Wells TMS, California, USA Hard R64 Hewitt 6-4 6-4
2001 Australian Open, Australia Hard R32 Moya 4-6 6-1 5-7 6-2 7-5
2000 Indian Wells, CA, U.S.A. Hard R64 Hewitt 6-4 3-6 6-3

 

Hewitt won rather easliy

 

Federer also through in three sets. I was a bit disapointed with his performance in the second set, gifting it away. But he pulled it all back together to finish 6-3, 3-6, 6-2.

Federer V Hewitt for the second straight week.

 

Blake and Davydenko will contest the second semi final. Davydenko has yet to reach a final this year, and he plays more tennis events than any other player on the tour.

Blake leads the series 5-0, and should be looking to keep his winning streak going. Should be an interesting match, as both playeres hit flat and prefer a rythmn.

 

Why is it that every Federer match has to have a Mirka cam now?