Best Performance of '08

Hello everyone, welcome to the last post before the new year.

The Australian is about 2 weeks away, it seems like the off-season flew by.  I can't wait to have tennis scores to check daily again.

Now for the final post of  "Tiebreak's '08"

The Best Performance in '08.

To be honest, this one is a no-brainer.  I think anyone who watched a minute of tennis this year knows that Rafael Nadal put together one of the great years in tennis history.  1 Gold Medal, his fourth straight French Open, his amazing first Wimbledon title, few Masters Series titles along the way...oh yea and he took over the 1 ranking from arguably the greatest player of all time.  He took the step this year to the next level of tennis.  

For the most part Rafa has been in the shadow of Roger Federer...until this year.  He stole Roger's thunder this year and proved that he is a lot more than a beefy grinder from Spain who can't lose on clay.  

Now for the hard part.  As amazing as his year was, just think what it's going to take to keep his No. 1 ranking.  His results at the Slams last year were Semi, Win, Win, Semi.  Rafa has no room to breathe next year, and Federer will be as hungry as ever trying to regain that spot.  It should make for some great drama during the tennis season, but the most important thing is that he stays healthy. 

Congratulations to Rafa on his incredible '08, and good luck to him next year.

Until then, I hope you all enjoy the last few weeks of your off-season.

Have a safe and happy new year.

Happy Holidays!....AND The Best Slam of '08.

Hello everyone, Happy Holidays. Whatever you celebrated, or have already celebrated, I hope it was great.


Oh, and before I forget....--->

POLL RESULTS: It seems you are undecided on whether Querrey will break into the top 20...with 42% of you saying YES and 42% saying NO.
The new year is quickly approaching, which means everyone is gearing up for competition. For college players, this is the mini-off season...which is about a 4 week period when you scramble to get into the best shape you can be in for the Spring season. For ATP pros, it is the period between the Master's Cup (for those who made it) and the Aussie Open. The pros have a short amount of time to prepare their bodies for 11 months of mental and physical punishment. It's also a time where players try and work on their games and beef up in the weight room. It's also exciting to see who is going to come out the most improved in January...

So now for my second to last installment of "Tiebreak's '08"...The Best Slam of '08.

This is tough because I think that it is widely accepted that the Rafa/Roger Wimbledon Final was the best match in '08(maybe ever)...but does that make Wimbledon the best Slam? Well Wimbledon had it's moments...Safin's miracle run to the semis...the epic final in the twilight of Centre Court...Murray's comeback moment against Gasquet...but I still don't think it was the best Slam overall.

The French also had its moments...Rafa proving to be immortal on clay with his embarrassment of Roger in the final...and Monfils electrifying the crowd.
The US Open also saw a king regain his crown and the rise of Andy Murray to his first Slam final.
There is only one Slam left...and my choice for the Slam of '08..The Australian Open.

The Aussie Open seemed to have an amazing match every time I turned on the TV.
First the main story lines....Novak Djokovic beats Fed in the semis and goes on to win his first Slam solidifying his emergence as one of the best in the world. This was also the beginning of the "he's done" talk about Fed as he looked vulnerable along the way to his semifinal loss. This was also the birth of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga as a star. Tsonga made a run to the finals, and crushed Rafa in the semis.

Along with those story lines...there were also some incredible matches. Three of those come to mind right away....Janko Tipsarevic equipped with his futuristic sunglasses gave Fed all he could handle in the the third round. The match turned back and forth, ending with a gutsy 10-8 in the fifth victory for Fed.

Andy Roddick also played an incredible match with the German Kohlschreiber. Roddick wouldn't go down until the German finally put a stake in his heart ...going on to win 8-6 in the fifth.

Perhaps the most captivating match of the tournament ended at 4:33 am local time. Hewitt/Baghdatis took court late because of the Fed/Janko match and was an emotional roller coaster which saw Hewitt win the battle 6-3 in the fifth.
The Aussie Open was amazing, and was quite a way to begin '08, which was a year filled with great matches and intriguing story lines.

The 2009 Australian Open will have quite a pair of shoes to fill.

Take Care...see you soon for the finale of "Tiebreak's '08"

Who's Done.

Hi all...welcome to my third installment of "Tiebreak's '08."  

This blog is going to be fun, and I hope I get a lot of comments from you guys.  

In sports, sometimes you just don't have it anymore.  I'll try and pick out a few guys that, in my opinion, are done.  I use the word "done' loosely...for some of the names I mention, it doesn't mean they should hang up the towel for good and quit, it just means their career, as we know it(top 10, Slam winner, or a threat) is done.  

Lets get started...

My first player I'd like to declare done is Tommy Robredo.  The feisty, fit Spaniard always found himself around the top 15 for the past few years...except this one.  Tommy finished at #21 in the world this year, as yes this is an excellent ranking...BUT I think the days of Tommy being in the 4Th round at Slams or being a threat to big players are over.  Robredo relies heavily on his fitness and now at the age of 26 will start to break down.  I'd give him another year or two in the top 25 until he starts to drop like a stone, but gone are the days of thinking he has a chance to sniff a Slam semi.

Carlos Moya is done.  The beefy "big bro" of Rafa has battled shoulder injury for the past few years, and although still being able to play some pretty high quality tennis (mostly on clay) this former world No. 1 is done.  He has dropped to the 40s in the rankings and seems like the kind of guy that doesn't want to just "show up" to Slams.  Lets not forget Carlos is also in his early 30s...which means his career clock is starting to get down to the end...I look for this fan favorite to call it quits very soon, probably in the next year and a half.  

The magician is very close to done.  Fabrice Santoro, a fan favorite for his two handed ground strokes and wizardry on the court.  Sadly, Fabrice can't quite cut it anymore on a weekly basis.  He has hinted at retirement and spoke about it often, which means it's not far off.  The game will certainly miss his one-of-a-kind game.  

Ivan Ljubicic is done.  It seems like a lot longer than '06 that the big serving Croatian was number 3 in the world...A LOT LONGER.  Now standing at number 44 in the world, Ivan has fell into the group of players that doesn't make it onto TV coverage for a second the entire year.  I'm not quite sure what happened to him, but he is just not a factor anymore.  He can lose to anyone on a given day, and every player knows it.  His struggles seem to be getting worse, and at right around 30, his days may be numbered.  

Lleyton Hewitt hired a new coach to try and become a contender again, and after some mixed results got injured, ending his season early.  The thing is, even is Hewitt comes back 100%, mostly likely, he's still done.  His flat counter punching style is simply outdated.  Hewitt was the prototype for a grinder about 6 years ago, now grinders are bigger, stronger, and younger.(Rafa)  I love the guy, and hope he makes his way at least into the top 20 again...but any higher and I think it's pushing it.  

Nicolas Massu is done.  The former Gold Medalist looks more and more like that will be his one and only career bench mark (although if you can only have one...I guess it's not a bad one to have.)  Massu plummeted into the challenger ranks, before making a last minute push to break into the 70s or so.  The truth is that Massu is done.  He'll never be back at the top of the game, and although I could see him pushing top 50 (40 maybe), I don't give him very much longer.  

Tommy Haas is done.  Haas is one of the most resilient players in the game.  The problem is he is also one of the most injury prone.  Coming back from an injury is a draining process that takes patience, hard work, and drive.  Tommy has come back from so many, we can only wonder how many more can he go through.  He is now in the 80s...I doubt he can make another comeback into the top 15...but I guess there is still a slim chance.  

Last but now least...Spadea is done.  The American rapper is now approaching his mid 30s.  I don't know how much longer he is going to be out there grinding for wins...his love of the game still seems strong, but I give him another year and a half tops.  He is in the 70s which means he can still get straight into a lot of events.  Once he drops out of the 90-100 range...that might be the end of Vince.    

Rising Stars of '08.

Hello everyone...it's time for my next installment of "Tiebreak's '08."

The Rising Stars of '08

Today we'll deal with people who made their mark in '08 and seem to be ready to soar into '09 with major momentum. The last blog was all about the duds and depressing players in '08, this one should be much more happy.

Since I bashed the Americans first in the duds blog, I'll praise them first here.

Sam Querrey is my first rising star. The young American came on the scene a few years ago, but for the first time looked like he belonged as a legitimate top 50(at least) pl

ayer this year. He's now number 39 in the world, and is starting to another big American's game, Todd Martin. If he keeps getting stronger and fitter, he could become someone no one wants to get on their side of the draw.

Semi-Honorable Mention: A quick note on Donald Young (since I've gotten a few comments on him.) DY, as his fans call him, ALMOST became a rising star this year. He climbed his way into the low 70's in the rankings, and

was starting to look like the player most people thought he would become. Then we all realized something...he was 0-4 this year in Grand Slams, which shoves him back to the 140 range in the ATP. Donald had a chance to salvage his year at the Open, and become a household name by giving Blake all he could handle. Sadly, this seemed to say a lot more about Blake's game then it did D

Y. Can he still be a top 50 player? Sure, why not...he does have some talent. Will he ever sniff a Slam or get in the top 5? If there was a stronger word I could use than "Never", I would use it.

Now, back to the stars. Another huge riser this year was Gilles Simon. Simon seemingly came out of nowhere to become one of the biggest names of the year. He beat Federer twice (including once at the Master's Cup) and rocketed to number 7 in the world. It will be interesting to see how Simon handles the pressure of being a contender in Australia, but one thing that seems to be his strength is his mental game...he believes he can be out there(and beat) anyone.

Juan Martin Del Potro also became a real threat this year. The big Argentine is 9 in the world, and, in my opinion, is one big Slam result away from solidifying his place in the top 5(maybe higher.) He got quicker and stronger this year, and it paid off...(think back to his bludgeoning of Roddick last summer in Los Angeles.) I'll look for him in the top 5 at the end of '09.

Semi-Rising Star: I thought I'd mention Andy Murray in this blog, even though he cracked the top 10 last year. Murray made the jump Del Potro can make...from a top 10 player to a favorite in every tournament he enters. Murray will look to win his first Slam in '09, and I don't see anything stopping him...well except Roger at Wimbledon, and Rafa on the dirt. I think he's got a great chance to open the year with a win in Australia. One thing for sure is that Wimbledon should be really fun this year with the Brits having a top 5 player in the draw again.

Moving along...Jo-Wilfried Tsonga also burst onto the scene this year (mostly because of Australia when he reached the finals.) Tsonga is kind of like the new Baghdatis on tour...a big fun guy who seems to always be happy on the court. He has gotten tremendous fan support all year and is one of those big match players that can give anyone trouble if he is hot. However, like Baghdatis, Tsonga can also lose to anyone if he is off, which will hinder his chances of ever getting to be top 5. Nevertheless...I think he'll have a nice homecoming in Australia and will continue to be a tour favorite in '09.

Last but not least...Stan Wawrinka shocked the tennis world this year with his break into the top 10 (although short lives he now stands at 13.) The other Swiss player on tour made a name for himself this year with his gorgeous one-handed backhand and toughness on court. He sort of reminds me of Nalbandian, only a bit less gritty. I hope Stan can stay among the top in '09, but I think he'll most likely drop into a spot of 17 or 18, where I think he fits nicely.

Honorable Mention: Almagro(Tough Spaniard who doesn't take well to losing.)

Soderling( huge serving Swede who hammers the ball.)

Bolelli( Charismatic Italian with big, flat strokes.)

Gulbis(could be a future top 10 player)

Troicki(tough, crafty Serbian.)

Nishikori(Japanese sensation with a big forehand.)

Welcome Back

Hey everyone, I've missed you.

Thanks for voting...it seems unanimous that you all think Stefanki will be a good thing for Roddick.

Hope your Thanksgiving was great and you enjoyed your (hopefully) short break from the Tiebreak blog.  Of course we're all still in tennis limbo here in early December...but it's time to start to gear up for year.  This brings us to our first "Tiebreak's '08"

Biggest Duds of '08.

2008 was an amazing year of tennis...we saw so many new fresh faces and even the rebirth of some old ones that we all thought were done.  BUT...that's for another blog and another time...we had our fair share of disappointments in '08.

First I'm going to start with the Americans...Andy Roddick reached ONE quarterfinal this year at a Slam, and that was the US Open.  Of course he did have a bit of injury struggles this year, but I'd like to hope a top 8 player can prove he is in the top 8 in more than one Slam.  

Moving along to James Blake.  He also had a whopping one quarterfinal in a Slam and that was early in Australia.  The thing is, I've never been a big Blake guy.  Don't get me wrong, as a person he is unmatched, but on the court do you really think he is top 10?  I sure don't.  His results are just too inconsistent and let's face it when is he going to have his big breakthrough Slam?...sadly never it seems.

Of course the Americans aren't the only ones who tanked in '08...

David Ferrer saw his surge into the top of the game quickly disappear in '08.

By no means did he have a bad year...but he fell from 4 to 12 and usually if you make it to the top 5 and then leave...you're gone.  

Fernando Gonzalez also saw his descent continue...ever since he reached the Aussie Open Final two years ago it has been a steady decline for Gonzo.  Stefanki left him and he's going to need to do some serious damage control this off season if he wants to stay in the top 20.

Berdych, Robredo, Youzhny, and Tursunov all either had OK years, or continue to never make a move.  When is Berdych going to take his giant game into the big time?  Robredo A.K.A Mr. 4Th round of every tournament had a bit of an off year, Youzhny was too busy hitting himself in the forehead, and Tursunov went almost all of '08 without me hearing his name once.  

I like to keep my duds in the top 50...so that leaves only 1 more to mention.  I saved him for last because...well he bombed the worst this year.  Richard Gasquet...the man with every shot continued his under achieving this year, but if you ask me he took it to a new level.  After showing signs of life in '07, he single-handedly erased every piece of positive momentum he had going.

Honorable Mention: Haas, Hewitt(excused for injury), Baghdatis(excused for injury)

See you soon for the next of Tiebreak's '08...until then challengers have pretty much come to halt for the next two weeks so write me a comment on anything you'd like me to write about.  

Roddick/Stefanki

 Andy Roddick hired a new coach a few days ago.  Former Fernando Gonzalez/Rios/McEnroe/Henman/Kafelnikov coach Larry Stefanki was hired by the American.  This new hire by Roddick seems like his 90Th coach is 3 years, and just shows how badly he is looking for answers.  Stefanki certainly has credentials(leading Rios and Kafelnikov to world no. 1) and did wonders for Gonzalez's game.  

      My concern is Roddick is searching way too hard.  Roddick has had a great career by any standards and needs to relax and play his game.  All of these big name coaches that he works with are all going to put there imprint on Roddick's game...I just hope Stefanki doesn't try and change Roddicks game because frankly, it's too late.  The American isn't getting any younger, and almost daily his serve is getting slower.  Roddick seems to put too much pressure on himself...my advice is to work hard on his game, like always, and go out on the court and just worry about competing.  

I am going to post a new Poll on the site asking you guys if you think Stefanki will be a positive for Roddick...don't forget to vote.

Talk you soon...

Spain Wins Davis Cup

Hey all...first sorry for missing a day of doubles...but I know you guys aren't die hard doubles fans anyway.  Spain wins the Davis Cup.

Spain won the doubles point yesterday as Verdasco/Lopez beat Nalbandian/Calleri

5-7,7-5,7-6(5),6-3 to put Spain up 2-1.

Coming to the last day of singles...Del Potro had to pull out because of a leg injury. That left Jose Acasuso to pick up the spot...

There was also some drama on Spain's side, as Fernando Verdasco picked up David Ferrer's spot.  

So the stage was set...2 alternates playing each other with the Cup on the line.

Verdasco battled through in a 5 set victory, winning 6-1 in the 5Th to clinch the Davis Cup.  The last match of the day was slated to be Nalbandian/Lopez...but it is meaningless anyway.

I think everyone is a bit surprised of how badly Argentina collapsed, especially after that statement-like start by Nalbandian.  Rafa must be celebrating with the Spaniards...and the rest of the team must be relieved they got through it without him.  Congrats Spain, and along with that win the tennis season REALLY ends until the Aussie.

take care.

Davis Cup Day One

Hey everyone...Day 1 of the Davis Cup is over and leaves Spain and Argentina in a 1-1 tie.

Due to the new emergence of Del Potro as one of the big boys, and mix that with an injured Rafa nowhere in sight, Argentina looks poised to win.

Match 1 would strongly support Argentina's strength.  David Nalbandian dismantled Ferrer 3,2, and 3.  This match seemed like it would be about 7 hours, and barely lasted 2.  

So Nalbandian won, Lopez next played Del Potro...looks like a 2-0 lead for Argentina...not quite.

Lopez stepped up and upset Juan 4-6,7-6(2), 7-6(4), 6-3.  Leaving a critical doubles point tomorrow.  

Stay Tuned tomorrow for my first edition of Tiebreak's '08 and the results of the Davis Cup Doubles.

take care.

Tiebreak's '08 Series.

Hey everyone...I hope you are doing O.K. with your boredom without having any scores to check.  

Don't worry Davis Cup is very soon.  Another bright side is that a good challenger is going on right now in the US...it has Spadea, Dancevic, Ram, Russell and some other fairly common names in it.   Vince "I ain't afraid of ya" Spadea played Devvarman in the first round and won 7-6(7) ret. 

Devvarman, for those who don't know, is the former Virginia college player, who was basically unbeatable.  He will go down as one of the best college players ever, without a doubt.   So far, he has been pretty dominant in the pros as well, rising up the ranks in the challengers.  It is always interesting to see how monsters in the college game transition to the pros.  Below is a pic of Devvarman...

Anyway...I'm going to start a new series in my blog for the next week or two.  It's going to be called "Tiebreak's '08."(very original title)  It's going to be five parts...

-Biggest Duds of '08.

-Rising Stars of '08.

-Who's done.

-Best Slam in '08.

-Best Performance in '08.

As always, I'll keep you posted on Davis Cup results and some of the good challengers.  See you soon for Biggest Duds in '08...

Novak Wins.

In order to do my best not to be redundant, I don't have a picture today of Novak...considering I feel like he has been in a couple of the last few.

Novak wins the Tennis Master's Cup after blitzing Davydenko 7-5, 6-1.

To be honest, the match had no pulse up until 5-3 in the second set. Up to that point, Novak was simply making Nikolay look bad.

At 5-3 in the 2ND, Novak fought to get to 15-40 on Davydenko's serve...2 Championship points. Nikolay suddenly came alive and saved both...

At 5-4 Novak got down 15-40, and after missing a first serve, mocked the crowd for applauding in between serves...leading to a double fault to lose the game.

Once again Novak had to add a bitter taste to his victory...the crowd ALWAYS makes noise in between serves as the match gets closer...and Novak bounced the ball a good 17 times before missing that first serve, which is asking the crowd to get on his back.

At 5-5 Nikolay reverted back to the heartless, emotionless tennis we sometimes see from him, and got broken easily. Novak is too tough and good to get broken for the match twice...and sealed his first Masters Cup title. Congrats to Novak...had a fantastic year.

He finishes again at No. 3 in the world, and gains some needed momentum going into the off season.

The tennis season of '08 ends today(OK except Davis Cup)...fans everywhere will have to either watch the Tennis Channel reruns or follow the Challengers.

Now that the season is over, I'll start to cover more of the Challenger events and try and name some of those players to watch in the coming year.

STAY TUNED SOON FOR MY '08 IN REVIEW...

Also, I'll still be posting quite a bit, but might miss some days here and there if there is really nothing going on. Tip of the Weeks, Vocab, etc. will continue.
Comment me if there is anything you'd like me to write a blog about, and I'll do my best. Lastly a new poll should be up very soon...feel free to vote.

Take care...

Davydenko/Djokovic Final is set.

The Finals of the Master's Cup is all set.

We got to see a rematch of round robin play, a match that Djokovic squeaked by after getting crushed in the second set 6-0. Both men come in searching for their first Master's Cup final...and nothing tells us than it will be anything but a war. I'm expecting a 3 set nail-biter. I am going to predict Davydenko as the winner because I think..
1-It's tough to beat someone twice in a few days.
2-Davydenko has looked sharper and physically fresher.
3-This might be one of Nikolay's last chances to win this tournament...Novak has plenty.

Let me back track a bit and show you how they got to the finals...

RESULTS: DAVYDENKO DEFEATED MURRAY 7-5, 6-2.

So how would Murray respond after having 24 hrs to recover from an emotionally draining 3 hours epic against Fed. The short answer: not well. Murray looked tired and agitated throughout the whole match. However, that only tells half the story. Davydenko is playing some of the best tennis of his career. He is stalking the baseline and playing smart veteran tennis. Who knows maybe he got sick of being the unknown 5 in the world after all...

DJOKOVIC DEFEATED SIMON 4-6,6-3,7-5

This one was a roller coaster. The first two sets were both players trading blows and momentum. In the third Novak looked tired, even got treated for cramps at one point...yet always seems to move amazing for the rest of the match. I'm not questioning his integrity, I think he's always has and will be quick to pull the trainer trigger. With that said..he moved along in a gutty performance to seal his spot in the finals. Bravo to Simon who seemed to almost want it a little too much at the end of this match...he became more vocal than usual, and a bit tight. It will be very interesting to see how he responds next year, and see if he will be a norm in the top 10.

TV NEWS: Supposedly the tennis is not showing live in MSG +. The listings have it set for 1:30 P.M. E.T. to show the finals. If you're looking for it live, I would leave on MSG + in the morning, chances are they might show it.

Only one more match left in '08. Seems a bit sad...

PREDICTION: I think that Davydenko will control the points against Novak and wear him down over the course of the match. However, if Novak serves very well, I could see it being a long day for Nikolay.
Davydenko wins 6-2,3-6,6-3

See you after the final...

POLL RESULTS

Before I forget---->

The poll is closed, and you guys did well...you chose Davydenko to be the most likely semifinalist, although no one gave Simon much hope(who also made the semis).  

New poll should be up very soon...so keep checking and make sure you vote.  

Thanks everyone.

-Tiebreak

Instant Classic.

Wow.  Only one word seems to sum up the round robin match between Murray and Federer today...wow.

The blockbuster semifinal stage was set when Simon defeated Stepanek earlier in the day to put the pressure on Fed.  The stakes were simple, Fed wins and he is in the semis, he loses and he goes home.  

Murray stakes were much different, win or lose he was in the semis, he was only playing for a seed.  Someone forgot to tell Murray this information, because he played the match as if it was his last ever.  

Federer, revealing he had a stomach virus, was now fighting four opponents...Sickness, his hurt back, Murray, and his own errors.  

What happened over the next 3+ hours reminded us just how good Murray is, and just how huge of a champion Federer is.  

Murray defeated Federer 4-6,7-6(3),7-5.

1st set:  Murray started off slow, and Fed was hitting his spots, and raced to an early break.  The middle of the set was really when the tennis started to pick up and the Master Fed opened to a 6-4 lead.  

2ND set:  Murray pounced on a tired looking Fed to go up 5-2...leading to Fed breaking him back twice to even the set and send it into a breaker.  Murray played an almost flawless tiebreak to even the match at one set all.

AFTER THE 2ND SET FED CALLED FOR AN INJURY TIMEOUT TO TREAT HIS BACK.

3rd set:  The third set of this match was an epic.  The only match that seemed to come to mind was the Nadal/Fed Wimbledon final. (of course that match was still better)  Murray could have packed it in about 60 times in this match, but showed he wanted this match bad, and got it.  Say what you want about Federer showing no emotion, or being only a front runner, or not a huge heart.  Fed saved 7 match points in the third before finally giving in to Murray's relentless play.  Roger looked tired, sick, and hurt...and did something we're not always used to seeing from him: he played his absolute heart out.  Looking back, he will have no regrets, and tried as hard as he possibly could throughout the match.  Murray on the other hand showed that his mental toughness is no longer an issue, he is a rock on the court.  

The final outcome leaves the semifinal stage set and the highly unlikely Simon reaches the semis of his debut Master's Cup.  Fed goes home, and puts an end to the most disappointing year in a while for him.  

In a slightly less dramatic match Simon beat Stepanek 1 and 4 in a boring match.  

So we now go into the semis, and it's time for the last section of grades.  

Fed: A+ One of the best ever.

Murray: A++ Looks like he's going to be threatening for #1 very soon.

Novak: C Should have watched how Murray played the third set and hid his head after his tank against Tsonga.

Davydenko: B+ Dark Horse.

Tsonga: B Gave the crowd one more cheer for the year.

Del Potro: C- Just not quite ready for the big big boys yet.

Simon: A He is simply overachieving.  

Semifinal action is tomorrow.  

Novak/Simon and Murray/Davydenko....see you tomorrow.  

Davydenko Joins the Semis.

Day Five is in the books at the Master's Cup, and so is another semifinalist. Nikolay Davydenko fought his way into the semis, joining Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray. One more spot remains, and mathematically Federer, Simon, and Stepanek could all potentially make it to the semis. I'm getting ahead of myself, first results.

RESULTS: DAVYDENKO DEFEATED(ASSAULTED) DEL POTRO 6-3,6-2

This was just a beat down. Davydenko looked like the older, better, more consistent, and more mature player. Del Potro looked like he isn't quite ready to be top 5 this tournament, but should be a real threat next year, especially now that he has had a taste of the best. Davydenko on the other hand seals a semifinal spot. (AND MADE ONE OF MY "TENNIS PSYCHIC" PREDICTIONS COME TRUE...COME ON I HAD TO BRAG A LITTLE, I DON'T GET THEM RIGHT VERY OFTEN LATELY)

TSONGA DEFEATED NOVAK 1-6,7-5,6-1

Novak's game plan was pretty simple in this semi-meaningless match for him. Win easy, or lose. Yes this helps for seeding, but he was in the semis win or lose, and Tsonga was out regardless of his result. Tsonga was fighting for his life, no one likes to go win-less in a tournament. Novak came out blazing, and after a very entertaining second set, where both players were at the top of their game, Novak ended his round robin play. He stood out there for the third, but as soon as he went down a break, he decided to save his body for the semis and pack it in. Who knows, maybe he wanted to give Tsonga a win, sort of an early Christmas present. All that said, Novak moves on, and Tsonga flies home.

As I said before, Novak, Nikolay, and Andy Murray are all in the semis.

Fed plays Murray in a blockbuster match tomorrow for a chance at the semis, and Simon plays Stepanek (hopefully with his own rackets) for a chance at the semis.

The last spot will have to be won, and could very well come down to sets won and lost. Imagine a semifinal without Fed? It would feel very strange, and is a real possibility.

See you tomorrow for the last day of Round Robin play...

Day Four Recap.

Day Four was a bit odd at the Master's Cup.  To start, the worm joined the party.  By worm, of course, I mean  Radek Stepanek (world No.26) who got in to the tournament last second as an alternate.  How did this happen?  Well Andy Roddick rolled his ankle on the practice court (poor Andy...) and was forced to withdraw from the event.  What luck.

The blockbuster that was supposed to be Roddick/Fed turned into Stepanek/Fed...a slightly worse marquee match up.  

To keep the strange events going, Radek had no rackets with him (or socks for that matter) and had to borrow Novak Djokovic's racket, along with Andy Murray's socks.  

I think that says a lot about what the racket means....pros really CAN play with anything and be great.  

RESULTS: MURRAY DEFEATED(DESTROYED) SIMON 6-4,6-2.

Well Murray raced to a 4-0 lead after some unreal rallying, but Simon found a way into the match.  When he couldn't quite get all the way back and lost the set 6-4, the match ended.  Simon lost his patience and Murray just didn't miss.  This was a totally one sided affair that leaves Murray into the Semifinals.  Simon on the other better rebound quick because he is going to play Stepanek for a shot at the semis.

FEDERER DEFEATED STEPANEK 7-6, 6-4.

This one was fun almost all the way through.  Radek is a tough competitor and probably couldn't have played any better, even with his own racket.  Fed fought off a spirited first set, and hung tough in the second to put himself against Murray for a shot in the semis. 

 

Round 2 of play is over...time for grades.

 

FEDERER B+ He still wasn't himself, but won a match that could have gotten away.

 

NOVAK C+ Yea he did win, but when you lose a set (6-0)..I can't give better than a C+.

 

MURRAY A+ Looks almost unbeatable at the moment.

 

DAVYDENKO B Looks good, still has a nice chance at the semis.

 

RODDICK: OUT

 

TSONGA: C+ Just not playing the big points well enough.

 

DEL POTRO A- Hammering the ball, if he gets to the semis could be trouble.

 

SIMON C- Ran into a better version of himself(Murray).

 

STEPANEK A- Came out with no racket or socks and played his heart out.

 

Tomorrow is the last day for the GOLD GROUP ...should be a good one between...

Del Potro/Davydenko with the winner going to the semis.  

Day Three Recap.

Novak is off to the semis.

Day Two has great matches, and Day Three was more of the same.  Two highly competitive matches in the Gold Group left us all with a slightly less fuzzy version of the semifinals.  I got one comment about still not being able to find the matches on TV, and my advice is to turn on FSN, MSG +, or any other channel that looks like that 100 times a day to check.  Supposedly the matches are on everyday at 1...which has been false.  Today (in CT at least) the tennis came on at 5.  Be relentless with your remote, and you should find some tennis somewhere.  

RESULTS: 

DEL POTRO DEFEATED TSONGA 7-6(4),7-6(5)

This match had some serious emotion.  After a slow start for Tsonga, he caught fire and the shot making clinic began.  Both young players rifling balls to each other made for some great tennis.  Del Potro won simply because he hit as hard as Tsonga, for longer.  Somewhere late in the first set they showed match stats and that told the whole story...Del Potro had something like 4 winners and 5 errors, while Tsonga had something around 19 winners and 18 errors.  Tsonga was dictating play, but missing badly on a lot of big points(especially with the backhand).  

Tsonga was down an early break in the 2ND, but fought back with the help of a loose service game by Del Potro.  The later the match grew the more Tsonga got the crowd involved, and the tension grew.  The second set was destined for another tiebreak, and after incredible shots from both players, Del Potro won the match on his third match point.  

Tsonga drops to 0-2, making it 100% necessary for him to beat Djokovic if he wants a sniff to reach the semis.  

Del Potro improves to 1-1, putting him right in the mix.  

DJOKOVIC DEFEATED DAVYDENKO 7-6(3), 0-6, 7-5

Well this match was just plain weird.  After a semi-solid first set from both players, Davydenko fell apart a bit in the tiebreak, and double faulted twice, eventually losing it.  The second set should be kept on record to show how good Davydenko can be.  Usually if a top 3 player in the world loses a set 6-0, you think that either he tanked, or his name is Federer and he's playing Rafa on clay...but this was a case of Davydenko being in the zone.  It seemed like he didn't miss for a set, and was absolutely teeing off. 

The third set was a shaky start for both, but then the players calmed down and found their own rhythm.  Novak broke a 5-5, after a somewhat shaky game from Nikolay, and held serve at 40-30 to win the match, and put himself in a guaranteed position to make the semis at 2-0.  

The Red Group continues tomorrow with Fed trying to avoid an 0-2 start against Andy Roddick who is also trying to avoid an 0-2 start.  Both players will be fighting for their lives so it should be a good one, as it always is to see A-Rod try and solve Fed.

The other match is Simon/ Murray and the winner will put himself in terrific position to make the semis, with both standing now at 1-0.  

See you tomorrow for DAY FOUR. 

Simon Stuns Fed....Murray Takes Out Roddick.

Take a breath.

What a great day 2 at Shanghai today.  Two three set competitive matches, and one big upset.  The great thing about Round Robins are you get another chance (you hear me out there Fed and Roddick?) therefore, it's harder to get the big players out of the semis, considering they have more chances.  For the first time in a few years, I think this Master's Cup is wide open.  I could see any of the 8 player's getting hot and making a run for the title, which makes it very exciting to watch...

RESULTS: SIMON DEFEATED FED 4-6,6-4,6-3

In a pendulum-like match the momentum was everywhere.  After the first set, it looked like a routine Fed win, but after an array of errors, Simon found himself doing what he has done all year...getting balls back.  Simon is really becoming an amazing player, and is someone no one wants to play.  Fed looked off a bit the tighter the match got, which might have something to do with his back and not practicing much, but mostly because he simply hasn't played great in all of the big moments this year like we are all used to.  Fed seems to mishit A  LOT of balls.  This also puts Simon in a great position to qualify in a very tight red group that all 4 players will beat each other up in.  Fed has some serious work to do, and might very well have to run the gauntlet of Murray and Roddick to reach the semis.

MURRAY DEFEATED RODDICK 6-4, 1-6,6-1

Murray could be playing the best tennis of anyone right now.  This match also had it's moments, and you got the feel that it would be a dog fight in the third, and then you blinked and Murray was up 5-0.  It had to be disappointing for Roddick to fight to even things, and then get hammered in the third so badly.  Especially with A-Rod's serve, it's hard to imagine him losing sets 6-1, but perhaps that is a sign of how good Murray's return is.  The win puts Murray in a dominating position in the red group, and Roddick will have to conquer his demons and beat Federer(yes I know he did finally beat him again, but he is far from happy to play him.) to put himself in a good position to reach the semis.  

So the first group of round robins are done, and time for me to grade the players performances so far...

Fed: B-     I'll be lenient.  He had some flashes of Fed, just got outplayed most of the third.  Errors are still the big difference from the old fed to the now fed.  

Novak: A He played great, looks very sharp.

Murray: A- Played a solid match, had a bit of a hiccup in the second set, but bounced back quickly and put Roddick away.

Davydenko: B+ Was grinding as usual.

Tsonga: C+ Looked dangerous, but inconsistent.

Del Potro: C This was the biggest disappointment for me.  He seemed a bit overwhelmed by the moment and Novak's game.

Simon: A+ Showed huge heart in his first victory.  It's not often you see a guy pull of an upset after losing the first set...that takes some serious mental toughness.

That's it for today...GOLD GROUP ACTION TOMORROW.

TAKE CARE

DAY ONE

Del Potro was left looking to the heavens for answers against a sharp Djokovic.
Day one is history in Shanghai...

RESULTS: NOVAK DEFEATED DEL POTRO 7-5, 6-3

Well this results was surprising to a lot of people.  Del Potro came in on fire, and Novak seemed to be struggling.  Let's not all forget how good Novak is..as much as it might feel a bit like it, this is FAR from an upset.  I think everyone thought it would be a war...which turned out to be a dud.  Novak controlled this all the way through.  Juan broke back in the first set and made everyone get excited...but Novak quickly put out that fire and comfortably earned his first win ever in the Masters Cup.  The good news is he won, the even better news is that he looks very sharp.

DAVYDENKO DEFEATED TSONGA 6-7(6-8), 6-4, 7-6(7-0)

Perfect timing for Davydenko to have this sort of win after my article on him.  This was full of grit.  He clawed his way form a set down, weathered the Tsonga storm, and even mentally bounced back from being up a break in the 3rd and giving it back.  When the third set breaker came...Tsonga had enough of Nikolay.  He made a bunch of errors to give Davydenko a lead, and Davydenko played rock solid for 7 points.  Experience won this match, and Nikolay, once again, moves along.  The good news for Tsonga is that he played well, and looks very dangerous on these courts.  

It was a good day of tennis...although I must admit finding it on TV is like trying to find the Holy Grail.  ATP tennis says it is on FSN, however it seems that FSN has a millions brother channels (MSG, MSG PLUS, FSNY,FSNESPANOL, AND ANY OTHER FSN YOU CAN THINK OF) so who knows what channel it was really on today.  Hopefully I'll have better luck tomorrow.  Comment if anyone else had trouble finding it today, and I'll try and help resolve it with you as best as I can.  

Tomorrow shows Fed open up action against Simon, as well as the blockbuster match up of Roddick vs Murray.  

See you all tomorrow for the Day Two recap....also don't forget to vote on my new poll.

Good luck channel surfing.