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.