Tom
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Post by Tom on Jun 2, 2015 13:31:43 GMT 1
Murray through to quarters in 4 tough sets against Jeremy Chardy. Playing well in patches and his matches with David Ferrer whom he now meets are always close but on clay even though he is the better player in general I expect Ferrer to come through. Only a short while ago it would have been unthinkble for Djokovich and Nadal to meet as early as a quarter final. Good summary. Mixed performance from Murray, but considering I would have been a bit surprised to see him win in 3 sets, thought it would be 4 possibly even 5, simply a case of getting the job done. Not expecting him to beat Ferrer either.
Here's a little game for everyone
graphics.wsj.com/quiz/?slug=murray&standalone=1
It's harder than you think - I only got 4 out of 11!
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Post by rubcale on Jun 2, 2015 17:45:58 GMT 1
Murray through to quarters in 4 tough sets against Jeremy Chardy. Playing well in patches and his matches with David Ferrer whom he now meets are always close but on clay even though he is the better player in general I expect Ferrer to come through. Only a short while ago it would have been unthinkble for Djokovich and Nadal to meet as early as a quarter final. Good summary. Mixed performance from Murray, but considering I would have been a bit surprised to see him win in 3 sets, thought it would be 4 possibly even 5, simply a case of getting the job done. Not expecting him to beat Ferrer either.
Here's a little game for everyone
graphics.wsj.com/quiz/?slug=murray&standalone=1
It's harder than you think - I only got 4 out of 11!
Ashamed to admit it but I only got 3!
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Post by rubcale on Jun 3, 2015 19:25:59 GMT 1
Stunning victory from Murray over Ferrer to reach the French semis.
The first set may very well have been the key - it was all over the place - 6 breaks of serve. Murray looked to have thrown the initiative away when he was broken serving at 5-4 but played a good tie-break winning it 7-4 then he was on cruise control as he romped through the second set 6-2.
He inched his way to victory in the third and at 5-4 held a match point. At least he didn't "lose" it rather Ferrer played a brilliant shot. Murray then had a reaction and tamely lost his next serve and then the set 7-5.
I must admit at that stage my heart was in my mouth and I thought it was curtains - the momentum had swung.
However in the 4th set Murray was superb, back on cruise control and taking it and the match 6-1, his first ever victory over Ferrer on clay.
Now for Djokovich who looks to be a man on a mission - victory here would give him the career slam. He completely outplayed Nadal who it has to be said is only a shadow of the player he once was on clay.
It will be interesting to see if Andy can hold it together. Since his implosion in the third set of the Aussie final a similar thing has happened in the few matches he has played against Djokovich although Andy is playing the best clay court tennis of his life.
I honestly don't think he has much chance of winning but then I thought Ferrer would beat him reasonably handily today so here's hoping.
Late dinner today but the family has been very forebearing!
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Tom
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Post by Tom on Jun 4, 2015 17:37:30 GMT 1
Stunning victory from Murray over Ferrer to reach the French semis. The first set may very well have been the key - it was all over the place - 6 breaks of serve. Murray looked to have thrown the initiative away when he was broken serving at 5-4 but played a good tie-break winning it 7-4 then he was on cruise control as he romped through the second set 6-2. He inched his way to victory in the third and at 5-4 held a match point. At least he didn't "lose" it rather Ferrer played a brilliant shot. Murray then had a reaction and tamely lost his next serve and then the set 7-5. I must admit at that stage my heart was in my mouth and I thought it was curtains - the momentum had swung. However in the 4th set Murray was superb, back on cruise control and taking it and the match 6-1, his first ever victory over Ferrer on clay. Now for Djokovich who looks to be a man on a mission - victory here would give him the career slam. He completely outplayed Nadal who it has to be said is only a shadow of the player he once was on clay. It will be interesting to see if Andy can hold it together. Since his implosion in the third set of the Aussie final a similar thing has happened in the few matches he has played against Djokovich although Andy is playing the best clay court tennis of his life. I honestly don't think he has much chance of winning but then I thought Ferrer would beat him reasonably handily today so here's hoping. Late dinner today but the family has been very forebearing! One thing in Murray's favour is that Djokovic doesn't like hot weather and it's forecast to be in the mid 30s C tomorrow (which seems unusually warm for the French Open but probably isn't). The 2013 Wimbledon final was a hot day and we know what happened there...
I expect Djokovic to win, he's got to win the tournament from here, but if Murray wins the first set then it could be a classic.
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Pablo
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Post by Pablo on Jun 6, 2015 2:32:18 GMT 1
I got 7 Shame the rain came when it expected, hopefully whoever wins the semi shouldn't take too long to finish the match. Think Djokovic will win it though.
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Post by Shireblogger on Jun 6, 2015 8:06:54 GMT 1
8 out of 11 for me. I just went for the opposite answer to the one if it had been me making that expression ! It's been an excellent clay court season for Murray, regardless of what happens this afternoon. I hope he carries this form and fitness into Wimbledon.
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Tom
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Post by Tom on Jun 6, 2015 9:33:18 GMT 1
I got 7 Shame the rain came when it expected, hopefully whoever wins the semi shouldn't take too long to finish the match. Think Djokovic will win it though. Welcome back and nice score too
Before the match I thought if it went to 5 sets there was no way the match would finish, I actually expected the rain to come earlier, from looking at various forecasts it looked like there was a chance of rain anytime from 2pm onwards, with the likelihood building up as the day went on. During the match I was fearing Murray may lose before it came though!
Ideally I'd like Murray to win without dropping another game, but obviously that isn't going to happen! I'd like it to go to 5 sets for two reasons, Murray would have made it more competitive, and even if Djokovic does win (which I expect him too, not even sure he'll lose the 4th set either) it would make the final against Wawrinka very interesting. I haven't watched a final for years but i'm already intrigued enough to watch some of it tomorrow.
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Tom
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Post by Tom on Jun 6, 2015 9:42:41 GMT 1
8 out of 11 for me. I just went for the opposite answer to the one if it had been me making that expression ! It's been an excellent clay court season for Murray, regardless of what happens this afternoon. I hope he carries this form and fitness into Wimbledon. Assuming he loses today i'm hopeful he can go at least a round further than last year with the extra week of the grass court season. Although i'm wary of him potentially drawing Nadal (think it would probably be in the last 16). I might change my mind in a few weeks but I genuinely haven't ruled out Nadal reaching the final at Wimbledon. His earliest exit at RG for 6 years, an extra week on the grass, and apparently he's playing in Stuttgart next week (along with Queens the following week). He really hasn't got any excuses not to be fully prepared for Wimbledon this year.
Laura Robson news, and you might be disappointed in this depending on when you were going to be there, she's turned down a wildcard into Nottingham next week. 1 opportunity down, 2 more to go...
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Pablo
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Post by Pablo on Jun 6, 2015 12:36:28 GMT 1
Heather Watson has pulled out of Nottingham as well
Of course, the longer the semi final match goes, the happier Serena will be with her flu bug and her "lack" of prep for the final.
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Tom
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Post by Tom on Jun 6, 2015 17:42:43 GMT 1
Heather Watson has pulled out of Nottingham as well Of course, the longer the semi final match goes, the happier Serena will be with her flu bug and her "lack" of prep for the final. Missed that about Heather but it doesn't surprise me that it's because of an elbow injury. I didn't see it but apparently she had strapping for it for both her singles against Sloane Stephens and her doubles match the day before. Hopefully it's just precautionary as she was on Clare Balding's show last night and looked to be fine so hoped she might be playing next week. This is the advantage of the extra week, players can miss a week and not feel like they're missing out too much. It still gives her Birmingham and Eastbourne to get some matches in and both are bigger events this year. Birmingham is now a WTA Premier and Eastbourne is now a 48 draw with the men moving to Nottingham (also a 48 draw). With Surbiton returning, Nottingham getting its ATP event back and Eastbourne now being a standalone WTA event it's like going back in time! So I presume the Eastbourne/Nottingham draw sizes are similar to how they used to be.
Disappointing today from Andy even if he did take it to a 5th set but not altogether surprising, the conditions favoured Djokovic. Once that disappointment subsides (he may kick himself for the way he lost focus at the end of the first set) he should be pleased to have come back from 2 sets down to take the match into a fifth set. Been a decent tournament overall for him, that first clay win against Ferrer and defended his points from last year which I didn't think he would.
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Post by rubcale on Jun 7, 2015 17:32:17 GMT 1
The tennis on resumption to Andy taking the 4th set was stunning with Andy deservedly coming out on top.
But another "implosion" is worrying. After missing the fleeting chance he had of breaking Djokovich in the first game of the fs he went to pot in particular his serve.
Even Jelena Jankovich's second serve was better!
Felt a bit sorry for Lucie Safarova yesterday although I am a Serena fan. She couldn't hold it when the crucnch came.
I'm glad to see her beginning to fulfill her potential now even if it is late in her career.
I'll never forget her 3rd round match with Jankovich at Wimbledon back in 2007 - it was one of the best women's matches I have ever seen but being in an early round didn't get the attention.
The two girls went hell for leather, battering the ball, using the four corners of the court and running till the cows came home - absolutely breathtaking.
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Post by Panda on Jun 7, 2015 17:38:32 GMT 1
Murray through to quarters in 4 tough sets against Jeremy Chardy. Playing well in patches and his matches with David Ferrer whom he now meets are always close but on clay even though he is the better player in general I expect Ferrer to come through. Only a short while ago it would have been unthinkble for Djokovich and Nadal to meet as early as a quarter final. Good summary. Mixed performance from Murray, but considering I would have been a bit surprised to see him win in 3 sets, thought it would be 4 possibly even 5, simply a case of getting the job done. Not expecting him to beat Ferrer either.
Here's a little game for everyone
graphics.wsj.com/quiz/?slug=murray&standalone=1
It's harder than you think - I only got 4 out of 11!
6/11 - though I eventually decided on just picking whichever one it looked less like...
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Post by rubcale on Jun 9, 2015 17:37:56 GMT 1
8 out of 11 for me. I just went for the opposite answer to the one if it had been me making that expression ! It's been an excellent clay court season for Murray, regardless of what happens this afternoon. I hope he carries this form and fitness into Wimbledon. Although i'm wary of him potentially drawing Nadal (think it would probably be in the last 16).
Even with the special Wimbledon seeding formula Nadal will be no lower than #12 so earliest meeting with Murray would be quarters - last 16 #s 9-12 play #s 5-8.
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Tom
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Post by Tom on Jun 9, 2015 20:57:17 GMT 1
Although i'm wary of him potentially drawing Nadal (think it would probably be in the last 16).
Even with the special Wimbledon seeding formula Nadal will be no lower than #12 so earliest meeting with Murray would be quarters - last 16 #s 9-12 play #s 5-8. Ah, couldn't work out who the seeds just outside the top 8 played at the last 16 stage, so took a bit of a guess at it!
Kinda wish i'd gone to Surbiton today, plenty of interesting matches involving Brits (and James McGee the Irishman). Tomorrow is probably interesting too.
McGee won from a set down, saving a few match points in a marathon 2nd set tiebreak. He's seeded 8th so could get to the latter stages. James Ward, second seed, lost 6-2 6-4 to Brydan Klein In the race for the 2nd Davis Cup place between him and Kyle Edmund for me he starts 3-0 up after his win against Isner from 2 sets down in the last tie, but it's just as well that Kyle isn't playing at Surbiton.. Josh Milton won by retirement in another all Brit match against Ed Corrie, break up in 2nd set having lost the first. That was a match i'd have expected Corrie to have won. Yesterday David Rice, a surprising pick for a wildcard, beat a player just outside the Top 200 (but on the up). Not bad for someone ranked in the 400s!
In Nottingham, Jo Konta's match never got started yesterday after rain and then the court being dangerous. Played today and beat the 7th seed Rybarikova, ranked 59 (although past her best) 6-3 6-3! As someone who follows JoKo outside the slams I wouldn't say her winning was a surprise, but superb scoreline for someone ranked 147 and probably one of her better tour wins.
Planning to post a results roundup for the Brits at the French Open, week 1 and the junior girls, in the next couple of weeks, but we shall see if it actually happens..
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Tom
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Post by Tom on Jun 11, 2015 12:54:40 GMT 1
Felt a bit sorry for Lucie Safarova yesterday although I am a Serena fan. She couldn't hold it when the crucnch came. I'm glad to see her beginning to fulfill her potential now even if it is late in her career. I'll never forget her 3rd round match with Jankovich at Wimbledon back in 2007 - it was one of the best women's matches I have ever seen but being in an early round didn't get the attention. The two girls went hell for leather, battering the ball, using the four corners of the court and running till the cows came home - absolutely breathtaking. You may be interested to know that Safarova is halfway to completing the calender slam in the women’s doubles with Mattek-Sands. Not bad for a pairing that had never played together before the Australian Open. Watched Konta v Puig online last night. Mixed first set, she went an early break down after some classy play by Puig but when she broke Puig back when serving for the set at 5-3 I thought she was playing very well. But she then produced an awful game to be broken to love to lose the set 6-4. Second set she stepped up a level and Puig’s dropped as she took the set 6-4. At that point play was suspended at one set all at 8.45pm, understandable as they were never going to finish the match if it went to a third set - blame the previous match for that as one player had match points at 5-4 in the second set but ended up losing 7-5 in a final set! Had JoKo served out at the first attempt at 5-2 it would have been interesting to see if they had carried on. At that point I thought they would. Think the overnight break slightly favours Puig.
Judy Murray has said she expects Laura to be playing qualifying at Birmingham and Eastbourne. With Wimbledon in mind I think she needs to be qualifying at Birmingham (with Naomi Broady having qualified in the past, teenager Katy Dunne also did last year too), though I may have underestimated the strength of it this year. With the tournament having been upgraded and a week later this year it may have a stronger entry than it has done in the past. Eastbourne will be a more difficult task simply because it has a stronger field. I struggle to think of Brits that have qualified there in the past, I think Keothavong did one year at her peak and Bally may have done too, but can’t think of any others, and it would be asking too much imo for Laura to be playing at that level in only her second tournament back. It may raise expectations that with a kind draw she’s capable of winning a match on her Wimbledon return, let’s not get too carried away! Judy also vindicated Heather’s decision to withdraw from Nottingham this week, saying it’s quite a long run-up to Wimbledon now and by playing each week and doing well there’s a very good chance you will be tired so you need to choose your schedule quite carefully. Hope the Brits in form atm don’t burn themselves out by the time Wimbledon (main draw and qualifying) comes around.
Looked like a great day at Surbiton yesterday with lots of interesting matches. Today looks almost as good. Hmm…
More on that later in the week.
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Tom
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Post by Tom on Jun 11, 2015 18:33:49 GMT 1
JoKo won the final set 7-5 on a tiebreak
From following it on the live score at the end and reading other bits from before that, other than losing the break she made in the very first game of the day, just about the perfect set from her. Saved a couple of breakpoints to go 2-0 up before being broken to love for 4-4. She served really well in her final two service games, couple of aces, and a love hold to take it into a tiebreak where she was pretty clinical. Got the mini break on the very first point and it went with serve until 6-4 when she squandered a match point when serving for it. Thankfully it didn't matter as she duly took the next against serve to clinch the win. Next up she plays Nicolescu who was involved in the epic match before her yesterday. Doesn't look the worst draw at first sight and if she can serve as well as she did today then I fancy her chances of going further.
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Post by Shireblogger on Jun 13, 2015 11:42:00 GMT 1
Shirebloggess and I had a thoroughly enjoyable day at the Nottingham Open yesterday. First up, Johanna Konta's exciting match against Monica Niculescu. Once she settled down, Konta played very well. Huge variety of shots during the 3 sets, and a closer match than the eventual score suggested (6-2 2-6 6-2 to Niculescu). Then Agnieszka Radwanska demolishing Lauren Davis. Radwanska really is a powerful, merciless player. Having been a little bored by Alison Riske versus Yanina Wickmayer, I went off to an outer court to watch Jocelyn Rae and Anna Smith cruise to a surprisingly easy doubles victory to put them into the semi-finals. They really did play well, and I'd like to see them earn a spot at Wimbledon. Photos of Konta, Radwanska and Rae/Smith...
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Post by rubcale on Jun 13, 2015 11:54:40 GMT 1
Laura Robson postpones her return again and will not play at the Aegon Classic.
This season is already a washout as it takes a player a long time to regain their form.
Overall the situation DOES NOT LOOK GOOD.
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Tom
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Post by Tom on Jun 14, 2015 11:51:37 GMT 1
Laura Robson postpones her return again and will not play at the Aegon Classic. This season is already a washout as it takes a player a long time to regain their form. Overall the situation DOES NOT LOOK GOOD. She hasn't yet ruled out playing at Eastbourne, presumably in the qualifying. And she's confirmed in the Wimbledon doubles with Madison Keys, which with Keys power game is an interesting combination. I like the sound of that, gets to play at Wimbledon but in a low key no pressure event, so all isn't quite lost yet
Katie Swan has a wildcard into Edgbaston this coming week which is exciting news. She showed a lot of fight in the French Open juniors to reach the third round. Just on that fight alone I can see reaching the Top 150 minimum and she's only 16 and I've not seen her play yet. With Katy Dunne getting a wildcard into Nottingham I think they're looking for at least one of them to put their case forward to be considered for a main draw Wimbledon wildcard as without Laura the options are really thin on the ground (the only others really under consideration being Konta and Naomi Broady). Dunne got thrashed by Govortsova (who then somehow lost to Nicolescu despite having match points in the 2nd set), so I don't see her getting one when she's barely Top 300. Think it might be a bit too soon for Swan, save it for next year after she's won the juniors (the juniors comment is tongue in cheek just for the record, but wouldn't be that surprised if she did get one next year, especially if Konta is Top 100 by then), but it will be very interesting to see how she gets on.
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Tom
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Post by Tom on Jun 14, 2015 12:56:59 GMT 1
Shireblogger
Was wondering whether you would be there this week, did ask but you didn't get back to me. Good job you went on Friday, because as I expected having looked at the forecast it doesn't seem as though there was any play yesterday at all. The forecast for today doesn't look good either so they may possibly have to finish the tournament indoors to get it all completed on schedule. Will you be there for the men's event?
You beat me to it about Konta's match, was going to post about that yesterday morning but didn't get round to it. Switched on just in time to see Konta lose the first set. I underestimated Nicolescu, hadn't realised she was 61 in the world (career high 28 Feb 2012) so it was a tougher match than I first thought. She's an unorthodox player with her slices and facial expressions. She does move well though so she stays in points that others wouldn't with her slice helping. There's no doubt to me she was playing above her ranking in the match. Konta didn't serve well, with no aces and 5 double faults, but it's a testament to how good her groundstrokes were that she made it as competitive as it was lasting 2 hr 21 in the end. The key game in the match was at 3-2 in the second set, numerous break points saved in a marathon game, had she lost it i'm not sure she'd have won that set. Overall, really enjoyed Konta's performance, think she's had a good forehand before (it may be her favourite shot), but her rallying, volleys and backhand all seem better than I remember.
On another note, having seen Nottingham purely online a couple of years ago (rather than online/TV this time), it was interesting to note possible differences 2 years on with the tournament now being a tour event. It's not easy to judge as last time it was a fixed camera position opposite the main road whereas this time with the TV coverage there were multiple cameras and also the main position was at the opposite end, but the stands looked bigger than before. It didn't look particularly busy for Konta's 2nd round match (part 1) on Weds evening, and apparently the attendances had been very poor on the first couple of days, but on Friday it looked a good crowd with people turning up all the time. Could have seen you without realising it!
Almost forgot, Rae/Smith will definitely be at Wimbledon, there'd be serious questions asked if they weren't given a wildcard as our joint no 1 women's doubles players! (and our Fed Cup doubles team as of 2015). They're not actually too far off direct entry, if the cut off point has already gone then I'm not sure they'll make it, but if it's in the next couple of weeks they might just sneak in.
Surbiton stuff will have to wait for another time...
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