2025 ATP General News

[MargaretMcAleer]

I cant see Matteo getting out of this match, Draper has been running him all over the court and winning more points from the back of the court
Draper leads 4-1 3rd set, looks like Matteo has run out of gas, his first serve is keeping him winning some points

Draper wins 46 64 63

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

ATP500 Doha,
SFs, Friday 21st February,
Not before 6pm local time,

Draper (8) vs Lehecka
Rublev (5) vs FAA

 

[mrzz]

ATP500 Doha,
SFs, Friday 21st February,
Not before 6pm local time,

Draper (8) vs Lehecka
Rublev (5) vs FAA

My favorites, in order:

1) Rublev/FAA (absolute tie)
3) Lehecka
4) Event of mass extinction
5) Jack the Cheater

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

My favorites, in order:

1) Rublev/FAA (absolute tie)
3) Lehecka
4) Event of mass extinction
5) Jack the Cheater

I thought you would put Rublev first, good to see him back in a SF, a confidence booster, though FAA has had 1 walkover and Meddy retired in his match against FAA, completing 1 set, due to food poisoning, to get to the SF
Personally I would like to see a Rublev v Lehecka final

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Seb Korda withdraws from Mexican Open in Acapulco, Korda also withdrew from the Rotterdam Open earlier this month, although did not reveal the reason, a recurrence of a setback related to his elbow injury seems the likely cause

 

[El Dude]

Rublev vs. FAA is the battle of failed auditions for my favorite post-Federer player.

 

[Jelenafan]

Rublev vs. FAA is the battle of failed auditions for my favorite post-Federer player.

But hey, you haven’t “given up” on either player… ; )

 

[mrzz]

I thought you would put Rublev first,

Well, there was indeed some sort of wishful thinking in that post. You saw through me, though.

 

[PhiEaglesfan712]

The Draper-Lehecka winner is going to win the final. FAA-Rublev is going to be a very ugly match (just see the 2024 Madrid Final). Avoid watching if you can. Neither player has the stones to win in a final. The Draper/Lehecka winner is going to run circles around the FAA/Rublev winner in the final.

 

[mrzz]

The Draper-Lehecka winner is going to win the final. FAA-Rublev is going to be a very ugly match (just see the 2024 Madrid Final). Avoid watching if you can. Neither player has the stones to win in a final. The Draper/Lehecka winner is going to run circles around the FAA/Rublev winner in the final.

Last time Draper faced FAA he had to cheat to win. But, yeah, he would do that again.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Why do they put womens and mens SF matches on at the same time? madness
The match between Rublev v FAA has just begun, Rublev holds a 5-1 H2H over FAA.
Rublev with a 'bullet like return' and FAA fhand wide
Rublev 1st set 75

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

FAA broke early in the 2nd set, his serve working well, mixing it up with good placement, also body serve not allowing Rublev to get cuts on the ball
More aggressive play as well, bhand working well
FAA wins the 2nd set 64
Going 3
BTW Rublev taken some pills, has rushed to the toilet twice so far in the match, Meddy had to retire in his match yesterday after the 1st set, due to food poisoning., though Rublev appears to be okay.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

FAA will serve to force a TB for the 3rd set

My God what a volley from Rublev which is his not favorite part of the court!
Fhand winner from Rublev with MP, hell he got the ball he wanted and fhand wide, he laughed it off good to see
BHand winner from FAA and it will be a TB, which is a good outcome for this match, which has been a good competitive match
Rublev with 1 MP remaining!
Rublev delivers in Doha in a match that went 2 hours and 30mins, a rollercoster TB, a tough loss from FAA a couple of misses in the TB
Rublev d FAA 75 46 76(5)!, Rublev extends his H2H against FAA 6-1
Mrzz well at least I got one player correct to the final

 

[the AntiPusher]

FAA will serve to force a TB for the 3rd set

My God what a volley from Rublev which is his not favorite part of the court!
Fhand winner from Rublev with MP, hell he got the ball he wanted and fhand wide, he laughed it off good to see
BHand winner from FAA and it will be a TB, which is a good outcome for this match, which has been a good competitive match
Rublev with 1 MP remaining!
Rublev delivers in Doha in a match that went 2 hours and 30mins, a rollercoster TB, a tough loss from FAA a couple of misses in the TB
Rublev d FAA 75 46 76(5)!, Rublev extends his H2H against FAA 6-1
Mrzz well at least I got one player correct to the final

FAA doesnt follow the format vs the big hairded dude.. you have to put your foot on his throat and make him uncomfortable. He has the game but not the will to kill!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

FAA doesnt follow the format vs the big hairded dude.. you have to put your foot on his throat and make him uncomfortable. He has the game but not the will to kill!

This is the best I have seen FAA play in sometime,, the TB was a roller coaster, just a couple of misses, it could have gone either way

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Jiri with a BP with a block return and Draper fhand wide
Jiri will serve for the 1st set 5-3
Jiri Brain Fail with the dropper from the baseline? and you knew it
Good focus saving BPs his serve out wide saving him in his service game, used it well against Alcaraz yesterday
Jiri 63 1st set

 

[El Dude]

But hey, you haven’t “given up” on either player… ; )

Ha. Well, Rublev has - in the larger context of things - had an excellent career. He's won two Masters (so far), which has done by only 86 players. 86 sounds like a lot, but it isn't, really.

FAA is resurging a bit. Two minor titles and playing better overall. I don't think he'll ever be what I hoped he'd be, but still think he has a good chance of winning a Masters or two.

 

[the AntiPusher]

This is the best I have seen FAA play in sometime,, the TB was a roller coaster, just a couple of misses, it could have gone either way

He is the polar opposite of Rublev aka the big haired dude.. None of the top ten players play against Rublev the way Felix does.. Felix did play well but just well enough to give his opponent life on the big points! IMO

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

He is the polar opposite of Rublev aka the big haired dude.. None of the top ten players play against Rublev the way Felix does.. Felix did play well but just well enough to give his opponent life on the big points! IMO

As you know, usually the player that plays the Big Points well, in a tight match, usually will win the match

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

This 2nd set between Jiri and Jack has become a bit messy back to back breaks midway through the 2nd set
Jack with DFs and Jiri with ufe on his volley's, usually quite sound on his volleys, though Jack has been putting balls in difficult spots on the court
4 games all, 2nd set.