ATP 500, Basel, Switzerland

[britbox]

Swiss Indoors
Basel, Switzerland
October 26 - November 1, 2015
Surface: Hard
Prize Money: 1,575,295 Euros

Federer, Wawrinka, Nadal, Raonic, Gasquet, Dimitrov, Gulbis and Thiem headline the event.

 

[ClayDeath]

roger is the top seed.

I think I have to go with roger in this event. the surface suits his game and he is playing in his backyard.

he has the home court advantage.

 

[Moxie]

Yes, CD, and Roger has a pretty nice draw.  Lots of big servers, but he handles them well, Gulbis who is a non-factor this year, and Goffin, who is having a good year, and is clever, as a potential SF, but nothing that says "land mine," especially at home, and on indoor hards.  Wawrinka anchors the bottom, but, if I may speak to Nadal's draw, it's very tough.  Rosol to start off, potentially Dimitrov (pfft), Cilic (who just won Moscow,) then Wawrinka.  And then to get Roger in a final, inshallah, on the one surface where Roger has dominated between the two, and in a bad year for Nadal.  So good chance Rafa doesn't make it that far.  Wawrinka's path isn't terrible, so most likely a battle of the two Swiss for the title.

 

[britbox]

Nadal will resume hostilities with Lukas Rosol.  Will lightning strike twice?

 

[Moxie]

Nadal will resume hostilities with Lukas Rosol. Will lightning strike twice?

Nope, but it was close.  Rosol was executing his game in the first, serving something like 80%, while Nadal's FSP was low, in the 40s, I think.  Lukas cooled off a bit in the 2nd, even with the early break.  He served for it at 5-4, but nerves and Rafa go to him, and Rafa broke to take the 2nd 7-5.  Then he won 7 games in a row, but Rosol got back in, and Rafa had to beat him in the TB, where Rosol had the early mini-break.  Rosol gifted some points with UFEs, but so did Nadal...some really uncharacteristic ones.  But, in the end, the tougher player won, and Rosol showed why he's no more successful than he is.

 

[britbox]

Is it fair to say Rosol choked?

I didn't see the match but from what I've read he had the match on his racquet and blew it...

 

[Moxie]

Is it fair to say Rosol choked? I didn’t see the match but from what I’ve read he had the match on his racquet and blew it…

I figured you didn't see it, that's why I gave you a little summary. He was 2 points away on his serve in the 2nd, so yes, in a way.  I do think you have to consider the opponent, too.  He DF'd on set point against in that set, so you have to say he was being pressured.  If he'd been playing someone more around his ranking and talent, you would definitely say he choked it away.  But he can only keep his level and intensity up for so long, and he already had his shot at holding his nerve against Rafa for a long match.  It was Rafa who nearly blew it, too, when he had 4-1 in the 3rd.  It's not so unusual for a lesser player to get close only to have no cigar in the end.  If Nadal had lost it in the 3rd, that would have been a big choke.  Rosol just wasn't as good in the 2nd and 3rd as he was in the first, and Rafa was better than he'd started out.

 

[britbox]

britbox wrote:
Is it fair to say Rosol choked? I didn’t see the match but from what I’ve read he had the match on his racquet and blew it…

I figured you didn’t see it, that’s why I gave you a little summary. He was 2 points away on his serve in the 2nd, so yes, in a way. I do think you have to consider the opponent, too. He DF’d on set point against in that set, so you have to say he was being pressured. If he’d been playing someone more around his ranking and talent, you would definitely say he choked it away. But he can only keep his level and intensity up for so long, and he already had his shot at holding his nerve against Rafa for a long match. It was Rafa who nearly blew it, too, when he had 4-1 in the 3rd. It’s not so unusual for a lesser player to get close only to have no cigar in the end. If Nadal had lost it in the 3rd, that would have been a big choke. Rosol just wasn’t as good in the 2nd and 3rd as he was in the first, and Rafa was better than he’d started out.

I agree with a large part of this - the top players earn that pressure gauge.

But, this was a pretty horrendous volley at 30-15.

https://vine.co/v/eYh21r5HeMI

 

[Moxie]

As I said, Nadal made some uncharacteristic errors.  He was edgy most of the match.  He dumped shots he would normally make, and hit a couple of smashes straight back at Rosol...and he has one of the best smashes in tennis.  But I will say that talent generally finds a way out, and Rosol is overmatched v. Nadal, no matter how much he has a game that can trouble him.

EDIT:  LOL, I assumed you were showing one of Rafa's gaffs.  Rosol pulled some boners, too.  I said there were a lot of UFEs on both sides.

 

[Billie]

A little bit of choking on Rosol's part, looks like to me.  But that happens often in matches.  And usually the better players, the higher ranked players escape some unfortunate situations because, well, they are better at sustaining pressure.    It's actually amazing how tennis can be cruel, so close to victory, but so far away.  Good fight from Rafa.  I was checking the scores and I thought when he was down 1:3 in the 2nd that he might lose.

Federer is up tomorrow vs Kukushkin, not the easiest 1st round.  And look Gulbis vs Isner again. B-)

 

[ClayDeath]

Is it fair to say Rosol choked? I didn’t see the match but from what I’ve read he had the match on his racquet and blew it…

I could not even get myself to watch the highlights. I cant bear to see him play at these pathetic levels.

 

this is the man who made 5 Wimbledon finals. he has managed to reduce himself to pushing the bloody ball.

 

he can play on quicker courts. I don't know why he has done this to himself.

rosol should have been able to take this match and I thought he would long before it was played.

 

 

 

 

[ClayDeath]

rosol took the first set in just 23 minutes and lost just 1 point on his first serve.

 

this man is ranked #69 in the world if I am not mistaken.

 

[Moxie]

britbox wrote:
Is it fair to say Rosol choked? I didn’t see the match but from what I’ve read he had the match on his racquet and blew it…

I could not even get myself to watch the highlights. I cant bear to see him play at these pathetic levels. this is the man who made 5 Wimbledon finals. he has managed to reduce himself to pushing the bloody ball. he can play on quicker courts. I don’t know why he has done this to himself. rosol should have been able to take this match and I thought he would long before it was played.

If you didn't even watch the highlights, I'm not sure you get to talk about the level he was playing at.  And Rosol didn't win the match...so much for that prediction.  Even Mastoor is pointing out to you that Nadal is making progress playing more inside the baseline, and he doesn't really like Rafa.  Perhaps you should reconsider your narrative, and actually just watch the tennis.

 

[Billie]

I see that Fed had a hard time with Kukushkin LOL

Isner got his revenge on Gulbis,  Richie won as well as Dimitrov.

So tomorrow these could be interesting:  Anderson vs Coric, Dr Ivo vs Stan, Dimitrov vs Rafa and 2 Americans Kudla vs Sock.

 

 

[Moxie]

I like Anderson, but I'll be pulling for young Coric.  Additionally, for Stan, Jack, and, of course, Rafa.  

 

[britbox]

Fed is through comfortably.

 

[britbox]

I like Anderson, but I’ll be pulling for young Coric. Additionally, for Stan, Jack, and, of course, Rafa.

Thank God you changed that avatar @Moxie. Not sure what it was supposed to be, but the thumbnail looked like some sort of religious cult about to drink blood out of a monkey's skull.

 

[herios]

Anderson handles Coric with ease. I think Coric hit a wall, he needs now further development, it was pretty good for a 18y old, but he has to up the ante.

 

[MartyB]

It's just good to be back on a tennis chat site with old friends. Of course I chose Basel as my starting point. LoL

I've shut down my enthusiasm for the rest of the year (thank you Djokovic)....I will watch what happens here Paris & the year end but they are only relative for the year end rankings. Once again thanks for inviting me.

 

 

[ClayDeath]

Karlovic removes Wawrinka from the facilities in 3 sets.