Barcelona Open 2017, Barcelona, Spain, ATP 500

[Carol]

Nadal is hitting screamers from both wings, especially the forehand side. Phenomenal. I am.thoroughly impressed.

PM.. That's the highest form of a compliment because there isn't a biggest critic of Rafa's game then you..:clap(me sometimes but Kieran gets after me before I decide to throw dirt at Rafa).

BTW.. isn't it refreshing to listen to TC's tennis analyst like James Blake, Leif Shi, Paul Annacone, Tracy Austin, Lindsey Davenport . I am way too sick of the. ESPN big mouths like Pat McEnroe love of Federer. Never Mary Carrillo for me:nono

I watched Nadal's match on TC today, and I did not realise it was Blake talking. I never watched TC before, and I have never heard blake in the commentary box, didn't recognise his voice at all. He said that he was a former pro, so I kept on listening for hints, and turned on my analytical skills up to 500%
I got it after two hints:
1) "I played Rafa 7 times, winning the first 3."
I suspected a few guys right away but I carried on listening.
2) "I would sometimes average 6 or 7 seconds between points."
I knew it was James Blake, it had to be him.
Had a good laugh. :laydownlaughing

The first time I heard Blake as commentator I remember he seemed very 'prudent' and he wasn't talking too much, now I can't stand him, he talks and talks and talks during the game and many times nothing concerning about the players but about him blah blah blah, he is even worse than MacEnroe which is too much to say :cover:s

 

[Carol]

Maybe I'm wrong but I have the impression that Muzz is not going to do so well in clay and neither on grass, we'll see

 

[the AntiPusher]

PM.. That's the highest form of a compliment because there isn't a biggest critic of Rafa's game then you..:clap(me sometimes but Kieran gets after me before I decide to throw dirt at Rafa).

BTW.. isn't it refreshing to listen to TC's tennis analyst like James Blake, Leif Shi, Paul Annacone, Tracy Austin, Lindsey Davenport . I am way too sick of the. ESPN big mouths like Pat McEnroe love of Federer. Never Mary Carrillo for me:nono

I watched Nadal's match on TC today, and I did not realise it was Blake talking. I never watched TC before, and I have never heard blake in the commentary box, didn't recognise his voice at all. He said that he was a former pro, so I kept on listening for hints, and turned on my analytical skills up to 500%
I got it after two hints:
1) "I played Rafa 7 times, winning the first 3."
I suspected a few guys right away but I carried on listening.
2) "I would sometimes average 6 or 7 seconds between points."
I knew it was James Blake, it had to be him.
Had a good laugh. :laydownlaughing

The first time I heard Blake as commentator I remember he seemed very 'prudent' and he wasn't talking too much, now I can't stand him, he talks and talks and talks during the game and many times nothing concerning about the players but about him blah blah blah, he is even worse than MacEnroe which is too much to say :cover:s

Really..so who do you enjoy to listening to ?

 

[Moxie]

Zverev got destroyed by a qualifier today. Clay is obviously not going to be his best surface but I was hoping to see a little bit better showing so far. Hoping he breaks through a bit on grass and fast hards this summer.

Not just "any" qualifier, though. Chung is a lesser-light amongst the NextGen. Anyway, I agree with you that it looks like clay won't be Sasha's best surface. I like his attitude, though. He said one of the main reasons he wanted to play Barcelona was to have another shot at Nadal and a better showing.

 

[Moxie]

Maybe I'm wrong but I have the impression that Muzz is not going to do so well in clay and neither on grass, we'll see

It seems pretty early to think so, IMO.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

No more seeded players left in Rafa's half :cover

 

[GameSetAndMath]

This guy Khachanov seems to be getting somewhere. Just beat three guys who know their way on clay. He might get to the semis and face Nadal, then we'll see what the guys is made of...

I have not seen him play personally. But, those are three quality wins aginst players who know their way around on dirt. :clap :clap :clap

 

[Carol]

I watched Nadal's match on TC today, and I did not realise it was Blake talking. I never watched TC before, and I have never heard blake in the commentary box, didn't recognise his voice at all. He said that he was a former pro, so I kept on listening for hints, and turned on my analytical skills up to 500%
I got it after two hints:
1) "I played Rafa 7 times, winning the first 3."
I suspected a few guys right away but I carried on listening.
2) "I would sometimes average 6 or 7 seconds between points."
I knew it was James Blake, it had to be him.
Had a good laugh. :laydownlaughing

The first time I heard Blake as commentator I remember he seemed very 'prudent' and he wasn't talking too much, now I can't stand him, he talks and talks and talks during the game and many times nothing concerning about the players but about him blah blah blah, he is even worse than MacEnroe which is too much to say :cover:s

Really..so who do you enjoy to listening to ?

Without any doubt I enjoy listening to Robbie Koenig and Jason Goodall

 

[britbox]

Results from the Barcelona Open Men's Singles Round 3 matches on Thursday

10-Albert Ramos (Spain) beat 6-Roberto Bautista (Spain) 6-2 3-6 6-4
Horacio Zeballos (Argentina) beat 17-Benoit Paire (France) 6-4 3-6 7-6(3)
Karen Khachanov (Russia) beat 5-David Goffin (Belgium) 6-7(7) 6-3 6-4
1-Andy Murray (Britain) beat 16-Feliciano Lopez (Spain) 6-4 6-4
Chung Hyeon (South Korea) beat 8-Alexander Zverev (Germany) 6-1 6-4
3-Rafa Nadal (Spain) beat Kevin Anderson (South Africa) 6-3 6-4
Yuichi Sugita (Japan) beat 7-Pablo Carreno (Spain) 6-3 6-3
4-Dominic Thiem (Austria) beat Daniel Evans (Britain) 7-6(5) 6-2

 

[britbox]

Yuichi Sugita (Japan) beat 7-Pablo Carreno (Spain) 6-3 6-3



Lucky Loser makes the Quarters. Don't know much about Sugita... has anyone else seen much of him?

 

[britbox]

Karen Khachanov (Russia) beat 5-David Goffin (Belgium) 6-7(7) 6-3 6-4



Good win for Karen. Biggest win of his career. I've been following this guy and think he might be a future Top 10.

 

[britbox]

Chung Hyeon (South Korea) beat 8-Alexander Zverev (Germany) 6-1 6-4

 

[britbox]

4-Dominic Thiem (Austria) beat Daniel Evans (Britain) 7-6(5) 6-2

 

[britbox]

1-Andy Murray (Britain) beat 16-Feliciano Lopez (Spain) 6-4 6-4

 

[britbox]

3-Rafa Nadal (Spain) beat Kevin Anderson (South Africa) 6-3 6-4

 

[britbox]

Not just "any" qualifier, though. Chung is a lesser-light amongst the NextGen. Anyway, I agree with you that it looks like clay won't be Sasha's best surface. I like his attitude, though. He said one of the main reasons he wanted to play Barcelona was to have another shot at Nadal and a better showing.

Agreed, good attitude - It'll take him to the top, but yeah, clay won't be the surface he will excel on.

 

[Puppet Master]

The first time I heard Blake as commentator I remember he seemed very 'prudent' and he wasn't talking too much, now I can't stand him, he talks and talks and talks during the game and many times nothing concerning about the players but about him blah blah blah, he is even worse than MacEnroe which is too much to say :cover:s

Really..so who do you enjoy to listening to ?

Without any doubt I enjoy listening to Robbie Koenig and Jason Goodall

I have a theory; Robbie Koening is dead, and they have recorded 3 audio clips of him and they always play one of these:
1) OH THAT IS OUUUUTRAGEOUS!!!
2) OIL PAINTING OF A BACKHAND!!!
3) JAW DROPPING STUFF!!!

I can't think of any other explanation
Although I do like Robbie, he has had other iconic quotes.

 

[Kieran]

I'm hearing good things about Rafa, but haven't been able to watch. Been told he's actually looking a bit cocky again?

 

[Carol]

Really..so who do you enjoy to listening to ?

Without any doubt I enjoy listening to Robbie Koenig and Jason Goodall

I have a theory; Robbie Koening is dead, and they have recorded 3 audio clips of him and they always play one of these:
1) OH THAT IS OUUUUTRAGEOUS!!!
2) OIL PAINTING OF A BACKHAND!!!
3) JAW DROPPING STUFF!!!

I can't think of any other explanation
Although I do like Robbie, he has had other iconic quotes.

My goodness, I had not any idea that Robbie died , when it happened ?

 

[DarthFed]

Maybe I'm wrong but I have the impression that Muzz is not going to do so well in clay and neither on grass, we'll see

I think his 2016 season on clay was a bit of an outlier. Before that he never really had big results this time of the year.

Grass will be different. I think Murray will be fine by then and if he avoids Roger he has a good shot at winning Wimbledon.