Doha 2014

[Front242]

The defending champ Reeshard is out in straights. Front, according to the commentator RG injured his back before the tournament

Doh. Thanks for the update, kskate2. Hopefully he recovers ok before the AO starts. Guess he only entered as he was the defending champion. Hopefully he didn't make it any worse.

 

[zalvar]

Was a bad day to be a seed in Doha last night.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Murray was knocked out earlier. He said he won't play Oz if he's not ready to. I wonder if his result here will influence that much. He didn't get a huge amount of match practice...

Nadal skipping AO last year was good strategic move as he is a confidence player
and he wanted to get his confidence up by first playing on his favorite surface of clay
and that too in a weak field in SA. However, there is no parallel here at all.

The only way Murray can get fitter by playing more competitive matches. So, skipping
AO is not really a good strategy for Murray. Also, Murray typically tends to do well in
AO and so he should play well. Finally, he has 1200 points to defend in AO. If he does
not play in AO, he will for sure will get booted out of top 4.

I fully expect to Murray to play AO and fail in QF this year. The only thing unknown
is how many months he will sulk after that loss.

 

[Front242]

Murray often looks exhausted only to get a 2nd wind. The extra running around in best of 5 may be what's needed. His match yesterday against world 2129 did him no favours really.

 

[rafanoy1992]

If Nadal can win tomorrow against Gulbis, I think it is safe to say that he will win the tournament. Of course there are no guaranteed in sports, but looking at the draw, the only player that could potentially beat him besides Gulbis is Gael Monfils.

In a surprising stat, Florian Mayer beat Nadal in 2011 at Shanghai tournament.

 

[Moxie]

Murray was knocked out earlier. He said he won't play Oz if he's not ready to. I wonder if his result here will influence that much. He didn't get a huge amount of match practice...

Nadal skipping AO last year was good strategic move as he is a confidence player
and he wanted to get his confidence up by first playing on his favorite surface of clay
and that too in a weak field in SA. However, there is no parallel here at all.

The only way Murray can get fitter by playing more competitive matches. So, skipping
AO is not really a good strategy for Murray. Also, Murray typically tends to do well in
AO and so he should play well. Finally, he has 1200 points to defend in AO. If he does
not play in AO, he will for sure will get booted out of top 4.

I fully expect to Murray to play AO and fail in QF this year. The only thing unknown
is how many months he will sulk after that loss.

I agree that Murray skipping AO is not equivalent to Nadal skipping it last year. If Andy's back feels good, he has to play the tournament, get in the big-match play, defend the points, and see how he does. He should only skip if his back is not up to best-of-5. If he plays, and doesn't win the tournament, I don't see why he would sulk…comebacks are a process, and he's smart enough to know that.

 

[Front242]

Brands may well give Monfils a good run for his money I reckon.

 

[Noelann]

Flo played some inspiring tennis today.
As for Andy, hope he will be ready for AO.He looked a bit rusty, slugish and slightly injured in 3 set.

 

[Front242]

Yeah Mayer said himself he looked a bit injured in set 3. Hopefully it's more down to lack of fitness than anything else.

 

[Noelann]

I've heard that Andy will play Kooyong. He needs more practice before AO for sure.

 

[Front242]

Yeah I reckon so too. If anything else it's a good way to get used to running at different angles around the court to get his fitness back to where it needs to be.

 

[Noelann]

Brands may well give Monfils a good run for his money I reckon.

Looking forward to see that. I find interesting his a little awkward service motion.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

I've heard that Andy will play Kooyong. He needs more practice before AO for sure.

Kooyong field is already set. Andy cannot play there (unless they do something
like what happened in WTA last year).

 

[Kieran]

Kooyong is only an exhibition tourney, like Mudabala. I'm sure they'll facilitate Andy somehow...

 

[Kieran]

Murray often looks exhausted only to get a 2nd wind. The extra running around in best of 5 may be what's needed. His match yesterday against world 2129 did him no favours really.

Get your facts right! Murray's opponent was ranked 2123! :devil: :snigger

 

[isabelle]

Poor Andy, it's disappointing but he needs some time to play his best tennis again

 

[kskate2]

The 2 quali's (Brown/Gojo) split the first 2 sets and are now in a decider.

 

[kskate2]

Gojo takes the up & down match over Brown 7-5 in the 3rd set breaker.

 

[Front242]

Brands may well give Monfils a good run for his money I reckon.

Looking forward to see that. I find interesting his a little awkward service motion.

Yeah it's a kinda strange service motion alright but he can sure blast that ball so must be doing something right!

 

[Front242]

They keep putting the match times back. Hopefully Nadal and Gulbis will actually start in an hour as scheduled now.