Gerry Weber Open (Halle) 9-15 June 2014

[TennisFanatic7]

Halle men's singles draw available here: http://www.atpworldtour.com/share/event-draws.aspx?year=2014&eventid=500&draw=ms

Includes Nadal, Federer, Raonic, Gasquet, Nishikori, Haas, Youzhny, Janowicz

No draw available yet for Queen's but Murray, Berdych, Tsonga, Dimitrov, Cilic, Gulbis, Hewitt and Wawrinka down to play.

Don't often get weeks where there's only a pair of 250s being played but 7 of the top 10 are in action. I suppose that's why these tournaments are getting upgraded to 500 next year.

Hope Andy and Roger can retain their titles. It'll be interesting to see a) If Rafa actually plays after Garros and b) How he fares on the grass if he does - he's seeded to face Janowicz, Raonic and Federer which will all be very tough on a surface he's struggled with the past two years.

 

[crystalfire]

RE: Queen's Club and Halle

Halle men's singles draw available here: http://www.atpworldtour.com/share/event-draws.aspx?year=2014&eventid=500&draw=ms

Includes Nadal, Federer, Raonic, Gasquet, Nishikori, Haas, Youzhny, Janowicz

No draw available yet for Queen's but Murray, Berdych, Tsonga, Dimitrov, Cilic, Gulbis, Hewitt and Wawrinka down to play.

Don't often get weeks where there's only a pair of 250s being played but 7 of the top 10 are in action. I suppose that's why these tournaments are getting upgraded to 500 next year.

Hope Andy and Roger can retain their titles. It'll be interesting to see a) If Rafa actually plays after Garros and b) How he fares on the grass if he does - he's seeded to face Janowicz, Raonic and Federer which will all be very tough on a surface he's struggled with the past two years.

if feds facing raonic idk what to expect. good thing is raonics never beaten fed before but i doubt that holds much weight.

 

[herios]

RE: Queen's Club and Halle

Halle men's singles draw available here: http://www.atpworldtour.com/share/event-draws.aspx?year=2014&eventid=500&draw=ms

Includes Nadal, Federer, Raonic, Gasquet, Nishikori, Haas, Youzhny, Janowicz

No draw available yet for Queen's but Murray, Berdych, Tsonga, Dimitrov, Cilic, Gulbis, Hewitt and Wawrinka down to play.

Don't often get weeks where there's only a pair of 250s being played but 7 of the top 10 are in action. I suppose that's why these tournaments are getting upgraded to 500 next year.

Hope Andy and Roger can retain their titles. It'll be interesting to see a) If Rafa actually plays after Garros and b) How he fares on the grass if he does - he's seeded to face Janowicz, Raonic and Federer which will all be very tough on a surface he's struggled with the past two years.

TennisFranatic, these events are important enough to have separate threads opened.
Don't get me wrong, this is not a criticism, on the contrary, I appreciate your anticipation, but you are relatively a new member here and this is how we usually manage to keep the posting more clear and to the point.
The posting could get convoluted, as there are many players who are at interest playing next week in these events.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

RE: Queen's Club and Halle

Well to me Rafa needs the practice on grass....after having 2 dismal years at Wimbledon
The question mark is with Rafa how he pulls up from the RG final.

 

[Moxie]

RE: Queen's Club and Halle

Also, btw, in terms of both…anyone have the inside scoop on whether Novak will do his customary skip of any grass tune-up?

 

[herios]

RE: Queen's Club and Halle

Also, btw, in terms of both…anyone have the inside scoop on whether Novak will do his customary skip of any grass tune-up?

It never seems to do him any harm.

Will Rafa skip his?

It's interesting that Wawrinka is playing Queen's this year.

Yes, Wawrinka played last year in Hertogenbosch.
Nole usually hits a few balls in that Boodles non ATP event, since he does that he looked better on grass than before when he played official events.
This year the line up there is more impressive: Nole, Milos, Ernie, Janowicz, F3, Big John, Cilic, Anderson, Sock, Haas.
There will be enough big bombers, Nole could choose from to train his ROS on grass

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

no surprise if nadal withdraws from halle.

they got enough top10 names to avoid the tourney director being too irate.

rafa needs a rest.

 

[TennisFanatic7]

Rafa also needs to work his grass court game out again. He's 1-2 at Wimbledon in the past couple of years and he'll desperately want to improve on that.

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

obviously he needs to work on his grasscourt game but that was not the point I was making was it.

he has a dodgy back that was giving him aggro in the 4th set today, if he doesn't watch it he won't be playing anywhere as he will really screw his body up.

 

[Kieran]

We'll see about the back. If it's okay, the grass can take care of his serve. If he's to do well in Wimbledon however, he certainly could do with playing Halle.

Can't wait to see grass court tennis on telly tomorrow....

 

[brokenshoelace]

Nadal definitely needs to get some grass under his feet, provided the back is fine. He paid the price for it last year when he chose to skip the tune up event. I don't know about Rafa on grass these days. He really hasn't played any significant amount of grass court tennis in 3 years, and I feel he's making the transition from clay to grass less seamlessly than he used to (incidentally, I remember him really looking unconvincing in Halle in 2012). It'd be great if he can get a few matches in before Wimbledon, and he definitely needs to work on the serve.

 

[rafanoy1992]

Nadal definitely needs to get some grass under his feet, provided the back is fine. He paid the price for it last year when he chose to skip the tune up event. I don't know about Rafa on grass these days. He really hasn't played any significant amount of grass court tennis in 3 years, and I feel he's making the transition from clay to grass less seamlessly than he used to (incidentally, I remember him really looking unconvincing in Halle in 2012). It'd be great if he can get a few matches in before Wimbledon, and he definitely needs to work on the serve.

Well, we will know in the next few days on whether or not he will play Halle.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Nadal definitely needs to get some grass under his feet, provided the back is fine. He paid the price for it last year when he chose to skip the tune up event. I don't know about Rafa on grass these days. He really hasn't played any significant amount of grass court tennis in 3 years, and I feel he's making the transition from clay to grass less seamlessly than he used to (incidentally, I remember him really looking unconvincing in Halle in 2012). It'd be great if he can get a few matches in before Wimbledon, and he definitely needs to work on the serve.

Well, we will know in the next few days on whether or not he will play Halle.

When is his first match scheduled to take place?

 

[TennisFanatic7]

Rafa's half seem to be playing most of their first round matches tomorrow so it could be Tuesday. They might give him until Wednesday I guess.

 

[zalvar]

I don't know if 2 days is enough for rafa's back (hope so). I really cannot wait for the extra grass week next year. It makes the choice easier for top players.

 

[Fiero425]

I don't know if 2 days is enough for Rafa's back (hope so). I really cannot wait for the extra grass week next year. It makes the choice easier for top players.

History has shown when Rafa gives his all to this tourney, he's done in the foreseeable future! He will either withdraw or lose early; mark my words! :angel:

 

[zalvar]

I don't know if 2 days is enough for Rafa's back (hope so). I really cannot wait for the extra grass week next year. It makes the choice easier for top players.

History has shown when Rafa gives his all to this tourney, he's done in the foreseeable future! He will either withdraw or lose early; mark my words! :angel:

Well that certainly isn't true of last year, when he won 2 masters and a slam after popping out of Wimbly early. I personally think he should just rest till wimbly. But I guess he feels obligated to the tournament, which he already skipped last year. Low expectations, high aspirations!

 

[Fiero425]

I don't know if 2 days is enough for Rafa's back (hope so). I really cannot wait for the extra grass week next year. It makes the choice easier for top players.

History has shown when Rafa gives his all to this tourney, he's done in the foreseeable future! He will either withdraw or lose early; mark my words! :angel:

Well that certainly isn't true of last year, when he won 2 masters and a slam after popping out of Wimbly early. I personally think he should just rest till wimbly. But I guess he feels obligated to the tournament, which he already skipped last year. Low expectations, high aspirations!

I didn't watch it, but Rafa wasn't stressed in the least playing Ferrer in the final! His tough match was Friday vs Nole, not Sunday! That's a major difference!

 

[zalvar]

I don't know if 2 days is enough for Rafa's back (hope so). I really cannot wait for the extra grass week next year. It makes the choice easier for top players.

History has shown when Rafa gives his all to this tourney, he's done in the foreseeable future! He will either withdraw or lose early; mark my words! :angel:

Well that certainly isn't true of last year, when he won 2 masters and a slam after popping out of Wimbly early. I personally think he should just rest till wimbly. But I guess he feels obligated to the tournament, which he already skipped last year. Low expectations, high aspirations!

I didn't watch it, but Rafa wasn't stressed in the least playing Ferrer in the final! His tough match was Friday vs Nole, not Sunday! That's a major difference!

You're right. But I should expect the stress would be released now that he's won lol. The issue is if he's OK physically. I guess he's just hoping for the best next week. As for after Wimbly, he would have had weeks and weeks of vacation between wimbly and Canadian Masters. He's already won a slam this year so the pressure isn't too great anymore. The year can only get better.

 

[El Dude]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Rafa use the first couple rounds as warm-ups, then lose to Milos Raonic in the third round, partially through taking it easy. Of course I'd love to see him make it to the final so that he can lose on grass to either Kei Nishikori or Roger Federer, but I probably won't get my wish.