Internazionali BNL d'Italia - ATP 1000 - May 11th to May 18th

[Kieran]

Yeah, nice to see both Kohl and Youzhney in decent form today. They made both matches interesting...

I still can't believe he took a set from Rafa. He should have been bulldozered. Rafa was really struggling with his serve.

I think Rafa is improving but he's still suffering horrendous concentration lapses, and he's serving woefully. But...he's improving, which is better than him just going away. Whether he's improving quick enough for Paris, is the big question. I think he'll be fine, but he needs to tighten up so many parts of his game...

I'm as optimistic as you, which means that I am actually not seeing any improvements. He looked genuinely bewildered after the first set, never ever seen that before. But Rafa is a fighter. If there ever was a player you are not calling a match on before the last point is played, its Rafa. So I'll just wait and see what happens at RG. I prefer him to make it to the finals though. Both in Rome and RG. I'd like Novak to work on their h2h.

In fairness, that would always be my attitude too. I wouldn't be looking for the Unknown Soldier to take out Rafa's rivals, no matter if it's clay, grass or hards. There's no point in pursuing mediocrity, even as a fan. I prefer to watch great achievements, great finals, great players playing at the highest level.

I wasn't hoping Nole would lose in Oz, because I wanted Rafa to beat him there. You obviously feel the same about Rafa in Paris. And why not, eh? It's not us who has to play, we just get the benefit of watching great tennis...

 

[Front242]

^ Depends who he's playing. Not great viewing a lot of the time. I didn't even watch the final last year and I'm glad I didn't.

 

[Moxie]

^I like the attitude from you both!

I thought Rafa was progressing in Madrid, both with depth of shot and confidence and belief. (I know, tends to go hand in hand, esp. with him.) But then he lost ground again in the final. I know he was nervous, feeling the pressure to win it, and Kei was really taking it to him, but he was uncharacteristically not finding his way in and continued making woeful errors. I know today that he knew he had to play more aggressively, but couldn't make himself do it for about a set and a half. Not to mention his lack of killer drive to serve out the first 2 days in a row.

Still…we live with belief. He's still standing, anyway. :angel:

 

[Kieran]

^ Depends who he's playing. Not great viewing a lot of the time. I didn't even watch the final last year and I'm glad I didn't.

No, but I bet you watched the semi a few times, eh? Roger had a lot of slam finals like that, where the result was predictable, but you watched them too. It depends more - really - on who you like. I'm similar, so don't get me wrong: I skipped watching about ten of Roger's major wins...

 

[Front242]

^ Depends who he's playing. Not great viewing a lot of the time. I didn't even watch the final last year and I'm glad I didn't.

No, but I bet you watched the semi a few times, eh? Roger had a lot of slam finals like that, where the result was predictable, but you watched them too. It depends more - really - on who you like. I'm similar, so don't get me wrong: I skipped watching about ten of Roger's major wins...

If there's one guy I like or don't dislike versus one I do, I'll watch it. If there are two I don't like there's no incentive to watch what was in that case a one sided grunt fest

 

[Front242]

^ Plus we were in Faro when it was on and it was hard enough to get her to let me watch the semi lol. Maybe I'd have watched it if we were at home.

 

[Moxie]

^ Depends who he's playing. Not great viewing a lot of the time. I didn't even watch the final last year and I'm glad I didn't.

No, but I bet you watched the semi a few times, eh? Roger had a lot of slam finals like that, where the result was predictable, but you watched them too. It depends more - really - on who you like. I'm similar, so don't get me wrong: I skipped watching about ten of Roger's major wins...

If there's one guy I like or don't dislike versus one I do, I'll watch it. If there are two I don't like there's no incentive to watch what was in that case a one sided grunt fest

I believe you've made that clear enough over the course of many posts. But Kieran was actually talking about hoping for Rafa AND Nole to be available to produce the best tennis. Clearly, these days, that's not the only option available, but, for now, they're still the biggest rivalry in tennis, and we want to see them duke it out for the big prizes, not have a Spoiler take one out and clear the path for the other. I believe that was the point there. Now…a Dark Horse, or 3rd favorite, with a legitimate shot…that's a different story.

 

[Kieran]

^ Plus we were in Faro when it was on and it was hard enough to get her to let me watch the semi lol. Maybe I'd have watched it if we were at home.

You were in Faro? I was in Faro! But not during the French, I was there in August. Nice place, eh? Did you get the ferry to the desert island?

 

[Iona16]

I thought I was looking forward to a Murray v Nadal match. It turns out I'm a tad nervous. I think I'll be watching from behind a cushion.

 

[Kieran]

I thought I was looking forward to a Murray v Nadal match. It turns out I'm a tad nervous. I think I'll be watching from behind a cushion.

Murray has nothing to lose, Iona. Even with Rafa struggling, he's expected to beat Andy, who's been struggling even worse. I think it'll be more interesting than anything, and maybe good for both of them...

 

[Rose]

Have to put in a post for the "old man" who is a long time favorite of mine--Tommy Haas--big win :clap

 

[Moxie]

I thought I was looking forward to a Murray v Nadal match. It turns out I'm a tad nervous. I think I'll be watching from behind a cushion.

After 2 ½ years of waiting for it, this hardly feels like the Murray-Nadal match we've been looking forward to. I do hope they both show up in best form. Watching Rafa this week, I've shampooed my rugs, cleaned my stove, and cleared out an old stack of magazines, as distraction from my nerves. Perhaps watching from behind a cushion is all that's left to me, as well. Good suggestion. :snigger

 

[Rose]

^^I hope there is a lot of room behind that cushion, but I have an additional problem because I like Murray also :cover

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

^^ I Prefer hiding under my comfy lounge

 

[Iona16]

I thought I was looking forward to a Murray v Nadal match. It turns out I'm a tad nervous. I think I'll be watching from behind a cushion.

After 2 ½ years of waiting for it, this hardly feels like the Murray-Nadal match we've been looking forward to. I do hope they both show up in best form. Watching Rafa this week, I've shampooed my rugs, cleaned my stove, and cleared out an old stack of magazines, as distraction from my nerves. Perhaps watching from behind a cushion is all that's left to me, as well. Good suggestion. :snigger

No, it really doesn't does it? A quarterfinal in Rome. I can honestly say that stress over an Andy match has never driven me to clean the stove but I do make a lot of tea during his matches. A LOT of tea. A very British response I know but it's our default position. There is nothing a cup of tea can't solve.

 

[Moxie]

I thought I was looking forward to a Murray v Nadal match. It turns out I'm a tad nervous. I think I'll be watching from behind a cushion.

After 2 ½ years of waiting for it, this hardly feels like the Murray-Nadal match we've been looking forward to. I do hope they both show up in best form. Watching Rafa this week, I've shampooed my rugs, cleaned my stove, and cleared out an old stack of magazines, as distraction from my nerves. Perhaps watching from behind a cushion is all that's left to me, as well. Good suggestion. :snigger

No, it really doesn't does it? A quarterfinal in Rome. I can honestly say that stress over an Andy match has never driven me to clean the stove but I do make a lot of tea during his matches. A LOT of tea. A very British response I know but it's our default position. There is nothing a cup of tea can't solve.

God, that is British. If I drink enough tea to get me through the match, I'll be quivering like a chihuahua, and missing all the big points taking "comfort breaks." (Funny point here: after the 2008 Wimbledon final, there was a huge power surge in Britain, with everyone putting on their lights, and their kettles at the same time. :clap ) Maybe I'll have one cup of tea, and then clean the windows. :laydownlaughing

 

[Front242]

^ Plus we were in Faro when it was on and it was hard enough to get her to let me watch the semi lol. Maybe I'd have watched it if we were at home.

You were in Faro? I was in Faro! But not during the French, I was there in August. Nice place, eh? Did you get the ferry to the desert island?

Cool! Sure did and amazing place. Whole tropical beach to yourself!

 

[Iona16]

I thought I was looking forward to a Murray v Nadal match. It turns out I'm a tad nervous. I think I'll be watching from behind a cushion.

After 2 ½ years of waiting for it, this hardly feels like the Murray-Nadal match we've been looking forward to. I do hope they both show up in best form. Watching Rafa this week, I've shampooed my rugs, cleaned my stove, and cleared out an old stack of magazines, as distraction from my nerves. Perhaps watching from behind a cushion is all that's left to me, as well. Good suggestion. :snigger

No, it really doesn't does it? A quarterfinal in Rome. I can honestly say that stress over an Andy match has never driven me to clean the stove but I do make a lot of tea during his matches. A LOT of tea. A very British response I know but it's our default position. There is nothing a cup of tea can't solve.

God, that is British. If I drink enough tea to get me through the match, I'll be quivering like a chihuahua, and missing all the big points taking "comfort breaks." (Funny point here: after the 2008 Wimbledon final, there was a huge power surge in Britain, with everyone putting on their lights, and their kettles at the same time. :clap ) Maybe I'll have one cup of tea, and then clean the windows. :laydownlaughing

I think my record is 11 cups and that was during the 2012 US Open final. I'm not surprised by the power surge after the 2008 Wimbledon final. I would have been one of those people putting the kettle on. Murray’s victory at Wimbledon generated the biggest surge in electricity demand recorded in the whole of 2013. It was boiling hot that day and people were still making tea. What can I say? We love our tea.

 

[Moxie]

ˆ Of course the great power surge must have been after the Murray win. That's excellent! An entire nation doing exactly the same thing at the same time. A huge magnum of pride…and then a cup of tea. You people are very civilized. (Though I'm guessing the pubs and households got a beer-surge and champagne-surge, too.)

 

[Kieran]

^ Plus we were in Faro when it was on and it was hard enough to get her to let me watch the semi lol. Maybe I'd have watched it if we were at home.

You were in Faro? I was in Faro! But not during the French, I was there in August. Nice place, eh? Did you get the ferry to the desert island?

Cool! Sure did and amazing place. Whole tropical beach to yourself!

Exactly! Wasn't too many people there in August either. Most people who land in Faro immediately leave for the resorts. I booked late and got Faro, but I loved the place. It's a nice town, and all those ferry trips to the beaches were great. I stayed in a hotel close to the harbour, and the train station, Hotel Sol Algarve...