Internazionali BNL d'Italia - Rome ATP Masters 1000, 2019

[GameSetAndMath]

Well, Novak has righted the ship. I don't think JMDP can win this any more.

 

[lob]

Back to 6-6. JMDP did not capitalize on MP on his own serve.

That's the difference between Djokovic and the rest of the tour except possibly Nadal.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

That's the difference between Djokovic and the rest of the tour except possibly Nadal.

Actually it was more of an UFE. JMDP hit it miles long. I think case of pulling the trigger too early.

 

[Moxie]

I'm sorry but this is just wrong. One five set match is nothing like two 3 setters against entirely different opponents. No where close. This is evidence of nothing more than scheduling stupidity

Agreed that 2 x Bo3 do not equal a Bo5. But I'm not sure what the tournament was supposed to do about the schedule when they got a rain-out yesterday. In any case, you should blame the tournament for the state of the courts, it sounds like. Roger was complaining about it during the match, and he said a slip led to a leg injury. That said, I still actually agree with Front (yeah, I know) that Roger mostly figured he's done what he wanted to and had nothing to gain by hanging around in Rome.

 

[Moxie]

Actually it was more of an UFE. JMDP hit it miles long. I think case of pulling the trigger too early.

That first miss was definitely nerves. The second saved MP was all Novak.

 

[Moxie]

Djokovic breaks the racquet. And he gets another time violation. He's not playing his best, but I'm not sure why he has to be so out of sorts.

 

[Moxie]

He's welcome to go drink some sangria and munch on churros with his Spanish buddies on tour and when did I say all of the players think anything about him?

You can find plenty of fans, however, who don't think much of him.

You said it earlier in this thread. You make a sweeping statement, and when called upon to defend it, you change it. But more importantly, churros don't go with Sangria, but with chocolate.

 

[Moxie]

This is a helluva match, you have to say. Del Potro hasn't won a lot of their matches, but they've had some great ones. The Wimbledon SF in '13 (I think) was another.

 

[herios]

These organizers are nuts. Why did they schedule 7 ?!?! matches on Centrale, one of them being ladies doubles is beyond me.
When do they want to have the last match finished ? Sometimes in the morning?

 

[ftan]

This is a helluva match, you have to say. Del Potro hasn't won a lot of their matches, but they've had some great ones. The Wimbledon SF in '13 (I think) was another.

True, they have had many great matches, Olympics bronze medal match was another one

 

[Moxie]

These organizers are nuts. Why did they schedule 7 ?!?! matches on Centrale, one of them being ladies doubles is beyond me.
When do they want to have the last match finished ? Sometimes in the morning?

Two of those 7 matches were walk-overs. I suspect (can't remember) but they may have slotted in the women's dubs due to nothing else to play. They rarely put doubles on Centrale, except finals.

 

[Moxie]

Del Potro definitely starting to look gassed.

 

[Moxie]

Djokovic takes it. Too bad. Del Potro, however, comes away feeling good about his game, I'd think, going into RG.

 

[ftan]

^ It's hard not to feel for him, giving his track record with injuries and his potential.

 

[atttomole]

That's the difference between Djokovic and the rest of the tour except possibly Nadal.

What do you mean?

 

[Moxie]

^ It's hard not to feel for him, giving his track record with injuries and his potential.

Indeed. Two things I noted as good signs, meaning he's trusting his reconstructed wrists: he's hitting the FH with a lot of sting, and he's putting his left hand regularly on the BH...he's not opting for the BH slice as much as he was, or really at all. Djokovic was putting a lot of pressure on his BH, and testing his movement, and he held up really well on both counts. He did have that match on his racquet for a moment, but I don't think he'll have to cry himself to sleep.

 

[DarthFed]

Fiero is strangely silent on his boy needing 3 hours to beat a guy who has barely played for 7 months.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

That first miss was definitely nerves. The second saved MP was all Novak.

But, the second MP was on Novak's serve.

 

[Moxie]

But, the second MP was on Novak's serve.

I don't think it was, but does it matter? I didn't say it was. Novak won the point on a drop shot. And won the next 3, I think.

 

[Moxie]

Fiero is strangely silent on his boy needing 3 hours to beat a guy who has barely played for 7 months.

Doesn't matter. He and his emoticons will wake up refreshed tomorrow, with complete lack of irony intact. But for tennis fans, you have to say that Djokovic didn't impress in that match. Del Potro pretty much stole the first, but Novak stole the 2nd. It was never really a question that JMDP could hold the line in a 3rd, though he was still really valiant.