Internazionali BNL d'Italia- Rome ATP1000 - 14th May to 21st May

[Moxie]

Today he was the Fabulous Fabio Fognini. 6-2, 6-4.

 

[Fiero425]

Today he was the Fabulous Fabio Fognini. 6-2, 6-4.

Have you ever seen Murray so stymied by drop shots? I don't think I can ever remember him turning his back and not even attempting to run them down!

 

[GameSetAndMath]

OMG, Andy gone in straights again!

 

[GameSetAndMath]

It almost feels as though Andy won as many matches as Roger this clay season. :

 

[El Dude]

I'm not surprised Fabio beat Andy. Fabio is a top 10, maybe even top 5, clay player. The good news is that this means we'll get someone other than one of the Big Four in the final. It still might be Stan, but out of that half it could be Goffin or even Fognini. Let's hope Stan, Rafa, and Novak all lose so we can get a new Masters titleist.

 

[Fiero425]

I'm not surprised Fabio beat Andy. Fabio is a top 10, maybe even top 5, clay player. The good news is that this means we'll get someone other than one of the Big Four in the final. It still might be Stan, but out of that half it could be Goffin or even Fognini. Let's hope Stan, Rafa, and Novak all lose so we can get a new Masters titlist.

I seem to remember Fognini winning over Rafa at least 3 or 4 times; twice on clay!

 

[Moxie]

I'm not surprised Fabio beat Andy. Fabio is a top 10, maybe even top 5, clay player. The good news is that this means we'll get someone other than one of the Big Four in the final. It still might be Stan, but out of that half it could be Goffin or even Fognini. Let's hope Stan, Rafa, and Novak all lose so we can get a new Masters titleist.

Speak for yourself! Actually, doesn't Stan have only one MS? I wouldn't mind seeing the Fog get it, though...win a big trophy in Rome, then have a new baby boy. That'd be schweeet. Problem for him is that he has said when he gets the call, he's gone, and, as I said, Flavia is due something like this weekend. But she's a disciplined athlete...maybe she can tell that baby to wait until after the final.

 

[DarthFed]

Even if Murray was his normal self I wouldn't consider it much of an upset for Fog to beat him on clay. In current form it was expected especially considering that Fabio was the only one to give Rafa any real trouble in Madrid. Hope he builds on it, a good opportunity to go deep for him.

 

[britbox]

Results from the Italian Open Men's Singles matches on Tuesday

Round 2
Fabio Fognini (Italy) beat 1-Andy Murray (Britain) 6-2 6-4
6-Marin Cilic (Croatia) beat Ryan Harrison (U.S.) 6-3 6-2
2-Novak Djokovic (Serbia) beat Aljaz Bedene (Britain) 7-6(2) 6-2
12-Tomas Berdych (Czech Republic) beat Carlos Berlocq (Argentina) 6-3 6-4
John Isner (U.S.) beat Florian Mayer (Germany) 7-6(4) 7-6(4)
9-David Goffin (Belgium) beat Fernando Verdasco (Spain) 3-6 6-3 6-2

Round 1
Roberto Bautista (Spain) beat Alexandr Dolgopolov (Ukraine) 6-4 6-2
Tommy Haas (Germany) beat Ernesto Escobedo (U.S.) 6-0 4-6 7-6(1)
David Ferrer (Spain) beat Feliciano Lopez (Spain) 4-6 6-3 6-1
15-Pablo Carreno (Spain) beat Gilles Simon (France) 6-3 6-3
16-Alexander Zverev (Germany) beat Kevin Anderson (South Africa) 6-4 4-6 6-4
Benoit Paire (France) beat Nicolas Mahut (France) 6-3 6-4
13-Jack Sock (U.S.) beat Diego Schwartzman (Argentina) 6-4 1-6 7-5
Pablo Cuevas (Uruguay) beat Adrian Mannarino (France) 6-4 7-6(2)

 

[britbox]

Kyrgios pulls out.

[parsehtml]

<a class="embedly-card" href="http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-tennis-men-kyrgios-idUKKCN18C1PZ">Australia's Kyrgios out of Italian Open with injury, reports say</a>

[/parsehtml]
Not really expecting too much from him during the remainder of the clay swing, but he's going to be a dangerman at Wimbey.

 

[Moxie]

Even if Murray was his normal self I wouldn't consider it much of an upset for Fog to beat him on clay. In current form it was expected especially considering that Fabio was the only one to give Rafa any real trouble in Madrid. Hope he builds on it, a good opportunity to go deep for him.

But isn't it a bit of a true-ism (as opposed to truth) that Murray's not good on clay? He won this tournament last year. However, yes, if you said Fabio was going to have a stellar day, no matter the Murray that showed up, I'd pick the Fog.

 

[Moxie]

Kyrgios pulls out.

[parsehtml]

<a class="embedly-card" href="http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-tennis-men-kyrgios-idUKKCN18C1PZ">Australia's Kyrgios out of Italian Open with injury, reports say</a>

[/parsehtml]Not really expecting too much from him during the remainder of the clay swing, but he's going to be a dangerman at Wimbey.

I thought he was a potential spoiler at RG, but now I don't, either. But if he's fit, I agree he might be the top pick for spoiling at Wimbledon, especially with a proper coach.

 

[britbox]

I thought he was a potential spoiler at RG, but now I don't, either. But if he's fit, I agree he might be the top pick for spoiling at Wimbledon, especially with a proper coach.

I missed that he hired Sebastien Grosjean. You just prompted me to look it up. That's not a choice that would have jumped out at me, will follow with interest. Although the timing is quite good with Wimbledon coming up, Grosjean was a good grass court player.

 

[Carol]

Kyrgios has hip problems for long time, if I recall well he had to retired in the last USO

 

[Moxie]

I missed that he hired Sebastien Grosjean. You just prompted me to look it up. That's not a choice that would have jumped out at me, will follow with interest. Although the timing is quite good with Wimbledon coming up, Grosjean was a good grass court player.

I know people were suggesting super-star coaches for Nick, but I don't think he needs that kind of pressure or clash-of-egos at this stage. Grosjean seems like a good place to start. Or stay, who knows? But I read that he's based at the Evert academy in Florida, which is where Nick's girlfriend trains. So there seems to be a homely connection.

 

[DarthFed]

But isn't it a bit of a true-ism (as opposed to truth) that Murray's not good on clay? He won this tournament last year. However, yes, if you said Fabio was going to have a stellar day, no matter the Murray that showed up, I'd pick the Fog.

I don't think I'd say Murray is not good on clay but last year was not the norm just like this year isn't either. It's more in the middle in that Murray is good on clay but usually not good enough to be a serious contender at RG or even the MS events. Fog when focused will have a good chance against most guys on clay and I'd include Murray in that list.

 

[Carol]

Wasn't the "Samurai" injured in Madrid? this guy is a joke

 

[Carol]

Almagro got hurted and he has to retired, poor guy. I hate the injuries!

 

[DarthFed]

Do you see the irony of your last two posts Carol? Sorry just had to give you a little shi* for that

 

[Carol]

Do you see the irony of your last two posts Carol? Sorry just had to give you a little shi* for that

Irony? the Almagro injury looked bad really bad, the Samurai's? he just said "I'm not going to play this next match...." and it's not the first time he does that