Internazionali BNL d'Italia, Rome, Italy, ATP Masters 1000

[Moxie]

Focus/confidence worths gold but sometimes is difficult to keep it
And By the way nice win by Rafa in my Birthday's day! hope tomorrow I can continue celebrating!

That is a nice birthday present...Happy birthday, Carol!

 

[Carol]

That is a nice birthday present...Happy birthday, Carol!

Thanks Moxie!

 

[Moxie]

A lot happened today, for those of you just waking up in Oz. And a lot going on tomorrow. Roger lost to Thiem. (Back very dodgy; Thiem good but not overly opportunistic, IMO.) Berdy was double-bageled by Goffin! (What goes on?) Djokovic was bageled in the first set by Bellucci, but pulled it off in the end. Wawrinka out. Ferrer out to LL Pouille. Murray and Nishi still in with considerably less drama. Match of the Day was Nadal d. Kyrgios.

As for today: Roger's back. Djokovic: was it the back, or is he just mentally already in RG? Berdych: injury, illness, or wtf? Ferrer: I think also still carrying injury? Wawrinka: whatever. I was impressed with Nick's (mostly) composure today, but Rafa solved him.

 

[britbox]

Results Round Up

(1) Novak Djokovic DEFEATS Thomaz Bellucci 0/6 6/3 6/2
(2) Andy Murray DEFEATS Jeremy Chardy 6/0 6/4
(13) Dominic Thiem DEFEATS (3) Roger Federer 7/6(2) 6/4
Juan Monaco DEFEATS (4) Stan Wawrinka 6/7(5) 6/3 6/4
(5) Rafael Nadal DEFEATS Nick Kyrgios 6/7(3) 6/2 6/4
(6) Kei Nishikori DEFEATS (11) Richard Gasquet 6/1 6/4
(12) David Goffin DEFEATS (8) Tomas Berdych 6/0 6/0
Lucas Pouille DEFEATS (9) David Ferrer 6/4 6/1

 

[britbox]

(13) Dominic Thiem DEFEATS (3) Roger Federer 7/6(2) 6/4

 

[britbox]

(6) Kei Nishikori DEFEATS (11) Richard Gasquet 6/1 6/4

 

[britbox]

Juan Monaco DEFEATS (4) Stan Wawrinka 6/7(5) 6/3 6/4

 

[britbox]

(5) Rafael Nadal DEFEATS Nick Kyrgios 6/7(3) 6/2 6/4

 

[britbox]

Highlights:

 

[britbox]

Rome Quarter Finals

Lucas Pouille and Juan Monaco headline an impressive quarter final group.

Djokovic (1) v Nadal (5)
Nishikori (6) v Thiem (13)
Pouille v Monaco
Murray (2) v Goffin (12)

Preview:

 

[britbox]

A lot happened today, for those of you just waking up in Oz. And a lot going on tomorrow. Roger lost to Thiem. (Back very dodgy; Thiem good but not overly opportunistic, IMO.) Berdy was double-bageled by Goffin! (What goes on?) Djokovic was bageled in the first set by Bellucci, but pulled it off in the end. Wawrinka out. Ferrer out to LL Pouille. Murray and Nishi still in with considerably less drama. Match of the Day was Nadal d. Kyrgios.

As for today: Roger's back. Djokovic: was it the back, or is he just mentally already in RG? Berdych: injury, illness, or wtf? Ferrer: I think also still carrying injury? Wawrinka: whatever. I was impressed with Nick's (mostly) composure today, but Rafa solved him.

There were quite a few unexpected bagels thrown around. I haven't heard anything about Berdych being injured, so it may have just been a pretty bad day at the office.

 

[Moxie]

There were quite a few unexpected bagels thrown around. I haven't heard anything about Berdych being injured, so it may have just been a pretty bad day at the office.

A pretty bad day, indeed. The crowd let him know about it. I didn't see as it wasn't the featured match on TC, and I was watching the weirdness of the Djokovic match. Presumably also Goffin was on fire. He's been very good this year, and Berdych is in rather a slump. But you should have seen Goffin's shrug at the end. Even he was a bit bemused.

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

marty mcfly uses skeletor as a punchbag.. oh what a groovy day when bomas turdych loses 0-6 0-6.

goffin is another 'middle aged gun' nearing top10 after raonic's recent re-entry.

 

[Moxie]

Rome Quarter Finals

Lucas Pouille and Juan Monaco headline an impressive quarter final group.

Djokovic (1) v Nadal (5)
Nishikori (6) v Thiem (13)
Pouille v Monaco
Murray (2) v Goffin (12)

Some very intriguing matches tomorrow. Murray and Goffin are such cat-and-mouse players, I guess it will depend on who ends up being the cat. I'm thinking Murray. I also think Monaco will stop Pouille's Cinderella run. Thiem had a very hampered Fed today. Unless he steps it up tomorrow, he won't beat Kei. But I would never lay even virtual money on that one.

As to the marquee match: based solely on today, Rafa should win. But Novak always sharpens his knives specially to play Nadal. If his issue today was distraction, he will likely take Rafa, with that wimpy serve. If it really is a back issue, then I think the last person you want to hit against for 2 hours on clay is Rafa. Let the games begin!

 

[Billie]

Strange things happening in Rome. I can't be certain about the outcome of any of the matches tomorrow. I am glad that Pouille and Monaco are playing against each other so one of them will make it to the semi final, which will be a great result for him.

 

[ClayDeath]

order of play:

http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/scores/current/rome/416/daily-schedule

 

[herios]

Both Federer and Ferrer struggling post some injuries. The 2 oldest statesmen of the top 10, now at 34y, might be at the end of their top level run.
I will be watching closely if this is just a dip or their body sends signals saying " Time to slow down Tiger"

 

[herios]

It would be great to see Lucas Pouille continuing his victories here. Monaco is a "has been" at this point.

 

[britbox]

It would be great to see Lucas Pouille continuing his victories here. Monaco is a "has been" at this point.

I thought Monaco was a "has been" already, but he's played OK this year and had some surprising wins. I wouldn't rule him out against Pouille.

 

[Mastoor]

Happy Birthday Carol!

For Rafa it is now or never I guess, but by the time they play your birthday will pass I guess.

I actually woke up for the second set of No1e's match and by all i read No1e woke up at the same time, so for the rest he really looked alright to me. Bellucci played really well and it wasn't easy to case all his shots.

I watched the start of Federer's loss and he didn't look injured to me.