Laver Cup - Inaugural Event

[Murat Baslamisli]

No exho feel to this by the way...this is serious business here.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Oh Boy, this is getting more difficult than I thought it would be. It has already gone to the 12th match. If Fed does not get the job done against Nick (who got point for his team on both Friday and Saturday), it will go to a "Best of one set" (I hate that phrase) doubles to decide the winner.

I just woke up .. Rafa lost to the Giant.. Good for Big John

It's up to Gramps to take out the Anomaly, Krygrios

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Royer clinches it for Europe...His reaction was genuine. This meant something more than mula.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

When Rafa jumped in the arms of Roger after the final point, I was imagining Moxie jumping in the arms of Darth

 

[the AntiPusher]

Here's what Rafa said to Roger after team Europe clinched the Laver Cup.

 

[mrzz]

I feel extremely stupid to actually feel good to see Federer and Nadal celebrating together visibly happy. By the way felt bad for Kyrgios. I am starting to really like the guy (but you guys are still all wrong about him).

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Next one is in Cihcago !

 

[Front242]

Only watched a handful points of the whole tournament but loved the colour of the courts. Looked too slow though. Not sure if it was heavy balls or slow surface but too slow.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Only watched a handful points of the whole tournament but loved the colour of the courts. Looked too slow though. Not sure if it was heavy balls or slow surface but too slow.

For an event organized by Roger, you would think he would pick a faster surface but who knows...

 

[Front242]

For an event organized by Roger, you would think he would pick a faster surface but who knows...

McEnroe and his evil crew probably smeared Vaseline and glue all over it overnight

 

[Busted]

No exho feel to this by the way...this is serious business here.

Very serious. EVERYBODY wanted to win. I got up to watch at the crack of down and when Team World won the doubles I wasn't surprised - because Berdych is NOT a doubles player - but when I saw it was Zverev/Querrey followed by Nadal/Isner I said those are "gimme matches" and went back to bed. Got up 4 1/2 hours later to see that NADAL LOST TO ISNER - What in the name of indoor hard court hell was that? - and Roger had lost the first set to Kyrgios and had a long road to climb back to win the match. I was actually surprised he pulled that out because he played the Querrey match like he hadn't played in 3 weeks...which he admitted he hadn't and only done training last week and started practicing on Tuesday after arriving in Prague. So well done to him for getting the job done when Nadal whiffed.

On another note - Kyrgios. They commentators said when Team World got the player list from Team Europe at the team meeting Kyrgios raised his hand and said he wanted to play Roger. No shite, Sherlock. He likes nothing more than the big stage - but doesn't want to do the hard work to EARN the right to be on center court EVERY MATCH. If I was his ATP mandate shrink I'd tell him he needs to start pretending that he's playing Federer when he's on court 17 or court 3 or court 1 - wherever his matches are. Because that's the only thing he REALLY seems to get fired up about - the big stage and playing\beating Federer, Nadal or Djokovic. Maybe this will be the kick in the butt he's been needing. The younger guys on Team World - Shapovalov and Tiafoe - seem to have no problem finding the motivation to dig deeper so they can get better and play big matches on the biggest stages. They will be coming for Kyrgios in the same way Nadal, Federer and Djokovic are trying to stave off the younger generation.

All in all - I enjoyed the Laver Cup and the format. The fact that the matches were 3 points today almost enabled Team World to pull off a stunning comeback. Next year should be interesting because you would think that if they were watching at home Djokovic and Murray would be itching to be a part of this. Definitely more interesting that Davis Cup - and does't take a full year to play it.

 

[Moxie]

You would almost thought they'd have scripted it, for the way they managed to get it almost to the very last second. But Isner played perfectly today against Rafa, and great effort by Nick. Fed wins his tournament in the clutch moment. Lots of drama, lots of fun.

 

[Busted]

For an event organized by Roger, you would think he would pick a faster surface but who knows...

I doubt Roger was thinking of only himself when they decided on the surface. And a quicker surface actually works in favor of the bigger servers - and Team World had 4 guys who can serve lights out. Look at how close the matches where on a medium speed court. If it were any faster Team Europe probably would have lost the more singles matches. We all know Nadal hates fast surfaces - and yet he still lost to Isner on a medium speed court.

I did hear Sock complaining on a changeover though that the court was a little sticky and that hit was hard to make quick moves. Who knows when the court was laid down. Maybe it just hadn't cured enough - and the fact that nobody had played on it before also made it play slow.

 

[Busted]

You would almost thought they'd have scripted it, for the way they managed to get it almost to the very last second. But Isner played perfectly today against Rafa, and great effort by Nick. Fed wins his tournament in the clutch moment. Lots of drama, lots of fun.

I'm waiting for the "it was fixed" naysayers to chime in. You could see Kyrgios was gutted at netting that last ball, so if it was "scripted" then he's a better actor than I'd have though.

Re: Isner beating Nadal - slept through that match because I thought it was a gimme for Nadal. The ironic thing is that Isner played doubles for 2 hours barely t 2 hours before that match. I thought the big guys were supposed to run out of energy after playing that much? Granted Sock did most of the work in doubles, but still. Not good if you're Nadal and you lose to a guy who's already played 1 match and is playing you with 2 hours rest. This is where I throw in my crack about him winning the US Open WITHOUT playing a Top 25 player... ...and I can't remember if that's ever happened before. Certainly not in the last 20 years...just saying...

 

[Moxie]

I'm waiting for the "it was fixed" naysayers to chime in. You could see Kyrgios was gutted at netting that last ball, so if it was "scripted" then he's a better actor than I'd have though.

Re: Isner beating Nadal - slept through that match because I thought it was a gimme for Nadal. The ironic thing is that Isner played doubles for 2 hours barely t 2 hours before that match. I thought the big guys were supposed to run out of energy after playing that much? Granted Sock did most of the work in doubles, but still. Not good if you're Nadal and you lose to a guy who's already played 1 match and is playing you with 2 hours rest. This is where I throw in my crack about him winning the US Open WITHOUT playing a Top 25 player... ...and I can't remember if that's ever happened before. Certainly not in the last 20 years...just saying...

Nah, I did think they managed to squeeze every bit of drama out of it, though. The short format favors the upset, so I thought that helped.

 

[Busted]

I feel extremely stupid to actually feel good to see Federer and Nadal celebrating together visibly happy. By the way felt bad for Kyrgios. I am starting to really like the guy (but you guys are still all wrong about him).

I felt bad for him for a heartbeat. BUT...he volunteered to player Roger in the team meeting so I got over my sympathy for him pretty quickly. LOL! He clearly likes the team format though. He just needs to find a way to transfer that same energy and passion to ALL of his singles matches.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Next one is in Cihcago !

I will be there although I detest that POS city Mayor ..

 

[Busted]

Royer clinches it for Europe...His reaction was genuine. This meant something more than mula.

Why wouldn't it? It was his baby - from start to finish. And considering the event is sponsored by HIS MAIN SPONSOR - ROLEX? Hell no, he didn't want to lose.Another major sponsor was Mercedes - another of his long-time sponsors. The only sponsor I saw that he doesn't have a deal with is JPMorgan. So there was a lot at stake for the future of the event. I'm sure next year they'll have no problem finding other sponsors - especially since it's in Chicago and there are no professional tennis events in Chicago at all.

 

[the AntiPusher]

I felt bad for him for a heartbeat. BUT...he volunteered to player Roger in the team meeting so I got over my sympathy for him pretty quickly. LOL! He clearly likes the team format though. He just needs to find a way to transfer that same energy and passion to ALL of his singles matches.

I think in a team match format, Krygrios can harness his inner demons that typically possess his young soul in his singles tournaments..Nick was the Real star of the Tournament and he shows that he is modern day NEO (THE Matrix)real Anomaly his is.

 

[Busted]

I will be there although I detest that POS city Mayor ..

I have no problem with Rahm Emanuel. His bro is Ari though is an arrogant, egotistical POS. Jeremy Piven on Entourage at least got that mcuh right...

ChiTown's not too far from me...I'm seriously considering going as well...