Miami Masters 2015 (Men)

[GameSetAndMath]

Looking over today's schedule of play, I'm noticing a few David and Goliath-type matches, and I'm pulling for the David in each:

Nishikori (5'10") vs. Troicki (6'4")

Ferrer (5'9") vs. Rosol (6'5")

Goffin (5'11") vs. Janowicz (6'8")


Also, it's good to see Darcis healthy and playing well enough to have qualified, and now reached the third round, but today will be the end of his stay in Miami.

The first match does not have a David in it. The other two have.

 

[herios]

Looking over today's schedule of play, I'm noticing a few David and Goliath-type matches, and I'm pulling for the David in each:

Nishikori (5'10") vs. Troicki (6'4")

Ferrer (5'9") vs. Rosol (6'5")

Goffin (5'11") vs. Janowicz (6'8")


Also, it's good to see Darcis healthy and playing well enough to have qualified, and now reached the third round, but today will be the end of his stay in Miami.

The first match does not have a David in it. The other two have.

And Kei is already up with 2 breaks over Viktor. No surprise there.

 

[herios]

Nicely done by Kei: 6-2, 6-2 against Viktor.
:clap

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Kei was solid . Troicki however was struggling with some back and hip issues. Not that it was going to make a difference in the outcome.

Watching that match, I was once again annoyed by the service let calls. What a waste of time. There is no other shot in the game that you play a let . Why play one with the serve? Just keep on playing. Sometimes it will be a very short ball and the server will have an ace...sometimes it will be a nice sitter and the returner will have an easy point. It will even itself out always because it is a crapshoot.

Can anyone give me one good reason why we have the let rule for the serve and no other shot?

 

[herios]

Good win by David Goffin. He will meet Kei in next round and that will be their first encounter

 

[Denis]

Kei was solid . Troicki however was struggling with some back and hip issues. Not that it was going to make a difference in the outcome.

Watching that match, I was once again annoyed by the service let calls. What a waste of time. There is no other shot in the game that you play a let . Why play one with the serve? Just keep on playing. Sometimes it will be a very short ball and the server will have an ace...sometimes it will be a nice sitter and the returner will have an easy point. It will even itself out always because it is a crapshoot.

Can anyone give me one good reason why we have the let rule for the serve and no other shot?

Just a thought, but maybe because some people would start training on it (a bit risky I know). And it's not considered be a 'fair' start of the point (not that Milos serve is either :snicker).

 

[herios]

Milos takes the first set against Jeremy Chardy: 6-1

Strong serving at 77%, and Chardy serving poorly did not help his cause thus he got broken twice.

 

[Kirijax]

Just woke up (its 4:30 am here) to see that Nishikori won easily. I was a bit worried about this one but Nishikori won handily. Can't wait to see the highlights. Nishikori needs to win a Masters 1000. It is time.

 

[herios]

Oh dear. Chardy DF early in the second set on BP down and he gets broken again. He did the same thing early in the first set.

 

[herios]

Milos serves for the match and Chardy is the more focused and breaks back.

 

[herios]

Poor play by Milos and Chardy evens the match.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Kei was solid . Troicki however was struggling with some back and hip issues. Not that it was going to make a difference in the outcome.

Watching that match, I was once again annoyed by the service let calls. What a waste of time. There is no other shot in the game that you play a let . Why play one with the serve? Just keep on playing. Sometimes it will be a very short ball and the server will have an ace...sometimes it will be a nice sitter and the returner will have an easy point. It will even itself out always because it is a crapshoot.

Can anyone give me one good reason why we have the let rule for the serve and no other shot?

Just a thought, but maybe because some people would start training on it (a bit risky I know). And it's not considered be a 'fair' start of the point (not that Milos serve is either :snicker).

Brother, there is no way you can train to use that to your advantage, no way. Nobody is that good.
Plus, it is never fair, whether you win the point that way by a forehand, backhand, volley, etc...it is a crapshoot. Time to change that rule me says.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

It was very unlike Milos to get tight serving for the match...I hope he can get it together in the third. On serve so far.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Milos in trouble, down 2 BPs. This is very much like how Chardy came back to beat Roger...let's see.

 

[Carol]

Jeez, I didn't realize it was that atrocious. Anyways I won't throw dirt on the bull until he loses at RG, actually won't throw dirt on him until he has a slamless season. One can hope like hell this is finally the year. Rafa-free 2015...I can get on board

I wasn't throwing dirt on him..just pointing out the dodgy stats.

it is time for rafa to improve. :idea:

I know you weren't. But I don't think it's time for him to improve. I like him where he is right now

Why? :huh:

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Milos more solid in the TB and closes it out.

It should not have come to this though. Either way, he held his composure when he had BPs against him. Good job.

 

[herios]

Milos more solid in the TB and closes it out.

It should not have come to this though. Either way, he held his composure when he had BPs against him. Good job.

Exactly my thought. He pulled it together in the TB, and the pressure was back on Chardy who opened the TB with a DF. No mistakes this time around.

 

[TennisFanatic7]

I really think Raonic is as good as anyone at being composed in a tight moment, that includes any of the big 3/4. This is a big compliment to him of course, but the flip side is that while most players do most of their later development on the mental side of their game, his is already there, and I'm just not sure I see him making many strides on the technical side over the next few years.

I still think by being rock solid and consistent against lesser players, and being mentally strong enough to come through most close matches, he'll have a successful career, but I don't see him having too many days where he gets red hot and wipes out a Federer or a Djokovic at a major by being unplayable, which is something I can certainly see happening for Nishikori or Dimitrov.

It'll be interesting to see.

 

[Kirijax]

Ferrer up! Let's go David!

 

[Haelfix]

Verdascos record against Rafa is one of those anomalies that the sport spits out sometimes. A little bit like Davydenko-Federer. As a counterfactual claim, I bet the h2h would be much closer if they had to do it again.

There is no obvious reason Rafa has won so many of those matches, b/c quite frankly the matches are typically very close, if not in score then in play. Its almost always a few points here and there that separates them, especially on hards.

I feel like Verdasco can grind with Rafa, and has no problem going toe to toe from the baseline. Indeed he even has moments where he dominates. I also think like he plays some of his best tennis against Rafa, as he rarely plays that well against the other big 4.

I like how patient he is from the baseline, all the while playing with controlled aggression. Very spanish of course, but still it is so unlike almost every one else who plays Rafa.