Monte Carlo Masters 2013

[the AntiPusher]

too hilarious.. thanks Tented.. I have been saying for years opponents should do that every opportunity they get to try to rattle Rafa's head

 

[Denis]

So someone finally did it: Matesovic kicked over Rafa's water bottles at 2-5 against in the 2nd. Maybe he shouldn't have waited so long:

http://tennis.si.com/2013/04/17/rafael-nadal-monte-carlo-masters-water-bottles/

(You won't see the actual 'crime,' but you will see it give Rafa a laugh.)

That's a scream. But all he did was show Rafa how much he's in his head. Must have felt good, though, no?

Very funny indeed. I bet many players have dreamed about doing that. Good for Nadal that he thought it was funny too

 

[jhar26]

too hilarious.. thanks Tented.. I have been saying for years opponents should do that every opportunity they get to try to rattle Rafa's head

That can only work if you're about even with Rafa though. If you do that when it's 5-5 in the deciding set you're telling him, "bring it on!." But if you're doing that when you're 1-6/2-5 behind all that you are commincating is your own frustration.

 

[Kieran]

In fairness, Mitso gave him a look there to show he was just kidding. A word of warning! Rafa is like McEnroe - he usually players better when he's pissed off!

 

[I.Haychew]

Woke up to a nice surprise today...Fabio def. Berdych 6-4, 6-2. YEA, F3!

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Woke up to a nice surprise today...Fabio def. Berdych 6-4, 6-2. YEA, F3!

Kudos to triple F. Also well done Dimitrov.

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Liking the Nadal-Dimitrov match up.

 

[the AntiPusher]

I wasnt particularly impressed or encourage by Rafa's play today. I thought the 1st and midway thru the 2nd set Rafa was just blocking his bh back into play, not striking the ball with a purpose and was hitting the ball very short. However, towards the end of the 2set/match he did strilke it with more direction. I know its the early rounds and I dont think he would play the ball so short against the other players in the top 10. Man, The Rafafans we are, we are ultra Critical at times.:angel:

 

[Johnsteinbeck]

holy moly Stan the Man. nehmeth - i'm still not sure. Andy isn't #1, and isn't RF, so maybe Stan can finally go through with it. i'd still guess Andy wakes up at some point, though. is anyone watching? is Stan on fire or Andy just not there?

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I was particularly impressed or encourage by Rafa's play today. I thought the 1st and midway thru the 2nd set Rafa was just blocking his bh back into play, not striking the ball with a purpose and was hitting the ball very short. However, towards the end of the 2set/match he did strilke it with more direction. I know its the early rounds and I dont think he would play the ball so short against the other players in the top 10. Man, The Rafafans we are, we are ultra Critical at times.:angel:

*wasn't.
had to re-read this like three times until i got it, you had me confused there

 

[the AntiPusher]

holy moly Stan the Man. nehmeth - i'm still not sure. Andy isn't #1, and isn't RF, so maybe Stan can finally go through with it. i'd still guess Andy wakes up at some point, though. is anyone watching? is Stan on fire or Andy just not there?

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I was particularly impressed or encourage by Rafa's play today. I thought the 1st and midway thru the 2nd set Rafa was just blocking his bh back into play, not striking the ball with a purpose and was hitting the ball very short. However, towards the end of the 2set/match he did strilke it with more direction. I know its the early rounds and I dont think he would play the ball so short against the other players in the top 10. Man, The Rafafans we are, we are ultra Critical at times.:angel:

*wasn't.
had to re-read this like three times until i got it, you had me confused there

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Yep.. it was a type oh.. thanks John.. I havent had any java yet

 

[Didi]

Stan leads 6-1, 4-2 but Murray shouldn't worry too much. Stan is a very good claycourter and today is playing very close to the level of the Nole match in Melbourne. Murray needs time on the dirt and with Madrid, Rome and possibly Barcelona he's got plenty of time to adjust in time for Paris.

 

[the AntiPusher]

holy moly Stan the Man. nehmeth - i'm still not sure. Andy isn't #1, and isn't RF, so maybe Stan can finally go through with it. i'd still guess Andy wakes up at some point, though. is anyone watching? is Stan on fire or Andy just not there?

Just turned on the match to see Andy getting drubbed. He's an adequate clay court player, and if he can get Stan to play cat n' mouse with him, he has a chance.

Stan the man is dialed in today. Maybe his game is just a bad match up for Murray oon clay or he just reads the ball off his raquet better.

 

[kskate2]

holy moly Stan the Man. nehmeth - i'm still not sure. Andy isn't #1, and isn't RF, so maybe Stan can finally go through with it. i'd still guess Andy wakes up at some point, though. is anyone watching? is Stan on fire or Andy just not there?

Just turned on the match to see Andy getting drubbed. He's an adequate clay court player, and if he can get Stan to play cat n' mouse with him, he has a chance.

Stan the man is dialed in today. Maybe his game is just a bad match up for Murray oon clay or he just reads the ball off his record better.

Stan is a bad match up for just about everyone when he is at this level. Remember, Stan took Murray out of the USO and Andy is the superior HC player.

 

[the AntiPusher]

holy moly Stan the Man. nehmeth - i'm still not sure. Andy isn't #1, and isn't RF, so maybe Stan can finally go through with it. i'd still guess Andy wakes up at some point, though. is anyone watching? is Stan on fire or Andy just not there?

Just turned on the match to see Andy getting drubbed. He's an adequate clay court player, and if he can get Stan to play cat n' mouse with him, he has a chance.

Stan the man is dialed in today. Maybe his game is just a bad match up for Murray oon clay or he just reads the ball off his record better.

Stan is a bad match up for just about everyone when he is at this level. Remember, Stan took Murray out of the USO and Andy is the superior HC player.

you have a point

 

[Johnsteinbeck]

it's true, an on-fire Stan can be quite unbelievable, and it takes some skill (and a psychological edge over him) to get him back to earth, especially in a best of three.

that said, 1 and 2? that's a dissappointing performance by Murray, no matter who the opponent is.

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Stan leads 6-1, 4-2 but Murray shouldn't worry too much. Stan is a very good claycourter and today is playing very close to the level of the Nole match in Melbourne. Murray needs time on the dirt and with Madrid, Rome and possibly Barcelona he's got plenty of time to adjust in time for Paris.

it's true, there's time and opportunities left, of course. then again, i think the MC dirt is rather similar to RG, as opposed to Madrid (no matter which colour). he should really playing Barcelona, if you ask me.

 

[Riotbeard]

Seeing the murray result, I definitely feel vindicated on the clay courter list thread saying that people had no business saying murray was one of the top 5 clay courters.

Novak is down a set to Monaco...

 

[shawnbm]

Monaco is not and never has been an easy "out" for top players, particularly on clay. He has grit and fight. That being said, after one loses to top guys for so long, they can become unfazed with having to play them and can play them quite tough. It has happened to Roger, and will happen to Rafa, Nole and the rest. I am not saying Novak will lose or that he should, but some of these guys that routinely lost to Roger, Rafa and the other top guys were tough players in their own right--Monaco is one of them.

 

[El Dude]

Wow - just checking the scoreboard for the first time today: lots of surprising results, especially Wawrinka and Fognini. Dimitrov isn't as much a surprise as a relief - maybe he has actually taken a step up? He's now #27 in the live rankings, and Fabio is #28!

 

[rafanoy1992]

Is anyone watching the Djokovic vs. Monaco match? I'm hearing that Djokovic's ankle is bothering him right now.

 

[Riotbeard]

Is anyone watching the Djokovic vs. Monaco match? I'm hearing that Djokovic's ankle is bothering him right now.

I have been watching. It is definitely bothering him, but to what degree is hard to gauge. It is now one set all. His movement sometimes looks pretty good, sometimes not. I can't see him surviving Rafa like this or even Delpo probably.

 

[Moxie]

And Del Potro lost the first set to Nieminen.