Monte Carlo Rolex Masters, Monaco, ATP Masters 1000

[Moxie]

I forgot that Berdych was the other finalist last year, so both finalists went out in their first matches today. That's unusual.

 

[Rides]

I'm not entirely shocked by Vesely's win today. He's a young guy with a great deal of potential. I am most impressed that he held not only his nerve at the tail end of the third set, but also his resolve after the second. The top guys win a lot matches on emotion and belief (or lack thereof depending on what side of the net you are standing).

Novak has been showing some vulnerability this season despite the admittedly awesome results. He was wobbly at Indian Wells, scraped by his Davis Cup match, and didn't exactly waltz his way to the trophy at the AO. The smallest cracks will be exploited by the opposition, right? You would think that every player in the locker room is gunning for a win vs the world #1. It's one of the reasons holding the top spot is more difficult than just winning matches.

 

[shawnbm]

Agree with you Rides, just ask Roger and Rafa, especially the latter (who always seemed better as the hunter than the hunted throughout his hall of fame career).

 

[Denis]

Seems like a bad day at the office.

Oh well, better here than at RG.

 

[Carol]

Down fo

^ Rafa has been on the way down for years, just face the facts that he is past his prime now and you can accept it all a little better. Rafa may still win some big events but he is not going to consistently play like he did even just a few years ago. They all go through it and it takes time to adjust to it both for the players and the passionate fans. It doesn't shock me anymore when Roger loses the occasional match to journeymen, even at slams. And the time will come where that's the case for Novak too, probably within a year or two.

Down for years? really? then It seems that I haven't watched tennis for years. I face the facts that he has played too bad for almost two years starting after the AO 14 where he was playing well before to get the back injury during the final, usually they go down little by little and not so drastic like he did but I also face the fact that he can do much better than that for sure

 

[DarthFed]

^ He's been irrelevant since winning 2014 RG. And even though he won RG in 2014 the beginning of his year wasn't exactly like 2013 was it? So I'd say it's reasonable to say he's been going downhill for 2+ years now and it's been really bad if we are just focusing after 2014 RG.

 

[Denis]

Congrats to Vesely btw. Very big win for him.

 

[Billie]

Seems like a bad day at the office.

Oh well, better here than at RG.

I know. He can't win them all and it gives somebody else a chance to win at last.

Well done to Vesely.

 

[britbox]

Results Round Up, Last 32

Jiri Vesely bt (1) Novak Djokovic 6/4 2/6 6/4
(2) Andy Murray bt Pierre-Hugues Herbert 6/2 4/6 6/3
(3) Roger Federer bt Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6/3 6/4
(4) Stan Wawrinka bt Philipp Kohlschreiber 7/6(2) 7/5
(5) Rafael Nadal bt Aljaz Bedene 6/3 6/3
Damir Dzumhur bt (6)Tomas Berdych 6/4 6/7(1) 6/3
(8) Jo-Wilfried Tsonga bt Pablo Carreno Busta 7/6(1) 7/6(5)
Lucas Pouille bt (9) Richard Gasquet 4/6 7/5 6/1
(10) Milos Raonic bt Pablo Cuevas 7/5 2/6 7/6(5)
(11) David Goffin bt Fernando Verdasco 762 26 761
(12) Dominic Thiem bt Taro Daniel 4/6 6/2 6/0
(13) Gael Monfils bt Paolo Lorenzi 6/2 6/4
(14) Roberto Bautista Agut bt Jeremy Chardy 6/3 5/7 7/5
(15) Gilles Simon bt Grigor Dimitrov 6/4 6/3
(16) Benoit Paire bt Joao Sousa 6/4 6/3
Marcel Granollers bt Alexander Zverev 6/4 4/6 6/3

 

[britbox]

Damir Dzumhur bt (6) Tomas Berdych 6/4 6/7(1) 6/3

 

[britbox]

Vesely Shares How He Beat Djokovic Monte Carlo 2016

Jiri Vesely bt (1) Novak Djokovic 6/4 2/6 6/4

 

[britbox]

 

[britbox]

Thursday Schedule

COURT RAINIER III START 11:00 AM
[16] B. Paire (FRA) v [2] A. Murray (GBR)
[5] R. Nadal (ESP) v [12] D. Thiem (AUT)
[3] R. Federer (SUI) v [14] R. Bautista Agut (ESP)
[WC] L. Pouille (FRA) v [8] J. Tsonga (FRA)

COURT DES PRINCES START 11:00 AM
[Q] D. Dzumhur (BIH) v [10] M. Raonic (CAN)
[15] G. Simon (FRA) v [4] S. Wawrinka (SUI)
J. Vesely (CZE) v [13] G. Monfils (FRA)
[11] D. Goffin (BEL) v [LL] M. Granollers (ESP)

 

[britbox]

Paire is taking to Murray. 4-4 in the final set... failed to convert some break points in the previous Murray service game but he's probably the better player right now. Murray is talking to himself a lot and ranting and raving.

 

[britbox]

Another break point for Paire... something has to give.

 

[britbox]

Raonic takes an MTO at 5-6 down in his deciding set.

But the Murray/Paire battle is a cracking match... real battle. Paire has yet another BP.

 

[britbox]

Paire breaks... finally and will serve for the match at 5-4.

 

[britbox]

Paire fluffs his lines, gets tight and Murray breaks him back. Incredible match... Paire must have got him with a dozen dropshot winners throughout the match...

 

[isabelle]

Murray in a poor shape, can't understand his game's choices

 

[Bert]

Watching Paire's game