Rio Open, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, ATP 500

[Moxie]

Nishikori upset. Given that he was complaining about some injuries early in the year, I'm wondering if he'll think this swing down on the clay was a good idea. Great news about the local boys, though.

 

[mrzz]

The Monteiro match I saw from start to finish, but on the Nishikori x Bellucci I was practicing myself... Saw some highlights though... course Nishikori was supposed to win but Bellucci on a good day can play really well. He had good matches with all the top guys already and he is one of the very few guys to have given Djokovic a bagel -- when he was beating everyone. Unfortunately he is still a head case, and has a cronic physical condition that hampers him a lot. I do not know when, but I always felt he is one guy that one day can click out of the blue, have a good year and find himself for a while well inside the top 10.

 

[britbox]

Results from the Rio de Janeiro Open Men's Singles Round 1 matches on Monday
Dusan Lajovic (Serbia) beat Facundo Bagnis (Argentina) 6-4 6-4
Casper Ruud (Norway) beat Rogerio Dutra Silva (Brazil) 6-3 6-4
Diego Schwartzman (Argentina) beat Renzo Olivo (Argentina) 6-2 3-6 6-4
Nicolas Kicker (Argentina) beat Marco Cecchinato (Italy) 7-5 6-0

 

[Fiero425]

Seeds:

1. Nishikori
2. Thiem
3. Cuevas
4. Carreno-Busta
5. Ramos-Vinolas
6. Ferrer
7. Lorenzi
8. Sousa

Just checked the draw & I see there's been another bloodbath with 6 of the top 8 seeds being knocked out! :nono

 

[mrzz]

Some quality matches happening here. Thiem, one of the few surviving seeds, survived a very high level first round against Tipsarevic. He is playing better than his late results would suggest.

 

[Carol]

What is going on with Nishi? he is getting worse to worser

 

[herios]

He is playing better than his late results would suggest.

All the 5 events Thiem played this ear prior to this week were on HC. It is clear by now that on that surface his game does not have the same efficiency as on clay, thus he is vulnerable to be upset.
The defeats to Goffin or Dimitrov are not something I would consider unexpected, but those to Evans, Basilashvili and Herbert, are clearly not good. Those 3 players recorded their biggest scalp of their career against him. Not something you want to remembered for.

 

[mrzz]

What is going on with Nishi? he is getting worse to worser

Yes, the results were not good lately but as I said other times Bellucci can get on fire. Remember he handed Djokovic a bagel some time ago when Djokovic was winning everything. The big 4 already commented that he is the kind of guy that raises his level when playing a top player.

 

[herios]

I just saw the second set between Delbonis and Schwartzamn, and Delbonis was just awful.
Schwartzman had an army of butterflies in his stomach when he chocked two times to serve it out, but the TB came along and again, Delbonis came to the rescue and helped losing it 1-7.

 

[Moxie]

I'm watching a bit of Thiem v Lajovic right now. Thiem won the first 6-2 and hit some wonderful passing shots. His game seems to jump up a notch on clay, and I see why people rate him high for a future RG win. He was up a break in the 2nd, but they're back to even. 6-5 Theim in the 2nd, on serve.

 

[britbox]

Results from the Rio de Janeiro Open Men's Singles Round 2 matches on Wednesday
Diego Schwartzman (Argentina) beat Federico Delbonis (Argentina) 6-4 7-6(1)
Nicolas Kicker (Argentina) beat Arthur De Greef (Belgium) 6-3 6-3
2-Dominic Thiem (Austria) beat Dusan Lajovic (Serbia) 6-2 7-5
5-Albert Ramos (Spain) beat Fabio Fognini (Italy) 6-2 6-3

 

[britbox]

 

[isabelle]

Nishikori upset. Given that he was complaining about some injuries early in the year, I'm wondering if he'll think this swing down on the clay was a good idea. Great news about the local boys, though.

Nishi is injured all the time...on clay, on hard, on grass...

 

[isabelle]

It is interesting how the big guys are skipping out on all of these ATP 250s/500s, at least until Dubai/Acapulco. Wonder why Rafa or Novak or Andy doesn't play Rotterdam or Rio? It would seem like a nice way to get a confidence building title under your belt.

Novak's stiill fighting with his shoulder injury, Rafa needs some rest (according to his team) and Murray wants to save his energy for IW and Miami

 

[herios]

It is interesting how the big guys are skipping out on all of these ATP 250s/500s, at least until Dubai/Acapulco. Wonder why Rafa or Novak or Andy doesn't play Rotterdam or Rio? It would seem like a nice way to get a confidence building title under your belt.

Novak's stiill fighting with his shoulder injury, Rafa needs some rest (according to his team) and Murray wants to save his energy for IW and Miami

Actually the reasons are debatable.
Novak stopped a long time ago to play smaller events, aside Dubai in this season, which he will skip this year.
Murray scaled down also and will play Dubai, which he sometimes does.
Rafa was the only one who used to commit to play the South American swing, but finally he realized that body preservation is more important than a few more matches.

next week all of them will play, except Niovak.

 

[El Dude]

It is worth pointing out that it is the scaling down of smaller events that basically lost Novak the #1 ranking. Novak accrued more points in big events (Slams/Masters/WTF) than Andy, but Andy pushed past due to winning a bunch of ATP 500s.

 

[Carol]

It is worth pointing out that it is the scaling down of smaller events that basically lost Novak the #1 ranking. Novak accrued more points in big events (Slams/Masters/WTF) than Andy, but Andy pushed past due to winning a bunch of ATP 500s.

I've just read that Novak has asked for a special invitation (WC) in Acapulco and it seems he is going to play there

 

[britbox]

Results from the Rio de Janeiro Open Men's Singles Round 2 matches on Thursday

Alexandr Dolgopolov (Ukraine) beat Horacio Zeballos (Argentina) 7-6(4) 4-6 6-4
4-Pablo Carreno (Spain) beat Victor Estrella (Dominican Republic) 6-2 4-6 6-2
Casper Ruud (Norway) beat Roberto Carballes (Spain) 6-7(4) 6-4 7-6(3)

 

[mrzz]

Monteiro just beats Bellucci in a Brazilian classic. Bellucci is still a better all round player, but Monteiro has a very good clay game. The winner now gets Casper Ruud, so a very good chance to make the semis (I saw him play, he has good potential, but he is not quite there yet).

Dolgopolov Zeballos was a very good match. I repeat what I wrote after Buenos Aires. Dolgopolov is a very dangerous dark horse in any masters from now on. He found a forehand, and it is a powerful one.

 

[El Dude]

Casper Ruud seems to be having a micro-breakthrough. A true breakthrough requires either a title, a second week Slam run, or defeating a top 10 opponent, but I'm pleased with what I'm seeing, considering that he is just 18 a couple months ago. Now #168 in live rankings - a real candidate for the top 100 well before his 19th birthday (December).