Rome Masters 2013 (Internazionali BNL d'Italia)

[Kieran]

Yeah, I think Nadal is struggling too. He seems hungover. It reminds me of 2007, when he reached the Hamburg final flaked out. He's going awol for large segments of the match and it's taking more out of him to dispatch guys like Ferrer. But he's gaining ground too, though I don't think it's quick enough. He's still the best on clay this year - via his results - but I think he looks jaded, he has little potency in his serve and though it's a shame he doesn't get to play Nole tomorrow, at least he's getting matches in and working hard before Paris...

 

[I.Haychew]

Nice, early start for Roger and Jelena...I mean Jerzy.

 

[Johnsteinbeck]

JJ starting in style, not bad. some of the fh's are ridonkulous.

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Yeah, I think Nadal is struggling too. He seems hungover. It reminds me of 2007, when he reached the Hamburg final flaked out. He's going awol for large segments of the match and it's taking more out of him to dispatch guys like Ferrer. But he's gaining ground too, though I don't think it's quick enough. He's still the best on clay this year - via his results - but I think he looks jaded, he has little potency in his serve and though it's a shame he doesn't get to play Nole tomorrow, at least he's getting matches in and working hard before Paris...

well, he's still winning matches, though, and a lot of 'em too. at this rate, if Nole lets up at one of the GS, Rafa could come pretty close by the end of summer. /gettingaheadofmyself

 

[Riotbeard]

Anybody else notice how good Jerzy's return is?

 

[Johnsteinbeck]

wow, what a drop shot. they actually displayed the speed (54km/h) of that drop winner; must've added that feature just for JJ and Fed

Fed comes through a tight serve game. JJ already probably had as many points on Roger's serve as Simon did for the whole match, despite putting a number of returns out wide.

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Anybody else notice how good Jerzy's return is?

absolutely - he's taking some risk with it, though. i think three or four he put wide or long in just that one game. we'll see if he ends up grooving in, zoning in more of those returns.

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hot damn, these are some serves. then follows it right up with a bh dtl winner. commentator referencing Safin, rightfully so.

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Fed struggling to even put returns in play (and there's few that are better at getting the ball back in play somehow than Fed, as a certain american retiree can tell you). Fed is actually playing good enough, when he gets to. but he hardly gets a chance to do so. quite on JJ's racquet, the whole affair.

 

[DarthFed]

wow, what a drop shot. they actually displayed the speed (54km/h) of that drop winner; must've added that feature just for JJ and Fed

Fed comes through a tight serve game. JJ already probably had as many points on Roger's serve as Simon did for the whole match, despite putting a number of returns out wide.

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Anybody else notice how good Jerzy's return is?

absolutely - he's taking some risk with it, though. i think three or four he put wide or long in just that one game. we'll see if he ends up grooving in, zoning in more of those returns.

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hot damn, these are some serves. then follows it right up with a bh dtl winner. commentator referencing Safin, rightfully so.

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Fed struggling to even put returns in play (and there's few that are better at getting the ball back in play somehow than Fed, as a certain american retiree can tell you)

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That's no longer true with Roger (ability to get back the big serve has gone down in spades). Roger does look damn good aside from ROS today but it's still on serve due to the huge serve he is up against.

 

[Johnsteinbeck]

i want to say that Fed upped the ante when it counted the most - but what he did was hang in there and let the weight of the moment work it's magic on JJ's head. worked like a charm, too. pulled the trigger too early at 30 all, and then played a horrible and horribly obvious drop shot at set point. we'll see how he handles the setback at such a late hour.

 

[shawnbm]

Class was in session there at the end of the first set. Bravo Maestro!

 

[Moxie]

Then Janowicz breaks straight back. That last return was amazing.

 

[Johnsteinbeck]

well, seems JJ handled it well enough. wasted the first point, but hammered the rest of the returns (although something was amiss at the point for 15-30, JJ scream/grunted, Fed even stopped his movement for a sec). up a break now.

Fed struggling to even put returns in play (and there's few that are better at getting the ball back in play somehow than Fed, as a certain american retiree can tell you)

That's no longer true with Roger (ability to get back the big serve has gone down in spades). Roger does look damn good aside from ROS today but it's still on serve due to the huge serve he is up against.

i dunno, he still has a solid block return in general - good enough against most servers, for sure. the thing is that to make those blocks count for anything, it's all about the groove, and Fed's hardly been in one in the last couple of months.

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what a second serve to consolidate. (his 2nd srv kmhs are close to Fed's 1st)

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whistles and jeers for a (admittedly very) bad drop shot. that crowd sure is strict.

 

[DarthFed]

well, seems JJ handled it well enough. wasted the first point, but hammered the rest of the returns (although something was amiss at the point for 15-30, JJ scream/grunted, Fed even stopped his movement for a sec). up a break now.

Fed struggling to even put returns in play (and there's few that are better at getting the ball back in play somehow than Fed, as a certain american retiree can tell you)

That's no longer true with Roger (ability to get back the big serve has gone down in spades). Roger does look damn good aside from ROS today but it's still on serve due to the huge serve he is up against.

i dunno, he still has a solid block return in general - good enough against most servers, for sure. the thing is that to make those blocks count for anything, it's all about the groove, and Fed's hardly been in one in the last couple of months.

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what a second serve to consolidate. (his 2nd srv kmhs are close to Fed's 1st)

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whistles and jeers for a (admittedly very) bad drop shot. that crowd sure is strict.

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Agree to disagree on that point. I think the difference in ROS is probably the main reason for the big hitters being a huge threat against him now whereas they were easy pickings 5+ years ago. Roger could be getting a lot more returns back in play...just way too stubborn at hawking the baseline on the return. He is basically winning every point that even gets close to neutral right now.

 

[Johnsteinbeck]

dunno how Fed blocked that serve back on the line, but it was mere self defense. second tennis-related assault in the past weeks, i guess. one of the fastest body serves i've seen.

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He is basically winning every point that even gets close to neutral right now.

seems like JJ regrouped, though. he seems a bit gassed, but that serve is a nice way to conserve energy and still win the set. Fed not serving too shabby himself now, but that's not getting him the break back.

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they're whistling even at the changeovers now. what's going on?

 

[tented]

Great point to break back.

 

[shawnbm]

Like how the maestro gave the young buck a taste of his own medicine. I love the old versus the new.

 

[Moxie]

This is some fun, this match!

 

[DarthFed]

Roger's serve is finding the mark today. Best I've seen him serve in awhile.

 

[Johnsteinbeck]

ouch. i'm sure that stung - wonderful fh return winner (the classic stretch to the wide serve).
JJ recovers nicely on the next one, though.

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Fed's gonna hate himself for missing that second serve return on the second matchball, esp. if he loses the breaker. and he starts the TB with a fh ue.

JJ keeps holding his arm/elbow though, and generally looks gassed. i wonder if he actually likes the idea of a third set.

Fed return winners off 230 and 228 km/h serves. alright, why not.

 

[tented]

JJ is going to implode soon.

 

[tented]

Great point at 1-4

 

[Johnsteinbeck]

holy crap. shot of the week? that point was incredible. hard not to love this guy JJ.