WTF 2010 Final - A Resounding Meh

by Savannah

Patrick McEnroe and Cliff Drysdale said that winning the WTF final was more important for Roger Federer than Rafael Nadal. It showed. The first two sets, split between the two men by the identical 6-3 score, were exciting. The third set saw Rafa staying back while Federer came in more often. There can only be one result when that happens, especially on an indoor court.

In their last match as a team Nenad Zimonjic and Daniel Nestor defeated another team making their final appearance, Mahesh Bhupathi and Max Mirnyi.

At long last the 2010 ATP season is over. The Exhibition season begins now and Abu Dhabi is a few weeks away.

I'm not going to be posting much. There is always tennis news and if something big happens of course I'll be posting it. See you all soon.

A WTF Semi For Posterity - And One Not So Much

by Savannah

It's already being called one of if not the match of the year. Andy Murray faced off against Rafael Nadal in the packed O2 stadium. Scottish flags and signs asking Rafa to marry the woman holding them were dispersed among the 17,500 people who had come to see two of the top four men in the world facing off against each other. Three hours later they had seen a match that will be talked about for a very long time.

The first set was decided by a tiebreak won by Nadal 7-6(4) and it looked as if it would be a quick ho-hum straight set win for him. Instead Rafa began to show his nerves and the next thing you knew Murray had won the second set 6-3.

If you like indoor tennis and great shot making the third set was your trip to Nirvana. The two battled with Nadal up a break and serving for the match at 5-4. Murray managed a break to level things at 5 all and then both men, fighting their nerves as well as each other kicked it up a notch. Murray, struggling to make a return fell and visibly pulled his groin. He had been hitting his left thigh with his racquet for some time but after he pulled his groin I know I was hoping he would have it in him to continue. He did.
Anyone who is a Rafa fan knows about his will and desire to win. I think that after today all of the doubters, those who belittled his style of play and ability to play on surfaces other than clay will no longer sing that song.

When Murray missed a forehand at six all in the tiebreak that was all she wrote. Rafa gathered his nerve and ended the match with the fans standing and cheering.

ESPN is airing one of the semi's tomorrow morning. The first semi lasted three hours. One can only assume they will highlight this match especially the third set..
Great matches deserve to be seen by all sports fans. Congratulations to both men.

Novak Djokovic's reaction in this picture just about sums up what his match against Roger Federer was like. The second semifinal of the day was as dull and predictable as the first semi final was exciting and down to the wire. Djokovic didn't show up at all and lost in straight sets. He seemed unable to gather his thoughts and was jerked around the court like a marionette. Novak said before the tournament began that the upcoming Davis Cup tie against France was at the top of his to do list and that playing the WTF was something he expects to be able to do again. He played like it today.

If the TD was weeping for joy yesterday he's probably having wet dreams tonight. As I've said before I don't predict ATP matches.
"Mad Professah", who posts on Craig's blog, called both matches correctly today. Start time for the singles final is 12:30p Eastern. ESPN will be carrying the match live.

The Final Four

by Savannah

It's enough to make a tournament director weep for joy.

The Week In Review

by Savannah

There was Albert Costa, Alex Corretja, Juan Carlos Ferrero and Carlos Moya. These four men were the original Spanish Armada. As of this week there is only one man still active. Carlos Moya was forced by a nagging foot injury to retire from tennis. The move had been expected but it still signifies the passing of an era. Moya was the first to wear the sleeveless tennis shirts made popular by the man from Mallorca, also the island of Moya's birth.

Moya was the first man from Spain to reach the number one ranking back in 1999. He remained one of the top players in the world for years. Now, at the age of 33, he his hanging up his racquets. He is scheduled to play in Seville this December.

Carlos will be missed. There are many who hope he will play on the senior circuit after awhile. For now all we can do is wish Carlos and his family good luck.

WTF 2010

Christopher Clarey of the New York Times kicked off the papers coverage with an interview of Roger Federer who discusses his coaching situation and why he feels confident going into the O2 year ending tournament.

“Sure it took some managing, just in the beginning, getting everybody happy and comfortable with the situation,” Federer said in an interview last week in Paris. “But I look at the long run. We all do, so it’s all cool. If you look at the short term I think that’s when it gets a bit hectic and a bit pressured.”
(...)
“When we first started talking, and I was starting to get to know him a little more in-depth, his level of excitement and desire to keep playing and to do it in a way that’s positive, optimistic, energetic and open-minded, really kind of floored me,” said Annacone, who has spoken little publicly since joining Federer’s team.

“I felt like I was with a 23-year-old or 22-year-old again,” he added. “He loves the life. He loves the tennis matches. He loves the travel. He has all the ingredients, including and most importantly good health in mind and body to keep going for a number of years. I think in retrospect Pete at this age was a lot more tired — a lot more tired mostly emotionally, not physically.”
(...)
Determining the precise state of Federer’s game remains difficult, however. The final phase of this season has been both reaffirming and disquieting. Reaffirming because he has won three of his seven tournaments and reached two finals after putting in that solid training block in July. Disquieting because he has continued to let matches slip away after holding multiple match points. He failed to convert either of his two match points against Novak Djokovic in the U.S. Open semifinals or any of his five match points against Gaël Monfils in the semifinals in Paris last week.
(...)
Earlier this year, Federer lost two other matches after holding match point: against Marcos Baghdatis in Indian Wells and against Tomas Berdych in Miami. In the Halle final against Lleyton Hewitt in June, he was up by one set and 0-40 on Hewitt’s serve at 4-4 and also lost.

“I think this was for me the worst part, that I missed quite a few big opportunities, which then make my season look somewhat fragile but which it wasn’t,” said Federer, whose biggest victory came at the Australian Open in January. “I think it was a good season after all, but for me maybe the worst part is all those really close matches.”

The question is whether this is a hint of the decline to come — and both Federer and Annacone are weary of the legions of decline spotters — or simply an anomaly. What is clear is that Federer has never been through any stretch quite like this, even as Annacone points out that it was only last year that Federer coolly held off Andy Roddick, 16-14, in the fifth set of the Wimbledon final.

“I’ve always tried to play each point as tough as I can and sometimes it just happens that way,” Federer said. “It’s not the first time I lose a big match with match point. I lost to Marat Safin at the Australian Open once with match point and it was a great match from the beginning to the end. Sometimes you get unlucky with those kind of runs, and you just want to make sure they stop.”

Everyone and his or her brother is predicting how the tournament will end. Defending champion Nikolay Davydenko did not make the cut this year so someone new will hoist the trophy.

As regular readers know I don't like to do ATP predictions because I know I'm a STAN and that I could stray into talking about what I want to happen as opposed to what could happen. I can usually avoid predictions because there is so much else going on.

With the ATP insuring that their year end is the only thing on the calendar at this time I can't really avoid talking about the World Team Finals can I? I mean I could but that would be kind of silly wouldn't it?

The thing is the draw doesn't lend itself to easy analysis this year. Some are arguing one group is more difficult than the other and that one man has, if not a cakewalk, an easier time to the semi finals than the others.

At first glance that would appear to be the case. Everyone who on paper could give Roger Federer a hard time appears to be in his group. I'm sure Andy Roddick breathed a sigh of relief at not having to face Federer in the Round Robin. I'm guessing he's as sick of reminders of his loss to Roger in the Wimbledon final in 2009.

By the same token Federer's group is full of guys who don't grovel at his altar. Every one of them has given Federer a very hard row to hoe at some point. I have to say that Soderling seems to have become a bit gun shy, or star struck, of late but he will be formidable foe and has to be flagged as a favorite to come out of his group near the top.

David Ferrer's head to head with Federer is dismal with Federer owning a 10-0 record against him.
Against Andy Murray though Ferrer is 3-0. Against Soderling Ferrer is 4-8.
Do I think Ferrer has a chance? Yes. Who do I think will come out of this group? I think it's a toss up. None of the men in this group have been at top form of late except for Robin Soderling. He did very well in Bercy coming out strong in the final to defeat a mentally and physically whipped Gael Monfils. Will he be able to win the Round Robin portion of the tournament? He could. Will he be able to overcome his aversion to winning against Federer? We'll see.

As for Group A the situation is quite different. The prevalent opinion is that Rafael Nadal will have a cake walk to the semifinals.
What do I think? I think conventional wisdom is wrong.

I think this group will be a dogfight from the first ball toss. Andy Roddick has to feel good about not having to face Federer and has a lot to prove. The surface here is said to not be as fast as the one at Bercy that would've favored his style of play. We all know Roddick didn't factor into the semi finals there. With a slower surface Roddick will have to play more tennis and if he's forced to come forward, something he doesn't do well, he could be in trouble.

Novak Djokovic comes into this tournament playing some of the best tennis he's ever played. He has a winning head to head against Tomas Berdych, a losing record against Roddick, and a losing record against Rafael Nadal.
The wild card here is Berdych, who when he's on is almost unstoppable but is prone to go on walkabout at any point in a match.
He has a losing head to head against everyone in his group but I can see him forcing his opponents to have to play hard to beat him and could pull off a surprise win.

Am I hedging my bets? Yes I am. I think that this is anyone's tournament and that someone could pull off a surpise win. All I want is good tennis. I don't think that's too much to ask.

The O2 - Groups and Orders of Play

by Savannah

The draw for the ATP WTF was done today.

Singles Round Robin

Group A

Rafael Nadal

Novak Djokokic

Tomas Berdych

Andy Roddick

Group B

Roger Federer

Robin Soderling

Andy Murray

David Ferrer

Doubles Round Robin

Group A

Bob Bryan-Mike Bryan

Lukas Dlouhy-Leander Paes

Mariusz Fyrstenberg-Marcin Matkowski

Jurgen Melzer-Philipp Petzschner

Group B

Daniel Nestor-Nenad Zimonjic

Lukasz Kubot-Oliver Marach

Mahesh Bhupathi-Max Mirnyi

Wesley Moodie-Dick Norman

ORDER OF PLAY

Sunday, 21 November 2010

CENTRE COURT Start At 12:15 PM

[1] B Bryan (USA) / M Bryan (USA) vs [8] J Melzer (AUT) / P Petzschner (GER)

Not Before 2:00 PM

[4] R Soderling (SWE) vs [5] A Murray (GBR)

Start At 6:15 PM

[4] L DLouhy (CZE) / L Paes (IND) vs [6] M Fyrstenberg (POL) / M Matkowski (POL)

Not Before 8:00 PM

[2] R Federer (SUI) vs [7] D Ferrer (ESP)

Monday, 22 November 2010

CENTRE COURT Start At 12:15 PM

[3] M Bhupathi (IND) / M Mirnyi (BLR) vs [5] L Kubot (POL) / O Marach (AUT)

P

Not Before 8:00 PM

[1] R Nadal (ESP) vs [8] A Roddick (USA)

Of Paris Masters and WTF

by Savannah

I hope you all got a chance to see the semi final matches in Paris this past weekend. As you know I am not a fan of hard court tennis especially when it's played on super fast courts as Bercy was. Still Gael Monfils vs Roger Federer and Robin Soderling vs Michael Llodra were two of the best men's matches of the year. Both went three sets and both were edge of your seat exciting.

It was stunning to see Gael suck it up and play mature, focused tennis. He left the clowning at home and did not go away mentally when he dropped the second set. Roger Rasheed deserves to be praised for getting his pupil to this point. If this Gael shows up more now we're going to see him winning events instead of going out in the quarters. The match score was 7-6(7), 6-7(1), 7-6(4) for Monfils.

Michael Llodra, his wife and young son in the stands, showed that he is more than a doubles player. His match against Soderling was a war. He had an answer for everything that was being thrown at him faltering only in the home stretch. Still the match score was 6-7(0), 7-5, 7-6(6) for Soderling and that doesn't begin to convey the level of tennis both men played. In fact both matches showed that real tennis can be played on fast hard courts. Of course serving was key but there were some great points played by all four men. When the matches were over Patrick McEnroe tweeted that there should be more matches played on fast hard courts. I think PMac needs to slow his roll. I sat through an Andy Roddick match at the US Open - he was playing Fabrice Santoro - and bored to tears doesn't begin to describe what that match was like for me. There was no such boredom on Saturday.

It's a no brainer why PMac would take such a stance but remember these were four Europeans playing. Andy Roddick crashed and burned early in the event. Hard and grass court tennis can be enjoyable if the participants know how to construct points and engage in strategic play instead of the hit hard and harder play many Americans engage in.

It's unfortunate that Gael came into the Final flat while Soderling continued the level of play he exhibited on Saturday. Monfils was never in the Final but this time it was okay. Tennisheads now know what he can do and look forward to seeing more of it next year.

I didn't see any of the doubles play but still congratulations to the team of Mahesh Bhupathi and Max Mirnyi on their victory.

The ATP World Team Finals

Yes I totally resisted the urge to use the abbreviation for World Team Finals. If they're brash enough to use those words they're brash enough to accept that people will call their year end tournament WTF. I'm just sayin'.

Anywho the field was set during the Paris Masters and will include the following players:

1 Rafael Nadal 11,450

2 Roger Federer 7,645

3 Novak Djokovic 5,635

4 Robin Soderling 5,380

5 Andy Murray 5,360

6 Tomas Berdych 3,755

7 David Ferrer 3,735

Qualifies for first time since 2007.

8 Andy Roddick 3,665

Qualifies for eighth straight year

With Andy Murray now ranked #5 the set up for the groups is going to be extremely interesting. The draw will take place on Wednesday November 17.

Tennis Talk

by Savannah

IMG Mess Update

LONDON -- The head of management company IMG has told tennis' anti-corruption group that he hasn't bet on the sport since current rules barring gambling were enacted nearly two years ago.

IMG executive Ted Forstmann was accused in a lawsuit of gambling millions of dollars on sports events, including the 2007 French Open final between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Forstmann has acknowledged betting on Federer, who is represented by an IMG agent.

Tennis Integrity Unit spokesman Mark Harrison said Thursday the group contacted Forstmann and "made it clear that since January 2009, he has been covered by the provisions of the game's anti-corruption code."

Harrison said Forstmann "understands and accepts this."

SOURCE

So 2007 is in play no?

WTF Notes

The Elite Eight that will appear in London has been settled.

1 Rafael Nadal 11,450

2 Roger Federer 7,645

3 Novak Djokovic 5,635

4 Andy Murray 5,360

5 Robin Soderling 4,740

6 Tomas Berdych 3,755

7 David Ferrer 3,735

8 Andy Roddick 3,665

The Doubles teams are as follows:

Bob Bryan/Mike Bryan 11,370

Daniel Nestor/Nenad Zimonjic 8,370

Lukas Dlouhy/Leander Paes 4,015

Lukasz Kubot/Oliver Marach 3,735

Mahesh Bhupathi/Max Mirnyi 3,630

Mariusz Fyrstenberg/Marcin Matkowski 3,520

(WC) Jurgen Melzer/Philipp Petzschner 2,745

Andy Roddick is complaining about the week between the end of Bercy and the beginning of the World Tour Finals.

"Considering the ATP sent out an email saying we have to be in London for Wednesday, it doesn't leave much time for me to get home and back now, does it?" said Roddick when asked by journalists about his post-tournament plans.

"So not only do we have a week in between where we're kind of hanging out, apparently we're available for you people for five days."

The American believes bringing the Paris Masters and World Tour Finals closer together would help to have a longer off-season.

"It's tough to change things overnight, but change is happening," he said.

"We moved it (the World Tour Finals) to Europe, so that's good, but it's the same amount of time. There's still no off-season. The point would be to make it cohesive so you run through into the other one.

"You guys (the press) could make it happen. I don't think you need a week to prep your stories. I think it would add 25-30 percent to the off-season."

"It's tough to be objective about yourself, but I know I've had some of my best moments in London," he said.

"I've spent about five weeks there every summer for the last 10 years, so it's hard to believe I've not developed some kind of relationship (with the fans). I certainly reciprocate a lot of the positive feelings." Source: AP/Yahoo Sports

Really Andy? You got in by the skin of your teeth. If you want to go back to the States and then fly back to London that is your choice. It's this sense of entitlement that turns people off to Roddick.

Miscellany

Jelena Jankovic had what she called "a small eye surgery" this week. Speedy recovery JJ.

A healthier looking Anna Kournikova poses with Venus Williams at an event.

Elena Dementieva at a recent event.

The player pictures from Bali are stunning. Here is a sample.

Daniela Hantuchova

Kimiko Date-Krumm

Ana Ivanovic in traditional Balinese attire

Aravane Rezai

Tennis Talk

by Savannah

IMG Mess Update

LONDON -- The head of management company IMG has told tennis' anti-corruption group that he hasn't bet on the sport since current rules barring gambling were enacted nearly two years ago.

IMG executive Ted Forstmann was accused in a lawsuit of gambling millions of dollars on sports events, including the 2007 French Open final between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Forstmann has acknowledged betting on Federer, who is represented by an IMG agent.

Tennis Integrity Unit spokesman Mark Harrison said Thursday the group contacted Forstmann and "made it clear that since January 2009, he has been covered by the provisions of the game's anti-corruption code."

Harrison said Forstmann "understands and accepts this."

SOURCE

So 2007 is in play no?

WTF Notes

The Elite Eight that will appear in London has been settled.

1 Rafael Nadal 11,450

2 Roger Federer 7,645

3 Novak Djokovic 5,635

4 Andy Murray 5,360

5 Robin Soderling 4,740

6 Tomas Berdych 3,755

7 David Ferrer 3,735

8 Andy Roddick 3,665

The Doubles teams are as follows:

Bob Bryan/Mike Bryan 11,370

Daniel Nestor/Nenad Zimonjic 8,370

Lukas Dlouhy/Leander Paes 4,015

Lukasz Kubot/Oliver Marach 3,735

Mahesh Bhupathi/Max Mirnyi 3,630

Mariusz Fyrstenberg/Marcin Matkowski 3,520

(WC) Jurgen Melzer/Philipp Petzschner 2,745

Andy Roddick is complaining about the week between the end of Bercy and the beginning of the World Tour Finals.

"Considering the ATP sent out an email saying we have to be in London for Wednesday, it doesn't leave much time for me to get home and back now, does it?" said Roddick when asked by journalists about his post-tournament plans.

"So not only do we have a week in between where we're kind of hanging out, apparently we're available for you people for five days."

The American believes bringing the Paris Masters and World Tour Finals closer together would help to have a longer off-season.

"It's tough to change things overnight, but change is happening," he said.

"We moved it (the World Tour Finals) to Europe, so that's good, but it's the same amount of time. There's still no off-season. The point would be to make it cohesive so you run through into the other one.

"You guys (the press) could make it happen. I don't think you need a week to prep your stories. I think it would add 25-30 percent to the off-season."

"It's tough to be objective about yourself, but I know I've had some of my best moments in London," he said.

"I've spent about five weeks there every summer for the last 10 years, so it's hard to believe I've not developed some kind of relationship (with the fans). I certainly reciprocate a lot of the positive feelings."

Source: AP/Yahoo Sports

Really Andy? You got in by the skin of your teeth. If you want to go back to the States and then fly back to London that is your choice. It's this sense of entitlement that turns people off to Roddick.

Miscellany

Jelena Jankovic had what she called "a small eye surgery" this week. Speedy recovery JJ.

A healthier looking Anna Kournikova poses with Venus Williams at an event.

Elena Dementieva at a recent event.

The player pictures from Bali are stunning. Here is a sample.

Daniela Hantuchova

Kimiko Date-Krumm

Ana Ivanovic in traditional Balinese attire

Aravane Rezai

The Weekend's Stars

by Savannah

In what can only be described as a dominant performance Andy Murray brought his "A" game to the singles final of the Shanghai Masters and destroyed Roger Federer 6-3, 6-2. Murray was asking questions that Federer, who reclaimed the number two ranking on his way to the final, couldn't answer reducing Federer to a racquet throwing, cursing, nit picking mess. I mean when Federer called on the chair to make sure the line judges calls were louder you knew things were going badly for him. The win gives Murray his sixth Master's shield.

Jurgen Melzer and Leander Paes won the doubles championship in Shanghai defeating the team of M. Fyrstenberg and M. Matkowski 7-5, 4-6, 10-5.
Meanwhile the ladies produced some interesting and unexpected results.

Ana Ivanovic got pissed off after being penalized for taking too long a potty break in Linz and rode that anger right to the trophy ceremony defeating Patty Schnyder 6-1, 6-2. The win gave Ana her first title since, well, Linz in 2008.

Barbora Zahlavova Strycova and Renata Voracova won the doubles 7-5, 7-6(6) over the team of Peschke and Srebotnik.

The final in Osaka pitted forty year old Kimiko Date-Krumm of Japan against thirty three year old Tamarine Tanasugarn of Thailand. Tamarine won a hard fought battle 7-5, 6-7(4), 6-1.

Chang Kai-chen and Lilia Osterloh won the doubles title in Osaka.
Congratulations to all the winners!

Miscellany

The WTA continues with it's two year ending events. There is Doha, where the women who have won Premier and Premier Mandatory events as well as Slams will play and Bali, where the winners of International events will play. The field for Doha is just about set. Caroline Wozniacki leads the field and is joined by Vera Zvonareva, Kim Clijsters, Francesca Schiavone, Samantha Stosur, Jelena Jankovic and Elena Dementieva.

Li Na and Victoria Azarenka are battling for the last spot. Alternates are still to be determined, while who will play in Bali is still to be determined.

As for the ATP there is only one year ending event, The W.T.F. to be held in London. I know they want you to use the full name, World Team Finals and not the acronym but if that's the case why make it so fun to use just the initials.

Anyway so far there are only four men who have qualified, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray.