Once upon a time: Guido had serve at 4-1 and two game points to go up 5-1 in that first set against Nadal in their Monte Carlo QF match. He had broken Rafa's first three service games. 5-1? Would have been Rafa having to comeback and as we joked the other day about the Spaniard …
Category: Monte Carlo
The DHFE Memo is Back
What is DHFE? Look it up. Many have to have thought (perhaps wildly erroneously) that Novak took the Sunshine Double off (early exits at both tournaments) only to prepare for his clay campaign, as the hunt for Nadal continues (ala the AO final) and clay mastery has to be an unquenchable thirst for the Serbian …
Monte Carlo Early
Nadal and Djokovic look good for an April clay Masters final. Novak might have found some needed confidence for this clash in his easy win over Fritz today. Nadal continues to roll, but does conceding five games to Dimitrov reveal some vulnerability. 😀 The other interest concerns seeing how the peasants fare in this city …
Monte Carlo Summary
A Nadal v Nishikori final is better than nothing. Frankly, I haven't seen much of the tennis beyond Novak's quest to give birth to a competitive clay season. As for Djokovic's Monte Carlo representation, what was clear on the court and in my last post reflecting on his win v Coric was his need for …
Serb Overcomes the Croat on 10th MP
A little weary at the end, but Novak is through 76 75. Thiem next. Not quite the zip on some of those ground strokes, but his defense and serve are on the return. Get yourself something to eat, Mr. Djokovic and take a nap. Bravo. What was more impressive, the Serb's or the Croat's resiliency? …
Mainstream Tennis Analysis
Mcshow will make picks when picks need to be made. Monte Carlo is a feeling-out of the clay field, a christening, as we said, of the season. Granted, there are bettors out there who want more consistent picks, etc. But this sort of prognostication we see is what we call parking in the dark. Thiem …
Speaking of Novak and Nadal
What a brilliant start for the Serb! The highlights weren't terribly impressive, but the stroke seems to be returning, the serve looks much better, and body language, in general, much improved. The fact that he has the capacity (mental, physical) to open-up shop in Monte Carlo and produce some bakery goods like that has to …
Monte Carlo Draw
We've all seen the draw and have our thoughts on Nadal's path to continued greatness on the Monte Carlo clay. He showed his form and typical fight in Valencia last week. This should bode well for the Spanish #1. On the one hand, his MC quarter appears absolutely wedged with talent, as if the tournament …
Monte Carlo QF – The Survival of the Serb
Following the Djokollapse of 2016, we discerned even after a win over Murray in the 2017 Doha final that Novak still had much work to do to convince any of us actual tennis detectives that he was out of trouble. The Djokofans rejoiced, sending him on his merry way to Melbourne for his annual AO crown. He …
Monte Carlo Midweek: Djokovic Still Struggling and Dimitrov Succumbing
The title above pretty much covers the biggest news thus far at the Monte Carlo Masters where we're into the R16. I watched the Djokovic match with Simon and the only thing that might undermine my inference (and my title) is if Simon turned-out to be playing an even higher-level of his unusual brand of (awkward) …
Continue reading Monte Carlo Midweek: Djokovic Still Struggling and Dimitrov Succumbing
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