2014 Sony Open...Miami, Florida U.S.A.

[don_budge]

What a great draw! Every bit as good as Indian Wells. Everyone is warmed up and fresh off the first hard court tourney. It can only get better. Anyone...step up to the plate and take a swing. First round action still in process.

Does the top half of the draw to be weaker than the bottom? It does to me...but that may only be due to the luck of the draw. The seedings have been moving around of late. But I see Rafael Nadal in the semifinals against Stanislas Wawrinka. This is a match that everyone is dying to see.

Come on klacr...we are banking on you for the inside dope.

[klacr]

I'm here!!!

Sony Open is in full swing. All the players are now in town and spend their evenings dining in South Beach. Federer was practicing yesterday with Edberg. I'm not one for autographs, never asked for them, I'm more of a shake your hand and ask how your day is, what makes you tick kinda guy. But I have to say I was tempted to walk out on court and show them my volleys and let Federer deal with my game.

I missed an opportunity to watch Berdych practice. Bummer on that note. I would have stepped on court and worked on his serve. No way a guy his size shouldn't have a great kick serve.

As for don_budge predictions on a Nadal-Wawrinka semi....not if Berdych has anything to say about it. Tberd in Wawrinka's quarter. But either one making it to semis and beating Nadal would be ideal.

Spent most of my day on court working on some ATP and WTA tour/USPTA projects so didn't have a chance to see too many matches. Will try later on in the tourney. Tough to work when I've got South Beach a few minutes away calling my name.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[stotty]

The draw

Yes, the top half looks weaker. But Federer is not in Nadal's half so that's a good thing. Like Klacr, I like the thought of Wawrinka v Nadal. Can we rely on Wawrinka to get there, though?

The luck of the draw has become important because the top four are no longer the top four in terms of their official rankings...though they are still the top four in reality.

[klacr]

Stefan Edberg on court yesterday watching some European player named Roger

Wanted to ask them if they were up for some doubles but didn't have a partner and don_budge, tennis_chiro, Stotty, bottle, Geoff, worldsbesttenniscoach, Ed Weiss and JY were nowhere to be found. You supply the forehand, I'll handle everything else. Maybe next year.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[klacr]

Murray and Lendl split before Miami

Another topic to look at is the split of Andy Murray and Ivan Lendl. That partnership is over. Insiders say there has been some tension between the two. Murray has not won a title since Wimbledon. He is the defending champ in Miami, let's see if he can find that 2013 form. Lendl helped Murray play and think like a champ, can Murray handle it on his own?

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[stotty]

Another topic to look at is the split of Andy Murray and Ivan Lendl. That partnership is over. Insiders say there has been some tension between the two. Murray has not won a title since Wimbledon. He is the defending champ in Miami, let's see if he can find that 2013 form. Lendl helped Murray play and think like a champ, can Murray handle it on his own?

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

It's big news over here in the UK...front page. Lendl is the one walking. Personally I just think things have run their course. Lendl doesn't have eke things along to stay in employment.

Personally I'm glad it was ended by Lendl and not Murray. For once the coach decides. Well done Lendl...for bringing credibility back to our trade.

[don_budge]

To klacr...

I'm here!!!

Spent most of my day on court working on some ATP and WTA tour/USPTA projects so didn't have a chance to see too many matches. Will try later on in the tourney. Tough to work when I've got South Beach a few minutes away calling my name.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

Man...keep up the great work!!! Tough job but somebody has to do it. South Beach...Gumba Smashes and Nicaraguan Girls dancing on the beach. Yikes!

Ivan Lendl and Andy Murray have run their course. I cannot possibly imagine two more boring personalities. Lendl makes Murray look like a ray of sunshine just to give you an idea. But it is probably just his public personna...in private he is probably a barrel full of monkeys. There are limits to how much dourness even the dour can take.

Murray still has his team for God's sake...where would he be without them.

[klacr]

I wasn't able to see any matches on the show courts, but saw lots of practice. Federer hitting with Nishikori with Edberg observing Federer's volleys probably muttering to himself "Get low oger get low".

Nadal and Ferrer were practicing as well. If you call it practice. It looked as though they were playing in the middle of the fifth set, going after everything, full intensity. For those that don't believe in a number like 110%, you should see Ferrer practice. It's hard to describe, but you could just tell he was getting every ounce of energy and effort he could produce and even more.

I also saw Ana Ivanovic practice. She denied my request for a date (by ignoring it entirely) but trying to get her to play mixed doubles with me at Wimbledon. My pitch is...

"Pros: Good team player, Effective communication skills, Big Serve, Nice volleys, solid backhand and slice, prefer the ad side. Cons: Haven't hit an effective forehand since 2001". Hoping a little honesty about my only tennis shortcoming goes along way. Good to get all these issues out on the table.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[GeoffWilliams]

[don_budge]

Champagne Glasses...

34 B-cup. I recognize that one anywhere. Perfect size for a woman's breast. Fits perfectly into a champagne glass.

[bottle]

omigod.

[klacr]

Back to tennis...

Top seeds move along. Janowicz is ousted by Roberto Bautista Agut.
Berdych with a nice win over Stephane Robert down 3-5 in that first set. I'm going back to the tourney on Thursday but not sure if I'll get to see Berdych, our paths may miss again. Tennis Gods and destiny will allow us to meet one day, I'm sure of it.

Another favorite of mine Jarkko Nieminen (don't laugh) who has worked out at my club a while back beat Bernard Tomic 6-0, 6-1 in 28 minutes. That set the ATP record for fastest match, beating previous mark set by Greg Rusedski over German Carsten Arriens in 29 minutes. Wow!

Stan Wawrinka gets by in three sets. Federer handled Karlovic surprisingly well.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[stroke]

lI think Iwould just as soon talk about Ana, and I really like tennis.

[klacr]

lI think Iwould just as soon talk about Ana, and I really like tennis.

Good answer. And l fully concur. But that discussion may be a completely different website and forum.

Disappointed to see Ryan Harrison lose to lucky loser Benjamin Becker in 2nd round. Harrison has a great serve and a nice attacking style. Better than most players. Wish he'd venture to the net even more. Not crazy about his groundstrokes and they are not as great or as strong as the other players on tour. So why not use your strengths in your attacking game? I'm rooting for the Americans. I really am.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[stroke]

Another tough loss for Querry. I really like his game, a couple of years ago I thought he had a top 10 kind of game, but I don't think he is going to get there.