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

[tennis_chiro]

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

And we wonder why there aren't more women contributors to the discussions here?!

don
PS Her ex was having a really good week too! I was at the driving range where I have been largely unsuccessfully trying to establish a Fitness and Injury Clinic and a tour caddie mentioned Adam Scott was a really nice guy. I said just like most of the Aussies I have gotten to know (a lot of them played my tournament, including their last three Davis Cup captains), but I was shocked to hear from the caddie and a PGA pro that the rep for Aussie tour golfers is not at all complimentary. They must come up through a very different system.

[stotty]

Vajda and Djokovic

It seems Djokovic is struggling according to this BBC article, and that it was more Vajda's decision to take a back seat. This has been a shame for Djokovic. I think Vajda is an excellent coach...low key and good...much how it should be.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/26609361

[don_budge]

The draw...the luck of or the lack of interest in

Hello again from the sunny countryside of Sweden. At some 55 degrees north of the equator it has been an unseasonably warm winter. Just thought you would like to know. In Michigan however it has been a bitterly cold winter and they are substantially south of 55 degrees. Strange days...

But down much closer to the equator...but not either the Tropic of Cancer or Capricorn it is the 2014 Sony Open being played down in Miami, Florida where we have a representative group of Michiganders...snow birds. Kyle, Craig and Aaron. Bless you Boys! Rudy and Jon too!

But that being said...nothing is going to help the initial rounds of the top half become any more interesting. I tried to watch Jerzy "Joe" Janowicz vs. R. Bautista Agut but the lack of competitive spirit was appalling. I lasted just past the warmup. Next up was Ryan Harrison and Benji Becker...another snoozer. But where the hell did Ryan get the idea about coming directly from the beach to play his match. Those were beach clothes...weren't they? Alexandr Dolgopolov vs. Jarko Nieminen? I watched the warmup and a couple of games...I saw them shake hands at the end of the match. Boring. Donald Young vs. John Isner? I was watching the first set and Young was down a break but he somehow must have broken back. I say must have because I didn't see it...it was boring. Saw a couple of points of Sam Querry vs. Nicolas Almagro but couldn't hang with that one either.

I was talking with Mats Wilander last week and he told me that they will be speeding up the courts gradually. Oh what the hell...just pull the plug. Slick 'em up over night. It will be a fun surprise for these guys. All of a sudden they will be compelled to get to the net. It won't be pretty but boy it will be fun. They will have to embrace the chaos. Bloody fun...I would say. As the Aussies would say. tennis_chiro knows what I am talking about.

And you wonder how Ana can take over a guys thoughts with these sorts of compelling matches in the early rounds of the tournament. The question of champagne glass sized breast vs. anything else that you can imagine becomes quite a compelling discussion. Don't you think so?

Seriously...snooze city. Correct me if I am wrong...but where are the compelling matchups. Even the same old, same old are losing their luster. Afterall...how many times can we watch redux after redux? Ok...just be patient. The action is bound to heat up. I remember celebrating my 33rd birthday down in Miami. Gumba Smashes and dancing with this Nicaraguan Girl down in the Keys at some Tiki bar. That was 1987...Miloslav Mecir was the champion that year.

[don_budge]

The draw...continued.

In the top half...nothing remotely interesting until the semifinals. Stanislas Wawrinka vs. Rafael Nadal in a rematch of the 2014 Australian Open Final is the only match of interest and the only tennis match any true tennis aficionado cares to see...klacr not withstanding. He bets with his heart too...with Tomas Berdych. They say never bet with your heart...you know.

The bottom half is marginally more interesting. Possible matches in the quarter-finals such as Roger Federer vs. his "Baby Fed" clone Grigor Dimitrov and Andy "Lendless" Murray vs. Novak "Vajdaless" Djokovic will be a study in two lost puppies searching for some direction...some support. Just kidding...these guys know where the lines are. But I question the need for celebrity status mentors. I just can't fantom the chemistry between Boris Becker and Novak Djokovic. Too much of an "odd couple".

Both Djokovic and Federer have opted for more net stealth in their respective corners...will Murray to add net objectives as a prerequisite for his next coach? Who cares? Oh...I wish they would just speed up the courts overnight...the chaos would be so much fun. The draw would turn into a very, very slippery rollercoaster. It would be so much fun.

[GeoffWilliams]

omigod.

The only super model ever to be #1 for ten minutes.

[stotty]

Istomin, serving, races to a 40 love lead in the first game in his match against Nadal. He then loses the next five points having done very little wrong. You're never safe against Nadal. Being 40 love against him doesn't mean a lot.

Nadal is 3-0 as I write. The writing is on the wall already. The thing is Istomin cannot move anywhere near as well as Nadal, and that's a big problem as rallies wear on. His only chance is to blast him off. What are the odds on that? Not a lot I would think.

[klacr]

Federer opened up a can of whoopass on Gasquet. 6-1, 6-2.

Dolgopolov beats Wawrinka in 3 sets. 6-1 in the 3rd. Wawrinka has looked tired these last two weeks.

Murray took out Tsonga in a very ho-hum match.

Djokovic took out Robredo in much the same way.

Kei Nishikori may have posted the best victory of his career. Beats a very feisty David Ferrer, fighting off match points. Huge step for him.

Raonic cruised over a lucky loser in Benjamin Becker.

But the real match was Berdych/Isner. Great skill from Berdych returning the Isner serve. Great movement and ball striking. Has to play Dolgopolov which I think is a very winnable match for Tberd. May set up a semi showdown vs. Nadal. Bring it on!!! Will be back down on Thursday to see some action. Have already asked ATP, Berdych and Federer if they need a warm-up or practice and told them I'm available. Seriously. What do I have to lose?


Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[don_budge]

2014 Sony Open Quarterfinals...and then there were eight

Federer opened up a can of whoopass on Gasquet. 6-1, 6-2.

Dolgopolov beats Wawrinka in 3 sets. 6-1 in the 3rd. Wawrinka has looked tired these last two weeks.

Murray took out Tsonga in a very ho-hum match.

Djokovic took out Robredo in much the same way.

Kei Nishikori may have posted the best victory of his career. Beats a very feisty David Ferrer, fighting off match points. Huge step for him.

Raonic cruised over a lucky loser in Benjamin Becker.

But the real match was Berdych/Isner. Great skill from Berdych returning the Isner serve. Great movement and ball striking. Has to play Dolgopolov which I think is a very winnable match for Tberd. May set up a semi showdown vs. Nadal. Bring it on!!! Will be back down on Thursday to see some action. Have already asked ATP, Berdych and Federer if they need a warm-up or practice and told them I'm available. Seriously. What do I have to lose?


Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

I didn't see the match between Isner and Berdych...but on paper Berdych should win and he actually matches up quite well with Isner physically. Isner's big serve isn't going to totally overwhelm Berdych who is big and tall enough to stand up to it. Dolgopolov however is on a bit of a developmental curve himself. He has beaten Nadal last week and this win over Wawrinka could be another tell. Tired or not...Wawrinka is not exactly riding a wave of new found confidence that you might expect from a recent Australian Open champion.

On paper...Berdych once again has a decided advantage over the 22nd seeded Ukraine. But the match still has to be played and Dolgopolov has absolutely nothing to lose which either makes him dangerous...or just wild and erratic. If he dials in...anything can happen.

Milos Raonic vs. Rafael Nadal. Anybody really think that Milos is ready to land a big one at this point? Alexandr Dolgopolov vs. Tomas Berdych. Berdych on paper...Dolgopolov however has nothing to lose.

Roger Federer vs. Kia Nishikori. Judging by his aptitude lately for dishing out "whoopass" you have to think that Roger is nearly peaking for this event. The way that he handled Richard Gasquet was a matter of fact...routine straight set over the ninth seeded player. There was a rumor though that Richard returned to the scene of the crime earlier in the week and was being led away in handcuffs...by a bikini clad Nicaraguan femme fatale. A Tiki bar down in the Keys...The Honey Trap.

Andy Murray vs. Novak Djokovic. Interesting stuff on paper. How interesting it will be to watch is another matter. It doesn't sound so compelling to me...except that the winner plays the renewed, refreshed and retooled Roger Federer. But Andy did make a rather decisive impression on Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Tsonga has looked a bit lackluster himself of late. I saw him narrowly escape the mad Cypriot...Marcus Baghdatis. So Andy may have answered some questions about his form while anticipating his quarterfinal match up with Novak Djokovic. Djokovic too, has his own questions about his form and it doesn't help that he doesn't have his trusty cornerman in the box with the rest of the "team".

This is a modern day tennis concept isn't it. Having a team in the box. That has to be expensive. Reminds me of a host...with parasites. Boris Becker as a coach...it strikes me as a bit odd. Player and coach relationships are all about chemistry. Murray and Lendl ran it's course. There are a couple of real dour personalities...at least outwardly. So you have to wonder about Djokovic and Becker. Djokovic strikes me as being rather ruthless...Becker sort of tries to blab his way through things. Not to mention that he was a very successful tennis player. Not that that has anything to do with being a great coach. See what I mean?

[klacr]

Semis will probably look like this...

Nadal vs. Berdych

Djokovic vs. Federer

The latest incarnation of The Big 4.

Federer looks like he is back. healthy and with a new racquet is brought about a resurgence in his game. Nadal and Djokovic will continue to win and stay near top of the game in the future. Berdych having some very solid results this year, has the game to beat anyone and has won matches against every player in the top 10.

Could we be headed for a Federer-berdych final?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxxJ2_GwPvA

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[don_budge]

Murray vs. Djokovic

At 5-6 in the first set, on the first point of the game Djokovic took a ball that was very close to him appearing to make contact on his opponents side of the net. But it was ruled that he made contact on his side and merely followed through after contact over to Murray's side of the net with his racquet.

Anybody see this? Which side of the net did he make contact? If he did make contact on Murray's side he should have owned up to it. Murray went on to lose his serve at love, losing the first set as well...looking as if he was affected by the decision. He still looks perturbed...we shall see if he gets over it or if he goes in the tank.

[stotty]

At 5-6 in the first set, on the first point of the game Djokovic took a ball that was very close to him appearing to make contact on his opponents side of the net. But it was ruled that he made contact on his side and merely followed through after contact over to Murray's side of the net with his racquet.

Anybody see this? Which side of the net did he make contact? If he did make contact on Murray's side he should have owned up to it. Murray went on to lose his serve at love, losing the first set as well...looking as if he was affected by the decision. He still looks perturbed...we shall see if he gets over it or if he goes in the tank.

Missed that. I have just tuned in after arriving from work...3-2 to Murray second set.

[don_budge]

Murray's Mental Travails

Missed that. I have just tuned in after arriving from work...3-2 to Murray second set.

Djokovic 4-3 second set. Murray was up a break and it appeared that he had regrouped from the controversial call...but then he gave it back. At the changeover he is still talking to the empire about the point. Concentration is a tricky thing...McEnroe used to feed off controversy that he may or may not have created. In this sense he was sort of an artist. Murray is no such animal.

Murray has now lost his serve. Was the controversy the deal breaker? Murray never let it go. Tough call but you have to let it go if you cannot feed off of it somehow.

[stotty]

Saw the replay. Murray's shot wasn't even going to go over the net. If Murray was whining over that he's being a big girl. He was outplayed and deserved to lose that point...how stupid.

Djokovic hardly lost a point when I walked in the room from being 3-2 down.

[don_budge]

The call?

Saw the replay. Murray's shot wasn't even going to go over the net. If Murray was whining over that he's being a big girl. He was outplayed and deserved to lose that point...how stupid.

Are you saying that Djokovic made contact with the ball on Murray's side of the net?

[stotty]

Are you saying that Djokovic made contact with the ball on Murray's side of the net?

Yes, definitely...though I am not convinced Djokovic realised the ball wasn't coming over and that he had slightly crossed the net.

The replay was shown on the stadium TV screen showing Djokovic's racket crossing the net and that is why Murray became upset.