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

[don_budge]

Djokovic fell short...poor sportsmanship?

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 and that is why Murray became upset.

Well if that is the case...Djokovic should have owned up to it. By not doing so he violated the first law of Tennis Etiquette...thou shall not take unfair advantage of your opponent.

[stotty]

Well if that is the case...Djokovic should have owned up to it. By not doing so he violated the first law of Tennis Etiquette...thou shall not take unfair advantage of your opponent.

I haven't seen if Djokovic looked at the screen to see his own infringement. Like I said, I am not convinced he realised he had crossed the net. Maybe someone else on the forum will know if Djokovic saw his own replay.

[stotty]

Looks a long way over the net from this replay angle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPu6zuBrMX8

It seems Djokovic may have conceded to Murray that he had crossed the net...so Djokovic must have known he had if this is true...so why the umpire didn't then award the point to Murray seems odd.

I still think Murray overreacted...when you consider his retrieve wasn't going to cross the net anyway...and if it had it would have been a gimme.

Of all the players on the tour, I find Djokovic to be the fairest. He is generous in applauding opponents' good play, and has often conceded points earned following mistakes by officials.

[tennis_chiro]

I think you have to give Djokovic a break here. He didn't see that netpost view we saw on TV. When I first saw the initial replay from the other camera, it wasn't clear to me. Djokovic was questioning where he met the ball, but the umpire was relying on his instantaneous (and terrible) judgement call that Djokovic had actually first touched the ball on his own side of the net, and Djokovic was trusting that judgement. But then he saw further replays and it became clear that he had reached over. But by that time it was too late. And you could see Djokovic was uncomfortable with what happened.

The umpire wouldn't let the replay influence his instantaneous judgement call. The rules that preclude him from doing that are part of the problem.

After that, Murray recovered briefly, but he was never the same.

BTW, don_budge, did the real Don Budge ever tell you about the time Von Cramm told a young Don Budge not to question calls, because he would make the umpires and linesmen look bad? I think that story was about Budge and Von Cramm.

don

[tennis_chiro]

Federer vs Nishikori

Tough to watch the end of that. There were some breathtaking rallies. But Fed didn't seem to be able to maintain the intensity all the way through the match. Nishikori did a great job of keeping his nose to the grindstone and even raising the pressure at the end. He made two great winners to break for the match. But Fed gave him two unforced errors as well.

Koenig seemed to think Fed played poorly, missing so many balls. He definitely served poorly. Couldn't buy a first serve for most of the match, but except for that, I thought he was hitting the ball well, but lost some intensity at the end. His balls were falling too close to the service line and giving Kei too many opportunities to attack.

Fed also missed a few key volleys. When you only go to the net 10 times in a match as he had most of the tournament, those net skills are not going to be as sharp as they need to be when you need them! I think this is part of the reason Fed needs to finish at the net a lot more in his more routine matches. Not only the volleys have to be better, but the approach shots have to be deeper, more accurate and more consistent as well.

The one thing that was encouraging was that he seemed to be moving really well and showing no signs at all of any impairment from his back.

It will be interesting to see how Nole handles Kei if Nishikori can maintain this level. He's got a couple of days rest now and that should help him. He's had one tough match after another.

don

[GeoffWilliams]

Nishikori has the fastest unit turn and uncoil of any current pro. Samurai like.

[klacr]

What a day! Spent it down at the Sony Open. I saw Mahut, Llodra, Bryan Brothers, Serena, and Novak Djokovic practice. Very good stuff. Up close and personal.

But let's be honest, the whole reason I was down there was to see one player and one player only...Tomas Berdych.

He defeated Aleksandr Dolgopolov in a very solid and mentally strong performance. I watched him practice and he was sharp! Very focused. When he stepped on the court for practice he had a purpose in mind. Not a lot of chatting or fooling around. When it came to the match, I just knew. Not sure if anyone else in stadium knew...but I knew. I knew he'd win. Just too solid for Dolgopolov. Berdych needs the same and stronger for Nadal tomorrow.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[tennis_chiro]

What a day! Spent it down at the Sony Open. I saw Mahut, Llodra, Bryan Brothers, Serena, and Novak Djokovic practice. Very good stuff. Up close and personal.

But let's be honest, the whole reason I was down there was to see one player and one player only...Tomas Berdych.

He defeated Aleksandr Dolgopolov in a very solid and mentally strong performance. I watched him practice and he was sharp! Very focused. When he stepped on the court for practice he had a purpose in mind. Not a lot of chatting or fooling around. When it came to the match, I just knew. Not sure if anyone else in stadium knew...but I knew. I knew he'd win. Just too solid for Dolgopolov. Berdych needs the same and stronger for Nadal tomorrow.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

Kyle, I got to watch the end of that match and I figured you must just be purring like a Cheshire cat watching that performance at the end of the match. Very solid indeed.

And then Nadal with Raonic: Raonic actually did very well and hung in for some long baseline exchanges. I think it bodes well for his future in the top ten he just joined.

But some of those inside out forehands Rafa hit in the third set. Tracer bullets. With that much spin to go that fast. I always tell my students, "Hit deep. The ball loses 40% of its speed when it bounces. Except for Nadal!"

Should be a great final; actually I think the semis tomorrow will be interesting too, but I'm going out to watch a junior play in the Claremont ITF. I'll have to catch the matches later on "catch up".

don

[don_budge]

Don Budge and Gottfried Von Cramm...A Terrible Splendor

BTW, don_budge, did the real Don Budge ever tell you about the time Von Cramm told a young Don Budge not to question calls, because he would make the umpires and linesmen look bad? I think that story was about Budge and Von Cramm.

don

I actually got a couple of rather stern lectures on sportsmanship and behavior from Mr. Budge. Not that they did much good...but he did it out of his love for the game. He was spreading the love is how I took it. He was such a kind man.

There is some talk about the subject of sportsmanship as it related to Budge and Von Cramm. I believe that Von Cramm was instructing Budge not to give points to his opponents when he felt that the linesman or umpire had made a mistake. Sort of questioning line calls on your opponents behalf.

A more related story is one of Von Cramm owning up to his touching the ball or his partner touching the ball when nobody else had detected it in a very famous Davis Cup match. Von Cramm eventually lost the match on account of his impeccable honor and I believe that it cost the Germans the tie...much to the dismay of the German Tennis Federation at the time. A precursor to the...oh never mind. I won't say it.

[stotty]

Berdych needs the same and stronger for Nadal tomorrow.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

While he's never going to be favourite going in against Nadal, he does have the firepower to overwhelm anyone if he gets it right...it's just that it will have to be absolutely right against Nadal.

[don_budge]

The Tournament needs Djokovic vs. Nadal

While he's never going to be favourite going in against Nadal, he does have the firepower to overwhelm anyone if he gets it right...it's just that it will have to be absolutely right against Nadal.

With the state of tennis what it is today...the tournament will be a total failure with anything less than a Novak "Cheater" Djokovic vs. Rafael "Psych Con Man" Nadal show now that Roger Federer has been dispatched to spectator status. Tomas Berdych doesn't have the box office appeal...no matter how much our highly esteemed colleague from southern Florida cares. If Berdych had a one hand backhand and he was playing a charismatic style with considerable more flair it would be a different story...but as it is he is pretty much a bland form of vanilla. He's generic. He lacks spice...he has no sex appeal.

The other two...well Novak may or not be considered a cheater. But if he is willing to take something in broad view of a television audience that doesn't belong to him...what else is he capable of? PED's? I believe that he should have conceded that point to Andy Murray at such a critical junction in the first set. As it stands in the annals of history now...the culmination point of that match hinged on a mistake by the umpire. Unfortunate...but not the end of the world Andy. Just remember as Al Pacino said in "The Scent of a Woman" "when you get tangled up...you must just tango on".

Rafael Nadal. What a piece of work. Rodeo tennis. Cheater? PED's? It isn't necessarily his fault...but I would still like to see him and the rest of the professional crew limited to standard sized racquets conforming to a spec of yesteryear. There is much too much illusion in the sport of tennis today. Image is everything...as the poster boy of image once proclaimed. Now it merely a spectacle of it's former form. But that's ok...shit happens. It is still the best form of exercise or recreation that you can buy...the best value for the buck. To say nothing of the "Fun Factor".

Kia Nishikori? Samurai Kid? Remember Sean Connery's advice in "The Untouchables"..."don't bring a knife to a gun fight".

[stotty]

It's hard to see anything beyond a Nadal/Djokovic final I must admit. But the two are a good match-up these days. Djokovic has looked derailed and patchy at times so far this year. Nadal at the moment looks...well...frighteningly good at times. His forehand has become better than ever and it's making him so hard to beat.

The strongest part of Nadal is his back. Sometimes the camera catches this side of his physique perfectly. It looks like he could carry a backpack to the Himalayas without pause for a break.

I am hoping for another showdown between the two. Nadal looks the more in form...but then the last four games of the match with Murray made me think Djokovic can find his A game if he wants it enough.

I tend to think along the same lines as tennis_chiro. Let's give Djokovic a break. He's been pretty flawless up until now in the fair play department. Let's not look at one bad thing and let it outweigh the 1000 good gestures that went before...doesn't seem right.

[stroke]

Nadal was very impressive vs Raonic. As LC said, that forehand, like a series of brutal body blows, is something to see. Raonic certainly could be top 5 very soon. I love his serve, what a weapon.

[don_budge]

Roger...a Dodger?

I tend to think along the same lines as tennis_chiro. Let's give Djokovic a break. He's been pretty flawless up until now in the fair play department. Let's not look at one bad thing and let it outweigh the 1000 good gestures that went before...doesn't seem right.

I tend to think along different lies as you well know.

In golf he would have been hung and left out to dry. Viewers would have been calling in by the thousands citing the specific rule.

Roger would never have taken the point...but then again he is living proof of days gone by.

[gzhpcu]

A more related story is one of Von Cramm owning up to his touching the ball or his partner touching the ball when nobody else had detected it in a very famous Davis Cup match. Von Cramm eventually lost the match on account of his impeccable honor and I believe that it cost the Germans the tie...much to the dismay of the German Tennis Federation at the time. A precursor to the...oh never mind. I won't say it.

My favorite Aussie is Pat Rafter. He once touched a ball on match ball. Everybody thought the match was over, his opponent also. Nobody noticed anything, except Pat. He stepped up to the umpire and told him. The point was replayed, and he lost the point. He went on to lose the match! That is sportsmanship!