2015 Shanghai Rolex Masters…ATP 1000…Shanghai, China

[don_budge]

http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/scores/current/shanghai/5014/draws

Could this be another "Big Four Semifinals".

Novak Djokovic vs. Andy Murray
Rafael Nadal vs. Roger Federer

Nadal has Ivo Karlovic, Milos Raonic and Stanislas Wawrinka standing in his way. Without any magic potions it is highly unlikely that he will get through thus once again denying Roger Federer the chance to pound him into next week. What a shame.

http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/federer-shanghai-presser

Federer for his part is studying the draw and plotting his course. He is either planning to win or deciding when it is the best time to make his departure depending upon his preparation plans for the weeks to come. It seems to me that he will be playing to win. His draw is favorable and he has had some rest. The court surface has a hand in things. A faster surface only serves to motivate him onwards. Let's hope for quick conditions.

[klacr]

Berdych, having won his 1st title of the year in Shenzhen has a boost of confidence. He's in the top half of the draw in Murray's quarter.

End of the day, It's Djokovic tourney to lose. The men's tour has Djokovic as it's king, everyone else is playing for second. Federer is only one that may be able to compete, and that will depend on conditions.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[klacr]

No more roger. This tournament has lost half its audience.
Sloppy display by Fed. Ramos breaking down Fed backhand. Roger decided he'd be happy staying on baseline. Wrong move

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[don_budge]

Less than Stellar...

No more roger. This tournament has lost half its audience.
Sloppy display by Fed. Ramon breaking down Fed backhand. Roger decided he'd be happy staying on baseline. Wrong move

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

It was less than stellar to say the least. A rather lackluster performance by the world's number two against the worlds number 70. I wonder about the incentive monies…what do they call them. The appearance fees. Does he have to make the quarter finals or something to collect. Perhaps Roger is ducking Nadal…who knows.

Somehow this fits into the plans of the Swiss Maestro in terms of his preparation and his goals. He is resting now…practicing a bit. Biding his time with his sights set on something…somebody…somewhere. He certainly knows what the score is…at all times. For some reason the score said to him to take a powder. To make like a hockey player...and get the puck out of here. To make like a hippie...and blow this joint. To make like a library…and book. You get the picture. You get my drift.

Did you hear that sucking sound? It's the sound of the air being sucked out of the tournament…leaving a vacuum. I would say that about half is right…klacr.

[klacr]

The only interest I have left in this tournament is Berdych. And quite frankly, that's sad. He's been waning in this 2nd half of the season. After a down right impressive first half of the season, Tomas has stumbled a few times in minor events. He has aility to qualify for London this week. Let's hope he gets back to his consistent early season form, Or at least knows how to finish points at net. But damn, that forehand is something special

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[stroke]

It was less than stellar to say the least. A rather lackluster performance by the world's number two against the worlds number 70. I wonder about the incentive monies…what do they call them. The appearance fees. Does he have to make the quarter finals or something to collect. Perhaps Roger is ducking Nadal…who knows.

Somehow this fits into the plans of the Swiss Maestro in terms of his preparation and his goals. He is resting now…practicing a bit. Biding his time with his sights set on something…somebody…somewhere. He certainly knows what the score is…at all times. For some reason the score said to him to take a powder. To make like a hockey player...and get the puck out of here. To make like a hippie...and blow this joint. To make like a library…and book. You get the picture. You get my drift.

Did you hear that sucking sound? It's the sound of the air being sucked out of the tournament…leaving a vacuum. I would say that about half is right…klacr.

I thought Ramos-Vinolas played a superb match to beat Roger.
As Kyle mentioned, he did break down and get errors from Roger's backhand. But Ramos did take the match it looked like to me. And that really says something about mens tennis depth when a number 70 can play like that.

[stotty]

I thought Ramos-Vinolas played a superb match to beat Roger.
As Kyle mentioned, he did break down and get errors from Roger's backhand. But Ramos did take the match it looked like to me. And that really says something about mens tennis depth when a number 70 can play like that.

I didn't see the game but I heard that Ramos played Roger in Nadal fashion...but even more extreme.

I am not too sure about the depth in tennis. The gap between Federer and the rest of the pack (Nadal, Murray and Novak excepted) is huge. It's rare day indeed that Federer loses to a minion.

It's interesting how Federer can be quite a way off his best game yet still play better than most. There's a big gap between Nadal and the rest of the pack also but Nadal is much closer to the rest of the pack when not at his best. Hewitt was a bit like that. He had a good couple of years but then lost that little fraction that was the difference between him and the pack.

But overall the big four have had close to a decade to themselves. Apart from a blip here and there, there have been no infiltrators. I think the big four do have things in common. They are brilliant movers and brilliant defenders. I think their defensive play has played a huge part in their success.

[klacr]

Last 8

Quarterfinals

Djokovic-Tomic
Berdych-Murray

Nadal-Wawrinka
Anderson-Tsonga

Pretty capable tennis players. Let's see what happens. I have my favorites. Who are yours?

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[stroke]

Tonic looked great until he was matched up vs Novak. I do think Tonic will win a Grand Slam at some point. Nadal has looked good and really competed well following last weeks final convincing loss to Novak, the favorite in all matches he plays right now. Berdych is overdue for a good win. Tough match up vs Murray, a great defender as lc has just said.

[klacr]

Shanghai Semis

Djokovic-Murray
Nadal-Tsonga

Murray clubbed Berdych. Murray-Djokovic becoming the modern day rivalry (sad). Winner of that match should take out Nadal in finals.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[stotty]

Murray-Djokovic becoming the modern day rivalry (sad).
Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

Frighteningly correct....

[klacr]

Djokovic-Tsonga in Finals.

Djokovic is playing at a level that is frightening. The way he dismantled Murray was impressive. Although Murray didn't help himself too much with a first serve % below 50%.

Like it or not, This is Djokovic's world, we'll all just playing for 2nd place.
If ever given an opportunity, I'd love to play him. Just once. Really see what the fuss is about. So I'd get my barn doors blown off, but at least I could say I tried and I played him the right way.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[don_budge]

CURIOSITY…Killed the Cat

Djokovic-Murray
Nadal-Tsonga

Murray clubbed Berdych. Murray-Djokovic becoming the modern day rivalry (sad). Winner of that match should take out Nadal in finals.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

Andy Murray versus Novak Djokovic hardly rates as a rivalry. Novak losing only once in the last umpteen times. The sad truth of the matter is there isn't much left and there doesn't appear to be much coming down the pipe. But don't shoot me…I am only the messenger. As I have been all along. Don't believe me…compare the highlights video below compared with the rest of the pack.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SH58UztKKcc

Jo-Wilfried is the latest in a growing list to have found Fafa Nadal's number. After taking out what's his name…the guy that beat Federer that was illustrated to how deep the men's game is these days…Tsonga sends the Spanish gelding packing. Once a stallion and now a gelding. You'd be surprised how quickly that happens in the world of horses.

Tsonga is currently ranked number 15 in the world and has been ranked as high as number 6. I wrote a post that I deleted in response to stroke's assertion about the depth of the modern game. I saw the highlights of Federer's loss to what's his name and it looked to me that Roger played out the match to earn his appearance money while at the same time high-tailing it back to Switzerland or Dubai to begin his preparation for the end of the year run. I am not believing that this loss by Federer is any indication of anything other than what it is going to be like without him in the near future. For me…Tsonga is another of these big guys playing the glorified junior game in the professional game. Big forehand…two hand backhand…powerful serve with a mediocre motion and lack of serving strategy other than to pound it to one side or the other and then back up behind the baseline.

Currently Tsonga is 6-13 against the "Meteoric Djokovic"…Novak has once again taken to the stratosphere in relationship to the rest of the tour. It's a sad state of affairs when we start to look at Andy Murray being part of the biggest rivalry in the game. It spells pure boredom in a one dimensional game. What should professional tennis do? I have a suggestion…go ask Jimmy Connors. I am CURIOUS as to what he would have to say. Dying of curiosity…in fact.

[klacr]

So It was Tsonga-Djokovic. Djokovic crushes him like he has everyone else this year.

Djokovic having quite the year. His toughest test this week in Shanghai was a first set vs. Tomic. Bernard Tomic, a versatile, eclectic player that uses spins, chips, flat shots and everything in between. Tomic also ventures to the net. Thats a player who gave Novak a challenge. Imagine that.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[don_budge]

Greg Rusedski…calls it

So It was Tsonga-Djokovic. Djokovic crushes him like he has everyone else this year.

Djokovic having quite the year. His toughest test this week in Shanghai was a first set vs. Tomic. Bernard Tomic, a versatile, eclectic player that uses spins, chips, flat shots and everything in between. Tomic also ventures to the net. Thats a player who gave Novak a challenge. Imagine that.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

Greg Rusedski after the routine perfunctory drubbing of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga by Novak Djokovic had a couple of things to say about the match. First he played homage to the incredible run and performance of the "Meteoric" Djokovic. But then he wasn't overly impressed with the game plan of Tsonga and he backed it up with some replays of points.

Tsonga is playing right into Djokovic's comfort zone by staying back and playing the same backcourt game Djokovic would prefer to play. He reemphasized that this going to spell trouble for anyone in the game today as Djokovic has demonstrated that he is better at this than anybody.

To further demonstrate his point he used Roger Federer as the "Living Proof". Federer…said Rusedski…is the only player that is capable of taking Djokovic out of his comfort zone by attacking him. That being said we must take into consideration the age differential between the two which is everything when you are trying to be on the attack…and sustain it. That kind of pressure takes not only intestinal fortitude…it also is very demanding physically. Much more demanding than the backcourt game being played today…so much for the "physicality".

Bernard Tomic does play that tactical game a bit. He doesn't have the traditional tactics of Australians of years gone by down pat so he is going to struggle against Djokovic in the course of a match. Case in point…he did put up a good fight in the first set but he couldn't sustain it. He may be lacking in the kind of fitness not to mention the mental toughness that it takes to pull this off. But this was exactly in keeping with what Rusedski was pointing out…the obvious. If you want to take down Djokovic you have to take him out of his game…once he establishes the rhythm and starts dictating it's all but over.

The problem is that these guys are all playing the same game. There is no plan B. Federer has demonstrated that this tactic can work…he has demonstrated this in spite of his being "over the hill" somewhat. The young lions and young turks certainly could pull it off…but they are not trained in this manner. Remember how I said once or twice that the coaching had been hijacked.

Good call…klacr.