2016 BNP Paribas Masters...ATP 1000...Paris, France

[don_budge]

2016 BNP Paribas Masters...ATP 1000...Paris, France

In what used to be Paris, France the Paris Indoors begins today. They are all there...well everyone except the only one that counts. Roger Federer. Fafa Nadal is gone once more. He is taking another in a long line of "injury timeouts" otherwise known as time to remedicate or whatever he does to emerge so much stronger and faster than when he leaves. If he emerges just one more time as his old former self...I swear monkeys are going to start flying out of his butt every time he starts picking at his short. Ok...so that leave Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka. Actually you can probably write off Stan Wawrinka...he doesn't seem to care too much for these measles ATP 1000 events.

But Mischa Zverev is in the house. His first round pits him against a perfect foil for him. The big lug John Isner. Let's see if Zverev can use the tantalizing backhand slice to dare Isner to be over aggressive and start pressing. Let's see if that lefty spinning serve can work it's magic into the body of Isner or spin it out wide taking the big lug out of the court followed up with some nicely played volleys. If he succeeds in taking down Isner then he will have another perfect foil in the "EveryReady Energizer Bunny" David Ferrer who has been struggling to beat anybody this past year. Ferrer clings to a #15 seed at this tournament.

There is lots of interesting stuff that can happen with a draw like this one. I am sure that you have some ideas...why not post them? Just for the hell of it.

http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/scores/current/paris/352/draws

[klacr]

Berdych needs to make semis to have a chance to grab a spot in London. He's in Murray's quarter so will be tough ask. Fingers crossed.

Would love to see Mischa Zverev take down Isner, a player that should be coming to the net. perhaps Isner could ask for a lesson after the match if Zverev beats him. Zverev and Isner both spend a lot of their time at my old stomping grounds and former place of employment, Saddlebrook, just outside of Tampa.

Paris Indoors or Paris-Bercy? What is it? I'm old school so I like to call it Paris Indoors. Hell, let's just call it "Fall Tennis In The 12th Arrondissement"

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[don_budge]

Berdych needs to make semis to have a chance to grab a spot in London. He's in Murray's quarter so will be tough ask. Fingers crossed.

Would love to see Mischa Zverev take down Isner, a player that should be coming to the net. perhaps Isner could ask for a lesson after the match if Zverev beats him. Zverev and Isner both spend a lot of their time at my old stomping grounds and former place of employment, Saddlebrook, just outside of Tampa.

Paris Indoors or Paris-Bercy? What is it? I'm old school so I like to call it Paris Indoors. Hell, let's just call it "Fall Tennis In The 12th Arrondissement"

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

Tomas Berdych needs to rise to the occasion and forget about how much better Andy Murray is than him and just play over himself. His team must come up with some brilliant tactic such as Mischa Zverev has come up with as of late. Berdych simply has to tell himself that Murray puts his pants on one leg at a time just like everyone else. Murray should not be allowed by Berdych to play at his optimum level and he must bring him down to his level. This means one of a couple of things and tactically he has to be flexible to recognize what is working and what is not. But Tomas cannot afford to overlook anyone that stands in the way of him and Murray.

http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/paris-race-preview-2016-cilic-thiem

Good point about John Isner. He is a perfect example how the game has been hijacked the last thirty some years. Players are reduced to playing the "modern paradigm" whether or not they are physically designed to. Your boy Tomas Berdych is also guilty of this. Big man playing the junior game.

[don_budge]

2016 BNP Paribas Masters...ATP 1000...Paris, France

http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/scores/current/paris/352/draws

At the very top of the draw is an interesting question mark. Grigor Dimitrov has shown some spark and initiative lately and now he is forced to face the ultimate existential question in tennis today when he face Novak Djokovic. Recently Novak has been showing signs of wear and fragile nerves. His personal life may well be in shambles and the glare of the television camera is no place for an unhappy soul. It is sort of like the problem that Hillary Clinton is facing...keeping a stiff upper lip they call it. But in Novak's case he has the advantage also that hitting inanimate objects has been proven to be great therapy and there is no revenge in life like success. Playing tennis is great therapy in itself.

I watched Marin Cilic beat the big fella from somewhere...Ivo Karlovic. Marin was looking pretty impressive and Ivo is fun to watch too. He's going to the net for crying out loud. Has he lost his mind? Cilic was just a tad too nimble for the long, tall Mac Daddy from Croatia. Next up for is the always feisty David Goffin who has been struggling as of late.

Once again it is Stan Wawrinka who demonstrates a lack of concern for anything other than a Grand Slam Event. You may include London into that mix as well. But he came up on the short end of the stick to Jan-Lennard Struff who managed to qualify for the the Paris Indoors or whatever you want to call it. Stuff currently ranked #91 in the world next faces the "other" Big Lug in the draw...John Isner. Funny about Stan though...he just doesn't seem to bring it to the court every time he steps out there. Granted...it is getting late in the year and maybe it makes sense to pace yourself to the finish line. It didn't used to be like this. There was more of a professional attitude...even when the game was amateur. But that was three or four culmination points ago.

Tomas Berdych versus Gilles Simon is going to be an interesting match I think. Interesting only in the sense as to who will prevail. Both players first, second and third options are to play from the backcourt...you get the picture. But Berdych must win this match which is going to put some added pressure on him and he doesn't always react to pressure the way you see the big time players do. The potential is there but so far it is unrealized or maybe he has reached the level he is comfortable with. I don't see the desire. Another Wawrinka...another variation of. The curious match up is Lucas Pouille and Andy Murray. I think it was at the Paris Indoors that I first laid eyes on Lucas...against Roger Federer it was. He was pretty impressive a couple of years ago showing some possible potential. Well he has managed to be seeded 13 so he is doing something right. Let's see if he can make a dent in Andy Murray who is showing himself to be more and more bullet-proof these days. Onward!

[klacr]

Simon has given Berdych problems in the past. He's pesky. Berdych, if on all cylinders can normally hit through Simon"s defenses. Will be a stiff challenge. Berdych needs this win today, as well as a win on Friday in quarters against a potentially weary Murray. Murray was pushed to 7-5 in 3rd set vs. Verdasco. May be feeling a bit fatigued after a busy few weeks in the winners circle. May be looking for rest before London.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[klacr]

Quarterfinal Friday

Sock vs.Isner
Djokovic vs. Cilic
Murray vs. Berdych
Raonic vs. Tsonga

Must wins for Tsonga and Berdych to keep their London chances alive

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[klacr]

Cilic upsets Djokovic. Murray just two wins away from world #1.
Djokovic fans are quickly becoming Berdych fans.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[Guest]

The Big News!

Andy Murray is the new #1 player in the world. The walkover today by Raonic secures Murray a place in finals and therefore enough points to leap over Djokovic.

-Murray becomes the 26th player to hold #1 ranking
-Murray is just 4th men's player to hold #1 ranking since July 2004.
-Nice symmetry of the big 3 era. Their hold on #1 ranking bookended by 2 Andy's on either side of pond. Roddick and Murray.
-ATP Tour #1's of the 21st Century: Agassi, Sampras, Safin, Kuerten, Hewitt, Ferrero, Roddick, Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, Murray.
-Murray snaps Djokovic's 122 weeks at #1. Makes us Appreciate Roger's 237 consecutive weeks a little bit more.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[stotty]

Murray has played well the last 4 months and has earned his position as world number one. The demise of Djokovic over the last four months is a lesson to all tennis players not to play away from home if you value grand slam immortality. Women are lethal and make no mistake about it.

Murray will truly be number one if he defeats Djokovic in their next encounter. It will be the acid test.

Berdych should have read Klacr's smash article at 5-5 in the second set against Murray. Those high vertical lobs...let them bounce!

Stotty

[don_budge]

Tiger Woods Syndrome...

Murray has played well the last 4 months and has earned his position as world number one. The demise of Djokovic over the last four months is a lesson to all tennis players not to play away from home if you value grand slam immortality. Women are lethal and make no mistake about it.

Murray will truly be number one if he defeats Djokovic in their next encounter. It will be the acid test.

Berdych should have read Klacr's smash article at 5-5 in the second set against Murray. Those high vertical lobs...let them bounce!

Stotty

I spoke and wrote of the demise of professional tennis after Roger Federer leaves the stadium. Here is a sign...Andy Murray as the number one tennis player in the world. How interesting is that? Not very, I am afraid. Perhaps this was inevitable but it still doesn't make it palatable.

Novak Djokovic on the other hand may have fallen for the prototypical "honey trap". Better men have fallen for it. Tiger Woods was on course to be the greatest golfer of all time before his sex life left him unhinged...and divorced. He never has recovered from that mess. Novak seems visibly unnerved and it shows in his play. He seems more vulnerable. This sort of happened to Rafael Nadal...he started to look vulnerable and then suddenly everyone and his brother was having their way with him.

It is interesting that Murray has unseated Djokovic as number one but the bigger picture begs the question...What's next? Remember it is Culmination Point time. 1968...1984...2001...2016...where do we go from here?

[don_budge]

The Big News!

-Murray snaps Djokovic's 122 weeks at #1. Makes us Appreciate Roger's 237 consecutive weeks a little bit more.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

Yeah...that's putting things in perspective. That's an exhausting run by Novak Djokovic...122 weeks on top. We, as onlookers, have no idea what kind of energy it takes to stay on top for so long. That 237 by Roger is other worldly. Right now there doesn't seem to be anybody standing up to Murray...or is there? Maybe he won't make this kind of statement to the tennis world...like Djokovic and Federer did. It wasn't that long ago that I was questioning Murray's intestinal fortitude. In fact...I still am. Has he won any majors lately? He can very well start soon next month in London. That would be a good start.

[stotty]

Just a thought the about rankings:

I have never any done calculations on this but I just wonder if a player's main aim is to be number one in world, whether being just a little erratic over the course of a year doesn't work in his or her favour? If you are like Djokovic or Federer, and having to defend points in every tournament because you won it the previous year, wouldn't life have been a little easier had they bowed out in a few quarters or semis here and there? And has anyone had such a massive number of points to defend as Djokovic had going into the start of this year?

I am not sure I fully understand the ranking system and invite anyone to enlighten me. What happens if you enter different tournament than in the previous year? Can a play skirt round things by doing this? Can a player skip Shanghai one year and enter Paris, and then in the following year reverse things by Skipping Paris and entering Shanghai?

Stotty

[don_budge]

Tiger Woods Syndrome...

I spoke and wrote of the demise of professional tennis after Roger Federer leaves the stadium. Here is a sign...Andy Murray as the number one tennis player in the world. How interesting is that? Not very, I am afraid. Perhaps this was inevitable but it still doesn't make it palatable.

Novak Djokovic on the other hand may have fallen for the prototypical "honey trap". Better men have fallen for it. Tiger Woods was on course to be the greatest golfer of all time before his sex life left him unhinged...and divorced. He never has recovered from that mess. Novak seems visibly unnerved and it shows in his play. He seems more vulnerable. This sort of happened to Rafael Nadal...he started to look vulnerable and then suddenly everyone and his brother was having their way with him.

It is interesting that Murray has unseated Djokovic as number one but the bigger picture begs the question...What's next? Remember it is Culmination Point time. 1968...1984...2001...2016...where do we go from here?

Back on March 30, 2011 I posted a thread entitled...Djokovic Meteoric.

https://www.tennisplayer.net/bulleti...kovic-meteoric

I anticipated the meteoric rise of Novak Djokovic. There was some discussion in the thread. If you notice my original post was deleted. I deleted everything I had written on the forum to that point on account of one forum member harassing me about my writing...about my beliefs. I would never do that again...even as there will always be somebody harassing me about one thing or another. Believe me...I am beyond intimidation. I didn't delete in the first place because I was intimidated...I did it because I was disgusted. It takes a real effort on anothers part to disgust me...I am easily annoyed. Somewhat. But I can keep it to myself. But every once in a while someone will come along and take exception to something and just go full machine to make it obvious that they have an ax to grind. I learned from the first go round...it's the riff raff. Much as Dostoyevsky wrote of in or around 1870. The novel was entitled "The Possessed" or otherwise translated into "The Devils". One of the most fascinating pieces of literature that I have ever read...certainly relevant for 2016. The year of the American Presidential Election and subsequent Civil War.

"I have already hinted that all sorts of low-class individuals had made an appearance among us. In troubled times of uncertainty or transition all sorts of low individuals appear everywhere. I am not talking about the so-called "progressives", who are always in a greater hurry than everyone else (that is their chief concern) and whose aims, though mostly absurd, are more or less definite. No, I am speaking only of the rabble. This rabble, which you will find in any society, usually rises to the surface in every period of transition, and is not only without any aim, but also without an inkling of an idea, merely expressing with all its strength unrest and impatience.. And yet this rabble without realizing it itself, almost always finds itself under the command of the small crowd of "progressives", who act with a definite aim, and it is they who direct this scum where they like, provided they themselves are not composed of utter idiots, which, however happens, too." Fyodor Dostoyevsky…The Devils, Part III Chapter 1

But I wonder how long after I started that thread on March 30, 2011 that Djokovic took the mantle of being the number one tennis player in the world. I bet klacr can tell me. But the fact that Djokovic has now surrendered it is rather timely because of my predicting a culmination point at this point in time and space in the tennis world...the tennis universe. Djokovic has been the most boring number one tennis player in the world that I can ever remember and I have a pretty long memory. Now the guy that is inheriting the number one ranking is even more boring than Djokovic. In fact you might just find Andy Murray's picture under the word "boring" in the dictionary.

So if this is the beginning of the next era as I have mapped out in terms of tennis history we are in for a real snoozer. The "Big Four" are no more as Roger Federer is certainly past his prime and Rafael Nadal appears to be disappearing into the sunset of Mallorca as well. Now Novak has taken a bit of a slip and suddenly he appears to be vulnerable to a host of players. Just like Nadal was when he started to slip. So that leaves Andy Murray...the other stalwart member of the "Big Four". Two remain of the original and two are on the injured reserve list with some rather significant doubts as to whether they can once again retain their membership.

So what gives? Just keep a finger on the pulse. Connect the dots. Know the score. Most importantly...see the signs and know their meanings. Andy Murray has just reached the peak of the mountain. This is a sign...as much as Djokovic starting to slip a bit is. Where is modern tennis headed? Who's Next?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pz6H8WAz7aA

[stotty]

Isner...match point....a huge, well placed second serve....plopped back by Murray. What does Isner do? Let's it bounce....what a plonker. A sign of the times I'm afraid. Players are so uncomfortable at the net they want even take a gimme on.

Stotty

[don_budge]

2016 BNP Paribas Masters...ATP 1000...Paris, France

Isner...match point....a huge, well placed second serve....plopped back by Murray. What does Isner do? Let's it bounce....what a plonker. A sign of the times I'm afraid. Players are so uncomfortable at the net they want even take a gimme on.

Stotty

What a great point...the one made by Stotty. Not the botched tactic by Isner. This is it guys...the sign that we are looking for. Andy Murray as the new number one player in the world. Marin Cilic disposes of Novak Djokovic and then John Isner takes out Marin Cilic. Cilic doesn't have the moxy to capitalize on his huge win.

I watched the match between Murray and Isner off and on. It's amazing the contortions that Murray puts his face through. The grimacing. The yelling. The rest of it. This is what the number one tennis player in professional tennis looks like now. It lacks...class.

Isner for his sake couldn't find the service court with a first serve in that final game. He double faulted to put himself in big trouble at love-30. Very unimpressive. He made some pretty average attempts to get to the net in that last game and showed what I think is a limited repertoire in his approach choices. A couple of times he chose to hit the topspin from close in and the ball predictable sits up giving the new world's number one a pretty reasonable chance at a pass.

The announcers were understandably gushing over the level of play but if they have any wits about them they must understand that the game is in serious trouble. This match was a dud without Djokovic. It will be interesting to see how the Tour Championships in London pan out. A round robin tournament...there should be some rather interesting matchups throughout the tourney that will give us a glimpse into the future. The future of modern professional tennis.

It's 2016...and it has been a significant year on the court and off. As tennis metaphors life sometimes...turbulent times may be just ahead. This could very well be a culmination point in more ways than one. First Brexit...then?