2017 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships...ATP 500...Dubai, U.A.E.

[don_budge]

2017 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships...ATP 500...Dubai, U.A.E.


Roger Federer returns to action. So we have a REAL tennis tournament for a change.

http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/scores/current/dubai/495/draws

This guy is professional tennis at the moment and there is nothing in the pipe to replace him. This could spell trouble for the professional game. Nobody seems to have any charisma these days. It's the new normal.

Roger Federer doesn't play competitive tennis for six months and then comes back to take the first Grand Slam of the year. In the draw at Dubai is the new world number one...Andy Murray not to mention Stan Wawrinka. In the past the courts in Dubai have played a tad faster than the normal velcro, sand laden venues that are so common on the tour nowadays. Advantage Roger Federer. The perfect service motion with complimentary tactics. Once he gets the brake he is like a baseball pitcher...mowing down the opposition.

Let's see if he keeps up the form. He's had plenty of rest and I am assuming plenty of practice. Benoit Paire this afternoon and a semifinal with Andy Murray beckoning.

[don_budge]

Just a teaser of the match between Benoit Paire and Roger Federer in the first round at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. Roger gave Benoit a lesson the first set and didn't even charge him. The same can be said of the second. Roger plays tennis like it was supposed to be played.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaUGefV7qcM

The commentator kept saying "Mama Mia" and that, I think, says it all.

[stotty]

I see Djokovic has steered clear of Dubai this year. Those slightly quicker courts were his undoing last year against Federer...or was it the year before? Time goes by so quick and these guys have played each other so often it's hard to accurately remember when, where and which match it was. Not that it matters. I just know Djokovic has come a cropper at Dubai before.

A Murray v Federer match would be great. I wanted it at the Aussie Open but then Murray got himself knocked out. Hopefully this time I will get my desired match up.

[klacr]

Good move by Djokovic.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[don_budge]

I see Djokovic has steered clear of Dubai this year. Those slightly quicker courts were his undoing last year against Federer...or was it the year before? Time goes by so quick and these guys have played each other so often it's hard to accurately remember when, where and which match it was. Not that it matters. I just know Djokovic has come a cropper at Dubai before.

A Murray v Federer match would be great. I wanted it at the Aussie Open but then Murray got himself knocked out. Hopefully this time I will get my desired match up.

That must have two years ago...last year Federer had surgery on his knee. I hope that the courts are playing quicker again. It looked to me that the courts in Rotterdam were playing a bit quicker and players were playing off of Mischa Zverev and Roger Federer in trying to gain the advantage at the net just a bit more often than usual. The play must change as it is just too boring. Without Federer on the tour there is nothing to watch. Not one single compelling player that stands on his own merit. Some of the matchups are a little more interesting than others but for the most part the entire tour is on a snooze alert.

You are going to get your match Stotty. That is pretty much a lock.

[don_budge]

Stan the Man...or Stan the Otherwise?


Once again Stan Wawrinka could not make up his mind as to whether play or not. It sounds like a PewDiePie video...play or not? Damir Dzumhur who is currently ranked number 77 in the world took down the "other" Swiss Maestro to the tune of 7-6, 6-3. I watched a little of the first set but quickly was bored and went out for a walk in the woods...to clear my mind out. Must be nice to have such a high paying job and have the choice of whether or not to actually show up and put in an honest days work. Well...that clears the way for the finalist in the other half of the draw. If the conditions are quick...look for Federer to upset the top ranked player in the world in the semifinals.

It's a pity that Wawrinka cannot be counted on to go full machine every time he takes to the court. He possesses what might arguably be the finest shot in tennis but perhaps it is too much to ask of him to come out and actually compete. It is starting to smell bad.

[don_budge]

The Match of the Day...Daniel Evans versus "The Amazing Mr. Monfils"

After already dispensing another talented albeit loosely wrapped long tall athlete...Daniel Evans takes his all court game to the field against "The Most Amazing" Gael Monfils. Evans took out "Downtown" Dustin Brown in short straight sets which is exactly what you want to see a player do in the first round of a tournament. Take guys down with impunity. You've got to get right down to business and kick some ass for the other players to start to take you seriously and cause them to doubt themselves before they even step out on to the court with you. In this case Mr. Monfils has to at least be asking himself who is this guy.

Daniel Evans made a nice impression on me at the Australian Open where on some slightly quicker courts took down a couple of very good players before bowing to yet another big bruising Frenchman...Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Evans has a created a nice opportunity here to take down one of the biggest if not most flamboyant names in the game...Gael Monfils. Monfils for his part has looked to take the game just a bit more seriously in the past year or so but can a leopard really change it's spots? His reputation as a "hot dog" proceeds his and this guy Evans is all business. This is the match of the day...besides you know who.

[stotty]

Damn...Federer loses. I really wanted a Murray/Federer semi final showdown. I fancied Federer to win it. What a pain! Last time it was Misha Zverez who put the spanner in the works of a Murray/Federer match-up; this time Donskoy. Who is this Donskoy anyway? It's a pain in the butt when these nobodies spoil the party...

[klacr]

Murray escaped a close call against Kohlschreiber. a 31 minute 2nd set tie-break was epic.

semis: Haase (Who beat Berdych) vs. Verdasco
Murray vs. Pouille

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[stotty]

So it's a Verdasco v Murray final then. It's good to see Verdasco playing well these days, looking like a threat. I like his forehand and could watch it all day long. It's so silky, smooth and powerful. If the courts are as slick as they say, Verdasco must be in with a shout of winning.

[don_budge]

The Match of the Day...Daniel Evans versus "The Amazing Mr. Monfils"

After already dispensing another talented albeit loosely wrapped long tall athlete...Daniel Evans takes his all court game to the field against "The Most Amazing" Gael Monfils. Evans took out "Downtown" Dustin Brown in short straight sets which is exactly what you want to see a player do in the first round of a tournament. Take guys down with impunity. You've got to get right down to business and kick some ass for the other players to start to take you seriously and cause them to doubt themselves before they even step out on to the court with you. In this case Mr. Monfils has to at least be asking himself who is this guy.

Daniel Evans made a nice impression on me at the Australian Open where on some slightly quicker courts took down a couple of very good players before bowing to yet another big bruising Frenchman...Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Evans has a created a nice opportunity here to take down one of the biggest if not most flamboyant names in the game...Gael Monfils. Monfils for his part has looked to take the game just a bit more seriously in the past year or so but can a leopard really change it's spots? His reputation as a "hot dog" proceeds his and this guy Evans is all business. This is the match of the day...besides you know who.

The tournament was over for me when Roger Federer lost to...who was that? So the takeaway for me was this match with Daniel Evans and Gael Monfils. I left when they had split sets and Monfils went on to beat him 6-1 in the third. I really like this Evans character and it shows that smaller players can compete. I hope that he continues to develop. He is one of the few players on the tour that is actually quite interesting to watch. He's tactical, he's feisty and he is aggressive. He plays the big boys heads up and doesn't back down.

He had Monfils on his heels during the second set. I didn't get to see the third and I was curious how it went.