2017 Cincinnati Open: ATP 1000

[stotty]

Well there is one good game to be had in this otherwise low profile event for this year's Cincinnati Open.

Nadal v Kygrios

What are the odds, stroke?

Kyrgios, if he shows up, has the game to beat Rafa, but Rafa won't like losing to an upstart like Kyrgios. Who would?

Anyway, might be one to watch.

[stotty]

Oh well, the match came and went the moment I put the thread up. Still, the scheduling makes most matches impossible to watch live in my part of the world. Anyone see the game? I had a feeling Kyrgios might prevail.

[don_budge]

Here's a highlights clip...mind numbing backcourt rallies. Not very interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cc4XjDNc4wE

Here is Nadal trying to find the words that can explain his existence...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaM5mXspFss

[stotty]

Here's a highlights clip...mind numbing backcourt rallies. Not very interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cc4XjDNc4wE

Here is Nadal trying to find the words that can explain his existence...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaM5mXspFss

Thanks.

Highlights tell us little of course because all we see is what went right and not what went wrong and why. Nevertheless it looked like Kyrgios was soaking up Rafa's game quite well and spitting it straight back.

I cannot stand Kyrgios and watch purely in the hope he'll fall flat on his face. Nothing worse than arrogant talent.

[don_budge]

Thanks.

Highlights tell us little of course because all we see is what went right and not what went wrong and why. Nevertheless it looked like Kyrgios was soaking up Rafa's game quite well and spitting it straight back.

I cannot stand Kyrgios and watch purely in the hope he'll fall flat on his face. Nothing worse than arrogant talent.

I don't know about that. I think highlight videos are tremendous. Certainly it would spare us from the nonstop mind numbing rallies from the backcourt which are part and parcel of the modern game of tennis. Who needs to see the whole thing? What went wrong? What can go wrong? The game is so dumbed down it is rather simple to analyze.

In this match for instance it looks to me that Nick Kyrgios is doing a good job of as you put it...spitting it straight back. It looks to me that Nick is making every effort to put as much spin on the ball deep to the Nadal backhand that he can. Showing the important points in the course of the match gives one a pretty good idea of who is in control. Plus...anything that allows us to rewatch or review for the first time Fafa Nadal getting his ass handed to him is such a bonus in the modern age of tennis. This guy is really a piece of work and history is going to show what kind of person he really is. Talk about arrogant talent.

Kyrgios beats Ferrer 7-6, 7-6...and Dimitrov beat Isner by the same. Dimitrov beat Kyrgios in their only other meeting. stroke? what are the odds...what are the bookies saying about this one? You didn't tell us about your day at the Cincinnati tennis either. Shame...shame.

[klacr]

What are the odds that 4 top ATP professionals playing semis in Cincinnati would not be able to break serve?

2 matches, 4 tiebreaks, 345 total points, 9 total break points, 0 breaks of serve.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[stotty]

In this match for instance it looks to me that Nick Kyrgios is doing a good job of as you put it...spitting it straight back. It looks to me that Nick is making every effort to put as much spin on the ball deep to the Nadal backhand that he can. Showing the important points in the course of the match gives one a pretty good idea of who is in control. Plus...anything that allows us to rewatch or review for the first time Fafa Nadal getting his ass handed to him is such a bonus in the modern age of tennis. This guy is really a piece of work and history is going to show what kind of person he really is. Talk about arrogant talent.

I think Rafa has good and bad points, and I am certainly not going to set about trying to make you like him. But he is perhaps in a way unique.

Where Rafa is unique is that he suffers more than any other player I can think of, past or present. Tennis is like a pilgrimage for him with Roland Garros his annual Fatima. His suffering is etched firmly across his face by now. I doubt he truly enjoys the combat these days and is perhaps simply relieved to shake hands the winner. It certainly looks and feels that way to me as I try to tune in to his feelings. He has a masochistic attitude toward life and tennis and has had it right from the very start. Basically, if he isn't suffering then he feels he hasn't done enough. I know it's a strange theory but I feel I am reasonably close to the truth.

[johnyandell]

Yep. Suffering is a proud principle of Spanish tennis.

https://www.tennisplayer.net/members/classiclessons/chris_lewit/secrets_of_spanish_tennis_suffering/

[stotty]

Yep. Suffering is a proud principle of Spanish tennis.

https://www.tennisplayer.net/members...nis_suffering/

I get the theory of suffering and that all players suffer to some extent, but Rafa has gone way beyond what would be considered the normal, reasonable threshold. It borders on self-flagellation and martyrdom. Is he a staunch catholic and religious?

Roger has it right. He suffers occasionally but on the whole has great perspective and seems to really enjoy tennis. He brushes losses aside and doesn't stew. I like his approach better than any other player I can think of.

[don_budge]

Spanish suffering. What a malarky. It's a game. A sport. In another Spanish past time...bullfighting. The bull actually does suffer. Occasionally the matador does too. As well he should. Spanish tennis players choose to suffer and cause the audience to suffer with their mind numbing philosophy of playing tennis solely from the backcourt.

Nadal is a tennis player and a very rich man. That's all that he is. Try not to get caught up in the hyperbole. He is going to suffer more and more as he enters the decline. Nadal is only arrogant. He doesn't have a humble bone in his body. We saw it at the Australian as he challenged a ball that was obviously in on match point to steal some of Roger Federer's thunder. We witnessed it at Miami when he hogged the microphone in defeat. Everybody knows that the loser is only there to congratulate the winner...instead Nadal gave a speech about himself and how tough he tried and how difficult it was for him. He's suffering alright. Suffering from a severely inflated ego.

Kyrgios in the highlight video threw a unique twist of the kitchen sink at Nadal. Exaggerated topspin. It seemed to handcuff him...it gave him a suffering look on his face. This guy could not possibly more self involved. I have never seen anyone who like him who could absolutely not see past his own ego. He and Serena Williams are in the same boat.

[don_budge]

Rafael Nadal is by definition...insufferable.

insufferable |inˈsəf(ə)rəb(ə)l|
adjective

too extreme to bear; intolerable: the heat would be insufferable by July.

• having or showing unbearable arrogance or conceit: an insufferable bully | insufferable French chauvinism.

[stotty]

A really solid performance from Dimitrov in the final. He played well behind his own serve and his sliced backhand proved effective against Kyrgios who doesn't like a low bounce. Dimitrov took a leaf out of his idol's book and defended great to dig in and win points he could easily have lost.

Kyrgios was a little disappointing but Dimitrov had a lot to do with that.

[klacr]

Dimitrov wins Cincy. Awesome for him. Shake the baby Fed moniker and just be Grigor. Lovely strokes to watch.

stat of the day: Kyrgios only won 1 point today that was over 9 shots. Dimitrov won 13.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[don_budge]

The Western and *%&#%@€ Open...Men's Singles Final...Nick "The Jerk" Kyrgios vs. Grigor "Bulgarian Playboy" Dimitrov

Highlights tell us little of course because all we see is what went right and not what went wrong and why.

I cannot stand Kyrgios and watch purely in the hope he'll fall flat on his face. Nothing worse than arrogant talent.

Here is the highlight clip. It spares us the tedious proposition of having to watch the entire tennis match. There is only one player currently in the game that can pass the acid test for tennis viewing. There is only one player that can keep the attention of the serious tennis aficionado for an entire match. That player had to withdraw from the tournament with a "back injury".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqNiyb3T0sI

The finals of the Western and Southern Open final. I am somewhat surprised that ANTIFA wasn't on the scene demanding that the "Southern" be taken out of the tournament title because of the racial implications. That's alright ANTIFA...soon you will be labeled correctly for what you are. A terrorist organization.

It was Grigor Dimitrov versus Nick Kyrgios playing the finals and it was Robbie Koenig in the booth attempting to orchestrate a little interest in a real non event. Nick had gotten his fill of ego gratification when he dumped Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals. He managed to stay somewhat glued to the scene with a probably lackadaisical performance against David Ferrer and when he got to the finals he could barely pretend to be really committed to winning this match. The highlight video revealed the big difference between the two contestants. Dimitrov was in the corners digging out balls to return them to the Kyrgios side of the court while Kyrgios for his part was content to tee off on balls that he could comfortable reach and he made some real critical decisions about which balls to chase and which to simply give to Dimitrov.

The tennis is dumbed down. True...Grigor has styled his game off the great Roger Federer but there is something that is missing in the clone. He has no charisma. The underspin backhand is a nice shot to have...certainly I am a great advocate of that. The drive backhand is looking pretty good and the forehand is "glorious" of course. The serve is just a tad suspect because of flaw in the backswing that renders the whole motion less that perfect. But it got the job done this week and the Western and *%&#%@€ Open. No Roger Federer to contend with. No Novak Djokovic. No Andy Murray. No Alexander Zverev and Dominic Thiem. Just Nick "The Jerk" Kyrgios.

To be fair to Nick...and it is important to be fair to everyone you know. It's the law goddamit. Nick found himself in the finals. He lacks the intensity on a match to match basis. It appears that the existential question will be for Nick is which Nick will show up. The level of his performances varies to much. The match that he played against Roger Federer in the semifinals of the Miami Open was the best two out of three match of the year. There was an intensity about him that I hadn't seen to that point and I haven't seen since. It maybe the performance of his lifetime. Nick has an enormous ego...it would appear. But the reality may be more complicated than this. It looks to me as if he has a myriad of rather complex issues. He is never going to get them completely sorted out unless he commits himself...to the moment. Living each moment for what it is worth. The poem by Rudyard Kipling comes to mind. "If".

The Bulgarian Playboy Grigor Dimitrov continues to improve in increments. He is a clone and he will never reach the heights or stratosphere that the real thing has flown. But he has to keep things in perspective to be his own man. No sense in comparing yourself to others. Its a road not worth traveling. Grigor wanted this tournament and he showed it. He was willing to get his hands dirty and dig out balls in the corners. You can't be to proud you know. You've got to beg, borrow and steal. His opponent was less inclined to dig and scrap. It showed on the really big points...which made the highlight video. Nick handed Grigor the first set on a set point that he hardly contended and he did the very same thing on the match point.

Another boring tennis match with both players glued to the baseline. Neither player possessing the skills or inclination to move forwards or use all of the court. Stotty mentions Grigor using the short, low balls against his tall opponent. Federer made a pretty good living playing a lot of tall players that way. His record against some pretty darn good players like Andy Roddick, Robin Söderling, Juan Martin Del Potro to name just a few is evidence of his tactical acumen in this regard.

The final started at 10 PM here in Sweden. The stream was interrupted. The match certainly wasn't worth fighting for. Besides I was tired. I worked on the golf range yesterday for a couple of hours. Trying to resurrect a golf game that has been in the closet for about eight or nine years. In the closet...was that politically incorrect to say so. So what...I don't give a damn.

[stotty]

On Kyrgios...any hope for the kid?

Every saint has a past, every sinner has a future.