Brisbane International...ATP 250...Brisbane, Australia

[don_budge]

Rafael Nadal a no show. He was slated to play but pulled out at the last minute. Didn't think he was fit enough for some reason or other to grace the tournament with his presence. He thinks he will be ready for the Australian Open which seems to be a little odd since he hasn't played competitively since when?

Daniil Medvedev doused Andy Murray's comeback attempt. Good to see Andy back oddly enough. There is a real lack draw power on the tour. Grigor Dimitrov eliminated John Millman. John who? Millman is the guy who took down Federer in a very strange and suspicious match at the U. S. Open this year. He hasn't managed much since that auspicious match. It makes me wonder sometimes. What the hell is going on?

Nick "The Jerk" Kyrgios makes another early exit at Brisbane. This guy is Mr. Inconsistent. All caps. Nothing about him suggests any kind of success on the tour at any consistent level ever. One of the major hallmarks of a tennis champion being consistency. He apparently does not have the resolve.

Nadal is another odd case. For years now he has been pulling this disappearing act on the tour. Injured this...injured that. His career always seems to be on the brink. Then he reappears once again. Totally fixed up. As if nothing happened. You know...performance is a subject that I find very interesting. What is it that makes a person show up ready and fit for fight. Nadal is strange one. Something about this guy just doesn't add up. I have my suspicions...as you well know.

[don_budge]

Matches to watch:

Milos Raonic vs. Daniil Medvedev
Grigor Dimitrov vs. Kei Nishikori

[don_budge]

Jo-Wilfred Tsonga over Alex De Minaur...6-4, 7-6 (7-2). I only saw the tie-break and that was all Tsonga. De Minaur was running around like a chicken with its head cut off. I seem to recall some forum participants express some high hoped for this kid in the future. I'm not so sure. The service motion is dysfunctional and other than a lot of energy and quickness it didn't appear that he could make a dent in Tsonga once he decided to take matters into his hand. Tsonga man-handled him in the tie-break and just hit him with haymaker after haymaker.

Daniil Medvedev next up for Jo-Wilfred who is on the comeback trail. Haven't heard a peep out of him in a long while. Medvedev has had a real impressive year...particularly later in the year.