Monte Carlo Masters

[stotty]

I have always felt like Fabio has the game win Masters 1000's on clay and even the FO. Love his forehand. But I doubt he will ever do either.

He's a dream to watch, and moves really well too. But the only player who can beat Nadal on clay went out today so it looks like Monte Carlo is Rafa's for the umpteenth time. Pella played well today and should have had the first set against an out of sorts Rafa, but he blinked and that was that.

[gzhpcu]

Fabulous Fabio pulled off an other escape and displayed some incredible shots and very entertaining tennis. Lots of drama as usual. What a talent. Hope his elbow holds up tomorrow.

[nytennisaddict]

Fabulous Fabio pulled off an other escape and displayed some incredible shots and very entertaining tennis. Lots of drama as usual. What a talent. Hope his elbow holds up tomorrow.

I like coric, bun rooting the fog. great comeback.

[stroke]

What a 1st set by Fabio. He is outhitting Nadal, his forehand looks better than Nadals and his backhand is superb. Just a beautiful shot the Fabio forehand. Such compact power. Hard to believe he has never made a run at a Masters on clay or the FO. I doubt Nadal will get discouraged and go away though. The crowd is really into the match.

[stroke]

Fognini has now won 24 of the last 29 points and is up 3-0 in 2nd. Hard to believe I am saying this but it is the highest level of clay court tennis I think I have seen.

[nytennisaddict]

fogs is talented, but is he winning just because he's playing well, or because nadal is just playing a level below what he normally does.
to me seems nadal's play looks pedestrian, and was trying to hit himself back into the match. then fogs is taking advantage of that, getting more in rhythm, and playing well.

[stotty]

Stunning performance from Fognini. His backhand was phenomenal and he's one of the few players who doesn't fear Nadal on clay. I actually thought Rafa might climb back into the match from 5-1 down but his error count was a little too high today. Not the best performance from Nadal but Fognini could have won today whatever Rafa's form. He's just so good to watch and I would love him to win the whole event from here.

[nytennisaddict]

Stunning performance from Fognini. His backhand was phenomenal and he's one of the few players who doesn't fear Nadal on clay. I actually thought Rafa might climb back into the match from 5-1 down but his error count was a little too high today. Not the best performance from Nadal but Fognini could have won today whatever Rafa's form. He's just so good to watch and I would love him to win the whole event from here.

fogs definitely has the game and gameplan to beat nadal. stay out of long rallies and take chances as soon as opportunities present themselves.
i'm a huge nadal fan, and wanted him to win this tourney (yet again), but i can't been disappointed with fogs winning.
i'm sure bookies are happy with a fog v lajonic final... no chance anyone would have predicted that.

[stroke]

If anyone picked this final, I would say it would be one of the best prognostications ever. It will be interesting to see if this is maybe the beginning of the end of the King of Clays 12 plus years of unprecedented dominance.

[gzhpcu]

Great win for Fabulous Fabio. Who would ever have thought? Yesterday his elbow was bandaged, and i thought he would be in pain today. So talented and entertaining to watch. But so very Italian: theatrical, strutting, talented...

Is this the year where the guard changes? Novak has been disappointing, Will be interesting to see how Roger fares in Madrid.

[stotty]

If anyone picked this final, I would say it would be one of the best prognostications ever. It will be interesting to see if this is maybe the beginning of the end of the King of Clays 12 plus years of unprecedented dominance.

A man who devised a system which that successfully predicted the outcome of premiership soccer matches over a season, said most people do not understand odds and predicting winners. The best to look at it, he says, is that if Nadal is 11-1 favourite against Fognini, it means if they play each other 11 times Fognini will win one of those matches. It just a question of which match it will be and when. Seeing 11-1 as certain, which most do, he says, is a mistake.

[don_budge]

Yeah...but now Djokovic is getting down to business. A player that has experienced confidence in the extreme that Djokovic has in the past losing the first set just makes him play with a bit more seriously. With a little more intent. On the other hand a player with the inexperience such as Medvedev in winning in these kind of situations it becomes a matter of finishing things. Getting the horse in the barn. In this case he will find Djokovic very stubborn if he is resisting.

Daniil will have to step it up in these situations. He is getting more and more looks at them and he is going to have to find a way to break through. I have a tough time seeing these types of players winning Grand Slam events as they can look like gang busters one match and then clueless in the next. Witness how Roger Federer makes Medvedev look completely clueless in some of their matches.

Medvedev does not seem to have that dominating serve and his motion looks somehow homemade to me. This is the problem with homemade service motions...the question becomes how will it stand up to pressure and fatigue. Medvedev was able to establish and maintain pressure on Djokovic for a set but he wasn't able to sustain it into the second set. So the question becomes what does he have left in the bag for the third. We know what Djokovic is capable of.

I've always like "Fabulous" Fognini but is it that his Italian temperament keeps him from breaking boundaries? Has he set a limit on his level of success? Italian players in the past had that kind of reputation of not being able to hold it together emotionally from start to finish. Fognini shows signs of brilliance but he always shows a certain vulnerability to the big show in the end. I like him in this position though. Borna "Born Again" Coric is going to be a tough ask for Fabio. Borna is another who is showing some signs of perhaps achieving another level but often stumbles on the precipice. I would like to see a Nadal versus Fognini semi as Fognini doesn't seem to have either the fear or the respect for Nadal that others seem to. The best case scenario for this tournament would probably be a repeat of the usual Nadal versus Djokovic final. It seems inevitable historically that they will meet.

Dusan Lajovic is the first into the semis. He took out Lorenzo Sonego who exemplified the "Italian Psych" in the quarters. He was even with Lajovic right to the end of the second set when he conveniently and quietly folded his cards. He didn't have the stomach for the fight.

Medvedev did step it up. He rallies to score a big takedown on a big stage. This is the kind of match that he needs to make the next step to the next level. The next match may have been even more key for him though...to beat a player who on paper he should beat. Dusan Lajovic is ranked #48 in the world to Medvedev's #14. But to stumble under those circumstances might reveal a couple of things. It comes down to match play psychology playing such a big match under such windy conditions. The flatness of Medvedev's backhand and the less than aesthetic service motion might have played hindrance to the game of Dusan who has more "margin for error" built into his game. More variety on the backhand for one thing. More spin on the serve for another.

I have always felt like Fabio has the game win Masters 1000's on clay and even the FO. Love his forehand. But I doubt he will ever do either.

Good call stroke...you didn't need to qualify your first comment. He is on the precipice but he has his hands full with Lajovic here under these circumstances. While "Fabulous" Fognini lived up to his swashbuckling personna against a favourite nemesis Nadal the lesser known may give him more trouble...unless he really buckles down. Lajovic is hungry. He would love to take down another big name for the crown of Monte Carlo. French Open for Fognini? Maybe if he has a private shrink with him.

He's a dream to watch, and moves really well too. But the only player who can beat Nadal on clay went out today so it looks like Monte Carlo is Rafa's for the umpteenth time. Pella played well today and should have had the first set against an out of sorts Rafa, but he blinked and that was that.

As stroke calls it in the next post one of the most difficult tournament to predict in a long time.

i'm a huge nadal fan...

Yep...it figures.

If anyone picked this final, I would say it would be one of the best prognostications ever. It will be interesting to see if this is maybe the beginning of the end of the King of Clays 12 plus years of unprecedented dominance.

Nothing would be more pleasant to see Roger Federer take down Nadal at the French Open. A tough ask for sure. But this is Nadal's first tournament back after a layoff. He will spend the next weeks working himself into a nice lather in anticipation of the French.

Stunning performance from Fognini. His backhand was phenomenal and he's one of the few players who doesn't fear Nadal on clay. I actually thought Rafa might climb back into the match from 5-1 down but his error count was a little too high today. Not the best performance from Nadal but Fognini could have won today whatever Rafa's form. He's just so good to watch and I would love him to win the whole event from here.

Ironically Fabio "Fabulous" Fognini was the first player that I watched in person after many years of laying off he tennis scene and pursuing the game of golf. I will never forget watching him "bend" that forehand sitting behind him in Båstad, Sweden. Love the attitude. Love the Swashbuckler. Now he has a huge opportunity to take it to the next level. He probably caught Nadal between a rock and a hard place being a bit out of sorts. Rarely does Nadal play badly. I watched the first two game of the match and it certainly didn't give an idea how it might end up from what you guys are saying. I think I will watch the replay.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzrmMPDlVA0

[stroke]

QUOTE=stotty;n78972]

A man who devised a system which that successfully predicted the outcome of premiership soccer matches over a season, said most people do not understand odds and predicting winners. The best to look at it, he says, is that if Nadal is 11-1 favourite against Fognini, it means if they play each other 11 times Fognini will win one of those matches. It just a question of which match it will be and when. Seeing 11-1 as certain, which most he says, is a mistake.[/QUOTE]

I get it, and do not think any bet is certain. I would not bet just for that reason. I read some guy put $85,000 on Tiger before the Masters at 14/1. He got a massive payout, but don't worry, that kind of win for a bettor is a massive aberration. Vegas can easily absorb that loss for them with all the other losers out there. Vegas is staying in business.

[stroke]

Medvedev did step it up. He rallies to score a big takedown on a big stage. This is the kind of match that he needs to make the next step to the next level. The next match may have been even more key for him though...to beat a player who on paper he should beat. Dusan Lajovic is ranked #48 in the world to Medvedev's #14. But to stumble under those circumstances might reveal a couple of things. It comes down to match play psychology playing such a big match under such windy conditions. The flatness of Medvedev's backhand and the less than aesthetic service motion might have played hindrance to the game of Dusan who has more "margin for error" built into his game. More variety on the backhand for one thing. More spin on the serve for another.




Good call stroke...you didn't need to qualify your first comment. He is on the precipice but he has his hands full with Lajovic here under these circumstances. While "Fabulous" Fognini lived up to his swashbuckling personna against a favourite nemesis Nadal the lesser known may give him more trouble...unless he really buckles down. Lajovic is hungry. He would love to take down another big name for the crown of Monte Carlo. French Open for Fognini? Maybe if he has a private shrink with him.




As stroke calls it in the next post one of the most difficult tournament to predict in a long time.



Yep...it figures.



Nothing would be more pleasant to see Roger Federer take down Nadal at the French Open. A tough ask for sure. But this is Nadal's first tournament back after a layoff. He will spend the next weeks working himself into a nice lather in anticipation of the French.




Ironically Fabio "Fabulous" Fognini was the first player that I watched in person after many years of laying off he tennis scene and pursuing the game of golf. I will never forget watching him "bend" that forehand sitting behind him in Båstad, Sweden. Love the attitude. Love the Swashbuckler. Now he has a huge opportunity to take it to the next level. He probably caught Nadal between a rock and a hard place being a bit out of sorts. Rarely does Nadal play badly. I watched the first two game of the match and it certainly didn't give an idea how it might end up from what you guys are saying. I think I will watch the replay.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzrmMPDlVA0

I have always loved the Fabio forehand, but not as much as Fed and Nadal's. I am no longer certain. It looks like some kind of hybrid of Fed and Nadal's. The compact power AND spin is something to see.

[don_budge]

Ironically Fabio "Fabulous" Fognini was the first player that I watched in person after many years of laying off he tennis scene and pursuing the game of golf. I will never forget watching him "bend" that forehand sitting behind him in Båstad, Sweden. Love the attitude. Love the Swashbuckler. Now he has a huge opportunity to take it to the next level. He probably caught Nadal between a rock and a hard place being a bit out of sorts. Rarely does Nadal play badly. I watched the first two game of the match and it certainly didn't give an idea how it might end up from what you guys are saying. I think I will watch the replay.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzrmMPDlVA0

"The Fabulous One" was bending it...except when he was cloth lining it. Extraordinary display to put "The Skunk" in a position where he is battling to avoid a bagel. But Nadal is a great competitor...in some ways. In other ways he is a gamesmanship player. But this is a good lesson in a losing cause for any aspiring tennis player. He fought tooth and nail to avoid that bagel in the second set. Then he fought tooth and nail to get it to 2-5. But "Fabulous Fabio" sealed the deal with one of his trademark shots of the day...he just cloth lined a forehand from a tough position that left Nadal there gaping at the sheer audacity of the shot.

The odds on that match were something that even I might bet on. Fognini is a better than 11-1 shot against taking down Nadal. He doesn't appear to be afraid of him and he steps up like a man (like Djokovic) taking that lefty forehand topspin on the rise and changing its direction. The serve isn't great but the motion is quite nice. But does he back it up with the return of the return of serve.

Maintaining pressure on the opponent. Match play psychology 101 Bill Tilden style. He got his legs under him after falling behind in the first set and never looked back. "Hitting out" on everything. Easier to do when you are not expected to win. It will be interesting if the Italian attitude can sustain itself through the finals. Hopefully he wasn't celebrating with a bunch of wine and women last night. Actually he's married to a beautiful Italian tennis player. Uh-oh...