2019 Rolex Paris Masters...ATP 1000...Paris, France

[don_budge]

https://www.atptour.com/en/scores/current/paris/352/draws

Man...does this forum seem to be running on fumes or what? Much like the ATP Tour itself we seem to be running out of gas. Don't worry...I will shut out the lights as the last man standing.

Roger Federer in the house fresh off a warm up stint in his town of Basel, Switzerland. Ten times a champion. Quite a testimony to a number of things. Here in "Gay Paris" he has himself a whale of a draw and all that I could possibly dream of is a semi final match against public enemy number one...Rafael Nadal. Federer has beaten how many times in a row now...a million? On the way to that match Roger will have his hands full with the likes of Monfils, Fognini, Coric and Zverev....all whom have given him trouble at one time or another but Roger won't give them much breathing room in Paris. He has the pedal to the metal as evidenced in his Basel victory.

Interesting draw this time around. It seems to be rather top heavy. Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev on a possible route to the semi finals match. But let's just keep our eyes on the ball here fellows...if there is anybody out there. I'm not leaving until Roger Federer does. I am going to finish this book one way or another.

[don_budge]

I wonder what Andy Murray is up to this week. It would have been great to see him in the draw.

[stroke]

Novak is the favorite at 7/4. But we have a something new going on odds wise. Medvedev has joined Nadal and Roger as the next favorites(all 3 are at 4/1 or so).

[don_budge]

Novak is the favorite at 7/4. But we have a something new going on odds wise. Medvedev has joined Nadal and Roger as the next favorites(all 3 are at 4/1 or so).

The new revised big four...with Andy Murray being the odd man out and Daniil Medvedev "The New Kid on the Block". Those odds would be well served if these four get to the semi's. I would like nothing better than to see Roger Federer versus Roger Nadal. Why not Roger Nadal? Federer has owned him the last how many matches...including the best butt kicking of all at Wimbledon. The Roland Garros match does not count. Not that Nadal has any intention of allowing this trend to continue.

Daniil Medvedev versus Novak Djokovic? Medvedev taking the last two in five matches. Does he have Novak's number? I believe that he thinks he does. He's in his head. A Medvedev versus Nadal final would be my second choice if not Roger Federer. Would dearly love to see what Daniil learned in New York when Nadal stalled his way to victory.

[glacierguy]

Check out the camera angle on Court 1 - I like it.

[stroke]

Taylor Fritz had a good win in 1st round vs Tiafoe. I really like Fritz' game aesthetically and his on court demeanor.

[don_budge]

Taylor Fritz had a good win in 1st round vs Tiafoe. I really like Fritz' game aesthetically and his on court demeanor.

He has good strokes...a pretty fair service motion. But...he doesn't have anything that sets him apart from all of the rest. Nice fellow. Keeps his head down and goes about his business but again...pretty drab in terms of any kind of charisma. Right now he is going about his business against Stefanos Tsitsipas and he has lost the first set. I have lost virtual interest in the match as well. A rather nondescript affair.

[stroke]

Tsitsipas looked really good in dispatching the demon in 2. Dimitrov looked about as good as I have seen him look in taking down Thiem in 2.

[stroke]

Novak looking back to his clinical self vs Edmund after not looking like that at all in yesterday's match. The match of the day clearly Stan vs Nadal.

[stroke]

Shapovalov and Zverev going to a 3rd set in a highly entertaining match. I feel like Denis has a bigger game, but this appears to be a toss up.

[stroke]

Denis up 5-2 with a double break definitely with the bigger game. His lively left arm reminds me of a modern day Henri Lecounte.

[stroke]

Tsonga gets through somehow with massive crowd love. His reward, the winner of Nadal/Stan. This has turned out to be a great tournament.

[don_budge]

Tsonga gets through somehow with massive crowd love. His reward, the winner of Nadal/Stan. This has turned out to be a great tournament.

The only thing missing is Roger Federer. That is a very, very big thing for a tournament to be missing.

[stroke]

Nadal wins the 1st set 6-4 with a break, but to me, Nadal looks clearly not in his prime movement wise on the hard court here, a bit old. We will see.

[don_budge]

The only thing missing is Roger Federer. That is a very, very big thing for a tournament to be missing.

Well there is still "Baby Fed". I thought stroke made a comment about Grigor Dimitrov. He was so impressive against Theim. Really controlled him. Theim may have been tired after winning in Austria last week. It can be a grind. Can Dimitrov continue? Answers real soon against a relatively unknown Garin.