Category Archives: ATP Tour
A Subjective Area
Munich, Final (4) Kohlschreiber d. (3) Cilic, 7/6 6/4 The theme of the week in Munich was flashy one-handed backhands launching winners up the line – there’s an opportunity for a logo redesign – counterpointed by Marin Cilic’s inexorable progress … Continue reading
Filed under ATP Tour
Luck of the Draw: Madrid 2012
Andy Murray has withdrawn from the Madrid Masters, citing a back strain. My vague surprise at reading this news was quickly superseded by the stunned realisation that the report had somehow failed to mention that the event is to be … Continue reading
Filed under ATP Tour
Nothing To Be Done
Munich, First Round (Q) Farah d. (7) Davydenko, 6/3 6/2 Defending champion Nikolay Davydenko yesterday lost to Robert Farah, the Columbian qualifier who last week tore lustily into the Barcelona main draw, and now looks capable of doing the same … Continue reading
The Flurrying Fog
Bucharest, Final (1) Simon d. Fognini, 6/4 6/3 Fabio Fognini, in his first tour final, fell to Gilles Simon in the final of the Nastase-Tiriac Trophy in Bucharest. For Simon, it is his tenth career title, three of which have … Continue reading
Filed under ATP Tour
The Phantom Climax
Barcelona, Final (1) Nadal d. (3) Ferrer, 7/6 7/5 Having never won a prestigious tennis tournament multiple times, or even once, I cannot say whether the seventh triumph feels more or less special than the fourth or fifth. Looking at … Continue reading
Filed under ATP Tour
Meaning the World
Barcelona, Semifinals The top seeds have moved through to their respective finals in both Bucharest and Barcelona, following a day of straight-sets semifinals, only one of which inspired much beyond yawns and dyspepsia. These have thrown up – or vomited … Continue reading
Filed under ATP Tour
One Enchanted Evening
Barcelona and Bucharest, Second and Third Rounds There was good tennis to be had today in Barcelona, Bucharest and elsewhere, although having spent frustrating hours in the fruitless pursuit of it, my firsthand knowledge is limited. Nevertheless, I discovered vestiges … Continue reading
Filed under ATP Tour
A Mild Hangover
The week following Monte Carlo always feels like a small hangover after a modest bender, the queasy Saturday morning you spend lining your stomach with bacon and eggs ahead of the planned Bacchanal that night. We’ll all be riotously drunk … Continue reading
Filed under ATP Tour
An Unmatched Achievement
Monte Carlo Masters, Final (2) Nadal d. (1) Djokovic, 6/3 6/1 Rafael Nadal defeated Novak Djokovic today in a Monte Carlo final that was even more straightforward than the score line suggests, and considerably less exciting than the epoch-defining epic … Continue reading
Filed under ATP Tour
A Picturesque Picture
Monte Carlo Masters, Semifinals (1) Djokovic d. (6) Berdych, 4/6 6/3 6/2 ‘It’s hard to imagine a more picturesque picture than this,’ remarked Chris Wilkinson on the Tennis TV feed, his verbal inspiration failing him (and us) just when he … Continue reading
Filed under ATP Tour