Tag Archives: Nadal
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
Sodden Balls, A Tin Sky
Monte Carlo Masters, Third Round Haase d. Bellucci, 6/2 6/3 Last week in Casablanca, Robin Haase, not the latest great hope of Dutch tennis but still arguably the best, lost to Lamine Ouahab, ranked No.752. It was another low point … Continue reading
Hardcourt Retrospective 2012 (Part One)
The ATP calendar has never made a great deal of sense, which is no great issue, since nowhere is it written that sporting schedules need to be sensible. In the case of tennis, a global concern with a vast delta … Continue reading
Filed under ATP Tour, By the Numbers
Drama or Quality
Miami Masters, Quarterfinals (2) Nadal d. (6) Tsonga, 6/2 5/7 6/4 My stated intention to write about last night’s Miami quarterfinal between Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Rafael Nadal was, as the second set wore tediously down, coming up hard against my … Continue reading
Filed under ATP Tour
When Only Gods Remain
Miami Masters, Third Round Dimitrov d. (7) Berdych, 6/3 2/6 6/4 Unlike last year, when Miami suffered a minor Götterdämmerung that saw handfuls of lesser deities cut down in the early going, the divine ranks have this year held together remarkably … Continue reading
Filed under ATP Tour
It Was An Ace, It Was Victory
Indian Wells, Semifinals (11) Isner d. (1) Djokovic, 7/6 3/6 7/6 (3) Federer d. (2) Nadal, 6/3 6/4 The worst thing about the constant finals between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic is not necessarily the length of the matches (which … Continue reading
Filed under ATP Tour
The Usual Rules of Taste or Sanity
Indian Wells, Quarterfinals (3) Federer d. (9) del Potro, 6/3 6/2 (2) Nadal d. Nalbandian, 4/6 7/5 6/4 The quarterfinals at the Indian Wells Masters are now complete. The question of whether anything new can be said of Roger Federer … Continue reading
Filed under ATP Tour
A Matter of Time
The headline-generating topic of the 2012 Australian Open has been noise, specifically the concern that rather too much of it periodically emanates from the shapely throats of several women players. The controversy reached a fevered pitch when two of the … Continue reading
Filed under Grand Slams
This is Tennis
Australian Open, Final (1) Djokovic d. (2) Nadal, 5/7 6/4 6/2 6/7 7/5 Insofar as the longest major final in history can have just one defining moment, that moment in tonight’s final arrived with Rafael Nadal serving at 3/4 in … Continue reading
Filed under Grand Slams
A Question of Judgement
Australian Open, Semifinal (Day Eleven) (2) Nadal d. (3) Federer, 6/7 6/2 7/6 6/4 The winning pattern was clear from the beginning, as it so often is between these two. You go at his backhand hard – press and knead … Continue reading
Filed under Grand Slams