Tag Archives: Tomic
Of Curses and Inspiration
Nice, Second Round It is apparently the best kept secret in professional men’s tennis that the Open de Nice Côte d’Azur is cursed. This is the only reasonable explanation for why otherwise astute professional men’s tennis players keep turning up, … Continue reading
Filed under ATP Tour
The Unwatchables (Part Two)
The Miami Masters tournament is underway, although you might not know if it if your engagement with professional men’s (and women’s) tennis was somehow limited to watching it; if you’d somehow dodged the unusually dull lead-up coverage and the ubiquitous … Continue reading
Filed under ATP Tour
A Species of Insanity
Australian Open, Fourth Round (Day Seven) (3) Federer d. Tomic, 6/4 6/2 6/2 Channel 7 in Australia tonight asked its viewers whether Bernard Tomic could ‘pull off the upset’ against Roger Federer. Sadly, thanks to the miracle of social media, … Continue reading
Filed under Grand Slams
Sizeable Hurdles
Auckland, Final (1) Ferrer d. Rochus, 6/3 6/4 It is a criminal offence to discuss Olivier Rochus without mentioning how tall he isn’t – listen to the commentary accompanying any of his matches for clear proof – so I won’t … Continue reading
Bold Predictions
Brisbane, Quarterfinals (1) Murray d. Baghdatis, 6/2 6/2 (8) Tomic d. Istomin, 6/3 7/6 About five years ago, in the grip of that special insanity called adolescence, a fourteen-year-old Bernard Tomic predicted with unabashed solemnity that he would claim the … Continue reading
Filed under ATP Tour
Stern, Assured and Aromatic
Brisbane, First Round (8) Tomic d. Benneteau, 6/2 4/6 7/5 Baghdatis d. Harrison, 7/6 6/4 Mixed results for the scourge of troubled youths in Brisbane. Bernard Tomic showed a stern and rare manliness in overcoming Julien Benneteau in three sets. … Continue reading
Filed under ATP Tour
New Balls (Please)
In the eternal quest for recognition, there is no quality more valuable than to be easily and readily identifiable. This is not a difficult concept, although its ramifications are many, and it is amazing how long it took to catch … Continue reading
Filed under Players
Wildcards No More
Shanghai Masters, Second Round (10) Roddick d. Dimitrov, 7/6 7/5 Tomic d. (5) Fish, 4/6 6/1 6/4 Nishikori d. Haase, 0/6 7/5 7/6 The talk, as the Shanghai Masters commenced, was of how so anaemic a main draw might nonetheless … Continue reading
Filed under ATP Tour
The Merely Talented
US Open, First Round (7) Monfils d. Dimitrov, 7/6 6/3 6/4 (27) Cilic d. Harrison, 6/2 7/5 7/6 Tomic d. Yani, 6/3 6/4 6/4 If compelled (under duress) to say what it is about Grigor Dimitrov that makes him the … Continue reading
Filed under Grand Slams
Blasphemies and Break Outs
At an unguarded moment some days prior to The Championships just gone, the idea occurred to me that the world’s most prestigious tennis tournament is not as good as it should be. I utter this sotto voce, the way all … Continue reading
Filed under Grand Slams