2015 Miami Open…ATP 1000…Miami, Florida USA

[stotty]

I was in the stands for the entire match vs Tomic. Tomic really had the upper hand until Tomas, with terrific fight, took the 2nd set. Tomic is really a unique player. He really demonstrates how, even at the highest level, one can kind of just redirect the ball with very, very short backswings(particularly on forehand) and still dictate out there. It was great fight and win by Tomas.

Yes, Tomic is quite a gem to watch live. TV doesn't do him justice, does it? The way he can push and place that ball around is nice to watch.

[klacr]

I was in the stands for the entire match vs Tomic. Tomic really had the upper hand until Tomas, with terrific fight, took the 2nd set. Tomic is really a unique player. He really demonstrates how, even at the highest level, one can kind of just redirect the ball with very, very short backswings(particularly on forehand) and still dictate out there. It was great fight and win by Tomas.

You got your money's worth stroke.
Bottom half of draw opening up if Thiem continues this form against Murray. Berdych becomes highest seed and favorite to make finals. Would get to see him on Sunday. Just like I planned

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[stroke]

Rafa is out. Splendid play by Verdasco to take out his fellow Spaniard in three sets.
Also love to see the fight from Tomas Berdych. Down a set and 0-4 my boy showing some real toughness and coming back to win 6-1 in 3rd set. Even after fighting off 4 match points. This may have been a mach Berdych would lose before. Not this year though. Looking at the draw, and I hate o look ahead, but Berdych is highest seed in his quarter now with Rafa out. Tberd would have to face Murrray in semis.

Wawrinka loses in two tie-breaks to Adrian Mannarino. Wawrinka losing his way just a bit. Bottom half of the draw features Murray and Berdych as the two big stallions. Let's see what happens.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

I was in the stands for the entire match vs Tomic. Tomic really had the upper hand until Tomas, with terrific fight, took the 2nd set. Tomic is really a unique player. He really demonstrates how, even at the highest level, one can kind of just redirect the ball with very, very short backswings(particularly on forehand) and still dictate out there. It was great fight and win by Tomas.

[don_budge]

That's my Girl…Navarro

It just so happens that Tomas Berdych gets my nod for the match of the day. But he is tied…with a woman.

I'm pulling for Navarro for a number of reasons. Usually the woman's game has very little interest for me. But the idea of a woman using a one hand backhand these days is remote. She is 2-2 with Williams head to head and I hope she goes up 3-2. This match has a lot of potential to be rather entertaining. Too bad it on so late.

Somehow I find myself more interested in the women's side now. A one hand backhand in the semi's…and her name is NAVARRO! She took out a Williams sister. It's the ironies in life that keep it interesting…don't you think.

She can beat Petkovic. In fact…I am going out on a limb here. She is going to beat her. Finally a woman to pull for.

[klacr]

Berdych get by when Monfils pulls up lame. Didn't matter. Berdych was going to win anyways. Monfils was not in the mood to deal with the Berdych power and weight of shot.

Berdych plays Monaco next. Possible meeting with Murray in semis. Get through that and we have ourselves one happy ticket holder as I will get to see Tomas on Sunday during the men's final.

It was meant to be...

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[stotty]

Nice match yesterday between Djokovic and Darcis. I thought Darcis neutralised Djokovic really well with his rather lovely sliced backhand and how he employed it. That could be an interesting match up on grass.

I like Darcis...he's the real deal...bit of old school in him. He's tactically decent because he has to be to survive.

[don_budge]

Tomas Berdych and Carla Suarez Navarro

Also love to see the fight from Tomas Berdych. Down a set and 0-4 my boy showing some real toughness and coming back to win 6-1 in 3rd set. Even after fighting off 4 match points. This may have been a mach Berdych would lose before. Not this year though. Looking at the draw, and I hate o look ahead, but Berdych is highest seed in his quarter now with Rafa out. Tberd would have to face Murrray in semis.

Wawrinka loses in two tie-breaks to Adrian Mannarino. Wawrinka losing his way just a bit. Bottom half of the draw features Murray and Berdych as the two big stallions. Let's see what happens.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

It just so happens that Tomas Berdych gets my nod for the match of the day. But he is tied…with a woman.

Berdych doesn't necessarily get the nod on his own…he is paired with the rather amazing Mr. Monfils. Gael is amazing because he may or may not give a shit about the tennis on a given day…but he is one of the most interesting, if not entertaining players on the tour. At first glance Berdych seems to be way to solid to have any problems with Monfils…but on any given day in a two out of three match if the "amazing" one shows up instead of the "entertainer" it could be a good show.

I watched some of Carla Suarez Navarro play her match yesterday against Agnieszka Radwanska. Navarro is ranked #12 in the world at the time being and she is in a league of her in the sense that she is playing with a one hand backhand…on the women's tour. Venus is currently ranked #16 and she is looking every bit of that as she pretty much "man handled" Caroline Wozniacki.

I'm pulling for Navarro for a number of reasons. Usually the woman's game has very little interest for me. But the idea of a woman using a one hand backhand these days is remote. She is 2-2 with Williams head to head and I hope she goes up 3-2. This match has a lot of potential to be rather entertaining. Too bad it on so late.

The "other" Williams sister bullied her way past Svetlana Kuznetsova. Serena. I saw just a bit of it yesterday. It's the spectacle, you know. I cannot believe my eyes. I don't think that I could ever like this one…even if it is mandatory some day in the future. It almost hurts to watch.

[bottle]

Pick the butt…continue bouncing the ball with the racquet hand while at the same time tugging on each shoulder, wiping the left side of the nose and then tugging or something on the ear, then moving over to the right side and repeating the exact same ritual.

As good as Novak Djokovic's pantomime from back in the days when Novak was funny. Poor Novak. He's like the King Henry in Shakespeare who was really cool when he hung out with Falstaff as a youth but then became a big stiff as a man even if he was an effective king.

The trouble with a kitten is that eventually it becomes a cat.

[GeoffWilliams]

That's why I call him: The Butt Pick Kid

Too many peds, creates ocd syndromes like anti depressants create suicidal thoughts/actions.

[stotty]

Long live the King...

Agree completely, this is why I have transitioned from a Nadal fan to a Federer fan...

There is a kind of bitterness (cloud hanging over) about Nadal which has developed over the last few years that I cannot quite put my finger on. I think it was always there perhaps but it seems to have become more prevalent.

His OCD which so irks don_budge has remained precisely the same over the years, his character however has changed.

I think Federer has become the finest example of a tennis player that I can ever remember. He deals with things and moves on. His attitude to tennis both in victory and defeat is precisely that....deal with it and move on.

Like yourself I am a Federer convert. I was far less impressed at the start than I am now. I have since change my mind and use him as an example for just about every child I teach.

[gzhpcu]

I watched this until 2-1 in the third to Verdasco. It was a great first set from Verdasco but Nadal was hitting so short and mistiming so many forehands. He really is all over the place at the moment, and vulnerable.

Nadals' mentality has changed over the last couple of years and he looks increasingly miserable. He cannot take triumph and disaster in his stride quite the way Federer has learned to. I much prefer the way Federer'e mentality and character has evolved compared to Nadal's. At this stage in their careers I thought it might be the other way around, but it turns out not the case. Federer's approach to triumph and disaster is hard to fault while Nadal's is questionable...going back a few years I never thought that would be the case.

Agree completely, this is why I have transitioned from a Nadal fan to a Federer fan...

[don_budge]

Rafael Nadal vs. Fernando Verdasco…the ritual gone from the 2015 Miami Open

Nadals' mentality has changed over the last couple of years and he looks increasingly miserable. He cannot take triumph and disaster in his stride quite the way Federer has learned to.

I watched up until the same point as you did. Much of Nadal's natural advantage may be lost on left handed players. Not all of it…but certainly his biggest weapon for instance against Roger Federer is the much ballyhooed crosscourt topspin forehand into the Federer backhand which up until this point has been into at least 12% less racquet face surface.

Interesting to note how many of these undefeated head to heads are starting to fall to the wayside. Case in point…Nadal vs. Verdasco. Although in their last meeting Verdasco did beat Nadal after thirteen straight times taking it on the chin. He beat him on clay too…2012 in Madrid of all places.

Verdasco battled some nerves in the end of the second and the beginning of the third but he was determined to not be pushed around by the bullying Spaniard. Verdasco hit a couple of first serves that barely made it to the bottom of the net but he steadied himself and closed out the seemingly vulnerable Nadal. Fafa also seems to be losing his head of hair and one wonders if this is a possible "Samson" effect.

But my goodness…what a ritual before each and every serve on Nadal's part. What a burden if one finds themselves struggling in a match such as this. Don't you just love Roger Federer's pre-serve ritual simple and understated…the way it should be compared to this gigantic hotdog. One has to be very self-involved to carry out such a monstrous, repetitious, retarded quirk before putting the ball in play every single time. Pick the butt…continue bouncing the ball with the racquet hand while at the same time tugging on each shoulder, wiping the left side of the nose and then tugging or something on the ear, then moving over to the right side and repeating the exact same ritual. Bounce the ball eight or nine more times as if all of this crap wasn't enough to make you puke.

Talk about fragile nerves…how does one keep up this totally obsessive nonsense when you are getting your ass kicked? When you are winning the stupid fans are only there admiring what they think is the fastidiousness of their beloved hero…but when he is losing doesn't he himself have to ask himself…what the hell am I doing all of the retarded stuff for? Doesn't he at some point want to change the pace of things or change the pace of his deliveries in the hopes of throwing his opponent off instead of he himself holding onto a ritual that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever? Big Time Wrestling…I'm telling you. Utter nonsense.

It will also be interesting to see how far Fernando Verdasco will be interested in capitalizing on this win or if he finds his celebrity status in Miami too much to ignore…as in the nightlife. Juan Monaco is next and he should be doable.

[stotty]

Rafa is out. Splendid play by Verdasco to take out his fellow Spaniard in three sets.

I watched this until 2-1 in the third to Verdasco. It was a great first set from Verdasco but Nadal was hitting so short and mistiming so many forehands. He really is all over the place at the moment, and vulnerable.

Nadals' mentality has changed over the last couple of years and he looks increasingly miserable. He cannot take triumph and disaster in his stride quite the way Federer has learned to. I much prefer the way Federer'e mentality and character has evolved compared to Nadal's. At this stage in their careers I thought it might be the other way around, but it turns out not the case. Federer's approach to triumph and disaster is hard to fault while Nadal's is questionable...going back a few years I never thought that would be the case.

[klacr]

Rafa is out. Splendid play by Verdasco to take out his fellow Spaniard in three sets.
Also love to see the fight from Tomas Berdych. Down a set and 0-4 my boy showing some real toughness and coming back to win 6-1 in 3rd set. Even after fighting off 4 match points. This may have been a mach Berdych would lose before. Not this year though. Looking at the draw, and I hate o look ahead, but Berdych is highest seed in his quarter now with Rafa out. Tberd would have to face Murrray in semis.

Wawrinka loses in two tie-breaks to Adrian Mannarino. Wawrinka losing his way just a bit. Bottom half of the draw features Murray and Berdych as the two big stallions. Let's see what happens.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[bottle]

No, Marion is unorthodox and quirky. I always said so. The "dressing down" must have been about something else, probably your spelling of the possessive pronoun "its." I can't help my being overly influenced by a slim book all about pandas and called EATS, SHOOTS AND LEAVES by Lynne Truss.

I was drawn precisely to the same portion of this tournament and in fact witnessed by TV the week ago meeting between Serena and Monica at Indian Wells.

I like Serena just fine, but one of my two sisters doesn't and always starts talking about muscles in a to me too strange a way (hasn't Serena said definitively that she loves her body?). This is the sister who identifies with Lindsay, the announcer. Me, I wouldn't say that Lindsay is a commentato, but she just isn't my favorite. As for Paul Annacone, I usually like him, but in the case of Serena and Monica this time both he and Lindsay pulled their punches. (Sorry, Steve, you probably watched the match on some other channel by computer.)

Paul did say by the end of the match that he thought that Serena probably wasn't afraid of any female player in the world OTHER than Monica. In any case I adore Monica just as I do Marion because of the quirkiness in both cases.

I think a lot of the tennis writing I do is to make up for things I wish that other persons had said but didn't.

Here, it's the fact that the number one player in the world can not deal with another player's forehand slice. Serena didn't miss all of them but enough so that she could have lost if she hit over there more.

That is what I wanted to hear Paul and Lindsay say, that Serena was avoiding
Monica's poofie-poof forehand with all the concentration available to her in the world-- quite a lot.

It was hilarious, but Paul and Lindsay refused to convey that. Someone may have been laughing but if so it occurred off-screen.

It's okay to laugh at Serena. She herself did so a bit after the match. She is hilarious when she tries to hit the Niculescu forehand slice. She runs here, sets up there, tries to be especially careful then hits it over the fence exactly like an intermediate, novice, or me.

This is truly why tennis is such a great game. That one clever stroke can throw anybody-- even the world's number one player-- into a complete tizzy. Probably much lesser players can handle it better although as Monica Niculescu herself has pointed out not many players want to hit with her, so she just puts her name at the top of a practice sheet and anyone can sign up if they want.

I'm good with Serena winning this match but wow did she avoid that one stroke and will the next time she plays Monica too.