2021 Miami Open...ATP 1000...Miami, Florida USA

[don_budge]

https://www.atptour.com/en/scores/cu...iami/403/draws

Ladies and Germs...drawsheet. Federerless. 'Nuff said.

[don_budge]

Aslan Karatsev and Fabio "Fabulous" Fognini one win away from playing each other for the techno guru's looking for similarities in "The Fabulous One's" forehand compared to the "Heavy Hitting" Karatsev forehand.

With all of the byes in the first round...the first round is essentially another qualifier round to the main draw.

[don_budge]

https://www.atptour.com/en/scores/cu...iami/403/draws

Ladies and Germs...drawsheet. Federerless. 'Nuff said.

Did you really think that I would let it go at that? There is no Roger Federer. There is no Novak Djokovic. There is no Rafael Nadal. There is Andy Murray...as if that matters at this point in time. Andy reminds me more and more of cat food these days. He might hang in there for a round...just scraping by some journeyman. But it is just a matter of time before someone...anyone sends him home packing to the Royal Family. Sans Markle and Harry.

If Roger is gone, it is just as well that the other two Jokers are gone as well. Now we have this budding scenario where Daniil Medvedev is the top seed and Stefanos Tsitsipas is the number two. Neither one is exactly resting on their laurels...nor is the rest of the field going to let up and give them their due. It's a free for all now. A good old fashioned Donnybrook. Last man standing...by hook or by crook.

This Miami Open ATP 1000 has a real new feel to it. Gone is the foregone conclusion of a Djokovic vs. Nadal final. I think that I can say that Roger Federer is safely out of the picture as a real contender any longer. It is his farewell tour. He got rocked by the Kalashnikov from Russian who was firing away on all cylinders. Roger's legs were buckling. He could not handle the pace. He will have to serve immaculately from here on out. That takes match play. He doesn't have match legs. After the ball has been in play for five or six shots he will more or less concede on any meaningless points. Effectively playing half of a match. So what are we left with? A bunch of guys who have a new lease on life. The twenty somethings who have been waiting in the recesses of the game for the "Big Whatever" to get the hell out of their way. Not one of them had the balls to actually take them down. They played the game of attrition. Biding their time. Now the bell tolls...for them. They're off! It's a brand new horse race now. The favourites are not shoe-ins. The rest of the field is chomping at the bits to nip them in the bud. Hunger games! The Origin of the Species is born again.

The first rounds not are more foreplay than ever. Meaningless. Utterly and routinely so. There will be lots of clawing and gnashing of teeth to be certain. Once it gets to the round of sixteen we will see the real race develop. There are wildcards now. It isn't just that Medvedev will meet Tsitsipas in the final. In fact...I would be willing to bet against it. And I am not a betting man. If I was...I might put a couple down on Karatsev. A Ruskie who means business like a Ruskie knows how. He's tough. Doesn't say a whole lot. Unassuming in appearance. But groundstrokes weighted with lead. The ball feels like a bowling ball on the racquet. Such a heavy, heavy ball. Then there is Pierre-Hugues Herbert who in my performance analyst observations created quite an impression in France a couple of weeks ago. Performing rather over his head in some sense. Can he duplicate that effort in Miami? We will know pretty quick when he faces Felix Auger-Aliassime in the second round. There is Daniel Evans in the house. He has to get his teeth into the tournament without a slip in the first round or two. Lloyd Harris takes on Andy Murray in a preliminary showcase. Watch Andy struggle to get his feet under him against a younger, healthier and hungrier opponent. Carlos Alcaraz...the "New Kid in Town" from Spain is in the house as well. Would love to see him play Alexander "Cry Baby" Zverev in the second round.

There is a terrific plethora of wannabes all throughout the draw. There are a bunch of perennial first round losers as well. A lot of veterans trying to drum up the enthusiasm for one last hurrah. At least another pay check. This tournament has it all. Except where it doesn't. It's just as well too. Time stands for no man. For no virus. Or Germ.

[stroke]

Roger was definitely a first ever to me in that loss. He did not/could not compete for every point.

[stroke]

Favorites to win tournament: 1. Medvedev 2. Rublev 3. Alex 4. Tsitsipas 5. Karatsev

I am not a betting man either, I know when to fold them, but I too would go with Karatsev if I had to bet. I think #1 and certainly #2 know what a big contender he is and I think it is likely maybe seeing their success has been a bit of an epiphany for Karatsev.

[glacierguy]

Anyone got a read on the speed of the courts?

[don_budge]

Anyone got a read on the speed of the courts?

Always a good question glacier_guy. In golf they have the stimpmeter for the speed of the greens. They should have something similar in tennis. They definitely should start varying the speeds to jazz things up a bit. Force certain players out of their comfort zones. The game has become far too monotonous.

[klacr]

Anyone got a read on the speed of the courts?

Yes! I had a practice with a player there yesterday. we played on grand stand court. Courts are medium-slow with a generous and surprising bounce. Balls are regular duty Dunlop Grand Prix Tour (WTA) and they fluff up quite a bit.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA, PTR
SETS Consulting
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami

[glacierguy]

Great intell klacr, and good for you! That is one hell of a fluffy ball. I only asked because Karatsev seemed to do well on the relatively fast Dubai courts.

I agree don_budge - I'd like to see an ATP event on astroturf, just for a change.

[doctorhl]

Yes! I had a practice with a player there yesterday. we played on grand stand court. Courts are medium-slow with a generous and surprising bounce. Balls are regular duty Dunlop Grand Prix Tour (WTA) and they fluff up quite a bit.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA, PTR
SETS Consulting
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami

Would hate to hit that ball if humidity comes in and fibers absorb it. I remember U.S. Southern August humid summer amateur tournaments( no ball persons) when I played an extremely sweaty opponent who put his extra service ball in his wet pocket. The served ball looked like a rotating sprinkler and one needed to loosen string tension at least 5 to 10 pounds to drive a deep return. Balls were Wilson heavy duty which were a necessity for concrete courts. Anyone have similar surface/ ball stories?

[don_budge]

First day, first round results trickling in. For the most part it is all foreplay today. One minor wrinkle. Pierre-Hugues Herbert (currently ranked #74) takes down Pedro Sousa, ranked #111, 6-1, 6-3. A great start for the French player. No muss...no fuss. This is a great way to start the tournament with a routine, straight set takedown of a player not out of his ranking zone. A perfect warm-up for his next opponent...Felix-Auger Aliassime. The two players have split the two matches that they have between them with some very, very interesting and close scores. This could be the match of the day...when they get around to playing it.

https://www.atptour.com/en/players/a...bert/AG37/H996

[stroke]

First day, first round results trickling in. For the most part it is all foreplay today. One minor wrinkle. Pierre-Hugues Herbert (currently ranked #74) takes down Pedro Sousa, ranked #111, 6-1, 6-3. A great start for the French player. No muss...no fuss. This is a great way to start the tournament with a routine, straight set takedown of a player not out of his ranking zone. A perfect warm-up for his next opponent...Felix-Auger Aliassime. The two players have split the two matches that they have between them with some very, very interesting and close scores. This could be the match of the day...when they get around to playing it.

https://www.atptour.com/en/players/a...bert/AG37/H996

It still gets tough out there real quick. PHH definitely has his hands full with FAA. Should be a good one.

[stroke]

Yesterday ATP Tennis TV was showing the player spin rates at the conclusion of matches. I hope that keeps up.

[stroke]

Verdasco, age 37 and somehow still ranked #73 in world, goes out 1st round to USA 's Bjorn Fratangelo(ranked#233) , and did not look good in doing so.

[don_budge]

On With the Show We Will Go...round 2, Miami Open...Miami, Florida

https://www.atptour.com/en/scores/cu...iami/403/draws

Did you know that there is a Miami, Ohio? Just asking as they say. Round two begins quite inauspiciously. Nothing of any notable significance in the first round which featured a number of byes, not to mention qualifiers, wild cards, etc. I have always said it is foreplay. But interestingly enough...it is a bit more interesting without the "Big Whatever". They've been dropping like flies. The old guard. I read that Juan Martin Del Potro is having yet another surgery on his knee. All the rest...Wawrinka, Nishikori. The list goes on and on. Remember Robin Söderling? Lots of careers nipped in the bud. Couldn't pass the "survival of the species" test. Guys like Tomas Berdych...quietly retire and ride off into the sunset. What better place to talk about sunsets...Miami, Florida. Not to be mistaken for Miami, Ohio.

The second round is enough to raise an eyebrow or two. Let's see...moving down the draw sheet conveniently posted above by yours truly. Daniil Medvedev...nothing to see here. Skipping Opelka and Popyrin, we come to Daniel Evans and Francis Tiafoe. I don't know what to make of Francis. Currently ranked #58 to Evan's #29, Daniel owns a 2-1 Head to Head against Tiafoe. Not very interested here, but I hope Evans moves forwards. Just because I like his game...for no other reason. Honestly. These days you cannot be too careful, you know. You had better have a good reason to...you know. Otherwise...you can be accused. Of all things. I just like Evan's game better. I guess that is discriminating. But it's harmless. I promise you. Honest! Please don't hurt me...Mr. Wokeness!

We can skip Escobedo and Lajovic. Who cares? They've never met. Getting to know you...getting to know all about you. Which brings us to the match of the day from the don_budge school of tennis thought. Felix Auger-Aliassime and Pierre-Hugues Herbert in a battle of hyphenated names...FA the second and last names, PH the first and second names. Not that is interesting. Just a little bit? Contrasting styles...I hope. Felix more or less hugging the baseline and Pierre-Hugues pressing the action at the net. They have split a pair of matches between them. Herbert has popped up on the radar recently and lost to Daniil Medvedev is a pretty tight match in the finals in France a week or two ago. Looking forwards to getting another look at him and Felix is just the opponent to do it with.

Mikael Ymer plays Nikoloz Basilashvili a couple of matches south in the draw. This one ranks curiosity for a couple of reasons. Mikael is a Swedish tennis player by way of Ethiopia. Quite a story. He was brought up in a town only about forty minutes from me. His hair is not purple. I think he is trying to hard to find an identity. It must be confusing in a sense to be Swedish by way of Ethiopia. Crazy times these are. Basilashvili still has residual interest because he beat an already beaten Roger Federer in a close match a couple of weeks ago. It's their maiden voyage together, these two, never having played before.

One more honourable mention for the second round escapades...Alexander Zverev vs. Emil Ruusuvuori. Emil is a product of Finland, who happens to be a neighbour to Sweden for you geographically challenged Americans and otherwise. He hails from Helsinki. I traveled to Helsinki a few years ago to fetch a wolf. A wolf named York. Donald Trump met with Vladimir Putin a month after I was there. I like to say that I was scouting the joint for the boys. They had a rather historic meeting and neither of them threatened to annihilate the other, which was something to note historically speaking. They were making nice as the press tried their utter best to agitate them to say something terrible about each other. Ironically this is one of the reasons that I more or less got behind the Trumpster. It was a handful of policy objectives. Better relations with the Russians was high on my list. Donald Trump said one of the most politically brilliant things I have ever heard come out of the mouth of a politician, even though he was really new to the game. The press was trying to pin the blame on Putin for the poor relationship between America and Russia. President Donald Trump said that, "there was plenty of blame to go around on both sides". I will never forget that he said that. Like I said...brilliant politically speaking. When was the last time you heard a politician say something brilliant? Did you see Joe Biden yesterday? Don't get me started. Hard to believe he is the President when he is performing on a one level on a scale of one to ten. Can you say slo-mo? Bad optics.

In eleven of the sixteen matches being played in the top half of the draw the opponents are facing each other for the first time. Getting to know you...getting to know all about you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vlx6gQWfjp0