Live @ http://www.ja606.co.uk/articles/viewLiveArticle/118043

What a marvellous discovery this place is! I give up on another forum, get recommended this one and find it is a home to some former posters and the better current posters of the old forum!
I love it when a plan comes together!

Buongioirno amici miei !

At last....blue sky and sunshine...and lovely, lovely tennis ahead.

I really enjoyed last nights Tomic Novak match, esp the second set.

That boy can play when he wants to.

Hi HM Murdoch, Welcome to the forum.

OH, hello HM Murdoch, I only just noticed you "found" us , I was hoping you would !

@nitb

I didn't see much of your take on Devpo vs Berdy.

I did say I see them about the same at the moment in terms of what they are able of achieving.
Berdych has matured significantly as a player and I noticed it since the WTF last year.
He has becoma a competitor and does not crumble any more.
In the past you could just beat him in the first set and he would capitulate and fizzle out. Not any more.
I like his game and his ball striking very much.I would say that Delpo is a better mover, but both of them lack in that department when compared to top 3 which is why they are so far from beating them (although they always appear to be close).
Bird and hs easy power are a lot harder to contain than Delpo in my opinion.
Delpo does not dictate play like Bird does, Bird is more aggressive, natural attacking player and I like the fact he has been improving his volleying.
For his kind of game, Delpo stays too much on the base-line; although he is a god mover for his size, he needs to move it forward.
I like them both as players, but prefer Bird as he appears more balanced and proportional, Delpo is a quirkier case.

Excellent to have HM Murdoch here. We are attracting the best posters here!

Warm welcome!

Fognini, Fed, Youzhny (delpo injured remember), Nadal, Mayer, Tsip, Berdych, Seppi!

An interesting read on Nadal:

http://blogs.tennis.com/tennisworld/2012/05/season-of-rafas-discontent.html

I can't stand Bodo...even when he slags Nadal off. Why does he do it now? Cause Nadal is going no longer number one and slipping down the ranking.

He makes valid points but aren't they what we have been discussing for the last 5 years?

Yes, but it doesn't hurt to get it from him as well. You know how slow Americans are catching up with Europe, esp as Nike is an American company.
I don't like him either, but he's the only journalist that had the guts to speak out so far.

I don't think it's guts. He is just responding to a growing market.

Probably, still the first to do it.

Can anybody tell why Delpo is always in the Djoko, Fed half of the draw ?????

Anyway, great match of his today.

Yes. Totally agree, TU. There is something so amazing when it comes to Nadal playing the power players. Like this Rao suddenly collapsing the day before playing Rafa. Not that I think it is conspiracy in that case.

Gasquet Murray shoudl be interesting tomorrow.

I'll go for Gasquet....more out of heart than head. ...but head can support the idea too.

My head that is...not Gasquet's of course!

I just saw the last game, and Gasquet S&V-ing, he looked happy with himself.
Murray defended stupendously against Nalbandian yesterday.
It was frustrating and annoying to watch Nalbandian net sitters.

And Seppi finally breaks Isner in the rd!

Agreed. Also why is it that Nadal gets his trusty ancillor Almagro in the quarters of nearly every tournament. This is also a bit strange.

What?
He has had Berdych 2 tournaments in a row??

Almagro isn't even top 8, he can't even reach the QF in most of the big tournaments.

And Sepi wiiiiiiiins , yeeea

Can Mayer do it again

Order of play out for tomorrow:

http://www.internazionalibnlditalia.com/posting/2012/416/op.pdf