A blank week on the ATP calendar gives us a little pause to organise our thoughts before the rest of the season kicks in with some gust!
Australian Open and Roland Garros have been and gone leaving the ranking at the top unchanged.
Novak Djokovic has not quite had the repeat of the breath-takingly brilliant 2011.
Still, he won AO, Miami, and was in RG, Monte Carlo and Rome finals. Has a decent cushion between himself and the rest below him in the ranking.
Many are of the opinion he is not playing as well as last year.
I agree but only to the point where the above reflects in his results. I think his level is the same, except that he plays with a little less confidence due to the lack of momentum he had last year.
The lack of confidence ( and I am not talking loss, just a small decline), probably stems from the fact his team have carefully managed his schedule , allowing him certain tactical losses in order to keep him fresh for the whole season and avoid last year's both physical and emotional burnout.
All in all, this Nole fan is very happy and looks forward to the rest of the season with great expectations
Rafael Nadal , the wounded and swatted player who lost finals (including 3 slam ones) to the man who can now outlast him and beat him with his own game, admirably went about his losses quietly working hard on his biceps and struggling with various injuries in the meantime.
Despite the temporary reestablishment of his King of Clay throne, Nadal knows he is still number two and has plenty of wrestling ahead of him in order to keep that position.
Roger Federer, the king of in between the slams now gave his fans hope that he's on the right path to recapturing number two ranking which he temporarily managed to achieve after Madrid, and even have a shot a number one should he win Wimbledon.
His game has been oscillating in intensity recently, but I am not one of those who will be writing him off for at least two more years.
Although he appears to have lost "something", it could simply be just the lack of that winning confidence, catch 22 kind of thing.
He still has enough game and desire to be a slam contender, but will need to summon all his focus for Wimbledon in order to avoid losses like last year's one to Tsonga.
Andy Murray. Before British media stick their knife and for into him, we will again be hearing "legends" and pundits giving him Wimbledon title contender burden to bear. The Nation will expect, and the fans will be carrying him as long as he can run.
It will be interesting to see Ivan Lendl in the stands of the tournament he never won and watch his man play on surface he once famously proclaimed was only fit for cows.
Will he be trying to live his dream through Andy Murray?
I think at this stage of his career, Murray will finally be able not to be crushed by pressure like he always was at Wimbledon, I have no doubt he will have a kind draw and a box full of cheering fist-pumps as the photo at the top of this page suggests.
The rest....I give Tsonga and Berdych best chances to cause upsets.
Will we see any shocking early exits? Dolgopolov, Raonic and Haas could all have a say.
Maybe even Goffin.
One thing I look forward to now almost as much as tennis in some summer....sunshine and blue skies....and balmy long evenings of tennis excitement, picnics with salmon sandwiches and champers... bring Wimledon 2012 on!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysM7KOxF0WU
P.S.
please allow this fan to indulge in a little reminiscing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8KI3X98ZxY
Wimbledon 2012: Lull Before The Storm
posted on 22/6/12
Boodles today:
Order of Play Friday 22nd June
2.30pm
Fernando Verdasco v John Isner
followed by
Marin Cilic v Nicolas Almagro
followed by
3rd match to be confirmed
posted on 22/6/12
"I personally won't enjoy seeing him making more and more mistakes and being beaten by much lower ranked players."
I know what yo mean, but in a match scenario, mistakes are not that frequent and his play and movement are so fluid they'll still be better to watch than Nadal at his best...
Many things have changed since his early days, all players evolve during their career, and funny, I usually like them at in their early phases, when their game is "theirs" 100%, uninfluenced by the demands of the tour or competition.
posted on 22/6/12
Nitb let's hope he enjoys an Indian summer to his career
posted on 22/6/12
He's got no other choice, Jonty..Either that or changing nappies and being bossed about by Mirka at home
posted on 23/6/12
I fully understand, playing tennis has gotten me out of having to change quite a few nappies in my time!
posted on 23/6/12
Saturday full schedule of play is as follows:
Order of Play (provisional)
2.30pm
Marin Cilic (CRO) v Juan Monaco (ARG)
followed by
Nicolas Almagro (ESP) v Robin Haase (NED)
followed by
Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) v Albert Ramos (ESP)
<doh >
posted on 23/6/12
Time to go to Boodles ..
posted on 23/6/12
Not quite on the topic, but falls under the "lull" period :
"In a posting on the tour's website Saturday, ATP President Brad Drewett says he decided blue clay courts will not be allowed at tour events next season.
He says that while the new color, in place of the traditional red clay, ``may have offered better visibility on television, there were clearly issues with the quality of the courts in Madrid this year, which were not acceptable.''
The ATP gave the Madrid tournament permission to test out the blue courts in 2012. After losses, Nadal and Djokovic said they didn't like the way the courts played and vowed not to return in 2013 unless a change was made."
posted on 23/6/12
Had a goreous afternoon at the Boodles, SUPER SUPER SUPER gorgeous , intimate tennis court, the grass was magical!
Watched Monaco vs Cilic., lovely tennis so many tthings to write baout but am tired and have to go to b ed, may write an article next week, hope it won't be too outdated
posted on 23/6/12
He says that while the new color, in place of the traditional red clay, ``may have offered better visibility on television, there were clearly issues with the quality of the courts in Madrid this year, which were not acceptable.''
====================
Shame cause I actually liked it. I liked the fact that a good shot could certainly be a winner....something so rare on the tour.
Did blue clay injure any player? I am only aware of Federer and maybe Delpo....but are both injuries related to the slippery surface? I doubt it.