Wednesday Order of Play

ATP: Dubai started at 7:30 AM - Del Potro vs Golubev
ATP: Dubai at 10 AM - Lopez vs Federer followed by Rosol vs Tsonga
ATP: Delray Beach at 12:30 PM - Gulbis vs Darcis
ATP: Delray Beach at 2 PM - Bogomolov Jr vs Matosevic
ATP: Acapulco at 4 PM - Giraldo vs Granollers, Andujar vs Mayer, Berlocq vs Starace and Ramos vs Wawrinka scheduled
WTA: Acapulco at 4 PM - Vinci vs Foretz Gacon, Czink vs Cabeza Candela, Tatishvili vs Begu, Errani vs Gallovits-Hall, Larsson vs Duque-Marino and Krajicek or Cadantu vs Brianti scheduled
ATP: Acapulco at 5:30 PM - Paire vs Riba or Almagro followed by Chardy vs Nishikori
WTA: Acapulco at 5:30 PM - Arvidsson vs Pennetta scheduled
ATP: Acapulco at 6 PM - Verdasco vs Chela
WTA: Acapulco at 6 PM - Rybarikova vs Hermoso scheduled
ATP: Delray Beach at 7:15 PM - Isner vs Sweeting
ATP: Delray Beach at 9 PM - Smyczek vs Tomic
ATP: Acapulco at 10 PM - Ferrer vs Kubot

if anyhting, comparing eras is the least relevant debate because unless it can be measured to what's is worth who could with certainty say what would have happened under any circumstances,pure speculation...

anyway later guys,off for a while!

Considering the Stakhosvosky ranking, I think he is playing a good match

Vamos Lopez!!!!!!

Wednesday Order of Play

ATP: Dubai at 10 AM - Lopez vs Federer followed by Rosol vs Tsonga
ATP: Delray Beach at 12:30 PM - Gulbis vs Darcis
ATP: Delray Beach at 2 PM - Bogomolov Jr vs Matosevic
ATP: Acapulco at 4 PM - Giraldo vs Granollers, Andujar vs Mayer, Berlocq vs Starace and Ramos vs Wawrinka scheduled
WTA: Acapulco at 4 PM - Vinci vs Foretz Gacon, Czink vs Cabeza Candela, Tatishvili vs Begu, Errani vs Gallovits-Hall, Larsson vs Duque-Marino and Krajicek vs Brianti scheduled
ATP: Acapulco at 5:30 PM - Paire vs Almagro followed by Chardy vs Nishikori
WTA: Acapulco at 5:30 PM - Arvidsson vs Pennetta scheduled
ATP: Acapulco at 6 PM - Verdasco vs Chela
WTA: Acapulco at 6 PM - Rybarikova vs Hermoso scheduled
ATP: Delray Beach at 7:15 PM - Isner vs Sweeting
ATP: Delray Beach at 9 PM - Smyczek vs Tomic
ATP: Acapulco at 10 PM - Ferrer vs Kubot

I would have appreciated some examples of women's fitness and greatness

Well Stakhovsky played well enough to win today but Djokovic played the big points better that is the difference of being a top player and being middle of the pack. Total points won Djokovic 74, Stakhovsky 63.

@LisaM

then look no further than last year's AO battle between Fran and Sveta. but since you brought it up, you probably already know it :) when folks start bitching about equal pay, I tell them to check out how much Sveta made by losing that match and compare that to how much Andy made in losing the final the same year.

cheers,
demi

I agree with the post, but a resting pulse of 50 is not at all unusual for an athlete, even a recreational one. My resting pulse is between 45 and 55 as a basically in-shape guy in his mid-40's who plays a lot of tennis and squash. The mythical Borg resting pulse of 35 WAS impressive, but alas was indeed a myth.

good morning

So happy about Alisa coming back. It's so nice by Miami organizers to give her WC. I hope she does well, of course I'm not expecting her to go deep, but I hope she can win couple matches, would be such a good story to have her play again

Yes, Sokol I am a big fan of Alisa game I am so happy that she is back , I hope she do well.

In Pete's defence, I should think that it was written in these terms because it originated in Ryan Sweeting's comments. Also, unfortunately the WTA has appeared to be a little lacking these days when compared to the ATP which is widely said to be enjoying a 'golden era'. The 'golden era' probably does encourage hyperbole and G/FOAT talk.

I of course don't agree with young Mr Sweeting. This was one of the most memorable matches of my tennis watching youth... http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/wimbledon_history/3751227.stm

It was the longest match at Wimbledon until Isner-Mahut, also played over two days but of course no sitting down at changes of ends:) And Gonzales was 41 at the time.

I'm a firm believer that great players, will be great whatever the era.

Such good news about Alisa Kleybanova. Fingers crossed that she will make a full recovery.

Youzhny defeat fish 6-2, 7-6(7-0) fish got bageled in the tiebreak ouch

Misha beat Fish? Nice, and he "bageled" him in TB? ouch, that's got to hurt for Fish

Congrats to Misha :-), too bad he'll be gone int he next round

Excellent article, Pete. One of the best I've read in awhile.

"Fingers crossed that she will make a full recovery."

+1

Vamos, Juan Martin!

Mardy just signed a new endorsement contract, hope he's not feeling the pressure of of being the new face of one of americas finest products

http://i40.tinypic.com/vi7mt.jpg[/IMG]

No matches in Kuala Lumpur? Rain?

Sokol , the loss is not that surprising Youzhny had good record against Fish and Fish was awful in his last match his opponent just was worse.

"Mardy just signed a new endorsement contract"

yello fuzzy, who is it with? (the link is blocked at my work)

sokol
its a joke.....I am sure Mardy still has his Nair for Men contract

I call BS.

No way early 80's JMac could last 6 hours of today's tennis. All the points in '82 lasted 3 seconds - serve and volley. These guys today are hitting 20+ shot rallies running with everything corner to corner. Any of those guys from the 80's would die before the end of the first set in today's matches. All the logical comparisons would weigh heavily in favor of today's athletes; Sprint times, Marathon run times, racket head speed, etc. Any measurable test would show today's guys would beat the old guys so bad, the old guys wouldn't even smell the new guys' smoke. Anyone who believes any of the '75-'85 guys could hang with '05-'12 guys is delusional.

That said, I think JMac and Connors are the most naturally talented players of all time.

While I agree with most of the article, I think equating a 6 hour match from 25 years ago to a match played this year is not realistic. What happens in that 6 hours has changed drastically over the years, IMHO.

"By and large, tennis fans are a well-educated, rational lot,
befitting a sport that is essentially a bourgeoisie enterprise."

Then Sherlock comes in with a post and blows the whole image.

Fernando says there is absolutely no way that the players in McEnroe's era could compete with someone like the Bull. The level of fitness and level of tennis is so far beyond what is was back then. Not even close.

The serve and volley has died becasue the players passing shots are too good. Passing shots take a tremendous amount of strength becasue of how much you have to redirect the ball. The players of yesteryear did not have the strength necessary to pass. This business about slow courts is nonsense.
Llodra is an excellent serve and vollyer and pronbaly would be in the top 5 back in Mac's day.

I am Fernando @vivafernando

Too funny Fuzz.

"sokol
its a joke....."

:-))

So be fair, while bouncing a ball in itself is not tiring, bouncing a ball while leaning over, crouched, ready to serve, for 2 to 3 hours *is* significantly debilitating

How bout an extra hour of towling off?

toweling? My spelling has been about as good as Ana's serve these past couple of days.

"I believe they [today's players] are, on the whole, fitter and stronger)...."

This is the one most important -- and true -- point made in the post. We can cite all kinds of exceptions to the rule, whether it's a 6-hour match played by JMac or a short and very fit player (Chang) winning a Slam; but if we ask questions about the overall fitness of players of different tennis generations, the answer is pretty clear.

Sweeting made the mistake of saying that you couldn't name ONE guy -- you always can. Example: The fact that Tiger and a couple other young golfers are now very, very fit (and, maybe, a couple of older ones were) does not alter the overall picture re: fitness when golfers are compared with other sportsmen.

"By and large, tennis fans are a well-educated, rational lot who use following the sport as an excuse to behave in a manner as brainlessly tribal as that seen when Liverpool played at Old Trafford in the 1980s"

Too far? ;-)

Del Potro takes the first set.

One more set, Juan Martin. Vamos!

Speaking of uneducated bring on Roger already!

Must Tennis Channel show that infernal shot again?
And again. And again. And again. Ad nauseum...........

"the loss is not that surprising Youzhny had good record against Fish"

Ronald Osborne Jr, Misha has been struggling with injuries lately. Plus I've read Mardy's pre-tournament interview and he was verry happy with the court conditions, saying that courts are fast, which is hard to find these days. He said it these courts suit his game and he like to play on them. That's why it suprirised me.

"Then Sherlock comes in with a post and blows the whole image."

Lol. BP, I'm just here to make you look good. Lord knows you need the help. :)

Fair enough the magic is always there. There are limits where fitness can take your talent and those limits are your head and heart. More professionalism and advanced technology upped the bar. But great minds and competitors of the game will always be winners, not the guys who are only fit, it is just what is required to enter the conversation

sokol: Since you coldn't actually SEE the joke at work, let me tell you --it showed Mardy's name and face on the box of a fish and chips dinner.:)

Bravo Misha idemo
Fish is losing these early matches really not validating high ranking of no.8 on court

Sokol for me Misha is better player than Fish, only concern is his injury. He played well in Zagreb. What is his highest ranking?

Dear Sherlock

I need no man other than myself to look good.
I bring all my considerable tools to bear on
the issue. They carry me through with considerable
aplomb whilst I skip down the road admiring my
own magnificence. I'm all-pro baby!

"it showed Mardy's name and face on the box of a fish and chips dinner.:)"

thanks Ruth
I was intrigued and checked it on my phone :-)), funny :-))

We have a all Serbian QF :)

I believe it is going to be a good match. Novak is the favorite but not because Janko is "his wing-man" and "holds the door for him" but because Novak is the better player? :)

The match at US QF was great and very competitive until Janko got injured, he beat Novak at WTF and has taken some sets from him in previous matches. It should be fun

Old-time players, in their peak condition, couldn't last against today's players. But why would they need to? They were competing against each other, with the equipment and playing styles of the era. I don't doubt that if they had been born with the same talent 15-20 years later, they would have developed the same fitness as today's players and been able to perform at a very high level.

"What is his highest ranking?"

#8 was his career high

"It's also good to remember that in tennis, as in all sports, there is always room for a little, or a lot of, magic—for something unquantifiable, unpredictable, improbable even ultimately unbelievable."

Lovely, Pete. Well said. That's my motivation to watch this sport.

Hey, everyone.

ok fed feli match is up next. i expect nothin but a delicious match

8th? He could have been ranked higher you think? IN my eyes always a solid top 10 and the one who has talent to beat the best. He beat Nadal back in the day in US QF and played really well in Davis cup important matches. Fish I think never got to major semi and almost always chocked against the best

"Fingers crossed that she will make a full recovery."
absolutely, Caroline. so great she's back playing.

F-Lo elected to receive.

"Fingers crossed that she will make a full recovery."
absolutely, Caroline. so great she's back playing.

F-Lo elected to receive.

BP, funny you should speak of admiring one's own magnificence, as your boy faces a like-minded admirer today. Can the old man hold up against the sheer beauty across the net?

This different name with every post nonsense is exhausting.
Not only that but I doubt the mods will be fooled.

artist with a comfortable hold. 1-0 up

"played really well in Davis cup important matches"

yes, Misha won some importan matches for Russian DC team

Deliciano is a dish best served cold. With mirrors.

Delpo score? Hope he finishes of Goluev as fast as he can

MackityMac, well said. I never understand these discussions. If Pancho or Laver grew up in today's world, they would obviously train quite differently than they did back in their day. And vice versa. It's quite a useless endeavor to compare, imo.

so BP is asking for suggestions?
Brazen Pervert. too obvious?

quick love hold for 2-1
sorry for the double post :-/

preliminary Fed Cup team for Russia: Vera (I'd question that as she's not playing well at all and who knows how her injury will play out), Sveta (FC veteran, but she's not playing well too), Nastya (hope her shoulder is fine and she gets into form before that), Kirilenko (the only player of the team who is playing well this year), Vesnina (good for doubles)

not a good prospect for Shamil, but Serbian team might have problems too

Vamos, Feli!

*ducks from Fed fans* :-)

I don't like Misha with a beard, I hope she'll shave it off soon

Come on, Del Potro, don't give him any hope, finish the match.

"Delpo score?"

Delpo serving for the match at 5-2, deuce

Del Potro wins. Congrats to all fellow Juan Martin fans.

Bravo Delpo, now get some rest for tomorrow and Tsonga again most probably

Wow, there was a guy in the stands who looked exactly like Ferrer.
He was sitting next to a frumpy old Asian woman. He didn't look
happy. It's like being Ringo and waking up next to Yoko.

Sokol - the Fed cup is well not encouraging for us as Ana said that she would like to play but probably will not play. Jelena is playing well but might be tired a bit from all these tournaments and Bojana Jovanovski is in some serious slump, out of the top 100 and going further down...

But Fed cup is like Davis cup, fallen ones get the chance to shine

"Vamos, Feli!"
you're a jealous hater, sokol ;)))

nice s&v from Feli. Yay for the JMDP win :)

I'm still angry at Deliciano blowing that overhead last year vs Fed. Was that Rome or Madrid? It's all a blur.

R.I.P. Brazen Pervert....a victim of leap year madness.
Feb 29, 2012 - Feb 29, 2012. We hardly knew ye.

@ Big Pontoon - Give peace a chance.

"But Fed cup is like Davis cup, fallen ones get the chance to shine"

yeap, that's why Sveta often shines during FC

"you're a jealous hater, sokol ;)))"

LOL, H2L
what can I say :-))

This is where Fed is going to break him like a wassa cracker.

"I believe they [today's players] are, on the whole, fitter and stronger)...."

This is the one most important -- and true -- point made in the post.

We'll have to agree to disagree, Ruth. To me that's the least important point made in the post.

For Tennis Deb

http://youtu.be/4oSzoDWxfe4

Fed holds to love with his 7th ace (just caught the line to Feli's dismay).
roll on, sokol :)

Yes, DelPo seems like a delightful person.

I hope he can win another slam but I think that year off for injury cut his momentum drastically. it will e tough

and this is when Fed will brake the pretty face

"brake"="break"
and the whole phrase was wrong :-)

Bingo, MickityMack and Sherlock. I've made that argument before ... that players rise to the level of the competition. Over the years, athletes have pushed themselves to go "bigger and better." For example, when one figure skater does a quadruple jump, others push themselves to follow suit, and soon the "standards" change. Who would've imagined, years ago, what x-sport competitors are capable of doing nowadays. Of course, some "outside" factors help, such as equipment in tennis.

@ Beer Prudence - Ha. Sadly since Sober January I've been giving Booze a lot of chances.

PS Is it bad that I love the Siouxie and the Banshees version of "Dear Prudence?"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AD740iyTLw&fmt=18

Fight, Feli, fight!

"roll on, sokol :)"

I feel like it's me against the world :-)

Come on, Feli, annoy BP even more. Vamos! :-)

I'm getting vamosing syndrome :-)

Hold already, Feli!

sokol "I'm getting vamosing syndrome :-)"

Ha! Don't say that around Rafa fans. They get very upset when you poke fun of him. I'm still avoiding thronging villagers with torches and pitchforks for thinking the leg cramp thing was funny. (It was!)

at least he held there, big accomplishment considering who's on the other side of the net...

Vamos, Feli! Take it to TB!

sokol, great accomplishment for Flo, considering he struggled a bit with his first serve in that game. still, he pulled it out. well done. now he's serving to stay in the match, 5-6

and by match, of course I mean set. d'Oh-pez
that was for you, **Isis**
ahem, and Blue moon, too :)

H2L, thank you for the comments on match. By the way more comments would be welcomed by this "fan" of Feli (just for today :-))

Break, Roger! We don't like tiebreaks.

Feli still having hiccups on his first serve, but he can take heart from Fed not being altogether brilliant on his 2nd serve returns.
sokol, I didn't realise you weren't watching.
Feli's FH wide of the mark to give Roger set point...

Fed drew the error to take the set, 7-5

"I didn't realise you weren't watching."

I'm SBing

Just on time. I mean my timing arriving home on time to see Feli shanking.

Stats?

sigh, Feli

come on, fight in the second as well

1st set % points won on 1st serve/2nd serve

Federer: 95/55
Lopez: 70/54

horrid OH from Fed to start the 2nd set :)

"Federer: 95"

impressive
hard to see the opponent with real chance when Fed serves like that