**i see that the sub atomic tomic was decomissioned by who was it ?? lubicic ?? in first rd of the regis keegan thingy..oh what happened there ?, and dimitrov losing to donald 'i want my mummy' young..oh no.

Polona DFs spectacularly to give Dani Hani the break. Probably going three.

Pavs just 'wake up' will you

I am in no mood.Period.

Thank you Pavs

Though a break isnt a break unless you can convert it no?

Halep's been steadily having some good results for quite a while now.

Colour me Surprise

Pavs...converted and she leads 2-0 2nd set

Nastya holds *faints*

Gauloises

I realise that...though Pavs hasnt been playing to her potential since the USO last year.

*waves hello*

Reposting...I like snappish Caroline too - can't remember what Hingis was supposed to have said but I thought Navratilova was mainly criticising the system. Although I didn't really agree with that, either.

*waves to Aube* Slightly belatedly but never mind. :)

I've about given up on Pavs, sorry to say. That's usually the moment when players start picking things up and doing really well, though, LOL.

Nastya still have some issues with shoulder injury late last season. That's her explanation for horrible serving this year.

Oh well I see DanH won the 2nd set....onto a 3rd set we go

Kolechka, serve it out, please...

sokol

Thanks for reminding people here regarding Pavs shoulder injuries???

Indeed it was a problem for her serving

Kolya, you better get deep in Marseille, remember you'll need money soon for the baby :-)), looking at the draw though, never mind, just win this match at least. He'll face Del Potro next

AM, she says she can't trust the shoulder and scared of the pain coming back and it does occasionally :-((

sokol

When is the baby due by the way?

sokol

Thanks for that update on Pavs shoulder

I hope she can gain more confidence

Pity has she has much potential

Apparently I am not the only one that thinks like that?

Early break for Dani in the 3rd.

I don't know, strangely enough there is nothing on Russian sites about it. You know he's not popular as Marat is (even now when he's retired there are updates about him almost every week :-)). After that match in Rotterdam I've read that commies were saying Irina is due in couple of months?

Sokol should be smiling from set 1 at Marseille.

"Sokol should be smiling from set 1 at Marseille."

:-))

that's the only good news so far this week :-), though if he makes it today, he'll be gone in the next round

I didn't even know Irina was pregnant! That's fantastic, especially because you KNOW the baby will look exactly like a miniature Kolya. Same bald head, same unearthly stare :)

I love the Davydenkos, that's such happy news.

sokol

I dont think any Russian male player will ever get the press like Marat has.

I mean even after he has retired he is still in the press:)

You know I would have turned 'blonde for him':)

"I dont think any Russian male player will ever get the press like Marat has."

so true, lol

"Same bald head, same unearthly stare :)"

maybe he or she will look like gorgeous Irina, whoknows?

anyways I just wish them that the baby is healthy

I hope the baby gets Koyla's dimples

When Koyla smiles he has the Best Dimples In Tennis

Two break back points for Hercog, Dani hits long, back on serve at 1-all.

Someone said Irina looked about 7 months pregnant in Rotterdam, if that helps any with the due date.

maybe Nastya should take some time to completely heal before trying to play like that being aware all the time of the possible pain...

sokol

Meh she just got broken

sokol

By the way anymore news on Dinara and her retirement or return to tennis

"she just got broken"

that doesn't surprise me a bit, I was shocked when she held

Irina is beautiful, and comes across as such a warm person, too. I love seeing her smile. The other day they were replaying Kolya's win at the WTFs in 2009 and she was so emotional, it was lovely to see.

AM, nothing new on Dinara. Seems like she's enjoying her life right now. I would think she's done with tennis, that injury is just too severe for her to try to get back at this point. I think Marat was right when he said she retired, but I think she just doesn't want to face it yet.
I'm glad to see her happy "after tennis", she seems to enjoy a lot of different things...
I consider her to be retired, I would be shocked if she'll try to come back

sokol

I agree with your thoughts 100%

I am happy that any player after they retire are happy and contented in their new world so to speak.

Oh well I see Halep will win this game and congrats to her

Bad luck Pavs...just get that shoulder right

I still think you have game where others may not.

Look like Caroline has to face Simona tomorrow.

pfft Nastya, do something about your game. If that shoulder is still bothering you, take some time and take care of it... If you come out to play nest time, please play to your potential

Please someone win or take this game

DaniH and Hercog either one of you:)

"Look like Caroline has to face Simona tomorrow."

Simona has no chance against Caroline, who's steady as a wall :-)

Halep lost 0, 2, 4 and 6 games respectively in her last 4 matches in Dubai (including qualifying rounds). Odds that she'll win 8 games against Wozniacki next round?

Long game ends with a break for Hercog. Can't seem to feel inspired by this match, somehow. Think I need to sleep for a bit.

Hercog gets the break

Good to see....now just get on with it please.

"Halep lost 0, 2, 4 and 6 games respectively in her last 4 matches in Dubai (including qualifying rounds)."

interesting :-)

"**i see that the sub atomic tomic was decomissioned by who was it ?? lubicic ?? in first rd of the regis keegan thingy..oh what happened there ?, and dimitrov losing to donald 'i want my mummy' young..oh no."

Actually it was Dodig who beat Tomic - Ljubicic is in Marseille.

But that surprised me far less than Donald Young beating Dimitrov!

This match will delay the night matches here in Dubai

I'll say this once more for the *** time:

Piotr is not Caro's coach. She doesn't have *one* coach, she has several she calls on. But I know this is difficult for some heads to wrap around. Especially in the press.

Hell Hercog gets broken

Meh!

I gave up on Daniela when she couldn't put away an injured Serena at Wimbledon. She just doesn't have the right stuff in her head.

Just got in the door after sitting in a stuck train for 1 1/4 hrs. I'm cranky. Chocolate cake and milk has helped a little.

Manixdk

DaniH has always been a 'head case'

I might take a little nap

This match is a bit uninspiring to me

Also I have to have more evasive blood tests tomorrow.Meh like they have taken enough blood from me already:)

I like Polone. I've always like big bunny wabbit teeth on tall girls. It's so cute.

"Piotr is not Caro's coach. She doesn't have *one* coach, she has several she calls on."

manixdk, even though Piotr said it many times that he's not a coach and doesn't want to be, he's the one who's day to day working with Caro. Even when she had Sanchez as her coach, he was training Caro, while Sanchez was on the sideline. He's coaching her, working with her daily. They might get some advise from Adidas coaches team, but come on, he's her everyday coach, and he's the one that comes on court with advise. For me personally no matter what they call it Piotr is her coach

Reason for Cibulkova's retirement against Benesova?

I hope Polona wins, I wasnt an upset :-)

Manixdk
You may have to remind us more often since SamE says Piotr has got to go :))

Speaking about comeback , there was news from Radek that his wife Nicole Vaidisova has starting hitting tennis balls again and that she misses the game , so maybe she will be making a comeback on tour.

"SamE says Piotr has got to go"

I agree with SamE on that one

sokol

His on court training during practice consists of getting Caro to do the things the Adidas team has designed for her. He's said 1000 times he knows nothing about the technical side of tennis. He's on court during matches for strategy. That's it. Put if people are more comfortable calling him her coach, so be it.

But he isn't.

"Speaking about comeback , there was news from Radek that his wife Nicole Vaidisova has starting hitting tennis balls again and that she misses the game , so maybe she will be making a comeback on tour."

taht would be very cool, she was way too young to retire...

There are so many mishits this year!

much closer second set in Kolya's match

Hantuchova will serve to stay in the match

If all people see though is Piotr coming on court, manixdk, you can understand the confusion. That's one thing about having a designated full-time coach visible in the box - it draws the focus. Cf. Mister Lendl.

What I'm trying to say is that Piotr remains the visible, permanent face of her 'team', so people are going to continue to focus on him until we see someone else come on court to talk to her/in her box all the time.

"His on court training during practice consists of getting Caro to do the things the Adidas team has designed for her. He's said 1000 times he knows nothing about the technical side of tennis"

manixdk, he might say wahtever he wants, his actions speak louder. Why was Sanchez on sidelines while Piotr worked with Caro when she hired a coach?

Neither Yuri Sharapov or Richard Williams knew much about tennis, they educated themselves with soemone's help or by themselves, and coached tehir daughter for some time.

Sanches said that Piotr had his own system and Sanches didn't feel comfortable adjusting to it, to me it sayd Piotr is calling the shots in her training process. They might get advise from Adidas, and they follow it in practices or not

He's the one working with her day to day, even if they get advise from someone esle, but he's coaching her, preparing strategy before and during matches, either with some help from outside or not

break him, Kolya! Davai!

gauloises, I understand. But after they've tried explaining this for 2 years, and you still hear the "Caro has to fire Piotr" mantra, it does get a little tiresome. If they wrote/said "she has to change her coaching arrangement" it would make more sense. Bit everything has to fit into little labelled boxes, or some just can't cope :))

whohoo, he breaks. Now please Kolya serve it out and set up a date with gentle giant :-)

'But everything has to fit into little labelled boxes, or some just can't cope :))'

Very true.

Would you like to see Caro make changes to her coaching arrangement? How do you think she should handle it? I'm sure you've said this before, but I am curious and have the memory of one of those things, what are they called, they have no memory ...

Who's 'gentle giant' in this case, sokol?

I've not been following Marseilles.

"Who's 'gentle giant' in this case, sokol? "

one of my favorites- Juan Martin Del Potro :-)

Congrats Kolya! :-))

Get ready for the next round, find that playstation mode :-))

I was impressed with Kolya in match against Roger last week, hea wasy playing much better than last 1,5 year

TB in Dani's match

I didn't even know Delpo was playing. Christ on a bike, I have just not been paying attention. Lousy Delpo fan. Lousy! (Me, not you, obviously.)

DF in a TB is never good, Polona still leads 3-2.

Kirilenko w/d from Dubai :-(

gauloises

I don't think she really has to make changes, what she has to do is actually following the plan on court. She spends an hour before matches planning strategy with Piotr, then ignores everything once she's starts playing.

She knows she's supposed to stay closer to the baseline to better make use of her speed, she know she should start pressing as soon as she's got her opponent on the defensive, and not hit rally shots up the middle, but create angles. She know she should use her inside-out forehand more.

She know all these things.

Perhaps having another strategy adviser would help, because she might feel more pressure to do what they've agreed on, instead of just ignoring him, like she's lately been doing with Piotr.

4-3 to Dani.

neck injury for Kirilenko

Damn it all, Polona, why do I even bother with you.

Dani pulls through

6-4 to Dani & she takes it as Hercog hits into the net.

next match should be interesting...
Ana-Fran

and the winner gets straight to QF with a walkover

That's interesting, manixdk. Perhaps as you suggest it's a matter of finding someone she feels compelled to please or impress, which might help her to act on their advice. I think that might be an aspect of the nascent Lendl-Murray relationship which could work well - I don't think Lendl is telling Andy to do anything on the court which he doesn't already know how to do or that he should do or that other people haven't told him he should do, but it's possible that it's the respect that Andy has for Lendl which might help him to implement those things.

Or maybe, as I think you suggested the other day, it might take a couple of embarrassing losses or a prolonged slide down the rankings to get the message through to her.

Either way, as I've said, I like her stubbornness.

"He's on court during matches for strategy."

that's what coaches do, prepare strategy, talk it over with the athlete before and during match. Maybe he's part time coach? :-)

gauloises

Nice analogy with Andy. Fits pretty well.

Also ... re: Caroline ... it's only incremental changes really that need to be made in her game. It's just a matter of inches, really, she's so good.

I always remember her match against Sharapova at the US Open in 2010 as the most exciting and positive match I've seen from her. I'd like to see her play like that on a more regular basis.

Ajde, Ana!

Ana breaks, 2-0

I would like Ana- Caro QF

I would like Eurosport to realize this match is happening and show it.

3-0 Ana

gauloises

Exactly. All the serious "experts" I've heard say the same thing, +1% here, +2% there, and a slightly more aggressive mindset.

That's it.

My little head spins at the prospect of a hybrid Caro who can merge the old wall style with what she showed against Kvitova in Perth and Jankovic and Nikulescu at the AO. Chris Evert ended up with a brain cramp. But then you see crap like in Doha. I'd really like to see her play the "new style" consistently until she gets a good feel for it, and take the losses, but just keep doing it. She's stubborn enough, as you say.

She shows it here, she shows it there, just doesn't show it everywhere.

Ana is running over Fran at the moment, 4-0

what's going on with Francesca?

Anyone watching the match? is Ana playing really well?

btw, I think Francesca had some injury recently?

5-0

will Francesca be able to avoid a bagel?

Is Ana playing well or Fran not so well or both? That seems like a very quick 5-0 lead!

That kit looks so much better on Ana than Dani.

SP #3 for Ana

SP #4