Monte-Carlo Masters - R3: Murray vs Djokovic

ltbobby · Social player

RE: Monte-Carlo Masters - R3: Murray vs Djokovic

DUSTY DICK · Club Coach

Personally, i don't think Murray will get that far at Wimbledon. It would never surprise me if he went out in the first week. He seems to have that many people in his camp now all helping him instead of one main person. He should have stuck with Gilbert. That partnership had hardly been going long enough for us to see just how far he could take Murray. Andy has a long way to go still if he is to be right up there in the top 5 and a real contender at the grand slams. The difference in class between him and Djokovic is quite clear to see. Novak is on his way to the top spot. Not sure about Murray though.

helki · Futures qualifying

Here's Nole's assessment of the way the match went, from the ATP site. hmm

Novak Djokovic again had all the answers to Andy Murray's game, dismissing the Scot 6-0, 6-4. Playing his first clay court tournament of the year, Djokovic saved four of five break points he faced while breaking Murray five times.

The World No. 3 Serb beat Murray 6-1, 6-0 in their most recent meeting in the Miami semifinals in 2007 and also beat Murray 6-2, 6-3 at Indian Wells in 2007.

Djokovic, who is chasing his fourth different ATP Masters Series crown (he's already won Indian Wells, Miami and Canada), improved to a 19-4 record on the season.

"I'm very, very, very happy and satisfied with my performance, especially in the first set," Djokovic said. I managed to keep the control of the match, be patient, but aggressive at the same time... I had a feeling that he was a bit too passive throughout the match. He was not taking his chances. So I used mine when I got them."

Ratty · County player

My, you guys are hard to please. One loss = mega crisis, tearing out hair, Andy's crap, sack MacLagan, bla.

At the moment Djokovic looks to me like the best player in the world on any surface, by a considerable margin. And on a slow clay surface you are going to get some WTA-like spankings, because players' serves are partly neutralised.

Famous last words I know, but I would expect Djoko to spank Querrey and Nalbandian, and then beat Nadal in 2 comfortable sets in the final.

I also think there's a load of bull talked about coaches. Federer hasn't had one at all for about 3 years, and I think he's won more Slams without one than with. Plenty of players change coaches every year or so. Blaming MacLagan seems way off beam.

And check this out. Federer is just under 6 years older than Murray. In Monte Carlo 2002, he lost 6-2 6-1 to Nalbandian in R2. He then lost 6-4 6-4 to Gaudenzi (who?) in R1 at Rome.

(He then won Hamburg, but also went out in R1 at both Roland Garros and Wimbledon ...)

imoen · Admin: Moderator+Tennis Legend

I'd agree with Ratty, I don't think it's the end of the world. Much as I hate to admit it, Djokovic is playing really well at the moment. I'll always hope Andy is going to play to his full potential every match but you'd be hard pressed to find any player who does that, even Federer at the height of his dominance rarely played at his absolute best.

I don't think it's fair to say that gritting out the relationship with Brad would've worked, if there was a clash of personalities, any benefit from the coaching side of things would have been completely nullified.

Andy's still finding his feet on clay at the highest level and I wouldn't expect him to find form in the first tournament of the year on the stuff. I think if he can get to at least the third round in the next two clay masters tournaments and justify his seeding in the FO (ie fourth round) we shouldn't complain. He's never going to get the bulk of his points on clay.

Finally I think it's worth remembering that, Murray did get as far as he was seeded to, and he didn't come up against someone he shouldn't lose to, so I in conclusion I don't think we can be too disappointed in the result, painful and frustrating though it was.

ltbobby · Social player

I think you are being far too positive. Its not the fact that he lost that is depressing, its the way he is playing that concerns me! No other player in the top 10 plays more passively than Murray and there's a reason for that......you cant win a grand slam or Masters event waiting for opponents to make mistakes. Brad would have discouraged this and so would Petchey. THe way Andy played against Nadal in Australia in 2007 is the right way to play in the majority of matches against the top players. He has done this so rarely though.....the two tournament wins he has had this year have been won more by defensive counter punching than really going for his shots. He got away with this because he wasnt up against Fed/Nadal or Djoko!

Im an Andy fan but am getting a bit sick of the excuses...he's young etc, give him time.....he has too many options so its difficult for him.....RUBBISH..! He needs to be more aggressive and only use the defensive skills when necessary!.....Winning a Grand Slam should be in something he does because he has managed to win it, not because someone else threw it away! At this point I can only see Andy winning Wimbledon if he comes up against Novotna in the final!

-- Edited by ltbobby at 22:59, 2008-04-24

kundalini · Specialist Reporter + Intermediate Club Player

Not enjoyable viewing. Hard to understand the strategy or the tactics. Sit deep behind the baseline and hand Novak control of the points seemed to be the order of the day. Andy's got the weapons but just does not want to use them.

alansk · Junior player

We can only hope that Corretja is happy with Andy's patience on clay and now tries to instil something resembling an attack strategy.

steven · Tennis legend

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLCcu11UaNs&eurl=http://blogdagirafa.blog.uol.com.br/

From about 5 minutes in: Nole as Michael Jackson (he's a bit of a worry!)
From about 9 minutes in: Ljubo as Rihanna (ditto!)

eblunt · Club Coach

Ratty wrote:

My, you guys are hard to please. One loss = mega crisis, tearing out hair, Andy's crap, sack MacLagan, bla.

At the moment Djokovic looks to me like the best player in the world on any surface, by a considerable margin. And on a slow clay surface you are going to get some WTA-like spankings, because players' serves are partly neutralised.

Famous last words I know, but I would expect Djoko to spank Querrey and Nalbandian, and then beat Nadal in 2 comfortable sets in the final.

I also think there's a load of bull talked about coaches. Federer hasn't had one at all for about 3 years, and I think he's won more Slams without one than with. Plenty of players change coaches every year or so. Blaming MacLagan seems way off beam.

And check this out. Federer is just under 6 years older than Murray. In Monte Carlo 2002, he lost 6-2 6-1 to Nalbandian in R2. He then lost 6-4 6-4 to Gaudenzi (who?) in R1 at Rome.

(He then won Hamburg, but also went out in R1 at both Roland Garros and Wimbledon ...)

Given that Nole didn't even make it to the final to get spanked by Rafa, and Andy then gets done again by Ancic in similar lame fashion, I'll stick with the less upbeat assessments than yours ....

Ratty · County player

Yes, can't disagree, predictions are a mug's game ...

(but I still think Djoko is currently the best in the world on any surface, though. Nadal only beat Federer 7-5 7-5, and his tactic of hitting everything to Fed's backhand wouldn't work so well against Djoko's much better backhand)