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Post Info TOPIC: Miami Masters 'Battle of the Boards' pick 'em 2009
steven


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RE: Miami Masters 'Battle of the Boards' pick 'em 2009
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Portsey wrote:
I am surprised Mr Berdych didn't go the same way, he was broken halfway through the 3rd set but broke back twice to win. I have a Czech fiancee and am duty bound to support them but it's definately a perilous road - they are the least confident country i know (blame the Russians) and this cascades through everything including sport, they are beaten down under pressure, so whether they are winning 2-1 against Togo going into injury time or trying to choose which bread to buy in the shop, expect capitulation.
biggrin So that's Berdbrain's excuse! (and makes it rather more worrying that it was Anne who cracked against Safarova)

Now that we've had someone say that they have to pick Gonzo because their Dad's from Chile (or whatever the 'excuse of the month' was in the day 1 report) and someone say they only pick Berdbrain because they have a Czech fiancee, can I excuse myself for picking Haas and Kohli to each win a match because I've got a German girlfriend?

The only flaw in that otherwise brilliant argument is that the reason I picked them wasn't that, it was because I was stupid and/or they are muppets!! ashamed

I wouldn't class Mr Stepanek as lacking in confidence btw, though perhaps fellow Czech Nicole capitulated to his advances because she wasn't confident enough to think she could do any better.

 



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Portsey


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Well i was making a loose arguement anyway, it's acceptable picking Czechs and Germans because of partners, we can therefore hide behind our failures this way! (it's also a tidy way of not taking it too seriously and going into H2H/surface abilities/recent form etc!)

The Czech thing is a wider issue and can be discussed at long length for those who have an interest, but for those wondering, next time you see a Czech sportsman leading and begin to be pegged back (tennis and football are obvious examples) see what happens, they will begin to stress and lose the confidence they had to be leading already. Age is important - Stepanek is a bit older and also a bit different, his style and look are his own, and doesn't conform to this but maybe did in previous years? Actually i'm going to look at his background, he certainly doesn't look Czech.....

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steven


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Portsey wrote:
Age is important - Stepanek is a bit older and also a bit different, his style and look are his own, and doesn't conform to this but maybe did in previous years? Actually i'm going to look at his background, he certainly doesn't look Czech.....
Apparently he's from Austrian Silesia (so called because it was part of the Austro-Hungarian empire, not because it's in Austria), which probably makes him a kind of Czech/Polish/German cross, a bit like the German football team's strike force of Podolski and Klose.

 



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GB on a shirt, Davis Cup still gleaming, 79 years of hurt, never stopped us dreaming ... 29/11/2015 that dream came true!

GB top 25s (ranks, whereabouts) & stats - http://www.britishtennis.net/stats.html
steven


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They've just started today and already Troicki is a break up against Numpty Nalby shocked.gif and Becker a break up against Verdasco shocked.gif - also, Big Ivo is doing his best to keep up his 0% record in Miami (Gil has taken the 1st set) and Floppy has lost the 1st set to Querrey, though at least I picked against the seed in that case! LOL

It;s going to be another looong day!

-- Edited by steven on Saturday 28th of March 2009 03:26:41 PM

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GB on a shirt, Davis Cup still gleaming, 79 years of hurt, never stopped us dreaming ... 29/11/2015 that dream came true!

GB top 25s (ranks, whereabouts) & stats - http://www.britishtennis.net/stats.html
steven


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Although I picked him to get through this match, because I thought he had a particularly easy draw this time, it shouldn't be too much of a surprise to see Ivo in trouble. He has a 0-5 record in Miami and has never got past R2 at Indian Wells either.

While making sure I was remembering that correctly, I came across Ivo's official website, which is quite entertaining. I particularly liked "Six things about being 6' 10"

Advantages (expanded upon at that link):

- serving (though it's not all about height ...)
- never get separated from friends even in a crowd
- "when I was not married, women were curious ..." rolling.gif

Disadvantages:

- air travel: "I put one leg in the aisle and one leg in half of the other person's space. I say I'm really sorry, but what can I do?" (and another sad story about a flight to AUS)

- can't find clothes (though apparently in Croatia, size 16 shoes are readily available!)- standing out, e.g. "if I ever get in trouble with the law, I cannot hide from the police.*" smile.gif

Btw if you read the bit about the song he recorded with a Croatian rapper, you can listen to it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tGhVgLDs0M - Ivo's the one with the deep voice sounding like he's auditioning for an old British sitcom based in a holiday camp - I'm afraid it's absurdly crap! rolling.gif

The Numpster's now a double break down v Troicki!


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GB on a shirt, Davis Cup still gleaming, 79 years of hurt, never stopped us dreaming ... 29/11/2015 that dream came true!

GB top 25s (ranks, whereabouts) & stats - http://www.britishtennis.net/stats.html
ForeverDelayed


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This is some quality stuff by Numpty... putting the ball in the court seems to be a problem for him at the moment, although the bottom of the net is being peppered by him, plus he cannot get a first serve in the court.

Ivo's back to his best as well - seems like a great day for those who picked the underdogs... and a good job I didn't have Numpty going all the way to the final in the end!



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jamatthews


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You know, I think I nearly always pick Troicki to do well, EXCEPT this week.

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steven


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GEM in training ...

fri4.jpg
disbelief

More at http://www.sonyericssonopen.com/1/en/gallery/2009/default.asp



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GB on a shirt, Davis Cup still gleaming, 79 years of hurt, never stopped us dreaming ... 29/11/2015 that dream came true!

GB top 25s (ranks, whereabouts) & stats - http://www.britishtennis.net/stats.html
ForeverDelayed


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To be honest, this has all the halmarks of a classic Numpty performance where he is awful for a set, goes a break down or struggles at the start of the second, before somehow coming back from the dead, perhaps saving a match point or two in the second set, before just about edging through the third set as well.

Whether or not he can be bothered to fight back is the real question though.

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Portsey


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Jesus, can this get any worse?? Numpty doesn't do his usual and wake up only when he's about to lose and instead limps home in 2nd place. I had him to beat Murray - the 1st time i've gone against our home boy.

This is a rubbish tournament, i hate it and i wish i had never entered! (slams laptop down and stomps upstairs in tantrum)

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steven


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Never mind, Dammit's just withdrawn, possibly after pulling a pom pom.

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GB on a shirt, Davis Cup still gleaming, 79 years of hurt, never stopped us dreaming ... 29/11/2015 that dream came true!

GB top 25s (ranks, whereabouts) & stats - http://www.britishtennis.net/stats.html
Grundon


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Gah! Melzer has cost me the lead

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jamatthews


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Grundon wrote:

Gah! Melzer has cost me the lead



 I was just about to praise Tipsarevic for being my only competent pick. biggrin



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The Knight


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haha Ritchie looks like he's enjoying himself

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Peter too


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Mardy gets himself into a winning position and then decides to go fishing.

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