Week 33 - Cincinnati Masters (ATP 1000 Series) - SF: Andy vs Rog

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Week 33 - Cincinnati Masters (ATP 1000 Series) - SF: Andy vs Rog

Drew · Aug 21, 2009

Asalways Andy will step it up for a fed match....unlike the USO last year he is still fairly fresh.

Andy in 3

ForeverDelayed · Grand Slam Champion

Very tough match to call this, as neither man has looked that great this week, although neither really has had to play their best tennis.

Get the feeling Murray may be running out of energy having played a lot of matches recently but may still have enough left for one more big match.

Federer possibly needs the win more having got a poor record against Murray and a comparitavely dissapointing record on hard courts this year, but could go either way.

Madeline · Admin:Moderator + Tennis Legend

I think I will be watching this match from behind the sofa. I'm torn: I want Andy to win, but not at the expense of taking too much out of himself.

From what I have seen of Andy, he will be going all out to win this. He likes beating Federer, but Federer seems to be getting edgy about his record against Andy and won't want to lose to him. It has the chance to be either a brilliant match or a very scrappy one!

The Hoose · Satellite level

Andy lost 6-2 7-6(8).

Madeline · Admin:Moderator + Tennis Legend

Just not good enough on the day. The serve has not been good all week, and against Fed when he is playing well (which he was) that just won't do. Even the returning and the backhand were not at their best today.

At least he can now go and concentrate on the USO.

He needs Djoker to defeat Nadal tonight, or Fed to defeat him tomorrow, or it was a short-lived reign at #2. . .

kundalini · Specialist Reporter + Intermediate Club Player

Some excellent tennis from Andy but a lot of garbage and his return of the Federer 2nd serve was shocking. Shame he couldn't win the tiebreak as he was coming into the match more but there seemed to be a lot of basic errors like leaving balls directed slightly into Roger's backhand side far too short, allowing Federer to run around his backhand and unleash the forehand. In previous matches Andy has done a much better job of making Roger hit plenty of backhands but not today.

He wasn't totally outclassed but it was a bit alarming. Expected to see Andy break Roger's serve but he got nowhere. First serve percentage too low and some of his first serves lacked penetration. Forehand was careless, sending routine shots wide and long, though some good aggressive forehands in the second set. Passing shots were mixed.

If he is to beat Roger at the US Open, Andy will have to play a lot better than that.

-- Edited by kundalini on Saturday 22nd of August 2009 09:37:45 PM

Drew · Aug 22, 2009

Cant see Rafa beating Fed right now. Andy had a fairly flat match with only flashes at the end.

Bit of r&r and then Flushing Meadows.

ForeverDelayed · Grand Slam Champion

Federer played well, while Murray was below his best for large periods of the match, so there was only going to be one winner with them playing as they did.

Felt if Murray could have sneaked the second set then he'd have gone on to win the match, but despite hitting some great shots in the tiebreak, had a complete brainfart at 6-6 when he challenged, and then the disaster of finishing with a double fault.

Big win for Federer though who will probably take a lot of confidence into another match against Murray if they do meet at the US Open which he may not have had before.

Still, decent week for Murray considering he took the title last week and sets him up nicely for the US Open. Can't see Nadal winning the title (if Djokovic doesn't beat him tonight as I expect he will, Fed should do it tomorrow), so Murray will be seeded 2, so at least won't be able to face Fed until the final.

Drew · Aug 23, 2009

Thanks to Nole for beating Rafa.

indiana · Tennis legend

I didn't see the match, but am not really too disappointed.

From the ATP site :

Despite Saturdays defeat, Murray was upbeat about his preparations for the US Open and his chances to claim his first major title: I played seven, I thought, very solid matches. And then yesterday (against Benneteau) and today weren't so good. That could have down to a combination of things: My opponent was playing well, my level dropping slightly. In both matches I just started a little bit sluggish and then managed to find my game. I don't know if that's a sort of mental fatigue thing or not just playing consecutive days a lot.

It was good for my fitness to get used to the heat and the conditions. Any of the guys will tell you that playing in this heat these back-to-back weeks is very difficult to do well in both of them. I think I've had a good, good few weeks. It's been perfect preparation for the US Open. I'll go there this evening or tomorrow and rest up for a couple days and train hard before it starts.

I would say some mental fatigue is inevitable. I don't know the records for sure but I am certainly unaware of anyone recently winning back to back in Canada and Cincinnatti, it is much more of a challenge than the longer Indian Wells and Miami events. Where for instance was Del Potro, last week's finalist this week ? Well, withdrew before the week started due to fatigue. In some ways I am quite happy that Andy didn't win in 3 sets and then have a tough final.

It is clear that Andy didn't play as well as he can, particularly in his latest 2 matches, but who knows, and he doesn't seem to know for sure himself, how much that is due to fatigue, mental or physical.

I am happy that his game is in very good shape especially on hard courts,, and not too concerned that Federer has picked up a win against Andy before the US Open.

That US Open is now the very first major that I personally see Andy with close to a favourite's chance.

Take a few days off, certainly work on that serve please ( which worryingly seems to have gone off a bit again lately after previous clear improvement this year ), but don't generally work too hard after 2 hard weeks.

Going into the US Open, the glass is very much more than half full from where I am looking.