ATP Tour Finals - Andy v Fernando Verdasco

indiana · Tennis legend

ATP Tour Finals - Andy v Fernando Verdasco

mkkreuk · Admin:Moderator + ATP qualifying

bloody hell - this forum has changed a lot. idiots running amok!

It was not a fix. just a coincidence. a 6-3 final set is probably one of the most common sets out there.

Think about it - do you think when JMDP had a minibreak in the second set tiebreak and was two serves away from winning the match, he let fed back in it on the basis that he trusted federer to let him win. He could have knocked out the Federer, who arguably looks a bigger threat than Murray this tournament.

More importantly, these guys are Grand Slam winners. Do you honestly think they would risk it all, and collude (cheat) to knock another player out in what is in the GRAND SCHEME of their career, a relatively unimportant tournament!

grow up kids. It's not a school holiday or anything, right now is it?

Salmon · Tennis legend

But nah... I seriously can't see Fed tanking this. There was too much uncertainty in this and after RoundRobingate with Blake, I doubt that the players trust the ATP too much.

Plus I'd rather face Murray than JMDP these days, to be honest.

The Magician Santoro · Top national player

Fed's getting payback for Murray knocking him out last year when he didn't need to.

Academy Award Winning Fix.

Saying that, It was in Murray's hands with one match to play. He has no one to blame but himself. Giving others the opportunity to potentially fix a match shouldn't have been an option

mkkreuk · Admin:Moderator + ATP qualifying

indiana wrote:

Very unlucky for Andy, assuming that he's out but much of it was his own making in his own matches.

I think those who are makiing all sorts of allegations need to think on.

At least 3 BPs to Roger in game 7 of the third set and leaving the Delpo break to game 8 ( earlier would have been much less suspicious too ) seems a bit dangerous.

The most I will give you is that Roger himself was basically through once he'd won the 2nd set ( since he couldn't lose by 10 games or more overall ) so he maybe knew this and his intensity wasn't full on.

Even if that had some bearing, such is life, and that is a million miles away from conspiracies and fixes.

Things happen, get over it !!

Disclaimer : All that said, I wasn't actually watching the match, so if someone who was would like to chip in that it didn't seem right

-- Edited by indiana on Thursday 26th of November 2009 11:17:08 PM

Top post.

On top of what I wrote before, Federer like most greats, HATES losing and would never let someone beat him. I would bet all money that he takes the psychology of the game seriously, and letting JMDP beat him (especially after the US Open result) could/would have serious impacts on future meetings. Plus, it cost him the financial bonus for being undefeated throughout the tournament.

MiloTheCat · Lower Club Player

I for one don't believe it was a fix - but it was very frustrating how easily Federer coughed up that last break.

Anyone worked out the likelihood of Andy being outside the top 4 for the AO?

Jeff Stelling · Club Coach

Finally, some sensible posters have joined me on here. Those crying about Murray going out due to the big, bad Federer fixing it are clowns. Anyone can see that.

clayfan · Lower Club Player

This was the one result which could put Federer and Potty into the semi finals. To come up with just the right number of games to deny Murray, whom they both very much dislike, took some doing but they managed it. One less game for either player and the game difference with Murray would have been tied. I know we don't like to think St. Roger would do such a thing, and actually neither do I, but that was one smelly result. Although he had a go at trying to break Pot in the third set he didn't. And then dropped his own serve very softly. Even had it gone to a tiebreak murray would have been through I think, so you just knew these guys would wrap it up before getting to the tie break. A very black day for tennis.

Jeff Stelling · Club Coach

clayfan wrote:

This was the one result which could put Federer and Potty into the semi finals. To come up with just the right number of games to deny Murray, whom they both very much dislike, took some doing but they managed it. One less game for either player and the game difference with Murray would have been tied. I know we don't like to think St. Roger would do such a thing, and actually neither do I, but that was one smelly result. Although he had a go at trying to break Pot in the third set he didn't. And then dropped his own serve very softly. Even had it gone to a tiebreak murray would have been through I think, so you just knew these guys would wrap it up before getting to the tie break. A very black day for tennis.

Poor comment.

zarrafak · Lower Club Player

I don't believe for a second it was a 'conspiracy' between the players - but the format which allowed the players at 3-3 in a deciding set to know that a win for one of them (Del Potro) would at that point allow both to progress is patently wrong,
The 'fix' is in the mind of the player who knows he no longer has to try for both to progress.
- And from the look on both faces at the end I don't believe that either player was unaware of this situation.
Federer in a competitive situation would NEVER lose in that type of scenario - at least not without his opponent doing something special; which we know was not the case here. You cannot have a contest only 1 real combatant.

philwrig · Hall of fame

Anyone watching the live pictures could see this wasn't a fix.
But Petchey bottled the post match interview by not telling the crowd Andy was out and asking Delpo what he thought about putting out the home man.
The best two players are through and I'm pretty sure they will meet again in the final. Delpo right back to his best tonight hitting 115mph serves onto the back of the line on crucial points in that final set.

The Magician Santoro · Top national player

As for Andy Murray being ranked outside the Top 4 come Australian Open are so so. Del Potro would have to win World Tour Finals to overtake Murray in 2009. A final appearance would leave him 245 points behind Murray. With both defending 250 points from Doha and Auckland for Del Potro (i think). Neither have been confirmed to any pre-Australian Open events so it could happen that Murray dosn't play a tournament, Del Potro defends his Auckland tournament and goes 5 points clear of Murray in No. 4 before the Australian Open!

Would be harsh for Andy if it happened but possible

The Magician Santoro · Top national player

Also if Del Potro lost his next match. And everyone played tiddly winks next year instead of defending points, Del Potro would overtake Murray after Indian Wells

So here's hoping Andy improves his Oz performance and after that the race for no.3 could be close between Del Potro, Murray and Nadal it seems as he is faltering as of late

-- Edited by The Magician Santoro on Thursday 26th of November 2009 11:42:20 PM

mkkreuk · Admin:Moderator + ATP qualifying

The Magician Santoro wrote:

As for Andy Murray being ranked outside the Top 4 come Australian Open are so so. Del Potro would have to win World Tour Finals to overtake Murray in 2009. A final appearance would leave him 245 points behind Murray. With both defending 250 points from Doha and Auckland for Del Potro (i think). Neither have been confirmed to any pre-Australian Open events so it could happen that Murray dosn't play a tournament, Del Potro defends his Auckland tournament and goes 5 points clear of Murray in No. 4 before the Australian Open!

Would be harsh for Andy if it happened but possible

haven't checked the numbers to confirm this, but I don't think that would affect the seedings would it?? Auckland finishes just before the AO and the draw will ahve already been made and seedings according to the rankings the week before.

If there was any chance the seedings would be affected, I would think that Murray would enter something to avoid facing Nadal, Federer or Djokovic before the semis!

Salmon · Tennis legend

Oz Open draw will be made before Auckland drops off, no?

-- Edited by Salmon on Thursday 26th of November 2009 11:43:54 PM