Oh dear, Andy loses the first set 6-2. Not playing well at all. I wonder if the wrist is a problem? No aces on a court this fast seems odd.

And took it 6-2. This is so tense I had to dash off for a bathroom break at the end of the set!

Well, *reasonably* fair

This match is doing my blood pressure no good at all.

Monfils wins 6-2 2-6 6-3. He played well and didn't fall apart like he often does.

Andy - well he looked tired and out of sorts. At least losing now his H2H with Fed will not decrease - because I frankly could not see him winning that match: Roger looks in good form, Andy doesn't.

Avoiding Fed with the O2 coming up I think is a blessing in disguise. I think last week took more out of him than we thought, and coupled with a tough draw and a quick surface that suited others more than him meant nothing more than a QF finish.

philwrig wrote:

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Avoiding Fed with the O2 coming up I think is a blessing in disguise. I think last week took more out of him than we thought, and coupled with a tough draw and a quick surface that suited others more than him meant nothing more than a QF finish.

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Seems to me Andy has carried a bit of a fitness issue all season since he didn't really work after the Australian Open.  He's kind of said so himself at times.  Last week should not have taken that much out of him and he should not really be looking shattered, as Mad described, in this match.

The good thing is that I sense his attitude is so much better now and I feel there will be a willingness to put in the nercessary hard graft in the ( oh too short ) close season.

I kinda wouldn't have been that bothered if he'd met Fed and lost. I don't know, probably just me, but in a way I don't somehow totally like that he has such a good non slam record against Fed.  I feel if it got any better it would put real pressure on Andy if and when they met in a Slam again, particularly a final.  I know really arguably it should just give him more confidence.  Maybe is is just me    

Re the surface, I'd disagree in that I've always thought really fast surfaces suited Andy. He's won the title at Cincinnati when it's been very fast.  I think his reactions and sheer ball sense have a lot to do with that and when he's serving well he's very hard to beat on very fast surfaces.  Here to my mind he just wasn't in his best of form and certainly didn't seem to serve against Monfils as well as he had been.

-- Edited by indiana on Saturday 13th of November 2010 01:20:10 PM