Curtains for Andy, who loses to Cilic by 3 & 4.   Not a single, solitary service break!   4 aces to Cilic's 8, 3 double faults to Cilic's 0...

Way too many routine errors, especially on big points and way, way too passive for a pretty quick indoor court.

I think it's good he didn't get too far into this draw with matches on consecutive days.  That back needs to be worked in slowly.   

indiana wrote:

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Bit disappointing, but still building back up.

Having come in on a WC and perhaps nice appearance money, not very good to look as if you don't want to be there.

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I certainly didn't get the impression that he didn't want to be there.

-- Edited by RJA on Friday 14th of February 2014 10:26:36 PM

I only watched Andy's match against Thiem but didn't bother with the one against Cillic as I was pretty much convinced he was going to lose.

I don't think he looked like he didn't want to be there but I can see where chavkev is coming from, it's something I've noticed in all the matches I've watched this year with the exception of the Davis Cup - Andy doesn't seem to have recaptured his hunger. There has been a lot of frustration that he isn't playing his best but before that would be added to the hunger and translate into turning it around, this year the hunger seems to be the missing ingredient that is stopping Andy from finding his best at the last gasp. This time last year I would have expected Andy to beat Cilic even at 3-6 4-5* but yesterday I wrote him off as soon as he went down a break in the first.

What I can't work out, and I doubt any but Andy and his nearest and dearest will ever know, is whether the hunger is missing because he's still tentative over his back, or whether actually he's struggling to find new goals to motivate himself after the Wimbledon win. For one thing it must be still be pretty bizarre not to have the "Are you going to win Wimbledon this year?" question at every press conference, "When are you going to get married?" just doesn't have the same motivating factor on the court I'd imagine!

Yes, Andy was still a fair way short at the Aussie Open though gave it a good go, and has had a pleasant but distracting clay diversion since.

I would think a good aim was probably always to be really competitive come Indian Wells and Miami, and even that may be tight. But be interesting to see how he does then.

As much as I hate coming across like a smart alec I do feel inclined to point out that Rotterdam has replaced Monte Carlo on Andy's "best 18" as I said it would and that he still carries 3 mandatory zeros as part of his 6 optional scores.