indiana wrote:

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JonH comes home wrote:

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Looking ahead I wonder if the players will pick and choose some of the Masters events going forwards - the top players I mean.

Miami follows IW at 3 days gap.
Monte Carlo is 7 days after Miami
Madrid is 10 days after MC
Rome is 3 days later.
Roland Garros is just a week after that

Canada and Cinci are back to back, one starts as the other completes
The US Open starts 7 days after Cinci finishes

Some of these will prove punishing for players doing well, hard to see how players will be able to perform week in week out. Look out for lots of upsets

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Nothing new here  Most of the top players will play them all, except perhaps Monte Carlo, as I am pretty sure 'the big 4' did year after year, while doing very well, during the first half of their careers. It is only in latter years there is likely to be picking and choosing amongst these events

Other than Monte Carlo they are of course also mandatories unless some exemptions have been gained which also come with age and  time on tour.

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 The difference is Madrid and Rome are now two week (or 10 days) events and thus crush the clay court season. Theres no space to breathe. Id say that is new. 

indiana wrote:

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JonH comes home wrote:

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indiana wrote:

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JonH comes home wrote:

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Looking ahead I wonder if the players will pick and choose some of the Masters events going forwards - the top players I mean.

Miami follows IW at 3 days gap.
Monte Carlo is 7 days after Miami
Madrid is 10 days after MC
Rome is 3 days later.
Roland Garros is just a week after that

Canada and Cinci are back to back, one starts as the other completes
The US Open starts 7 days after Cinci finishes

Some of these will prove punishing for players doing well, hard to see how players will be able to perform week in week out. Look out for lots of upsets

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Nothing new here  Most of the top players will play them all, except perhaps Monte Carlo, as I am pretty sure 'the big 4' did year after year, while doing very well, during the first half of their careers. It is only in latter years there is likely to be picking and choosing amongst these events

Other than Monte Carlo they are of course also mandatories unless some exemptions have been gained which also come with age and  time on tour.

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 The difference is Madrid and Rome are now two week (or 10 days) events and thus crush the clay court season. Theres no space to breathe. Id say that is new. 

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 Yes, I must admit I hadn't fully taken in the schedule and had forgotten about the changes this year.

However,these changes really give more room to breathe through Madrid, Rome and Roland Garros  These traditionally had a later start after a bigger break between Monte Carlo and Madrid. But then successive hectic one week events in Madrid and Rome, one week off, then onto Roland Garros ( i.e. similar to Canada, Cincy, US Open ).

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 Well I guess whether better or worse , it is still hectic for mens and womens (which have Doha/Dubai just before IW). Throw in olympic years and it has dawned on me more than other years how crammed it is. Cant be good for the players whatever the money. 

Neil Gee wrote:

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Taro Daniel is playing a very tight, efficient game, beguiling the huge ranking gulf between the two players. Cam is going to have to work to win this first set off him. 4-3 Cam.

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To be fair, even though he's a qualifier, he managed to beat Roberto Carballés (WR 79) & Matteo Berrettini (20/WR 23) on his way to the last 32...  

Stircrazy wrote:

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Neil Gee wrote:

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Taro Daniel is playing a very tight, efficient game, beguiling the huge ranking gulf between the two players. Cam is going to have to work to win this first set off him. 4-3 Cam.

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To be fair, even though he's a qualifier, he managed to beat Roberto Carballés (WR 79) & Matteo Berrettini (20/WR 23) on his way to the last 16...  

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 I hope he doesn't reach the L16!