ATP Masters Series Hamburg: Murray v Monfils

Janet · Improver

RE: ATP Masters Series Hamburg: Murray v Monfils

Sheddie · administrator

Hi Janet, welcome to this site !!

Will you be watching the Murray match tomorrow ?

I agree, hopefully he'll return to the form of 2005 this week. Apart from Zagreb, San Jose and Memphis, he hasn't really come close to producing his best tennis.

The Monfils match will be very interesting. Although Gael reached the Rome semis, he won't relish the slow Hamburg clay while it will be more to Andy's liking. The key is for Andy to play his patient counter-punching game and to frustrated Monfils with his changes of pace. He must avoid the Monfils forehand as much as possible. Hopefully Andy can keep those weak mid-court forehands to a minimum as Monfils will crunch those away.

There should be some great rallies as both players are superb athletes.

Murray has had success against Monfils in the juniors by attacking the net. When Andy played Monfils in 2004 in Roehampton he had just returned from being out injured for 6 months while Gael was world no 1 and had won 2 junior grand slams. Andy lost 7-5, 6-3 but in the first set he had many chances and could have taken the set if he'd made an easy backhand volley.

Janet · Improver

Thanks for the welcome

I certainly will be watching the match tomorrow. I have known Jamie and Andy since they were about 3 and 4 and have followed their careers for a long time now. I hope he does well at Hamburg - I think he could do with a bit of a lift. I certainly could!!!

VSandhi20 · Futures qualifying

i know its not good to be optimistic but i think if andy wins then hes got a good chance to get to the quarters as the big names are out including safin and nalbandian.

Sheddie · administrator

Janet wrote:

Thanks for the welcome
I certainly will be watching the match tomorrow. I have known Jamie and Andy since they were about 3 and 4 and have followed their careers for a long time now. I hope he does well at Hamburg - I think he could do with a bit of a lift. I certainly could!!!

Are you a family friend of the Murrays ?

Having known them for such a long time, when did you first realise that Andy and jamie had something special about them ?

It must have been especially fantastic to see Andy's sudden rise from top junior to the next big thing on the world stage, having followed his career right from the start

As Vik says, the draw has opened up a little for Andy. It's definately better than his draws in Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Rome when he was drawn in the same section as Nadal and ferrer for the early rounds !! Hopefully he can capitalise. Andy will face James Blake in rd2 if he wins. Blake's powerful hitting would be nulified by the slow clay but having said that he beat Carlos Moya in rd1 !

VSandhi20 · Futures qualifying

certainly, the clay court specialists are not having a bit of luck on these very slow courts!!

Eddster · Junior player

Hi if anyone wants to be able to watch this match online (providing you have a paypal account) I know a place that is showing the match (pm me for the link for legal reasons). Prob need to do it tonight as it takes a while to register. It only costs a quid to the people who run the site and if Murray goes far should be able to watch the later matches of his (hopefully).

Unfortunately, its now been changed to £7 quid for 60 days membership which actually works out cheaper and I've been informed they will be showing some more atp tournaments.

-- Edited by Eddster at 23:52, 2006-05-15

Sheddie · administrator

Wow, that sounds cool Eddster

Pm heading your way in the next few min

Janet · Improver

The short answer to all that is "yes". Now I am going to make a cup of tea and sit down in front of the tv and watch the match. ( Hope it wont be rained off.)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?world=0049

imoen · Admin: Moderator+Tennis Legend

Is anyone watching this match and able to provide updates?

Madeline · Admin:Moderator + Tennis Legend

Just the live scoreboard for me (don't like this Hamburg scoreboard do you?)

I can't even watch that nonstop, I have too much to do, but will be checking it as often as I can!

Please, Andy, come out fighting! (and get your damn first serve in

)

Sheddie · administrator

I will be popping in and out. Unfortunately wasn't able to sort out the paypal live streaming thing in time so hopefully Andy will win and I can watch rd2.

Match is a bit late getting underway, I wonder if it's a rain delay

Sheddie · administrator

Live scoreboard appears not to be working but anyhow, Monfils served first and held.

Andy's serving at 1-0 down

Sheddie · administrator

Andy holds, now 1-1

Josh · Challenger level

Andy breaks to 30 having been love 40 up. Not a bad start, it's looks pretty cold and damp. Hardly any crowd, no atmosphere. Will post as and when I can