LOL! Thanks for the laugh.

Tomas Berdych has mad skills when he's on. Anyone who can beat Federer and Nadal has to be good. (No, Hrbaty's Nadal walkover doesn't count.) I thought it was fitting that Marat Safin was there to present the trophy, as Berdych's game is a carbon copy of Marat's.

On another note, I heard that some broadcasts featured an interview of Marat on the court during the breaks. Did anyone happen to see that broadcast or hear what he said? I miss Marat so very very much and was only slightly pacified by seeing someone with his game win his title. (Because really Bercy is Marat's playground)

I'm curious about WTF was up with Gaudio quitting. Sure, the Masters Final is coming up (I'm pretty sure he's going, right?), but this is still a Masters event that he had a decent shot at actually winning. What is he waiting for to motivate him? Anyway, did the commentators give any insight into why he was tanking?

Also, was there any mention in the broadcast of how serious Roddick's back injury is?

Hi! I'm new here... but I love tennis.



Well, the answer is pretty much: he was being himself. Around here (Latinamerica that is) Gaudio is pretty well know for his temper problems. His biggest problem is in his head. I remember before the Roland Garros started people were saying that Federer, Nadal, Coria and Gaudio were the favorites to win. All of them were like "no! the other ones got more chances than I do". And the commentators were like "this is normal, for them to say this, the only problem is the Gaudio is the only one who really believes it".

And in the broadcast when he lost a couple of break point in the first set, the commentators were saying that that sort of thing really gets him. And they made it very clear: the reason why they were commenting on Gaudio's head is because that's his major problem or weakness. And a sign of that is when he talks... if he starts to talk to himself (usually saying things like "why am I here? I'm not gonna win") it's a sign of a problem.

It is, for me, impossible to get behind Gaudio for those reasons.



Serious enough, apparently, to miss Shanghai ...

According to this article, Roddick and Hewitt are both being fined for missing the Master's Cup:
ATP Fines

And so is Marat. -- And Henin for missing the women's Master--.

So with Gaudio, it's that he's not very confident and gets down on himself, is that it? Something like Lindsay? If so, he didn't tank the way some players do when they want to get out of a tournament early.

Also, I don't understand fining Roddick and Safin for not playing the Masters. I suppose you could have an argument with Hewitt, but I can't see fining him either for making a mature life decision.

I'd normally feel the same way, but he's so great to watch when he's confident that I give him a pass.

Yes. He's always -- well, not always but most of the times -- thinking he's going to lose even if he's winning. There was a match, I believe it was against David Ferrer, when he was like two points away of winning the whole thing and he lost. He later said that all the time he was thinking there was no way he was going to win. And he was winning!



ITA. And he also seems like a really nice guy, too.

Gaudio had every opportunity to give up against Coria at the French, but he didn't.

Oh!! That was a really cool match. But really, the first two sets he was out of there. And the reason why he started to win was because Coria started to feel bad. Coria didn't play the third (or was it the fourth?) set because he wanted to save his energy for later. And later was too late because Gaudio was already in the game playing an amazing tennis.

God, that was a goooood match. And I was rooting for Willy, but still loved Gastón.

Here's a nice exchange for all Federer and Nadal fans. Bitter rivalry those two have. Bitter!

I was watching the Sharapova/Mauresmo match (Yay Amelie!-I hope you win it all!) and I really liked the angle that some of the shots were at-it wasn't the normal shot that almost looks like it's above the court, it was lower-almost to the level of the seats and at an angle which gave you a better idea of how hard and deep they were hitting the ball. I think they should use that angle a lot more.

Also, Sharapova looked like she was on the verge of tears during the match. It's really disconcerting to watch.

I'm rooting for Amelie to win it all, too. I love her style of play and wish she would win a Grand Slam event SO much! The season ending tournament will be a nice win, though.

I'm always glad to see Maria on the verge of tears when she's losing. She acts too big for her britches and I can't stand her fist pumping and constant glaring at her dad in between points she wins. It just grates. I was pissed at her during the match today when several times she did a very subtle (but obvious) "choke hold" on her throat and smiled into the crowd when she won those couple of games in the second set when Amelie had the lead. Yeah, Amelie has a history of blowing leads, but Maria doing that? BITCH.

Did any of you watched last night Shangai matches? I fell sleep during the second set of the Federer - David match. Man, I hate those hours!

She didn't really do that, did she? I watched the whole match and never noticed it. If she did, that is horrible. She could have been making that motion in reference to herself, considering that she had a 5-2 lead in the first and lost it anyway.

What bothers me about her crying is the idea it puts in my head that there will be hell to pay from her dad if she loses. Maybe I am just making assumptions based on all those awful tennis dads-I know nothing about her father.

And I am so mean, in my head I call Mary Pierce "Steroid Mary".

Actually I'd be ok with Gaudio tanking his matches if only he'd take his shirt off more often. He might not have much self-belief but damn, he has got an amazing body, which earns him a free pass with me. My favorite Gaudio story is from this year's RG when, as he was winning the match, he screamed at the opposition's coach "Don't worry, your guy will start winning soon!" And sure enough, the other guy did.

Oh, and for those asking about Fed vs Nalby Fed won the match with Nalby. After being down a break in the third. It's a good cushion, though, for when he gets destroyed by Ljubo on Tues.

One question; do you guys get John Barrett on TTC or do you get McEnroe and Brad Gilbert? I really enjoy Barrett's commentary, as he can come up with some really witty barbs. ("There goes Gaston Gaudio serving and volleying... I never thought I would see the day when I would say those words." or "He won that match but only because both of them couldn't lose.")

Man, I really hope Maria has finally stopped growing this year. 6 feet 2 inches is enough! She's already as tall as Kerri Walsh. I mean most people reach their full height when their 18. It felt like I've been watching Bambi learn to walk these past few months! She's probably crying because she still trying unsuccessfully to get full control of her body. I think when she becomes used to and more acclimated to her height, she could become a truly great player but now her movements are so awkward and gangly.

ghetto hood rat, Maria did it twice in the second set, when Amelie had leads in the games and Maria came back to win them. So, that's how I'm interpreting her actions - a blatant slam to Amelie. I try to keep in mind that Maria's only just turned 18, so I shouldn't expect her to have much maturity. Still, she grates. Big time.

Hee! @ "Steroid Mary."

Pierce vs. Mauresmo?

This is a really good game.

Great match between Mary and Amelie! Too bad I can't fast forward every time Pierce is about to serve!

I've been watching the Mauresmo/Pierce final since it started 2 1/2 hours ago. Great tennis, but they're shooting the court in such a bizarre way it looks no bigger than a napkin! The quality of the match has picked up since the first set, thankfully: it was paiful to watch at first.

I enjoy Mary Joe's commentary a lot: she's insightful, fun and, most of all, she's not Pam Shriver, who is a pain in the ass in the booth.

Mauresmo really needs to win this match.

Yay for Amelie! I'm so happy for her. Great match.

And she did! I am so happy for her. I really, really hope this is a breakthrough for her and she has a successful year (i.e. a Grand Slam) in 2006. She has a great personality and I think the problem is she thinks too much when she plays.

And as much as I make fun of Pierce, hats off to her too. I loved how she was taking all this time to adjust her ponytail and it was still going nuts.

Yay! Amelie won! I'm sooooooooooooo happy for her! I really do want her to use this as a springboard for next year. She was lacking in confidence the past few weeks, she toughed it out and it paid off. Good for her!

And hats off to Mary, too. Even if she drives me crazy with her ticks, her preening and her drama, she had one hell of a week and she would've deserved to win, too.

Mary has a boatload of tics when she plays, but she knows she does and has made fun of herself because of it, so now I feel dirty when I get cranky about it. Oh well.

They both played really well (aside from the 1st set and part of the 2nd, which were just terrible and slow) and I'd have been happy either way, but my heart often tugs in Amelie's direction because she needs to get over her damn nerves already.

Good match, often good commentary, quasi-good way of spending almost 3 1/2 hours on a Sunday night.

The best part is that Mauresmo was able to come back from down 0-40 in the final game.

(Amelie has really smooth underarms. Just sayin'.)

In other news Coria is getting destroyed by Ljubicic

And he wore an ugly shirt while getting beat.

Ah, the hours are fairly reasonable over here, and I'm loving that! I'm so glad that the ABC secured the rights to show the entire Master's Cup because I don't have cable, and I usually don't get the chance to watch much tennis outside the Aussie summer. I even miss most of the grand slams - the US Open is at a ridiculous hour because of the time zones and free-to-air networks don't have the rights to air the French Open. Plus, they tend to air the matches with Australian players as the first priority, meaning I usually miss out on the quality matches that I actually want to watch. And unfortunately that means that I have to watch Lleyton Hewitt play.

I've realised how much I miss the tennis, now that it's on every night again. God, I love it. And it's even better with the unbiased commentary, because there are no Aussies in the field. Heh. Thanks to the ABC!

So Agassi lost and Nadal withdrew. And now I hear that Agassi will withdraw as well. Wow. I think this might be the weakest TMC field in a very long time. It's like the walking wounded.

Sniff. I woke up too late to see any of the Agassi-Davydenko match, but not too late to hear this news, jimena.

Say it ain't so, Bam-Bam!

I must say, though (tm/that adorable Martin Short character from SNL of ages past), that Brad Gilbert has been stellar on the commentating.

And Rafa (I always think of him as "Little" Rafa or "Little" Bam-Bam, just because he's such a youngster), looked so cute in the stands watching Roger's match vs. Nalbandian. It was shocking how swiftly Roger turned that final set around. One moment Nalbandian is cruising to a victory; blink, and suddenly Roger's raising his arms in victory.

You, Nalbandian fans, is he likely to take it to the next level in fitness? Or is he a reluctant trainer? Gilbert and PMac were saying he should take a page from Agassi's book and hit the weight room.

Agassi Out
So, Gaudio and Davydenko just hang out now?
ETA: Does the venue holding the event take a big loss now?

Gaudio and Puerta (who replaced Nadal) played, and Gaudio won. Fernando Gonzalez is set to replace Agassi.

jimena
Sorry, I was reading it wrong and didn't notice they already played today.

Hee! Me, too, although the constant hair tugging was making me a little crankier than normal.

Way to go, Amelie! I was rooting for her to win. Hopefully she'll gain lots of confidence from the victory and carry it over into next year.

A friend of mine is there at the event with a press pass and she saw Rafa practicing a couple of hours before the Agassi/Davydenko match. She said that Rafa looked absolutely fine on the practice courts, with no trouble moving. And I must say, for a guy who recently twisted his ankle Agassi has no trouble scrambling for those drop shots.

The word is that all of these cancellations came about because of the low appearance fees. Last year most of the headliners got at least half a million dollars just to show up; this year it's a tenth of that, or some equally unacceptable amount. So these withdrawals are kind of an unofficial protest against the organizers who didn't want to pony up the cash.

That makes no sense. Your're handing organizers a justification for even lower fees next year.
So, Agassi and Nadal get their money for just gracing us with their presence for the photo ops?
Can players be replaced all through the round robin ?

Not really. In a star-driven sport like tennis, the tournament really suffers if the stars don't show up. No Dre/Fed/Saf/Hew/A-Rod/Nadal equals no sponsors, no ticket sales and no viewership. The tournament organizers know it, and the players know it. If the tourney organizers offer smaller appearance fees next year, I guarantee that we'll probably see more Davydenko/Ljubicic/Ferrer types. Good luck trying to sell that anywhere.

Last year and the year before, Mattress Mac paid huge sums in bonuses. He could afford to do so because a) the tournament aired live US time, and hence could generate more viewership and b) what he didn't spend on the venue he could afford to splurge on getting people to show up. I'm thinking that the lack of money, compounded with the dissatisfaction with the surface and the players wanting a shorter season lead to this exodus.

Distant Sun, I'm actually quite happy with the way things turned out because I get to see more of the lovely Gaston Gaudio and Fernando Gonzalez. And I'd take Nalbandian's game over Roddick's any day.

I know I'm in a tiny minority, but I'd buy it. I'm just sad enough people can't drop out so Tim Henman can play.

They should hold a seperate tournament for all the injured players. Now that would be interesting.

Does anyone know when ESPN is going to show the Federer/Ljubicic match?

I've been reading about the protest theory, but not because of money, but because of the surface. Somebody even said that this damn surface was the reason Agassi's injury got so much worse.

But I'm still choosing not to believe any of this "boycott theory". They're are professionals, they flew to the other side of the world! It's not like the tournament was in Europe, it was in China! Therefore, if they say they have physical problems, I believe them.



I know ESPN is going to broadcast that match over here, but I don't know if that's a good information to you, considering that I live in Latin America, so I watch ESPNla.

I think I remember they were going to show it live 6am (ET) Tuesday morning.

I agree that it would be odd for the players to register a protest by showing up at an event that's so far away. Interesting to hear the complaint about the surface, though.

Whether it's an intentional protest or not, I think the main point made by all these injuries is about the length of the season and intensity of the schedule. The top guys all clearly play too much tennis, leading to all the injuries. It's been a very obvious aspect of the women's game in recent years and now it's hitting the men. It's inevitable that the top players will be some of the hardest hit by niggling injuries because they progress the furthest through most tournaments and hence play the most games.

They have to either cut back the schedule or change the rankings and tour structure to allow players to pick and choose which tournaments to play (which the authorities won't want to do). There needs to be an off-season for tennis that lasts longer than a couple of weeks. After playing in Shanghai and the Davis Cup final how long is Ljubicic going to get off before starting to prepare for Australia?

Harry 24 I think the reason why AA and Boy Wonder showed up is because otherwise they would've been forced to pay a hefty fine or face other penalties like Hewitt, A-Rod and Safin.

From a London Times article about the new stadium in Shanghai:

"And though the Chinese reporters, mostly women, ask Hello! magazine-type questions, they do so with gushing enthusiasm. There were definite traces of crimson in Rafael Nadal’s tanned cheeks when he fielded a question that began “you are beautiful."

Aw.

"Apart from a tendency to get up and walk around in the middle of points — Roger Federer actually cleared his throat at one stage during his match yesterday — and get so excited that they cheer shots before rallies have been completed, the behaviour of the Chinese fans is impeccable."

I love Federer's attempt at McEnroe behavior: clearing his throat. Hee.

While I agree the schedule changes need to be made, I do have a problem with Andre's latest interviews complaining about the schedule.

He's out due to an injury from playing racquetball; Andy R., also complained about his back all season, decides to schedule and play a charity match right before the Masters; and Hewitt is home waiting for his blessed event.


What would be the greatest excuse for getting out of playing that tournament?