Its getting closer to the end of yet another ATP tour event, this being the penultimate one at the BNP Paribas Paris Masters event, which is the last ATP 1000 Masters series event of the year. In the entrants we seen Djokovic, Murray, Federer, Ferrer, Berdych and Fish all take place in the fight to take the Parisian trophy home (but if memory serves its a right ugly looking thing like a big spider!). And already there has been some surprise exits so more on that below.
To begin with Djokovic came into the tournament fresh after his shock defeat at the hands of Kei Nishikori last week in Basel and managed to get the first two matches under his belt. However Djokovic was still fighting the pain of his shoulder injury which had returned, and yesterday (Thursday 10/11) he announced his withdrawal from the tournament as he sighted his shoulder which was getting worse. Well you can't argue with Djokovic's decision as his body has been hurting ever since he played in Cincinnati, and after such a physically punishing US Open campaign, I think Djokovic's body started to wave the white flag. Which means he now has more time to prepare for the ATP World Tour Finals at the o2 in London, which is something Nadal has been prepping for ever since having decided to not participate in recent tournaments. But I'm sure that Djokovic (and Nadal for that matter) will do everything they can to make sure they are fighting fit for the o2 Arena next weekend.
Now onto other matches of today, starting with David Ferrer who took on the American giant John Isner, who previously had never recorded a win against the Spaniard. And this really was a case of David and Goliath (well we have a David for once! :-)) as the 5 foot 9 inch Spaniard found himself dominated by the massive Yank, who had a virtually impenetrable serve, as Isner took the first set, in the second set Ferrer broke Isner and took that, but by the third, Ferrer again struggled to hold serve and ended up handing the match to Isner. This was Isner's first victory over Ferrer, and it really has to be said that Isner has really come on as a player this year, as in the past he was going out early on in tournaments, but this year he has already won 2 titles, made the US Open quarter finals, and now he has made his first ATP Masters series semi final. And Isner faces Tsonga next, the home favourite, I don't know what the head to head there is but I'm sure it will be a good match.
Next onto Federer who took on the Argentine, Juan Monaco, who actually despite facing inevitable defeat, acquitted himself quite well and put on a decent display of tennis before falling to the Swiss maestro in straight sets 6-3, 7-5. This gives Federer another semi final opportunity and a shout to get ot the final, but more on that in a minute.
Which brings us to the last match (well actually it was the first of the day!) between Andy Murray and the tall Czeck Tomas Berdych, who has come into this tournament on a good run of form. And right from the start we could see Andy was going to have a tough time with Berdych, who made Andy run from pillar to post (or from net to chairs). After winning the first set, Andy was made to suffer by Berdych in the second set, and despite being 4-2 down, he managed to break back to make things even, but after it went to a tiebreak that's when Andy started to show signs of losing control of the match when Berdych took the 2nd set. And in the 3rd set, Andy handed the crucial break to Berdych at 4-4 all on his serve, as he double faulted, but despite a thrilling last game, it was the big Czeck that cashed in (bad bad joke!) which saw him record his 3rd win over Andy, winning 4-6, 7-6, 6-4.
Despite Andy's loss however, this was an excellent match and both players played high quality stuff for the riveted Parisian crowd who were shouting for more near the very end. Berdych also deserves a great deal of credit for his performance in this match as well (well he won it!) as he stuck in there at the crucial moments, especially when it looked like Andy had a chance to break back in that final game. Andy himself however said after that he wasn't happy with his performance, and that he felt his serve and his backhand were particularly poor, and while that's true I think Andy once again showed what an incredible fighter he is on the court, win or lose, the guy gave it his all. And despite that little incident with Andy getting annoyed at the umpire over the unscheduled change of balls, it seems largely irrelevant to the outcome. The media would of course use that as an excuse for it affecting Andy's mood, which contributed to him losing the match, but I think that's a lot of crap really, as it didn't really make much difference, Berdych held well in the tough moments and that was it.
So despite the disappointment of losing, it does allow Andy more time to recharge his batteries before he gets to London, which he badly would need to do should he have managed to win the title. But with the way Federer is playing, its hard to see anyone else winning in Paris, except maybe Berdych, given his current form, is the only possible player that can beat him in the tournament. Although lets not discount Tsonga either, who already has beaten Federer twice this year, the most notable victory being at Wimbledon. But first things first, tomorrow promises two very good semi final matches between Federer and Berdych, and Tsonga and Isner, so its going to be intruiging to see who will win. My money is on Federer and Tsonga in the final, or maybe at a pinch, Berdych and Tsonga, although Isner leads the head to head against Tsonga, so it could well be Isner that final! Its going to be good whichever way it goes.
Right that'll do it for now....
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Friday, 11 November 2011
Wednesday, 9 November 2011
Fav ATP Matches of 2011 Part 3: The hard court season
I decided I couldn't put this off any further as I really wanted to list some of my favourite ATP tour season hard court matches from this year, and since hard court takes up the bulk of the tennis season, its been fairly tough to pick out the best ones, but I've made a stab at it here and chosen 5 since there are so many. Here goes....
Number 5: Australian Open Semi Final, Andy Murray d. David Ferrer, 4-6, 7-6(2), 6-1, 7-6(2).
There a few things that are really bad for the central nervous system, and one of those things is watching Andy Murray play a very tightly contested match in a crucial grand slam match. And this match certainly fitted the bill, as Andy had to grind out a win against the gritty, dogged and agile spaniard David Ferrer. The match itself was overall pretty high on quality, despite a few dips from both players, in the first set, there were a share of breaks, but it was ultimately Ferrer that took the set. Again more breaks of serve followed in the 2nd, with Andy at one point in real danger of going two sets down, but he broke back and took it took a tiebreaker, which he won. In the 3rd Andy took control and breezed through, however he let his form dip again in the 4th, letting Ferrer right back in, and before we knew it, it was another tiebreak, but again Andy dominated the breaker with his serve to secure his place in a career 3rd grand slam final. Both players definitely deserve a lot of credit as they brought some terrific play to this match, even the ladies World No.1 Caroline Wozniacki, who was out of the tournament at this point, took a seat in Andy's box to watch. And it was unfortunate for Ferrer, who played a gutsy match to lose out, however it was even more unfortunate for the Muzza to go on and face an invincible opponent in the final, but that's another story. But overall a very fine match and one of the highlights of the season.
Number 4: Regions Morgans Keegan Championships Memphis Final, Andy Roddick d. Milos Raonic, 7-6, 6-7, 7-5.
As another switch up, here's a match with none of the top 4 players involved, as Andy Roddick early on in February this year took on the rising Canadian star and very talented player Milos Raonic. And both of them they put on a very entertaining, high quality final, and between them they must have served up at least 60 aces (Roddick alone served 32!) as they are both big servers. Both players also provided some incredible points and Raonic particularly hit some superb clean winners on both sides of the court, and throughout the match the big Canadian (6 ft 5) proved to be a real threat to Roddick's calibre. And the fact that all three sets were very tight made it for a very gripping match as well, and the match is also very noteworthy for Roddick's remarkable championship point, as he had a break point on Raonic's serve at 6-5(30-40) and sealed the title with an incredible dive, as he raced to the return Raonic's shot and dove on the court, with the ball speeding over the net clean into the court. Remarkable stuff. It also was the only title Roddick won all year, and sadly for him his year took a bit of a downturn after this, however this match was one of the highlights of his career and of the year.
Number 3: BNP Paribas Paris Masters, Semi Final, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga d. John Isner, 3-6, 7-6(1), 7-6(3).
Here is another match where there are none of the top 4 players in this choice, as this match was between the World No.7 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and the American John Isner (ranked No. 25) in the Paris Masters semi final. John Isner came into this match leading the head to head against Tsonga 2-0 in their previous meetings, but this time he would be playing on Tsonga's home soil at the Bercy in Paris. For nearly 3 hours both players put on an absolutely superb display of tennis for the cheering French crowd, who naturally were right behind their man, Tsonga, who came under threat from the in-form giant American Isner, who's serve itself is the stuff that nightmares is made of for tennis players (remarkably Isner never had his server broken once in this match). In the first set Tsonga dropped his serve to allow Isner take it, but in the second and third sets there was nothing to set the two men apart, and in a thrilling game at 5-6 on Tsonga's serve in the 3rd, where Tsonga faced three match points, Tsonga saved them all to push the match to a tiebreak, which Tsonga closed out to reach his 2nd Paris Masters final. For most of the top players such as Murray, Djokovic or Nadal, you almost get a routine feel when they get to a Masters final as they have won so many, but when on this occassion between Tsonga and Isner, it really does feel like a big match you are watching. And this match definitely had that feel to it, as the French crowd provided a great atmosphere for the two tennis players who played some of their best stuff, with the whole crowd cheering Tsonga on to victory. John Isner also deserves a lot of credit for this match, and this year he has come forward and leaps in bounds. So in my humble opinion this was definitely one of the best matches of the hard court season.
Number 2: Sony Ericsson Open Final, Novak Djokovic d. Rafael Nadal, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(4).
This match took place early on in the ATP tour season back in March when the world's two best players had it out for the second time that year, with Djokovic already having gained the upper hand against Nadal in Indian Wells, Rafa was determined to prove by the looks of thing that it was just a fluke. Despite coming out as the stronger player at the beginning, Rafa soon once again found Djokovic to be a formidable opponent who just wouldn't go away. This match was undeniably one of the highlights of the season as it featured some of the best tennis you will see in 2011, with both players just hammering it out for the crown in Miami. After his level dipped in the 2nd set, Rafa regrouped in the 3rd set as both men fought hard to keep their serve, and in the end it took a tiebreak to separate these two guys. But by then Djokovic had gotten firmly into the habit of knowing how to win a match and played the crucial points, and ultimately sealed Rafa's fate with a forehand winner down the left hand side. This was definitely when Rafa realised he was about to be replaced in the World No.1 spot by the Serb, and we clearly saw him slump in defeat in his chair at the end of an exhaustive and quite incredible match.
Number 1: US Open Final, Novak Djokovic d. Rafael Nadal, 6-2, 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-1.
There are so many superlatives you could throw at this match and they still wouldn't be enough to describe just how utterly remarkable it truly was, as the 2011 US Open men's singles final wasn't just in my opinion the Number 1 match of the hard court season, it was the best match of the year: period. After losing to Novak Djokovic 5 times in a row, in 5 finals, Rafa was determined to set the record straight by trying his damndest to hold onto his New York crown, and by God did he try. Right from the start, with Rafa coming out so strong and bossing the play, you could see you were in for a treat, and before you knew it, Djokovic had not only broke back, but also bagged the first set as well as the 2nd. And the scoreline totally belies what the two men had on the court, as this was one of the most physically intense matches that has ever been played on any surface, and both men produced tennis of the highest quality you will probably ever see, that at times stopped being tennis and became more like two heavyweight boxers trading blows (well across a net!). And two of the most remarkable things about this match (of which there were many!) where that one, Rafa despite being broken at 5-6 in the 3rd set, was able to break back and take the set to a thrilling tiebreak which he won, and the second, that in the 4th set Djokovic despite suffering from back pain, was able to defeat Rafa from the back of the court, get his first serves in, and defeat Rafa 6-1!!! So in the end after a brutally exhaustive and absolutely stunning 4 hours and 10 minutes of play, Djokovic hit a forehand winner, which saw him fall flat on his back in delight as he won his 4th grand slam title. And right throughout the New York crowd, produced an utterly electrifying atmosphere as they screamed and shouted out in joy, amazement, wonder and sheer utter awe at what they were witnessing. And if there is to be a better grand slam final in the immediate future, its going to have a hell of a job outdoing this one. Just spectacular.
So that's itttttt!!!! If the ATP World Finals brings up an amazing match there will be room for it here. But that's it for now, more to follow on Paris Masters soon!
Number 5: Australian Open Semi Final, Andy Murray d. David Ferrer, 4-6, 7-6(2), 6-1, 7-6(2).
There a few things that are really bad for the central nervous system, and one of those things is watching Andy Murray play a very tightly contested match in a crucial grand slam match. And this match certainly fitted the bill, as Andy had to grind out a win against the gritty, dogged and agile spaniard David Ferrer. The match itself was overall pretty high on quality, despite a few dips from both players, in the first set, there were a share of breaks, but it was ultimately Ferrer that took the set. Again more breaks of serve followed in the 2nd, with Andy at one point in real danger of going two sets down, but he broke back and took it took a tiebreaker, which he won. In the 3rd Andy took control and breezed through, however he let his form dip again in the 4th, letting Ferrer right back in, and before we knew it, it was another tiebreak, but again Andy dominated the breaker with his serve to secure his place in a career 3rd grand slam final. Both players definitely deserve a lot of credit as they brought some terrific play to this match, even the ladies World No.1 Caroline Wozniacki, who was out of the tournament at this point, took a seat in Andy's box to watch. And it was unfortunate for Ferrer, who played a gutsy match to lose out, however it was even more unfortunate for the Muzza to go on and face an invincible opponent in the final, but that's another story. But overall a very fine match and one of the highlights of the season.
Number 4: Regions Morgans Keegan Championships Memphis Final, Andy Roddick d. Milos Raonic, 7-6, 6-7, 7-5.
As another switch up, here's a match with none of the top 4 players involved, as Andy Roddick early on in February this year took on the rising Canadian star and very talented player Milos Raonic. And both of them they put on a very entertaining, high quality final, and between them they must have served up at least 60 aces (Roddick alone served 32!) as they are both big servers. Both players also provided some incredible points and Raonic particularly hit some superb clean winners on both sides of the court, and throughout the match the big Canadian (6 ft 5) proved to be a real threat to Roddick's calibre. And the fact that all three sets were very tight made it for a very gripping match as well, and the match is also very noteworthy for Roddick's remarkable championship point, as he had a break point on Raonic's serve at 6-5(30-40) and sealed the title with an incredible dive, as he raced to the return Raonic's shot and dove on the court, with the ball speeding over the net clean into the court. Remarkable stuff. It also was the only title Roddick won all year, and sadly for him his year took a bit of a downturn after this, however this match was one of the highlights of his career and of the year.
Number 3: BNP Paribas Paris Masters, Semi Final, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga d. John Isner, 3-6, 7-6(1), 7-6(3).
Here is another match where there are none of the top 4 players in this choice, as this match was between the World No.7 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and the American John Isner (ranked No. 25) in the Paris Masters semi final. John Isner came into this match leading the head to head against Tsonga 2-0 in their previous meetings, but this time he would be playing on Tsonga's home soil at the Bercy in Paris. For nearly 3 hours both players put on an absolutely superb display of tennis for the cheering French crowd, who naturally were right behind their man, Tsonga, who came under threat from the in-form giant American Isner, who's serve itself is the stuff that nightmares is made of for tennis players (remarkably Isner never had his server broken once in this match). In the first set Tsonga dropped his serve to allow Isner take it, but in the second and third sets there was nothing to set the two men apart, and in a thrilling game at 5-6 on Tsonga's serve in the 3rd, where Tsonga faced three match points, Tsonga saved them all to push the match to a tiebreak, which Tsonga closed out to reach his 2nd Paris Masters final. For most of the top players such as Murray, Djokovic or Nadal, you almost get a routine feel when they get to a Masters final as they have won so many, but when on this occassion between Tsonga and Isner, it really does feel like a big match you are watching. And this match definitely had that feel to it, as the French crowd provided a great atmosphere for the two tennis players who played some of their best stuff, with the whole crowd cheering Tsonga on to victory. John Isner also deserves a lot of credit for this match, and this year he has come forward and leaps in bounds. So in my humble opinion this was definitely one of the best matches of the hard court season.
Number 2: Sony Ericsson Open Final, Novak Djokovic d. Rafael Nadal, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(4).
This match took place early on in the ATP tour season back in March when the world's two best players had it out for the second time that year, with Djokovic already having gained the upper hand against Nadal in Indian Wells, Rafa was determined to prove by the looks of thing that it was just a fluke. Despite coming out as the stronger player at the beginning, Rafa soon once again found Djokovic to be a formidable opponent who just wouldn't go away. This match was undeniably one of the highlights of the season as it featured some of the best tennis you will see in 2011, with both players just hammering it out for the crown in Miami. After his level dipped in the 2nd set, Rafa regrouped in the 3rd set as both men fought hard to keep their serve, and in the end it took a tiebreak to separate these two guys. But by then Djokovic had gotten firmly into the habit of knowing how to win a match and played the crucial points, and ultimately sealed Rafa's fate with a forehand winner down the left hand side. This was definitely when Rafa realised he was about to be replaced in the World No.1 spot by the Serb, and we clearly saw him slump in defeat in his chair at the end of an exhaustive and quite incredible match.
Number 1: US Open Final, Novak Djokovic d. Rafael Nadal, 6-2, 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-1.
There are so many superlatives you could throw at this match and they still wouldn't be enough to describe just how utterly remarkable it truly was, as the 2011 US Open men's singles final wasn't just in my opinion the Number 1 match of the hard court season, it was the best match of the year: period. After losing to Novak Djokovic 5 times in a row, in 5 finals, Rafa was determined to set the record straight by trying his damndest to hold onto his New York crown, and by God did he try. Right from the start, with Rafa coming out so strong and bossing the play, you could see you were in for a treat, and before you knew it, Djokovic had not only broke back, but also bagged the first set as well as the 2nd. And the scoreline totally belies what the two men had on the court, as this was one of the most physically intense matches that has ever been played on any surface, and both men produced tennis of the highest quality you will probably ever see, that at times stopped being tennis and became more like two heavyweight boxers trading blows (well across a net!). And two of the most remarkable things about this match (of which there were many!) where that one, Rafa despite being broken at 5-6 in the 3rd set, was able to break back and take the set to a thrilling tiebreak which he won, and the second, that in the 4th set Djokovic despite suffering from back pain, was able to defeat Rafa from the back of the court, get his first serves in, and defeat Rafa 6-1!!! So in the end after a brutally exhaustive and absolutely stunning 4 hours and 10 minutes of play, Djokovic hit a forehand winner, which saw him fall flat on his back in delight as he won his 4th grand slam title. And right throughout the New York crowd, produced an utterly electrifying atmosphere as they screamed and shouted out in joy, amazement, wonder and sheer utter awe at what they were witnessing. And if there is to be a better grand slam final in the immediate future, its going to have a hell of a job outdoing this one. Just spectacular.
So that's itttttt!!!! If the ATP World Finals brings up an amazing match there will be room for it here. But that's it for now, more to follow on Paris Masters soon!
One pass no fail!!!!
Well I am delighted to report to myself (on this blog) that today I managed to pass my Microsoft 70-680 Windows 7 exam, as the last two weeks or so have been pretty intensive on the study front, so I was hoping to get a pass and so it was great to get one today.
Questions wise though I was surprised to see so many turn up that appeared in some of the practice test questions one of my colleagues on the course gave out to us all, in fact it proved to an invaluable tool for passing the exam, so I he deserves a pint for sure! :-) But the main thing is that I got the pass, I was also quite surprised how well I scored, as I got 945/1000, which is not too shoddy, I mean I could have done better of course! So I am well pleased to get this exam out the way as it has been a real bugger and now it is, we can concentrate on the next exam the Windows 7 Troubleshooting exam 70-685, which is supposed to be a fair bit easier than the previous one, and also probably about half as long.
The only problem of course now is studying for this exam while looking for work at the same time, as from now on in the course we are to get into the nitty gritty of job hunting once again, so it will be updating CVs time etc. My experience of these training courses however in the past haven't been terribly great as they have always lead to nowhere and I am concerned that at the end of this I could be back on the dole again, but there is plenty of time left and while we are coming up for Christmas, its definitely a good idea to start applying straight away.
Anyways in the meantime I'm taking a well earned (well at least in my opinion) rest from the study tonight and tomorrow before we crack on to the next one.
Questions wise though I was surprised to see so many turn up that appeared in some of the practice test questions one of my colleagues on the course gave out to us all, in fact it proved to an invaluable tool for passing the exam, so I he deserves a pint for sure! :-) But the main thing is that I got the pass, I was also quite surprised how well I scored, as I got 945/1000, which is not too shoddy, I mean I could have done better of course! So I am well pleased to get this exam out the way as it has been a real bugger and now it is, we can concentrate on the next exam the Windows 7 Troubleshooting exam 70-685, which is supposed to be a fair bit easier than the previous one, and also probably about half as long.
The only problem of course now is studying for this exam while looking for work at the same time, as from now on in the course we are to get into the nitty gritty of job hunting once again, so it will be updating CVs time etc. My experience of these training courses however in the past haven't been terribly great as they have always lead to nowhere and I am concerned that at the end of this I could be back on the dole again, but there is plenty of time left and while we are coming up for Christmas, its definitely a good idea to start applying straight away.
Anyways in the meantime I'm taking a well earned (well at least in my opinion) rest from the study tonight and tomorrow before we crack on to the next one.
Monday, 7 November 2011
The Pizza King
So that's another couple of ATP men's tournaments over with as the men's tennis season is growing closer to an end this year, with the ATP 500 series events in Basel and Valencia.
In Valencia briefly, the top seed David Ferrer who was the defending champion from last year unfortunately was unable to make it to the final as he was defeated by Marcel Granollers, who went on to take the title himself. And in Basel there were one or two surprises this week, the main one being that the World No.1 Novak Djokovic, who has recently come back into the game after a month's absence, was handed his 4th defeat of the season, from an unlikely opponent, the Japanese player, Kei Nishikori, who put in a great performance against the Serb. Despite showing a dominant display in the 1st set, Djokovic went a break down in the 2nd, but broke back, however Nishikori held on and took it to a tiebreak, which he won. And in the 3rd set, Djokovic was nowhere, as his shoulder injury appeared to have resurfaced as he struggled to hold serve or do anything, and he was handed a shock defeat at the hands of the talented Japanese player, who won in 2-6, 7-6, 6-0.
This raises a concern about Djokovic, while his ability is undeniable, his injuries this year, especially since losing to Andy Murray in Cincinnati have really hampered him, as we seen at the end of the US Open with his back trouble, and at the Davis Cup where he collapsed in pain again from his back. And it could be difficult for Djokovic to hold on to the top spot if he ends up having to continually drop out of tournaments due to injury. Djokovic has already said he wants to play at the Paris Masters, which is coming up this week, but given his shoulder is it a good idea??? Probably not, however its up to Djokovic, but if I were him I would give Paris a miss and get ready for the o2 in the London, but we will soon find out if he takes part or not this week.
Anyway onto the Swiss Indoors final at Basel, which was between Federer and Nishikori, and as expected in the match Federer dominated it pretty much from the start, and didn't allow Nishikori into the match at all, and went on to win the match in straight sets in 6-1, 6-3, in just over an 1 hour and 12 minutes. This was only Federer's second title of the year, and on paper it sounds ridiculous but that's the way of it, and there has been a certain other player who has been hogging them this year. But Federer having taking that extra time out, looks like he is in really good form once again, and I think this week in Paris and especially at the o2 in London he will again pose a serious threat to everyone else on the tour. But its good to see Federer back in the winning circle for this first time in 10 months since Doha back in January, and it was a nice touch that he gave the ball boys a couple of pizzas to dig into as a post victoy celebration!
So this is us getting that bit closer to the end of the 2011 ATP tour season, next up is Paris, which promises to be really good, although Nadal won't be playing as he is also taking time out to prepare for the World Finals at the o2 in London, and of course the Davis Cup final. Andy Murray however will be taking part in the Paris Masters, which is great as he had a slight scare with pulling a muscle last week in Basel, which forced him to withdraw at the last minute, but hopefully it looks like Andy will be back on tour. And it would be great to see Andy lift the Paris trophy, and interestingly enough neither he or Federer have ever won in Paris, and should Djokovic not play or retire during play, it will give them the best chance of winning. Of course the biggest deal left is the ATP World Tour Finals in London, so if Federer wins in Paris, here's hoping that Andy can win in London instead (although it could be the other way round!).
So plenty more good tennis will follow soon enough, until then that is all.
In Valencia briefly, the top seed David Ferrer who was the defending champion from last year unfortunately was unable to make it to the final as he was defeated by Marcel Granollers, who went on to take the title himself. And in Basel there were one or two surprises this week, the main one being that the World No.1 Novak Djokovic, who has recently come back into the game after a month's absence, was handed his 4th defeat of the season, from an unlikely opponent, the Japanese player, Kei Nishikori, who put in a great performance against the Serb. Despite showing a dominant display in the 1st set, Djokovic went a break down in the 2nd, but broke back, however Nishikori held on and took it to a tiebreak, which he won. And in the 3rd set, Djokovic was nowhere, as his shoulder injury appeared to have resurfaced as he struggled to hold serve or do anything, and he was handed a shock defeat at the hands of the talented Japanese player, who won in 2-6, 7-6, 6-0.
This raises a concern about Djokovic, while his ability is undeniable, his injuries this year, especially since losing to Andy Murray in Cincinnati have really hampered him, as we seen at the end of the US Open with his back trouble, and at the Davis Cup where he collapsed in pain again from his back. And it could be difficult for Djokovic to hold on to the top spot if he ends up having to continually drop out of tournaments due to injury. Djokovic has already said he wants to play at the Paris Masters, which is coming up this week, but given his shoulder is it a good idea??? Probably not, however its up to Djokovic, but if I were him I would give Paris a miss and get ready for the o2 in the London, but we will soon find out if he takes part or not this week.
Anyway onto the Swiss Indoors final at Basel, which was between Federer and Nishikori, and as expected in the match Federer dominated it pretty much from the start, and didn't allow Nishikori into the match at all, and went on to win the match in straight sets in 6-1, 6-3, in just over an 1 hour and 12 minutes. This was only Federer's second title of the year, and on paper it sounds ridiculous but that's the way of it, and there has been a certain other player who has been hogging them this year. But Federer having taking that extra time out, looks like he is in really good form once again, and I think this week in Paris and especially at the o2 in London he will again pose a serious threat to everyone else on the tour. But its good to see Federer back in the winning circle for this first time in 10 months since Doha back in January, and it was a nice touch that he gave the ball boys a couple of pizzas to dig into as a post victoy celebration!
So this is us getting that bit closer to the end of the 2011 ATP tour season, next up is Paris, which promises to be really good, although Nadal won't be playing as he is also taking time out to prepare for the World Finals at the o2 in London, and of course the Davis Cup final. Andy Murray however will be taking part in the Paris Masters, which is great as he had a slight scare with pulling a muscle last week in Basel, which forced him to withdraw at the last minute, but hopefully it looks like Andy will be back on tour. And it would be great to see Andy lift the Paris trophy, and interestingly enough neither he or Federer have ever won in Paris, and should Djokovic not play or retire during play, it will give them the best chance of winning. Of course the biggest deal left is the ATP World Tour Finals in London, so if Federer wins in Paris, here's hoping that Andy can win in London instead (although it could be the other way round!).
So plenty more good tennis will follow soon enough, until then that is all.
Sunday, 6 November 2011
Ahhh resits resits....
So I've got my Microsoft Windows 7 Configuration 70-680 exam resit coming up again this week so I'm hoping this time to get a pass. Whether or not I do is another matter, but I have been going over some next study materials given out by our tutor and by some of the guys in the class who have been downloading other study stuff (such as practice questions, which hopefully may turn up in the exam???).
But I have to say I have been really disappointed and annoyed at Microsoft in how they make up their exams and the official study guides they release, which I said before are next to useless in guaranteeing you a pass. To pass you have to use several different study guides and sources, as I found straight away in one of the other books such as Microsoft Self-Paced Training Kit, it contained so much more information that was not in the official Microsoft guide we were given. I also have been using other books and sources, so I hope this time I can at least scrape by and get a pass, although a really good pass of 800+ would be great, as the score system for the exam is out of 1000 marks I think.
However if I fail the exam this time I'm not sure what I will do after this, if I should consider just giving up the course and doing something else, but I guess I will worry about that one when I come to it. Its the same for everyone else in the class too, as six of us have already failed the exam, but this time I do at least feel I am going into it a bit more prepared and with a more positive attitude (even if it is positive ignorance! ;-)).
The other problem though of course I have found with IT in the past is getting the work experience, and regardless of how many courses you do, unless you get that foot in the door, the qualifications don't mean as much. So whether or not I will be able to get any IT work experience as a result of this course remains to be seen, and one of the guys in the course has already managed to get a job, which involves travelling by car. I also have a driving licence myself but I don't have a car, and I'm not so confident on the road as yet, so when it comes to travelling IT jobs, it would be a barrier to travel. But if there was any chance I could end up getting a cosy IT office job then that would better than travelling around!
But first things first, the resit is on Wednesday morning so I will keep the studying going for now, and see how it turns oot on the day. So more will follow on Wednesday, here's hoping....
But I have to say I have been really disappointed and annoyed at Microsoft in how they make up their exams and the official study guides they release, which I said before are next to useless in guaranteeing you a pass. To pass you have to use several different study guides and sources, as I found straight away in one of the other books such as Microsoft Self-Paced Training Kit, it contained so much more information that was not in the official Microsoft guide we were given. I also have been using other books and sources, so I hope this time I can at least scrape by and get a pass, although a really good pass of 800+ would be great, as the score system for the exam is out of 1000 marks I think.
However if I fail the exam this time I'm not sure what I will do after this, if I should consider just giving up the course and doing something else, but I guess I will worry about that one when I come to it. Its the same for everyone else in the class too, as six of us have already failed the exam, but this time I do at least feel I am going into it a bit more prepared and with a more positive attitude (even if it is positive ignorance! ;-)).
The other problem though of course I have found with IT in the past is getting the work experience, and regardless of how many courses you do, unless you get that foot in the door, the qualifications don't mean as much. So whether or not I will be able to get any IT work experience as a result of this course remains to be seen, and one of the guys in the course has already managed to get a job, which involves travelling by car. I also have a driving licence myself but I don't have a car, and I'm not so confident on the road as yet, so when it comes to travelling IT jobs, it would be a barrier to travel. But if there was any chance I could end up getting a cosy IT office job then that would better than travelling around!
But first things first, the resit is on Wednesday morning so I will keep the studying going for now, and see how it turns oot on the day. So more will follow on Wednesday, here's hoping....
Thursday, 3 November 2011
Fav ATP Matches of the Year Part 2: Doing it on the grass...
So now onto Part 2 of my favourite ATP matches of the year, which is all to do with the grass court season, again pretty short but there was plenty to choose from so here goes.
Number 4: Wimbledon Championships, 3rd round, Novak Djokovic d. Marcos Baghdatis, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.
On entering the Wimbledon championships, Djokovic naturally looked a hot favourite to win as well as Nadal, the ultimate crown in tennis. And after a couple of easy matches, Djokovic met his first match of the tournament in the very talented Cypriot, Marcos Baghdatis, who pushed Djoko around the court in a highly entertaining match. Baghdatis was again also the first person to take a set off Djokovic in the tournament, and above all else, he was the first player to really make Djoko lose his rag on court, as in the second set when facing a break point in an exciting rally, which Djokovic lost the point, he proceeded to smash his racquet into the ground. It was the first time we had seen Djokovic lose his temper this year on court, as being a champion and in control so much this year it was something he hadn't needed to deal with. But Baghdatis despite his defeat took everything in his stride and delighted in playing to the big audience at SW19, and it certainly was one of the most crowd pleasing matches of the year.
Number 3: Wimbledon Championships Final, Novak Djokovic d. Rafael Nadal, 6-4, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3.
Well the ultimate showdown between the world's tour best players doesn't feature in this one, that would be at the US Open, but until then this one would do. While the 2011 Wimbledon final didn't scale the heights of the legendary 2008 final (or 2009 for that matter) it certainly was a highly watchable and also historical match as for the first time since 2002 another player won at SW19 rather than Rafa and Roger. Right from the start we could see that Djokovic was intent on playing his best tennis, and utilising his prior victories against Rafa, he managed to get off to an excellent start as he broke Rafa at 4-4 and took the first set, the 2nd set was a scoosh, but in the 3rd Djokovic let his level dip and Rafa walked away with the set. However in the 4th, it was even pegged up until Djoko broke Rafa at 3-3 all, and on Rafa's serve at 5-3, Djokovic broke again to close out the game, set, match and his first Wimbledon title.
Depsite the scoreline and relatively short length of the final, there was certainly plenty of fine quality tennis on display, especially in the 1st and 4th sets from both players, and Djokovic's dominance in the 2nd was quite incredible. The fear of a straight set victory really did set in at the beginnig of the 3rd as it looked like Rafa was getting whitewashed but it was a crucial break that gave Rafa an extra lease of life and took us to that welcome 4th set. But in the end, it was a culmination of sheer hard work, talent, confidence and self belief that took Djokovic to that place where he not only took that dream trophy in his hands, but also pinched the World No.1 ranking from Rafa. As Djokovic himself put it in his post match interview to Sue Barker "A couple of good days at the office!". Indeed.
Number 2: AEGON Queens Club Championships Final, Andy Murray d. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, 3-6, 7-6(2), 6-4.
It was the second time at Queens that Andy Murray had reached the final and this time he played to a jam packed crowd on a Monday afternoon after a day's delay of heavy rain (some of which Andy apologised to if they had to bunk off work to go to!). And in the final Andy couldn't have asked for a tougher opponent than Jo-Wilfried Tsonga who came into the final in great form, having dispatched Rafa earlier on in the tournament. In the first set Tsonga broke early on and took the set, but in the 2nd it was a more even affair, although at 5-5 all, Tsonga did have a chance of a break point on Andy's serve, which could have gifted him the match, but Tsonga couldn't quite take it as fate took over the control of the tennis ball as it refused to go over the net! After dominating the 2nd set tiebreak, Andy went on to break Tsonga in the 3rd set, and at this point the two men were almost trying to outdo each other in the cheeky tennis department as Tsonga kept diving on the grass and making every shot, while Andy played a couple of between the legs shots (one of which paid off!). But in the end Andy managed to serve it out to love and held his arms aloft in delight as he won his first title of the year, and the first British man in over 70 years to win at Queens twice. So all in all the Queens final made for one of the most enjoyable matches of the year.
Number 1: Wimbledon Championships 4th round, Rafael Nadal d. Juan Martin Del Potro, 7-6, 3-6, 7-6, 6-4.
In a match anticipated 4th round match at Wimbledon, Rafa took on the former US Open champion Juan Martin Del Potro, who made his comeback to the game this year after taking last year after wrist surgery. And the match didn't disappoint as Del Potro gave Rafa one of his sternest tests of the tournament, as his serve was almost inpenetrable for most of the match and it took till the 4th set for Nadal to finally get a break on Delpo's serve. In fact for most of the match it seemed like it was Delpo that was in control, as Rafa was fortunate enough to win the tiebreaks, but apart from that it took almost everything for Rafa to get that crucial break in the 4th set. The match also wasn't short on drama as Rafa complained to the umpire at one point about something, and he had to take a medical tiemout for blisters on his feet just prior to the tiebreak, which pissed off Delpo, which showed after the big Argentine lost the first set. But it ranks easily as one of the main highlights of the grass court season and it also showed just what an impressive comeback Delpo had made in 2011, that he pushed the then World No.1 and defending Wimbledon champion so far.
Part 3 beckons..... soon......
Number 4: Wimbledon Championships, 3rd round, Novak Djokovic d. Marcos Baghdatis, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.
On entering the Wimbledon championships, Djokovic naturally looked a hot favourite to win as well as Nadal, the ultimate crown in tennis. And after a couple of easy matches, Djokovic met his first match of the tournament in the very talented Cypriot, Marcos Baghdatis, who pushed Djoko around the court in a highly entertaining match. Baghdatis was again also the first person to take a set off Djokovic in the tournament, and above all else, he was the first player to really make Djoko lose his rag on court, as in the second set when facing a break point in an exciting rally, which Djokovic lost the point, he proceeded to smash his racquet into the ground. It was the first time we had seen Djokovic lose his temper this year on court, as being a champion and in control so much this year it was something he hadn't needed to deal with. But Baghdatis despite his defeat took everything in his stride and delighted in playing to the big audience at SW19, and it certainly was one of the most crowd pleasing matches of the year.
Number 3: Wimbledon Championships Final, Novak Djokovic d. Rafael Nadal, 6-4, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3.
Well the ultimate showdown between the world's tour best players doesn't feature in this one, that would be at the US Open, but until then this one would do. While the 2011 Wimbledon final didn't scale the heights of the legendary 2008 final (or 2009 for that matter) it certainly was a highly watchable and also historical match as for the first time since 2002 another player won at SW19 rather than Rafa and Roger. Right from the start we could see that Djokovic was intent on playing his best tennis, and utilising his prior victories against Rafa, he managed to get off to an excellent start as he broke Rafa at 4-4 and took the first set, the 2nd set was a scoosh, but in the 3rd Djokovic let his level dip and Rafa walked away with the set. However in the 4th, it was even pegged up until Djoko broke Rafa at 3-3 all, and on Rafa's serve at 5-3, Djokovic broke again to close out the game, set, match and his first Wimbledon title.
Depsite the scoreline and relatively short length of the final, there was certainly plenty of fine quality tennis on display, especially in the 1st and 4th sets from both players, and Djokovic's dominance in the 2nd was quite incredible. The fear of a straight set victory really did set in at the beginnig of the 3rd as it looked like Rafa was getting whitewashed but it was a crucial break that gave Rafa an extra lease of life and took us to that welcome 4th set. But in the end, it was a culmination of sheer hard work, talent, confidence and self belief that took Djokovic to that place where he not only took that dream trophy in his hands, but also pinched the World No.1 ranking from Rafa. As Djokovic himself put it in his post match interview to Sue Barker "A couple of good days at the office!". Indeed.
Number 2: AEGON Queens Club Championships Final, Andy Murray d. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, 3-6, 7-6(2), 6-4.
It was the second time at Queens that Andy Murray had reached the final and this time he played to a jam packed crowd on a Monday afternoon after a day's delay of heavy rain (some of which Andy apologised to if they had to bunk off work to go to!). And in the final Andy couldn't have asked for a tougher opponent than Jo-Wilfried Tsonga who came into the final in great form, having dispatched Rafa earlier on in the tournament. In the first set Tsonga broke early on and took the set, but in the 2nd it was a more even affair, although at 5-5 all, Tsonga did have a chance of a break point on Andy's serve, which could have gifted him the match, but Tsonga couldn't quite take it as fate took over the control of the tennis ball as it refused to go over the net! After dominating the 2nd set tiebreak, Andy went on to break Tsonga in the 3rd set, and at this point the two men were almost trying to outdo each other in the cheeky tennis department as Tsonga kept diving on the grass and making every shot, while Andy played a couple of between the legs shots (one of which paid off!). But in the end Andy managed to serve it out to love and held his arms aloft in delight as he won his first title of the year, and the first British man in over 70 years to win at Queens twice. So all in all the Queens final made for one of the most enjoyable matches of the year.
Number 1: Wimbledon Championships 4th round, Rafael Nadal d. Juan Martin Del Potro, 7-6, 3-6, 7-6, 6-4.
In a match anticipated 4th round match at Wimbledon, Rafa took on the former US Open champion Juan Martin Del Potro, who made his comeback to the game this year after taking last year after wrist surgery. And the match didn't disappoint as Del Potro gave Rafa one of his sternest tests of the tournament, as his serve was almost inpenetrable for most of the match and it took till the 4th set for Nadal to finally get a break on Delpo's serve. In fact for most of the match it seemed like it was Delpo that was in control, as Rafa was fortunate enough to win the tiebreaks, but apart from that it took almost everything for Rafa to get that crucial break in the 4th set. The match also wasn't short on drama as Rafa complained to the umpire at one point about something, and he had to take a medical tiemout for blisters on his feet just prior to the tiebreak, which pissed off Delpo, which showed after the big Argentine lost the first set. But it ranks easily as one of the main highlights of the grass court season and it also showed just what an impressive comeback Delpo had made in 2011, that he pushed the then World No.1 and defending Wimbledon champion so far.
Part 3 beckons..... soon......
Fav ATP matches of the year Part 1: The red dirt
Ok now as the men's tour isn't quite over yet I thought I'd leave out the men's hard court season matches in this list for now, but I couldn't resist listing my favs from the other surfaces, clay and grass, and I thought I'd start with clay so here goes....
Number 5: Mutua Madrid Open, 2nd round, Roger Federer d. Feliciano Lopez, 7-6, 6-7, 7-6.
This match proved to be quite an incredible encounter between the greatest player of all time and a player showing great form against the Fed express. Right from the get go we saw both Federer and Lopez produce some absolutely terrific tennis for the Spanish crowd, and in the 3rd tiebreak Lopez came within two points of defeating Federer, but at the crucial point he couldn't take it. Regardless of that though, this match was quite extraordinary in a few ways, but the main one was between the two men they served up almost 50 aces! Lopez however despite a great effort, failed to capitalise on his chances against Fedora, and he has struggled to do so since against the top 10 players. But this match was top drawer in its quality, and if you are looking for a match where there is nothing in between both players, then this is the one.
Number 4: French Open, 1st Round, Rafael Nadal d. John Isner, 6-4, 6-7, 6-7, 6-2, 6-4
The phrase David and Goliath has never been more appropriately been used to refer to a tennis match than it is here (well Rafa and Goliath (well ok big John) as Rafa, the king of clay took on the giant yank, John Isner. On paper it sounded like it would be a straight sets match, but it proved to be anything but as it was a titanic struggle for a struggling Rafa, who after losing to Djokovic four times in a row, found his confidence waining and it showed in this match. Rafa won the first set fairly comfortably, however in the 2nd set, after going a break down, Isner broke back and pushed it to a tiebreak, which he won, and he won the 3rd set tiebreak. Fortunately for Rafa however, he broke Isner early in the 4th set to level the match. In the 5th set, Rafa came under pressure from Isner again but thankfully for the Spaniard, after nearly 4 hours, fatigue and exhaustion set it in for Isner, who finally lost to a mightily relieved Nadal. For a first round match in a grand slam it was quite incredible, and it was also a testament to Rafa's determination that saw him through a brutal match, only to show again his champion qualities. In fact it signalled a tough campaign ahead of Rafa but despite it all he still came through as the champion in the end. Great stuff.
Number 3: Rome Masters semi-final, Novak Djokovic d. Andy Murray, 6-1, 3-6, 7-6(2)
This is a very noteworthy match indeed, not only was it a cracker in its own right, it also saw for probably only the second time in his unbeaten run that Djokovic came under serious threat of his winning streak finally coming to a halt, as Andy Murray laid it on the line in an incredible battle that lasted 3 hours. After being whitewashed in the first set by an imperious Djokovic, Andy fought back and broke Djoko in the 2nd set and soon took it. However in the 3rd set it was all to play as there were breaks aplenty and a match this good had to end on a tiebreak, but once again Djokovic refused to succumb to defeat and prevailed once again as we saw the frustrated Scot try to reach a signature Djoko drop shop only to hit the net, then he swiped the ground angrily with his racquet while Djokovic roared with delight. The high quality play of this match from both players was exceptional, and despite having an opportunity to end Djokovic's run at 5-4 on his serve, Andy dropped the ball and let his chance go. But in that whole tournament where no one could touch him, Andy came the closest, and once again it showed his special talent as a player, to produce some terrific tennis under pressure. Win or lose it was quite a match.
Number 2: Davis Cup Final, Rafael Nadal d. Juan Martin Del Potro, 1-6, 6-4, 6-1, 7-6
In what proved to be the very last match of the men's season, it promised to be a thrilling match between two of the world's very best players, and it sure didn't disappoint as Rafa and Delpo provided some incredible tennis for the Spanish crowd in Seville. Despite the scoreline in the first set, again, just like the US Open final, there were plenty of very tight deuce games between Rafa and a very determined Del Potro. It was definitely like a rematch of their excellent match at Wimbledon, as the two men traded some amazing points and great rallies, especially with Delpo hitting so many flat and clean winners. But soon enough, Rafa showed just why he has the mantle of the king of clay, as he fought his way back in the 2nd set and secured a break at 5-4 on Delpo's serve, to make it a set all, and after that, there was no real doubt, despite a thrilling 4th set, which had breaks aplenty, that Rafa would emerge victorious, which he did, and celebrated in traditional style by going flat on his back. The crowd also played their part in the match, providing an amazing atmosphere for both players, and is as usually the case with the Davis cup, it felt more like a football atmosphere, with the Spanish and Argentine fans wearing their football strips. At times play had to be halted due to the fans calling out, even so much that the players themselves had to motion them to calm down. But overall this was one of the best clay matches of the year and a great one to end a great season.
Number 1: French Open, semi final, Roger Federer d. Novak Djokovic, 7-6, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6.
While I consider Djokovic and Nadal's US Open final this year to be greatest match of 2011, this match was undoubtedly the second greatest. In this match Federer played some of his absolute best tennis as he succeeded where everyone else had failed, including Rafa, in ending Djokovic's 41 match winning streak in 2011. Both players in this match produced play of the highest quality you will ever see this year, with Federer in "God" mode who was virtually unstoppable in the first two sets. In the 3rd set however Federer let his level dip, which let Djokovic back in the match as he took the 3rd set, but in the 4th set it was back on even terms as the two men hammered it out, which lead to a nerve shredding tiebreak, in which Fedora sealed Djoko's fate by serving an ace down the T. Throughout the French Open you could see just how well Federer was playing and he confirmed it with an outstanding display in this match. And if you want to scout for the highlights of this match you might as well just watch it all, it was that good, just utterly astounding stuff. In the end it was a pity for Djokovic, who had worked so hard all year up until then to try and win his 2nd grand slam of the year and keep his run going, but all good things sooner or later come to an end.
Sooooo onto Part 2.......
Number 5: Mutua Madrid Open, 2nd round, Roger Federer d. Feliciano Lopez, 7-6, 6-7, 7-6.
This match proved to be quite an incredible encounter between the greatest player of all time and a player showing great form against the Fed express. Right from the get go we saw both Federer and Lopez produce some absolutely terrific tennis for the Spanish crowd, and in the 3rd tiebreak Lopez came within two points of defeating Federer, but at the crucial point he couldn't take it. Regardless of that though, this match was quite extraordinary in a few ways, but the main one was between the two men they served up almost 50 aces! Lopez however despite a great effort, failed to capitalise on his chances against Fedora, and he has struggled to do so since against the top 10 players. But this match was top drawer in its quality, and if you are looking for a match where there is nothing in between both players, then this is the one.
Number 4: French Open, 1st Round, Rafael Nadal d. John Isner, 6-4, 6-7, 6-7, 6-2, 6-4
The phrase David and Goliath has never been more appropriately been used to refer to a tennis match than it is here (well Rafa and Goliath (well ok big John) as Rafa, the king of clay took on the giant yank, John Isner. On paper it sounded like it would be a straight sets match, but it proved to be anything but as it was a titanic struggle for a struggling Rafa, who after losing to Djokovic four times in a row, found his confidence waining and it showed in this match. Rafa won the first set fairly comfortably, however in the 2nd set, after going a break down, Isner broke back and pushed it to a tiebreak, which he won, and he won the 3rd set tiebreak. Fortunately for Rafa however, he broke Isner early in the 4th set to level the match. In the 5th set, Rafa came under pressure from Isner again but thankfully for the Spaniard, after nearly 4 hours, fatigue and exhaustion set it in for Isner, who finally lost to a mightily relieved Nadal. For a first round match in a grand slam it was quite incredible, and it was also a testament to Rafa's determination that saw him through a brutal match, only to show again his champion qualities. In fact it signalled a tough campaign ahead of Rafa but despite it all he still came through as the champion in the end. Great stuff.
Number 3: Rome Masters semi-final, Novak Djokovic d. Andy Murray, 6-1, 3-6, 7-6(2)
This is a very noteworthy match indeed, not only was it a cracker in its own right, it also saw for probably only the second time in his unbeaten run that Djokovic came under serious threat of his winning streak finally coming to a halt, as Andy Murray laid it on the line in an incredible battle that lasted 3 hours. After being whitewashed in the first set by an imperious Djokovic, Andy fought back and broke Djoko in the 2nd set and soon took it. However in the 3rd set it was all to play as there were breaks aplenty and a match this good had to end on a tiebreak, but once again Djokovic refused to succumb to defeat and prevailed once again as we saw the frustrated Scot try to reach a signature Djoko drop shop only to hit the net, then he swiped the ground angrily with his racquet while Djokovic roared with delight. The high quality play of this match from both players was exceptional, and despite having an opportunity to end Djokovic's run at 5-4 on his serve, Andy dropped the ball and let his chance go. But in that whole tournament where no one could touch him, Andy came the closest, and once again it showed his special talent as a player, to produce some terrific tennis under pressure. Win or lose it was quite a match.
Number 2: Davis Cup Final, Rafael Nadal d. Juan Martin Del Potro, 1-6, 6-4, 6-1, 7-6
In what proved to be the very last match of the men's season, it promised to be a thrilling match between two of the world's very best players, and it sure didn't disappoint as Rafa and Delpo provided some incredible tennis for the Spanish crowd in Seville. Despite the scoreline in the first set, again, just like the US Open final, there were plenty of very tight deuce games between Rafa and a very determined Del Potro. It was definitely like a rematch of their excellent match at Wimbledon, as the two men traded some amazing points and great rallies, especially with Delpo hitting so many flat and clean winners. But soon enough, Rafa showed just why he has the mantle of the king of clay, as he fought his way back in the 2nd set and secured a break at 5-4 on Delpo's serve, to make it a set all, and after that, there was no real doubt, despite a thrilling 4th set, which had breaks aplenty, that Rafa would emerge victorious, which he did, and celebrated in traditional style by going flat on his back. The crowd also played their part in the match, providing an amazing atmosphere for both players, and is as usually the case with the Davis cup, it felt more like a football atmosphere, with the Spanish and Argentine fans wearing their football strips. At times play had to be halted due to the fans calling out, even so much that the players themselves had to motion them to calm down. But overall this was one of the best clay matches of the year and a great one to end a great season.
Number 1: French Open, semi final, Roger Federer d. Novak Djokovic, 7-6, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6.
While I consider Djokovic and Nadal's US Open final this year to be greatest match of 2011, this match was undoubtedly the second greatest. In this match Federer played some of his absolute best tennis as he succeeded where everyone else had failed, including Rafa, in ending Djokovic's 41 match winning streak in 2011. Both players in this match produced play of the highest quality you will ever see this year, with Federer in "God" mode who was virtually unstoppable in the first two sets. In the 3rd set however Federer let his level dip, which let Djokovic back in the match as he took the 3rd set, but in the 4th set it was back on even terms as the two men hammered it out, which lead to a nerve shredding tiebreak, in which Fedora sealed Djoko's fate by serving an ace down the T. Throughout the French Open you could see just how well Federer was playing and he confirmed it with an outstanding display in this match. And if you want to scout for the highlights of this match you might as well just watch it all, it was that good, just utterly astounding stuff. In the end it was a pity for Djokovic, who had worked so hard all year up until then to try and win his 2nd grand slam of the year and keep his run going, but all good things sooner or later come to an end.
Sooooo onto Part 2.......
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