Topic: ATP Winston-Salem (8/18-25, 2012) 250 event

[Dallas]

Seeded Players:

1. Tsonga
2. Berdych
3. Isner
4. Dolgopolov
5. Roddick
6. Granollers
7. Querrey
8. Benneteau

[Babblelot]

Vince Spadea pop the champagne bottles, your record is safe. DY won a match!

[Babblelot]

Yea! Tommy Robredo is back!

[Gawdblessya]

I'm watching Nalbandian / R. Haase. The stands are virtually empty. Surely there is more interest than appears to be the case ?  DN was 5-1 up in the frst set, when I started watching & is now 5-2 & deuce on his serve.  RH can't convert despite getting the advantage.  Now DN can't convert theadvantage.  Perhaps that's why the stands are empty!!   

EDIT: DN took the first set 6-2.

Isner & Klizan just started their match.  Klizan broke Isner & is 4-2 up.

EDIT : KLIZAN took the first set 6-4.   

Berdych, Dolgopolov,Melzer,Kubit,Lopez,Carcis & Nieminen are all through.

Singles draw:

http://www.atpworldtour.com/Share/Event-Draws.aspx?Year=2012&EventId=6242&Draw=ms

Doubles draw:

http://www.atpworldtour.com/Share/Event-Draws.aspx?Year=2012&EventId=6242&Draw=md

EDIT:

Nalbandian won in straights 6-2,6-4.   
Isner won 4-6, 6-3, 7-5.

I'm going to see a bit of Tsonga / Belucci  & call it a night.

[Gawdblessya]

The remaining players / pairings :-

J. Tsonga [1]  -v-  S. Stakhovsky

E. Gulbis  -V-   M. Granollers [6]

J. Isner [3]  -v-  J. Melzer [13]

D. Goffin  -v-  L. Kubot

S. Querrey [7]   -v-   F. Lopez [9]

D. Nalbandian [14]  -v-  A. Dolgopolov [4]

A. Roddick [5] -v-  S. Darcis

J. Nieminen [16] -v-  T. Berdych [2]

There should be some good tennis in these matches. I'm looking forward the Nalbandian / Dolgopolov match.

[Gawdblessya]

Rain delay at the moment.   

Of the completed matches: 

Dolgopolov beat Nalbandian  6-3,6-4;     
Darcis beat Roddick 7-6,7-6;
Querry beat Lopez  6-3,6-4.

[Dallas]

Roddick lost again!!!

[Gawdblessya]

No particular surprises as this tournament unfolds:

Isner beat Melzer   6-4, 6-3;
Tsonga beat Stakhovsky   7-6, 6-4;
Granollers beat Gulbis  4-6,6-3,6-2;
Goffin beat Kubot  6-3,1-6,76;
Berdych beat Neiminen 6-3,6-2.

The  QF line up is:

J. Tsonga [1] -v- M. Granollers [6]

J. Isner [3] -v- D. Goffin

S. Querrey [7] -v- A. Dolgopolov [4]

S. Darcis -v- T. Berdych [2]

[Dallas]

No particular surprises as this tournament unfolds:

Isner beat Melzer   6-4, 6-3;
Tsonga beat Stakhovsky   7-6, 6-4;
Granollers beat Gulbis  4-6,6-3,6-2;
Goffin beat Kubot  6-3,1-6,76;
Berdych beat Neiminen 6-3,6-2.

The  QF line up is:

J. Tsonga [1] -v- M. Granollers [6]

J. Isner [3] -v- D. Goffin

S. Querrey [7] -v- A. Dolgopolov [4]

S. Darcis -v- T. Berdych [2]

Seems like Isner and Querrey and even Berdych, to some extent, takes advantage of any tournament they are entered where the top 4 players haven't entered.  They do really well in those tournaments - but I guess it's expected.

[Gawdblessya]

It must no doubt be rewarding to get deeper into a tournament for some players who might otherwise be out early, DALLAS   These are very good players - it just highlights how hard it is to play consistently well in better contested tournaments, and what an achievement it is to win those tournaments.

Berdych beat Darcis 4-6, 6-2, 6-0.

I've started watching the Querry / Dolgopolov match in the 3rd set.  Querry took the first set 7-5 & Dolgopolov won the second set 6-4. It is going with serve  & Querry is 2-1 up with AD to serve next.  I've nothing against SQ but have asoft spot for AD's quite exhilirating game when he plays well. I hope he can get through.   

[Gawdblessya]

SQ was up 0-40 on AD's serve at 5-4 up & lost that game.   He just held serve to go ip 6-5, but he should have finished this match off. 

AD playing beautifully, & holds to get it to a tiebreak.

SQ played an excellent TB & has won the match. Good for him to get to the SF.   Alas, AD remains a victim to his lack of focus when it matters.  He's great to watch though.

[Dallas]

I watched Sam's match. He came through. I didn't see the Berdych match (don't know if that one was even televised?

[Gawdblessya]

Tsonga beat Granollers  61-62;
Isner beat Goffin 76,63.    I like Goffin a lot & it's nice to note that he made a match of it.

The SF's are therefore:

Tsonga -v- Isner

Querry -v- Berdych.

Should be well contested matches & I'm particularly looking forward to the JWT / JI  match.

 

[Dallas]

Tsonga beat Granollers  61-62;
Isner beat Goffin 76,63.    I like Goffin a lot & it's nice to note that he made a match of it.

The SF's are therefore:

Tsonga -v- Isner

Querry -v- Berdych.

Should be well contested matches & I'm particularly looking forward to the JWT / JI  match.

 

My problem with  all of these players that are left...it seems like they do well in the 'lead-up tournaments' - but the fizzle out in the grand slams.  I think they (particularly Isner, and lately even Berdych), have been playing too much tennis right before a grand slam, then they have nothing left when the slams start!

[Gawdblessya]

Dallas  -  I'm trying to understand this fact too.  It must be hard to repeatedly go out in earlier rounds in bigger tournaments, knowing that the game is there, but the consistency unreliable.  The option of gaining match practice, adding to income & possibly winning a title must therefore be attractive. The hope that momentum gained could translate into a successful run at the USO is likely to be an incentive.
But your point is well made. If they are exhausted, how will they tackle the demands - physical & mental - that a GS makes? 

Who do you think will win it?    I pick Tsonga. 

[Dallas]

This tournament? To me it's a toss up. But I would probably go with the winner of Tsonga/Isner.

[Gawdblessya]

Well, so much for my prediction!     Isner is up a break & Tsonga serving to stay in the first set at 3-5.  He held but Isner won the set to love on his serve 6-4. 

Can JWT do enough to make it a 3 setter? 

EDIT:  Yes, he can! And he held serve in the 4th game of the 3rd set from being 0-40 down.  Some beautiful, brave play from him.

EDIT (2) :  Isner won, 3-6, 7-6.  Tsonga couldn't get his first in for the bulk of it, and yet, Isner couldn't do the job sooner. He had a number of break points at 0-40 against tsonga, but couldn't convert despite Tsonga's poor first serves. 
Isner may well win this title, but he will need more than his serve, excellent thought this weapon is, to go deep at the USO.
   
EDIT (3) : Berdych started off with a wobble getting broken in his opening service game, but has just won, 6-4, 6-3.

Querry is a big server too & if Berdych got through, perhaps Isner's serve won't be insurmountable for him.

Anyway, its a Berdych - v- Isner final. 

[Lugburz]

C'mon Berdych, take this now!

[Gawdblessya]

Just started watching in the 3rd set. 6-3 to TB in the 1st set, 6-4 to JI in the second. Going with serve for now.   JI coming in behind his serve. Good strategy.  TB looks the more tired of the two, it's 3-2 to him on serve.
I don't understand JI. He couldn't return TB's serve & that last game was won to love by TB. 

[FedFanForever]

Isner/Berds**t, honestly I couldn't care less which one of these stiffs win.