Topic: MOSELLE OPEN 2012 - ATP 250

[Gawdblessya]

This tournament may well be of little interest to most, but it is an ATP scheduled tournament & has an interesting field of players.  So, if you're interested, here are some details:


                 

    Name: Moselle Open
    Category: ATP World Tour 250
    Place: Metz, France
    Date: 17.09.2012-23.09.2012
    Draw Size: S-28 D-16
    Surface: Indoor Hard
    Prize Money: € 398,250
    Total Financial Commitment: € 450,000
    Ticket Hotline: +33-(0)3-87-21-14-17

The Main Draw for Singles & Doubles:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/55520561/X.pdf


The list of main Singles entrants:

Becker, Benjamin GER 93                                                    Monfils, Gael FRA 28
Blake, James USA 106                                                         Muller, Gilles LUX 54
Dodig, Ivan CRO 100                                                           Nieminen, Jarkko FIN 41
Granollers, Marcel ESP 27                                                    Paire, Benoit FRA 50
Hajek, Jan CZE 90                                                               Rochus, Olivier BEL 107
Karlovic, Ivo CRO 57                                                            Roger-Vasselin, Edouard FRA 101
Kohlschreiber, Philipp GER 18                                              Seppi, Andreas ITA 26
Levine, Jesse USA 87                                                          Sijsling, Igor NED 74
Mahut, Nicolas FRA 62                                                         Stebe, Cedrik-Marcel GER 102
Malisse, Xavier BEL 60                                                         Tsonga, Jo-Wilfried FRA 6
Mayer, Florian GER 23

List of main doubles entrants:

E.Butorac/J.Peers                                               P.Herbert/A.Olivetti   
L.Dlouhy/J.Kerr                                                   D.Brands/J.Levine   
X.Malisse/A.Waske                                             J.Marray/A.Sa   
B.Paire/J.Tsonga                                                N.Mahut/E.Roger-Vasselin   
I.Dodig/M.Melo                                                   N.Monroe/S.Stadler   
D.Brown/C.Kas                                                   Brunstrom/F.Nielsen
M.Berrer/J.Erlich                                                  R.Klaasen/D.Norman
V.Millot/G.Monfils   

[Gawdblessya]

I saw the tail end of Davydenko's match against Zverev. He won in 3 sets.  it's sad to see him so sidelined these days.

I'm watching Xavier Malisse / Benoit Paire.  BP, of whom I know little, is playing some excellent ground strokes here. He's up a set won 6-1.  XM can play well, but seems incapable of breaking through even in these "small" events.   

Thus far in the second set, neither player seems keen to hold serve!  Very WTA!

[Gawdblessya]

And XM goes out 1-6, 4-6. No consistency.

Monfils is about to play Rochus.   I remember the expectations the tennis sages had of GM when he first started out.   Now some  6 or so years later, no one mentions his "potential" any more.  He started off ranked about 16 this year, and now stands at 44.  Still, he can certainly play well & may be he'll do so here.  He gets broken in the opening game though!

The Blake / Florian Mayer match should be a good one.  I'd expect some nice tennis from both.

I'm assuming either Tsonga or Kohlshreiber will win this event.

EDIT  - To acknowledge re: monfils that he's been out with injury a lot this year, so is probably trying to test himself here.  Good for him.
 

[Dallas]

Is this on tv somewhere?

[Gawdblessya]

Is this on tv somewhere?

I have been watching on tennis tv.com ( the ATP livestreaming)  for which I pay a subscription. 
It is also live free on Sportlemon & Livescorehunter.

[Tennis4you]

Is this on tv somewhere?

I have been watching on tennis tv.com ( the ATP livestreaming)  for which I pay a subscription. 
It is also live free on Sportlemon & Livescorehunter.

Wondering how much a subscription is...  They should trade me for some advertising. 

[Gawdblessya]

Wondering how much a subscription is...  They should trade me for some advertising. 

I paid about £82  sterling for a years subscription. It is excellent when it shows tournaments I want to see. But it didn't show everything. For us in the UK, it didn't show the USO for example!  And I don't think the Moselle Open is available to US subscribers.

[Dallas]

Wondering how much a subscription is...  They should trade me for some advertising. 

I paid about £82  sterling for a years subscription. It is excellent when it shows tournaments I want to see. But it didn't show everything. For us in the UK, it didn't show the USO for example!  And I don't think the Moselle Open is available to US subscribers.

It's not. I have a subscription but it says live matches for this tournament is not available in my area. Bummer!

[euroka1]

Wondering how much a subscription is...  They should trade me for some advertising. 

I paid about £82  sterling for a years subscription. It is excellent when it shows tournaments I want to see. But it didn't show everything. For us in the UK, it didn't show the USO for example!  And I don't think the Moselle Open is available to US subscribers.

It's not. I have a subscription but it says live matches for this tournament is not available in my area. Bummer!

I got to be rather cross and frustrated  with all their blackouts and concluded it wasn't worth the angst that came with the package. I'm just making do with Tennis Channel these days.

[Gawdblessya]

Sorry, Dallas & Euroka -  I know how you feel.  To me, it isn't about whether a tournament is big or small, but whether I can watch some tennis if I want to, and like you, it isn't always available. I'm often miffed too.  The free sites are useful as a last resort, though, but hardly good quality!

Anyway, here is today's schedule.  I'll be watching the Blake / Mayer match later. 

Centre Court Start 12:00 noon

[5] Andreas Seppi (ITA) v  Ivan Dodig (CRO)
Raven Klaasen (RSA) /Dick Norman (BEL) v [WC] Vincent Millot (FRA) / Gael Monfils (FRA)

Not Before 4:00 PM

James Blake (USA) v [4] Florian Mayer (GER)

Not Before 6:00 PM

[1] Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) v [Q] Clement Reix (FRA)

[WC] Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA) v  Gilles Muller (LUX)

Nicolas Mahut (FRA) v [LL] Daniel Brands (GER)

Court 1 Start 12:00 noon

Jan Hajek (CZE) v  [LL] Michael Berrer (GER)

Cedrik-Marcel Stebe (GER) v  Jesse Levine (USA)

Eric Butorac (USA) / John Peers (AUS) v [3] Dustin Brown (GER) / Christopher Kas (GER)

[4] Johan Brunstrom (SWE) / Frederik Nielsen (DEN) v Michael Berrer (GER) / Jonathan Erlich (ISR)

[1] Ivan Dodig (CRO)  /  Marcelo Melo (BRA)  v  Nicholas Monroe (USA) / Simon Stadler (GER) 

[Dallas]

Tennis channel shows on a tape delay. I saw the Monfils match yesterday.


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[Gawdblessya]

I tried to look at Tennis Channel, Dallas, but couldn't understand how to access current tournaments. 

Anyway, I'm watching Blake / Mayer & these two are closely matched. I really like JB's game & can't help feeling sorry that he hasn't been able to break through with it. FM plays well too - this match is easy on the eye.  I'm not sure what the MTO was for by FM - he seems okay.  It's a first set TB &  6-4 to JB.

And JB takes the advantage to win the first set 7-4 in the TB. Good stuff! JB not happy that there have been too many poor calls under hawkeye. Asking the umpire to use his judgement more!

[Gawdblessya]

Blake down a break  2-5 in the second set. He was a little off-key early on & playing better now. But FM focused & will likely win this set.

[Dallas]

Tennis Channel will play a tape delayed at 6:00 pm (central time).

[Gawdblessya]

Well, Blake lost. Another early exit for the poor chap. He plays some superb tennis though. 

The schedule for tomorrow:

Centre Court Start 11:00 am

[3] Marcel Granollers (ESP)  v  Ivo Karlovic (CRO)

Jesse Levine (USA) v [LL] Michael Berrer (GER)

[5] Andreas Seppi (ITA) v [Q] Vincent Millot (FRA)

Not Before 4:00 PM

Gilles Muller (LUX) v [WC/8] Nikolay Davydenko (RUS)

Not Before 6:00 PM

[7] Gael Monfils (FRA) v Nicolas Mahut (FRA)

Benoit Paire (FRA) v [2] Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER)

Court 1 Start 6:00 pm

Not Before 6:00 PM

Nicholas Monroe (USA) / Simon Stadler (GER)  v Xavier Malisse (BEL) / Alexander Waske (GER)

Daniel Brands (GER)/ Jesse Levine (USA) v [2] Nicolas Mahut (FRA) / Edouard Roger-Vasselin (FRA)

[Dallas]

Maybe Blake needs to start thinking about retirement?

[Gawdblessya]

I suspect retirement is imminent for Blake, Dallas it can't be much fun going out early consistently. 

I couldn't watch any tennis today, but note that Kohlshreiber & Tsonga are still there.

Here's tomorrows schedule:

Centre Court Start 2:00 pm

[5] Andreas Seppi (ITA) v [4] Florian Mayer (GER)

Not Before 4:00 PM

[7] Gael Monfils (FRA) v [2] Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER)

Not Before 6:00 PM

[1] Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) v Jesse Levine (USA)

Ivo Karlovic (CRO) v [WC/8] Nikolay Davydenko (RUS)

Xavier Malisse (BEL) / Alexander Waske (GER) v [4] Johan Brunstrom (SWE) / Frederik Nielsen (DEN) 

The Monfils / Kohlshreiber  match should be interesting.

[euroka1]

Maybe Blake needs to start thinking about retirement?

 
The oldies seem to be going out not so "gentle into that good night" one by one, Dallas. Rumors are that Hewitt might do it at the next Australian Open. Seems that one must pick one's time, place, and even tournament draw to do it for maximum effect. That will be hard for Blake to so manage now and he really deserves a good send-off. 

I am pleased to see that Monfils is back again. He can be an annoying player but he is rarely dull.

[Gawdblessya]

Yessss! I can finally watch some tennis!   Kohlshreiber up a double break in the early part of the first set, 4-1.

But Monfils with break point point to pull a game back. I suspect, GM is just settling down & I hope he'll play well.

EDIT :  And GM broke. It is now 2-4, as he serves.

Beautiful string of backhands cross court from PK, to get it to 15-15.  And GM shouting out in frustration.  He is an odd chap - excellent aggressive game at times.  he held to make it 3-4.

[Gawdblessya]

Wonderful all court game from both men. PK holds to go up 5-3.   

Superb serving from GM to win his game to love.   I think it was GM & Tsonga who said that as budding players in Paris, they used to try to emulate Pete Sampras's serve.  They can both serve well, for sure.

PK serving for the set but 0-30 down, with some beautiful play from GM.   Beautiful anticipation and timing to get GM to break point.

Perfect exquisite single handed back hand from PK & a ball on the line  to deuce it up.   But then a poor return to give GM the advantage. And a poor forehand goes long. GM breaks even   & its 5-5.   

PK off the boil as GM takes the momentum. Chapeau to GM for his brave, positive lay to take him to 6-5.  Now, hold, PK!!

And he held.    It is 5-1 to PK in the TB.  GM typically worked hard to get this far & then cools off. It is now 6-2 to PK.

And PK wins the first set 7-6 ( 7-3 ).    A strange set, with each player blowing hot & cold.  But I'm reminded, watching this match, why both men can be dangerous against higher ranked players on a good day.

PK serving first in the 2nd set.