Loki Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 He's won that tournament twice now. No big deal. Nadal looked imperious dispatching Ferrer yesterday. It will be interesting to see how Nadal's knee holds up in the next two Master's events. He would have been allowed to skip both Masters. Staying on clay would have put less stress on his knee. Berdych continues to trouble Federer and poses no threat what so ever to Djokovic. Murray to return to action in Indian Wells next week. His blistered feet should have healed by now. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lexi Collector Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 Mind McKee's boyfriend Ernests Gulbis? He won the Delray Beach tournament yesterday. I had forgotten about him. He's a strange player Gulbis, isn't he? One moment he can be absolutely awful - getting a proper hiding off of some unknown player outside of the top 80, then the next he'll beat a top 20 player in straight sets. I watched him at Wimbledon last year, and he absolutely battered Tomas Berdych in 3 sets. Didn't hear anything else about him for the rest of the year. Strange player. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheScarf Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 He's a strange player Gulbis, isn't he? One moment he can be absolutely awful - getting a proper hiding off of some unknown player outside of the top 80, then the next he'll beat a top 20 player in straight sets. I watched him at Wimbledon last year, and he absolutely battered Tomas Berdych in 3 sets. Didn't hear anything else about him for the rest of the year. Strange player. Consistency is a problem a lot of the top 30-50er's have. He seems to have a decent game, but it's up top where these guys fall by the wayside. Even guys like Ferrer, Berdych and Tsonga crumble when they're in a big match. They can't seem to break through the glass ceiling in that respect. I've always wondered how much of a role your coach plays in the mental side of the game. I don't think how good you are at coaching the mental side of things is dependant on what you won as a player either. If you look at Murray's and Djokovic's coaches for example. Good man management and a lot of encouragement perhaps? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lexi Collector Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 I've always wondered how much of a role your coach plays in the mental side of the game. I don't think how good you are at coaching the mental side of things is dependant on what you won as a player either. If you look at Murray's and Djokovic's coaches for example. Good man management and a lot of encouragement perhaps? Its certainly helped Murray progress from one level to the next. Having said that I think there's a difference mentally between players like Murray and Gulbis - even if somone like Lendl were to go in and coach Gulbis, I'm doubtful his attitude would change. Murray's career is based on winning major titles, and he's always had the desire to do that. Gulbis has spent his entire career as an underachiever, and is quite happy to knock about making a career out of the game. He definetly has/had the talent to be a much better player, I think most of the time he just couldn't be bothered. A lot of people have suggested this is because he's been loaded his entire life, regardless I don't think he ever reached his full potential. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheScarf Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 Its certainly helped Murray progress from one level to the next. Having said that I think there's a difference mentally between players like Murray and Gulbis - even if somone like Lendl were to go in and coach Gulbis, I'm doubtful his attitude would change. Murray's career is based on winning major titles, and he's always had the desire to do that. Gulbis has spent his entire career as an underachiever, and is quite happy to knock about making a career out of the game. He definetly has/had the talent to be a much better player, I think most of the time he just couldn't be bothered. A lot of people have suggested this is because he's been loaded his entire life, regardless I don't think he ever reached his full potential. Indeed. It seems there's a lot of guys like Gulbis who are happy to make 500-750 grand a year getting to round 4 of GS's and Masters events. With prize money going up all the time, the incentive to do well is decreasing. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loki Posted March 6, 2013 Share Posted March 6, 2013 (edited) I don't think Gulbis is that good at all. He certainly isn't as good as Tsonga, Ferrer, Del Porto or Berdych. Even the likes of Gasquet, Cilic, Isner and the like are all better than him. He is one year younger than both Murray and Djokovic and all the coaching in the world would not get him to that level. It is debatable if it would even get him to the top 10. Although he is better than his current ranking and should be looking to push into the top 20. The draw for Indian Wells has occurred and Murray has had a poor draw. He is seeded to face Del Potro in the quarter's and Djokovic in the semi's. It could be worse, as Nadal has been seeded to face Federer in the quarter's. Federer has a smelly draw in particluar, as he could face Bennetteu in Round 3, Isner in Round 4 and then Nadal. If he gets through that he will get a bye to the Final as Ferrer awaits if the seedings hold. We will see if the rest has done Murray any favours. He has been turfed out of this tournament in the 2nd round the last two years. He can potentially overtake Federer after this event. Edited March 6, 2013 by Loki 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H_B Posted March 6, 2013 Share Posted March 6, 2013 Its certainly helped Murray progress from one level to the next. Having said that I think there's a difference mentally between players like Murray and Gulbis - even if somone like Lendl were to go in and coach Gulbis, I'm doubtful his attitude would change. Murray's career is based on winning major titles, and he's always had the desire to do that. Gulbis has spent his entire career as an underachiever, and is quite happy to knock about making a career out of the game. He definetly has/had the talent to be a much better player, I think most of the time he just couldn't be bothered. A lot of people have suggested this is because he's been loaded his entire life, regardless I don't think he ever reached his full potential. Indeed. It seems there's a lot of guys like Gulbis who are happy to make 500-750 grand a year getting to round 4 of GS's and Masters events. With prize money going up all the time, the incentive to do well is decreasing. Gulbis makes nothing like that from tennis, but he has an enormously wealthy father. Even as a player starting out he was staying in 5 star hotels as the others were slumming it. He s just not very good though. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
true_rover Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 Doubles win for the Murrays last night over the 5th seeds and the singles start this weekend as well with Andy playing Evgeny Donsky, probably some time around 9pm. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loki Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 He is on court now. Donesky held serve in the first game. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
true_rover Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 Horrendous stuff so far, 5-1 down in the 1st set and looking like he really should have went to Dubai for the 500 event there. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
true_rover Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 How many times do we see that from Murray, comes back to 5-5, fails to take any of 6 break points to go to 6-5 and then loses his own serve. 1 set down now (7-5). Must do far better for the rest of the match. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue4578 Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 We've had the Gulbis discussion before, but it just shows the respect some people have for him that he is about 7th or 8th favourite to win the Indian Wells Masters 1000 event this week now. A 6-2 6-0 win against Tipsarevic has to be respected, and it'll be interesting to see if he gets to go up against Nadal in a couple of rounds. Meanwhile Donskoy just played an inspired 12th game to take the first set sgainst Murray. Surely Murray won't have yet another post-Australian Open hangover? I doubt it but I certainly wouldn't have the house on Murray at short odds here. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
true_rover Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 Far better in the second set, 6-2 Murray 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
true_rover Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 Murray comes through 5-7 6-2 6-2. Comfortable enough in the end but plenty to improve on in the next couple of matches. Up against Lu next. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loki Posted March 11, 2013 Share Posted March 11, 2013 The seven shots won by Donskoy in a row to go from Adv Murray on his serve to sealing the first set were close to perfection. Superb stuff and that was the first time I had seen him. Murray did well to turn the screw and put pressure back on him. Donskoy stopped finding the lines and his error count crept up throughout the match. Certainly a very good test for Murray after such a long delay. hope to see more of Donskoy as the year progresses. Safin looks like he is doing a good job with him since mentoring him. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loki Posted March 11, 2013 Share Posted March 11, 2013 Djokovic looked sublime in the first set against Fognini bagelling him. However Fognini was able to hold serve easier in the second set and finally taking the set after surrendering a break 7-5. Game on. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheScarf Posted March 11, 2013 Share Posted March 11, 2013 I only caught the Murray match from 4-5 in the first. Donskoy looks a tidy player. He does seem to be the ultra-aggressove type player who, as we saw last night, will be prone to a high amount of errors. As Petchey and Cowan were saying, he certainly looks to be a more complete player than a few in the current top 40-50. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loki Posted March 11, 2013 Share Posted March 11, 2013 Yeah he looks quite promising. Won more tournaments on the Challenger circuit last year than any other player. It really is hard to judge a player on just one match though, but he does appear to have a good bit of talent. But I thought the same about Goffin and he hasn't really kicked on, although he did have a good showing in the French. As Blue has said Gulbis win over Tipsarevic is a result that you have to notice. Gulbis is a better player than Seppi and on this form you would have to say Gulbis should beat him. The real test for Gulbis if he does beat Seppi would be Nadal awaits in the round after. I am still not convinced he is all that great but I do think he should be a top 20 player. His ranking is far less than his talent. Fognini had Djokovic in trouble at the start of the 3rd Set. Had three break points but failed to take them, and Novak quickly broke him after that. Reminded me very much of his match against Sam Querrey last year where he bagelled Querrey and slipped up. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheScarf Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 Andy against Lu Yen-hsun has been confirmed as an evening match tonight. So not before 2AM. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lichtie23 Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 Andy against Lu Yen-hsun has been confirmed as an evening match tonight. So not before 2AM. Cant see him causing any problems 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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