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Miami – QF
Thursday. Gilles Simon [27] got booed leaving the court. The Frenchman played only three games (won 2 points, lost 12) in ten minutes against Roger Federer [3] and retired due to a stiff neck. “It’s not the way you want to move on,” Federer said, “But, look, I’ll take those, because they happen quite rarely.” It’s Federer’s 16th career-win (Wessels, Gambill, Henman, Heuberger, Ljubicic, Mantilla, Ferrero, Acasuso, Nieminen, Nalbandian, Soderling, Davydenko, Djokovic, Istomin, Dolgopolov, Simon) thanks to opponent’s retirement, but he never won a match in these circumstances as quickly as today.
Miami – 4R
The three best players again won their matches without any troubles (it is boring, isn’t?), none of them lost four games in a set. Roger Federer‘s match with Olivier Rochus (6-3, 6-1) started after midnight at 12:37, in their first encounter six years ago, also in Miami, Federer won after identical scoreline, the difference – then needed 72 minutes, this time 52. They began very late due to bad weather and long matches on Centre Court (Maria Sharapova needed 3:28 to win her match for instance…) A meeting between Tomas Berdych and Florian Mayer was interrupted by rain after the 1st set. Berdych won 
6-3, 2-6, 7-6 being two points away from defeat five times at *5:6 in the decisive set. In the most interesting match of the day, Mardy Fish [15] struggled past Juan Martin del Potro after very long two-setter 7-5, 7-6 (2 hours 25 minutes). The Argentinian had his chances in both sets, squandered 5 mini-set points at 4:4 in the 1st set, led 30-0 on Fish’s serve at 4:4 in the 2nd set. The end of the match was thrilling, Fish led 5:0 in the tie-break and twisted a bit his right ankle making a forehand winner to get a triple match point. Del Potro quickly fought off two match points with service winners but Fish responded with a service winner too. Fish has had an excellent tie-break record since Queens Club 2008, 24-7 (.774); before that tournament he had had considerably negative career tie-break record! “It was pretty high quality tennis for the better part of it, I think. I’m sure he came off thinking he played pretty well. And I played great,” said Fish, who indeed was excellent from the back of the court but in the 1st set made a couple ridiculous errors at the net, uncharacteristic for himself. The 29-year-old Fish will be the highest ranked American next Monday if he beats David Ferrer in the quarterfinals, overtaking Andy Roddick and obtaining the highest ATP position in career – “You just kind of feel like coming through with Andy and the career that he’s put together, you really feel like it would probably be pretty tough to still feel like I was the No. 1 American.” The only unseeded player in the quarterfinals, Kevin Anderson [40] – has signed himself for the first time in the last 8 of such a big event. The South-African player in the battle of two giants (Anderson – 203 cm, John Isner – 206 cm) took a revenge for three straight defeats. Anderson rallied from a 0:3 deficit in the 3rd set of his second round clash with Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, Anderson prevailed 6-3, 5-7, 6-4.
Miami – 3R
Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer comfortably won their third round matches, especially Djokovic, who destroyed again his opponent (James Blake). The Serb has the fourth best start of a year in the Open era, only Ivan Lendl and John McEnroe (twice) won more consecutive matches opening a new season. Very likely the three best players in the world will advance to the semifinals, last week the “trinity” appeared in the last four at Indian Wells. Juan Martin del Potro accompanied them and there is a possibility he will join them in Miami too. In the third round Del Potro played a perfect match against No. 4 Robin Soderling. The Argentinian won 6-3, 6-2 serving 12 aces (never forced to play ‘deuce’ in nine service games) and outplaying his much more higher ranked opponent in every department of the game. Del Potro said: “I served much better than in the Kohlschreiber match, and that’s what I need if I want beat Top 10 players.” Six 
unseeded players reached the fourth round (three at Indian Wells), among them the biggest surprises produced Marcel Granollers [55] and Olivier Rochus [89] who have won three consecutive matches in three sets. Granollers railled from a *3:5 deficit in the 3rd set against Michael Llodra. The Frenchman couldn’t deal with tough conditions (heat, high humidity), was barely moving on the court in the last four games, won just 4 points, lost 16. The shortest player on the tour, Rochus made the biggest upset in Miami last year eliminating Djokovic. This year, the Belgian becomes the first qualifier to reach the last 16 since Guillermo Canas in 2007 (the Argentine reached the final then). In the first round Rochus was one game away from losing to Blazs Kavcic, after that he stunned two seeded guys: Marcos Baghdatis and Mikhail Youzhny. Janko Tipsarevic‘s opponents broke their racquets playing against him in the last two rounds. In the second round, usually very calm Marin Cilic smashed his racquet in impressive style at 2:4 in the 2nd set tie-break, followed by Philipp Petzschner, who broke the other one with help of his thigh 🙂
A match between Alexandr Dolgopolov [23] and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga [16] lasted two days because on Monday was suspended due to rain at 3:2 in the 3rd set for the Ukrainian. On Tuesday, he saved a triple mini-match point at 4:4 and won 6-7, 6-4, 7-5 notching the second victory in ’11 over the Frenchman (the previous one at the Australian Open in five sets).
Timeline
I have added a new page today: T-line________ All the most interesting events of the Open era (major titles, records, rises and falls…) have been included there. The choice of photos isn’t accidental, I consider these 17 players depicted in photos (Laver, Newcombe, Connors, Vilas, Borg, McEnroe, Lendl, Becker, Wilander, Edberg, Courier, Sampras, Agassi, Kuerten, Hewitt, Federer, Nadal) as the most important in the last 43 years 🙂
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Miami – 2R
Andy Murray‘s [5] slump continues severely. The Brit lost at Indian Wells to No. 143 in the world (Donald Young), in Miami was beaten 1-6, 5-7 by Alex Bogomolov [118] – a player who advanced only once to the Top 100 for just three weeks seven years ago… “In practice I have been competing well, especially this week, chasing everything down, playing a lot of good points and feeling good. Then in the matches I haven’t been able to get it going at all” complained Murray who has lost the last 9 
sets he played – the worst streak in his professional career! Murray’s namesake – Roddick (No 8, the defending champion) was out-aced and outplayed by Pablo Cuevas [67]. Andy’s Murray and Roddick found themselves among 14 seeded players eliminated in the second round, twice more than at Indian Wells at the same stage of tournament!
Juan Martin del Potro and Philipp Kohlschreiber [32] just one week after tight two-setter at Indian Wells, met again to play this time an entertaining & tight three-set match which lasted 3 hours 3 minutes. The German was two points away from advancing to the next round, leading 5:4 (30-15) in the 3rd set, but Del Potro survived capturing the last three games, fought off two break points in the last game to clinch the fourth straight victory over the German 6-7, 6-4, 7-5. A match between Del Potro and Robin Soderling [4] looks like the most
interesting third round prospect. The Swede was also close to lose his three-setter to Ivan Dodig, trailing *0:3 (30-40), won 3-6, 6-2, 6-4.
James Blake in the first round won his first main level match being on verge of defeat in two sets, in the second round was two points away from losing to Thomaz Bellucci [30]. Blake prevailed 2-6, 6-4, 7-6(6) winning for the first time in career two matches in the final set tie-breaks! Supposedly in the third round his run is going to the end because he faces Novak Djokovic [2]. The Serb keeps his extraordinary form winning again ‘6-0, 6-1’ (with the exact same scoreline he won two matches in his previous tournament at Indian Wells). This time a victim was Denis Istomin [49] whom Djokovic defeated with similar ease (6-1, 6-1, 6-2) in their first encounter, last year at the Australian Open. Djokovic appeared on the court in a mask and T-Shirt with Japanese flag as a sign of supporting Japan – this country suffered tsunami on March 11, 2011, causing over 9,000 deaths (last week at Indian Wells, Djokovic was playing with bandage on his left knee with handwritten “Support Japan”). The following day, Djokovic played the first round in doubles, teaming up for the first time with Andy Murray, and made miracles in defense at 7:5* in the super tie-break, but the Brit hasn’t been in the winning mood lately and the Serb-British duo lost to Stakhovsky/Youzhny 7-5, 3-6, [8-10].
Miami – 1R
In the most interesting first round clash, met two American veterans: 31-year-old James Blake [173] and one year older Michael Russell [90]. It should have been a straight sets victory for the latter. He led 6-3, 5:3 serving for the match, Blake came back though and saved a match point on serve in the tie-break. In the 3rd set, Russell again had 
his chances, this time to get a double break – 3:1* (30-0). Blake survived after 2 hours 19 minutes 3-6, 7-6, 7-6 and it’s hard to believe, he has notched the first career win being close to lose a match in two different sets (his 208th tournament at the main level)!
In similar circumstances won his match Feliciano Lopez [41]. The Spaniard was two points away from defeat at 5:5 in the 2nd set tie-break against Richard Berankis [75], then rallied from a 0:3 deficit in the 3rd set, breaking his opponent three times in a row, despite hadn’t broken him even once before (4-6, 7-6, 6-3).
Juan Martin del Potro [51] is on a way to regain his lost position in the tennis world. He has confirmed very good form outplaying Ricardo Mello [79] 6-4, 6-4. “I served really well today, especially in the important moments,” claimed Del Potro who needed two service games to serve the match out, “At 5-4 in the second set, I closed the match with my serve. I [hit] great serves and I’m still working on that.” Del Potro has very tough draw in Miami, in the next round faces Philipp Kohlschreiber with whom played dramatic two-setter last week at Indian Wells. If Del Potro beats the German, in the third round will meet (probably) the No. 4 – Robin Soderling. Two very interesting matches in the prospect, a battle between Kohlschreiber and Soderling should be very interesting as well, they have intriguing H2H which has been already mentioned on my blog in a separate post.
Pim-Pim retires again
A former No. 9 in the world and the US Open semifinalist, Joachim “Pim-Pim” Johansson [546], last week played a Futures
event in Fällanden (Switzerland). In the first round he beat an unknown Croat – Mate Pavic 6-7(6), 6-3, 6-4 and withdrew from the tournament… Johansson said he is fit and injury free, but no longer passionate about tennis, adding “realized that I’m done with this.” It’s his second retirement, the 28-year-old Swede retired for the first time at the beginning of 2008 due to injuries. He changed his mind in the same year tough, since then he was playing only a couple tournaments each year. He will be remembered as one of the biggest servers, he is a record holder in “the most aces served in a four set match” – 51 aces (!) against Andre Agassi at the Australian Open 2005.
My MTF tribute thread – made after his first retirement (updated currently)
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Indian Wells – final
(3)Novak Djokovic d. (1)Rafael Nadal 4-6, 6-3, 6-2
(2:25 h)
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It was a highly anticipated final, on the one side of the net Nadal – the best player in the world, two-time Indian Wells champion, hungry to get a title because hasn’t won any for five months (long period for his standards); on the other side of the net Djokovic – the hottest player on tour this year, the most serious contender to replace Nadal at the top of the ATP ranking. In the 1st set Nadal impressed a lot, was attacking the net quite frequently, finishing the points with backhand volleys, his shots were flatter (82 cm average clearance, Djokovic 11 cm higher), and solid in service games (albeit lost his serve once). The Serb raised the level of his game in the 2nd set, broke Nadal to lead 4:2, a moment later lost his own serve but broke again to lead 5:3 (Nadal had only 25% of 1st serves in the set!!). The 9th game was crucial (“It was just the question of momentum,” noticed Djokovic afterwards, “I managed to hold that very important game at 5-3 and then I was on a roll“) – Nadal got a break point after saving three set points – Djokovic fought it off with a forehand winner on the line and won the game after numerous ‘deuces’. Nadal probably gave everything in that game, hoping to clinch the win in straight sets because at the beginning of the 3rd set, seemed out of gas, Djokovic notched in total a 6-game winning streak, had even 30-15 on Nadal’s serve at 4:0. The Spaniard saved his honor avoiding a bagel, but couldn’t do much more and after 2 hours 25 minutes, D’Joke converted the first match point to celebrate his 20th consecutive win, eighth win over Nadal, but the first one in a final (Nadal won their five previous finals) and the first one coming back from a one-set-to-love deficit. “I am playing with a lot of confidence,” said Djokovic, “I’m feeling the ball well on the court. I’m very dedicated. I have a big will to win each match I’m playing on, so it will not stop here, definitely. I want to keep on going and keep on playing good tennis. Hopefully I can recover and get ready for Miami.” Djokovic’s 21st career title (6th ‘Masters 1000’), he joins David Nalbandian and Nikolay Davydenko as the third player to beat Nadal and Federer in the same tournament on two occasions. Below the complete list of tournaments in which Nadal and Federer were beaten by one player (in the parenthesis their ranking at the time):
2007: Montreal – Djokovic (2 – Nadal, 1 – Federer);
Madrid – Nalbandian (2 – Nadal, 1 – Federer)
Paris (1 – Federer, 2 – Nadal)
2009: US Open – Del Potro (3 – Nadal, 1 – Federer); London – Davydenko (2 – Nadal, 1 – Federer)
2010: Doha – Davydenko (1 – Federer, 2 – Nadal); Toronto – Murray (1 – Nadal, 3 – Federer)
2011: Indian Wells – Djokovic (2 – Federer, 1 – Nadal)
Doubles final:
Alexandr Dolgopolov/Xavier Malisse d. Roger Federer/Stanislas Wawrinka 6-4, 6-7(5), [10-7]
Indian Wells – SF
Rafael Nadal [1] has probably experienced the weirdest road to an ‘ATP World Tour Masters 1000’ final ever. In his first three rounds outplayed three qualifiers, in turn in the last two, players who try to return after long injuries (Karlovic and Juan Martin del Potro [90]). Del Potro started the first semifinal promisingly, leading 4:1* but Nadal since then managed to win five straight games. In the 2nd set, the Spaniard astonished his opponent in the 5th game with two amazing passing-shots, the first one (forehand DTL) saving a game point, the second one (backhand DTL) to get a break. Nadal won 6-4, 6-4 snapping Del Potro’s 9 match winning streak. “I had my chance basically in the first set,” Del Potro said, “He improved his game and I felt a little confused with my serve. He broke me back again, and then it’s very difficult to make a winner against Rafa. I think he played much better than me today.” The second semifinal disappointed me. Roger Federer [2] couldn’t prevent the 19th Novak Djokovic‘s [3] successive win in a boring encounter. After two actually identical sets (two breaks for the winner, the second one in the 9th game), Djokovic raced to a 2:0 lead. Federer broke back and had a double game point in the 5th game, Djokovic won four consecutive points though (11 in total), and three another games, the match 6-3, 3-6, 6-2. The Serb has beaten Federer three times this year and deprives him the No. 2 in the world for the second time in career (previously in October last year). He said of returning to the No. 2 ranking: “It’s I guess the crown for my achievements this year. I think I deserve it. I think I’ve played the best tennis of my 
life in the last three months. I have been very dedicated, very professional, and I want to keep on going.”
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Federer left the court as a loser again a couple hours later, this time suffering the doubles final defeat, partnering Stanislas Wawrinka. The Swiss duo lost to Oleg Dolgopolov (1st doubles title) and Xavier Malisse (5th doubles title), and Federer went far towards the loss, miss-hitting awfully two volleys in the super tie-break. The Ukrainian-Belgian “ponytails” pair, won all tournament matches after the super tie-break! Dolgopolov: “We had a lot of luck throughout the tournament. You don’t want to lose it because you’re nervous or something. You get lucky, you win; if not, you lose. We just went for it and got a bit of luck as well in the final.” Below their road to the title:
1 – Tomas Berdych/Janko Tipsarevic 4-6, 6-4, [10-8]
2 – (1)Bob Bryan/Mike Bryan 7-5, 6-7(9), [10-7]
Q – Andy Murray/Jamie Murray 6-7(7), 6-3, [10-8]
S – Rohan Bopanna/Aisem-Ul-Haq Qureshi 3-6, 6-3, [10-8]
W – Roger Federer/Stanislas Wawrinka 6-4, 6-7(5), [10-7]
‘Fedal’ in doubles – 3rd time
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Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka, two hours after playing against each other in the singles quarterfinal at Indian Wells, came back on court, this time together as a team to advance to the doubles final, beating the Spanish duo (the … Continue reading