Category Archives: ATP Tour
Lurid in the Twilight
Stockholm, Second Round Not all tournaments are created equal, even those luridly lit and putatively interchangeable events lurking in the twilight in the season, with their boastful courts and eyesore silverware. To those who cannot be bothered to watch them … Continue reading
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He Just Can’t Win
Stockholm, First Round Nalbandian d. Malisse, 4/6 7/6 7/6 Nine years ago David Nalbandian and Xavier Malisse met in the semifinal of what is widely considered to be the most dreary Wimbledon in living memory, a judgement derived in large … Continue reading
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The Oft-Written Rule
Shanghai Masters, Final (2) Murray d. (3) Ferrer 7/5 6/4 Andy Murray defeated David Ferrer in straight sets tonight, and thereby won the Shanghai Masters 1000 for the second year running. It is the Scot’s eighth Masters title, which is … Continue reading
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The Spirit of Santoro
Shanghai Masters, Third Round (15) Mayer d. (1) Nadal, 7/6 6/3 Ebden d. (8) Simon, 6/2 2/6 7/6 There is a great deal to be said for variety trumping power, for the idea that a multifarious approach to tennis might … Continue reading
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Wildcards No More
Shanghai Masters, Second Round (10) Roddick d. Dimitrov, 7/6 7/5 Tomic d. (5) Fish, 4/6 6/1 6/4 Nishikori d. Haase, 0/6 7/5 7/6 The talk, as the Shanghai Masters commenced, was of how so anaemic a main draw might nonetheless … Continue reading
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Man, Handled
Tokyo, Final (2) Murray d. (1) Nadal, 3/6 6/2 6/0 The question of why a non-British person might support Andy Murray is a nice one, and when pressed most fans tend to give wildly varying, if not downright conflicting, reasons. … Continue reading
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These Desultory Months
Tokyo, Quarterfinals Murray d. Nalbandian, 6/4 7/5 Beijing, Quarterfinals Berdych d. Verdasco, 6/1 6/0 Notwithstanding the annual ennui afflicting tennis after the US Open, last year’s Fall Season was, by broad consensus, among the finest ever witnessed. (It is a … Continue reading
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Hopes Uncarried
Two 500 events are underway in eastern Asia, in Tokyo and Beijing respectively. To order them thus is to rank them by draw quality, which is hard on Beijing, since it wasn’t their idea for two-time defending champion and reigning … Continue reading
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It’s All Gravy
Kuala Lumpur, Final Tipsarevic d. Baghdatis, 6/4 7/5 Janko Tipsarevic was, until earlier today, the most notorious player in men’s tennis to have never won a title, a rankling accolade even in lean times, but surely gougingly painful in a … Continue reading
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Swingers
Bangkok, Quarterfinals Murray d. Dimitrov, 6/4 6/4 The 2011 Asian Swing is only four days old, but already I’ve decided I can’t stand the term. Perhaps I should be clearer. The Asian part is fine. Indeed, I cannot fault it … Continue reading
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