Indian Wells 2015

[Murat Baslamisli]

Now that the DC is over, it might be time to talk about the first Masters 1000 tournament.

Thoughts?

 

[Kirijax]

Let the warm up tournament for the Miami Masters begin!

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Now that the DC is over, it might be time to talk about the first Masters 1000 tournament.

Thoughts?

I am very excited. IW really marks the beginning of the real tennis year, so to speak.
Also, for the first time since September 2014, we have all top 10 players participating in
the same tourney. Cilic did not play in AO, Rafa did not play in WTF and Paris.
So, basically Shanghai was the last tournament with all top 10 players playing in it.

Also, IW marks the first time after almost one and half years we have the big four
being the same as top four in a tourney.

Finally, we also have M. Fish playing after a long time.

The only sad news is that JMDP still could not make it.

There were only four withdrawals so far: JMDP, Tipsy, Almagro and Worm.

While we are already aware of the injury issues of Tipsy and Worm, I thought
Almagro was back in action. He was playing in the golden swing, although not
doing well there. He too decided to drop out. I don't know the exact reasons.

If the Fed in current form gets Rafa in current form, we can see some damage
control of the H2H. However, even if both Rafa and Roger were in the same half,
I really doubt that Rafa can make it to SF under his current form.

 

[auto-pilot]

Actually Nadal was in sharp form in 2015 Argentina (sharper than 2013 South American events when he lost to #73).
Yes he lost to Foginini at 2015 Rio, but he looked more error-prone at 2014 Rio when Andujar had matchpoints, whereas the 2015 Fognini match had a high quality 3rd set.
Nadal looks ready to me.

 

[herios]

Nadal looks ready to me.

The highest ranked player he faced in Argentina was 59 ranked Delbonis. On that alone, he must be very readyuzzled

 

[auto-pilot]

^ Just by the eye-test he's moving better than 2013 and making less errors than 2014.

 

[herios]

There were only four withdrawals so far: JMDP, Tipsy, Almagro and Worm.

Tsonga is not back either.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

There were only four withdrawals so far: JMDP, Tipsy, Almagro and Worm.

Tsonga is not back either.

There were more withdrawals today. Monfils, Goffin and Lorenzi are out too.
I thought Goffin was faking injury, it looks it is real. Kudos to him for playing for
Belgium despite carrying injury.

 

[Kirijax]

Sad to hear about Tsonga. It's much more fun with him around. Was hoping he would be back this month. Maybe the clay court season?

 

[GameSetAndMath]

I posted this in some other thread as we did not have this thread before.

Rafa, Stan, Cilic and Grigor are expected to play doubles also at IW.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Tommy Haas (after more than an year) and Jack Sock (after about 6 months) will be in
action as well at IW.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Does anyone remember the exact date/tourney in which all of the big four participated as
members of top four?

It was probably sometime in early 2013.

From Feb 2014 until now, Andy was out of top 4.

From June 2013 until Feb 2014, Fed was out of top 4.

I believe Rafa was out of top 4 before that for a while.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Rafa usually always plays doubles at IW,no great news there.

 

[Carol]

Poor Almagro, after his foot surgery he is not doing so well and Tsonga is always with some kind of injury. I also feel sorry for Delpo, I don't see him going too far having had surgeries in both wrists

 

[Carol]

Nadal looks ready to me.

The highest ranked player he faced in Argentina was 59 ranked Delbonis. On that alone, he must be very readyuzzled

Ok ok ok, Roger beat Novak but before to reach the finals his opponents weren't the best ones.......:devillot
Rafa deserves more credit after his injury/surgery to win in BA and against two good clay players, don't you think?:dodgy:

 

[isabelle]

Tommy Haas (after more than an year) and Jack Sock (after about 6 months) will be in
action as well at IW.

Haas is out

 

[El Dude]

I thought Fish retired.

I wonder if Tsonga is done as a top 10 player. He turns 30 this year and despite winning his first Masters last year, when he had that super hot streak, his trajectory seems to be going in the wrong direction. He hasn't made it to the second week of a Slam since Roland Garros in 2013.

 

[nehmeth]

Rafa deserves more credit after his injury/surgery to win in BA and against two good clay players, don't you think?

:nono

No. Let's see what he does here against the top players.

 

[auto-pilot]

Nadal looked better at Argentina than he looked in any of the 2013 South American events.
He also looked better in Rio 2015 than he looked in Rio 2014 (compare the semi-final of 2015 to 2014, and he was much sharper in 2015 despite losing).
Anyone who watches Nadal matches is now aware of what is about to take place.
The fact that he was able to make the AO quarter-finals without any preparation after months of no play was a sign of how quickly he's able to reach the top.

 

[herios]

I thought Fish retired.

I wonder if Tsonga is done as a top 10 player. He turns 30 this year and despite winning his first Masters last year, when he had that super hot streak, his trajectory seems to be going in the wrong direction. He hasn't made it to the second week of a Slam since Roland Garros in 2013.

That was not JWT first master title, he also won another one in Paris back in 2008.