Moscow

[Annie]

Awww.....man... Poor Marat (dread to think what those silly Russian journos will say about him this time ) Well, I guess the winning streak had to end somewhere!

Wow, Vlad; I never expected that kind of an upbeat post from you after a loss!! But it's certainly much appreciated and you made some excellent & encouraging points, so big thank you for that (BTW, I totally see why you needed to post it; there are certain fans who just get a little depressing after any kind of loss and are usually the first to comment here ;D)

Ok, here's my little 'chin-up' for what it's worth > he's preserving energy for Madrid (a bit of a lame excuse, I know, but still true Like Vlad pointed out, his second serve has had a vast improvement. And he seems to have beaten the tie-break demons in Moscow this year - lets just hope he remembers that for future tourneys!!
Being in Moscow is going to conjure up all kinds of personal issues for Marat and unless things are 100% perfect between him and the people he loves, playing there is going to be a minefield. It only takes one argument or something to bring things crashing down around him and suddenly he's gone from fantastic winner to 'I just want to get out of here'. I'm not saying this was the cause for the loss at all, it's just something to bear in mind when he's playing at home.

Thanks for the screencaps Me......poor little mite..

BTW, on a good note > Coria maybe unable to play because of his injury. (I know he's started training again etc, but I've been told it could be more for show ) and there was something about Moya withdrawing.....ack! I can't remember what exactly it was or what was going on (anybody know what I'm talking about?)...but basically it could mean there would be a free place for Marat in Houston which is the good news

[sirius]

well...if it helps. there are rumours that fed and andy are withdrawing too! no idea if that's true...from madrid i mean

[Vassily]

I don't think that the fact that the top-2 players in the owrld are not playing is going to affect Marat's performance. i don't expect him to win anyway. Just look at him! I'm watching Igor Andreev play in the few moving frames that I've seen in the whole match I've seen numerous aggressive shots from both side, some outrageously wild. Most of them are in. And all that's painful to watch. Because I did not see this in Marat's game for a very long time. He doesn't go for angles and even power it seems. He can't do it. He's afraid. He can't win anything serius with this. If he plays with Andreev, for example, Igor will look a better player tan Marat. Because Andreev goes for his shots, like all top players do. In exteremely hard situations he goes for an aggressive shot intead of a helpless defensive on. In all moments when he has to go dtl or extreme crosscourt he does it. Marat doesn't. This has to change.

[Vassily]

MARAT AND MAX WITHDREW FROM DOUBLES.

[MariaV]

Ruth, Moya has a shoulder injury and his knee was also nagging a bit I heard. I haven't got the latest as from yesterday but most probably he won't play Paris and Madrid to be ready for the DC final and Houston. But he''ll certainly try to play in Houston.
As for Coria - he might try to get ready to play in Houston but I also doubt it..

[MariaV]

Vassily said:

I don't think that the fact that the top-2 players in the owrld are not playing is going to affect Marat's performance. i don't expect him to win anyway. Just look at him! I'm watching Igor Andreev play in the few moving frames that I've seen in the whole match I've seen numerous aggressive shots from both side, some outrageously wild. Most of them are in. And all that's painful to watch. Because I did not see this in Marat's game for a very long time. He doesn't go for angles and even power it seems. He can't do it. He's afraid. He can't win anything serius with this. If he plays with Andreev, for example, Igor will look a better player tan Marat. Because Andreev goes for his shots, like all top players do. In exteremely hard situations he goes for an aggressive shot intead of a helpless defensive on. In all moments when he has to go dtl or extreme crosscourt he does it. Marat doesn't. This has to change.

Vass, Andreev has made great progress this year but PLEEEEEAAASE don't be so negative/pessimistic about Marat!!!!

[Damita]

The rumors about Moya seems to be confirmed. Tennis-X.com says today: Carlos Moya will skip the MS-Madrid with a shoulder injury and as Maria and Ruth said i doubt Coria will play....or at least doubt he'll play well and go far

oh and some more info, also from Tennis-X, about Roddick pulling out in Madrid:
Here's a little more spice from the ATP's own MS-Madrid website: "With the Americans facing Spain in the Davis Cup, some reports indicate that the former world number 1 (Andy Roddick) may not travel to Europe for the indoor campaign, preferring to focus on the final in Seville December 3-5. But while his problem may keep him off the ATP, it hasn't apparently been bad enough to prevent exhibition matches." Zing! Oh behave Madrid! Apparently Andy has pseudo-officially pulled from Madrid since the event has disappeared from his tournament list on his personal website...

[Teresa]

Vassily said:

I don't think that the fact that the top-2 players in the owrld are not playing is going to affect Marat's performance. i don't expect him to win anyway. Just look at him! I'm watching Igor Andreev play in the few moving frames that I've seen in the whole match I've seen numerous aggressive shots from both side, some outrageously wild. Most of them are in. And all that's painful to watch. Because I did not see this in Marat's game for a very long time. He doesn't go for angles and even power it seems. He can't do it. He's afraid. He can't win anything serius with this. If he plays with Andreev, for example, Igor will look a better player tan Marat. Because Andreev goes for his shots, like all top players do. In exteremely hard situations he goes for an aggressive shot intead of a helpless defensive on. In all moments when he has to go dtl or extreme crosscourt he does it. Marat doesn't. This has to change.

Vass I think this is unfair, did you see Marat's match against Andy in Thailand? I did not, but I am sure it was not all 'a helpless defensive' As you may recall it was 3 tie break sets and Andy is the #2 player right behind Roger.

Marat does like to play be the seat of his pants, but this does not always win matches, and in some matches one does have to play defensively.

He still managed to come back in the first set after been a break down to force the tiebreak, and then he wins the second set 6-4, okay it all came tumbling down in the third, but shit happens. You dont think in the third set he was saying to himself I should have won that tie break, if I had I would be outta here? He had a tough match yesterday because as others have said he was more mentally tired than physically tired.

And as I have said before the man is not a robot, you simply cannot wind him up and send him out there and expect him to perform, and sure we all want Marat to win, Marat wants to win too, but its not going to happen, so one just has to take the bitter with the sweet, and there will be more sweet times than bitter times to come.


And as Ruth said

Being in Moscow is going to conjure up all kinds of personal issues for Marat and unless things are 100% perfect between him and the people he loves, playing there is going to be a minefield.

We just don't really know, but we have to give some credit where it is due, he fought hard againist Max and in his match yesterday

[Teresa]

Vassily said:

MARAT AND MAX WITHDREW FROM DOUBLES.

I feel sorry for Max as I read somewhere that he has won the doubles the last 2 years? So this has to be disappointing for him, and I am sure Marat must feel bad too. Hopefully Max understands

[Perri]

Vass, I agree with you that Marat's game cannot stay like that. Hopefully, Peter will convey the message to him and help him to play his game. I understand that you are very unhappy and disappointed about the loss and the way Marat played. However, please also try to appreciate Marat's fighting spirit which for a long period of time had been missing from his game. In fact, I hate it most when he gives up a match and does not fight at all, which is simply unacceptable. Just want to say that it takes time to raise the level of game and we can see his fight as the 1st step. I believe Marat's level of game will be lifted some time in the future though it may not appear in a short time, say this year. So, Vass, let's be optimistic. Marat is just too talented to play at such a low level forever. I think being optimistic and positive is a must for marat's fans or you will go crazy or lose all your hair/nails very easily. :-/So, let's hope he will improve step by step.

[Sena]

Marat is invited to Dima Bilan's (Russian pop singer) new album presentation, it will took part today in the night club "Infiniti".
Also among the guests are: Pavel Bure, Xenia Sobchak, Maria Butirskaya and others.

The source is here: www.showlife.ru/doc/meropr/2725.html

Maybe thats why he decided not to play doubles today?? To be fresh for the party:-/

[Karen]

You actually think that? I'm 100% sure this walk-over had nothing to do with a party. I'm sorry but shame on you for even thinking that.

[Vassily]

MariaV said:

Vass, Andreev has made great progress this year but PLEEEEEAAASE don't be so negative/pessimistic about Marat!!!!

Marat doesn't give me a reason to be positive, does he?

[Vassily]

Teresa said:

Vass I think this is unfair, did you see Marat's match against Andy in Thailand? I did not, but I am sure it was not all 'a helpless defensive' As you may recall it was 3 tie break sets and Andy is the #2 player right behind Roger.

A couple of objective reports did say that Marat played safe when he had opportunities to play an aggressive shot. If he played aggressive he would have won that match. Because he was very close to breaking.

He still managed to come back in the first set after been a break down to force the tiebreak, and then he wins the second set 6-4, okay it all came tumbling down in the third, but shit happens. You dont think in the third set he was saying to himself I should have won that tie break, if I had I would be outta here? He had a tough match yesterday because as others have said he was more mentally tired than physically tired.

And as I have said before the man is not a robot, you simply cannot wind him up and send him out there and expect him to perform, and sure we all want Marat to win, Marat wants to win too, but its not going to happen, so one just has to take the bitter with the sweet, and there will be more sweet times than bitter times to come.

Well, what's the use of the fighting spirit if it's not working and when it's not foprcing him to play more aggressive shots? Something is still seriusly messed up in his... you know.
And you're saying that he was down a break and came back... He get's broken way to often lately. even if he breaks he loses his serve in the next game. That's unacceptable for a top player.

You're saying that he's not a robot. Well he had a good enough rest during the whole of the year. He didn't play too many matches then, so he could play a bit more in the end.... And two difficult matches in tow days should not be that hard. Federer does it, the rest do it. I know I've never been in this situation, but still.

[Neo]

Vassily said:

Federer does it

Errrrrr, no, he doesn't 'do it'........ Of course that's because he doesn't play looooooong matches with tiebreaks every other set, like Marat(ik )................

edit>> I just realised that I don't understand my own post ;D ...........What I mean is, even if Federer has to play two matches in two days, they're not DIFFICULT matches, because he manages to win 6-4 6-3 (or whatever ) and is not as tired as Marat is after winning 6-7 7-5 7-6, so, yeah, that's why playing two matches in two days is easy for him. But I don't think he would be as fresh if he was playing the amount of tennis Marat is playing (and I've never seen FedEx playing two long, hard matches two days in a row).
Gosh, long post for such a silly issue........ Sorry! ;D