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Post by memtennis on Mar 17, 2009 23:07:02 GMT 3
Live streaming? I am hoping that FSN is showing the match in the US. For sure they will show him or Dinara!
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Post by maryb on Mar 17, 2009 23:17:45 GMT 3
Memtennis - www.bet365.com They are showing the match on livestream. SKY Sports 2 are also showing it after the Noely match. I'd imagine that the atptennis tv site www.tennistv.com will also have it live. I ain't nervous - looking forward to seeing my Big Pixie play. And he's got nothing to be nervous about either, he just needs to go out and wait for that chance to present itself. Positivity - it oozes from him now. LMAO. He even enjoys the test of a tiebreak now. ;D As long as he doesn't get frustrated by the serves thundering down and take a wild shot, he'll be fine. He's got his harem courtside as well for support. ;D And I'm off to make up his Wimbles fairy dust.  He's sorted. FG |
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Post by maryb on Mar 17, 2009 23:30:46 GMT 3
Nothing's going right for Tommy Haas at the moment. He's just mangled his racquet. Hope the Big Yin ain't watching and tries to emulate him ... ;D
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Post by memtennis on Mar 18, 2009 0:27:18 GMT 3
Memtennis - www.bet365.com They are showing the match on livestream. SKY Sports 2 are also showing it after the Noely match. I'd imagine that the atptennis tv site www.tennistv.com will also have it live. I ain't nervous - looking forward to seeing my Big Pixie play. And he's got nothing to be nervous about either, he just needs to go out and wait for that chance to present itself. Positivity - it oozes from him now. LMAO. He even enjoys the test of a tiebreak now. ;D As long as he doesn't get frustrated by the serves thundering down and take a wild shot, he'll be fine. He's got his harem courtside as well for support. ;D And I'm off to make up his Wimbles fairy dust. He's sorted. FG Thanks for the links. I am still hoping for TV coverage too! Looks like JMDP didn't want to win in 2 so we must wait a little longer..  |
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Post by Dina on Mar 18, 2009 1:05:57 GMT 3
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Post by Dina on Mar 18, 2009 1:28:34 GMT 3
just to say momo lahyani is the referee!!!!!!! no!!!!!!!!! why's my fav empire a jinx to my fav player!!! sighs! I hope the curse is now to be just over!!!!
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Post by maryb on Mar 18, 2009 2:57:08 GMT 3
Sigh. Where did your net approaches go my Big Pixie? You let the giant take control and were too passive with him.  Ok, hit the clubs (briefly) ... and then get to Miami and practice. FG Momo continued his jinx for you Dina. |
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Post by maryb on Mar 18, 2009 3:00:25 GMT 3
Ooops, should have given the score. My Big Pixie lost 6-4 6-4.
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Post by justsafin on Mar 18, 2009 3:58:16 GMT 3
Ooops, should have given the score. My Big Pixie lost 6-4 6-4. just got the disappointing result... Didn't get the chance to watch it ....as busy working......... Well, he did mention in his interviews before that he rarely does well during spring. So, it's not something surprising to him or us.  But, I still hope for some "miracles" in Miami. And who knows? Things happen. DAVAI MARATIK! |
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Post by tinuviel on Mar 18, 2009 11:55:44 GMT 3
Yeah! Shame about this result - but let's hope for better in the next one in Miami. Very sporting of you Mary to allow him some clubbing - let's hope he doesn't overdo it and sticks with the rest of your usual good advice.  |
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Post by memtennis on Mar 18, 2009 17:21:45 GMT 3
I watched and he really did look out of sorts. He was standing a mile behind the baseline even for Isner's second serves! Very sad here...
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Post by yarina on Mar 19, 2009 3:24:42 GMT 3
Yesterday's match was pretty awful. He wasn't in the mood at all and he didn't put up any fight whatsoever. It fits the picture I got after seeing him for 6 days straight - he's done with tennis, mentally. I don't know why he decided to spend another year on the tour, but to expect any great results from him or any great achievement tennis-wise could prove fruitless. But having said this, I don't want to keep any of you from hoping or having a more positive attitude, LOL My IW time is sadly over, I flew out this morning. Miss it already. Live stream has to suffice again... Thanks for the daily updates  I followed your brief summaries (and was happy to see you giving positive feedback to marat's play, as I know you're among the most objective/exigent people around ;D ) About him being done with tennis, mentally, I guess we could see that for a while now... he's retiring for a reason after all!About this week in particular I'll have to disagree a bit actually, even your brief reports about his other two matches were much more positive than this one - so we shouldn't disagree there . And then I thought that yesterday's match was not that bad....We've seen so much worse from him -- his serve was not working too well - OK, but he looked reasonably composed and less bored than usual. My initial impression was that he started off pretty confident, but then his concentration span is prob 5 min and traded breaks a bit too easy in the 1st set and to everyone's surprise the set was suddenly over! Second set he had his chances but failed to take them and once at 4 all, he lost focus once more.and that was it - tennis is so simple when you watch it from your confy seat at home  ). why he's not retiring now? well, I used to say that after many of his recent losses and i'm inclined to think he may say that to himself sometimes. but i guess it's just too hard to just stop doing what you've done all you're life: bad with the bad, but worse without it - literal translation of a Romanin saying - I guess it might apply to both his supporters and him lately! |
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Post by justsafin on Mar 19, 2009 4:07:18 GMT 3
Yesterday's match was pretty awful. He wasn't in the mood at all and he didn't put up any fight whatsoever. It fits the picture I got after seeing him for 6 days straight - he's done with tennis, mentally. I don't know why he decided to spend another year on the tour, but to expect any great results from him or any great achievement tennis-wise could prove fruitless. But having said this, I don't want to keep any of you from hoping or having a more positive attitude, LOL My IW time is sadly over, I flew out this morning. Miss it already. Live stream has to suffice again... Thanks for the daily updates I followed your brief summaries (and was happy to see you giving positive feedback to marat's play, as I know you're among the most objective/exigent people around ;D ) About him being done with tennis, mentally, I guess we could see that for a while now... he's retiring for a reason after all!About this week in particular I'll have to disagree a bit actually, even your brief reports about his other two matches were much more positive than this one - so we shouldn't disagree there . And then I thought that yesterday's match was not that bad....We've seen so much worse from him -- his serve was not working too well - OK, but he looked reasonably composed and less bored than usual. My initial impression was that he started off pretty confident, but then his concentration span is prob 5 min and traded breaks a bit too easy in the 1st set and to everyone's surprise the set was suddenly over! Second set he had his chances but failed to take them and once at 4 all, he lost focus once more.and that was it - tennis is so simple when you watch it from your confy seat at home ). why he's not retiring now? well, I used to say that after many of his recent losses and i'm inclined to think he may say that to himself sometimes. but i guess it's just too hard to just stop doing what you've done all you're life: bad with the bad, but worse without it - literal translation of a Romanin saying - I guess it might apply to both his supporters and him lately! I agree with Yarina's observation. Annette is among one of the most exigent about Marat's play. There is an old wise Chinese saying though, you love/care alot so that you are being exigent. Is it the first US hard court experience for Annette? Judging from the past 3 years' participation of mine, I'd say Marat has been acting/behaving like that, especially during training sessions. I have been puzzled myself. If a person is totally fed up, why would he even bother spending hours practicing under the scorching sun? He must must been motivated somehow. Yet, you also see obvious signs of impatience or lack of focus quite a bit. You don't know what he really thinks in his head nor can you tell whether he enjoys it. I thought he'd quit sometime in 2007 or 2008 becuz he really looked so grumpy in Cincy 2006, not too much improvement in 2007 . Yet, with two years of disappointing results, he managed to gradually come back to top 30.  Last year's Wimby was a surprise to everybody, probably himself too. And I doubt he will achieve the same this year (sorry, Mary, I truly hope he will). This guy is SO unpredictable and mysterious. Maybe he will retire with a high note. Maybe he will retire just when critics and fans are about to write him off. I sincerely wish for the former. And as always, best of luck to MARAT. I do miss his games during his prime years very much which caught my attention immediately. But I like him not simply because of tennis. So, still looking forward to the rest of the year, hope for the best and prepare for the worst. |
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Post by justsafin on Mar 19, 2009 7:09:17 GMT 3
3RD Post-Match Interview (vs Isner)
Q. Your sister said that she seldom goes into an interview where your name isn't brought up. Do you often get questions about your sister in your interviews, or is it a one way?
MARAT SAFIN: Lately, yes. I don't mind to answer the questions. It's okay. I can live with that.
Q. Can you just give us your thoughts about how things went today in your match against Isner?
MARAT SAFIN: Boring. Difficult match. Great server. Didn't find myself comfortable on the court any time in the match. That's why the match was 6-4, 6-4 and without really any chances.
Q. What happened on the point when the ball was flat?
MARAT SAFIN: Flat?
Q. Yes. Did that ever happen to you before?
MARAT SAFIN: No, first time. But didn't help me a lot.
Q. You have said this will be your last year, I guess. Is that still what you're sticking to?
MARAT SAFIN: Well, there's a thousand first times I have to answer this question. Yeah, plan for the end of the year and I will see.
But for the moment, I will stick to my plan and I want to make it the last one.
Q. How tough is his serve?
MARAT SAFIN: Well, it's just if you're feeling comfortable on the court and you are a little bit confident, then it's a little bit easier. But it's not as difficult as Roddick's serve or as Karlovic.
The thing is, if you're not serving well yourself, of course you're going to find yourself under pressure. You need to return, and of course extra pressure doesn't help you much. And that's why when you have to return, you don't return.
Also for the baseline you can't do anything. You start to play with him, and eventually you end up playing like him, which is not his best game. But that's -- it's a sad story.
Q. Can you talk a little bit about your struggles here?
MARAT SAFIN: There's no struggles. It's just that I hated to play always against the big servers and the guys playing without any rhythm. They are playing one shot, one ball guess inside the court, and another one flies five meters out. So there is no game, so it's give for me to get the rhythm from these players.
Q. I just meant about playing in this tournament over the years.
MARAT SAFIN: Well, I've had up and downs, of course. But it's a little bit comfortable because the balls are flying here a little bit more than other tournaments. Yeah, I've been struggling pretty much in this tournament and not really enjoying it.
But that's how things are. Not really fun. I thought things would change sooner or later, but eventually not. It didn't change. I've been looking for it. I've been coming for as many times I could to try and change it, but it never come.
Q. If I could just ask you a question about Nadal. When he first came on the tour, he's always been very comfortable on clay. Has it surprised you how he's been able to develop his game on the other surfaces as well and become such a dominant player on the other surfaces?
MARAT SAFIN: He's very enthusiastic, and he's just into the game and he's 100% concentrated on the game. He has a lot of just motivation to get better and better.
Of course he's much more talented than he looks, because also a lot of people thought he doesn't have such great hands, but apparently he has unbelievable touch. He sees the ball quite well, unbelievable athlete.
So just it's easier to adapt yourself to other surfaces, and he adapt very well. Also he improved his serve and decided to go to the net. Just he breaks everybody mentally. Before the match, everybody knows that they don't have any chance.
He learns how to play on other surfaces, and I think it just was amazing. Nobody thought actually he managed to play great on grass, but he made it. It's really surprising, but it also makes -- you can take the head off in front of him to show his -- my appreciation that he managed to do that in such a short period of time.
Q. He's also defending champion at the next two Slams. Would you say he has any chance given the level of competition?
MARAT SAFIN: He will win them again. He will win them. What's the problem. If he's not injured and he's playing well, so he will win it again.
Q. What about the US Open?
MARAT SAFIN: He has all the chance. But I don't know, for some reason he didn't play very well on that tournament, in US Open, but I think he has a chance. This year will be his year. I think he going to manage, because he's playing too good.
Q. Over your career, you've played a lot of fabulous players: Rafa, Federer, Sampras. Not breaking it down surface by surface, but overall, who do you think the best player you've ever played is?
MARAT SAFIN: Well, I played Nadal only once, but from what I see, I think that Nadal is better than everybody. I play against Federer many times, and he just surprised me every time. Each time the way he's moving the ball, the way he changes the pace, the way he's moving, the way he's destroying your game, basically.
Takes him four games to destroy you completely. He serves pretty well, he returns, and that's it. Eventually, you just gonna break down.
Q. He's just 22. Do you think in a number of years we could be talking about him breaking...
MARAT SAFIN: No, I was talking about Federer before. I think Nadal, because -- I was talking about Federer, because the way he's changing the pace and the way he's changing the game and the way he's moving on the court and the way he makes you look ridiculous on the court with his movement.
The greatest thing that he has, it's, yeah, three games and you are over. (laughter.)
But Nadal, he got into his brain. Nadal, he just manage to get into his brain. Psychologically Federer cannot beat Nadal psychologically. But tennis-wise, I think Federer is better.
Q. How did he get into his brain?
MARAT SAFIN: Maybe by beating him many times.
Q. You've had some wonderful highs and pretty big lows. Do you know why?
MARAT SAFIN: It's me. It's my tennis. It's my career. Everybody's different, and that's how I am. That's a good question after ten years of my career, huh?
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Post by jenhatter06 on Mar 20, 2009 4:01:37 GMT 3
Q. What happened on the point when the ball was flat? MARAT SAFIN: Flat? Ah, a ridiculous, lengthy rally, which ended with a shot that Marat TOTALLY missed when it bounced weird off the baseline (embarrassing right?) -- but only a few seconds later we hear the ump say: "The ball is broken. Replay the point."  Isner is bent over in disbelief. Definitely one of the weirdest things ever. ;D The Top 8 are left standing, with some intriguing match-ups ahead: Federer - Verdasco Murray - Ljubicic (big surprise Quarter finalist!) Nadal - del Potro Djokovic - Roddick Rafa was on the verge of losing last night, he saved 5 match points before winning 6-0 in the third set. Incredible!!!! Right now, only Rafa would be able to do something like that (David is going to be kicking himself for weeks). QFs look like they should be fun ... Birthday Boy Ljubicic seemed to hold on fairly well against Murray (where did Ivan come back from all of a sudden?  ) -- shame about Hawkeye screwing up that challenge with the footage of the wrong shot  So much for the Battle of the Singles Players in the bottom half of the Doubles draw -- Tommy-Gonzo had to default against Richie-Wawrinka, and Andy-Mardy are kicking some JMDP-Nalbandian butt right now ... |
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I followed your brief summaries (and was happy to see you giving positive feedback to marat's play, as I know you're among the most objective/exigent people around ;D )
).
Last year's Wimby was a surprise to everybody, probably himself too. And I doubt he will achieve the same this year 
Isner is bent over in disbelief. Definitely one of the weirdest things ever. ;D
) -- shame about Hawkeye screwing up that challenge with the footage of the wrong shot 