Hi tennis fans, I’m in Doha this week doing the commentating for the world TV feed. This tournament is insane!!! They have Nadal, Federer, Murray and Roddick (some serious cash been handed out right there for appearance fees!!!) All these guys are on the schedule Wednesday. Today we ONLY had three of those four – Nadal, Fed and Murray!
The way the treat everyone is top-draw stuff. We’re with the players at The Ritz- Carlton here in Doha, and the hotel is the best I have ever been in….and I have been to some pretty spectacular ones around the world!
Food is great, the quality of tennis from the top three seeds was phenomenal today and we’ll see what they bring to the court.
I’ll keep you all posted.
Robbie
Robbie Koenig: The New Mr. October
Well, it has all been happening here in Paris! Andy Murray was finally defeated by an impressive David Nalbandian, but I had a chat with Murray’s coach, Miles Maclagen, after the match and he tells me Andy’s fatigued. But credit to Nalbandian – he was outstanding today. Maybe his new nickname should be “Mr. October” since he’s played so well in this month the last two seasons! (Remember last year he beat seven of the eight players in the Masters Cup in this very month!)
And what a disaster for the tournament to loose both Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer on the same day!!! But as they they say, what goes around comes around. The tournament has done away with one of its practice courts this year so that it could have more space for it’s VIP village to entertain. Practicing on site has been a nightmare, almost impossible, and a lot of players have been pissed off that the tournament director seems to be paying more attention to the VIP village than the players needs!
It’s a pity the two guys got injured, but I’ve got no sympathy for the tournament. They’ve only got self interest.
J-W Tsonga will hopefully keep the flag flying as far as they are concerned, but I wouldn’t count on it because Andy Roddick has been impressive this week. He’s been aggressive from the back of the court, and his serve has been RODDICKULOUS!!!
Let see what the next 48hrs brings?
Robbie Koenig: Bercy Beckons!
It’s already the final Masters Series event of the regular season – can you believe it. I guess the talking point at this time of the year is “who is going to make the final spots in Shanghai?”
I’m still sticking by Gilles Simon to sneak in – I think David Ferrer is going to be the 9th guy (unfortunately, because he’s a class act!) and miss out this year. We’ll wait and see.
Andy Murray is looking good – VERY good! Winning three tournaments in a row is definitely a possibility after a convincing win in St Petersburg on Sunday. Rafael Nadal had a week off, a bit of golf this week with his mate Sergio Garcia, so he should be well rested and ready for this week. And of course Roger Federer’s gonna be in the mix. The question is I guess, how motivated will the “Quad Squad” (Nadal, Fed, Novak Djokovic, Murray) be this week?” They might be just picking up their “bonus pool” checks before heading back home for a little more rest before Shanghai.
Before I finish, condolences must go out to the family of Federico Luzzi, who died so tradgically Saturday of leukemia. The 28-year-old player from Italy was a real character, and his death was so unexpected. He will be sorely missed by the tennis community.
I’ll keep you posted as the week unfolds…Enjoy!
Robbie Koenig: The Blog From Madrid
Apologies first of all for missing my post on Thursday, but the commentating has been full-on this week in Madrid!!! Two matches after 8pm is such bad scheduling, no one stays to watch the second match, irrespective of who’s playing! Its crazy to start a match at 10:30/11pm at night, a few players were pissed off this week playing at that time, and i totally understand!!
Anyway…how about Saturday – ridiculous quality tennis!!! I’ve been talking a fair bit about Andy Murray, and he proved he’s the real deal – sick athlete and great tactition! He served as good as I’ve ever seen, and he’s gonna take the title Sunday cause Gilles Simon has got to be outta gas…..?
What a Hercleun effort yesterday from the Frenchman, to beat Rafa Nadal in that fashion in his own backyard. He deserves a serious amount of respect!!! I tell you the stadium was rocking, we could hardly hear ourselves in the booth, and both Jason (Goodall- co commentator) and myself rate that as one of the best matches we’ve ever called.
Novak Djokovic seems to have lost his edge a bit, some of the boys tell me he’s been partying pretty hard and enjoying himself….Fair enough, he’s had a great year and is entitled to enjoy his success! As long as it doesn’t affect his game too much, he’s young, he’ll learn.
There was a big a party last night with all the “Hugo Boss” ball-girls and hostesses (a lot are local models), but I was just too tired to make a guest appearance, but I’m sure it was fun. Tiriac (Ion Tiriac- tournament owner, the guy with the big moustache) only does things to the max. He’s a genius businessman!
Gotta run and go prep for the finals, If Simon pulls this one off, it will be the eighth wonder!!!
Robbie Koenig – Live From Madrid
It’s good to be back on the road, albeit with a few connection problems getting here, but these next four weeks are gonna be highly entertaining, to say the least! Rafa in Spain, Murray staking his claim as part of the “Quad Squad” (that’s what i call the top four guys, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray) and is David Nalbandian gonna pull another rabbit outta the hat during the season end? Tell you what, if he defends both Madrid and Paris titles, that would be a phenominal accomplishment!!! And beware because he’s playing well indoors – he’s just captured the title in Stockholm, plus he’s got the added insentive of the Davis Cup Final at the end of the season, so he’s going to want to be playing well for that!
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Also up for grabs are the last few spots in Shanghai and with two TMS events still to be played, its gonna be intersting to see who handles the pressure best….
I’m a little surprised Roger is playing this week, the word from his camp is that he’s gonna take it week by week, and should he feel any fatigue whatsoever, he’ll take a week or two off!!! Conditions here suit him best and I think he’s the man to beat, together with Murray.Rafa, playing in Spain for the first time as the world No. 1will be a big deal, and perhaps a little added pressure. Let’s keep an eye on how he handles the extra burden. I’ll fill you in with more of my thoughts on Thursday.I’ll also throw in a couple of pictures and some “behind the scenes” info. I just need a few more days here in Madrid to get my teeth stuck-in.
Robbie Koenig: US Open Analysis
Together with Wimbledon, its my favorite Slam! I love “The City” from the restaurants to coffee shops, theatre, night life….there is no place like it!!! Apart from the fact it was my most successful Slam (1x Semi’s and 3x Quarterfinalist in doubles) and my favorite surface, I always felt at home in the Big Apple. The tournament paid a lot of bills for me! Also the wind can blow there…i probably was one of the few guys who liked that (conditions could be as windy as hell at my hometown in Durban, South Africa when i was growing up as a youngster) its a great equalizer, and tests your mental resilience, and its a factor, no question, together with the heat and the crowd, it makes for heady cocktail!
So who’s gonna handle the conditions best? That’s the million dollar question. Let’s stay away from Nadal, Federer and Djokovic for a while, because we know they are the favorites, any person can tell you that/ Lets take a look at their various sections in the draw and try pick out some “dark horses.”
Rafa, top of the pile, first time ever at a Slam, has got a tough Quarter!! Berdych ( who by the way I think is grossly under achieving!) can be a handful a for any of the top three, and he had a great record against Rafa, until recently, plays Karlovic potentially in the third round. Nadal will play either of the two I suspect. Those are two guys he won’t be happy to see in his section that’s for sure! Remember the courts play QUICK at Flushing Meadows and those two guys will love that!
Also you have Blake and Nalbandian in the Quarter, ANOTHER two players who have the measure of Rafa. Remember James’s most successful Slam is here, and he’ll be tough to beat under lights at home! As far as Nalbandian is concerned, who knows which guy is gonna turn up, he’s probably short of some matches.
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In the next quarter you got the likes of Ferrer, Simon, Youhzny, Murray and the “on fire” Juan Martin Del Potro (he’s won four straight tournaments!) Murray was gonna be one of my picks to make the semis, but that’s a tough section. Del Potro vs. Canas is a very interesting first round matchup, never easy to play someone from your own country and someone you probably looked up to as a youngster. Del Potro will do well to get over this first hurdle! and keep that tsunami size wave of confidence on a roll! I think the fact Murray lost early in Beijing is actually beneficial, because he’ll have more time to recover and get acclimatized back in the US. It’s so tough to play your very best when you are globetrotting like the tennis players have been doing this past month. Murray is my pick to come thru, but only just ahead of David Ferrer, who remember last year put Rafa out…..and they’re in the same half this year???
The Bottom half is definitely easier, I think. Unfortunately I don’t think Roddick is gonna make it as far as the Semis. Djokovic will see to that, if not Ernests Gulbis in the second round. That is my outside pick there! Gonzo is playing well, but that section will be all Djokovic
Then finally the fourth quarter – interesting. A few dangerous floaters – Almagro, Verdasco ( Fernando has had a great season so far!) and Andreev have all had a good year. What about the Haas vs. Gasquet 1st round!!! That’s rough for either player. But perhaps the most interesting matchup, could be the potential third round encounter between Stepanek and Federer. “Steps” beat him in Rome earlier this year and is a tricky customer even when Roger was playing well…..but considering how susceptible the Swiss Maestro is looking now, that match could be a massive headache for “Big Rog” And if Fed does get bounced early, which one of the above mentioned guys will capitalize…..Probably NONE….That’s because Davydenko is in that section. The guy who always finds his way into the last four, and the one player we always say very little about!!! But boy has he earned his stripes, remember the win in Miami this year, he drilled Rafa in the finals! Beware the Russian.
I can’t wait for Monday! To see the players go toe to toe at a Slam is the ultimate! (I’m not a big fan of tennis being an Olympic sport, so I wasn’t that in to it). I would love to see Murray win his first Slam, it would spice things up even more at the top of the rankings. Don’t forget he won the Junior title there back in 2004, so there’s that ‘feel good factor’ for him in NYC!!!
Enjoy the spectacle!
Robbie Koenig: Murray Fulfills Potential I First Saw At Age 16
Andy Murray Sunday – and through the week – played the kind of tennis that showcased the talent that I always knew he had. I played him in a first round doubles match in Nottingham when he was 16 and I was playing some of my best tennis around that time with my partner, Chris Haggard, who had one of the trickiest lefty serves on a grass court you could ever imagine. But this young 16 year old kid that I had never heard of, or seen before, carved us up on serve like I’ve never seen before. He made Chris and myself look like ameteurs for a set, but thank goodness his partner managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory for them, otherwise we would have packed our bags early that week. Naturally from that day on I watched the results of this kid from Scotland.
I watched the meteoric rise to top 10, but the top 5 was the benchmark. This past 12 months frustrated the hell outta me, when he lost a lot of matches he should have one. But he’s finally come of age. He’s finally got that mental strength, to compete with the very best. Wimbledon, Toronto and in Cincinnati proved that! Its about doing it CONSISTENTLY. That’s the key to being the best.
This is a kid who know’s exactly what he wants in all areas of his tennis.
He’s so humble in everything he does, this guy doesn’t understand the word “showboat ” and takes everything in his stride.
This guy is a real athlete in every sense of the word. I think he’s second only to Rafael Nadal in athletic ability on the court. I hope he continues to build on his success. He’ll be a great addition to the ” Quad Squad ” ( Nadal, Fed, Djoko and Murray).
To all the readers, please don’t hesitate to ask me any questions or to comment on things. I will gladly be of assistance.
Robbie Koenig: Rafa Will Sweat Blood To Get To No. 1
It’s been a fascinating first four days in Cincinnati. Losing Andy Roddick to an injury was a big disappointment. Tomas Berdych continues to be the biggest under-achiever for me, considering all the talent and weapons he has. I have huge respect for Carlos Moya for his quality of tennis he has displayed has been outstanding. I thought Igor Andreev has been playing great lately, so for Carlos to finish off Nikolay Davydenko and then later in day beat Igor is a massive result. You can’t believe how tough the conditions are here – ie the heat and humidity – and Carlos is 31 now!
Ernest Gulbis is a star in the making. Remember, he’s only 19 and if gets a little better between the ears, he’s gonna mix it regularly with the big boys! He’s got some serious guts when the chips are down – especially on his serve! His match Friday with Novak Djokovic should be a cracker!
Then, of course, the big news of the week – Roger Federer going down to Ivo Karlovic. Before Thursday’s match, Fed had won nine of their 10 previous tie-breakers, which i think is astounding, so sooner or later something had to give. I had a chat with Ivo a little while after the match, and he felt he’s been overdue for a while now, so considering all that has gone on the past seven months with Federer, perhaps this result is not as big a deal as everyone thinks?
That means the door is ajar for Rafael Nadal to clinch the top spot this week. He’s gotta win though – and he will. What he’s done over the past four months is unbelievable, and to play second fiddle to Federer for so long, has gotta be mentally taxing. Well obviously not! He will sweat blood this week to get the job done, and some might come close to beating him, Djokovic and Murray particularly, but I don’t think anyone will stand in his way. How ironic or appropriate would it be if he lost to Moya in the final…or beat his friend/mentor to sit atop the tennis world!
Enjoy the weekend, I can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to it.
Robbie Koenig: Reigns in Spain
What a sensational past two months it’s been for Spanish sport. The national soccer team won the Euro 2008 championship and on Sunday, Carlos Sastre won the Tour de France and Spain’s favorite son, Rafa Nadal, is a step closer to dethroning Roger Federer as world No. 1. The last few months for him has been phenominal!!!
The thing I love about Nadal, is the guys determination and mental toughness – on these – he stands alone. I think a lot more tennis fans can relate to his success because of the fact they can see how hard he works for every point and how much effort he puts in. Federer has made it look so easy for the last four years, I think, for a lot of us tennis fans, it’s difficult to relate to his genius.
Nadal will be No. 1 very soon and the charisma and humility he has is inspirational for all generations. I can’t think of any other player who is more deserving of the top spot.
So Cincy beckons, and all eyes will be firmly focused on those two players again, but keep a close eye on Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic. Murray was fantastic last week, and Novak has a point to prove. Not to sure what to make of Andy Roddick, but you can never count him out in North America. Also he’s won this title before, so there’s that “feel good” factor for him here, and that counts for a lot!
Enjoy the tennis!
Robbie Koenig: Breaking Down Federer’s Loss From The Broadcast Booth
It’s 10.30 pm in Toronto and I just got back to my hotel room after calling the Roger Federer – Gilles Simon match. If anyone was listening to the start of my commentating, I highlighted the fact that this could be a “tricky” match for Roger, and so it proved. Simon has just won Indy last week and playing with confidence, and he’s a good player. He, together with Stan Wawrinka, Marin Cilic, and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga were my choices in November LAST year, to be my “outside picks” to crack the top 20…. Just waiting on Marin now to do me proud.
But getting back to this evening’s match – I’ve never seen Roger miss so many forehands, like he did in those last three games. I think, he’s just a little too impatient with it and trying to hit a big shot when perhaps it wasn’t the right moment. But when you’ve been top of the pile for so long, your self belief is immense and I’m sure he backs himself to make that shot. Unfortunately, lately, it’s letting him down.
I really enjoyed two things about him tonight – he came to the net a lot (almost 50 times), and was looking to attack the second serve – two things that everyone in the locker room believes he needs to do in order to beat Nadal….
But – and its a big BUT – he needs to approach with the backhand SLICE 95% of the time, because again tonight his topspin approach off that side cost him big time and has been doing so for a while now, and that is something that his coach, Jose Higueras, has to address more than anything else! He’s got the best slice in the game. I would love to know what he’s thinking, because I’ve commentated on so many of his matches and its glaringly obvious to me. The pictures show it too. I just can’t understand why Roger doesn’t see it…
PS: Once again, how classy is he in defeat? There’s plenty of athlete’s out there who need to take notice
