Open 13 Marseille

[C4iLL]

First round, C4iLL (Llodra) vs Don_ (Tsonga), 4-6, 6-3, 6-1

This was a complicated match at beginning. Don played at a very good level during the first set, breaking me two times, and me 1.
I think I was in the match, but he just hit everything on the lines, hitting big services on second ball (200kmh !), he was like a steamroller. Never saw someone hitting so regularly acceleration services on second serves

At the first game of the second set, he lost a bit his concentration while mine was at 150%, I broke him and his level never stops decreasing tactically and technically throughout the last sets.

I then did what I wanted on the court, with very efficient chips and charge and won the two last sets pretty easily.

[Don_]

It was a nice match when I believed I can win, but later I realized that I just can't pass C4iLL at net in any way (cross, down the line, lob - he gets everything). I don't know yet many tips&tricks in this game and I don't have experience against net dominators like C4iLL but I guess there have to be some better way to hit passing shots than I tried.
I won 1st set little lucky, some not clear returns, also mistakes at beginning from his side, and my serve was great so I hold my lead till end of 1st set. I was really suprised what's going on
But quick my dreams went away with losing 1st game (my serve) at start of 2nd set, it cuts my wings and also C4iLL started to play much better, he was coming more often to net and start to read my serve much better (I don't really know how he returned most of my >200km/h serves on the line ). In stats of 3rd set I had <40% win points on my serve so it tells everything
Good luck in next matches C4iLL.

[Clog]

Don't underestimate your self, Don ! It's been a while since I have practiced with you, but I do remember that the last time, I told you you were improving pretty fast. The Two-Months-Ago Don would probably have been destroyed by C4iLL on hard indoor, but regarding the scoreboard, you weren't ridiculous at all. You keep improving !
Just keep practicing, you're on the high road.

[inseedious]

inseedious def. tigerofintegrity 6-1 5-7 6-3

Another bad match from me, I just gave him too many chances, while I could (and had to) win in straight and easy sets. I lost the 1st round in Brasil, where I could reach final, and was doing the same thing here in Marseille. Of course, he played an awesome match, considering his little experience on the tour and on TE. But my game was way worse than my standard one. When I play matches like this, I really notice Federer's limits: it was just too hard to manage spinny Almagro's shots (especially at net, too many mistakes on very easy volleys), and I was often cought in bh to bh rallies; I really suffered Almagro being a power baseliner, cause he could make more accelerations with a still good amount of stamina. I gave him lots of break points (13), but fortunately my bigger experience made me able to counter them (he ended the match with 2/13 break points). I just hope to play a better match vs Lokius in QF and get my revenge, I really need to win some important matches to find again my motivation...

[C4iLL]

I think Tiger could get good results in a few time, for he was one of the top players of Top Spin 4 tour (ps3), so he's used to the big fights

[tigerofintegrity]

As inseedious said, it wasn't the cleanest of matches by either of us. We both made as many errors as winners. What was encouraging for me though was that I managed to change my gameplan after being down a set and a break and made a real match out of it. It mostly came down to him being able to take his chances better. He had a 5/10 break point conversion rate whereas I only had 2/13. Overall a good match to be part of and a good learning experience.

[C4iLL]

Semi-final C4iLL (Llodra) vs Robbin (Tsonga) = 4-6, 7-5, 4-6

First set : as usual since 2013, I began very bad, being broken for the fourth time in a row at the first service. The rest of the set was not special, both of us won our service : 6-4 for rob.

Second set : I began returning better, had more occasions. At 5-4 for him on his service, I had 2 set points he saved.
At 5-5, he led 0-40 on my service... I saved these 3 break points and come to 6-5. At 6-5, I finally managed to get the set, after like 6 set points missed...

Third set : On the first games I was a bit dominating on his service, but didn't manage to break. At 3-3, I did approximately the same thing as against Vramvrim at Rotterdam : 4 double faults, and break for rob... This was not luck, it's just the consequence of the energy I deployed before. I really felt my fingers lost the service timing during this game. It's always in the third set that I do these double faults grrr....

At 5-3 for rob, he had a match point I saved to come back 5-4. He served for the set, it was 15-40, I had two occasions to come back. I was dominating a bit one of this two occasions, I approach the net, chose the wrong side and get passed.
Robbin concluded the match afterwards, 6-4.

Conclusion : Robbin has a better level than late 2012 (but not yet his level when he won a M1000) and on my side, I think I'm less realistic than before on the key points as I was at Bercy for instance. It's a bit frustrating but I should practice more ^^

Stats : http://postimage.org/image/42w2w8imb/

[inseedious]

inseedious (Federer) def. eliomelma (Murray) 7-6(4) 6-0
Well, the first set was very problematic. We both led with a break and I even served for the set, but we found us in the tiebreak. He standed all time the most behind possible (near the adds), so I had to vary between short accels, drops and short slices. He didn't like that I used short slices, especially in the tiebreak, we both think it's not the fairest shot in the game, but I had to use it because I could not drop every point or look for line crosses. I just used it to punish his way of standing so behind the baseline, not to win free points or to turn some points on my side. He also lost several points bacause of the double bounce even when I used normal shots. I'm really sorry he was disappointed with this, I also proposed him a rematch (with me not using short slices and him standing a bit closer to the baseline), but he didn't want a re-match. On the other hand, I'm happy that we didn't have a discussion, but he was just honest telling me his thought about short slices and letting me know that I used them maybe too much in the tiebreak (though we had some very long rallies and some desyncs in the tiebreak, so I didn't fell like using short slices continuously on my side). I used lots of normal slices to change rythm, so I also think that some "short slices" were just normal slices with a big landing zone caused by the very low stamina at the end of the first set, but he said that he was able to recognize all short slices and normal slices, so I can be wrong about this, also because I have changed sounds recently so I don't know all the sounds yet. Again, I'm sorry for this little misunderstanding, stay tuned for the final between robbin and I (very though and close match I think).

[eliomelma]

inseedious (Federer) def. eliomelma (Murray) 7-6(4) 6-0
Well, the first set was very problematic. We both led with a break and I even served for the set, but we found us in the tiebreak. He standed all time the most behind possible (near the adds), so I had to vary between short accels, drops and short slices. He didn't like that I used short slices, especially in the tiebreak, we both think it's not the fairest shot in the game, but I had to use it because I could not drop every point or look for line crosses. I just used it to punish his way of standing so behind the baseline, not to win free points or to turn some points on my side. He also lost several points bacause of the double bounce even when I used normal shots. I'm really sorry he was disappointed with this, I also proposed him a rematch (with me not using short slices and him standing a bit closer to the baseline), but he didn't want a re-match. On the other hand, I'm happy that we didn't have a discussion, but he was just honest telling me his thought about short slices and letting me know that I used them maybe too much in the tiebreak (though we had some very long rallies and some desyncs in the tiebreak, so I didn't fell like using short slices continuously on my side). I used lots of normal slices to change rythm, so I also think that some "short slices" were just normal slices with a big landing zone caused by the very low stamina at the end of the first set, but he said that he was able to recognize all short slices and normal slices, so I can be wrong about this, also because I have changed sounds recently so I don't know all the sounds yet. Again, I'm sorry for this little misunderstanding, stay tuned for the final between robbin and I (very though and close match I think).

Yep right review of the match, we haven't discussion but we only talked about a shot that both consider strange for this game and almost impossible to return.We are friend and so no problem, we talked as old friends that wants to make better this beutiful game.
About the semifinal, Inseedious said right, first set was so funny and exciting, but after this i was so nervous because i lost in first set about 10 points with short slice and some points in tiebreak too. I hate this shot (and talked about it in match rules post)and my match ended here.Good luck for Inseediuos and hope to bring the trophy in Italy......Robbin don't hate me

[Robbin92]

Don't worry I won't hate you Elio, and you even motivate me more to put on a good performance to play at my best level in the final. Was already motivated because this is, keeping in mind this great level on tour nowadays, one of the rare opportunities to win a title for me.

After playing two rounds against Mr. Ace (Raonic) and balancing on the edge of elimination in the second round against FedSerena I had to play a big clash against C4ill in the semifinal.

I knew on beforehand that I would become a tough match, and I was almost sure it would become a three-set match. After the usual provoking and talking bullshits we started the match. I was first to follow up my big mouth when I made my intentions clear with an immediate break due to some good points and 1 double fault. I knew I had to focus on service from that point, but my first services weren't good at all. Though I managed to keep my service despite of some 0-30, 15-30, 30-30 situations.

In the second set C4ill stepped a bit back when returning leading to deeper returns and he did put pressure on most of my servicegames. I already survived one 0-40 situation somewhere in the middle of the set before what C4ill already told happened; both had chances but he managed to concretize his 6th set point.

As I prepared my head for a three setter on beforehand I didn't had much trouble to forget my missed chances in the second set and I just kept playing like I did. Had a break chance at one of the first games of the set, but C4ill worked it away with a decent SV combination. At 3-3 he had 40-15, but he did hit 2 double faults in a row, I smelled blood (yeah the TS4 Skill ) and a few points and two doubles later I had the break. At 5-3 C4ill saved the matchpoint with an amazing point and from then on I knew that that last game would be very hard to win. I expected C4ill to step up one more time and he did creating two break opportunities. The first one I could work away with a solid point but on the second break point Caill took the iniative and came in to the net. Luckily I decided to play a passing down the line, as I chose the short cross passing mostly in this match C4ill anticipated for this one and couldn't reach the ball. Two points later I finished the match in a really long rally where C4ill showed again that he is a great fighter.

Looking forward to the final against Inseedious and I'm prepared for another three setter as our level in my opinion are very close to each other.

[Robbin92]

Robbin (Tsonga) 6-3 7-5 Inseedious (Federer)

Like in the match with C4ill I started of good and created two immediate break chances. Inseedious worked them away and took the first game home. Serving was pretty solid for me: despite only 50% first services only 2 lost points in the first set. I created my next opportunities at 2-2 and this time, after a few misses, I was able to convert the break points. In the end I finished the first set with another break (2/9 at break points).

In the second set the match continued like it was in the first set, I could mostly dominate from baseline and come to the net to finish of some points (scored 70%). I took an early break and a 2-0 lead, but due to some mistakes of me (the fist ones of the match) Inseedious was able to break right back. I had to recover from that and Inseedious took his game on love. After that I found my game again and walked away to 5-2. At that point Inseedious changed his game plan, he started to play far more defensively to create longer rallies in which my stamina drained. When that happened he tried to take over the point. This turned the match around completely as I made some more mistakes due to the longer rallies and he came back till 5-5.
At that point I decided I also had to change my style and I played more normal and top spin shots to create opportunities to attack the net. That worked and after a long game at 6-5 I was able to win at my second tournament point.

Key in the match, in my opinion, was that I could dominate most rallies from the baseline. In the occassions he had the iniative he had trouble finishing the point. He came to the net but, I think due to my match with C4ill, I had no trouble passing him winning 13/15 points when he went to the net.

I think Inseedious played a good tournament, but maybe not his best tennis in the final. I'm happy to win my second title here (even though it is worth 750 point less than my previous one) as I didn't expected to win a title again with the amazing level on the tour nowadays.

[inseedious]

Good report, yeah you totally dominated the baseline because you managed to hit often full speed forehands and I could not compete in bh to bh rallies. I didn't feel so comfortable with fed on indoor, because i rarely get full speed accelerations and I'm not good at hitting the ball just after his bounce. Considering this surface's speed, deep mishits and overall deep shots were even harder to counter.
He played a better match than mine under almost all points of view, I was about forcing him to a 3rd set, but even if I had won, I wouldn't had won for my tennis, but just tactically. I'm not able to play my best tennis at the moment.
However I'm very happy to have reached a final again, also considering the not so easy draw, with some outsiders and some top players.