World tour finals 2014

[C4iLL]

You should post your reports with screens, it can be interesting to see what happened in your matchs as the scores are tight

[Robbin92]

Why don't you start with your story WPOAT?!

[VMoe86]

I hoped for a better end of the season than being out as last in my group, but I'm not too disappointed about it. Maybe the character choice was not the best, but I think it is rather related to motivation and mental fatigue after a long season.

1st Match: isaldor (Harrison) defeats VMoe (Davydenko) 7-6, 6-3

I really tried to get in good shape for this match, but I struggled offline against Harrison on a difficulty I usually beat. That way I did not even go into the match with high confidence, but I tried to win. I realized soon enough that it would be difficult to get the ball past isaldor, because Davydenko's shots are rather flat, so that even a deep shot can be returned with good interest by him. We both had a shaky first service game, but both of us saved the break points and held. It remained this way, me maybe being closer to a break with some 0-30 chances. At one point, 5-4 or 6-5 for me, isaldor serving, I had a break point, a set point, but he saved it, nothing to do there. In the tie break I lost the first 3 points quickly, a bad start. I got back on track, just to get off it again, consequently I lost the first set. It felt like a set I should not have lost!

In the second set I broke for 2-1, but then I played a bad game on serve and from then on I lost the plot until isaldor was up 5-2. I held quickly for 5-3, but could not put him under pressure when he served for the match, 6-3 for him. In the end the better player has won.



2nd Match: Vramvrim (Nishikori) defeats VMoe (Davydenko), 7-5, 2-6, 6-3

After the first matches, which Vramvrim and I lost, it was clear that him or me had to win this match in order to have it in our own hands to advance to SF. I was in better shape than in the first match and started well, getting an early break. I even had a rather good break point chance to get up with a double break... Then, at 5-4, I found myself serving for the first set. It was a game in which I lacked first serves and so it is not difficult to guess what happened here -- Vram broke back! Classic situation for me, I was down at this moment and he took advantage of it, winning the set 7-5.

In the second set he started serving and held, 1-0. I was serving and was not really putting in great effort, 0-40 down. Somehow I got out of this game and Vramvrim lost his focus, so that I managed to get to 5-1. Two holds later by both of us and it was 6-2 for me, Vramvrim serving at the start of the 3rd set.

In this 3rd set Vramvrim was focused again and so I felt constant pressure in my service games, while I struggled to get into his service games. Consequently he won this set with one break, me trying to hang in there as long as possible to eventually get a break, but it was not meant to be. This match could have gone to both sides, but the first set was crucial.



3rd Match: VMoe (Davydenko) defeats butcher (Djokovic), 7-6, 6-2

There was one chance for me to still advance to the SF: isaldor had to win his remaining two matches and I had to beat butcher. Before my 3rd match butcher defeated isaldor and thus it was clear I would finish this group on the last place and butcher on the first place.

My motivation for this match was to finish the season with a win. I was not even prepared for this match, same for butcher. We met on chat and played after midnight. I started better, held without problems the first two times and had good break points in the first two return games, but luck did not want to be on my side so far at WTF... He broke on his first chance, and consolidated the break, 4-2 for him. I was like "You should have broken two times, now you are down one break!" I kept on playing as if nothing happened, though, did not think about it anymore. And serving for the set at 5-4, butcher cracked, I broke back.

In the tie break then, I was down 0-4. How I won this tie break, I don't remember, I saved set points on my way there. In the end I did not even feel lucky, it kind of felt deserved because I created more chances during the set and had more winners than him.

In the second set it was about me surviving break points, mainly due to good serving. Before I broke and afterwards I had to get out of trouble and managed so. Tiredness may have also played a role here.



All matches were close, looking at the total number of points won, I ended up winning more points than my opponents at WTF. To win a couple of such matches in a row you need to be in good form, but more so be motivated and a good mental state is needed, too. At least I could win the last match and end the season with a positive feeling!

[C4iLL]

Interesting reports Btw I figured out a dramatic stat about your season VMoe, that gave me motivation to make the awards 2014

About my forfeit, it's quite simple, as Vmoe stated, if you're not motivated it's useless to participate, you have no chance as most opponents are motivated and practice the minimum required.
I was really looking forward to play WTF, thinking such an event would motivate me but in fact, I was already like 1 day after the first round deadline and still not able to find motivation. So I'd prefer to let a guy who has never played it and who was very happy to participate

[VMoe86]

Btw I figured out a dramatic stat about your season VMoe, that gave me motivation to make the awards 2014

Maybe that dramatic stat will help me to have a more successful 2015 season