Davis Cup Finals - Russia vs. USA

[PahelJDilla]

I'm just going by the fact that the Russian team is more talented/better than the US team. Roddick is very solid, the guy rarely EVER loses to somebody he really shouldn't lose to, but James Blake is a basketcase. He plays very very dumb tennis.

I know where you're coming from but do you really think that the Russian team is better/more talented than the US on a *fast* surface? Both Roddick and Blake are top 5 caliber players on, say, carpet. Neither one of them is a particularly smart player in terms of tennis-iq one might argue but this is not really needed if so much is decided by the serve and some powerful groundies to finish the points.

Blake is a choker, yeah. But I heavily doubt that he'll screw it up 2 times that weekend, especially if none of the russian players has scared him in the past.

Let's face it: Safin is injured, even if he gets fit in-time, it pretty much seems like whatever he was gonna do in tennis, he's done it.

Andreev is great on clay, he'd beat every American player there with ease. But indoors? He's the outsider there.

Davydenko has never been a real threat to either Roddick or Blake and seems to lack motivation when playing for his country.

Tursunov is as streaky as any player on the atp tour, maybe he can pull off 1 stunning win, if he gets a chance to play.

Youzhny: Formidable shotmaker but the guy hasn't looked that great ever since he made the US Open semis last year, perhaps he'll bounce back & prove me wrong.

[Sherlock 117]

Let's face it: Safin is injured, even if he gets fit in-time, it pretty much seems like whatever he was gonna do in tennis, he's done it.

Actually, Safin is healthy, he's just gone for a month on a mountain-climbing expedition. He'll be back pretty soon I think.

[PahelJDilla]

Let's face it: Safin is injured, even if he gets fit in-time, it pretty much seems like whatever he was gonna do in tennis, he's done it.

Actually, Safin is healthy, he's just gone for a month on a mountain-climbing expedition. He'll be back pretty soon I think.

Is that so? I thought the reason for him going on that expidition was a wrist injury? Btw, he's back already as he had to stop like 3 km before reaching the top, wasn't properly prepared for that mission it appears.

Had one of his signature press conferences in moscow the other day, mocking Davydenko, good stuff

[Sherlock 117]

I wish he would just live up to his abilities...

[PahelJDilla]

I wish he would just live up to his abilities...

Dito.

Thing is that due to all these injuries that bothered him the last couple of years, he can't move as well and as fluently as he used to and as he desperately needs to get into position.

He still has the shots, about the best groundies in tennis but his footwork lets him down time & again, which becomes evident when he records 83838 forehand-misshits in a match.

[Q. Reese]

I like this guy. Certainly, he has a grand slam game for sure for every match. It is just that he is not mentally strong. He gets irate very very quickly.

[murea]

lars will kill you for your forecast .....hope the stars stand wrong when you wrote that)) lol

[PahelJDilla]

lars will kill you for your forecast .....hope the stars stand wrong when you wrote that)) lol

As I told you before: stop aiming at my head with that sweet ak47 of yours

[SundanceKid]

I like this guy. Certainly, he has a grand slam game for sure for every match. It is just that he is not mentally strong. He gets irate very very quickly.

are you serious? hmmm.
don't confuse mental weakness with inappetency. if marat feels like to play, he is still difficult to beat. i'm not sure, but i think he's one of the 5 best 5 sets players in history. (his bilance arround 24:7??).
ok if anybody would say mentally strong is also like self dicipline, than you could be right.

but we are talking about mentally aspects in tennis, and so i think you can call a player mentally weak, if he often sucks in big games.

and marat didn't or don't do this.

[Q. Reese]

I like this guy. Certainly, he has a grand slam game for sure for every match. It is just that he is not mentally strong. He gets irate very very quickly.

are you serious? hmmm.
don't confuse mental weakness with inappetency. if marat feels like to play, he is still difficult to beat. i'm not sure, but i think he's one of the 5 best 5 sets players in history. (his bilance arround 24:7??).
ok if anybody would say mentally strong is also like self dicipline, than you could be right.

but we are talking about mentally aspects in tennis, and so i think you can call a player mentally weak, if he often sucks in big games.

and marat didn't or don't do this.

Sundancekid,

Yes. I agree with you. Marat has a top 5 to 10 game on the court. I am saying that what gets in his way is his mentality.

He gets very upset at himself and that is when his ability sinks badly. He is a very emotional players (sometimes, this is good for players but not for Safin).

[SundanceKid]

Marat has a top 5 to 10 game on the court.

could you explain that sentences please?

He gets very upset at himself and that is when his ability sinks badly. He is a very emotional players (sometimes, this is good for players but not for Safin).

no, especially for safin it's good.
for example australian open 2005: he brokes 2 rackets vs federer in the semifinal and......finally he won in 5 sets and later the title.
and the opposite for example his matches in wimbledon and us open this year. he was too relaxed, lost vs federer in straight sets and in new york same situation vs wawrinka. he also lost in 3 sets quietly. i think if marat doesn't show us emotions on court, he isn't in the game. no fighting, no heart then.


tommy haas is quite similar. australian open 2007 vs davydenko: he was insulting himself veeeeery hard (you could actually hear it about the microphones outdoors). finally tommy won in 5 sets.

[Q. Reese]

Marat has a top 5 to 10 game on the court.

could you explain that sentences please?

He gets very upset at himself and that is when his ability sinks badly. He is a very emotional players (sometimes, this is good for players but not for Safin).

no, especially for safin it's good.
for example australian open 2005: he brokes 2 rackets vs federer in the semifinal and......finally he won in 5 sets and later the title.
and the opposite for example his matches in wimbledon and us open this year. he was too relaxed, lost vs federer in straight sets and in new york same situation vs wawrinka. he also lost in 3 sets quietly. i think if marat doesn't show us emotions on court, he isn't in the game. no fighting, no heart then.


tommy haas is quite similar. australian open 2007 vs davydenko: he was insulting himself veeeeery hard (you could actually hear it about the microphones outdoors). finally tommy won in 5 sets.

Okay. It is a difference of opinion then.

[matiasfederer]

I think that Usa is going to win:

Roddick is invencible in home and on hard.
Blake too but a little bit less.
Bob and Mike are amazing nobody can against them on hard and in USA.


Safin well nobody knows how is he until he get into the court.
Tursunov is a good player but is not ready to play with the biggest.
Davydenko, he can be a problem.. but agaisn roddick I think Roddick wins.


Russia have not a doubles couple...

[Q. Reese]

I think that Usa is going to win:

Roddick is invencible in home and on hard.
Blake too but a little bit less.
Bob and Mike are amazing nobody can against them on hard and in USA.


Safin well nobody knows how is he until he get into the court.
Tursunov is a good player but is not ready to play with the biggest.
Davydenko, he can be a problem.. but agaisn roddick I think Roddick wins.


Russia have not a doubles couple...

Ditto. You are so on point man. I totally agree with you.

[PahelJDilla]

Roddick schooled Tursunov.

Blake fought past Youzhny in 4.

2-0 US