Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell

[inseedious]

As always, my bad draw: 1st round: Floriann (Djokovic) def. inseedious (Haas) 6-4 6-4.
Well, I'm happy about my recent improving and the way I played this match, but I'm absolutely disappointed with the way I lost it. In both sets I was leading with a break, and was near to score the second break in the first set. He played very defensively and hit lots of deep counters and shots overall. I think this totally killed my offensive style based on anticipation and big accelerations. I was totally annoyed by his deep shots (in the positive meaning), and if I remember well they were the main cause of his comebacks in both sets. We also had lots of long rallies that killed my stamina, as he obviously had more available good accelerations. I usually had to hit at least 3 lines to win the point, and he, standing at the very bottom of the stadium, was able to return everything, so my winners came from wrong foot and smart aiming, it means no easy points at all. It could easily be a 3 setter, or even a 2 setter won by me, but it's OK, I'll have to improve my net play to hope to beat one of the best ones!

[VMoe86]

Since Cro made a news out of it: butcher (Gasquet) defeats VMoe86 (Ferrer), 6-2, 6-2.

Congrats to butcher, who is at the moment one of the best players and especially a complete player: He can pretty much deal with every situation very well. I did not go particularly prepared in this match, no extra practice as Ferrer, because I knew I would not stand a chance against a great player when using Ferrer.

Simply looking at the match-up: Ferrer with 80 FH Power and 75 BH Power and 85 Speed, being small and facing Gasquet with 83 BH Power and 82 FH Power and 82 Speed at 55 Spin. So, averaging both powers, there has been a defence advantage for Gasquet in this particular match-up (kind of crazy thinking about it ), i.e. impossible to attack with Ferrer. I knew that from the start and having watched a bit of butcher's matches I knew that even long rallies wouldn't cut it. So, I just tried to fight as much to avoid bagels or breadsticks in both sets, because he delivers many of them in exhibition sets.

In the first set I have been broken immediately for 1-0, but had chances to rebreak, where he prevailed. I was broken again and the bagel was close, but it wasn't mean to be: Somehow I broke and held the next two games. We had many long rallies, in short rallies we were split (both winning 50%), but Ferrer couldn't attack with low Stamina, whereas butcher could play better at the net when using Gasquet. So, both our Stamina's depleted to about 50% at the end of the first set, a 6-2 set. If I had pushed all the time, my stamina would have been better, but I wouldn't have scored those two games.

Second set, it was worse: Both with low Stamina, the rallies were not particularly interesting, long rallies finishing on zero or almost zero Instant Energy. Again, I somehow managed to hold serve two times. In fact, he had match point when I served at 1-5, but I saved it with pure luck: He netted an easy volley. Then I got a net cord to give me game point and I won a second game in the second set. He served for it, got to triple match point, and then I was again lucky enough to save them consecutively (him making errors of course). But the fifth match point was enough for him, finally it was over.

Great match by butcher, whom I couldn't hurt at all with Ferrer (against weaker players it surely is possible to deliver bagels and breadsticks when using Ferrer, but not against someone like butcher ). Sure, one can hit some deep counters, but he knows how to deal with them most of the time. I wish I could have done more, to fight properly, but it was my choice and I knew what to expect from Ferrer. In the end, it is important to test all characters in tournament competition. butcher definitely deserves to win a title, so I hope he will do that soon: Here at Barcelona he has a very good chance, but also at Monte-Carlo! His mental game will be important to achieve that, though, he cannot allow lapses like this one here at the end of 2nd set in a closer match.

Next step is Madrid for me, let's see whom I will pick there, at least Madrid is faster than Barcelona/Monte-Carlo.

[Robbin92]

Wow no messages from me in a tournament I reached the final. Will do a short recap on my tournament so far.

I had a nice first round where Haasy showed he knows the tactics of tennis, but he needed some technical improvement so in the end it was a pretty easy win. Second round, against my greatest fear Raonic, was more difficult. I got an easy first set, missed some BP in the start of the second and at 5-4 I got broken (with 2 net cords from 15-30 ^^). I got a lucky break in the third and could luckily conclude. QF against the upcoming Sorauze who used Del Potro, he played some aggresive tennis but I defended really good and spinned him so much he retired at 6-2 2-0. In the SF Fox was waiting, against whom I had some epic matches at the Rogers Cup and Cincinatti. This time it was more one sides as he made some positioning errors.

Final: Butcher def. Robbin92 6-1 7-5.

First of all I would like to congratulate Butcher with the title and thank him for the sportmanship (for reasons which will never be mentioned ever again )

I started of reasonably well, getting to a couple of deuces in his first service game. However, my first service game was a disaster, I made a lot of bad decisions and got broken to love. After that the games were closer but I couldn't convert my break points, so it became a set with a harsh score. In the second set he broke me early once again and I was a bit afraid I would get another bagel or breadstick, but somehow I managed to raise my level. I don't know whether it also was cause by my increasing level but Butcher played more passive from that moment which allowed me to take iniative more often. This lead to me breaking him, holding service and breaking him again. I had 4/5 chances to go up 4-1, but I couldn't convert them. Instead he got to 3-3, we both held our services in the next games. At 4-4 he broke me, with a beautifull point at 15-30 (a ball which I thought it was a winner came back via the net cord bouncing over my racquet ) granting him two break points. He won the next point and was serving for the set at 5-4. Can't remember much about that game but I managed to break back somehow. Didn't made a difference in the end cause he broke me to love (also with a lovely lob on my feet ) and this time he managed to serve it out on his first match point.

In the end I am happy that I could give him a real match in the second set, though I'm a bit dissappointed I didn't took the 4-1 lead as I felt in control at that point in the match. I played some good passings, without them one is chanceless against Butcher. Did hit a lovely banana passing in the first set, probably the first thing I did good there. Key in the match was my break point ratio again (same as against Florian), have to improve in important points against the top players.

[Woowhat]

44% of points won against butcher at net. Thats good.