Shanghai Rolex Masters SIM

[maximo]

its ok maximo i was just giving my impression hope there is no hard feelings,, i hope we continue to play friendlies

hard feelings? what is that? , good luck in the rest of the season mate, you will do well in Paris and London

[alex13090]

Alex def likos 7-6 3-6 7-6

1st Set:

Perhaps the less entertaining of the three sets, but still way higher above in terms of intensity than your average set.
I thought I started off stronger, Likos was playing passively but upping his level everytime I started to threaten to break his serve. I was holding fine except for a couple of games.
I don't remember this tiebreak too well, I think I broke twice, and likos managed to get one back but I eventually served out with my remaining point lead.

2nd Set:

The beginning was more of the same, I thought I was in control but suddenly likos decided "hey, lets turn on that deadly forehand" and anything, i mean ANYTHING that went to his forehand turned to a winner.
suddenly serving at 4-3 likos takes advantage of the first break point that comes along and makes no mistake. He then serves out at 5-3 without too much trouble.

3rd set: Alot of our service games last forever (deuce, adv, deuce, break point etc etc) but no break of serve until 3-2 or so. I was leading 30-0 but a couple double faults and some good rallies later likos takes his chance and breaks me. I had to start taking more risks and did so to break back and we then held till the tiebreak (though I had alot more trouble, my serve being very shaky). In the tiebreak we both keep serve till 5-4 or so when I manage to get a break and then hold onto it to win the match.


Easily one of the best matches i've played in a long time. Plenty of chances on either side to break, and everytime I failed to convert a break point in those long deuce games, I felt it was over. However every following game was more of the same so it was very tense. Very fortunate to get out of this one.

We ended the match with the same amount of points (135). Likos was hitting some very fast serves, on the other hand I had 52% 1st serve and 11 double faults. We both had 8 break points, I converted 2/8 and likos 1/8.

[nitoflament]

good job alex, likos is a dangerous player!
nitoflament beat marlonbrando 4-6, 6-3, 6-3

1 set: marlon broke my serve in my first game! what a way of start!!!, he played an impeccable set, supported the difference and take the first partial with out problems.

2 set: my game do not change very much, i keep with problems on my service, but suddenly i started to playing better and my serve returned to the normality, i take advantage of my first break point and close the set without problems too.

3 set: lucky mel I continue with high level on my games and took his serve quckly, I put on 2-0 and continue serving firmly, he began to despair. I realized. When marlon was serving 3-5, with a couple of good returns i took advantage and win the match.

It was a very difficult match. it began complicated but end more simply that i thought. Marlon, good game!!!

[Likos86321]

Alex def likos 7-6 3-6 7-6

1st Set:

Perhaps the less entertaining of the three sets, but still way higher above in terms of intensity than your average set.
I thought I started off stronger, Likos was playing passively but upping his level everytime I started to threaten to break his serve. I was holding fine except for a couple of games.
I don't remember this tiebreak too well, I think I broke twice, and likos managed to get one back but I eventually served out with my remaining point lead.

2nd Set:

The beginning was more of the same, I thought I was in control but suddenly likos decided "hey, lets turn on that deadly forehand" and anything, i mean ANYTHING that went to his forehand turned to a winner.
suddenly serving at 4-3 likos takes advantage of the first break point that comes along and makes no mistake. He then serves out at 5-3 without too much trouble.

3rd set: Alot of our service games last forever (deuce, adv, deuce, break point etc etc) but no break of serve until 3-2 or so. I was leading 30-0 but a couple double faults and some good rallies later likos takes his chance and breaks me. I had to start taking more risks and did so to break back and we then held till the tiebreak (though I had alot more trouble, my serve being very shaky). In the tiebreak we both keep serve till 5-4 or so when I manage to get a break and then hold onto it to win the match.


Easily one of the best matches i've played in a long time. Plenty of chances on either side to break, and everytime I failed to convert a break point in those long deuce games, I felt it was over. However every following game was more of the same so it was very tense. Very fortunate to get out of this one.

We ended the match with the same amount of points (135). Likos was hitting some very fast serves, on the other hand I had 52% 1st serve and 11 double faults. We both had 8 break points, I converted 2/8 and likos 1/8.

Fantastic match alex, you should have recorded it . Anyway i managed to keep the match statistics

Match Statistics (Alex/Likos) House Vs Cannon
First Serve Percentage: 55/89
Win Percentage on First Serve: 74/67
Win Percentage on second Serve:72/48
Aces: 2/1
Double Faults: 11!!/0
Winners: 78/70
Unforced Errors: 41/30
Break Opportunities: 1/8, 2/8
Total Points: 135/135

I agree with everything you said alex. Also i would like to add that sometimes, we were pulling risks out of risks and i remember exactly a b.p opportunity for alex and he risked a flat fh on mine fh and it went pretty wide and i said what the hell, i managed to risk it back and then after 5 shots i won the point...this is one example of the many situations i ve been

P.S Goodluck in the tourney man

[alex13090]

I remember that point man. I actually managed a double trigger on the run (something i very rarely manage) and thought yes the break is mine. And you not only manage to get to it but risk it back

Eye of the tiger as tonedawg would say.

[nitoflament]

nitoflament def puttu_puttuu 6-4, 6-4

Not much to say, were two sets without too many rallies, with short points. I took his service on two occasions. He has a very strong game but was unable to break the stamina of my bucci, and in some plays lost control. He had, I think, 4 break points but wasted all.
Puttu_puttuu Well done, you did a great tournament!

[Puttu puttuu]

5 break points !!!

very well played ! You moved better than made a difference !

[alex13090]

Alex def. Lonamer 6-7 6-3 6-4

1st Set:

Very fast paced games, we both win our first service games to love and lonamer even won the next couple that way, while I was starting to have more trouble. Ultimately we both held to the tiebreak. There was an exchange of breaks, then serving at 5-6 I double fault to hand the set that, in truth, lonamer deserved to win.

2nd set:
Judging from the first set I thought I was done for, I had barely been able to touch lonamer's serve. however, he started making some unforced errors and I jumped on the opportunity and broke straight away in this set. We then held till the end of the set, Lonamer fended off a few more break points (including 3 set points at 0-40 5-2 that many would have simply given up on).

3rd set:
More or less like the 2nd set, except I felt much more pressure as it seemed like a point was never over. Even way behind the baseline and on the run, Lonamer managed to pull off some amazing shots to win rallies that he was in trouble in.
I did eventually break midway through the set and managed to hold on.

Great game as usual with lonamer, plenty of spectacular points.
Really enjoyed this tournament so far, I've played three opponents in a row that played clean and made matches really fun.

[alex13090]

Alex Def Nitoflament 7-6 3-6 7-6

1st Set:
Starts slowly, we test each other until midway through the set when it starts getting serious. There were a couple break points on my side that nito did well to save.
I don't remember this tiebreak too much, I think I went a break up only to lose my advantage with a double fault, and then managed to steal another break to win the set.

2nd set:
Nito starts upping his game and breaks me immediately. Not much to say from then on, I don't think I even had a break point the whole set. Everytime I thought i had done enough to win a point, the ball came back even faster.

3rd set:
This starts to become an all out game. We both gamble more on our returns and try to keep our ground in rallies. Ultimately we both held till the tie break despite many tight games.
This tiebreak was sort of mad. I went up a break and managed to double fault again to hand it back, then went two breaks up only for nito to get both back. I eventually get the final break and serve out.

Nerve wrecking match, we played some very agressive game which made it impossible to dominate a ralley, since you never knew what your opponent would come up with. Congrats to nito for yet another final

[nitoflament]

alex defeated nitoflament 7-6, 3-6, 7-6 in Shanghai Rolex Master mss

Honestly it was a great game. I will not detail the match, I will leave that to the winner (Alex). We both played very focused and was more a game of chess!. Sets were very tight, except the second, I could break his service in the beginning and stay strong until the end.
Congratulations Alex, you're a worthy champion !!!!!!