The Exhibition Thread

[Chederer]

he has 90 serve/volley 70 forehand and 50 backhand, and thats all i can remember

i thought he had 80bh?

[Chederer]

i mean 80fh sorry i think or is that picachu its something like 90srv/volley 80fh 50bh 90pwr and i dont know the rest

[SlicerITST]

Anyone up for a match (360)? Im not really getting paired up with fun opponents in the quick match mode :S.

[Moralspain]

Rob beat me yesterday 6/7 6/7 with his Sampras on CLAY

[ati4850]

Anyone up for a match (360)? Im not really getting paired up with fun opponents in the quick match mode :S.

Sure, add me.

Can't promise you I'm fun either though.

[Chederer]

Anyone up for a match (360)? Im not really getting paired up with fun opponents in the quick match mode :S.

ill add you when i get home....you add me too

[Mack2300]

I am still yet to beat a single ITST player with my new set-up More losses today to Hamburger again, RocketsFall and BalkanPower. It doesn't bode well for my future itst matches but my ranking can be damned I just want fun matches now and at least I am getting that.

[djarvik]

I am still yet to beat a single ITST player with my new set-up More losses today to Hamburger again, RocketsFall and BalkanPower. It doesn't bode well for my future itst matches but my ranking can be damned I just want fun matches now and at least I am getting that.

Stick with it. I was and still am losing matches I could have won. But it feels close, these are not blowouts. I got one blowout so far. Swifty. 6.2 6.1 and that was my first Realistic setup match in ITST. I have come a long way since then

[Coolhand Texas]

Djarvik you play really well with the realistic setup. I have no doubt that u will be back to your winning ways soon.

[TomBs]

Although I'd rather not talk about it, I'm going to post a real sad story. Why? Well, it's either me or SoundfSilence that will post it here, so I chose to post it myself.

Anyway, we just had an exhibition match on the clay courts named Teranga, wherever it is. Good weather, the sun causing some nasty shadows from the trees over the courts. Small audience, but good atmosphere.


On the left side of the field: One-time Wimbledon-champion, the man who could beat Sampras, the former number four of the world, returning from a knee injury... it's Richard Krajicek!

Setup: FH 72 - BH 55 - SE 90 - RE 53 - VO 90 - PO 70 - SP 70 - ST 60


On the right side of the field: Four-time ATP tournament winner, including the Master Series in Paris, just back from a shoulder injury... it's Sebastien Grosjean!

Setup: FH 72 - BH 85 - SE 60 - RE 70 - VO 50 - PO 80 - SP 73 - ST 70


Krajicek to serve first, good serves and good volleys for an easy first game. 1-0. Then it's Grosjean to serve. Immediately Krajicek is causing trouble with some deep returns, and Grosjean is facing a breakpoint at 30-40. Being the better baseliner of both he keeps his head cool and outrallies Krajicek to wipe away the breakpoint and push through to 1-1. Another easy game for Krajicek then, and after that it's again Grosjean that is in trouble. Battling to find his form he's facing another two breakpoints. Krajicek doesn't convert however and Grosjean hangs on to 2-2. With Krajicek easing through his service games, not facing any breakpoints, and Grosjean slowly finding his form the first set goes without any service break. A tiebreak will be decisive.

It's Krajicek starting with a good wide serve, followed by a neat volley into the opposite corner. Grosjean isn't too impressed and forces Krajicek into two return errors with two well-placed serves. Krajicek keeps his head cool though, and with two even better serves he goes on to take a 3-2 lead. A somewhat weak serve of Grosjean gives Krajicek the opportunity to get into the rally, and with a splendid dropshot he takes the first minibreak. Grosjean takes the next point to hang on, but after another couple of good volleys it's Krajicek getting the setpoints. Not wasting any time he immediately puts the pressure on Grosjean with a good return, and after catching the Frenchman wrongfooted he takes the first set in a tiebreak.

First set statistics:



Still with his head in the first set Grosjean isn't fully concentrated in his service game to open the second set. Krajicek immediately takes advantage and breaks straight away. With not having any trouble on his service, he hadn't faced a single breakpoint so far, some of the crowds were already leaving the stadium to watch Federer play on the centrecourt. They seemed to be proven right, as Krajicek kept on rushing through his service games. Grosjean couldn't do anything but hang on by struggling through his own service games. After another solid service game Krajicek took a 5-3 lead, and the pressure was all on Grosjean. With the crowds wanting to see more Grosjean was put under tremendous pressure as Krajicek was just going for the match straight away. Grosjean was slightly overwhelmed for a moment and was facing matchpoints at 15-40. Not keen on exiting already he retook control just in time and got back to deuce. A short crosscourt return however meant another matchpoint for Krajicek, but with a splendid lob Grosjean also erased this one. Then Grosjean got rid of another matchpoint by strong baseline play, before he went on to take his game and make it 4-5.

But with the knowledge he hadn't had a single break opportunity so far, Grosjean wasn't looking overly confident for the next game. Krajicek however, with the finish just a few good serves away, suddenly broke down slightly, with volleys ending up in the middle of the court. Grosjean took advantage by some splendid lobs, and although facing another three matchpoints the Frenchman went on to break Krajicek's serve. 5-5, all to play for. Grosjean quickly went to 6-5, and looked to run over Krajicek. The Dutchman however got his game back right in time, and took the second set to another tiebreak.

In the tiebreak it was Grosjean holding his nerves to win the first point, and by being aggressive on every point he managed to put tremendous amounts of pressure on Krajicek, who suddenly didn't look fit anymore, and was moving badly around the court. It resulted in a minibreak for Grosjean, an advantage he wouldn't give away anymore. Though the crowds were going crazy, Grosjean kept his head cool and served out at 6-5.

Second set statistics:



A deciding third set was about to start. The crowds cheering all over the place, some people actually returning from the center court as Federer was all over his opponent anyway, and the atmosphere just got better and better. Grosjean, encouraged by his superb fightback in the second set and supported by a group of French supporters who where absolutely going nuts, went to great heights early on in the third set. Krajicek, still thinking about how on earth he was still on the court, served a terrible first game, and by netting a seemingly very easy volley he gave away serve immediately. Despite trying everything possible, Krajicek couldn't get back into it, as Grosjean didn't let go of his prey. With neither players facing any breakpoints it was Grosjean to serve for it at 5-4. It looked an easy finish, but at 40-15 the Frenchman lost his nerves and double-faulted. Clearly agitated he went for an impossible winner on the nextpoint, missing the court by a mile. Krajicek was suddenly back into play and went on to get a breakpoint. With his return missing the court by a few millimeters, the umpire had to check, Grosjean was lucky enough to survive. After double-faulting on another matchpoint the crowds just wouldn't shut up anymore. Despite waiting for a minute or two they just kept the wave going, and Grosjean decided to play on anyway. Krajicek seemed to be distracted by the crowds, but Grosjean did well to hit a clean winner to get him another matchpoint. With the crowds still going crazy Grosjean hit a good serve to give himself an advantage in the rally. After a couple of shots it was a well-placed cross-court forehand that caused Krajicek to capitulate by netting the ball with his forehand. Three hours after starting the match it was finally over, with Krajicek still confused as he felt it should have ended 1,5 hour before.

Final score:
Grosjean - Krajicek 6-7(3) 7-6(5) 6-4


Match statistics:

[TomBs]

Yes I'm crazy.

[Coolhand Texas]

Wow how can u remember all that during a match, i forget about the shot and move on. Sounds like a fun match. Describd in great detail.

Nice work

[TomBs]

I usually tend to remember the flow of a match, and can recall the important points straight after. I usually forget most of them in a few days though.

[SoundfSilence]

Incredible match! And brilliantly reported, every bit of detail so correct!

It was a shame that there had to be a loser... Although Kraijeck lost such a close match, he was all praise for his opponent Grosjean. Great respect between the two tennis ambassodors.

Both players were laughing and joking with each other after the match. At one point during the 3rd set, Kraijeck let out his frustrating with and overhead smash, which the replay showed bounced and went outside the fence!

Really well played Tom. May the rivalry continue

[Rob ITST]

whats ur sampras's stats rob?

It changes. But right now:

Serve: 90
Volley: 90
Forehand: 70
Backhand: 50
Return: 40
Power: 80
Speed: 85
Stamina: 55