Thursday, October 23, 2008

Damn It, Marat!

MARAT!!!!!!!
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That's all I have to say about that. Marat, what is WRONG with you? Why can you go from beating Nikolay Davydenko and owning other excellent players one week to losing to Andrey 'who' Golubev? Why can't you just be consistent? Just for once?
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Jesus Christ, man, why can't you be more like your sister?
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It's just so damn frustrating, because he's SO GOOD. Seriously, if they did a top ten of the most talented players on tour, he and the Fed would be fighting it out for the top spot. (I think Roger might get him, but it'd be a close thing.) Remember the semi final of the Australian Open in 2005, a match that has to be one of the highest quality matches played... oh, I don't know, ever? The only match I can think of to rival it is this year's epic Wimbledon final. So why can't Marat just do it any more? The talent is still there - he proved that by reaching the Wimbledon semis and the final of the Kremlin Cup. All that Marat goodness is still there - I know he has a chronic knee injury, but you can't blame everything on that. He's a headcase, plain and simple. So why can't he just... stop being a headcase?
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I want him to sit down with whoever it is that wrought this amazing change in Dinara. Because if it works for her, it has to work for him... yeah? They have the same genetic makeup and everything.
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Speaking of the Safin siblings, I am RIDICULOUSLY excited about next year's Hopman Cup. I was flicking through Australian Tennis magazine yesterday, and it was a pretty boring issue, apart from a feature on tennis siblings on the very last page, where, in its little Marat and Dinara section, it mentioned that they're going to team up for the first time ever to play Hopman Cup next year. I am so excited! Hopman Cup is probably my favourite tournament in the year, and to see Marat and Dinara play mixed doubles will be RAD! I am really tempted to go, even though it is in Perth, which is on the opposite side of the country, and my boss will probably get really annoyed if I take more time off for tennis... add to which I will have no money. But... the Safin(a) siblings! How can I resist?
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And on the subject of my favourite tennis players, my Stars Gulbis and Chardy went down today - sigh - but my beloved Federer Express got through in Basel in two tiebreaker sets against Jarkko Nieminen. Here's hoping for a fourth title this year to add to the US Open, Halle and Estoril!
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Today's Results
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Davidoff Swiss Indoors (Basel)
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Roger Federer def. Jarkko Nieminen, 7-6 (8-6) 7-6 (7-1)
David Nalbandian def. Kristof Vliegen, 6-4 5-7 7-6 (7-4)
Juan Martin del Potro def. Stephane Bohli, 6-3 6-3
James Blake def. Oscar Hernandez, 6-7 (4-7) 6-2 6-4
Simone Bolelli def. Marcel Granollers, 6-4 6-2
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St Petersburg Open (St Petersburg)
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Andy Murray def. Ernests Gulbis, 6-4 6-2
Andrey Golubev def. Marat Safin, 6-4 6-2
Janko Tipsarevic def. Jeremy Chardy, 6-4 7-6 (7-3)
Victor Hanescu def. Mikhail Kukushkin, 6-3 7-6 (9-7)
Mischa Zverev def. Mikahil Youzhny, 7-5 6-4
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Grand Prix de Tennis de Lyon (Lyon)
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Andy Roddick def. Robby Ginepri, 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (7-3)
Steve Darcis def. Richard Gasquet, 6-4 3-6 7-6 (7-5)
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga def. Fabrice Santoro, 6-2 5-7 6-3
Gilles Simon def. Andreas Seppi, 7-6 (7-5) 5-7 6-4
Robin Soderling def. Christophe Rochus, 6-1 6-2
Juan Carlos Ferrero def. Paul-Henri Mathieu, 6-4 6-1
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Generali Ladies Linz (Linz)
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Ana Ivanovic def. Sybille Bammer, 6-4 6-2
Vera Zvonareva def. Nuria Llagostera Vives, 6-2 6-0
Alona Bondarenko def. Patty Schnyder, 6-2 2-6 6-1
Nadia Petrova def. Katarina Srebotnik, 6-4 7-6 (9-7)
Marion Bartoli def. Petra Kvitova, 7-6 (7-4) 1-6 6-3
Flavia Pennetta def. Dominika Cibulkova, 6-3 6-1
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FORTIS Championships Luxembourg (Luxembourg)
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Elena Dementieva def. Gisela Dulko, 6-2 6-2
Amélie Mauresmo def. Anna-Lena Groenefeld, 6-3 6-1
Anabel Medina Garrigues def. Catalina Castaño, 6-2 4-6 7-5

3 comments:

John said...

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Zafar said...

Hey Jodi

Like you, and many others I imagine, I've been frustrated time after time at the, at times downright bizarre inconsistency of what must be to many, this generations most talented and charismatic player.

I actually think the AO 2005 semi was a better match than this years Wimbie final - because both players were at their best throughout - at Wimbie, Federer only played to form from set 3 onwards - probably better drama, but not the better match IMO.

I can't help feeling Safin has one more major run left in him; let's hope it comes next year. In the meantime Hopman Cup really does look very interesting.

http://tennisisserved.blogspot.com

Jodi said...

I think the Fed-Safin match was better as well - the Wimbledon final is the only one I can think of that even comes anywhere near close. I think that AO semi is the only time that Federer, playing at the best of his ability, has ever been beaten. It was incredible.

I hope Safin has another major run in him too. He certainly has the talent and the ability - if only he can get his head round it! I'm hoping that playing Hopman Cup with Dinara will allow some of her good vibes to rub off.