Players out on the court.

Hold from Federer first game
1-0.

Thanks for this Chet - I agree that it is an important match, not sure I'd call it a moment of truth. I don't expect Fed to win anything from the clay season (I do hope I am wrong) and for me the moments of truth will start coming thick and fast at Halle and Wimbledon.

BTW - are you related to this BBC poster? I think we should be told... ;)

If Federer wins RG he is GOAT
by mouseinlionsclothing 15 May 2007


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After all these humiliating losses, bad publicity, facing the wrath of the critics, losing his coach and recent debacles, if Roger Federer can bounce back and win the only slam that is eluding him in 2007, he can rightly be annointed the Greatest of all time.
In fact if Federer wins RG, I swear to never post on any message again and will take my hat off and say that Federer is better than Sampras.
But if Federer loses to a journeyman qualifier at RG with a pathetic performance, the Federer fans must accept that thier God is a flop show and is never close to being a great player let alone be compared to Pete.
Deal?

barrystar.
No I am not that poster. I have been banned from the BBC board.

Fed seems to be playing well without pressure.

Breaks Monaco.

2-0, 15-0

Federer is looking sharp already. Three aces in his first service game, and an early break (despite Monaco leading 40-15) to go up 2-0.

Heh. Two points already that have gone Federer's way by the barest of touches on the line. I like how the chair umpire hastily gets down to check the mark each time with just a glance from the No 1.

Excellent lob from Monaco, and a forehand long from Federer, and he faces a break point at 30-40.

Blazing return from Monaco which Federer sends long from out of position, and it's back on serve 2-1.

This might be interesting.

Some supreme hitting from Monaco and he breaks back. A couple of the usual UEs on the forehand by Fed.
This again seems to be a struggle in the offing.

I am pleased to hear that, but did not Fed look sharp against Amalgro?

EDIT: this reply is well out of date and is a reference to Manzikert saying he looked sharp. Fed has got to stop losing his serve, something that Nadal does not seem to do on clay at all.

Manzikert
We can clearly see a change in the attitude of the players when they are playing Federer now.
They dont seem to be intimated and are playing aggressively which wasn't the case earlier.

That is a welcome development if it's right - no more players being honoured to tell the grandparents how Fed thrashed them....

Barrystar, Federer is already at 200% of the player who came out against Volandri. However to Monaco's credit he did not get discouraged by being broken and on the contrary fought well to break back.

Both players doing well now and though it is early to tell this should be decently high quality for at least a time given the sizeable disparity in rankings.

The chair umpire, who is getting a good workout, finally doesn't reverse a call upon checking the mark but Federer responds with an ace for 40-15. He holds to 15 for 3-2.

Federer holds to 15 and its 3-2.

It looks like Federer is just going for his shots. He is putting more juice on his serve and groundshots. Monaco is not intimidated tho.

Does anyone else have trouble watching MS matches on that atpmastersseries.tv nonsense? For me, the connection is so jaw-droppingly bad that it really isn't even worth trying. :badpc:

PS. Go Roger!

Federer is throwing in the occasional UE without pressure but really nothing out of the ordinary--it bears watching however. Monaco has his own hold to 15 for 3-all.

mjt.
you need to have a broadband connection (> 1mbps) for it to stream properly.
I am watching it and it seems to be fine.

Why is it raining on the Volandri Court but not on Fed? Is Fed playing under cover, or have they waited for the end of a game?

Some nice rhythm of play and Federer sends a lovely backhand into the corner for a hold to 30 for 4-3.

Mightyjedi, I wouldn't recommend watching the streaming video embedded within your browser if that's what you're doing. Copy and paste the src='http: address from the page source into your media player URL location; you not only get full screen but the quality should be much smoother.

yes the center court has a roof..

There's a clever retractable roof over the centre court. Hamburg is a posh-seeming venue, and I can see why players would like to maintain its status.

Federer can play while holding his umbrella with his left hand. ;)

Some good rallies in this game, though the Argentine takes a spill retrieving a ball but gets up again unhurt. Monaco saves a break point with some aggressive play (ending with a Federer backhand into the net) but faces another. Ad Federer.

Ooooh - just missed out on a BP there. What's the rythmn of the match looking like folks? Scoreboard suggests that Fed is upping the pressure.

Another question - how does this compare with the Fed who played Amalgro?

A horrendous fall from Monaco makes him lose his rhythm and throw in a feast of UEs. Fed breaks 5-3 and will serve for the set.

Got to run for work now.

Federer pounces on his next opening and breaks to serve for the first set 5-3. Monaco is playing some stylish defence but the No 1 is taking control now.

I didn't think that was going to be possible, since you have to sign in to the ATP site.

However, it did work. Still not such a great connection (our broadband connection isn't as fast as I'd like; > 1M broadband simply doesn't seem to be available in our area :( ), but it seems to be a lot better.

Thanks! :ok:

Go Fed! :yahoo:

I have to agree the fall seems to have rattled Monaco, who for the first time in the set has been throwing in several needless UEs ever since. Still Federer has done his part and takes the first set 6-3.

I only saw the Almagro match in parts. I'd say Federer seems more convincing now but then even though Monaco is holding his own where he can he doesn't have the weapons that the Spaniard does.

Hm. The video still keeps freezing up.

But at least I can hear the audio now.

A tense hold for Monaco from 30-all with the aid of two Federer forehands that go just barely long in almost the same spot. 1-0.

Perhaps lower your video quality settings, Mightyjedi? Movement of the ball and play is the thing rather than seeing all the fine threads in the players' apparel after all. Hope that helps.

Brilliant return winner from Monaco, and a backhand into the net from Federer, and he faces 15-40.

Monaco returns the favour with a bewildering UE from a commanding position at net, and his own forehand long. Federer gets to deuce that way but then throws in a DF to get back into trouble.

A competent passing shot from Monaco earns him the break to draw first blood in the second set for 2-0.

Federer's concentration seems to be slipping. He threatens at 15-30 but sends a forehand well into the tramlines, flubs the next two returns and Monaco consolidates the break for 3-0.

Federer always seems to have this problem with second-set blips....... :blink:

Go Fed!!!!

Sounds like he ain't going to beat Nadal playing like this

Now the streaming is working properly. :wacko:

But only to see Roger broken and go 0-3 down :(

Count Dooku is watching the match. Beware the dark side, Roger ...

True. But then, it's only his first match here. There's still hope ...

Monaco gets a little too excited at 0-15 and presses too much on the next two points. Federer then serves and volleys for 40-15. Another point at net sees him get on the scoreboard in the second set. Monaco leads 3-1 yet.

Count Dooky?