ATP M500 Barcelona 4/23-4/29/2012

[Ti-Amie]

Sunday, April 29, 2012

PISTA CENTRAL Start 12:30 pm

Marcel Granollers (ESP)/Marc Lopez (ESP) v [4] Mariusz Fyrstenberg (POL)/Marcin Matkowski (POL)
Not Before 4:00 PM
[1] Rafael Nadal (ESP) v [3] David Ferrer (ESP)

[Martini4me]

Pretty big win. Apparently the first ever by a Canadian against a top 10 ranked played on clay...ever?

Not quite. In July 1989, Martin Wostenholme defeated world number 10 Alberto Mancini in the round of 16 at the Stuttgart clay tournament. (In the quarters, Wostenholme lost to Sergi Bruguera, who had defeated Marian Vajda (!) in the R16.

It's interesting to look at the schedule back then. Wostenholme also played in ATP (not challenger) tournaments on clay at Forest Hills (May) and Boston (July) and outdoor in Orlando in October.

Based on the prize money, there were also mid-level tournaments (not an exhaustive list, but those that don't exist today) in Milan, Philadelphia and Dallas (all indoor, all February), Stratton Mountain, VT (hard) in August and Wembley (indoors in October), won by Becker, Becker, McEnroe, Gilbert and Chang, respectively. Most oddly, not only was there the current pre-Australian Open swing (Adelaide, Wellington, Auckland, Sydney Outdoor), but a fairly significant Sydney Indoor tournament in October (between Brisbane and Tokyo stops).

[mmmm8]

RESULTS
Singles - Semifinals
[1] R Nadal (ESP) d [9] F Verdasco (ESP) 60 64
[3] D Ferrer (ESP) d [11] M Raonic (CAN) 76(2) 76(5)

Doubles - Semifinals
[4] M Fyrstenberg (POL) / M Matkowski (POL) d [2] M Mirnyi (BLR) / D Nestor (CAN) 63 06 10-6
M Granollers (ESP) / M Lopez (ESP) d [8] O Marach (AUT) / A Peya (AUT) 76(4) 61

[oliver0001]

Sunday, April 29, 2012

PISTA CENTRAL Start 12:30 pm

Marcel Granollers (ESP)/Marc Lopez (ESP) v [4] Mariusz Fyrstenberg (POL)/Marcin Matkowski (POL)
Not Before 4:00 PM
[1] Rafael Nadal (ESP) v [3] David Ferrer (ESP)

I will never be able to understand how a doubles final can be scheduled 3 1/2 hours before the singles finals. Who will come early to watch the doubles and then wait for approximately 2 1/2 hours for the singles? It's very rude in my opinion to the doubles players because it will most certainly mean that they have to play in front of empty stands.

[munchin]

Four games in, Nadal-Ferrer is kind of awful. I hope these guys pick it up

[munchin]

I'm taking credit for unjinxing them. Much higher quality 5th game. Hopefully a sign of things to come (or is that a re-jinx?)

[munchin]

Ferrer just doesn't deserve to lose this set. It looks like he will, but he played way too well to simply go away like this.

[waylandboy-tw]

Very dramatic 12th game as Nadal saves 5 set points. Rafa the cruises through the TB 7-1.

[Drop-shot]

Level has dipped but there have been some incredible points.

[FEBravo]

Ferrer completely choked the end of the 2nd set (and the match). Was serving for the set at 5-4 and I don't think he put one forehand in from that point on. They had been playing for 2h40, and it seems as if Ferrer was tired, if that even seems possible.

[mmmm8]

This tournament is pretty much an exhibition for Ferrer and Nadal, with a predetermined final outcome...

[mmmm8]

RESULTS
Singles - Final


[1] R Nadal (ESP) d [3] D Ferrer (ESP) 76(1) 75



Doubles - Final
[4] M Fyrstenberg (POL) / M Matkowski (POL) d M Granollers (ESP) / M Lopez (ESP) 26 76(7) 10-8