Wednesday’s Psyched
Alexandr Dolgopolov
Wednesday’s Another Day, Another Spaniard
David Nalbandian, who convincingly beat Tommy Robredo, 6-3, 6-0 today, is on a 10-match winning streak since coming back from injury at Davis Cup in July. Four of his victories have been over Top 15 players, including World No. 12 David Ferrer on Tuesday. The Argentine’s next target is fifth seed Robin Soderling, over whom Nalbandian holds a 5-1 head-to-head advantage.
Wednesday’s Quote of the Day
“Nobody can turn off the sun and just do me a favor.” – Novak Djokovic on his chronic problems with heat, which today put him “on the edge” of retirement, before he overcame Julien Benneteau, 7-5, 7-5.
Wednesday’s Expect the Unexpected
We wrote the other day about players looking sluggish in practice but today, walking by the practice courts, we heard match-like ball-striking and grunting noises the women’s tour would be proud to present. Wondering which players finally turned on their practice effort, we were surprised to encounter Qualifier Jarkko Nieminen and young Canadian talent Milos Raonic, both of whom lost in the First Round. The two were playing competitive points full of rallies, net attacks, and spirit that could be witnessed in the best of matches.
Wednesday’s Upset
For the first time in their four meetings, Sam Querrey was defeated by a player with a very similar game to his, Kevin Anderson. Anderson played a stellar tiebreak in the first set, allowing the South African to prevail 7-4. Anderson had chances in the next set as well then lost abruptly as he double-faulted on set point down at 4-5, when a wayward ball from outside landed onto the court between his first and second serves. The groin pull he suffered in his previous match began to bother Anderson in the third set, but he stayed focused and slightly fresher than Querrey. Either tired or trying to play it safe, the American was sending cupcake – in Sam Querrey terms – second serves Anderson’s way and the latter finally took advantage and broke. Anderson won 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-4.
Kevin Anderson
Wednesday’s On the Inside
The courtesy tournament transport has its perks and having met one of Anderson’s coaches, Craig O’Shannessy, on a late night ride from the tournament, this reporter was lucky to be privy to O’Shannessy’s and fellow coach’s Louis Vosloo discussions during the second-best win of Anderson’s career (he defeated Novak Djokovic, then World No. 3, in 2008 at Key Biscayne). Last week, Darren Cahill suggested in an ESPN Broadcast that there should be constant TV broadcast of coaches during matches. Even though Cahill’s idea is voyeuristic, distracting, and almost disrespectful, after today, we can vouch it would certainly be a fascinating experience for fans at home.
When Sam Querrey was doubtful on calls made in his opponent’s favor on Court 1, which has no challenge system, he turned to the crowd. If the largely pro-Querrey crowd supported his point of view, Querrey turned to Chair Umpire Lars Graf, suggesting the court of public opinion should lead Graf to overturn the call. Graf, understandably, ignored Querrey in such situations.
One of the times Querrey did this after missing the return off a ball he thought may have been wide, a lady in the audience kindly explained to Querrey at length that he should have stopped play if he intended to argue the call.
Wednesday’s Tiebreak My Heart
The tiebreak Rafael Nadal won against Stanislas Wawrinka in the first set of their second round encounter matched the longest tiebreak in Nadal’s career. Curiously, the previous occurrence was here in Toronto in 2008. On that occasion, Nadal ended up on the losing side of the 14-12 score, going down a set to Richard Gasquet, only to win the last two sets 6-2, 6-1.
Today, the World No. 1 did not allow his opponent even the satisfaction of winning the set. The dramatic tiebreak featured Wawrinka diving and running all over the court except for the moment he took a break to stand by the scoreboard, but Nadal prevailed. Wawrinka fought hard, treating every point as if it were a set point. We wonder if his intensity is what kept him in the tiebreak, or what prevented him from winning it.
Wednesday’s Box of Crayons
Rafael Nadal has prevailed over Roger Federer today in a way much more highly visible to the naked eye than rankings or head-to-head records. After Federer’s debut of a pastel pink polo shirt at the previous night session, Nadal donned a shirt in a pink color so bright it could light up the court all by itself.
Wednesday’s Overheard in the Media Room
A key staffer for Rogers Cup Toronto: “Can you believe what’s going on in Montreal?”
Ana Ivanovic today declined a last minute wildcard offering from next week’s Rogers Cup in Montreal, after Tournament Director Eugene Lapierre gave some unfavorable comments about the initial refusal of Ivanovic’s wildcard request. The Toronto organizers are hoping that neither Ivanovic nor her fellow players will confuse them with the staff in Montreal when considering whether to participate in the women’s tournament to be held here at Rexall Centre in 2011.
More photos from Wednesday's action at the Rogers Cup in Toronto
Photos by Mariya Konovalova
