Monte Carlo Masters

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

Murray drops two of his first three service games v Wawrinka.

4-1 to Wawrinka who is due to serve.

Murray isnae at home on the clay at all.

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

Wawrinka takes the first set 6-1.

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

Murray pumped 6-1, 6-2
Drops back down to no.3 in the rankings.

[Sir David Gray]

Didn't see the match but that is a shocking result.

He'll need to buck up his ideas ahead of the French Open.

[Golden Bear]

As someone who has a passing interest in tennis (never having played it myself), why do some players excel on clay courts while others really struggle? Is it to do with the pace of the ball and the way it comes off the surface or is it something to do with balance/ability of a player to get around the court at speed? The game looks slower when played on clay courts but I'm non sure if that really is the case.

[Sir David Gray]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

As someone who has a passing interest in tennis (never having played it myself), why do some players excel on clay courts while others really struggle? Is it to do with the pace of the ball and the way it comes off the surface or is it something to do with balance/ability of a player to get around the court at speed? The game looks slower when played on clay courts but I'm non sure if that really is the case.

All of the above, really.

Clay courts are a lot slower than hard courts and even grass courts and the ball bounces a lot higher as well, giving players a lot more time to recover between shots. Also on clay the movement that is required is a lot different as well, you see players sliding into the ball quite a lot and that is what a lot of players are uncomfortable with. Others, like Rafa Nadal for example, have mastered that side of the game and that is a big part of why he is so dominant on that surface.

The other factor to consider on clay is that aces are seen a lot less than on other surfaces, so the big hitters are not as effective as they are on hard courts.

[Sir David Gray]

Mouth watering final in store for tomorrow as Rafael Nadal plays Novak Djokovic.

Nadal has reached his NINTH consecutive final at Monte Carlo and is going for his NINTH consecutive title as well.

In fact, he has only ever lost one match at Monte Carlo and that came 10 years ago when he lost to Guillermo Coria as a 16 year old.

Due to Nadal's dominance at the event, it's a title that Djokovic has never managed to win so far, although he has reached the final on two previous occasions, both coming against Nadal.

The two of them met in last year's final and although it was a very one-sided victory for Nadal, the match came just days after Djokovic's grandfather had passed away.

Given his record at the tournament, you've got to fancy Nadal to win. His dominance on clay is just unbelievable and the way he's come back from injury is extraordinary.

He's been back playing for just over 2 months and has won 22 of his 23 matches, picking up 3 out of 4 possible titles.

For someone who hadn't played for around 7 months, that is very impressive and I don't see him losing tomorrow.

[Sir David Gray]

Outstanding so far from Djokovic.

5-0 in the first set!

So much for my prediction!

[jodjam]

He is giving nadal a lesson. Not something many folk have done on the red stuff

[Sir David Gray]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

He is giving nadal a lesson. Not something many folk have done on the red stuff

Especially at Monte Carlo.

1 defeat in 9 years coming into this event!

[Sir David Gray]

Nadal's finally on the board!

5-1.

[Sir David Gray]

5-2 now.

Comeback's on!

[Sir David Gray]

First set to Djokovic, 6-2.

Can Nadal turn this around?

[jodjam]

He is capable of getting out of this hole he's in. Sure commentator said nadal unbeaten in 81 games during April.

Nadal breaks. Game on

[Sir David Gray]

Djokovic wins 6-2 7-6.

Nadal loses in Monte Carlo for the first time in 10 years.