Week 16 (PTA): Monte-Carlo [Oxenstierna]

[Johnners]

R00bish

 

[ripper868]

• Jarkko Maxum has celebrated his return to the PTA singles circuit with a very impressive win over in-form Spaniard Sergio Joaquín in his first round clash. Maxum saw the writing on the wall with the massive downscaling of doubles events, and faced with the possibility of living off his American girlfriend's fortune was forced out of his brief retirement. Joaquín has played splendid tennis this season and claimed a title in Casablanca last weekend, but was made to work for a very tough first set against the confident Maxum who was happy to come to the nets with enthusiasm. But after dominating the tiebreaker, the World No. 32 had a stinker of a second set as Maxum began to find his range and more penetration in his ground shots. While he still didn't look completely match fit for singles tennis, he did enough to take an early break in the third and after some awkward moments held on for dear life for a dramatic 6-7(1), 6-2, 6-4 win on return. There's no reason he can't beat Becker Haas in their second round meeting.

Maxum's 2nd and third set dedicated to the lovley mystery american woman who came in from practice to watch him on the outside court.

I guess in the end for Maxum and this American, it's Game, Set, Match.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

So ***y.

 

[Mister Wright]

Mustard in great form atm.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters II
PTA Masters 1000 - Wednesday (2nd Round) - Monte Carlo, Monaco - Clay (Red)

• Jarkko Maxum's return to the PTA singles circuit has come to an abrupt end in the second round in Monaco as Germany's Becker Haas claimed a straight sets win. Maxum yesterday fought a brutal three-set encounter while Haas enjoyed the day off, and the difference between the players was evident as the German dominated the short encounter. Haas has been imperious since an early season slump with good showings in Indian Wells and Miami, but it is the clay where he's most comfortable. After an awful first set, Maxum played a much better second set but still could not avoid a 1-6, 3-6 defeat. Haas now has the unenviably task of facing World No. 2 Daniel Páez Blanco who shook off concerns over his fitness as he trounced Portugal's Tiago Matías 6-1, 6-0.

• Jojo Mustard will now meet East CWLander Jefferson Drake in the third round following a tight straight sets win over José Navarro. The Peruvian ensured their second round clash would be a real scrap in a match dogged by some poor serving from both players. Nevertheless, showing his newfound maturity Mustard got the better of the South American qualifier when it mattered as he fought back from 3-5 to take the first set in a tiebreaker and saved a set point in the second at 4-5. The 7-6(4), 7-5 win will no doubt boost his confidence heading into a tough showdown against a top ten player for a quarter final spot.

• There were no issues for Sven Oxenstierna as he got his Monte Carlo campaign underway with an impressive 6-3, 6-2 win over Ion Andueza. The Spaniard had a 5-4 record on clay for this year coming into the match, but was no match for the second seed who played confident tennis as he looks to improve on his Season I performance. Andueza managed to bring up just two break points for the match without converting either, while Oxenstierna regularly got hold of Andueza's serve as he struggled with the breezy conditions. The straight sets win sets up a third round clash with fifteenth seed Sanchez Emelio who saved three match points in his win over Nilikar Midid.

• In his return from a bad injury, season I finalist Henry Charles was beaten in straight sets by the Ukraine's Viktor Vuriak 7-6(5), 7-6(6).

• Seeded players out:
  
  Henry Charles.

 

[Mister Wright]

This time last season Mustard would have lost that match, confidence and experience a great combination.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters II
PTA Masters 1000 - Thursday (3rd Round) - Monte Carlo, Monaco - Clay (Red)

• Sven Oxenstierna looks perfectly poised to make a charge at the Monte Carlo Masters title as he dropped just three games in a 6-2, 6-1 demolition of fifteenth seed Sanchez Emelio. After crashing out in the semi finals in Casablanca last week - a tournament that Oxenstierna clearly used as preparation for the clay court swing - the World No. 4 has been in dynamite touch in his two matches this week. The World No. 25 was no match for the baseline onslaught as Oxenstierna made the most of a slow Monte Carlo court with an elementary straight sets win. Next he plays Viktor Vuriak of the Ukraine after he upset tenth seed Zoltán Varga 6-4, 2-6, 6-1.

• Meanwhile, Jojo Mustard's immense run of form has continued with a straight sets upset of fourth seed Jefferson Drake. Claiming a big top ten scalp, Mustard has now won eight of his past ten PTA matches in a typically spiteful affair between the two opposing CWLand players. As has become the norm, a number of more vocal fans were ejected from the arena following a line dispute in the first set. Down a break in the first set, Drake was frustrated with a call by the chair umpire who adjudged a forehand from Mustard in. Even after checking the mark, the umpire wasn't convinced as Mustard went on to claim the set seven games to five. Drake was seething between sets, and failed to channel that aggression into something positive as Mustard cooly slotted his two break points to take a 4-0 lead. Drake calmed himself to give himself a chance at a break back, but he could not secure it despite three attempts as the very impressive Mustard advanced 7-5, 6-2. He now meets fifth seed Radivoj Daneu who looks at home on the clay following his 6-3, 6-4 win over Ivan Genov.

• Seeded players out:
  
  Jefferson Drake;
  
  Sanchez Emelio;
  
  Danijel Micic;
  
  Zoltán Varga;
  
  Zhijun Sun.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Record breaking Spanish streak ends at 45-0

​

For the first time in nearly three years, World No. 2 Daniel Páez Blanco has been defeated on clay as American Dwayne Murdoch romped to a historic straight sets win on a sunny day Monte Carlo.

After a week of drizzle, the gods seemed to be on Murdoch's side as the sun dried Centre Court up considerably to give him a faster surface to work with. While Blanco had struggled with Becker Haas had troubled Blanco on Thursday, it was clear from the word go that Murdoch would pose an even bigger challenge as the Season I French Open semi finalist took break of serve in the first game of the match with a crushing backhand down the line

Question marks over the Spaniard's fitness continued to arise as he failed to run down balls he'd normally get, but down 4-5 he showed his trademark fight to string four points together on Murdoch's serve to level the score at five each. But after saving three set points in the tiebreaker with typical resilience, Blanco could not outlast the World No. 12 who claimed the first set 7-6.

The second set was a more cagey affair as Blanco began to work his way into the match. Still, though, Murdoch resisted with his offensive shot making causing the World No. 2 huge difficulties on both flanks. With the set evenly poised at 5-5, Murdoch survived a break point to hold serve in an important game with yet another double-handed backhand down the line. Just minutes later, Blanco found himself at 15-40 trying to keep his 45-match PTA streak alive.

He couldn't do it. A good first serve was just returned by the third highest ranked American on the planet and Blanco put what should have been an easy forehand approach shot into the net to secure his exit 6-7(6), 5-7.

The American was understandably elated following his victory, while the humble 31-year old Spaniard looked deflated as he congratulated Murdoch. While he may now stand at 45-1, the defending Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Rome, Madrid and Roland Garros champion cannot be counted out of the next six weeks.

 

[benchmark00]

Looks like the bad boy from Glee.

Just sayin'.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Is that Puck?

Puck is the only character I know from Glee.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Meanwhile...

Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters II
PTA Masters 1000 - Friday (Quarterfinals) - Monte Carlo, Monaco - Clay (Red)

• Fourteenth seed Jojo Mustard has won through to one of the biggest matches of his career after a three-set win over World No. 9 Radivoj Daneu. The Houston champion is riding high after a seventh straight victory on the circuit as he chased down the Serbian fifth seed in a very impressive showing. In a tense first set it was the Serbian who bested Mustard six games to four, but he was still showing signs of weakness against the in-form West CWLander. Those weaknesses were exposed in a huge manner in the second set as the World No. 23 levelled the match in just 24 minutes in a 6-1 shellacking. It came down to the deciding set, and after trading breaks early Mustard again pulled free to lead 5-3 with a crafty backhand drop shot wrongfooting the Serb. Serving to for the match, Mustard could do no wrong as he slammed home two big winners from 30-0 to secure a massive 4-6, 6-1, 6-3 upset. He now faces Blanco-conqueror Murdoch who interestingly beat Mustard in the quarter finals of last season's French Open 6-1, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5.

• In the other semi final, Sven Oxenstierna looks odds on to win his second Masters title after a straight sets win over Viktor Vuriak. He now faces sixth seeded Ukrainian Illya Altman who advanced in straight sets, but it is Oxenstierna who has looked unstoppable as he beat Altman's Ukrainian compatriot 6-3, 7-5. Vuriak put up a bigger fight than Oxenstierna's first two opponents but he is clearly a player far better than his ranking of 47 suggests. At times Oxenstierna looked uncomfortable against the deep top spin of the left handed, but he braved some great play from the unseeded Ukrainian to secure a telling straight sets win. Altman's 6-4, 6-4 win over József Boros sees him advance to the semi finals at Monte Carlo for a second straight time. Last year he fell to Blanco in straight tiebreakers.

• Seeded players out:
  
  Daniel Páez Blanco;
  
  József Boros;
  
  Radivoj Daneu.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Professional effort.

Good luck to Mustard in the other semi. Feel confident of an all-West match-up, given this is an unimportant tournament.

 

[ripper868]

Maaxum has dumped his american interest due to loss of tennis match. He feels he needs to get in touch with himself a bit more.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Would thought Rivers would be better equipped to handle the water.

Can't wait for a match between Rivers & Banks where Rivers emerges victorious by a hefty margin. Make your own pun on Rivers bursting Banks.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Great to see El Mustardo prevailing. C'mon big guy, ensure that this trophy's coming home to the West!

 

[Mister Wright]

Mustard riding high at the moment. Hoping to keep that momentum going.

 

[benchmark00]

Is that Puck?

Puck is the only character I know from Glee.

Not sure of his name itbt.

 

[ripper868]

Nice recovery - you may keep your man card

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters II
PTA Masters 1000 - Saturday (Semifinals) - Monte Carlo, Monaco - Clay (Red)

• In the first of Saturday's semi finals, Dwayne Murdoch was not drunk with the success of his quarter final boilover as he defeated in-form West CWLander Jojo Mustard in a canter. Fresh off snapping Daniel Páez Blanco's unbeaten streak, some suggested Murdoch might not be at his best coming into his semi final collision. But the World No. 12 showed incredible confidence in his own ability as he powered through the match 6-1, 6-3; brushing Mustard aside with powerful groundstrokes and completely ignoring the rangy right-hander's good run of form. Mustard, meanwhile, struggled after falling behind early and was not given the opportunities to recover that Radivoj Daneu gave him on Friday. Despite the loss, he's set to move inside the top twenty for the first time of his career while Murdoch moves to his second PTA Masters 1000 final.

• His opponent is a man in similarly imperious form after Sven Oxenstierna made his second Masters final of the year with an impressive 6-3, 7-5 win over Illya Altman. Altman is a tricky opponent on clay with the ability to produce some irresistable shotmaking, but in a tight affair was unable to climb over the World No. 4. Like Murdoch, Oxenstierna hadn't lost a set this week and despite some awkward moments ensured that Altman was not the man to break that run of form as he secured the victory with a deep forehand drawing an error. He's been a quiet achiever over the past few days with the focus on Blanco and Murdoch, but with a best-of-five set French Open semi final rematch waiting he must now start to feel the pressure. A victory tomorrow won't improve his ranking, but it will leave him in sight of the top three - some 1,400 points behind rival Radek Špidlá.

• Seeded players out:
  
  Illya Altman;
  
  Jojo Mustard.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Lame.