In article <553a6$429b621f$d1cc58b5$20845@snip.allthenewsgroups.com>, pedrodias@snip.net (Pedro Dias) wrote:
Robredo in five.
Did no one notice Safin's sportsmanship moment? It was in the fifth set. Robredo hit a first serve, it was called out, Robredo got ready to serve a second serve -- and Safin wandered up to the line and pointed at the spot. Umpire came down and confirmed the ball had been good. Robredo got another first serve -- which he promptly missed -- but won the point off his second serve.
In article <553a6$429b621f$d1cc58b5$20845@snip.allthenewsgroups.com>,> pedrodias@snip.net (Pedro Dias) wrote:>
Robredo in five.>
Did no one notice Safin's sportsmanship moment? It was in the fifth set.> Robredo hit a first serve, it was called out, Robredo got ready to serve a> second serve -- and Safin wandered up to the line and pointed at the spot.> Umpire came down and confirmed the ball had been good. Robredo got another> first serve -- which he promptly missed -- but won the point off his> second serve.>
Yes, that won the Eurosport commentators' praise. Very sportsmanlike - like the whole of Safin's behaviour throughout that last set.
<wendyg@cix.compulink.co.uk> wrote in message news:94adneaFNrDcHQbfRVnyiA@pipex.net...> In article <553a6$429b621f$d1cc58b5$20845@snip.allthenewsgroups.com>,> pedrodias@snip.net (Pedro Dias) wrote:>
Robredo in five.>
Did no one notice Safin's sportsmanship moment? It was in the fifth set.> Robredo hit a first serve, it was called out, Robredo got ready to serve a> second serve -- and Safin wandered up to the line and pointed at the> spot. Umpire came down and confirmed the ball had been good. Robredo got> another first serve -- which he promptly missed -- but won the point off> his second serve.
Yeah, I did. Struck me as really cool: here's a guy who can barely keep his head from blowing up, but he has the grace to do something like that.
In article <553a6$429b621f$d1cc58b5$20845@snip.allthenewsgroups.com>, > pedrodias@snip.net (Pedro Dias) wrote:>
Robredo in five. >
Did no one notice Safin's sportsmanship moment? It was in the fifth set. > Robredo hit a first serve, it was called out, Robredo got ready to serve a > second serve -- and Safin wandered up to the line and pointed at the > spot. Umpire came down and confirmed the ball had been good. Robredo got > another first serve -- which he promptly missed -- but won the point off > his second serve.>
wg
Not now, I'm just watching the paint on my deck chair dry....
"Whisper" <beaver999@ozemail.com.au> wrote in message news:tNNme.8$h64.553@nnrp1.ozemail.com.au...> wendyg@cix.compulink.co.uk wrote:>
In article <553a6$429b621f$d1cc58b5$20845@snip.allthenewsgroups.com>, >> pedrodias@snip.net (Pedro Dias) wrote:>>
Robredo in five.>>
Did no one notice Safin's sportsmanship moment? It was in the fifth set. >> Robredo hit a first serve, it was called out, Robredo got ready to serve >> a second serve -- and Safin wandered up to the line and pointed at the >> spot. Umpire came down and confirmed the ball had been good. Robredo got >> another first serve -- which he promptly missed -- but won the point off >> his second serve.>>
Not now, I'm just watching the paint on my deck chair dry....
lol. It wasn't that boring. Robredo played inspired tennis.
It just goes to show, thought, that Safin wasn't ready to make the finals and win. Federer or Nadal would have chewed him up like dip and spit him back out.
Safin had a good run while it lasted. It'll be more exciting to see what he can do on grass.
In article <ZP2dnRhCY43sMAbfRVn-gg@comcast.com>, "David Henry" <telemachus7@msn.com> wrote:>
"Whisper" <beaver999@ozemail.com.au> wrote in message >news:tNNme.8$h64.553@nnrp1.ozemail.com.au...>> wendyg@cix.compulink.co.uk wrote:>>
In article <553a6$429b621f$d1cc58b5$20845@snip.allthenewsgroups.com>, >>> pedrodias@snip.net (Pedro Dias) wrote:>>>
Robredo in five.>>>
Did no one notice Safin's sportsmanship moment? It was in the fifth set. >>> Robredo hit a first serve, it was called out, Robredo got ready to serve >>> a second serve -- and Safin wandered up to the line and pointed at the >>> spot. Umpire came down and confirmed the ball had been good. Robredo got >>> another first serve -- which he promptly missed -- but won the point off >>> his second serve.>>>
Not now, I'm just watching the paint on my deck chair dry....>
lol. It wasn't that boring. Robredo played inspired tennis.>
It just goes to show, thought, that Safin wasn't ready to make the finals >and win. Federer or Nadal would have chewed him up like dip and spit him >back out.>
Safin had a good run while it lasted. It'll be more exciting to see what he >can do on grass.
Safin seems to be totally incapable to play full strength against lesser players. That's why he plays so little three setters in slams. For him to play well, he needs to see an equal across the net. He did NOT play well today - and it cannot be attributed to Robredo playing probably his best.
<wkhedr@my-deja.com> wrote in message news:1117502686.575960.50770@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...> It was nice, but he knows that the Umpire will find it anyway!> No, the call had been made and no one was questioning it. They were about to move on. Safin stepped up and got the umpire to come and check.
"DK" <dk@no.email.thankstospam.net> wrote in message news:d7gaul$9vl$2@news.doit.wisc.edu...> In article <ZP2dnRhCY43sMAbfRVn-gg@comcast.com>, "David Henry" > <telemachus7@msn.com> wrote:>>
"Whisper" <beaver999@ozemail.com.au> wrote in message>>news:tNNme.8$h64.553@nnrp1.ozemail.com.au...>>> wendyg@cix.compulink.co.uk wrote:>>>
In article <553a6$429b621f$d1cc58b5$20845@snip.allthenewsgroups.com>,>>>> pedrodias@snip.net (Pedro Dias) wrote:>>>>
Robredo in five.>>>>
Did no one notice Safin's sportsmanship moment? It was in the fifth >>>> set.>>>> Robredo hit a first serve, it was called out, Robredo got ready to >>>> serve>>>> a second serve -- and Safin wandered up to the line and pointed at the>>>> spot. Umpire came down and confirmed the ball had been good. Robredo >>>> got>>>> another first serve -- which he promptly missed -- but won the point >>>> off>>>> his second serve.>>>>
Not now, I'm just watching the paint on my deck chair dry....>>
lol. It wasn't that boring. Robredo played inspired tennis.>>
It just goes to show, thought, that Safin wasn't ready to make the finals>>and win. Federer or Nadal would have chewed him up like dip and spit him>>back out.>>
Safin had a good run while it lasted. It'll be more exciting to see what >>he>>can do on grass.>
Safin seems to be totally incapable to play full strength against> lesser players. That's why he plays so little three setters in slams.> For him to play well, he needs to see an equal across the net.> He did NOT play well today - and it cannot be attributed to Robredo> playing probably his best.>
DK
I think you're right. It's why he was uninspired against lesser players on the other slam finals (except Federer).
I think Safin, like Becker, needs a sense of drama. Safin needs high stakes to get riled up and play his best. Having to deal with Federer and Hewitt back to back in Melbourne was good for him. If you saw his results earlier in the event -- and even the Hopman Cup coming in -- they weren't impressive. In fact, he almost lost to Rochus.
Safin is kind of a moron, though, because he should value *every* round and every opponent at a slam. His scales of importance can be off, unfortunately for tennis.
yes, and Safin had another good sportsmanship moment earlier in the match when he appeared to help the chair umpire find the right mark, even though it led to the umpire's ruling in favor of Robredo's challenge. the umpire and Safin wound up patting each other on the back. as Carillo said of another player after a similar moment earlier in the tournament: "He's no Steffi Graf."
In article <d7gaul$9vl$2@news.doit.wisc.edu>, dk@no.email.thankstospam.net (DK) wrote:
Safin seems to be totally incapable to play full strength against > lesser players. That's why he plays so little three setters in slams. > For him to play well, he needs to see an equal across the net.
Wilander has an interesting take on this. He said that all the players know that Safin is mentally flaky and can vanish on court, so they work very hard to stay close to him, scorewise, in case it happens and they get a chance. He says it's why Safin plays so many long, tough matches.
Whereas, he went on to say, the players also know that Federer is not going to do that, that he's always going to be there on court with you, so they won't get those chances. Result: Federer plays a lot fewer long, tough matches.
In article <1117502686.575960.50770@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>, wkhedr@my-deja.com () wrote:
It was nice, but he knows that the Umpire will find it anyway!
In this case, the umpire wasn't going to come down. Safin *called* him down -- Robredo was getting ready to make a second serve. If Safin hadn't acted, the call would have stood against Robredo.
Safin is kind of a moron, though, because he should value *every* round and > every opponent at a slam. His scales of importance can be off, unfortunately > for tennis.>
Yes, but on balance it's extremely unlikely he woulda won tournament anyway so moot....
But final woulda been more intiguing with him in it....
In article <d7gaul$9vl$2@news.doit.wisc.edu>, dk@no.email.thankstospam.net > (DK) wrote:>
Safin seems to be totally incapable to play full strength against >>lesser players. That's why he plays so little three setters in slams. >>For him to play well, he needs to see an equal across the net. >
Wilander has an interesting take on this. He said that all the players > know that Safin is mentally flaky and can vanish on court, so they work > very hard to stay close to him, scorewise, in case it happens and they get > a chance. He says it's why Safin plays so many long, tough matches.>
Whereas, he went on to say, the players also know that Federer is not > going to do that, that he's always going to be there on court with you, so > they won't get those chances. Result: Federer plays a lot fewer long, > tough matches.>
wg
Doesn't sound logical - players don't try as hard v Fed because they'll lose anyway....?
Did no one notice Safin's sportsmanship moment? It was in the fifth set.> Robredo hit a first serve, it was called out, Robredo got ready to serve a> second serve -- and Safin wandered up to the line and pointed at the> spot. Umpire came down and confirmed the ball had been good. Robredo got> another first serve -- which he promptly missed -- but won the point off> his second serve.
Here is what Safin had to say about it.
MARAT SAFIN: Well, I don't think it's just -- you know that we're not playing on a hard court. For sure if we been on a hard court and the linesman call it out and I know the ball was in, of course I'm not gonna give it to him, with all the respect of the player, fair play, all these kind of things.
But on clay you can see the mark. So if you want to make him come down, he will check the mark and he will say the ball is in. So then I will, you know, look bad in front of the people. It's not because we are so nice and so polite because we want to be such nice people. No, it's not. Because it's clay. I'm sure you would not give me one point if it's on hard court - not even Roddick. And so it's okay.
Wilander has an interesting take on this. He said that all the players> > know that Safin is mentally flaky and can vanish on court, so they work> > very hard to stay close to him, scorewise, in case it happens and they
a chance. He says it's why Safin plays so many long, tough matches.> >
Whereas, he went on to say, the players also know that Federer is not> > going to do that, that he's always going to be there on court with you,
they won't get those chances. Result: Federer plays a lot fewer long,> > tough matches.> >
Doesn't sound logical - players don't try as hard v Fed because they'll> lose anyway....?>
The difference is in how they play each guy. (At least that's my interpretation.) If you hang around long enough vs. Safin, you may get him to self-destruct. Not so with Federer, so you better try to make something happen.
