wait, Robbie stole from David Foster Wallace AGAIN!

Or

I have a question for you abt Israel, sorry for going OT. Is there a ski resort in Israel, and if so what is it like? It is just my sister knows a guy whose father ownes a ski resort :)

Once again sorry for going OT, but to regular viewing.

Really must go.

our first TMF point of the match...ALLEZ!!!

And, Stan donates the break back with a fh miles out. Meh Stan. You had this set.

Hmmm,it seems to work for everyone else :S And way to go Stan blowing that huge lead...

And the Fed breaks back...nicely done, now I suggest you keep your head in the match...

MrX: join the bandwagon, we understand it's only for Montreal but newcomers are always welcome...;)

Wow, brilliant point by both, and Fed takes it with a great BH DTL winner that hit the line. Stan, if he starts to find his game back, that's bad news for you. Even worst if you make a DF. BP for Fed. And he breaks, after playing some great deffense in that last point, until Stan made an ugly FH error. He made too many UFEs in that game. That has happened to him several times i've watched him, he just plays one very bad game each set, and when it happens on his serve, he's in deep trouble.

As I expected Roger gets back on serve.
He's being a bit tentative on some of those short balls by Wawrinka.

OK. Back on serve. Still some pretty good tennis - Federer's head went away for a couple of games, but on the whole he's played the Wawrinka service game well. The return looks a lot better than it did against Niemeyer. Federer's putting more loop on the ball than usual - he may figure that Wawrinka prefers the flatter balls, so he's throwing in more topspin. 3-2 Wawrinka, on serve.

Now, let's see if the Fed can serve...

FortuneCookie, you get to keep that "blessing," even though the stream somehow is not working for me ;-)

and hold

aaaaaand, STM gifts the break back.

These two remind me of the Gopher Twins.

"You take it, I insist!"
"Oh, no! I wouldn't dream of it! You take it"
"Dear me, I really shouldn't! Here, you take it..."

Expected that breakback. Feel a bit scary, like Beckham, that after all these years of watching Roger one starts to read his mood-form thingo.

missed most of the game.. but damn that forehand is working.
2-0, Tsonga.

Ok, I got one at atdhe.net to work. Thanks all!

ok...i can't watch this...i give up...Stan is playing well, but Roger can't hit a freaking shot properly when its needed..

OMG three break points for Wawrinka what happened to Fed

Nice by Tsonga.

Fed, get it together will you?

OMG I think I need some of that Diazapame

What the hail happened to Fed's first serve? Stan's not only getting it back, but putting some serious stick on it. Anyways, 3 BPs saved...one wasted return from Stan

It's bad enough when his game sucks outright.
When he gets these extremes in play, it's damn stressful.

The Federer box of chocolates...

And Fed holds from love 40. That's more like it!

May be Simon is not peppering his bh a lot, but he's using the bh slice pretty well, except for that point. and that. deuce #1.
serve out wide, fh volley, beautiful bh volley winner.
big 2nd serve.

6-3 3-0.

I haven't seen Simon hit a lot of slices. donno how Jo will handle it. I'm pretty sure Fed will kill him with it.

I have visions of the Muzz in the final.

Beckham,
The problem is, all my natural instincts prevent me from cheering for him, after going against him in so many matches. But i'm doing what i can. It's a struggle, no?:)

With all you guys speaking about your commies, i must say i truly miss Alex Corretja on Spanish TV. He left the play-by-play alone, and he's truly horrible. Why did you have to join the forces of darkness, Alex?

Stan had 3 BPs in that game and couldnt convert. Fed played well in 2 of them, but in the 3rd, Stan just missed a not-very-difficult return. You lost a big chance there, Stan. You may pay for it in this next game.

What's with that weird commercial they keep showing on fromsport lol?

Ok I'm exhausted, boy can you imagine being in that court. The TSn guy is saying that Fed almost needs the challenge because it cranks up his game.

Federer levels with beautifully constructed point and f/h winner.

ladyjulia,
Wouldnt those be "nightmares of the Muzz in the final"?:)

Stan plays a pretty good game and holds at love to go up 4-3.

Again to the net...hrrmph..somebody else played that first set, not this guy...that guy played beautifully...*sigh*

You guys are just too harsh. Stan nearly did, should have done, beat Murray at Wimbledon. He's playing very well and just pounding everything deep. So what if Fed is a bit rusty? He's also hit some great shots and is trying to come in a bit.

Two holds, Federer from 0-40. Got away with a couple of slips. Let's see if Federer can find his groove on serve. 4-3 Wawrinka.

Well done, Safina!

Ski resort? In Israel?

Um, there is basically only one mountain on which we get the occasional snow. Mount Hermon, right on the boarder between Israel, Syria and Lebanon. Highest peak in Israel. There is a ski resort there. I was there a couple of times.

If they have snow enough to ski there for a month and a half in a year, whoever running the site is happy :)

*hands out shot glasses of Appleton VX to all Fed fans

Mr.X,

:-)

But I am painfully awake..so its a vision, am not sure whether one can have a nightmare while one is not sleeping.

They're both going from the sublime to the ridiculous right now, taking turns.

On the shallow side of things, I love Roger's hair. How he manages to keep it looking good throughout a match is a mystery to me.

Tsonga and Simon on my tv right now.

and Stan holds at love, both guys are sweating, so I am assuming must be humid for fed to swaet. Hair still looks good. Only two aces from Fed, commie says because Stan can read his serve as they play together so much

Thanks, Cayman...slainte!

Can't help thinking some expect too much of Roger. The guy is only human.

Easy hold at love for Fed: a vintage FH winner, an ace, a FH UFE by Stan, and an unreturned serve. 4-4, Waws to serve.

@carnap, you are most welcome. I think I am drunk on the thing already

The courts are playing so slooooooooooooooooooow

I'm looking at the Serena-Bammer match, and they just said that Serena lost to Bammer in their only other meeting. Also, Venus was 3-3 with Pennetta until today. (Is it an upset if the player has beaten you as many times as you've beaten him/her?)

So, I guess we can say that Venus and Serena both met they're Wayne Fereira (cf Sampras) today. But I'm still rather disappointed by the losses.

I think that Serena was just out of sorts today because the stands were not filled for her R16 match. :)

Thanks Cayman Karen (is that rum? I like to know what I'm getting drunk on!)

Lynne, reckon you're right but that's the cross one has to bear if one is a Federer enthusiast.

H2H Bammer/Serena is now 2-0 Bammer.

ladyjulia,
i said it because i actually have nightmares about the vampire, EVEN WHEN I'M AWAKE. He comes, and plays like did today, and gets the No.2 ranking... no, no, blaphemy! AAAAAHHHHH!!!:)

The guys have taken a break when they are returning, as Stan holds at love again without any problem. Fed to serve, with Stan up 5-4.

Stan has been solid with his first serve (except for that one game where he got broken). I wonder if there's a wind...seems like it's easier to hold from one side, i.e., where Fed is gonna serve from now.

good stuff from the back of the court from Tsonga, drawing Simon in and getting the bh volley error to get to bp. Simon serves his way out of trouble.
3 big serves, a double, a nice bh dtl slice chip? (I donno what you call that) winner from simon and a big serve later, it's 4-1, Tsonga.

I don't expect too much from the Fed, my days of frazzling are over...I however, expect not to see Fred in the middle of a Roger Federer match till he's about 30 y.o. so Fred has to wait only for 2 more years...lol

MrX: I understand...;)

Erm,from a selfish view,Stan,don't take this set...It's already 1:40 AM here!

Luckily, Doug and Robbie are a bit less harsh than people here. As Doug said, with the exception of one loose game Fed's been solid throughout the match. And Stan has really taken it to him, hitting deep and never going away.

The volleying, like most of his game, is veering between the sublime and the ridiculous today. And Wawrinka exposes the lack of movement to the FH side again.

Toonie, yes it is rum. Made in Jamaica (land of my birth). Tastes like cognac (smoked)

Mr X, not to worry, Koyla the not so obscure with the help of the suns rays will take down lestat...

OT: Has anyone actually seen Stan's concubine, pic please?!

Well, Stan was close there when he got to 15-30, but Fed managed to play some good points and close the game with an ace to hold at 30 and get to 5-5. Very important game for Stan next.

3 aces for Fed: 10 for Stan, serving 69%

Ruth, at 2-1 in the 2nd set, rena has 31 UFE's, Bammer only 12, yep, she was that error prone...

Um yeah,I saw a pic of the concubine once lol,not sure where the person got the link from,try google images??preferably searching with the world girlfriend not concubine haha...

We might be headed to a t/break

Federer can't get a serve in play, and now it's 6-5 Wawrinka on serve.

Meanwhile, Wawrinka is serving from a tree...

Roger not returning Stans serve now,like in the 1st set

Koyla the not so obscure with the help of the suns rays will take down lestat"

I think he will need more than that... garlic, silver bullet?? Or is that for werewolves? Ok a cross then or a wodden dagger?

Wow! Good job Stan. Bombs away. 9 aces this set, and many service winners. 5-6 Fed to serve. I think Stan deserves this set...he's played better. But, that other guy is one scary TB player....Allez Stan break him. It's your only chance.

Mr. X,

oh no...i don't want the Fedal era to end...Rafa has to win this tourney to keep the Fedal era alive. Or else the Muzz lose to Davydenko.

Roger seems to be fighting being taken over Fred right now...seems to have kept Fred away for now...

Roger's retrun game has not impressed me at all thus far since his comeback.

Beckham,
I dont know if you saw Lestat's match today, but if he plays like that, i doubt that Kolya (or anyone else, for that matter) will be able to take him out. As i said the other day, we really need Buffy in Montreal:)

Wow, brilliant serve game from Stan. No pressure at all. Fed couldnt even get the ball in play, and Stan (obviously) holds at love to go up 6-5. Fed serving to force the TB next.

Wooden stake!

Cayman Karen:(looking in liquor cabinet) I thought it sounded familiar and what do you know Appleton I bought for my Dad when he visited for Christmas!! His favorite. I made pina colada's with it on Saturday and is very yummy? Ok folks round 2 is on me
(pouring large glasses for all)

WTF was that shot, Roger ?

It would be nice to see Stan go thru. Fed has babies to attend to..

Seriously though, having watch both today, I don't see Davydenko beating Murray tomorrow.

C'mon Feddy, hold your serve

pretty uneventful 3 service games. Jo is not sweating it with the returns.
6-3 5-3.
Please to serve this out.

Stan also seems to be possessed by somebody at times...missing easy shots..what's with both of them?

Stan also seems to be possessed by somebody at times...missing easy shots..what's with both of them?

Wooden stake it is then Lynne :)
Still I don't think it will be enough.

Fed holds to force the TB

MrX: I'm trying to cheer you up, no?! I'm obviously failing at it...lolz

Roger Federer a TB would be nice...that is all

Is it just me, or Roger's just being lackadaisical with his play today (and yesterday, too)?

a tiebreak!! I really like tiebreaks not sure why I wish they had them at all events!!

I think Stan lost a good chance in that game, and it might have been the last one. At 15-30, he made 3 consecutive UFEs, and Fed held at 30. Similar game to the last one on Fed's serve.
We are going to a TB. Stan, i dont like your chances now.

While Federer's serve has been a bit off this match, prefer for it happen in this match than, say, against Murray,.

"conserving energy," Jake : )

Okay...Stan really gifting it to Fred..

Doesn't Davydenko have a good record against Murray? I wouldn't count him out...

3-0 for Fed So exciting

Roger is strolling.

Maybe that's his new "tactic"?

Haha!

Stadium pretty empty for Serena's match.

Yay! Allez Tsonga. Allez Tsonga! Straight sets beat down.

missed fh (J), missed bh (G), big serve, big serve, big serve.
3 & 3. yay!
pretty cheerful, friendly hug at the net.
Sorry, fans for Gilles.

Slaughterhouse in the next round.

My stream just died,great...

Well done, Tsonga. Commiserations to Madame Simon.

Hey the towels are not fancy like Wimbledon ( cheap Canadians (heehee)

VC,
I'm just going by what I saw today. I watched both matches.
Of course tomorrow's another day. We'll see.

Tsonga defeats Simon 6-3, 6-3

5-1 Federer at the TB change. Better that than 1-5, I think.

carnap,

i think you're right - Roger is conserving: smart.

Dont worry, Beckham, it's all in good spirits:)
And Jo defeated Simon, 6-3,6-3. Congratulations to his fans. If he played at his best, he could challenge the Fed, but he very rarely plays at his best. Conmiserations to Simon fans, and specially his wife. It seems that he is not in last year's form yet.

In this match, they change sides at 5-1. Stan making too many UFEs from the beginning of the TB, the result has never been questioned.

First time I've been right all year, Jake : )