Helsinki Challenger Friday comments (includes Adrian Mannarino scouting report)
Sakari Lund
Not that anyone read my first post of the tournament, but here goes.
Grigor Dimitrov def. Julian Reister 7-6, 3-6, 6-1
When I came in, Reister was 5-2 up in the 1st set. Dimitrov managed to
get it in the TB, and win the TB. I didn't see the whole set, but it
felt like he was lucky to take the set. 2-5 down, and also he was a
minbreak down in the TB. Reister lost the TB by missing a couple of
easy volleys.
After the first set Dimitrov's shoulder was massaged. He also had a
tape in the knee. I don't know if it was because of these things, but
he was very sloppy and almost disinterested during the 2nd set. Then
played much better again in the 3rd. But generally I thought he was
better on Tuesday. I wouldn't advice to bet on him to win the title
now.
Adrian Mannarino def. Henri Kontinen 7-6, 5-7, 6-3
And we definitely won't get a repeat of W 08 junior final.
First time I saw Mannarino, and he is interesting. My reaction in the
first set was that he is the softest hitter I have seen since Gianluca
Pozzi. This is probably true, but during three long sets I learned
many more aspects about his game.
First set was weird. Henri served great and Mannarino didn't get the
serves back at all. Very easy, fast servie games. But Mannarino held
his serves pretty easily too. He had a very effective lefty serve in
the ad court, which Henri couldn't return in the first set. At times
he was able to hit a big serve in the middle. Also a pretty good serve
in the deuce court. But in the baseline rallies he just hit very soft
balls back and didn't miss at all. Henri looked very erratic, but it
was probably very difficult to play like that, trying to go for
winners when the other guy does nothing, and it could be that the
softness made it difficult because you are not used to getting balls
like that.
The next thing I learned about Mannarino already in the first set was
that he is amazingly quick, and that he can hit great shots from
unbelievable sittuations. There were a few occasions where I was
certain he couldn't possible even get to the ball, but he actually hit
great winners from those.
During the 2nd and 3rd sets I noticed Mannarino is a better player
than it first looked like. (He is top 100 after all). His strokes
still didn't look like much, but there started to be deceptive power.
He could all of a sudden hit a winner. From a defensive position where
you thought he would have to hit a defensive shot, he could hit a shot
5 cm inside the baseline and put Henri in a difficult position.
Generally he was able to hit very close to the baseline. He started to
return the serves and hit some great returns to huge serves.
He was also a bit of a drama queen. There are always some questionable
calls, and in important moments he started acting a bit. I don't know
if it is very smart for example to fall on your back on the coirt if
your first serve is called out. Not the best preparation for the 2nd
serve. (But he won the point).
It was a close match. After the easily held serves the 1st set was
decided in TB. Mannarino won it. I think the most amazing of his
amazing "defensive gets - winners" was in the TB.
Then there started to be breaks in the 2nd set. Mannarino was a break
up, Henri got it back. He maybe was a break up the second time too.
Then he had two match points with Henri serving at 4-5. Couldn't
finish the match, Henri broke him and served out the set 7-5.
Henri got the first break in the 3rd at 2-2, but Mannarino broke
straight back and didn't lose a game after that.
He obviously lacks power, but certainly a difficult opponent and
interesting player.
Yama
: Not that anyone read my first post of the tournament, but here goes.
<snip>
Did you see Micke's second match? He lost 3-6 3-6 or so, but I think he had
a credible performance here. He has been barely playing at Futures level,
and already beat a Challenger player (though a weak one). Not bad. His
progression seems roughly similar than his brother...
: During the 2nd and 3rd sets I noticed Mannarino is a better player
: than it first looked like. (He is top 100 after all). His strokes
: still didn't look like much, but there started to be deceptive power.
: He could all of a sudden hit a winner. From a defensive position where
: you thought he would have to hit a defensive shot, he could hit a shot
: 5 cm inside the baseline and put Henri in a difficult position.
Hmmm...so he sounds like Murray-like player (or like Murray used to play
few years ago)?
Sakari Lund
<tj...@NOSPAMpajuoulu.fi> wrote:
>Sakari Lund <sakar...@welho.com> wrote:
>
>: Not that anyone read my first post of the tournament, but here goes.
><snip>
>
>Did you see Micke's second match? He lost 3-6 3-6 or so, but I think he had
>a credible performance here. He has been barely playing at Futures level,
>and already beat a Challenger player (though a weak one). Not bad. His
>progression seems roughly similar than his brother...
I didn't see it. I have been there in two days, and reported about
both... Micke lost to this same Mannarino. Having seen him now it is
no wonder. Mannarino has made the semis beating mostly the Kontinen
family...
>: During the 2nd and 3rd sets I noticed Mannarino is a better player
>: than it first looked like. (He is top 100 after all). His strokes
>: still didn't look like much, but there started to be deceptive power.
>: He could all of a sudden hit a winner. From a defensive position where
>: you thought he would have to hit a defensive shot, he could hit a shot
>: 5 cm inside the baseline and put Henri in a difficult position.
>
>Hmmm...so he sounds like Murray-like player (or like Murray used to play
>few years ago)?
I wouldn't compare him to Murray. Only one I can think of is Gianluca
Pozzi as I mentioned.
Manuel aka Xax
Saw him twice, only once in a match / tournament.
First time he was finalist at the future (or challenger, can't
remember) in La Roche sur Yon.
He lost to Rosol. that was a pretty good final, and given the small
size of the court I had hardly felt more "connected" with the "court
mood", the players...
Adrian reminded me a bit Coria.
Like you said, soft hitter, what impressed me the most was the way he
was moving: much better than average (he was ranked something like
400th, or worse back in 2007) player.
He was overpowered by Rosol, yet you can feel that his "soft" game was
hidding an ability to stroke "unexpected" winners.
Pretty decent "hand" & touch, too... Natural lefty, one might say!
The second time I saw him, was FO 2008, where he trained with Roger
Federer (I shot few pictures of Fed, since I was on his side of the
court, and didn't have a proper zoom!).
Federer left before him -avoiding the crow that had became... well
very noticeable! (we were among the first to check that training
court, it was near 1PM, so not many fans were watching at first)- so
Adrian spoke a bit with us, nice & no inflated head.
He was even a bit surprised when I told him I remebered his match at
La Roche sur Yon.
He was a very promsing junior, had to deal with injuries... and
expectations of french medias.
Both having slowed him.
Hope he will make it to some good ranking, and so directly enter draws
in bigger tournaments..
Yama
: On Fri, 26 Nov 2010 22:45:50 +0000 (UTC), Yama
: <tj...@NOSPAMpajuoulu.fi> wrote:
: >Did you see Micke's second match? He lost 3-6 3-6 or so, but I think he had
: >a credible performance here. He has been barely playing at Futures level,
: >and already beat a Challenger player (though a weak one). Not bad. His
: >progression seems roughly similar than his brother...
: I didn't see it. I have been there in two days, and reported about
: both... Micke lost to this same Mannarino. Having seen him now it is
: no wonder. Mannarino has made the semis beating mostly the Kontinen
: family...
I actually realized that Micke is ahead of his brothers' progression -
Henri didn't reach top 1000 until he turned 19. Looks promising...
Sakari Lund
<tj...@NOSPAMpajuoulu.fi> wrote:
OTOH Henri made Wimbledon junior final and did otherwise much better
in junior slams. Micke turns 18 in December so this was his last
junior year. Henri concentrated more on junior events.
Sakari Lund
<xam...@gmail.com> wrote:
>Adrian reminded me a bit Coria.
>Like you said, soft hitter, what impressed me the most was the way he
>was moving: much better than average (he was ranked something like
>400th, or worse back in 2007) player.
>He was overpowered by Rosol, yet you can feel that his "soft" game was
>hidding an ability to stroke "unexpected" winners.
>Pretty decent "hand" & touch, too... Natural lefty, one might say!
Yes, pretty much the same things I said.
>The second time I saw him, was FO 2008, where he trained with Roger
>Federer
Cute young lefties... :-)
Manuel aka Xax
> On Fri, 26 Nov 2010 15:35:04 -0800 (PST), Manuel aka Xax
>
> >Adrian reminded me a bit Coria.
> >Like you said, soft hitter, what impressed me the most was the way he
> >was moving: much better than average (he was ranked something like
> >400th, or worse back in 2007) player.
> >He was overpowered by Rosol, yet you can feel that his "soft" game was
> >hidding an ability to stroke "unexpected" winners.
> >Pretty decent "hand" & touch, too... Natural lefty, one might say!
>
> Yes, pretty much the same things I said.
well, hard to have opposite views of a single player...
Unless he becomes that famous & that exposed to he gets some 'tards
fighting against some other players 'tards!
I can confess, I have no memories of that Italian (i supposed he is)
player you've been talking about!
> >The second time I saw him, was FO 2008, where he trained with Roger
> >Federer
>
> Cute young lefties... :-)
Yep, the year before (iirc) Federer trained with another lefty french
hope: Jonathan Eysseric.
Federer and the FFT seemed to have some agreement, having young guns
to train with the master.
SliceAndDice
Hey Sakari, what is this I hear about Grigor Dimitrov attacking an
umpire in Helsinki? Were you around when this happened?
Sakari Lund
<vish...@gmail.com> wrote:
>Hey Sakari, what is this I hear about Grigor Dimitrov attacking an
>umpire in Helsinki? Were you around when this happened?
Has there been something about that somewhere? No, I was there on
Tuesday and Friday. That happened on Saturday after SF. I read about
it in the paper. Apparently he wasn't happy with the umpire, and
pushed him after the match. I believe it didn't happen on court, but
"upstairs", i.e. stairs up from the court, either in the area next to
the stands were many people could see it, or in the player's area. He
was fined for it and I don't know if they give some other sanctions.
SliceAndDice
> On Tue, 30 Nov 2010 12:02:53 -0800 (PST), SliceAndDice
>
http://www.menstennisforums.com/showthread.php?t=173211
There is a Finnish article about it:
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/11653637/Dimitrov_incident.jpg
Sakari Lund
Yes, that's the article I read and told above what I remembered about
it. I know well the guy who wrote the article. As I remembered, he
uses the word "upstairs", which doesn't make it clear if it was in the
players' lounge or not. The poster in menstennisforums says he saw the
incident close, so sounds like it was not in players' lounge.