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Sock Pospisil Shoot Down Fognelli at Miami Open
22 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Articles, Scoop
Jack Sock and Vasek Pospisil manhandled the Australian Open doubles champs Fabio Fognini and Simone Bolelli, or Fognelli, 62 63.
I arrived at the match at 2-1 for the Italians with Pospisil serving down 0-30. He dug out and held with two brilliant plays – a forehand touch cross court volley that made Sock mouth, “Wooowww.” And a service winner on deciding point that evoked from Sock, “Nice serve Vasek.”
Fognini is a character to watch, he struts around, smirking and posturing an air of tennis arrogance, not much unlike Marcelo Rios. Fog wears a blue backwards cap for doubles instead of his traditional singles headband.
Bolelli is a complete doubles player but plays the B side to Fog. He doesn’t say or show much personality, he just hits the shots that need to be hit.
Fognelli is a good enough team to dominate Paes/Klassen four times this year. That right there tells you everything. They hit the ball fast and hard, both make volleys, and play the geometry of the full court.
But Sock and Pospisil, the Wimbledon champs, were clearly just a little bit superior.
Sock, who plays the ad side, was the personality of the match. He’s always smiling to his box, expressing some kind of commentary or praise for Vasek. Or like when he he missed a forehand return long, like he did on the second point of one game, he looks at the chair ump and suggests that a new ball got mixed into the match balls, and that’s why his forehand sailed three feet long.
Pospisil is more focused and all business but seems to be no less a player than Sock. If Sock has the power, Pospisil provides the intangibles and finesse when needed.
Pospisil served for the match and had a match point vs. Fognini. Fognini backhanded the high hard return at Sock who couldn’t handle the volley and sailed it long. Earlier in the game down 15-30, Fognini blasted a forehand rocket return down the middle and right by Sock who could barely see the yellow blur. To make it 30-all.
On the deciding point (match point), Pospisil served again at Fognini, the hot hand. What does Pospisil try this time? Ace out wide. Game set and match. Sock Pospisil are into the quarterfinals where the winner of Melo/Soares and Harrison/RRam.
That’s a match I will surely be at front row.
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Dan Markowitz · March 31, 2015 at 5:22 am
Izzie was impressive tonight. Dimitrov is starting to drop off from the Raonic and Nishikori advance. Izzie believes in his coach, Gimel. This is what he had to say before Dimitrov match:
Maybe my results haven’t shown that. I have worked extremely hard with my new coach, and we are working on some things mentally, physically, we are doing a lot of good work,†said Isner. “I know it’s going to pay off down the road.
Some real interesting matches today: Monfils v Berdych, Kei v Goffin, Izzie v Raonic and Djoko v Dolgo. I’m going to go on the line and say Monfils upsets the Berdman.
Dan Markowitz · March 31, 2015 at 7:46 am
Just watched on replay the second set between Djoko and Darcis and it’s a dang shame there aren’t more players like Darcis playing today. I loved how he kept the Djoker at bay with his tantalizing shot. Paul Annacone, who was calling the match, was asked by Mary Carillo, how many players could do this to the Djoker and Annacone said only a handful.
Credit to the Djoker for not getting completely frustrated and losing a set, but Darcis, who’s 31 and had to qualify, gave the Djoker all he could handle with that backhand slice. To me, players like Darcis, are a joy to watch and an antidote to all these baseliners who hit endlessly the same shots, like a Ferrer or a Nishikori, who I have trouble watching for an entire match even though they’re great players.
Scoop Malinowski · March 31, 2015 at 9:05 am
The slice may be the antidote for solving the Djoker riddle, remember Dolgopolov stymied Djok with it at US Open on Armstrong a few years back. Fed’s bothers him too. Jaziri has a good slice too. Jaziri served for the match vs. Darcis and had an ace on the first point but blew it. Darcis is really tough, he beat Muller too. Muller’s coach Jamie Delgado scouted Darcis at the Jaziri match but could not solve the Darcis dilemma. I remember seeing Darcis at the front entrance two years ago after losing qualies last round, he was picking up his ride to fly out of Miami. Darcis is a great story, coming back from that bad shoulder injury from the Nadal match. Speaking of the front entrance, saw Mary Pierce walk by me yesterday on phone, no one recognized her at all. But I did and she spoke with me about Facing Serena, gave great info too.
Scoop Malinowski · March 31, 2015 at 9:10 am
Goffin really impressed me yesterday too, he has a good slice also. Janowicz threw everything at him, but Goffin gets everything back and can sting you with a winner when you don’t expect. JJ dropped his Babolat after one running forehand Goffin winner up the line. There were many on both sides. Even JJ’s best serves always seemed to comeback. Goffin is the 18 seed here, he looks like a top ten player. Goffin vs. Dolgo will be a great match. Goffin’s game really annoyed JJ who got a warning and a point penalty because he was pestering Bernardez about the net cord machine. He thought it wasn’t working correctly and he apparently misunderstood Bernardez for saying he would turn it off, JJ kept saying I thought you said you would switch it off? Goffin got three net cord winners which really annoyed JJ. Nightmare day for JJ, but GOffin is a force.
Scoop Malinowski · March 31, 2015 at 9:13 am
Major win for Isner/Gimelstob, big time win. This proves the coaching tandem is working, this win validates and confirms it. Dimitrov is struggling, he’s stuck in the rut of being an outsider to the elite. I think he needs a former champion coach like Lendl, Rasheed will get you to the top 20 but he was not a top player himself or even a top hundred player so his expertise is limited. But credit to Isner, his A game is a nightmare for any player. ANY player.
Dan markowitz · March 31, 2015 at 10:11 am
Goffin plays Kei not Dolgo. Where’s Goffin been at the slams? He can’t be Top 10 until he at least reaches quarters of one.
Thomas Tung · March 31, 2015 at 11:58 am
Fognini reminds me of a less talented, righty version of Rios without the desire to be the best that Marcelo had. I’ve seen Fog tank it and call it a day quite a few times already; with that kind of attitude (especially against Djokovic, where he kind of gives up after the first set or so), Fog will probably never go deep into the Top 10 or win a Slam.
Dan Markowitz · March 31, 2015 at 12:24 pm
Just looked up Goffin, he’s 8-11 in slams and his best result is a Rd of 16 at the French. He went through a stretch from 2012-14, 7 slams in a row, where he lost in the first round.
Fognini is a player who even though he’s ranked No. 25, outside of playing on clay, he can’t be taken seriously.
Monfils pulls out of Berdych match today with hip injury. Guess Monfils can never win or seriously contend for slam.
Scoop Malinowski · March 31, 2015 at 9:35 pm
Monfils is a one man Harlem Globetrotter, he’s more a showman than a major champion. Which is no disrespect, I like how he plays more than many GS champs.
Scoop Malinowski · March 31, 2015 at 9:38 pm
Agree Thomas, Fog just not tough enough to win a Grand Slam marathon over two weeks. But he did it in doubles and that was a remarkable feat. A lot of great players never even won a doubles major.
Scoop Malinowski · March 31, 2015 at 9:39 pm
Let’s see how he does this year. Goffin is a new man since the second half of last year. His best is yet to come. Kei crushed him though.
Andrew Miller · March 31, 2015 at 11:08 pm
Goffin is awesome. I enjoyed watching hin nearly blank Dimotrov last year before Dimitrov made a comeback at one of the slams. Probably doesnt have the best of five set endurance…he is downright American!
Andrew Miller · March 31, 2015 at 11:13 pm
Kei is probably the best small player in decades, the male version of Justine Henin – moves like a bandit, hits the ball huge. Id like to see hin slam it up. It would do justice to a guy like Rios – superb talent and knowledge of the gane winning out over height etc. With Murray off Nishikori has a shot at the #4 ranking. A good draw coud put him in another slam final.
Nadal loses in Miami again…the tournament he cant win!
Scoop Malinowski · April 1, 2015 at 8:14 am
I think size is overrated. His speed and fluidity compensates for the lack of size. David’s have done well all week here against bigger players – Goffin vs. Janowicz, Darcis vs. Muller, Ferrer vs. Rosol, I think Kei’s arsenal of weapons will make up for his 5-10 height and drive him to #1 someday.
Scoop Malinowski · April 1, 2015 at 8:15 am
Andrew, you would have loved seeing Goffin dissect Janowicz, maybe the best match he’s ever played. JJ even threw down his racquet in awe after yet another running crazy winner up the line. I can see Goffin in the top ten. SPecial talent.
Scoop Malinowski · April 1, 2015 at 8:17 am
Another big win for Isner and Gimelstob. Looks like Gimelstob is proving his cred as a top coach, guiding a slumping Isner to two huge wins over Dimitrov and Raonic back to back is a remarkable feat. Well done. Isner is back.
Andrew Miller · April 1, 2015 at 7:20 pm
Goffin is excellent, the first set in his dimitrov match he hit through dimitrov, taking away his time and moving around the court like Ferrer without the sneaker squeaking. Flawless tennis, and to back it up he played a solid 2nd set – dimitrov was lucky his serve got going because he began looking like the not ready for big time player that he has been since the beginning of the season – uninspired. Probably feeling the expectations and not doing the little things he did last year to do as well as he did. Who knows.
I like Goffin. Who knows, he could grab some titles where he is not expected to. Always hard to predict. I do think he has a sweet game. Not sure if he has the best strategy every match. Could benefit from a Spadea but the euro attitude nixes that.
Andrew Miller · April 1, 2015 at 7:24 pm
Sadly Spadea needs to leave the u.s. unless he wants in on usta with mayotte (i like the pairing, two purists that are also pragmatists – loyal to the game and to u.s. tennis). Or he joins the bolletieri factory . Or he joins the adidas shop or leaves the country for spain, australia or france or china or japan. Why pursue gulbis…gulbis isnt willing to becone a better player.
Scoop Malinowski · April 1, 2015 at 9:00 pm
Agree about Goffin Andrew, this guy is a special talent capable of tennis magic. He showed it with the win streak last year. He showed it vs. Jerzy and Dimitrov. I see him cracking the top ten. Okay Dan start firing away at that prediction.
Dan Markowitz · April 2, 2015 at 7:50 am
Goffin will never be Top 10. Dude he got demolished by Nishikori, 1 and 2.
Scoop Malinowski · April 2, 2015 at 9:00 am
Dan a lot of good players are getting demolished by Kei. One good draw at a major and a big win will put Goffin in striking distance of top ten or maybe even into the top ten. Kei is on fire now, he could win a major this year. Even the FO.
Andrew Miller · April 2, 2015 at 7:33 pm
Kei is demolishing nearly everyone. If Tipsy could get top ten im sure Goffin can get close if that is his goal. Not sure how ambitious he is…he went on a tear last year and his level hasnt dropped. Might pass dimitrov on dimitrov’s slide down the rankings for now.