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Haas Dominates Struggling Dolgopolov
37 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Articles, Scoop
Good crowd to see the Haas vs. Dolgopolov matchup on grandstand. Haas won the first set 6-3 and immediately breaks Dolgo to start the second.
Haas, the #15 seed, plays serious, systematic, smart tennis, he’s locked in on every point, every ball. Dolgopolov is the opposite, he’s a freestyle, instinct player, who seems to prefer to play the game how he likes to, flowing, mixing, dazzling it up. Tommy grinds, works, and fights, Dolgo plays.
I’m sitting in a box where Haas’s wife and friends are. A nanny brings the baby Valentina. After one point in the second she is held up and coos “Go Daddy” and Tommy sees it and gives her a quick smile, but then it’s back to business. The inspiration seems to work as Tommy wins the next point. Haas just gets the ball back smartly but pounces on a ball he likes, hitting plenty of winners. Dolgo can’t seem to get any rhythm, he shows frustration and anguish.
The sense is that Dolgo really wants this match, needs it, to right the ship, as he’s not had a good year at all. He’s plateaued, parted with former coach Jack Reader, brought in his dad again, but the results are the same. Decent, but not in any way showing the kind of form that will threaten to crack the top 10.
Playing showman style tennis isn’t going to work against people like Haas or Ferrer, or the other titans.
Dolgo is down the break at 2-3 and is rallying. He has Haas in a 0-40 hole and hit’s a running tweener that is called good and the crowd is in a frenzy. Dolgo is smiling. He’s in his element. But Haas challenges and the ball is an inch out. 15-40. Haas battles back to deuce and wins the game. It’s the end for Dolgopolov as Haas wins the next two games and the match 63 62.
Haas, who turns 35 next week has a date with world #1 Djokovic in the fourth round.
Dolgopolov exits the court with a hint of beffudlement. Will he figure out how to adjust his game to move up the rankings? Or will he stay true to himself and keep playing the patented Dolgo freewheel style, for better or for worse?
One gets the sense Dolgopolov’s curveball, knuckleball style has been figured out by the ATP powers that and if he can’t revise his game, he will become just another player in the top 100.
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37 comments
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Scoop Malinowski · March 24, 2013 at 3:17 pm
Dolgo’s W/L record is now 6-6 in 2013. His career record is 100-88. He’s #22 in the world right now. Haas is now 12-5 this year (512-288 career). He’s ranked #18.
Scoop Malinowski · March 24, 2013 at 3:21 pm
Haas escaped some tricky moments in the second, shouting at himself after some misses for the second break. His wife said, “It’s okay Tommy you’re up the break.” Another time she said, before setting up to serve, “Take your time Tommy.” And he proceeded to serve an ace. Haas had 13 aces for the match, just two DFs. Haas also saved seven of eight BPs. Dolgo was one for five on BPs.
Scoop Malinowski · March 24, 2013 at 3:21 pm
I’m going to watch Paes and Llodra that should be fun. Court 3.
Mitch · March 24, 2013 at 3:34 pm
I thought Dolgopolov was going to run away with it after he had 0-40 to go up a double break in the first. If Haas were in any other quarter of the draw than Djokovic’s, he’d have a good shot of making the semis.
Scoop Malinowski · March 24, 2013 at 4:36 pm
Haas has given Djokovic problems in the past, we’ll see, if it’s super hot like today, maybe just maybe Djok will wilt like he used to. Haas is looking very sharp and confident right now. 12-5 on the year is superb.
Scoop Malinowski · March 24, 2013 at 4:41 pm
Paes and Llodra were up a break in the first but they lost it in the tiebreaker. Dimitrov was putting on a show, he fell and hit a volley from his knees around the service line, which they ended up winning the point. He also hit a reflex forehand between his legs at the baseline which also wowed the crowd. It’s the Dimitrov show. 3-3 in the second. Dimitrov is playing with Fred Nielsen. Paes and llodra don’t seem to have that special chemistry that he had with the injured Stepanek. Paes and Step won the title here last year.
Steve · March 24, 2013 at 5:14 pm
That game with the tweener sums it all up for Dolgo. You wonder if Dolgo can tighten up his game without taking all the fun out of it. On the other hand Haas is one of the best players to never win a slam.
Dan Markowitz · March 24, 2013 at 5:44 pm
Scoop,
Haas might be 12-5 on the year, but he hasn’t had a particularly good year. He was beaten by Nieminem in the Aussie first round and his three best wins of the year are a close win against Almagro at IW, Isner in San Jose and now Dolgo (which isn’t a good win anymore) in KB.
What he’s doing is impressive, 35 next month, but he has to win a big match this year other than Isner at San Jose to say that he’s doing anything big.
Dan Markowitz · March 24, 2013 at 5:47 pm
The real question for you, Scoop, is are you staying for the “Not Before 9 PM” Blake v. Ramos match?
Scoop Malinowski · March 24, 2013 at 6:30 pm
Steve, Dolgo might not be capable of playing systematic tactical monotone tennis, Rios is his favorite player, he’s an artist, a creator. Sometimes players are who they are and don’t or can’t bend. Blake couldn’t play patient tennis, he said he tried and he’d lose badly. Dolgo might be just what he is and incapable of revision. BTW Dolgo lost last year to Tips in straight sets, also on grandstand.
Scoop Malinowski · March 24, 2013 at 6:34 pm
12-5 is a darn good year no matter who he beat. Nieminen is having a good year actually, remember he beat Nalbandian in the first round in three sets despite losing 9 games in a row. An Argentine editor told me some interesting things about Nalb. In a nutshell – he wants to win Davis Cup by himself and be the hero, when Delpo won that big match vs. Russia in SF a few years ago, you could see Nalb wasn’t even happy, Nalb lacks charisma and is not a big hero in ARG, Nalb is not strong enough anymore and can only play top tennis for a set or a set and a half, Nalb is very complicated, Nalb can be difficult and ornery to reporters sometimes especially if he doesn’t like the question, the great champions never strike back at a reporter, Nalb will.
Scoop Malinowski · March 24, 2013 at 6:35 pm
Yes I will absolutely stay for Blake-Ramos, at least one set. BTW I saw Serena’s Bentley or Rolls Royce whatever it is, and again she parked over the lines, in the #1 closest spot, it’s like it’s her spot.
Scoop Malinowski · March 24, 2013 at 6:48 pm
Just some random thoughts and observations. Llodra blew a snot rocket in first set on the side of one alley. Elena Danilidou asked to buy an ankle brace at Island Sports tennis shop yesterday. Dominik Hrbaty who had a 3-0 record vs. Rios and winning record vs. Fed is here today. He said he’s with his wife and daughter for the winter in W. Palm Beach and here in Miami for a week. I spoke with him about Rios for my Spanish edition of Rios book and also about Fed. Hrbaty was 3-0 vs. Rios, beating love and 1 here once, also at French Open and in Davis Cup from two sets to love down. Amazing story about how that match was turned around. One of his buddies in the crowd had a soundmaker and it jammed and he tried to fix it and it went off right as Rios was serving a second serve at 3 all in the third, break point. Of course Rios double faulted and the whole match changed. Hrbaty’s friend apolgized to Rios after but : ) Kamke just won TB vs. Melzer on court 1, I’m gonna go out and check it.
Steve · March 24, 2013 at 7:55 pm
Haas defeated Fed in a final last year…his ranking speaks for itself.
Scoop, I reject this notion that Blake or Dolgo or whoever can’t discipline their playing style. Of course they can.
Scoop Malinowski · March 24, 2013 at 8:29 pm
Haas also eliminated Djokovic at Wimbledon a few years ago, if I remember correctly. He played some long five setters with Fed. Haas knows every trick in the book. So does Melzer, just saw him take out Kamke in three after losing the first. Nice use of drop shots on key points, mixing up paces, coming to net. Melzer is always fun to watch. He’s funny too, he got a time violation when serving but the ump missed that he was ready and paused when Kamke went to move a bug or something by his foot with his Head. Melzer argued it calmly and tried to explain to the sueprvisor, to no avail, also mockingly asking if the chair ump called the TV warning to get on TV.
Scoop Malinowski · March 24, 2013 at 8:34 pm
Steve Blake has said he tried to harness his offensive nature to play grind it out patient tennis and it just did not work for him, he played terribly that way, so this is why he sticks to his guns and plays the way he does. Blake has a career 361-245 record with almost $8 in career earnings, and ten singles titles, and career high rank of #4 with some classic epic matches with Fed and Nadal. I think Blake knows how to play tennis. As for Dolgo, I think he’s stopped improving, and other players are familiar with his style which is no longer a surprise or unpredictable. He needs to make some kind of changes. He tends to hit the squash forehand too much out wide and on serve returns. I should ask one of the top coaches like Cahill or BG what or how Dolgo can improve or change.
Marion Bartoli,Fans · March 24, 2013 at 8:42 pm
Congrats Tomy at 35 yo 🙂 Thank You dear Sccop
Dan Markowitz · March 24, 2013 at 10:11 pm
Look, to me watching on tv, maybe because I know Blake a bit and have more of a personal interest in his play, he’s the most exciting guy to watch play of anyone.
Firstly, he’s making an impressive comeback the last couple of years. Then, he wears his heart on his sleeve. You can see his intensity. And finally, who hits the ball harder than Blake? He absolutely blasts the crap out of the ball and from my prospective, that’s fun to see.
I was watching some Kamke (guy looks like a male model) and Meltzer, it didn’t sustain my interest. But Blake is running around the court like a madman. He isn’t interested in playing this Gilles Simon rope-a-dope, enervating tennis. He is like an assassin out there. Even the beard helps to build this mystique. His opponent, Ramos, is putting a good fight, but Blake is bludgeoning him, coming at him like Joe Frazier in his prime.
I don’t follow boxing anymore, but was there any more fun than watching Frazier and Foreman when they were fearsome, knockout fighters? Blake is like that on a tennis court and I, for one, find it appealing.
Steve · March 25, 2013 at 12:08 am
When Blake retires I’ll say good riddance. His foolish style of play is unwatchable for me. Scoop, no I don’t believe for a second he put his heart into some other strategy ever. Don’t fall for that BS.
Obviously, he was successful but he could have been way more successful.
Dan Markowitz · March 25, 2013 at 8:19 am
I think you have to look at Blake as a big over achiever. He wasn’t even recruited out of high school. When he turned pro, he had to go through a long stage as a Challenger player. He won 10 tournaments, none of them big, got to a couple of slam semis, No. 4 in world, won a Davis Cup. By any stretch, he’s exceeded what anyone could’ve predicted for his career.
On a larger level, he’s the only player since Gerulaitis who came out of an Ivy League school and had real success. Plus, he’s the only black American player since Mala Vai Washington and of course, Ashe, to do really well. So you may not like his kamikaze style of play, but in my mind with all the pattern baselines out there, Blake is a comet out there. There’s a lot of crash and burn, but its entertaining.
Steve · March 25, 2013 at 9:02 am
Entertaining? Then you should love watching bad weekend warrior tennis. He plays with the game plan of an over aggressive 3.0 player. Spraying balls a way long left & right. You have to admit it’s kind of ridiculous and P. Mac was right on this.
I never liked a player for what school they went to –I could care less. I actually like player for how they play. What a concept… 🙂
Harold · March 25, 2013 at 10:44 am
Danny Boy, when did Blake ever reach a semi at a Major, let alone a couple.
Spadea must be getting an itch seeing these thirty something’s win matches
Dan markowitz · March 25, 2013 at 12:33 pm
My bad, I meant to write Blake reached a couple of slam quarters and if he didn’t take his foot off the pedal, he very well could’ve faced Federer in the US Open finals. Look, he’s beaten Nadal in big matches, Federer in a big match and very well could’ve been playing for Olympic singles gold.
And I have to disagree with you Steve. If you said to a player like Scoop, you could hit and move like Blake for one day of your life–and bear in mind Scoop is more like a 4.5, 5.0 player–he’d be walking on a cloud.
You had a perfect example last night of Blake’s appeal. Ramos is a good player, but how many guys on tour play like him? He is the norm where Blake is a thankful throwback to Connors where every shot he hits he launches his body into the ball with aggression. Can it look and get ugly? Yes, no doubt. Does he go for too much too often and as quick as he is does he duff too many volleys? Yes, no doubt, but I’ll take Blake any day over a Ramos and Harry, who’ve learned the PMac and Higueras way of playing loopy defensive-oriented tennis.
Steve · March 25, 2013 at 12:49 pm
Blake hits fine it’s the strategy or the lack of strategy that is very hard to watch.
I think most weekend warriors would love to hit like a top 100 player for a day. Sure.
As for people wanting Blake’s strategy advice I don’t think there’s a future for him as a coach.
Dan if he were your doubles partner you would no longer be a fan. hehehe
Scoop Malinowski · March 25, 2013 at 1:03 pm
Hard for guys over 32 31 to string wins together, Hewitt and Nalb havr the same problem, win one or two then fall flat. This was a trap match for Blake, expected to win, little known opponent, big court, late night match, not a huge crowd, tough match and for Ramos this was probably one of the biggest matches of his life. Tough loss for Blake but I like the way he’s playing and winning matches.
Scoop Malinowski · March 25, 2013 at 1:08 pm
Blake has had an excellent career. I remember his first US Open singles match as a WC he lost to Chris Woodruff 61 61 61. Nobody expected much from Blake but he achieved a very very memorable and exciting career. You can be sure Federer and Nadal have an enormous respect for James Blake.
Steve · March 25, 2013 at 1:34 pm
I seemed to have stumbled upon the former members of J Block. 🙂 I can assure you many people absolutely despised his style of play. And I call BS to you all cause none of you would teach that strategy or suggest it.
Scoop Malinowski · March 25, 2013 at 1:51 pm
Big respect for Blake as a person and a player. His style is his own, and it’s earned him a special place in tennis history. Blake banged heads with some of the best players in tennis history in some of the biggest events, and he even came out on top on some occasions. Hat’s off to James Blake, who came outta nowhere, overcome a ton of adversity, a broken neck, and etched out a fantastic career. Sure he’s played some bad matches, who hasn’t? but there are a lot of career highlights as part of his legacy.
Harold · March 25, 2013 at 3:08 pm
Dan is rewriting history, he used to flame on Blake in the old TW days.
Never a fan of Blake’s style, but be had a great career
Dan Markowitz · March 25, 2013 at 3:15 pm
I know, Harold, this is weird that I should be defending Blake. I never thought he was a great player, but what can I say, I like watching him play, now more than ever. When I watch the Jurgen Melzer vs. Tobias Kamke matches, and Melzer at least has an attacking style, I appreciate watching Blake play more. The man is trying to hit winners off the first ball and that is rare in today’s game.
loreley · March 25, 2013 at 5:06 pm
When Blake played against Gulbis the German TV commentator told, that Blake said, that he has to go for winners, because his knee doesn’t allow him to go into rallyes anymore.
Blake lacked always a bit fire.
Scoop Malinowski · March 25, 2013 at 7:39 pm
Blake plays with passion I think he’s such a sportsman and fair competitor that he contained his fire. He’s just not the kind of guy to really let it blaze, similar to Federer and Sampras in that regard. Super competitive but they are gentleman first and foremost.
Steve · March 25, 2013 at 8:27 pm
…his speed was way overrated. Hewitt was faster in their prime.
Scoop Malinowski · March 25, 2013 at 9:04 pm
Blake was faster than fast but agree, Hewitt was the fastest of them all. Chang included.
Steve · March 25, 2013 at 9:45 pm
Good H2H stat is Hewitt 8-1 over Blake.
adb · March 27, 2013 at 3:38 am
So, what does everyone think about the Haas v Djokovic 4th round today? Djoko looked really out of sorts, Haas played out of his mind; it was apparently really cold. Thoughts, Scoop or Dan? Merits a post from one of you.
Andrew Miller · March 27, 2013 at 11:34 am
Tommy Haas, the U.S.’ best player. 2nd best Raonic.