Monday, October 12, 2009

Gaudio and Lucho back on tour, Luczak reaches career high

This entry might come together in some form, and then again it might not, there are a few things that need to be commented on, but can't bothered writing a few different entries for them.

Gaston Gaudio has had a good couple of weeks since coming back to the tour after wasting his time playing in New York at the US Open qualies, when he was not in any form to play on clay, let alone hardcourts. The Babasonicos were in town, but he didn't go to see them, so it must have been for the holiday.

He took the time off to get over niggling injuries and made the final in his hometown of Buenos Aires defeating some very solid players, before losing to Horacio Zeballos the challenger king of 2009 and regular hitting partner. He followed that up with a semi final in Montevideo showing against Pablito Cuevas, who modelled his single hand backhand on Gaudio, and not a bad guy to learn from. There were of course some shenanigans as there usually are with Gaudio. He got a point penalty and then match point walked on the other side to check a mark that Cuevas said was out, the ump warned him about crossing the side to check the call, so Gaston does it, gets a point penalty and match over.

His semi final against Chela in Bs As was comedy central in the first set of 6-4, no one held serve for the first 6 games, then both held and Gaudio broke again. Of course the footfaultis was there, that is as natural to Gaudio as breathing.

This sums it up perfectly. Fred Stolle asking the questions.

Q. The foot faults, we’ve got to ask you a bit about the foot faults. There were a few of them. They were annoying weren’t they?

(Gaudio) It is, but it’s fun for the crowd...............

(Gaudio) Maybe I should move the line a little bit forward.

Q. Or maybe you should move your foot a little bit back?

(Gaudio) I’m going to try with that one. I never thought about that one before.

He is now ranked 201 and will finish inside the top 200 for the year and that is a great achievement from where he was at the start of the season. He can have a big off season and get the fitness side of things correct and then work from there, the serve is still his biggest liability, not just the footfaults. He doesn't have a big serve, so needs a high percentage and move it around, but the second serve will get pounded harder than a woman in a double anal porn scene by the better players. He still has a few events to play, maybe an early loss in Asuncion would be ok, then he can have a great time in Floripa (Florianopolis), which is Guga's town, fine beaches, good looking ladies, good courts, hehe.

As we are coming up to the end of the season, this part of the year is important and not just because of the races to the WTF aka (What The Fuck Did We Call it this for Championships) in London. Also at the lower end of the scale as to who will make the direct entry into the Aus Open and this is important for my tennis friends and I, it's not like it's a short trip to Australia, so they won't play unless in directly.
Dani Gimeno-Traver, the Valencia fan and man with no backhand, but cool guy won the Challenger in Tarragona to storm back in the top 100, he has modelled his game on Moya and yes that includes Moya's backhand. His serve is heavy kick and good forehand, but he has blown a lot of matches through an inability to close out matches. The Troicki farce at Wimbledon, where they needed miners helmets to see the ball, being one of the more memorable choke jobs. Thanks to Nathii for providing me the result of this final, while I was out and about.

Lucho Horna made the QFs in Montevideo losing to Gaudio, it has been a horrible year for him. He trained well over the off season, then hurt his foot and has been on the back foot ever since. He couldn't play singles for Peru in Davis Cup, after doing so much to get them into the World Group. Had a stop start season play a few tournaments then time off. One of the many low points of the year was the qualies at Roland Garros where he played the leather shorts wearing midget but pleasant individual Flavio Cipolla. Cipolla has the worst serve on tour, yes he can beat people with his unusual game, but the fact that Horna could not get a break point at all against the worst serve on tour, even allowing his poor returning skills. Yes, he couldn't return a phone call on his worst days, but this was bad. The lowest point was getting thrashed by Felder at home in Davis Cup and Peru got relegated so quickly after being in the World Group. Lucho said himself that was the worst match of his life playing for Peru, when something like this happens, it's not just about yourself, it's others who have been let down, hence the team aspect. He can try and play some matches this season, then train hard and make it back, he is good enough to do so, barring injury free, but he hasn't had a season like that in many years.

On a positive note, Peter Luczak who has been struggling of late, he is tired from a big season this year, good he is having some time off this week, will only have a few events now, then he can go home to Australia and play with the kids and train in the sand hills. He has reached a career high ranking of 64 this week, that is a great achievement to do it at this age and he has also proved some people in the Aussie establishment wrong after cutting him off this season.