[MagicDiceFlow]

Now that we have an "authentic" clay here at the Rome Open, Isner's strong serve will be neutralized considerably in his opening match vs Kolschreiber. This tournament will mainly be a vacation and warmup for Isner, he wont try to run down any tough balls with maximum effort. One important note about Kolschreiber in this Rome Open tourney .......he's 9-1 in opening rounds the last 10 years here. Now some of those opponents might not be of Isner's caliber but the way I see it, Isner has an implied ranking of over #25 on clay. Also, Isner lost to Chela here last year in the opening round.....hmmmm interesting

Kolschreiber is coming into this match with good momentum. He did as expected at Madrid and got a good win at Munich which was clay. Kolschreiber also has a very good return making it difficult for Isner to blow him away with those serves. Eventually this will present problems for Isner as the match progresses. Kolschreiber is starting to ramp up with some good form. I expect him to dig out a scrappy upset win over Isner tomorrow.

------------------good value on Kolschreiber +125 -----------

[EaglesPhan36]

Good luck, not real big on Kohlschreiber here though. Isner has been pretty tough on the actual red clay this season. Different player now than he has been in the past. His loss on that blue shit wasn't unexpected and he probably would have been better off just prepping for Rome. Outside of the German clay tourneys, Kohlschreiber has been pretty poor on clay.

[MagicDiceFlow]

He showed some good form when he won Munich, taking down some decent opponents in Feliciano Lopez & Cilic. In those other two clay tourneys outside of Munich, he had the bad luck draw of getting Monfils & Tsonga in the openers.

[EaglesPhan36]

Well you and I see those differently. He wasn't real competitive with Tsonga who hasn't been very good at all on clay and Tsonga was a guy that Isner wiped out in Davis Cup play on clay. Honestly think the price would need to be better to take Kohlschreiber in this spot for me.

[moshi]

Does Kohly have an adductor injury? I think he matches up well with Isner on clay and there is good value on him but I'm not sure that this is a "strong play" on the level of matchups like Serena yesterday.

[MagicDiceFlow]

Well you and I see those differently. He wasn't real competitive with Tsonga who hasn't been very good at all on clay and Tsonga was a guy that Isner wiped out in Davis Cup play on clay. Honestly think the price would need to be better to take Kohlschreiber in this spot for me.

What gets me is while watching the match that Isner lost at Madrid in the opener vs Cilic, that blue clay played like a semi hardcourt. All of the big servers dominated yet Isner looked very flat. There's something that the oddmakers are seeing here. Not basing my play on this by any means but I agree with them with those factors that are mentioned. Kohlschreiber has an excellent record in openers here at Rome(9-1 past 10) so comfortability shouldnt be a factor.


Respect your input here....we'll see how it goes.

[MagicDiceFlow]

Does Kohly have an adductor injury? I think he matches up well with Isner on clay and there is good value on him but I'm not sure that this is a "strong play" on the level of matchups like Serena yesterday.

Kohl's strained adductor was way back in 2010. He's fine, won the BMW Munich Open a week ago. Had to beat Cilic and big serving Lopez to take down the title.

[MagicDiceFlow]

Kohlshreiber playing well, mixing up his slices nicely to bother Isner. Impressive break of Isner's powerful serve already in the first set ......Kohl up 4-2 now.

[MagicDiceFlow]

Wasnt even a contest first set......Kohls takes it 6-2.....Kohls serve is solid today....Isner hasnt even come close to breaking it.

[EaglesPhan36]

This is premium Old School Isner minus the serve. No return game. Reminds me of the matches where he'd just slug through and get to a tie break and take it. Looks like you were right about him being on vacation this week. Maybe he's got Mardy Fish's disease.

[gators0708]

Great call!

[EaglesPhan36]

Isner just won half as many points off Kohlschreiber's serve in that last game as he had the entire match.

[MagicDiceFlow]

Kohls couldnt close him out .....let Isner back in the match...3rd set here we go.

[EaglesPhan36]

3rd set. Big John got his tie break. This got interesting.

[gators0708]

Wow what a choke by Kohlschreiber, hopefully he can break Isner and at least get this 3rd in a breaker?

[EaglesPhan36]

Great call!

Guys are killing people with the premature celebrations today.

[gators0708]

Guys are killing people with the premature celebrations today.

Lol, I saw that in your thread as well today, and as soon as Isner broke him in the 2nd I said f*** I can't believe that just happened!

[MagicDiceFlow]

Total choke job by Kohlschreiber.

[Dmoneytx]

I KNOW! What the hell is up with people coming in & celebrating too early on the plays today on this forum??? People need to know that a freaking tennis match isn't over until the last ball goes out. My girl played this weekend here in Houston & one of her friends was down 1-6, 0-5. I KID YOU NOT, her friend came back and won 13 games in a row!! She won 1-6, 7-5, 6-0. I think the other chick ran out of gas, but crap like that happens in tennis. You CANNOT celebrate shit unitl the play is finished! Sorry ya'll got some of that today. I saw EP did too. Hopefully people understand by reading our comments that they should just wait until the match is done before they go freaking out on how good the play was. I thought u made a good play MDF. Kohl was up a set AND a break. He should of won that match in straights. Tough loss brotha.

[EaglesPhan36]

95% of the time it seems like the premature victory laps always turn out bad.

[moshi]

Kohly's price increased dramatically just before tipoff.