Doha 2022, R2 Andy v RBA, Wednesday 16th February, not before 3pm.

[RosieBear]

Andy takes on number 2 seed Roberto Bautista Agut.

Their H2H is 3-1 - Andy won in straights in R3 at Wimbledon in 2014, the SFs in Munich in 2015 & the ShÃ*nghǎi Masters final in 2016 but lost in 5 sets in R1 at the 2019 Aus Open.

[RosieBear]

Good luck to Andy. I appreciate his insanely good defence heaps cumulative pressure and draws errors, but please, please lots of points won at the first opportunity. Go Andy :cheer:

[Sallydaisy]

Looks as though it'll start on time - previous match has finished.

[exislander]

A tennis afternoon - Dan on laptop, Andy on iPad.

[RosieBear]

Nice stat - Andy took over 30% of his shots inside the baseline yesterday :clap: Well done Andy, hopefully similar today, though a tough one :cheer:

[Gary D]

Free stream please. ?? I don't fancy Bet365 on principle, & need a deposit it says.....

[Teresa]

This is dire currently 0:5 to RB

[Teresa]

And we have a bagel:-(

[banskogirl]

What on earth have I missed? :shocked:

[exislander]

Where is Andy today?

[banskogirl]

Free stream please. ?? I don't fancy Bet365 on principle, & need a deposit it says.....

£10 deposit lasts forever (so far for me)

[RosieBear]

Groan. Poor Andy. Here we go again - great performance one day, poor the next day. Hope he can break the cycle. RBA is a tough cookie but that doesn't account for the dfs and UEs. Come on Andy you can do this!!

[banskogirl]

Come on Andy! :clap::clap::clap:

[HoopGirl]

I can’t understand this!

[clancy]

Me neither; How is it possible to play so well one day and so badly the next??

[banskogirl]

So much of a match is played in the head, maybe Andy is fighting the memories of their last match.

[HoopGirl]

Honestly I’m struggling to watch this - it’s painful.

This performance must be psychological

[Hawkeye]

Glad I missed that... 6-0 6-1.

[RosieBear]

Just awful. RBA is a tough, steady customer but 3-0 h2h then even on 1 leg Andy took him to 5 in Melbourne. Not unexpected today if I'm honest;
Andy's inability to play well on consecutive days has been observable for a while. I think he's struggling to believe that he can achieve good results day after day :shrug: Not a criticism at all, it's me saying I hope he can get through this phase quickly because if it's frustrating for we fans, imagine what it's like for him, the guy who does the backbreaking training. He deserves better. Hope he sorts his coaching situation asap because I think that will help him a lot. Chin up Andy, you've weathered similar frustration after back surgery, you'll get past this too.

[HoopGirl]

Just awful. RBA is a tough, steady customer but 3-0 h2h then even on 1 leg Andy took him to 5 in Melbourne. Not unexpected today if I'm honest;
Andy's inability to play well on consecutive days has been observable for a while. I think he's struggling to believe that he can achieve good results day after day :shrug: Not a criticism at all, it's me saying I hope he can get through this phase quickly because if it's frustrating for we fans, imagine what it's like for him, the guy who does the backbreaking training. He deserves better. Hope he sorts his coaching situation asap because I think that will help him a lot. Chin up Andy, you've weathered similar frustration after back surgery, you'll get past this too.

I read that he was finding it hard to get a coach because he wasn’t seen as so attractive to work for at this stage of his career. I hope losing Jamie wasn’t a mistake

[clancy]

6-0, 6-1 - in spite of his difficulties - is appalling from Andy! he must offer an explanation. We've just had a torrential rain storm here, the kitchen is flooded because of it, and I just didn't need that result. I'm not sure I expected him to win against RBA but I did expect more. He says he still enjoys playing but there was nothing in that to enjoy. Sorry folks, lots of problems at the moment so just feeling very down about everything. x

[JAMES4578]

Did not see but at least did witness an abysmal performance from Andy (by all accounts) of course Bautista Agut tough but would have expected at least some sort of challenge. Indeed Murray seemingly struggling for consistency though perhaps the first round was not as good as it seemed. Amyway hopefully Andy gets the coaching situation sorted before too long as really needs the continuity. Hopefullly he can put this loss behind him.

Some folk will have horrendous weather to deal with, hopoefuly not too much damage for anyone.

[RosieBear]

I read that he was finding it hard to get a coach because he wasn’t seen as so attractive to work for at this stage of his career. I hope losing Jamie wasn’t a mistake

I saw that comment too. Andy attracted then relinquished Cabril and De Witt, both respected coaches so he still has appeal. I think he was being diplomatic - rather than blaming the coaches at end of the trial period he was being self-deprecating. As for Jamie, think that had run its course. I think Andy is rightly being very particular about who he wants as he last coach, he knows he has to get it right. Better to wait for the right fit than waste precious last year(s) with the wrong one. Hopefully, things fall into place soon.

[Teresa]

I am at the point with AM of enjoying the matches he plays and wins, and not worrying about the ones he doesn’t. I have realised with him, we are far more fortunate than poor old Del Porto’s fans. He is far higher in the rankings than many of his contemporaries such as Tsonga, Giles Simon, Milos Raonic and Stan Wawrinka.

I am still sad when he loses, but it doesn’t ruin my day any more.

Every match is a bonus.

[pabbers]

I am at the point with AM of enjoying the matches he plays and wins, and not worrying about the ones he doesn’t. I have realised with him, we are far more fortunate than poor old Del Porto’s fans. He is far higher in the rankings than many of his contemporaries such as Tsonga, Giles Simon, Milos Raonic and Stan Wawrinka.

I am still sad when he loses, but it doesn’t ruin my day any more.

Every match is a bonus.

Think maybe that says it all. No expectation and nothing to lose any more. Sadly. He won when playing through pain because his tennis overcame the odds. Now his body is fine his tennis seems to have all but deserted him. I can't help thinking a new coach is not going to be the answer to his problems. He has enough experience to have a good idea where the problems lie. Shortening points is at least part of the solution and he has great volleying technique but unfortunately less feel for when to go to the net. Maybe a coach could help with that but......

[Hawkeye]

The larger racquet head will lead to less feel at the net. Can't have it all ways.

[pabbers]

The larger racquet head will lead to less feel at the net. Can't have it all ways.

But it's never been just about feel.... the feel he lacks is knowing how and when to set up or take advantage of a net approach. It comes naturally to someone like Evo and Andy being a base liner it doesn't come easy.

[HoopGirl]

6-0, 6-1 - in spite of his difficulties - is appalling from Andy! he must offer an explanation. We've just had a torrential rain storm here, the kitchen is flooded because of it, and I just didn't need that result. I'm not sure I expected him to win against RBA but I did expect more. He says he still enjoys playing but there was nothing in that to enjoy. Sorry folks, lots of problems at the moment so just feeling very down about everything. x

Hope things settle down quickly for you Clancy

[RosieBear]

The most important thing by far is that he is pain free and personally don't think there is anything wrong technically (he'll get used to the racquet soon). Shots that are in his own hands - serve, put away volleys, finishing shots - are great one day, awful the next. Same racquet so that's not it. Oppo also little to do with it. Andy has always been extremely sensitive to his team situation - how many times have we seen him play inexplicable zombie tennis only for it to transpire that there's an issue in his camp. The dreadful match against Koepfer in Paris is how I knew it was curtains for Jamie. I think getting a coach sorted is about technical issues to a degree as I do think Andy is keen to remodel his game post metal hip to be more aggressive, but more immediately feel it's about clarity, stability and increasing belief/confidence. Andy and team uncertainty is bad news. Hope it's resolved soon bless him.

[Gary D]

Talking of his team, is Matt Little still a part?

[RosieBear]

Talking of his team, is Matt Little still a part?

Yeah as far as I know all his long time trainers and physios are still with him, including Matt Little, so that's good.

[banskogirl]

I would be happy to see Judy in his box! He needs confidence and no one gives that like a mum! I agree Rosie, Andy looked out of sorts, nothing shows more in Andy’s matches than back stories and we hear later, if we need to. That’s the guy we love :grouphug:

[pabbers]

I think you may just be right RB. In which case I'm relieved.

[HoopGirl]

RBA is ripping through his draw - he won 6-1,6-1 today!
A little piece of consolation for Andy - maybe!