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The Official X-man cheering thread

86K views 486 replies 95 participants last post by  Powerzorro 
#1 ·
Let's Cheer Xavier to the top :bounce:

Good luck in your next tournament !!!!
 
#252 ·
Good Luck against Murray tonight in Mons Xav. Btw has X got a new coach yet? Let me know if you know. I was reading an article about some 16 year old US player called Clarke who apparently "X's coach thinks is good" but not sure if its a new coach they mean or whether they're talking about Kelly.
 
#256 ·
Re: X-Man's new coach

Xavier and Mark De Hous are working together just for 2 tournaments: Lyon and Paris. And then they will make a definitive decision.
 
#258 ·
just to let you know that i have taken some (crappy :sad: ) pics of Xavier in Lyon, if you want to see them...
click here
 
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#260 ·
thz Elea
 
#261 ·
The X-man is surprising us once again, this time in the positive sense. Semifinalist in Adelaide! :D
WTG, Xav!
 
#263 ·
Re: X-Man's new coach

How obvious is it...that I'm not aiming for photos of Xavier here?
Who might this man be...and how long do you think he'll be around for? :tape:

*From a training session with Oli, in Melbourne 2006.
 

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#264 ·
tough draw at d AO, but his recent results r promising to say the least. Hope this is the year for xman's breakthrough. maybe a GS title...? bagdatis got to d final, so its all possible :devil:
 
#265 ·
Xavier is goin' fine in Delray Beach... Quarter final against Florian Mayer and a possible semi-final against Andre Agassi (who lost one set today against Delgado)

here's an article about him. Actually it's more like an ode to Xavier :yeah:

Commentary: X is all that marks undercover champ
By Dave George
Palm Beach Post Columnist
Wednesday, February 01, 2006


DELRAY BEACH — Andre Agassi plays again tonight at the Delray Beach International Championships. He plays at 7 p.m. Press 1 if you need to know the name of his second-round opponent.

OK, so I'm hearing dead silence on the line. Not entirely unexpected.
Press 2, then, if you would like to know when Andy Roddick's match is scheduled.

Gotcha, or at least a few of you, because some are still unaware that Roddick asked in and then out of this tournament during the weekend.

All right, here's one to test the true tennis fan. Press X if you know the name of Delray's defending champion. He's the guy cruising under the radar, ponytail flapping in the breeze, and he's about to hit a real career hot streak, if not here, then soon.

"I don't like to be in the spotlight," Xavier Malisse said Tuesday, and the truth is nothing could be more wonderful because no Brand X ever has been pushed farther to the back of the shelf.

Malisse's tournament defense began at 5:45 p.m., Tuesday, while most fans were still trying to find a parking spot and a bite to eat. He'll go off again today at 5:30, in the shadows, on Andre's undercard. So what would have happened if Roddick and James Blake hadn't withdrawn?

Delray's defending champion on Court 3?

Press 0 if you want to talk to tournament director Mark Baron about doing something about this, like maybe bumping Andre off center court and giving Malisse the evening's feature match.

Again with the silence.

Again Malisse, the most consistently successful player in the history of the Delray event, must face the truth. He has one ATP title. Only one. For all the money, and he's won nearly $3 million on tour, it's winning that sets a player apart.

Nobody had to explain this to him in January 2005, when an upset win over Jiri Novak in the Delray final sent Malisse bopping back home to Sarasota, music blaring loud enough to warm the leather inside his Range Rover and that precious championship trophy belted safely in the passenger seat.

"I've never felt seeing that last ball go out and getting the monkey off my back," Malisse said, for he had had been in six previous finals without a breakthrough. Now he's back on the brink. A finalist at Adelaide last month, but not a champion. A five-set loser at the Australian Open, but in the second round.

"It's funny," said Sargis Sargsian, a wild-card entrant who fought for 74 minutes against Malisse on Tuesday but was easily dismissed all the same, 6-2, 6-2. "Patrick Rafter won two titles at the U.S. Open, but for the longest time he had only two or three titles. I guess it's just not easy winning out here. I won just once, 22 years ago."

Twenty-two years is an obvious exaggeration. But for Sargsian, who won his only ATP title in 1997, it probably seems that long.

Malisse is 25. Was Delray his once-in-a-lifetime experience as champion? No way that's possible. We're talking about a sensational athlete, capable of reaching the Wimbledon semifinals in 2002, and flashy on court, too. Wasn't it just the other day that he was dating Jennifer Capriati? Or was that really six years ago?

Time flies out here, and every season a new set of kids in long shorts and backward caps comes flying out of nowhere to join the flock of championship contenders. Most will pull an upset or two, thrilling their parents and their coaches and their countrymen, but never really feel at home.

Malisse, at least, has Delray, where he was a finalist in 1999 and 2001 before breaking through last year, and where his all-time match record is 17-5.

"It feels great here," the transplanted Belgian said. "I can pretty much do my own thing, drive my own car over, eat at all the restaurants on Atlantic Avenue."

Who cares that he isn't always recognized, or that he isn't always seated immediately? That is Andre's life.

Delray's defending champion goes on court early again today. That, for now, is his.
 
#266 ·
great article thz JuanRodriguez

i just read d finals score line, xman lost 3-6 6-3 6-7. very close match, unfortunately it wasnt his day again. must be hard not able to defend this title coz it means so much to him, he's been in so many finals but only 1 title so far. but this year looks promising.
 
#267 ·
Re: X-Man's new coach

:eek: That guy is stacked!! Although belly button piercing, which is a shame...
 
#272 ·
Re: X in Hamburg

Xmanfan said:
Anyone know why X retired from his match in Hamburg today? I've asked in the Hamburg thread but the question was not answered. cheers.
He hurt his shoulder. At this stage I don't know how serious it is - if I learn anymore I'll let you know.
 
#274 ·
Xavier won the exhibition-tournament on grass in Liverpool! :D

RR X. Malisse d. J. Murray 6-1,7-6 (4)
RR X. Malisse d. R. Kendrick 6-4, 6-3
RR X. Malisse d. F. Sletting 6-2, 6-3

SF X. Malisse d. K. Skupski 6-4, 6-1
F X. Malisse d. V. Spadea 3-6, 7-5, 14-12


Malisse Wins Liverpool International
Sunday 18 June 2006

Xavier Malisse, currently ranked 41 on the ATP tour, arrived early for practice, and was soon
followed by America's Vince Spadea (who's current ranking is 75). The pair last met in 2005 at Delray Beach, Florida on hard courts, where Malisse won 7-5, 6-4.The last time they played
each other on grass was at Wimbledon in 2003, where Malisse was the victor
again. The current head to head is 3.0 Malisse so Spadea was out to upset the Belgian.

The players walked on to centre court just before 2pm to a packed stadium
led by ex-Wimbledon referee Alan Mills. Malisse struggled in the first set
and wasn't too comfortable with the damp conditions and the heavy ball.
Spadea on the other hand looked a lot more comfortable and used it to his
advantage taking the first set 6-3.

Rain briefly brought the players off the court early in the second set with the score on serve at 2.1. This gave Malisse time to re-group and Spadea time to get additional advice from
his coach to see how he could continue his positive start. After a thirty minute delay play
was resumed, with Malisse looking a lot more confident.The players stayed on serve as thay adjusted again to the courts. It looked all set for the tiebreak when Malisse managed the all important break at 6.5 and closed out the second set to 7-5. One set all! It was set for an exciting decider.

Owing to the inclement weather it was decided the match would be decided in a super tie
break. The packed crowd had remained in their seats despite the stoppages and they were waiting with much anticipation to see if Spadea could break Malisse's run of
wins against him.


The Super Tie Break or Champions Tie Break is decided by the first player to reach 10 points by 2 clear points and continues until those 2 clear points are reached.

It was a nail biting tie break, first Malisse getting the vital mini break and they changed ends for the first time at 4.2 Malisse.Malisse continued to build on this break and went ahead 8-5 - it seemed it would soon be over. But Vince Spadea was not finished and started a come back.The score was levelled at 8 all. Spadea then went ahead for the first time in the tie break, breaking Malisse's serve to go 9-8. Again was this now Spadea's chance. But Malisse had other ideas. He levelled again and the score went to 12 all. Then the all important break and Malisse served to eventually win the match 14-12 .

Final Score Malisse winning by (3-6, 7-5, 14-12.

So despite all the ups and downs of weather, the crowd were treated to an amazing final between two very talented players and proved once again that the match is not won until the very last moment.

As our newly crowned champion for 2006 Xavier Malisse said:

"I didn't feel good when I first came on court, I didn't feel steady on my
feet but the rain break seemed to work for me. I warmed up a little more,
regrouped and felt a lot more confident when I went back out. The tie break
went my way eventually, thank God, but he nearly came back. I hope to come
back next year to defend the title."

Later the crowd who had stayed behind were treated to a 1 setter between Mansour Bahrami and Henri Leconte against the 2 Australians Pat Cash and Peter McNamara which Bahrami/Leconte won 8.6.

All in all it was a great Finals Day in which tennis had the upper hand despite nature trying to take its toll. The joys of the English grass court season.
 
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