I don't understand why 70% have disagreed with fuzzy's observation, you would think we were the official website. This clay court season has been a disaster, how can you possibly argue against that?

1) How is that an argument against my comment? I hope it was a joke.

2) Yes but so far it has been a disaster.

I would simply say that your way of thinking is completely wrong and illogical - you shouldn't judge whether someone has performed well by comparing it to something that never happened, you should instead compare it to his general success this year and the last as that is all we really have to go on.

Technically he has progressed but the question is not about progress. Whether you compare his performances to this year or his whole career, this clay court season has been a disaster. Your argument is so unbelievably weak, I've come to expect better from you.

Not voted yet, until Hamburg and RG are out the way.  We are in the middle of the clay court season. I'll reserve judgement until the end.  But been half way through, it's not ideal.

You cant really say its a disaster if you have nothing to compare it to.  He played one full match on clay last year against simon and lost.  If you are comparing his match in Hamburg last year (or the 6 games that were played) then it is a disaster.  But he hasnt played like that since.  So most of his matches would be a disaster, especially if you compare this years matches to Hamburg last year.  

He's gained points and ranking places. How is that a disaster? You could more call Nadal and Fed's clay season a disaster than Andy's. Oh, and in comparison to the rest of the field, at least he's still standing!

I think it's progress. And he's made progress. He's hired Alex who has helped him with his movement, he's obviously getting stronger on the surface and his W-L record on the stuff is getting better. Ok, so he's not come out and stunned us all with being a top 5 player on clay. But did we really expect that. I just wanted him to make some progress on the surface. Play some of the best on it and hold his own. So in my book, no disaster. Couple more wins either here or at RG and I'd say it was a success!

I (reluctantly, pah) have to agree with Mark.

Andy's been pretty way off par this season, by what should be his standards.

Just because other people have also been rubbish, and (mostly by fluke) his ranking's improved, doesn't mean this has been anything but a disaster.
[To draw an inappropriate parallel, Germany did much better in the Second World War than the First, but it was still a disaster for them ... ]

So far this year, any clay tournament where Andy's won a single set has been a high point.
I can't see any way of considering that anything but a disaster ...
                             ... he's only doing marginally better than people who're not there, like Ivan Lendl.

I disagree. His form hasn't severely dropped on clay because he was pretty crap before then too!

The point is we can't judge his clay court performance against his normal form because clay is such a different surface. And one that he enjoys to play on but needs a heck of a lot more experience on to be anywhere near where he is on other surfaces. And that's why I think his simply making progress, and winning a couple of matches is enough to deem this effort a success.

Now admittedly I think he really needs to win back to back matches now, make a third or fourth round. But if he can do that here or at RG I'll be happy.