214 replies to this topic

[Sportsbstn]

Damn Nadal returns the favor with a sick winner down the line

[Mugthis]

Opening for Djokovic. 15-30

[SoxFanInCali]

This might be the greatest match ever.

Honestly, I don't think it's as good as the Djokovic-Murray semifinal.

I'm not a huge fan of Nadal's playing style, though.

[Sportsbstn]

Damn poor lob there by Novak

[Sportsbstn]

Wow what a fucking point

[Mugthis]

Amazing point. Break point

[SoxFanInCali]

WOW

[deconstruction]

WOW

[Sportsbstn]

terrible strategy by Nadal to pull a drop on break point when he was standing at the baseline

[Mugthis]

Holy shit. Djokovic serving for the win. Didn't think he was going to survive this set. If Nadal loses this now, he may never be the same against Novak.

[johnmd20]

Nadal had a lousy game there, needs to dig down even deeper than he has dug to break here.

[Sportsbstn]

big serve there

[deconstruction]

this is amazing

[johnmd20]

Wow, Nadal's return at the 30-Love serve was fantastic. Alive.

[Sportsbstn]

wow bad choke there by Novak on the easy overhead

[Sportsbstn]

great pace by Nadal to set up break point

[Sportsbstn]

wow what a freaking backhand by Novak for the winner

[johnmd20]

Loved that shot of Novak begging God for two more points.

[BigMike]

Come on. Finish him Novak

[Mugthis]

Championship point...

[Sportsbstn]

my god 3 let courts in the point

[SoxFanInCali]

Rafa's never going to beat him.

[Sportsbstn]

GREAT serve set up the winner. Well done Novak. Nadal's has nightmares about him.

[Apisith]

That was fucking amazing from Djokovic. Fully deserved.

[johnmd20]

GREAT serve set up the winner. Well done Novak. Nadal's has nightmares about him.

Fed had nightmares about Nadal. Now Nadal has nightmares about Djok. The circle of life.

[Sportsbstn]

Fed had nightmares about Nadal. Now Nadal has nightmares about Djok. The circle of life.

Yep exactly right

[Sportsbstn]

Djokovic just doesnt give you any easy points. He always seems to put the ball in play making you need to come up with winners.

[BigMike]

Fed had nightmares about Nadal. Now Nadal has nightmares about Djok. The circle of life.

Big difference, is in the Fed verses Nadal rivalry it is mostly mental. This is pure physical, Novak is simply a better tennis player

[Mugthis]

Djokovic is now one of the legendary greats of the game.

[Apisith]

Rafa will never be the same against Novak in the same way that Federer has never been the same against Rafa after Wimbledon '07.

Edited by Apisith, 29 January 2012 - 09:44 AM.

[johnmd20]

Big difference, is in the Fed verses Nadal rivalry it is mostly mental. This is pure physical, Novak is simply a better tennis player

It isn't that simple. If Nadal nails that backhand at 30-15, 4-2, the match could have been done way before 5-5. The difference between the two seems to be pretty slight. That said, Djok is on one of the great runs in the history of tennis. Nadal had a similar run in 2010.

[mr_smith02]

Insanely good match and but for a few net cords in the fifth set that could have gone Nadal's way. It is really a shame more folks don't get into tennis because matches like that would keep one hooked.

[Apisith]

I thought Djokovic had the match on his racquet for a long time. Rafa must have sliced it back aimlessly a hundred times in the last two sets and Novak made more than a few unforced errors on the big points.

It was a great match and the guy who played offensive tennis won. Good stuff.

[Mugthis]

Big difference, is in the Fed verses Nadal rivalry it is mostly mental. This is pure physical, Novak is simply a better tennis player

Yeah, I don't think this is true at all. Nadal's primary weapon, his big left topspin FH is a uniquely effective weapon against Federer's only weakness, his right-handed one-handed backhand. Because of that, Nadal has been able to win about 51% of all points against Federer. That extra 1% due to this physical advantage may have had a path dependent effect over time, causing a mental block with Federer.

With Djokovic-Nadal, Djokovic's physical advantages (mostly his 2H backhand and defense/return game neutralizing Nadal's weapons) is why Djokovic is winning, which may now be causing some mental hurdles for Nadal.

Edited by Mugthis, 29 January 2012 - 09:50 AM.

[SoxFanInCali]

It isn't that simple. If Nadal nails that backhand at 30-15, 4-2, the match could have been done way before 5-5. The difference between the two seems to be pretty slight. That said, Djok is on one of the great runs in the history of tennis. Nadal had a similar run in 2010.

Well, Novak had 3 break points to end it in 4 sets, and this is the first time they've even played a 5th set. If Djokovic is playing his best, Rafa has no shot against him. And Rafa's game isn't likely to age well, so there's no telling how many more shots he will get.

[Sportsbstn]

Rafa has been be dying inside. He no doubt thought that when he was mastering Federer he was set to move on to the best player in tennis and take that from Federer....now he is second fiddle again and will be for likely the rest of his career.

[SoxFanInCali]

So Rafa, it's almost 2 AM, and you just played your ass off for 6 hours and lost. How about saying a few words to the crowd?

[Sportsbstn]

Yeah, I don't think this is true at all. Nadal's primary weapon, his big left topspin FH is a uniquely effective weapon against Federer's only weakness, his right-handed one-handed backhand. Because of that, Nadal has been able to win about 51% of all points against Federer. That extra 1% due to this physical advantage may have had a path dependent effect over time, causing a mental block with Federer.

With Djokovic-Nadal, Djokovic's physical advantages (mostly his 2H backhand and defense/return game neutralizing Nadal's weapons) is why Djokovic is winning, which may now be causing some mental hurdles for Nadal.

Novak's ability to take the spin from Nadal and turn it around with great pace is what makes him insanely good against Nadal. No one in tennis can move Nadal around the court like Novak and that is the key to his success vs. rafa.

[mr_smith02]

It is really good for the sport of tennis to have three players (though Fed is fading somewhat) to really discuss and tune in to watch. I am a high school tennis coach and there's no question that my players' attention has been piqued by the level of competition that has evolved.

[Mugthis]

Man, if it wasn't for Djokovic, Nadal would be on an amazing run right now. He probably would be at:

2010 FO
2010 WB
2010 USO
2011 FO
2011 WB
2011 USO
2012 AO

I.e. 7 of the last 8.

Of course, Federer had a "if it wasn't for Nadal" steak from 2005-2009

2005 FO
2005 WB
2005 USO
2006 AO
2006 FO
2006 WB
2006 USO
2007 AO
2007 FO
2007 WB
2007 USO
2008 FO
2008 WB
2008 USO
2009 AO
2009 FO
2009 WB

[mr_smith02]

So Rafa, it's almost 2 AM, and you just played your ass off for 6 hours and lost. How about saying a few words to the crowd?

Another cool/unique tennis feature. Could you imagine Cundiff having to address the crowd after missing that FG, or Buckner after the ball goes through his legs?

Or Tyson after Douglas knocks him out.

Edited by mr_smith02, 29 January 2012 - 09:57 AM.

[Sportsbstn]

It is really good for the sport of tennis to have three players (though Fed is fading somewhat) to really discuss and tune in to watch. I am a high school tennis coach and there's no question that my players' attention has been piqued by the level of competition that has evolved.

If only the next level, the Roddick, Tsonga, Del Potro, Murray, Berdych's of the tour could step up and be more consistent, the tour would have amazing depth.

[Mugthis]

Really class speeches by Nadal and Djokovic. Amazing time to be a tennis fan by having Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic...3 of the greatest ever and all fairly gracious and charismatic in their own ways.

[jon abbey]

If only the next level, the Roddick, Tsonga, Del Potro, Murray, Berdych's of the tour could step up and be more consistent, the tour would have amazing depth.

How consistent do you want Murray to be? He'd have won multiple majors in plenty of other eras, it's not his fault he overlaps with the best troika in history (I think they're safely past Borg/McEnroe/Connors now).

[Mugthis]

Djokovic played over 10:30 hours I believe in the last two matches. That's fucking crazy.

[Apisith]

Classy as hell by Rafa in the speech. How he maintains the composure to say what he did is amazing. I'd be crying my eyes out.

[Sportsbstn]

How consistent do you want Murray to be? He'd have won multiple majors in plenty of other eras, it's not his fault he overlaps with the best troika in history (I think they're safely past Borg/McEnroe/Connors now).

i think he has the talent to beat the top 3 players, but like Djokovic, he has yet to make that big leap. I think he still can.

[mr_smith02]

How consistent do you want Murray to be? He'd have won multiple majors in plenty of other eras, it's not his fault he overlaps with the best troika in history (I think they're safely past Borg/McEnroe/Connors now).

This current trio is so much more athletic...I would definitely agree they have passed the 80s boys.

Edited by mr_smith02, 29 January 2012 - 10:07 AM.

[Mugthis]

How consistent do you want Murray to be? He'd have won multiple majors in plenty of other eras, it's not his fault he overlaps with the best troika in history (I think they're safely past Borg/McEnroe/Connors now).

I believe that trio finished with 27 GS (12+7+8). This group is already at 31. Will probably get to 40 when all is said and done. Since 2004 WB, they have won 29 of the past 31 GS titles with only Safin (2005 AO) and Del Potro (2009 USO) breaking that streak.

[jon abbey]

i think he has the talent to beat the top 3 players, but like Djokovic, he has yet to make that big leap. I think he still can.

Yeah, but that's not what you said. He has made five straight semis or finals in majors now, he really couldn't be much more consistent. He just hasn't been quite good enough as of yet.