Tennis 2017
- Thread starter The Man Himself
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At least 4 grandslams? So what, his normal level would be 6-7 grandslams? That's into one of the greats territory. I think he's very talented but he doesn't really have the consistency. As per you, he could have been as good as Agassi if not better. I dont agree at all.
What a woeful unforced error.
Yes! 2-1 Nadal
Yes! I was a little nervy there. Need to start this 4th set well.
I was shitting it after he missed those 2 BP/SP. Don't like serving second. Hope for an early break..
Unfortunately for Delpo, Rafa is not Thiem and won't be allowing him back into this.
Erm, Delpo is back
Good signs from Delpo...very much like the 1st set.
Erm, Delpo is back
Don't worry....Rafa has this.
In terms of hitting power Del Po at his very best has a all time great peak level. That's the scary thing about him.. He has a higher peak than even Stan.
He's obviously overall nowhere near Agassi.. but injury free he would have 4-6 slams imo.
Multiple hard court titles.
With Rafa, I'm always worried. Delpo is a huge fighter. He won't go away easily. His forehand is absolutely firing again like the first set.
Break!!
Yess! Just some holds now.
Delpo has been down to 15-40 in virtually every service game in the last 2 sets.
Delpo has been down to 15-40 in virtually every service game in the last 2 sets.
Big big big forehand from Rafa. 3-1
This is done. Nadal and roger with 2 grandslam each 
Rafa has definitely earned this. He's playing better than anyone else right now and is the rightful world number 1. Although I don't know how he will fare on Sunday.
Come on man, he was 20 when he got his first wrist injury after winning his first slam. He had a great 2009 and had to sit 2010 out. It's not unimaginable that he would have won multiple grand slams. He's been plagued by wrist injuries since 2010 and those are the worst injuries for a tennis player.
That Nadal forehand
Del Potro looks broken and Nadal is in beast mode, this is over.
Anderson can cause him trouble (unlike PCB) but I think the occasion may get the better of him. Read Anderson climbed into his box after winning earlier. Clearly just being in the final alone means so much to him.
He gave his all against Fed and Thiem before. Nothing left in the tank now. Rafa on the other hand breezed past Rublev et al.
Yep.
Del Potro all down hill after the 1st set. You can tell the wear and tear caught up to him. Had that extra gear, extra jump for 1 set and unfortunately for him it's all he had conserved.
Well done Rafa. Well deserved. Let's hope we see a good display in the final.
I actually think that if Thiem held on to win against Del Po, Fed would've beated Thiem and we would've seen the Fed-Rafa match (which lets face it, could've gone either way).
Would have been great, I'd love to see another final between them. It's been too long.
Edit - actually, hang on, they played one this year didn't they?
They've played three times this year. Aussie Final, Indian Wells round of 16, and the Miami Final. Fed won all of them.
Fed has actually won the last 4 against Rafa over all going back a couple of years.
Yeah, was talking about a slam final though. Forgot about AO.
It's 8:15 AM and not slept all night but wow these USO nights are worth staying up for when they're this good. Really really hope he plays this aggressive vs Anderson as well. The man has been broken only 5 times all tournament
That's too simple a way to look at it. Nadal played a very tactically poor game in the first set where he kept attacking the BH and Delpo knew and expected that and was more than ready for it. Second set onwards, once Rafa began to move him around and trust his own FH, he took him apart. Delpo is a big man and not a great mover so you've got to move him around and that's what Nadal did in the last 3 sets.
That's better forgotten.
It's 8:15 AM and not slept all night but wow these USO nights are worth staying up for when they're this good. Really really hope he plays this aggressive vs Anderson as well. The man has been broken only 5 times all tournament
That's too simple a way to look at it. Nadal played a very tactically poor game in the first set where he kept attacking the BH and Delpo knew and expected that and was more than ready for it. Second set onwards, once Rafa began to move him around and trust his own FH, he took him apart. Delpo is a big man and not a great mover so you've got to move him around and that's what Nadal did in the last 3 sets.
Damn hahah. Give and take I guess. It's how us folks in North America deal with United matches coming on at 4:30AM, luckily 9:30AM against Stoke this time around (can actually get some sleep in lol).
And yes that as well. Despite being a big man Delpo is actually quite nimble. It just sucks he's injured so often that he can't show it off on a regular basis. Legs were completely shot after the 1st set (like you said great adjustment from Rafa) and he even said before heading on to the court he hopes he doesn't have to run around much (hinting/giving away he wasn't at full health/recovered). But that's Del Potro for you. Virtually unbeatable when on his game + fresh and healthy, frustrating when not because everyone sees how great he can be and the potential he has. Still in his prime so maybe he can put it all together, would be special to see as a spectator.
Ah I'm used to these USO matches now. That rain delayed final against Djoko back in 2011 began around 1 am and ended by like 830 and was one of the most nerve wracking matches
Nadal has been either rubbish or just not come to USO since 2013 so not had to stay up this way in a while.
I agree about DelPo, he's probably my favorite player after Rafa and he can hit most players off the court with ease. I'm sure tiredness also played a part but like Nadal also said, DelPo is one of those players who looks dead and tired and out of nowhere comes roaring back. Luckily, he didn't get that chance today.
Completely agree. I think DelPo would be on 4 Slams easy if he'd stayed fit. FOUR wrist injuries is just brutal for a tennis player and yet he's come back from those and shown a very good level. He's actually got one of the highest winning percentages of all times (he's somewhere in the Top 30 IIRC with around 76 percent whereas Murray is at 79 ish. ) He's also got beaten the Top 4 18 times which is pretty decent considering the injury ravaged career he's had.
First time posting here, huge tennis fan (Dimitrov and Nadal my favs), sometimes I completely forget anything outside the football forum exists. Went to the USO last weekend over labor day, Rafa struggled through the first few rounds and the slow starts are still worrying me
That being said, Rafa after the first set tonight was incredible, watching him figure out and pick apart opponents is a joy Anderson is playing great atm but can't see him getting more than a set on Sunday, and that's only if he starts well without nerves which I doubt in his first GS final. GS race could get very interesting next year if Rafa can stay fit and ND and Roger's injury problems resist. The weak field this USO was disappointing but the draw isn't Nadal's fault and after 2015 and 2016 I'm just glad Rafa is competing for slams. He will probably confirm the Fedal GS for 2017. What a year for the two GOAT's
That being said, Rafa after the first set tonight was incredible, watching him figure out and pick apart opponents is a joy
Anderson is playing great atm but can't see him getting more than a set on Sunday, and that's only if he starts well without nerves which I doubt in his first GS final. GS race could get very interesting next year if Rafa can stay fit and ND and Roger's injury problems resist. The weak field this USO was disappointing but the draw isn't Nadal's fault and after 2015 and 2016 I'm just glad Rafa is competing for slams. He will probably confirm the Fedal GS for 2017. What a year for the two GOAT's I think Del Potro, had he stayed healthy could've won a couple more slams - as in 2 or so, which of course wouldn't be the same as Agassi, who won 8 of them, including every slam. The trouble for Del Po is that even if he didn't have the injury problems, he would've still run into the tail end of peak Nadal and Federer and the next 4 or so years which would've been peak Djokovic.
Nadal's change is tactic was so obvious. He spent most of the first giving backhand practice to Del Potro who just got more and more confident with it while largely ignoring his own off forehand. Will be an interesting final. Anderson looks to be fairly limited but what he does he does very well. Kind of player Nadal can come unstuck against.
Ah I'm used to these USO matches now. That rain delayed final against Djoko back in 2011 began around 1 am and ended by like 830 and was one of the most nerve wracking matches
Nadal has been either rubbish or just not come to USO since 2013 so not had to stay up this way in a while.
I agree about DelPo, he's probably my favorite player after Rafa and he can hit most players off the court with ease. I'm sure tiredness also played a part but like Nadal also said, DelPo is one of those players who looks dead and tired and out of nowhere comes roaring back. Luckily, he didn't get that chance today.
Hahaha wow.
And yea it's remarkable how Delpo seems to catch this 2nd wind out of nowhere in matches. Seems down and out nearing a complete break down and BAM, complete 180 and you're thinking how the hell did this guy just charge his batteries all of a sudden. Crazy how he has that ability lol.
It's like we're back in 2007 all over again.
Hitting power isn't everything. Consistency and movement is crucial. A fit Del Potro for all his plaudits was vulnerable even against a sub par Federer who got taken to 5 sets by bang average players. I don't think he's got the complete game to be as good as people think. He's a big hitter who on his great day which is rare can destroy anyone but that basically makes him the equal of Stan or little better and that too is debatable as Stan is quite reliable.
As a Federer fan, disappointing US open but I suppose maintaining a 3 GS lead over Nadal with each of them winning 2 slams when Federer is in his mid 30s is a good thing. Hopefully the lead is in tact come the end of 2018 as well.
Shame about Del Potro, he really would've deserved it, but he had to run out of gas and momentum at some point.
Nadal will roll through poor Anderson now. He should count his blessings, because he won't get an easier path to a major title. I think nobody will.
What a weird tournament this has been... felt a little unreal.
Nadal will roll through poor Anderson now. He should count his blessings, because he won't get an easier path to a major title. I think nobody will.
What a weird tournament this has been... felt a little unreal.
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