ffs, just woke up, that's how great this game was. At least I'll get to see him lifting the trophy.Tennis 2017
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ffs, just woke up, that's how great this game was. At least I'll get to see him lifting the trophy.Rafa serving for the US Open.
The fact is someone like Zverev managed to get to a second week of a slam once this year. In a year where Djokovic and Murray were way below par. So you can't seriously expect him to go from that to beating atleast 3 of the big four to win a slam because that is what someone will most likely have to do next year.
Anderson should really have a break point here.
Sure you can. There are good number of players who have come out of nowhere historically to win slams. Wilander and Becker came from nowhere to win slams at 17, as did Chang. Sampras was unranked at 19 and won the U.S. Open the following year.
These guys haven't come out of nowhere. You were hyping up Zverev before the US open...
Dominant performance.
Bang!
Vamos!! Dull match, really, but Anderson gave a good effort today, even if he was never really in itm
There is no magical formula other than the fact that its been done before by players far more obscure than Zverev, Rublev, and Shapovalev. You can't therefore moan that a player who got bounced early this year has no chance when we know there is a clear historical precedent where other players who were less experienced and ranked far lower have come out of the blue to win slams.
No. 16! Made a tricky match looks easy in the end.
No break point faced. Just 11 unforced errors, that's like less than 4 a set!?
No break point faced. Just 11 unforced errors, that's like less than 4 a set!?
Can you realistically see Zverev beating 3 from Murray, Djokovic, Federer or Nadal?
Then you adding guys like Wawrinka, Del Potro, Cillic and Raonic. That's what he'd need to do.
This was his best shot to get further in a grandslam for a while. Even if he made a semi finals that would have been a statement for next year.
Marca´s cover with all the grand slams of Rafa
The key today imo was neutralizing Anderson's serve. Rafa stood really far back and managed to get the ball back and once a rally ensued then it things went in his favor where he could get breaks. Difference of the match really.
Why you keep harping on Zverev as if he's the only young player who is coming through.
It'll be very interesting to see if Nadal can catch the record. After Wimbledon I'd have said the gap was too large, but then I only really thought Nadal a French Open in him, and not another hard court title.
Any belief Rafa might catch him is presumably tied to the idea that Federer's now done winning slams, and at his current age you'd expect that to be the case, but his form this season may mean he's still got one or two more in him.
If he doesn't though, could end up close. Barring the emergence of a wonder-kid, I don't think anyone's going to stop Nadal at the French Open for another couple of years barring himself. He'll obviously eventually fade away, but one or two more from him isn't a ridiculous expectation, and if he's good enough to win hard court titles he's in with a chance. The weak challenging field helps too.
Any belief Rafa might catch him is presumably tied to the idea that Federer's now done winning slams, and at his current age you'd expect that to be the case, but his form this season may mean he's still got one or two more in him.
If he doesn't though, could end up close. Barring the emergence of a wonder-kid, I don't think anyone's going to stop Nadal at the French Open for another couple of years barring himself. He'll obviously eventually fade away, but one or two more from him isn't a ridiculous expectation, and if he's good enough to win hard court titles he's in with a chance. The weak challenging field helps too.
Congratulations Nadal. People will want to quickly forget this years US open, as its been mostly awful.
Just glad Del Potro turned up and gave us some memorable performances.
Just glad Del Potro turned up and gave us some memorable performances.
There are obviously plenty of very good young players, and one of them could come out of nowhere and dominate, but right now Zverev looks like the only one who's really poised to take control of the sport in the next couple of years...and even that's a bit of a push. As it stands I'd argue there's a better chance of some unknown name with a Rafa-like talent from the very start of his career stopping him than any current known youngster. But even that is a bit of a push because Nadal's sheer dominance on clay from the moment when he stepped onto it was incredibly rare and only replicated in a select few greats.
Nadal's first hard court title in 3 years is a Slam
Well you were harping about him before the tournament.
Now you started harping about Rublev.
Definitely. Anderson so used to getting so many free points on his serve but Nadal kept making him play. Was ridiculous how long it took him to hold without it going to deuce.
Anderson looks like a mix of every character in comedy films ever.
It's not new. He already did that vs Del Potro.
Anderson's serve is far better than Del Potro's. Far away more aces than anyone else in the tournament.
Talk of Nadal being absolutely dominant at FO for the near future is weird since he lost to Djokovic and retired respectively before winning it again this year.
There are too many variables. He and Roger did well to capitalise on a weak field but a fit Djokovic is still the best player on tour across all surfaces. It's just as likely for Nole to get back into form as it is for Rafa and Roger to continue playing at their current level.
There are too many variables. He and Roger did well to capitalise on a weak field but a fit Djokovic is still the best player on tour across all surfaces. It's just as likely for Nole to get back into form as it is for Rafa and Roger to continue playing at their current level.
When he's on form he's still light years ahead of the rest of the field on clay court. I don't think he'll be competing for slams in his mid-30s like Federer but winning them for another year or two isn't beyond impossibility. He'll certainly be among the favourites if he's fit.
Agreed. Murray will be in the mix too. What is the Nole and Murray status right now ? Injured ?
It's a strategy he adopts vs big servers on hardcourts & probably grass next year.
Murray withdrew due to injury, not sure if Djokovic's was injury or just taking time out.
The year he lost to Djokovic he had his worst season. He was terrible and @wr8_utd will tell you that. He lost to Murray on clay and won no clay titles.
But the previous years he held off Djokovic well.
This interviewer really is awful.
Djokovic better than Nadal on clay? Give me a break.. even Raoul won't say that.
The thing is he's not light years ahead. Djokovic has been beating or at least equalling him on clay since 2011 or so. It's still his biggest chance of winning Slam but it's like Roger on grass nowadays, still very good and guaranteed to go deep if fit but not invincible.
He beat Nadal numerous times on clay already since 2011, the last time at FO was just 2 years ago.
'Light years' might be an exaggeration but when Nadal's on form and fully fit on clay he continues to be ahead of the rest of the pack. Djokovic himself has been incredibly out of sorts and there's no guarantees he'll get back to his best.
The interviewer is utter rubbish. Annoying way of speaking and that creepy smile. Awful questions as well.
She's making it sound like poor Toni Nadal is dying.
Why don't you just come out of the closet and say how much you hate Federer. At least that way we will know we're dealing with an honest person.
He beat Nadal at his worst during that year. Even Murray beat Nadal on clay during that season and like I said Nadal won no clay titles that season. He lost to Fognini in Barca and Wawrinka in Rome.
Nadal beat him like four or five times before that at the French.
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