Tstsipas has hit a lot of unforced errors.
First set Nadal, 6-2
Cruise control really.
First set Nadal, 6-2
Cruise control really.
Tennis 2018
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Djokovic beating Nishikori in the first round will give him a boost.
It was a fairly good performance too.
Is rafa playing both the madrid masters & rome before Roland Garos? That schedule looks insane
He’s always said that clay is easy on his body, and given the fact that he cruised through his last two and didn’t play for a while before that, it should be fine.
The way he monopolize the surface is pretty much unprecedented in the sport and unlikely to ever be matched. Even in his shite years a few clay titles are still pretty much guaranteed.
Edmund beat Djokovic earlier. Not a great surprise imo, do think Edmund is a decent player and could do some damage on the clay.
Rafa wins in straight sets again, this time Monfils on the receiving end
Rafa wins in straight sets again, this time Monfils on the receiving end
It's utterly farcical how uninterested in Tennis I am right now - great longevity by Federer/Nadal is clearly testament to both their legacies...but it's just so uninspiring at the moment.
The only interest I have right now is whether Nadal and Federer can actually meet in Wimbledon for another tilt, or for the love of bloody god, a US Open final.
Nadal is 1/2 to Win the French and 7/2 without dropping, like seriously, I've never been so tempted to put a whole months wages down.
The only interest I have right now is whether Nadal and Federer can actually meet in Wimbledon for another tilt, or for the love of bloody god, a US Open final.
Nadal is 1/2 to Win the French and 7/2 without dropping, like seriously, I've never been so tempted to put a whole months wages down.
It’s a good schedule for him.
Last year it wasn’t because he played Miami and Indian Wells. But he’s coasting through every game effortlessly and a lot of the games are practice sessions.
But he might face his first test if Del Potro can make the semi finals. You expect Nadal to grind him down but that’s the match I want to see this week.
Murray doesn’t look too good for Wimbledon sadly. Wawrinka pulled out of Madrid as a precaution but is back next week. Lord knows where Kyrgios is.
I felt Fed should have atleast just played the French open. Even without clay court practice he might have still made it to the final. I wanna see his improved backhand take Nadal on at the French.
Zverev has gained momentum in the last week by winning the Munich open. But he’s gonna be tired if he makes it to play Nadal.
I don’t really fancy Nadals chances against Fed at Wimbledon. Del Potro for me has the game to actually trouble Federer at Wimbledon. The only issue with Del Potro is if he can maintain the consistency he had in the first few months of the year and obviously if he can stay fit. As he can cause Nadal or Federer problems on his day on any surface.
So with Federer not participating, does Nadal actually have a realistic challenger for the French Open?
lol as if ever Federer was a challenger for Nadal at French open. Zverev, Thiem, Del Potro have more probability of causing upset/miracle at French open of beating fully fit Nadal.
His biggest challenger is injury.
I put £500 on him to win it when the odds were 1.8 (shortly after the Davis Cup win vs Germany)
Given he's won 48 straight sets, he's got a good chance of not dropping one but he'd only just come back from injury when I placed the bet so didn't want to be too risky with it.
Edmund beat Goffin today in straight sets. Nice string of victories for him.
Federer would do better than Zverev and Thiem.
It would have been interesting also as Nadal wouldn’t be able to target Feds backhand.
Nadal would end up winning anyway as he’d grind down Fed. But I rather watch that match than Zverev or Thiem vs Nadal.
If Federer had any confidence in his new technique being enough against Nadal on clay, he would have given it a go. Thiem remains only guy to beat Nadal on clay this season and previous season combined. Although, yes, him and Zverev aren't that consistent always, they may lose to random players beforehand. In the end though, when Federer has given up on thought of beating Nadal on clay and hasn't played on clay for so long, it is futile to say he is the best possible challenger to Nadal. He isn't.
He would have given it a go if the French wasn’t so close to Wimbledon.
He is saving himself for the grass season as he sees that as a chance of winning a slam.
He doesn’t want to come off a long clay season to go on grass.
It’s not really futile because currently there’s no chance of Thiem or Zverev beating Nadal. Thiem is struggling through games. Zverev can’t get to the second week of slams.
Edmund has to to fancy his chances against Shapovalov.
Well Federer could give Wimbledon a miss in that case then. Also, he could have played one ATP Masters, one 500 and then French open instead of whole season to see if he can offer something different. Last year he had came back from injury, won Australian and then 2 masters on hard court so one could understand him giving Clay season total miss to focus on grass. Not same case this year. He went out early in Miami and hasn't played since.
I am not going to consider someone who hasn't played on clay at all for 2 years and wasn't doing anything special for years before that as possible biggest challenger to Nadal. Of course in best of 5, Thiem and Zverev have very minute chance of win vs a fit Nadal but then I will have Federer's hypothetical chances even less. If not for anything else, at least just for fun Federer should have played couple of tournaments on clay this year.
We should all be grateful that Federer is wise enough to know that risking the rest of his season (or even his career at this point) just for fun isn't the smartest move.
In that case the talk of how he would have challenged Nadal the best among the rest is futile. He wouldn't have.
Nadal is done for. It looks like 2015 Nadal is back. Too many errors and two double faults in a game.
I'm going to start watching now but that screams of an overreaction.
Did see his highlights vs Schwartzman yesterday and his level seemed lower than than previously, but nothing overly concerning.
What a weird performance by Nadal. Twice he has broken back and then been broken again.
40-0 up and he might end up getting broken.
Maybe Rafa wants to win Rome this year.
Maybe Rafa wants to win Rome this year.
Federer back to no.1
Believe Rafa needs to win Rome to regain the top ranking
Believe Rafa needs to win Rome to regain the top ranking
So Fed is number 1 now.
Nadal needs to win Rome to regain it I think.
Thiem played well. But Rafa only has been undefeated in a clay season during 06 and 10. So he has had the odd blips. I expect him to be a different animal for the French.
Nadal needs to win Rome to regain it I think.
Thiem played well. But Rafa only has been undefeated in a clay season during 06 and 10. So he has had the odd blips. I expect him to be a different animal for the French.
The conditions in Madrid are the furthest away from Paris compared to Monte Carlo, Rome and Barcelona too.
Might be best for him to rest up before Rome and then Paris
Yeah it’s strange despite winning it 5 times he’s never looked comfortable at Madrid.
But I still expected him to ask Thiem questions. He broke when Thiem was serving for the first set and you thinking here we go as Thiem mentally for me is lacking which is why he doesn’t win masters or get far in grand slams. But Rafa then gets broken back. Even the last game Rafa was 40-0 and comfortable then gets broken. Just strange.
That performance from Thiem against Del Potro who wasn’t even 100% and about to retire after being two sets down summed him up at the time. When he shows he can mentally hang with Rafa especially at the French then he may have a chance of winning it. Last year at the French he folded against Rafa too easily for my liking. He went into that game not dropped a set so not like he was playing 5 set matches before facing Rafa and was tired.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Kevin Anderson ends up beating him. This is another chance to win a masters, so if he doesn’t win it from here then disappointing again. He’s done the hard bit beating Rafa. Now he’s gotta beat the other players around him. There’s no real excuses now for young players about the big four or five being there. So it’s hard in the past that if you beat Rafa or Fed that you get Murray or Djokovic in the next round. So physically it can catch up with a young player, but that excuse isn’t there now.
Where is @wr8_utd? Ain’t seen him post in a while in this thread.
I think Thiem will win it, though after he beat Nadal last year in Rome (seemed to be a similar fashion as today) he got destroyed by Djokovic in the SFs.
I would want Edmund to win it then I found out he supports Liverpool.
I'll let that one slide and back him.
Provided Isner or Anderson don't make the final I think it will be a good one
Thiem proves my point 
. That's his 3rd win over Nadal in 9 matches on clay. Federer has 2 in 15.
. That's his 3rd win over Nadal in 9 matches on clay. Federer has 2 in 15.Thiem proves my point
Not really comparable though is it? At least half of those 15 are at Slam for a start, and the last of them were in 2013. 5 years make a lot of difference in any sport, let alone tennis.
Not to mention that the majority of them were finals, with the odd exception being SF at RG. Another level of pressure.
Nadal remains a different beast on clay and it isn’t really up to the opponent to beat him on the surface. Even Djokovic at his peak only managed a 7-14 record against Nadal on clay, with a solitary win at the French in Nadal’s worst year.
Nadal has been beating Federer on clay since he was teenager and Federer was at his absolute peak. So Federer has zero excuses for the lopsided record, whether slams or otherwise.
Slam pressure applies to both, particularly in Nadal and Federer matchup. Given Thiem won't even be half of player Federer is, he still has that very minor chance of giving Nadal a fight on clay and pulling off a upset which was the point.
Of course nobody matches Nadal on clay and best of 5 makes it even tougher. However, the whole discussion started on the point that Nadal has no challenger on clay because Federer is giving a miss to which my point was that Federer missing it hardly makes it 'easier' for Nadal, he never gave Nadal any competition on clay. I will have 2-3 players from current tour above Federer of causing upset vs Nadal on clay.
Anyone gonna watch a potentially very good semi between Shapovalov vs Zverev?
Should be coming up shortly.
Should be coming up shortly.
Yep. Not sure what the delay is. IT was supposed to start 30 minutes ago.
The ladies match is still in progress.
These two potentially have the Federer and Nadal outlook
I wonder if Becker is joining Zverev's team? Or is he just an interested spectator? He'd be very good to instill the right mentality for the young lad.
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