Very good shot that. He made great contact with the ball, exactly at the sweet spot.
For a player that doesn't use the net that often he's usually very solid at it.
Tennis 2018
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For a player that doesn't use the net that often he's usually very solid at it.
Brilliant shot. He's done it at RG and a couple of times over the rest of the clay season as well.
I've friends who watch a lot of tennis who insisted that Nadal is more accomplished at the net than Federer.
Not agreeing, of course, but he's very capable of those moments and in general undeniably good at the net. He's just far too fixated in staying rooted to the baseline.
Nadal has very very good stats at the net in most matches he plays but it's just not natural to him to rush to the net. Maybe in a year or two when he can't keep playing from the baseline, he might play more of his tennis at the net.
I bet Nadal eventually holds here and then immediately breaks him.
Hard not to think that it's all downhill from here for Kukushkin.
Kukushkin reminds me of erstwhile Caf legend Brad Cantona. If he starts screaming that Wibble is a cnut after each point then I think we'll know he's made a career change.
Surprised Rafa doesn’t bring Moya to Wimbledon.
The 2017 Nadal slayer Giles Mueller out in straight sets to Kohlschreiber. Wawrinka out as well after holding set points in the 3rd.
That was quite an implosion by Kukushkin. Missing 2 easy forehands and served a double fault to give Nadal the set.
Cilic lost the tb in the 4th and now goes to a 5th against Guido Pella.
Pella survived with a crucial hold. If he’s going on to win this it’d be huge.
Cilic is an embarrassment if he loses this. If he loses, Fed's got a ATP 250 level path to the finals here.
Not having that. Pella is playing very well, some of the rallies since I’ve started watching were intense.
Are you watching the match ? His opponent is playing pretty well.
15-40.
Massive cojones from Cilic. 2 match points gone just like that.
Number 3 seed. 2 sets up. He should not be in this position at all.
Sure, he’s made his fair share of UEs, but that’s just sport. Momentum swings quickly even with just a rain/medical break.
I think he’d still pull through in the end but Pella sure is playing out of his skin atm.
That's where watching the match actually comes into play. Rather than simply criticizing the player you have to be able to see how his opponent is playing.
This is a bit of a choke from both tbf. Very questionable plays until the rally just now.
Well done Pelle.
And Pella done did it!
4 of the top 10 men in the world are out
5 of the top 10 women are out
5 of the top 10 women are out
0 double fault and only 6 UEs by my count that set from him. Cilic were definitely more erratic than usual but that’s still very impressive.
Absolutely embarrassing game to lose from 30-0 there. That's Fed in the final.
If Querey is out anytime soon Fed would be the sole survivor from the semis last year.
Cilic
Fed had Karlovic next, who could have taken it to a TB or too and even he's out 
Novak just took the 2nd set in his match. No problems whatsoever there.
Any notable name left in Fed’s draw? He plays Struff next
Fed had Karlovic next, who could have taken it to a TB or too and even he's out
Well Raonic is now the only one who can make the other side of the draw seem a bit competitive.
This is actually what Nadal’s draw last USO feels like. Easy to begin with and Cilic bombed out.
Fed will have very nice practice matches while watching Nadal, DelPo and Djoker cannibalize each other.
Fed will have very nice practice matches while watching Nadal, DelPo and Djoker cannibalize each other.
Nadal atleast had the prospect of Federer match in the SF and ended up playing Del Po instead.
Fed's current path is : R3 Struff, R4 Mannarino/Medvedev, QF: Querrey or Anderson (won't be shocked if neither makes it that far) and then Isner or Raonic in the semis (again won't be stunned if both crash out)
Really needed atleast one of Djoko, Del Po and Djoko in the Fed half. Ridiculously heavy bottom half of the draw.
How do you work that out? Fed and Del Potro were on Nadals side. Cillic also.
The US open draw got fecked due to Murray pulling out in the last min.
This is nothing alike. Feds only real competition was Cillic on this side before the draw was even made. . Raonic could be a threat but he ain’t played much for a year.
Nadal has Del Potro, Zverev, Djokovic and Kyrgios.
Nadal down a break in the 3rd....just broke back to even things out. Should wrap this up in 3.
He's not been very impressive at all. Might be winning in straights but faced 13 BP today.
Haha exactly. Nadal's draw at the USO opened up but this draw is ridiculously imbalanced. Not quite sure how Federer managed to avoid ALL 3 of Nick, Djoko and Del Po.
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