Some shots that Nadal’s missed this match is mind boggling.
If he loses this 2nd set then it’s pretty much impossible.
If he loses this 2nd set then it’s pretty much impossible.
Tennis 2022
- Thread starter saivet
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Even if he wins it I don’t think he has a chance. If he held serve and won it 6-4 or even 6-2 he’d have had a slim chance but Medvedev has already taken a lot extra out of him in this set.
Nadal seems to be hitting it into the net half the time when he really shouldn't be
Medvedev is the natural evolution of modern tennis - he's got the ridiculous ability to get the ball back that Djokovic and Nadal have, but he's also got the giant serve and ground strokes.
It's as if a study punchbag grew arms and started punching back.
It's as if a study punchbag grew arms and started punching back.
Way too many unforced errors from Nadal.
Yeah is Nadal tired? Lots of shots mid net
Nadal too sweaty to win.
Not sure it's tiredness, think a lot is to do with how Medvedev is frustrating him.
That said, even if he wins this set, not sure he will have enough in the tank anyway
Nadal is terrible in tiebreaks against the top players the past couple of years. Expect the same trend to follow
Ahh, really should have won that set.
That’s that then. 
Yeah more than enough chances, really frustrating.
Well played
That’s that then. Medvedev has had some incredible shots at key times but it’s Nadal’s unforced errors and poor first serve which will be the deciding factor here.
Tie breaker summed up the second set. Nadal had advantage on 2-3 points but could not close them.
Nadal had a great chance to win that set. Medvedev with a brilliant last point.
A rather fitting tb for that set, Nadal with the upper hand but failed to close it out on his serve and Medvedev clinched it at the end.
A couple of brilliant points by Medvedev to win that tie break, that's surely the match now.
It will very hard to overcome this psychologically for Nadal now.
Physically too, an extremely long set at that.
This is like 2015 Nadal again. Can't serve, can't hit the ball deep consistently, dropping it in the middle of the court, bh is horrible.
Nadal's win against Medvedev at US Open came when he had one of the best backhand on tour that year.
Not sure how he's regressed so much on his groundstrokes.
Nadal's win against Medvedev at US Open came when he had one of the best backhand on tour that year.
Not sure how he's regressed so much on his groundstrokes.
To be fair Nadal hasn't been on tour for 6 months and it's a bit of a surprise he made the final.
Tiredness in the legs. That and the serve tell the story.
Five years ago? Maybe. Now he's just too weak mentally to even fight back from this. He's just a bag of nerves every time he has to serve a set or match out and it showed in this set.
Medvedev is ridiculous at times
Omg medvedev amazing
Idemo!
God damn it Rafa
Very proud of Rafa as always. He could be fishing in Porto Cristo and is still fighting and reaching finals, when this time (again) his retirement seemed imminent.
Medvedev is playing too well and is a very uncomfortable style for Rafa.
Although he will surely value being in the final, I am sure he will be very critical of his mistakes today.
Once he lost the first set there were no more options.
Medvedev is playing too well and is a very uncomfortable style for Rafa.
Although he will surely value being in the final, I am sure he will be very critical of his mistakes today.
Once he lost the first set there were no more options.
Looks like a lot of Rafa fans are getting to experience what fans of other players have had to put up with against him - seemingly ahead in points and should be winning, only to somehow lose because the ball just keeps coming back.
Extremely confident Medvedev now.
No it's not - he was third favourite.
That point was the perfect example.
He was but I'm more referring to before he even arrived in Australia. Always the underdog in this final too.
That was filth
Only a matter of time before Medvedev breaks Rafa and ends it
Infuriating for Rafa
Good night sweet prince.
No idea how he survived that game, but he did.
The difference between Medvedev and the other up and comes of the last decade is that this will probably not phase him leading to a massive turn around.
Though it would be nice I'd Rafa came back.
Though it would be nice I'd Rafa came back.
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