2019 Roland Garros Men's Final: Rafael Nadal vs. Dominic Thiem

[rafanoy1992]

Nadal leads the H2H record with 8-4 (7-4 on Clay and 3-0 at Roland Garros). However, Thiem did win their last encounter at Barcelona early last month.

This will be their 4th meeting at Roland Garros and in the three previous meetings Thiem has not taken a single set. Here's another amazing stat for Nadal at RG (probably my favorite stat): 11-0 at Finals and none of them went to a 5th set!

 

[mrzz]

Picked Thiem in three just to be a pain in the ass and give people a way to make my life even more miserable tomorrow.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Early odds for the final.

Ralph 1/4 (~80%)

Thiem 54/13 (~20%)

I personally would give 33% chance to Thiem.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Thiem needs to learn how to hit nice passing shots when the opponent comes forward. That seemed to be his main weakness based on what I saw of him at RG this year.

Also, in the fifth set against Novak, Thiem lost serve two times while leading. At 4-1, he lost serve and he cannot do anything about it as Novak was ultra-aggressive and everything worked out for Novak. However, when serving at 5-3, Thiem lost the game all by himself primarily due to choking. Fortunately, he was able to break again and win. But, if you get a chance and miss it against Ralph, he is probably not going to get another chance.

 

[Bonaca]

Thiem needs to learn how to hit nice passing shots when the opponent comes forward. That seemed to be his main weakness based on what I saw of him at RG this year.

Also, in the fifth set against Novak, Thiem lost serve two times while leading. At 4-1, he lost serve and he cannot do anything about it as Novak was ultra-aggressive and everything worked out for Novak. However, when serving at 5-3, Thiem lost the game all by himself primarily due to choking. Fortunately, he was able to break again and win. But, if you get a chance and miss it against Ralph, he is probably not going to get another chance.

Haha, yes the passing shots are the main reason he will loose tomorrow in straights. Every other aspect of his game is equal to bull. Come on Rafa show this **** that he doesn’t belong in the final.

 

[atttomole]

Nadal in straight sets.

 

[Bonaca]

Early odds for the final.

Ralph 1/4 (~80%)

Thiem 54/13 (~20%)

I personally would give 33% chance to Thiem.

I would give him 5% chance, because of an possible injury of bull.

 

[monfed]

To think what Fed had to go through to get his #18... this topspin monkey got a virtual walkover in his PET slam to 18th. Fucker has ruined tennis. Can you imagine the kindof people his fans must be?

I'm glad faker lost after his disgraceful exit yesterday but unfortunately he was needed to save tennis tomorrow.

 

[Bonaca]

To think what Fed had to go through to get his #18... this topspin monkey got a virtual walkover in his PET slam to 18th. Fucker has ruined tennis. Can you imagine the kindof people his fans must be?

I'm glad faker lost after his disgraceful exit yesterday but unfortunately he was needed to save tennis tomorrow.

Thiem also want to move it to today. Respect the facts.
You are glad Novak lost but he was needed to save tennis, what a logic is that. Must be some jungle logic . His lost today brings bull his 18th, for sure , nothing you can do about this.

 

[monfed]

Thiem also want to move it to today. Respect the facts.
You are glad Novak lost but he was needed to save tennis, what a logic is that. Must be some jungle logic . His lost today brings bull his 18th, for sure , nothing you can do about this.

LOL faker pressured the officials. Cat's out of the bag now.

 

[don_fabio]

Picked Thiem in three just to be a pain in the ass and give people a way to make my life even more miserable tomorrow.

Picked Thiem in 4. Almost no one seem to give him a chance.

But he has a game for Rafa, he has proven it before. He was in the final last year so I am pretty much sure he won't underperform like last year and crumble so easily. Tomorrow could be a completely different match. I think all these difficult moments he experienced the whole tournament actually help his confidence a lot. The main question is how much he has left in his legs? I hope plenty still. Some folks here pointed him as a physical specimen. He is super fit, but playing so many days in a row it doesn't help.

I think he has to serve very well tomorrow to put pressure on Rafa's serve. Better passing shots than against Novak won't hurt either as Mr. Math mentioned. Those choking moments today, I think that was partially due to nerves and he should come tomorrow with less nerves than against Novak. He has nothing to lose again and only to gain. Will be interesting what tactics him and Massu prepared.

 

[Bonaca]

Understand your wishes that Thiem should have a chance against bull.
Mark my words, he will be worthless.

 

[lob]

Who voted Thiem in three?

 

[Front242]

Picked Thiem in three just to be a pain in the ass and give people a way to make my life even more miserable tomorrow.

I guess your opinion that Nadal and Federer are done winning slams is ancient fucking history tomorrow

 

[Bonaca]

I guess your opinion that Nadal and Federer are done winning slams is ancient fucking history tomorrow

Maestro is , bull isn’t.

 

[AnonymousFan]

Nadal in straights

 

[mrzz]

I guess your opinion that Nadal and Federer are done winning slams is ancient fucking history tomorrow

Look, I am here trying to find good reasons not to sell my soul to the devil and, honestly, you are not helping.

 

[mrzz]

Picked Thiem in 4. Almost no one seem to give him a chance.

But he has a game for Rafa, he has proven it before. He was in the final last year so I am pretty much sure he won't underperform like last year and crumble so easily. Tomorrow could be a completely different match. I think all these difficult moments he experienced the whole tournament actually help his confidence a lot. The main question is how much he has left in his legs? I hope plenty still. Some folks here pointed him as a physical specimen. He is super fit, but playing so many days in a row it doesn't help.

I think he has to serve very well tomorrow to put pressure on Rafa's serve. Better passing shots than against Novak won't hurt either as Mr. Math mentioned. Those choking moments today, I think that was partially due to nerves and he should come tomorrow with less nerves than against Novak. He has nothing to lose again and only to gain. Will be interesting what tactics him and Massu prepared.

I basically agree with your points, but I see it in even simpler terms. I knew Thiem had a very good shot against Djokovic because his basic level
of play is too good now. His bread and butter shots are deep and powerful. He routinely goes for good angles (even if this is risky against Nadal).
Djokovic only got to late in the fifth today because he punished heavily the few tentative moments from Thiem after the rain delays.

But the difference that Thiem is bringing to the equation now is that his basic level (on clay at least) is as good as anyone's. For more than a decade the big three always had this advantage -- their standard game was enough to beat just about anyone. This is not the case this time. Actually, I dare to say that for this particular clay season Thiem point in, point out level of play is higher than Nadal's.

Obviously, translating this to a W in the French Open final is a whole other matter, so even without the physical aspect Nadal would be the favorite. But, as you said, the guy has the game to do it. He will come out firing on all cylinders.

 

[don_fabio]

I basically agree with your points, but I see it in even simpler terms. I knew Thiem had a very good shot against Djokovic because his basic level
of play is too good now. His bread and butter shots are deep and powerful. He routinely goes for good angles (even if this is risky against Nadal).
Djokovic only got to late in the fifth today because he punished heavily the few tentative moments from Thiem after the rain delays.

But the difference that Thiem is bringing to the equation now is that his basic level (on clay at least) is as good as anyone's. For more than a decade the big three always had this advantage -- their standard game was enough to beat just about anyone. This is not the case this time. Actually, I dare to say that for this particular clay season Thiem point in, point out level of play is higher than Nadal's.

Obviously, translating this to a W in the French Open final is a whole other matter, so even without the physical aspect Nadal would be the favorite. But, as you said, the guy has the game to do it. He will come out firing on all cylinders.

Thiem is somewhere now where Wawrinka was just before winning a first slam. He has all the shots, but it comes down to handling the whole match mentally. The match he had against Nadal in last USO helps a lot for tomorrow. He now knows he can play equal match with Rafa in bo5. I will be hugely disappointed if Domi doesn't make a good push for Nadal tomorrow.

His strokes are so damn powerful and deep, he can even slice deep, has a huge serve which makes a difference when is working well. He is very fast too, gets to almost every ball. I think it just comes to belief and execution at this point in his career. His backhand gets shaky at times I noticed and can misfire from both wings given his style of play.

I hope tomorrow he will be patient enough, but not too defensive during the rally and will wait for good opportunities before going for winners. If he ends up pulling the trigger too fast he will not last long on the court. Someone mentioned Wawrinka is ra player he looks up to? If that is true I am not surprised, there are similarities between the two.

In any case I won't be disappointed even if Rafa wins, because I like him a lot too. It is just that tennis needs a new slam winner soon and this is now a good enough opportunity again.

 

[tented]

Obviously, translating this to a W in the French Open final is a whole other matter, so even without the physical aspect Nadal would be the favorite. But, as you said, the guy has the game to do it. He will come out firing on all cylinders.

At the very least, Thiem has been in a major final before, so he won’t be dealing with the X factor of playing his first one. Lots of players who have won majors didn’t win their first final, in part because the whole occasion became overwhelming.