2014 Aussie Open Final: Nadal vs. Wawrinka

[brokenshoelace]

Rafa is a great player, no doubt one of the greats, and I give him full credit when he wins like he did against Federer in the SF, where he played incredibly to beat him handily.

But seriously, the only trouble I have with what Rafa said, is in his interview, where he said that he was injured before the match started, in the warm up no less.

That is a low blow to his friend Stan. By saying that, he contradicts his other verbal credits, with the implication that the injury held him back from playing better the whole match and takes even more away from Stan's performance than he already did by suffering injury requiring attention well into the match.

There was no hint of an injury until that second game of the second set, visually, statistically, or otherwise. If there was some niggle, it didn't affect his play, so why mention it?

Respectfully,
masterclass

Here, here! :clap :clap Stan also had to mute his exaltation in winning AO in respect for Nadal! When is Nadal respectful of someone he defeated? Never!!! You don't see it! He'll be falling on the court, jumping up and down, and fist pumping if the roles were reversed! Such a freakin' hypocrite; along with his sychophants! :lolz: :lolz: :nono :angel:

For some reason I found this post to be funny.

 

[nehmeth]

You know what? I betcha his coach will round up all those headlines lay them on the table and use them to fire up Stan for their next meeting. Not saying it will lead to a win, but I know it will motivate him.

Even better: I really don't think Stan or his coach care, nor should they. Winning your first slam is enough motivation. At least that's what it should be.

I agree Broken. Winning his first slam is huge motivation and the story lines shouldn't matter.

But if there is even the slightest room for doubt in an athletes mind, addressing it and turning it into a positive is a good coaching move.

 

[brokenshoelace]

There's no way Nadal would've had a mad celebration if his opponent couldn't move properly. I guarantee that.

Nadal rarely goes over the top with post match celebrations anyway (unless he drops to the floor after winning a tournament). Most of his more animated celebrations happen on big points or something like that. I remember he had a subdued reaction after he beat Federer at the FO in 2008. He's good at showing defeated opponent respect, whether sincere or not.

 

[Front242]

There's no way Nadal would've had a mad celebration if his opponent couldn't move properly. I guarantee that.

Nadal rarely goes over the top with post match celebrations anyway (unless he drops to the floor after winning a tournament). Most of his more animated celebrations happen on big points or something like that. I remember he had a subdued reaction after he beat Federer at the FO in 2008. He's good at showing defeated opponent respects, whether sincere or not.

Exactly. Agreed.

 

[Front242]

There's no way Nadal would've had a mad celebration if his opponent couldn't move properly. I guarantee that.

Nadal rarely goes over the top with post match celebrations anyway (unless he drops to the floor after winning a tournament). Most of his more animated celebrations happen on big points or something like that. I remember he had a subdued reaction after he beat Federer at the FO in 2008. He's good at showing defeated opponent respects, whether sincere or not.

Now after Wimbledon 2008 that was such a long match a big celebration was warranted but the FO '08 was such a blowout he showed respect for poor Rog.

 

[Kieran]

Here, here! :clap :clap Stan also had to mute his exaltation in winning AO in respect for Nadal! When is Nadal respectful of someone he defeated? Never!!! You don't see it! He'll be falling on the court, jumping up and down, and fist pumping if the roles were reversed! Such a freakin' hypocrite; along with his sychophants! :lolz: :lolz: :nono :angel:

Hey Fiero,

Maybe you gave up watching Rafa play Roger at the slams after 2007 - for good reason.

Go to 36 minutes of this video please, and tell me if Rafa wasn't respectful. And Roger wasn't even injured. It got to the stage in Oz in 2009, when Roger was hogging the limelight with his tears and Rafa had to console... :s

 

[tented]

Even if that is true, Stan played some of the best tennis of his life to unquestionably lead/dominate the match until the injury/MTO, was able to win despite the mental trauma caused by his friend's apparently debilitating injury, so why couldn't he get a more respectable headline, like;

Seriously buddy, I don't know what your problem is. As you yourself say, it's true. So why shouldn't it be reported? You want to censor this information and make it look like the match was different to what it was?

It's not like Stan was home and hosed when it happened...

What's especially strange is how the intensity of the reaction is in inverse proportion to the events. Rafa fans have at times rightly been criticized in the past for ascribing various reasons for his losses, including hidden (i.e., non-obvious) injuries, but now that he did lose and was clearly injured, the outcry is even more intense. Incredible.

 

[Front242]

Murray and Nadal have cried too and doubtless many others.

 

[Kieran]

Murray and Nadal have cried too and doubtless many others.

Oh, I don't mind them crying, but to say that Rafa doesn't respect players when he wins is just fanboy delusion...

 

[DarthFed]

Rafa has cried on court during the Verdasco match too.

 

[Front242]

Rafa has cried on court during the Verdasco match too.

He way crying today. Don't blame him. Was a tough day for him.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Rafa has cried on court during the Verdasco match too.

He way crying today. Don't blame him. Was a tough day for him.

Dios, me esta matando.

 

[Front242]

Rafa has cried on court during the Verdasco match too.

He way crying today. Don't blame him. Was a tough day for him.

Dios, me esta matando.

:laydownlaughing

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

Stan is the Man!

 

[I.Haychew]

Haven't seen the match yet (recorded it), and after reading some of the match-time posts, I'm not so sure that I want to. Sounds like it was UGLY! That said, I'm happy for Wawrinka. Good for him! Sorry for Nadal. That had to be heartbreaking.

That makes Wawrinka the only calendar year Grand Slam candidate. Gonna have to change the name of it to "The Grand Stan" after he wins it.

 

[Front242]

The rest of the year is on Standby.

 

[herios]

Haven't seen the match yet (recorded it), and after reading some of the match-time posts, I'm not so sure that I want to. Sounds like it was UGLY!

Just watch it my friend! I am only watching it now, we have the day recorded transmission on TSN in Canada as I am typing (set 3). It is worth it. Stan had a in the zone one set+, for that alone you need to watch.

And disregard Front's trashing in the play by play....He was just so vocal being desperate that Rafa is getting off the hook and wins his 14th. I forgive him for that.

 

[herios]

The rest of the year is on Standby.

You got that one right. And tennis Gods, please keep Stan in Nadal's draws from here on, not in Novak's please

 

[I.Haychew]

Haven't seen the match yet (recorded it), and after reading some of the match-time posts, I'm not so sure that I want to. Sounds like it was UGLY!

Just watch it my friend! I am only watching it now, we have the day recorded transmission on TSN in Canada as I am typing (set 3). It is worth it. Stan had a in the zone one set+, for that alone you need to watch.

And disregard Front's trashing in the play by play....He was just so vocal being desperate that Rafa is getting off the hook and wins his 14th. I forgive him for that.

Reading Front's posts damn near had me rolling on the floor. I haven't lol'd out loud like that in a looonnnnggg time!

 

[Front242]

Haven't seen the match yet (recorded it), and after reading some of the match-time posts, I'm not so sure that I want to. Sounds like it was UGLY!

Just watch it my friend! I am only watching it now, we have the day recorded transmission on TSN in Canada as I am typing (set 3). It is worth it. Stan had a in the zone one set+, for that alone you need to watch.

And disregard Front's trashing in the play by play....He was just so vocal being desperate that Rafa is getting off the hook and wins his 14th. I forgive him for that.

Haha well I'm sure I wasn't the only one. Even Nadal fans were laughing their arses off at Stan's inability to do anything right since Nadal's injury. But to his credit he did pull it together in the end.