2014 Roland Garros Final: Nadal vs. Djokovic

[rafanoy1992]

Roger and his fans have spent the previous 27 slams hoping Rafa loses, so Roger has a chance to win. In fact, if it wasn't for Nole, Rafa might be on 17 already, and looking for more, despite missing time through injury. Nole is the only credible rival Rafa has, and he has more wins against Rafa than the next two on the list combined, one of which is Roger.[/i]

If not for Novak, especially when you think of some of the matches they played leading into slams and Oz 12... Rafa might not have had the amount of time away due to injury. I'm pretty sure he would have been at 17 already.

Novak might be the unluckiest of all the top players, or certainly had it toughest: more than 13% of all his career matches have been against a fellow member of the Big 4.

He was clearly ailing today and yet he almost nudged it into a fifth. I felt he actually recovered well and Rafa looked more vulnerable at 4-4. I know, Nole has a history in slams of inexplicably going AWOL, and I'm sure he looks at what happened to him against both Gulbis and Rafa, because his system crashed both times, but as a challenge to Rafa, he's the only one, and the greatest of them all, by far, and today he deserved that unprecedented round of applause from the crowd...

That's why I give Djokovic two years to win the French Open. He is 27 years old and little by little his body and mind will start to fail on him.

One thing that's not in Novak's favour: he may never face so vulnerable a Rafa in Paris again...

We will see Kieran...

By the way, Agassi completed his Career Slam at the age of 29. So I was right that Djokovic has two years to win the French Open or else he might never win it.

 

[calitennis127]

By the way, Djokovic looked sick out there. I wonder if he had illness or did the heat affected him a little bit. John McEnroe said Djokovic threw up a couple times.

I think his play made him puke when he had time to sit and think about it.

Save your venom for Roger. Just because your bulwark against Ralf reaching 17 has been unable to do it, your anger would be better directed at your guy who failed to create a bigger cushion.

I can understand the frustration. Three more slams in the next three years shouldn't be too big an ask. Heck he might even win Oz before he retires and hold 2 of each of the 4 slams. Tied at 17 and with the h2h between them, anyone saying Fed's legacy is greater than Nadal's will sound like a Sampras fan when Fed won #15. :nono

Well said, Nehmeth! :clap

Roger and his fans have spent the previous 27 slams hoping Rafa loses, so Roger has a chance to win.

As a Federer fan, I have never feared Nadal. I have feared what Federer will fail to do against Nadal.

 

[calitennis127]

Roger and his fans have spent the previous 27 slams hoping Rafa loses, so Roger has a chance to win. In fact, if it wasn't for Nole, Rafa might be on 17 already, and looking for more, despite missing time through injury. Nole is the only credible rival Rafa has, and he has more wins against Rafa than the next two on the list combined, one of which is Roger.[/i]

If not for Novak, especially when you think of some of the matches they played leading into slams and Oz 12... Rafa might not have had the amount of time away due to injury. I'm pretty sure he would have been at 17 already.

Novak might be the unluckiest of all the top players, or certainly had it toughest: more than 13% of all his career matches have been against a fellow member of the Big 4.

He was clearly ailing today and yet he almost nudged it into a fifth. I felt he actually recovered well and Rafa looked more vulnerable at 4-4. I know, Nole has a history in slams of inexplicably going AWOL, and I'm sure he looks at what happened to him against both Gulbis and Rafa, because his system crashed both times, but as a challenge to Rafa, he's the only one, and the greatest of them all, by far, and today he deserved that unprecedented round of applause from the crowd...

That's why I give Djokovic two years to win the French Open. He is 27 years old and little by little his body and mind will start to fail on him.

You probably also gave Wawrinka until 2011 to win his First Slam and Ferrer until 2011 to crack the Top 5.

 

[crystalfire]

By the way, Djokovic looked sick out there. I wonder if he had illness or did the heat affected him a little bit. John McEnroe said Djokovic threw up a couple times.

I think his play made him puke when he had time to sit and think about it.

Save your venom for Roger. Just because your bulwark against Ralf reaching 17 has been unable to do it, your anger would be better directed at your guy who failed to create a bigger cushion.

I can understand the frustration. Three more slams in the next three years shouldn't be too big an ask. Heck he might even win Oz before he retires and hold 2 of each of the 4 slams. Tied at 17 and with the h2h between them, anyone saying Fed's legacy is greater than Nadal's will sound like a Sampras fan when Fed won #15. :nono

Well said, Nehmeth! :clap

Roger and his fans have spent the previous 27 slams hoping Rafa loses, so Roger has a chance to win.

As a Federer fan, I have never feared Nadal. I have feared what Federer will fail to do against Nadal.

this.

 

[Kieran]

By the way, Djokovic looked sick out there. I wonder if he had illness or did the heat affected him a little bit. John McEnroe said Djokovic threw up a couple times.

I think his play made him puke when he had time to sit and think about it.

Save your venom for Roger. Just because your bulwark against Ralf reaching 17 has been unable to do it, your anger would be better directed at your guy who failed to create a bigger cushion.

I can understand the frustration. Three more slams in the next three years shouldn't be too big an ask. Heck he might even win Oz before he retires and hold 2 of each of the 4 slams. Tied at 17 and with the h2h between them, anyone saying Fed's legacy is greater than Nadal's will sound like a Sampras fan when Fed won #15. :nono

Well said, Nehmeth! :clap

Roger and his fans have spent the previous 27 slams hoping Rafa loses, so Roger has a chance to win.

As a Federer fan, I have never feared Nadal. I have feared what Federer will fail to do against Nadal.

Well, you may want to explain that to a few of your buddies, cos they're under the illusion there's nothing Roger can do against Rafa: it's match-up, innit....

 

[calitennis127]

I think his play made him puke when he had time to sit and think about it.

Save your venom for Roger. Just because your bulwark against Ralf reaching 17 has been unable to do it, your anger would be better directed at your guy who failed to create a bigger cushion.

I can understand the frustration. Three more slams in the next three years shouldn't be too big an ask. Heck he might even win Oz before he retires and hold 2 of each of the 4 slams. Tied at 17 and with the h2h between them, anyone saying Fed's legacy is greater than Nadal's will sound like a Sampras fan when Fed won #15. :nono

Well said, Nehmeth! :clap

Roger and his fans have spent the previous 27 slams hoping Rafa loses, so Roger has a chance to win.

As a Federer fan, I have never feared Nadal. I have feared what Federer will fail to do against Nadal.

Well, you may want to explain that to a few of your buddies, cos they're under the illusion there's nothing Roger can do against Rafa: it's match-up, innit....

If there was nothing Federer could do against Rafa, then why did he get so close in Rome and in Hamburg? Why did he lose the Australian Open final? Why did he lose the Cincinnati quarterfinal?

Why did he dominate large portions of both the 2007 and 2010 finals?

The Federer fans who say it's all about the match-up and nothing more are clueless.

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

what about murrays h2h with nadal..5-15 I think.

 

[Fiero425]

Save your venom for Roger. Just because your bulwark against Ralf reaching 17 has been unable to do it, your anger would be better directed at your guy who failed to create a bigger cushion.

I can understand the frustration. Three more slams in the next three years shouldn't be too big an ask. Heck he might even win Oz before he retires and hold 2 of each of the 4 slams. Tied at 17 and with the h2h between them, anyone saying Fed's legacy is greater than Nadal's will sound like a Sampras fan when Fed won #15. :nono

Well said, Nehmeth! :clap

Roger and his fans have spent the previous 27 slams hoping Rafa loses, so Roger has a chance to win.

As a Federer fan, I have never feared Nadal. I have feared what Federer will fail to do against Nadal.

Well, you may want to explain that to a few of your buddies, cos they're under the illusion there's nothing Roger can do against Rafa: it's match-up, innit....

If there was nothing Federer could do against Rafa, then why did he get so close in Rome and in Hamburg? Why did he lose the Australian Open final? Why did he lose the Cincinnati quarterfinal?

Why did he dominate large portions of both the 2007 and 2010 finals?

The Federer fans who say it's all about the match-up and nothing more are clueless.

In his prime, those were all mental breakdowns IMO! He still thinks he can rally with the kids from the baseline when I thought Edberg would get him to attack the net more! It still hasn't happened and it's catching up to him finally! :nono :angel:

 

[calitennis127]

Well said, Nehmeth! :clap

Roger and his fans have spent the previous 27 slams hoping Rafa loses, so Roger has a chance to win.

As a Federer fan, I have never feared Nadal. I have feared what Federer will fail to do against Nadal.

Well, you may want to explain that to a few of your buddies, cos they're under the illusion there's nothing Roger can do against Rafa: it's match-up, innit....

If there was nothing Federer could do against Rafa, then why did he get so close in Rome and in Hamburg? Why did he lose the Australian Open final? Why did he lose the Cincinnati quarterfinal?

Why did he dominate large portions of both the 2007 and 2010 finals?

The Federer fans who say it's all about the match-up and nothing more are clueless.

In his prime, those were all mental breakdowns IMO! He still thinks he can rally with the kids from the baseline when I thought Edberg would get him to attack the net more! It still hasn't happened and it's catching up to him finally! :nono :angel:

Well, he outplayed Djokovic for most of the Indian Wells final and should have won the match.

Fed has created his own conundrum with Nadal. It's been a long time in the making, and someone who he thought was going to be a temporary roadblock was turned into a hurricane by his own futility.

 

[Kieran]

The Federer fans who say it's all about the match-up and nothing more are clueless.

I utterly agree with you, my friend, but I've seen it said...

 

[calitennis127]

The Federer fans who say it's all about the match-up and nothing more are clueless.

I utterly agree with you, my friend, but I've seen it said...

Well, it's a desperate attempt to excuse Federer for his failings. He has had a number of chances to win big matches against Nadal, when he was very close to doing so. He didn't take them. It was mental and tactical more than just a matter of having topspin moonballs firing at a single-handed backhand.

 

[Kieran]

The Federer fans who say it's all about the match-up and nothing more are clueless.

I utterly agree with you, my friend, but I've seen it said...

Well, it's a desperate attempt to excuse Federer for his failings. He has had a number of chances to win big matches against Nadal, when he was very close to doing so. He didn't take them. It was mental and tactical more than just a matter of having topspin moonballs firing at a single-handed backhand.

Brother, you're singing to the choir. Actually, it was a friend of yours who most recently argued this one with me, but I'm glad you and I agree on something...

 

[DarthFed]

Matchup problem exists but it is secondary and has been for awhile. Rogers main problem is he isn't that good anymore and for the most part hasn't been for 4 years now.

 

[calitennis127]

The Federer fans who say it's all about the match-up and nothing more are clueless.

I utterly agree with you, my friend, but I've seen it said...

Well, it's a desperate attempt to excuse Federer for his failings. He has had a number of chances to win big matches against Nadal, when he was very close to doing so. He didn't take them. It was mental and tactical more than just a matter of having topspin moonballs firing at a single-handed backhand.

Brother, you're singing to the choir. Actually, it was a friend of yours who most recently argued this one with me, but I'm glad you and I agree on something...

Like I have said - you and I agree on what makes Nadal such a chore to deal with, the difference being that you exult it while I mostly resent it and sneer at it.

 

[calitennis127]

Matchup problem exists but it is secondary and has been for awhile. Rogers main problem is he isn't that good anymore and for the most part hasn't been for 4 years now.

Age doesn't explain the 2007 French Open final, the 2009 Australian Open final, or even the 2013 Cincinnati quarterfinal.

 

[Kieran]

The Federer fans who say it's all about the match-up and nothing more are clueless.

I utterly agree with you, my friend, but I've seen it said...

Well, it's a desperate attempt to excuse Federer for his failings. He has had a number of chances to win big matches against Nadal, when he was very close to doing so. He didn't take them. It was mental and tactical more than just a matter of having topspin moonballs firing at a single-handed backhand.

Brother, you're singing to the choir. Actually, it was a friend of yours who most recently argued this one with me, but I'm glad you and I agree on something...

Like I have said - you and I agree on what makes Nadal such a chore to deal with, the difference being that you exult it while I mostly resent it and sneer at it.

I understand: you're the geezer who told Mozart there were too many notes...

 

[calitennis127]

I utterly agree with you, my friend, but I've seen it said...

Well, it's a desperate attempt to excuse Federer for his failings. He has had a number of chances to win big matches against Nadal, when he was very close to doing so. He didn't take them. It was mental and tactical more than just a matter of having topspin moonballs firing at a single-handed backhand.

Brother, you're singing to the choir. Actually, it was a friend of yours who most recently argued this one with me, but I'm glad you and I agree on something...

Like I have said - you and I agree on what makes Nadal such a chore to deal with, the difference being that you exult it while I mostly resent it and sneer at it.

I understand: you're the geezer who told Mozart there were too many notes...

More like the guy who recognized Mozart's talent and praised it (i.e. Nalbandian), while not getting quite as excited about the guy whose fingers could play for four hours longer than everyone else's because he was just blessed with great stamina.

 

[Kieran]

Haha, Nalbandian didn't compose a great opera that we can all cheer, however: Rafa has many of them, just like Wolfie...

 

[Front242]

Well, it's a desperate attempt to excuse Federer for his failings. He has had a number of chances to win big matches against Nadal, when he was very close to doing so. He didn't take them. It was mental and tactical more than just a matter of having topspin moonballs firing at a single-handed backhand.

Brother, you're singing to the choir. Actually, it was a friend of yours who most recently argued this one with me, but I'm glad you and I agree on something...

Like I have said - you and I agree on what makes Nadal such a chore to deal with, the difference being that you exult it while I mostly resent it and sneer at it.

I understand: you're the geezer who told Mozart there were too many notes...

More like the guy who recognized Mozart's talent and praised it (i.e. Nalbandian), while not getting quite as excited about the guy whose fingers could play for four hours longer than everyone else's because he was just blessed with great stamina.

Well he was the more tired of the two today at the end. Just so happened the fresher guy was playing worse. He was fresh enough to hit a brilliant double fault which I knew was coming a mile off sadly. What a way to end it. Had it gone to a fifth I'm thinking Djokovic may have won it but we'll never know.

 

[DarthFed]

Matchup problem exists but it is secondary and has been for awhile. Rogers main problem is he isn't that good anymore and for the most part hasn't been for 4 years now.

Age doesn't explain the 2007 French Open final, the 2009 Australian Open final, or even the 2013 Cincinnati quarterfinal.

Well you can argue age isn't the only reason he is no longer great but it certainly has something to do with it. 09 AO like Wimby 08 were mental breakdowns IMO. French Open is a different story, was always going to be very very hard for Roger to beat Nadal there. Roger dropped the ball at Wimbledon and Oz