2014 Roland Garros Final: Nadal vs. Djokovic

[brokenshoelace]

Random thought: Novak's net game looked absolutely garbage today.

By the way, just like in Australia, Djokovic serve and volley on break point.

Yup. A while ago, I had a conversation in some thread with nehmeth (I think. I'll stand corrected if I'm wrong) re: Novak's volleys. And to me, he just never seems comfortable around the net. His volleys aren't terrible: he's good on the stretch, has a pretty decent low backhand volley. But his movement, instincts, and technique around the net just aren't that great (if we're comparing them to the rest of his game). A lot of people have been looking hard into his volleys after Becker came along, but I honestly have seen very little -- if any -- improvement. Novak hits great approaches usually, so that makes things easier, but I really haven't seen him make great inroads at the net.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Today after Rafa evened the match at one set a piece, I decided I will rather go for a brunch with friends and spare myself of unnecessary stress.
I am sooooo glad I did that!
I did not have to witness Novak pulling the Verdasco:nono

Like Nole said, life goes on. Mine too. Looking forward for the lawn!

Shouldn't be called "pulling a Nole" now since he's twice done it under exactly the same circumstances?

 

[zalvar]

By the way, Nadal is now 25-7 against the other members of the Big Four in Grand Slams. Yes, he is 13-0 against them in the French Open; however, he is still 12-7 against them in other Slams.

That's a stat a lot of people like to disregard. Rafa really digs his heels on important matches.

 

[Front242]

Was watching on ITV with Nick Mullins and Jim Courier commentating. Not bad at all must say. A shame Robbie Koenig doesn't do slams though.

 

[Front242]

By the way, Nadal is now 25-7 against the other members of the Big Four in Grand Slams. Yes, he is 13-0 against them in the French Open; however, he is still 12-7 against them in other Slams.

That's a stat a lot of people like to disregard. Rafa really digs his heels on important matches.

Novak going AWOL in many of those contributes quite richly to that stat too btw

 

[zalvar]

By the way, Nadal is now 25-7 against the other members of the Big Four in Grand Slams. Yes, he is 13-0 against them in the French Open; however, he is still 12-7 against them in other Slams.

That's a stat a lot of people like to disregard. Rafa really digs his heels on important matches.

Novak going AWOL in many of those contributes quite richly to that stat too btw

He goes "AWOL" because he feels pressured to push ... because it's Rafa.

 

[Front242]

By the way, Nadal is now 25-7 against the other members of the Big Four in Grand Slams. Yes, he is 13-0 against them in the French Open; however, he is still 12-7 against them in other Slams.

That's a stat a lot of people like to disregard. Rafa really digs his heels on important matches.

Novak going AWOL in many of those contributes quite richly to that stat too btw

He goes "AWOL" because he feels pressured to push ... because it's Rafa.

Actual the problem for much of today was all he did was push. Push the ball over the net with no force like Murray. He played a lot of pusher rallies and blasted tons of balls long, into the net, and ended on a double fault. It reminded me of Federer against Nadal to be honest.

Sure it's a great stat but it's not all about Nadal all the time is all I'm saying. His opponents' play in many of these matches has been very poor too.

 

[calitennis127]

Random thought: Novak's net game looked absolutely garbage today.

Yeah, he went backwards in this part. Was broke early in the third by dropping a high backhand volley into the net, as if he didn't know what to do with it.

That wasn't a technique issue so much as a fatigue-related and psychological issue on that point. He was very disoriented at that time in the match.

 

[Front242]

The number of times he hit drop shots that just got whacked past him never ceases to amaze me either. He won just 1 point if I recall (and admittedly it was a good drop shot that time) with drop shots but the rest just sat up way too high begging to be put away. He should stop doing it.

 

[calitennis127]

Random thought: Novak's net game looked absolutely garbage today.

Yeah, he went backwards in this part. Was broke early in the third by dropping a high backhand volley into the net, as if he didn't know what to do with it.

Random thought from me: Fred Stolle and Mark Woodforde were the commentators all week and I quite enjoyed them...

Lucky you...I had to endure JMac and Carillo for a week...:nono

Carillo is one of the worst announcers in sports commentary. She must have mentioned Maria Sharapova 38 times in some form or fashion during the final.

As for McEnroe, I actually enjoy his remarks. He has a player's mentality through and through. It almost seems as if he is expressing the inner feelings of an elite player with all of his comments. Mentality-wise, he could step right on to the court right now as a competitor.

 

[britbox]

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

There is plenty of venom there too. I've been saying for years now that Roger has not won enough, he went away too quickly after #16, had the awful 2008, etc.

A 17 slam legacy is a 17 slam legacy whether somebody passes it or not. I don't think Federer will be sitting in his armchair in old age regretting what he achieved... and even less worried what cyberfans think. If Nadal passes it then so be it.... but rest assured SOMEBODY will pass it at some point.

Don't worry about it so much Darth. Federer will always be regarded as one of the greatest players to pick up a racquet in the history of the sport. I give him 2 outside shots to add to it - Wimbledon over the next two years. Federer isn't going to be winning the USO, FO or AO again.

 

[calitennis127]

Was watching on ITV with Nick Mullins and Jim Courier commentating. Not bad at all must say. A shame Robbie Koenig doesn't do slams though.

Koenig and Jason Goodall are the best duo in my opinion. I also enjoy Brad Gilbert and McEnroe.

On the other hand, it wouldn't bother me if I never had to endure Chris Fowler or Mary Carillo while watching a tennis match again for as long as I lived. Fowler is a celebrity groper, while Carillo is like the psychological version of plastic surgery: she spouts off artificial remarks like she was a machine designed for the purpose. For example - "You have to wonder how losing that game will make Novak feel" - with a ten thousand ton emphasis on "feel".

 

[britbox]

Nole isn't beating Rafa at RG, he has only been competitive once in 6 matches and his career has been in the tubes since RG 2013.

You are becoming trolling with this attitude. Roger 2004-2007 gave you a skewed view of what reality looks like at the highest level of professional sports.

Slams are the gold standard but 4 tournaments a tennis season is not nor players legacy are built only on those four tournaments.

I though what Novak did in the fall last year was inhuman and quite frankly a great achievement in itself. He is an all time great and he will win more slams outside the AO and perhaps Paris. Roger couldn't deal with young Rafa on clay.....at least Novak gives us a match in Paris.

Nole can win as many YEC's and MS events as he wants but that doesn't equal slams, and in slams he has not gotten it done in well over a year now. He is now the player everyone is hoping to see in GS finals. Novak gave Nadal one match in Paris. Other than that it looks a lot like Roger.

Utter rubbish mate. After Nadal, Djokovic is the last person anyone wants to see in a grand slam final. Can you think of anyone else?

No need to throw him under a bus. He'll be back and will win more majors.

 

[calitennis127]

A 17 slam legacy is a 17 slam legacy whether somebody passes it or not. I don't think Federer will be sitting in his armchair in old age regretting what he achieved... and even less worried what cyberfans think.

Is there even a distinction between "cyberfans" and "real fans" anymore? Human life is almost 100% online now, isn't it?

 

[britbox]

A 17 slam legacy is a 17 slam legacy whether somebody passes it or not. I don't think Federer will be sitting in his armchair in old age regretting what he achieved... and even less worried what cyberfans think.

Is there even a distinction between "cyberfans" and "real fans" anymore? Human life is almost 100% online now, isn't it?

Mine isn't Cali.

By cyber fans - I'm meaning Federer is hardly going to be fretting about what a bunch of people say on the Internet when he's counting his trophies and checking his bank balance.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Darth, I like you buddy, I really do, but in the chat, you said "DJokovic is not a factor on fast hards..." Uhh... I know you're disappointed, but come on.

 

[DarthFed]

Nole isn't beating Rafa at RG, he has only been competitive once in 6 matches and his career has been in the tubes since RG 2013.

You are becoming trolling with this attitude. Roger 2004-2007 gave you a skewed view of what reality looks like at the highest level of professional sports.

Slams are the gold standard but 4 tournaments a tennis season is not nor players legacy are built only on those four tournaments.

I though what Novak did in the fall last year was inhuman and quite frankly a great achievement in itself. He is an all time great and he will win more slams outside the AO and perhaps Paris. Roger couldn't deal with young Rafa on clay.....at least Novak gives us a match in Paris.

Nole can win as many YEC's and MS events as he wants but that doesn't equal slams, and in slams he has not gotten it done in well over a year now. He is now the player everyone is hoping to see in GS finals. Novak gave Nadal one match in Paris. Other than that it looks a lot like Roger.

Utter rubbish mate. After Nadal, Djokovic is the last person anyone wants to see in a grand slam final. Can you think of anyone else?

No need to throw him under a bus. He'll be back and will win more majors.

I could think of a few players at Wimbledon and USO I'd like Roger to face less than Nole.

 

[calitennis127]

A 17 slam legacy is a 17 slam legacy whether somebody passes it or not. I don't think Federer will be sitting in his armchair in old age regretting what he achieved... and even less worried what cyberfans think.

Is there even a distinction between "cyberfans" and "real fans" anymore? Human life is almost 100% online now, isn't it?

Mine isn't Cali.

By cyber fans - I'm meaning Federer is hardly going to be fretting about what a bunch of people say on the Internet when he's counting his trophies and checking his bank balance.

Of course not. But as a popular figure who has been hearing people talk about his "legacy" since he was 23, don't you think general comments will affect him?

You can't say that the millions of compliments feel good while the many negative remarks won't impact anything. The guy has enjoyed his fame, just as I'm sure the Nadal-induced criticisms will bother him somewhat.

 

[zalvar]

By the way, Nadal is now 25-7 against the other members of the Big Four in Grand Slams. Yes, he is 13-0 against them in the French Open; however, he is still 12-7 against them in other Slams.

That's a stat a lot of people like to disregard. Rafa really digs his heels on important matches.

Novak going AWOL in many of those contributes quite richly to that stat too btw

He goes "AWOL" because he feels pressured to push ... because it's Rafa.

Actual the problem for much of today was all he did was push. Push the ball over the net with no force like Murray. He played a lot of pusher rallies and blasted tons of balls long, into the net, and ended on a double fault. It reminded me of Federer against Nadal to be honest.

Sure it's a great stat but it's not all about Nadal all the time is all I'm saying. His opponents' play in many of these matches has been very poor too.

Well, apparently he was sick soo that's probably why he was "pushing-a-la-Murray" today...
I still thought he played OK, Novak.

Novak clearly didn't play his best. Neither of them did, but as Marian Vajda said on his interview after the match, even though the level wasn't as high as the last 2 years they've met in RG, the match was VERY VERY intense for both of them this year.

There's a reason why Novak "wilts" in the GSs versus Rafa and I think it's party because Rafa has a different mind set and exudes a different aura. That's a hard obstacle to be up against.

 

[Front242]

Maybe he was alluding to him never winning Cincy and botching the US Open multiple times now.