2014 Roland Garros SF: Nadal vs Murray

[britbox]

RE: French open semis: Nadal vs Murray

The option is on the table in every grand slam semi-final.

However, Do you know of anybody EVER in the entire history of the sport to tank a semi-final to avoid a specific opponent? Least of all a guy who has won the fricken thing a trillion times trying to avoid a guy who has never won it?

 

[Fiero425]

RE: French open semis: Nadal vs Murray

I hope they schedule this match first, so Nadal doesn't have the option of tanking the match if he knows Novak won the first semi.

Remember all those matches Nadal tanked in his career?

Well there was the WTF event a few years ago; lost all 3 of his RR matches! :snigger :laydownlaughing :clap :angel: So even Rafa isn't immune to tanking I guess!

 

[tented]

RE: French open semis: Nadal vs Murray

I hope they schedule this match first, so Nadal doesn't have the option of tanking the match if he knows Novak won the first semi.

Remember all those matches Nadal tanked in his career?

Well there was the WTF event a few years ago; lost all 3 of his RR matches! :snigger :laydownlaughing :clap :angel: So even Rafa isn't immune to tanking I guess!

He didn't ta .... oh, never mind.

 

[Denis]

RE: French open semis: Nadal vs Murray

The option is on the table in every grand slam semi-final.

However, Do you know of anybody EVER in the entire history of the sport to tank a semi-final to avoid a specific opponent? Least of all a guy who has won the fricken thing a trillion times trying to avoid a guy who has never won it?

Actually it isn't. That was my point.

 

[britbox]

RE: French open semis: Nadal vs Murray

Ok, to split hairs... The second scheduled semi final of any grand slam tournament... Are you aware of any player who has tanked a match to avoid playing a specific opponent? Ever?

 

[tented]

RE: French open semis: Nadal vs Murray

If ever there was a supposed reason to tank a match, it was Roger at RG in 2011.

Why would he have wanted to get into the final with Rafa again, knowing the last time they faced off on that court it was one of Roger's most humiliating defeats of all time? Yet Federer fought like crazy to beat Novak to get to the final. Why would he have done that?

 

[Denis]

RE: French open semis: Nadal vs Murray

Ok, to split hairs... The second scheduled semi final of any grand slam tournament... Are you aware of any player who has tanked a match to avoid playing a specific opponent? Ever?

Which player (except maybe Ferrer) would ever admit that? So no, but I'd like Nadal to be as motivated as possible for his match. But I get it, Nadal will be equally as motivated and will try his best, best competitor ever, home turf etc etc etc. I would have preferred a different schedule, but it's really a minor point.

 

[Riotbeard]

RE: French open semis: Nadal vs Murray

Rafa would not tank. This is silly. The guy has won eight times. He may not "know" he will beat djokovic, but he would be a fool to not think he has a shot.

 

[crystalfire]

RE: French open semis: Nadal vs Murray

If ever there was a supposed reason to tank a match, it was Roger at RG in 2011.

Why would he have wanted to get into the final with Rafa again, knowing the last time they faced off on that court it was one of Roger's most humiliating defeats of all time? Yet Federer fought like crazy to beat Novak to get to the final. Why would he have done that?

exactly i remember rooting for djokovic that whole match knowing the fed was gonna lose to rafa anyway. but you cant win the lottery without a ticket.

 

[tented]

RE: French open semis: Nadal vs Murray

If ever there was a supposed reason to tank a match, it was Roger at RG in 2011.

Why would he have wanted to get into the final with Rafa again, knowing the last time they faced off on that court it was one of Roger's most humiliating defeats of all time? Yet Federer fought like crazy to beat Novak to get to the final. Why would he have done that?

exactly i remember rooting for djokovic that whole match knowing the fed was gonna lose to rafa anyway. but you cant win the lottery without a ticket.

Perfectly put.

 

[brokenshoelace]

RE: French open semis: Nadal vs Murray

Ok, to split hairs... The second scheduled semi final of any grand slam tournament... Are you aware of any player who has tanked a match to avoid playing a specific opponent? Ever?

Which player (except maybe Ferrer) would ever admit that? So no, but I'd like Nadal to be as motivated as possible for his match. But I get it, Nadal will be equally as motivated and will try his best, best competitor ever, home turf etc etc etc. I would have preferred a different schedule, but it's really a minor point.

Why would you have preferred a different schedule if you don't think Nadal will really tank?

And before you say "because I don't want him to have the option," you just said you don't believe he'll take that option, so what difference does it make?

BTW, reading some of the above, you'd swear Nadal was some mental midget/coward/scrub...

They've played 41 times. I don't think the number would have been that high if one was actually trying to avoid the other at any point.

 

[crystalfire]

i dont really understand whats happening here. i dont think scheduling matters. THIS IS RAFA NADAL WE ARE TALKING ABOUT!!! not some mental head case. HES GOT NO REASON TO BE AFRAID OF DJOKOVIC.

 

[Rose]

^^Since Nole has been defeating him a good bit lately Rafa might want to play someone else, but no one can ever make me believe that Rafa has ever tanked a Match! He has even finished matches when he was hurt having no chance to win because he doesn't even like to retire in Matches!

 

[Fiero425]

^^Since Nole has been defeating him a good bit lately Rafa might want to play someone else, but no one can ever make me believe that Rafa has ever tanked a Match! He has even finished matches when he was hurt having no chance to win because he doesn't even like to retire in Matches!

Oh Rafa's a warrior, but even when he was a kid, I just couldn't stand the way he played! It's ugly tennis at it's worst and I can't wait for him to pack it in! If not for the tech and strings, he would be nowhere near as successful as far as I'm concerned! Federer has more skill in his little pinky, but obviously over the years, talent means little playing against Nadal! Only Nole has tamed him in all the years I've been watching, almost embarrassing him at times; even on his beloved clay! We can only hope Nole gets through Gulbis and becomes the next FO Champion sunday! :clap :angel:

 

[brokenshoelace]

^^Since Nole has been defeating him a good bit lately Rafa might want to play someone else, but no one can ever make me believe that Rafa has ever tanked a Match! He has even finished matches when he was hurt having no chance to win because he doesn't even like to retire in Matches!

Oh Rafa's a warrior, but even when he was a kid, I just couldn't stand the way he played! It's ugly tennis at it's worst and I can't wait for him to pack it in! If not for the tech and strings, he would be nowhere near as successful as far as I'm concerned! Federer has more skill in his little pinky, but obviously over the years, talent means little playing against Nadal! Only Nole has tamed him in all the years I've been watching, almost embarrassing him at times; even on his beloved clay! We can only hope Nole gets through Gulbis and becomes the next FO Champion sunday! :clap :angel:

Does Nadal play with tech and strings that are unavailable for the rest of the tour?

 

[Fiero425]

^^Since Nole has been defeating him a good bit lately Rafa might want to play someone else, but no one can ever make me believe that Rafa has ever tanked a Match! He has even finished matches when he was hurt having no chance to win because he doesn't even like to retire in Matches!

Oh Rafa's a warrior, but even when he was a kid, I just couldn't stand the way he played! It's ugly tennis at it's worst and I can't wait for him to pack it in! If not for the tech and strings, he would be nowhere near as successful as far as I'm concerned! Federer has more skill in his little pinky, but obviously over the years, talent means little playing against Nadal! Only Nole has tamed him in all the years I've been watching, almost embarrassing him at times; even on his beloved clay! We can only hope Nole gets through Gulbis and becomes the next FO Champion sunday! :clap :angel:

Does Nadal play with tech and strings that are unavailable for the rest of the tour?

His advantage is being left-handed using all that spin! I'm quite aware others have the same opportunities, but looking back Connors made the Wilson T2000 work for him; no one else did! :nono

 

[crystalfire]

^^Since Nole has been defeating him a good bit lately Rafa might want to play someone else, but no one can ever make me believe that Rafa has ever tanked a Match! He has even finished matches when he was hurt having no chance to win because he doesn't even like to retire in Matches!

Oh Rafa's a warrior, but even when he was a kid, I just couldn't stand the way he played! It's ugly tennis at it's worst and I can't wait for him to pack it in! If not for the tech and strings, he would be nowhere near as successful as far as I'm concerned! Federer has more skill in his little pinky, but obviously over the years, talent means little playing against Nadal! Only Nole has tamed him in all the years I've been watching, almost embarrassing him at times; even on his beloved clay! We can only hope Nole gets through Gulbis and becomes the next FO Champion sunday! :clap :angel:

This is such bulls%#t. Even as a hard core fed fan I love watching Rafa play. And he is talented in his own right. And all the equipment is available to everyone these days. Its who's holding the raquet that's important.

 

[Fiero425]

^^Since Nole has been defeating him a good bit lately Rafa might want to play someone else, but no one can ever make me believe that Rafa has ever tanked a Match! He has even finished matches when he was hurt having no chance to win because he doesn't even like to retire in Matches!

Oh Rafa's a warrior, but even when he was a kid, I just couldn't stand the way he played! It's ugly tennis at it's worst and I can't wait for him to pack it in! If not for the tech and strings, he would be nowhere near as successful as far as I'm concerned! Federer has more skill in his little pinky, but obviously over the years, talent means little playing against Nadal! Only Nole has tamed him in all the years I've been watching, almost embarrassing him at times; even on his beloved clay! We can only hope Nole gets through Gulbis and becomes the next FO Champion sunday! :clap :angel:

This is such bulls%#t. Even as a hard core fed fan I love watching Rafa play. And he is talented in his own right. And all the equipment is available to everyone these days. Its who's holding the raquet that's important.

Well that's your opinion! :nono uzzled :s :huh:

 

[Riotbeard]

^^Since Nole has been defeating him a good bit lately Rafa might want to play someone else, but no one can ever make me believe that Rafa has ever tanked a Match! He has even finished matches when he was hurt having no chance to win because he doesn't even like to retire in Matches!

Oh Rafa's a warrior, but even when he was a kid, I just couldn't stand the way he played! It's ugly tennis at it's worst and I can't wait for him to pack it in! If not for the tech and strings, he would be nowhere near as successful as far as I'm concerned! Federer has more skill in his little pinky, but obviously over the years, talent means little playing against Nadal! Only Nole has tamed him in all the years I've been watching, almost embarrassing him at times; even on his beloved clay! We can only hope Nole gets through Gulbis and becomes the next FO Champion sunday! :clap :angel:

This is such bulls%#t. Even as a hard core fed fan I love watching Rafa play. And he is talented in his own right. And all the equipment is available to everyone these days. Its who's holding the raquet that's important.

Well that's your opinion! :nono uzzled :s :huh:

Obviously :spacecadet:

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

ok then..i have decided on the basis of rafa's dodgy back and iffy backhand/serve to go with a now fully fit murray in 5..and to boost his votes.