2015 French Open QF: Djokovic v. Nadal

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

Well done to Nole, been exceptional all year, all tourney. :clap

Weathered the storm when Rafa thundered back in the first. I felt Rafa didn't hammer that home and became timid again, and when the match was competitive (up to 3-3 in the second) Nole was the aggressor on the big points. Nole didn't buckle, and it only became harder for Rafa then. Rafa still isn't the man he was, and there's some signs in his game and movement to worry about going forward, but this is a milestone in the sport, and a genuinely great chance for Novak to get his mitts on the RG cup.

Nothing lasts forever, people! Second slam in a row where Fedal haven't one member in the semis. They're looking old. They're getting brushed aside now, becoming notches on the bedpost. Kinda sad to see, but we've seen it with every great player who ever played the game...

why no poast during majors then old bean ?. is it a rafa thing ?.

Don't worry, Kieran will be posting more frequently during majors here on in.

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

^^ok..its a rafa thing, thanks for answering for him. it was a genuine question, (not sarcasm/taking mickey)

 

[britbox]

Just got back from an ill-timed dentist's appointment.

Congrats to Novak and his fans. Really can't be mad at this one as it wasn't unexpected.
Novak's been on fire this year and deserves a shot at his missing Slam. Hope he takes it all.

If you're a Rafa fan then it's probably one of the few occasions where you'd trade watching tennis for a trip to the dentists.

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

why no poast during majors then old bean ?. is it a rafa thing ?.

Don't worry, Kieran will be posting more frequently during majors here on in.

I like to take a break from posting during the majors, usually only pop up if Rafa has lost. Sometimes it's not a bad idea to get away from here for a while...

I should have kept reading the last page.

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

as expected really though..djokovic in straights.

 

[BalaryKar]

Nadal may as well skip Wimbledon and focus on USO

 

[Kieran]

Sorry but I don't think is still time to bury Nadal at all. We know that this year has been his worst on HC and even more rodiculously worse on clay but it's not the end of the world, now he has time to practice on grass and maybe once and for all to recovery his confidence. I don't think his problem is physical but mentally and hope he can resolve it before it would be too late :huh:(

He's a few problems but it would be silly to write him off. A myth about Rafa is that he returns from injury and goes straight back to his best. He never did, and he still hasn't. But even though he's largely stunk the joint out all year, his fitness is good, his movement is often very good, his shots are contrary but can improve. He can only get better...

Also, sometimes a player just need a new year to have a fresh start or regeneration. Just look at Federer and Murray. They used their offseason to regenerate some of their tank. I think Nadal will definitely do that this year.

Hopefully. This version of Rafa can't win Barcelona, let alone RG. So we hope he improves for the rest of the season and does some hard physical work in the off-season. But realistically, Rafa is also showing normal signs of wear and tear. Sampras, by this stage, wasn't just losing his hair, he was pulling it out. Borg was long gone. It's natural for a super high-achiever in the sport to begin to falter, skip slams, look decrepit.

It could be that whatever explosive physical energy Rafa used to have that raised the ante in matches like this one, is just gone and not coming back... :cover

 

[GameSetAndMath]

^^ok..its a rafa thing, thanks for answering for him. it was a genuine question, (not scarcasm/taking mickey)

Kieran was away during lent to repent for his sins. But, as his sins are quite large, that was not enough and so he decided to stay away during RG again.

 

[nehmeth]

It could be that whatever explosive physical energy Rafa used to have that raised the ante in matches like this one, is just gone and not coming back... :cover

This is what I saw at the beginning of the year when he was moving around like a 50 year old. His movement is better now, but he only seems to have "windows" where he can "explode" anymore and they're not as big as they used to be.

 

[Kieran]

^^ok..its a rafa thing, thanks for answering for him. it was a genuine question, (not scarcasm/taking mickey)

Kieran was away during lent to repent for his sins. But, as his sins are quite large, that was not enough and so he decided to stay away during RG again.

:laydownlaughing :clap

I think if all my sins were measured, I might not be back before Federer's twins play at Wimbo!

 

[Fiero425]

It could be that whatever explosive physical energy Rafa used to have that raised the ante in matches like this one, is just gone and not coming back... :cover

This is what I saw at the beginning of the year when he was moving around like a 50 year old. His movement is better now, but he only seems to have "windows" where he can "explode" anymore and they're not as big as they used to be.

Having to run for those drop shots of Nole's didn't help I'm sure! :angel: :dodgy:

 

[nehmeth]

Since the end of 2011 it has been Novak's final frontier: Never beat Rafa in best of five on clay (i.e. RG)

Accomplished: 03 June 2015



Two more big matches to go for the title. Ajde Nole!

 

[Carol]

Sorry but I don't think is still time to bury Nadal at all. We know that this year has been his worst on HC and even more rodiculously worse on clay but it's not the end of the world, now he has time to practice on grass and maybe once and for all to recovery his confidence. I don't think his problem is physical but mentally and hope he can resolve it before it would be too late :huh:(

Carol, it's real easy.... you just type "Congratulations to Novak and all his fans." Then start in with the rest of it.

Maybe you should go back to the pages and then you will see that I was one of the first one to congratulate to Novak, you don't need to be so harsh

 

[bobvance]

I've been waiting for Rafa to lose at the French since Soderling took him out. I have to say it feels kind of anticlimactic. It's not the wonderful schadenfreude I wanted.

Still I'm happy for Novak. He's playing at a ridiculously high level this year.

 

[Fiero425]

I've been waiting for Rafa to lose at the French since Soderling took him out. I have to say it feels kind of anticlimactic. It's not the wonderful schadenfreude I wanted.

Still I'm happy for Novak. His playing at a ridiculously high level this year.

You would have felt better if Nole had won one of those closer matches like in 2012! With the way Rafa's playing now, no matter how emphatic Nole wins this tourney, his detractors will point out how "down" Nadal had been; barely in the top 10! :s :cover :angel:

 

[tented]

Sorry but I don't think is still time to bury Nadal at all. We know that this year has been his worst on HC and even more rodiculously worse on clay but it's not the end of the world, now he has time to practice on grass and maybe once and for all to recovery his confidence. I don't think his problem is physical but mentally and hope he can resolve it before it would be too late :huh:(

Carol, it's real easy.... you just type "Congratulations to Novak and all his fans." Then start in with the rest of it.

Maybe you should go back to the pages and then you will see that I was one of the first one to congratulate to Novak, you don't need to be so harsh

It's true, Nehmeth. She did congratulate him early. Riotbeard even "liked" the post.

 

[nehmeth]

Sorry but I don't think is still time to bury Nadal at all. We know that this year has been his worst on HC and even more rodiculously worse on clay but it's not the end of the world, now he has time to practice on grass and maybe once and for all to recovery his confidence. I don't think his problem is physical but mentally and hope he can resolve it before it would be too late :huh:(

Carol, it's real easy.... you just type "Congratulations to Novak and all his fans." Then start in with the rest of it.

Maybe you should go back to the pages and then you will see that I was one of the first one to congratulate to Novak, you don't need to be so harsh

Found it. Apologies. Deleted my post.

 

[Kieran]

I've been waiting for Rafa to lose at the French since Soderling took him out. I have to say it feels kind of anticlimactic. It's not the wonderful schadenfreude I wanted.

Still I'm happy for Novak. His playing at a ridiculously high level this year.

You would have felt better if Nole had won one of those closer matches like in 2012! With the way Rafa's playing now, no matter how emphatic Nole wins this tourney, his detractors will point out how "down" Nadal had been; barely in the top 10! :s :cover :angel:

Well...Rafa is down. He's #6 in the world (and falling) and he's lost more matches on clay this year than he did between 2006-2010. That's before today's match. He's one a single 250 tourney over the last 12 months. Even prime Roger might have beaten him today, that's how down he is.

What Nole did best today though, was look after his own end of things. Nole last year let things get to him, and this year he hasn't. Throughout the year so far, and especially on clay, he's been exceptional. The two of these positions don't contradict each other...

Correction: he's #7 in the world...

 

[Carol]

I've been waiting for Rafa to lose at the French since Soderling took him out. I have to say it feels kind of anticlimactic. It's not the wonderful schadenfreude I wanted.

Still I'm happy for Novak. His playing at a ridiculously high level this year.

Even losing and with a knee injury Rafa played against Soderling much better than today (he is healthy) which means about what bad time he is going through uzzled:cover

 

[tennisville]

Djokovic is stunning, he has now beaten Fedal at all 4 slams