2015 Shanghai Masters 1000

[lacatch]

I wouldn't celebrate too much. Ivo's return game is pretty poor, and if he misses his serves he's toast. Rafa didn't have to engage in skillful, long rallies to win---a couple of untimely double faults by Ivo did the trick.

 

[herios]

All the top 16 made it into the R16, except the oldies: Federer and Ferrer. The replacement are Ramos-Vinolas and Tomic.
So, at the minimum, two of the anticipated QF will not happen. Let's see who steps up next.

 

[Fiero425]

I wouldn't celebrate too much. Ivo's return game is pretty poor, and if he misses his serves he's toast. Rafa didn't have to engage in skillful, long rallies to win---a couple of untimely double faults by Ivo did the trick.

Thank you! That's why I think Rafa's a fool to be so thrilled about this win; barely made it through a guy with no ground strokes! :cover :nono :angel: :dodgy:

 

[herios]

I wouldn't celebrate too much. Ivo's return game is pretty poor, and if he misses his serves he's toast. Rafa didn't have to engage in skillful, long rallies to win---a couple of untimely double faults by Ivo did the trick.

Despite his experience and his serve record, Dr.Ivo is a nervous dude. It was really on his racquet. He broke Rafa at the very beginning, he should have never lost that first set.

 

[Carol]

Nobody is celebrating that win so much, we are waiting for better wins but to serve well and returning better than the previous months (and more to Ivo torpedos) I think it means something good

 

[Carol]

I wouldn't celebrate too much. Ivo's return game is pretty poor, and if he misses his serves he's toast. Rafa didn't have to engage in skillful, long rallies to win---a couple of untimely double faults by Ivo did the trick.

Despite his experience and his serve record, Dr.Ivo is a nervous dude. It was really on his racquet. He broke Rafa at the very beginning, he should have never lost that first set.

It would better to say that Ivo had the match on his serve but Rafa on his racquet

 

[Kieran]

Nobody is celebrating that win so much, we are waiting for better wins but to serve well and returning better than the previous months (and more to Ivo torpedos) I think it means something good

Exactly. It could have been a sticky match, especially after losing the second set and serving second in the third set, but Rafa was patient and he hit well today. Doesn't mean anything tomorrow, but it's a good win, and a boost for his morale...

 

[Fiero425]

Nobody is celebrating that win so much, we are waiting for better wins but to serve well and returning better than the previous months (and more to Ivo torpedos) I think it means something good

Exactly. It could have been a sticky match, especially after losing the second set and serving second in the third set, but Rafa was patient and he hit well today. Doesn't mean anything tomorrow, but it's a good win, and a boost for his morale...

Just keep telling yourself that! If this soothes Rafa and his fans; what a long fall they've taken! :cover :nono :clap :lolz:

 

[Kieran]

Nobody is celebrating that win so much, we are waiting for better wins but to serve well and returning better than the previous months (and more to Ivo torpedos) I think it means something good

Exactly. It could have been a sticky match, especially after losing the second set and serving second in the third set, but Rafa was patient and he hit well today. Doesn't mean anything tomorrow, but it's a good win, and a boost for his morale...

Just keep telling yourself that! If this soothes Rafa and his fans; what a long fall they've taken! :cover :nono :clap :lolz:

We take it one match at a time, brother, the same way players do. Last match Rafa played, he did well. Is he back? Plainly not, but aren't positive signs more positive than negative signs? :dodgy:

 

[nehmeth]

It could have been a sticky match, especially after losing the second set and serving second in the third set, but Rafa was patient and he hit well today.

Quick aside... when it got to playing a tiebreak, I always preferred to be the guy serving second. Rarely lost from there. Serving first? Not nearly as good. :nono

Anyone else like that?

 

[Front242]

Yeah makes sense 'cos even if the guy serving first goes up 1-0, just 2 aces, 2 good points or whatever and you're already up 2-1 and there's the scoreboard pressure right away.

 

[Fiero425]

It could have been a sticky match, especially after losing the second set and serving second in the third set, but Rafa was patient and he hit well today.

Quick aside... when it got to playing a tiebreak, I always preferred to be the guy serving second. Rarely lost from there. Serving first? Not nearly as good. :nono

Anyone else like that?

Back in my day, I preferred to serve 1st; esp. with the 9 point TB! Gave me chances to break back if I made a mistake early since I was an aggressive player that attacked the net! :angel:

 

[Kieran]

It could have been a sticky match, especially after losing the second set and serving second in the third set, but Rafa was patient and he hit well today.

Quick aside... when it got to playing a tiebreak, I always preferred to be the guy serving second. Rarely lost from there. Serving first? Not nearly as good. :nono

Anyone else like that?

It's an interesting one. If your opponent holds, you're suddenly under pressure, you could play a bad point and be 4-1 down. But I see where you're coming from, I think, because the guy serving first hasn't served since the 5-all game, and he only has a single point to serve with, whereas you're still in serve-mode, having served recently in the 6-5 game. Is that anything to do with it?

 

[nehmeth]

Exactly.

 

[Carol]

Three incredible returns in succession by Nadal

http://youtu.be/EVy0Z7vHDfk

 

[Front242]

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NS_QDQHpcmQ[/video]

 

[Fiero425]

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NS_QDQHpcmQ[/video]

I did it periodically "way back when" to break up the pattern of returning deep or "chip/charge" tactic! :angel: :dodgy:

 

[Riotbeard]

Rafa such an idiot! Jumping around like that; you'd think he hadn't won 14 majors! It's a 2nd round match and he's ecstatic I guess! Such an embarrassment! "GROW UP!" :cover

It looks better to jump all around after a win that to put an idiot face like Roger after a loss

Can we just all say that outside of giving your opponent the finger (or other directly rude acts), it's perfectly acceptable for a person who achieved something to celebrate and be happy about themselves! In this one case, Vamos Rafa! That being said, if a rafa fan ever mentions Novak shirt ripping again, I withdraw my solidarity.

 

[Fiero425]

Rafa such an idiot! Jumping around like that; you'd think he hadn't won 14 majors! It's a 2nd round match and he's ecstatic I guess! Such an embarrassment! "GROW UP!" :cover

It looks better to jump all around after a win that to put an idiot face like Roger after a loss

Can we just all say that outside of giving your opponent the finger (or other directly rude acts), it's perfectly acceptable for a person who achieved something to celebrate and be happy about themselves! In this one case, Vamos Rafa! That being said, if a rafa fan ever mentions Novak shirt ripping again, I withdraw my solidarity.

At least when it happened in the past, it was the championship match, not an early rounder! :cover :nono :angel:

 

[Kirijax]

Rafa such an idiot! Jumping around like that; you'd think he hadn't won 14 majors! It's a 2nd round match and he's ecstatic I guess! Such an embarrassment! "GROW UP!" :cover

It looks better to jump all around after a win that to put an idiot face like Roger after a loss

Can we just all say that outside of giving your opponent the finger (or other directly rude acts), it's perfectly acceptable for a person who achieved something to celebrate and be happy about themselves! In this one case, Vamos Rafa! That being said, if a rafa fan ever mentions Novak shirt ripping again, I withdraw my solidarity.

LOL Expressions of joy are always nice to see. I guess we all just think Rafa is above celebrating like that over a 2nd round opponent. But there are limits. It's always nice to see a player have some class and be gracious for the loser.