2017 RG Semifinals: Nadal vs. Thiem

[rafanoy1992]

Who wins the match?

This will be their 4th consecutive meeting on Clay this season. Nadal leads the H2H 4-2 (all on Clay!) but Thiem did beat Nadal the last time they met (2017 Rome).

Also, both players have not lost a single set yet.

 

[mightyjeditribble]

Will be rooting for Thiem, but find it hard to see him winning this in a best-of-five. I was very impressed with how he held it together against Djokovic, but the version of Novak he played here can't be compared with the challenge of beating Nadal at Roland Garros. He has only lost two two players ever here, and has reached the SF without dropping a set for the first time since 2012, and with the smallest loss of games he has ever had (at any GS).

So probably it will be Nadal in three or four. But I'll go with Nadal in five in the poll, in the hopes that the match will live up to its billing.

 

[rafanoy1992]

Another factor: Nadal is fresh and he looks ready for Thiem this time around.

 

[isabelle]

Will be rooting for Thiem, but find it hard to see him winning this in a best-of-five. I was very impressed with how he held it together against Djokovic, but the version of Novak he played here can't be compared with the challenge of beating Nadal at Roland Garros. He has only lost two two players ever here, and has reached the SF without dropping a set for the first time since 2012, and with the smallest loss of games he has ever had (at any GS).

So probably it will be Nadal in three or four. But I'll go with Nadal in five in the poll, in the hopes that the match will live up to its billing.

you're right, Nole was the shadow of himself, Nadal won't eat a bagel in RG fore sure. i'm going with Nadal in 3, don't think young Dom can find the key

 

[Denis]

Nadal in four sets, but I'll be pulling for Thiem.

 

[mightyjeditribble]

you're right, Nole was the shadow of himself, Nadal won't eat a bagel in RG fore sure. i'm going with Nadal in 3, don't think young Dom can find the key

Last time Nadal received a bagel on clay was 10 years ago:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/6674381.stm

Actually, given that Nadal is renowned for fighting for every point, I am somewhat surprised how many bagels he has received (off clay). According to this post he has received the most bagels out of the big 4:


Updated with Djokovic's bagel from today:

Nadal - 14 bagels
Murray - 13 bagels
Djokovic - 10 bagels
Federer - 4 bagels

Now, Nadal obviously has played more matches than Murray, who therefore has been bageled more per match. Total match numbers may be slightly inaccurate, but we get the following picture:

Murray - 13 bagels out of 827 played - 1.57%
Nadal - 14 bagels out of 1022 played - 1.37%
Djokovic - 10 bagels out of 937 played - 1.07%
Federer - 4 bagels out of 1345 played - 0.3%

Federer is the most surprising one. Apart from the 2008 RG final, he hasn't been bageled since 1999. (Assuming the data I have is accurate.)

Sorry for going off-topic!

 

[Carol]

Well, of all those players unfortunately Nadal has had more injuries, more time out of the court and therefore bad patches and lack of confidence but fortunately for many of us and unfortunately for you he always has found the way to recovery his game and improved.
Next........

 

[mightyjeditribble]

Well, of all those players unfortunately Nadal has had more injuries, more time out of the court and therefore bad patches and lack of confidence but fortunately for many of us and unfortunately for you he always has found the way to recovery his game and improved.
Next........

Why? I think it's good for tennis when Nadal plays at his best. I've never rooted for him to lose (rather than his opponent to win). I just found it interesting, and I found it interesting because it isn't what I would have expected.

It's true that Nadal has had more injuries. Another aspect may be that he is much more dominant on one surface than the others, but in turn much less dominant off it (notwithstanding his spells of total dominance across all surfaces).

 

[atttomole]

Nadal should win this in 4 sets.

 

[kskate2]

Last time Nadal received a bagel on clay was 10 years ago:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/6674381.stm

Actually, given that Nadal is renowned for fighting for every point, I am somewhat surprised how many bagels he has received (off clay). According to this post he has received the most bagels out of the big 4:


Updated with Djokovic's bagel from today:

Nadal - 14 bagels
Murray - 13 bagels
Djokovic - 10 bagels
Federer - 4 bagels

Now, Nadal obviously has played more matches than Murray, who therefore has been bageled more per match. Total match numbers may be slightly inaccurate, but we get the following picture:

Murray - 13 bagels out of 827 played - 1.57%
Nadal - 14 bagels out of 1022 played - 1.37%
Djokovic - 10 bagels out of 937 played - 1.07%
Federer - 4 bagels out of 1345 played - 0.3%

Federer is the most surprising one. Apart from the 2008 RG final, he hasn't been bageled since 1999. (Assuming the data I have is accurate.)

Sorry for going off-topic!

I think that stat shows that even the greats can be off for a day, a set or an hours. So what would be even more compelling is to compare how many bagels they've served up.

 

[mightyjeditribble]

I think that stat shows that even the greats can be off for a day, a set or an hours. So what would be even more compelling is to compare how many bagels they've served up.

Someone online must have compiled this information, surely, but I'm having troube finding it with a quick search.

 

[Puppet Master]

Thiem can make it competitive for sure. The question is, will he?
It will be interesting to see if Nadal can "tame" Dominic's game. Rafa can't afford to take him lightly, look how it panned out for Novak...
He absolutely needs to prevent Dominic from unleashing those bombs from the baseline. He can't exactly rely on attacking his backhand that much, he needs to send sharp DTL attacks and keep the Austrian guessing with the serve.

 

[AnonymousFan]

Someone online must have compiled this information, surely, but I'm having troube finding it with a quick search.

Nice. I wonder how many breadsticks have been served too.

 

[crystalfire]

rooting for thiem but rafa should be in finals. would be interesting to see stan and rafa again

 

[Denis]

rooting for thiem but rafa should be in finals. would be interesting to see stan and rafa again

That's going to be a massacre imo. Seen too many of those on the dirt. I think only Thiem could have a slim chance, perhaps Kei if he finds his inner Madrid 2014 levels.

 

[El Dude]

I'll start a new thread on bagels and breadsticks, but I think Novak 9 now, not 10.

 

[golds girl]

Casted for Nadal in 5...and that's a nervous vote.
I see Thiem going bonkers in the first 2 and winning those and Nadal grinding him down in sets 3-5.
They've both had good rest so fatigue shouldn't be a factor.

 

[mightyjeditribble]

I'll start a new thread on bagels and breadsticks, but I think Novak 9 now, not 10.

OK - I just used the information from the tweet above, didn't fact check it.

Sent from my Moto G (5) using Tapatalk

 

[crystalfire]

That's going to be a massacre imo. Seen too many of those on the dirt. I think only Thiem could have a slim chance, perhaps Kei if he finds his inner Madrid 2014 levels.

nah i dont think it'd be a massacre if stan plays anywhere to what hes been playing in slam finals it'll be competitive. hes got the power to out hit rafa even on clay imo. and he's beaten rafa in a slam final and won RG so there shouldnt be any nerves or anything holding him back. i would rather watch this final than rafa beat down murray

 

[El Dude]

Thiem has a chance, but Rafa is the favorite. Rafa in 4.