2019 Australian Open Quarterfinals: Nadal vs. Tiafoe

[brokenshoelace]

She shouldn't be anyone's GOAT as that title can't be awarded to someone abusing the system.

LMAO.

 

[Andy22]

The age thing is, not helping nadal too his been out of his prime for 5 years now. federer age is just a way out for federer fans, even if nadal had triple more Injuries than federer wow so federer fan boys will always take the easy way out and say its he's age. Federer would not lost djokovic or nadal in his prime oh wait he did a lot.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Ralph has faced exactly one seeded opponent (D-Minor) on the way to Semifinals.

 

[Moxie]

Ralph has faced exactly one seeded opponent (D-Minor) on the way to Semifinals.

I'm not sure what point you're trying to make with this. Most reasonable people around here said that Rafa had a good draw, and the other seeds in his draw got dumped out. (Dimitrov and Schwartzman.) I don't see how he had any control over that. It's not going to make much difference, as he'll likely face Djokovic in the final, so that won't be a walk in the park. The benefit might be that he could be fresher, and he does have the benefit of the first SF, in the stupid AO tradition of scheduling the men's SFs on different days.

 

[imjimmy]

Haven't been the least bit impressed by Nadal all tournament. I get that the level of opposition hasn't been great, but he'll have to really step up just about every aspect of his game for the semis. The backhand is as pedestrian as I've seen it in a long time.

Thank you for stating this. I don't think Nadal is playing all that well either. For one, I don't understand the hype about his new serve. Why is his team constantly preaching about this "new serve". What is new in this? Statistically it is worse than he was serving in 2013, not even considering 2010 Fall, which was the best serving performance of his career. Even looking at the stats, his serve speed is between 110-115 mph where it usually is. This is certainly far removed from the 120 mph+ avg first serve speed (with fastest serves close to 135 mph) in 2010. Visually as well his serve does not seem to be dramatically better where as the perception seems to be that there is a massive change. He is asked this question in every single interview and Moya has done a great job talking about it to the press. Hell, Novak's serve last year was a bigger evolution IMO.

Also I don't think Nadal's backhand is anywhere as good as it was in 2017 and in part of 2018. In Wimbledon for instance, he hit his backhand far more aggressively. He seems to be content with spinning and looping his backhand DTL to get depth, which is a problem against top players. He isn't flattening out his DTL backhand as much as he does when he is confident. Also the movement, while good, is not as explosive as it used to be. Overall, not close to the best of Rafa from even the past couple of years.

 

[Denis]

Wow 4 in a row, stop the presses. Roger from 2015 Wimbledon - 2017 Wimbledon made the semis of every major he played (6) which is one more than Nadal's career best run of 5

Who cares about semis, it's about winning the title.

This post is garbage. I mean that's a pretty impressive feat, considering you're responding to A-P, whose posts itself in this thread (and in general) are barf inducing. Sorry man, you know I like you but:

A) Nadal had ankle surgery last fall.

B) Nadal "not having the offensive skills" being a narrative in 2019 is a fucking joke. That talking point has sailed a long time ago.

C) Nadal's offensive skills this tournament are not some improvement or anything. In fact, he's played a bit below par and has played much better offensive tennis in the past.

D) The implications that Nadal is on PEDs by a Roger Federer fan are hilarious .Of all the things Fed fans lack any sort of awareness about, their PEDs accusations always take the cake. I will state this again: Your favorite athlete takes banned substances. Not you Front. A general "you." Cristiano Ronaldo? Messi? Mayweather? Serena? Nadal? Federer? Djokovic? Tom Brady? They've all done it, as they should. I don't understand how naive you have to be to think that with all the advancement in science, that athletes with so much on the line aren't looking to take advantage. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying they're injecting themselves with steroids like pro wrestlers, but they are taking banned substances, or substances that will go on to be banned in the future (all the more reason why current drug testing rules are a joke).

Why is it that all of a sudden guys are able to play at a insanely high level in EVERY sport at an age where athletes used to be washed up or retired all of a sudden? Advanced training and nutrition? Like you said, modern medicine, eh?

Tom Brady, Lebron, Roger Federer, Serena, Cristiano Ronaldo, Zlatan... At their respective ages, no athletes in history performed at this high a level.

So you're telling me Nadal is a potential abuser but the most successful tennis player in history, who still moved like a fucking gazelle late into his 30's and plays for 4+ hours without breaking a sweat is all natural eh? Yeah, makes sense. Also, didn't Roger take 6 months off in 2016 and returned in 2017 magically moving, hitting and playing better than ever?

Have to agree with this. Money + extreme competition=cheating. They likely all do it. Better to accept it and find out ways to improve the system. If any of the big 3 get caught, I think they will find a way to make it go away.

 

[Carol]

This post is garbage. I mean that's a pretty impressive feat, considering you're responding to A-P, whose posts itself in this thread (and in general) are barf inducing. Sorry man, you know I like you but:

A) Nadal had ankle surgery last fall.

B) Nadal "not having the offensive skills" being a narrative in 2019 is a fucking joke. That talking point has sailed a long time ago.

C) Nadal's offensive skills this tournament are not some improvement or anything. In fact, he's played a bit below par and has played much better offensive tennis in the past.

D) The implications that Nadal is on PEDs by a Roger Federer fan are hilarious .Of all the things Fed fans lack any sort of awareness about, their PEDs accusations always take the cake. I will state this again: Your favorite athlete takes banned substances. Not you Front. A general "you." Cristiano Ronaldo? Messi? Mayweather? Serena? Nadal? Federer? Djokovic? Tom Brady? They've all done it, as they should. I don't understand how naive you have to be to think that with all the advancement in science, that athletes with so much on the line aren't looking to take advantage. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying they're injecting themselves with steroids like pro wrestlers, but they are taking banned substances, or substances that will go on to be banned in the future (all the more reason why current drug testing rules are a joke).

Why is it that all of a sudden guys are able to play at a insanely high level in EVERY sport at an age where athletes used to be washed up or retired all of a sudden? Advanced training and nutrition? Like you said, modern medicine, eh?

Tom Brady, Lebron, Roger Federer, Serena, Cristiano Ronaldo, Zlatan... At their respective ages, no athletes in history performed at this high a level.


So you're telling me Nadal is a potential abuser but the most successful tennis player in history, who still moved like a fucking gazelle late into his 30's and plays for 4+ hours without breaking a sweat is all natural eh? Yeah, makes sense. Also, didn't Roger take 6 months off in 2016 and returned in 2017 magically moving, hitting and playing better than ever?

Wow, for the first time I have to give you a "like", you couldn't say it better, the problem is that they never learn :spank2:

 

[Carol]

As more Rafa plays better as more some of the Federer's fans are getting more and more offensive and provocateurs, they are pathetic

 

[Carol]

Ralph has faced exactly one seeded opponent (D-Minor) on the way to Semifinals.

Don't look the "seed" but how every player is playing and obviously the ones which are advancing are the ones which are playing better, it happens in every tournament, or you are going to tell me that Federer had more difficult draw? really?.

 

[Andy22]

Federer fans are starting to get desperate because they know if nadal was to win the AO19, he would be basically on 19 slams because of the RG this year. That would make nadal goat and if he does not the Win the AO nadal still gets to 18 with the French open title which also get him closer to goat.

 

[atttomole]

Federer fans are starting to get desperate because they know if nadal was to win the AO19, he would be basically on 19 slams because of the RG this year. That would make nadal goat and if he does not the Win the AO nadal still gets to 18 with the French open title which also get him closer to goat.

What makes you think that Federer can't win more slams?

 

[atttomole]

Federer fans are starting to get desperate because they know if nadal was to win the AO19, he would be basically on 19 slams because of the RG this year. That would make nadal goat and if he does not the Win the AO nadal still gets to 18 with the French open title which also get him closer to goat.

Are you a double or something?

 

[Nadalfan2013]

What makes you think that Federer can't win more slams?

Well for starters, his fans. Even they say he can’t.

 

[Andy22]

What makes you think that Federer can't win more slams?

Because federer not at djokovic or nadal level at any of the four slams so he would have to get really luckily and have both them lose to win one and even then federer might lose one of the other players. LoL even he's fans know he will lose at every slam

 

[Horsa]

As more Rafa plays better as more some of the Federer's fans are getting more and more offensive and provocateurs, they are pathetic

I wouldn't exactly say so. The Fed troll hasn't graced us with his presence yet so we're saved from that.

 

[atttomole]

Because federer not at djokovic or nadal level at any of the four slams so he would have to get really luckily and have both them lose to win one and even then federer might lose one of the other players. LoL even he's fans know he will lose at every slam

You can't be sure of that. The last time they met, Roger beat Nadal at the AO and beat him another three times. Are you sure that Nadal can win a slam by going through both Djokovic and Federer? I think Djokovic can go through Nadal and Federer to win a slam.

I am guessing you are certain that Nadal would have beaten Federer if they were to meet at this AO.

 

[DarthFed]

Roger could always get his head out of his ass and do well at Wimbledon for a change. Winning just 2 of the last 9 is disgraceful.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Because he hasn't good enough offensive skills to win matches quickly against anyone half good and allows himself to get run ragged by the likes of Thiem and Cilic and then has to stop playing for a few months. His choice entirely.

His offensive skills are working well this tournament as he's been putting in the work in the off season but, equally so, he hasn't played anyone good yet so it's not a true indication of where his game is at.

Ironically and none of the Nadal camp have even copped it, he pulled out of the AO 2013 with a sore tummy and claimed he hadn't enough time to practice but 6 years later he doesn't give a shit about no practice. Modern medicine, eh ?

It almost impossible to live with the hypocishy. Hate binds Front and Darth.. Although Darth knows better but will remain dormant while Front lives in a world of bias comments that lack merrit or is full of contradictions based on some "trumped" hypothesis. GSM I thought was more clever than Front but unfortunately it means that he is less honest..( reference the GOP weak kneed support of Trump)..

 

[the AntiPusher]

Thank you for stating this. I don't think Nadal is playing all that well either. For one, I don't understand the hype about his new serve. Why is his team constantly preaching about this "new serve". What is new in this? Statistically it is worse than he was serving in 2013, not even considering 2010 Fall, which was the best serving performance of his career. Even looking at the stats, his serve speed is between 110-115 mph where it usually is. This is certainly far removed from the 120 mph+ avg first serve speed (with fastest serves close to 135 mph) in 2010. Visually as well his serve does not seem to be dramatically better where as the perception seems to be that there is a massive change. He is asked this question in every single interview and Moya has done a great job talking about it to the press. Hell, Novak's serve last year was a bigger evolution IMO.

Also I don't think Nadal's backhand is anywhere as good as it was in 2017 and in part of 2018. In Wimbledon for instance, he hit his backhand far more aggressively. He seems to be content with spinning and looping his backhand DTL to get depth, which is a problem against top players. He isn't flattening out his DTL backhand as much as he does when he is confident. Also the movement, while good, is not as explosive as it used to be. Overall, not close to the best of Rafa from even the past couple of years.

I totally disagree with everything you posted..I don't have time to give you a total rebuttal but Rafa's net game has improved, his is placing his flat serves with better placement and accuracy..Rafa has been hitting the CC bh more consistently than pre 2017. Moya has instructed Rafa to dialing into his dtl fh earlier in the points which is going to save precious mileage on his knees and body..Rafa is playing with a faster pace as he addresses his serve and if the roof stays open he will capture this title over Tsitsipas and Novak..IMO ..if that damn roof was open at Wimbledon we may be looking at Rafa's 20th title than #18. 2018 Rafa was a better all around tennis player than 2010 or 2013. IMO

 

[rafanoy1992]

Thank you for stating this. I don't think Nadal is playing all that well either. For one, I don't understand the hype about his new serve. Why is his team constantly preaching about this "new serve". What is new in this? Statistically it is worse than he was serving in 2013, not even considering 2010 Fall, which was the best serving performance of his career. Even looking at the stats, his serve speed is between 110-115 mph where it usually is. This is certainly far removed from the 120 mph+ avg first serve speed (with fastest serves close to 135 mph) in 2010. Visually as well his serve does not seem to be dramatically better where as the perception seems to be that there is a massive change. He is asked this question in every single interview and Moya has done a great job talking about it to the press. Hell, Novak's serve last year was a bigger evolution IMO.

Also I don't think Nadal's backhand is anywhere as good as it was in 2017 and in part of 2018. In Wimbledon for instance, he hit his backhand far more aggressively. He seems to be content with spinning and looping his backhand DTL to get depth, which is a problem against top players. He isn't flattening out his DTL backhand as much as he does when he is confident. Also the movement, while good, is not as explosive as it used to be. Overall, not close to the best of Rafa from even the past couple of years.

While I understand he does not look as explosive or his backhand is not as crisp in the last couple of years, he still in the semifinals without losing a set AND without spending a lot of energy. At this point of Nadal's career, he needs to be as fresh as possible so he can actually play and finished his matches. I would understand if he was 5 to 8 years younger, he needs to better but he is 32 years old with a lot mileage on his body. At this point, it is all about managing the energy.