2019 Men’s Wimbledon SF: Roger Federer vs. Rafael Nadal

[britbox]

Crunch time for Fed in this next game. Has to hold.

 

[mrzz]

I do wonder why Federer fans are quiet regarding about the speed of the court today?

We are old as the maestro. We got tired.

 

[mrzz]

The strange thing is that Nadal, since the begining, is the one who is playing high risk tennis.

 

[DarthFed]

Rafa returning really poor this set. Hope he keeps that up

 

[britbox]

Big hold. Baby steps...

 

[tenisplayrla08]

So Fed gets as close at 2 holds away from a 12th Wimbledon final. You gotta feel like Rafa Nadal is gonna move heaven and earth to get the break back in the next 3 games. But he's gotta hold first. Fed definitely looking for that insurance break.

 

[mrzz]

Now that drop shot was a desperate shot

 

[GameSetAndMath]

What a pt

 

[britbox]

So Fed gets as close at 2 holds away from a 12th Wimbledon final. You gotta feel like Rafa Nadal is gonna move heaven and earth to get the break back in the next 3 games. But he's gotta hold first. Fed definitely looking for that insurance break.

A double break at this point is as good as a win.

 

[rafanoy1992]

I actually think it is better for Federer to save his energy on holding serve especially Nadal’s return of serve has been AWOL since the 3rd set.

 

[mrzz]

A double break at this point is as good as a win.

I prefer the win (but it did not came anyway)

 

[rafanoy1992]

If Nadal does not break here, then the match is over.

 

[atttomole]

All the talk about speed and bounce of the courts. It is still grass, and Fed is the better grass court player. That simple!

The play is still slow. As you can see, Federer can not easily shorten the points.

 

[britbox]

Squeaky bum time. As @tenisplayrla08 said... this is it. 2 holds.

 

[kskate2]

This match is over anyway. He isn't going to all of a sudden find a ROS that's been AWOL unless Fed donates some powder puffs

 

[britbox]

Phew. One hold to go. This Nadal service game is playing with house money for Roger.

 

[tenisplayrla08]

I do wonder why Federer fans are quiet regarding about the speed of the court today?

I don't know about everyone else. But it does feel like most of the talk about the slow grass from the first week has abated. I mentioned it once or twice. But I always accepted that grass is grass. It's certainly slower now than it was in the 90s. But even if it's the slowest it's ever been this year, it's still grass. It's still gonna be fairly low bouncing. It still takes a different game. At least slightly. Fed has done that better than Nadal today.

In this particular matchup, the grass gives Fed an advantage for sure. But even if you were to say it doesn't give him that much of an advantage, you at least have to say that simply the fact that it's not on clay removes that advantage for Nadal. And the match is always gonna be closer at that point. We've seen Rafa win a few matches over Fed at the AO on slower hard courts. But Fed still got one there eventually. But it's still always gonna be that Rafa has less of an advantage off of clay.

 

[britbox]

Good sportsmanship by Fed.

 

[tenisplayrla08]

Oh boy. Rafa with the serve and volley fail.

 

[britbox]

Strange time for S&V