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

[atttomole]

He has to do whatever it takes to win today. Underarm serve the creature specially from the AD court where dull seems to do well on return.

SABR.

 

[Denis]

Not much love for Fed in the poll. Understandable. I don't care what Herios says, Fed is now really getting old. Couldn't beat Kevin Anderson last year, he certainly won't be able to beat Nadal.

I gave Fed two sets though, as its the better surface for him.

 

[Carol]

I agree with everything except the draw. On paper he may have appeared to have had tougher opponents (for him) and not necessarily tough for everyone else but Kyrgios didn't serve or play anywhere near his best and neither did Querrey. A lot was down to execution or lack of but also the slower conditions make it much easier to return. Federer played the guy with the 2nd best results on grass this year (Berrettini) along with Pouille and Nishikori. But, yes, of course with the way the tournament is going this year he has a much better chance than usual I agree.

Well, I think Kyrgios, Tsonga and Querrey are tough players for anyone but Rafa could handled it pretty well, but then we can say the same about Berretini, he played awful, he looked like it was the first time he was playing on grass and the two others the same

 

[DarthFed]

My question is why are they using heavier balls to begin with? I have not read the real reason why.

Because they feel grass should have never ending rallies. They are certainly fans of a certain style of play if not fans of certain players. The retards have helped shape history that's for sure.

 

[MikeOne]

No one says Wimbledon grass = clay but it's clear the extreme slowing of the grass has had a positive effect on some and a very negative effect on others. Obviously Roger is way way worse on clay than grass and opposite is true for Nadal. And if Wimbledon hadnt become the outlier of grass tournaments it's safe to say Roger would have done a lot better.

You mention the 2002 final which was slower since that was the first year they changed the surface. They apparently have not changed the surface since but they have clearly used heavier balls over time which the players have alluded to. Roger this year said even the USO plays faster than Wimbledon now.

USO has always played FAST... Sampras was able to reach finals of USO in 2000,2001,2002 yet didn't do as well at wimbledon, so we could argue USO was faster even back then. USO has always been fast... I don't think grass was faster, just had a different bounce.

there hasn't been any extreme slowing, it's BS and pushed by those who wan't to diminish Nadal's achievements.

so everyone claims grass slowed in 2002 yet who has been doing well on grass since 2002 with the exception of Nadal, Djokovic and federer? Roddick, Cilic, Philippouisis, Berdych, Tsonga, Kevin Anderson, ancic , Hewitt (defensive but fast court player with flat shots) etc.. many players who have performed poorly on clay, showing that outside of GOATS, players have a had a hard time adjusting to different speeds. Others like Kyrgios, Lopez, Mahut, Isner... do nothing on clay and all of sudden are dangerous on grass. Same thing for many players who have been demons on clay and suddenly disappear on grass...

Why has Rafa struggled at Wimbledon? after 2010, he struggled yet did well on clay... If grass has slowed done to the extreme you mention, why hasn't Rafa dominated grass, just like he dominated clay? Also, why has Rafa done better at USO than Wimbledon since 2008? Doesn't that show grass may be faster than USO courts? or would say Rafa likes faster courts? this would defeat your core argument..

what's batista gut doing here, so dangerous with those flat shots? he is a zero on clay...

It is grossly exaggerated.... the problem is that people ignore all the facts i provide above and just focus on Nadal's achievements. Basically, it doesn't matter if we have seen flat ball strikers and big servers do much better on grass than on slower surfaces for the last 10-15 years since surface changed, this is all discarded. All that matters is that Rafa won wimbledon and the only explanation has to be grass is almost like clay now.

 

[brokenshoelace]

I already hung up my keyboard as an Admin a while back. Return to Sender

Was that during one of my 2902929 hiatuses?

 

[isabelle]

Nice post. But you are exaggerating about Novak and this second place thing. He will have a tough SF against Bautista and could surely lose to Fed or Bull.
Don’t get me wrong, I strongly hope you are right!

Nole won't lose in final, he'll beat whoever wins the other semi

 

[Moxie]

Because they feel grass should have never ending rallies. They are certainly fans of a certain style of play if not fans of certain players. The retards have helped shape history that's for sure.

But don't the heavier balls keep it low-bouncing? If they used lighter balls, they would jump up more, which is what you're against, I thought.

 

[DarthFed]

But don't the heavier balls keep it low-bouncing? If they used lighter balls, they would jump up more, which is what you're against, I thought.

No, it is actually heavier balls that bounce higher.

 

[tenisplayrla08]

I don't think the RG match of just a few weeks ago is irrelevant. Also, I question that Roger has looking unblinking "great" across his matches. Dropped his first set of the tournament to Lloyd George, and one to Kei yesterday. (OK, Kei is Kei.) But the BH is looking vulnerable, which is not great v Nadal, and the serve is breakable.

Yeah. I don't disagree. I mean. I'm not worried about the loss of a set to Lloyd. I mean. He got broken. Lloyd is 6'5" and has won a lot of matches the last two years. And it was the first match. He was working out some first match nerves. Which is totally ok. Since then. Against not terrible competition, he's been mostly sublime. Pouille and Berrettini both like the grass. And we know Berrettini had a great year on it. Still. He didn't look good in that one and Pouille didn't look good in his loss. But. Fed gets a lot of the credit for that too.

But yeah. I agree that the backhand and serve haven't been great. And we know Nadal always breaks Fed easier than most. Hence why I was saying I do worry Fed can't take this one at 37. Because I chuck the dip in serve from time to time up to age. We just have to hope the backhand is firing with the bigger racket head. But I mentioned that Fed had to come back in Australia. And despite winning 3 best of 3 matches since then. It's been nearly 2 years since they've played. Or a year and a half. And we know beating Rafa in best of 5 is just not easy for Fed. He's only done it 3 times. And he probably should have lost the second one of those (2007 Wimbledon final). But it's not like he lost the 2008 final here in 3 or 4 sets. They battle everywhere but clay. And it has been 11 years since 2008. It's hard to factor that in as heavily now. Because they both play plenty different now. Fed comes in more. Nadal serves better and is more aggressive.

But they'll both go out and warm up for as long as they need to. Work on what they think the keys will be. They'll both probably have some redlining moments and both probably have some dips. Fed will probably be more nervous. But this will almost certainly be a 4 setter one way or the other and we could definitely see 5 sets. Naturally you gotta feel Rafa is the favorite to take a fifth set. But Fed may the favorite to do it in 4. Again. This thing is about as close to 50/50 as it gets. I hope I'm wrong. I hope Fed comes out and wins it in straights even if their close. But I struggle to believe that's gonna happen.

 

[Moxie]

No, it is actually heavier balls that bounce higher.

Not according to tennis.com. This is an interesting article about the balls at each of the Majors. But it says this about the Slazenger balls at Wimbledon: "A heavier ball doesn’t bounce as high and with lower air pressure requires more pop from the player to produce pace."

 

[monfed]

45 shot rally on a grass court. Let that sink in.

Time to abandon this sport.

 

[DarthFed]

Not according to tennis.com. This is an interesting article about the balls at each of the Majors. But it says this about the Slazenger balls at Wimbledon: "A heavier ball doesn’t bounce as high and with lower air pressure requires more pop from the player to produce pace."

Differs from what I've read. A heavier ball hit at the same speed will have more energy coming to the ground than a lighter one.

 

[monfed]

Does Wimbledon have any shame corrupting the grass like this? I can't believe how far this once great sport has fallen.

 

[DarthFed]

45 shot rally on a grass court. Let that sink in.

Time to abandon this sport.

Between that and the corrupt ATP, my interest in tennis is waning. Only gets worse if the gin and juice ruins Roger's career. I am awaiting the next time he gets a stomach ache a few weeks before a major and decides to skip it.

 

[Moxie]

Differs from what I've read. A heavier ball hit at the same speed will have more energy coming to the ground than a lighter one.

I still think it defies physics to think that a heavier object would bounce higher than a lighter one.

 

[monfed]

Between that and the corrupt ATP, my interest in tennis is waning. Only gets worse if the gin and juice ruins Roger's career. I am awaiting the next time he gets a stomach ache a few weeks before a major and decides to skip it.

It will be a really sad day when these two pushers cross Fed's tally. Can't believe I followed tennis for so many years with these two disgusting pushers eclipsing his total on fake courts.

 

[DarthFed]

I still think it defies physics to think that a heavier object would bounce higher than a lighter one.

Well it is physics which explains why it may bounce higher, more energy built up by gravity taking it to the ground (like a lot of things there doesn't seem to be a total consensus). Also the heavier the ball it stands to reason average pace of shots decrease.

 

[Nadalfan2013]

It will be a really sad day when these two pushers cross Fed's tally. Can't believe I followed tennis for so many years with these two disgusting pushers eclipsing his total on fake courts.

Lol at Nadal and Djokovic being pushers. They hit harder than anyone out there. Also I prefer Nadal's game over a servebot kind of game life Federer with quick aces and 2 strokes rallies. Djokovic's game I must admit is kinda boring and mechanical. But Rafa's strokes are so varied and unique, he's just a joy to watch. By far the most epic shotmaker in history.

 

[Denis]

Nadal has slightly better odds than Fed with the bookies. 4/6 against 6/5.