2020 Australian Open QF: Rafael Nadal vs. Dominic Thiem

[Moxie]

I think there's this fundamental misunderstanding about sports. Sportsmen aren't playstation characters that can optimise their levels at will. Particularly in a sport like tennis which is Mano a Mano. One player normally tends to win by finding a way to make the other uncomfortable. At the highest level if both players were able to play at their very best they would be flinging winners all over the place. But that rarely happens in the real world. One player is better able to elicit errors from the other. As for the rest of it, Rafa is older and smarter. Within the confines of his style and personality I'm sure Rafa didn't feel the need to red line it against weaker opposition. He would have been saving himself for precisely this sort of of match, and he wasn't able to do that.... because of Thiem

I really don't make this about factions and I hope you'll take this in the spirit it is intended, but it was pretty close, and Rafa has not been playing great this tournament, which has been noted. I'm not making an excuse for him, at all, but it wasn't ALL Thiem. Rafa played a great tournament last year and got blown out in the final. THAT was about match-up. This was a bit of mediocre Rafa all tournament, with a lot of very much improved Thiem. Rafa wasn't only missing shots he normally makes because of Thiem...he's been doing that all tournament. Look at @MargaretMcAleer's recap of the match above. Blown advantages from Nadal. Don't get me wrong: I like Thiem, and am happy for him. In fact, I'd say it's interesting how many fans Thiem tends to gain when he plays Rafa, compared to most of the year. (You can ask @mrzz, or read any number of threads. I always end up backing him against the grain.) It just wasn't "all Thiem."

 

[mrzz]

Two things to note: this was, by far, the best match Nadal played in the tournament, so I would not put too much stock in the fact that he did not look great before that. I wrongly assumed that he would not raise his level that much -- and thus would be rolled over by Thiem. He stepped seriously up and we got a match.

About the "blown leads", that was all Thiem. Just see the set point he saved in the first set. All credit to him. I've been saying this for more than a year: the kind of intensity this guy brings in the matches against Nadal is unique. It is today maybe my favorite match up.

 

[mrzz]

Two other things I wanted to add: I read Nadal's press conference and he gave full credit to Thiem, answered direct and honestly all questions, it was a "class act", as people like to say.

But something called my attention. He stressed that he likes Thiem's attitude on court and his work ethic (or something along those lines), saying that he believes that the converse is true as well. Before that he explained something by simply saying "he is younger". Putting all this together I got the honest impression that he is willing to admit/say/suggest/concede/whatever that Thiem is some sort of his successor. I really felt like that was some "passing of the torch" moment.

 

[Jelenafan]

Two other things I wanted to add: I read Nadal's press conference and he gave full credit to Thiem, answered direct and honestly all questions, it was a "class act", as people like to say.

But something called my attention. He stressed that he likes Thiem's attitude on court and his work ethic (or something along those lines), saying that he believes that the converse is true as well. Before that he explained something by simply saying "he is younger". Putting all this together I got the honest impression that he is willing to admit/say/suggest/concede/whatever that Thiem is some sort of his successor. I really felt like that was some "passing of the torch" moment.

Well Theim is a nose to the grindstone type of player, hard working, diligent and unassuming. Not as flashy as some of the NextGen but content to practice more and improve. There was this GQ magazine piece a few years back where he denied in training dragging a tree trunk around; it was hilarious because true or not, it fits his persona. Hmmmm...wonder why Nadal sees something in him he likes...

As to Nadal, he’s happyto play another day.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

I could not "hate watch" this one. I heard Ralph told the chair ump that just like Trump, he is above the laws and can serve whenever his majesty pleases so.

 

[tossip]

Bootilicious won..

 

[Bonaca]

Two other things I wanted to add: I read Nadal's press conference and he gave full credit to Thiem, answered direct and honestly all questions, it was a "class act", as people like to say.

But something called my attention. He stressed that he likes Thiem's attitude on court and his work ethic (or something along those lines), saying that he believes that the converse is true as well. Before that he explained something by simply saying "he is younger". Putting all this together I got the honest impression that he is willing to admit/say/suggest/concede/whatever that Thiem is some sort of his successor. I really felt like that was some "passing of the torch" moment.

I heard this interview also, my impression is a bit different.
He was polite to thiem and I think they both respect each other.
But between his standard lines I read that he is pissed about the opportunity’s he throw away in the first two sets. He Also said how bad he Played the TB’s.
I’m clearly with Moxie, it surly wasn’t all Thiem.

 

[Moxie]

Two things to note: this was, by far, the best match Nadal played in the tournament, so I would not put too much stock in the fact that he did not look great before that. I wrongly assumed that he would not raise his level that much -- and thus would be rolled over by Thiem. He stepped seriously up and we got a match.

About the "blown leads", that was all Thiem. Just see the set point he saved in the first set. All credit to him. I've been saying this for more than a year: the kind of intensity this guy brings in the matches against Nadal is unique. It is today maybe my favorite match up.

I still object to the notion of "All Thiem", esp. if you're going to talk about blown leads. It's not "all" anyone, in close matches, esp. of this calibre and these went to 3 TBs. I know you're a good analyst of tennis, and I think this is beneath you.

Two other things I wanted to add: I read Nadal's press conference and he gave full credit to Thiem, answered direct and honestly all questions, it was a "class act", as people like to say.

But something called my attention. He stressed that he likes Thiem's attitude on court and his work ethic (or something along those lines), saying that he believes that the converse is true as well. Before that he explained something by simply saying "he is younger". Putting all this together I got the honest impression that he is willing to admit/say/suggest/concede/whatever that Thiem is some sort of his successor. I really felt like that was some "passing of the torch" moment.

Nadal respects hard work, so I can get why he respects Thiem, not just on the court. Thiem also gets slagged (around here) for the same reason that Rafa does: hard work doesn't look sexy. What people (sometimes rather falsely) put up to pure talent is often just about another way of playing the game. Those that think this doesn't come with hard work are kidding themselves.

 

[Fiero425]

I heard this interview also, my impression is a bit different.
He was polite to thiem and I think they both respect each other.
But between his standard lines I read that he is pissed about the opportunity’s he throw away in the first two sets. He Also said how bad he Played the TB’s.
I’m clearly with Moxie, it surly wasn’t all Thiem.

But there was "enough" Thiem with the passing shots, the great defense, and of course the lucky net cords that fell over short at crucial times! This match has been replayed so many times, I can remember Rafa's anguish each time Dom got some kind of break! He's so accustomed to getting them instead of watching himself be victimized!

 

[Vince Evert]

foreign version of the match is available over on utube. We had a power disruption here in adelaide last night (about 10.20 pm) just after the third set, so did not see the fourth set and how it all unfolded. Rafa had many chances i understand but DID NOT CONVERT these.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Imagine what would happen with this draw at the FO? It’s possible. What would you predict ?

Same result that happens every year.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Do you really think he would win FO with this exactly draw????

Uh are you serious?

Thiem has only managed to take one set off him at RG and is 0-4 there. He barely beat him on hards, and it took an inspired performance and Nadal screwing up the first set. So if you'd concede Nadal would probably beat Thiem, who else is supposed to stop him from making the finals with this draw? Zverev?

 

[Andy22]

great win by thiem only he's masterpiece game can stop injured goat nadal from winning hope he beats Djokovic or Federer in the final.

 

[brokenshoelace]

I said it before the season started; just because Rafa has * only* one Major to tie and two to surpass, the pressure on him is greater than ever. Every Major he has to be thinking about it, and that load of expectations isn't going away.

I honestly don't think this had anything to do with this match. Maybe if it had been the final, but there's almost zero chance Rafa was thinking about the record in the QF of a major. Zero.

I think we think these guys think like fans. They don't. Especially not Nadal. He's too pragmatic and grounded for that. First of all, I think he's smart enough to understand that tying Roger's record now doesn't mean much with Novak potentially eclipsing them both. If it had been like the Federer-Sampras situation from 2009, I get it, since at the time, Roger had nobody breathing down his neck. But Nadal understands how quickly things can change. I don't know how many times he has to say he's not thinking about this before we actually believe him.

 

[brokenshoelace]

If you put together Thiem's results against the big three in the last, say, two full years, his tittles, major finals, big tournaments finals, there is no way around the fact that he is the major threat to the big three. It is just too many matches against those guys with a positive outcome.

And yet we have to hear about Nick Kyrgios' irrelevant ass.

 

[Front242]

great win by thiem only he's masterpiece game can stop injured goat nadal from winning hope he beats Djokovic or Federer in the final.

Wtf are you on about? Nadal is not injured ffs.

 

[Andy22]

Wtf are you on about? Nadal is not injured ffs.

he was a little injured from the atp cup and tried as well still great win by thiem if he was playing Federer he would win in straight sets under 2 hours lol.

 

[Ricardo]

And yet we have to hear about Nick Kyrgios' irrelevant ass.

Nick bashing even when the post is irrelevant, wtf? ok you cant show some respect, at least know that Nick is a trillion times more talented than your sorry behind the screen fat ass who can't even move. Like him or not, whenever he tries and faces someone good, he would deliver a good match win or lose...….which is what entertainment is about, and kind of what most tennis fans pay to see. meanwhile you just keep being bitter, talk crap and whinge about bs.

 

[Front242]

he was a little injured from the atp cup and tried as well still great win by thiem if he was playing Federer he would win in straight sets under 2 hours lol.

No he wasn't injured. Don't be any more stupid than usual.

 

[Federberg]

he was a little injured from the atp cup and tried as well still great win by thiem if he was playing Federer he would win in straight sets under 2 hours lol.

clearly you're just trolling. I feel sad for you that you get something from this type of nonsense