2022 Australian Open Men’s Final: Rafael Nadal vs. Daniil Medvedev

[Vince Evert]

 

[Kieran]

OK, I will take remedial reading comprehension, and review the above.

What I will say, though, is that bratty tennis players are not doing themselves any favors, complaining to/abusing the umpires because, for what looks like to all the world, they are losing. At least you can say that Serena had been hard done by in the past at the USO, (the Capriati match that gave us hawkeye, and it was egregious,) and the Henin, was it? hand ball at RG? IW.) She does have some things to complain about, over the years, but these whiny bastards do not. Play your game, play well, suck it up, and when you earn the crowd's respect, you might just get it. I'm sorry that Medvedev feels that the child in him has died. But he has to consider his part. Did the crowd lose him that match, or win it for Nadal? That takes it too far, IMO. Daniil had plenty of chances, even as Nadal did, too, that they missed. It became a knife fight, and Medvedev brought a rusty mental blade, and Nadal brought a mental shiv. If Medvedev is really ambitious, and I think he is, once he's licked his wounds, he'll learn something from this.

When Daniil won a set he would make the pleading gesture to the crowd, waving his arms in the air to invite them to support him. I hope he’s not going to be needy, like Djokovic. He’d get a lot more support from fans if he ignored them, and let them appreciate the match their own way. Personally, I’m not drawn to players who try draw attention to themselves. I’m drawn to tennis, and admire the one’s who get on with it, and I think most fans are the same…

 

[the AntiPusher]

I don't think that we were talking about the match where Serena threatened a lineswoman, but the one where she called Carlos Ramos a "thief." Which is much the same as Shapo calling the ump "corrupt," or Medvedev shouting at the ump about Tsitsipas. It's all abuse of an umpire, and Serena got fined $90K, according to Kskate, (and we know she got assessed a point penalty,) and Medvedev got fined $12K, while receiving no point penalty on court. The article provided by @Vince Evert above makes some important points. One is that if you fine millionaires after the fact the equivalent of a parking ticket, you won't make a change. Assess penalties in the moment, when it hurts them in the game. Another point here is to ask why Serena has been punished, severely, in the moment, when the men haven't? (I'm sorry, but that is a VERY good question.) IMO, men are seen as allowed to "blow of steam" in a way that is considered "unseemly" for women, and is therefore punished more harshly on women, and allowed to pass more than it should, on men.

I agree with the human element in having an umpire there to pass judgement, and you can't always make a perfect coherent evaluation of the rules, in the moment. But in terms of the ITP (which governs the Majors) handing out fines, I don't see how there could be such a disparate ruling on Serena and Meddie. And I'm not even sure what has been given to Shapo, in terms of sanction. But what is the difference between calling an umpire "a thief", and calling another one "corrupt? Someone explain that. And, if you look at it more closely, Carlos Ramos (the ump) docked Serena a point, which is why she called him a thief. All Shapo was complaining about was Bernardes not calling Rafa on slow play, and, as @tented has pointed out, the difference in shot clock between them was 2 seconds, across the match. Who was more hard done by, in their match? Shapovalov was just pissed off because he was losing.

Shapo will not be winning a GS anytime soon.

 

[Front242]

I’m stunned. I’m knackered as well. Kudos to Medvedev but he has a bit to learn. He wondered what Novak would do, when down two sets to Felix - who looks like a fast coming thing. Really Daniil found today the hard way what Rafa can do, and has been doing for a lot longer than Novak…

Novak would have left for a big numero dos and brought his bag of tricks with him. Love to know what's in those drinks his team hand to him that no one tests that they willingly just let him grab from them and sup away. It ain't Red Bull (have a feeling it was blue crap in the bottles) but it sure gives him wings. 2 sets down and lost look on your face? No problem! Try new super blue shit!

 

[Kieran]

Novak would have left for a big numero dos and brought his bag of tricks with him. Love to know what's in those drinks his team hand to him that no one tests that they willingly just let him grab from them and sup away. It ain't Red Bull (have a feeling it was blue crap in the bottles) but it sure gives him wings. 2 sets down and lost look on your face? No problem! Try new super blue shit!

Leaving the court with his bag is definitely something that shouldn’t be allowed…

 

[Vince Evert]

Nadal's 21 Greatest Hits

 

[Vince Evert]

Spanish News reaction to Nadal's record breaking win.

 

[Vince Evert]

Found this. What a wonderful moment to see as i don't recall it being shown here in AU. Channel 9 finished their coverage with a group of talking heads in the studio including Todd Woodbridge, Jim Courier, Lleyton Hewitt, and some crossing to images of Nadal riding his bike about 2 am E.S.T.

 

[Vince Evert]

Spanish commentator goes Psycho.

 

[Kieran]

Rafa’s recovery at 5-5 in the fifth, after choking away his serve for the match at 30-0, was a classic example of his mental fortitude and presence of mind under the most extreme pressure. When Daniil broke back, most players would have crumbled, but Rafa set his jaw firm and raised his level. It’s among the greatest moments in all his great moments, and it gave us Rafa fans the most satisfying coda to the great match. Had he served out painlessly to love at 5-4, as he had in the previous two sets, it might have been a bit of an anti climax, in retrospect.

He was like, can ya handle even more drama?!

 

[Vince Evert]

More Nadal on Spanish news for ya.

Now is the nation of Spain celebrating Nadal's victory as Australia is with Ash Barty's win, I wonder? The folks in spain have been doing it tough with the virus so let's hope the record breaking win by Nadal will bring them such jubilation and joy ! Bless them !
Do we have any members here from that part of the world?

 

[Vince Evert]

 

[Vince Evert]

Here's another one for Nadal diehards. Good to find a report with english subtitles, noh ?

 

[Vince Evert]

More Nadal fans reacts to his record-breaking win one week ago, bless them

 

[Fiero425]

When Daniil won a set he would make the pleading gesture to the crowd, waving his arms in the air to invite them to support him. I hope he’s not going to be needy, like Djokovic. He’d get a lot more support from fans if he ignored them and let them appreciate the match their own way. Personally, I’m not drawn to players who try draw attention to themselves. I’m drawn to tennis, and admire the ones who get on with it! I think most fans are the same…

Needy? That's so easy to say when Fedal already get all the "props" and adulation they want around the world without asking! Novak's accomplished the exact same achievements if not more with a Nole-Slam, a double CGS, 7 times YE #1, etc., etc., etc.!

 

[Kieran]

Needy? That's so easy to say when Fedal already get all the "props" and adulation they want around the world without asking! Novak's accomplished the exact same achievements if not more with a Nole-Slam, a double CGS, 7 times YE #1, etc., etc., etc.!

He’s still a bit needy, bro

 

[tented]

He’s still a bit needy, bro

Saying Djokovic is a bit needy is like saying Napoleon was a bit ambitious.

 

[Fiero425]

Saying Djokovic is a bit needy is like saying Napoleon was a bit ambitious.

And of course, Djokovic is the only tennis player in the history of the game to feel underappreciated and looking for "love!" Idiotic!

 

[Kieran]

And of course, Djokovic is the only tennis player in the history of the game to feel underappreciated and looking for "love!" Idiotic!

He is different from other goats, though, isn’t he? I mean, can you think of any great player - and by great I mean, serial grand slam winner, alpha-male dominator of the sport - who needed so much to be loved? In fact, it’s one of the reasons why we think he’d never have won Australia this year if the judge let him in, because the hostility of the crowd would have slaughtered him.

So the greats I’m thinking of are Laver, Borg, Sampras, Federer, Nadal: can you imagine any of these letting the crowd’s indifference, or loud preference for their opponent, get in the way of the W?

And by the way, this attribute of Novaks isn’t a bad thing! We’re kidding about him here, but it’s not a human vice. He’s a great entertainer and tennis fans do love him, but this kind of thing doesn’t really bother other greats…

 

[Jelenafan]

And of course, Djokovic is the only tennis player in the history of the game to feel underappreciated and looking for "love!" Idiotic!

Maybe it’s me, but I don’t think Ivan Lendl gave two F**’s if the crowd loved him. Ditto Jimmy Connors or Johnny Mac.

Listen , Novak’s chip on his shoulder and insecurities make him more appealing to me. It’s never “enough” for him and that breakdown when the USO crowd was openly rooting for him when it was obvious he wasn’t going to beat Medvedev was telling. Novak wants all the records and also wants the adulation. It’s a Sisyphean task, it’s not going to happen. At least not while he’s dominating. Novak lacks that veneer of “humility” that Federer and Rafa appear to have and crowds eat up, is it unfair? Of course it is, IMO they are as driven and probably as egocentric/selfish as he is, but it translates more openly with him. Call it the Sally Field “ You like me, you really like” syndrome.

Life is unfair despite what my first grade teacher told me.

At the ‘21 USO They were cheering Novak precisely because he was LOSING, does Novak really want fans’ love that way? Hell no, finally make his peace at being the villain and keep on winning should be his motto.