ATP 500, Basel, Switzerland

[britbox]

Taking out Cilic here is a good win for Rafa. I can't see Gasquet troubling Rafa... so it's upto Federer to put Sock in the laundry and we have a Fedal match at long last.

 

[Billie]

Taking out Cilic here is a good win for Rafa. I can’t see Gasquet troubling Rafa… so it’s upto Federer to put Sock in the laundry and we have a Fedal match at long last.

LOL what a way of saying it.

While I like Richie and Sock, I hope we see the Fedal match.  It's been a while.

 

[isabelle]

I'll support Richie all the way

 

[britbox]

Gasquet will probably find some way to squirm out of winning the second set.

 

[britbox]

W for Nadal, but he's still getting tight in the clutch.  One sock away from a Fedal final.

 

[shawnbm]

Roger cruised through and he can assess where he stands against a resilient Rafael--the Spanish Bull is hitting big shots at key moments again and fighting through matches.  He's getting Ws and Roger must know he will have to play well with no lulls to win.

 

[Moxie]

Roger cruised through and he can assess where he stands against a resilient Rafael–the Spanish Bull is hitting big shots at key moments again and fighting through matches. He’s getting Ws and Roger must know he will have to play well with no lulls to win.

Hola, Shawn...good to see you around!  Rafa still has work to do, but it should be Roger with the pressure in this final.  It would be a little bit disastrous to lose to this Nadal on this surface, and at home.  He needs to get it done quickly.  If he has a lull as he did in the 2nd set v. Kohlscreiber and it goes 3, Rafa's chances go up considerably.  By the same token, Nadal knows he can't start as poorly as he has in every match this week.  And while the expectations aren't high on him to win tomorrow, and he can feel happy about the improvements, in general, he's a competitor, and he'll want to win this match.  As a fan, I'm cautiously optimistic about Rafa's chances, given the match-up problems for Roger.  However, most signs do point to Fed winning his...8th, would it be?, title in Basel.  Let's see if they can produce some of their old magic.  ¡Vamos!

 

[Billie]

I’ll support Richie all the way

He did well, broke Nadal in each set at the start, I just think the nerves got to him towards the end of each set.  That's all it takes sometimes.

 

[Billie]

I hope my guests tomorrow won't arrive before they finish with tennis in Basel.  I am hoping for an entertaining final.

 

[Moxie]

isabelle wrote:
I’ll support Richie all the way

He did well, broke Nadal in each set at the start, I just think the nerves got to him towards the end of each set. That’s all it takes sometimes.

Frankly, he didn't do that well.  He tried hard and came up short in two sets, where he led in each.  He's played Nadal 14 times and barely won some 4 or 5 sets.  He had a weakened Rafa, his best chance ever, and couldn't close on either set.  That's bad, actually.  Gasquet is a very solid 10-30 player, which is perfectly respectable.  But he's a big folder on top players.  He doesn't have either the heart or the game to close a match against an elite level player, and Rafa proved, once again, he will take it, thank you very much.

 

[britbox]

There will be dedicated thread for the Basel final:

http://discuss.tennis/forums/topic/the-fedal-basel-final-federer-v-nadal/

and Live Chat will be running during the match - with comments being merged into the finals thread afterward.

 

[Moxie]

I'm up for a live chat.  I hope others will join in.  See you in the morning, folks!