ATP World Tour Finals 2017, London, UK

[I.Haychew]

Third time serving for a set. He's 0 for 2 so far. Can he do it?

 

[Moxie]

Goffin had the game to beat Nadal today, but not really the cojones. I don't want to get a hard time for this, but I think if Nadal's knee were better, he'd have won it on mentality and experience. I think Carreño Busta will be warming up his racquet though, unfortunately.

 

[Fiero425]

Goffin had the game to beat Nadal today, but not really the cojones. I don't want to get a hard time for this, but I think if Nadal's knee were better, he'd have won it on mentality and experience. I think Carreño Busta will be warming up his racquet though, unfortunately.

Rafa had to practically give it to Goffin! He's just not one of those players that will threaten the elites; nothing offensive enough!

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Goffin is the most harmless top tennis player. If he can beat Rafa (and that too with his Goffin's own knee issues), I think Rafa just does not have a future in this year's edition of WTF.

But, I doubt Rafa would quit. He will play on as he does not have to save himself for anything at present and he has two month to rest and recuperate before AO.

 

[Busted]

Little David Goffin beat Nadal? I sure as heck didn't see that coming. Only question now is - how much longer before Nadal pulls out with a bum knee? Wait...did I say that out loud...

 

[Moxie]

I'm sure Rafa would hate to quit, but he knows his knees at this point. If it's not viable and needs rest, he'll save it for the AO.

 

[Moxie]

Little David Goffin beat Nadal? I sure as heck didn't see that coming. Only question now is - how much longer before Nadal pulls out with a bum knee? Wait...did I say that out loud...

Actually, Annacone was saying that Goffin's best chance was on this surface, even yesterday. And Goffin was making the most of it, until his nerves got him. He really should have had him in straights, bad knee or no. Rafa was playing way too tentatively, and the first set wasn't about Nadal's knee.

 

[Moxie]

For what it's worth, the TC commentators were also debating the notion of rotating surfaces for the YEC, and they were in favor of it, including grass as one of the options. They said it would go to the southern hemisphere sometimes, for that reason, and that would be a good thing, too.

 

[Busted]

Goffin had the game to beat Nadal today, but not really the cojones. I don't want to get a hard time for this, but I think if Nadal's knee were better, he'd have won it on mentality and experience. I think Carreño Busta will be warming up his racquet though, unfortunately.

Uh...surely you're not saying Nadal will pull out of the tourney now that there's a real possibility that he'll have to play Federer in SF? That's assuming he beats both Dimitrov and Thiem...which seemed like a forgone conclusion until he lost to Goffin...and even makes it to the SF. Personally I'll find it hilarious if after being crowned YE #1 he doesn't even make it out of his group. If he doesn't...he should probably just skip all future WTF events cuz he's snakebit...

 

[El Dude]

I could see Rafa losing to both Dimitrov and Thiem, or losing to one and then withdrawing.

 

[Busted]

I'm sure Rafa would hate to quit, but he knows his knees at this point. If it's not viable and needs rest, he'll save it for the AO.

GMAB, please. Just the other day he said he was fine and ready to play. Now his knees are an issue? Isn't this like the US Open when Roger's fans kept saying his back was obviously still jacked up - which he admitted he wasn't 100% - and all the non-Fed fans were saying he was making excuses for not playing well and ultimately losing to DelPo? Whatever. If he's dropping out and Roger doesn't make the semis or finals? Let's just say that the ATP had better hope the SF/F are both already sold out and are non-refundable...

 

[Moxie]

Uh...surely you're not saying Nadal will pull out of the tourney now that there's a real possibility that he'll have to play Federer in SF? That's assuming he beats both Dimitrov and Thiem...which seemed like a forgone conclusion until he lost to Goffin...and even makes it to the SF. Personally I'll find it hilarious if after being crowned YE #1 he doesn't even make it out of his group. If he doesn't...he should probably just skip all future WTF events cuz he's snakebit...

Of course I'm not saying that. You like to think he fears Roger. He doesn't shy away from an opponent, and neither does Roger. It's really about the knee, which was in doubt before he came in. I know you love to sneer at Nadal, but we both know he's not "snakebit" at the YEC. It's not a surface that favors him, and he's sometimes been roughed up physically by the end of the year. He hasn't even played several of the ones he's qualified for.

 

[Moxie]

Rafa has withdrawn.

 

[Fiero425]

For what it's worth, the TC commentators were also debating the notion of rotating surfaces for the YEC, and they were in favor of it, including grass as one of the options. They said it would go to the southern hemisphere sometimes, for that reason, and that would be a good thing, too.

I miss those days when the Masters YEC moved around the globe! The Masters of '74 was the first tourney I can remember seeing with Vilas overcoming Ilie Nastase in the event's final being played in Australia on Kooyong grass! Nastase was the better player, but Vilas was "in the zone" and really thumping the ball! Nastase couldn't put his shots away; the ball was coming at him so quickly with so much spin! I didn't enjoy the following year with Nastase coming back to beat Borg in the final on a very fast indoor surface! It wasn't long until it was ensconced in New York's MSG; an end of an era! It'll never go back to those extremes! The event might move, but commitments of multiple years will have to be forthcoming; you know how it is! o_O

 

[GameSetAndMath]

That's assuming a lot. I think if Roger wins tomorrow in straights he already qualifies and that would make the match vs Cilic interesting because he could choose to treat it as a glorified practice session if he wanted to. I also don't think he can take Zverev lightly though no reason he shouldn't take care of the youngling. Since Roger plays the day before Rafa he can relax with the last match if he already qualified because I think Rafa will react to what Fed does; ie if Fed is the 2 seed then Rafa may want to lose the third match on purpose so he won't face Roger in the semis. If Roger is 1 seed then Rafa will have to go all out to be the 1 seed in his group.

You misinterpreted my remark. I meant second place in Becker group.

 

[Fiero425]

Rafa has withdrawn.

I'm shocked! :whistle: :sleep:

 

[Busted]

I could see Rafa losing to both Dimitrov and Thiem, or losing to one and then withdrawing.

If he loses another match doesn't it look bad for him to pull out of the event and not play the 3rd match? Who's going to believe that it's really because he's injured and not because he knows he can no longer win the tournament? Cuz I sure as heck will razz him if does that...

 

[Moxie]

You misinterpreted my remark. I meant second place in Becker group.

And speaking of assuming too much, @DarthFed, on the previous page, uncharacteristically assumed that Rafa would win his match today.

 

[Moxie]

If he loses another match doesn't it look bad for him to pull out of the event and not play the 3rd match? Who's going to believe that it's really because he's injured and not because he knows he can no longer win the tournament? Cuz I sure as heck will razz him if does that...

Let's not kid ourselves, you'll probably razz him for pulling out this round. Have fun!

 

[Busted]

Rafa has withdrawn.

ROTFLMAO. Gee...he said he was fine the other day. Another Murray - he should have withdrawn before they made up the draw. So once again Roger gets stuck with a sucky draw because an injured player didn't pull out of the tourney before it started. As I just said in a previous post - if Roger doesn't make it out of his group, then the ATP had better hope tickets for the weekend are already sold and non-refundable...