Australian Open Final 2018: Federer v Cilic

[GameSetAndMath]

Here is analysis of the final by Craig'O Shannessy.

Basically, he says the key was dominating the points that were won in under 4 shots and making sure that most of the points were short ones.

 

[Moxie]

Best use of that emoticon ever. Nice job!

 

[mrzz]

It's all good Moxie. Let the bitterness out. God knows I've been bitter all too many times due to your boy.

This era will be remembered for having 3 of the greatest ever including arguably the 2 greatest of all time. Djokovic certainly is a part of the discussion even if he is truly done. Ultimately while the Fedal rivalry will be a big part of it people will dissect their careers and records and currently Nadal is very far behind. I hope Rog still sees him as a threat in that regard because I still do though chances are thankfully getting less and less.

Wait, wait, wait... I just got back home, saw the final while was away and could post a bit, and now I am reading the posts calmly... maybe someone else replied first, but...

WHAT A FUCK IS THIS? Am I really reading DarthFed saying something nice about Nadal? What is this "arguably the 2 greatest of all time" shit? @britbox , someone is hacking on the accounts! Delete this fucking impostor! The real Darth would write something like "Suffer, Moxie, that asshole that you love is dead and buried. I will piss in his grave.".

 

[the AntiPusher]

My money is on OKC with their fantastic Big 3 crushing your boy Jimmy Butler in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. Can't wait.

I agree ..
That will be a serious series but Russell is the premier alpha dog and will take over that series.. Cali who you got Russell vs Fed on basketball court surface.. Roger in 4 sets

 

[DarthFed]

Wait, wait, wait... I just got back home, saw the final while was away and could post a bit, and now I am reading the posts calmly... maybe someone else replied first, but...

WHAT A FUCK IS THIS? Am I really reading DarthFed saying something nice about Nadal? What is this "arguably the 2 greatest of all time" shit? @britbox , someone is hacking on the accounts! Delete this fucking impostor! The real Darth would write something like "Suffer, Moxie, that asshole that you love is dead and buried. I will piss in his grave.".

You would've loved that time I lost a bet at RG 2013 and had to have a Nadal profile pic for a week

 

[Moxie]

Wait, wait, wait... I just got back home, saw the final while was away and could post a bit, and now I am reading the posts calmly... maybe someone else replied first, but...

WHAT A FUCK IS THIS? Am I really reading DarthFed saying something nice about Nadal? What is this "arguably the 2 greatest of all time" shit? @britbox , someone is hacking on the accounts! Delete this fucking impostor! The real Darth would write something like "Suffer, Moxie, that asshole that you love is dead and buried. I will piss in his grave.".

This is Darth's soft side. His only empathy for the Nadal fan is in our being wretched about loss. And, as I said on another thread, when we suffer a big loss due to upset or injury, he absents himself. He's rude and crude about Rafa, but he respects the pain of a fellow fan and doesn't rub it in. Darth is a mensch.

 

[Moxie]

You would've loved that time I lost a bet at RG 2013 and had to have a Nadal profile pic for a week

OMG, I forgot about that! Hilarious, and excellent. (Did you lose that bet to Kieran?)

 

[DarthFed]

Lost it to Dido. He was a great poster, wish he was around still

 

[DarthFed]

This is Darth's soft side. His only empathy for the Nadal fan is in our being wretched about loss. And, as I said on another thread, when we suffer a big loss due to upset or injury, he absents himself. He's rude and crude about Rafa, but he respects the pain of a fellow fan and doesn't rub it in. Darth is a mensch.

Aww jeez, you're getting all soft on me!

 

[Moxie]

Lost it to Dido. He was a great poster, wish he was around still

Yeah, I remember him. Did you bet Djokovic would win that SF?

 

[mrzz]

You would've loved that time I lost a bet at RG 2013 and had to have a Nadal profile pic for a week

Ha! You probably lived of a diet of alive little kittens on that week. There is no soft side on this man, @Moxie -- and that is precisely what I like about him!

 

[DarthFed]

I agree ..
That will be a serious series but Russell is the premier alpha dog and will take over that series.. Cali who you got Russell vs Fed on basketball court surface.. Roger in 4 sets

Don't humor him, he thinks OKC will beat the Dubs too.

 

[Moxie]

Aww jeez, you're getting all soft on me!

It won't last.

 

[DarthFed]

Yeah, I remember him. Did you bet Djokovic would win that SF?

He kind of forced it on me. It was more like a bet that I wouldn't go through with it if Nadal won and I assured him I could handle having a picture of Nadal biting a trophy.

 

[Moxie]

Ha! You probably lived of a diet of alive little kittens on that week. There is no soft side on this man, @Moxie -- and that is precisely what I like about him!

He has one weak spot, and I've pegged it.

 

[DarthFed]

He has one weak spot, and I've pegged it.

What weak spot is this? My aptitude for brilliant logic??

 

[Moxie]

What weak spot is this? My aptitude for brilliant logic??

That is a strength, darling, and one you'd do well to foster. :hunting:

 

[DarthFed]

Ha! You probably lived of a diet of alive little kittens on that week. There is no soft side on this man, @Moxie -- and that is precisely what I like about him!

I try to block that week out of my memory.

 

[Moxie]

I try to block that week out of my memory.

Sweet of you to remind the rest of us of it, though.

 

[Shivashish Sarkar]

Roger demonstrated again how cool he is. He seemed to be really on the ropes at the end of the 4th set but come 5th set he was back on his game. I think about that BH cross court winner he hit on the game point in the first game. Absolutely exquisite. In the final, his game was finally good. Good volleys, rallies and some unbelievable shots. Roger played his own game. Shortened his rallies. And he pulled it off in the end.

He defends a slam at the age of 36.5. After going slamless in 2013-2016, it's amazing he won slams(s) in 2017-2018. It shows strategic and tactical work done by him and his team. He can play shorter rallies, flat shots and great volleys. Thanks to Edberg and Ljubicic. And Roger's a genius.

20 slams. Competition is getting better and I think it's going to be difficult for Rafa to win 4 more slams. You have to think, it has to be 3/4 more FO titles. The hard court field is too strong now for Rafa. I think Roger's won this battle (I hope so) and deservedly so. He is the better player on two of the three surfaces by a huge margin. He reinvents himself time and again, to deal with the competition through years.
What a legend!
That's why he really deserves to be called the GOAT in the hall of fame.