Australian Open Final: Rafael Nadal (9) v Roger Federer (17)

[MargaretMcAleer]

Nadal was mentally off for awhile but he clearly has not forgot to play and I think Moya has helped him to remember

I think Rafa winning these two five set matches at the AO has helped him mentally and has given him the confidence.A coach can only advise off court,it is up to the player to find the answers on court.Rafa to me has always been a 'confidence player'.I was impressed how he save those set points in the 2nd set against Milos in the q/final,thats the Rafa of old.

 

[Cosmo]

There will be no room for Nadal in Roger's head, because I am going to be in there telling him that he can DO IT!
Seriously, I probably won't even be able to watch; I'll be cleaning my house or something, despite the hour. Although I salute the wonderfulness of the men's and women's finals being all players 30+ - who would have predicted that last February? - I don't know if I can watch a match that has the possibility of devolving into one where Nadal just hits into Roger's back hand over, and over, and over........and over, etc.
I still have my voodoo doll; have to go dust it off.

Here's to #18!

 

[Carol]

I think Rafa winning these two five set matches at the AO has helped him mentally and has given him the confidence.A coach can only advise off court,it is up to the player to find the answers on court.Rafa to me has always been a 'confidence player'.I was impressed how he save those set points in the 2nd set against Milos in the q/final,thats the Rafa of old.

I understand what you say about the coach but after to see Rafa for two year riding a mentally roller coaster (besides his back injury, appendix surgery and wrist injury) and therefore with a lack of confidence I think it was a good idea to add something new to his team and more being a good friend of him but this time with a new ideas starting with the diet and excercises (I've read about it) plus some psichologic work too

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I understand what you say about the coach but after to see Rafa for two year riding a mentally roller coaster (besides his back injury, appendix surgery and wrist injury) and therefore with a lack of confidence I think it was a good idea to add something new to his team and more being a good friend of him but this time with a new ideas starting with the diet and excercises (I've read about it) plus some psichologic work too

I am happy that he has brought Moya to his team,he has always been a mentor to Rafa growing up.Rafa respects him,as a player that is one of the most important things respecting and having the confidence in your coach.

 

[Moxie]

I am happy that he has brought Moya to his team,he has always been a mentor to Rafa growing up.Rafa respects him,as a player that is one of the most important things respecting and having the confidence in your coach.

I think it's terrific. Rafa needed a new voice in his ear. Commentators were saying that in practice it's Charlie who runs it, not Uncle Toni, which never used to the the case if Roig and Toni were both around, so Toni's really letting him have a big role. Good for Moyá, too, I have to think, as he's got 3 kids, and now he can spend more time in Mallorca.

 

[britbox]

On a sidenote... lots of Twitter ramblings on how this match has an impact on the GOAT debate.

How much impact?

 

[teddytennisfan]

On a sidenote... lots of Twitter ramblings on how this match has an impact on the GOAT debate.

How much impact?

FIRST OF ALL

THANK YOU BRITBOX for providing the nice chatbox - is that what it's called?

was fun ''yesterday - last night, whenever "

AO TIME always screws up the body clock -- lol.

 

[britbox]

FIRST OF ALL

THANK YOU BRITBOX for providing the nice chatbox - is that what it's called?

was fun ''yesterday - last night, whenever "

AO TIME always screws up the body clock -- lol.

Now you know how we feel down under for the USO

 

[Moxie]

Now you know how we feel down under for the USO

Margaret reminded us of the same. Fair enough. So much of the tennis calendar is at some reasonable hour for us, and probably a nightmare for you lot down there.

 

[teddytennisfan]

On a sidenote... lots of Twitter ramblings on how this match has an impact on the GOAT debate.

How much impact?

i think about as much ''impact" as 14 to 17
roger is ahead in count.
if roger goes 18 -- about as much impact as 17-13

the head to head ALWAYS casts a shadow

when it was roger 11 and rafa still behind in count -- the head to head STILL cast a shadow.

THAT'S the impact - that the head to head casts a shadow NO MATTER what roger does.

NADAL IS ALWAYS THERE peeping over the roger numbers in majors.
nadal has become the CHESHIRE CAT that appears anywhere, FLOATING or trolling anything roger does... -- in ALICE IN WONDERLAND...

it's like a fly in rogers soup..
that bean under 17 mattresses under the princess
he can't get rid of it ....

winning his 18th over nadal stretches the ''lead" to 4 for nadal to catch up - which will likely NEVER happen .but a 15th by nadal that shortens that gap to 3 for nadal to still win and reach 17 ...
increases that OTHER heavy shadow - the head to head -- which roger has even LESS hope of every correcting between their records respectively .

in pure grand slam numbers -- Roger is unquestionably the most successful.
and if that is the adjective needed for ''GOAT" - then he is the GOAT and likely always will be .
but the closer NADAL closes that gap - to 15 if he does that on sunday - just increases the case for nadal as ''''GOAT" -- if not by pure GS numbers -- then ''unofficially'' or ''arguably" because of that head-to-head.

it would be like TWO GOATS -- in which the lower-number ranked one OWNS the ''official by the gs numbers" one.

but that's anybody's argument - it's up to them. i put mine that way.

 

[teddytennisfan]

Now you know how we feel down under for the USO

i WON'T even try to imagine. lol

last night, yesterday whenever -- MARGARET quipped she had to go to get some rest up for the womens finals but now coulnd't sleep .

omg!!! i hope you're all getting some shut-eye!!

 

[teddytennisfan]

Margaret reminded us of the same. Fair enough. So much of the tennis calendar is at some reasonable hour for us, and probably a nightmare for you lot down there.

it also DOES throw us out of alignment HERE in NYC -- moxie.

but hey -- worth the bleary-eyed MISERY. RIGHT? hehe.

 

[teddytennisfan]

i can barely wait for both finals -- garrrrhhhhhhh...lol

 

[Moxie]

On a sidenote... lots of Twitter ramblings on how this match has an impact on the GOAT debate.

How much impact?

Shall we go there? Oh, why not. It's inevitable. As to comparative legacy, a win would mean more for Rafa...pass Pete, get to just two behind Roger. Double career slam. For Roger, he'd look that much more untouchable, but 17 is looking pretty unreachable atm. As a side not to your side note: I wonder who the various Djokovic fans are rooting for? They have great ambitions for their champion. Better to keep Rafa within touching distance, or Roger?

 

[Moxie]

it also DOES throw us out of alignment HERE in NYC -- moxie.

but hey -- worth the bleary-eyed MISERY. RIGHT? hehe.

Yes.

i can barely wait for both finals -- garrrrhhhhhhh...lol

And yes! I've barely slept. I'm so excited I'm levitating. This is more than a Nadal fan dared to dream recently. Should be enough, but now it doesn't feel like it. Wavering wildly between confidence and dread. :lulz2::hunting:

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

this is like the film "one million years bc"..two dinosaurs like t rex and triceratops go into battle.

 

[Moxie]

i think about as much ''impact" as 14 to 17
roger is ahead in count.
if roger goes 18 -- about as much impact as 17-13

the head to head ALWAYS casts a shadow

when it was roger 11 and rafa still behind in count -- the head to head STILL cast a shadow.

THAT'S the impact - that the head to head casts a shadow NO MATTER what roger does.

NADAL IS ALWAYS THERE peeping over the roger numbers in majors.
nadal has become the CHESHIRE CAT that appears anywhere, FLOATING or trolling anything roger does... -- in ALICE IN WONDERLAND...

it's like a fly in rogers soup..
that bean under 17 mattresses under the princess
he can't get rid of it ....

winning his 18th over nadal stretches the ''lead" to 4 for nadal to catch up - which will likely NEVER happen .but a 15th by nadal that shortens that gap to 3 for nadal to still win and reach 17 ...
increases that OTHER heavy shadow - the head to head -- which roger has even LESS hope of every correcting between their records respectively .

in pure grand slam numbers -- Roger is unquestionably the most successful.
and if that is the adjective needed for ''GOAT" - then he is the GOAT and likely always will be .
but the closer NADAL closes that gap - to 15 if he does that on sunday - just increases the case for nadal as ''''GOAT" -- if not by pure GS numbers -- then ''unofficially'' or ''arguably" because of that head-to-head.

it would be like TWO GOATS -- in which the lower-number ranked one OWNS the ''official by the gs numbers" one.

but that's anybody's argument - it's up to them. i put mine that way.

Great post. I like the Princess and the Pea and Cheshire cat references. It's a good point you make, although a sore point with Fed fans. The H2H. Like it or not, Roger and Rafa will forever be intertwined by their famous rivalry. Even though this is late-career, it would tighten up the argument between them were Nadal to win it. But if Roger wins, does it make that entwined conversation less relevant? I dunno.

 

[Moxie]

this is like the film "one million years bc"..two dinosaurs like t rex and triceratops go into battle.

T Rex and Triceratops walk into a bar...Triceratops says, "What are you having?" T Rex pulls at his shorts and gives him a long glance.

 

[Carol]

Shall we go there? Oh, why not. It's inevitable. As to comparative legacy, a win would mean more for Rafa...pass Pete, get to just two behind Roger. Double career slam. For Roger, he'd look that much more untouchable, but 17 is looking pretty unreachable atm. As a side not to your side note: I wonder who the various Djokovic fans are rooting for? They have great ambitions for their champion. Better to keep Rafa within touching distance, or Roger?

Rafa is in the crossfire, the Roger's fans don't want that he could reach his numbers (3 more until today) and the Novak's fans wants that he reachs the Rafa's numbers (2 more at the present) but too far from Roger's so both player's fans are rooting for anyone but not Nadal ptttffff :hunting:

 

[mrzz]

I wonder who the various Djokovic fans are rooting for?

On court hart attack by Federer followed by psichologicaly induced one by Nadal. ATP decides to split the title post mortem and they stop finally at 17,5 and 14,5.