AUSTRALIAN OPEN, Melbourne, ATP GRAND SLAM

[DarthFed]

What a shock! Went to bed at 4-2 in the 3rd thinking it was over. Isfomin was playing great but this disaster confirms what we already knew for Novak, he is well on his way down like Roger and Rafa were at his current age.

 

[brokenshoelace]

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!?!?!

 

[britbox]

Rafa and Baggy out on Laver... room for any more giant killing today?

 

[brokenshoelace]

I've actually seen Istomin play quite a few times and he always struck me as very talented. In some ways his game isn't that dissimilar to Novak (minus the huge talent disparity, obviously), in the way he moves, defends, and stretches around the court. He can take the ball early as well and has a really solid backhand. I remember him playing Nadal a few times and on at least a couple of occasions, the matches were highly competitive. He's a really good indication of how difficult it is to be consistent at the highest level, because he's definitely too talented to be ranked outside the top 100.

 

[DarthFed]

^ One can certainly hope! I have more hopes that Zverev will make this a Rafa-free zone.

 

[britbox]

^ One can certainly hope! I have more hopes that Zverev will make this a Rafa-free zone.

Zverev should really have beaten Nadal at Indian Wells last year... Missed a sitter of a volley on match point.

 

[DarthFed]

Yep I remember that one. He has the tools to dismantle this broken down Rafa and make a serious breakthrough.

 

[brokenshoelace]

On second look Rafa's draw is tougher than I thought. For some reason I thought he'd have a decent path to the QF but I wasn't aware Zverev was in his section. That changes things. I can't see Rafa navigating that match smoothly, even if he does win.

 

[britbox]

Nadal's in the zone here... could be a long (or should we call it a short) night for Marco.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Nadal's backhand is shaky. Forehand looks good when it comes to finishing points. That serve really worries me though. Baghy is returning quite well, and all around playing well, despite the score. Has 2 BP to get one of the breaks back. He's had a break point on every Rafa service game so far.

 

[britbox]

Nadal seal the first set... Seems to be a bit of a lull in the tempo of the match.

 

[britbox]

Baghdatis apparently complaining the the ump that he can hear Uncle Toni before he serves.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Nadal's backhand way too shaky.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Baghy falling apart completely.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Wow, that's new. Baghdatis complaining to the umpire about how slow the conditions are on the court compared to the outside courts. I'm not sure umpires have the ability to quicken the courts.

 

[brokenshoelace]

As a result of Marcos falling apart, Nadal has been able to relax and he's hitting the ball really well.

 

[britbox]

Loving that inside out forehand... Guys were just talking on Eurosport about the number of body serves Nadal is putting down being a direct output of the new Moya relationship.

 

[brokenshoelace]

This is pretty brutal hitting by Rafa. I worry that it's only due to Baghdatis not having much for him, and that he'd revert to being passive against Zverev, but at the moment he's looking great.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Loving that inside out forehand... Guys were just talking on Eurosport about the number of body serves Nadal is putting down being a direct output of the new Moya relationship.

I've noticed that. I'd like to see him go with the slider out wide a little more though. That's probably one of my biggest issues with Nadal throughout his career. He never fully developed that serve to its maximum capacity.

 

[britbox]

I've noticed that. I'd like to see him go with the slider out wide a little more though. That's probably one of my biggest issues with Nadal throughout his career. He never fully developed that serve to its maximum capacity.

He still goes after the wide slider on the ad court when he really needs a point though... break point etc... right on the serve though... and yet at the USO (think it was 2013) it looked like he'd added a new weapon to the arsenal.