AUSTRALIAN OPEN, Melbourne, ATP GRAND SLAM

[DarthFed]

Sad to see Roger fans dismissing Rafa of well

I never dismiss Rafa, I've been rooting for his demise at every tournament for about a decade.

 

[mrzz]

It is now or never, Mr Hyde.

 

[DarthFed]

This version of Nadal would be straight setted by Raonic. He made the right adjustments to his game but his overall level was far from spetacullar.

Not sure about that. Rafa is playing the best I've seen him in awhile but there are still bad patches here and there which will always be there for him from here on out. His serve has been a lot better than normal too. Raonic has a better serve and is mentally tougher than Zverev but not the all around game

 

[DarthFed]

Bad miss from Rafa and we are back on serve

 

[mrzz]

STOP MAKING STUPID UFES!

 

[DarthFed]

He's doing his best to break himself here

 

[DarthFed]

Another pathetic point at net. He's gone all out basketcase here

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Goodness me I I had tickets to night session I would not be a Happy Camper,this match should have been a night match

 

[Vince Evert]

Oh no Alexander's cramps are affecting him badly. But what a battle that seventh game with Nadal winning it.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Okay Rafa lets serve this match out with No Drama and go into the 2nd week Vamos!

 

[britbox]

Based on that, Nadal might win this whole thing.

 

[Vince Evert]

Dear me. Nadal wins 6-2 in the fifth. The young german after leading two sets to one was not quite up to it mentally to put an ageing champion away and then in the fifth was affected by cramps - How sad.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Well done Rafa,I thought it might take 5 sets onwards Rafa,congrats to younger Misha with the great Hair,I am a fan take the positives out of this match and build on this year.

 

[mrzz]

Not sure about that. Rafa is playing the best I've seen him in awhile but there are still bad patches here and there which will always be there for him from here on out. His serve has been a lot better than normal too. Raonic has a better serve and is mentally tougher than Zverev but not the all around game

Yes, he has a better all around game but, at least judging from this match, he makes so much UFE´s, bad decisions and have mind blanks that he spends sometimes half a set without putting this game on court. Raonic is way more effective.

Anyway, Zverev lost the match basically because he panicked with the cramps after the 37 shots rally that he won in the fifth game of the decider. Two games later he could run again. I think he would have folded anyway, but who knows, he won the third set tie break firing one crazy shot after another...

 

[Vince Evert]

Yeah well done to your man. Nadal's experience and physical state is what got him through. Nadal was playing great tennis in the 4th and 5th and probably would have won it without Zverev's getting cramped.

 

[brokenshoelace]

YESSSSSS!!

 

[DarthFed]

I think he has a bright future but it's not a given because right now he's shown a propensity to choke hard. Maybe he figures it out...maybe he doesn't

 

[DarthFed]

Based on that, Nadal might win this whole thing.

Now that the cat's away (Djokovic) the mouse suddenly can play. The freefall of Djoker might rejuvenate Nad's career sadly.

 

[Vince Evert]

He'll learn. Young Alexander has the potential to be the best player in the world. Just a shame he did not venture forward into the net and volley more during the match.

 

[brokenshoelace]

I think he has a bright future but it's not a given because right now he's shown a propensity to choke hard. Maybe he figures it out...maybe he doesn't

I agree with this. It's important not to get overzealous when we see this promising youngsters. Mats Wilander said after the match that he has "no doubt" Zverev is a future major winner and a world number 1. I really feel that with the exception of some really obvious examples that would have needed a major career meltdown not to be great (and we know who they were), you can never make that statement.

I really like Zverev's game. He's got massive potential. But I can see multiple scenarios where he wouldn't fulfill said potential and these are pretty common scenarios. Two easily come to mind: He either never puts it together mentally to find the consistency on a point-to-point, match-to-match basis (although I think you guys have been a tad harsh on him for this match, he's still really young and it's not like it was a major meltdown), or, perhaps just as likely, that he never finds the consistency on his forehand side. I'm usually a bit wary when someone's better wing is their backhand side, because if you never get it together on your forehand side, you really might not win a major in today's game. Even someone as good as Murray has been held back for years because of his forehand (and it's not even a bad shot), and he's won majors when he's hit that shot well. Conversely, if your backhand is your weaker shot, you can still find ways around it.