AUSTRALIAN OPEN, Melbourne, ATP GRAND SLAM

[brokenshoelace]

I actually think Gael's talent on the whole is a tad overrated. However his physical gifts are insane and he uses them the wrong way. The biggest disappointment is that he can have a massive game, yet he hasn't built it to be as such. You can see in this match how uncomfortable he is playing aggressive, and when he does, it's either an insane winner or a unforced error, and it's somewhat of a 50/50. He hasn't structured it in a way that would allow him to dominate rallies and play with controlled aggression.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Then of course there's the excessive showmanship, complete lack of tennis IQ, weak mentality, etc...

 

[mrzz]

I don't think this gives Monfils enough credit. I really do think he has tried to be more measured and less of a showman over the last 10 months or so...and he's gotten results from it. I think he's at his highest ranking. It just won't last at this level, I don't think.

Moxie, we don´t need to give credit to people all the time. He is overall playing better than ever, his ranking shows that, period. But any rational person would label his game, right now, as "mature"? No. He is less "immature" on average? Probably, but still immature nonetheless.

Credit to Nadal to making it look effortless. A lot of guys on tour can´t.

 

[britbox]

Pains me to say it but I'm not seeing any self-doubt in Nadal in this tournament. Different from the last two years where he looked vulnerable mentally.

 

[Moxie]

Moxie, we don´t need to give credit to people all the time. He is overall playing better than ever, his ranking shows that, period. But any rational person would label his game, right now, as "mature"? No. He is less "immature" on average? Probably, but still immature nonetheless.

Credit to Nadal to making it look effortless. A lot of guys on tour can´t.

Monfils is much better than he has been, but he's still not good enough to mask his weaknesses against Nadal.

 

[mrzz]

I actually think Gael's talent on the whole is a tad overrated. However his physical gifts are insane and he uses them the wrong way. The biggest disappointment is that he can have a massive game, yet he hasn't built it to be as such. You can see in this match how uncomfortable he is playing aggressive, and when he does, it's either an insane winner or a unforced error, and it's somewhat of a 50/50. He hasn't structured it in a way that would allow him to dominate rallies and play with controlled aggression.

I think it is massively overrated. I do not think he has above average talent. He has much above average physical strength, and above average stamina (I am not sure if this is right word, I mean he has better resistance). If he had above average talent, he would be #1 in the world.

 

[Moxie]

Pains me to say it but I'm not seeing any self-doubt in Nadal in this tournament. Different from the last two years where he looked vulnerable mentally.

That's the biggest improvement that I see in him now. He's healthy, and the confidence is growing by the round. Serve is working, but some of the timing is still off, which is age and not being set, I guess.

 

[britbox]

I think it is massively overrated. I do not think he has above average talent. He has much above average physical strength, and above average stamina (I am not sure if this is right word, I mean he has better resistance). If he had above average talent, he would be #1 in the world.

Replace talent with physical tools.

 

[mrzz]

He should challenge that last forehand. It was about 20 meters out.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Wow, suddenly 2 break points for Monfils and Nadal is in trouble. An unforced error and a bad double fault.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Terrible game by Nadal puts Monfils on the brink of winning this set, somehow.

 

[mrzz]

As much as root against Nadal I cannot help but think that Monfils wining a set, let alone the match, is some kind of heresy.

 

[brokenshoelace]

2016 Rafa sighting.on that miss.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Haha a 224 km/h serve out of the blue... Gael is weird. And somehow he's won this set. I seriously have no idea how.

 

[mrzz]

Did he really pointed to his head? Did I really see this?

 

[brokenshoelace]

Nadal really needs to step on the throat early this set and put this to bed.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Rafa really better hope that backhand miss doesn't come back to bite him... wouldn't be the first costly easy backhand put away miss at the AO in his career.

 

[britbox]

That reminded me of the fourth between Fed and Nish... No way Nish should have won that set... Anyway, it makes it *marginally* more interesting... like the procession took a wrong turn for a minute.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Monfils' history suggests this will be an anticlimactic straightforward set for Rafa, but the fan in me is worried.

 

[Denis]

Monfils' history suggests this will be an anticlimactic straightforward set for Rafa, but the fan in me is worried.

Not watching this, but based on the most ridiculous tennis match in history (QF RG 2014 Murray Monfils) I wouldn't be worried at all.