Barcelona Open 2017, Barcelona, Spain, ATP 500

[Busted]

Somebody wake me when the clay court season is over and men's tennis is interesting again. Roger's not playing these events. Murray's still struggling with his elbow and working his way back into shape, Djokovic still has his head up his butt - and the rest of the field isn't even worth talking about. So just give Nadal Barcelona, Madrid and Rome and let's move straight to Roland Garros where you can at least expect some interesting matches when Fedeer, Murray and Djokovic lose before the final. Then we'll have fun house match of Nadal playing the #24 seed for his 10th French Open. That's if he doesn't injure himself again before then...

 

[El Dude]

Nadal 6-4, 5-7, 6-2

 

[Moxie]

Nadal 6-4, 5-7, 6-2

I wonder if it will go 3, but that's a good bet. I will predict that Rafa starts too tentatively. He gets aggressive when he's forced to. Thiem will come out guns blazing. But he had a lot of UFEs yesterday v. Murray, and I think Rafa will take better advantage of him than that. I'd say that Thiem takes the early lead, but Rafa takes him in 2 close ones.

 

[Carol]

Well, I watched the replay and I saw some inexplicable and unusual unforced errors by Rafa . Hope tomorrow he will get right and wins without too much problem.
Today I found out that Thiem is named "Rambo" because he likes to run in the forest and preferably iwith a cold temperature which right now is very convenient for him because it's pretty cold and dump in Barcelona

 

[Moxie]

It seems that the running in the forest training stories may have been apocryphal. So, not sure how "Rambo."

 

[Carol]

It seems that the running in the forest training stories may have been apocryphal. So, not sure how "Rambo."

Me neither

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Rafa v Thiem will be an interesting one, maybe even tougher for Rafa in some ways, than Murray. Thiem has nothing to lose, he's young and should be hungry...

I too think Thiem will probably give a better fight to Rafa than Andy at this juncture. However, I think there will not be surprise about the result. How we get there will be the only suspense.

 

[El Dude]

I wonder if it will go 3, but that's a good bet. I will predict that Rafa starts too tentatively. He gets aggressive when he's forced to. Thiem will come out guns blazing. But he had a lot of UFEs yesterday v. Murray, and I think Rafa will take better advantage of him than that. I'd say that Thiem takes the early lead, but Rafa takes him in 2 close ones.

Yeah, I'm tempted to change it to 7-5, 6-3, or something like that. The only result I'd be very surprised with is if Thiem wins or Rafa utterly destroys him. I think it will be somewhere between Rafa winning relatively easily but not a blow-out, to Rafa just squeaking by in three sets.

 

[herios]

This will be a test for Dominic to show to everyone and mainly himself that he is a serious candidate in a slam and not just a filler in the bottom of the top 10 like many others.
He is at the right age being now experienced enough.

 

[mrzz]

If Nadal wins in two, it will probably confirm what we all are saying/suspecting -- that he is back at a quite good level on clay. But as a lot of people are saying too, this will be surely his hardest match on clay so far, so if he ends up losing it you can be sure that his doubters, and even his fans, will fill the threads with disbelief.

Actually this a test for Thiem too... he´s been under the radar and off the charts for a while. Let´s see where he is standing right now. (no, I don´t put much stock on his win over Murray -- Murray is still far away from his best level).

 

[Frode789]

Thiem, time to become a man!

 

[the AntiPusher]

Great first game..they are creaming the ball

 

[Carol]

Somebody wake me when the clay court season is over and men's tennis is interesting again. Roger's not playing these events. Murray's still struggling with his elbow and working his way back into shape, Djokovic still has his head up his butt - and the rest of the field isn't even worth talking about. So just give Nadal Barcelona, Madrid and Rome and let's move straight to Roland Garros where you can at least expect some interesting matches when Fedeer, Murray and Djokovic lose before the final. Then we'll have fun house match of Nadal playing the #24 seed for his 10th French Open. That's if he doesn't injure himself again before then...

Relax, it's not Rafa's fault that Muzz and Novak are not playing his best and Roger is trying to take care with his knee and his age the same as it was their faul that Rafa was playing like crap these last almost three years, this goes in circles, now you now me

 

[Front242]

Very clear the top players are relieved that Thiem is so inconsistent point to point's cos if he managed to serve properly and cut down the errors he'd be extremely difficult to beat. For now though, still too much slop.

 

[Front242]

Some way to save break point there.

 

[Front242]

I actually haven't seen a guy hit as hard as this since Soderling and Del Potro from 2009.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Somebody wake me when the clay court season is over and men's tennis is interesting again. Roger's not playing these events. Murray's still struggling with his elbow and working his way back into shape, Djokovic still has his head up his butt - and the rest of the field isn't even worth talking about. So just give Nadal Barcelona, Madrid and Rome and let's move straight to Roland Garros where you can at least expect some interesting matches when Fedeer, Murray and Djokovic lose before the final. Then we'll have fun house match of Nadal playing the #24 seed for his 10th French Open. That's if he doesn't injure himself again before then...

Relax, it's not Rafa's fault that Muzz and Novak are not playing his best and Roger is trying to take care with his knee and his age the same as it was their faul that Rafa was playing like crap these last almost three years, this goes in circles, now you now me

Carol..I have noticed that's this board problem with us..when someone's post about their disenchantment with Rafa , it's their perogitive ...I just Ignor it and keep enjoying the live tennis with Rafa..

 

[Front242]

^ That being said, it is boring without Novak, Andy and Roger let's face it!

 

[Front242]

Thiem really looks the part of a clay court specialist with the headband. He looks a bit like a taller Ferrer if you don't look too closely. Even grown his hair longer Ferrer style.

 

[Carol]

Somebody wake me when the clay court season is over and men's tennis is interesting again. Roger's not playing these events. Murray's still struggling with his elbow and working his way back into shape, Djokovic still has his head up his butt - and the rest of the field isn't even worth talking about. So just give Nadal Barcelona, Madrid and Rome and let's move straight to Roland Garros where you can at least expect some interesting matches when Fedeer, Murray and Djokovic lose before the final. Then we'll have fun house match of Nadal playing the #24 seed for his 10th French Open. That's if he doesn't injure himself again before then...

Relax, it's not Rafa's fault that Muzz and Novak are not playing his best and Roger is trying to take care with his knee and his age the same as it was their faul that Rafa was playing like crap these last almost three years, this goes in circles, now you now me

Carol..I have noticed that's this board problem with us..when someone's post about their disenchantment with Rafa , it's their perogitive ...I just Ignor it and keep enjoying the live tennis with Rafa..

Yep, they are like a broken record :laydownlaughing
Meanwhile the 'little Rambo" (Thiem) is trying to do his job hitting the ball hard