Barcelona Open 2019, Spain, ATP 500

[tented]

What year was that Novak won all those pre RG matches against him? Did he win a title that year?

2011. Rafa won MC and Barcelona — the two events Novak didn’t play, and Roger took him out before the RG final.

 

[the AntiPusher]

What year was that Novak won all those pre RG matches against him? Did he win a title that year?

Nah..Rafa isn't going be a mental midget..he just needs his mojo..dtl FH

 

[mrzz]

What year was that Novak won all those pre RG matches against him? Did he win a title that year?

Barcelona.

Edit: And MC as I have seen Tented's post.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

What a bummer?

Rafa fights and holds the opening game of 2nd set.

 

[kskate2]

Nah..Rafa isn't going be a mental midget..he just needs his mojo..dtl FH

I would expect someone who's won a major 11 times would not be a mental midget when he returns as the defending champ regardless of how his 2019 is going.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Remember he is trying to do something for the 12th time ..I.liken it to trying to 3peat in the NBA..I don't care who you are ..it ain't easy to stay motivated..if I was talking to Kieran about this at this moment..he and I would agree that Barcelona would be fantastic but it isn't the goal..

 

[mrzz]

Rafa is too passively letting Thiem dictate the match. I didn't see the match last vs F3 but I read it was very similar..my champion has lost his mojo

I have seen both and Nadal is playing much better today than against Fognini.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Nice volley to finish off. Thiem should be careful not to get broken. This game was on edge.

 

[the AntiPusher]

I have seen both and Nadal is playing much better today than against Fognini.

the difference is Thiem has peaked today however
Rafa still higher levels to.his game

 

[GameSetAndMath]

What a dropper!

 

[the AntiPusher]

^^^This match is not over and there are still Madrid and Rome.

Anyway first set Thiem. He deserved it.

This may be the first time ever I agree with you..

 

[kskate2]

Because of his previous wins. Domi is not afraid. He has confidence and pins Nadal beyond the baseline. I don't see the Kang getting out of this one. The BO3 format is difficult for him against Thiem. He's already down a set before he has a chance to clean up his game, no time to adjust to Domi's pace and not enough time to wait for Domi's fire to go out.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Another dropper!

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Ralph escapes again.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Look for Rafa to began to run around his backhand because it's not creating enough separation of court distance for him vs Dominic s FH..it's is his bread and butter

 

[the AntiPusher]

2011. Rafa won MC and Barcelona — the two events Novak didn’t play, and Roger took him out before the RG final.

Roger had a 5-0 or 5-1 first set lead in the RG final before Rafa won the set 7-5.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Is that the proverbial nail in the coffin?

 

[the AntiPusher]

Thiem defense and offense is just astonishing fantastic today.

 

[mrzz]

Roger had a 5-0 or 5-1 first set lead in the RG final before Rafa won the set 7-5.

Actually, he had BP to go up 5-1, tried a drop shot that landed half an inch out. So the biggest lead was actually 4-1.

 

[mrzz]

Damn, I had to go up and lost the game were Thiem broke. Can anyone tell how it was?