Barclays ATP World Tour Finals - Day 1

[DarthFed]

RE: Barclays ATP World Tour Finals - Nov. 4-11

Yea the surface is slow but with a dead bounce, very good for Roger and almost perfect for Nole methinks.

That slow dead bounce suits Nadal too, as we saw in 2010 when he beat Djokovic, Murray and took a set from ON-FIRE Federer.

It doesn't suit his game in the least. He is an all time great though so he can win anywhere even if it's his least favorite surface.

 

[nehmeth]

RE: Barclays ATP World Tour Finals - Nov. 4-11

2nd set breaker. Who wins this set? I vote for Stan.

Funny how a good coach actually can help in the mental toughness department. Magnus Norman has benefitted Stan almost as much as Lendl has helped Murray.

 

[nehmeth]

RE: Barclays ATP World Tour Finals - Nov. 4-11

Not helping him here though.

 

[NADAL2005RG]

RE: Barclays ATP World Tour Finals - Nov. 4-11

Yea the surface is slow but with a dead bounce, very good for Roger and almost perfect for Nole methinks.

That slow dead bounce suits Nadal too, as we saw in 2010 when he beat Djokovic, Murray and took a set from ON-FIRE Federer.

It doesn't suit his game in the least. He is an all time great though so he can win anywhere even if it's his least favorite surface.

If you are trying to power-through Nadal, you'd prefer a faster hardcourt. That's the aspect of this court that actually suits Nadal. He has time to retrieve. The bounce doesn't suit Nadal's shots, but the slowness is good for Nadal's retrieving skills. And Nadal has done a good job of staying physically fresh since the US Open, and he'll be ready to run down everything.

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

RE: Barclays ATP World Tour Finals - Nov. 4-11

Rafa will easily win his group.
But then he has to go tru a couple of battle tested players that know how to beat him indoors on hard court.

 

[tented]

RE: Barclays ATP World Tour Finals - Nov. 4-11

Rafa will easily win his group.
But then he has to go tru a couple of battle tested players that know how to beat him indoors on hard court.

This isn't Roland Garros or Rome. This is a low-bouncing, indoor hard court: Rafa's least favorite surface, and for good reason. We saw what Ferrer did in Paris. Rafa will not easily win this group.

 

[DarthFed]

RE: Barclays ATP World Tour Finals - Nov. 4-11

Yea the surface is slow but with a dead bounce, very good for Roger and almost perfect for Nole methinks.

That slow dead bounce suits Nadal too, as we saw in 2010 when he beat Djokovic, Murray and took a set from ON-FIRE Federer.

It doesn't suit his game in the least. He is an all time great though so he can win anywhere even if it's his least favorite surface.

If you are trying to power-through Nadal, you'd prefer a faster hardcourt. That's the aspect of this court that actually suits Nadal. He has time to retrieve. The bounce doesn't suit Nadal's shots, but the slowness is good for Nadal's retrieving skills. And Nadal has done a good job of staying physically fresh since the US Open, and he'll be ready to run down everything.

If he is hoping to win by just running everything down on an indoor hard he is in for a rude surprise. He has to step out of his comfort zone to truly be effective vs. the good players indoors. He is capable of that as 2010 showed.

 

[NADAL2005RG]

RE: Barclays ATP World Tour Finals - Nov. 4-11

Rafa will easily win his group.
But then he has to go tru a couple of battle tested players that know how to beat him indoors on hard court.

Yeah but Djokovic is a choker, so doesn't matter where they play, Nadal is the likely winner if the stakes are high. And Federer is out-of-form. Del Potro has overplayed. Nadal's best surface is not indoor hardcourt, but he's still one of the best indoor players in the world. Very few player have beaten Djokovic and Murray at the World Tour Finals. The fact that Nadal also took a set from ON-FIRE Federer in the World Tour Finals final is another feather in the cap.

 

[DarthFed]

RE: Barclays ATP World Tour Finals - Nov. 4-11

Rafa will easily win his group.
But then he has to go tru a couple of battle tested players that know how to beat him indoors on hard court.

Yeah but Djokovic is a choker, so doesn't matter where they play, Nadal is the likely winner if the stakes are high. And Federer is out-of-form. Del Potro has overplayed. Nadal's best surface is not indoor hardcourt, but he's still one of the best indoor players in the world. Very few player have beaten Djokovic and Murray at the World Tour Finals. The fact that Nadal also took a set from ON-FIRE Federer in the World Tour Finals final is another feather in the cap.

Winning a set is now a feather in the cap? He still LOST, I highly doubt he was happy to have just taken a set. Many players have beaten Djoker and Murray at World Tour Finals. Where do you come up with this garbage? We need better trolls here.

 

[NADAL2005RG]

RE: Barclays ATP World Tour Finals - Nov. 4-11

Rafa will easily win his group.
But then he has to go tru a couple of battle tested players that know how to beat him indoors on hard court.

This isn't Roland Garros or Rome. This is a low-bouncing, indoor hard court: Rafa's least favorite surface, and for good reason. We saw what Ferrer did in Paris. Rafa will not easily win this group.

But Nadal is a better indoor player than Wawrinka/Berdych. Can you seriously imagine Wawrinka/Berdych taking a set from an in-form Federer? Nadal did that in 2010 World Tour Finals. He also beat Djokovic and Murray. I don't put Wawrinka/Berdych on Nadal's level indoors. Ferrer won't be able to hit through this slower court as effectively.

 

[tented]

RE: Barclays ATP World Tour Finals - Nov. 4-11

Rafa will easily win his group.
But then he has to go tru a couple of battle tested players that know how to beat him indoors on hard court.

Yeah but Djokovic is a choker, so doesn't matter where they play, Nadal is the likely winner if the stakes are high. And Federer is out-of-form. Del Potro has overplayed. Nadal's best surface is not indoor hardcourt, but he's still one of the best indoor players in the world. Very few player have beaten Djokovic and Murray at the World Tour Finals. The fact that Nadal also took a set from ON-FIRE Federer in the World Tour Finals final is another feather in the cap.

If Djokovic were a choker, and it didn't matter where he and Rafa played, then Djokovic wouldn't have beaten Rafa as many times as he has, including several matches where the stakes were high.

 

[NADAL2005RG]

RE: Barclays ATP World Tour Finals - Nov. 4-11

Rafa will easily win his group.
But then he has to go tru a couple of battle tested players that know how to beat him indoors on hard court.

Yeah but Djokovic is a choker, so doesn't matter where they play, Nadal is the likely winner if the stakes are high. And Federer is out-of-form. Del Potro has overplayed. Nadal's best surface is not indoor hardcourt, but he's still one of the best indoor players in the world. Very few player have beaten Djokovic and Murray at the World Tour Finals. The fact that Nadal also took a set from ON-FIRE Federer in the World Tour Finals final is another feather in the cap.

Winning a set is now a feather in the cap? He still LOST, I highly doubt he was happy to have just taken a set. Many players have beaten Djoker and Murray at World Tour Finals. Where do you come up with this garbage? We need better trolls here.

You should be banned for that language. And you should read Nadal's interviews more. He frequently appreciates more than just wins and losses. Taking a set from the best indoor player ever? When indoor is your worst surface? That is something.

 

[Denis]

RE: Barclays ATP World Tour Finals - Nov. 4-11

Looks like Stan is taking it! Nice debut!

 

[NADAL2005RG]

RE: Barclays ATP World Tour Finals - Nov. 4-11

If Djokovic were a choker, and it didn't matter where he and Rafa played, then Djokovic wouldn't have beaten Rafa as many times as he has, including several matches where the stakes were high.

By big matches you mean slams, Olympics and World Tour Finals, right? Nadal beat Djokovic at the Olympics, World Tour Finals, and has a 8-3 lead in slam meetings. The 3 slam wins Djokovic had over Nadal were all within an 8 month span. And this year, Djokovic has held leads in crucial sets and lost them to Nadal at the slams.

 

[DarthFed]

RE: Barclays ATP World Tour Finals - Nov. 4-11

Rafa will easily win his group.
But then he has to go tru a couple of battle tested players that know how to beat him indoors on hard court.

Yeah but Djokovic is a choker, so doesn't matter where they play, Nadal is the likely winner if the stakes are high. And Federer is out-of-form. Del Potro has overplayed. Nadal's best surface is not indoor hardcourt, but he's still one of the best indoor players in the world. Very few player have beaten Djokovic and Murray at the World Tour Finals. The fact that Nadal also took a set from ON-FIRE Federer in the World Tour Finals final is another feather in the cap.

Winning a set is now a feather in the cap? He still LOST, I highly doubt he was happy to have just taken a set. Many players have beaten Djoker and Murray at World Tour Finals. Where do you come up with this garbage? We need better trolls here.

You should be banned for that language. And you should read Nadal's interviews more. He frequently appreciates more than just wins and losses. Taking a set from the best indoor player ever? When indoor is your worst surface? That is something.

It is nothing. In putting the shoe on the other foot I know Roger wasn't happy just taking sets vs. Rafa on clay even though it was his worst surface. Great players accept nothing but victory. This is common sense...so I thought.

 

[tented]

RE: Barclays ATP World Tour Finals - Nov. 4-11

If Djokovic were a choker, and it didn't matter where he and Rafa played, then Djokovic wouldn't have beaten Rafa as many times as he has, including several matches where the stakes were high.

By big matches you mean slams, Olympics and World Tour Finals, right? Nadal beat Djokovic at the Olympics, World Tour Finals, and has a 8-3 lead in slam meetings. The 3 slam wins Djokovic had over Nadal were all within an 8 month span. And this year, Djokovic has held leads in crucial sets and lost them to Nadal at the slams.

I would include Masters finals in that group. The Monte Carlo final this year, for example, was a big match. There was a lot on the line, and Djokovic won.

Ultimately, every match is a big match, in that if you win it, you advance to the next round; if you lose it, you're out.

 

[nehmeth]

RE: Barclays ATP World Tour Finals - Nov. 4-11

Looks like Stan is taking it! Nice debut!

With all the talk of Gasquet going 0-3, I'm wondering if Berdy might not also be at risk. uzzled

 

[the AntiPusher]

RE: Barclays ATP World Tour Finals - Nov. 4-11

Rafa will easily win his group.
But then he has to go tru a couple of battle tested players that know how to beat him indoors on hard court.

This isn't Roland Garros or Rome. This is a low-bouncing, indoor hard court: Rafa's least favorite surface, and for good reason. We saw what Ferrer did in Paris. Rafa will not easily win this group.

Tented, it's the God's honest truths, this surface is kyptonite for Rafa, I am just being honest . It's no fun for me watching him this Fall

 

[DarthFed]

RE: Barclays ATP World Tour Finals - Nov. 4-11

Rafa will easily win his group.
But then he has to go tru a couple of battle tested players that know how to beat him indoors on hard court.

This isn't Roland Garros or Rome. This is a low-bouncing, indoor hard court: Rafa's least favorite surface, and for good reason. We saw what Ferrer did in Paris. Rafa will not easily win this group.

But Nadal is a better indoor player than Wawrinka/Berdych. Can you seriously imagine Wawrinka/Berdych taking a set from an in-form Federer? Nadal did that in 2010 World Tour Finals. He also beat Djokovic and Murray. I don't put Wawrinka/Berdych on Nadal's level indoors. Ferrer won't be able to hit through this slower court as effectively.

Berdych has destroyed Roger at Wimbledon and USO, so I could easily picture him taking a set from an in form Federer. I'd picture him taking the match which is why I'm glad there was no chance he'd be in Roger's group.

 

[NADAL2005RG]

RE: Barclays ATP World Tour Finals - Nov. 4-11

It is nothing. In putting the shoe on the other foot I know Roger wasn't happy just taking sets vs. Rafa on clay even though it was his worst surface. Great players accept nothing but victory. This is common sense...so I thought.

Don't forget, Nadal and Federer are opposites mentally. They do not share the same attitudes at all. There is a lot more to tennis than victory. Nadal's main goal is to improve his game. That is what its all about, and its why Nadal is peaking on hardcourts at age 27.