Barclays ATP World Tour Finals - Day 5

[brokenshoelace]

Well that final set was quite enjoyable... Nadal really upped the aggression with the forehand when it mattered. I guess it's easier to be clutch when you've beaten someone twelve hundred times in a row.

 

[nehmeth]

Good job Ralf.

Tomas, Stan thanks you.

 

[Kieran]

Disappointing for Berdy, he played well...

 

[brokenshoelace]

Let's see if Rafa slows things down a little to stop the momentum.

Is he taking extra long to do things? Is he down in the third set?

Actually playing pretty quickly (for him). He did get a warning by the ump for delaying earlier.

He chose a different way to stop the momentum... he played better.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Good job Ralf.

Tomas, Stan thanks you.

Shouldn't Stan thank the guy who beat Tomas?

 

[Front242]

Berdych's post match analysis?

 

[GameSetAndMath]

The only question now is how many swiss players will be in SF?

 

[Front242]

The only question now is how many swiss players will be in SF?

Would certainly be nice to see them square off to fight for the final.

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

Berdych is a scary good player when he's on. He's one of those players that, when I watch him play, I wonder why he hasn't won more tournaments, even a Slam or two. And, unlike say Ferrer or Tsonga, he went pro at a very young age - his only ATP 1000 was won at age 20. But then I watch a little longer and he almost invariably implodes and I realize why he hasn't won more.

Actually, his year-end rankings paint quite a picture. He was ranked #113 at age 18, #45 at age 19, #24 at age 20, and then #13 at age 21. One would think this was an elite player in the making. But then he stagnated, finishing age 22 at #14 and age 23-24 at #20. He's finished his age 25-28 seasons (including this year) #7 or higher, but for some reason was never able to take that next step up into the true elite.

because burd is a mental midget.

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

The only question now is how many swiss players will be in SF?

loads of swiss blokes will be in the semi's. at least as many as one..but possibly as many as two.

that's yer lot..i don't think George bastl qualified this time round.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

But he also has an obvious reason to not go all out against an opponent fighting to survive.

He may also prefer Berdych takes the second spot in his group for tactical reasons.

Come on guys, winning a RR match in WTF pays $142,000 in prize money and gives you
200 points that stays with you for a full year. Nobody would want to throw such a match
(unless, of course, your tactical reason is fool proof; it is no way close to being fool
proof here).

In comparison, winning an ATP 250 match gets you les than $100,000 even in the
richest ATP 250 tournament.

 

[tennisville]

Berdych :laydownlaughing:laydownlaughing

Couldn't even win against a tanking Rafa :laydownlaughing::lolz::lolz: Thank you Rafa clap

Stan into the semis

 

[Moxie]

Oh, don't be ridiculous. If Rafa had wanted to tank that match, he'd have managed it gracefully. Have you not see the Fedal exhibitions? He wanted to win, and he did. If anyone looked like they were tanking at the end it was Berdych, and he's the one who had something to gain. (2 DFs in the last service game? Really?!) Maybe Stan bought him a cow as an enticement.

 

[brokenshoelace]

I thought it was clear Nadal really cared about winning that match. His body language in the opening game of the third set told it all.

 

[isabelle]

Happy for Stan the Man, thanks Nadal !!!