China Open 500

[Carol]

10.247 aces by Karlovic but the last 26 weren't enough to beat Cuevas.
Bottom line, aces is very important but a good game is even better...

 

[Front242]

Yeah, Novak has a lot of them cheap easy wins against a sub-par Rafa. But I don't think Rafa would be thrown off by a defeat to him, I just don't like the H2H being skewed this way. I'm not saying Rafa should tank, lord knows he would never think that way, and anyway, I dunno how tanking works, it's usually Novak fans bring that to the table. Still, long as Rafa is improving, that's the main thing...

Gotta love the double standards. You bite the heads off Federer fans when we mention the h2h being skewed because Roger is 34 and well past his prime (though still very good admittedly) but it's perfectly fine to say this about Rafa. :clap Nadal has even more wins against a sub-par Federer. That's just how it goes.

 

[Kieran]

Yeah, Novak has a lot of them cheap easy wins against a sub-par Rafa. But I don't think Rafa would be thrown off by a defeat to him, I just don't like the H2H being skewed this way. I'm not saying Rafa should tank, lord knows he would never think that way, and anyway, I dunno how tanking works, it's usually Novak fans bring that to the table. Still, long as Rafa is improving, that's the main thing...

Gotta love the double standards. You bite the heads off Federer fans when we mention the h2h being skewed because Roger is 34 and well past his prime (though still very good admittedly) but it's perfectly fine to say this about Rafa. :clap Nadal has even more wins against a sub-par Federer. That's just how it goes.

The H2H with Wodger was skewed when the five-years-younger Rafa rushed to a quick 6-1 lead over Federer at his peak. Don't bring Federer up when it comes to Rafa, buddy. It's like watching Ip Man take on a street thug. Only one winner...

 

[Carol]

Yeah, Novak has a lot of them cheap easy wins against a sub-par Rafa. But I don't think Rafa would be thrown off by a defeat to him, I just don't like the H2H being skewed this way. I'm not saying Rafa should tank, lord knows he would never think that way, and anyway, I dunno how tanking works, it's usually Novak fans bring that to the table. Still, long as Rafa is improving, that's the main thing...

Gotta love the double standards. You bite the heads off Federer fans when we mention the h2h being skewed because Roger is 34 and well past his prime (though still very good admittedly) but it's perfectly fine to say this about Rafa. :clap Nadal has even more wins against a sub-par Federer. That's just how it goes.

"Nadal has even more wins against a sub-par Federer", really? I always have understood that Nadal had more wins against the best Federer (26 to 32 years old)

 

[Kieran]

He did, Carol. He always had more wins than Federer, even when he was a greenhorn...

 

[Front242]

Yeah, Novak has a lot of them cheap easy wins against a sub-par Rafa. But I don't think Rafa would be thrown off by a defeat to him, I just don't like the H2H being skewed this way. I'm not saying Rafa should tank, lord knows he would never think that way, and anyway, I dunno how tanking works, it's usually Novak fans bring that to the table. Still, long as Rafa is improving, that's the main thing...

Gotta love the double standards. You bite the heads off Federer fans when we mention the h2h being skewed because Roger is 34 and well past his prime (though still very good admittedly) but it's perfectly fine to say this about Rafa. :clap Nadal has even more wins against a sub-par Federer. That's just how it goes.

The H2H with Wodger was skewed when the five-years-younger Rafa rushed to a quick 6-1 lead over Federer at his peak. Don't bring Federer up when it comes to Rafa, buddy. It's like watching Ip Man take on a street thug. Only one winner...

We've gone over this a thousand times. Roger had it back to 6-8 not long afterwards. ZZzzzz. His prime ended while Rafa's began and most of those were on clay. Novak and Rafa are practically the same age. Big difference in scenarios clearly.

 

[Front242]

Yeah, Novak has a lot of them cheap easy wins against a sub-par Rafa. But I don't think Rafa would be thrown off by a defeat to him, I just don't like the H2H being skewed this way. I'm not saying Rafa should tank, lord knows he would never think that way, and anyway, I dunno how tanking works, it's usually Novak fans bring that to the table. Still, long as Rafa is improving, that's the main thing...

Gotta love the double standards. You bite the heads off Federer fans when we mention the h2h being skewed because Roger is 34 and well past his prime (though still very good admittedly) but it's perfectly fine to say this about Rafa. :clap Nadal has even more wins against a sub-par Federer. That's just how it goes.

"Nadal has even more wins against a sub-par Federer", really? I always have understood that Nadal had more wins against the best Federer (26 to 32 years old)

Ah, so Federer was still at his best when he was 32? News to me. I'd advise you to go back and watch some matches from 2004-2007. A few practice sessions at spot the difference puzzles wouldn't go astray either.

 

[Kieran]

2004-2007?

Yep. Rafa owned the H2H back then too...

 

[Front242]

2004-2007?

Yep. Rafa owned the H2H back then too...

On clay he was always (till recently) better than everyone.

 

[Kieran]

2004-2007?

Yep. Rafa owned the H2H back then too...

On clay he was always (till recently) better than everyone.

He was 6-1 ahead on Roger, giving up a five year disadvantage. Give up on this one, buddy. Like I say, Rafa is Ip Man, Roger is prolly Mike Tyson... :snicker

 

[Front242]

2004-2007?

Yep. Rafa owned the H2H back then too...

On clay he was always (till recently) better than everyone.

He was 6-1 ahead on Roger, giving up a five year disadvantage. Give up on this one, buddy. Like I say, Rafa is Ip Man, Roger is prolly Mike Tyson... :snicker

You're trying to tell me Novak who is younger and faster should be routinely dispatching Roger now but yet a much younger and faster Rafa who tailored his game for clay is at a disadvantage to Roger 'cos the speed argument only works when it's younger guys who you think should be easily beating Roger? I finally get it. Yeah, makes sense. :cover

 

[Kieran]

What I'm telling you is, no matter what stage of his career, Rafa owned Roger.

As for Novak, he should be beating Roger routinely now, not stinking up the kip with drama. Four sets last year at Wimbledon, straights in both finals this year. Novak gets too bunched up on things. Now is his time to reap some easy slams against inexperienced, lame or decrepit opposition, like Rogers first 12 or so majors... :snicker

 

[Front242]

2 more wins than him ...6-8 till Roger's prime ended and Rafa's began. Wow a whole 2 extra. Massive alright.

 

[kskate2]

Order of Play & Scores for Friday, October 8

National Tennis Stadium Starts at 12:30 pm

---

QF Jack Sock vs (3) Rafael Nadal

Not Before 2:30 pm
WTA QF (4) Agnieszka Radwanska vs (10) Angelique Kerber
WTA QF (6) Ana Ivanovic vs Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova

Not Before 7:30 pm
QF (1) Novak Djokovic vs (6) John Isner
WTA SF (3) Casey Dellacqua/Yaroslava Shvedova vs (6) Hao-Ching Chan/Yung-Jan Chan


Lotus Court Starts at 12:30 pm

---

WTA QF (12) Timea Bacsinszky vs Sara Errani

Not Before 2:30 pm
QF Fabio Fognini vs Pablo Cuevas
QF (4) David Ferrer vs (WC) Yen-Hsun Lu

Not Before 6:30 pm
WTA QF (Q) Bethanie Mattek-Sands vs (5) Garbiñe Muguruza


Moon Court Starts at 4:00 pm

---

WTA SF (1) Martina Hingis/Sania Mirza vs (WC) Chen Liang/Yafan Wang

 

[herios]

PopSock defeated the Djokovic brothers in doubles. Next for them an interesting meeting, they will play the current Wimbledon champions, Tecau - Rojer

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Sock is a break up over Rafa in the first set. It is too early though. The score is 3-1.

 

[Fiero425]

Sock is a break up over Rafa in the first set. It is too early though. The score is 3-1.

Sock saved several BP's to retain the break; up 5-3! Nadal looks shaky! :cover :nono Rafa breaks himself again with a double fault to lose 1st set 3-6! Wow; and Jack is out-rallying him! :nono :cover

 

[pavlik89]

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoxklZO01Vs[/video]

 

[GameSetAndMath]

After losing 1st set, Rafa bounces back to win the match.

Now Rafa is waiting for his favorite opponent to win.

 

[Kieran]

Come on Fog! He's become the symbol of Rafa's fall. Give him a good hammering to signal the return...