China Open Final: Djokovic v Nadal

[britbox]

The thing is Nole has other gears to move through too - he seems to be playing well within himself right now.

 

[Billie]

Oh no, what happened???

Something is wrong with one of Rafa's toes?

Doesn't look like a toe, more like a foot issue.

 

 

 

[britbox]

Nole's killing it with the Return.

 

[Billie]

Thankfully it looks like Rafa is OK with whatever problem he had with his foot.

Gee Nole, a return that lands millimetres from the baseline and I think this might be over now with double break on his side.

 

[XanderVex]

Nadal never loses unless injured storyline continues.

 

[britbox]

<cite>@XanderVex said:</cite>
Nadal never loses unless injured storyline continues.

Welcome @XanderVex - pulling for Nole in this one?

 

[Billie]

<cite>@XanderVex said:</cite>
Nadal never loses unless injured storyline continues.

Hi and welcome ZanderVex.  I think Rafa did feel pain, don't see any other reason why he would stop play there.  It's just an ATP 500 final. And I don't think that anybody will bring an injury issue in this match.

 

[XanderVex]

Djokovic on gritty surfaces is like Nadal on clay.

 

[Billie]

20 winners from Nole, it can be done.  Hitting winners, I mean. 

 

[Billie]

LOL the easiest shot to hit and Nole misses.  Can he serve out the match?  He's had trouble doing that from time to time.

 

[Billie]

Nole, Nole, Nole!!!!!  6th title here...29:0!!!  I love Beijing.

 

[britbox]

Congrats to Novak... That was brutal.

Two things...

Djokovic is really rock solid in every department right now.

Rafa is way off the pace right now... and he has the pleasure of meeting Karlovic in Shanghai.

 

[MikeOne]

Novak is just too good on many areas. I don't feel he was that sharp in the first set but Nadal needed more free points off his serve to make it closer. Nole is so good defensively, returns so well, serves well and from the baseline is consistently taking ball early and playing deep. Nadal has to serve better to be able to trouble Novak...

 

[Billie]

I think that it was still a good tournament for Rafa.  It was always an uphill battle here against Nole, when Nole is playing well.  But Rafa did better than perhaps some had predicted before the tournament started.

 

That is some big trophy LOL

 

[Front242]

Well I predicted 5-6 games for Nadal and he didn't make the cut there.  Given the year he's having, 4 games seems about right though considering he scored 7 in one of his best years in 2013.

 

[britbox]

<cite>@Front242 said:</cite>
Well I predicted 5-6 games for Nadal and he didn't make the cut there.  Given the year he's having, 4 games seems about right though considering he scored 7 in one of his best years in 2013.

Good prediction 

 

[Billie]

Rafa is very gracious in his speech acknowledging not only today's match, but this whole season that Nole's had.

Nole learned another sentence in Chinese.

 

[britbox]

<cite>@Billie said:</cite>
Rafa is very gracious in his speech acknowledging not only today's match, but this whole season that Nole's had.

Nole learned another sentence in Chinese.

Except he got the wrong city?!  Said Shanghai instead of Beijing.

 

[Billie]

<cite>@britbox said:</cite>
Except he got the wrong city?!  Said Shanghai instead of Beijing.

Well it is not easy to talk in another language.  I sometimes say something completely off and then realize it or people correct me.  I think it is a nice gesture that he even tries. ;-)

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

<cite>@britbox said:</cite>
Ouch!

I thought he do better too.

The score line did not.