Cincinnati Masters 2019, Ohio, US, ATP Masters 1000

[Fiero425]

You may be right. Maybe that is one of those match ups that just does not work out for DM, but I am not so sure if pulling the trigger on that idea after one match is the right way to go. DM seems to be a cerebral player . He may have some ideas next time those two play. May or may not work but the Montreal score line is not enough sample size for me about the future of that match up. It may well turn out to be but I would rather wait and see another couple of matches between them.

The great equalizer against the Newbies upsetting the elites is USO's BO5! Medvedev can play lights out for a while, but can he do it for 3 to 5 hours against Fedalovic in the clutch! Even after all these years, you can count the real upsets of these 3 players on one hand when it really counted! Nadal being the most vulnerable on grass, but "pret' near" perfect on red clay! :whistle:

 

[Carol]

"Nadal being the most vulnerable on grass", but even that he has won 2 Wimbledon and has each semis and finals......can you imagine if his knees would been ok what far he could have gone?

 

[Bonaca]

"Nadal being the most vulnerable on grass", but even that he has won 2 Wimbledon and has each semis and finals......can you imagine if his knees would been ok what far he could have gone?

Nevertheless on grass or HC he will lose more than win against Novak or Maestro.

 

[the AntiPusher]

"Nadal being the most vulnerable on grass", but even that he has won 2 Wimbledon and has each semis and finals......can you imagine if his knees would been ok what far he could have gone?

If only they didn't closed that fucking roof last year ..now to those snobbish fuckers change the rule..Rafa would be at #20

 

[Bonaca]

If only they didn't closed that fucking roof last year ..now to those snobbish fuckers change the rule..Rafa would be at #20

Maybe in your dreams mr Pusher.

 

[Moxie]

If only they didn't closed that fucking roof last year ..now to those snobbish fuckers change the rule..Rafa would be at #20

Well, 19, right?

 

[Moxie]

Maybe in your dreams mr Pusher.

More than a small chance. Rafa was the more in-form, and he really did have that match on his racquet. I'll be the first to say that Nadal blew his chances, but the roof on didn't help, and it did help Novak.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

15 different non-big-four players have won Masters since Fed won Wimbledon 2003. More importantly, since the beginning of 2017, in a span of about 2.5 years, eight new players have won their first Masters title. Does this mean, the next genners are making waves and getting closer in skill set to Big Three? My conjecture is ABSOLUTELY NOT.

The Big Three are all above 30 and so they are trying to focus on GSs. This is even more true now with the race for supremacy amongst them reaching fever pitch. As a consequence, they are taking the MS events in a lighter manner than before. It is this that explains lot of new winners in the recent past in the Masters and so much of a sudden improvement in the skill level of these new Masters winners.

What do you folks think?

 

[Moxie]

15 different non-big-four players have won Masters since Fed won Wimbledon 2003. More importantly, since the beginning of 2017, in a span of about 2.5 years, eight new players have won their first Masters title. Does this mean, the next genners are making waves and getting closer in skill set to Big Three? My conjecture is ABSOLUTELY NOT.

The Big Three are all above 30 and so they are trying to focus on GSs. This is even more true now with the race for supremacy amongst them reaching fever pitch. As a consequence, they are taking the MS events in a lighter manner than before. It is this that explains lot of new winners in the recent past in the Masters and so much of a sudden improvement in the skill level of these new Masters winners.

What do you folks think?

Interesting thought...that the MS are more on offer because the Big 3 are mostly focused on Majors. Going off the top of my head, though, there are a few that I don't think were given up lightly: Did Djokovic want to lose Bercy to KK? If he was saving himself for YEC, that didn't work out for him. Was Rafa really OK to be skunked by F3 at MC this year, even though he still won RG? Did Roger lose IW last year to JMDP because he had his eyes on Wimbledon? Or to Thiem this year? If you make the last Sunday, you don't really roll over because your focus is on Majors. I guess the Zverev win over Roger gets an asterisk because of back issues. Surely Roger wanted to win MC when he played that final v. Wawrinka. Of the rest of the one-time wonders, I'd be curious how many beat the big guys to win it. But those were old-timers. Of the ones that have won it recently, they were mostly young, and did beat the top guys to win it, so that says something.

 

[Front242]

"Nadal being the most vulnerable on grass", but even that he has won 2 Wimbledon and has each semis and finals......can you imagine if his knees would been ok what far he could have gone?

What impact did his knees have in the losses to Rosol, Darcis, Brown, Kyrgios and Muller (beat him twice there) out of curiosity?

 

[Moxie]

What impact did his knees have in the losses to Rosol, Darcis, Brown, Kyrgios and Muller (beat him twice there) out of curiosity?

The fact that Nadal's knees hurt chronically does affect his ability to get down low on grass. I can't even remember the Darcis match, so no idea. Rosol...the guy was playing lights out. I did resent that they closed the roof on that one, which stopped Rafa's momentum...he'd won the 4th. Then 45 minute delay. That was new...first year of the roof. Kyrios...never saw that match, but there was probably nothing to be done. Brown...same. Seriously unpredictable player with great grass chops. Also Mueller. I really give Mueller props for that match...veteran guy, and he just didn't fold. As I said, Nadal has a hard time on grass, anymore, given the tendinitis. But before people call it an excuse...he surely got out-played by some of those guys.

 

[Bonaca]

More than a small chance. Rafa was the more in-form, and he really did have that match on his racquet. I'll be the first to say that Nadal blew his chances, but the roof on didn't help, and it did help Novak.

The roof did not decide the match. He made more bad decisions at the end especially . But I agree he blew a huge opportunity , because last year Novak wasn’t that good. Now I give him much lesser chances on grass and HC.

 

[Front242]

The fact that Nadal's knees hurt chronically does affect his ability to get down low on grass. I can't even remember the Darcis match, so no idea. Rosol...the guy was playing lights out. I did resent that they closed the roof on that one, which stopped Rafa's momentum...he'd won the 4th. Then 45 minute delay. That was new...first year of the roof. Kyrios...never saw that match, but there was probably nothing to be done. Brown...same. Seriously unpredictable player with great grass chops. Also Mueller. I really give Mueller props for that match...veteran guy, and he just didn't fold. As I said, Nadal has a hard time on grass, anymore, given the tendinitis. But before people call it an excuse...he surely got out-played by some of those guys.

Thank you. Yes, he got outplayed by them. Same with Federer in his losses. It happens.

 

[Bonaca]

15 different non-big-four players have won Masters since Fed won Wimbledon 2003. More importantly, since the beginning of 2017, in a span of about 2.5 years, eight new players have won their first Masters title. Does this mean, the next genners are making waves and getting closer in skill set to Big Three? My conjecture is ABSOLUTELY NOT.

The Big Three are all above 30 and so they are trying to focus on GSs. This is even more true now with the race for supremacy amongst them reaching fever pitch. As a consequence, they are taking the MS events in a lighter manner than before. It is this that explains lot of new winners in the recent past in the Masters and so much of a sudden improvement in the skill level of these new Masters winners.

What do you folks think?

Yes i think they take everything outside the Slams in a much lighter manner , use the Masters (quality opponents) for preparation and give the best at the Slam. Roger is doing this for longer time, Novak since his comeback and even Bull shows signs to do the same outside the dirt.
Thats exactly the reason why i think they are all not yet done with winning a significant number of more Slams.
Lets enjoy them as long as it lasts.

 

[the AntiPusher]

The roof did not decide the match. He made more bad decisions at the end especially . But I agree he blew a huge opportunity , because last year Novak wasn’t that good. Now I give him much lesser chances on grass and HC.

That’s not true..The roof being closed gave a very distinct advantage to Novak’s serve and ground strokes.,If not why didn’t he want the roof open. It was 73 and sunny outside..

 

[DarthFed]

Nadal couldn't win against a pathetic version of Novak because the ball actually bounced somewhat low with the roof closed, as it is supposed to on grass. The Rafa fans whining about it is funny. Just imagine if the grass wasn't stacked in his favor at Wimbledon his whole career? Can you say 0 titles? I'm waiting for the day the French director changes the surface to medium paced with a lower bounce.

 

[DarthFed]

The fact that Nadal's knees hurt chronically does affect his ability to get down low on grass. I can't even remember the Darcis match, so no idea. Rosol...the guy was playing lights out. I did resent that they closed the roof on that one, which stopped Rafa's momentum...he'd won the 4th. Then 45 minute delay. That was new...first year of the roof. Kyrios...never saw that match, but there was probably nothing to be done. Brown...same. Seriously unpredictable player with great grass chops. Also Mueller. I really give Mueller props for that match...veteran guy, and he just didn't fold. As I said, Nadal has a hard time on grass, anymore, given the tendinitis. But before people call it an excuse...he surely got out-played by some of those guys.

Nadal's knees haven't prevented him from shit on grass. The stuff plays a bit fast and low (his very worst conditions) the first week of the tournament which is why he lost early to a bunch of clowns for half a decade. Rafa improved his all-around game since 2017 which is why he is now suddenly surviving the weak opponents on grass.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Nadal couldn't win against a pathetic version of Novak because the ball actually bounced somewhat low with the roof closed, as it is supposed to on grass. The Rafa fans whining about it is funny. Just imagine if the grass wasn't stacked in his favor at Wimbledon his whole career? Can you say 0 titles? I'm waiting for the day the French director changes the surface to medium paced with a lower bounce.

Pathetic..the man has won back to back Wimbledon titles..also..most of the experts say that last year’s semi was one of the highest quality matches ever at Wimbledon..it was better than this year’s final.

 

[Front242]

Pathetic..the man has won back to back Wimbledon titles..also..most of the experts say that last year’s semi was one of the highest quality matches ever at Wimbledon..it was better than this year’s final.

Wtf? Last year's semi was dog shit. It had drama but it was full of very passive and error prone, nervous play from both and they looked like amateurs for a good bit of the match. He never won back to back Wimbledon titles btw unless you'd like to travel back in time and rewrite history.

 

[DarthFed]

Pathetic..the man has won back to back Wimbledon titles..also..most of the experts say that last year’s semi was one of the highest quality matches ever at Wimbledon..it was better than this year’s final.

The quality of this year's final is highly overrated but still beyond last year's semi. Djokovic was pretty damn weak that match, the Rafa fans know it which is why it was even more painful. Djoker played pretty weak this final too, making the loss all the more pathetic for Roger.