Djokovic broke Gael's heart again

[scoop]

Gael is being ripped by fans and tennis pundits in USA but I think they have it all wrong - Gael tried his best but was deeply frustrated by losing the first two sets --- http://www.tennis-prose.com/bios/cr...-was-frustrated-and-disheartened-by-djokovic/

 

[Federberg]

I wanted Gael to win badly, but his performance in the first two sets was absolutely pathetic. I blame myself, overtime I think he's turned a corner I leave myself exposed for more nonsense. He actually has the tools to take Novak down, but just can't seem to believe it. Simply can't understand what goes through his head sometimes. 3rd set he went for it, and sadly for him he wasn't able to maintain serving consistency which cost him in the 4th. Novak was there for the taking..

 

[scoop]

0-12 and now 0-13 is psychologically devastating - he has never beaten Djokovic - he tried but once down one set and then two sets FRUSTRATION crushed his spirit - Yet he still tried and actually won the third set despite being down the break - another heroic but in the end futile effort by Gael -

 

[Billie]

I don't understand all this criticism, really. As if Gael wouldn't want to win. I have no problem with his tactics, they allowed him to win a set and make the match interesting. He obviously had to change something to reverse the result, confusing his opponent and bringing down his level is OK to me. As long as it is within the rules. It might be mental for him against Nole as well, but he wouldn't be the first, or the last player to have mental obstacles against a better player.

 

[Moxie]

I don't understand all this criticism, really. As if Gael wouldn't want to win. I have no problem with his tactics, they allowed him to win a set and make the match interesting. He obviously had to change something to reverse the result, confusing his opponent and bringing down his level is OK to me. As long as it is within the rules. It might be mental for him against Nole as well, but he wouldn't be the first, or the last player to have mental obstacles against a better player.

I agree with you, Billie. Gael has explained that it was a tactic to throw Novak off. It worked a bit. You've got to try something new, if you haven't had the results. I don't think anyone who has watched Monfils' resolve of recent months doesn't believe him when he says he was trying to win.

 

[Billie]

Perhaps they should have closed the roof in such tough conditions, I bet the quality of play would have been better and more enjoyable for everybody. I often think that people blow a lot of things out of proportions. Calling him unprofessional, not caring and all those other stupid things just gets on my nerves. Yeah maybe sometimes they don't give their 100% but be frank and look at yourself and see if you always gave 100% at your job, school or whatever. I paid a lot of money to watch tennis in Toronto in the past, and not once I even thought, oh what a waste of money. Even if many of the matches were not classic.

 

[Moxie]

I think Gael gets an unfairly bad rap. I'd rather watch one of his matches than any number of players I can think of. As to closing the roof, I think only Australia has a policy where they close it for heat. (Could be wrong...do I remember that right?) Wimbledon for sure only closes for rain, and I think the USO is going to follow that model until further notice. It's an outdoor tournament, after all.

 

[Billie]

I think Gael gets an unfairly bad rap. I'd rather watch one of his matches than any number of players I can think of. As to closing the roof, I think only Australia has a policy where they close it for heat. (Could be wrong...do I remember that right?) Wimbledon for sure only closes for rain, and I think the USO is going to follow that model until further notice. It's an outdoor tournament, after all.

I would always watch Monfils, he is entertaining most of the time, even in practice, he is also available and friendly to fans. I think he was very nervous coming in yesterday, knowing it is Nole and that it is a major semi final. I think he just started badly and really wanted to change something. Perhaps he had Simon's match against Nole in Australia in mind, he almost pulled it off then drawing 100 errors from Nole.


As for the roof, I know it is an outdoor tournament, AO is also and they do have the heat policy but not until the temperatures reach 104 F and perhaps not until the temperatures are 122 F, the deciding factor is the humidity level, but when it is 100 degrees on court with humidity, who can really expect players to play their best. They are not robots. For those extreme cases I think it should be utilized for everybody's sake, when the roof is there anyway. That's just my opinion, not that it matters to anybody, really.

 

[Moxie]

I would always watch Monfils, he is entertaining most of the time, even in practice, he is also available and friendly to fans. I think he was very nervous coming in yesterday, knowing it is Nole and that it is a major semi final. I think he just started badly and really wanted to change something. Perhaps he had Simon's match against Nole in Australia in mind, he almost pulled it off then drawing 100 errors from Nole.


As for the roof, I know it is an outdoor tournament, AO is also and they do have the heat policy but not until the temperatures reach 104 F and perhaps not until the temperatures are 122 F, the deciding factor is the humidity level, but when it is 100 degrees on court with humidity, who can really expect players to play their best. They are not robots. For those extreme cases I think it should be utilized for everybody's sake, when the roof is there anyway. That's just my opinion, not that it matters to anybody, really.

I believe Gael specifically cited Simon's match v. Novak. Get him off-rhythm.

I agree that when everyone's health is a factor, tournaments should decide about climatizing. I think the USO is a work in progress. NY can be brutal in late August/early Sept., and as climate change is a factor, too, they'll have to decide which way they go. When you're in late rounds, where all matches are played on Ashe, there's no question of fairness. But in early rounds, top players would be at an advantage, if they didn't have to play in the heat, when others did. They'll work it out.

 

[scoop]

I was inside the arena for all four sets and it was REALLY HOT - lady friend and I were sweating just sitting there and we both dressed very light - the conditions were very very difficult for not only the players but everyone who was inside Ashe yesterday -

 

[Mastoor]

No one in the world, not even Rafa, knows how to win ugly like No1e, so there is no question whether that what Monfils did was justified. What goes around comes around, that's what you can hear here often. What No1e did to others in some of his matches came to haunt him in the match against Monfils. Good he won.

But boy was it painful to watch. Just horrible.

 

[Moxie]

I was inside the arena for all four sets and it was REALLY HOT - lady friend and I were sweating just sitting there and we both dressed very light - the conditions were very very difficult for not only the players but everyone who was inside Ashe yesterday -

I was inside the arena for all four sets and it was REALLY HOT - lady friend and I were sweating just sitting there and we both dressed very light - the conditions were very very difficult for not only the players but everyone who was inside Ashe yesterday -

Scoop, I feel the new structure has really made Ashe hotter, on most days. You get a little more shading, so it's not the same frying pan it was, but the structure cuts the air, and so more shade doesn't help. On a day like today, it must have been unbearable, just for sitting and watching, never mind playing. The new structure seems to hold the air, the heat, and the sound. They're going to have problems to solve. Did you find it louder?

 

[scoop]

Definitely more shadier now - most of the finals in late afternoon are played in shade and the one side of the arena is in the sun - those poor people in the sun must have suffered - we were in the shade but it was still HOT - everyone is saying it's louder and I guess it is but TBH really not sure if it's that much louder - Ashe has always been quite loud when great tennis is played -

 

[brokenshoelace]

I think Gael gets an unfairly bad rap. I'd rather watch one of his matches than any number of players I can think of.

I don't think anyone questions that he can play some really entertaining points. His bad rap on the other hand is well earned at this point IMO.

 

[scoop]

Bad rap? Because he can't beat Djokovic Federer Andy or Rafa in GSs? He's trying his best but it's a futile battle because he's just not good enough or strong enough to beat those guys when it really counts though he does have a few special wins like beating Fed in Davis Cup - Gael has a bad record vs the Big Four just like a lot of other great players -

 

[brokenshoelace]

Bad rap? Because he can't beat Djokovic Federer Andy or Rafa in GSs? He's trying his best but it's a futile battle because he's just not good enough or strong enough to beat those guys when it really counts though he does have a few special wins like beating Fed in Davis Cup - Gael has a bad record vs the Big Four just like a lot of other great players -

I think not being able to beat the top 4 isn't in the top 5 issues people have with Monfils. Let's see him beat other players consistently first.

 

[scoop]

He's had a great career - a lot of tennis players could only wish they had one one hundredth of his career -

 

[Moxie]

He's had a great career - a lot of tennis players could only wish they had one one hundredth of his career -

I agree. Surely Monfils is a character. He's also a great athlete. There are plenty of players who can't beat the top 4, or can't back it up, after an upset. Monfils has a very respectable career. He's also fun to watch. I'd rather watch him play than Berdych, Raonic or Isner, as a few examples of guys who have been ranked above him. And I really do think he's been applying himself this year. I hope he gets a few good titles next year, before he's done for good.

 

[scoop]

He's applied himself every year - it's how he got to be a top pro - by busting his butt every step of the way since he was a kid to today - why he has the public perception of a clown player is ridiculously unfair - fans and pundits are very quick to judge or opinionize a player in their own minds - Gael is a very unique and original player who does not fit into an old category - he's a different catagory type player -

 

[Moxie]

I'm with you, Scoop. I've never thought the "clown" appellation was in the least fair. Surely he's a very, very talented player in this tough era, and he's one of my favorites.