Doha Tournament

[nehmeth]

After winning the first seven points of the match and getting the break to go up 2-0, Mayer finds himself at 2-3 with Novak to serve.

And Novak takes the first set 6-3

 

[nehmeth]

Nadal had another rough go today. He's not looking quite as sharp as he did toward the end of 2015.

Thanks Nehmeth, I was hoping for a spark from Rafa this year, I guess it's a process

His opponent hit 44 winners and 36 ufe's. Ralf was 22 and 22. First serves were at 67% (I think). Good thing is that your guy played it tough when he needed to. He's up against another big hitter tomorrow though.

 

[nehmeth]

Up 5-4 Mayer has a complete meltdown and loses his serve at love

 

[the AntiPusher]

Nadal had another rough go today. He's not looking quite as sharp as he did toward the end of 2015.

Thanks Nehmeth, I was hoping for a spark from Rafa this year, I guess it's a process

His opponent hit 44 winners and 36 ufe's. Ralf was 22 and 22. First serves were at 67% (I think). Good thing is that your guy played it tough when he needed to. He's up against another big hitter tomorrow though.

Really, who does Rafa plays on Friday

 

[rafanoy1992]

Nadal had another rough go today. He's not looking quite as sharp as he did toward the end of 2015.

Thanks Nehmeth, I was hoping for a spark from Rafa this year, I guess it's a process

His opponent hit 44 winners and 36 ufe's. Ralf was 22 and 22. First serves were at 67% (I think). Good thing is that your guy played it tough when he needed to. He's up against another big hitter tomorrow though.

I think that's the one of the key for Nadal this year. I accepted the fact that he would not be spectacular day in day out but if he could able to "will" himself to victory then he will be winning matches. Now of course, we still needs to see him against the top players to truly see where he is at his current game.

 

[nehmeth]

Really, who does Rafa plays on Friday

Illya Marchenko. He took down Ferrer in the first round and just beat Chardy in the quarters.

 

[pavlik89]

[video=dailymotion]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3l9c8w[/video]

 

[pavlik89]

[video=dailymotion]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3l2hvc[/video]

Welcome Pavlik, I was missing you

Thank you!

 

[Puppet Master]

Nadal was awful today. I just give up on this guy. Getting extended by someone like Kuznetsov... He will get double bageled and the #1 isn't even playing his best... Oh my god.......... He just loses intensity and it becomes a grind fest, at best. If the player is a big hitter he gets completely blown off the court.

 

[nehmeth]

Nadal was awful today. He will get double gabeled and the #1 isn't even playing his best... Oh my god

uzzled:s:cover

Those double-gables are murder.

 

[pavlik89]

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

 

[Fiero425]

Nadal was awful today. I just give up on this guy. Getting extended by someone like Kuznetsov... He will get double-bagel'd by the #1 and he isn't even playing his best... OMG.......... He just loses intensity and it becomes a grind-fest at best. If the player is a big hitter he gets completely blown off the court.

I've been saying this is nothing new! Rafa's style of play has always been mystifying to me of someone thought of as THE GOAT in the past! He's regressed IMO; serve questionable with DF's at crucial time, FH's dropping very short in the court and sprayed all over the place, and continues to drop sets to players outside the top echelon! Why people are surprised is also a head-scratcher! Haven't people seen his early losses at Wimbledon the last several years alone? Why are people :nono ? It's only getting more embarrassing and frequent! :angel: :dodgy: :cover

 

[the AntiPusher]

Really, who does Rafa plays on Friday

Illya Marchenko. He took down Ferrer in the first round and just beat Chardy in the quarters.

Thanks

 

[the AntiPusher]

Nadal was awful today. I just give up on this guy. Getting extended by someone like Kuznetsov... He will get double-bagel'd by the #1 and he isn't even playing his best... OMG.......... He just loses intensity and it becomes a grind-fest at best. If the player is a big hitter he gets completely blown off the court.

I've been saying this is nothing new! Rafa's style of play has always been mystifying to me of someone thought of as THE GOAT in the past! He's regressed IMO; serve questionable with DF's at crucial time, FH's dropping very short in the court and sprayed all over the place, and continues to drop sets to players outside the top echelon! Why people are surprised is also a head-scratcher! Haven't people seen his early losses at Wimbledon the last several years alone? Why are people :nono ? It's only getting more embarrassing and frequent! :angel: :dodgy: :cover

I would be interested to see what Kieran feels about Rafa play this far because I agree, it has been very poor.

 

[Puppet Master]

I will tell you what he would say. He would say something along the lines of: Oh let him go it's the first tournament of the season, he will come back to his best bla bla bla.
Now, to make it look like I am a normal, objective person and not some ranting idiot, I will evaluate Rafa's performance. I don't have enough bad adjectives to descirbe his serving, he made Kuznetsov look like the GOAT of returning. I am convinced that I can hit a serve harder than him, what the hell... I don't know about his forehand down the line, I forgot he even has it as a weapon. And lastly, the return. My god. This week it was somewhat decent but at some point in the match he steps back and just does what he has been doing for months now. If he doesn't up the aggression in the next few days, 2015dal here we go again.

 

[Carol]

And tomorrow Rafa will have the player "on fire" Marchenko who has beaten Ferru, Gabashvili and Chardy, Rafa will have to play well and confident, otherwise.....:cover
Although watching the vid of Novak-Mayer match the Serbian has not played so great but the four unforced errors of Mayer's serve in the second set have been a good help for him

 

[Front242]

Wow a whole 4 unforced errors in one set. Sounds terrible.

 

[the AntiPusher]

How did Rafa play today .Did he not play well, No .(I. Didn't see the match )

 

[Carol]

How did Rafa play today .Did he not play well, No .(I. Didn't see the match )

I'm in the same 'boat, I haven't seen the match and I'm waiting for a good information and Pavlik's vid

 

[pavlik89]

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCz2GAexi6k[/video]