Doha Tournament

[pavlik89]

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEH06IITKqk[/video]

 

[Front242]

AP, I think it's just that Novak has learned how to handle his spin and is hitting winners off it at will.

The loopy forehands from Nadal are getting punished by everyone these days.

McMillan stated as much that the other players on tour had begun to figure it out. He noted the two three set matches Rafa had earlier in the week. He also was wondering why Novak wasn't hitting to it more often.

Nadal's backhand was very solid today but it didn't matter. Novak was in GOD mode out there today. Apparently though SOD mode is even better Haven't seen much better than that from Novak. Incredible performance.

 

[Front242]

^ I miss that dude on tour

 

[herios]

AP, I think it's just that Novak has learned how to handle his spin and is hitting winners off it at will.

The loopy forehands from Nadal are getting punished by everyone these days.

McMillan stated as much that the other players on tour had begun to figure it out. He noted the two three set matches Rafa had earlier in the week. He also was wondering why Novak wasn't hitting to it more often.

And you have to keep in mind that Rafa's draw opened up to such extent that he did not have to play a single player ranked in the top 60 en route to the final.

 

[Great Hands]

How long can Novak go unbeaten in 2016? Place your bets now...

We couldn't play this game last year cause he lost to Karlovic in Doha, but this year, who knows how long he can go unbeaten - possibly into Wimbledon, or beyond.

His first threat would be Roger in Dubai, you would think...

 

[shawnbm]

Novak is just cruising above the tour. He has become as routine and dominating as Roger was in that mouth of the span of 2004 to 2007. Novak is playing that well.

 

[Fiero425]

Novak is just cruising above the tour. He has become as routine and dominating as Roger was in that mouth of the span of 2004 to 2007. Novak is playing that well.

Better since he OWNS Nadal now; lock, stock, & barrel! Even on clay, Rafa looks helpless against Nole! People should have realized, if he's losing sets to kids the way he has, he obviously has no chance against the #1 player in the world! This will soon become like Rafa over Roger; a "non-rivalry" after all is said and done! :clap :laydownlaughing :angel:

 

[pavlik89]

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrF_zn_0E6s[/video]

 

[El Dude]

Guys, come on. I'd like to facilitate an open discussion on such matters, and will try to think of ways to do so in the context of Tennis Frontier if at all possible, but let's cool it down on the doping speculations, considering the forum policy. OK? This thread is about Doha.

 

[Great Hands]

She was actually all optimistic as Rafa kept improving at the end of the season.
Now she is getting a reality check

Great way to start the season for Novak. I think for Rafa, what will be most telling is how he fares against the rest of the top 5/10 this year.

He looked to be playing well enough to challenge/beat other members of the top 5 but I honestly can't see him beating Novak again unless Novak has a really bad day. It really has become Williams v Sharapova out there. Same with Murray, just can't beat Djokovic anymore and Toronto was an anomaly since Novak was more focused on Cinci and the USO. Novak has won 9 out of the last 10 matches against Rafa and 10 of the last 11 against Andy. That's not even competitive anymore.

And in terms of best of 5, you can add Roger to the list of players who are not competitive with Novak anymore too. Roger hasn't beaten Novak at a grand slam for three and a half years.

 

[nehmeth]

Highest praise for Novak's play today.

"I played against a player who did everything perfect. I know nobody playing tennis like this ever. Since I know this sport I never saw somebody playing at this level." - Rafael Nadal



http://espn.go.com/tennis/story/_/id/14535317/novak-djokovic-crushes-rafaek-nadal-qatar-open-final

 

[Front242]

Great way to start the season for Novak. I think for Rafa, what will be most telling is how he fares against the rest of the top 5/10 this year.

He looked to be playing well enough to challenge/beat other members of the top 5 but I honestly can't see him beating Novak again unless Novak has a really bad day. It really has become Williams v Sharapova out there. Same with Murray, just can't beat Djokovic anymore and Toronto was an anomaly since Novak was more focused on Cinci and the USO. Novak has won 9 out of the last 10 matches against Rafa and 10 of the last 11 against Andy. That's not even competitive anymore.

And in terms of best of 5, you can add Roger to the list of players who are not competitive with Novak anymore too. Roger hasn't beaten Novak at a grand slam for three and a half years.

He's currently the only one of those 3 who can beat Novak at all and the only one who has challenged him in any form at a slam recently, so while I agree to an extent, the reality is 34 year old Roger is Novak's toughest opponent at the moment. Besides Roger and Stan, Novak has no challengers right now. Despite his age, the old fart has won 4 of the last 10 against Novak compared to 1 of 10 for Nadal and 1 of 11 for Murray. So he's still his main challenger along with Stan in "Stanimal" mode, not the more frequent disinterested and crap Stan who shows up more often.

 

[Great Hands]

He looked to be playing well enough to challenge/beat other members of the top 5 but I honestly can't see him beating Novak again unless Novak has a really bad day. It really has become Williams v Sharapova out there. Same with Murray, just can't beat Djokovic anymore and Toronto was an anomaly since Novak was more focused on Cinci and the USO. Novak has won 9 out of the last 10 matches against Rafa and 10 of the last 11 against Andy. That's not even competitive anymore.

And in terms of best of 5, you can add Roger to the list of players who are not competitive with Novak anymore too. Roger hasn't beaten Novak at a grand slam for three and a half years.

He's currently the only one of those 3 who can beat Novak at all

Nope, Andy beat Novak last year too. Both Andy and Roger had won win over NOvak that 'mattered' last year, Roger in Cinci and Andy in Canada.

and the only one who has challenged him in any form at a slam recently,

Well, he couldn't get more than a set off Novak at a slam last year. Same as Andy, who did the same at the AO.

so while I agree to an extent, the reality is 34 year old Roger is Novak's toughest opponent at the moment.

In best of 3, on faster surfaces, yes, I agree with you. In best of 5, Novak's toughest opponent at the moment is Stan and no one else really.

I think Roger's tennis at 34 is amazing, and I enjoy watching him play, but I cannot see him as a true rival to Novak at slam level because I have never felt any doubt when watching them play in best of 5s the past few years that Novak would win. Roger simply doesn't have the stamina to beat Novak in a best of 5, unless he won in straight sets but that's hard to do against someone as good as Novak. Going into a match with Novak knowing you have to win in straights or you'll probably lose is just too much pressure. He only manged 2 sets off Novak in 2 matches at slams last year when 33-34, I just can't seem him doing far better than that - which is what it would take - when 34-35.

 

[Front242]

Btw unless I'm mistaken, as soon as the AO points come off, Roger automatically leap frogs ahead of Andy back to number 2 where he belongs as he lost dismally in the 3rd round last year while Andy reached the final.

 

[Great Hands]

Novak has won 9 out of the last 10 matches against Rafa and 10 of the last 11 against Andy. That's not even competitive anymore.

And in terms of best of 5, you can add Roger to the list of players who are not competitive with Novak anymore too. Roger hasn't beaten Novak at a grand slam for three and a half years.

He's currently the only one of those 3 who can beat Novak at all

Nope, Andy beat Novak last year too. Both Andy and Roger had one win over Novak that 'mattered' last year, Roger in Cinci and Andy in Canada.

and the only one who has challenged him in any form at a slam recently,

Well, he couldn't get more than a set off Novak at a slam last year. Same as Andy, who did the same at the AO.

so while I agree to an extent, the reality is 34 year old Roger is Novak's toughest opponent at the moment.

In best of 3, on faster surfaces, yes, I agree with you. In best of 5, Novak's toughest opponent at the moment is Stan and no one else really.

I think Roger's tennis at 34 is amazing, and I enjoy watching him play, but I cannot see him as a true rival to Novak at slam level because I have never felt any doubt when watching them play in best of 5s the past few years that Novak would win. Roger simply doesn't have the stamina to beat Novak in a best of 5, unless he won in straight sets but that's hard to do against someone as good as Novak. Going into a match with Novak knowing you have to win in straights or you'll probably lose is just too much pressure. He only manged 2 sets off Novak in 2 matches at slams last year when 33-34, I just can't seem him doing far better than that when 34-35.

 

[Great Hands]

He looked to be playing well enough to challenge/beat other members of the top 5 but I honestly can't see him beating Novak again unless Novak has a really bad day. It really has become Williams v Sharapova out there. Same with Murray, just can't beat Djokovic anymore and Toronto was an anomaly since Novak was more focused on Cinci and the USO. Novak has won 9 out of the last 10 matches against Rafa and 10 of the last 11 against Andy. That's not even competitive anymore.

And in terms of best of 5, you can add Roger to the list of players who are not competitive with Novak anymore too. Roger hasn't beaten Novak at a grand slam for three and a half years.

He's currently the only one of those 3 who can beat Novak at all and the only one who has challenged him in any form at a slam recently, so while I agree to an extent, the reality is 34 year old Roger is Novak's toughest opponent at the moment. Besides Roger and Stan, Novak has no challengers right now. Despite his age, the old fart has won 4 of the last 10 against Novak compared to 1 of 10 for Nadal and 1 of 11 for Murray. So he's still his main challenger along with Stan in "Stanimal" mode, not the more frequent disinterested and crap Stan who shows up more often.

I agree with you that Roger is Novak's main challenger, if we're talking best of 3. My point was about best of 5, which is, let's be honest, what's it's all about for these guys, winning slams. Beating Novak in Dubai, or in a dead match at the WTF is nice, but not much more than that. In best of 5, Novak's toughest opponent at the moment is Stan, not Roger. Unlike Roger, Stan has actually beaten Novak at a slam both last year and the year before.

 

[Fiero425]

Btw unless I'm mistaken, as soon as the AO points come off, Roger automatically leap frogs ahead of Andy back to number 2 where he belongs as he lost dismally in the 3rd round last year while Andy reached the final.

Well that'll be a little late as the seeding has already been solidified for AO! :angel: :dodgy: :ras: Even though I'm no fan of Murray's, I felt bad for him; performing well the 1st half of the season with a major final, a 500, and Masters win beating Nadal on clay along the way! I saw him winning that semi-final match at Wimbledon, but after Roger dismantled him I fell off his bandwagon! Both need to be consistent to hold onto that #2 for the rest of the season! That'll be the big contest all year along with Nadal trying to keep up! :cover :nono :angel: :dodgy:

 

[Busted]

Nadal only managed to win 3 games? Geez. I thought he'd at least make it 6-3, 6-3. Gonna have to revise my prediction that he'll raise his game and win a Slam this year. At this rate the's looking like Murray against Nole. And that's NOT a compliment. AT least Roger makes the matches close and occasionally wins a final against him. It's at times like these that you can see Nadal's lack of confidence and his belief that he'll never be #1 again. Which is an interesting mindset because Federer clearly doesn't think the same way. And even Murray says he knows he can do better in these big matches against Fed and Nole. Who'd have thought Nadal would ever lose this much confidence in himself? I'll give him until the French. If he can't suck it up for the French, then I'm sticking a fork in him and turning him over - cuz he'll be done.

 

[El Dude]

Highest praise for Novak's play today.

"I played against a player who did everything perfect. I know nobody playing tennis like this ever. Since I know this sport I never saw somebody playing at this level." - Rafael Nadal

http://espn.go.com/tennis/story/_/id/14535317/novak-djokovic-crushes-rafaek-nadal-qatar-open-final

My fellow Fed fans might not like this, but it is my view that Novak, since the beginning of 2015, has been the best player in tennis history in terms of overall consistency and level. He may not surpass Federer's overall record, and someday we'll see a player who takes up another notch, but right now Novak is playing better tennis than anyone ever has. Pretty cool to witness.

 

[Busted]

Btw unless I'm mistaken, as soon as the AO points come off, Roger automatically leap frogs ahead of Andy back to number 2 where he belongs as he lost dismally in the 3rd round last year while Andy reached the final.

Well that'll be a little late as the seeding has already been solidified for AO! :angel: :dodgy: :ras: Even though I'm no fan of Murray's, I felt bad for him; performing well the 1st half of the season with a major final, a 500, and Masters win beating Nadal on clay along the way! I saw him winning that semi-final match at Wimbledon, but after Roger dismantled him I fell off his bandwagon! Both need to be consistent to hold onto that #2 for the rest of the season! That'll be the big contest all year along with Nadal trying to keep up! :cover :nono :angel: :dodgy:

Frankly Murray owes his #2 ranking to Roger skipping 2 1000 events - Miami and Toronto. Murray made the final in Miami (600 points) and won Toronto (1,000 points). So that's 1,600 points that Roger spotted Murray :laydownlaughing and he still managed to finish the season only 680 points behind Murray. Roger also lost in the first round of Madrid, which Murray won - so there's another 950 points he handed Murray. Frankly if Stan didn't always have his head in up his butt he could be #3. He's definitely the most inconsistent #4 player I've seen in a long, long time.