Indian Wells, BNP Paribas Open, CA, USA, ATP Masters 2017

[britbox]

15-Nick Kyrgios (Australia) beat 2-Novak Djokovic (Serbia) 6-4 7-6(3)

 

[britbox]

9-Roger Federer (Switzerland) beat 5-Rafa Nadal (Spain) 6-2 6-3

 

[britbox]

Yes, in fact the match started pretty competitive. Nadal won his first service game with authority. They were having a lot of good exchanges. But then Federer started to click those cross court back hands, which was what gave him the first breaks. Then entered the 1-2 punches on serve. The error I reckon Nadal did was to receive serve that far away from the baseline, it gave too much time for Federer to prepare to the first shot.

I expected hard service games for Federer after the 3-1 on the second but from there Nadal, strangely enough, did not fight the way you expect him to.

I've just watched the highlights. Hardly looked like Federer put a foot wrong.

 

[britbox]

My boy Roger looked good.

Great display @Cosmo.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Man a game away from losing to Boy.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

I really do not know what to make of Roger anymore...I guess he can lose early to a Donskoy, or win late against a top dog. It will be interesting.

No no, you make it sound like Roger's performance is erratic. That is not quite the case. It is a question of how much desire and motivation you have. After winning AO, he did not want to go all out when Donsky surprised. Having said that, even though Donsky won it, it was not easy for him either. The match went to three sets and IIRC, the last two sets went to TBs.

The level of desire and motivation to win the match, depends on the importance of the event and the quality of the opponent.

But that's the thing...I saw the Donskoy match and the TB he lost from , what, 5-1 up or something? His concentration and motivation level is what's going to make things erratic it seems like. He proved that when he is focused, he is still as good as anyone but when the focus wanders, he can lose to anyone.
Hey, either way, I have always said if he plays until 65, I will still watch him. Everything at this point is a bonus for me as a Fed fan

 

[the AntiPusher]

Maybe, just maybe, Carol--Rafa was just the object of an old-fashioned, one-sided beatdown. Roger took it to Rafa from beginning to end--no letdown. And no--it was not because of Roger's new racket--he's been playing with that for a long time now.

FWIW, I think Roger's racquet change made a big difference to his backhand. And IIRC, he hadn't played Nadal with the new racquet except very early after the change.

I'm not saying it's the only difference, but I do think that in hindsight he should have made the switch to a larger racquet head sooner.

I agree with both your statement: the larger racquet head helps Roger, and it would've helped him to have switched earlier (if he weren't so stubborn). What I was objecting to was Carol's giving ZERO credit to Federer's dominating performance, and "explaining" it by a larger racket (which Roger has had for well over a year) and a BAD performance by Rafa (as if Roger's strong play wasn't at all responsible for Rafa's poor performance).

No lacatch Carol is correct..Yes Roger played great but it's was the result of poorly hit balls, a ridiculous passive style of playing strategy that cause this beat down by Roger..It was the same way Sam defeated him. Roger played great but Rafa's style of play made him appear invincible. Watch tomorrow how Krygrios plays against Roger...it will be a different Federer performance..trust me

 

[Moxie]

Watching Nishioka trying to have the nerve to close out Wawrinka, and he blinks. 5-5 in the 3rd.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Man breaks back for 5-5 in 3rd.

 

[Busted]

Come on now, fellow Federer fans, gloating doesn't become you ...

Fed will never overturn his H2H against Nadal. But as far as I'm concerned, the argument (which I never put much stock in) is dead anyway. On clay, it is no contest. Elsewhere, they have been pretty even in H2H across their career.

Roger also hasn't won this tile yet, and it is still going to be difficult. At least he hasn't used up too much energy so far, but he's still got to face Kyrgios and (probably) Nishikori and Wawrinka.

But let's hope that he can do it, and then he can take Miami off.

No offense to Nishikori and Stan...but if Roger can get past Kyrigos...they're really not that much of a threat to Roger unless he plays crappy....or Stan takes another MTO after losing the first set and Roger takes another mental holiday...

 

[Moxie]

And the kid breaks Stan back to serve for it again! He's very sturdy, I'll give him that. And Stan is...well....

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Boy breaks Man again and will get another chance to serve it out.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Passive is As passive does!

One of the worst matches played by Rafa so far, if I wouldn't have watched the match I wouldn't believe his poor game and serve, bah!

Don't worry, in due course you will think this is a much better performance as Rafa deteriorates. :laydownlaughing

Two weeks ago Roger looses to a qualifier on a faster surface in Doha but today he looked like the 2nd coming of Big Bill Tilden..Roger played good but it's Nadal style of play that was his real Waterloo. IMO

 

[Busted]

Just watched the Novak replay. It's barely perceptible but if u watch closely u can see Novak beginning to have a movement problem. You can see it by his balance, which is off by a fraction of a second. That's leading to unforced errors that we would never have seen a few years ago.

His counterpunches are landing a bit short as well, at least compared to how deep they used to be

I noticed this in his match against DelPo - especially when he was trying to come forward to the net more. Frankly I think that's throwing off his footwork. He's not a natural net player and it's showing in his ground game. Heck of a time to try this now that Becker is gone, but at least someone has finally convinced him to shorten the points and get off the court in under 4 hours.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Man breaks again; onto final set TB.

Nishioka is the Pocket Rocket of ATP.

 

[Moxie]

What a point from Nishioka in the TB!

 

[Moxie]

Wawrinka wins, but the new kid is brave and smart. Great calling card for Nishioka.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Great fight by Pocket Rocket. He could have gone home without even playing a match; but he became a LL and won three matches in a row and then takes Man to three sets and that too to a TB in 3rd. Hats off. :clap

 

[Busted]

I really do not know what to make of Roger anymore...I guess he can lose early to a Donskoy, or win late against a top dog. It will be interesting.

No no, you make it sound like Roger's performance is erratic. That is not quite the case. It is a question of how much desire and motivation you have. After winning AO, he did not want to go all out when Donsky surprised. Having said that, even though Donsky won it, it was not easy for him either. The match went to three sets and IIRC, the last two sets went to TBs.

The level of desire and motivation to win the match, depends on the importance of the event and the quality of the opponent.

As Roger said in the press conference after the Donskoy match - he didn't really know anything about him and that affected how he played the match. He still should have won it though - especially on one of his favorite fast courts. :nono

 

[mrzz]

Felt bad for Nishioka. Was rooting for him even if I had Wawrinka on my draw.