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

[Moxie]

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

Still, his future is looking very bright. Don't forget, he was the lucky loser. He was going away days ago, and instead, he was just a couple of points away from the QFs.

 

[Busted]

This bludgeoning just shows how much Nadal's game has declined and Fed has found new ways to win (SABR, improved BH, etc). Nadal hasn't really added anything new to his game and his shots are short and way too predictable. I can't even say that he will win RG like this.

Roger has always had a more versatile and adaptable game than Nadal, so this isn't anything new. Roger's always tweaking and adding to his game and there's not a shot he can't hit. . Nadal's grinding style is what won him 14 Slams - 9 on clay. And this style is why he's never won as much OFF clay. It's too much of the same thing. Slugging it out for 5 hours on dirt and wearing a guy down? Fine, but quick, hard fast courts and grass? Not the best style. I've said for years that if you take away the clay court season - Nadal is top 10 player but he sure as hell wouldn't have 14 Slams and 28 Masters 1000 titles - 21 of which are on clay. That's right - without clay courts Nadal would have 5 Slams and 7 Masters titles. More Slams than Murray but fewer Masters titles. King of Clay? Yes. GOAT? Hell, no.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

The old man gets a day off to regroup. He does not need the day off for physical recovery. But, it is important to come off the high of beating Rafa three times in a row and the day off will help.

I saw the court pace index. Today it is 29.2 highest of the seven days of tourney so far. On the first day the pace index was at 22.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Expect someone to appear here and tell us shamelessly how much Andy's lead has increased over Novak.

It currently stands at 3000 + points, just checked the live rankings. Got a problem with that? :snicker

No problem, if you say. Got a problem only if someone says. :laydownlaughing

 

[the AntiPusher]

This bludgeoning just shows how much Nadal's game has declined and Fed has found new ways to win (SABR, improved BH, etc). Nadal hasn't really added anything new to his game and his shots are short and way too predictable. I can't even say that he will win RG like this.

2013 Indian Wells Nadal defeated Federer 6-4 6-2 in the quarterfinals

KS..Was Roger's game in a decline at that time..

It's just a question not a dispute..

Rafa's just hasn't made the proper counters to Roger's hitting aggressively with his backhand /racket plus serving less than 26 % of serves to Roger's bh at a avg serving speed of less than 95 mph was his biggest Waterloo..

 

[El Dude]

Thiem just out classes Monfils. Gael is such a joke of a player. His coaches must be so embarrassed - it is like he has no respect for the game.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Novak completes the daily double with a loss at doubles

 

[El Dude]

I wouldn't say "very bright." He's on the map, but I don't see anything more than a top 30-50 type. Maybe best case scenario is David Goffin.

 

[kskate2]

This bludgeoning just shows how much Nadal's game has declined and Fed has found new ways to win (SABR, improved BH, etc). Nadal hasn't really added anything new to his game and his shots are short and way too predictable. I can't even say that he will win RG like this.

2013 Indian Wells Nadal defeated Federer 6-4 6-2 in the quarterfinals

KS..Was Roger's game in a decline at that time..

It's just a question not a dispute..

Rafa's just hasn't made the proper counters to Roger's hitting aggressively with his backhand /racket plus serving less than 26 % of serves to Roger's bh at a avg serving speed of less than 95 mph was his biggest Waterloo..

AP,
This isn't 2013. And if it was, I can't answer that question without seeing the match again. Nadal's problems are greater than this one result. This has been going on for a couple of years now. I know he's your boy, but I'm sorry AP, he isn't doing anything new. After all those losses Fed took from Nadal and Djoker, he's finally flipped the script because he was willing to make some changes after he started declining.

Rafa isn't doing that. He continues to play the same defensive way. He won't step up to the baseline for returns, he's constantly dropping the ball short and he doesn't actively seek to come to net and force the issue. The fact that he does it in doubs means he can do it, he just doesn't do it in singles. I don't know if it's willful blindness or just plain stubbornness, but it will be a quick slide into retirement at this rate.

 

[Front242]

Ok Rafa, come to Miami and try to get the title
Anyway not doubts that Roger and his new racket is helping him a lot, serving and playing

Not that new anymore. He's had it since 2013 If only he'd had it since 2010.

 

[Front242]

Tignor the Kiss of Death picks

Djokovic over Kyrgios
Nadal over Federer


Front ..Steve is a complete azzClown:laydownlaughing

LOL yeah, he did badly this time. Thankfully :snicker h2h Rafa and Roger is now 9-9 on hard courts I believe. Nearly all the remaining matches Nadal won on clay save for Wimbledon 2008.

 

[Ricardo]

Like I said before Kyrgios never has beaten two top players in a row

yeah well Roger is not a top player anymore, not even ranked inside top 10.

 

[Ricardo]

Insane display from Roger. First time he's beaten Rafa 3 times in a row, incredible what he's doing. Sucks that he had to play Rafa in the 4th round, he still needs to go through Kyrgios and Kinky Kei just to make the final, very tough ask. But if he plays like that...

The Roger we know, never handled Rafa's high bouncing fh with such confidence and consistency. It's a game of %, and Fed always had maybe 30-50 deficit (no. of points) in that exchange in a match so in most case he couldn't make up for it despite having a better serve and more offensive forehand of his own. By removing that liability or reducing it significantly, i can see that he will be at least 50-50 from now on, assuming he can keep it up....its only couple matches really.

 

[britbox]

Jack Sock Presser:
17-Jack Sock (U.S.) beat Malek Jaziri (Tunisia) 4-6 7-6(1) 7-5

 

[britbox]

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

 

[britbox]

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

 

[britbox]

Order of Play - Thursday

 

[Shivashish Sarkar]

I am so grateful to Roger for giving us this joy at this stage of his career. Never really thought these days would come again. I am so pleased with whatever he is doing.

 

[the AntiPusher]

This bludgeoning just shows how much Nadal's game has declined and Fed has found new ways to win (SABR, improved BH, etc). Nadal hasn't really added anything new to his game and his shots are short and way too predictable. I can't even say that he will win RG like this.

2013 Indian Wells Nadal defeated Federer 6-4 6-2 in the quarterfinals

KS..Was Roger's game in a decline at that time..

It's just a question not a dispute..

Rafa's just hasn't made the proper counters to Roger's hitting aggressively with his backhand /racket plus serving less than 26 % of serves to Roger's bh at a avg serving speed of less than 95 mph was his biggest Waterloo..

AP,
This isn't 2013. And if it was, I can't answer that question without seeing the match again. Nadal's problems are greater than this one result. This has been going on for a couple of years now. I know he's your boy, but I'm sorry AP, he isn't doing anything new. After all those losses Fed took from Nadal and Djoker, he's finally flipped the script because he was willing to make some changes after he started declining.

Rafa isn't doing that. He continues to play the same defensive way. He won't step up to the baseline for returns, he's constantly dropping the ball short and he doesn't actively seek to come to net and force the issue. The fact that he does it in doubs means he can do it, he just doesn't do it in singles. I don't know if it's willful blindness or just plain stubbornness, but it will be a quick slide into retirement at this rate.

Everything you wrote is painful about Rafa but it's true. A few people mentioned that the way Rafa played without making any adjustments is shameful, Rafa should be made to walk his way to Miami. I seriously doubt that he should play Maimi, what for, he can't win because he too stubborn ( I am being pc) to change. Rafa's last great match was vs Dimitrov..

 

[DarthFed]

Like I said before Kyrgios never has beaten two top players in a row

He's also never played two top players in a row and it's still a small sample size: He beat Rafa at 2014 Wimbledon and lost the next match to Raonic, he beat Fed at 2015 Madrid and lost next match to Isner, and last week he beat Djokovic and then lost to a red hot Querrey.