Indian Wells

[Front242]

So a quick trivia, except the 2 famous quick exits at Wimbledon, when was the last time Rafa was eliminated in a tournament (R3)?

Was it Doha ? Dunno which year.

 

[Luxilon Borg]

And just to restate: Nadal was down 2-5 in the 3rd, and he got it to a TB. He lost to a creative and inspired Dolgopolov, but there is almost (?) no one in the game with more fight.

You are attempting to make it dramatic. When the score was 2-5, it was Rafa's serve.
So, basically Dog just had a one break lead. I am sure there are lots of lots of players
who came back and evened after being break down.

Good try at dramatizing though, but does not work with people who saw the match.

I was watching it too. You don't think that last set was a bit dramatic? Perhaps you're just jaded. I understand the difference of a one break lead. And I understand the psychological advantage of a 5-2 lead, however ephemeral. I didn't try to over-dramatize it, just was pointing out that Nadal is always a tough out. Am I wrong? :angel:

I agree with your conclusion that Rafa is a great fighter, in isolation. But, I don't agree with your
premise that a comeback from one break down is a dramatic thing.

But, I will not blame you. I understand. You are just trying to find a silver lining in every cloud.

OK, I get the point, and LB took me task on it, as well. I guess we have different definitions of "dramatic," and, surely it was more dramatic for me than a non-fan. If you folks want to turn a big upset into something less than dramatic, I'll concede, but I think you're taking all of the fun out of it. :ras: :snigger

Um, I agree with you...3rd set tiebreaker...#1 player loses to a guy with NO top 10 wins...? Yeh that IS dramatic.

 

[Front242]

^ Not really. All these erratic players can beat the top guys when it's just a few points that determine the win. Today Dolgo won said points and usually he wouldn't.

 

[Kieran]

Hopefully the early loss will have the benefit of impressing on Rafa that there's something wrong. Had he struggled to the final, it would cover the cracks...

 

[Luxilon Borg]

^ Not really. All these erratic players can beat the top guys when it's just a few points that determine the win. Today Dolgo won said points and usually he wouldn't.

Actually...Nadal is the most vulnerable when it comes to erratic upstarts. He loves rhythm . He loves playing grinders in the first few rounds so he can hit tons of balls.

In his post match interview he said Donkey Man and The Dog were not the type of opponents he prefers in early rounds because they were unpredictable and provided no rhythm.

 

[Moxie]

You are attempting to make it dramatic. When the score was 2-5, it was Rafa's serve.
So, basically Dog just had a one break lead. I am sure there are lots of lots of players
who came back and evened after being break down.

Good try at dramatizing though, but does not work with people who saw the match.

I was watching it too. You don't think that last set was a bit dramatic? Perhaps you're just jaded. I understand the difference of a one break lead. And I understand the psychological advantage of a 5-2 lead, however ephemeral. I didn't try to over-dramatize it, just was pointing out that Nadal is always a tough out. Am I wrong? :angel:

I agree with your conclusion that Rafa is a great fighter, in isolation. But, I don't agree with your
premise that a comeback from one break down is a dramatic thing.

But, I will not blame you. I understand. You are just trying to find a silver lining in every cloud.

OK, I get the point, and LB took me task on it, as well. I guess we have different definitions of "dramatic," and, surely it was more dramatic for me than a non-fan. If you folks want to turn a big upset into something less than dramatic, I'll concede, but I think you're taking all of the fun out of it. :ras: :snigger

Um, I agree with you...3rd set tiebreaker...#1 player loses to a guy with NO top 10 wins...? Yeh that IS dramatic.

I don't get you. You sound like you're being ironic there, and you gave me a hard time over the notion, and yet: isn't that a bit dramatic, as you describe it?

^ Not really. All these erratic players can beat the top guys when it's just a few points that determine the win. Today Dolgo won said points and usually he wouldn't.

If it had been Fed to lose this match, you'd be on your fainting couch, so don't tell me it's just another day at the office. Dolgopolov had never beaten Nadal. Nadal is #1 and the defending champion here. It's an upset. Can we at least say that?

 

[Front242]

^ Not really. All these erratic players can beat the top guys when it's just a few points that determine the win. Today Dolgo won said points and usually he wouldn't.

Actually...Nadal is the most vulnerable when it comes to erratic upstarts. He loves rhythm . He loves playing grinders in the first few rounds so he can hit tons of balls.

In his post match interview he said Donkey Man and The Dog were not the type of opponents he prefers in early rounds because they were unpredictable and provided no rhythm.

To be honest I doubt anyone wants to play unpredictable, unorthodox players and I've actually seen Dolgo play far better than that. Way too poor first serve % today and a lot of bad errors. Would like to see them on a faster hardcourt like Cincy with Dolgo serving 70-75+% first serves in for the entire match and hitting a lot less errors and way less loopy moonballs. That, imo, would be a spectacle.

Agree about the rhythm part but then you could agree they all like rhythm. I mean no one relishes playing huge servers like Isner or Karlovic anymore than unpredictable nutjobs like Dolgo. But clearly Nadal does prefer guys who let him rally more instead of blast winners left, right and centre. Not many can keep up the blasting of winners for an entire match anyway against him, or anyone else for that matter. Just ask poor Wodge.

 

[Luxilon Borg]

I was watching it too. You don't think that last set was a bit dramatic? Perhaps you're just jaded. I understand the difference of a one break lead. And I understand the psychological advantage of a 5-2 lead, however ephemeral. I didn't try to over-dramatize it, just was pointing out that Nadal is always a tough out. Am I wrong? :angel:

I agree with your conclusion that Rafa is a great fighter, in isolation. But, I don't agree with your
premise that a comeback from one break down is a dramatic thing.

But, I will not blame you. I understand. You are just trying to find a silver lining in every cloud.

OK, I get the point, and LB took me task on it, as well. I guess we have different definitions of "dramatic," and, surely it was more dramatic for me than a non-fan. If you folks want to turn a big upset into something less than dramatic, I'll concede, but I think you're taking all of the fun out of it. :ras: :snigger

Um, I agree with you...3rd set tiebreaker...#1 player loses to a guy with NO top 10 wins...? Yeh that IS dramatic.

I don't get you. You sound like you're being ironic there, and you gave me a hard time over the notion, and yet: isn't that a bit dramatic, as you describe it?

^ Not really. All these erratic players can beat the top guys when it's just a few points that determine the win. Today Dolgo won said points and usually he wouldn't.

If it had been Fed to lose this match, you'd be on your fainting couch, so don't tell me it's just another day at the office. Dolgopolov had never beaten Nadal. Nadal is #1 and the defending champion here. It's an upset. Can we at least say that?

Actually i am not....I really DO think it was a dramatic finish...I think you misread my posts.

 

[Luxilon Borg]

^ Not really. All these erratic players can beat the top guys when it's just a few points that determine the win. Today Dolgo won said points and usually he wouldn't.

Actually...Nadal is the most vulnerable when it comes to erratic upstarts. He loves rhythm . He loves playing grinders in the first few rounds so he can hit tons of balls.

In his post match interview he said Donkey Man and The Dog were not the type of opponents he prefers in early rounds because they were unpredictable and provided no rhythm.

To be honest I doubt anyone wants to play unpredictable, unorthodox players and I've actually seen Dolgo play far better than that. Way too poor first serve % today and a lot of bad errors. Would like to see them on a faster hardcourt like Cincy with Dolgo serving 70-75+% first serves in for the entire match and hitting a lot less errors and way less loopy moonballs. That, imo, would be a spectacle.

Agree about the rhythm part but then you could agree they all like rhythm. I mean no one relishes playing huge servers like Isner or Karlovic anymore than unpredictable nutjobs like Dolgo. But clearly Nadal does prefer guys who let him rally more instead of blast winners left, right and centre. Not many can keep up the blasting of winners for an entire match anyway against him, or anyone else for that matter. Just ask poor Wodge.

I think Dog played played great...lots of ridiculous winners. Errors count always looks bad against Nadal..the spin...his movement...

I think he played better than he did in Rio.

 

[Front242]

Best I saw Dolgo play was against Haas last year. Forget the tournament but it was hardcourt and he served way, way better than today. A load of aces. And made way less errors. Seems it was Washington 2012 actually.

 

[Moxie]

Actually i am not....I really DO think it was a dramatic finish...I think you misread my posts.

Perhaps I did, and if so, forgive me. I think I was reading one of GSM's as yours. Rather seeing red about someone telling me I wasn't watching the match.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

If Fedrinka wins this 2nd round match, then as a reward they get Worm and Paes.
That would be a real tough QF match.

 

[Luxilon Borg]

Actually i am not....I really DO think it was a dramatic finish...I think you misread my posts.

Perhaps I did, and if so, forgive me. I think I was reading one of GSM's as yours. Rather seeing red about someone telling me I wasn't watching the match.

No worries...I think that is what happened. I was in the edge of my seat...can't speak for anyone else....I was screaming and going nuts...my wife was getting annoyed...asking "what's going on in there..." Lol

 

[Front242]

Amazing shot by Dolgo here against Haas

[video=youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=betQvwo4jYk&feature=player_detailpage[/video]

 

[GameSetAndMath]

I am not getting stadium 2 in ESPN for the Fedrinka doubles match. If anyone has a good
stream, post it please.

 

[ftan]

Any streams for Fedrinka doubles match ?

 

[Front242]

^ It's weird. They had streams listed earlier but not anymore.

 

[ftan]

Yea I cant find anything

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Idiot schedulers. Why is Black Heart vs. Gulbis not on S1.

 

[ftan]

I guess I have to do with live scores and watch Grigor vs Gulbis