Internazionali BNL d'Italia, Rome ATP 1000, 2018

[Moxie]

Moxie.. We don’t know to certainty that Darth still has disdain for Rafa.. I think Darth has soften and probably appreciates Rafa when Fed is absence from the tour.. Darth is a gambler and he likes a winner.. I bet Darth doesnt hedge his bets against Rafa during the clay season.. No Sir ye Bob, Darth’s has a vested interest in Rafa Nadal..::sw1::

Um, no, I don't think he's softened. See his post above. :lulz2:

 

[monfed]

I love your face, it looks so cute and charming ......:lulz2:

I'll let you pull my cheeks if you're hot.

 

[DarthFed]

I'll let you pull my cheeks if you're hot.

You'll have to ask Carol's "better than Cilic" doorman if that is allowed.

 

[Carol]

I'll let you pull my cheeks if you're hot.

Pull your cheeks? I see that you didn't get it, that face is weird and it's scary!!!!

 

[Moxie]

You called him a troll. :lulz2: I just think he likes to complain. Anyway like I said, this week is not a gimme. Fog has beaten Nadal on clay and he could do it again (especially in front of his home crowd).

Not a gimme at all. He's going to face Shapo tomorrow. I don't expect this to be a worry, even if Denis beat him on grass the one time they've met. But it won't be a walkover...Shapo is talented and dangerous, if unseasoned and undisciplined. I do think he'll find a difference meeting Nadal on clay. And yes, the Fog has beaten Rafa on clay. He's got home court advantage, and he seems to be in the mood. So much for those (@monfed) who would say that all draws favor Nadal. Hell, Djokovic is in his half, if Novak gets that far, and is gaining confidence. The bottom half is a little less loaded, but competitive within their levels.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Not a gimme at all. He's going to face Shapo tomorrow. I don't expect this to be a worry, even if Denis beat him on grass the one time they've met. But it won't be a walkover...Shapo is talented and dangerous, if unseasoned and undisciplined. I do think he'll find a difference meeting Nadal on clay. And yes, the Fog has beaten Rafa on clay. He's got home court advantage, and he seems to be in the mood. So much for those (@monfed) who would say that all draws favor Nadal. Hell, Djokovic is in his half, if Novak gets that far, and is gaining confidence. The bottom half is a little less loaded, but competitive within their levels.

Hard court in Montreal.

 

[Moxie]

Hard court in Montreal.

OK, whatever. Always funny to me that some of the Feddies have Nadal's losses better catalogued than I do. (I don't mean you.) In any case, I think Nadal will be on warning, and Shapalov will find a new experience playing Rafa on clay. By all accounts, it IS a different experience. I'd be more worried if Dennis the Menace were more disciplined. I still think, while he's talented, he bashes the ball too much and I don't see that he has the patience to beat Rafa, even in best of 3.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

OK, whatever. Always funny to me that some of the Feddies have Nadal's losses better catalogued than I do. (I don't mean you.) In any case, I think Nadal will be on warning, and Shapalov will find a new experience playing Rafa on clay. By all accounts, it IS a different experience. I'd be more worried if Dennis the Menace were more disciplined. I still think, while he's talented, he bashes the ball too much and I don't see that he has the patience to beat Rafa, even in best of 3.

I was just correcting an honest mistake. I think Rafa will spank the kid hard tomorrow

 

[Fiero425]

Hard court in Montreal.

That was "home" court and Shapo was "winging" that left-handed topspin backhand! Nadal didn't lose; he got beat!

 

[Moxie]

I was just correcting an honest mistake. I think Rafa will spank the kid hard tomorrow

Oh, I hope so! No worries to you. I was going off the top of my head re: when Rafa lost to Denis. It was last summer. I'd wager money though that some like GSM would not have got that wrong. They do catalogue them.

 

[Moxie]

That was "home" court and Shapo was "winging" that left-handed topspin backhand! Nadal didn't lose; he got beat!

Indeed he did. I'm waiting for young Denis to become the disciplined player that will make him the super-star that he should be. I know he's young, and we can't expect it all to happen in one year, but he really does still have a lot to learn. He seems to prefer to hit the ball as hard as possible, rather than think about where it should go. I'm sure he's working on that, though.

 

[monfed]

Pull your cheeks? I see that you didn't get it, that face is weird and it's scary!!!!

But you said you love my face it's cute and charming. Tell you what I'll dilute my hot requirement this one time, how does that sound?

 

[10isfan]

I’m eagerly waiting for Shapo to get his game in order. He is fun to watch unlike AZ who I predict will have the better career because he has the simpler game which usually leads to more consistency.

 

[Moxie]

Wow, four of the top 8 seeds (Thiem, Grigor, Anderson, Isner) went home today and it all happened in just the second round. ATP is approaching WTA in this regard.

This is rather fake hysteria from you. (As well as insulting to the WTA.) Anderson retired. Thiem played a tough match v. the talented, mercurial, and home town favorite Fognini, Dimitrov v. Nishikori was always going to be a coin-flip and it was a fascinating match. Isner went the proscribed 3 TB sets v. a clay-courter, and Ramos-Viñolas came out the better. The MS 1000s are actually tough from the start, so these results can't really shock anyone. Do you really find these results shocking, or demeaning to the ATP?

 

[Moxie]

Tsitsipas had an early lead on del Potro. Experience showed, overall, but I still think the young Greek has a lot of chops and up-side. The first set really could have gone either way. The commies say that he has not just the game, but the work ethic. That he'll fly to hit with Rafa for 3 hours, etc. That's a good sign.

 

[Carol]

But you said you love my face it's cute and charming. Tell you what I'll dilute my hot requirement this one time, how does that sound?

It was sarcastic, mr x, sarcastic!

 

[monfed]

It was sarcastic, mr x, sarcastic!

I'm heartbroken, don't know how I'll recover from this.

 

[El Dude]

Indeed he did. I'm waiting for young Denis to become the disciplined player that will make him the super-star that he should be. I know he's young, and we can't expect it all to happen in one year, but he really does still have a lot to learn. He seems to prefer to hit the ball as hard as possible, rather than think about where it should go. I'm sure he's working on that, though.

Remember just how young he is: he just turned 19 years old, two full years younger than Alex Zverev, and the same age Roger turned in 2000, a year he finished #29 - about Shapo's ranking now. Roger didn't win his first title or reach his first Slam QF until the following year.

And before you say, "But Rafa!" remember that Rafa's success as a teenager is unparalleled in the 21st century. You have to go back to Sampras in 1990 to find another teen Slam champion (Safin was close in 2000).

 

[Moxie]

Remember just how young he is: he just turned 19 years old, two full years younger than Alex Zverev, and the same age Roger turned in 2000, a year he finished #29 - about Shapo's ranking now. Roger didn't win his first title or reach his first Slam QF until the following year.

And before you say, "But Rafa!" remember that Rafa's success as a teenager is unparalleled in the 21st century. You have to go back to Sampras in 1990 to find another teen Slam champion (Safin was close in 2000).

I don't forget and I've said it many times. I started that post with, "I know he's young." I'm well-aware that Rafa was the last great teenager and Pete and Marat before him. I'm really only reacting to those that are putting a lot on his shoulders. (I think GSM has nominated him for President.) As I say, I think he's got great potential, but he's got a lot of seasoning to get. Likewise, I think Tsitsipas is coming on fast, but even as much as I'm "bandwagoning" him, I don't expect much immediately. I'd say all of these promising young guys at the top of the radar are on track. But I don't see anything wrong with pointing out that they are young and lacking in certain polish. That's all I'm saying about Shapo. Like most, I'm pegging him for real stardom, but he's not there yet. His powerful racquet still proceeds his head.

As far as great teenagers: note the names. Whether or not tennis is aging, I don't expect a Rafa or Pete or Marat to come along every generation, anyway. Who knows when we'll see a teenager like that again, or if ever.

 

[Chris Koziarz]

OK, whatever. Always funny to me that some of the Feddies have Nadal's losses better catalogued than I do. (I don't mean you.) In any case, I think Nadal will be on warning, and Shapalov [sic] will find a new experience playing Rafa on clay. By all accounts, it IS a different experience. I'd be more worried if Dennis the Menace were more disciplined. I still think, while he's talented, he bashes the ball too much and I don't see that he has the patience to beat Rafa, even in best of 3.

Oh yes, very different! From Hero (win in Montreal), to Minus Zero ("Dzumhur's experience" 0-6 1-6 or similar). The kid will feel lucky for every point he wins far and in between, not to mention any game on the scoreboard!