Madrid Draw

[Front242]

Now Billie, next time we go on a date I want you to at least pretend to listen, rather than play with your fancy phone all the time. I really will drop it in the soup next time...

Nole's ankle is fine. He fell over and he played on and he hasn't missed a day in school since, thankfully. And now he's in with a shot of taking the final in Paris to five sets, while Rafa works his way back to his best. I think five sets would be great! Federer only ever got four (and in 2008, I mean 4 games... )...

Sure if Isner can take him to 5 sets in the first round surely Djokovic can. And there was nothing wrong with him then. Just a big serving chap on a roll. Fed should really have won set 1 in 2011 so that pretty much should've been a 5 setter there too.

 

[Kieran]

Fed should really have won set 1 in 2011 so that pretty much should've been a 5 setter there too.

That's right. I remember this one. Federer was leading 5-2 and Rafa got very injured by a very tight sock and needed the trainer to come on and distract Mr Federer....oops!

 

[Front242]

Fed should really have won set 1 in 2011 so that pretty much should've been a 5 setter there too.

That's right. I remember this one. Federer was leading 5-2 and Rafa got very injured by a very tight sock and needed the trainer to come on and distract Mr Federer....oops!

Rather annoying to say the least, yup. Fed came out on fire and that fire went out fast when that happened :-/

 

[Kieran]

Fed should really have won set 1 in 2011 so that pretty much should've been a 5 setter there too.

That's right. I remember this one. Federer was leading 5-2 and Rafa got very injured by a very tight sock and needed the trainer to come on and distract Mr Federer....oops!

Rather annoying to say the least, yup. Fed came out on fire and that fire went out fast when that happened :-/

Nah, he'd have still lost in four. Maybe even easier. He was blessed to win the 3rd and then Ralph swatted him in the 4th. That was the worst FO final by Nadal, but he won it pulling away...

 

[Front242]

Fed should really have won set 1 in 2011 so that pretty much should've been a 5 setter there too.

That's right. I remember this one. Federer was leading 5-2 and Rafa got very injured by a very tight sock and needed the trainer to come on and distract Mr Federer....oops!

Rather annoying to say the least, yup. Fed came out on fire and that fire went out fast when that happened :-/

Nah, he'd have still lost in four. Maybe even easier. He was blessed to win the 3rd and then Ralph swatted him in the 4th. That was the worst FO final by Nadal, but he won it pulling away...

You might see it as him winning it by pulling away. Most who watched it would see it as a guy on fire bottling the first set and ultimately drastically altering the match by doing so and then playing complete crud in set 4 where Rafa just needed to keep the ball in play. Federer was shite in set 4, there was no pulling away needed.

 

[Kieran]

I actually saw Nadal as rubbish throughout that match, and he just asserted himself about 5% more in the 4th and Federer went kaput...

 

[Front242]

I actually saw Nadal as rubbish throughout that match, and he just asserted himself about 5% more in the 4th and Federer went kaput...

Well I'm in full agreement as to it being Nadal's worst RG final (didn't think he looked too amazing last year either though for much of the match) but set 4 was more about Fed being unable to hit a barn door than Nadal asserting himself much more. I don't think Nadal played any better in set 4, just Fed played significantly worse. Like world 500 bad. But that's life and not like it's the first time I've seen that from him. 2008 rings a bell. More like a giant gong actually :s

 

[lindseywagners]

Roger will be a total guess work. I have no idea what to expect. Anyone has any knowledge as to how he spent the last month or so? I mean , where he trained and all..?

He was in Switzerland. There were two pictures posted on his Facebook account, one that mentioned practice and one that showed him hitting.

 

[Front242]

Well, Nadal seems to really like the Madrid courts this year. Guess that'll make things a lot harder for everyone.

http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2013/05/nadal-madrid-red-clay-great/47335/#.UYbp3UrmzNo

 

[Moxie]

Well, Nadal seems to really like the Madrid courts this year. Guess that'll make things a lot harder for everyone.

http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2013/05/nadal-madrid-red-clay-great/47335/#.UYbp3UrmzNo

Thanks for the link, Front. It makes sense that a new tournament would have kinks to work out. It's good news if the courts are settling into something better. (And I guess you mean that 'that'll make things a lot harder for everyone," else.)

LOL! (I hope so!)

 

[fedfan]

Well, Nadal seems to really like the Madrid courts this year. Guess that'll make things a lot harder for everyone.

http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2013/05/nadal-madrid-red-clay-great/47335/#.UYbp3UrmzNo

gulp...

 

[Moxie]

Well, Nadal seems to really like the Madrid courts this year. Guess that'll make things a lot harder for everyone.

http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2013/05/nadal-madrid-red-clay-great/47335/#.UYbp3UrmzNo

gulp...

Good to see you, Fedfan! Don't be too worried. You man shines at this tournament.

 

[fedfan]

Well, Nadal seems to really like the Madrid courts this year. Guess that'll make things a lot harder for everyone.

http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2013/05/nadal-madrid-red-clay-great/47335/#.UYbp3UrmzNo

gulp...

Good to see you, Fedfan! Don't be too worried. You man shines at this tournament.

Hi Moxie. Yea, I know Fed's history here is better than the other clay events. But when Rafa comes out and says he likes the surface at this event he typically despises (but plays because of local pressure), it likely doesn't bode well for the rest of the field, esp an old and likely rusty codger like Roger, lol

 

[Moxie]

Well, Nadal seems to really like the Madrid courts this year. Guess that'll make things a lot harder for everyone.

http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2013/05/nadal-madrid-red-clay-great/47335/#.UYbp3UrmzNo

gulp...

Good to see you, Fedfan! Don't be too worried. You man shines at this tournament.

Hi Moxie. Yea, I know Fed's history here is better than the other clay events. But when Rafa comes out and says he likes the surface at this event he typically despises (but plays because of local pressure), it likely doesn't bode well for the rest of the field, esp an old and likely rusty codger like Roger, lol

Hey, Fedfan!

I know how Roger comes out of the gate after a break is going to be the conversation of the week. And I take your point...if Rafa feels the clay suits him - watch out! But Roger will be taking heart from the "old codger" Tommy Haas. The 30-somethings have been on display, and showing up the youngsters, for sure. I fully expect that Rafa and Roger will meet in the SFs here. But if there's ever a clay surface that Roger could prevail on v. Rafa, it's here. We shall see.

Cheers!

 

[Front242]

Well, Nadal seems to really like the Madrid courts this year. Guess that'll make things a lot harder for everyone.

http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2013/05/nadal-madrid-red-clay-great/47335/#.UYbp3UrmzNo

Thanks for the link, Front. It makes sense that a new tournament would have kinks to work out. It's good news if the courts are settling into something better. (And I guess you mean that 'that'll make things a lot harder for everyone," else.)

LOL! (I hope so!)

Yup, Moxie. Harder for everyone but him unfortunately Fed's chances of defending (slim as they already were), just got a whole lot slimmer.

 

[herios]

Well, Nadal seems to really like the Madrid courts this year. Guess that'll make things a lot harder for everyone.

http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2013/05/nadal-madrid-red-clay-great/47335/#.UYbp3UrmzNo

Thanks for the link, Front. It makes sense that a new tournament would have kinks to work out. It's good news if the courts are settling into something better. (And I guess you mean that 'that'll make things a lot harder for everyone," else.)

LOL! (I hope so!)

Yup, Moxie. Harder for everyone but him unfortunately Fed's chances of defending (slim as they already were), just got a whole lot slimmer.

Madrid was always a better clay event for Roger, because is faster than the other clay majors, due to the altitude. If Roger;s serve will work well, he is still hard to beat, even if hell play Rafa.

 

[Front242]

Well, Nadal seems to really like the Madrid courts this year. Guess that'll make things a lot harder for everyone.

http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2013/05/nadal-madrid-red-clay-great/47335/#.UYbp3UrmzNo

Thanks for the link, Front. It makes sense that a new tournament would have kinks to work out. It's good news if the courts are settling into something better. (And I guess you mean that 'that'll make things a lot harder for everyone," else.)

LOL! (I hope so!)

Yup, Moxie. Harder for everyone but him unfortunately Fed's chances of defending (slim as they already were), just got a whole lot slimmer.

Madrid was always a better clay event for Roger, because is faster than the other clay majors, due to the altitude. If Roger;s serve will work well, he is still hard to beat, even if hell play Rafa.

Hopefully. But Sharapova says the courts are playing slower than last year which plays into Nadal's hands.

 

[herios]

Well, Nadal seems to really like the Madrid courts this year. Guess that'll make things a lot harder for everyone.

http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2013/05/nadal-madrid-red-clay-great/47335/#.UYbp3UrmzNo

Thanks for the link, Front. It makes sense that a new tournament would have kinks to work out. It's good news if the courts are settling into something better. (And I guess you mean that 'that'll make things a lot harder for everyone," else.)

LOL! (I hope so!)

Yup, Moxie. Harder for everyone but him unfortunately Fed's chances of defending (slim as they already were), just got a whole lot slimmer.

Madrid was always a better clay event for Roger, because is faster than the other clay majors, due to the altitude. If Roger;s serve will work well, he is still hard to beat, even if hell play Rafa.

Hopefully. But Sharapova says the courts are playing slower than last year which plays into Nadal's hands.

Slower still doesn't mean it is as slow as MC or Rome.

 

[britbox]

Nice win for Nishikori over Melzer. Two careers going in opposite directions. Nishikori has kind of flown under the radar a lot this last year. I'm wondering what his ceiling will be.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Verdasco wins!...A rarity these days...and Tomic loses, becoming a common occurrence.