Miami Masters 2015 (Men)

[Moxie]

Definitely Rafa has regressed as a tennis player and loosing to Verdasco is an all-time Low.

Oh please. He lost to Fernando before and he had much more surprising upsets than today. Fernando at his best is a lot better than Berrer, Darcis, Rosol, Zeballos, etc.

Verdasco sucks and is known historically as choker and a head case. I bet you whomever he plays in the next round will defeat him in straight sets.

That's just sour grapes. Verdasco is very talented. I hope he wins his next round and more.

 

[Denis]

rafa win/loss record since lifting the French open trophy is....22-10.

Jeez, I didn't realize it was that atrocious. Anyways I won't throw dirt on the bull until he loses at RG, actually won't throw dirt on him until he has a slamless season. One can hope like hell this is finally the year. Rafa-free 2015...I can get on board

And you thought I was wrong with predicting Rafa would drop to the 5-10 range in rankings soon.

Anyways, you're right in not throwing on dirt on him just yet. I need to see it happen at RG to actually believe it.

 

[Moxie]

rafa win/loss record since lifting the French open trophy is....22-10.

Jeez, I didn't realize it was that atrocious. Anyways I won't throw dirt on the bull until he loses at RG, actually won't throw dirt on him until he has a slamless season. One can hope like hell this is finally the year. Rafa-free 2015...I can get on board

...(he says, licking his chops.) Darth, you may not care about exciting tennis, but you are consistent.

 

[pavlik89]

‎Fernando Verdasco‬ vs ‪‎Rafael Nadal‬ FULL MATCH HD ‪‎Miami OPEN‬ 2015

http://www.tennishdhighlights.com/atp-masters/miami-open-2015/

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

rafa win/loss record since lifting the French open trophy is....22-10.

Jeez, I didn't realize it was that atrocious. Anyways I won't throw dirt on the bull until he loses at RG, actually won't throw dirt on him until he has a slamless season. One can hope like hell this is finally the year. Rafa-free 2015...I can get on board

I wasn't throwing dirt on him..just pointing out the dodgy stats.

it is time for rafa to improve. :idea:

 

[Moxie]

rafa win/loss record since lifting the French open trophy is....22-10.

Jeez, I didn't realize it was that atrocious. Anyways I won't throw dirt on the bull until he loses at RG, actually won't throw dirt on him until he has a slamless season. One can hope like hell this is finally the year. Rafa-free 2015...I can get on board

I wasn't throwing dirt on him..just pointing out the dodgy stats.

it is time for rafa to improve. :idea:

You're exactly right. A certain number of losses can be attributed to rust and illness, but he is exactly where he should be showing signs of getting back to his best level. And today, he didn't.

 

[nehmeth]

“He played well the third, so he deserved to win more than me without any doubt tonight,” said Nadal. “Today, my game in general improved since a month and a half [ago]. But at the same time, [I’m] still playing with too many nerves in a lot of moments, in important moments.

“I was anxious on court… I wanted to be there. I tried in every point, but I was not able to relax myself, calm myself.” - Rafa Nadal

http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2015/03/12/Miami-Sunday-Verdasco-Nadal-Monaco-Garcia-Lopez.aspx

I understand the anxiousness on court. See Nole's shaking hand - https://twitter.com/sluggahjells/status/579781275600297985

My question is whether this lack of confidence is due to being away so long, or is it because he is not physically able to play at the level he once did? European clay court season is ahead and if he's going to get back on track this year, it's going to be here.

 

[Moxie]

“He played well the third, so he deserved to win more than me without any doubt tonight,” said Nadal. “Today, my game in general improved since a month and a half [ago]. But at the same time, [I’m] still playing with too many nerves in a lot of moments, in important moments.

“I was anxious on court… I wanted to be there. I tried in every point, but I was not able to relax myself, calm myself.” - Rafa Nadal

http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2015/03/12/Miami-Sunday-Verdasco-Nadal-Monaco-Garcia-Lopez.aspx

I understand the anxiousness on court. See Nole's shaking hand - https://twitter.com/sluggahjells/status/579781275600297985

My question is whether this lack of confidence is due to being away so long, or is it because he is not physically able to play at the level he once did? European clay court season is ahead and if he's going to get back on track this year, it's going to be here.

Thanks for those quotes, nehmeth. Nerves can come into it. But, yes, the $64,000 question. I guess we'll see by RG if Rafa is coming back to full strength. Since even a middling clay season doesn't prove that he can't peak at RG. I have faith in him, and the reset in the clay season.

 

[nehmeth]

^^ Thought you'd enjoy the vid of Nole's shaking hand. Yikes.

 

[Moxie]

^^ Thought you'd enjoy the vid of Nole's shaking hand. Yikes.

I did. Lest anyone think that they all just dial it in until the semis.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

My question is whether this lack of confidence is due to being away so long, or is it because he is not physically able to play at the level he once did? European clay court season is ahead and if he's going to get back on track this year, it's going to be here.

I think it is the later. This is his sixth tourney and you cannot keep on blaming the being away
from the circuit. The thing is that the moment, the physical ability goes down even a bit, as
he is aware of it, there will be a lingering doubt in the mind which would lead to lack of
confidence.

But, Rafa vehemently denies any health issues and says it is all due to nerves. Normally
Rafa speaks truth and does not play mind games in pressers. In this case also, he is really
telling the truth as he sees it; but he is deluding himself, I suppose.

 

[Moxie]

Vamos, Pico!

 

[tented]

Monday, March 30, 2015

Stadium Start 11:00 am

[16] Venus Williams (USA) v [4] Caroline Wozniacki (DEN)

[1] Serena Williams (USA) v [24] Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS)

[31] Jeremy Chardy (FRA) v [5] Milos Raonic (CAN)

[1] Novak Djokovic (SRB) v [Q] Steve Darcis (BEL)

Not Before 7:30 pm

[9] Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) v [22] John Isner (USA)

Not Before 9:00 pm

[3] Simona Halep (ROU) v [15] Flavia Pennetta (ITA)

---

Grandstand Start 10:50 am

[4] Kei Nishikori (JPN) v [32] Viktor Troicki (SRB)

Thomaz Bellucci (BRA) v Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR)

Not Before 3:00 pm

[8] Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) v [9] Andrea Petkovic (GER)

[26] Lukas Rosol (CZE) v [6] David Ferrer (ESP)

Not Before 5:00 pm

[12] Gilles Simon (FRA) v [Q] Alejandro Falla (COL)

---

Court 1 Start 11:00 am

[7] Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) v [12] Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP)

[18] David Goffin (BEL) v Jerzy Janowicz (POL)

[14] Karolina Pliskova (CZE) v [WC] Daria Gavrilova (RUS)

[11] Sara Errani (ITA) v [27] Sabine Lisicki (GER)

Sloane Stephens (USA) v Belinda Bencic (SUI)

---

Court 2 Start 11:00 am

[4] Jean-Julien Rojer (NED) / Horia Tecau (ROU) v Juan Sebastian Cabal (COL) / Robert Farah (COL)

[8] Caroline Garcia (FRA) / Katarina Srebotnik (SLO) v Hao-Ching Chan (TPE) / Jelena Jankovic (SRB)

[9] Andrea Hlavackova (CZE) / Lucie Hradecka (CZE) v Klaudia Jans-Ignacik (POL) / Andreja Klepac (SLO)

Simone Bolelli (ITA) / Fabio Fognini (ITA) v Vasek Pospisil (CAN) / Jack Sock (USA)

[WC] Thomaz Bellucci (BRA) / Joao Souza (BRA) v Marin Draganja (CRO) / Henri Kontinen (FIN)

Jamie Murray (GBR) / John Peers (AUS) v Marcelo Melo (BRA) / Bruno Soares (BRA)

---

Court 7 Start 1:30 pm

Anastasia Rodionova (AUS) / Arina Rodionova (AUS) v [5] Garbine Muguruza (ESP) / Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP)

Not Before 4:00 pm

[PR] Nicolas Almagro (ESP) / Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) v Kevin Anderson (RSA) / Jeremy Chardy (FRA)

 

[Carol]

First, congrats to Verdasco, he has played a very good first and third set!
Rafa will be back, he is healthy (more important than anything else) but still with a lack of confidence which is as important as the game. When he will put his mind in order his game will be in order too uzzled

 

[Federberg]

^ I largely agree with this, but I will make one point... because tennis is played by two, if Rafa doesn't regain his confidence quickly enough, others might start to think they can beat him. This was a problem Roger faced, as more and more players were less afraid of playing him.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Verdasco deserved his win today over Rafa.Rafa BPs stat was 3/12? sorry that is quite unacceptable,also he was shanking his fhand,has he been watching Federer matches?....Rafa's serve,bhand and fhand were all over the place.I thought after he won the 2nd set he was in control of the match,how wrong was I.Actually his play got worse in the final set.Rafa is too inconsistent,who knows which Rafa will turn up on court,I just can't see him doing well on his beloved clay this year quite frankly,I say this as a Rafa fan.

A fly by post from me

 

[the AntiPusher]

Oh please. He lost to Fernando before and he had much more surprising upsets than today. Fernando at his best is a lot better than Berrer, Darcis, Rosol, Zeballos, etc.

Verdasco sucks and is known historically as choker and a head case. I bet you whomever he plays in the next round will defeat him in straight sets.

That's just sour grapes. Verdasco is very talented. I hope he wins his next round and more.

Let me phrase it in a board politically correct Darthism "Rafa had no DAMN business losing to a choker like Verdasco. " Rafa is playing with the guts and confidence of a mouse in a glass box with a rattle snake. No way Fed or Djoker on their worst days could find a way to loose that match. This isn't a match where I can say Fernando played well because he didn't , he just did what he always does, swing for the fences, but this time he played against someone who has recently began to choked at an extraordinary high level for a player of his caliber.. I don't won't to hear no crap about Sour grapes, AP doesn't roll that way and Never will.

 

[DarthFed]

rafa win/loss record since lifting the French open trophy is....22-10.

Jeez, I didn't realize it was that atrocious. Anyways I won't throw dirt on the bull until he loses at RG, actually won't throw dirt on him until he has a slamless season. One can hope like hell this is finally the year. Rafa-free 2015...I can get on board

I wasn't throwing dirt on him..just pointing out the dodgy stats.

it is time for rafa to improve. :idea:

I know you weren't. But I don't think it's time for him to improve. I like him where he is right now

 

[Federberg]

^I'm not even going to contemplate his demise until the end of the season. I'm actually more fascinated by how he'll try to recover from a bad season than wishing him ill. I could care less about who ends up winning the slam race... it's not MY success! To be honest I actually don't have any issues with him per se (obviously I've documented the things that annoy me about him many times, but it doesn't rise up to the level of personal dislike).. I just find some of his supporters a bit irritating, particularly where injuries are concerned

But what I really want to see.. is does he have the ability to remodel his game if he loses a step. i.e., can he do a Roger?

 

[tented]

Looking over today's schedule of play, I'm noticing a few David and Goliath-type matches, and I'm pulling for the David in each:

Nishikori (5'10") vs. Troicki (6'4")

Ferrer (5'9") vs. Rosol (6'5")

Goffin (5'11") vs. Janowicz (6'8")


Also, it's good to see Darcis healthy and playing well enough to have qualified, and now reached the third round, but today will be the end of his stay in Miami.