Miami

[Luxilon Borg]

I missed the whole match. I'd appreciate a recap.

Rog had a low serve percentage throughout, but otherwise played good tennis through the first set. Errors creaped in during the second, and he gave back a few breaks, and Kei snuck it out. 3rd set: Federer the shankerer was in full effect.

Honestly Kei played a good match, and had more to do with the win than people give him credit for. He strong mentally in the big moments (fed wasn't). Kei changed direction very well, which helped keep those balls heading towards Fed's backhand. Fed's serving was awful!

I wrote on the forum a few months ago I thought Nish was over rated not physically up to task. But after seeing him at Indian Wells I was impressed with his increase in physicality. He looked MUCH stronger the previous year.

I was VERY impressed tonight, and over the course of the past 4 weeks with his:

concentration

serving

anticipation

ball striking

A tip of the hat. I think Chang has been a big help.

 

[nehmeth]

Sad thing, Fed's serve percent I think was the lowest in the first set...

Yeah, but everything else was incredible.

 

[Front242]

Sad thing, Fed's serve percent I think was the lowest in the first set...

Yup but his ground game was pretty phenomenal and then it all just went downhill faster than a bad dose of food poisoning

 

[Luxilon Borg]

I missed the whole match. I'd appreciate a recap.

First set, Roger amazing everywhere but his serve.
Second set, Roger poor all around.
Third set.... same.

Nishi chugging away, over matched and out played, but hung in there.

Actually, NOT outplayed.

His net play was most impressive tonight.

 

[DarthFed]

Now Roger goes to clay where I'm worried he will overplay. But you will likely see a couple early exits there if this is any indication.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Somehow Kei seemed to also have a good read on Fed's serves today.

 

[Front242]

I missed the whole match. I'd appreciate a recap.

Rog had a low serve percentage throughout, but otherwise played good tennis through the first set. Errors creaped in during the second, and he gave back a few breaks, and Kei snuck it out. 3rd set: Federer the shankerer was in full effect.

Honestly Kei played a good match, and had more to do with the win than people give him credit for. He strong mentally in the big moments (fed wasn't). Kei changed direction very well, which helped keep those balls heading towards Fed's backhand. Fed's serving was awful!

I wrote on the forum a few months ago I thought Nish was over rated not physically up to task. But after seeing him at Indian Wells I was impressed with his increase in physicality. He looked MUCH stronger the previous year.

I was VERY impressed tonight, and over the course of the past 4 weeks with his:

concentration

serving

anticipation

ball striking

A tip of the hat. I think Chang has been a big help.

I agree with all that but man did he get a lot of help not only in this win over Fed but last year at Madrid too and that's exceedingly disappointing He was getting crushed in set 1 even with Roger serving like Errani.

 

[Riotbeard]

Congrats Kei!

Guys, settle down. Roger is 32. He is going to have off days even when he is in a good place with his game overall. He also lost to good player, who will exploit him having an off day. It happens, Roger is old, but overall he is playing good tennis again. Step back from the ledge.

Nah, if Roger wants to show that he can still play you can't have these types of losses. There is always the chance Roger suddenly puts it together a full 2 weeks at slams but when you have these kinds of matches spring up against 3rd tier players what are the chances of playing lights out for 7 straight best of 5 matches?

Kei is a better player than you are giving him credit for, but it depends on what roger wants out of playing tennis at 32. Occasional losses like this might be the new normal for him. This a very different loss from Becker and Delbonis last summer. Kei is at a different level from those guys.

I know for you though it's roger at his most sublime or nothing, so I ain't gonna try and convince you

 

[DarthFed]

It's unfathomable to lose to Nishi straight up, let alone after being up a set and a break.

 

[DarthFed]

Congrats Kei!

Guys, settle down. Roger is 32. He is going to have off days even when he is in a good place with his game overall. He also lost to good player, who will exploit him having an off day. It happens, Roger is old, but overall he is playing good tennis again. Step back from the ledge.

Nah, if Roger wants to show that he can still play you can't have these types of losses. There is always the chance Roger suddenly puts it together a full 2 weeks at slams but when you have these kinds of matches spring up against 3rd tier players what are the chances of playing lights out for 7 straight best of 5 matches?

Kei is a better player than you are giving him credit for, but it depends on what roger wants out of playing tennis at 32. Occasional losses like this might be the new normal for him. This a very different loss from Becker and Delbonis last summer. Kei is at a different level from those guys.

I know for you though it's roger at his most sublime or nothing, so I ain't gonna try and convince you

Give me a break, the guy isn't even top 20. That's third tier. It ain't about Roger being at his most sublime, it's about him not playing like a circus clown and dusting up those who are begging to be dusted...

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

One thing about Kei though, the guy is difficult to hit through in slower courts like this. Couple of times Roger rushed his shots just to catch him a bit earlier, ended up shanking.

 

[DarthFed]

Somehow Kei seemed to also have a good read on Fed's serves today.

Don't necessarily need a good read when you are returning 2nd serves all day...

 

[Front242]

So I was crap today after 4-3 2nd set?

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Kei played a good match when he lost to Rafa in AO too.

 

[Front242]

Kei played a good match when he lost to Rafa in AO too.

He did but guess what? He lost. And he should've today too if this clown version of Federer didn't show up after he was up a set and a break. Terrible loss.

 

[tented]

Roger was up a set and a break at 4-3 in the 2nd and then went 2013 on us, there's your recap.

Yep, that's it. And from that point in the second set on, he had The Frightened Face which is always a bad omen. (Think USO vs. Robredo.)

Congrats to Nishikori. He played a solid match to beat another top ranked player, in another three setter.

 

[DarthFed]

Rafa still won that match easy. Therein is part of the difference between Rafa and Roger at this point. The former toughs it out against the average players when he isn't at his best.

 

[Front242]

Roger was up a set and a break at 4-3 in the 2nd and then went 2013 on us, there's your recap.

Yep, that's it. And from that point in the second set on, he had The Frightened Face which is always a bad omen. (Think USO vs. Robredo.)

Congrats to Nishikori. He played a solid match to beat another top ranked player, in another three setter.

Yup, when I see that frightened face with him looking at the ground the whole time I know it's 80% curtains unless his opponent donates back some gunk 'cos hey, sharing is caring right?

 

[Moxie]

Congrats Kei!

Guys, settle down. Roger is 32. He is going to have off days even when he is in a good place with his game overall. He also lost to good player, who will exploit him having an off day. It happens, Roger is old, but overall he is playing good tennis again. Step back from the ledge.

Nah, if Roger wants to show that he can still play you can't have these types of losses. There is always the chance Roger suddenly puts it together a full 2 weeks at slams but when you have these kinds of matches spring up against 3rd tier players what are the chances of playing lights out for 7 straight best of 5 matches?

Kei is a better player than you are giving him credit for, but it depends on what roger wants out of playing tennis at 32. Occasional losses like this might be the new normal for him. This a very different loss from Becker and Delbonis last summer. Kei is at a different level from those guys.

I know for you though it's roger at his most sublime or nothing, so I ain't gonna try and convince you

Give me a break, the guy isn't even top 20. That's third tier. It ain't about Roger being at his most sublime, it's about him not playing like a circus clown and dusting up those who are begging to be dusted...

Nishikori has been top 10. RB is right…you hold Roger up to his most sublime or nothing. It seems that Nishikori was just better today. That doesn't mean that Roger was a clown. Give Kei a little credit.

 

[Front242]

Congrats Kei!

Guys, settle down. Roger is 32. He is going to have off days even when he is in a good place with his game overall. He also lost to good player, who will exploit him having an off day. It happens, Roger is old, but overall he is playing good tennis again. Step back from the ledge.

Nah, if Roger wants to show that he can still play you can't have these types of losses. There is always the chance Roger suddenly puts it together a full 2 weeks at slams but when you have these kinds of matches spring up against 3rd tier players what are the chances of playing lights out for 7 straight best of 5 matches?

Kei is a better player than you are giving him credit for, but it depends on what roger wants out of playing tennis at 32. Occasional losses like this might be the new normal for him. This a very different loss from Becker and Delbonis last summer. Kei is at a different level from those guys.

I know for you though it's roger at his most sublime or nothing, so I ain't gonna try and convince you

Give me a break, the guy isn't even top 20. That's third tier. It ain't about Roger being at his most sublime, it's about him not playing like a circus clown and dusting up those who are begging to be dusted...

Nishikori has been top 10. RB is right…you hold Roger up to his most sublime or nothing. It seems that Nishikori was just better today. That doesn't mean that Roger was a clown. Give Kei a little credit.

You said you didn't watch it. Watch it and you'll see he most definitely was a clown after 4-3 2nd set.