Mutua Madrid Open 2017 Clay Masters

[Moxie]

Zverev into a third with Cuevas... Just won his first game to arrest a slump after getting handed a second set bagel. 1-1 in the decider.

I can't watch tennis this weekend, but a Cuevas win isn't a shock. He's on a good run of form, and is much more of a clay man than Zed.

 

[the AntiPusher]

I have to give Obi Wan credit.,Rafa has been deep into his service games but has not broken him.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Sasha's run is over

Sasha just got beaten by a better clay court tennis player

 

[Carol]

Looking the scores I see that Goffin is giving a hard time to Rafa. And Nishi? poor guy, he is like butter :cover

 

[the AntiPusher]

Looking the scores I see that Goffin is giving a hard time to Rafa. And Nishi? poor guy, he is like butter :cover

Yes Obi Wan is playing tough against Rafa..I like the way Rafa is playing today..taking what his defense will give him ..

 

[the AntiPusher]

Fantastic play by both players..if Rafa wins another game, his reward is to face Vader(Djokovic):emperor:

 

[DarthFed]

In fact I watched the last match against Federer, watched his match against Goffin, and against Nadal yesterday. Against Djokovic I only watched the highlights.

We could check the stats, but if he does not get the upper hand after the serve, he is in trouble. Against Federer in Miami, he broke Federer on one game, out of three or four UFE's, and besides that he would rarely even get to 30. The rallies he still wins are mostly due to the opponents UFE. Against Goffin it was basically the same. His stats as a receiver are very poor (for a top 20).

I am not getting in "forum mode" and going straight to the hyperbole -- saying his ground strokes are sh!t -- but they are weak for a top 20, and at best average for a top 50.

In fact this is even obvious. His serve is far above average (even for the top 10), he is fast and tall, he keeps the hammer down on big points. If he still had a good base line game, he would be #1, not #16.

I know what you're saying but I just disagree with labeling him "limited" from the baseline. The question with him is still his mentality. I thought it was an odd decision to skip Monte Carlo when he had a solid patch of form going without overplaying. And then after the barbecue yesterday he is saying "he still doesn't know what he wants to do" There is no way he should get blown out by anyone like yesterday and going off what people said it seems like another example of him checking out of the match early on.

With all that said he is a serious threat at Wimbledon as long as he has his head on straight, even if he was completely dialed in during clay season he would still struggle to have good results.

 

[El Dude]

Well, we're finally getting Rafa-Novak. On one hand, with their current forms (to use a phrase Kieran is obsessing about), I don't see how Rafa can lose - he is on fire, the best he's played in three years. On the other hand, there's that little thing of a seven-win streak for Novak that goes back years. It may also be that facing Rafa will spark Novak...let us not forget that Novak actually beat Andy in their only match of the year. Facing another champion may remind Novak that he's a champion.

So yeah, I'm excited to see what happens. I'll also hope that the winner of the top half somehow manages to beat either one, but that is unlikely to happen.

 

[DarthFed]

Fantastic play by both players..if Rafa wins another game, his reward is to face Vader(Djokovic):emperor:

Novak ain't Vader anymore. It's up to Djokovic to prove he can still play. I don't think he's going to do it tomorrow or even the next few months as right now it's just baby steps for him. He will be back to playing great tennis by this Fall or at worst by the beginning of next year IMO.

 

[Front242]

Djokovic is no longer Djuicevic so it should be interesting.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Fantastic play by both players..if Rafa wins another game, his reward is to face Vader(Djokovic):emperor:

Novak ain't Vader anymore. It's up to Djokovic to prove he can still play. I don't think he's going to do it tomorrow or even the next few months as right now it's just baby steps for him. He will be back to playing great tennis by this Fall or at worst by the beginning of next year IMO.

He still has a decisive h2h vs Rafa, Roger and Andy. He still is Novak and this little blimp in the road is nothing more than he will hit the reset button and be back on top as Andy continues his free-fall from the heavens. I think that Rafa should have more confidence especially since he has been practicing with him this week.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Well, we're finally getting Rafa-Novak. On one hand, with their current forms (to use a phrase Kieran is obsessing about), I don't see how Rafa can lose - he is on fire, the best he's played in three years. On the other hand, there's that little thing of a seven-win streak for Novak that goes back years. It may also be that facing Rafa will spark Novak...let us not forget that Novak actually beat Andy in their only match of the year. Facing another champion may remind Novak that he's a champion.

So yeah, I'm excited to see what happens. I'll also hope that the winner of the top half somehow manages to beat either one, but that is unlikely to happen.

I don't think Novak even lost a set during that 7 match win streak. You would think that would mean something but doesn't look it right now.

 

[Kieran]

Well, we're finally getting Rafa-Novak. On one hand, with their current forms (to use a phrase Kieran is obsessing about), I don't see how Rafa can lose - he is on fire, the best he's played in three years. On the other hand, there's that little thing of a seven-win streak for Novak that goes back years. It may also be that facing Rafa will spark Novak...let us not forget that Novak actually beat Andy in their only match of the year. Facing another champion may remind Novak that he's a champion.

So yeah, I'm excited to see what happens. I'll also hope that the winner of the top half somehow manages to beat either one, but that is unlikely to happen.

Hey, I never abused the phrase, "based on current form." When I use it, it's usually thought out. I don't do bandwagons.

I agree with your assessment though. Rafa should straight sets this one, but a lot depends on what's still going on between the ears. Rafa has lost three times against federer, and once against Querry. At a certain level, he's back playing better than he has in 3 years, but there are situations he faces where this all unravels and he becomes anxious, tentative, his levels drop and he's looping short defensive balls, losing aggression etc. He's been solid on clay so far, but tomorrow is a different sort of test, and one I'm looking forward to seeing how he handles it.

From Novak' side, it's been positive this week, but not spectacular, and he bought an extra days rest today when the Samurai put down his sword. So he'll be rested, but will he be strong?

 

[the AntiPusher]

Well, we're finally getting Rafa-Novak. On one hand, with their current forms (to use a phrase Kieran is obsessing about), I don't see how Rafa can lose - he is on fire, the best he's played in three years. On the other hand, there's that little thing of a seven-win streak for Novak that goes back years. It may also be that facing Rafa will spark Novak...let us not forget that Novak actually beat Andy in their only match of the year. Facing another champion may remind Novak that he's a champion.

So yeah, I'm excited to see what happens. I'll also hope that the winner of the top half somehow manages to beat either one, but that is unlikely to happen.

I don't think Novak even lost a set during that 7 match win streak. You would think that would mean something but doesn't look it right now.

That's paramount and definitely has been burned deeper inside Rafa's tennis memory. Novak knows this and Rafa has got the fight those demons of Novak's past victories over him. If someone believes this is just another match between these two, then they haven't been paying attention. I will be traveling all day tomorrow and will expect the results to show where each player are with their current form mentality. Too bad everyone isn't as mental focused as Federer who is out playing celebrity doubles with the likes of Bill Gates. Some guys have all the luck.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Oh boy, tomorrow will be the 50th edition of Nadalovic match. If Rafa wins this, I think Rafa will then have a winning streak of length at least 4 over Novak starting from tomorrow (their rivalry tend to go in streaks). So, this is actually a pivotal match.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Well, we're finally getting Rafa-Novak. On one hand, with their current forms (to use a phrase Kieran is obsessing about), I don't see how Rafa can lose - he is on fire, the best he's played in three years. On the other hand, there's that little thing of a seven-win streak for Novak that goes back years. It may also be that facing Rafa will spark Novak...let us not forget that Novak actually beat Andy in their only match of the year. Facing another champion may remind Novak that he's a champion.

So yeah, I'm excited to see what happens. I'll also hope that the winner of the top half somehow manages to beat either one, but that is unlikely to happen.

Hey, I never abused the phrase, "based on current form." When I use it, it's usually thought out. I don't do bandwagons.

I agree with your assessment though. Rafa should straight sets this one, but a lot depends on what's still going on between the ears. Rafa has lost three times against federer, and once against Querry. At a certain level, he's back playing better than he has in 3 years, but there are situations he faces where this all unravels and he becomes anxious, tentative, his levels drop and he's looping short defensive balls, losing aggression etc. He's been solid on clay so far, but tomorrow is a different sort of test, and one I'm looking forward to seeing how he handles it.

From Novak' side, it's been positive this week, but not spectacular, and he bought an extra days rest today when the Samurai put down his sword. So he'll be rested, but will he be strong?

Yes Rafa has lost 3 straight to Roger and a final to Sam which all were on hardcourts. I hope he realizes that he has to play hardcourt winning style of tennis to be victorious on the clay against the better players like Novak, Stan and the Beloved one if he makes a guest appearance on the clay. No longer can he expects the form he had prior to 2014 to be grand slam championship caliber.

 

[DarthFed]

Fantastic play by both players..if Rafa wins another game, his reward is to face Vader(Djokovic):emperor:

Novak ain't Vader anymore. It's up to Djokovic to prove he can still play. I don't think he's going to do it tomorrow or even the next few months as right now it's just baby steps for him. He will be back to playing great tennis by this Fall or at worst by the beginning of next year IMO.

He still has a decisive h2h vs Rafa, Roger and Andy. He still is Novak and this little blimp in the road is nothing more than he will hit the reset button and be back on top as Andy continues his free-fall from the heavens. I think that Rafa should have more confidence especially since he has been practicing with him this week.

It's not a blip when he's been playing bad for nearly a year. At this point it is an all out crisis like Fed in 2013 and Rafa in 2015 and 2016. Nole will be back to a high level at some point though his days as dominant #1 who wins nearly every tournament are probably a thing of the past as has been the case with Fed and Rafa. A win tomorrow would be an enormous boost though even if he gets it he'd have to still back it up with another couple good tourneys. But realistically he probably loses easily, I didn't think he'd get past Nishi before getting a walkover.

 

[BIG3]

No matter outcome of tomorrow match, congratulation to Nole first, semi in Madrid is the most ATP points he earned (or gifted)so far this season. It must be his worst in the last 10 years.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Novak ain't Vader anymore. It's up to Djokovic to prove he can still play. I don't think he's going to do it tomorrow or even the next few months as right now it's just baby steps for him. He will be back to playing great tennis by this Fall or at worst by the beginning of next year IMO.

He still has a decisive h2h vs Rafa, Roger and Andy. He still is Novak and this little blimp in the road is nothing more than he will hit the reset button and be back on top as Andy continues his free-fall from the heavens. I think that Rafa should have more confidence especially since he has been practicing with him this week.

It's not a blip when he's been playing bad for nearly a year. At this point it is an all out crisis like Fed in 2013 and Rafa in 2015 and 2016. Nole will be back to a high level at some point though his days as dominant #1 who wins nearly every tournament are probably a thing of the past as has been the case with Fed and Rafa. A win tomorrow would be an enormous boost though even if he gets it he'd have to still back it up with another couple good tourneys. But realistically he probably loses easily, I didn't think he'd get past Nishi before getting a walkover.

Enormous boost to someone that haven't defeated you since 2014,do you really believe this. It's like that ole girlfriend telling you if you don't pay attention to them, they will kick you to the curb.Rafa isn't doing anything extraordinary different so the ole Djoker counters should still be effective, imo.

 

[DarthFed]

Given that Rafa is playing at an elite level and on quite a roll it would definitely be a boost. Make no mistake about it, Rafa is the favorite tomorrow given what's been going on. Nole hasn't beaten any real good players this year aside from Murray (badly struggling himself) and Del Po who isn't exactly near top form either. He's lost to Istomin, Kyrgios twice, and Goffin.

And I'd say Rafa is playing his best tennis since 2013. This is the best he's hit his BH and the best he's ever served if we are talking about consistency. He isn't going to move like the old days and the forehand won't be as devastating but he's improved other areas of his game for sure.