Mutua Madrid Open, Madrid, Spain, ATP Masters 1000, 2019

[Ricardo]

This match is over (Nadal just won the 2nd set). When Nadal gets on a roll like this, ther'es no way he'll lose - at least not to a 20-year old pup.

Gotta love Tsitisipas's heart. But these last few games display the difference between the three great ones and everyone else: I just don't see this higher gear in other players.

Words of wisdom from the expert....yet again.

 

[Ricardo]

I love my final, Nole against Stefanos
Yessss

Agreed, huge fav against the lucky youngster.

 

[kskate2]

Plus, he just beat the King of Clay, plus he won his only encounter with Novak. Here’s to hoping it’s decided in a third set tiebreak!

If that's the case, he needs to put him away before that. I don't like the Greek's chances to prevail in the end. In the TB, Djoke will step up his game.

 

[El Dude]

At some point he will not be able to dominate on this surface as he used to be due to the age factor and that time might be now around the corner.

You mean it might be now? He clearly hasn't dominated clay so far this year. Three semifinals is nothing to sneeze at, but he's getting beaten. I see it about margins...even if he is still the best clay courter, the gap is much narrower.

 

[tented]

It probably would have been more poetic with the 2 NG'rs contesting for this title after Nadovic have gone at it for 10+ yrs in Madrid! :whistle:

Their ‘09 SF was the best match I’ve ever seen in Madrid.

 

[Front242]

Their ‘09 SF was the best match I’ve ever seen in Madrid.

I preferred the final

 

[herios]

It probably would have been more poetic with the 2 NG'rs contesting for this title after Nadovic have gone at it for 10+ yrs in Madrid! :whistle:

Last year it was a Zverev-Thiem final, so they had their chance.

 

[atttomole]

It looks like Tsitsipas is more dangerous against top players when playing at night. He did the same against Federer at the AO, playing excellent tennis. I am aware that he beat Djokovic during the day in Canada, but at night he looks almost unplayable.

 

[herios]

What is going on between them? They played only 2 matches against each other and both on hard from last year. Time for some next gen rivalries to start picking up. Agree that Tsitsipas has an edge here given the form. I like him more anyway so will root for the greek.

When Sasha played in Toronto against Stefanos and lost last year, he made an ungracious comment.
He said in the presser that he played atrocious and he did not think Stefanos played well either.

 

[herios]

Yeah, I was utterly wrong. But can you blame me? How many times have we seen Rafa up it to that level and then steam-roll his opponent?

Anyhow, Roland Garros is going to be a very interesting tournament. I still favor Rafa--he's got another whole tournament to find his A game--but the gap has closed quite a bit over this last month.

What makes it more intriguing is that aside the Barcelona win, Thiem has had also 2 disappointing showings during this clay season.

 

[Fiero425]

What makes it more intriguing is that aside the Barcelona win, Thiem has had also 2 disappointing showings during this clay season.

Ya can't win them all! I'll take his efforts over Zverev for now! He's beginning to assert himself and getting over the hump of besting the "Big 3" is the 1st step for some! At least he's doing that if not taking his 1st Major by now! Sometimes you have to be seasoned; heaven knows Lendl, Edberg, and others took a good 5 years before they finally won their 1st GS event even when the surface was made for them! I think we might have that "changing of the guard" at hand! Roger's fading, Nadal and Nole vulnerable, Sasha can't even make the 2nd week, etc.! It has to happen sometime; why not now? I'd just assume give Djokovic this FO so he'll have 2nd Nole-Slam, tying up loose ends owning at least 2 of each MAJOR, etc.! TO complete the entire cycle, he can take it easy until Cincy to get another one! :whistle:

 

[herios]

Ya can't win them all! I'll take his efforts over Zverev for now! He's beginning to assert himself and getting over the hump of besting the "Big 3" is the 1st step for some! At least he's doing that if not taking his 1st Major by now! Sometimes you have to be seasoned; heaven knows Lendl, Edberg, and others took a good 5 years before they finally won their 1st GS event even when the surface was made for them! I think we might have that "changing of the guard" at hand! Roger's fading, Nadal and Nole vulnerable, Sasha can't even make the 2nd week, etc.! It has to happen sometime; why not now? I'd just assume give Djokovic this FO so he'll have 2nd Nole-Slam, tying up loose ends owning at least 2 of each MAJOR, etc.! TO complete the entire cycle, he can take it easy until Cincy to get another one! :whistle:

I know you like Thiem a lot, I like him too when it comes to clay especially, but trust me, if there is a slam winner in the waiting that is Tsitsipas. It may be to early now, but he manages to defeat top players very early on in his career. He is shadowing Zverev career path, but he is mentally stronger than the German.

 

[mrzz]

Travelling and cannot see no matches, but checked the scores and saw another 1 handed BH beat Nadal. I told you.

Enviado de meu XT1032 usando o Tapatalk

 

[britbox]

Ya can't win them all! I'll take his efforts over Zverev for now! He's beginning to assert himself and getting over the hump of besting the "Big 3" is the 1st step for some! At least he's doing that if not taking his 1st Major by now! Sometimes you have to be seasoned; heaven knows Lendl, Edberg, and others took a good 5 years before they finally won their 1st GS event even when the surface was made for them! I think we might have that "changing of the guard" at hand! Roger's fading, Nadal and Nole vulnerable, Sasha can't even make the 2nd week, etc.! It has to happen sometime; why not now? I'd just assume give Djokovic this FO so he'll have 2nd Nole-Slam, tying up loose ends owning at least 2 of each MAJOR, etc.! TO complete the entire cycle, he can take it easy until Cincy to get another one! :whistle:

Edberg won his first when he was 19, I think your expectations might be running away with themselves!

 

[britbox]

Way to go Stefanos! Hopefully, he can capitalize and take this one to the bank.

 

[Fiero425]

Edberg won his first when he was 19, I think your expectations might be running away with themselves!

He'd been on the scene since a Jr. GS won in '83! An Italian writer predicted he'd win the Sr. Wimbledon title in 5 years and he did! :whistle:

 

[britbox]

He'd been on the scene since a Jr. GS won in '83! An Italian writer predicted he'd win the Sr. Wimbledon title in 5 years and he did! :whistle:

Yep, but he also won the AO in 85 and 87.

 

[Fiero425]

Yep, but he also won the AO in 85 and 87.

It was barely holding on as a MAJOR back then! Those championships were the last on grass before moving to HC & a roof! :whistle:

 

[GameSetAndMath]

I didn't see any match today. I am pleasantly surprised that Perseus (no, I did not coin that nick name) won. I really was not expecting it to happen. Now, he has a shot at winning this title, though not the favorite.

Ralph has now lost to three different players in this clay season: Fog, Thiem and Perseus. This kind of diverse losses to assorted players definitely means Ralph's game has come down this year. If he does not win Rome (highly likely), then he will definitely not be considered favorite at RG this year (and rightfully so).

 

[don_fabio]

When Sasha played in Toronto against Stefanos and lost last year, he made an ungracious comment.
He said in the presser that he played atrocious and he did not think Stefanos played well either.

Thank you for the info. Mr. Big Ego obviously need to concentrate more on his racquet to do the talking.