Mutua Madrid Open, Madrid, Spain, ATP Masters 1000

[monfed]

no better sight in tennis and possibly sport than dull getting roasted on clay.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Everything happens for a reason and this loss is the best thing could happen to Rafa. After the DC plus Montecarlo and Barcelona to reach and win Madrid and later Roma I don’t think he would have done well in RG which is his goal. Now he has a little more time to rest and to play better in Roma. After to watch the match of yesterday and how bad he played (he didn’t play too much better vs Monfils) I knew he could lose anytime

Good azz whipping by Mr Thiem will do Ralphy some good.. Thiem was Thanos and Rafa was the Hulk..haha

 

[monfed]

This result just proved the point why draws matter and dull got jokes in Mickey Carlo Challenger and Farcelona. If Nadull had not faced Thiem, he may have won this tournament because there would've been nobody to test him and then dullstans would've told us how draws don't matter as he's too good on clay.

Usually dull gets either joke opponents like Clownfils who don't even test his shitty game/form OR he gets a challenging opponent who is tired from the previous matches like Thiem was at MCC. Today he got a fresh Thiem and BOOM! Roasted!

 

[Federberg]

This result just proved the point why draws matter and dull got jokes in Mickey Carlo Challenger and Farcelona. If Nadull had not faced Thiem, he may have won this tournament because there would've been nobody to test him and then dullstans would've told us how draws don't matter as he's too good on clay.

Usually dull gets either joke opponents like Clownfils who don't even test his shitty game/form OR he gets a challenging opponent who is tired from the previous matches like Thiem was at MCC. Today he got a fresh Thiem and BOOM! Roasted!

This doesn't matter at all. Nothing changes at RG imho

 

[GameSetAndMath]

So, Rafa's record at consecutive sets on won on clay stops at 50. I believe it is also the record for any single surface. Does anyone know what is the corresponding record for hardcourts and grass courts. I know for sure that on grass it is held by Federer. But don't remember the exact figure. Actually Fed has an active streak of 29 sets on grass that started in Halle 2017. If Fed can run through Stuttgart, Halle and Wimbeldon this year, that streak will extend to 68 (assuming no retirements by opponents in the middle).

 

[El Dude]

monfed, hate Rafa and say all you want, but it is absurd to keep hammering this "dull" thing. Rafa on clay is not dull: he is the "surface GOAT" as someone called him (mrzz?) -- that is, the greatest player of all time on a specific surface. As a tennis fan, how can that be dull?

What is dull is the clay competition. It isn't Rafa's fault that there are no Kuertens, Musters, and Brugueras. Thiem is the closest thing and he has actually beaten Rafa 33% of the time on clay - which is rather remarkable, if you think about it.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

[QUOTE="El Dude, post: 335941, member: 314"

What is dull is the clay competition. It isn't Rafa's fault that there are no Kuertens, Musters, and Brugueras. Thiem is the closest thing and he has actually beaten Rafa 33% of the time on clay - which is rather remarkable, if you think about it.[/QUOTE]

Rafa vs. Thiem H2H is 6-2 and all meetings were on clay. So Thiem beats Rafa 25% of time and not 33% as stated by you.

 

[Chris Koziarz]

monfed, hate Rafa and say all you want, but it is absurd to keep hammering this "dull" thing. Rafa on clay is not dull: he is the "surface GOAT" as someone called him (mrzz?) -- that is, the greatest player of all time on a specific surface. As a tennis fan, how can that be dull?

What is dull is the clay competition. It isn't Rafa's fault that there are no Kuertens, Musters, and Brugueras. Thiem is the closest thing and he has actually beaten Rafa 33% of the time on clay - which is rather remarkable, if you think about it.

GameSetAndMath said it on Barcelona thread:
https://www.tennisfrontier.com/tenn...na-open-2018-atp-500.6004/page-10#post-334925
and we have to agree, the numbers are unequivocal. His unexpected loss to Thiem does not change anything. Who would have predicted auch a loss, after he demolished him 6-0 6-2 couple weeks ago?

 

[El Dude]

Rafa vs. Thiem H2H is 6-2 and all meetings were on clay. So Thiem beats Rafa 25% of time and not 33% as stated by you.

That is incorrect. You aren't including Madrid.

http://www.stevegtennis.com/head-to-head/men/Rafael_Nadal/Dominic_Thiem/

 

[Ricardo]

monfed, hate Rafa and say all you want, but it is absurd to keep hammering this "dull" thing. Rafa on clay is not dull: he is the "surface GOAT" as someone called him (mrzz?) -- that is, the greatest player of all time on a specific surface. As a tennis fan, how can that be dull?

What is dull is the clay competition. It isn't Rafa's fault that there are no Kuertens, Musters, and Brugueras. Thiem is the closest thing and he has actually beaten Rafa 33% of the time on clay - which is rather remarkable, if you think about it.

Thought you don’t buy the goat thing?

 

[Ricardo]

monfed, hate Rafa and say all you want, but it is absurd to keep hammering this "dull" thing. Rafa on clay is not dull: he is the "surface GOAT" as someone called him (mrzz?) -- that is, the greatest player of all time on a specific surface. As a tennis fan, how can that be dull?

What is dull is the clay competition. It isn't Rafa's fault that there are no Kuertens, Musters, and Brugueras. Thiem is the closest thing and he has actually beaten Rafa 33% of the time on clay - which is rather remarkable, if you think about it.

Those you mentioned actually don’t stand a chance...Muster and bruguera don’t have the fire power and certainly can’t outlast the greatest grinder of all time!

 

[mrzz]

It is true that Madrid, due mainly to the altitude, plays a bit faster than normal, but it is a gross exaggeration to say that it is "like a HC court". Check any stat you want and you see that it is obviously still a clay court as any other. This is the best place to use the famous "eye test". (as a Brazilian author once stated, nothing is harder then to defend the obvious).

BTW, I told you guys about Thiem... even if I wasn't expecting that he would be able to raise his level again so soon.

 

[isabelle]

congrats to Dominator, he finally did what we expected from him

 

[monfed]

Thiem beating Ralph is so satisfying because he's not a ballbasher but a proper claycourter. Thiem is the clay GOAT.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

No let down from Thiem. He won in straight sets.

Actually, I did not expect a let down in this match.

But am not so sure that he will win the final, independent of the opponent. But, I hope he does. He deserves a ATP 1000 win.

 

[10isfan]

Hoping Shapo beats AZ who has a boring game, in my opinion.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Thiem beating Ralph is so satisfying because he's not a ballbasher but a proper claycourter. Thiem is the clay GOAT.

'A Proper Claycourter" which means Rafa is not is your meaning! Please elaborate because my first thought even for a nonRafa troll this may be the most asinine statement in the history of clay court tennis.
.

 

[El Dude]

Thought you don’t buy the goat thing?

That isn't quite my stand, but "surface GOAT" is different and pretty straightforward.

Those you mentioned actually don’t stand a chance...Muster and bruguera don’t have the fire power and certainly can’t outlast the greatest grinder of all time!

Sure, but that's not really my point. I notice you didn't mention Kuerten, who might have given Rafa some trouble.

 

[Moxie]

I'd almost prefer him to win every tourney going into RG and hope he overplayed or gets too confident. Best chance to avoid the inevitable.

I don't think over-confidence is one of his issues, but I'm not really sad he lost. Too much playing before RG is a risk, though, and the loss to Thiem in Rome last year was well-timed. Also, streaks have a way of taking on a life of their own (as Toni said with the clay wins streak some years back,) and I think it was good to let the steam off of that one.

 

[kskate2]

first blood to Alex 6-4