nadaLIVc - Rome Final Poll

[lob]

Djokovic speaking in Italian reminds me of De Niro in Godfather 2. Also, the Roma trophy is elegant.

 

[atttomole]

I think Djokovic can play better if they meet again. The fact that he won the second set with Nadal playing better the entire match means that Djokovic has some hope. The Serbian was cooked after playing long matches against players he was expected to dispatch.

 

[DarthFed]

I think Djokovic can play better if they meet again. The fact that he won the second set with Nadal playing better the entire match means that Djokovic has some hope. The Serbian was cooked after playing long matches against players he was expected to dispatch.

Yeah but his struggles against DP after a long break and then Shortman shows he's playing crappy even before this. He will have to be way way better to be a threat.

 

[Moxie]

The negative grade on Rafa is that he really should have won in straights, but he let Djoker off the hook too many times in the 2nd, then tightened up. The good news is that he pulled it back together quickly in the 3rd. I agree with Darth that it was not just about Djokovic being tired, though he certainly was. His game is not there yet. He may or may not find it during RG.

 

[kskate2]

Everyhing is fine. I am sure Novak will play way better if they meet in RG final.

I don't think they meet in the final. Like previous years, one of them will get knocked out before.

 

[DarthFed]

I don't think they meet in the final. Like previous years, one of them will get knocked out before.

Hopefully both.

 

[atttomole]

The negative grade on Rafa is that he really should have won in straights, but he let Djoker off the hook too many times in the 2nd, then tightened up. The good news is that he pulled it back together quickly in the 3rd. I agree with Darth that it was not just about Djokovic being tired, though he certainly was. His game is not there yet. He may or may not find it during RG.

I am also aware that he is not playing well. Even in Madrid he struggled in some matches, not to mention that he played against a tired Tsitsipas in the final. However, I still think that this match could have been a bit closer if Djokovic were not tired.

 

[tented]

I don't think they meet in the final. Like previous years, one of them will get knocked out before.

I tend to agree. It’s been four years since they last met at RG. Under the right conditions, I could see Tsitsipas or Thiem taking one of them (probably Novak) down before the final. Or Rafa getting injured. They’re also both lucky Wawrinka isn’t in Stanimal mode.

 

[the AntiPusher]

I tend to agree. It’s been four years since they last met at RG. Under the right conditions, I could see Tsitsipas or Thiem taking one of them (probably Novak) down before the final. Or Rafa getting injured. They’re also both lucky Wawrinka isn’t in Stanimal mode.

Rafa not loosing at RG to Tsitsipus or Dominic if he plays like he did today vs Novak.. Congratulations to Rafa and the Novak's fans because he has had a good clay season.. AGAIN, MC, BARC, Mardrid or Roma was not the GOAL .RG and SW19 with an open roof IS.

 

[DarthFed]

Rafa not loosing at RG to Tsitsipus or Dominic if he plays like he did today vs Novak.. Congratulations to Rafa and the Novak's fans because he has had a good clay season.. AGAIN, MC, BARC, Mardrid or Roma was not the GOAL .RG and SW19 with an open roof IS.

Rafa has gotten enough gifts at Wimbledon. Last year was a real blessing with those conditions. It will be Roger's to lose this year, time for him to stop all the underachieving at Wimbledon.

 

[Moxie]

Rafa has gotten enough gifts at Wimbledon. Last year was a real blessing with those conditions. It will be Roger's to lose this year, time for him to stop all the underachieving at Wimbledon.

Roger's done.

 

[Moxie]

I am also aware that he is not playing well. Even in Madrid he struggled in some matches, not to mention that he played against a tired Tsitsipas in the final. However, I still think that this match could have been a bit closer if Djokovic were not tired.

I really don't say this in a mean way, but obviously it would have been at least a bit closer if Djokovic weren't so tired. It clearly affected his play and some shot choices, but it's far from the whole story. I really thought he'd raise his level today, having Nadal on the other side of the net, but it wasn't there for him to find and it's not all fatigue.

 

[rafanoy1992]

With this title, Nadal has now won at least 1 title for 16 straight years which is an Open Era record (Federer is second with 15 years):

Also, when the official rankings comes out tomorrow, he will be in the Top 10 rankings for 735 consecutive weeks which will be second all time behind Jimmy Connors of 788 weeks. One of the most underrated streaks in Tennis:

 

[Federberg]

Roger's done.

If Roger wins will you state on the Wimbledon final chat that you eat are prepared to eat crow with all the trimmings?

 

[kskate2]

If Roger wins will you state on the Wimbledon final chat that you eat are prepared to eat crow with all the trimmings?

Crow has trimmings...

 

[atttomole]

I really don't say this in a mean way, but obviously it would have been at least a bit closer if Djokovic weren't so tired. It clearly affected his play and some shot choices, but it's far from the whole story. I really thought he'd raise his level today, having Nadal on the other side of the net, but it wasn't there for him to find and it's not all fatigue.

I also didn't expect Djokovic to win because Nadal was playing amazing going into the final. My reasoning was that Djokovic winning the second set made the match look closer than it was, which means that he could still trouble Nadal. Clearly, it was a combination of Nadal's play and Djokovic's fatigue.

 

[Fiero425]

I just about agree with everything here! I've been saying for a while now that the NG'rs have tested elites and beaten them of late! It's another thing to do it in a BO5, but they've come OHhhh so close; the USO last season has Rafa so spent he had to WD/retire midway to defeat in the SF to Del PO! Khachanov and Thiem had taken Nadal to the limit and he couldn't recover fast enough! Like Murray, it's gonna happen all at once and he'll be gone! He keeps pushing himself and I'm one to believe you pay for it later! Looking at American football; so many of these guys are totally incapacitated either physically or mentally by 50! Many lose their lives very early, but no one wants to acknowledge the stats! The body doesn't have infinite reserves; "ya burn the candle too bright, the light will burn out sooner" IMO! Murray was gone before we knew it! What's so mind-numbing to me is you'd think these master tacticians of tennis would figure out how to close out matches before going 5 sets in early rounds to players we don't even know OTT of our heads! Even Borg realized early on that he wasn't going to win Wimbledon like his FO titles hanging back and allowing players to run him ragged! Nadal, Murray, & "past & present Spanish Armada" of players who rarely get offensive and back up those great groundstrokes by getting into the net for easy put-aways! Kei and Milos try to emulate what I'm talking about, but as we all know, neither can stay on the court more than a few weeks! What a waste with Del PO who was supposed to join an "Elite 5" instead of keeping the boring "Big 4!" It just never came to be and I'm so mournful of the possibilities if not for certain players stifled by these GOATs of today! :whistle:

 

[atttomole]

I just about agree with everything here! I've been saying for a while now that the NG'rs have tested elites and beaten them of late! It's another thing to do it in a BO5, but they've come OHhhh so close; the USO last season has Rafa so spent he had to WD/retire midway to defeat in the SF to Del PO! Khachanov and Thiem had taken Nadal to the limit and he couldn't recover fast enough! Like Murray, it's gonna happen all at once and he'll be gone! He keeps pushing himself and I'm one to believe you pay for it later! Looking at American football; so many of these guys are totally incapacitated either physically or mentally by 50! Many lose their lives very early, but no one wants to acknowledge the stats! The body doesn't have infinite reserves; "ya burn the candle too bright, the light will burn out sooner" IMO! Murray was gone before we knew it! What's so mind-numbing to me is you'd think these master tacticians of tennis would figure out how to close out matches before going 5 sets in early rounds to players we don't even know OTT of our heads! Even Borg realized early on that he wasn't going to win Wimbledon like his FO titles hanging back and allowing players to run him ragged! Nadal, Murray, & "past & present Spanish Armada" of players who rarely get offensive and back up those great groundstrokes by getting into the net for easy put-aways! Kei and Milos try to emulate what I'm talking about, but as we all know, neither can stay on the court more than a few weeks! What a waste with Del PO who was supposed to join an "Elite 5" instead of the boring "Big 4!" It just never came to be and I'm so mournful of the possibilities if not for certain players stifled by these GOATs of today! :whistle:

Don't muddy the waters mate. Tell us why Djokovic lost.:hunting:

 

[Fiero425]

………

Also, when the official rankings comes out tomorrow, he will be in the Top 10 rankings for 735 consecutive weeks which will be second all time behind Jimmy Connors of 788 weeks. One of the most underrated streaks in Tennis:

View attachment 2100

I'm more impressed by Lendl who had to fight off so many other greats and GS winners; sometimes a dozen showing up at the USO he semi-dominated for a decade back in the 80's! The Big 4 contested alone while Lendl had to deal with Borg, Connors, McEnroe, Becker, Edberg, Wilander, & Cash to name but a few! :whistle:

 

[lob]

Rafa has gotten enough gifts at Wimbledon. Last year was a real blessing with those conditions. It will be Roger's to lose this year, time for him to stop all the underachieving at Wimbledon.

That sounds like wishful thinking. He's here because couldn't take his chances. One can quarrel about which but he had them in 08, 11, 15, 16, 18.

But now with Djokovic, Nadal being the top contenders and at least two of Anderson, Raonic, Perseus, Kyrgios, Coric in his way?