Nitto ATP Finals, 2019, London

[Moxie]

Because historically it has been.

Except that they lay this court every year, so how can we know?

 

[Moxie]

Well, Thiem's all over Roger and Fed looking a bit rough around the edges.

 

[Moxie]

This is a must win match for Fed. Assuming Novak wins all his RR matches and Matteo loses all his RR matches, Novak will qualify and Matteo will be eliminated. The second place would go to whoever wins this match between Fed and Thiem.

Or to put it other way, if Fed loses today he might have to win his match against Novak just to advance.

So, Fed better come good right off the bat.

I don't see why we should assume that Matteo loses all of his RR matches.

 

[AnonymousFan]

Thiem to serve for the match 6-5

 

[Nadalfan2013]

Thiem 5 - Federer 2

B-):whistle::heart:

 

[Moxie]

Thiem was in massive form today. Got a bit tight serving for it...long last game there. Fed had chances to get it to a TB.

 

[Moxie]

Ah, it's Annabel Croft on the court. TC commies say that the court traditionally plays fast, but was slow last year. They think it's fast this year, again. Just to clear the record.

 

[Nadalfan2013]

I have a feeling that Federer will not show up to play his match against Djokovic.

 

[AnonymousFan]

 

[GameSetAndMath]

This is disappointing. I was wishing that Roger win WTF this year. Now, the chances of him even making to the semifinals look flimisy. Unless Roger beats Novak (which is not impossible), Roger is out. Actually, even if Roger wins his match against Novak, it is not guaranteed either, as if Novak, Fed and Thiem all end up with two wins, Roger may not make it considering he lost in straight sets (assuming the other two manage to win a set even in the match that they lose).

This is embarrassing. In the whole of Roger's career there is only one year when he did not advance to the semifinals.

The trouble with WTF is that you cannot play yourself into form. There is no room for such things unlike in a GS. You got to hit the ground running. Roger could not do that today.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

In the last game, Thiem served and it apparently touched the net. At least, Roger thought so and so gently tapped the ball back in court instead of doing a real return (and needless to say Thiem thumped it for a winner). Unfortunately, the microphone that sounds on a let did not go on and the umpire did not call a let. That was an unlucky stuff at an important moment.

I am not blaming Roger's loss on that. Roger certainly played terribly throughout the match. He even hit a Novakian overhead.

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

fed in ruins. dom is giddy with win.

 

[tented]

Big loss for Roger today. It probably took him out of the semis, since he’ll probably also lose to Novak.

 

[Fiero425]

Big loss for Roger today. It probably took him out of the semis, since he’ll probably also lose to Novak.

I said yesterday Fed needed to win in straight sets; dropping match in straights just about cancels him for the weekend in the SF! Anything's possible, but I wouldn't be hopeful! He really needed this win over Thiem and I just didn't see it unless Fed attacked early and often! Getting back into that 1st set was key, but he couldn't finish! There's something missing; the fire wasn't there with any sense of urgency! :whistle:

 

[tented]

I said yesterday Fed needed to win in straight sets; dropping match in straights just about cancels him for the weekend in the SF! Anything's possible, but I wouldn't be hopeful! He really needed this win over Thiem and I just didn't see it unless Fed attacked early and often! Getting back into that 1st set was key, but he couldn't finish! There's something missing; the fire wasn't there with any sense of urgency! :whistle:

If he also loses to Novak in straights, that’s it, even if he beats Matteo in straights. And I agree - there did seem to be something missing today. It wasn’t nerves, such as he gets against Novak. It was more just a lack of motivation.

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

just being here at 38 is amazing in itself.

 

[Moxie]

This is disappointing. I was wishing that Roger win WTF this year. Now, the chances of him even making to the semifinals look flimisy. Unless Roger beats Novak (which is not impossible), Roger is out. Actually, even if Roger wins his match against Novak, it is not guaranteed either, as if Novak, Fed and Thiem all end up with two wins, Roger may not make it considering he lost in straight sets (assuming the other two manage to win a set even in the match that they lose).

This is embarrassing. In the whole of Roger's career there is only one year when he did not advance to the semifinals.

The trouble with WTF is that you cannot play yourself into form. There is no room for such things unlike in a GS. You got to hit the ground running. Roger could not do that today.

I'm sorry, GSM...I know this makes you unhappy. But thanks, as always, for keeping us up on the various scenarios.

As with the MS1000s, there is less time to play yourself into the tournament, as the field is smaller and more elite...even more so here. Thiem played about as a good a match as I've seen him play all year, and Roger didn't come out fast from the gate.

In the last game, Thiem served and it apparently touched the net. At least, Roger thought so and so gently tapped the ball back in court instead of doing a real return (and needless to say Thiem thumped it for a winner). Unfortunately, the microphone that sounds on a let did not go on and the umpire did not call a let. That was an unlucky stuff at an important moment.

I am not blaming Roger's loss on that. Roger certainly played terribly throughout the match. He even hit a Novakian overhead.

I heard something odd happened, when I was not paying as much attention. Thanks for clarifying. Though I did see that "Novakian overhead."

 

[Nadalfan2013]

This reconfirms how difficult those RG wins were for Rafa in 2018 & 2019 as he had to beat the amazing Thiem in both finals.

Thiem not only leads Federer 5-2 in h2h, but he has also done well against Nole by winning 3 of their last 4 meetings. :heart:

 

[Moxie]

This reconfirms how difficult those RG wins were for Rafa in 2018 & 2019 as he had to beat the amazing Thiem in both finals.

Thiem not only leads Federer 5-2 in h2h, but he has also done well against Nole by winning 3 of their last 4 meetings. :heart:

There is no need to reconfirm that Thiem was a worthy opponent at RG...he's been considered the 2nd or 3rd best on clay for a few years now, depending on the year, and state of Novak. You're right to give him a shout-out, as he has a lot of detractors around here. He's no Rafa, Novak or Roger, certainly. He's much more like a Wawrinka, and not just because of the 1HBH. He's strong, and hard to hit through, when he's on. And he'll still have the benefit of youth when they wane. But, like Stan, he's not always on. He was today, though.

 

[mrzz]

I don't see why we should assume that Matteo loses all of his RR matches.

Because the other players are better.