RG SF - Nadal/Djokovic

[tented]

Who wins?

It’s their 58th (!) encounter.

 

[rafanoy1992]

I will say Nadal in 4 sets. Combining the whole Clay season plus these last two matches, Nadal looks ready to win both physically and mentally on Friday.

The weather looks phenomenal too so it should be a good semifinal match.

 

[Nadalfan2013]

You made a mistake in the thread title, it should be "RG SF - GOATdal/Djokovic".

 

[GameSetAndMath]

I don't think Novak stands a chance. At best, Novak will win one set. I will vote for Ralph in 3 though.

This will probably the second SF. In either case, it will be a day match. So, the conditions will be favorable to Ralph.

 

[napo]

Taking everything we saw during the clay season into account, i dont see how Novak can win this.
He is playing better than the last years, yes, but nevertheless he struggled too often in important moments, against significantly weaker opponents than Rafa. The tension got him in the last two matches, what i really wonder about. He should have done both jobs in straights.
If he dont show a+game over hours, this will most likely go to Nadal in 3 or 4.

 

[Moxie]

Not much about Novak's 2021 clay season tells me he's ready to best Rafa at RG. I don't suppose he could show up worse than in the final last fall, so I'll say Rafa in 4.

 

[Front242]

Nadal in 3. Djokovic has a target of 7 games to beat from last year and 13 set by Schartzman this year. My guess is the score of games will be less than 13 but more than 7.

 

[AnonymousFan]

Nadal in 3

 

[don_fabio]

It's a good sign that people are writing off Novak's chances. I am really hoping he can make this match competitive despite the last year beatdown. Having said that I hope he wins a first set and plants a doubt in Nadal's head. I have to keep believing that Nadal is beatable here so I will go with Novak in 4 sets.

 

[Front242]

It's a good sign that people are writing off Novak's chances. I am really hoping he can make this match competitive despite the last year beatdown. Having said that I hope he wins a first set and plants a doubt in Nadal's head. I have to keep believing that Nadal is beatable here so I will go with Novak in 4 sets.

Believe me, I'd like to be proven wrong and see it reversed, that Nadal would be the one losing and winning max 13 games but just being realistic here and I don't think anyone is beating him sadly.

 

[10isfan]

I predicted Nadal beating Tsitsi before the tournament started. I don’t see anything to change my mind unless injury plays a role

 

[tented]

I will say Nadal in 4 sets. Combining the whole Clay season plus these last two matches, Nadal looks ready to win both physically and mentally on Friday.

The weather looks phenomenal too so it should be a good semifinal match.

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

dunno. after the limp mess by djoko and nadals essence-of-winb84-mcenroe in sets 1 and 2 of last years final i give up on these two and predictions.

 

[El Dude]

Nadal in 4, but then he'll lose to Sissypants in an epic 5 set duel, with his fanlings complaining it away to some mystery injury.

 

[Carol]

He is a little too much….crazy

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Nadal in 4, but then he'll lose to Sissypants in an epic 5 set duel, with his fanlings complaining it away to some mystery injury.

I will take that.

 

[Moxie]

I predicted Nadal beating Tsitsi before the tournament started. I don’t see anything to change my mind unless injury plays a role

That's what I have in my draw, too.

 

[Moxie]

Nadal in 4, but then he'll lose to Sissypants in an epic 5 set duel, with his fanlings complaining it away to some mystery injury.

Wow, that's wishful thinking and a complaint back from the OG, huh?

 

[Jelenafan]

The conditions will be way different from their October encounter where according to some, red clay was muted by weather and heavy damp conditions which negated some of the Nadal topspin. The ball will be bouncing and spinning on a nice hot day. Now on this surface Nadal has more time to set up DTL forehands and backhands , which he needs to break up the pattern of rallies where Novak thrives on.

Can Novak win, of course. How? Naturally high first serve percentage. Second of all, on HC he's so good that he can just stay neutral in most rallies, but not against Nadal on clay, so he has to take risks and get more aggressive to keep Nadal off balance, ie mix in Soderling. Next, shot selection, a middle ground from just defaulting to drop shots galore to really mixing it up. Novak can't get passive or he's sunk. And contrary to popular opinion, Rafa can't just outlast Novak on red clay, I gave the endurance edge to Novak. With Novak he usually lacks the self discipline to stick to the plan, because Nadal is unrelenting in his topspin onslaught, but Rafa can hit short and Novak has to take advantage of that. IF he does this for probably five sets with no major dip he can win.

However that's alot to ask.

Nadal in 4, but then he'll lose to Sissypants in an epic 5 set duel, with his fanlings complaining it away to some mystery injury.

Well, they would have learned from the Federer fans who attribute Mono, back, etc and of course arthritic old age for every Methuselah loss for the last 13 years. My fave federer fan injury, the mental injury: "he would have won but Nadal is in his head"..LOL

 

[rafanoy1992]

The one thing about this match is that neither Nadal nor Djokovic can’t afford to this match to be super physical because this is only the semi-finals. Even if one them survives this match, they have to quickly recover physically for Sunday especially if Tsitsipas is the other finalist.