RIO OLYMPICS 2016

[Riotbeard]

I wish I could have seen this match! I am so happy for Delpo! Obviously, I would have liked them both to win, but Delpo is my second favorite players, so it's good to see him taking out a big name, even if it's my favorite player. It's not utterly impossible for Delpo to win this thing!

 

[GameSetAndMath]

This win by JMDP is not a surprise. Apart from generally being a good player, people might recall that JMDP has always given us interesting matches against Djokovic recently, even in matches where he had lost such as Wimbledon SF.

 

[pavlik89]

[video=dailymotion]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4ns8h7[/video]

 

[the AntiPusher]

Not fair for JMDP to be back on the court only 15 hours afterwards that win over Novak.. Horrific scheduling

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Delpo wins first set 6-3. Hope he gets a medal to show for the valiant effort in taking out Novak.
Also, hope that medal is not bronze, which he already has.

 

[Carol]

Not fair for JMDP to be back on the court only 15 hours afterwards that win over Novak.. Horrific scheduling

Yep, and later he also has to play doubles vs Rafa/Lopez

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Not fair for JMDP to be back on the court only 15 hours afterwards that win over Novak.. Horrific scheduling

There is a reason for it.

The schedule is only 5 matches deep. JMDP has a doubles match against Rafa to play today. Since players prefer to play the doubles match later, it is scheduled as the last possible match of the day viz., 5th slot in the schedule. As he needs some rest between his singles and doubles matches, his singles match is scheduled for the 3rd slot.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Those who put 10 bucks on JMDP got 100 buck and money back.

 

[Backhand_DTL]

I don't understand why some people are surprised. We all know that Delpo was capable to beat anyone anytime but his wrists injuries didn't allow him to advance more, three surgeries and very long time out of the court. He didn't do well in the previous tournaments trying to get the rhythm and a good movement which for a person with that height doesn't have to be easy. But it's clear like crystal that the Olympics is VERY important for the players (and for their fans more than they pretend giving them a lot of motivation trying to materialize that dream named Golden Medal.
On the other hand we also know that nobody can keep that rhythm that Novak had in 2015 and this year even that he has won several tournaments thanks to the mediocre game of his opponents sooner or later he had lose like in MC and Wimbledon where the opponents played well and that's exactly happened yesterday even that the Delpo wasn't played his best, the match was tied but the Argentine made more winners numbers and less errors.
And yes! the men cry too, sometimes because the losses and sometimes because the emotional wins which is very understandable

Before this match since coming back Del Potro hasn't really shown, that he can beat anyone again and Novak hasn't lost a meaningful match at a Masters level or higher hard court tournament since Cincinnati last year.

I think JMDP's best wins this year were those against Thiem in Madrid and Wawrinka at Wimbledon, but in both matches the opponent playing rather mediocre played a part. In general he did respectable for being out for nearly 2 1/2 years but in most matches against Top 30 players his backhand was too much of a weakness and serve or forehand broke down at a certain moment.

So in my opinion he hasn't played at a level that would be enough to defeat Novak playing average before this tournament and it's definitely surprising that serve and forehand worked great for 2 1/2 hours and he was able to keep a lot of rallies neutral in the backhand-to-backhand-exchanges. Also his ability to hit topspin backhands seemed notably better than during the clay and grass court seasons, so that's clearly a positive sign going forward.

If he can keep that up he will definitely be a threat on grass and slow, higher bouncing hard courts again as it's harder to exploit the lack of aggressiveness on the backhand there but for faster hard courts and clay I think he still needs to improve the topspin backhand considerably to be competitive at top level again.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

JMDP loses the second set badly 6-1. On serve in 3rd set. with a score of 3-2 with JMDP leading.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Delpo rights the ship and is a break up on third set. score 5-2 (with opp to serve)

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Current Odds for winning OG:

Andy -- 10/11
Rafa -- 8
JMDP -- 9
Samurai -- 10
Tsonga -- 16

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Delpo wins and progresses safely to the next round where he faces an unknown Japanese player Daniel Toro (I have not heard of him before) who has upset Jack Sock on his way there. That should be an easy win for Delpo and in all likelihood he will face Tsonga in QF.

 

[Carol]

Delpo wins and progresses safely to the next round where he faces an unknown Japanese player Daniel Toro (I have not heard of him before) who has upset Jack Sock on his way there. That should be an easy win for Delpo and in all likelihood he will face Tsonga in QF.

Tsonga is already out :cover

 

[the AntiPusher]

Delpo wins and progresses safely to the next round where he faces an unknown Japanese player Daniel Toro (I have not heard of him before) who has upset Jack Sock on his way there. That should be an easy win for Delpo and in all likelihood he will face Tsonga in QF.

Tsonga is already out :cover

No JowillieTs for the finals, darn it. Do you know what time Rafa plays doubles

 

[Carol]

Delpo wins and progresses safely to the next round where he faces an unknown Japanese player Daniel Toro (I have not heard of him before) who has upset Jack Sock on his way there. That should be an easy win for Delpo and in all likelihood he will face Tsonga in QF.

Tsonga is already out :cover

No JowillieTs for the finals, darn it. Do you know what time Rafa plays doubles

I think around 5:30 or 6pm

 

[the AntiPusher]

Tsonga is already out :cover

No JowillieTs for the finals, darn it. Do you know what time Rafa plays doubles

I think around 5:30 or 6pm

thanks Carole. is that EST

 

[Carol]

No JowillieTs for the finals, darn it. Do you know what time Rafa plays doubles

I think around 5:30 or 6pm

thanks Carole. is that EST

Yep!

 

[the AntiPusher]

I think around 5:30 or 6pm

thanks Carole. is that EST

Yep!

Btw, how did Rafa play in his 1st match

 

[Carol]

thanks Carole. is that EST

Yep!

Btw, how did Rafa play in his 1st match

In singles during the first games he looked a little rusty but later he played much better including the serve. In doubles he and Lopez had to work hard but a win is a win
Here you can read in a few words how was the match

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RA6WV4OYaPQ[/video]