Rio Open, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, ATP 500

[Billie]

Oh boy, Cuevas takes the 2nd set. It is pretty late in Rio as well.

 

[Moxie]

Guido Pella is sitting in his hotel laughing. I'm watching, but mostly too nervous to post. Plus, what is there to say, as a Rafa fan? Hopefully, he's broken down the bh of Cuevas at this point. But he's been all over the place.

 

[britbox]

Nearly midnight in Rio and this match has still got some way to run. Yep, Guido Pella will be watching with a huge grin on his face.

If you're a Rafa fan? Take the ugly win and see if you can double it tomorrow.

 

[Moxie]

Nearly midnight in Rio and this match has still got some way to run. Yep, Guido Pella will be watching with a huge grin on his face.

If you're a Rafa fan? Take the ugly win and see if you can double it tomorrow.

Absolutely! With his up and down form, who knows? Different opponent, different day.

 

[Moxie]

And Nadal makes a cameo appearance in this match! Great point.

 

[britbox]

Cuevas has been running the show on break points... some missed chances that Rafa may rue in that last game, particularly the forehand for the break that flew between the tramlines.

3-3. Who cracks first?

 

[britbox]

Rafa cracks first and serving to stay in the match at 3-5.

 

[ClayDeath]

Cuevas has been running the show on break points... some missed chances that Rafa may rue in that last game, particularly the forehand for the break that flew between the tramlines.

3-3. Who cracks first?

 

[Carol]

I see 3-5 Rafa losing, that's all. Back to Mallorca to :fishing: and maybe he will do better on HC....:whistle:

 

[britbox]

15-40. 2 match points for Pablo Cuevas. Great passing shot.

 

[Moxie]

You can't say Rafa's not brave with his back against it.

 

[Carol]

When the opponent is playing so bad the winner's game looks brilliant, he does everything easier

 

[britbox]

Don't know what Cuevas is looking at the umpire for. Looked a clear ace on TV

 

[britbox]

Heck of a gutsy hold by Nadal. Now he's got to break.

 

[britbox]

GSM Pablo Cuevas 6-7 7-6 6-4.

Deserved it on the balance of things.

 

[ClayDeath]

this is not rocket science folks. I made it very clear last year that everything will be a monumental struggle for Rafa because he gave up on the idea of winning. he called it a career but very few people noticed. some did notice. Sampras noticed. jim courier noticed. we noticed at Camelot long ago.

as a result there have been very heavy casualties in every single area of his game. and to make matters worse, there is no improvement in fitness and physical work.


i cant see him winning a single event in 2016. not even hamburg.


del potro has not played in a decade and he is winning. you have to be armed with the will to win.

Rafa doesn't care to win anymore otherwise he would do something about it.


i cant even look at the results for it just shatters my heart but not much we can do.

 

[ClayDeath]

it is time to be more objective. stop making excuses for Rafa.

if he really wanted to win, he would do something about it.

 

[Carol]

Delpo, Berdych and Dimitrov have lost already

 

[britbox]

Well, we got the dream Cuevas/Pella final everyone was thinking about...

 

[Moxie]

GSM Pablo Cuevas 6-7 7-6 6-4.

Deserved it on the balance of things.

Well-deserved win. I thought he'd cave in the third. (Play on "Cuevas" which means "caves.") But if Rafa had won, it would only have been a lucky escape. So there it is: the Pella/Cuevas final that no one was looking for. (Or will likely be watching.)