Rio Open, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, ATP 500

[Carol]

I'm sure Pella will win tomorrow, he deserve it!

 

[britbox]

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.

Time will tell - although based on today's performance it might be a tough clay swing for Rafa. Very ragged performance... forehand was totally off, he lacked explosiveness and he's looking a step short. Indeed, he's gone backwards since last year which was probably his nadir.

Then again, Rafa always benefits from playing a lot of tennis to get to his best- he's said it himself. The clay swing will confirm a lot one way or another.

 

[ClayDeath]

Time will tell - although based on today's performance it might be a tough clay swing for Rafa. Very ragged performance... forehand was totally off, he lacked explosiveness and he's looking a step short. Indeed, he's gone backwards since last year which was probably his nadir.

Then again, Rafa always benefits from playing a lot of tennis to get to his best- he's said it himself. The clay swing will confirm a lot one way or another.

there wont be much of a clay swing. he is going to Miami.

expect early round losses at all the masters level clay events. he could get to the quarters or the semis in Barcelona.

you don't get to this level by accident. he refuses to put in the work.

60% of his issues are fitness and physicality related. he runs out of gas and then he cant win.

I will give you an example: he has lost over 50% of his matches since 2014 that have gone into the 3rd set or the 5th set.


is that the Rafa you know?

he has no fitness now even to compete against low level players.

40% of his issues are because he hates to practice. he farts around for 90 minutes and calls it practice. he hangs out in his backhand corner and hits as many forehands as he can.

and then he complains that his backhand is off. he said his backhand was off in argentina. really? that is the exact same thing he said when he lost fog in Barcelona last year.


he can fix his ground game if he really wanted to but he just does not want to.

 

[Mastoor]

I'm sure Pella will win tomorrow, he deserve it!

How did he deserve it? By not beating Rafa? He must beat Cuevas to deserve it.

 

[ClayDeath]

Cuevas will snatch this title.

 

[teddytennisfan]

Strong field in Rio.

true.
.

but RAFA fell again! he is really having a hard time . Let's hope he finds his confidence and range again and hopefully soon .

it's sad to see him struggle for such a long time now.

DELPO ran into the exit -- but at least he is just coming back in -- so it's understandable.

 

[teddytennisfan]

I'm sure Pella will win tomorrow, he deserve it!

i don;t know PELLA -- is he good also? maybe he can win too. let's see .

 

[britbox]

Pella's not an elite player but he's had a good run here. I'd still expect Cuevas to win... but the semi with Rafa may have taken a lot out of him.

 

[britbox]

 

[britbox]

Guido Pella discusses reaching his first ATP Final.

 

[britbox]

Rio Open Final

Guido Pella v Pablo Cuevas

v

H2H: Tied at 1-1

2015 Montevideo Challenger SF Clay Guido Pella Pablo Cuevas 6-3 6-2
2014 Guayaquil Challenger SF Clay Pablo Cuevas Guido Pella 6-4 6-4

Src: http://www.stevegtennis.com/

---

Not the dream Thiem/Nadal final many were hoping for, but two deserved candidates who have had a great week in Rio. I think this one is a toss up. Cuevas might not be feeling his legs after such a brutal late night match with Rafa. I was thinking Cuevas initially, but will go for Pella.

 

[herios]

Great to see Pella in his first ever final and is right away a 500 event!.

 

[Carol]

i don;t know PELLA -- is he good also? maybe he can win too. let's see .

Pella has made an excellent tournament, better than Cuevas (who has beaten the worst Nadal) he maybe doesn't have a "name" but at his 26 years old seems to be good, very good, strong and with determination. I would be very surprised if he wouldn't win the final

 

[Tennis Fan]

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

That's funny and so true!

"Nadal makes a cameo appearance."

 

[Carol]

After to lose the first setPella wins the tie-break of the second, interesting

 

[Moxie]

After to lose the first setPella wins the tie-break of the second, interesting

Carol, I have to ask you: why are you rooting for Pella? I'll give you he's the better-looking of the two, but you're supposed to root for the man who beat your man. Otherwise, how would he have been so good? That said as Cuevas wins the title. Hard-fought. Good job, Cuevas.

 

[Moxie]

By the stats, Cuevas was the more aggressive.

 

[Carol]

Carol, I have to ask you: why are you rooting for Pella? I'll give you he's the better-looking of the two, but you're supposed to root for the man who beat your man. Otherwise, how would he have been so good? That said as Cuevas wins the title. Hard-fought. Good job, Cuevas.

Well, I can't root for the man who beat my man playing his worst, otherwise he never would have beaten him
In the other hand I have to say that this was a mess, Thiem beat Rafa and Almagro in BA, later Ferru in Rio, then came a unknown player named Pella and beat Thiem, then Cuevas beat Rafa and later Pella. This S. America clay season has looked more a fairytale for someones and a terror tale for others
Anyway congrats to Cuevas and Pella, surprisly they played better than anyone else

 

[Moxie]

Well, I can't root for the man who beat my man playing his worst, otherwise he never would have beaten him
In the other hand I have to say that this was a mess, Thiem beat Rafa and Almagro in BA, later Ferru in Rio, then came a unknown player named Pella and beat Thiem, then Cuevas beat Rafa and later Pella. This S. America clay season has looked more a fairytale for someones and a terror tale for others
Anyway congrats to Cuevas and Pella, surprisly they played better than anyone else

No, Rafa didn't play well, but I think you miss the basic philosophy of it: you root for the guy that beat your guy...he's the best one, otherwise, why would he have beaten your guy? The "mess" was Rafa, and in fairness, Ferrer. Good performances by many others, this Golden Swing.

 

[Carol]

When two players play well and a good match I take my hat off for the winner whoever is but this wasn't the case