Roland Garros 2018, Paris, France, ATP GRAND SLAM

[kskate2]

F3 is losing the plot quickly. Looks like I'll have to settle for JMDP running Cilic out of RG.

 

[DarthFed]

God damn Fabio, ever the tease

 

[DarthFed]

F3 is losing the plot quickly. Looks like I'll have to settle for JMDP running Cilic out of RG.

Our boy ran out of juice, something you never have to worry about with the momma's boy

 

[MartyB]

So Nadal is going to play one of Fognini/Cilic/Del Potro in the semis -- all 3 having exactly the type of a game a non-Nadal fan would hope for -- and one of Djokovic/Thiem/Zverev in the final.

That's why the talk of an easy draw was silly to me. Yes, it was an easy draw, and playing those guys doesn't change that (you are SUPPOSED to play good players in the semis and the final, and once you play someone in the final, he's not really in your "draw"), however, seeing as the chances of Nadal losing before the semis were legit 0.0000000000%, what difference would it have made?

And as expected, guys like Wawrinka, Dimitrov, Nishikori, Goffin, not being in his draw was utterly irrelevant since not only would they have stood zero chance, but they all got bounced out quickly. The most realistic thing you can hope for if you're rooting for Nadal to lose is for him to have challenging semis and finals, and you're likely getting that.

Draws are always theoretical but if your a Nadal fan them having the guys you mentioned in the bottom draw vs his has to be considered a good draw? Diego and DelPo don't seem to be the kind of challenge to me anyway with those guys? The talk of the draw was not silly. Its' very relevant because unless something dramatic happens with Diego or DelPo/Cilic I expect that Nadal will win in straight sets. The other guys will kill themselves and be very well spent by the time they get to the final. We know what will happen then..

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Did not see a single point today, thanks to work. I think the two QFs Cilic/JMDP and Thiem/Sasha will be interesting. I am rooting for Thiem and JMDP in those matches. But, I expect the competition to be very close with very little separating them.

 

[the AntiPusher]

F3 is losing the plot quickly. Looks like I'll have to settle for JMDP running Cilic out of RG.

I am not huge on cough drop either..I wish someone would leave him for Rafa’s lunch

 

[mrzz]

I bet he was never spanked as a child

He should be spanked as an adult.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Draws are always theoretical but if your a Nadal fan them having the guys you mentioned in the bottom draw vs his has to be considered a good draw? Diego and DelPo don't seem to be the kind of challenge to me anyway with those guys? The talk of the draw was not silly. Its' very relevant because unless something dramatic happens with Diego or DelPo/Cilic I expect that Nadal will win in straight sets. The other guys will kill themselves and be very well spent by the time they get to the final. We know what will happen then..

Ah, so Nadal will straight set Del Potro, but he would have struggled vs Nishikori, Goffin, or Dimitrov?

 

[monfed]

Fognini must be the most frustrating player to be a fan of. He should've put him away.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

So Nadal is going to play one of Fognini/Cilic/Del Potro in the semis -- all 3 having exactly the type of a game a non-Nadal fan would hope for -- and one of Djokovic/Thiem/Zverev in the final.

That's why the talk of an easy draw was silly to me. Yes, it was an easy draw, and playing those guys doesn't change that (you are SUPPOSED to play good players in the semis and the final, and once you play someone in the final, he's not really in your "draw"), however, seeing as the chances of Nadal losing before the semis were legit 0.0000000000%, what difference would it have made?

And as expected, guys like Wawrinka, Dimitrov, Nishikori, Goffin, not being in his draw was utterly irrelevant since not only would they have stood zero chance, but they all got bounced out quickly. The most realistic thing you can hope for if you're rooting for Nadal to lose is for him to have challenging semis and finals, and you're likely getting that.

You really want a tough draw for Rafa. It can be done even with the current folks and with ranking considerations of draw.

1R: Coric
2R: Tsitsipas
3R: Verdasco
4R: Fog
QF: Novak
SF: JMDP
F: Thiem

Even the above draw does not mean that Rafa can't win RG. But, surely it would make life difficult for him. You are acting as though all draws are same, that is not quite true.

p.s. The above draw is consistent with the seedings these players have.

 

[brokenshoelace]

You really want a tough draw for Rafa. It can be done even with the current folks and with ranking considerations of draw.

1R: Coric
2R: Tsitsipas
3R: Verdasco
4R: Fog
QF: Novak
SF: JMDP
F: Thiem

Even the above draw does not mean that Rafa can't win RG. But, surely it would make life difficult for him. You are acting as though all draws are same, that is not quite true.

p.s. The above draw is consistent with the seedings these players have.

A quick point first: the first 3 rounds are irrelevant. Nadal on his worst day isn't losing to the guys you mentioned so it really doesn't matter. I don't even take them into consideration when factoring in the difficulty of his draw.

Nevertheless, that definitely would have been a tough draw, but it's almost literally the only tough draw. If you keep exactly the same names, but put Novak in the other half, all of a sudden it's not THAT tough of a draw. It's a draw with a tricky potential 4th round match-up and that's it (and only gets interesting in the semis, which is going to happen in reality anyway).

So your argument is proving my initial point: How many draws would you look at for Nadal at RG, and honest to god go: "Rafa has a tough draw"?

So no, I'm not acting like anything, and I'll spell out my argument again: The good thing about Rafa's draw is Novak is in the other half. And like I said, proof is, in your draw above, put Novak in the other half and all of a sudden it's an interesting draw but that's about it. So yes, I concede that Novak being in the other half is good for Rafa, but some of the names that were being thrown around as proof as to why Nadal has an easy draw (which again, HE DOES. I never disputed that), are ridiculous. Wawrinka, Goffin, Dimitrov, Nishikori...There's a reason they got bounced out early. And again, I ask, what chance would you have given each one of them to even take a set off of Nadal? I'm serious, can you give me a percentage? And after that, what's the percentage of them winning?

So for the final time: Nadal's draw IS easy, but unless he played Novak in the QF, and Novak has a vintage day, there was never a chance of him losing before the semis in any draw. Like almost literally no chance. Incidentally, his opponent in the semis will likely be the same one you listed in your hypothetical tough draw above, and his opponent in the final could well be the one you listed. Meaning, again, it boils down to Djokovic... Because i'm sure you don't really think Coric, Tstsipas, Verdasco and even Fognini had a chance (though the latter would be at least interesting).

 

[monfed]

You really want a tough draw for Rafa. It can be done even with the current folks and with ranking considerations of draw.

1R: Coric
2R: Tsitsipas
3R: Verdasco
4R: Fog
QF: Novak
SF: JMDP
F: Thiem

Even the above draw does not mean that Rafa can't win RG. But, surely it would make life difficult for him. You are acting as though all draws are same, that is not quite true.

p.s. The above draw is consistent with the seedings these players have.

LOL exactly and good analysis.

 

[britbox]

Monday Highlights/Pressers:

1-Rafael Nadal (ESP) beat Maximilian Marterer (GER) 6-3 6-2 7-6(4)





3-Marin Cilic (CRO) beat 18-Fabio Fognini (ITA) 6-4 6-1 3-6 6-7(4) 6-3



5-Juan Martin del Potro beat 9-John Isner (USA) 6-4 6-4 6-4



Other matches:
11-Diego Schwartzman (ARG) beat 6-Kevin Anderson (RSA) 1-6 2-6 7-5 7-6(0) 6-2

 

[britbox]

Brief look behind the scenes into the Roland Garros locker room.



Funny seeing Delpo and Diego Schwartzman side by side.

 

[Moxie]

Broken's point about where Djokovic landed in the draw as being the only real feature is well-made. Britbox asked earlier today who Nadal fans thought had a chance against him, and the responses were Djokovic, which I'd already weighed in on. Given that he is the biggest threat (I think we'd all agree,) it's probably best for him and his fans that he's in the other half. He's going to need the wins and the confidence. And with it all on the line, I don't think Rafa wants to see Novak on the other side of the net in the final. Somehow, I suspect that the complaint about the "ease" of the draw is about hoping that Nadal would have, with a tougher path, been worn down enough by the late stages that someone would have a better chance of catching him up. I think that's a false hope. There is a reason that he has the best-of-5 record on clay that he has: he's fitter than everyone else, and mentally tougher for the long-haul. And better. Other than that, it gets tougher from here on out for everyone, Nadal included. As it should. I've said it before, but it's also true of Roger on grass and when he's playing well, or Novak at his best: there just isn't a really tough draw for them.

 

[Moxie]

Weather report for tomorrow is kinda crappy, but today's didn't look great and turned out fine.

 

[herios]

Great result by the little Diego here.
Second QF appearance in a slam.

 

[Moxie]

Lest it go unnoted: Rafael Nadal won his 900th tour match today.

 

[Chris Koziarz]

Guys like TripleF piss me of beyond belief! All the tools in the toolbox , yet something missing upstairs to utilize them properly every single match. I bet he was never spanked as a child

3F acronym is by no coincidence. He (and/or his father Fulvio) are simply obsessed with naming anyone in his family by "F".
Sister Fulvia, wife Flavia, son Federico... Well, in our culture, we associate letter "F" with the lowest score. Then "Multiple F" deserves such according to his unstable tennis level. And surely, he lost against Cilic just to confirm that.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Brief look behind the scenes into the Roland Garros locker room.



Funny seeing Delpo and Diego Schwartzman side by side.

Thanks B.B..This reminds me of the ole days of playing USTA tournaments, same type of Comradeship and dialogue.