They broke up the band...the Fab Four are history

[DarthFed]

Also, to be frank, Djokovic is annually overrated on fast hards. He's 1-8 in Cincy and U.S. Open finals.

I think the fact that he's actually reached a combined 9 finals over there says a lot about how good he is on that surface. Add to that his record in Canada and you'd end up with someone who's pretty damn good on fast hards.

Very good yes but still overrated. A lot of people just group hardcourts together but there is a huge difference between Djokovic on fast hards and Djokovic on medium-slow hards. On the former he has probably just the 4th best resume at this point.

 

[Bounce It !!]

Give me Cilic any day over Nadal or Djokovic USO '13. In all my years watching tennis I've never seen a guy 6' 6" move that well in addition to serving like a total beast and hitting the backhand and forehand flawlessly. His once dodgy FH was impeccable. The guy didn't just not miss in one match, he did it in 3 straight. That $h1t was dope, man. :snigger

I see what ya did there :laydownlaughing

I agree for the most part. Like I said earlier in this thread it was almost like 2009 DP except we are talking way better serving and someone who moves better than DP did. It was scary stuff. Maybe Djokovic and/or Rafa would have pulled off a tough one over Marin but they'd have had to struggle and run quite a lot to say the least!

With Delpo, since 2009, he has shown the same fire power. etc. Except for the glass wrists, he may have won a 2nd/3rd GS. With Cilic, we will have to wait to see how he closes out the year, and if he continues with same power/movement etc, 2015 will be very, very interesting.

 

[Front242]

Give me Cilic any day over Nadal or Djokovic USO '13. In all my years watching tennis I've never seen a guy 6' 6" move that well in addition to serving like a total beast and hitting the backhand and forehand flawlessly. His once dodgy FH was impeccable. The guy didn't just not miss in one match, he did it in 3 straight. That $h1t was dope, man. :snigger

I think you are getting a little caught up in the moment , is it because he took Roger to the woodshed for thrashing..you may need to really step back and reevaluate things because Fed wasnt playing spectactular. Fed should have been beaten by Gael but he truly CHOKED.

Actually it has zero to do with beating Roger who I'm all too well aware wasn't playing great. Actually mostly he wasn't allowed to play great so I'm gonna give Cilic 90% of the credit there. Roger could've done a lot better on 2nd serve returns though so hence that 10% Even so, Roger still wasn't winning that as Cilic played far too well.

I guess it has 1/3rd to do with beating Roger but 2/3 beating Berdych and Nishikori like they were both WTA challenger circuit players though. Remember he beat the 3 of them back to back in straight sets and not one of those last 9 sets Cilic won was competitive.

Once I saw how Roger struggled against Monfils I knew he wasn't winning the whole tournament but Cilic really played an absolutely amazing last 3 matches to win the title and I'm not getting caught in the moment. It's like not he beat nobodies to win it.

Remains to be seen as to where he goes from here but he's definitely likely to be more consistent than Stan imo. This part of the year is the best time of year for Cilic's game and I expect him to move further up the rankings. Barely anything between him and Nishikori now and at the very least I expect him to move up to number 8 and knock Nishikori down to 9 but he may well climb higher. Cilic winning Paris wouldn't surprise me in the slightest given the top guys usually don't win there.

 

[Moxie]

Remains to be seen as to where he goes from here but he's definitely likely to be more consistent than Stan imo. This part of the year is the best time of year for Cilic's game and I expect him to move further up the rankings. Barely anything between him and Nishikori now and at the very least I expect him to move up to number 8 and knock Nishikori down to 9 but he may well climb higher. Cilic winning Paris wouldn't surprise me in the slightest given the top guys usually don't win there.

I have to say, the part I bolded does sound a bit like bandwagoning. At least Stan had been building results and steam for a year, (since his 5-set defeat to Djoker at the AO in 2013.) That he has been less consistent since is not what many were predicting at the time. By contrast, Cilic's new form, while impressive, has come out of nearly nowhere. I believe that Ivanisovic has helped him, along with a renewed focus and commitment. And I agree with the rest of your post above, btw. Paris always feels up for grabs and could suit him. But his reaction to the pressures of being a Slam winner remains to be seen, and there's no reason to believe he'll be any more consistent than Stan the Man.

 

[Kieran]

This thread reminds me a bit of the 2008 Wimbledon final v 2014 Wimbledon final thread, with the Fedfans siding obviously against Rafa. Again.

 

[Front242]

Remains to be seen as to where he goes from here but he's definitely likely to be more consistent than Stan imo. This part of the year is the best time of year for Cilic's game and I expect him to move further up the rankings. Barely anything between him and Nishikori now and at the very least I expect him to move up to number 8 and knock Nishikori down to 9 but he may well climb higher. Cilic winning Paris wouldn't surprise me in the slightest given the top guys usually don't win there.

I have to say, the part I bolded does sound a bit like bandwagoning. At least Stan had been building results and steam for a year, (since his 5-set defeat to Djoker at the AO in 2013.) That he has been less consistent since is not what many were predicting at the time. By contrast, Cilic's new form, while impressive, has come out of nearly nowhere. I believe that Ivanisovic has helped him, along with a renewed focus and commitment. And I agree with the rest of your post above, btw. Paris always feels up for grabs and could suit him. But his reaction to the pressures of being a Slam winner remains to be seen, and there's no reason to believe he'll be any more consistent than Stan the Man.

Stan has a very inconsistent serve and basically besides the AO what exactly has he done particularly well this year aside from a handful of good tiebreaks? Roger made an awful mess of the Monte Carlo final and gift wrapped it for Stan so you can safely cross that off his major achievements this year. Watch this space...I personally fully expect Cilic to do better than Stan from here onwards. We're not talking nobodies ranked over 100 suddenly winning a slam. Cilic has equalled his best ranking of number 9 and will soon go higher. I see him as Soderling with a slam and Soderling got to number 4.

 

[Front242]

^ And even in the AO this year he was awful in the final except for the 1st set and 2 games.

 

[Moxie]

Remains to be seen as to where he goes from here but he's definitely likely to be more consistent than Stan imo. This part of the year is the best time of year for Cilic's game and I expect him to move further up the rankings. Barely anything between him and Nishikori now and at the very least I expect him to move up to number 8 and knock Nishikori down to 9 but he may well climb higher. Cilic winning Paris wouldn't surprise me in the slightest given the top guys usually don't win there.

I have to say, the part I bolded does sound a bit like bandwagoning. At least Stan had been building results and steam for a year, (since his 5-set defeat to Djoker at the AO in 2013.) That he has been less consistent since is not what many were predicting at the time. By contrast, Cilic's new form, while impressive, has come out of nearly nowhere. I believe that Ivanisovic has helped him, along with a renewed focus and commitment. And I agree with the rest of your post above, btw. Paris always feels up for grabs and could suit him. But his reaction to the pressures of being a Slam winner remains to be seen, and there's no reason to believe he'll be any more consistent than Stan the Man.

Stan has a very inconsistent serve and basically besides the AO what exactly has he done particularly well this year aside from a handful of good tiebreaks? Roger made an awful mess of the Monte Carlo final and gift wrapped it for Stan so you can safely cross that off his major achievements this year. Watch this space...I personally fully expect Cilic to do better than Stan from here onwards. We're not talking nobodies ranked over 100 suddenly winning a slam. Cilic has equalled his best ranking of number 9 and will soon go higher. I see him as Soderling with a slam and Soderling got to number 4.

You don't have to tell me how Stan has been inconsistent...I wasn't on the Wawrinka bandwagon, and not just for the obvious reason. After the AO final, some folks were rather insistent that Stan would have won that match, regardless, and we were just about to see Stan 2.0. Except it didn't happen, which is my point about Cilic. Yes, he may have finally reached the maturity in his game and his head that works for a number of players in this era, live up to the potential that was seen early, and back up the Major win. However, I'm saying it's just as likely that he doesn't. He may be "Soderling with a Slam," (and hopefully without the career-ending whatever,) and capitalize on a ground-breaking, career-making win. But it does remain to be seen.

 

[Front242]

He lost in the 2nd round of the Paris masters last year to Del Potro and I can't see him losing that early again this year so already there are plenty of potential points up for grabs for him there. He may well be very dangerous at the WTF too and will definitely be there. Any points won there are all bonus points 'cos he's never made the WTF before so his ranking should be at least 8 if not much higher by the time the AO comes round.

 

[Moxie]

This thread reminds me a bit of the 2008 Wimbledon final v 2014 Wimbledon final thread, with the Fedfans siding obviously against Rafa. Again.

Oh, come on...this thread has been giving Andy Murray the business as much as anyone. And why pull out one particular thread when the Fedfans side against Rafa? The Fedal wars are the prevailing wind that blow our mainsail, and Rafa fans are just as guilty on the other side. Right?

 

[Front242]

I personally don't see what any of this thread has to do with Federer v Nadal other than the nonsense posts from NADAL2005RG but then again they're on every thread now. We're mostly discussing Cilic's dominant recent slam performance.

 

[Moxie]

He lost in the 2nd round of the Paris masters last year to Del Potro and I can't see him losing that early again this year so already there are plenty of potential points up for grabs for him there. He may well be very dangerous at the WTF too and will definitely be there. Any points won there are all bonus points 'cos he's never made the WTF before so his ranking should be at least 8 if not much higher by the time the AO comes round.

All very possible. But you haven't addressed the notion that this could be a blip, or that he won't handle the pressure well, as Stan hasn't. No uncertainty on your part as to the follow-through?

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

stan did win a masters this year too..1 major 1 masters title. thats rafa/wafa like. (lol).

I did mention he was on for the grand slam but clearly I was "avin a larf"..but when else can we witter on about winning all 4 in a year apart from just after the AO.

 

[Front242]

He lost in the 2nd round of the Paris masters last year to Del Potro and I can't see him losing that early again this year so already there are plenty of potential points up for grabs for him there. He may well be very dangerous at the WTF too and will definitely be there. Any points won there are all bonus points 'cos he's never made the WTF before so his ranking should be at least 8 if not much higher by the time the AO comes round.

All very possible. But you haven't addressed the notion that this could be a blip, or that he won't handle the pressure well, as Stan hasn't. No uncertainty on your part as to the follow-through?

Not much uncertainty to be honest. I can see Cilic moving up the rankings and certainly doing better at most tournaments he played this year once 2015 begins, except the USO. Can't see him defending He simply appears better in every department, movement, serving and his once weak link is now super consistent: his forehand. He lost in the 2nd round of the AO this year and 3rd round of RG. Can see him improving on both of those. We haven't long to wait in any case to see him in action again.

 

[Moxie]

He lost in the 2nd round of the Paris masters last year to Del Potro and I can't see him losing that early again this year so already there are plenty of potential points up for grabs for him there. He may well be very dangerous at the WTF too and will definitely be there. Any points won there are all bonus points 'cos he's never made the WTF before so his ranking should be at least 8 if not much higher by the time the AO comes round.

All very possible. But you haven't addressed the notion that this could be a blip, or that he won't handle the pressure well, as Stan hasn't. No uncertainty on your part as to the follow-through?

Not much uncertainty to be honest. I can see Cilic moving up the rankings and certainly doing better at most tournaments he played this year once 2015 begins, except the USO. Can't see him defending He simply appears better in every department, movement, serving and his once weak link is now super consistent: his forehand. He lost in the 2nd round of the AO this year and 3rd round of RG. Can see him improving on both of those. We haven't long to wait in any case to see him in action again.

Alright, cool. That's your prediction for him. I hope he can live up to recent expectations.

 

[Front242]

^ For the record I think he still shouldn't be playing as his ban was far too short but it is what it is and nothing will change that.

 

[Moxie]

^ For the record I think he still shouldn't be playing as his ban was far too short but it is what it is and nothing will change that.

I was wondering when your preoccupation with that would win over your championing of him as a player. (You've even made implications about him now, which are not on around here, as you know.) Safe to say you're rather conflicted about how to feel about ol' Marin, isn't it? You like his game, and his potential future. Is it fair to say that the past is the past, and Ivanisovic is a good coach for him, and he's matured into some of the potential that he has always shown?

 

[Front242]

Plenty of others have made implications about him besides me and it's not like people are making stuff up. He's been banned by the authorities. I like his game, I don't like the way the situation was handled, nor should anyone who actually likes tennis as it has damaged the sport. I can't really see how anyone would really feel his treatment of a mere 4 months was enough when Troicki got 1 year. People are all too forgiving imo when you say the past is the past. A player convicted of a doping offense will forever more be tainted with doubt, that's just how it is even if they were innocent and negligent in not checking for banned substances properly.

No doubt that Goran's a good coach for him, especially in helping create a better serve. Cilic always had great potential as even Federer who's friends with him has said but it's a shame the potential had to come with all this baggage. I still see him being more consistent from now on and personally believe he's here to stay unlike Stan.

 

[Front242]

The only person who can say for sure if he was innocent is Cilic himself and his conscience. Oh, and his mum who bought the glucose lozenges.

 

[Moxie]

I'm not saying anyone else didn't make the implications. I was just asking how you were resolving it for yourself, since it's clearly a big issue for you. It's just interesting that you're mostly ready to move on with Cilic, given how much you have enjoyed making implications about other players who were never even done for in doping. So I guess we're moving on from everyone. Good! I hope Cilic is as good as his potential, going forward.