US Open, Flushing Meadows, NY USA - Grand Slam (Men)

[Moxie]

^ exactly, worst case scenario is he loses early in Cincy and goes into USO light on prep. He'd still have been clear favorite. Best case scenario is he wins at one of his strongest tournaments over a depleted field and enters the USO as the heavy favorite.

Biggest mistake of his career, but that's not saying much because he really has never messed up his schedule before aside from maybe playing Toronto and Cincy in 2014.

I'm seriously just asking: is that because you think he was under-prepared for Montreal, and would have been in better shape for Cincy? Otherwise, the back could have gone in either tourney.

 

[DarthFed]

No you're being too sensitive and misreading me. I totally believe that Rog had probs with the back, and that he's having some problem now...back or whatever. And like you, I believe it's his back, and he's trying to play it down. Calling it lack of preparation. My only question is why would it be that he fucked up by playing Montreal, when if he'd skipped it, he still could have wrenched it in Cincy? Maybe more time to get in shape, I can see that, but if he'd done it in Cincy, he would be even in worse shape, as far as I can see. Just wondering why Darth is blaming it all on the decision to play Rogers Cup. I think you see what I mean.

Read my post earlier, playing Montreal at all was dumb but it was compounded by the fact he went in without any practice. And conditions there are clearly much slower leading to longer points and longer matches. And that problem was made worse by not being in good form, he was moving around a lot more than he had all year.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Fed looks good so far, up a break in 1st set. Hope he can maintain it though. In the previous matches there were hugh swings in his level.

 

[Moxie]

Read my post earlier, playing Montreal at all was dumb but it was compounded by the fact he went in without any practice. And conditions there are clearly much slower leading to longer points and longer matches. And that problem was made worse by not being in good form, he was moving around a lot more than he had all year.

Ok, that tells it to me. All clear. Thanks! He seems to be having a better day today, so far.

 

[Front242]

No you're being too sensitive and misreading me. I totally believe that Rog had probs with the back, and that he's having some problem now...back or whatever. And like you, I believe it's his back, and he's trying to play it down. Calling it lack of preparation. My only question is why would it be that he fucked up by playing Montreal, when if he'd skipped it, he still could have wrenched it in Cincy? Maybe more time to get in shape, I can see that, but if he'd done it in Cincy, he would be even in worse shape, as far as I can see. Just wondering why Darth is blaming it all on the decision to play Rogers Cup. I think you see what I mean.

I edited it right after ranting The only reason he hurt his back was opting to play Montreal at the last minute, straight after vacation and going by what he said, no practice since Wimbledon.

 

[DarthFed]

I'm seriously just asking: is that because you think he was under-prepared for Montreal, and would have been in better shape for Cincy? Otherwise, the back could have gone in either tourney.

You're making it sound like him tweaking his back at some point was a given. If he played a much better/faster tournament that he prepped for he may not have been moving so much.

 

[DarthFed]

Ok, that tells it to me. All clear. Thanks! He seems to be having a better day today, so far.

It's early, he's looked like this in set 1 vs Dr and set 3 vs Tiafoe.

 

[Front242]

Lopez just bent over to stretch his legs. Ironically, there's probably a good chance HE could retire mid match as he's an old fart too and injured himself in Wimbledon.

 

[Moxie]

I edited it right after ranting The only reason he hurt his back was opting to play Montreal at the last minute, straight after vacation and going by what he said, no practice since Wimbledon.

Some shot! OK, but here's a question, why didn't he prepare better, then? He's not lazy.

 

[Moxie]

It's early, he's looked like this in set 1 vs Dr and set 3 vs Tiafoe.

Always the doomsday sayer.

 

[DarthFed]

Great first set. Moving very well and serving great. But let's see if it lasts...

 

[Moxie]

This is totally not partisan, but, given that Tiafoe and Youzhny took Roger to 5, and given how well Lopez has been playing of late, one would think that he could at least challenge. I'm not really seeing Feliciano stepping it up a lot from here. So maybe the back is better, or Roger, as he has said, is feeling more prepared now. (This is in no way a dig, just a comment.)

 

[Front242]

Some shot! OK, but here's a question, why didn't he prepare better, then? He's not lazy.

My guess, a bit of a greedy miscalculation. He probably said with Murray and Djokovic out and much of the rest of the top 10 for that matter, he had a good chance of winning it with no practice. He was almost right too, after all he made the final playing mostly like crap but he ended up hurting his chances both here and in the running for year end number 1. So far he looks a good deal better here so who knows. Probably pumped full of anti inflammatories.

 

[DarthFed]

Must say that Lopez backhand is ten times what it used to be

 

[Front242]

Must say that Lopez backhand is ten times what it used to be

Yeah, used to be a glaring weakness.

 

[DarthFed]

This is totally not partisan, but, given that Tiafoe and Youzhny took Roger to 5, and given how well Lopez has been playing of late, one would think that he could at least challenge. I'm not really seeing Feliciano stepping it up a lot from here. So maybe the back is better, or Roger, as he has said, is feeling more prepared now. (This is in no way a dig, just a comment.)

Lopez is not serving a high percentage but from the baseline this is probably the best I've seen him play. On the other side Fed has served great so far and is hitting really well. Obviously if his level doesn't come down Lopez is toast and that'd be an encouraging sign going forward. But I don't think his back is going to get significantly better while playing best of 5 tennis.

 

[crystalfire]

well here we go again

 

[DarthFed]

Lopez is balling tonight, if he gets that serve going it's going to be tough even with Fed looking good so far.

 

[DarthFed]

Always the doomsday sayer.

Just saying that from the first two matches it seems possible that the back stiffens up more and more as the match progresses.

 

[Moxie]

Just saying that from the first two matches it seems possible that the back stiffens up more and more as the match progresses.

What a duff by Lopez. Anyway, I'd say Fed looks pretty loose. I have seen other matches, but he looks fine now.

EDIT: And don't get defensive: I have already gone on record as believing that his back was rough in the first 2 rounds.