Why Federer won?

Why Federer won?

  • Poor game by Nadal.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Federer did not care to lose to Nadal any more

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • New racquet finally payed off

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    6

Federberg

The GOAT
Joined
Apr 22, 2013
Messages
15,639
Reactions
5,729
Points
113
I honestly think it didn't matter so much for him this time. This really was house money. His backhand stood up to the challenge like I haven't seen for 10 years. And it has to be said, Rafa is not quite the same beast as he once was. Either that or I'm underestimating the pace Roger was able to generate on those backhand cross courts. We cannot underestimate how important those shots were. He made Rafa doubt that he could get away with just molesting his backhand because he had the threat, like Novak does, of going hard cross court
 
  • Like
Reactions: mrzz

Federberg

The GOAT
Joined
Apr 22, 2013
Messages
15,639
Reactions
5,729
Points
113
by the way.. the court conditions, even if they are right that the courts weren't faster, the balls made it play quicker. This just shows (in my opinion) that Roger and Rafa are simply better players than the rest. They were able to adapt, the others weren't
 

Moxie

Multiple Major Winner
Joined
Apr 14, 2013
Messages
43,839
Reactions
14,997
Points
113
I don't want to spoil it all by complaining, but I do still think it's odd that the AO plays the men's semis on different days. When Rafa was 22, it didn't make a huge difference, but I think it made a difference today. Rafa was sluggish all match. And I wouldn't make such a thing of it if Roger hadn't also had to go 5 in his SF. In this case, given that they're older, I think the extra day off mattered. And I'm not taking away from Roger's win. Just making the point about scheduling, which I was making many days ago.
 
  • Like
Reactions: shawnbm

DarthFed

The GOAT
Joined
Apr 14, 2013
Messages
17,724
Reactions
3,477
Points
113
He won because he was the better player on this day and he played incredibly clutch in the 5th set after the first game. The match mirrored many others between these two all the way up to Rafa getting ahead in the 5th so quickly but Roger flipped the script this time.
 
  • Like
Reactions: shawnbm

Federberg

The GOAT
Joined
Apr 22, 2013
Messages
15,639
Reactions
5,729
Points
113
I don't want to spoil it all by complaining, but I do still think it's odd that the AO plays the men's semis on different days. When Rafa was 22, it didn't make a huge difference, but I think it made a difference today. Rafa was sluggish all match. And I wouldn't make such a thing of it if Roger hadn't also had to go 5 in his SF. In this case, given that they're older, I think the extra day off mattered.

That may be true Moxie. I definitely think it's unfair and it could have had an impact. They really should change that
 
  • Like
Reactions: shawnbm and Moxie

DarthFed

The GOAT
Joined
Apr 14, 2013
Messages
17,724
Reactions
3,477
Points
113
I agree with Moxie about the need for a change and maybe this year will lead to that. It was also stupid how they had the Super Saturday at the USO and they've finally changed that.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Moxie

Moxie

Multiple Major Winner
Joined
Apr 14, 2013
Messages
43,839
Reactions
14,997
Points
113
He won because he was the better player on this day and he played incredibly clutch in the 5th set after the first game. The match mirrored many others between these two all the way up to Rafa getting ahead in the 5th so quickly but Roger flipped the script this time.
He was the better player, but that's nearly hilarious from you...you counted him out at every turn. You're only convinced once he came good.
 

DarthFed

The GOAT
Joined
Apr 14, 2013
Messages
17,724
Reactions
3,477
Points
113
I counted him out after he broke himself a couple times in the 4th, but that goes back to what I said about how prior matches between them have gone. Roger really should've won a lot easier but the extra drama and clutch tear at the end makes it a little sweeter for him even if it made us all a little greyer.
 

Moxie

Multiple Major Winner
Joined
Apr 14, 2013
Messages
43,839
Reactions
14,997
Points
113
I counted him out after he broke himself a couple times in the 4th, but that goes back to what I said about how prior matches between them have gone. Roger really should've won a lot easier but the extra drama and clutch tear at the end makes it a little sweeter for him even if it made us all a little greyer.
You never believed he was going to beat Rafa until he did. So the notion of him beating Rafa easier is retrospective for you. Anyway, I know this makes you happy, so I'm glad for you.

So much for the distraction of tennis...back to the reality of politics. Yuck.
 

masterclass

Masters Champion
Joined
Jul 15, 2013
Messages
652
Reactions
246
Points
43
Roger kept the match on his racquet. He almost always kept the points short, went for it, if he missed, he missed and didn't worry about it. The 5 set match went only 3:37. Even in the sets he lost, his tactics were mostly the same, only his execution was worse. His backhand was the strength of his game. The serve was good and came through in key moments, but his backhand was incredible over most of the match. Rafa fought hard, as only he can, but his banana forehand did not come through enough, mostly due to Federer's flatter backhand shooting through the court, both down the line and cross court. Rafa's serving to the Federer body from the middle of the match on worked very well for him and I believe kept Federer at bay, especially in the 4th set, after Roger won the 3rd so easily. In the 5th set, even though Federer was broken early, threatened in every one of Nadal's service games, and finally broke back to even the score and broke again to go to 5-3 and he managed to close it out with a flourish and a Hawk-Eye review. Take nothing away from Nadal. He played well. He had a solid 35 winners and 28 UE's (+7), while Federer's aggressive played earned him an amazing 73 winners and 57 UE's (+16).

To sum up, Roger's commitment to his tactics to go for his shots and his improved backhand got him over the line to overcome the match up issues he has had with Nadal.

Congratulations to Roger Federer and his fans. Commiserations to Rafael Nadal and his fans.

Interesting that Roger said at the end that he hoped to be back next year, but if not, then it was a good that he won.
He has said he hopes to play a few more years but one gets the feeling if his body starts failing on him, he might hang it up.
I saw some moments in sets 4 and early in set 5 where he was limping a bit from the hip abductor problem, but he gritted his teeth, probably got some pain help during the MTO and played on.

Respectfully,
masterclass
 

britbox

Multiple Major Winner
Joined
Apr 14, 2013
Messages
27,509
Reactions
6,341
Points
113
Location
Gold Coast, Australia
Concentration level in the 5th, plus he was able to neutralize enough rallies with his backhand that normally would be easy Nadal points. Stats will show more forehand winners but backhand won the match.

Agreed. The cross court backhand will be the one on the highlight reel... but he needs the DTL Backhand to open up the court for the cross court or inside out. I always look at Fed's down the line backhand as a measuring stick on how he's feeling the ball. It kept Nadal honest.

Ultimately, he showed great cajones... Down a break and then 15-40 when serving for the match, he held it together.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Murat Baslamisli

mrzz

Hater
Joined
Apr 14, 2013
Messages
6,331
Reactions
3,253
Points
113
That´s the crazy stuff, he was clutch when it seemed impossible. But if someone would compile his easy misses on sets 2 and 4, and even in the beginning of the fifth, it would be an horror show.
 
  • Like
Reactions: britbox

britbox

Multiple Major Winner
Joined
Apr 14, 2013
Messages
27,509
Reactions
6,341
Points
113
Location
Gold Coast, Australia
z7etaU9.jpg
 

DarthFed

The GOAT
Joined
Apr 14, 2013
Messages
17,724
Reactions
3,477
Points
113
Nice stats there. I am genuinely shocked Roger could beat Rafa on an HC without having a tremendous day serving. His serve was still pretty good, but not great. The other thing that stands out is he did a great job saving BP's and even though 6/20 is a bad conversion % a lot of those were great points from Rafa. Roger's poor play almost always came in his own service games where he had some unbelievable misses. Thankfully the good made up for the bad in the end.
 

Moxie

Multiple Major Winner
Joined
Apr 14, 2013
Messages
43,839
Reactions
14,997
Points
113
I'm actually unconvinced by Rafa's first serve pct. there. Didn't seem that way to me.
 

Federberg

The GOAT
Joined
Apr 22, 2013
Messages
15,639
Reactions
5,729
Points
113
It's funny but I've never felt Rafa's first serve was particularly important against Roger. It's always seemed to rest on how effectively Roger has been able to handle the 2nd serve
 
  • Like
Reactions: shawnbm

calitennis127

Multiple Major Winner
Joined
Apr 14, 2013
Messages
4,947
Reactions
459
Points
83
I don't want to spoil it all by complaining, but I do still think it's odd that the AO plays the men's semis on different days. When Rafa was 22, it didn't make a huge difference, but I think it made a difference today. Rafa was sluggish all match. And I wouldn't make such a thing of it if Roger hadn't also had to go 5 in his SF. In this case, given that they're older, I think the extra day off mattered. And I'm not taking away from Roger's win. Just making the point about scheduling, which I was making many days ago.


I think the semi with Verdasco was far more taxing than the match with Dimitrov. I did not think Nadal looked sluggish at all today. He hardly hit any unforced errors and he was hitting big off both wings.

That said, I agree that they should play the semis on the same day.