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Post by janie on Jun 10, 2007 5:50:58 GMT -5
And finally, the Championship bout we've all been waiting for! Yes, it's time for Mariana Duque Marino (COL) contre Alize Cornet (FRA)[2] in the Girls' Final!  Oh, and there's also that little Rafa/Rog thing. Old hat by now, of course, but some may tune in, our of habit. ;D |
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Post by janie on Jun 10, 2007 6:39:15 GMT -5
In the time-honored fashion of women's tennis, the two junior finalists are exchanging breaks, over and over. Mariana to try to serve for the first set now.
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Post by janie on Jun 10, 2007 6:43:50 GMT -5
Unseeded, barely squeaked into the main draw field Mariana takes the first set 6-4.  |
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Post by janie on Jun 10, 2007 7:08:39 GMT -5
Oops! 64 16 now.  |
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Post by janie on Jun 10, 2007 7:55:35 GMT -5
64 16 06. What happened, Mariana?  |
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Post by janie on Jun 10, 2007 9:20:11 GMT -5
After that early game on Rafa's serve that went to a million deuces, I settled in expecting one of the greatest matches I've ever seen. Then Roger turned wimp! Very disappointing; I feel like I'm watching the male version of the Amelie at RG Show out there.
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Post by janie on Jun 10, 2007 9:35:40 GMT -5
Finally Fed MAY be waking up ... please make it into an epic battle!
I want to see great tennis; I don't even care who wins if I get that, because I love both these guys.
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Post by Maeby Fünke on Jun 10, 2007 9:58:21 GMT -5
Do we have to look at Mirka between *every* point.
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Post by Maeby Fünke on Jun 10, 2007 10:42:55 GMT -5
At least it should be over before the Canadian GP starts.
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Post by Brinyi on Jun 10, 2007 11:26:00 GMT -5
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Post by sasha on Jun 10, 2007 11:52:19 GMT -5
Close again.  This rivalry would be a lot better if Rafa wasn't so perfectly suited to clay. |
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Post by Calico on Jun 10, 2007 11:55:48 GMT -5
Well done to Nadal on his French Open three-peat. My reverse psychology worked again. ;D I think Federer will be very dissapointed that he missed on all 10 break point opportunities in the first set.  |
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Post by Calico on Jun 10, 2007 11:58:05 GMT -5
Close again. This rivalry would be a lot better if Rafa wasn't so perfectly suited to clay. You are the Queen of predictions.  Good call Leena. |
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Post by Calico on Jun 10, 2007 12:00:20 GMT -5
After that early game on Rafa's serve that went to a million deuces, I settled in expecting one of the greatest matches I've ever seen. Then Roger turned wimp! Very disappointing; I feel like I'm watching the male version of the Amelie at RG Show out there. That's cold Janie. Atleast Federer put up a big time battle today against the mighty clay court King Nadal. Mauresmo doesn't even fight valiantly they way Federer does at the French Open. |
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Post by Calico on Jun 10, 2007 12:01:04 GMT -5
At least it should be over before the Canadian GP starts. LOL! ;D  |
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Post by janie on Jun 10, 2007 12:11:32 GMT -5
After that early game on Rafa's serve that went to a million deuces, I settled in expecting one of the greatest matches I've ever seen. Then Roger turned wimp! Very disappointing; I feel like I'm watching the male version of the Amelie at RG Show out there. That's cold Janie. Atleast Federer put up a big time battle today against the mighty clay court King Nadal. Mauresmo doesn't even fight valiantly they way Federer does at the French Open. cat, I posted those words after the FIRST SET. And at that time, what I said was true. I wasn't speaking about the part of the match that was yet to come; I'm not psychic. |
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Post by sasha on Jun 10, 2007 12:28:34 GMT -5
After that early game on Rafa's serve that went to a million deuces, I settled in expecting one of the greatest matches I've ever seen. Then Roger turned wimp! Very disappointing; I feel like I'm watching the male version of the Amelie at RG Show out there. That's cold Janie. Atleast Federer put up a big time battle today against the mighty clay court King Nadal. Mauresmo doesn't even fight valiantly they way Federer does at the French Open. Roger is actually quite similar to Amelie, vs. Nadal. He does not feel comfortable consistently playing aggressive against Rafa. On clay, it's understandable, where Rafa's forehand is a destructive shot... but, he gets like this on other surfaces, as well Johnny Mac pointed out a few tactical errors... Roger not consistently attacking Rafa's 2nd serve, and Roger's security mode of always going to Rafa's backhand, which is a low percentage play because a) Roger will likely make an error hitting over the high part of the net, and b) Eventually Rafa will run around a weak backhand, and that's the end. You cannot play safe vs. Rafa on clay. His game is too good on this surface. There are no weaknesses. Clay courters hate being attacked, and that's the way you play against them. |
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Post by Calico on Jun 10, 2007 12:42:11 GMT -5
That's cold Janie. Atleast Federer put up a big time battle today against the mighty clay court King Nadal. Mauresmo doesn't even fight valiantly they way Federer does at the French Open. cat, I posted those words after the FIRST SET. And at that time, what I said was true. I wasn't speaking about the part of the match that was yet to come; I'm not psychic. I didn't know that. |
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Post by Calico on Jun 10, 2007 12:44:16 GMT -5
That's cold Janie. Atleast Federer put up a big time battle today against the mighty clay court King Nadal. Mauresmo doesn't even fight valiantly they way Federer does at the French Open. Roger is actually quite similar to Amelie, vs. Nadal. He does not feel comfortable consistently playing aggressive against Rafa. On clay, it's understandable, where Rafa's forehand is a destructive shot... but, he gets like this on other surfaces, as well Johnny Mac pointed out a few tactical errors... Roger not consistently attacking Rafa's 2nd serve, and Roger's security mode of always going to Rafa's backhand, which is a low percentage play because a) Roger will likely make an error hitting over the high part of the net, and b) Eventually Rafa will run around a weak backhand, and that's the end. You cannot play safe vs. Rafa on clay. His game is too good on this surface. There are no weaknesses. Clay courters hate being attacked, and that's the way you play against them. But Federer just whipped Nadal a few weeks ago in the Hamburg final. He really beat Nadal badly 6-0 in the final set and must have thought he had a great chance today. Roger did need to be more agressive than he was. But it didn't happen. Maybe Federer is tired at the end of a long clay court season. |
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Post by lexpretend on Jun 10, 2007 13:18:14 GMT -5
Roger was intermittently aggressive, and it usually paid off, but he just didn't seem to have the confidence to do it as relentlessly as he needed - maybe because of those weird basic FH errors he kept making? I think his BH today was superb, he really handled Rafa's topspin well with it, it was the FH which let him down.
Oh yeah and only converting ONE OUT OF SEVENTEEN break points.
Rog always seems...puzzled, when he plays Rafa. As if he doesn't really want to be on court. I mean...that last game, with Rafa serving for it...you would think Rog would want to summon up everything he's got, we know he has history-lust, and that was his last chance to save the match, and the point at which Rafa could be expected to be a little nervous...and the first two points were a shanked FH and a lame netted return?
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Post by janie on Jun 10, 2007 13:23:45 GMT -5
It was sad. :-( I was disappointed in Rog's ROS today; it seemed like he could've done a lot more with that shot, as John McEnroe kept pointing out.
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Post by lexpretend on Jun 10, 2007 13:23:46 GMT -5
Also, Guga looked hott dring the trophy ceremony.
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Post by Grarliner on Jun 10, 2007 13:44:33 GMT -5
Guga has never looked hot.
Nadal wins again. I wonder if Fed will ever get another shot. Or if he does, will it ever come against another player?
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Post by corswandt on Jun 10, 2007 20:03:00 GMT -5
I think his BH today was superb, he really handled Rafa's topspin well with it Yes, it didn't fall apart and he managed to open some sick angles with it and wrongfoot Nudd-Ahl. But the problem is still there and seems impossible to solve: when Nudd-Ahl is pinning Fed to his BH side with that endless barrage of moonballs, Fed usually needs several solid/good shots to break himself free. |
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Post by :rolleyes: on Jun 10, 2007 22:45:16 GMT -5
My mom says Guga is hot
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Post by Traveling Man on Jun 11, 2007 0:43:15 GMT -5
I was surprised at Roger's lack of trying something different on the breakpoints in the first set. My cable died after the second set so I didn't get to watch the entire match but he really should have converted or at least attempted something different. Credit to Rafa for throwing in some great serves on some of those breakpoints, but Fed could have and should have done more. |
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Post by sasha on Jun 11, 2007 1:00:41 GMT -5
I think his BH today was superb, he really handled Rafa's topspin well with it Yes, it didn't fall apart and he managed to open some sick angles with it and wrongfoot Nudd-Ahl. But the problem is still there and seems impossible to solve: when Nudd-Ahl is pinning Fed to his BH side with that endless barrage of moonballs, Fed usually needs several solid/good shots to break himself free. Indeed. That problem is possible to solve. Control points from the start. Roger usually does this on his serve. He's also capable of doing it on Rafa's serve, even Rafa's 1st serve most of the time. And Roger knows this. That's why he usually turns into a volleyer at some point in Nadal matches. But, you can't win consistently at net with today's racket technology. The only way to attack is by slamming forehands and not giving Rafa time. Rafa is in Roger's head. Roger basically admitted it after the match complaining about how he hates Rafa's left-handedness and can't reach his top game because of it. If I could give my useless advice to Roger, I'd practice thousands of high backhands and kick serves. Get to the point where Roger is confident with them. Because I believe that's all that's holding him back from being the top clay court player. |
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Post by corswandt on Jun 11, 2007 8:19:20 GMT -5
That's why he usually turns into a volleyer at some point in Nadal matches. But, you can't win consistently at net with today's racket technology. The only way to attack is by slamming forehands and not giving Rafa time. Yes, the only way to play Nudd-Ahl is to overpower him from the baseline. Those who claim the way to beat him is to rush the net are either bonkers or suffering from a serious case of Anglo scorn for those dirtballer wogs. Ultra-aggressive ROS also helps. It's no coincidence that Nudd-Ahl struggles against Blake and Berdych, both of whom show no respect for his serve at all. |
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Good call Leena. 
