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Post by DBBN on Jan 29, 2012 15:55:28 GMT -5
So, apparently this happened. Okay then. Congratulations to Winner and Loser!
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Post by DBBN on Jan 29, 2012 15:55:51 GMT -5
Congratulations to BOREAS for Fourth Star!
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Post by Old Hag on Jan 29, 2012 15:58:57 GMT -5
How long were those Wilander-Lendl finals back in the day? Any Wilander match from the 80s on a slow surface were brutal. Push push push.
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Post by lexpretend on Jan 29, 2012 16:05:37 GMT -5
After enduring Wilander's commentary, I'd almost rather watch his tennis. I agree. You could see it in the way he took control of the match whenever he had his head on straight. Rafa was ferocious as always and it got him pretty far. But Nole knows when he turns it on he's better. It also helps that Rafa seems unable to break his patterns much. Backhand dtl winners from Rafa? Not very many! Comfortable hitting forehands down the line? Maybe more than he used to be but I don't think enough. Still, it was a titanic effort for Rafa to even get to set five. And he did nearly win this match. He was one service break away. So I'm not sure. Will this haunt him or spur him on to finally get over the hump? I say he gets over the hump at RG! Nole has never beaten him over five on clay, which is very different to beating him over three on clay. Their Slam matches have been progressively tighter. And I don't know if Nole has what it takes to complete the NOLESLAM. He fought hard today but I wouldn't say he excelled at clutch tennis at all. In fact, it was because he wasn't clutch that he had to fight so hard. It was only 15 months ago that Rafa owned Nole at Slams.
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Post by DBBN on Jan 29, 2012 16:06:14 GMT -5
But they didn't take 4-minute changeovers and bounce the ball 22 times before every first and second serve. I mean, those are the reasons. It's like fucking baseball.
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Post by DBBN on Jan 29, 2012 16:07:08 GMT -5
The rerun is at 2-1 in the third set. So I should get some bottled water and build a bunker then?
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Post by lexpretend on Jan 29, 2012 16:11:45 GMT -5
Another excuse to point and laugh at Ma$ha, too. She could have lost five times over in that time.
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Post by Old Hag on Jan 29, 2012 16:22:14 GMT -5
Rafa still has to be the favorite at RG, but Nole is the unquestionable #1 still that very rarely loses. I don't think this loss changes things, the tide already turned last year, and Rafa didn't blow this one despite the many mentions of the BH error at 4-2 30-15. Nole should have won this in 4.
Most amazing to me is how the Big 4 avoid serious injuries while playing ridiculous tennis like this every slam (except for Rafa's eternally ailing knees).
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Post by lexpretend on Jan 29, 2012 16:36:03 GMT -5
The disparity between SEWTA and ATP injuries is really a mystery. How do the former get injured so much and so severely? And how do the latter avoid it? Rafa's knees have never caused him to take more than a couple of months off at a time. For all Nole's former reputation, he's never had a serious injury in his career.
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Post by Grarliner on Jan 30, 2012 0:49:20 GMT -5
After enduring Wilander's commentary, I'd almost rather watch his tennis. I agree. You could see it in the way he took control of the match whenever he had his head on straight. Rafa was ferocious as always and it got him pretty far. But Nole knows when he turns it on he's better. It also helps that Rafa seems unable to break his patterns much. Backhand dtl winners from Rafa? Not very many! Comfortable hitting forehands down the line? Maybe more than he used to be but I don't think enough. Still, it was a titanic effort for Rafa to even get to set five. And he did nearly win this match. He was one service break away. So I'm not sure. Will this haunt him or spur him on to finally get over the hump? I say he gets over the hump at RG! Nole has never beaten him over five on clay, which is very different to beating him over three on clay. Their Slam matches have been progressively tighter. And I don't know if Nole has what it takes to complete the NOLESLAM. He fought hard today but I wouldn't say he excelled at clutch tennis at all. In fact, it was because he wasn't clutch that he had to fight so hard. It was only 15 months ago that Rafa owned Nole at Slams. I will take that bet with you although I don't think Nole will beat him in five. I think he'll beat him in four or maybe three. I think you're right about him not being very clutch against Murray or Rafa. But I draw a different lesson from that. It just makes me think of how scary he is when he's dialed in and how impressive it is that he can beat those guys without playing top-notch. Yes, it was only 15 months ago when everything was different. But I don't see us going back there anytime soon barring a terrible injury to Djokovic ala Del Potro.
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Post by freudo on Jan 30, 2012 9:40:40 GMT -5
Also, I've never really believed in Corswandt's pessimistic view that Nadal knows the only way he can win is by outlasting his opponent... but, that so happened here. In terms of tennis ability, Nole was miles better. He's better with every shot, maybe even defense at this point. I agree. You could see it in the way he took control of the match whenever he had his head on straight. Rafa was ferocious as always and it got him pretty far. But Nole knows when he turns it on he's better. It also helps that Rafa seems unable to break his patterns much. Backhand dtl winners from Rafa? Not very many! Comfortable hitting forehands down the line? Maybe more than he used to be but I don't think enough. Still, it was a titanic effort for Rafa to even get to set five. And he did nearly win this match. He was one service break away. So I'm not sure. Will this haunt him or spur him on to finally get over the hump? I think it will spur him on through the claycourt season. I still like his chances there. But we'll see. I agree with those who note the greatness of length, endurance and fourth-fifth set drive as what made this match exceptional. Not the whole thing. Bu then I am a Federer fan and still mourning anything that does not pertain to Roger. That match truly excluded him. I am still hoping, maybe Wimby, maybe indoor season again
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Post by Old Hag on Jan 30, 2012 12:39:19 GMT -5
I dislike how every 5-set match is treated as great by commentators and most fans. It's like they want to validate wasting 5+ hours of their life watching it. It wasn't good, Nole was off for much of it, and when he was solid with his range at all, he controlled the match. Like Lex said, the US Open finals the last 2 years were way better.
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