Men’s final discussion

Thought I’d should kick off the discussion thread, luvsports production thread can stand separately.

Soooooo what’s going to happen? I’m am uncertain and nervous as ever but if I take a few steps back the signs are good for Federer. He seems healthy, certainly hasn’t flogged himself to death to get here (nothing compared to last year!) and I don’t think he needs any ‘special test’, he knows what to do here.

I guess the fear is that Cilic produces some devastating exhibition where his power tennis stays at a very high level. He was very good against Nadal and I think would have win irrespective be of the injury. I don’t think he’s quite at Del Porto unplayable level but he’s very big, hits a big game, and he can rally effectively. Despite this he’s had some quite pedestrian results here, it’s not like he’s been blowing people out of the way.

The head is saying Federer in three, maybe four, because he is able to mess Cilic up and take the offensive. He needs to serve well though to keep the pressure on Cilic.

Agree on the conclusion....but certainly not on Cilic beating a fit Nadal earlier this week.

Fed in 3, maybe a TB, Cilic will lose it on the changing room, crowd will be all Fed, Fed knows what the number 20 means, Cilic will play as if nothing to lose, but that doesn't work in reality, drop shots, net play from Fed will hurt Cilic.

Fed in 3 for me. I just can't see Cilic mentally holding it together against a fit Federer and that's the key for me.

I’ve got to beat “Roger” in the prediction game, so Fed in 5 for me.

bogbrush wrote: I don’t think he’s quite at Del Porto unplayable level but he’s very big, hits a big game

I think Cilic'  serve and groundstrokes are better. Delpo is a much better matchplayer. 

My guess would be 3-0 to Fed, but i'm not completely relaxed.
Unfortunatly i can't watch it from the start, so i'll have to watch it with a few hours delay. It will be hard to avoid the score until that..

We have two scenarios: Fed wins in either 3 or 5 sets.

All depends on how Cilic’s blisters hold.

No one with blisters beats Fed. Impossible.

Fed in 3.  I know I will be nervous, but, objectively speaking, he should win fairly easily.

I do think though that Cilic has been playing quite well this tournament.  Better than he usually does.  Still, a well playing Fed should be too much for him.

If Cilic somehow takes the first set, I will be biting my nails from then to the end.

You’re making me feel better guys. I’m going to be seriously tense tomorrow.

I just rewatched the 5th set of last year's final yet again. Still makes me nervous watching it. Now ready for this year's edition. Alarm clock set to 3.30am.

Last year was the best possible for me. I was flying back to England so couldn’t watch any of it. I asked my son to record it and send me a simple text saying who won, no score, to pick up when I landed so I could decide whether to put myself through it.

I got to watch an incredible match but without any of the despair that would have been mine live. I wish I could do the same tomorrow.

For me that would not be the best possible, it would take a lot of the emotion out of it.  It was so fascinating:
- Fed goes 2:1 sets up only to go down an early break in the fifth.  I knew he was done.
- Then he creates BP after BP but keeps failing to convert them.  I knew he was done.
- Then he finally breaks back.  I knew Rafa would come back and break again, have seen it too many times before.
- Then Fed goes 0-40 up with a chance to go up a break only for Rafa to get back to deuce.  I knew Fed was done then.
- Then Fed breaks but goes 15-40 down when serving for the match.  I knew Rafa would break from there and take the match.

And then it all did not happen and Fed won, and it was just fantastic.  Probably the most enjoyable GS title of them all.

summerblues wrote:For me that would not be the best possible, it would take a lot of the emotion out of it.  It was so fascinating:
- Fed goes 2:1 sets up only to go down an early break in the fifth.  I knew he was done.
- Then he creates BP after BP but keeps failing to convert them.  I knew he was done.
- Then he finally breaks back.  I knew Rafa would come back and break again, have seen it too many times before.
- Then Fed goes 0-40 up with a chance to go up a break only for Rafa to get back to deuce.  I knew Fed was done then.
- Then Fed breaks but goes 15-40 down when serving for the match.  I knew Rafa would break from there and take the match.

And then it all did not happen and Fed won, and it was just fantastic.  Probably the most enjoyable GS title of them all.

nicely put, SB.

I remember being at church during sets 3-5,the sermon finished...I expected the match to have finished in the meantime...Fed to have lost...I whipped out my phone and checked the score -  match was still going on, and I think Fed was up a break...
then this woman came to me and started talking about stg and I kept reloading the page, trying to politely explain what I was doing.

Fed was serving for the match and I knew he would win but couldn’t relax until Imsaw the tick next to his name in the score...I had no idea how it ended (hawkeye and all)

And then he did and I simply could not believe it.

There was this funny, “I knew it” , quietly happy emotion but strangely I just was not able to release any madness the whole day. I was almost numb.

Only the next day I began to defrost slowly as I kept rewatching his last point and celebration.

I think GP posted a thread which triggered me to wrote something and suddenly all the emotions poured out like a river bursting a dam.

And that warm happy feeling is still here.

Listened to the 2017 final on the radio. Nearly swallowed my tongue in that last game. With hindsight Fed really rubbed it into Nadal that he has his number. Next 3 matches were proof. Tomorrow should be Fed but...........

lovely stuff

I have got to the point where I hate suspense. If I’m watching a suspense movie I’ll google the plot to know what happens. Seriously, I do that.

I think it’s because in business I spend so much time balancing variables and navigating through big stuff and take so many calculated risks that once I come out of that I really don’t need any more. It’s a pity you can’t trust your life to the internet or I’d tell you all what I mean and you’d understand.

I like watching Federer for the tennis, not the tension. Unfortunately I don’t have a flight to bail me out of it tomorrow, but winning in three sets of baked goods would come a close second. I’d take that.

gallery play wrote:

bogbrush wrote: I don’t think he’s quite at Del Porto unplayable level but he’s very big, hits a big game

I think Cilic'  serve and groundstrokes are better. Delpo is a much better matchplayer. 

My guess would be 3-0 to Fed, but i'm not completely relaxed.
Unfortunatly i can't watch it from the start, so i'll have to watch it with a few hours delay. It will be hard to avoid the score until that..

Going to Church first?

summerblues wrote:For me that would not be the best possible, it would take a lot of the emotion out of it.  It was so fascinating:
- Fed goes 2:1 sets up only to go down an early break in the fifth.  I knew he was done.
- Then he creates BP after BP but keeps failing to convert them.  I knew he was done.
- Then he finally breaks back.  I knew Rafa would come back and break again, have seen it too many times before.
- Then Fed goes 0-40 up with a chance to go up a break only for Rafa to get back to deuce.  I knew Fed was done then.
- Then Fed breaks but goes 15-40 down when serving for the match.  I knew Rafa would break from there and take the match.

And then it all did not happen and Fed won, and it was just fantastic.  Probably the most enjoyable GS title of them all.

Yep...that one beat Goran's Wimby win.

bogbrush wrote:I like watching Federer for the tennis, not the tension.

To me the real beauty is just the opposite...how can this guy play with such a risky game, thin margins produce under such pressure I even cannot watch?

The real beauty of fed's game is to watch him play under pressure. Mentally they are all midgets compared to him. I have said that long ago...and now that he has a larger frame....he is proving the point.

I thinkl Lendl lost more before winning 8! More than anyone of his generation.

Tenez wrote:

bogbrush wrote:I like watching Federer for the tennis, not the tension.

To me the real beauty is just the opposite...how can this guy play with such a risky game, thin margins produce under such pressure I even cannot watch?

The real beauty of fed's game is to watch him play under pressure. Mentally they are all midgets compared to him. I have said that long ago...and now that he has a larger frame....he is proving the point.

Sure, I just don’t like having the tension myself!

It’s because I’m not in control. The pressure and stakes I play with in my own life are fine because I get to affect those outcomes. I hate watching things I have strong interest in that I’m just a spectator of. I actually don’t understand what people get out of it.

bogbrush wrote:

Tenez wrote:

bogbrush wrote:I like watching Federer for the tennis, not the tension.

To me the real beauty is just the opposite...how can this guy play with such a risky game, thin margins produce under such pressure I even cannot watch?

The real beauty of fed's game is to watch him play under pressure. Mentally they are all midgets compared to him. I have said that long ago...and now that he has a larger frame....he is proving the point.

Sure,1 I just don’t like having the tension myself!

It’s because I’m not in control. The pressure and stakes I play with in my own life are fine because I get to affect those outcomes. I hate watching things I have strong interest in that I’m just a spectator of. I actually don’t understand what people get out of it.

It’s like being in love without butterflies in your stomach.

Tension is the best bit!

I must say tennis matches have given me so many crazy times, I simply love it!!!

So not may of you watched the Live match? What tennis fans are you? 

That match was magic, so was the 2018 in general, beyond any dreams.

Sadly there will be no nail biting moments today, but hey, who cares 20 in the shelf.

You can all take your hearts out of your arses. Fed has this 

Cilic isn't going to roll over in 3, like Tenez thought.

Tenez wrote:

gallery play wrote:

bogbrush wrote: I don’t think he’s quite at Del Porto unplayable level but he’s very big, hits a big game

I think Cilic'  serve and groundstrokes are better. Delpo is a much better matchplayer. 

My guess would be 3-0 to Fed, but i'm not completely relaxed.
Unfortunatly i can't watch it from the start, so i'll have to watch it with a few hours delay. It will be hard to avoid the score until that..

Going to Church first?

Not quite..

I was on the road, but let the driving to someone else and watched the first 3 sets on my mobile phone. Things got worse when i started to watch on the TV, so glad he made it.

Rewatched some stuff of today's final, it really was close. That first game...man, things could have end different and then Cilic double faulting twice in that second game of the final set...