Roland Garros - 2019

noleisthebest wrote:

luvsports! wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:Thiem's spent.
Plus moonballing his FH.

Another RG to forget. This one is the worst I can remember.

Whaattt? 
Feds back. Tsitsipas vs Stan. A closer final than in previous years. Not as good as others but still...

It was good maybe for you journos.
Ask Nole or Fed...

Do you not agree about feds and tsitsi stan?

Tenez wrote:Problem is that Djoko is the only player who can make Nadal run. This is exactly why I wanted Djoko to win yesterday. Like all shbh you are at a big disadvantage on clay. Fed without wind is the only shbh player who could have beaten Nadal but the conds were atrocious for a player being able to play with such thin margins.

Djoko with his fitness and DHBH was our best bet.

Beating Nadal on clay is hard work but when the draw and the conds are on his side it's impossible.

I'd be interested to see how a match with Fedal would fare if they played under a roof this year..

I'd much rather Fed have Wimbledon record than French.  Wimbledon is the only tournament still played in remotely the intended conditions.  And it's the one with the most history.

AceofDeath wrote:

Tenez wrote:

AceofDeath wrote:Imagine being in your prime on your best surface and then being smacked around by an old, balding, brat 

Santoro commentating the match in France says that Nadal only had legs and a Whipping FH when arrived in 2005 but no volley and a weak BH.... But he has constantly improved with a BH better than ever

He doesn't even need a BH to beat this tired Thiem...

How sad that he will be lifting his 12th trophy here while Fed only has 1

It is actually that BH that tires Thiem

luvsports! wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:

luvsports! wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:Thiem's spent.
Plus moonballing his FH.

Another RG to forget. This one is the worst I can remember.

Whaattt? 
Feds back. Tsitsipas vs Stan. A closer final than in previous years. Not as good as others but still...

It was good maybe for you journos.
Ask Nole or Fed...

Do you not agree about feds and tsitsi stan?

No.
I am sure Fed wishes he hadn't played it now.
The conditions were unplayable in both semis.

As for Tsits and Stan...it was just another match we can see at any masters etc even though it was a 5 setter.
Plus Tsits lost, and he is the one that brought the Xfactor to that match.

Anyone ready for Wimbledon, where Fed gets Kyrgios, Tsit, Djok, Brown, Cilic, Del Potro haha

Daniel2 wrote:Anyone ready for Wimbledon, where Fed gets Kyrgios, Tsit, Djok, Brown, Cilic, Del Potro haha

yeah, the TDs will be bending backwards to give Rafa a chance to catch up Fed.
But who cares any more....Hopefully Nole recovers quickly and gets another three in a row.

This slam is asterisked for the scandalous schedule 

noleisthebest wrote:yeah, the TDs will be bending backwards to give Rafa a chance to catch up Fed.

That's certainly a possibility.

yawn.  Let's move onto a proper slam. 

noleisthebest wrote:

luvsports! wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:

luvsports! wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:Thiem's spent.
Plus moonballing his FH.

Another RG to forget. This one is the worst I can remember.

Whaattt? 
Feds back. Tsitsipas vs Stan. A closer final than in previous years. Not as good as others but still...

It was good maybe for you journos.
Ask Nole or Fed...

Do you not agree about feds and tsitsi stan?

No.
I am sure Fed wishes he hadn't played it now.
The conditions were unplayable in both semis.

As for Tsits and Stan...it was just another match we can see at any masters etc even though it was a 5 setter.
Plus Tsits lost, and he is the one that brought the Xfactor to that match.

Any slam with Fed in it is better, come on!

No, it isn't.  He had no hope and just handed the psychological advantage back to doper.  Also kicked out someone who may have had a chance.

luvsports! wrote:Any slam with Fed in it is better, come on!

This was definitely better than the last couple of years - even without Fed would have been.  The only big downer were the conditions on Friday.

Daniel2 wrote:He's not better than ever.  We know that because we can see cracks appearing in his clay domination.  This year he's not had it all his own way.

But that does not mean he is not better that before. It means he cannot play as much as before. Today he is WI Ning his 12th RG. Could not have done that with his 2010 game. Even in 2013 Nadal was an easy smash away from Djoko from losing the FO.

Daniel2 wrote:No, it isn't.  He had no hope and just handed the psychological advantage back to doper.  Also kicked out someone who may have had a chance.

Yeh Fed was an idiot playing this again when he knew he had no chance of winning. If I was him I'd have been practicing on the grass for the last 2 weeks and let his competition have to play catchup at SW19.

12 fake RG's for a cheat.

RG's shouldn't be called slams. Just RG's.

Congrats Rafa.  Well done.  RG #12.  Unbelievable.

Greatest claycourter of all times

AceofDeath wrote:

Daniel2 wrote:No, it isn't.  He had no hope and just handed the psychological advantage back to doper.  Also kicked out someone who may have had a chance.

Yeh Fed was an idiot playing this again when he knew he had no chance of winning. If I was him I'd have been practicing on the grass for the last 2 weeks and let his competition have to play catchup at SW19.

Federer entering led to the worst possible outcome... 3 set win to Nadal and another title for Nadal.  Why did he enter?

I really thought in 2016 that Rafa was likely done winning slams.  He has now won three more consecutive French Open's since then - without anyone even pushing him hard.

naxroy wrote:Greatest claycourter of all times

Errr...  How do you know this, exactly?  Has he played using old wooden racquets in older conditions against the greats?  No.  He hasn't.

He's the greatest clay courter this era. He's also likely a serial drug cheat.

naxroy wrote:Greatest claycourter of all times

Sad but true

Thiem looked fully competitive the first five games and not at all thereafter - even though the score does not show it.

VAMOSSSS

This Is incredible

12 slams out of 15 appearances

naxroy wrote:Greatest claycourter of all times

If he really was the greatest, he wouldn't have needed the draws to be rigged every time. So unfortunately I can't agree with you.
He is good, and that's about it.

summerblues wrote:Congrats Rafa.  Well done.  RG #12.  Unbelievable.

I know Summerblues doesnt like Nadal, but at least this post shows sportsmanship

it is the kind of thing that makes me respect a poster

naxroy wrote:

summerblues wrote:Congrats Rafa.  Well done.  RG #12.  Unbelievable.

I know Summerblues doesnt like Nadal, but at least this post shows sportsmanship

it is the kind of thing that makes me respect a poster

Oh! That hurts! 

naxroy wrote:

summerblues wrote:Congrats Rafa.  Well done.  RG #12.  Unbelievable.

I know Summerblues doesnt like Nadal, but at least this post shows sportsmanship

it is the kind of thing that makes me respect a poster

Sorry, but only truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth from me. I couldn't care less if people respect me as a poster or not.

Yeah cos I really stay awake at nights wanting to be respected by someone who supports a cheat. 

Tenez wrote:

naxroy wrote:

summerblues wrote:Congrats Rafa.  Well done.  RG #12.  Unbelievable.

I know Summerblues doesnt like Nadal, but at least this post shows sportsmanship

it is the kind of thing that makes me respect a poster

Oh! That hurts! 

That’s the sort of hammer blow Nadal was landing with his BHs

DEC1M8 wrote:http://www.606v2.com/t27277p50-nadal-s-slippery-slope

Yes I was wrong but certainly did not expect Djokovic to have so many ups and downs. Djokovic is the better player v Nadal.... Even on clay.

So many times I've honestly thought Nadal's career is over... low on confidence, injury problems, getting humbled... but each time he just keeps fighting and coming back.
Unthinkable he's on 18, beyond what I could have dreamt

DEC1M8 wrote:So many times I've honestly thought Nadal's career is over... low on confidence, injury problems, getting humbled... but each time he just keeps fighting and coming back.
Unthinkable he's on 18, beyond what I could have dreamt

I am glad for you.

One can see Nadal's improvement on his BH from 2013. This makes him much harder to be moved around like Djoko did then. Nadal was turning his BH around a lot more in 2013.



Today it was obvious Thiem did not have enough power and pace on the BH to move Nadal.....and if you cannot move Nadal around....you do the moving!

He keeps coming back because 

1. He dopes
2. He always has clay to rack up points with no opposition
3. He isn't being penalized for his cheating - like with time violations
4. His injuries are largely bullshit - as Del Potro and Soderling would be happy to educate you on.

When exactly has he been "low on confidence" on clay, you ridiculous fangirl.

You yourself once argued with Tenez about innocent before guilty on point number 1, you just changed your mind on that because Nadal won and you got more pissed off.
As for time violations, he was within the allotted time. The commentators observed on how Nadal would serve literally on the dot at 0, just in time, which is allowed by the rules, you don't have to have time to spare before serving. There's no clock between first and second serves.
Also Soderling never got injured, he got ill.

When exactly has he been "low on confidence" on clay, you ridiculous fangirl.

boy*
And plenty of times since 2015 he's looked low on confidence on clay. Even earlier this clay court season he looked dejected at Monte Carlo and Barcelona.

Tenez wrote:

DEC1M8 wrote:So many times I've honestly thought Nadal's career is over... low on confidence, injury problems, getting humbled... but each time he just keeps fighting and coming back.
Unthinkable he's on 18, beyond what I could have dreamt

I am glad for you.

One can see Nadal's improvement on his BH from 2013. This makes him much harder to be moved around like Djoko did then. Nadal was turning his BH around a lot more in 2013.

(Youtube Link)

Today it was obvious Thiem did not have enough power and pace on the BH to move Nadal.....and if you cannot move Nadal around....you do the moving!

Thank you.

And yeah, it's true that Nadal has improved his BH, I also noticed Legendkiller observe the effectiveness of the BH CC, against both Fed and Thiem it produced a lot of winners and helped him take control of the rally.
However, compared to 2013, he is slower as Bogbrush picked up on. His defensive work now relies much more on anticipation, you see him guessing a side and running before opponent hits a shot, while before he could hang central and chase anything down regardless.

what a joy this is

I think Thiem problem was less in power than placement.  I lost count of the number of times he should have pushed him wide but didn’t, just pumping back to the middle and running left and right.

He blew this one (though to be fair a day off might have helped) because I think Nadal was beatable by him today if he had a clearer game plan than hit it really really hard. He needs to put some more brains into his game.

bogbrush wrote:I think Thiem problem was less in power than placement.  I lost count of the number of times he should have pushed him wide but didn’t, just pumping back to the middle and running left and right.

I noticed that too. Fed and Djoko do it often to wait for an opp to go suddenly wide. I think Thiem was simply scared to get stretched as Nadal always manages to make his oppenent run when he himself is pushed wide.

Thiem was simply too tired to offer a proper chance but also has that problem all SHBH have v Nadal....it's hard to make him run on clay. Even an off form Goffin had a better score than Thiem just because he has a DHBH.

He blew this one (though to be fair a day off might have helped) because I think Nadal was beatable by him today if he had a clearer game plan than hit it really really hard. He needs to put some more brains into his game.

Frankly not sure about that. Even if on form, Thiem could not have run like he did for the first 5 games for the whole 3 sets. Nadal lost a set cause he had a bad service game, otherwise he was utter dominant. He once again managed to peak at the right time....helped certainly by a bloody easy draw, schedule and weather. But hey that is not the first time.

bogbrush wrote:I think Thiem problem was less in power than placement.  I lost count of the number of times he should have pushed him wide but didn’t, just pumping back to the middle and running left and right.

He blew this one (though to be fair a day off might have helped) because I think Nadal was beatable by him today if he had a clearer game plan than hit it really really hard. He needs to put some more brains into his game.

Worst clay era ever.. even if Dull is the best on clay of all time. Thiem's a good player but he is his own worst enemy with his shot selection and depth.

Back to proper tennis now that this crappy part of the season is over 

Well Thiem invested a shedload of energy and effort in that 1st set and even with securing set 2, was always an uphill struggle. Reminded me of Agassi vs Federer 2005 when Agassi went all out for 2 sets and only had a set to show for it. 

Nadal, benefitted from a huge fortune (large in part to the organisers) Nishi was burned and as was Thiem. Mentally it's the advantage it gives. As player it can't get any more frustrating knowing you are on court playing a match when your next opponent has the day off. 

Have to ask the question, can anyone really challenge Nadal aside from Djokovic on the red stuff over 5 sets?

legendkillar wrote:....
Have to ask the question, can anyone really challenge Nadal aside from Djokovic on the red stuff over 5 sets?

I certainly would have liked to see what a fresh Fed would have done under normal conditions. Imagine if he could have served properly for a start?

Federer?  Come off it Tenez  and admit you were wrong.  Psychologically, he was beaten from the start - and he can't do anything on this surface to hurt the one dimensional cretin.

2004-07 Federer would have butchered Nadal this year but he's not that good anymore.

noleisthebest wrote:Hopefully Nole recovers quickly and gets another three in a row.

You did not say four in a row though.  Ceding RG to Rafa for next year too?

Thiem is now the third generation opponent Rafa is fending off at RG.

First it was Roger who was only able to get his RG when Rafa had an off year.  Then likewise Nole had to use the blip in Rafa's form in 2015-16.  And now it is Thiem who has now lost to Rafa three years running.  At least Thiem has a realistic hope that he can hang around long enough for Rafa to eventually get too old to win.

If Rafa keeps winning 1-2 slams per year and Nole 2-3 per year for another couple of years, in the end they may BOTH overtake Fed's 20.  

Calm down, Djokovic is a possibility but Rafa isn't.

I am feeling emotional remembering how I thought it was all over in 2015-6 when he was struggling to get to semi-finals of Masters events.