ATP 1000: Monte Carlo

I think it is difficult for people who have never tried playing with wooden racquets to appreciate the skill and talent required to control the ball.

The emphasis is on hand to eye coordination and timing that was almost an art.
Now, power is ready available and almost turned on tap for the pros who obviously have all the time in the world to work on it, and Nadal took it to a ridiculous level creating a style of play which almost has nothing in common with the original game.
Power has killed the flair.

Yes but not that different from the 90s where racquets were a bit bigger, quite heavy and the pace of the ball was considerably faster.

So the talent required to control the ball with bigger frame/ high pace ratio was more or less equal to smaller frame/lower pace ratio.

Nowadays the ratio could also be the same but the conditions in fact do not encourage to play fine and use touch and talent. They prefer to use legs cause this is how some can make the difference with others. We coudl see yesterday that most of the shots were well clear of net and lines.

OUah...what a piece of luck from Nadal. 3BP down, get s line call and a bad bounce, a BH down the line pretty lucky as he was very stretched and then a FH woudl be winner from Tsonga but unlike Nadal is 1/2 inch out.

....amazing and then a net call giving Nadal a BP!!!

Also so unlucky for Tsonga to be that windy as he is clearly the one taking risk.

Back from the gym, hope Tsonga's doing alright.

Tenez wrote:Yes but not that different from the 90s where racquets were a bit bigger, quite heavy and the pace of the ball was considerably faster.

So the talent required to control the ball with bigger frame/ high pace ratio was more or less equal to smaller frame/lower pace ratio.

Nowadays the ratio could also be the same but the conditions in fact do not encourage to play fine and use touch and talent. They prefer to use legs cause this is how some can make the difference with others. We coudl see yesterday that most of the shots were well clear of net and lines.

I haven't tried those, but can compare the ones I did and the difference is massive. It's a different game and "skill"set altogether now.

Just saw the score. Gulp!

COME ON JOOOOOOOO, blast that bully off that court!!!!!!!!!!!

This looks pretty bad, Nadal moving Tsonga around even with his BH now....Tsonga just totally unsure of himself. Where's his aggression gone!!!!

Yes too tough on those windy conditions. Tsonga tried in that first set but was quite unlucky.

well...his mind is gone now so....that's it for me.

I am goimg to try and play.....first time in 2 months nearly.

I totally hate the commentators drooling over Nadal. It's worse than Nadal's tennis.

Tenez wrote:well...his mind is gone now so....that's it for me.

I am goimg to try and play.....first time in 2 months nearly.

It's a beautiful day, have a lovely time

Tenez wrote:Yes too tough on those windy conditions. Tsonga tried in that first set but was quite unlucky.

I didn't realise it was windy. Shame...this clay is too slow and physically exhausting for any full-on attacking against Nadal, even in the best of 3.
Hope Nole gets through tomorrow and does some damage.

Tsonga recover the 2nd breaks and serves for 5 all ALLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEZ JOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Amazing what a bit of confidence on the serve & the rest does for Tsonga 5 all!!!

GOOOO JOOOOOOO

At last some guts form Tsonga and it's working so well!!!! Tie-break.
GOOOOOOOOOOOOO JOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Nadal just won one of those disgusting lost, luckym scrapper points....it must feel so demoralising....

Tsonga's S&V-ing working beautifully. Except for that last one which is not sharp enough and goes right on a plate for Nadal to pass it. Nothing special, but commentator's making it as if Nadal's a genius for doing it...pathetic!

Tsonga loses the last two points with some rather poorly and stupidly hit BHs....just can't keep that focus all the time.

Nole-Fogna next.

That first set went quick!!!!!
Nole doing juuuuuust fine

What a brilliant point from Nole, the king of backflick volley

I really like what I see from Nole: sharp backhand, relaxed, focused serve, super. Particularly happy with the BH, I was beginning to get worried about it in the last few matches.

Rafa Nadal: kiss your 9th MC title goodbye, Nole The Best is there to spare that poor trophy from that ugly indentation from now on

Beautiful match from Nole, easy win 6:2 6:1.

He played relaxed and Fogna gave up the fight early on, so that certainly made him play and look even better, but this fan can't have wished for a better development this week, following the state of the ankle at the beginning of the tournament

Novak signed the camera as usual, but also wrote "Djedo" on it which is an endearing name for his grandpa who died during MC tournament last year and who was Nole's great mentor and inspiration when he was a boy.

.....

So, we have a "dream" final tomorrow at 1 PM UK time.

Djokovic - Nadal

May The Best win his first of many MC titles

My prediction for tomorrow: 50/50, Nole to take it because he wants it more

I can't believe that Nole's match is over. I watched Tsonga with Mori and needed one hour to do a house repair, then I look at a stream and there is no Nole's match. I told myself Nole retired. But I could not believe this either, so I needed to check again at our OTF and see nitb writes Nole takes the first easy. That was a relieve, that had to a brilliant peformance from Nole. I will watch from a record. Nole is just amazing guy

So we have the final we all expected to have. I quite fancy Nole tomorrow. In my mind, the three losses last year were mostly down to Nole's underperformance. I still think that when they both play close to their best, Nole will win most matches - even most matches on clay. Nole can defend just about as well as Rafa and his attacking game is better.

Still, it is clay, it is Rafa and it is MC, so it may not be easy.

noleisthebest wrote:Nole, the king of backflick volley

I think you may have been a bit sarcastic there, but still, using the words "king", "volley" and "Nole" in the same sentence is in bad taste.

summerblues wrote:So we have the final we all expected to have. I quite fancy Nole tomorrow. In my mind, the three losses last year were mostly down to Nole's underperformance. I still think that when they both play close to their best, Nole will win most matches - even most matches on clay. Nole can defend just about as well as Rafa and his attacking game is better.

Still, it is clay, it is Rafa and it is MC, so it may not be easy.

SB, is that really YOU talking????

summerblues wrote:So we have the final we all expected to have. I quite fancy Nole tomorrow. In my mind, the three losses last year were mostly down to Nole's underperformance. I still think that when they both play close to their best, Nole will win most matches - even most matches on clay. Nole can defend just about as well as Rafa and his attacking game is better.

Still, it is clay, it is Rafa and it is MC, so it may not be easy.

It will depend also on the wind and on body. If it is ok for Nole, then I obviously believe in him. He is only one who gives a lesson to the biggest moonballer ever been.

summerblues wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:Nole, the king of backflick volley

I think you may have been a bit sarcastic there, but still, using the words "king", "volley" and "Nole" in the same sentence is in bad taste.

No condescension intended, but you are listening to commentators and not watching him play enough, SB...
This Nole is not the Nole from 5-3 years ago. He is no Llodra (yet), and is cumbersome from time to time, (less and less now) but he can put the ball away very well at the net, and that particular volley was very tricky as his back was facing the net. He is quick and has great reflexes, so no reason for him not to continue to keep improving there and being excellent. Volleying has never been part of his game and it's normal he was not that great at it in the past. He has worked a lot on that aspect of the game and picked it up very well, even on clay!
When Murray or Fed hit it, the world drools.....
Doesn't matter, I enjoyed it, and I'm sure Nole was very proud of it, too

noleisthebest wrote:SB, is that really YOU talking????

Why? I have been saying that for a while (maybe not before 2011 I admit ). From what I saw in 2011/12 it looks to me like Nole holds the keys to that match-up. 2012 made it more interesting again. Some people think it was mostly due to Rafa finding the answers, I tend to think it was mostly because Nole did not play to his 2011 level.

summerblues wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:SB, is that really YOU talking????

Why? I have been saying that for a while (maybe not before 2011 I admit ). From what I saw in 2011/12 it looks to me like Nole holds the keys to that match-up. 2012 made it more interesting again. Some people think it was mostly due to Rafa finding the answers, I tend to think it was mostly because Nole did not play to his 2011 level.

I'd love to hear what kind of "answers" Nadal can find....please ask them on my behalf on v2 SB

noleisthebest wrote:you are listening to commentators and not watching him play enough, SB...

I am sure you watch him more than I do but I watch him enough to know his game. I think we are kind of on the same page there. I was obviously kidding about the bad taste bit, all I meant was that Nole is not exactly a top volleyer. I agree though he improved over the years.

Also, for that particular shot, I think you meant the overhead backhand smash, right? He almost buried it in the net, no? Roger, on the other hand, he does hit those beautifully.

noleisthebest wrote:I'd love to hear what kind of "answers" Nadal can find....please ask them on my behalf on v2 SB

Well, obviously over the years he mostly had whatever answers he needed to have. It is just not obvious if it will be enough against Nole tomorrow. I tend to think it will not be, but we shall see tomorrow.

summerblues wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:you are listening to commentators and not watching him play enough, SB...

I am sure you watch him more than I do but I watch him enough to know his game. I think we are kind of on the same page there. I was obviously kidding about the bad taste bit, all I meant was that Nole is not exactly a top volleyer. I agree though he improved over the years.

Also, for that particular shot, I think you meant the overhead backhand smash, right? He almost buried it in the net, no? Roger, on the other hand, he does hit those beautifully.

Yes he does. He does everything beautifully. He is beautiful. His tennis is beautiful. I love him to bits.

But, Nole, cough-cough...he is the Best and he has slain The Beast! Now, how beautiful is THAT!!!

noleisthebest wrote:But, Nole, cough-cough...he is the Best

All right.

summerblues wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:But, Nole, cough-cough...he is the Best

All right.

Yes, I can see you coming back here in 5 years saying: I was always saying he was the best ...

noleisthebest wrote:Yes, I can see you coming back here in 5 years saying: I was always saying he was the best ...

Oh, but that is a pretty unfair comment.

This is the first time in my life I've been told I'm unfair...seriously!

That aside, that Points Tracker thread looks a bit overgrown and unkempt...surely, not is the time to analyse the chart and look forward to tournament draws, esp Madrid, Rome and RG....
If I'm not being unfair, Nadal's no chance of being in top 4 for RG.

noleisthebest wrote:This is the first time in my life I've been told I'm unfair...seriously!

Maybe people mostly do not have courage to tell it like it is

Plus I did not really say you were unfair, I just thought the comment was. The comment implied that I would retroactively try to claim credit for something I would have no right to claim credit for. I did not think that was accurate, nor did I think I gave you a reason to think it was accurate - hence my response.

Anyway, the only way to resolve this one is to wait five years and double check then

noleisthebest wrote:That aside, that Points Tracker thread looks a bit overgrown and unkempt...

Now that Cogen is back and doing his point trackers again, I feel compelled to at least temporarily retire from that business.

summerblues wrote: Now that Cogen is back and doing his point trackers again, I feel compelled to at least temporarily retire from that business.

I see....

sup ma hommies, please update me with how everything went today, how each played, predictions going by 2day for 2mo etc
on a quick break from the dissertation thats due on weds!!!!
CRAAMMMM

I am pretty sure that Djoko will win tomorrow.

I did not say why but the reason is simple: 25 sec!!!

We saw this week how Nadal gets a dip after a set sticking to 25 s. He will desperately need that extra time tomorrow and should the referee keep them both in check...Nadal is doomed.

Tenez wrote:I did not say why but the reason is simple: 25 sec!!!

We saw this week how Nadal gets a dip after a set sticking to 25 s. He will desperately need that extra time tomorrow and should the referee keep them both in check...Nadal is doomed.

You're right! I noticed he looked unusually "tired" but the most obvious reason never crossed my mind

Yes, against Dimi also.

I suppose this is going to be Nadal's first real match after that loss to Rosol.

Will be interesting to see how he deals with the nerves esp coming into this as a "favourite" and king of Monte Carlo.

There is zero pressure on Nole, that's the best bit, he,he....

Even the overcast conditions favour Nole, in fact. so i the weather stays like today, should be a lot of s & s tomorrow !

How did your tennis go after the break?

noleisthebest wrote:Even the overcast conditions favour Nole, in fact. so i the weather stays like today, should be a lot of s & s tomorrow !

unless it's windy too. We know how fragile djoko is under windy conds.

noleisthebest wrote:How did your tennis go after the break?

Pretty bad actually and the back is not great either.

I will see how I feel tomorrow am.