ATP Masters 1000: Rome

It must be so depressing to see the ball coming back when you think it shoudl be a winner.

Commentator on sky saying Nadal's shots are not hurting Stan.

Tenez wrote:I have rarely seen Nadal bursting with that much energy.

It's beyond words...the court is too small for him...no wonder he loves Chatrier...football pitch would be about right for him.

Tenez wrote:I coudl not watch fed v Berdych...was it good? Was Berdych tired?

No, just his usual self with Fed having no trouble returning his serve.

His BH was excellent.
Then when he got relaxed he played some beautiful full on flying tennis. It was over very quickly.

Funny how the referee calls Djoko (game) each time a game is over. Must get into Nadal's head!

noleisthebest wrote:

Tenez wrote:I have rarely seen Nadal bursting with that much energy.

It's beyond words...the court is too small for him...no wonder he loves Chatrier...football pitch would be about right for him.

It's certainly the feeling!

I can't understand how this is even close, Stan is red-lining while Nadal is playing shit.

So who says Nadal has declined?

paulcz wrote:Watching Nadal on his serve is worse than watching a toilet.

I suppose you would know.

Kim Jong-Un wrote:I can't understand how this is even close, Stan is red-lining while Nadal is playing shit.

As usual...that's how Nadal always wins his matches...

noleisthebest wrote:

Kim Jong-Un wrote:I can't understand how this is even close, Stan is red-lining while Nadal is playing shit.

As usual...that's how Nadal  always wins his matches...

Rafa's retrieval is insane KIm.
Stan has to hit 4 would be winners just to win a point.
Rafa can easily outmanoeuvre stan for high % tennis.

How long is Nadal taking between serves... a minute?

Despicable umpiring.

Rafa moonballing added to his unreal defence.

luvsports! wrote:Rafa moonballing added to his unreal defence.

There is nothing unreal about moonballing.
It's the lowest of the low in tennis.

I clearly didn't say that did I?

Magnificent tennis from Stan. Had to hit 5 amazing shots before a forced error.

4 set points saved by stan! gutsy!

STAN THE MAN!

Beautiful Stan! he certainy deserved that set!

Wow, Stan won this. With only 49% of 1st serve... Pure heart!

I can't believe this idiot actor Ben Stiller? is for Rafa. Well Stan showed him who was teh better player so far.

However Stan has only ran a 10th of the course, he needs to complete the 9/10th remaining!

Can the match finish now, please.

And of course Bernades is not to be seen with Rafa on the same court.

Tenez wrote:I can't believe this idiot actor Ben Stiller? is for Rafa. Well Stan showed him who was teh better player so far.

However Stan has only ran a 10th of the course, he needs to complete the 9/10th remaining!

You spoke my mind!
I've never seen bim in any films so he must be Z grade like the player he supports...

Nadal looks desperate to win this match.

Really disappointed with Robbie's commentating:

"Stan has been a little more aggressive than Nadal."

A little?
Come on...no wonder ten is fans around the workd think Nadal is a great player with brainwashers like him...

If Stan can't finish him off...fed will tomorrow.

Fed doesn't have the firepower on clay to finish off Rafa.

luvsports! wrote:Fed doesn't have the firepower on clay to finish off Rafa.

Unlike, Stan, he's actually beaten Nadal on clay.

Tenez wrote:And of course Bernades is not to be seen with Rafa on the same court.

I bet Wimbledon is going to have Bernardes umpire Nadal's match

C'mon Stan!

STAANNNNN!!!!

noleisthebest wrote:

luvsports! wrote:Fed doesn't have the firepower on clay to finish off Rafa.

Unlike, Stan, he's actually beaten Nadal on clay.

Last time he got close to rafa on clay was 2011. 
You really think he can beat rafa on clay?

Yes.

I am amazed to see that the distance ran by those 2 is about the same!

luvsports! wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:

luvsports! wrote:Fed doesn't have the firepower on clay to finish off Rafa.

Unlike, Stan, he's actually beaten Nadal on clay.

Last time he got close to rafa on clay was 2011. 
You really think he can beat rafa on clay?

Stan's BH certainly helps but most his winners come from his FH actually. Federer should have the advantage of a better FH, better serve and better volleys...however I agree he will tire quicker.

Unrelenting power from Stan. Just enormous.

5-1 wow.

Nadal is going to be very tough to beat at the FO......cause hurting Nadal in a set or 2 many have done it in the past but over 5 set?

I hope Stan can continue playing like this for the rest of his career! Unbelievable tennis.

And at the French, it will be played in teh middle of the day under the sun with softer balls. That will make a big difference...believe me.

Stan deserves to win this 100%, fact is Nadal hasn't been nearly good enough.

Nadal is like a human punch bag, taking a real beating but still celebrates when the one who punches him hurts his hand from all that punching

luvsports! wrote:I hope Stan can continue playing like this for the rest of his career! Unbelievable tennis.

Nadal makes him look better than he is. A lot of people can handle Stan's pace better than Nadal. Nadal stands too far back and sends easy balls to Stan to put away.

Wow, that was so clever of Stan, to aim for the corner Rafa came from

gallery play wrote:Nadal is like a human punch bag, taking a real beating but still celebrates when the one who punches him hurts his hand from all that punching

It's the way he celebrates the UEs which is depressing.

gallery play wrote:Nadal is like a human punch bag, taking a real beating but still celebrates when the one who punches him hurts his hand from all that punching

Good parallel btw.

Tenez wrote:

gallery play wrote:Nadal is like a human punch bag, taking a real beating but still celebrates when the one who punches him hurts his hand from all that punching

It's the way he celebrates the UEs which is depressing.

Yeah, i know. But is didn't affected Stan at all. In fact, he gave Nadal a piece of his own medicine a few times by yelling out loud when Rafa missed a return.

Sublime match from Stan.
So happy for him!

Not sure what to think of this. Stan played great but was allowed to. It makes a difference when Nadal's opponent start to get used to that spin. Stan was really hitting the ball hard at the beginning for the first 10 games...but as seen before Nadal's intensity drops and turns into a punching bag as GP says. Then Nadal's legs become his biggest weapon able to retrieve everything but though he retrieves the ball lands in the middle of the court, which makes it easy for Stan to (or other opponent) to put the ball away.

But I would say Stan's general pace is what hurt Nadal....pushed him back too far behind the baseline cause as ever Nadal is not good at handling pace.

And this is what Barry Cowan is saying...."STan pushing Nadal too far behind the BL".