Ladies And Gentlemen: It's Fedal!

Yep..glad it is actually. About time, though clearly Fed is not at his best..whereas Nadal is certainly getting there.

Fed has to win in 2. Nadal is still bloody fit.

Tenez wrote:Yep..glad it is actually. About time, though clearly Fed is not at his best..whereas Nadal is certainly getting there.

Fed has to win in 2. Nadal is still bloody fit.

He sure is.
As you said on the other thread, as soon as he is given a chance, he goes behind the baseline and bludgeons the moonball.


Fed should win, but will have to sweat a bit for it.

I admit I am a Fedal ignoramus.

I don't even know their H2H.
Every time tried to watch them - it was boring, predictable tennis...so I'd usually stop after a set (except once when I was there live and I got mesmerised by Fed's  BH).

Anyway...I got carried away by the hype this evening.

I read how Fed said he controlled tonight's match against Sock and thinks he can have a good shot tomorrow, special match blah blah blah...

I tried to imagine how he would play...and got depressed.

Nadal will be passing him better than anyone.

SABR? - doubt it.

Then what?

Fast FHsDTL until he starts misfiring?

And what about the BH?
Nadal's favourite customer...

I dunno....maybe I'll just go and play instead...

I have no doubt that fed woud win if 100%....I am sure Nadal will stand back tomorrow.

Not really - It's just an old guy and a moonballer who is also past his best.

Tenez wrote:I have no doubt that fed woud win if 100%....I am sure Nadal will stand back tomorrow.

OK then!
I'll bravely try and watch it from on the sofa.

Fed is a heavy favourite with the bookies, too.

noleisthebest wrote:Fed is a heavy favourite with the bookies, too.

ouch....I don't like that....

Tenez wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:Fed is a heavy favourite with the bookies, too.

ouch....I don't like that....

Why?

Fed either has an inferiority complex or Stockholm syndrome from Nadal.

He just looks so nervous!

Wow, what BH reflex half volley from Fed from the baseline!!!

That's more like it...nice, relaxed and flying!
So hard to keep that momentum when playing Nadal.

His physicality always puts brake in his opponents.
So important to be focused.

Love Fed's FH today, taking it so early!

Fed's warmed up his serve nicely.

I believe there is a point in which is the heart of every match.
Fed won it - that crazy FH on the run with which he saved one BP.

Had he not...

Shame Fed missed that BH didn't break Nadal...at this stage of the match you see Nadal's stock start to rise.

He won every one of his 4 matches in Basel mid second set.

Hold on Roger!!!

Like anything is going to change with taping the knee mid match...who is Nadal trying to kid

With everyone safely hidden behind their sofas, I feel like radio ga-ga here!

That was such a physical game from Nadal for 3:3.
Didn't he fistpump Fed's BH missing THAT BH in at the end of a long rally with such joy...knowing he has him on the verge of his deadlock.

HOLD ON ROGEEEEER!!!!!!

Fed is dead tired now.

It's time for a bit of luck.

ALLEZ!

COME ON FEDS, BREAK NOW!

uh oh..

Good effort from Novaks whipping boy.

Didn't have him taking a set off the hometown boy but he did. Trophy cabinet increases

Nadal played well, I'm pleased with his quality, Fed however deserved to win and played good tennis on indoor hard as he has done throughout his career against Nadal.

Finally.

What started as a typical Fedal indoor match ended up in a drag. For a set and a half it looked like Fed was on his way to a solid win. He easliy won his service games whereas NAdal had to fight for his. But out of the blue Nadal snatched the second. The third set both men looked nervous which had effect on the level of play. NAdal did not do much more (apart from a few passing shots) than waiting for his opponants error and with succes: Fed FH's turned into a mess. This was basically because lack of footwork. He was too slow on his feet to unleash the FH properly.
Fed did deserve the win, he went for it much more than Nadal did. I will be surprised though, if he wins another indoor this year. He looks already dead tired.

Could not see the match as I was playing....not sure who won yet so I am going to read this whole thread!

gallery play wrote:Finally. ...... I will be surprised though, if he wins another indoor this year. He looks already dead tired.

yep....I agree. I think he had to dig down quite a bit due to a back problem too.

Tenez wrote:Could not see the match as I was playing....not  sure who won yet so I am going to read this whole thread!

Tenez wrote:yep....I agree. I think he had to dig down quite a bit due to a back problem too.

You couldn't watch the match, but you were playing a match, and yet you still know Fed had to dig down due to a back problem.... it all leads to one conclusion:
You must be Federer.

DONALD TRUMP wrote:
You couldn't watch the match, but you were playing a match, and yet you still know Fed had to dig down due to a back problem.... it all leads to one conclusion:
You must be Federer.

I was not referring to today...I was referring to that week as according to a few fans he had a back support this tournament and that in my view explains his losing his first round in Shanghai last week and a few sets this weeks against players he woudl typically not to.

Well if you say so Roger

http://www.606v2.com/t61030p150-vienna-stockholm-basel-valencia-moscow-and-other-low-level-events#3195778

haha

Great win. As frustrating as it was to not see an inform federer all year get a chance at a struggling nadal and rack up a few wins like nadal did in Feds back problem 2013- This was much better- nadal actually played quite well - esp for indoors- and federer still won even when not playing at the level he has much of the year. His serve pulled him through, and he fought through the mental demons.

At same time- it's clear the patterns and style matchup problems are never going to go away and fed is mentally scarred from it. Annacone called the match in USA and had some great insight into the issues. Certainly federer can play better than he did today, but from what I saw- I can't see fed beating nadal again on slower higher bounce surfaces- unfortuantly most of the tour is played on.

I've said it a few times that Nadal wins a lot of matches against Fed simply because he's in his head. He's a bag of nerves these days around him, but he pulled it off and that will give him confidence.  But yes, the Federer that continually turns up against Nadal wouldn't have won on the slower surfaces.  He can play better but not when he has a psychological disadvantage.  It's made worse because I believe Federer's tactics need fine tuning - like against Djokovic.  He gets break points but instead of rallying and playing it safe, he always goes for the rash desperate shot and just hands back all the momentum.  Nadal just hits to backhand all day waiting for a mistake.

truffin1 wrote:......

At same time- it's clear the patterns and style matchup problems are never going to go away and fed is mentally scarred from it. Annacone called the match in USA and had some great insight into the issues.  Certainly federer can play better than he did today, but from what I saw- I can't see fed beating nadal again on slower higher bounce surfaces-  unfortuantly most of the tour is played on.

I am not sure about that. If Fed remains healthy and not tired, I actually don't see nadal beating him whatever the surface. Nadal cannot afford to stand that back nowadays cause players are better at handling his type of game....and should Nadal be more aggressive it will help Fed actually.

Having said that....Federer gets tired very quickly nowadays.

...But frankly who woudl have thought in 2013 that in 2015, Fed woudl still be able to beat Nadal?

Btw- not that he should or is ready too- but many have mentioned Basel as the place fed would end his career- Beating nadal at Basel for the title- certainly would have been an interesting way to end it

http://www.gfycat.com/TautParchedIridescentshark

He's such a humble guy!

truffin1 wrote:Btw- not that he should or is ready too- but many have mentioned Basel as the place fed would end his career-    Beating nadal at Basel for the title-  certainly would have been an interesting way to end it

That would mean that Federer is ranked outside the top 8 as I cannot see him not play the masters if he qualifies .....meaning he is keen to play a couple more years at least.

Tenez wrote:

truffin1 wrote:Btw- not that he should or is ready too- but many have mentioned Basel as the place fed would end his career-    Beating nadal at Basel for the title-  certainly would have been an interesting way to end it

That would mean that Federer is ranked outside the top 8 as I cannot see him not play the masters if he qualifies .....meaning he is keen to play a couple more years at least.

I can see him waving goodbye as a top 8 player, but it's indeed not likely he'll skip the WTF's. But at the same time it's hard to see him waving goodbye outside Basel. Sad to think about it anyway.

Great interview here...he is playing Rotterdam 2016...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDZCG4xPqyI

I agree GP...I can see him retiring as a number 8 or below....but I think his ranking is going to slip down quickly when his body and mind will give it up. I actually can't see him play after 2016.....Especially considering he is running on water only.

Interesting analysis..I have yet to see the match!

http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/federer-net-attack-brain-game-basel-2015-final

And in particular.....

Nadal’s Tactics
Nadal, as expected, went after Federer’s backhand, and while the Swiss hit five impressive backhand winners, he also committed 26 backhand groundstroke errors, and 10 backhand return errors.

Nadal either tried to hit hard to rush the Federer backhand, or hit heavy spin to get the ball up high on the one-hander, which is a lot tougher to achieve on an indoor hard court surface than the Spaniard’s preferred outdoor clay environment.

Nadal’s forehand has been a problem area for him this year, but 10 forehand winners and only 16 groundstroke errors is a big step forward with his renewed confidence and improved form in recent tournaments.

Ok - Just seen 12mn of hilights ...and I was not impressed by the hilights....if fact there was hardly any points to hilight.

Fed was often late on his BH and did not bend his legs. Nadal made more UEs than usual.

It was not a smooth display from Fed....he was playing much better at Wimbledon.

Tenez wrote:Great interview here...he is playing Rotterdam 2016...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDZCG4xPqyI

I agree GP...I can see him retiring as a number 8 or below....but I think his ranking is going to slip down quickly when his body and mind will give it up. I actually can't see him play after 2016.....Especially considering he is running on water only.

After watching Sunday's final, I am now fully convinced he is clean.

Tenez wrote:Ok - Just seen 12mn of hilights ...and I was not impressed by the hilights....if fact there was hardly any points to hilight.

Fed was often late on his BH and did not bend his legs. Nadal made more UEs than usual.

It was not a smooth display from Fed....he was playing much better at Wimbledon.

No it wasn't; he played a strange, tense game I believe as he prized his focus above momentum he knew was impossible to keep all the time.

He adapted rather than tried to impose himself to Nadal, and thus exhaust the verve and then fade away as usual.
He worked this win.

I didn't look at stats, but my general feeling was that he won this match exclusively because of the larger frame and stability on his BH.
He may not have sparkled and dazzled with it, but with toning his aggression down, I thought he found a way of beating Nadal without taking too much risk.
It was a cerebral rather than a flairful win.

His BHs stayed in my mind as long and effective, there was much less panic now.

Nadal started physically strangling Federer almost at the beginning of the second set - Fed's tank was empty.

So, the fact he ground the match through was satisfying, I believe the only way for him to win. Basel was not that fast at all.

It was a nervous match, but will give Fed a lot of confidence.

truffin1 wrote:Btw- not that he should or is ready too- but many have mentioned Basel as the place fed would end his career-    Beating nadal at Basel for the title-  certainly would have been an interesting way to end it

I seriously don't understand people, especially his fans who have the need to even contemplate how and when Federer will retire.
Just why?

noleisthebest wrote:

Tenez wrote:Great interview here...he is playing Rotterdam 2016...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDZCG4xPqyI

I agree GP...I can see him retiring as a number 8 or below....but I think his ranking is going to slip down quickly when his body and mind will give it up. I actually can't see him play after 2016.....Especially considering he is running on water only.

After watching Sunday's final, I am now fully convinced he is clean.

Of course he is....otherwise he would have never had such a poor 5 setter record....despite his huge talent and forcing so much running from his opponents.

noleisthebest wrote:
I didn't look at stats, but my general feeling was that he won this match exclusively because of the larger frame and stability on his BH.
He may not have sparkled and dazzled with it, but with toning his aggression down, I thought he found a way of beating Nadal without taking too much risk.
It was a cerebral rather than a flairful win.

His BHs stayed in my mind as long and effective, there was much less panic now.

Nadal started physically strangling Federer almost at the beginning of the second set - Fed's tank was empty.

So, the fact he ground the match through was satisfying, I believe the only way for him to win. Basel was not that fast at all.

It was a nervous match, but will give Fed a lot of confidence.

very true...from teh little I saw. Not only the consistency but being able to have enough pace not let Nadal camp on his own BH side, knowing Fed won't have the power to pull a pacy CC BH. Having a tiny bit more pace from his BH, forced Nadal to stand a bit more in the middle of the baseline....and therefore exposing his own BH a tiny bit more.

A few more UEs from fed's BH, coudl have easily killed fed's confidence and tilted this match.