2016, ATP 250: Brisbane, Doha, Chennai/Sydney, Auckland

Nadal has no chance against Nole.

Amazing how things have changed. I wonder if Nadal will move back in the 2nd set.

This is a complete schooling. Nadal has no weapons, he just rallies and hopes for an error.

Nadal won only 5 points on his serve in the first set.

bogbrush wrote:This is a complete schooling. Nadal has no weapons, he just rallies and hopes for an error.

Yes, completely stress-free.
He really isn't able to dominate from being close on the baseline, that's the problem.
But even like this, he'll beat most players.

Djokovic is playing really well but he's not being asked ANY questions. It's just a hitting session.

bogbrush wrote:Djokovic is playing really well but he's not being asked ANY questions. It's just a hitting session.

Exactly.
Nadal is sending him safe balls, Nole not even needing to defend. Just deflecting them into corners with ease.

He is in a tough place - can't flatten the ball, can't super-spin it either from the basline.

The only thing that hasn't changed is his receiving distance.

At this rate Nadal will need to start running around his forehand to hit backhands.

bogbrush wrote:At this rate Nadal will need to start running around his forehand to hit backhands.

He doesn't even have time fir the BH, all he is doing is chipping it to get some time.

I was watching his footwork, and he is very hesitant as he can't read Nole's shots - standing in the cetre of baseline he can direct the ball in either corner.

Also, his serving is very predictable, and immediatelly neutralised.

Fed gives Nole a lot more trouble.

Nadal is having to work his socks off to win a point.
This first one at 1:5 was good : fast and aggressive, but you can see it is so out of his comfort zone and stressed out.
Yet, Federer plays like that EVERY point.

So it's 1 win in 10 in matches going back to 2013, and the heaviest defeat ever.

I can't see how he ever beats Djokovic again.

noleisthebest wrote:Nole carrying a right hand injury.

Poor guy.

summerblues wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:Nole carrying a right hand injury.

Poor guy.

He had to give Nadal some hope before the match...

Pretty impressive from Novak.  Rafa actually played better than when they met at WTF, yet he got absolutely destroyed.  The difference I think is that at WTF Nole was playing in the second gear, while today he went all out; perhaps to make it clear to Rafa what the gulf is currently between them.

I think Nadal made Nole look even better.

I am amazed how easily he deals with him.
Even Donald Trump will have to admit that Nadal loses faith against Djokovic and actually stops fighting.

So finally H2H in Nole's favour....

I must say I find it quite cool how Fed manages to fend Nole off every time thet are even.

bogbrush wrote:So it's 1 win in 10 in matches going back to 2013, and the heaviest defeat ever.

I can't see how he ever beats Djokovic again.

He only won points by retrieving and waiting an UE, and one point when he was properly aggressive (and that was the first time I've ever seen him play lime that).
So looks like he is finished in this rivalry.
Mind you, he said Nadal was beatable all the way back in 2016, after their first match.

Donald,

(coo, I really feel silly calling you Donald, I just got used to Kimmy)

what is Nadal going to do now?

Will he be happy he made the final or devastated because he was thrashed in it?

noleisthebest wrote:I think Nadal made Nole look even better.

Yes, to some extent yes.  Nadal's game is heavily based on running everything down.  Once he finds someone who can hang in with him in the rallies (as Novak now clearly can - quite easily too), the other guy can often end up looking better than they really are.

Nevertheless, Novak was very strong today.

Pre-ceremony entertainment with a song: I am titanium.
Boy, does it bring back some memories...

noleisthebest wrote:Mind you, he said Nadal was beatable all the way back in 2016, after their first match.

That was cheap nonsense.  Everyone is obviously "beatable", so in that sense he did not say anything of substance.  And it took him 10 years - a lot of it of top flight tennis - to get H2H in his favor.

summerblues wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:I think Nadal made Nole look even better.

Yes, to some extent yes.  Nadal's game is heavily based on running everything down.  Once he finds someone who can hang in with him in the rallies (as Novak now clearly can - quite easily too), the other guy can often end up looking better than they really are.

Nevertheless, Novak was very strong today.

But Nadal wasn't even running anything down much, he was wrongftooted most of the time.
He really has no chance when he sta ds on the baseline all he is able to do from ere is send balls down the middle and they are not even deep or fast, just jump off nicely in Nole's hittong zone to swat away to corners at his will.
Was quite amazing to watch.

summerblues wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:Mind you, he said Nadal was beatable all the way back in 2016, after their first match.

That was cheap nonsense.  Everyone is obviously "beatable", so in that sense he did not say anything of substance.  And it took him 10 years - a lot of it of top flight tennis - to get H2H in his favor.

I think it was not cheap talk.
Nole actually ran Nadal close from day one.
It's no coincidence 12/12 draw in fast slams came so soon after their Wimbledon 2007 match.
Once Nole caught up with fitness, their H2H started to revert.

And those silly losses in RG: the net touch, the rain which split the final over two days...

From memory, Nadal never put Nole away like Stan did.

noleisthebest wrote:Donald,

(coo, I really feel silly calling you Donald, I just got used to Kimmy)

what is Nadal going to do now?

Will he be happy he made the final or devastated because he was thrashed in it?

He's clearly declined a lot from his peak days, and has to work hard to try and get back in the top 4.
Djokovic played really amazing today, he could easily win the Calendar Grand Slam this year, no one can really challenge him in Slams to be honest.

Maybe he needs to adopt Donald Trump as coach:

BTW to clear up, I am not actually a fan of Donald Trump. But I do think he's hilarious, and he's accidentally destroying the dumbest political party in modern history which is quite nice.

DONALD TRUMP wrote:
He's clearly declined a lot from his peak days, and has to work hard to try and get back in the top 4.
Djokovic played really amazing today, he could easily win the Calendar Grand Slam this year, no one can really challenge him in Slams to be honest.

If Anderson was as fit as Nadal he could easily challenge Nole at slams. A few other players, too.

So Nadal will ne tough to put away in the best of 5.

If Coric can outlast older players, imagine how easy it is for Nadal.
A nice, cushy draw - and he is in AO SF!

DONALD TRUMP wrote:BTW to clear up, I am not actually a fan of Donald Trump. But I do think he's hilarious, and he's accidentally destroying the dumbest political party in modern history which is quite nice.

I always preferred Republicans.

But then again, politics is so filthy it's hard to support anyone.

noleisthebest wrote:I always preferred Republicans.

I did not expect this. Life is full of surprises.

noleisthebest wrote:But then again, politics is so filthy it's hard to support anyone.

But politics is supposed to be filthy, so it is all as it should be.

summerblues wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:I always preferred Republicans.

I did not expect this.  Life is full of surprises.

Why not?
Aren't republicans  right-wings and anpren't the right-wing straight-talking and not beating about the Bush like me?

summerblues wrote:
But politics is supposed to be filthy, so it is all as it should be.

Well, it's not supposed to be filthy.
In theory, politicians should be privileged to do the best for their people, and should be among the most able and honourable in their nation.

Then again, I think there is a lot of truth in the saying: Every nation deserves the goverment it currently has.

Given the catastrophe that Obama is, and the hideous harridan that is Clinton, American politics needs a good Republican because Trump is ridiculous.

But back to the tennis, I like what Thiem did against Federer. Just a bit of youthful rashness, but he has game.

Did you watch it? The score lookd one-sided.

I like him, too, nice level-headed player, actually amazing all-court game considering he plays with a SBH and is only 22.
Very much under the radar compared to Dimitrov and all that baby-Fed hype.

We could have 2/3 SBH title if Fed and Stan win tomorrow.

I definitely don't want the new guard to win tomorrow...

noleisthebest wrote:Aren't republicans  right-wings and anpren't the right-wing straight-talking and not beating about the Bush like me?

There are too many things here to respond to.  But, in short:  1. I would never expect you to be "right-wing",  2. I do not know about "right-wing = straight-talking", 3. I know you advertise yourself as straight-talking, but I do not have the impression that you really are.

So, in summary, I am shocked that you like republicans.

noleisthebest wrote:Well, it's not supposed to be filthy.

Agree to disagree.

noleisthebest wrote:In theory, politicians should be privileged to do the best for their people, and should be among the most able and honourable in their nation.

I do not even know what to say here so I will just say this:  you like to think of yourself as a cynic, but I do not think you really are.  I think what you see in yourself as cynicism is really just disappointed naivete.

summerblues wrote:
There are too many things here to respond to.  But, in short:  1. I would never expect you to be "right-wing",  2. I do not know about "right-wing = straight-talking", 3. I know you advertise yourself as straight-talking, but I do not have the impression that you really are.
So, in summary, I am shocked that you like republicans.

I don't like them, just think that in general, they are a lesser evil of the two. Not pushing liberal agenda as fast as the democrats. Similar to the UK in a way.
And anyway, why is it "shocking"?

summerblues wrote:
I do not even know what to say here so I will just say this:  you like to think of yourself as a cynic, but I do not think you really are.  I think what you see in yourself as cynicism is really just disappointed naivete.

Despite being thought of as a high-brow "quality", I consider cynicism and sarcasm overrated and definitely don't strive to mold myself or aspire towards any of it.

Simple/naive as it may sound, I really mean what I say. And to some it probably sounds so blunt it looks like I am trying to be cynical.

noleisthebest wrote:And anyway, why is it "shocking"?

Not shocking per se.  To the extent I care, I also certainly prefer republicans to democrats.

It is just that somehow I did not imagine you to lean that way.  That is really all to it.

Just like I did not imagine you to like topspun forehands (closet Rafa fan?)

Oh, that "topspin FH" comment?

Nothing to do with Rafa, sorry to disappoint you.

It was a link that showed Laver and I said how it was interesting that the BH mechanics have not changed much compared to today's but FH has.

Then I said how it would be interesting to see Fed play Laver with wooden racquets, but then thought not as I prefer the aesthetics of topspin FH swing.

All players now hit topspin FH, Nadal just hits his the very extreme version of it because of his grip and I definitely do not like his FH.

Topspin FH swing has a follow-through that wraps around the body, as players hit the ball hard and apply topspin thanks to new strings.

With wooden racquets that was not possible so the FH was struck flat and the followthrough very different, the arm more lifted up in front of a player rather than going around the body.

That was all.

I like how Fed strikes his topspin FH, deadly and elegant at the same time.
It probably would not look as good with the wooden racquet swing.

This is a very long explanation. So long that I wonder whether maybe my closet fan comment hit home and you feel the need to camouflage....mhmmm.....

Hopefully you were not too disappointed by Rafa's loss today.

Assuming this is not a wind-up, my long explanation was just to point out that top-spin FH is how everyone now hits FH, not just Rafa.
I wasn't sure if you knew it, that's all.

noleisthebest wrote:Assuming this is not a wind-up

It is not meant to be a wind-up.  I thought it was obvious enough I was not being serious for it to be a wind-up.

noleisthebest wrote:I wasn't sure if you knew it, that's all.

Well that is very kind of you.

bogbrush wrote:Given the catastrophe that Obama is, and the hideous harridan that is Clinton, American politics needs a good Republican because Trump is ridiculous.

Can you pls stop attacking me ? Calling me 'Armpitia' in 2011 and now this devastating follow up 5 years later, restrain yourself Bogbrush.

bogbrush wrote:American politics needs a good Republican

What do you define as a 'good Republican. '

Letting go of the fact the field is led by a clown as you agree; the rest of the field are still religious fundamentalist, evolution denying, science-hating, gun nuts totally corrupted by their huge donors.

I watch American politics sometimes for the hilarity of it. I don't particularly like Clinton, she's a boring centrist corporatist, but she hasn't got a thing on the GOP. Imagine if the Republicans ran in the UK, they'd literally be laughed off the stage as crazy low-IQ nuts. Donald just tells it as it is and exposes the GOP for what they are.

I am surprised you still believe in politics. Politicians have no power.

DONALD TRUMP wrote:

bogbrush wrote:American politics needs a good Republican

What do you define as a 'good Republican. '

Letting go of the fact the field is led by a clown as you agree; the rest of the field are still religious fundamentalist, evolution denying, science-hating, gun nuts totally corrupted by their huge donors.

I watch American politics sometimes for the hilarity of it. I don't particularly like Clinton, she's a boring centrist corporatist, but she hasn't got a thing on the GOP. Imagine if the Republicans ran in the UK, they'd literally be laughed off the stage as crazy low-IQ nuts. Donald just tells it as it is and exposes the GOP for what they are.

Well let's not forget it was the Republicans who abolished slavery in the face of bitter opposition from the Democrats. 

The republicans have been hijacked by Corporats. A 'good Republican' would be centred on individual liberty, a limited State, removing barriers to entry to market by people, reducing the power of corporates, that sort of thing.

The Democrats are no less a joke, just a bunch of hand-wringers. Obama is clueless, getting run rings around by all his foreign competitors.

Ron Paul was a 'good Republican', an actual libertarian. Consistent, had integrity and actually got the most amount of donations from the military in '12 for his non-interventionist stance.
His son Rand pales in comparison.

Bernie Sanders for the win! #FeeltheBern

Just catching a few games of Fed Raonic before flying to Belgrade.
Nothing seems to have changed much there. Fed's FH excellent from the baseline, he is enjoying manouvering Raonic.

Watching Federer here has me shaking my head when I hear people say he's better than ever. He might well be able to hit nicer shots but his movement is abysmal.

Serving to stay in the match!?!?!? :O

Just got to the airport in time to see the match point

bogbrush wrote:Watching Federer here has me shaking my head when I hear people say he's better than ever. He might well be able to hit nicer shots but his movement is abysmal.

I only saw a few points, but didn't notice anything wrong woth his move,ent, the court played gast, that's all.
We are all used to slow courts.

bogbrush wrote:Watching Federer here has me shaking my head when I hear people say he's better than ever. He might well be able to hit nicer shots but his movement is abysmal.

C'mon BB...I was saying  that in 2009.....and wasn't I proven right since? Now he is 34 verging 35....You can't quite keep saying that.

Also....Commentators were saying he was injured. A very different display from his earlier round...and even beginning of match.

Last year you made the same comment after his loss at the AO v Seppi...but then went on to reach 2 slams finals cutting through the draw as easy as in 2006..just to be stopped by Djoko.

Doesn't matter...last year he won and then finished AO early. I hope he's fit&healthy for Melbourne.
Although I don't like him, glad Raonic is back.


On another note, disturbing to see police with machine guns patrolling the airport heavily...