US open prediction game: Day 8

Pliskova (1) vs Brady (33)
Nadal (1) vs Dolgopolov (33)
Vandeweghe (20) vs Safarova (33)
Federer (3) vs Kohlschreiber (33)
Svitolina (4) vs Keys (15)
Goffin (9) vs Rublev (33)
Kasatkina (33) vs Kanepi (33)
Delpo (24) vs Thiem (6)

LS: Brady, Dolgo, Safarova, Kohl, Keys, Rublev, Kanepi, Delpo
Bulge: brady, dolgo, coco, feds, keys, rublev, kasat, delpo
T: brady, dolgo, safarova, kohli, keys, rublev, kanepi, delpo
M: brady, dolgo, coco, fed, keys, goffin, kanepi, delpo

Brady (33)
Dolgopolov (33)
Vandeweghe (20)
Federer (3)
Svitolina (4)
Rublev (33)
Kanepi (33)
Delpo (24) joker...if there is one the second week.

Doing the jokers from qf onwards.

Here we go.....Nadal v Dolgo.

Shoudl be interesting. A real barometer of Nadal's form.

A very important match for the #1 spot.

well that was short lived! Dlgo broken in the second serve.

the commentator on Eurosport is a bigger fan of fed than Nadal...it;s embarrassing almost....but to be fair I agree with all his comments.

a very good commentator ...who is he?

I'll only be able to watch two more games, going out for dinner.

DAVAI DOLGOOOO!!!

enjoy your diner...are you in France now?

Thanks, no, in Belgrade.
Going to France on Saturday.

Nadal is already sweating a river...How can one sweat that much?

This match is the perfect contrast between today professionalism v Talent.

Exactly what is the point of this d1ckhead return that Dolgopolov is doing? Everything is a slice. Everything, forehand and all.

I moved to Rublev...but slicing against Nadal is never going to work.

Goffin still not 100% mouvement. Shame cause a great game.

Pliskova (1) 
Nadal (1) 
Vandeweghe (20) 
Federer (3) 
Keys (15)
Goffin (9) 
Kasatkina (33) 
Thiem (6)

Dolgopolov not playing anywhere near the standard he can.  Probably fear factor of Nadal.  Useless.  

Maybe Rublev can do the business.

Tenez wrote:Nadal is already sweating a river...How can one sweat that much?

 Some people sweat more than others. i see some in my workplace, they get completely drenched in sweat when they have hardly played to.

So can Rublev beat his idol? Nadal

It's going to be a very interesting match. I think he will struggle with the spin as they all do at first.

However Nadal will fear that pace on both sides....

Tenez wrote:This match is the perfect contrast between today professionalism v Talent.

Talent and Dolgo? Not in my book, he is just someone with an odd awkward game style that is too risky to pull off consistently. He can be difficult to put away on some days but mostly he's himself on self destruction mode.

I don't call it any talent. He can't even pull up his own game.

Tenez wrote:So can Rublev beat his idol? Nadal

It's going to be a very interesting match. I think he will struggle with the spin as they all do at first.

However Nadal will fear that pace on both sides....

Can he first get past Goffin? I pick him not to.

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:

Tenez wrote:So can Rublev beat his idol? Nadal

It's going to be a very interesting match. I think he will struggle with the spin as they all do at first.

However Nadal will fear that pace on both sides....

Can he first get past Goffin? I pick him not to.

I thnk Goffin woudl probably have won but he is injured.

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:

Tenez wrote:Nadal is already sweating a river...How can one sweat that much?

 Some people sweat more than others. i see some in my workplace, they get completely drenched in sweat when they have hardly played to.

Yup.  It can also be a medical condition.

I thnk Goffin woudl probably have won but he is injured.

Is anyone that loses not injured in your book?

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:

Tenez wrote:This match is the perfect contrast between today professionalism v Talent.

Talent and Dolgo? Not in my book, he is just someone with an odd awkward game style that is too risky to pull off consistently. He can be difficult to put away on some days but mostly he's himself on self destruction mode.

I don't call it any talent. He can't even pull up his own game.

I agree, Dolgo flatters to deceive.

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:

Tenez wrote:This match is the perfect contrast between today professionalism v Talent.

Talent and Dolgo? Not in my book, he is just someone with an odd awkward game style that is too risky to pull off consistently. He can be difficult to put away on some days but mostly he's himself on self destruction mode.

I don't call it any talent. He can't even pull up his own game.

I disagree very much. His talent is obvious. Can't reach that kind of level without Nadal's arms, measuring 5'11 without huge talent.

Nadal sweating is directly linked to energy burning. It might have a high metabolism but the thing is on court no-one sweats like him and that is not a the result of a simple "some do more than others"...but the clear result of the energy he puts on his shots and legs. That's why to me it is a clear contest of talent v Pro cause Had not Nadal got that "energy", he would stand no chance.

very lucky Rublev. but 2 sets to 0.

On this form Rublev would be lucky to get 6 games off Nadal.
I'm afraid only Federer can now stop Nadal from winning this.

bogbrush wrote:On this form Rublev would be lucky to get 6 games off Nadal.
I'm afraid only Federer can now stop Nadal from winning this.

I am hoping a match up (Rub's pace on both wings) might bring him a bit more games....but you might be right.

Tenez wrote:very lucky Rublev. but 2 sets to 0.

Some call it skill to be 2 sets to 0 up.

That crazy drive volley annoys me.

I just noticed that Rub has still got his hairy legs....not a common sight on tour nowadays.

Daniel wrote:

Tenez wrote:very lucky Rublev. but 2 sets to 0.

Some call it skill to be 2 sets to 0 up.

Lucky that Goffin is injured....but hey of course, not something you would notice!

Tenez wrote:

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:

Tenez wrote:This match is the perfect contrast between today professionalism v Talent.

Talent and Dolgo? Not in my book, he is just someone with an odd awkward game style that is too risky to pull off consistently. He can be difficult to put away on some days but mostly he's himself on self destruction mode.

I don't call it any talent. He can't even pull up his own game.

I disagree very much. His talent is obvious. Can't reach that kind of level without Nadal's arms, measuring 5'11 without huge talent.

And what level is that? Just go for strange all-or-nothing make-or-brake shots on every point? Make silly slice returns though he might error himself and look like an idiot? A too forward tossed up serve when can't reach 1st serve % anything above 20% bundled with a ton of double faults?

He has a strange unconventional game which can look jaw dropping when he gets it. But this is not possible to keep up for even 2 games. Thats why you would see his service games are always a struggle.

Rub the youngest teenager in the top 100 and the only next gen to reach 1/4F since Roddick.

But as he said himself....."I am lucky".

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:

Tenez wrote:

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:

Tenez wrote:This match is the perfect contrast between today professionalism v Talent.

Talent and Dolgo? Not in my book, he is just someone with an odd awkward game style that is too risky to pull off consistently. He can be difficult to put away on some days but mostly he's himself on self destruction mode.

I don't call it any talent. He can't even pull up his own game.

I disagree very much. His talent is obvious. Can't reach that kind of level without Nadal's arms, measuring 5'11 without huge talent.

And what level is that? Just go for strange all-or-nothing make-or-brake shots on every point? Make silly slice returns though he might error himself and look like an idiot? A too forward tossed up serve when can't reach 1st serve % anything above 20% bundled with a ton of double faults?

He has a strange unconventional game which can look awesome when he gets it. But this is not possible to keep up for even 2 games. Thats why you would see his service games are always a struggle.

Try to play make-or-break shots and reach top 20 which he was before getting injured. You'd have more chance to win the lottery thrice!

He strikes me as a wasted talent that has completely lost purpose.

Everyone who loses is injured in your book Tenez.  But you were wrong about Federer too.

bogbrush wrote:He strikes me as a wasted talent that has completely lost purpose.

Well that I agree but a talent nonetheless. I don't think the game was meant to be designed for the road runners at first. It's just that they can contain and kill any talented players nowadays.

He just seems to have not tried to discipline and direct the talent. It's quite annoying to watch him attempt stupid returns that have no value even if they come off.

Remember this one anyone? How unlucky was this? and what would have been the score with Fed's new racquet?

bogbrush wrote:He just seems to have not tried to discipline and direct the talent. It's quite annoying to watch him attempt stupid returns that have no value even if they come off.

Especially when facing a professional like Nadal whose job is actually to test that talent by sending him hard heavy spinny balls relentlessly. In a way if you are not nearly as fit, you are kind of forced to go for those absurd risky shots. he probably controls it a bit more against the rest of the field. This is why even Federer got to such a negative H2H in the first place.

So what are your thoughts on Them v Delpo? I have not seen them play for a while.

I think Delpo shoudl have a good chance. He can hit through those sandy courts.

Del Po looks like he might not finish the match here.

even Delpo can't hit through this court.

Or perhaps that's because he isn't playing anywhere near as well as he used to.  His ranking would suggest that.

Tenez wrote:even Delpo can't hit through this court.

Come on a Tenez, Delpo in full force can hit through treacle.

You can see that his ball has no oomph long before it meets the court.

Thiem looks good, though it's hard to judge without a serious opponent.

bogbrush wrote:

Tenez wrote:even Delpo can't hit through this court.

Come on a Tenez, Delpo in full force can hit through treacle.

You can see that his ball has no oomph long before it meets the court.

I was referring to one point in particular where Delpo hit a pretty good FH...but came back.

More than the court it seems to be the ball. It does not cut through the air.