World Tour Finals 2017

I was surprised to see the draw was out today...that’s how “with it” I’ve been regarding WTF 2017.

With the exception of last year, where I didn’t even want to go, I’ve always been so excited about this tournament... it was prestigious with great matches to look forward to...

This year, it’s only Federer that’s holding my interest, but I couldn’t even think of a decent match to go to in his RR...the group is terrible: Gorilla Cilic (thanks, Daniel), Dullard Zverev and the Bovine Sock...at least Fed should cruize to the semis.

The other group thankfully has has Dimi and Goffin. Thiem is only interesting on paper because of his SBH.
Nadal has buttered us up with his injured knee but I am not buying that one...a player who advertises his injuries before a tournament is not injured.

Anyway...

Hopefully we get to see decent semifinals and of course the mighty Fed lifts the trophy one more time. 

mmmm so the draw was rigged or not?

or you decide that depending on the outcome?

I still think the most dangerous player out there is Zverev (after Nadal and Fed or course). I would have liked to see a Zverev Nadal....maybe in semi.

Tenez wrote:I still think the most dangerous player out there is Zverev (after Nadal and Fed or course). I would have liked to see a Zverev Nadal....maybe in semi.

Yes, he is the most consistant with fast shots which if the surface is sandy as it’s always been will suit him...good as energy drainer at best, that’s how I see Zverev vs Fed.

Same as Cilic except that Cilic is unstable in the head esp on slower courts...


What a difference Delpo would have made had he qualified...and interesting he refused to even travel to London as a potential substitute...that much in his belief in Nadal’s injuries...

It takes an Argie to know Nadal.

naxroy wrote:mmmm so the draw was rigged or not?

or you decide that depending on the outcome?

Cooo, you are desperate....like your hero.


What is Nadal’s h2h with players from his group?
Any slam winners in it?
Any slam finalists?
Any Masters 1000 winners?

Even Thiem who beat Nadal ages ago is in zero form...the only player with any chance is Goffin, who if he comes even close will surely be stopped by a dodgy umpire’s call as was the case earlier this year.

Zverev and Cilic on a good day and even Sock could drain him and make him run.

noleisthebest wrote:

naxroy wrote:mmmm so the draw was rigged or not?

or you decide that depending on the outcome?

Cooo, you are desperate....like your hero.


What is Nadal’s h2h with players from his group?
Any slam winners in it?
Any slam finalists?
Any Masters 1000 winners?

Fair point!

noleisthebest wrote:

naxroy wrote:mmmm so the draw was rigged or not?

or you decide that depending on the outcome?

What is Nadal’s h2h with players from his group?
Any slam winners in it?
Any slam finalists?
Any Masters 1000 winners?

Even Thiem who beat Nadal ages ago is in zero form...the only player with any chance is Goffin, who if he comes even close will surely be stopped by a dodgy umpire’s call as was the case earlier this year.

Zverev and Cilic on a good day and even Sock could drain him and make him run.

thanks for answering, so it is rigged

nice

Federer, as predicted, has the hardest draw.  All we need now is my prediction that Gorilla Cilic be his F or SF opponent.  I think Nadal fails at this tournament more than most because he can't get away with the draws tbh... he HAS to face top players.  Federer still has the hardest group.  Who here honestly thought Zverev was gonna be in Nadal's group lmao?

Good clip on Fed's BH. Surprised how he holds it till the very last moment when the ball is just a few inch in front.

Tenez wrote:Good clip on Fed's BH. Surprised how he holds it till the very last moment when the ball is just a few inch in front.

Wooow!!!

I have been literally thinking about the/my for BH last two days!!!
It is such a divine technical shot.
Because there is only one way to tey and hit it...and it’s the Fed way...the ease which hides hell of hard work and genius.
All or nothing!

And yesterday for the first time I noticed how much he turns and how high he actually pulls the racquet before unleashing it....

And of course, that need to keep still as the ball leaves the racquet!!!

That is my weak spot.

But I’ll get there...

I mean I really will!!

Even though I play with the most difficult racquet I possibly could...because it has to be that beautiful 95” red, gold and white zero sweetspot Prostaff!
I think I am as stubborn as Fed when it comes to racquets...

My problem is also I hold the racquet loosely and often lose the grip at that point where I need that extra moment of holding...esp on faster balls...SBH is such a technical shot, but I adore it.
The feeling it gives you...

And nobody hits it as smoothly and amazingly brilliantly as Fed....

Tenez wrote:Good clip on Fed's BH. Surprised how he holds it till the very last moment when the ball is just a few inch in front.

Yeah, in golf it's called "lag". The longer you preserve the "lagging" of the clubhead behind the hand(s), the more power/speed you can generate.
Roj would be a scratch golfer in no time. All the elements of a great swing are there: using big muscles for the swing for consistancy, the lag for power, the steady head and eyes on the ball for precision. It's all there. 
What a talent.

noleisthebest wrote:



And of course, that need to keep still as the ball leaves the racquet!!!

That is my weak spot.

Don't worry, there is no player on tour who keeps the head still and behind the ball like Federer.
They are all too eager to follow the ball asap, it's human. Fed is not

gallery play wrote:
Yeah, in golf it's called "lag". The longer you preserve the "lagging" of the clubhead behind the hand(s), the more power/speed you can generate.
Roj would be a scratch golfer in no time. All the elements of a great swing are there: using big muscles for the swing for consistancy, the lag for power, the steady head and eyes on the ball for precision. It's all there. 
What a talent.

Head still.....and almost more impressing is no grimacing on the face! No other players have still faces when hitting the ball.

Also imagine doing it with a moving ball......and each one coming with different spin and power.

Yes, that is what really sets him apart: the relaxation at moment of impact regardless the kind of shot he produces. Each and every shot! 
The amount of self control and discipline...i don't have any hopes i'll get to see something like that again in my lifetime

Fed with an early break

Court is sandy.

Tim and Andrew saying Feds is definitely better than he was 10-15 years ago.

"If your game stays the same, you get left behind."

Enter Tenez, then enter Daniel

First set, Feds

Not great from Fed, but an easy enough win. He never looked like he could lose. Fed's BH struggled a little too much against Sock's FH for my liking.

That was a routine B game match from Federer.

I don’t blame him, though feel sorry for people who
spent time and money to see an hour of a half interested Federer and a horrible Sock who with the tennis he displayed wasn’t worthy even of the next-gen tournament.

luvsports! wrote:Tim and Andrew saying Feds is definitely better than he was 10-15 years ago.

"If your game stays the same, you get left behind."

Enter Tenez, then enter Daniel

Indeed....Many posters "stay behind" too.  I had to "adapt" my thinking as well. I also thought peak was at 26/27!

I actually thought Sock played ok. Conds seemed fast as Fed seemed to mis-time a few time.....though the court has always been dodgy in London.

"I'm happy that I was able to come out today and had actually good energy," Federer said. "This is the best I've felt since the Del Potro final (in Basel). I'm very happy to see that I didn't have to pay the price for taking it easy and resting and recovering. But then turning it up the last few days got me in shape for today. Now I think I'm in the tournament. There's no more turning back. Just full steam ahead every match that comes."
======================
Fed must have felt dead after Basel and Shangai. That's most likely why he did not fight for number 1.

If I understand correctly, according to federer, they have sped up London a bit to avoid the one sided matches of the past (when Djoko and Murray courld retrieve everything)....obviously was not slow enough for Nadal.

Watching Gorilla Cilic is tempting me to consider theory of evolution....

What a horrid match...two giraffes exchanging CC forehands ad nauseum, grunting, ending points in wild overhitting UEs...

Seriously they should be paying poor audience to watch them not the other way round. 

And I don’t think this court is any faster than last year.

Just tuned in. It is an ugly match!

Very patchy. At one point I struggled to see where Zverevs next game was coming from but then he knuckled down a bit and Cilic imploded. 

Sock still has chances to get through here. It was only a few years ago that the first group match was repeated in the final (Federer v Tsonga).

I hesitated going to the O2 in Thursday eve but no guarantee to see Federer....If he loses tomorrow then it is almost guaranteed he will have the eve session but if he is 2 0 up then most likely he will play in the afternoon as his match will carry less importance. Is this how it works?

Nadal is like a fish out of water on this court...and Goffin is not smart enough to use it...not his best edition this evening.

Wow, Nadal at the net and striking a great volley!
And a nice FHDTL before that.

I must be dreaming....

Goffin is playing better, too.

Goff nearly fucks up, takes the set in TB!!! GoGoGo

Allez Goffin....you could be number 1 too if Nadal is!

noleisthebest wrote:
I must be dreaming of Jahu....

Wow easy baby, I'm yours 

Tenez wrote:Allez Goffin....you could be number 1 too if Nadal is!

Hahaha his numero uno is hurting you, yeah sounds and look so unfair, but a WTF for Fed will soothe it 

It has turned my world upside down. Like BB I have lost faith now!

BB is a Corporate guy, so they are not very faithful anyway 

Lots of thing not fair this 2017, but still has outdone my expetations for Fed, so I'm not complaining for now, maybe next AO GS would shut me up for good 

Oi! Am I Hell Corporate, I run my own business!

Corporates are.... afflicted. 

Unless you run a NGO, you are a Corp guy, even if you have Ltd/LLP 

Thanks for making me learn a new word - afflict  

NGOs are the ultimate Corporatists.

I’m a free market capitalist.

haahahah i agree i swear, have met NGO fucks who would beat any wall street shark   perfect cover.

Got any vacancies? 

Nadal a bhdtl saves him

Go Goff go, take it nowwwwww

oh damn, loses serve

The crowd has saved Nadal once more!

is the court so slow or somehow the camera angle making it weird to watch.

Oh what a MP, take ittttttttt

Nadal melting, 3 MP for Goff, take it ffs.

Goffin is such a choker, he doesn’t deserve to win this.

He is just scared of Nadal, playing much better still afraid.

oh man, what a choke of a set. wake up boy.

Nadal gonna grind him now, as usual.