Rome Masters 2019

This Basil moron just hitting everything out and losing :1 and :0, just a warm up for Rafa.

Fabio in Rome, on clay, on fire... it doesn't get much better, does it?

Nadal’s opponents working in binary today.

0 1 1 0

Rafa dropped 2 (!) games and Nole 7 games.  That tells me that:

(a) they normally play in 2nd or 3rd gear knowing that they are in full control so have no reason to try hard.

(b) they are aiming to do well here and so were trying to make sure they don's spend unnecessary time on court today.

Rafa played a total of 26 games in two matches - a straight set 7:6 7:6 win has just as many games, and may last just about as long (just over 2 hrs).

It is less clear to me why Fed was trying so hard.  If he goes MP down vs Coric, he is not likely to go all the way anyway, plus this tournament is nothing in the bigger scheme of things.  Why not take the loss, and get some rest helpful for RG and beyond?

In each set, Coric won more points than Fed.  Fed must have been just scraping through to QF.

Was Rafa that good, or were his opponents that poor?  I was somewhat surprised by Rafa's scores.  I expected him to win easily, but not 0 and 1, and twice.

summerblues wrote:Rafa dropped 2 (!) games and Nole 7 games.  That tells me that:

(a) they normally play in 2nd or 3rd gear knowing that they are in full control so have no reason to try hard.

(b) they are aiming to do well here and so were trying to make sure they don's spend unnecessary time on court today.

c) he is getting older and well past his peak...in the past he was struggling much less.

summerblues wrote:Rafa dropped 2 (!) games and Nole 7 games.  That tells me that:

(a) they normally play in 2nd or 3rd gear knowing that they are in full control so have no reason to try hard.

(b) they are aiming to do well here and so were trying to make sure they don's spend unnecessary time on court today.

Rafa played a total of 26 games in two matches - a straight set 7:6 7:6 win has just as many games, and may last just about as long (just over 2 hrs).

It is less clear to me why Fed was trying so hard.  If he goes MP down vs Coric, he is not likely to go all the way anyway, plus this tournament is nothing in the bigger scheme of things. 

(a) I don't see that they play in gears 2,3 normally.  As I see this is how they always play. Certain conditions, certain players in the opposition makes it look better for them that they really were.

(b) Sure. Everyone who enters a MTS would certainly prefer winning it than not. Slow clay addes some extra zip thier solid game, so why not utilize the chance and try to move to #1 in TMS count.

Why not take the loss, and get some rest helpful for RG and beyond?

I think this 'rest' is overrated. Why enter anything before RG or any slam if resting is the best way to be ready and up for the slams. There is no correlation here. Winning matches at top level in TMS gives better form and confidence going into  the upcoming slam.  The rested player is uncertain about his form and hence need to build up form and confidence with the initial rounds of the slam. And if winning the initial rounds is a struggle, then there is no way he would feel good just because he had some extra rest.

So there is a balance that needs to be found between playing and resting. For Fed, his current schedule is fine.

Did Thiem have a shocker, or is it a weirdly bad match-up with Verdasco for him?

Although I'm not sure that potential major winners should really have duff match-ups with Verdasco.

Tenez wrote:

summerblues wrote:Rafa dropped 2 (!) games and Nole 7 games.  That tells me that:

(a) they normally play in 2nd or 3rd gear knowing that they are in full control so have no reason to try hard.

(b) they are aiming to do well here and so were trying to make sure they don's spend unnecessary time on court today.

c)  he is getting older and well past his peak...in the past he was struggling much less.

d) he was playing a couple of clowns

summerblues wrote:Rafa dropped 2 (!) games and Nole 7 games.  That tells me that:

(a) they normally play in 2nd or 3rd gear knowing that they are in full control so have no reason to try hard.

(b) they are aiming to do well here and so were trying to make sure they don's spend unnecessary time on court today.

Rafa played a total of 26 games in two matches - a straight set 7:6 7:6 win has just as many games, and may last just about as long (just over 2 hrs).

It is less clear to me why Fed was trying so hard.  If he goes MP down vs Coric, he is not likely to go all the way anyway, plus this tournament is nothing in the bigger scheme of things.  Why not take the loss, and get some rest helpful for RG and beyond?

Fed just plays to win, simple as.

When was the last time you could say he tanked?

bogbrush wrote:

Tenez wrote:

summerblues wrote:Rafa dropped 2 (!) games and Nole 7 games.  That tells me that:

(a) they normally play in 2nd or 3rd gear knowing that they are in full control so have no reason to try hard.

(b) they are aiming to do well here and so were trying to make sure they don's spend unnecessary time on court today.

c)  he is getting older and well past his peak...in the past he was struggling much less.

d) he was playing a couple of clowns

You will see again at the French....he might be turning lots of players into clowns!

Fed pulls out with leg injury, so he fucked up himself for no reason.

Well done Fed; maintains his record of not tanking a match on court while being sensible.

Anyway, give his opponent a chance to breathe before Nadal.

Nadal will blow up Tsi this time, let alone Tsi beating Djoko, so nothing good out of this, at least Fed can rest.

There was me daring to think, 'hullo' when Verdasco was a break up in the first, but the match is following a tediously predictable path.  Verdasco is 1/9 on bp conversion, Nadal 4/6.... 

Tomorrow is going to be interesting. We will see whether Nadal had a "bad day" v Tsi last week as Mr Decima aka "Excusa-me-por-favor" believes.

Tsi has a day rest and that will be welcome. No excuse from me here if Tsi loses.

Can Delpo surprise us tonight !!! Yes please!!

Idemo MajstorEEEEEEEEE!!!!>

tramslated

Come OOOOOOOOOOOOON!




ROTLA!!!!
I need the fistpump emoji AS AAA PPPPP!!!!!!!

Hopefully Federer skips Paris too, I wasn’t keen on him playing clay, it’s completely pointiess.

Yeah, he is 4th on ATP race, bar some serious injury he should make the London.

Not much to defend either.

Skip RG unless he feels a good bye GS to Parisians, and rest till Stutt/Halle.

Amazing how good is Delpo for playing so little.

They actually have both a dead boring game but Delpo's power is good to watch versus Djoko.

It's really amazing to see Djoko retrieving line balls from both corners at Delpo's full throttle.

Just by scooping the ball back Djoko wins the point.

Daniel should watch this and see how legs plays the most important part in tennis today.

Comeonnnn Delpooo, break his fucking neck

When watching this you can see what people mean when they say "Novak is one dimensional"

It's really bad for a TMS1000 to have the court lines made of nailed plastic in 2019 ...causing ridiculous bounces....

AceofDeath wrote:When watching this you can see what people mean when they say "Novak is one dimensional"

yep, it is called professional tennis. They are there to make millions not to please the eye.

Tenez wrote:They actually have both a dead boring game but Delpo's power is good to watch versus Djoko.

Yeah they do, DelPo for all his power and height, rarely comes to the net or plays drop shot. Because he hits the ball hard and plays the "Injury prone underdog" role he has some fans... Isner is more fun than him to watch 

Tenez wrote:

AceofDeath wrote:When watching this you can see what people mean when they say "Novak is one dimensional"

yep, it is called professional tennis. They are there to make millions not to please the eye.

No they shouldn't be concerned with pleasing the crowd, they should be concerned with not ruining their bodies with roadrunner tennis.

Tenez wrote:

AceofDeath wrote:When watching this you can see what people mean when they say "Novak is one dimensional"

yep, it is called professional tennis. They are there to make millions not to please the eye.

At least he's turned up to honour ticket holders.

COME ON NOLEEEE!!!! : diva:

ffs delpo!!!! no chance he can take 3rd now

noleisthebest wrote:

Tenez wrote:

AceofDeath wrote:When watching this you can see what people mean when they say "Novak is one dimensional"

yep, it is called professional tennis. They are there to make millions not to please the eye.

At least he's turned up to honour ticket holders.

COME ON NOLEEEE!!!! : diva:

Looks like the ticket holders are not thanking him for it. They are behind poor Delpo who once again had him in his strings. Now lung busting Djoko should sail to a win in the third.

I got home at 3:2 in the 3rd set.  Delpo had no fight left in him

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:(a) I don't see that they play in gears 2,3 normally.  As I see this is how they always play. Certain conditions, certain players in the opposition makes it look better for them that they really were.

Maybe.  Still, it seemed too much of a coincidence that exactly on the day they did not want to have long matches they just destroyed all four of their opponents.

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:I think this 'rest' is overrated.

I have been thinking of that too.  Not necessarily this week, but in general.  Obviously, players do not want to play five straight weeks before a slam, but having an extra couple of matches in Rome - even if they have to play two on the same day - may be perfectly fine without any risk for RG chances.

bogbrush wrote:d) he was playing a couple of clowns

There might be something to it.  I later watched the first three games of Rafa vs Basilashvili, and Rafa was playing just OK.  Basilashvili got broken (maybe even to love) without Rafa having to do anything.  Still, hard to ascribe those two scores to just his opponents' ineptitude.

bogbrush wrote:Fed just plays to win, simple as.

When was the last time you could say he tanked?

I cannot remember off the top of my head, but I am sure there were a handful matches the last few years where I felt he was not unhappy to lose.  Maybe tank is too strong a word, but he does not always kill himself to win.  He was trying really hard vs Coric though.

Jahu wrote:Nadal will blow up Tsi this time

That will be interesting to watch.  I am sure Rafa will not want to lose again, and Rome is probably friendlier for his game.  But even so, Tsitsipas is a tricky customer, and he seems quite serious about his tennis, and about learning from previous results.  I think Tsitsipas has a decent chance.

According to l Équipe Federer hurt his leg stepping (sliding?) on one of the court line. As mentioned it's amazing to have such an archaic system nowadays.

Tsits has got a gutsier, better game than Fed atm. Draw to the net like a magnet. Love it.

Rog's got the grace,though. That's about it.

Tenez wrote:According to l Équipe Federer hurt his leg stepping (sliding?) on one of the court line. As mentioned it's amazing to have such an archaic system nowadays.

that is simply unforgivable.
even my club's done the lines properly.

Nadal in quick 2 here.

Rafa's playing well. All's there: movement, shots, he's sharp.
Bring on RG!

noleisthebest wrote:Rafa's playing well. All's there: movement, shots, he's sharp.

Not well enough I think.  Nole will make mincemeat of him at this level.

summerblues wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:Rafa's playing well. All's there: movement, shots, he's sharp.

Not well enough I think.  Nole will make mincemeat of him at this level.

On paper, probably...not quite the mince, but diced steak, yes.

However!

Remember how draws never work for Nole and always do for Rafa in PaRRRRiiii...

noleisthebest wrote:Remember how draws never work for Nole and always do for Rafa in PaRRRRiiii...

Sour grapes.

summerblues wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:Remember how draws never work for Nole and always do for Rafa in PaRRRRiiii...

Sour grapes.

what d'ya mean?
it's true, no?

Tsitsipas likes to complain about the calls that are obviously good.

Broken from 30-0.  That was a shaky game.  This whole thing is looking like it is headed towards an unhappy ending unless something changes quickly.

If Rafa wins this match, I will almost be rooting for Djokovic tonight.  Sad predicament, is it not?