Re: Indian Wells Thread

[noleisthebest]

I feel sorry for Dolgo in fact, this high bounce court is going to be hard work for him, go Dolgo

[summerblues]

I wish I could stay up.....Enjoy...and good night from me.

Good night.

[Tenez]

Oh ffs, his back must be hurting, he is double faulting again.
Against Stepanek he hit tonnes of DFs.

No, it's age. Trust me...or you!

[N2D2L]

SB, normally matches are ok in terms of time zone, it's US night matches though that are a problem.
Normally the timing is ok.

[summerblues]

That was better.

[N2D2L]

Oh ffs, his back must be hurting, he is double faulting again.
Against Stepanek he hit tonnes of DFs.

No, it's age. Trust me...or you!

I'm not saying Federer doesn't have a problem with his back, let me make that clear. I'm saying his back is improving, and age is a factor for decline.

[summerblues]

Dolgo is out of challenges now.

[summerblues]

SB, normally matches are ok in terms of time zone, it's US night matches though that are a problem.
Normally the timing is ok.

Well, I realize that it is mostly US night matches that are really late for you (I would have to be particularly dense not to), but I have seen you hanging around during those matches quite a lot, that is why I was asking.

[N2D2L]

SB, normally matches are ok in terms of time zone, it's US night matches though that are a problem.
Normally the timing is ok.

Well, I realize that it is mostly US night matches that are really late for you (I would have to be particularly dense not to), but I have seen you hanging around during those matches quite a lot, that is why I was asking.

Well I do like watching Nadal play I suppose. I do get tired during the next day, but there we go.

[summerblues]

Pretty odd start to this match.  Having no challenges left could have been costly there.

[noleisthebest]

Is it just me, or does Nadal's ball slightly change direction after it bounces on this court?

[N2D2L]

Nadal really struggling on serve, has not won a service game so far, his back is struggling clearly.

[N2D2L]

Incredible reflexes from Nadal there... wow

[noleisthebest]

DOLGO!!!!!! What a phenomenal player   

[summerblues]

First hold.

[N2D2L]

Horrific performance this so far by Nadal... he should take Miami off and rest his back.

[noleisthebest]

Larry is looking worried and agitated!

[N2D2L]

Larry is looking worried and agitated!

Yeah he looks really stressed.

[bluenose]

Stan is that good.

[noleisthebest]

When Dolgo plays well, it's pure brilliance! How he manages to serve like he does I'll never know....

[summerblues]

[summerblues]

[noleisthebest]

What a set of tennis from Dolgo!!!           

[summerblues]

Nadal looked pretty poor against Stepanek.  He was better in the first set here but now he is starting to make the same errors as against Stepanek.  His game is very off right now.

[noleisthebest]

Dolgo takes the ball so early, Nadal doesn't have time to scratch himself

[truffin1]

Whereas before he was hyperagressive, taking the ball absurdly early and creating suffocating pressure on his opponent which resulted in the opponent playing at a lesser leverl-  the opponent now has less (even slightly) pressure and can raise their game and keep close.

Do you think this is due to back or ageing, or something else altogether?

AT this age, more back and loss of confidence than age. I believe age shows up more on defense in Fed's case.   Certainly- he's lost a little bit of laterl movement due to age, but he can compensate for that in other ways.    
I guess the basic answer IMO is both!

[noleisthebest]

I disagree Truffin, to me a fit Fed at 32 is as quick and as good as ever, tennis wise, even better.
Problem is the super slow conditions that are negating his main strength - taking time from his opponents away.
The same as sticking Nadal on fresh grass...

[noleisthebest]

Dolgo's first serve is letting him down badly now...come on Dolgo!

[N2D2L]

Whereas before he was hyperagressive, taking the ball absurdly early and creating suffocating pressure on his opponent which resulted in the opponent playing at a lesser leverl-  the opponent now has less (even slightly) pressure and can raise their game and keep close.

Do you think this is due to back or ageing, or something else altogether?

AT this age, more back and loss of confidence than age. I believe age shows up more on defense in Fed's case.   Certainly- he's lost a little bit of laterl movement due to age, but he can compensate for that in other ways.    
I guess the basic answer IMO is both!

I actually agree with you again; but I would add this:
I think in terms of 'net performance' (which is what we see), Federer has been advantaged by his new racket... so perhaps the effects of ageing are negated a bit.

[truffin1]

I thought I'd tune in after reading the thread of a poor playing Nadal, but he sure looks fine to me.. Doesn't seem hampered a bit.

[truffin1]

Whereas before he was hyperagressive, taking the ball absurdly early and creating suffocating pressure on his opponent which resulted in the opponent playing at a lesser leverl-  the opponent now has less (even slightly) pressure and can raise their game and keep close.

Do you think this is due to back or ageing, or something else altogether?

AT this age, more back and loss of confidence than age. I believe age shows up more on defense in Fed's case.   Certainly- he's lost a little bit of laterl movement due to age, but he can compensate for that in other ways.    
I guess the basic answer IMO is both!

I actually agree with you again; but I would add this:
I think in terms of 'net performance' (which is what we see), Federer has been advantaged by his new racket... so perhaps the effects of ageing are negated a bit.

The racquet though has only just brought him in line equipment wise with what the other players have used for year. There is no advantage given by the racquet- it just evens out the equipment deficit that Federer brought to every match--  his GOAT Talent and ability allowed him to get away with that disadvantage.

[truffin1]

Whereas before he was hyperagressive, taking the ball absurdly early and creating suffocating pressure on his opponent which resulted in the opponent playing at a lesser leverl-  the opponent now has less (even slightly) pressure and can raise their game and keep close.

Do you think this is due to back or ageing, or something else altogether?

AT this age, more back and loss of confidence than age. I believe age shows up more on defense in Fed's case.   Certainly- he's lost a little bit of laterl movement due to age, but he can compensate for that in other ways.    
I guess the basic answer IMO is both!

I actually agree with you again; but I would add this:
I think in terms of 'net performance' (which is what we see), Federer has been advantaged by his new racket... so perhaps the effects of ageing are negated a bit.

The racquet though has only just brought him in line equipment wise with what the other players have used for year. There is no advantage given by the racquet- it just evens out the equipment deficit that Federer brought to every match--  his GOAT Talent and ability allowed him to get away with that disadvantage.

[summerblues]

I thought I'd tune in after reading the thread of a poor playing Nadal, but he sure looks fine to me.. Doesn't seem hampered a bit.

He is playing ok now, and has been playing better than against Stepanek the whole match, but he did have a few odd misses here and there.

[noleisthebest]

Just saw the stat where Nadal hit 60% of his balls with 3000rpm. And they were all the safe, mid court ones.
One of these days, his arm will fall off!

[noleisthebest]

I thought I'd tune in after reading the thread of a poor playing Nadal, but he sure looks fine to me.. Doesn't seem hampered a bit.

He is playing ok now, and has been playing better than against Stepanek the whole match, but he did have a few odd misses here and there.

That's because Dolgo is rushing him and making him run.

[summerblues]

That's because Dolgo is rushing him and making him run.

No, I do not think so.  He made a couple of really odd errors from very neutral positions that he normally does not make.

[noleisthebest]

Scintillating tennis from Dolgo!
4:2 and serving, GO DOLGO   

[noleisthebest]

5:2!

You can do it Dol-Gooooooooo

[summerblues]

Had to run an errand so I missed the bit from 2:3 to 5:5.  I hope Dolgo somehow scrapes through - how can he get broken to love serving for it?

[summerblues]

[summerblues]

Some more bad misses by Rafa.

[summerblues]

Yes!!!!

Oh my!

[summerblues]

What a lovely start to the 2014 season this has been.

[noleisthebest]

YESSSSSS !!!!!

[truffin1]

It was bound to happen...  So many were coming close but gifting the match to Nadal. Almost happened again, but Dolgo came through.

and once again, Nadal is unable to defend even 1 non clay court title in his whole career.


I think it's Stan's tourney to lose now and Fed has a chance to turn it on.

[noleisthebest]

D  LG P L V

what a heart!

[summerblues]

...and Tenez had gone to bed.  What a shame.

Commiserations Amri.  On the upside, you will not have to do any late-nighters the rest of this week...

[summerblues]

D  LG P L V

Hehe

[noleisthebest]

I'm so happy for Dolgo, it would have been tragic for him to have lost this match, he has been due a good win for a long time, wonderful player.

[summerblues]

I think it's Stan's tourney to lose now and Fed has a chance to turn it on.

I would not go that far.  Stan has not had a history of winning a tournament after tournament.  He can do it, but I would put 3-4 players ahead of him as the favorites.

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