ATP 500/250: Barcelona, Bucharest

Tbh, I have always considered Dimi overhyped.

This kiddo already has better serve and FH than Dimi will ever have.

luvsports! wrote:Dimi did take rafa to 3 sets at Rotterdam aged 17.

Same as Coric beating him in Basel last year.

Forza Fabio!!!

noleisthebest wrote:Where is he from?

Can't you see he is Swedish?

Tenez wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:Where is he from?

Can't you see he is Swedish?

Silly me!

Fabio is so good to watch on clay...makes Nadal look even more dull.

Fognini's BH is superb...

Shame Fognini wasted good opportunity with that drop shot...which reminded me of how brilliantly Nole was using it against Nadal in Monte Carlo.

I've never seen Nadal hit the ball so hard...he's almost literally blowing Fognini off the court...

HOLD ON, FABIO!!!!

First set!

YESSSSSS!!!!!!

noleisthebest wrote:

Tenez wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:Where is he from?

Can't you see he is Swedish?

Silly me!

And his coach is called Galo Blanco!

I also wondered whether he was more Asian or African... not too clear...

noleisthebest wrote:Fabio is so good to watch on clay...makes Nadal look even more dull.

So true. It must depress Nadal to see how effortless his opponent is. But he keeps plugging in knowing that Fabio's edge will go sooner or later whereas Nadal's power will remain roughly the same over the 3 sets. nadal's way of depressing back Fognini.

I didn't see how Fabio got broken, but he should break Nadal back, he still playing well and composed.

Rafa serving to stay in the match,

Forza Fognini! 
Is he the only player to beat Rafa twice in a row on clay bar Djoko?

More evidence of Nadals decline. I certainly don't believe Fognini is another one raising his game beyond recent RG winning level.

bogbrush wrote:More evidence of Nadals decline. I certainly don't believe Fognini is another one raising his game beyond recent RG winning level.

Yep, it was really poor from Nadal, missing easy forehands all the time.

Kim Jong-Un wrote:

bogbrush wrote:More evidence of Nadals decline. I certainly don't believe Fognini is another one raising his game beyond recent RG winning level.

Yep, it was really poor from Nadal, missing easy forehands all the time.

Easy?

Give some credit to amazing Fabio!

noleisthebest wrote:

Kim Jong-Un wrote:

bogbrush wrote:More evidence of Nadals decline. I certainly don't believe Fognini is another one raising his game beyond recent RG winning level.

Yep, it was really poor from Nadal, missing easy forehands all the time.

Easy?

Give some credit to amazing Fabio!

Fognini played pretty well, if he had the same mental intensity like this all the time he'd be a top 10 player.

Fognini certainly made Nadal very nervous.

Looks like Flavia (Panetta) has had a positive effect on Fabio.
May it long continue!!!

Rublev must have played really well to take Fognini to three sets yesterday.

bogbrush wrote:More evidence of Nadals decline. I certainly don't believe Fognini is another one raising his game beyond recent RG winning level.

Well that is a very quick and terrible decline. It's not a decline, it;s a fall!

Frankly, Nadal lacks confidence. It's bloody obvious. Sometimes he comes up with his usual amazingly fit shots, problems is that he lacks those extra 15sec time he used to take to refill his blood cells with oxygen. Since they are applying a stricter rule, he has not been able to deliver consistently, especially now that players can handle his spin.

If you look at Fog's previous matches v Nadal, like all nadal opponents in fact, they were all trying to hit through. Now they all rally with him and that is killing him.

IMO the lack of confidence is a direct result of his lack oxygen. He is having arguments with almost all referees on the matter.

Decline woudl be a slower footwork...but frankly I don't see it.

Kim Jong-Un wrote:

bogbrush wrote:More evidence of Nadals decline. I certainly don't believe Fognini is another one raising his game beyond recent RG winning level.

Yep, it was really poor from Nadal, missing easy forehands all the time.

Yes he missed quite a few easy FH but we know why. He is trying to add security by over spinning as he lacks confidence. And that turns into shanking.

Another point whihc I would like to make is that Nadal is probably having a conflict of using the hand he was not meant to use. Very few players have gone though such a loss of confidence, especially on a shot whihc has such high margins. I'd understand if a golfer were to lose confidence or a weird flat FH a la Gulbis...But there is no real reason for nadal to lose confidence except for his LH really feeling his LH again. I am pretty sure he woudl have never lost that confidence as badly had he played with his natural arm.

Tenez wrote:

bogbrush wrote:More evidence of Nadals decline. I certainly don't believe Fognini is another one raising his game beyond recent RG winning level.

Well that is a very quick and terrible decline. It's not a decline, it;s a fall!

Frankly, Nadal lacks confidence. It's bloody obvious. Sometimes he comes up with his usual  amazingly fit shots, problems is that he lacks those extra 15sec time he used to take to refill his blood cells with oxygen. Since they are applying a stricter rule, he has not been able to deliver consistently, especially now that players can handle his spin.

If you look at Fog's previous matches v Nadal, like all nadal opponents in fact, they were all trying to hit through. Now they all rally with him and that is killing him.

IMO the lack of confidence is a direct result of his lack oxygen. He is having arguments with almost all referees on the matter.

Decline woudl be a slower footwork...but frankly I don't see it.

I think it's going all over for him. Foggy was hitting through, but was selective. 

Nadals major problem seems to be that when he gets a ball to hit he isn't stinging them so lethally. He also doesn't seem able to keep people pinned into those dark, deep nether regions somewhere around the sideline judge.

I'm personally very happy to see him unable to bully players around. Ironically, what's keeping him in matches seems to be some very nice volleys and net play, it's the bread and butter that's gone South.

It used to be players finding out ways to bringing Federers level down now it's knee's turn, his serve doesn't even kick that well no more I'm wondering if Toni having more of a life away from coaching has had a negative impact.

Gulbis against Nadal a few year ago was better than Fognini today, but Gulbis didn't get the win...

Post match interview from Nadal:

''I played poorly, I didn't play like I should have. I didn't play aggressively, I missed more shots that I normally do. I didn't manage to keep the advantage I had. Having three breaks in the second set and end up at 5-5 is a disaster.
'This is a blow for me, but I accept the challenge and the negative day I had today. There is no other way forward other than to accept it or die."

nitb:Ouch!!!!  

"This is a hard day for me. I felt I was playing better,'I will keep working. I am convinced that this situation of ups and downs I have had since returning from injuries, sooner or later, will come to an end."

nitb: this sounds like the cop out for sponsors and army of fans.

"My forehand didn't have enough power, enough speed, and I didn't have enough control. My forehand has been my biggest virtue. But today my forehand was vulgar, it wasn't a forehand worthy of my ranking and career. I need my forehand to push my opponents back.'

bogbrush wrote:
I think it's going all over for him. Foggy was hitting through, but was selective. 

Nadals major problem seems to be that when he gets a ball to hit he isn't stinging them so lethally. He also doesn't seem able to keep people pinned into those dark, deep nether regions somewhere around the sideline judge.

I'm personally very happy to see him unable to bully players around. Ironically, what's keeping him in matches seems to be some very nice volleys and net play, it's the bread and butter that's gone South.

he is certainly not playing as well or as confidently as he can. Why I am not too sure, though I have thrown a couple of ideas/reasons.

Bottom line Nadal is roughly the same age as Fog so the declining argument is fragile.

No because different players can decline at different rates.

Nadal peaked a lot earlier than Fognini, if you look at their career path.

AceofDeath wrote:
Gulbis against Nadal a few year ago was better than Fognini today, but Gulbis didn't get the win...

Gulbis was going for broke. Fog keeps the ball in court but hurt a bit with every shot. A bit like Nalby coudl do. Taking the ball early and moving nadal around. However I agree that Nadal is certainly not playing his best but we have seen that many time in the past .....the difference is that in the past he managed to save those millions of BPs and SPs....nowadays he does not save then anymore.

And the rest of the field is used to playing his spin...which has been Nadal's main weapon, able to draw zillion of UEs. Now they haave learnt to time that ball......that makes a huge difference.

noleisthebest wrote:
"My forehand didn't have enough power, enough speed, and I didn't have enough control. My forehand has been my biggest virtue. But today my forehand was vulgar, it wasn't a forehand worthy of my ranking and career. I need my forehand to push my opponents back.'

That is true. Though in the past he could get away with a poor FH...nowadays he can't anymore. Even Fog almost lost that 2rd set. So it is not that clear cut.

Confidence is down...why?

Ped supplier hasn't delivered?

LS, he's missing simple straight forward forehands

The forehand ped package maybe got lost in the mail.

Tenez wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:
"My forehand didn't have enough power, enough speed, and I didn't have enough control. My forehand has been my biggest virtue. But today my forehand was vulgar, it wasn't a forehand worthy of my ranking and career. I need my forehand to push my opponents back.'

That is true. Though in the past he could get away with a poor FH...nowadays he can't anymore. Even Fog almost lost that 2rd set. So it is not that clear cut.

Confidence is down...why?

I am convinced that Nadal's average play yesterday (and all that comes with it) was a direct result of how brilliant Fognini was.

Nadal could do nothing.

There were patches of play he was able to "push his opponent behind with his FH" but Fognini survived.

noleisthebest wrote:I've never seen Nadal hit the ball so hard...he's almost literally blowing Fognini off the court...

HOLD ON, FABIO!!!!

Had Fognini panicked as so many players did and still do, he could've lost.

He played without fear taking time away from Nadal, or sending him deep mid court balls...rarely engaged in long sapping rallies which Nadal tried to impose desperately...as that's his only chance and way.

Fognini never fell for it as he didn't have to...his shots were quicker than Nadal's with half the energy (probably even less).

Nadal knew that and panicked...and when he panics he misses.
The tables have turned.

In Monte Carlo he "looked" better and different as Nole indulged him in physical exchanges so Nadal resembled his "old" self.

Again, it's down to the oppponent across the net.

Tenez wrote:

IMO the lack of confidence is a direct result of his lack oxygen. He is having arguments with almost all referees on the matter.

Decline woudl be a slower footwork...but frankly I don't see it.

Spot on.

Yesterday, he was still trying to stretch time between serving as long as he could...with his "routine" right from the start.

The thing that he couldn't control was Fognini's refusal to go physical with him.

Nadal roped him in a few times and Fognini missed, going for winners.

Fognini then changed his tactics and started sending Nadal mid court balls as/and Nadal could not generate his crazy CC shots/bombs...whereas Fognini could with ease as he was not scared of his ability to go for winners like Nadal.

Nadal was so uncomfortable in that scenario, totally out if his comfort zone.

Fognini exposed his 1D game like noone else!

So, Vesely beat Karlovic in straight sets, no TBs, interesting...

Nishi needed three sets for Agut.
After seeing him against Nole live in O2, I am not surprised...he has very frequent energy dips in a match and Gutty must've materialised one or two of them to break him in the 2nd set.

Yes, Agut is a good player.

I can't see Nishi lose Barca.


Ferrer might be his only obstacle.

Vesely is in for a shot in Bucharest. After winning Brisbane he went through 5 or 6 1st round losses in a row. Confidence is everything for him.

That's the thing...it's easier to play nadal nowadays than the typical clay courter...weird.....as Fognini goes out without a fight!

A moving interview from Federer that brought a tear to my eye...
Not sure who he gave it to originally,  just two paragraphs quoted here.

Sorry, can't translate it, super busy this weekend...google should do the job.

http://www.b92.net/sport/tenis/vesti.php?yyyy=2015&mm=04&dd=24&nav_id=984644

Vesely, first in the final.

Will go up a minimum of +10 in ranking next week. ...possibly top 30 if he wins tomorrow.

....However not that impressed by his perf today.

Monfils uncapable to cope with pressure. When he has nothing to lose he can beat Nadal and Federer, but the prospect of reaching a final of an ATP250 is enough to make him choke!

Appalling!

Tenez wrote:Vesely, first in the final.

Will go up a minimum of +10 in ranking next week. ...possibly top 30 if he wins tomorrow.

....However not that impressed by his perf today.

I haven't seen any tennis today but am glad Vesely beat Traver...I didn't expect him to.

Traver beat Simon yesterday playing Ferrer's game on steroids...from the first to the last point, he completely drained Simon by the end of 2nd, then finished fresh as a daisy in the third...

So Vesely did well there...

And with Ferrer out...another grinder bites the dust.

As for Monf...yes, very annoying, esp when he beats Federer and then flops in the next match, I don't understand it...

I really don't see Ferrer as a grinder.....I did for years but he is really trying to hurt with every shot....except that he doesn't hurt much.

He surely is like a toothless terrier: all bark - no bite!

He may want to hurt, but doesn't he go about it the safe way?
In the end, that's a definition of a grinder: no loose shoulders, no weapons, long rallies...

You said yesterday that Simon (when winning) was grinding his opponent to dust.

Yes, I did.

But Simon is a grinder with style, variety, brains...brilliant to watch.

Traver is an unimaginative, juiced percentage grinder.

Ferrer -  I described him in the previous post...pretty 1D, as well...

If you are without weapons - you have no options but to grind.

There are many variations of grinding....organic grinding, battery grinding, free-range grinding...am I doing a Mourihno here?

Not normally into tennis players' kits, but I really like this year's one for Nole...uniqlo called it "Invisible" as the colour of the shirt matches the colour of clay.
Go Nole !!!

Unfortunately no tennis for me today...

I hope Nishi and Vesely win.

Vesely losing a tight match having a few 2nd set points.