ATP Masters 1000: Rome

Tenez wrote:yes...we try our best moderate ourselves when it comes to Djoko...but it's tough! Especially when I see a backhand slice of his!

how wonderful you are....

Back on serve.

But Federer doesnt wait long to break back.....the game is played a nice fast pace...in rallies but more so between points.

Why have we had to make do with those endless matches with the Roadrunners?

Yes, that was very sloppy from him.

Nadal has dug a hole on the court yesterday with his excessive running right and left.

What an amazing BH return from Fed...flat as a pancake and on the line!

Stan looks a bit dazed and rushed.

Tenez wrote:Nadal has dug a hole on the court yesterday with his excessive running right and left.

What am I talking about not a hole...more like a trench!

Nice returns

This game closes the debates on who has the better BH between those 2!

gallery play wrote:

Tenez wrote:rewatching the key points, I would have fancied federer to beat nadal today too.

not sure about that. Stan's power is like a tsunami, it keeps coming. Whereas Federer comes up with much more variation (forced to do so BTW) which isn't doing much harm to NAdal

Today Federer would have beaten Nadal...pretty convinced!...well on the night session for sure.

That was short and sweet. Where was Stan though?

Tenez wrote:

luvsports! wrote:I hope Stan can continue playing like this for the rest of his career! Unbelievable tennis.

Nadal makes him look better than he is. A lot of people can handle Stan's pace better than Nadal. Nadal stands too far back and sends easy balls to Stan to put away.

I was right there. Against Nadal Stan had plenty of time to show his full power....versus Federer....different story! Rushed all the time....and when rushed that BH misfires a lot.

What do we excpect for tomorrow?  Fed looked fairly solid, so I think he can put up a good fight tomorrow.  Still, I favor Novak.  In the end, I doubt Roger will be able to find enough holes to penetrate Nole's defence, and he will be unable to hold his own in long rallies.

If the weather's good, I won't watch the final, I'll play instead.

As for what to expect...since the court is a mess, Fed will take advantage of it as Nole is very fussy with his footwork.
Although Nole is as hungry as Fed, I think Fed wants this one more.

Will that make a difference?
Who knows...

His BH looks excellent, serve, too.

I'd say it's a clear 50/50 here with the wind blowing in Fed's back.

I certainly fancy Fed's chances tomorrow. on clay Nole doesn't move as well.

Federer, the old dog:

"Novak Djokovic is not Rafael Nadal on clay. I am talking about the results Nadal has had on this surface over the last decade or so. Djokovic to me looks like the player who arrived to the French Open in 2011 without losing a single match. Very impressing from him to win so many trophies, especially because people tend to forget he had to win also tough matches to get there, there is a whole path to the final and it hasn't always been easy for Novak.

The ball tomorrow is going to bounce higher, because the weather is supposed to be good. I think at this point I am ready for any condition. I played against Berdych during the day, then today at night. I don't know if anyone is going to be favored by the warm conditions"

yes i saw that. I don't think it was smart to want to motivate Djoko before the final.

He always does it...because Nole is just so emotional and he knows it will get to him even if he's got used to it by now and can rationalise it.
Very naughty!

Hehe, Fed likes to play mind games. But then again, he is only telling the truth. Novak is not Rafa on clay.

This talk also suggests Fed thinks he can be competitive today - I just hope he does not get blown away.

I wonder if - with Rafa out of form - Fed is thinking of maybe sneaking a RG title. I just hope he will not go all out in a vain effort there only to tire himself for Wimbledon. Luckily we have an extra week between RG and W this year.

Anyway, Roger for today.

Nole is better than rafa on clay. But it is true that Nole v the rest i snot better than Nadal v the rest on clay......though this year he certainly is.

What Fed is saying is that he can beat Nole more easily on clay than he can Nadal...

Actually, Nole and Nadal are so very different on clay, mainly due to the way Nadal moves on it.
It enhances his game and he makes the most of it where with Nole it takes away from the way he likes to play: dictating from centre baseline and chasing balls laterally.

Nadal is always in corners of the court, mainly in his FH corner. He thrives on hitting the ball on the run, retrieving it rather than take control of the point from the word go.

As if he gets energised and galvanised from sheer running.

Who won in the women final?

Djoko: "Happy to have beaten Ferrer, a clay specialist, very tough he doesn't give you any points"

Because Djoko does?

sharapova up a break in the 3rd but it sounds like she should ahve lost in 2

wow...Suarez choked?

Shame.....she is such a talent!

Navratilova is full of collagen. I am surprised how strong her Czech accent still is despite having been in the US for the long.

Is anyone listening to that lady on Skysport? She makes a lot of sense. She is a Federer fan obviosuly!

Peter flemming as stupid as ever!

Annabell Croft?

luvsports! wrote:Annabell Croft?

yes that's it. I know she is often criticised but she made some good sense to me.

Roger close be broken already.

There is still not enough power from Roger's BH which means Djoko can easily control the ball from that side and pull drops shots whihc would have been much harder to pull with a pacier ball.

Tenez wrote:There is still not enough power from Roger's BH which means Djoko can easily control the ball from that side and pull drops shots whihc would have been much harder to pull with a pacier ball.

Like Stan's bh would/

Je suis back

luvsports! wrote:

Tenez wrote:There is still not enough power from Roger's BH which means Djoko can easily control the ball from that side and pull drops shots whihc would have been much harder to pull with a pacier ball.

Like Stan's bh would/

I don't think Stan's ever beaten Nole on clay. In fact, he lost to him in Rome final in 2008 or 9.

Federer has to pull many winners to win a game....but he is playing very well so far.

This is going to be a long match.

There is always an idiot Nadal fan to shout Vamos Rafa when he is not playing...I noticed it every time when I was in O2.

luvsports! wrote:

Tenez wrote:There is still not enough power from Roger's BH which means Djoko can easily control the ball from that side and pull drops shots whihc would have been much harder to pull with a pacier ball.

Like Stan's bh would/

Yes, it woudl help a lot.....but only if Stan's BH was equipped of teh same eye/hand coord as Roger.

noleisthebest wrote:

luvsports! wrote:

Tenez wrote:There is still not enough power from Roger's BH which means Djoko can easily control the ball from that side and pull drops shots whihc would have been much harder to pull with a pacier ball.

Like Stan's bh would/

I don't think Stan's ever beaten Nole on clay. In fact, he lost to him in Rome final in 2008 or 9.

I'm merely commentating on the power of stan's bh over feds. 
Yes 3 setter in 08.

Djoko not thinking twice where to play roger on the big points.

luvsports! wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:

luvsports! wrote:

Tenez wrote:There is still not enough power from Roger's BH which means Djoko can easily control the ball from that side and pull drops shots whihc would have been much harder to pull with a pacier ball.

Like Stan's bh would/

I don't think Stan's ever beaten Nole on clay. In fact, he lost to him in Rome final in 2008 or 9.

I'm merely commentating on the power of stan's bh over feds. 
Yes 3 setter in 08.

I actually think Fed's BH can get the same if not more pace when he hits it flat.
Stan's BH looks stronger only on higher balls.

Well, this is a bit more interesting than yesterday

Both are playing at the top of their game.

Tenez wrote:Djoko not thinking twice where to play roger on the big points.

??

federer is 10 times better than Djoko but just because of that DHBH it makes it very close.

Awesome S&V point from Fed.
Simply awesome!

luvsports! wrote:

Tenez wrote:Djoko not thinking twice where to play roger on the big points.

??

everything on the BH!

luvsports! wrote:

Tenez wrote:Djoko not thinking twice where to play roger on the big points.

??

T is trying to say how Nole goes for Fed's BH...he if course would target Fed's FH

And after 2 amazing BH's from Fed, his 3rd lands in the net.

Tenez wrote:And after 2 amazing BH's from Fed, his 3rd lands in the net.

Nole is playing faster than usual today.

Fed's playing best I've seen him on clay this year, it's Nole's returning that's making the difference today.

Nadal's game now looks so obsolete.

I'll die if he wins RG