Day 13- French Open Men's semifinals

First topic message reminder :

Friends, v2ans, countrymen lend me your ears.
I have come to preview this semifinal fixture not to curse it;
The memory of the matches that these men play often live after them;
The unforced errors are often interred with their bones;
So let it be with Roger. The noble Novak
Hath told you Roger is ambitious;
If it were so, it was a grievous fault;
And grievously Roger might answer it;
Roger was my friend, faithful and just to me;
But Novak says he was ambitious;
And Novak is an honourable man;
He had brought many Grand Slams home to Switzerland;
Whose gleam did fill the trophy cabinets;
Did this in Roger seem ambitious?
When his twins have cried, Roger has stayed up;
Ambition should be made out of sterner stuff;
You did see in Paris many times now;
Thrice the 'Grand Slam' was presented;
Which he did thrice refuse; was this ambition?
Yet Novak says he was ambitious;
And Novak is an honourable man
You did all love him once, not without cause;
What reason withholds you to cheer for him?
O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts;
Bear with me, for now I must pause to do this preview

http://www.presentationmagazine.com/famous-speeches-friends-romans-countrymen-11673.htm


Mens semifinals:

Nadal(2) vs Ferrer (6)
Head to Head Record: Nadal 15-4 Ferrer
Last meeting: Rome Semis Nadal 7-6 6-0 Ferrer
Head to Head in Grand Slams: Ferrer 2-1 Nadal
Clay Head to Head: Nadal 12-1 Ferrer

Djokovic (1) vs Federer (3)
Head to Head Record: Federer 14-11 Djokovic
Last meeting: Rome Semis Djokovic 6-2 7-6 Federer
Head to Head in Grand Slams: Federer 5-4 Djokovic
Clay Head to Head: Federer 3-2 Djokovic

Predictions so far:
Ferrer- Invisible Coolers
Nadal- Lydian, Jahu, Haddie Nuff, Bogbrush, Social, Barrystar, Legendkiller, Mangamuri, Tom, Summer, SFP

Federer- Jahu, Lydian, Invisible Coolers, Haddie Nuff, Legendkiller, Tom
Djokovic- Barrystar, Bogbrush, Social, Mangamuri, Summer, SFP

thanks for the proper spelling

Must be 50:50 that this set will see a tie-breaker. So can Federer hold on to his serve.

I'm not watching, but gaining the impression that this is tremendously gritty stuff from Djoko and inconsistent from Fed. Djoko sounds like he's just willing the match his way, desperate not only to win, but to get the job done and get his rest before the final.

[quote="kemet"]If either of these guys play like this in the final, then the title is Rafa's.[/quote

It will be 6-1 6-1 6-1 to Rafa.

kemet wrote:

luciusmann wrote:Thank God!!! I was seriously worried this second set was slipping away.....thankfully Fed didn't check out mentally!!!

Now take this damn second set!!!

15-40.

If I make another post, I will start using expletives, so I will refrain from posting for now

Can't believe how timid Federer's forehand has been, he's not dictating alot today than he did in previous Djokovic clashes.

Thats how it is looking to me too - I'm only following the stats while doing a bit of work.

He hasnt been as poor as this since 2008 imo.

I really don't understand how Djokovic is leading when he's so obviously there for the taking. If this were Nadal instead of Federer there would be breadsticks. Shocking form from both, just Djokovic is the more solid but he's not having to work too hard.

i want to cry

Fed's hope now is that Djoko becomes Del Po - but surely he can't hope to win the next three sets tonight nor can he hope to be in any sort of shape for Rafa should he do so, whether tonight or tomorrow.

2008 Fo Finals Federer was better than this. Federer playing his best of his worst game. May be he has already given up considering Rafa's form in the FO.

this is painful, the match is on federers racket, he wins the point or loses it. Djok just staying calm

Oh for ffs Fed. Good night and good luck. Go home to your kids and relax for Wimbledon.

Good grief.

This is not good. I feel for Federer. Rome all over again.

I think Federer has been great for tennis - shanks for the memory Feds

Time for Fed to retire. He is finished and will never win another slam.

Jahu wrote:Oh for ffs Fed. Good night and good luck. Go home to your kids and relax for Wimbledon.

Forget about Wimbledon. He won't make the sf like in the past 2 years.

This is the most ordinary match i've seen Federer play, since the dark days of 08. Nadal will win the final in straights.

When did Fed last hold his serve? This looks like the 'no-going back' point in the match, perhaps in truth it occurred when he got broken serving at 5-4.

Anyway, at least he's hung on for longer than Ferrer did.

jersey, like anyone was expecting Fed to win RG!

Always insightful posts form you, at least this one has no boobs!

Djokovic taking away Federers serve, causing the Swiss to go for more in the rallies

jersey wrote:Time for Fed to retire. He is finished and will never win another slam.

Jersey you're a no good son of gnu. Federer shouldn't retire and clay court tennis is not his specialism.

Dear oh dear...not good.
He's staring up Mt. Everest now.

Jersey, just stick to posting photos...your tennis opinions are rubbish.

jersey wrote:Time for Fed to retire. He is finished and will never win another slam.

I thought he was going to win this edition of Roland Garros? You must have faith in yourself and your astrologer.

Nore Staat wrote:

jersey wrote:Time for Fed to retire. He is finished and will never win another slam.

Jersey you're a no good son of gnu. Federer shouldn't retire and clay court tennis is not his specialism.

Djokovic is really poor at the French Open historically, normally Federer would have cleaned up the first 2 sets.

Jahu wrote:jersey, like anyone was expecting Fed to win RG!

Always insightful posts form you, at least this one has no boobs!

I could say something to that but I won't.

Mrs LK just blurted out "Oh Feds looks lost out there. I want to go give him a hug"

Bless her

If Fed takes this set, have a feeling we could go to 5.

I've always felt that Djokovic had the potential to do better (the Djokovic Mk 1.5 or II). Federer has been the second best player at RG over the past six to seven years, but this years conditions are not ideal for Feds.

Old man should retire and impregnate Morka with twin boys now.

To be fair at this point in his career, the only place Federer has a chance at winning another slam at is a speedy Flushing Meadows. He cannot cope with Rafa or Novak at any other slam and inevitably he will always need to be beat one of them (sometimes even both).

Jahu wrote:jersey, like anyone was expecting Fed to win RG!

Always insightful posts form you, at least this one has no boobs!

Your not exactly the fountain of knowledge or insight yourself Jahu with your crazy Djoko hatred. I think you had a serbian ex wife or something.

Nore, conditions slow as Nadal has said that its one of the toughest places to win, but no excuse for massive UE's and silly mistakes from Fed.

Hmm not sure I think he has a good shout at Wimbledon myself.

social, don't be silly, even serbians yearn for non-serbian wifes.

ALPanorak wrote:To be fair at this point in his career, the only place Federer has a chance at winning another slam at is a speedy Flushing Meadows. He cannot cope with Rafa or Novak at any other slam and inevitably he will always need to be beat one of them (sometimes even both).

Old man is done winning majors.

CaledonianCraig wrote:Hmm not sure I think he has a good shout at Wimbledon myself.

slow grass will lose in the qf like in 2010 and 2011.

jersey, mad as your predictions have failed? Don't ruin the thread with more predictions.

Did you send a pm to social to help you here?

Maybe Federers UEs are due to him forcing the play and trying to put a bit more into his shots in order to try to overcome Djokovic.

This hasnt been good from Federer has it...I dont even think Djokovic is playing THAT well...not a great spectacle with all the errors.

Sadly Federer has to do a Nadal and take 40 seconds in between serves to have a chance.

Nore Staat wrote:Maybe Federers UE's is due to him forcing the play and trying to put a bit more into his shots in order to try to overcome Djokovic.

No I wouldn't say so as that is Roger Federer's natural game - playing aggressive so it is not like it is new to him.

Josiah Maiestas wrote:Sadly Federer has to do a Nadal and take 40 seconds in between serves to have a chance.

Yep, I never understood why Feds didn't "play the game" once he saw others doing it against him.

He might even have lost to Tsonga playing like he has.

It's all over - I thought he'd pick up a set but he's hardly disgraced himself this tournament. His chances of regaining No. 1 (which I never held out much for) are now fairly firmly dented.

Let's hope he's up to giving Halle a good go this year and see if he can improve upon the Wimbledon QF.

It's important to remember that we are Judging him by extremely high standards.

And Delpo if his knee kept it up.

Well all in all it has been a forgettable FO for Fed.

As I said elsewhere, Federer in 2010 had to choose an aggressive style of play because he was getting beaten at the slower stuff more often. He hired Annacone and embraced the all attacking style. But on surfaces and conditions like this that approach hurts him because he's too used to pulling the trigger and getting reward for it on faster surfaces....here you have to be more patient but he doesnt seem to have confidence in doing that. Doesnt want to hang tough.

Its a shame to see him lose routinely like this...its not as though Djokovic has been great either. He's lost some of his fizzle it seems and I wonder how this might affect him moving forwards. I also wonder if he;s doing enough fitness work...to keep him sharp. Doesnt seem sharp to me, like an edge has gone.

Looks like only the rain could save him now...

5 all in the second set. Thats when Federer started to realise he wouldnt be good enough in the final. Then he tanked the rest.

Can Roger break back...can he...