Indian Wells Match Thread (Nadal wins!)

[Silver]

First topic message reminder :

Rafael Nadal defeats Juan Martin Del Potro to win Indian Wells 2013! 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Nadal's route to the title:

R1: Bye
R2: Ryan Harrison (7-6, 6-2)
R3: Leonardo Mayer (Walkover)
R4: Ernests Gulbis (4-6, 6-4, 7-5)
QF: Roger Federer (6-4, 6-2)
SF: Tomas Berdych (6-4, 7-5)
F: Juan Martin Del Potro (4-6, 6-3, 6-4)

Updated draw on the ATP site.

[Josiah Maiestas]

[User 774433]

BP Nole

What the hell are you talking about? It's match point?

I saw the scoreboard wrong. I have eyesight problems you see.

[summerblues]

If Rafa wins tomorrow, he is back to #4

[User 774433]

[Jahu]

Match of the year

[Josiah Maiestas]

Lost to a guy with no tactics!

[User 774433]

Match of the year

I second that, both players were superb

[LuvSports!]

Match of the year

naaaa stan djoko was the best by far.

[User 774433]

Match of the year

naaaa stan djoko was the best by far.

yeah you're right LS, I forgot about that one.

[Silver]

Hmm, not too late to edit those terrible predictions of mine...

#7 vs #5 in the final well done JMDP!

[lydian]

Wow. Just wow. What a competitor Delpo actually is.
An incredible comeback from 0-3 in the 3rd...if anything he outlasted Novak.
Thats 2 brutal matches now...wonder how much he'll have in the tank tomorrow.

Delpo

[User 774433]

Hmm, not too late to edit those terrible predictions of mine...

#7 vs #5 in the final well done JMDP!

Yes, also I think this is the first time Indian Wells is going to have a final without a top 4 player for ages.

[The Special Juan]

Hmmm well done DelPo. I stand corrected. That's a shame, I was looking forward to Djokovic beating Nadal. Still, hopefully DelPo can do it tomorrow for me. Also, it's a deserved final between the best two players of the week.

[The Special Juan]

Wow, that's shocking grammar from me in the above post.

[HM Murdock]

I didn't see the whole match but, for what I saw, Del Potro was the better player.

I'm pleased for JMDP. I hope this is a sign of things to come. We need a player to step up and he looks like the pick of the chasing pack.

Weird tournament for Novak. Never quite seemed totally tuned in.

Interesting final now though. Nadal starts as favourite but if Del Potro brings this form and confidence, anything can happen.

[Jahu]

Delpo will be tired tomorrow, easy prey for Nadal, but for Delpo this win should roll him for the year, and hopefully in Miami now he can beat some more of him.

[User 774433]

HM, Del Potro beat Nadal a few weeks ago in straight sets, I think he has a great chance tomorrow.

[summerblues]

Wow. Just wow. What a competitor Delpo actually is.
An incredible comeback from 0-3 in the 3rd...if anything he outlasted Novak.
Thats 2 brutal matches now...wonder how much he'll have in the tank tomorrow.

Amazing the way he won that last set. I thought it was over at 3:0, but he stormed back and was always looking the more dangerous towards the end. I suspect tomorrow may be a bridge too far for him but at least he has finally started getting some results against the top guys.

[lags72]

Djokovic has already won this match Jahu.
6-4 4-6 6-4.

And your reputation as the best tipster on the forum grows by the day.

In fairness you do get the score lines about right.

Just the names that seem to confuse you .......!

JMDP

[summerblues]

HM, Del Potro beat Nadal a few weeks ago in straight sets, I think he has a great chance tomorrow.

Of course you do.

[summerblues]

HM, Del Potro beat Nadal a few weeks ago in straight sets, I think he has a great chance tomorrow.

Of course you do.

"Even as a Rafa fan", should I add...

[User 774433]

HM, Del Potro beat Nadal a few weeks ago in straight sets, I think he has a great chance tomorrow.

Of course you do.

He cruised past Nadal a few weeks ago in New York... I don't see he you can't do the same again tomorrow. He's on great form is the Del P.

[User 774433]

Djokovic has already won this match Jahu.
6-4 4-6 6-4.

And your reputation as the best tipster on the forum grows by the day.

In fairness you do get the score lines about right.

Just the names that seem to confuse you .......!

JMDP

My contact lens fell out, so I could not see the names.

[Jahu]

Red jinxed Djoko in purpose

[User 774433]

Red jinxed Djoko in purpose

This guy can see through me like a car windscreen repaired by autoglass

[Silver]

Fair play to the guy, taking down the two AO finalists at a hard-court tournament in successive rounds really is a top achievement. Papal inspiration?

[Josiah Maiestas]

Lost to a guy with a losing to head to head vs Mardy Fish

[lydian]

Yep SB, great to see. That FH is quite something on song...it's a war hammer!

[The Special Juan]

Also, enjoy the victory IC.

[laverfan]

Also, enjoy the victory IC.

iC's boy did well again today. There was some talk about USO 2009 Delpo being back. I hope he has enough to make it a contest, and perhaps have a chance against Nadal.

[summerblues]

I hope he has enough to make it a contest, and perhaps have a chance against Nadal.

I hope you are right, but I think beating Andy, Nole and Rafa in succession - especially since the first two were tough three setters - may be too much of an ask. Also, he has not been beating the top guys all that much lately, so it is not like it is routine for him. But hope I will nevertheless

[laverfan]

From Berdych serving for the set at 5-3 to losing the set and match at 7-5, Djokovic being up 3-0 to losing the match 6-4, some similarities there.

It has taken DelPo from 2009 Canada till now to get to a MS final. Let us see if it is one match too far or not.

to Nadal and DelPo.

[Henman Bill]

Red, your silly expectation management predictions of Rafa to lose against players he should own like Gulbis or an injured Federer are becoming rather tedious.

[Henman Bill]

I have to say I turned to my mate at 0-3 in the final set and said "Del Potro will win it from here". Just kidding. Great effort from Del Potro to get from 0-3 to 6-4 against Djokovic. Great step forward for him to get wins against 2 of the big 4 back to back after struggling to achieve one such victory for a long time.

[Henman Bill]

Great result for Rafa, wasn't it.

I hope Del Potro can get a first masters title but with physical fitness and emotions a factor after 2 tough masters I see Nadal winning.

[summerblues]

From Berdych serving for the set at 5-3 to losing the set and match at 7-5

Oh really? I missed that match and saw the final score only; that is even worse for Tomas than I thought.

[User 774433]

HB, Del Potro did beat Nadal a few weeks ago in New York.

Either way I think it will be a close and exciting final

Del P is playing really well, as well as he has for a long time, and Nadal is looking better coming back from injury.

[lags72]

Red, your silly expectation management predictions of Rafa to lose against players he should own like Gulbis or an injured Federer are becoming rather tedious.

Definitely with you there HB, and this practice now enjoys its own description in case you weren't already aware.

It is officially known as "pre-emptive jinxing", a term coined by summerblues IIRC, on the occasion of one in a continuing series of irrational predictions by Red.

[invisiblecoolers]

Red jinxed Djoko in purpose

Thx Red for that,

[invisiblecoolers]

Also, enjoy the victory IC.

Thx TSJ, I am in all moon, what's special is when everybody thinks he doesn't have enough to play the next match against a legend he comes up more inspired and firing, I am pretty sure he gonna give Rafa a few scares tomorrow.

Del Po might end up winning 3 match in a row from a set down against 3 great players.

Thx LF n TSJ

[User 774433]

Red jinxed Djoko in purpose

Thx Red for that,

[lags72]

The odds would say that you're bound to get one right some day Red....!!

But your preview articles remain top quality (maybe just give the actual predictions a miss).

[User 774433]

Me and Silver are going to do a dual special tomorrow- watch out for that

[invisiblecoolers]

The odds would say that you're bound to get one right some day Red....!!

But your preview articles remain top quality (maybe just give the actual predictions a miss).

Now I am gonna scare Red here as I am prettyy sure Del Po gonna come back from a set down in the final to win the match again, so if somebody see an odd of 8 plus over Del Po after the 1st set just don't miss to pack a punch.

[carrieg4]

Another great result for Del Potro

[Haddie-nuff]

We should be in for a good final ...one at least that was not predicted..
Happy St Patricks Day

[CaledonianCraig]

I would say it is key that Del Potro wins in straight sets. His last two matches have been physically gruelling so Rafa will be the fresher of the two. How much does Juan want it? Will he rest on his laurels and feel he has already had a great tournament? If he keeps up his high consistency levels he has a great chance but I am tipping Rafa - a man on a mission.

[The Special Juan]

I think DelPo might win this. Ok, he might be fatigued, but he certainly isn't scared of Nadal and, let's face it, if he plays like he did against Murray and Djokovic (probably the best two players in the world just now) I don't see what Nadal can do about it. I'm going to say DelPo to win in two but whatever happens, he's had a phenomenal tournament and I am so glad to see him back at his best.

Also, congratulations to the Bryans who have now won everything.

[Haddie-nuff]

Rafa for me ..I agree with CC he is a man on a mission...he will not surrender easily Delpo is playing well but I think he will have to up it another gear

[lydian]

A lot depends on Delpo's stamina today.
Make no mistake he's hitting the ball huge at the moment and Rafa has trouble with big flat hitters who don't choke big points/moments like Berdych. Delpo could blow him off court before stamina becomes an issue...and I don't think Nadal played that well yesterday, he needs to up his form for the final...he gave Berdych a lot of 'looks' that a better player would have capitalised on yesterday.
That said, Rafa always brings that X Factor which confounds normal thinking...on paper you think X and Y will happen but Nadal's game is so unorthodox and at times inventive/unexpected that he seems to throw players off their stride when you least expect it. I'm going for Rafa in 3 but I wouldn't be surprised to see Delpo win either if he's not been on a drip all night.

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