US Open - Matches - continued

First topic message reminder :

As you were...

As an aside, is it just me or is Super Saturday just what Wimbledon calls Mens Semi finals friday?

Gasquet playing quite well actually, but he doesn't have a good record against the really top players of upsetting the odds. Federer in Monte Carlo being one I can think of from years ago.

Jahu wrote:Yeah yeah, Fed old, Nadal injured, and we get to see Djoko as no:1, at this quality.

Then Andy wins a couple of GS and doesn't care any more and can't fire himself.

Tennis is a joke last 2 years.

Correction you have been a joke with your posts today and for the last two years. Nonsense like Novak will throw this match to avoid a Nadal beat down, may I suggest that you take up something you are more qualified commenting on as opposed to tennis, hey Da Vinci did it look like either player was trying to throw the match? This was another epic match between two great players and Novak again showed that he is one of the three Rolls Royce's of the current tennis scene. It is sad that you funnel your own personal prejudices in your appreciation of Djokovic or lack there of, but frankly I find your near savant like ability to shove your foot deep down your own throat so far you can kick your own ass a bit endearing.

Why is it that anytime someone in sports is compared to a Rolls Royce, there always two other Rolls Royce's?

Ive heard it in rugby, Basketball, football, NFL, baseball... Whats up with three Rolls Royce's?

socal, again you? You said you ignore my comments, whats going on now? Attacking me? I'm so hurt, don't know am I gona sleep.

Anyway, no one cares for Djoko, live with it. For other crap you wrote, I can't bother to even bother to reply.

I say to you again (once a day) it's only sport, chill out.

socal1976 wrote:What an amazing match, almost as good as Wawrinka v. Djoko I in Australia. I don't know Novak could have spent way too much energy again getting to the final against an opponent who I think will have an extremely easy go of it against Gazza. Come on Gazza take this beatch the distance to even things out. It has to be Nadal v. Djoko for the title, fast become one of the greatest rivalries in the history of the sport.

Novak would be fine for the final. He spent the least amount of time getting to the semis and he didn't have an exhausting preparation for this tournament having not made the Montreal or Cinci final. He also has a full day off tommorrow. For sure, there would be no problems physically.
If anything, he may be battle-hardened with just the kind of test he needed for the final.

kingraf wrote:As an aside, is it just me or is Super Saturday  just what Wimbledon calls Mens Semi finals friday?

Before this year they tried to crowbar the Womens final somewhere as well.

You know a player is dominant when you can accurately describe his genius as boring... This is a pretty routine mauling.

Congrats to Djoko and his fans.  

ryan - I remember, Im just struggling to justify the term Super Saturday..

mthierry wrote:

socal1976 wrote:What an amazing match, almost as good as Wawrinka v. Djoko I in Australia. I don't know Novak could have spent way too much energy again getting to the final against an opponent who I think will have an extremely easy go of it against Gazza. Come on Gazza take this beatch the distance to even things out. It has to be Nadal v. Djoko for the title, fast become one of the greatest rivalries in the history of the sport.

Novak would be fine for the final. He spent the least amount of time getting to the semis and he didn't have an exhausting preparation for this tournament having not made the Montreal or Cinci final. He also has a full day off tommorrow. For sure, there would be no problems physically.
If anything, he may be battle-hardened with just the kind of test he needed for the final.

I disagree Mthierry, I think it hurt him this year that he had that war againt Del Po in the semis of wimby against wimbeldon. A 4 plus hour match on a hard court can shoot your legs even two days later, even for an athlete like Djoko. I think he will bring it for the final no question, the competitor he is he wants every chance possible at playing Nadal till he can regain the momentum in the rivalry.

Jay Z apparently owns both Rafa Nadal Richard Mille timepieces... Must say, the humble boy from Majorca has silently become tennis' coolest cat without gaining an ounce of A-hole...

Nadal a set and a break up, pretty much a formality from here you would think

It was a long match but on past form I would expect Djokovic to be OK for the final. Remembering as well that he has slightly more rest than Rafa who plays later, I don't think either of the two of them will try to make any excuses in the final.

kingraf wrote:Jay Z apparently owns both Rafa Nadal Richard Mille timepieces... Must say, the humble boy from Majorca has silently become tennis' coolest cat without gaining an ounce of A-hole...

Now he's also tennis' coolest cat? Well, I never...will he be hosting the next Middle East peace talks and curing cancer as well

Nadal Djokovic is an interesting, with historical permutations. A win for Djokovic moves him tied with McEnroe on Seven Slams, while a Rafa victory leaves him all on his lonesome at #3 on the Slam list (Currently tied with Emerson). More importantly, it allows for an interesting duel. I have a sneaking suspicion Nadal has figured Nole out, much like he eventually did Nalbandian, and Youzhny, and anyone not named Davydenko (debateable). I just think Monday is the time to show and tell. I may be wrong, but its so exciting.

Julian - Its been so sneaky, Im not suprised youve missed it.... It started with the Aston Martin, then he got himself a Merc, Started having Jay Z in his players box, Got himself the type of clock on his arm only rappers would pay for, outlandish colour schemes, Dj lessons, the face of Bacardi... I fully expect a hip hop album out by year end...

Presumably he needs to do a bit of hard time in the joint to get some real street cred?

10 years from now Nadal is declared bankrupt after gambling his millions away on online poker games. Maybe.

The Special Juan wrote:10 years from now Nadal is declared bankrupt after gambling his millions away on online poker games.  Maybe.

Fed would bail him out of trouble.

Unbelievable, Gasquet breaks Rafa to end the streak. That was unexpected. Got to admit this is an underwhelming performance from Nadal so far, seems to just be coasting and conserving energy

Not anymore, the games changed

Given that the biggest rapper in 2012 was a prison warden, Im sure Nadal's history of knee injuries is plenty street cred!!

kingraf wrote: Nadal Djokovic is an interesting, with historical permutations. A win for Djokovic moves him tied with McEnroe on Seven Slams, while a Rafa victory leaves him all on his lonesome at #3 on the Slam list (Currently tied with Emerson). More importantly, it allows for an interesting duel. I have a sneaking suspicion Nadal has figured Nole out, much like he eventually did Nalbandian, and Youzhny, and anyone not named Davydenko (debateable). I just think Monday is the time to show and tell. I may be wrong, but its so exciting.

This rivalry much like the murray v. Djoko rivalry has had its ups and downs. Nadal has the upper hand now, and I was surprised due to his injuries and Novak controlling him in 2011. Nadal has made some good tactical adjustments but don't doubt that Djokovic or Vajda aren't going to come up with some counter moves and improvements of their own. Novak is always trying to expand his game, I don't think Nadal has figured him out anymore than he has Nadal figured out. However in the last year Nadal has clearly been the better player. Lets not forget he lost by the tiniest of margins to Nadal at RG and beat him at MC.

The first set will be important in the Nole-Rafa clash. Probably more important for Rafa. If he loses it, I think Nole will create enough opportunities to close out the contest. I'm not convinced Rafa has Nole "figured out". Their games have been too tight to assert that with any confidence.

This is not vintage Rafa tonight by any stretch. Ok he's doing alright but the UE count is high, the serve isn't particularly great %1st-wise and he just looks a little flat. Guess it must be hard to get yourself spiked for playing a guy you've beaten 10 times running. He needs to be careful or he'll give Gasquet more confidence. Not a great match in general though.

JuliusHMarx wrote:

The Special Juan wrote:10 years from now Nadal is declared bankrupt after gambling his millions away on online poker games.  Maybe.

Fed would bail him out of trouble.

He'd ask Rafa to sell him a few FOs in exchange.

Kingraf, Nadal is also playing to win every slam twice. OK, he's only won 1 AO so far I believe but 2 USOs would put him well on the way to winning two of every slam since you would think he could win another Australian Open. Never been done in the open era and only I think Emerson and Laver managed it in the whole of tennis history. Laver with the first of his in the amateur era and Emerson with both in that category. For most of the 1960s these were second tier tournaments.

Lydian, I am really enjoying the match. Definite calibre from Rafa, much better than at the start of the year in fact, and only poor by his recent high standards. It does feel a little flat though, I think the crowd peaked in the 3rd game of the 5th set of the previous match and struggling to get themselves up again.

HB - Out of interest, what is winning every Slam twice called? The Career Grand Slam Deux?

lydian wrote:This is not vintage Rafa tonight by any stretch. Ok he's doing alright but the UE count is high, the serve isn't particularly great %1st-wise and he just looks a little flat. Guess it must be hard to get yourself spiked for playing a guy you've beaten 10 times running. He needs to be careful or he'll give Gasquet more confidence. Not a great match in general though.

Actually Lydian I think you'll find Rafa is playing 167% better than he's ever done at any stage of his career.

Thanks for the metric JHM, that's really useful.

Glad you're enjoying it HB...to me Rafa doesn't seem at his lethal best, he's spraying a lot of shots tonight but then I guess he can't be at his best all the time, and no use peaking before the final. Always nice to Gasquets BH too. Agree its flat after the last match.

Henman Bill wrote:Lydian, I am really enjoying the match. Definite calibre from Rafa, much better than at the start of the year in fact, and only poor by his recent high standards. It does feel a little flat though, I think the crowd peaked in the 3rd game of the 5th set of the previous match and struggling to get themselves up again.

One moment I liked was after a particularly gruelling rally filled with great shots and greats the fans got up and gave the boys a standing O, and both players were clearly winded at this point, then Stan the server to buy some time started waving them on, and then when stopped Novak the returner did the same thing to buy a few more seconds, and the crowd seeing that the two guys were using their cheers to buy more time to recover from a particularly vicious point got the message and kept it going to give the guys a breather. The atmosphere was truly great and both players acquitted themselves so well in that first semi. I always felt the second semi was going to be more dull of the two.

Well fair play to Gasquet to be at least trying things on nadal 2nd serve. Both players are below their QF performances. Wind not helping them.
Personnally thought the quality of the other semi went down after the 2nd set although it remained entertaining.

Nadal finding his 2nd gear in this TB.

Really, this match is on a string for Rafa. Its not if, its when he wants to Move through the gears..

Lol, yes 2nd gear is seemingly enough. Gasquet self-imploding there.
Hard to see Reeeeeshard winning the next 3 sets for sure.

Agree the 1st semi dulled abit after a while quality wise but a great spectacle. Wawrinka has most definitely arrived.

Socal, it was not just to get a breather, but genuine interchange and appreciation of the quality of the match. (Silly comment by the umpire after that, saying players are ready when it was the players that asked for the appreciation! doh!)

Lydian, actually Nadal's level did seem to dip there in the second set, wasn't that impressed.

Gasquet actually winning half of none key points, but in the tiebreak just too tight, sadly. Rather an anticlimax. Looking at the time I'll probably call it a night here.

Gasquet is a brilliant choker. This guy should p!ss off from tennis altogether.. How did Ferrer lose to him?

Poor umpiring there. Hit his shot, saw it had missed and then challenged - shouldn't have been allowed.

Very unimpressed with Nadal. He is cannon fodder for Novak if he plays anything like this in the final.

Josiah Maiestas wrote:Gasquet is a brilliant choker. This guy should p!ss off from tennis altogether.. How did Ferrer lose to him?

Dunno but I still rather watch paint dry than Nadal spanking ferrer yet another time so thanks Richard. At least you broke nadal serve once

Don't blame you HB, I'm a Rafa fan but not particularly enjoying this. Rafa is playing very safe tonight, not particularly aggressive, it's all well inside the lines with large net clearance...just hope he doesn't play this way on Monday or he's toast.

Break! Gasquet has been baptized

Right, but did you see one forehand pass down the line when the question was really asked the answer was there. I am sure he will be playing with more intensity in the final although I would have Djokovic possibly as slight favourite purely on the hard court head to head record of recent years, and more hard court slams won in the last few years.

Anyway, I really am off to bed now, but maybe catch you guys for the final.

Nadal's forehand down the line is the deadliest shot in the game at the moment.

Josiah Maiestas wrote:Gasquet is a brilliant choker. This guy should p!ss off from tennis altogether.. How did Ferrer lose to him?

Simple Ferrer didn't wanna face Rafa either.  

Gasquet needs his bumps felt, what's he doing trying to out ralley Nadal? Must be mad.

Nadal is actually really annoying me tonight. This style of play is really unpicking the good aggressive work he's put in. Grooving into this high spin, high clearance type of play will do him no favours whatsoever for Monday.

Right I'm off too...

This is going to end quite soon!

Do Richard ever Workout in GYM? he looks like a dead man on most games I saw him play and today is no different either, if he work on his power and stamina his mental approach might just improve with it, there is clearly no lack of talent and variety in his game.

Henman Bill wrote:in the final although I would have Djokovic possibly as slight favourite purely on the hard court head to head record of recent years, and more hard court slams won in the last few years.

Based on the 1st scenario I would have Nadal will win easy, I don't think the current Djoko has in him to beat Rafa, unless and untill he rediscovers the mojo of Monte Carlo Djoko will go down in st.sets.

BTW... Tokyo gets 2020 Olympics. Madrid is disappointed at the loss of the bid, as is Istanbul.