French Open discussion thread

[Danny_1982]

First topic message reminder :

Murray is surely going to go all out attack in the SF. I can't see him beating Nadal who is starting to look close to his peak form. However, if he can give him a tough match that will be very encouraging for Wimbledon.

Yep, it'll be all guns blazing I imagine. Going after every return he can and trying to end points quickly. It'll be fun to watch, but if you offered me a 4 set defeat for Muzza now I'd bite your hand off.

[ChequeredJersey]

Even if Nadal serves as well as he was today Djokovic will still grind out some breaks of serve, he is not Murray.

Ah, right. Rafa's doomed then

[skyeman]

►Muy bien esfuerzo con el frances por El Rey de Arcilla.

That does not translate very well.

Something about effort?

[Josiah Maiestas]

Does anyone really think Novak will return as crap as Andy did? Have as bad a forehand? Hahaha.

It just doesn't end there, crappy serving, lack of game play, not playing to his strengths, Andy just wanted to go home and I guess he wanted to do that last week itself but was forced to stay for 2 more matches.

Soon as he got semi final points he was done with this tournament. Worst performance i've seen by him at a slam.

[Calder106]

No positives in that display for Murray apart from the fact he got that far in the first place. Nadal showed the ruthless streak which Murray so often doesn't. Once he was ahead there was no way he was letting his opponent back into the match.

Please Andy get a coach who can getting you serving at a higher level on a consistent basis.

[whocares]

am disapointed by Murray, stuck in 1st gear for all game and complete lack of focus at times . if he wanted to lose this on purpose, he couldnt do it in a better way. it looked like he was not very interested in this game and his 1st serve was most of the time slow.
was it really Andy or did he sent his brother instead?

[skyeman]

Love Dok, and i really do hope he gives Nadal a game.

But gees, Nadal in this form. No.

[Gerry SA]

Well played Rafael Nadal simply outstanding.

Unlucky Andy Murray, perhaps a match to far. But the 13/14hrs of match sharpness will become vital for Wimbledon, as will the ranking points.

Nadal sets another record, like he needs anymore, first man to reach 5 consecutive Roland Garros finals.

I wonder if Robin Soderling is disappointed that come Sunday Djokovic will steal his party piece(only man to beat Nadal in Paris)

[Danny_1982]

JM - No, Novak is not Murray. He's the second best clay courter in the world. Murray isn't even top 10 on clay in my opinion. He punched a little above his weight these two weeks.

I don't know why you're enjoying emphasising this relative weakness in Andy's game though. Nobody really disputes he's not as great here. He's never beaten a top 4 ranked player on this surface, or reached a clay final in his entire career.

[Guest]

You seem annoyed Jm that Muzz didnt push Nadal at all and in fact boosted his confidence... youre not WORRIED are you? After all Novaks gonna destroy him right   

[skyeman]

Does anyone really think Novak will return as crap as Andy did? Have as bad a forehand? Hahaha.

It just doesn't end there, crappy serving, lack of game play, not playing to his strengths, Andy just wanted to go home and I guess he wanted to do that last week itself but was forced to stay for 2 more matches.

Soon as he got semi final points he was done with this tournament. Worst performance i've seen by him at a slam.

^This

[kemet]

My prediction for Sunday

Rafa wins 6-3, 4-6, 7-5. 7-6.

[Guest]

Im proper stoked now for the final, if Nadal can bring that, itll be a final for the ages. Im thinking a wimby 2008 moment

[skyeman]

My prediction for Sunday

Rafa wins 6-3, 4-6, 7-5. 7-6.

That would be good to watch.

[Josiah Maiestas]

You seem annoyed Jm that Muzz didnt push Nadal at all and in fact boosted his confidence... youre not WORRIED are you? After all Novaks gonna destroy him right   

He hardly put a foot wrong. He was also helped by an inept display from andy.... Murray has never played a clay final so he's on the same level as all those other none finalists   

[Silver]

Poor from Murray, but he did well to get this far, even if the draw did open up for him. 720 points in the bag, off to the grass he trots. Commiserations Craig, Danny et al, though I'm sure you weren't expecting much from today!

As for the final, should be a decent match.

[Danny_1982]

Poor from Murray, but he did well to get this far, even if the draw did open up for him. 720 points in the bag, off to the grass he trots. Commiserations Craig, Danny et al, though I'm sure you weren't expecting much from today!

As for the final, should be a decent match.

  

Wish he'd represented himself a bit better today, but overall delighted with his two weeks work.

Now onto a slam he realistically CAN win.

[HM Murdock]

Every time there is a final between Rafa and Novak, it appears that Rafa is building momentum and Novak is tailing off. And yet Novak still gets his share of wins.

Not at slam level though.

The biggest factor for me on Sunday is that Novak has won only 1 of his last 5 slam finals. I just don't think he has it in him to get the job done anymore.

If Novak keeps his mind straight he has a chance.

But, as much as it pains me, I think we'll be seeing that blooming awful trophy-biting celebration on Sunday.

[Josiah Maiestas]

Every time there is a final between Rafa and Novak, it appears that Rafa is building momentum and Novak is tailing off. And yet Novak still gets his share of wins.

Not at slam level though.

The biggest factor for me on Sunday is that Novak has won only 1 of his last 5 slam finals. I just don't think he has it in him to get the job done anymore.

If Novak keeps his mind straight he has a chance.

But, as much as it pains me, I think we'll be seeing that blooming awful trophy-biting celebration on Sunday.

Sadly he has disappointed in those finals I think losing to Rafa and Murray had more to do with his poor serving. If he serves well we will have a new winner in Parees   

[TopoftheChops]

Nadal will win 1000%. I'm betting £100 on nadal winning

[naxroy]

ok,good to see nadal is at least full of confidence

what will happen? I fear djokovic to be simply too good for rafa at the moment, but still have my hopes

hopes based on past stats of course but also in the way nadal beat ferrer and murray

I just dont know if nadal would have trashed in such a way gulbis or raonic

it seems like big hitters hurt nadal more than grinders and djokovic is both a great hitter and a relentless defender

[TopoftheChops]

he lost a set to gulbis today, hardly a thrashing

[Guest]

I shall wait and see the match later on.

Onwards to the Grass.

[HM Murdock]

Are there any odds being quoted on the final yet?

[kemet]

►Muy bien esfuerzo con el frances por El Rey de Arcilla.

That does not translate very well.

Something about effort?

Muy buen esfuerzo hablando en francés por El Rey de Arcilla.

Translation: Very good effort at speaking in French for the King of Clay.

Sorry, my Spanish grammar is still quite dodgy.

[kingraf]

Missed the match as I had an early dinner with the bird before she went to the coast. Reading the comments on your, it seems Murray played poorly, or Nadal played exceptionally, depending on who you're interested in.

[TopoftheChops]

nadal 4/5 Djokovic evens

[The Special Juan]

Reports are Novak has the sniffles or something.

[Guest]

Yeah there was talk that Novak looked a tiny bit tired at the end of the semi, I didnt see that match, was that just rumor?

[HM Murdock]

Just watched the press conferences.

1) Novak sounds like he has a cold and mentioned factors he "didn't want to talk about". This is not good.

2) Murray is SO annoyed with his performance!

[kingraf]

He did look a little gassed, don't know how serious it is, or how serious it could be. But I suspect it's one of those things which seem manageable a set up, but look like an albatross you can't get rid of a set down.

[laverfan]

2) Murray is SO annoyed with his performance!

Q.  At what point of the match did you sense that it was going to be a very difficult afternoon?

ANDY MURRAY:  Well, I knew it was going to be a difficult afternoon obviously before I went on the court. I was expecting a lot of long rallies.  I was expecting to have to do a lot of running.  And, yeah, I just yeah, I mean, it was a tough day for me.  It was a bad, bad day. Yeah, I'll need to bounce back quickly from it, because I'm not particularly happy with the way I played today.

http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/news/interviews/2014-06-06/201406061402073059364.html

[HM Murdock]

The way he ran out of steam, maybe he'd had some pills that wore off?

Who knows? I just want both players to be fit for Sunday.

[Guest]

With any luck they're pills for a small sniffle and not painkillers for his wrist

[Josiah Maiestas]

No straight set victory please Djok, go easy on him and let him have a set.   

[DJB14]

I think today was just a classic example of an Murray having a bad day and Nadal having a great day, resulting in a lopsided match. As fit as Murray is he clearly was tired today but even then he still wouldn't have won the match with Nadal in that form.

As for Sunday wel what can you say that hasn't been covered already. If Djokovic wins you have to say well done he deserves a RG crown just as Federer did in 2009. If Nadal wins then you would have to just admire the best clay courter ever and a grand slam for 10 years in a row would be mighty impressive.

I see no reason why Nadal cannot win but the odds sooner or later have to catch up to him, 65-1 and that's not including the best of five on clay outside of RG. Either way lets hope its a cracking match and they get lucky without rain delays.

[The Special Juan]

I fancy the Halep - Nadal double.

[yloponom68]

Djokovic's last defeat of Nadal in Rome - 4-6, 6-3, 6-3. Djokovic played fantastic tennis, Rafa did not at all. Rafa STILL had a point for 4-4 in third set. Now, any win over Nadal on clay is great, so well done. But also, it's 3 of 5 sets, so it's another set to win, and therefore more times for fluctuations in the match.

Novak has shown a different side in his last several Major finals, than the 2011 version. Doesn't mean he won't come out "2011" on Sunday - the fact he is trying to win his 1st French Open and complete the "set," may make his job harder, or make him more focused. Hard to tell at this point. It's a far bigger gain for Novak, than loss for Nadal, if Novak wins this final. Rafa still has his 8 French Opens, 13 Majors. But were Djokovic to come up short on Sunday, it only makes it harder.

The psychological pressure of not yet winning that particular Major increases, he is another year older, and the competition has another year to develop their games, get big match experience, and so on.

I can see the possibilities of either man winning in 3, 4 or 5 sets. That said, if Nadal plays to today's level for three sets, chances are, he will at least win one of them, unless Djokovic squeezes through 3 tiebreak sets. If he can do that, more power to him, and well done. I just think Nadal has more mental resiliency to get through difficult patches, and over 5 sets, it gives him a greater opportunity to "turn it around." He's won some amazing 5 set matches under great pressure at the Majors, but also has the experience of quite a few more where he ultimately lost - but he's shown a tremendous learning ability to move forward, positively from these.

Wimbledon 2007 for example. Federer won that match 6-2 in the 5th, but Nadal had bps in two of Federer's first 2 service games, so could have been 6-2 Nadal had he won both those points. He took away a massive learning experience that, a year later, took him to the title. Australian Open, playing one day later than Federer, a bruising 5 setter, but then he comes back and runs away with the 5th set, 6-2 v Federer.

I just think that, if all things go without hitches, his back, weather, Djokovic's wrist, etc., that playing to his level today, it's going to be a huge ask for him to take Rafa's title away. But, as said earlier, were Djokovic to play to his height, and Rafa brings his "March" clay game from this year, well.....yeah, could go to either man in 3, 4 or 5. I think for me, it makes this such a mouth watering match to anticipate. I want Rafa to win No.9, but will be the first to say Well bloody done, should Novak "bring the goods," and get the job done. Guess I am fortunate that, although a hard Rafa fan, I respect and enjoy the games of Djokovic, Federer AND Murray, to the point where, should any of them win a Major over Rafa, if it's because of their fantastic play, I salute, acknowledge and admire. It's all "win, win" for tennis....and so we wait.....

[laverfan]

Between Djokovic and Nadal, either winning it, will create Tennis history. to both Tennis warriors.

[Guest]

Watching the Nadal mauling of Murray. Too many errors so far and too many mid court balls playing to Rafas FH

[The Special Juan]

Murray was presented with "Dusty Bin" after the match.

[Guest]

I find it strange that despite finding a way to play the likes of Federer and Djokovic that Murray has never quite worked out a gameplan to play Nadal. I do wonder what Lendl's approach would've been.

[CaledonianCraig]

Far too much of Murray's game failed to spark today. His service return was way below what we expect from him, he looked laboured and flat and didn't seem tuned in at all. A disappointing way to end the fortnight after so much promise and he knows as any tennis fans do that he didn't do himself justice today.

However, Rafa was superb. He was the opposite of Andy in that everything he tried came off. A whole array of marvellous shots were on show and on this form I would be surprised if Novak can pull it off on Sunday but hopefully I am wrong and Djoko gives Rafa a real test and a final to remember.

As for Andy it is off to grass for him - a surface he is much more at home on. Hopefully this mauling will not knock his confidence too much.

[HM Murdock]

Novak has shown a different side in his last several Major finals, than the 2011 version. Doesn't mean he won't come out "2011" on Sunday - the fact he is trying to win his 1st French Open and complete the "set," may make his job harder, or make him more focused. Hard to tell at this point. It's  a far bigger gain for Novak, than loss for Nadal, if Novak wins this final. Rafa still has his 8 French Opens, 13 Majors. But were Djokovic to come up short on Sunday, it only makes it harder.

The psychological pressure of not yet winning that particular Major increases, he is another year older, and the competition has another year to develop their games, get big match experience, and so on.

This is my feeling too.

The last two years have been ones of missed chances and opportunities slipping away. As a 'fan', Novak's recent slam finals (and the de facto final in the SF at RG last year) have not been much fun to go through. I don't believe he has the wherewithal to win a slam anymore.

I think there will be a hangover from another final defeat. My hope is that it is simply a case of Rafa being great and being the better man on the day. I think those kind of defeats are easier for a player to get over. What I really don't want is an opportunity messed up i.e. serving for the match and failing to do so, double faulting at a key point etc. I think that will create a load of mental baggage.

[laverfan]

I find it strange that despite finding a way to play the likes of Federer and Djokovic that Murray has never quite worked out a gameplan to play Nadal. I do wonder what Lendl's approach would've been.

Lendl is a very good student of the opponent's game. He would have looked at Djokovic-Nadal matches and implemented variations that work to Murray's strengths, like the CC BH or Nadal FH attack (a la Djokovic). If you notice in Murray's comments that he was expecting a lot of long rallies, instead what he got was a bruising attack on his own FH. The UEs did not help either.

I am certain Djokovic is going to push Nadal back to the baseline before the FH breaking CC.

[antonico]

JM - No, Novak is not Murray. He's the second best clay courter in the world.

Roger Federer, having been to five French Open Finals; has actually won the French Open in his career; has won 9 other titles on clay, 6 of which are Masters 1000 Events (4 Hamburg, 2 Madrid) -  is the real "second best clay courter in the world". Djokovic is a bit short of these accomplishments, to date.

Most interesting comment in all the pressers today came from Nadal. Asked about his current state of mind given the fact he's lost 4 straight to Djokovic, Nadal's reply was as close to confidence as we get from him: "He beat me 4 times but he never beat me here". Bodo posted at tennis.com's site that word from the Nadal camp all week was that Nadal's practices at RG this year have been some of the best ones of his life. Which might explain 3 bagels and a few breadsticks he's dished out this fortnight. It's not to say Djokovic cannot win Sunday; he could. But if Nadal is uttering stuff like this publicly, then Djokovic will probably have to play the match of his life if he wants the title.

[naxroy]

in a season many consider a weak one for nadal, he makes appearance in the final of the two slams played to the moment. and he also reaches the final in 3 of 5 of the masters played

[lorus59]

I thinks the Federer of a few years ago would have been the second best clay court player but for the last few years you would have to say Djokovic is.

[invisiblecoolers]

am disapointed by Murray, stuck in 1st gear for all game and complete lack of focus at times . if he wanted to lose this on purpose, he couldnt do it in a better way.  it looked like he was not very interested in this game and his 1st serve was most of the time slow.
was it really Andy or did he sent his brother instead?

Murray stuck in the 1st gear? no ways he was in the reverse gear all through the match, if I am right scoreline would back my argument too, 6-3 , 6-2 and 6-1   

Most part of the Match Murray didn't even have the power to serve, some of his first serves which ended in net was way slower than his normal 2nd serve.  

[invisiblecoolers]

Im proper stoked now for the final, if Nadal can bring that, itll be a final for the ages. Im thinking a wimby 2008 moment

Yup but this time Rafa will be on the receiving end, Djoko to win the 1st two sets and Rafa to win the next 2 sets and DJoko to win the final set to win a career slam.   

[invisiblecoolers]

Nadal will win 1000%. I'm betting £100 on nadal winning

Good Luck, I am betting $100 on Nole to win.   

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