The Indian Wells Masters 1000 Thread

[temporary21]

First topic message reminder :

Figured that masters 1000 events deserve their own threads and as such here is your place for all things Indian Wells.

[LuvSports!]

Good hold again from Rao. I really hope he wins this for his confidence.

[Jahu]

Oh yesss break him Milo

[Jahu]

BP what a rocket.

[Jahu]

Yesssss Milo breaks what a point.

Serve for the match with new balls, blow him off the court

[summerblues]

Hold Milos, please!

[LuvSports!]

This would be the biggest win of his career, no pressure

[Jahu]

Rocket 1.

146 mph

[laverfan]

Pretty gutsy from Raonic. I think he can serve it out.

[Jahu]

Easy Milo easy.

[Jahu]

Ice cool baby, just serve.

[Jahu]

Rocket 2.

130 mph.

[Jahu]

Double MP

and yesssssssssssssssssss

[Jahu]

Oh what a win.

Well deserved, you people better warm up to Raonic, he will win a GS, which can't be said for Berdy or Ferrer

[summerblues]

Cool. Very, very cool.

[LuvSports!]

Huge win.

[Jahu]

Our hopes rest now with Andy to beat Djoko, and a Fed-Andy final, been some time

[temporary21]

The curse of Fedal continues. Now then can Raonic break out and do something big?

[laverfan]

Well played to Raonic. Good fight from Nadal.

[Jahu]

48 to 25 winners for Milo.

[Jahu]

LF, that brass knob is looking at least polished now if not beautiful

[summerblues]

It has often happened in the past that players lost to Rafa even if they appeared to be playing better than him.

Today, Rafa looked better than Rao, yet he lost.

Very happy for the little Canadian kid.  Gutsy in that TB saving MPs and what not, under all the pressure.

[summerblues]

The curse of Fedal continues. Now then can Raonic break out and do something big?

Hopefully not tomorrow, but I would have no problem with him winning RG this year (not that it will happen, of course).

[temporary21]

His only real chance is Wimbledon, he had some fortune to go with his guts today, but his game is still limited against Novak on HC's. That bh is still way too janky.

[LuvSports!]

Confidence is a funny old thing. If he can release the shackles, he can really go far.

[It Must Be Love]

I'm not a fan of Raonic's game, I hope Federer beats him tomorrow.

As for Nadal, his forehand is just not good enough these days, sad to see such a great champion fall like this. I remember people predicted he would be gone by 23, they were off by 5 years.

[temporary21]

Rafa could have no fh or backhand, be in a wheelchair whilst reciting the Chinese dictionary backwards, and still have no equal on clay.
He lost a tough match agaisnt a big server who bombed it down on his chances. Imagine if Agassi lost to Ivanisevic under the same cirmumstance. Noone would be too worried, hes still there after all.

[LuvSports!]

They said the same about Feds in 2013 IMBL. He will be back.

[It Must Be Love]

Rafa could have no fh or backhand, be in a wheelchair whilst reciting the Chinese dictionary backwards, and still have no equal on clay.

gfjsrbgtisergsergbesrghh

[It Must Be Love]

Indian Wells surface suits Nadal better than any clay court.

[mthierry]

Nadal is looking really, really average. The forehand is gone. His return is poor. He seems a worse player than David Ferrer these days who is the wrong side of 30. And miles worse than Federer too. I believe this is the year he'll be dethroned at RG. Perhaps he can see his own alarming decline prompting his recent comment about the big 4 being broken up. He looks the most likely to be ousted from that group.

[Jahu]

Think this RG will go to a non top 4.

[temporary21]

I must disagree. It might be slow, and bouncy, but its still a hc, on clay you can slide, and noone slides better on clay than Rafa

[mthierry]

Rafa could have no fh or backhand, be in a wheelchair whilst reciting the Chinese dictionary backwards, and still have no equal on clay.
He lost a tough match agaisnt a big server who bombed it down on his chances. Imagine if Agassi lost to Ivanisevic under the same cirmumstance. Noone would be too worried, hes still there after all.

Raonic would be carved apart by Federer tomorrow. Nadal should be taking care of player like him with minimum fuss. Nadal playing at his best should absolutely destroy Raonic - especially on this well-suited surface.

[mthierry]

Perhaps, he should shake things up in that team of his. Maybe a new coach with fresh ideas and new motivations may do him the world of good. There's much to work on technically and tactically in his horrid game at the moment.

[temporary21]

Rafa could have no fh or backhand, be in a wheelchair whilst reciting the Chinese dictionary backwards, and still have no equal on clay.
He lost a tough match agaisnt a big server who bombed it down on his chances. Imagine if Agassi lost to Ivanisevic under the same cirmumstance. Noone would be too worried, hes still there after all.

Raonic would be carved apart by Federer tomorrow. Nadal should be taking care of player like him with minimum fuss. Nadal playing at his best should absolutely destroy Raonic - especially on this well-suited surface.

Thats giving very little credit to Raonic, Rafa was taking him apart until the end of the second set, and Raonic dug in.
You cant expect people to stay easy to beat forever, if I recall Raonics other big win was over Federer, on a fast indoor court that suits Roger. Its time to give some props, Milos found some cojones, now to keep them for the slams.

[Jahu]

Perhaps, he should shake things up in that team of his. Maybe a new coach with fresh ideas and new motivations may do him the world of good. There's much to work on technically and tactically in his horrid game at the moment.

His body is giving up after years of punishment, don't see any style change that will help Nadal, he has all the good tools, Leif on court said he is standing 20 feet from baseline, playing it safe.

[Jahu]

tempo, Raonic beat Fed in Paris which is a mud court, and not fast at all.

[CaledonianCraig]

Naff all to get excited about. Rafa still not back up to top level yet and a surface that suits Raonic game. No big deal and in the grand scheme of things means very little.

[It Must Be Love]

It suits Raonic because of the fact he's tall and the ball bounces high... but the court suited Nadal and his topspin even more CC.

[laverfan]

Perhaps, he should shake things up in that team of his. Maybe a new coach with fresh ideas and new motivations may do him the world of good. There's much to work on technically and tactically in his horrid game at the moment.

It is tough for Nadal to fire a well respected coach (and his own uncle) he has had, and one who has made him a player he is today. His loyalty to UT is unquestionable.

He is very unlike Federer, who could fire anyone, when he thought they were not adding value.

Ferrer also stayed with Piles for a long time. I do not think it will ever happen.

[Silver]

Naff all to get excited about. Rafa still not back up to top level yet and a surface that suits Raonic game. No big deal and in the grand scheme of things means very little.

Disagree, this is a big win for Raonic.

Nadal will be back when the clay season arrives, not long now. But how will he fare? It's a shame that he lost, but it's nice to see that the hard work/improvements are paying off for Raonic too. I hope he can bring the noise against Federer (what the hell happened there today?!).

[laverfan]

I hope he can bring the noise against Federer (what the hell happened there today?!).

Berdych was pretty lackluster and brittle. His inner demons showed and he kept falling.

[TheMessi]

Surprised to see Nadal lose. Was it Rao playing well or Nadal playing under par?

[LuvSports!]

Rafa not playing Miami?

[LuvSports!]

Bit of both TM.

[laverfan]

Surprised to see Nadal lose. Was it Rao playing well or  Nadal playing under par?

Raonic played the last two sets very well.

[CaledonianCraig]

I did say in the grand scheme of things. My money says he won't win the tournament so at the end of the day it really means very little. Does it elevate Raonic into a new level of status? No. Does it mean he will beat Rafa when the chips are down in a slam? I still doubt that. would he have beaten a Rafa firing on all cylinders? No.

Sorry but however good this win was for Milos I struggle to garner excitement from his game.

[Josiah Maiestas]

Raonic biggest balls in Canada. If he can beat Fed aswell... then he really will be confident of backing it up in the slams.

[Josiah Maiestas]

I did say in the grand scheme of things. My money says he won't win the tournament so at the end of the day it really means very little. Does it elevate Raonic into a new level of status? No. Does it mean he will beat Rafa when the chips are down in a slam? I still doubt that. would he have beaten a Rafa firing on all cylinders? No.

Sorry but however good this win was for Milos I struggle to garner excitement from his game.

Would Murray beat a firing on all cylinders Nadal? No. The guy may be duller than Isner but he's competitive and still improving.

[Haddie-nuff]

Raonic biggest balls in Canada. If he can beat Fed aswell... then he really will be confident of backing it up in the slams.

Yeah so big they didnt even broadcast the game .. we had Cricket instead

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