French Open 2015 - Day 11. LET'S GET REEEEEEADY TO RUUUUUMMMMMBLE!

First topic message reminder :

I thought I'd take a turn at starting the thread!

Chatrier
Women's Singles - Quarterfinal
Serena Williams (USA) [1] vs.Sara Errani (ITA) [17]

Men's Singles - Quarterfinal
Novak Djokovic (SRB) [1]vs.Rafael Nadal (ESP) [6]

Lenglen
Women's Singles - Quarterfinal
Timea Bacsinszky (SUI) [23] vs.Alison Van Uytvanck (BEL)

Men's Singles - Quarterfinal
Andy Murray (GBR) [3]vs.David Ferrer (ESP) [7]

I'll end with a short message for Novak:

temporary21 wrote:No disgrace here, a record of 70-1 is ludicrous, a record of 70-2 is still ludicrous. Times time though, its going to be a stressful as heck 4 days for Novak now, and for my money.

Not quite done yet here.

Dare I say it, but Andy starting to look in command now. Leads 4-1 2nd set.

so Novak and Andy looking to make 0-7 at Rg Combined 2-7.

Im please for Novak here, hes waited long enough, for Rafa too, this is how he should lose his second match here, against the best playing the best

I don't think this match has been high quality. Djokovic has just played to get inside the baseline and run Rafa ragged.

Two breaks. Will it be enough? It should be, especially given he has been the better player throughout. But, he did lose two breaks in the first set and if Rafa somehow recovers one, Nole could become very very nervous.

Quick question, the semis of the mens are played Friday right?

Yes

Good, I can get some work done properly on Thursday then.

Yes Temp 1, I think so.

Does anyone know if Rafa has ever lost 3-0 on clay? I can't think of an example. Would have to be FO (no), Davis Cup (don't recall) or Masters series final from years ago (can't think of that either).

Had to end sometime. Pity Djokovic was the executioner. The real remarkable thing is how far Nadal has fallen in twelve months. A year ago he was the world #1 holding two slams. Yes, he's been injured, but you'd think a minor wrist injury on his non-forehand side, and an appendix removal wouldn't REALLY play that big a caveat in his comeback chances. He's just forgotten how to win... and at times, like today... how to even stay competitive.

5-2 to Andy and given Daveed's serving woes, really should have no trouble closing out the 2nd set.

and with that little child dealt with, let me remind you all to show respect to one another.

kingraf wrote:Had to end sometime. Pity Djokovic was the executioner. The real remarkable thing is how far Nadal has fallen in twelve months. A year ago he was the world #1 holding two slams. Yes, he's been injured, but you'd think a minor wrist injury on his non-forehand side, and an appendix removal wouldn't REALLY play that big a caveat in his comeback chances. He's just forgotten how to win... and at times, like today... how to even stay competitive.

Wrist injury, and back injury, and appendicitis. These things add up

Nadal is at least getting more crowd support here than usual now he's in the underdog position

2 sets to Andy, great stuff.

That's more like it. Andy slicing and dicing his way to a 2 set lead.

just had the exact same thing as set 1 in the Murray match. Set point for Murray, at that exact point the stream decides to catch up to itself and cuts to Murray sitting in the chair.

Anyway, Murray 2 sets to love.

temporary21 wrote:

kingraf wrote:Had to end sometime. Pity Djokovic was the executioner. The real remarkable thing is how far Nadal has fallen in twelve months. A year ago he was the world #1 holding two slams. Yes, he's been injured, but you'd think a minor wrist injury on his non-forehand side, and an appendix removal wouldn't REALLY play that big a caveat in his comeback chances. He's just forgotten how to win... and at times, like today... how to even stay competitive.

Wrist injury, and back injury, and appendicitis. These things add up

True, and it's probably the back more than the other two. I still maintain that had Djokovic not basically picked the worst moment to start his toy-out-the-pram ritual, he could have won last year already, because Nadal was fading badly.

Rafa's career is over

well, the smash has not been an issue today for NOvak, I've watched 80-90% of the match and haven't seen a miss.

There was one early on in the first set where he let it go over it, but it was understandable since it was a very awkward one and was genuinely very close, and he did win the point.

KingRaf, do something man!!

The king is dead, long live the king!

Bit of respect for both men I think needed. Take a look at their embrace and celebration, understated, respectful, worthy of the two biggest players in the game. The same from us please

Relief to be able to focus on just one match now. Andy looking good now.

Not the first time a big FO match between these two was decided on a double fault. What a let down.

Disappointing match.

Less fight from Nadal than we thought.

Jahu wrote:KingRaf, do something man!!

I wish I could!! Hopefully Nadal recharges and does something in the North American swing. As for RG, I'm solidly a Wawrinka man now. The guy's like an angry Teddy bear with acne

It was not high quality.  It was not high drama.  But I got the result I was hoping for so I am not going to complain

The scoreline looks quite one-sided but, if anything, the match itself was even more so.  Had Nole did not stumble in the first set the score there could have easily looked just like the other two sets.

Well done Nole, but I think he will likely need to play better on Friday if he wants to make the final (that is assuming he plays Andy; if he plays David he wins easily).

It is done.

A decent performance from Novak under pressure. If it was a performance of peaks and troughs, the peaks were at least high.

Rafa clearly below his best. Only 16 winners to Novak's 45.

So, what are the chances that Novak comes out emotionally flat and loses to Andy on Friday? I'm quite genuinely bracing myself for the worst!

Well life goes on. Matches still to play.
Now then Novak youve got two tough matches still left to finish. Hold your nerve this week and the GS is well on

I did not take a day off to watch Ferrer vs Andy, but I may as well now that I am here.

How has Andy been looking? Good enough to give Nole a fight?

possibly the end of the fedal era (if such term can be really used). the tour is set to be dominated by Djokovic-Murray for the next 2-3 years.

summerblues wrote:I did not take a day off to watch Ferrer vs Andy, but I may as well now that I am here.

How has Andy been looking?  Good enough to give Nole a fight?

In short....no.

Apart from the first 8 games of the match, least exciting points played ever, hard to see Novak losing to Murray in the semi's.. Stranger things have happened

No Spaniards make the last 4 yahaha

Daveed starting to look desperate now. Trying to paint the lines and missing too many.

summerblues wrote:I did not take a day off to watch Ferrer vs Andy, but I may as well now that I am here.

How has Andy been looking?  Good enough to give Nole a fight?

Majestic from the middle of set 2 but Novak won't give him the lead to enable him to relax. Novak will win in 3.

Henman Bill wrote:Not the first time a big FO match between these two was decided on a double fault. What a let down.

Disappointing match.

Less fight from Nadal than we thought.

The fight was there, the ability wasn't. Think Nadal needs to get an external. Maybe not to coach him permanently, but just to give him new perspective on things. At 29, with his injury history, he needs to adapt. It's adapt or die time for Rafa. Confident he can come back from this, if mainly because it's still really only Djokovic he looks at when draws are made and thinks, "Gonna need to be A+ here".

Murray-Djokovic also looked like they were taking over around 2012 and first half of 2013, the same things were said, and Rafa and to a lesser extent Federer bit back a bit. So you never know.

Well I hope Andy can beat Nole in SF. I think he has a chance. Nole will still be quite nervous I think. And today it was obvious that nerves were holding him back.

HM Murdoch wrote:It is done.

Indeed it is my Lord.

I think Novak will have less nerves againnst other players, he knows he can do it against others, but we'll see. That is debatable. If Novak does win this tournamen and shakes off the monkey he could go on and become an even better player on clay next year.

Ferrer is really fuming at himself not being able to show his best form.

Go Andy GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Gents it goes without saying were watching like a hawk today. Dont do the anti spain guff, its not on at any level

Henman Bill wrote:I think Novak will have less nerves againnst other players, he knows he can do it against others, but we'll see.

Yes, possibly. But also he will know this is now truly for him to lose. And if Andy can keep it close enough for long enough, Nole might get tight.

temporary21 wrote:Gents it goes without saying were watching like a hawk today. Dont do the anti spain guff, its not on at any level

Chill pills mate.

How sick it would be if it's Murray vs Tsonga in the final

Obvious that Murray would throw in a horror game at some point in this set. Could tell a lull was coming by the way he played the previous game.

summerblues wrote:And if Andy can keep it close enough for long enough, Nole might get tight.

Would it not be funny if David now stormed back to a win?

I've seen both Andy and Stan drive Novak a bit crazy.

This is a long way from done.

No way is Ferrer winning this. The 3rd set with no pressure at all, sure, but after that he will bottle it if necessary to lose. Murray is the stronger player mentally over best of 5.

You might be right at the pressure for Novak though, I think he's through the toughest one, but you never know.