Murray will beat Nadal

first of all heartiest congratulations to mUrray for making third sf in a row. He is the only one to do so in last 4. Murray got beaten twice by Nadal and once by Roddick in past 3 attempts but better late than never, Murray's time has come. He has the game to take to Nadal and knows how to beat him in a slam.

IMO Murray is reaching to peak of his game and playing some wonderful tennis. Murray's forehand has more depth, he can chase more balls and can hit poweful backhands and forehands. The key will be to get lots of first serves in and play Nadal on his back hand side.

Againse Delpo, Nadal did manage to mix it up using the back hand slice. It will be intersting to see if the uses the same tactics or employ something else to disturb Murray's rhythm.

My wish and prediction is Murray in 4.

He has done it twice before in slams albeit hard court, but grass is now becoming his favoured surface.

So why not.

And he had like 23 break points against him at RG, if he gets that many at SW19, I doubt that Nadal will survive.

Nadal in 4.

He plays the big moment like a champion, just like last year.

Murray chokes at the key moments.

Masked Magician or Masked Unit or whoever you are, when you use the word choker, what exactly do you mean ?

Or provide details of the last time he choked a slam semi-final !

Unless you missed Nadal playing his best tennis, at a time he was N01 and on a roll of Final appearances and almost getting a calendar slam that same year.

Jubbahey wrote:Masked Magician or Masked Unit or whoever you are, when you use the word choker, what exactly do you mean ?

Or provide details of the last time he choked a slam semi-final !

Unless you missed Nadal playing his best tennis, at a time he was N01 and on a roll of Final appearances and almost getting a calendar slam that same year.

Choked vs Roddick in 2009 and choked vs Nadal in 2010.

Choked vs Federer in two slam finals plus against Djokovic in Australia.

Anymore required?

Gosh wow: you keep trying

Talatonian wrote:Gosh wow: you keep trying

I can't help it. No Doubt Nadal is a great player but I will be happy to see ABN (anyone but nadal) champion here.

So would I wow, but it won't be Murray who gets in his way.

3-0 or 3-1 Nadal

I think an equitable solution would be for Djokovic to get to the final and Nadal to take the championship. That way Djokovic gets #1 (at least until August when Rafa will reclaim it with Barcelona points) and Nadal gets 11 slams. Seems fair for 2 neck and neck players very much to the fore (the only 2 to have already qualified for WTF.

How does it seem fair?

We need Nadal to get knocked down a peg by Djokovic, cementing Djokovic as the real number 1.

Masked Magician wrote:

Jubbahey wrote:Masked Magician or Masked Unit or whoever you are, when you use the word choker, what exactly do you mean ?

Or provide details of the last time he choked a slam semi-final !

Unless you missed Nadal playing his best tennis, at a time he was N01 and on a roll of Final appearances and almost getting a calendar slam that same year.

Choked vs Roddick in 2009 and choked vs Nadal in 2010.

Choked vs Federer in two slam finals plus against Djokovic in Australia.

Anymore required?

So your examples equal, lose a final/semi means he choked, not much of an analyst are you !

Masked Magician,

You reckon Murray choked the Wimbledon semi last year? Wow then Murray definitely has a chance as I think there were two or three points between them (in total points won) so by your definition he choked so imagine what the score would have been if he never choked (which he didn't anyway as Nadal was expected to win in any case).

The Roddick semi wasn't a choke either as he lost in four tight sets (two of which were tight tie-breaks he lost which if he had won he'd have made the final). Besides Roddick was in such hot form at that time he pressed the GOAT Roger Federer to 16-14 in the final set.

Choked against the greatest player of all-time Federer in two slam finals did he? Well first final he had less than 24 hours to recover from an exhausting semi-final win over (hello it was Rafa Nadal) plus nerves played a part. The second final against Federer (the GOAT) he lost against Federer who afterwards felt it was the best he had ever played. As for Djokovic this year we saw how hot a vein of form Djokovic was in as he went on a six month unbeaten run so how can you call that a choke?

We get the picture you detest Andy Murray but that tends to somewhat cloud opinions.

Josiah Maiestas wrote:How does it seem fair?

We need Nadal to get knocked down a peg by Djokovic, cementing Djokovic as the real number 1.

Why do we need him to get knocked down a peg or two? He doesn't over claim or over celebrate.

Talatonian wrote:

Why do we need him to get knocked down a peg or two? He doesn't over claim or over celebrate.

Josiah Maiestas wrote:

Talatonian wrote:

Why do we need him to get knocked down a peg or two? He doesn't over claim or over celebrate.

Well at least his team don't go out and celebrate in the losing opponents capital city with the coach rolling semo naked over cars!

Talatonian wrote:

Josiah Maiestas wrote:

Talatonian wrote:

Why do we need him to get knocked down a peg or two? He doesn't over claim or over celebrate.

Well at least his team don't go out and celebrate in the losing opponents capital city with the coach rolling semo naked over cars!

I actually quite liked it

wow wrote:

Talatonian wrote:

Josiah Maiestas wrote:

Talatonian wrote:

Why do we need him to get knocked down a peg or two? He doesn't over claim or over celebrate.

Well at least his team don't go out and celebrate in the losing opponents capital city with the coach rolling semo naked over cars!

I actually quite liked it

Wowo -why?

They were celeberating Djoko's win and not Nadal's loss. This is the way Serbians celeberate and I quite like it.

It might get tougher and tougher for Nadal. It seems that foot injury is still troubling him.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/06/29/uk-tennis-wimbledon-nadal-idUKTRE75S62P20110629?feedType=RSS&feedName=sportsNews

If Murray does beat Nadal, it will be a magical Wimbledon final, first British player to be in the final in a long time! He still has to win the match though...

Last year's semi, was a matter of a few points at crucial times, here and there. Nadal has a tendency to win those points for the most part, but I don't think Murray is as far away as the "negative-minded where he is concerned" think he is.

As a Nadal fan, I hope he wins, but I also hope we see a good slugfest, it's much more interesting to see a serious challenge and some suspense, and if that happens, and Murray wins - well done and I'd love to see him go on and win the title. Not because I don't want Djokovic to win, that'd be fine too, as long as it's a great match. They are all three (four but Fed is out now!) tremendous players, great talents, and deserving of the highest echelon of the sport.

Gut tells me Murray has to at least split the firsts two sets, and there may be a tiebreaker or two, which will be crucial for Murray; a little less so, for Nadal. Murray has to serve very well, which he can do, but tends not to do in Major finals. Murray is going to have to really "take it to him," and not lapse into that passive, wait for the other, mode, he can fall into at times. Nadal will take his chances, Murray must take his to stay in the running.

Djokovic, I think, will have too much for Tsonga, and having played the match of his Life, it's going to be a huge ask, to put that performance on again. He needs to do it in straight sets I think as well, or Djokovic will grind him down. Tsonga's play may conserve energy with his serve volley but it's physical energy, and the amount of nervous or mental energy that he will have used in that win, will play a significant part, I think, in his semifinal.

So at this point, I'd say Nadal and Djokovic, both in 4 sets; but wouldn't it be fascinating to see Murray v Tsonga, for Murray's knighthood, I mean, first Major title, on the line?

Bring it on...it's all good...

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/events-tournaments/wimbledon-2011/top-stories/Nadal-to-play-through-pain-barrier-at-Wimbledon/articleshow/9046746.cms

Nadal still worried about his injury.

Two very interesting semi finals to come:

Nadal will certainly start as favourite against Andy, but if Andy can play as well as he has in the last two matches he has a chance. I'm not convinced Rafa is playing quite as strongly at critical times as he did last year, and Andy's in better form, so a reverse of last year's result could be possible. I'd say I hope rather than expect Murray to win.

Djokovic against Tsonga is going to be either a relatively easy win for Nole if J-WT can't raise his game, or an absolute monster slugfest if Tsonga plays as well tomorrow as he did yesterday.

Yloponom68
I don't think Murray would be knighted if he wins the tournament, I think he'll be awarded possession of Pippa Middleton

As far as Andy is concerned he has every chance to beat Rafa and progress to the final but if he does I think it would probably go to five sets, but he will have to try to get an early set under his belt.
The question of both of their niggling injuries may or may not also play a part in it.

I can't see Joe-Wilfred winning this one unless both he and Novak play similar to yesterday (Joe as we saw excellent and Novak below par, although he did win)

Josiah Maiestas wrote:

Talatonian wrote:

Why do we need him to get knocked down a peg or two? He doesn't over claim or over celebrate.

Someone else needs to win so that he doesn't do that wretched, hackeyed, worn out celebration of biting the trophy as if it was a pirate debloom. It wasn't funny the first time, it certainly isn't now.

As much as I'd love to see Andy beat Rafa I just can't see it happening. Rafa is amazingly difficult to beat over five sets , he plays the big points so well, and he's so mentally tough.
I still think this is the best chance Andy's got in that Rafa is probably not 100% (may be Murray won't be either) .
From Andy's point of view, he has beaten Rafa in GS matches and he won't be as tentative as he was against Roddick in the 09 W'bledon semi.
Rafa in three or four sets, alas. As for the other semi, Djoko is not playing great, but will JWT play like he did in the Fed match? Probably not.

I reckon there will be at least 3 tie breaks if Andy can serve well, although its not a gimme that Nadal will do the same, Fish did break him in that crucial 12th game 3rd set and Andy is one of the best returners, so a lot could go Andy's way.

But as for a win, like many have said, Murray has to play the big points well and not try any crazy shots and keep his concentration levels to a max. He can do it, he has beaten Nadal in a slam before, (though I think Rafa was injured in that game ?) so there is something there for him to build on, confidence wise.

If Andy plays to his strengths, then I see a win for him, maybe 5, but I think 4 sets with Nadal taking the first. A close match if ever there was one.

Jubba

Andy has beaten Rafa twice in GS semi finals (AO both times) - OK, one time Rafa withdrew with injury, but he was already well behind before he injured himself and withdrew. The other time, Andy was simply the better player. He is one of the very few players that seems to have a game that gives Rafa problems on a fairly regular basis.

You are right in saying that Andy will have to play consistently to a very high level, and he will have to be the one to win the crucial points - as has been mentioned, the points won in last year's semi final was virtually equal (I think Rafa won 2 or 3 more points in total), and it turned on the handful of break points that Rafa won on Murray's serve and defended on his own. Turn those few points round and the result could be very different.

an interesting and somewhat random fact about Murray at wimbers. Of nineteen matches where he has won the first set, he has won eighteen of them, the only exception being his five sets defeat by Nalby where he just ran out of energy having won the first two sets.

It is interesting that Nadal and Murray have met in all the semi finals of the Grand Slams. That shows what a rivalry this is becoming.

dummy_half wrote:Jubba

You are right in saying that Andy will have to play consistently to a very high level, and he will have to be the one to win the crucial points - as has been mentioned, the points won in last year's semi final was virtually equal (I think Rafa won 2 or 3 more points in total), and it turned on the handful of break points that Rafa won on Murray's serve and defended on his own. Turn those few points round and the result could be very different.

Therein lies the rub, eh? Break points aren't like any other points and Nadal's record exemplies that better than anyone. One interesting factor picked up in one of the papers in the last day or so is that Murray has gained many more BP's at Wimbledon this year than he did last year, and he also gained a lot against Nadal in Paris this year. If he can do that and keep his own serve consistent (which he can struggle to do) then he's in the hunt against Nadal. He's got to win one of the 1st two sets though - that's crucial.

Masked Magician wrote:

Murray chokes at the key moments.

Would you say getting beat by a higher ranked player is choking?
If it is there's a LOT of choking going on by a lot of players!

'Choking' is more like throwing away a lead or seizing up when on the verge of victory.

Agree last year's semi-final was close, there were seven points in it at the finish:

http://www.atpworldtour.com/Share/Match-Facts-Pop-Up.aspx?t=540&y=2010&r=6&p=N409

Not expecting stragiht sets this year, think it'll be a real titanic battle. Hope they're both fit enough so that it's decided by their tennis.

I really wouldn't like to call it either way, except that I see it going to 4 or 5 sets.

Injured or not, Nadal is still arguably the best player in the world, though maybe not as strong on grass as he is on clay.

Murray can take some encouragement from his previous results against Rafa, but will still need to take his game to another level, if he wants to make the final.

Fingers crossed for a Murray victory, but it should be one hell of a match, either way.

If Tsonga can come from two sets down to beat Roger Federer (unheard of) and never happened before then Andy can beat Rafael Nadal in a slam semi-final (and THAT has happened before).

I for one cannot wait for this match tomorrow. Think it is going to be a close one.

It can happen, but it won't be easy (as it wasn't for Tsonga).

If Mardy Fish can take a set off Nadal, Murray can definitely take 2 and maybe even that vital 3 sets.

Does anyone know which match is on first tomorrow? I thought it might be Murray/Nadal (top half of the draw) but might Wimbledon put it on later for the television viewing public?

Tsonga v Djokovic is on first lucius.

First on is Tsonga V Djokovic. I thought it would be as bother their matches were on first on Wednesday.

Damn, I'll miss a lot of the Murray match, will it be available on iPlayer (not just the highlights) later on on Friday night?

I think Murray has an extremely good chance against Nadal. Nadal does seem to be able to raise his game though when the going gets tough - hope Murray can do the same. Really looking forward to the match - have got the afternoon off work to watch it on tv!

Good stuff Meg. I shall be at home watching both matches and getting my cheering voice ready.

I am so nervous when I think of tomorrow's match. What might be going through Andy's head?

and you once removed one of my posts for doing some T_ _ _ Z baiting LK? Case of "do as I say, not as I do" is it?

I was wondering who would see it first.

Josiah Maiestas wrote:How does it seem fair?

We need Nadal to get knocked down a peg by Djokovic, cementing Djokovic as the real number 1.

So your suggesting that If Djokovic doesn't beat Nadal in the final, that it wouldn't be fair to consider him the true Number 1.?

dummy_half wrote:Jubba

Andy has beaten Rafa twice in GS semi finals (AO both times) - OK, one time Rafa withdrew with injury, but he was already well behind before he injured himself and withdrew. The other time, Andy was simply the better player. He is one of the very few players that seems to have a game that gives Rafa problems on a fairly regular basis.

You are right in saying that Andy will have to play consistently to a very high level, and he will have to be the one to win the crucial points - as has been mentioned, the points won in last year's semi final was virtually equal (I think Rafa won 2 or 3 more points in total), and it turned on the handful of break points that Rafa won on Murray's serve and defended on his own. Turn those few points round and the result could be very different.

When was the other AO victory? when was the other SF? Rafa withdrew in a quarter final AO vs. Murray Do you mean the single USO SF? where he beat him over two days and got hampered stamina in the Final. Beating Nadal in a 5 set match in one day is going to be very hard. I think he can do it, but it would have to be a greater performance than either of the previous two Slam wins.

nadal and murray have not met in all slam semifinals. they have never met in the australian open semis

murray has beaten nadal in australia´s quarterfinals and in the usopen semis


nadal might not be as good on grass as he is on clay, but name a better grasscourter right now

2006 wimbledon runnner up
2007 wimbledon runner up
2008 queens and wimbledon champion
2009
2010 wimbledon champion
2011 wimbledon semifinalist

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/9526934.stm

I find McEnroe's comments interesting