The Tennis Thread

[Guest]

Djokovic down 2-1 and a break in the fourth.

[Guest]

Nishikori downs Djokovic in 4. Roger Federer, your 18th major title is waiting.

[Ryne Ween]

Wow. Nishikori knocks off Djoker. Please fed beat cilic.

[Ryne Ween]

Nishikori downs Djokovic in 4. Roger Federer, your 18th major title is waiting.

 

The -4.5 game line scares me because I thought the -2.5 on Berdych cilic was crazy and that Berdych would spank cilic.

 

Federer needs to come out and bury cilic to set up the final Monday. And taking that title and playing well for the rest of the year may put him in position to take the no. 1 ranking. Being world 1 at 33 is just [expletive] crazy.

 

Potentially cements him as the greatest sportsman ever.

[shnsajax]

Can't believe Novak lost. Pulling for Federer now.

[Guest]

10 vs. 14 in the men's final. Haven't seen that in quite some time.

 

First final with no Federer, Nadal or Djokovic since 2005.

[Ryne Ween]

Kinda sucks that an all serve all forehand goon like cilic made the final.

[Guest]

Cilic is rolling right now. Up two sets and a break in the third.

[Guest]

Nadal getting blasted by Berdych right now. Took Berdych an hour total to win the first two sets, 6-2, 6-0. That's insane. The only times Nadal plays two sets in an hour is when he's rolling the opponent. Unsurprisingly based on the results, Nadal's not moving well at all. Giving up on shots very early.

 

He's fighting in the third and is down 4-3 and on serve but he doesn't look healthy enough to come back from this.

[Ryne Ween]

Watching nadal on clay now. Really hoping he is healthy and fit. I actually like Cuevas but I'm hoping rafa slaughters him. I absolutely do want want the 2015 season to be without a top level nadal.

 

Kinda conflicted because Cuevas is +600 against an inconsistent nadal after winning 3 titles on the surface in 6 months.

[Guest]

Ah yes, our annual reminder that the French Open is an abomination. Federer-Monfils halted due to darkness.

[shnsajax]

Really happy to see Nadal get smoked.

[Guest]

Really happy to see Nadal get smoked.

 

Same here. He's now at the same age when Federer started to decline. Federer turned 29 after Wimbledon in 2010 and was coming off two straight QF eliminations, his first one since 2003, when he had two majors. He's won only one major since and made three finals. Nadal hasn't made the semis of a major since last year's French.

 

The difference is I think everyone thought Federer would age well and routinely be in the QFs and SFs with the occasional finals appearance. With Nadal it was a matter of when, not if his body would give out and I think he's going to have a pretty steep and quick decline.

[Ryne Ween]

Nadal has been a such a great champion there I hope he can win one more at RG before he hangs it up. I do agree with his decline potentially being rapid and with both Murray and djokavich in this form above the rest of tennis and other guys like nnishikori and roanic to go along with guys his age like Stan and berdych, I think nadal could struggle to factor deep into slams on a consistent basis. Then again he could come back strong. He is an all time great and he's 28.

 

Rooting hard for the winner of the bottom semi. Murray and Djokavich are loathsome and their match will be brutally boring orgy of 30 shot defensive points until Murray breaks down.

[shnsajax]

I don't share the same opinion of Nadal. If you take away the French he's won 1 GS since the start of the 2011 season. He had a great 3 year run from 2008-2010. I would rather see him win a major somewhere else.

 

I want Djokavich to win the French. Dude deserves it.

[Guest]

I don't share the same opinion of Nadal. If you take away the French he's won 1 GS since the start of the 2011 season. He had a great 3 year run from 2008-2010. I would rather see him win a major somewhere else.

 

I want Djokavich to win the French. Dude deserves it.

 

I'd extend his run through early/mid 2012 since he made the finals of 2011 Wimbledon and US Open plus the 2012 Aussie and only lost to Novak who was unreal for that year. But your general point still stands.

[Ryne Ween]

You guys aren't being fair to Nadal. Please extend his run through 2013 when he was year end no. 1 won two slams and 5 masters level events.

 

You can't take away a guys best surface and then say "he's only won 1 slam since X year if you take away the other 4 slams he has won'. If you take away the AO than Novak has only won 1 slam since the 2011 us open.

[shnsajax]

I agree with you and I think Nadal is a top 5 player ever. My point is that he is going to be remembered as a clay court specialist more so than someone who won a career grand slam. Winning another GS other than the French will mean more to his legacy than winning it a 10th time.

[Ryne Ween]

I think most of all Nadal's ability to consistently defeat his top contemporaries head to head (I believe davydenko is the only player with a head to bead advantage over him) especially in 5 setters and especially in finals will be an enduring legacy for him.

 

Over time people will forget he was going heavy topspin forehand into Fed's one hander. And nadal at his best is superior to Novak at his best.

 

Hopefully one of these younger guys will become a legitamate force (kokkinakas or kyrios or somebody) and rival Djoker for the next 4 years. Because there is literally nobody between 20-25 years old thats any good. Djoker might just be able to feast on weak fields and rack up slams.

[shnsajax]

4th set getting interesting as Murray gets an early break.

[shnsajax]

And Novak breaks right back.

[Ryne Ween]

I was watching without sound. Did Novak take a dump or something after the third set or a medical? Seemed like Murray and fans were upset.

 

What was the official reason for the TO. If it was for treatment what was hurt?

[Guest]

LOL at the semifinal getting suspended due to rain and darkness.

[Ryne Ween]

So Novak breezes through the 5th set. Sets up an ultimate showdown of fun attacking tennis and defense/waiting for UEs.

 

Hopefully Stan plays great and wins. Would really cement his career. He will need to serve out of his mind. Also needs to physically stay in there.

[Guest]

Can't believe the women's final went to three sets when Serena was up a set and up 4-1 in the second. Safarova played a lot better than I thought she was going to.