Tennis is the Cruelest of Sports - Page 2

veroniquem · 01-22-2013, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stringertom

The only "beast" present on that court resided between Nico's ears. Ferrer did not beat Almagro as much as Nico beat himself.

Excellent way to put it. He completely dominated Ferrer game-wise for 4 sets (before TB). He was afraid to conclude to an extent that's truly mindboggling.

winstonplum · 01-22-2013, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stringertom

This was an utter capitulation that will be very hard to ever recover from. Nico had never been as completely in control of any of the other 12 losses to Ferrer. He'll be a deer in the headlights from now on in their "rivalry".

With all due respect, I don't believe that was utter capitulation in the slightest. If fact, I don't even really think "choking" exists is tennis. Choking is for golf, or bowling, when you there are only inanimate objects you are contending with--balls, pins, grass, gutters, sandtraps. When there is someone on the other side of the court still giving 110% to make your life miserable and take that win away from you, it can't all be put on Nico or Stosur. In Stosur's case, the Chinese woman's game actually rose to its highest point in the match when she got down 5-2. Stosur kept competing, but Zheng's was playing free and easy.

Nico's swing tempo just went to shi* every time he served for the match. And he couldn't get a first serve in. He was thinking too much. He probably needs a sports psychologist to learn how to play the same way when he's about the win as when he's in the middle of a match. Don't we all to some extent. Did Roger capitulate over two US Open's to Nole, holding a total of four match points? No, he competed, it's just that Nole made him hit the same incredible shots that Fed had to hit earlier in the match to win points, and at that point, with the match on the line, Fed couldn't do it.

TennisFan436 · 01-22-2013, 12:21 PM

Goes to show tennis is a mental game. Almagro had like what, 6 match points or something? I turned the TV off when Ferrer won the 3rd set. It sucks because Almagro has so much potential to beat the top players and his backhand is the sweetest. Between Stan's and Nico's I'm not sure which is the best to look at.

stringertom · 01-22-2013, 12:45 PM

^^^serving 3x for the match, losing the TB in set 4 and disappearing in set 5 was a lot larger version of "snatching defeat from the jaws of victory" than either of Fed's failures. Everyone remembers the first MP of the '11 SF...all-time clutch ROS by Djok. How about the 2nd MP? A framed return off a jammer serve that Fed stepped up and nailed an almost-perfect approach...except it hit the netcord and bounced out! A game of millimeters we play, no? After that, I think Fed began replaying USO'10 in his head instead of FO'11. A shame it worked out that way...he had played nearly flawless tennis in set 5 to lead up to those MPs, after squandering the two-set lead.

Had Nico ever beaten Ferrer in a previous tight match, he probably would have gotten one of those holds or won the TB. After those four failures, he was toast and gift-wrapped set 5.

Faster · 01-22-2013, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sentinel

I haven't checked the match thread but i am quite certain folks must have been posting "here comes the choke" etc at 5-3 or so in the 3rd.

I woke up in the 3rd set at 4-3 and told my mom that Nico is knocking Ferrer out !!! And from then on it was downhill !

It was you!!!

It was you that jinxed him!!

stringertom · 01-22-2013, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Faster

It was you!!!

It was you that jinxed him!!

No, I take full credit for the jinx...I picked him in both the TPL and PPL leagues. I also went dyslexic on his name in the thread title I composed. Blame not the Talk Tennis Guru, his Holiness Sentinel. Instead, strip me of my flimsy Hall of Fame status. I am not deserving but I would test clean on any PED (Poast Enhancing Drugs) test.

jaggy · 01-22-2013, 02:46 PM

Ping pong is cruel also

SwankPeRFection · 01-23-2013, 06:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ledwix

You generally won't die, lose a tooth, have a concussion, or suffer major brain damage playing tennis, so I would say it is not the cruelest. Slumps are part of sports in general, though the specific psychological effects of tennis matches are unique.

Unless you're Serena Williams.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABCNyhV-Wsk

01-22-2013, 12:45 PM	#24
stringertom Hall Of Fame Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 4,959	^^^serving 3x for the match, losing the TB in set 4 and disappearing in set 5 was a lot larger version of "snatching defeat from the jaws of victory" than either of Fed's failures. Everyone remembers the first MP of the '11 SF...all-time clutch ROS by Djok. How about the 2nd MP? A framed return off a jammer serve that Fed stepped up and nailed an almost-perfect approach...except it hit the netcord and bounced out! A game of millimeters we play, no? After that, I think Fed began replaying USO'10 in his head instead of FO'11. A shame it worked out that way...he had played nearly flawless tennis in set 5 to lead up to those MPs, after squandering the two-set lead. Had Nico ever beaten Ferrer in a previous tight match, he probably would have gotten one of those holds or won the TB. After those four failures, he was toast and gift-wrapped set 5. __________________ "I am easily satisfied by the very best." Sir Winston Churchill; ALLEZ ROGI!

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01-22-2013, 02:46 PM	#27
jaggy Legend Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bloomington, IN Posts: 6,775	Ping pong is cruel also