StrongRule
Talk Tennis Guru
It doesn't matter. Nadal struggled a lot on clay this year anyway. He is playing a bit better now but I don't think it is enough against Djokovic, especially if we remember the mental part.
2019 Rome FINAL: Novak Djokovic (1) vs Rafael Nadal (2)
- Thread starter Noleberic123
- Start date
Poisoned Slice
Bionic Poster
Born Again
Rookie
All the pressure is on Nadal, it would be a miracle if Nole won after 2 grueling three setters.
MajesticTennisManiac
Rookie
Djokovic should pull out.
Screwed by scheduling again in Rome
Screwed by scheduling again in Rome
Djokovic_is_the_best#1
Bionic Poster
Hard to predict. Both in great form and both look set for Paris! Nadal maybe has slight edge as he will be fresher. However, it’s gonna be close.
Will be a battle and this most likely a curtain raiser for the main event at french open!
Will be a battle and this most likely a curtain raiser for the main event at french open!
StannisTheMannis
Hall of Fame
True Fanerer
G.O.A.T.
Djokovic could win the match. That's not why I replied. I replied because you compared Nadal to freaking Nishikori
D
Deleted member 77403
Guest
Nadal won their last two matches on clay....
joekapa
Legend
It is never easy to beat Djokovic.
Poisoned Slice
Bionic Poster
Federer and Del Potro
Talk Tennis Guru
Griff found the grenade
StrongRule
Talk Tennis Guru
And even there he showed mental weakness. Remember the last game in Madrid 2017? I do. He almost lost it from a double matchpoint on serve.
In Rome 2018 he didn't serve for the first set and looked in big trouble at one moment. Part of it had to do with Djokovic playing well, but still for me it is obvious Nadal is just not mentally there in this matchup.
joekapa
Legend
It will mean a lot if he loses it.
StrongRule
Talk Tennis Guru
I didn't compare Nadal to Nishikori. I compare the two matchups, which are indeed similar.Djokovic could win the match. That's not why I replied. I replied because you compared Nadal to freaking Nishikori
D
Deleted member 77403
Guest
Point is he still won those matches. Never underestimate Nadal, the greatest clay court player of our time, on the red dirt, even if he is playing his nemesis. He couldn't have asked for a better scenario to face Djokovic, and he will be eager to want to get one back.
Sephiroth
Hall of Fame
How? Losing in clay Masters has never affected Nadal at RG. He lost against Djokovic in 2013 Monte Carlo and won RG. Lost in 2014 Rome and won RG, both meetings by beating Djokovic.
D
Deleted member 77403
Guest
Yeah, but the question is will it bother Nadal, since he is one who is going to play.
Federer and Del Potro
Talk Tennis Guru
Nadal looks amazing. Banana shots. New serve. New diet. More hair plugs. Engaged. Strong. Fast. Rested. Magnificent.
Djokovic in 2
Mainad
Bionic Poster
Tomorrow will be the 26th time they will meet in an ATP final, 13th time at Masters 1000 level and 5th time in Rome. It will be the first time in 5 years they will meet in the final of Rome.
Their 4 previous Rome finals split evenly at 2-2 with Nadal winning 2009 and 2012 and Djokovic winning 2011 and 2014.
Their 4 previous Rome finals split evenly at 2-2 with Nadal winning 2009 and 2012 and Djokovic winning 2011 and 2014.
D
Deleted member 77403
Guest
Yeah, you're probably right.
StrongRule
Talk Tennis Guru
Come on, you can't compare this to 2013. He won Barcelona, Madrid and Rome after losing to Djokovic. 2014 is a better example.
True Fanerer
G.O.A.T.
Ok dude
StrongRule
Talk Tennis Guru
On a side note, Djokovic reached his 9th final in Rome. In no other tournament he is even close to this number of finals. Somehow he had a lot of success in this event.
Sephiroth
Hall of Fame
Nadal probably does want a Clay master under his belt but as he said he hasn't been playing terribly. He's reached 3 SFs before this tournament but he's just not getting the results yet. At RG it's over Bo5 so he has time to get his rhythm going in matches and Phillip Chatrier is an entire different clay court than any other clay court, it's wider, more spacious which suits perfectly for Nadal, even more so if it's a sunny day.
MajesticTennisManiac
Rookie
Serve game dominated except that one break game
joekapa
Legend
You the man 3fees. The Pete Smith of this forum.Tough one to call, Djokovic in 2 or 3..
Cheers
3Fees
Only Aussies will understand the reference.
joekapa
Legend
Was it tough ?
Poisoned Slice
Bionic Poster
Im(moral) Winner
G.O.A.T.
Djokovic should just forfeit
D
Deleted member 77403
Guest
I agree to a certain degree with what you are saying, but PC has been changed, it is a new court now, and Nadal has not played on it yet, so he doesn't fully know how well his game will translate onto it.
StrongRule
Talk Tennis Guru
No, for Nadal the first set is very important. Only 3 times he beat Djokovic after losing the first set, and one of these times it ended with Djokovic retiring.
Red Rick
Bionic Poster
What has Jon Connington to do with this?
joekapa
Legend
Nadal is not in 2010 anymore. 5 setters are not easy for him, if they go the distance.
Sephiroth
Hall of Fame
Only outside of clay. Nadal is better suited to deal with a 5 setter at RG than AO or Wimbledon.
StrongRule
Talk Tennis Guru
And this is very sad to be honest. For so many years they were playing on the same court, and now who knows what they did to it.
joekapa
Legend
Any idea if it will play like Madrid, Rome or Barcelona?
D
Deleted member 77403
Guest
And dare I say it, Nadal has become a better HC player now than clay player at this advanced age.
Having said that, he has only gone the distance twice at RG, but that was back in his prime.
Sport
G.O.A.T.
Only the chairs have changed, the clay and the court dimensions are the same.
D
Deleted member 77403
Guest
Well, AO court surface changed in 2008. Ashe came into play at USO in 96. These things do happen.
D
Deleted member 77403
Guest
Some people have played on it and said it plays differently to the way it played before. It doesn't have quite the same feel.
joekapa
Legend
5 sets on clay are tougher than other surfaces. Physically that is.
D
Deleted member 77403
Guest
People have said it plays different. I have read it a few times.
