That Final Was Awful

winstonplum · Feb 1, 2013

Sorry for the ****iness of my post, but it's been an extremely busy week.

The first two sets were neck and neck. Yeah, Murray blew three break points early in the second, but there was time to come back. What the hell happened in the third set? Was it all blisters? When's the last time a final was decided by an injury like that? I was expecting a war. Murray went out with a whimper. I've heard reports that he also had a bad quad or hamstring; is there any truth to this?

I'm just shocked by how physically spent he looked in the last two sets.

Netspirit · Feb 1, 2013

Federer's curse. Murray cannot win a slam where he has to play Federer.

sportsfan1 · Feb 2, 2013

^^ Yeah, no one other than Djok and Nadal seem to be able to pay the physical cost of a 5 set win over Federer, and have enough left in the tank to go on and win a slam.

Mainad · Feb 2, 2013

winstonplum said:
The first two sets were neck and neck. Yeah, Murray blew three break points early in the second, but there was time to come back. What the hell happened in the third set? Was it all blisters? When's the last time a final was decided by an injury like that? I was expecting a war. Murray went out with a whimper. I've heard reports that he also had a bad quad or hamstring; is there any truth to this?

Something was definitely impeding his movement by the start of the 3rd set. He had just taken the MTO after the 2nd and had his foot bandaged so I had presumed that must be the factor. I watched him standing on the baseline at the start of the 3rd set and he was hardly moving unlike in the first 2 sets.

winstonplum said:
I'm just shocked by how physically spent he looked in the last two sets.

It is a bit of a puzzle because his first 5 matches were fairly straightforward affairs and didn't make him spend too much time on court, unlike at the US Open where he had several tough matches prior to the final. The semi with Federer was his only 5 setter and the only one where he dropped sets. Evidently the one day of rest he had between the semi and the final was not quite sufficient for him to play another sustained match while on top form. Djokovic did have the benefit of 5 days to recuperate from the exertions of the Wawrinka match (his only really tough one) given that Ferrer was never able to take any advantage from it in their semi.

I do wonder if an extra day's rest would have made any difference? In any event, it seems that Murray needs a bit more recovery time than Djokovic and Nadal and suggests that his fitness and stamina, while better than most on the tour, is not quite up to the level of those two as yet.

Mike Sams · Feb 2, 2013

Mainad said:
Something was definitely impeding his movement by the start of the 3rd set. He had just taken the MTO after the 2nd and had his foot bandaged so I had presumed that must be the factor. I watched him standing on the baseline at the start of the 3rd set and he was hardly moving unlike in the first 2 sets.

It is a bit of a puzzle because his first 5 matches were fairly straightforward affairs and didn't make him spend too much time on court, unlike at the US Open where he had several tough matches prior to the final. The semi with Federer was his only 5 setter and the only one where he dropped sets. Evidently the one day of rest he had between the semi and the final was not quite sufficient for him to play another sustained match while on top form. Djokovic did have the benefit of 5 days to recuperate from the exertions of the Wawrinka match (his only really tough one) given that Ferrer was never able to take any advantage from it in their semi.

I do wonder if an extra day's rest would have made any difference? In any event, it seems that Murray needs a bit more recovery time than Djokovic and Nadal and suggests that his fitness and stamina, while better than most on the tour, is not quite up to the level of those two as yet.

We're also assuming that Nadal and Djokovic aren't doping. Since Djokovic already made it publicly known that he hasn't been tested in 6-7 months and on top of that, the testing in tennis is a big joke.

Dedans Penthouse · Feb 2, 2013

winstonplum said:
Sorry for the ****iness of my post, but it's been an extremely busy week.

That's quite alright.

xan · Feb 2, 2013

a feather.

movdqa · Feb 2, 2013

Did you see the size of that blister? It was over 1 inch in diameter. The trainer spread something over his foot too - it looked like Betadine which is something used to prevent infection over a moderately large area. He had to be in some kind of pain playing on that.

Tanya · Feb 2, 2013

Any final with Murray in it is awful.

Antonio Puente · Feb 2, 2013

Tanya said:
Any final with Murray in it is awful.

Andy aims to please.

xan · Feb 3, 2013

movdqa said:
Did you see the size of that blister? It was over 1 inch in diameter. The trainer spread something over his foot too - it looked like Betadine which is something used to prevent infection over a moderately large area. He had to be in some kind of pain playing on that.

adrenaline rush. Murray had different problems in that final. sure as hell it wasn't a petty blister.

Tennusdude · Feb 3, 2013

winstonplum said:
Sorry for the ****iness of my post, but it's been an extremely busy week.

The first two sets were neck and neck. Yeah, Murray blew three break points early in the second, but there was time to come back. What the hell happened in the third set? Was it all blisters? When's the last time a final was decided by an injury like that? I was expecting a war. Murray went out with a whimper. I've heard reports that he also had a bad quad or hamstring; is there any truth to this?

I'm just shocked by how physically spent he looked in the last two sets.

I am shocked that you are shocked. I guess you never played a 5 set match against Federer only to have to play a well rested Djokovic a few days later. These guys are almost supermen but not quite, they still need time to recover.

Mainad · Feb 3, 2013

Tanya said:
Any final with Murray in it is awful.

Don't watch them then!

Sentinel · Feb 3, 2013

Tennusdude said:
I am shocked that you are shocked. I guess you never played a 5 set match against Federer only to have to play a well rested Djokovic a few days later. These guys are almost supermen but not quite, they still need time to recover.

:shock:

Of course, you have

Seriously, you never know who winstonplum is in real life. There are about a dozen or two current top-ten pros poasting here, judging by the quality of the poasts.

Rozroz · Feb 3, 2013

movdqa said:
Did you see the size of that blister? It was over 1 inch in diameter. The trainer spread something over his foot too - it looked like Betadine which is something used to prevent infection over a moderately large area. He had to be in some kind of pain playing on that.

those high-end pros should have high-tech care to prevent those blisters etc. at all cost. if Murray has blister problems (maybe the heat and humidity?) his team should have thought about it ahead of time. how come Djokovic doesn't have blister problems? i mean, his movement and sliding is even more exagerated sometimes, and they both played some though last matches.

movdqa · Feb 3, 2013

I agree about a deficiency on their team. If it's a problem with too much sweat building up on his socks, then he should get better technology here or even change socks at the changeover.

As far as why Djokovic doesn't have blister problems, perhaps he doesn't sweat as much. There are considerable variance in the amount that individuals sweat.

NastyWinners · Feb 3, 2013

movdqa said:
I agree about a deficiency on their team. If it's a problem with too much sweat building up on his socks, then he should get better technology here or even change socks at the changeover.

As far as why Djokovic doesn't have blister problems, perhaps he doesn't sweat as much. There are considerable variance in the amount that individuals sweat.

For my whole career in sports, which consists of tennis, baseball, basketball, football, and cross country. I have never gotten blisters on my feet. Novak could easily just have callouses or like you said, doesn't sweat as much.

RAFA2005RG · Feb 4, 2013

Mike Sams said:
We're also assuming that Nadal and Djokovic aren't doping. Since Djokovic already made it publicly known that he hasn't been tested in 6-7 months and on top of that, the testing in tennis is a big joke.

Interesting. Djokovic hasn't been tested in 7 months. Nadal was tested several times in December 2012. Has the Djokovic family been paying people off?

ramos77 · Feb 4, 2013

donkey cheese is rumoured to mask performance enhancing drugs

3fees · Feb 4, 2013

awful if your a murrayite, losing 1st then winning next 3 by Nole and his 3rd straight Auzzie open is nothing short of fantastic

Dedans Penthouse · Feb 4, 2013

ramos77 said:
donkey cheese is rumoured to mask performance enhancing drugs

So THAT's their secret?

PrinceMoron · Feb 5, 2013

Apuleius would be proud

Dedans Penthouse · Feb 6, 2013

PrinceMoron said:
Apuleius would be proud

^^^^
Well played.

That Final Was Awful

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