2018 US Open SF - Rafael Nadal (1) vs JM Del Potro (3)

[moonballs]

Do you remember the last time Nadal went out of a major without losing in 5 sets aside from withdrawing due to injury?

We’ll never know what could have happened in this match if his knee was healthy this tournament.

Of course we will never know. I was just saying After Delpo won the first set, Nadal is no longer the favorite of this match. Delpo has a huge difference from others who took a set off Nadal. He has underrated stamina. He is mentally tough. His only problem was the backhand but it held up really well in the first set. He didn’t even need to hit manny slices.

 

[cronus]

Raafa promised he will at 100% himself today and he did that.

 

[Mark-Touch]

He was also fine during the AO in January until he was drug into a long match against Cilic. He retired there as well.

Get off the Pot-ro if you can't take the heat (or something like that).

 

[sbengte]

No, I didn't. Very possibly... but he looked absolutely fine vs Thiem. Of course, it doesn't mean much, the injury could have come back. But nobody can convince me Rafa was less than 100% vs Dominic.

Knee ot not, this 5-setter was a killer, Rafa spent too much energy there.

Grand Slams should maybe slow down courts even more to ensure 7-hour matches. That will show 'em!

Last year Delpo beat Thiem in 5 while battling illness (and then Fed) and had nothing left in the tank when he faced Nadal.

If the draw was different last year and he had faced Nadal earlier in the tournament, he probably would have beaten him then too...

 

[sbengte]

Who else expected DelPot to turn to DelPoop after the first set ? Never thought he'd continue his Del Hot status.

 

[Musterrific]

How come Nadal is never injured during the clay season?

 

[Shank Volley]

rafa losing while leading, I thought only the mentally weak guy in my icon did that.

It only counts if you're over the age of 35 and thus in the prime of your life, and also not Spanish. Anyone else is easily excused.

 

[coolschreiber]

So many "new users" spewing so much hate for Nadal. Sad.

 

[tenisdecente]

Come on, injury or not Nadal was not winning here with the level he exhibited. He overachieved in this tourney since Khachanov and Thiem choked pretty favourable matches. His first was terrible, and Del Potro was not redlining or something. Horrible to watching him retiring though, that was awful

 

[Dlabsiladan]

How come Nadal is never injured during the clay season?

Some Ratas need dirt to survive...

 

[Tennease]

This match will decide once and for all if Delpo is a mug

Nadal is a mug?

 

[BeatlesFan]

How come Nadal is never injured during the clay season?

He withdrew from the 2016 FO with a wrist problem.

 

[Tennease]

Epicness in 4

Epicness in 2.

 

[Tennease]

Rafa to win and beat Delpo in Australia next to complete the Delpo slam.

Del Moral Slam

 

[Tennease]

I think Nadal has had difficult matches one too many.. he doesnt have much left in tank. If it wasn't for one extra day of rest I would have written him off completely. But still it is going to be uphill battle. I think Delpo wud win it easily.

Great analysis.

 

[Tennease]

If Nadal wins this U.S. Open, having had to play Thiem at that level, del Potro, and then potentially Djokovic, it will be far away his greatest triumph at this tournament. No cakewalk this year. I'm rooting for Djokovic, but my hat will definitely be off to Nadal if he succeeds. The guy just never throws in the towel. Players have to take it from him.

Never throws in the towel??? Lol? This year alone he threw in the towel in 2 Grand Slam matches.

 

[Zetty]

I watched the entire Nadal-Thiem match. Rafa outgrinded the fittest guy on Tour in a 5-hour match. His knee was absolutely fine.

I smell mierda

 

[britam25]

Him not being aggressive enough is due to his average form. He did try to end points quickly but made way too many unforced errors than he is used to. So, he had to earn the Ws the tough way.

He struggled against his last 3 opponents coming to this match. He couldn't raise his level like he did last year. Still, he might have done enough to earn another year end #1.

Speaking of which, assuming Djok wins, I'm trying to remember the last time a player won 2 Slams in a year, with nobody else winning more than one, and not being year end number one...

 

[Tennease]

Poll needs 1 extra option: Nadal in 2.

 

[sbengte]

He withdrew from the 2016 FO with a wrist problem.

We've discussed this before. That was the rarest of rare occasions when he had a tough draw for a change and he really knew he stood no chance especially after the Djoko drubbing in 2015.
If he had an easier draw filled with some mugs , doubt he'd withdraw, bad wrist or not.

 

[Plamen1234]

Come on, injury or not Nadal was not winning here with the level he exhibited. He overachieved in this tourney since Khachanov and Thiem choked pretty favourable matches. His first was terrible, and Del Potro was not redlining or something. Horrible to watching him retiring though, that was awful

And dont forget Rogers Cup where if it wasn't for Cilic choking he wouldn't have won the tournament.Nadal was lucky to go to the SF here.It wasn't a great tournament for him

 

[Tennease]

Lemme pray

Keep praying.

 

[britam25]

If Nishi wins his SF, I will root for him all the way. If it's Djokovic vs Delpo, I will be happy for either. I don't particularly like Delpo's on court antics but I do like his game and tenacity.

"on court antics?" What are you referring to????

 

[Tennease]

Write Rafa off at your peril.

What has struck me over last few matches, especially last night's Q/F epic, is just how much he wants this title.

He is willing to leave nothing out there on court and will give every iota of energy and concentration he has got.

Rafa knows that if he was to win this title he would have a real shot of catching and even surpassing Rodger as you would pick him to at least add
a couple more over next 2 years.

He is also aware that if he doesn't win his chances of doing so are greatly diminished, moreover if Novak wins there is a real danger he could perhaps
catch up to Rafa's total of GS'.

I am not saying Rafa will win title but it will take a great performance to stop him.

If Del Potro can play at the level he has done so far he has a decent chance but he will need to keep it up entire match.

Turned out it didn't need a great performance to stop Nadal. It just needs chickendal.

 

[BeatlesFan]

Keep praying.

 

[BeatlesFan]

According to his book, he was mentally suffering from his parent's divorce at the time.

Except that Rafa's parents never divorced.

 

[britam25]

they're miserable...

First of all, we've seen this movie far too many times before. Secondly, a tendency towards injuries is a by-product of his wonderful style, so, he doesn't get a drop of sympathy from me, and others as well. The implication, by many of his fans, that he only loses when he's injured, is as transparent as it is stupid, and the notion that he is such a fierce warrior when he has tapped out rather than accept a trip to the woodshed on multiple occasions, speaks for itself. You guys don't like people pointing these things out, tough ****.

 

[britam25]

Nice ceremony for Andy Roddick. It was to honor him for getting inducted into the tennis hall of fame. Nice speech saying that at least he "gets to share some real estate with his heroes like Sampras, Agassi, and Connors". He was clear to say that he doesn't consider himself the equal to those giants.

With one, whole Slam compared to those guys, I would HOPE not(and there are those who think even that on Slam was very much aided by the US Open officials-and I'm one of those people).

 

[Tennease]

How does it make any sense that they play at 4pm, and it says Kei and Djokovic 5:30pm? On the same court?

They probably knew Nadal would retire lol.

 

[Tennease]

Nadal in 5 because he likes pain.

That sounds creepy.

 

[Tennease]

If both play at peak this will be razor thin close, maybe another 5th set TB. I think it won't go past four. The last three matches, even with the extra day off, will hit Nadal in the legs. John Martyn has had a much smoother path and will be fresh, especially if the rain comes and the roof closes, to be efficient with his service games and get it done in four.

John Martyn De Peter?

 

[veroniquem]

Nadal in straight sets. Still can’t believe people trust Juan Martín.

Why not? He had a good record vs Nadal on hard court, even before this match. All his wins over Rafa (6 now) happened on hard.

 

[britam25]

No?

“*Nadal” should be in the record book

What are you trying to say here, I can't tell, it's too subtle, lol.

 

[Tennease]

Nadal in straight sets. Still can’t believe people trust Juan Martín.

Straight to Mallorca.

 

[Tennease]

Exactly....hopefully Rafa wins the first 2 sets quickly and I can go to sleep

Lol your wish came true. Hope you had a good sleep.

 

[Tennease]

McEnroe thinks Del Po is winning this. Surprising prediction.

McEnroe is there live watching all the matches, practices or just meet and talk to the players on site, so he must have known a lot.

 

[ttbrowne]

He really screwed the crowd and his fans by doing his old man routine. Face it, it was an act. He didn't want that add-whippin' by Delpo on his record.
A sorry display of guts.

 

[Tennease]

What was Rafa angry about?

Maybe about Carlos Bernardes using his toilet in Mallorca.

 

[Tennease]

That can be entertaining


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So Nadal didn't jump up and down high during coin toss ceremony because he's afraid his head might bang the Arthur Ashe roof.

 

[Bartelby]

Estrangement, then?

Except that Rafa's parents never divorced.

 

[guanzishou]

Poor water bottle

 

[FedTheMan]

"on court antics?" What are you referring to????

He always tries to disrupt his opponent's rhythm by walking slowly and taking long breaks during points. If you watch the USO 09 finals, or any of his major matches, it is very transparent. Majority of the board calls him Del Possum because of his acting skills. He pretends like he is about to collapse in matches only to be able to play for another 2-3 hours.

I do love his FH though and he has a good chance to win this title. Djokovic is playing fantastic though and is the favorite as expected.

 

[guanzishou]

TV said the second SF to start at 5:30.

The serving clock is engineered to break his knee before 5:30.

 

[Krish0608]

How come Nadal is never injured during the clay season?

He is. He skipped 2016 RG due to injury.

 

[veroniquem]

Will Rafa retire mid match twice within a year at majors

His body cannot cope with hard court. Sad but true.

 

[veroniquem]

Who says that then continues playing ?


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Never ever seen anything like this to be honest: "so, gonna retire,but not now, will let you know later". Lol what? Only Rafa!!!
Never knew it was legal to announce a retirement in advance even.
Anyway, Rafa was too p-ssed to care it seems

 

[seraphim7]

Great so another moral victory for nadal who retired early and thus left the whole tennis world thinking what if. Never happened before. Fit and healthy nadal never ever loses and is far and away the moral victory goat. Right up their with ao 2014, this year's ao and last night.

 

[Rosstour]

What really bothered me was the way he talked to DelPo. He didn't look him in the eye and made very shifty faces when explaining himself. Didn't look the least bit honest, like he knew he was BSing and didn't want to see the judgment on JMDP's face.

 

[Charlemagne]

Del Potro will crap the bed against Nadal. I guarantee it. He only wakes up to face Federer. Fact.

I was completely wrong. Didn't expect Delpo to win. Feel bad for Nadal- wishing him a speedy recovery!

 

[veroniquem]

Yeah, maybe not against Delpo but pretty sure Nadal would have handled Thiem much more easily on a faster HC.

That's an absurd statement. Nadal fares way better against Thiem on a slow court than on fast conditions like Madrid where Thiem can blast winners all over the place.