2019 ATP Rome Masters

[Silentchimera]

I think it is. There's no way a near 38 year old Fed is beating Nadal on clay, no matter how bad Rafa is playing.

The age gap hasn't changed between Rafa and Federer lol. They are both getting old. Federer has just the same disadvantage he has always had. If Roger can win five times in a row against Rafa a couple of years ago he can win on clay against the Rafa in current form if he plays a great match. Rafa lost to Thiem, Fognini and Tsitsipas. Roger is one of the greatest clay court players of all time. I have him only behind Rafa and Borg. No other player was winning French Opens during Rafa's peak and Fed had his chances in 06, 07 and 11.

 

[I Am Finnish]

How is Nadal playing?

Looking good

 

[I Am Finnish]

Chardy in the poll

 

[MajesticTennisManiac]

Thiem pretty much mugged up the second set break.

First serve in -

vs Federer - 71 %
vs Djokovic - 52 %

 

[mike danny]

Yep, he mugged it up, but he mugged up a lot against Federer too. That match shouldn't have been close, being down match points against an almost 38 year old Federer on clay was pretty bad.

Yeah, agreed. That's why he had to beat Djokovic to make a statement ahead of RG.

 

[Yoeri Tennis II]

Highlights Federer vs Sousa are here >>>

 

[tennis_pro]

How is Nadal playing?

Not looking good, lost a game against good looking Chardy.

Chardy is not looking good but at least he's good looking.

 

[mike danny]

The age gap hasn't changed between Rafa and Federer lol. They are both getting old. Federer has just the same disadvantage he has always had. If Roger can win five times in a row against Rafa a couple of years ago he can win on clay if he plays a great match. Rafa lost to Thiem, Fognini and Tsitsipas. Roger is one of the greatest clay court players of all time. I have him only behind Rafa and Borg. No other player was winning French Opens during Rafa's peak and Fed had his chances in 07 and 11.

You're the only one, though.

 

[Nadal_Django]

Not looking good, lost a game against good looking Chardy.

Chardy is not looking good but at least he's good looking.

Thank you.

 

[mike danny]

First serve in -

vs Federer - 71 %
vs Djokovic - 52 %

Yep, Djoko's returning prowess can't influence that.

 

[Im(moral) Winner]

Robbie showing his full array of Internet language here. First called sousa a ‘ball basher’ And now said Chardy being served a bagel and now a breadstick

Aren't bagel and breadstick regular terms?

 

[I Am Finnish]

Looking good chardy

 

[NatF]

Chardy sucked pretty bad from what I saw at the end there.

 

[Winners or Errors]

Pretty funny that Fed finished a 19 game match in 1:20 and Nadal's bagel-breadstick outing took 1:07. Even after all these years, the Spaniard's pace of play continues to amaze me.

 

[ADuck]

Nadal will never double bagel someone it seems. Another missed opportunity.

 

[mike danny]

Highlights Federer vs Sousa are here >>>

Man, you're as fast at making highlights as @Im(moral) Winner is at making threads

 

[mike danny]

Chardy sucked pretty bad from what I saw at the end there.

With a 2HBH worse than the worst 1HBH, the writing was on the wall.

 

[TheIntrovert]

Aren't bagel and breadstick regular terms?

I never heard of those terms until the last few years personally.

 

[mike danny]

Nadal will never double bagel someone it seems. Another missed opportunity.

Nadal is a wonderful human being, no?

 

[mike danny]

Aren't bagel and breadstick regular terms?

Were these terms prevalent in the previous decades too?

 

[Im(moral) Winner]

I never heard of those terms until the last few years personally.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Bagel_Award
Federer won golden bagel awards back in the day

 

[tennis_pro]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Bagel_Award
Federer won golden bagel awards back in the day

This photo is hilarious. I can't believe this hasn't become a meme here.

 

[TearTheRoofOff]

Thiem plays against Fedr, is surprisingly clutch.

Thiem plays against somebody who isn't Fedr, he plays like a mug when it matters.

Fed bringing the best out of his opponents. Good guy, Fed.

 

[Yoeri Tennis II]

Man, you're as fast at making highlights as @Im(moral) Winner is at making threads

Please don't compare me with Im(moral) Winner as his GOAT uploading speed transcends what is feasible to the imagination of the human psyche. Also, who the f*ck is Im(moral) Winner? I only post my highlights here, I hardly read forums

 

[TearTheRoofOff]

Thiem really did not play that well though. Played well in Barcelona but played pretty muggish against both Federer and Djokovic.

Absolutely.

 

[Otacon]

Kyrgios had a bottle of red wine yesterday, but he looks fine so far.

 

[Red Rick]

Yep, Djoko's returning prowess can't influence that.

Need to look at the variety in general. Neither are that huge outliers imo.

 

[tennis_pro]

Highlights Federer vs Sousa are here >>>

Much appreciated.

 

[Silentchimera]

You're the only one, though.

Thiem seems to agree with me actually. He says Federer would of won 5 French Opens without Nadal. That would of put him only behind Rafa and Borg. Put Kuerten, Bruguera, Muster or any of those guys up against peak Rafa and they would have struggled to win a FO as well.



Blake agrees as well.
https://www.**************.org/tenn...second-greatest-claycourter-says-james-blake/

 

[I Am Finnish]

How is Kyrgios playing? Motivated or tankingvated?

 

[Silentchimera]

Thiem perspective:
https://www.**************.org/tenn...vesix-french-open-titles-without-nadal-thiem/

I don't really have Federer above Djokovic, I have them about the same at this stage.

 

[Otacon]

How is Kyrgios playing? Motivated or tankingvated?

Underarm serves, tweeners, routine Kyrgios here.

He doesn’t give a fuuuuuuuck.

 

[I Am Finnish]

Looking good ruud

 

[Otacon]

Oh no, Kyrgios doesn't even pretend.

 

[tennis_pro]

Looking good ruud

Ruud looking good against ruud Kyrgios.

 

[mightyrick]

Roger is one of the greatest clay court players of all time. I have him only behind Rafa and Borg.

Um, you are absolutely crazy. Federer is a really good clay court player, but he isn't just behind Nadal and Borg. That is insane. Federer isn't close to Djokovic on clay. Let us not forget that Federer lost in four sets to John Isner in best-of-five on clay in Davis Cup. JOHN ISNER ON CLAY. That should end the entire discussion right there.

Saying Federer on clay is just behind Nadal and Borg is like saying Nadal on grass is just behind Federer and Sampras. Insane.

 

[mike danny]

Um, you are absolutely crazy. Federer is a really good clay court player, but he isn't just behind Nadal and Borg. That is insane. Federer isn't close to Djokovic on clay. Let us not forget that Federer lost in four sets to John Isner in best-of-five on clay in Davis Cup. JOHN ISNER ON CLAY. That should end the entire discussion right there.

Saying Federer on clay is just behind Nadal and Borg is like saying Nadal on grass is just behind Federer and Sampras. Insane.

Bolded: now that's just hyperbole.

And regarding John Isner, Rafa was pushed to 5 sets by him at RG. Does that invalidate Rafa's clay court prowess too?

 

[Im(moral) Winner]

Um, you are absolutely crazy. Federer is a really good clay court player, but he isn't just behind Nadal and Borg. That is insane. Federer isn't close to Djokovic on clay. Let us not forget that Federer lost in four sets to John Isner in best-of-five on clay in Davis Cup. JOHN ISNER ON CLAY. That should end the entire discussion right there.

Saying Federer on clay is just behind Nadal and Borg is like saying Nadal on grass is just behind Federer and Sampras. Insane.

Isner is a great player. Almost beat RAFA at RG.

 

[AndyM]

it's like most of these guys don't want to be fed they just give up before they even get on the court I mean look at SousSousa performant it was horrendous

 

[AndyM]

Where is John isner is he hurt

 

[icedevil0289]

Um, you are absolutely crazy. Federer is a really good clay court player, but he isn't just behind Nadal and Borg. That is insane. Federer isn't close to Djokovic on clay. Let us not forget that Federer lost in four sets to John Isner in best-of-five on clay in Davis Cup. JOHN ISNER ON CLAY. That should end the entire discussion right there.

Saying Federer on clay is just behind Nadal and Borg is like saying Nadal on grass is just behind Federer and Sampras. Insane.

i was with you until the nole part. i dont particularly think he is better, imo neither are natural clay court players but are such all good around players who have done well in rather weak clay court era.

i mean you could also say that nadal was pushed to 5 sets by john isner on clay as well.

 

[I Am Finnish]

Where is John isner is he hurt

Broken foot

 

[chjtennis]

Is Nk gonna win? Doesn't look good for now.

By the way, never heard of this guy Sinner. What a name.

 

[mightyrick]

Bolded: now that's just hyperbole.

And regarding John Isner, Rafa was pushed to 5 sets by him at RG. Does that invalidate Rafa's clay court prowess too?

You are talking about hyperbole? So winning in five sets against John Isner on clay is almost at the same level of losing in four sets to him on clay? Please. Let's get into the details of those matches. Nadal lost two tiebreaks against Isner. Nadal won every set there wasn't a tiebreak. How about Federer's match against Isner? There was only one tiebreak (which Isner won). Isner broke Federer in two other sets. Broke him twice in the final set.

Those two matches aren't even close in comparison.

 

[Otacon]

Shapo already made 46 UEs after 5 minutes play.

 

[mike danny]

i was with you until the nole part. i dont particularly think he is better, imo neither are natural clay court players but are such all good around players who have done well in rather weak clay court era.

i mean you could also say that nadal was pushed to 5 sets by john isner on clay as well.

Nole is better on clay than Fed because he has won every clay masters and multiple times as well. But saying Fed is not close to him on clay when he actually is represents pure hyperbole. At RG, they are pretty much neck and neck.

 

[Musterrific]

Thiem wants to be the next Muster so badly, but he's just too nice to make that happen.

 

[Krish0608]

How is Nadal playing?

Nadal looking good. Will lose to Djokovic or a next-genner.

 

[mike danny]

You are talking about hyperbole? So winning in five sets against John Isner on clay is almost at the same level of losing in four sets to him on clay? Please. Let's get into the details of those matches. Nadal lost two tiebreaks against Isner. Nadal won every set there wasn't a tiebreak. How about Federer's match against Isner? There was only one tiebreak (which Isner won). Isner broke Federer in two other sets. Broke him twice in the final set.

Those two matches aren't even close in comparison.

So what? Every one has bad matches on occasion, why should the surface matter? You act like Federer lost to Isner at RG or something. He lost at Davis Cup, which no offense, is not really that important to someone's legacy on clay. But since you focus on that so much, why not mention how Fed won Davis Cup for Switzerland on clay in 2014?

Regarding Rafa, he had no business being pushed to 5 by Isner in his own backyard, so to me it's the same thing.

 

[icedevil0289]

Nole is better on clay than Fed because he has won every clay masters and multiple times as well. But saying Fed is not close to him on clay when he actually is represents pure hyperbole. At RG, they are pretty much neck and neck.

yeah true, i guess though i sometimes write it off as back luck running into rafa since fed has a much bigger match up issue, and he was the second man for a long time, but at the end of the days titles are the most important thing so i'll def give it to nole. in general though i do think both have benefited from lack of clay court competition at times.