2019 Madrid ATP SF: RAFA [2] vs Tsitsipas [8]

[ANDYbhGENIUS]

Jeez, this computerized coin toss thing is totally lame.

Lame? - It is called virtual reality, in which you are participating as you type.

 

[irishnadalfan1983]

He's got Thiem, Federer, Djokovic in a row in Rome. And considering his low confidence, that is not an easy path for him. He could lose as early as the quarters in Rome.

Possibly but this doesn’t feel like 2014/2015 to me...He’s being pretty consistent all year getting to semi’s and played really well all week other than last night...Tsitsipas barely beat him and Rafa was pretty awful....

 

[The Shape-shifter]

Tsitsipas is overrated. Zverev has won 10+ titles including 3 MS-1000 + YEC and ranked as high as #3. Tsitsipas has a LONG way to go to become best of #NextGen.

Zverev should first learn to beat a top-20 player in Slam. You can say anything about Tsitsipas but he is not going to lose 6-1, 6-1 against someone like Raonic.

 

[FailBetter]

Tsitsipas is overrated. Zverev has won 10+ titles including 3 MS-1000 + YEC and ranked as high as #3. Tsitsipas has a LONG way to go to become best of #NextGen.

It is because his Game is way more complex than Zverevs. Mixing things up coming to the net etc. Similar to Fed. Fed needed some years to come to the top unlike Hewitt who had a more 1-dimensional Game and was on the Top, winning Slams before Fed...

 

[abmk]

that was pretty surprising.
I saw the highlights only. Tsitsipas played some good tennis and was clutch, but not really anywhere near great, even in the 2 sets he won.

 

[veroniquem]

the guy is 20 and already defeated both the GOAT and Djoker on hard plus Nadalito on clay...not bad.

Djoko and the GOAT are the same person.

 

[FailBetter]

One thing about Tsitsipas that you have to admire, considering he is 20 y.o. He plays like he does not care who is on the other side of the net. He acts like that too. He acts like he belongs there. Like he has always been there. Not intimidated by anybody's past.
Kyrgios had that too........It's gone now.

No Kyrgios always cared. He was always more motivated playing Nadal, Fed, Djoker. Then Fed made the really good decision to become friends with him, since then Nick is not that motivated beating Fed again. But he seems to hate Rafa, so he is always fired up against him.

 

[FailBetter]

Djoko and the GOAT are the same person.

not yet

 

[veroniquem]

not yet

Fed is gonna win Rome 2019, MC 2020 + hold the next 4 slams? What a man

 

[FailBetter]

Fed is gonna win Rome 2019, MC 2020 + hold the next 4 slams? What a man

No but your goat has to get that slam record, and nr1 record to be counted as goat for the generality

 

[Boom-Boom]

To be fair, clay is the hardest surface on which to remain competitive when aging.

not true - entirely depends on your style of play

try to play on grass or Hard with bad knees / back etc

 

[racquetreligion]

No Kyrgios always cared. He was always more motivated playing Nadal, Fed, Djoker. Then Fed made the really good decision to become friends with him, since then Nick is not that motivated beating Fed again. But he seems to hate Rafa, so he is always fired up against him.

thanks to his Bromance with Murray (the altruist that took it on himself to change Nadals cheating ways) Kyrgios agreed with this issue.
Soderling tried after beating the benign hemorrhoid roider at RG but never had the no1 spot as Muzzler did.
Nick also is softer inside than a 3 yo spoil little girl and thrives on pretentious consumerism for faux confidence.

Problem I see with Tsetse fly is that he is a young strong but tall specimen that could suffer injuries and be limited
to show us his best only in his youth and not as he ages. This is apparent in many lumbering giants except those
with killer serves like Isner and Karlovic that make up their game with first delivery and then a massive FH.

 

[I Am Finnish]

@vive le beau jeu ! Behave

 

[I Am Finnish]

And Nadal won more points

 

[StrongRule]

He also beat Thiem, Wawrinka and Murray in Monte Carlo to win the title which you left out. It may not have been prime Nadal but it definitely wasn't a terrible Nadal in Rome, Madrid and MC like you said.

We can play this game forever. I can also find reasons to why Djokovic played well in years like 2017. I really don't see the point in hyping Nadal's season in which he failed to even reach a slam 1/4 final.

 

[beard]

If he loses Rome and gets a non-joke draw at RG (like 2015), I predict a withdrawal citing injury quite like 2015.

You mean 2016?
Please don't take away Novak beating Nadal in 2015...

 

[Wander]

We might have a really, really bad #2 soon.

And I'm not talking Federer

Who would be a really, really bad #2? Thiem would have to keep playing really, really well to make it seeing that he's defending Finalist points at RG so would he really be that weak of a number 2 if he somehow made it? Zverev is going backwards so it probably won't be him at least for now. In truth, Stefanos Tsitsipas also has a shot at being the next new #2 if he has a really strong next two months, but would that be "really, really bad" seeing that he's one of the current favourites to win Slams some time in the future.

 

[Nostradamus]

Is RAFA losing cause he is playing bad or is he playing the same as last year but other guys are just playing better ?? What is the reason for this insanity ?

 

[Meles]

@Meles & @vive le beau jeu ! Are missing no signs of them mayday mayday

I was running late after Thiemy debacle and had to watch on replay at 2 am this morning.

 

[Meles]

Diamond age lives!!!!!!

@Meles right now

No, no, no this!

 

[Meles]

It is because his Game is way more complex than Zverevs. Mixing things up coming to the net etc. Similar to Fed. Fed needed some years to come to the top unlike Hewitt who had a more 1-dimensional Game and was on the Top, winning Slams before Fed...

Tsits has been playing around with his clay game all season and now we see the results behind the madness. Don’t think we’ll be waiting all that long with this master class clay win.

 

[Meles]

Well, tonight he managed not to lose to him 4 times in a row so he needn't worry about that any longer.



Did you really think Nadal was playing like crap tonight or was the unrelenting pressure he was put under by Tsitsipas (except in the 2nd set) force him off his game? He was put under such pressure by the Greek's sheer speed around the court and his phenomenal ball-striking that it was small wonder he finally cracked. Age difference might also have played a part with 20 year old Tsitsipas adopting the role that, once upon a time, 20 year old Nadal would have played. We may simply be witnessing finally the passing of the torch but, of course, we have to wait and see if his consistency can match anything like that of the older greats.

This sums up Nadal in this match:
Choking and befuddled first set
Bullieving agaist lulling Tsits in 2nd
Befuddled in 3rd with lots of choking in final break.

A lot of the choking is age and Moya’s New high risk game for Rafa.

Claysipas was masterful at exposing the above with a clearly declining Nadal. He kept points shorter on his own service to keep Nadal from getting into full lather. He was able to grind with his betterer backhand. And I loved the two deep bh bloop winners to the Nadal forehand corners. Tsits backhand on clay is gold. He even slow balled Nadal when grinding its him. Add in net game and some hard winners to get a master class on clay given to its King.

Agree with much of what you say and this may be passing of torch, but on clay only. The Bull’s blood is in the water.

 

[Meles]

Yes - Dennis Schapovalov beat Nadal...but Shapovalov is in a 2nd tier of young players...he's nowhere near a Tsitipas or Thiem....who are top tier.....Schapolalov might get there with time...and was lucky to beat Nadal on an "off day"....

Shapo took out Tsits in top form in Miami. It was incredible for Shapo and the consistency he mustered to come back the last two sets. Shapo just usually reckless|stupid.

 

[Meles]

Nadal’s always been a poor sport. He doesn’t take losses well and I hate the way he always says that his opponents shots are out on clay. The fact is he’s got his ass whipped 3 times already on clay. These young guys have better legs than him now. Nadal was always dependent on his legs and the luck that he’s a lefty.

Luved the chest shot into Nadal from Tsits that bounced back over net after hitting his chest. Don’t think Dull called that on himself. If he’ll cheat like that, he’s capable of anything. I guarantee with all his injury issues he’s bent the rules to get as much steroid treatment as possible. Looked like my grandmother roided up with hair falling out in wheelchair trying to play tennis that first set.
For @vive le beau jeu !

 

[Meles]

Nadal would had won if he had wore a Medvedev mask

 

[joekapa]

Luved the chest shot into Nadal from Tsits that bounced back over net after hitting his chest. Don’t think Dull called that on himself. If he’ll cheat like that, he’s capable of anything. I guarantee with all his injury issues he’s bent the rules to get as much steroid treatment as possible. Looked like my grandmother roided up with hair falling out in wheelchair trying to play tennis that first set.
For @vive le beau jeu !

That chest shot baffled him. It was GSM right there. Kudos to Tsitsipas for having the cuhoonas to do that. Most players wouldn't dare do that. Newfound respect for him after that. He also did an overhead smash near Nadal's feet. Impressive resolve.

 

[Meles]

And once again @Hitman is right. If Nadal doesn't make the final in Madrid, he does not look good at doing anything special at RG.

Rome would be too lttle too late.

Front runners are Djokovic and Thiem for RG.

And that's, that.

Tsits is no joke. He’s proven he can beat Nadal and Thiem on clay. Tomorrow he may go to 2-0 vs Serbian menaces.

 

[StrongRule]

that was pretty surprising.
I saw the highlights only. Tsitsipas played some good tennis and was clutch, but not really anywhere near great, even in the 2 sets he won.

Pretty much the correct way to describe the match. I only disagree with that it was surprising. Nadal is clearly out of form during this clay season, he can lose to anybody.

 

[Meles]

Zedrot would be proud

 

[Feather]

This sums up Nadal in this match:
Choking and befuddled first set
Bullieving agaist lulling Tsits in 2nd
Befuddled in 3rd with lots of choking in final break.

A lot of the choking is age and Moya’s New high risk game for Rafa.

Claysipas was masterful at exposing the above with a clearly declining Nadal. He kept points shorter on his own service to keep Nadal from getting into full lather. He was able to grind with his betterer backhand. And I loved the two deep bh bloop winners to the Nadal forehand corners. Tsits backhand on clay is gold. He even slow balled Nadal when grinding its him. Add in net game and some hard winners to get a master class on clay given to its King.

Agree with much of what you say and this may be passing of torch, but on clay only. The Bull’s blood is in the water.

Roger Federer was an attacking player. Rafael Nadal, even though he had all the shots in the book, was never so. So adjusting to the all attack is relatively more easier for Roger compared to Rafa. I

 

[Meles]

Tsitsipas: 7-6, 2-6, 6-4.

Not bad BGod

 

[Meles]

Gonna stop watching now. I can see Nadal will grind him down and out

Traitor

 

[dParis]

Lame? - It is called virtual reality, in which you are participating as you type.

Wuh?? Of course the computerized coin flip is lame. And so is comparing it to an online forum.

 

[vanioMan]

Compare Federer’s handshake at the net in the loss to Thiem at Indian Wells vs Nadals today and vs Kyrgios. It’s a night and day difference. Nadal has always been a scumbag in losses .

That's far more honest than being friendly and nice. It's normal to be salty/angry when you lose, not be all smiles and hugs.

 

[ANDYbhGENIUS]

Wuh?? Of course the computerized coin flip is lame. And so is comparing it to an online forum.

It's all related, in music, in food production, in film, online, the trend is to move away from organic, and replace it by digital.

 

[sbengte]

You mean 2016?
Please don't take away Novak beating Nadal in 2015...

Sorry, I meant 2016 . And I believe he would not withdraw if his draw was "normal" by his standards that year.

 

[Ray Mercer]

That's far more honest than being friendly and nice. It's normal to be salty/angry when you lose, not be all smiles and hugs.

I disagree. If you’re a veteran who’s won absolutely everything and you lose to a young guy who’s got a great reputation who’s never won anything significant you don’t have to be a ***** and whine that the other guy only won because you didn’t play your best. You can congratulate your opponent and let him enjoy his first big moment. Nadal sounds like Serena.

 

[sbengte]

Fed is gonna win Rome 2019, MC 2020 + hold the next 4 slams? What a man

No but your goat has to get that slam record, and nr1 record to be counted as goat for the generality

Vero learnt nothing from her 2009 predictions : https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/ind...er-of-roland-garros-2009.257177/post-13322163