2019 Roland Garros Semifinal: Nadal (2) vs Federer (3)

Winner?


  • Total voters
    253

BeatlesFan

Bionic Poster
That is not a reliable page, it creates an unoffical ELO, an unoffical GOAT list based on debatable criteria, and unofficial predictions.

To cite Ultimate Tennis is like citing Tennis Talk Warehouse. It is just a site run by tennis fans, not the ATP or the ITF.
Who said it was? As if the ATP or ITF is into making statistical predictions on future matches? :-D
 

Fed881981

Hall of Fame
35.2% of voters predicting a Federer win. Seriously guys come one. Use head not heart otherwise it's false. Would love to say Fed but just can't see anything other than Nadal in straight sets with maybe 1 set being close.
Nah. Fed is in Nadal’s head ever since the AO final and should be able to win at least one set.
 

BeatlesFan

Bionic Poster
The last time Federer beat Nadal on clay was over 10 years ago.
And the last time Nadal beat Fed was five years ago.

I anticipate Rafa to beat Fed in 4 sets, but people are acting like Rafa is in 2008 imperious clay form and he isn't. Consider he's played several atrocious clay matches in the tune ups and he's played absolute nobodies in this event except Kei and he offered up WTA -level resistance today.
 

bigjimbofan

Rookie
You're projecting, kiddo. I take this sport less seriously than almost everyone here and especially the devoted maestronians lol. It is after all, a game.
The approach that people have towards the sport here is generally unhealthy. There is an emotional investment people have in their favorite players that should be reserved for family and the real world. Rafa is my guy and I want him to win, but we all need to keep things in perspective.

Agree 100 percent. Been saying this myself for awhile. Some people here need to get their priorities straight
 

Nadalgaenger

G.O.A.T.
federersoderling.jpg


"My son. You know the way now. Now act!"
 

AndyM

Legend
Nadal onslow clay against Federer I expect Rodger to make100 unforced errors I repeat I expect every ball coming off Rodger Hill makes so many more hours than winners it's going to be so crazy
 

Mark-Touch

Legend
First of all, Fed's mindset going into the match should be "I've got nothing to lose".
And he should play the match that way.

Although unlikely, should Fed be able to pull off the upset against Nadal I think it would be the biggest victory in his career!

A victory for Fed would;
-continue his current years-long win streak against Nadal.
-put an end to the argument that Nadal owns Fed on clay (or at least plant seeds of doubt).
-totally confound tennis fans around the world as to how a geriatric tennis player pushing 40 could upset a clay giant on his home turf.
-cause Nadal to contemplate 'early' retirement.

Now I will go back to sleep... zzzzz....
 

AndyM

Legend
Of course fed winning this would be like buster Douglas knocking out Mike Tyson feeding Djokovic in 2011 when Fed was only 30 years old was not that big of a deal I'm telling you he has about a 1% chance to pull this off
 

The Blond Blur

G.O.A.T.
Loving all these posts that Rafa hasn't beat Fed since 2014 even though they played once in 2015, and not at all in 2016 or 2018. Fed dominated one year, he's never come close to beating Nadal at the French. Nadal to win in 4 or less.
 
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Steve0904

Talk Tennis Guru
I love the way people think Nadal losing 5 games to Nishikori and Federer playing a tough 4 setter is somehow a good argument that Fed will win.

We all know Fed won't win, even 99% of the people that are just joking about it. But we also all knew Nishikori was going nowhere fast against Nadal, and wouldn't have even if he was 100%, let's be honest. He wasn't taking many games even if he had rolled through every match before this in straights. Fed being tested is also not a bad thing, so your argument seems a bit off/misplaced.
 

icedevil0289

G.O.A.T.
What I find most interesting or maybe it isnt is that fed finds himself in a sf against nadal after years of not playing yet cant meet at uso and neither have faced off at Wimbledon since 2008. If I'm not mistaken this is the slam they played against each other the most followed by AO. Idk if is a field issue too where people are also just better on hardcourt and upsets can happen at Wimbledon esp week 1.
 

TennisFan3

Talk Tennis Guru
And the last time Nadal beat Fed was five years ago.

I anticipate Rafa to beat Fed in 4 sets, but people are acting like Rafa is in 2008 imperious clay form and he isn't. Consider he's played several atrocious clay matches in the tune ups and he's played absolute nobodies in this event except Kei and he offered up WTA -level resistance today.

There is a very real chance that Fed might win. People act as if the last 5 matches did not happen. Also Nadal is no longer the player he was.
 
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Deleted member 763691

Guest
Considering how Federer has dominated Rafa in recent years, I feel like its more important for Rafa to beat Federer than it is for Rafa to win Roland Garros :)
I mean imagine the psychological damage Rafa will suffer if he loses to Federer here......far more damage than losing the Roland Garros Final.
 

Federer and Del Potro

Talk Tennis Guru
Considering how Federer has dominated Rafa in recent years, I feel like its more important for Rafa to beat Federer than it is for Rafa to win Roland Garros :)
I mean imagine the psychological damage Rafa will suffer if he loses to Federer here......for more damage than losing the Roland Garros Final.

He'd be okay even if he lost. Look how well he has rebounded from that dreadful AO final.

Dude is the toughest mental competitor in the history of the sport that I've seen alongside Djokovic.
 

albertobra

Hall of Fame
Epic match. Federer in 5.
Fed will go with the one-two solution on service game. Point made on serve or next forehand. I think he'll risk second serve more than usual. We might see more than normal double faults. He will NOT get into rally with Rafa on his serve. The first ball Rafa will have confortably on his forehand it's trouble for Fed.
Let's see what Fed will invent in ROS. Probably lot's of low slices on Rafa's BH. The most interesting part of the match will happen when Rafa serves. Of course, Roger will need to rally there, and I am curious to see how it will go. The improved Fed's topspinned BH can be used in many occasion, not less as heavy spinned baloon on Rafa's back hand to get control of the point.
 
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Deleted member 763691

Guest
He'd be okay even if he lost. Look how well he has rebounded from that dreadful AO final.

Dude is the toughest mental competitor in the history of the sport that I've seen alongside Djokovic.
AO is the only slam Rafa hasn't won 2 of, so he's not supposed to win it, and Federer is maybe the best hardcourter ever, so Rafa losing to Federer at the AO is expected......And I would never expect Rafa to be 4-0 vs. Federer at the AO.
Roland Garros is opposite, and if there is one place Federer shouldn't beat Rafa, its Roland Garros :)
 

Fed881981

Hall of Fame
What I find most interesting or maybe it isnt is that fed finds himself in a sf against nadal after years of not playing yet cant meet at uso and neither have faced off at Wimbledon since 2008. If I'm not mistaken this is the slam they played against each other the most followed by AO. Idk if is a field issue too where people are also just better on hardcourt and upsets can happen at Wimbledon esp week 1.
2004-2009: Nadal wasn’t a real factor at USO
2012-2017: Nadal wasn’t a real factor at Wimbledon
2010-2011: Fed was very close to meet Nadal at the USO. But, Djokovic happened.

I agree, however, that the field is better off-clay. Besides, Fed has been “there” many times, but Nadal hasen't.
 
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Federer and Del Potro

Talk Tennis Guru
AO is the only slam Rafa hasn't won 2 of, so he's not supposed to win it, and Federer is maybe the best hardcourter ever, so Rafa losing to Federer at the AO is expected......And I would never expect Rafa to be 4-0 vs. Federer at the AO.
Roland Garros is opposite, and if there is one place Federer shouldn't beat Rafa, its Roland Garros :)

I meant this years AO vs Djokovic when he was written off and 'done' etc.
 
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Deleted member 763691

Guest
I meant this years AO vs Djokovic when he was written off and 'done' etc.
Only the uneducated people took that AO Final seriously :)
Rafa said he couldn't train properly during the AO because his ankle surgery prevented him from practicing defense, and you need to play defense when you play Djokovic.
You can't just go for winners when you play Djokovic, you have to construct the point and then attack when you have Djokovic on the run.
Rafa had no way of playing defense during the AO.....
That is why Rafa attacked so ferociously during the AO, he was incapable of playing defense-

"I think I was playing great during the both weeks in offensive positions. In defensive positions, I practiced what I practiced. I practiced well, very well I think, but because of the things that happened to me in terms of surgery, then what happened in Abu Dhabi, I was not able to work that much the defensive game. I worked a lot on the offensive game, but not that much on the defensive game.
To play against a player like him, playing the way he played tonight, I needed that defensive game to finally have the chance to be offensive, no?"
https://ausopen.com/articles/interviews/rafael-nadal-f-interview
 
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