2020 Mexican Open SF: [1] Rafa Nadal vs [7] Grigor Dimitrov

[ADuck]

Married at first sight has replaced Big brother as THE crappy TV show that everyone in Australia watches.

 

[Sabrina]

Pretty straight forward win for Nadal. I am a little surprised, most of his matches against Dimitrov (especially on hard court) were very closed. Now he should win this title tomorrow.

 

[MichaelNadal]

Brett was great. Funny, charismatic, energetic. Perfect fit for the show.

This past season was so bad I stopped watching like 3 eps in and I've been watching since 2007. Imma need them to get it together this year.

 

[ADuck]

I think Nadal will win 6-3 6-2

Wow I'm a genius guys

 

[MeatTornado]

Nadal's FH DTL is the most impressive shot in tennis as far as I am concerned.

The amount of power he can generate with that shot make it nearly impossible for an opponent to return it.

And then Novak shows up and makes it look worthless.

 

[ADuck]

And then Novak shows up and makes it look worthless.

Bruh this has gotta be a joke. Novak has been made to look helpless plenty of times because of that FH DTL.

 

[BladeDaywalker]

And then Novak shows up and makes it look worthless.

Well, that only began happening on hard courts around 2015-now when Nadal no longer has the movements that he did in his youth that allowed him to go head to head with Federer and Novak on hard courts.

After all, from 2010-RG 2014 when Nadal-Novak rivarly was at its best, Nadal FH DTL basically allowed him to win those matches at Roland Garros and even the US Open finals. The only difference now and then is that he had the movement to redirect the shot even if Novak managed to get to his FH DTL.

 

[Breakpointerer]

Easy win for Rafa, wonder what StrongRule thinks about it.

 

[MeatTornado]

Well, that only began happening on hard courts around 2015-now when Nadal no longer has the movements that he did in his youth that allowed him to go head to head with Federer and Novak on hard courts.

After all, from 2010-RG 2014 when Nadal-Novak rivarly was at its best, Nadal FH DTL basically allowed him to win those matches at Roland Garros and even the US Open finals. The only difference now and then is that he had the movement to redirect the shot even if Novak managed to get to his FH DTL.

Obviously I'm talking about now. You're the one who said it's the best shot in tennis. I assumed you meant currently.

 

[ADuck]

Obviously I'm talking about now. You're the one who said it's the best shot in tennis. I assumed you meant currently.

I think it's how you said it. Djokovic makes Nadal looks worthless on HC, but not his FH DTL. Nadal would do much better if he could his it more often.

 

[Djokovic_is_the_best#1]

Easy win for Rafa. I thought Nadal would be too strong. Rafa is winning the final. It’s good news for Novak when Rafa wins. Will keep djoko more determined to maintain the points gap at no1.

Both djoko and Rafa in finals and chance for another title!

 

[Mike Sams]

Well, that only began happening on hard courts around 2015-now when Nadal no longer has the movements that he did in his youth that allowed him to go head to head with Federer and Novak on hard courts.

After all, from 2010-RG 2014 when Nadal-Novak rivarly was at its best, Nadal FH DTL basically allowed him to win those matches at Roland Garros and even the US Open finals. The only difference now and then is that he had the movement to redirect the shot even if Novak managed to get to his FH DTL.

Nadal always struggled against Djokovic on hardcourts all the way back to 2007. If you remember Miami and Montreal 2007, Indian Wells and Cincy 2008, and several HC wins in 2009. Nadal got him a couple of times including Olympics and also at US Open twice but overall it was Djokovic dominating the rivalry on hardcourts long before 2015.

 

[Nadal_Django]

Rafa showed some astonishing form throughout this whole week. With the tennis he is playing right now, he will be unstoppable in IW and Miami as well.

 

[Mike Sams]

Easy win for Rafa. I thought Nadal would be too strong. Rafa is winning the final. It’s good news for Novak when Rafa wins. Will keep djoko more determined to maintain the points gap at no1.

Both djoko and Rafa in finals and chance for another title!

Who's Taylor Fritz??? What's he doing in the Mexican Open Final???

 

[Mike Sams]

Rafa showed some astonishing form throughout this whole week. With the tennis he is playing right now, he will be unstoppable in IW and Miami as well.

Nadal will only play 1 of those events. Not both. He's looking to get #20 on clay so that's where his focus lies.

 

[stringertom]

Wow I'm a genius guys

The last prediction of yours I read was 6-1 6-0, amended to 6-0 6-0 after Dimitrov went up 2-1. What a genius!

 

[Yugram]

Nadal looks unstoppable this week. Clearly some conclusions were made after AO, because he’s unleashing the FH DTL a LOT more. Caught me in disbelief of how brilliant the shot was several times.

 

[ADuck]

The last prediction of yours I read was 6-1 6-0, amended to 6-0 6-0 after Dimitrov went up 2-1. What a genius!

Just let me have it man, this is my biggest accomplishment in the last 12 hours.

 

[Mike Sams]

Nadal looks unstoppable this week. Clearly some conclusions were made after AO, because he’s unleashing the FH DTL a LOT more. Caught me in disbelief of how brilliant the shot was several times.

You mean Nadal never unleashed the FH DTL much before in all his 17 years of being on the pro tour???

 

[Yugram]

You mean Nadal never unleashed the FH DTL much before in all his 17 years of being on the pro tour???

I thought it was clear that I was comparing his current form with AO.

 

[Mike Sams]

I thought it was clear that I was comparing his current form with AO.

I don't know. I've never even heard of any of his opponents he's playing outside of Andujar and Dimitrov who are a couple of clowns anyway. Who is Kermanovic? Who is Kuk Sool Won from South Korea? Never heard of either of them. Who is this Taylor Fritz guy he's playing tomorrow? Wasn't he playing challengers last week?

 

[irishnadalfan1983]

Nadal looks unstoppable this week. Clearly some conclusions were made after AO, because he’s unleashing the FH DTL a LOT more. Caught me in disbelief of how brilliant the shot was several times.

I hope this is actually true....Not seen anything this week due to time difference...

 

[mike danny]

Well, that only began happening on hard courts around 2015-now when Nadal no longer has the movements that he did in his youth that allowed him to go head to head with Federer and Novak on hard courts.

After all, from 2010-RG 2014 when Nadal-Novak rivarly was at its best, Nadal FH DTL basically allowed him to win those matches at Roland Garros and even the US Open finals. The only difference now and then is that he had the movement to redirect the shot even if Novak managed to get to his FH DTL.

You mean 2011-2014. There was no Djokodal rivalry in 2010.

 

[StrongRule]

Easy win for Rafa, wonder what StrongRule thinks about it.

As I see he was broken twice, and faced break points in almost every service game. This is not good. Stronger opponents will not forgive him that. Dimitrov probably just didn't have his best serving performance.

 

[Red Rick]

Nadal looking really good somehow. Why do all these players suck at ruining Nadal's returning position?

 

[Hitman]

As I see he was broken twice, and faced break points in almost every service game. This is not good. Stronger opponents will not forgive him that. Dimitrov probably just didn't have his best serving performance.

Yeah, but that is not happening this week. Nadal should win this title now.

 

[3fees]

Congrats to Nadal blnt Dimitrov 63 62, Nadal playing well.

Cheers
3Fees

 

[Amritia]

Nadal looks unstoppable this week. Clearly some conclusions were made after AO, because he’s unleashing the FH DTL a LOT more. Caught me in disbelief of how brilliant the shot was several times.

Spot on, his FH DTL has been superb this week.
I do think that the surface suits him a lot, it's fast-medium with high bounce. That means he can use the topspin CC FH to push the opponent back, and then unleash the FH DTL. Good signs ahead of the clay season, if not anything.

 

[Red Rick]

Spot on, his FH DTL has been superb this week.
I do think that the surface suits him a lot, it's fast-medium with high bounce. That means he can use the topspin CC FH to push the opponent back, and then unleash the FH DTL. Good signs ahead of the clay season, if not anything.

Pretty much.

Honestly the only bad thing I can see is a risk of overplaying if he does great in the Sunshine double.

 

[TheGhostOfAgassi]

Spot on, his FH DTL has been superb this week.
I do think that the surface suits him a lot, it's fast-medium with high bounce. That means he can use the topspin CC FH to push the opponent back, and then unleash the FH DTL. Good signs ahead of the clay season, if not anything.

So fun to watch Rafa play when his FH is ON beast mode.

 

[StrongRule]

Yeah, but that is not happening this week. Nadal should win this title now.

I have no idea who Fritz is. Never seen him play so can't make predictions here. I hope Nadal can take it. His record in finals on hardcourt is bad, he really needs to improve it a bit.

 

[James P]

I have no idea who Fritz is. Never seen him play so can't make predictions here. I hope Nadal can take it. His record in finals on hardcourt is bad, he really needs to improve it a bit.

Former high level prospect turned middling Next Gen'r. Skilled, but probably not "take out Nadal in my first crack" skilled.

 

[Hitman]

I have no idea who Fritz is. Never seen him play so can't make predictions here.

He's not going to beat Nadal. He should have gone out to Isner last night IMO.

 

[Amritia]

Fritz's backhand is average, his movement is poor, and Nadal will totally expose him. I don't see him dropping a set.

 

[Amritia]

Pretty much.

Honestly the only bad thing I can see is a risk of overplaying if he does great in the Sunshine double.

I doubt he will play Miami. For some reason he cares more about Acapulco than Miami, not sure why.

 

[swordtennis]

I have no idea who Fritz is. Never seen him play so can't make predictions here. I hope Nadal can take it. His record in finals on hardcourt is bad, he really needs to improve it a bit.

 

[stringertom]

I doubt he will play Miami. For some reason he cares more about Acapulco than Miami, not sure why.

Miami is played a month later and cuts into his down time before the clay.

 

[HetTheGreaterer]

Dimitrov should win this. He always was a tough matchup for Nadal on hardcourt, so he has no excuses not to beat a heavy declined Nadal who is now pretty much an unforced errors machine.

Did you ever, like ever predicted rafa to win a match?
Or you'll still fear when rafa plays 1R at RG?