2022 Australian Open SF: [6] Rafael Nadal vs [7] Matteo Berrettini

[dapchai]

Outdoor please on Sunday.

It looks like under a roof again. Showers forecasted on Sunday.

 

[prosperned]

What are these questions?! He hasn’t won it ffs. Tough match ahead. Too much pressure!

 

[Wooly]

This does raise some questions for Nadal in the final. Feels like he really needs to finish the match off in straights. Medvedev or Tsitispas likely won’t let him off the hook the way Shapo and Berrettini did – provided the winner of the second semi isn’t too wiped, that is. But Nadal’s fitness is still very much declined and I’d trust either of the younger guys to pull out a tough physical battle more than I would Nadal at this point – though the mental side of things still plays a role. Tsitsi in particular might get tight having never won a major before…

Nadal ist the first to know that he is an old man ... and that for me is the point. Surly he can´t play 100% forever, a he could, but then he has the brain and the instinct to know when to really get focused ... he will not get his 25 year old body back, be he still has the mindset ... and that helps him a lot. And that is something the younger Players are often lacking .... we will see.

 

[NeutralFan]

I think the final will be 50-50 whoever brings his best game will win.

If it was some other slam i would have given Rafa 70-30 no matter what but here it's 40-60 at best.

 

[Mivic]

Nadal is seriously an amazing person

Lol.

 

[Mainad]

As I suspected, Berrettini just couldn't handle an in-form Nadal.

 

[prosperned]

It looks like under a roof again. Showers forecasted on Sunday.

Ahhh worrying. If Nadal wins indoor AO this will be one of his greatest achievements

 

[stringertom]

Chris Fowler with the commentator jinx, mentioning Berry had won 23 straight points on serve before the fail on the first point of the 3-4 game. I’m wondering if he called the 1998 NFC Championship Game when PK Gary Anderson hadn’t missed a kick the entire season before blowing a crucial kick to extend the lead for his Minnesota Vikings. They lost a bit later in OT.

 

[dapchai]

As I suspected, Berrettini just couldn't handle an in-form Nadal.

Nadal is nowhere near his in-form level...

 

[D.Nalby12]

When does the next semi start?

1 hour 50 minutes

 

[bertrevert]

When does the next semi start?

Should be about 90mins

 

[TennisFan3]

I think he will step it up. It might even go 4 or 5 sets but I see Rafa winning in the end.

Hard to see him beating Med. I would say Nadal has a better chance vs Titsp.
Med is a much tougher customer and is not a mental midget like Shapo and Berra.

 

[Forgive Me Father]

Nadal is nowhere near his in-form level...

in-form for sure

 

[dapchai]

Ahhh worrying. If Nadal wins indoor AO this will be one of his greatest achievements

And that's why it's gonna be very tough for him. Medsipas are all insanely good when it comes to indoors.

 

[gjm127]

Feel bad for Berrettini that's some bad luck in the 4th. He at least gets to leave with some dignity after waking up there at the end.

Nah, he just choked just like Shapo. I mean, he had ALL the momentum, this thing was sure going to 5 but I guess he just found his way back to mugging.

 

[Yugram]

Nothing a few TUEs can't fix

Just shut up. Go watch Dimitrov get obliterated by dead rotten Paire.

 

[TennisFan3]

What a time to be alive and a tennis fan

If you think this is great, I really really hope you watched tennis in the 90s
This is a weak era compared to then.

 

[prosperned]

Hard to see him beating Med. I would say Nadal has a better chance vs Titsp.
Med is a much tougher customer and is not a mental midget like Shapo and Berra.

Tsisi is a stylistic advantage for Nadal.

Medvedev will be who wins the big points.

 

[ElChivoEspañol]

One key element I think is going over everyone's head ITT is that Nadal has been VERY conservative with his energy throughout this tournament, he's pressed his opponents strategically during his matches, that is why we've seen the dip in energy after the second set, because he's putting most of his energy and intensity in securing the first set and if the opponent allows it the second, by the third he gets a lot more conservative with his energy.

 

[slipgrip93]

Very impressed by Nadal, and Fed's game is my favorite of the big three, but happy for him if he makes it in the final. He's got that world class entertaining passion and intensity, while Fed has/(had?) the instrumentalist like artistry.

 

[ACE of Hearts]

If it was some other slam i would have given Rafa 70-30 no matter what but here it's 40-60 at best.

I don’t see it that way. Tsit hasn’t won a slam and med finally had a breakthrough but lets if he can follow it up. Anyway tough match but not impossible to win.

 

[Mainad]

Nadal is nowhere near his in-form level...

He's in form enough to make his 6th AO final at the expense of another top #10 player.

 

[bertrevert]

Nah, he just choked just like Shapo. I mean, he had ALL the momentum, this thing was sure going to 5 but I guess he just found his way back to mugging.

But by choke you mean when he was up, but recall how he started the match badly as well....

 

[NeutralFan]

I don’t see it that way. Tsit hasn’t won a slam and med finally had a breakthrough but lets if he can follow it up. Anyway tough match but not impossible to win.

You didn't take AO factor in to consideration like i did.

 

[dapchai]

He's in form enough to make his 6th AO final at the expense of another top #10 player.

Just lucky to get out of several tight moments.

 

[guga_fan]

Nah, he just choked just like Shapo. I mean, he had ALL the momentum, this thing was sure going to 5 but I guess he just found his way back to mugging.

Not the same. Shapo played a very physically unwell Rafa and had many chances to break in the 5th. He also donated a service game with brainless ballbashing against a Nadal that couldn't move properly.

Berretini just had a letdown in one game but his problem mostly is that his BH return can do nothing against Nadal's lefty serve.

 

[Mark-Touch]

Not certain but I think I recall them saying half capacity was only for the first week.

And the financial reason (that trumped the medical reason) was?

 

[abmk]

Feel bad for Berrettini that's some bad luck in the 4th. He at least gets to leave with some dignity after waking up there at the end.

bad luck with 3 easy missed FHs and all missed first serves?
played one really good point to save BP, but that's it.

 

[dapchai]

You didn't take AO factor in to consideration like i did.

That factor alone is the biggest one.

 

[Cheese&IPA]

It’s an incredible achievement mind , 35 year old playing on his weakest surface after coming back from 6 months off injured when he was playing on one foot for the whole of last year , not to mention being bed ridden with Covid about 6 weeks ago, if he wins Sunday it’s arguably the greatest slam win of any of the big three.

 

[Mainad]

Just lucky to get out of several tight moments.

Experienced top players like Nadal make their own luck.

 

[darthrafa]

Hard to see him beating Med. I would say Nadal has a better chance vs Titsp.
Med is a much tougher customer and is not a mental midget like Shapo and Berra.

like the deportion, hope u would get big wrong again

 

[Deleted member 788697]

Nadal returned serve from further back in the 3rd Set, and that allowed Berrettini to hold serve which then built pressure on Nadal's serve.
That match would have been over in straight sets if Nadal kept returning (the 2nd Serve) from close to the baseline.
Berrettini was very, very, very lucky.

 

[TheNachoMan]

if he wins Sunday it’s arguably the greatest slam win of any of the big three.

The defending champion isn’t here. Let’s cool the brakes.

 

[D.Nalby12]

Very impressive from Nadal. Djokovic would butcher him 626263 like that.

 

[dapchai]

Experienced top players like Nadal make their own luck.

Yeah so that's why he's not in-form. Experience helped him. His level didn't.

 

[darthrafa]

Very impressive from Nadal. Djokovic would butcher him 626263 like that.

but djoker has to butcher the jab 1 1 first

 

[Mainad]

Yeah so that's why he's not in-form. Experience helped him. His level didn't.

Experience alone is not sufficient without an accompanying level. He has clearly shown that he's in-form enough to win this event.

 

[dapchai]

Experience alone is not sufficient without an accompanying level. He has clearly shown that he's in-form enough to win this event.

Okay let's agree to disagree. I don't think he will win on Sunday though.

 

[clayqueen]

When does the next semi start?

7.30pm local time, 8.30am GMT.

 

[Federer_pilon]

Nadal returned serve from further back in the 3rd Set, and that allowed Berrettini to hold serve which then built pressure on Nadal's serve.
That match would have been over in straight sets if Nadal kept returning (the 2nd Serve) from close to the baseline.
Berrettini was very, very, very lucky.

He moved closer to the baseline to return at the start of the 4th set and couldn't do anything. It's interesting that when he moved back again, he was able to loop some deep returns back in play and break.

 

[ewiewp]

Surprisingly close to Fed? Maybe even in reach. Hard court has never been good on Nadal’s knees. Fed feasted early in his career. Lucky man

Nadals knee problems stem from the correction made on his foot, according to Toni.

So it's just clay that is most friendly on his foot and knees.

 

[duaneeo]

Berrettini, Zverev, and Rublev (three of the top-5 players of the CurrentGens) are now 0-10 vs Nadalovic at the slams.

 

[slipgrip93]

One key element I think is going over everyone's head ITT is that Nadal has been VERY conservative with his energy throughout this tournament, he's pressed his opponents strategically during his matches, that is why we've seen the deep in energy after the second set, because he's putting most of his energy and intensity in securing the first set and if the opponent allows it the second, by the third he gets a lot more conservative with his energy.

this, I kind of felt he has some conservation of energy strategy by games or sets, maybe, also not to stress as much on movement if he doesn't need to. Like he went more out in the last games of this 4th set when he had to. Maybe to be easier on his aged body, avoid potential possible lingering injuries by not overstressing too much, and to conserve more for the final.

 

[Yugram]

Cry some more - you support a convicted cheat

And you support a guy who lost to dead rotten Benoit Paire.

 

[DIMI_D]

Vamos let’s go raging bull!!!!! So happy everyone get to see this live whatever happens!!! Absolutely amazing “crazy dreams can come true”

 

[El_Yotamo]

And you support a guy who lost to dead rotten Benoit Paire.

Don't engage him, ignoring these guys is better

 

[Yugram]

Don't engage him, ignoring these guys is better

That’s what I did after response.

 

[Mark Anderson]

Hard to see him beating Med. I would say Nadal has a better chance vs Titsp.
Med is a much tougher customer and is not a mental midget like Shapo and Berra.

You’ve got to look at the physics.

 

[Clay lover]

Cry some more - you support a convicted cheat

Steroid allegations based on medical exemptions are the lowest of the low. So many other players applied for and were granted them too. Does that make them alll cheats?

And you seriously think players need TUEs to dope? I bet everyone is doing something that escapes detection or is barely legal.