2024 Madrid Open ATP master's 1000 R16 - Rafael Nadal (SPN) v/s Jiri Lehechka (CZE)
- Thread starter Rafa4LifeEver
- Start date
mike danny
Bionic Poster
It's funny that Madrid is Nadal's only indoor HC title.
Mark-Touch
Legend
That was one Hecka va beatdown!
Tuned in, in the middle of the 2nd set.
Nadal is a shadow of a player he was years ago.
Even his own flags won't cooperate for him now.
Tuned in, in the middle of the 2nd set.
Nadal is a shadow of a player he was years ago.
Even his own flags won't cooperate for him now.
Dominic & Andrey
Legend
Well done to both players
Djokovic_is_the_best#1
Bionic Poster
Emotional scenes but this definitely sounds like a farewell tribute.
TheGoldenEra1990’s
Semi-Pro
Oh god don’t cry. Emotional stuff here
TheGoldenEra1990’s
Semi-Pro
welll. Thats one record I think will stand the test of time. I don’t think any other records will but Nadals clay records will
Baseline_Bungle
Hall of Fame
Even the cold, stone-faced Lehecka got a little teary-eyed there...
GodlessEndeavor
Semi-Pro
It's not a sad ending. He's had a great long career. A sad ending is the one of a player who never achieved their potential due to injuries or stuff like that.
GRASScaraz
Rookie
Medvedev will obliterate him. Lehecka is a budget version of Korda.
nolefam_2024
Talk Tennis Guru
Nadal will retire at RG or OG. I don't know why he kept saying no no. It is the last year.
nolefam_2024
Talk Tennis Guru
Tomorrow is day off.
Baseline_Bungle
Hall of Fame
I dunno, he was serving big, but I kinda feel they may have kicked up the radar a bit, so as to not embarrass Rafa...
mike danny
Bionic Poster
Bill Lobsalot
Hall of Fame
Just stop. You're embarrassing yourself.
nolefam_2024
Talk Tennis Guru
Medvedev will be favorite though.
The Blond Blur
G.O.A.T.
Not a bad all in all. RAFA got 4 matches under his belt and most importantly he’s not picked up any injuries. Next week in Rome will also have far more favorable conditions for his game.
GRASScaraz
Rookie
With Nadal out Sinner should make the final
Bill Lobsalot
Hall of Fame
Sure. I agree.
Seriously now, the right thing would have been to have the victor speech, let him go, and then kiss Nadal’s behind all night long if they wated to. Lack of respect to Lehecka. Tipically Spanish…
nolefam_2024
Talk Tennis Guru
Lehecka if he is a tennis fan, he won't mind.
A lowlife like Kyrgios may get annoyed. But those are few bad apples.
nolefam_2024
Talk Tennis Guru
BTW Djokovic who is also very old was held up for 30 mins because of BJK and Michelle Obama political speeches. And it was already close to 10PM when they came.
These things happen. At least this time its tennis related and not politics related.
These things happen. At least this time its tennis related and not politics related.
GodlessEndeavor
Semi-Pro
I disagree. If I'm Lehecka, I actually wouldn't want to get interviewed on court in this situation. It would feel very tough to do that.
onyxrose81
Hall of Fame
You’re braindead. Nadal is getting the send off he deserves, even if he can’t realistically physically compete anymore. He’s still out there and playing on his farewell tour.
Baseline_Bungle
Hall of Fame
Will Nadal actually play Rome???
nolefam_2024
Talk Tennis Guru
Nadal did very well to play today. He is getting nice retirement tour,
TheGoldenEra1990’s
Semi-Pro
Speaking of Lebron. Dude is a year older than Nadal, almost 100’pounds heavier and still what he’s doing. Freaking walking pharmacy LOL
Baseline_Bungle
Hall of Fame
Also, is this is his last time ever playing in Spain? Or will he pop up in Mallorca? Davis Cup???
chuckersthenut
Hall of Fame
That match really derailed lehecka's year. Brutal.
Hood_Man
G.O.A.T.
This is how to do it. Don't leave anything on the table, go as far and as long as you can, and only call it a day when the body can't do it anymore.
On the serve speed: Right near they end they flashed an average first speed on screen of 217kph, which equates to the 135mph average in the Twitter post. It's not conceivable that in the last game he could hit fast enough to get the average up to 141mph, so I don't know where that comes from. However, Lehecka also hit a few (not a ton, but a few) spinnier first serves down at 190-200kph, which actually means that on the flat bombs he did probably in fact average ~225kph/140mph.
As I mentioned before, he topped out at 219kph/136mph for his fastest serve against Michelsen in AO this year, and from a few other matches he seemed to average low 120s mph for first serves where it was recorded, so this is a major jump from that.
Some of it is likely the altitude. Some of it might be a strategy that Nadal's reflexes will be slow at this point and it will be more difficult to handle the harder stuff, so he got fed a steady diet of that. But also, very quietly, Lehecka put up an average first serve speed of 210kph/130mph against Popyrin in Miami and a fastest serve of 230/142, so we have at least some evidence that he's been ramping it up in the last couple months.
Or maybe, as I joked earlier in the thread, they just calibrated the gun to go +15kph tonight for the sake of Rafa's serve.
As I mentioned before, he topped out at 219kph/136mph for his fastest serve against Michelsen in AO this year, and from a few other matches he seemed to average low 120s mph for first serves where it was recorded, so this is a major jump from that.
Some of it is likely the altitude. Some of it might be a strategy that Nadal's reflexes will be slow at this point and it will be more difficult to handle the harder stuff, so he got fed a steady diet of that. But also, very quietly, Lehecka put up an average first serve speed of 210kph/130mph against Popyrin in Miami and a fastest serve of 230/142, so we have at least some evidence that he's been ramping it up in the last couple months.
Or maybe, as I joked earlier in the thread, they just calibrated the gun to go +15kph tonight for the sake of Rafa's serve.
nolefam_2024
Talk Tennis Guru
See Edberg retirement year.
DSH
Talk Tennis Guru
DSH
Talk Tennis Guru
NaDjoFed
Rookie
More ball girls like in Madrid please
DSH
Talk Tennis Guru
Mark-Touch
Legend
For all intents and purposes it was a farewell/retirement ceremony for the Spanish folks.
Everyone knew it deep down inside.
Meles
Bionic Poster
Lehecka average serve speed against Monteiro was 209 kph according to offical tour stats. For Rafa match it was 223 kph.
Watching the match it certainly looked like he was hitting that hard. Lehecka's 2nd serve average speed was 178 kph, Nadal's average first serve speed was 182 kph. The real shocker is that madrid is using the Dunlop AO tennis balls (light and fast) which is just a stupid choice given the altitude alone already makes this a server's paradise. The balls just add insult to injury. I can see why Djokovic skipped this tournament as it is poor preparation for RG. Feleciano should manage Queens where these choices might be more appropriate.I'd not put Rafa out to pasture quite yet based on this result.
DSH
Talk Tennis Guru
Madrid should never have been played on clay but the insistence of some in power made it possible.Lehecka average serve speed against Monteiro was 209 kph according to offical tour stats. For Rafa match it was 223 kph.
I'd not be Rafa out to pasture quite yet based on this result.
Meles
Bionic Poster
Imagine old Berd Brain in the coaches box and what he was thinking. If he had half that serve he would have been something.
Meles
Bionic Poster
Was reviewing past draws back through 2016 and all too many times Isner et al were in QFs or even better. Zverev won one year without facing a breakpoint. In most of the matches today the better servers were repulsed which is good.Madrid should never have been played on clay but the insistence of some in power made it possible.
I'll be interested to see if they come good on the promised 8000 seat stadium in 2025. Tiriac threatened to move the event if they didn't promise this. Hamburg was certainly a better choice for altitude, but on the slow side. High spin players can look great in Madrid so they really need to go with slow balls to try to get things to play a bit more normal.
Meles
Bionic Poster
It was 138 mph.
DSH
Talk Tennis Guru
Meles
Bionic Poster
Hmmm. I'm not much into picking. I love to look at stats and general trends for players which work well over the long run, but are little help with matches.Apart from Carlitos, who is your favorite for the title in Madrid?
I'm online with my buddy Jean the tennis machine who does brackets all the time and in 3rd place for the year in a 2500 person league. I just generally enjoy and watch since I don't enjoy the picking process, but I'll give you a two for one:
I'd say Alcaraz probably beats Rublev, I expect Cerundolo's big forehand to allow him to hit through Fritz in the cool evening conditions. Carlos in the final as he should be able to handle Cerundolo.
I'll say Lehecka's big serve will trump Medvedev's poor serving since his string changes. Felix might beat Sinner given the hip issue, but I doubt it, Sinner wins. Sinner in the final.
Dream Sinneraz final. Carlos's arm sleeve probably something he's using so he can even serve bigger. I think he'll expose the Sinner hip enough to win his 3rd Madrid in a row.
Tournament needs to start making those banners for Carlos as this would make him the King of Madrid.
Jean has Alcaraz over Rublev, and picks Fritz over Cerundolo, but he's not confident of Fritz. Alcaraz beats Fritz for the final.
Jean sez Lehecka over Medly (another close one) Despite FAA destroying Sinner here two years ago, Jean sez Sinner. Sinner over Lehecka.
Jean picks Alcaraz over Sinner as well.
Connor35
Semi-Pro
Right. That was my point. It's obviously a goodbye, but he hasn't formally announced retirement, hence the awkward vibe.
BeatlesFan
Bionic Poster
He will definitely play Rome unless he develops an injury. He'll raise his intensity there, as he's indicated.
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