About the big if

[ForehandCross]

First let's not deny three things : 1.Nadal on RG always finds a way , even if he had lost second set, he was likelier to win 2. This was the worst late stage RG Nadal . 3. Z really had a chance.

Poor Zverev probably would not have won, but there was a genuine chance for him simply because Nadal was fading physically, Nadal was starting to miss 1st serves by 5-6 feets in the last few games of the second set. This was Nadal's worst level at RG I have seen in deeper stage.

But paradoxically, Z is only one of the few guys on tour who could actually expose this poor form , anyone else it would be a usual 3-4 setter . Only because Z's game matches well with Nadal's, he can rally all day, hit big off both wings and his BH doesn't care for Rafa's FH.

Nadal has so many layers to his game on clay that even he is playing bad you can't really have the upper hand continuously for 3 sets.

 

[GabeT]

Couldn’t he have played like this in the QFs?

 

[TheNachoMan]

Zverev wasn’t winning. Nadal was just playing at the level required. He didn’t need to GOAT like he did against Novak.

 

[ForehandCross]

Couldn’t he have played like this in the QFs?

I will quote myself from the live thread :

Dominic would have given his left kidney for Nadal to play like this in one of their finals.

 

[Poisoned Slice]

 

[The_Order]

Couldn’t he have played like this in the QFs?

Conditions played a huge part. In the QF the humidity was considerably lower. The court was dry and still took quite well to Nadal's spin.

Last night the humidity was crazy with the roof closed... the balls were the size of rock melons, conditions were super slow, court probably more muddy texture that killed the spin Nadal usually enjoys on these courts.

 

[Third Serve]

Couldn’t he have played like this in the QFs?

he did last year

 

[ForehandCross]

Conditions played a huge part. In the QF the humidity was considerably lower. The court was dry and still took quite well to Nadal's spin.

Last night the humidity was crazy with the roof closed... the balls were the size of rock melons, conditions were super slow, court probably more muddy texture that killed the spin Nadal usually enjoys on these courts.

Definitely. Nadal looked like he was taking a full dip in the bathtub in between breaks. The court might not need watering for the women's final the way he was sweating.

 

[dapchai]

Definitely. Nadal looked like he was taking a full dip in the bathtub in between breaks. The court might not need watering for the women's final the way he was sweating.

Why?

 

[Rafa4LifeEver]

First let's not deny three things : 1.Nadal on RG always finds a way , even if he had lost second set, he was likelier to win 2. This was the worst late stage RG Nadal . 3. Z really had a chance.

Poor Zverev probably would not have won, but there was a genuine chance for him simply because Nadal was fading physically, Nadal was starting to miss 1st serves by 5-6 feets in the last few games of the second set. This was Nadal's worst level at RG I have seen in deeper stage.

But paradoxically, Z is only one of the few guys on tour who could actually expose this poor form , anyone else it would be a usual 3-4 setter . Only because Z's game matches well with Nadal's, he can rally all day, hit big off both wings and his BH doesn't care for Rafa's FH.

Nadal has so many layers to his game on clay that even he is playing bad you can't really have the upper hand continuously for 3 sets.

Its a scary thought that Zverev could actually be 2 sets to 0 up, but considering he is Zverev, he'd have lost the 2nd set as well.

 

[BeatlesFan]

Zverev wasn’t winning.

It's bizarre anyone doubts this. He was ahead in the first set TB 5-2 and blew four SP's. He was ahead 5-3 and 6-5 in the second set, served for the set twice and choked again.

How anyone could think Zverev was miraculously going to stop choking and win the match is beyond me. How much more proof do you need?

 

[ForehandCross]

Why?

You missed the joke lol.

 

[dapchai]

You missed the joke lol.

Yeah that's why I asked you

 

[darthrafa]

but z also lost stamina as well
otherwise rafa wont be able to make it 6-6

 

[darthrafa]

now i realize the biggest enemy of rafa is the roof

 

[The_Order]

It's bizarre anyone doubts this. He was ahead in the first set TB 5-2 and blew four SP's. He was ahead 5-3 and 6-5 in the second set, served for the set twice and choked again.

How anyone could think Zverev was miraculously going to stop choking and win the match is beyond me. How much more proof do you need?

He didn't choke. Anybody who knows tennis would know this. Obviously tennis isn't your strong point.

Let's also forget the 3 set points Nadal had before that tb even started too yeah?

 

[IgoatFerlkeVogus]

Zverev wasn’t winning. Nadal was just playing at the level required. He didn’t need to GOAT like he did against Novak.

 

[Kozzy]

I think the conditions were pretty brutal, which is why it was such a slog - still think Rafa had him in straights, but it wasn't a given. Don't like Z much at all, but really hated to see it end that way.