Del Potro Is a Serious Threat to Nadal

Tennis_Hands said:
OP, your reason #2 has no serious background, I believe.

There are a couple of things that point that Del Potro is one of the few that could possibly present a challenge for Nadal:

1) the biggest FH when on is something that is important everywhere. Even on clay

2) experience: hopefully Juan will be patient and will not go for too much. He has the killer shot, if an opportunity presents itself, but he needs to wait for it

3) counter to Nadal's gamesmanship: Del Potro himself is a time waster, so Nadal will have a hard time applying his usual tactic here, unless he starts rushing Del Potro, and complains about him being too slow

4) movement: Del Potro is moving well for an athlete of his size, so whether or not he is a match for Nadal depends on who makes the other run. Nadal has the advantage of pulling the trigger from difficult positions, so Juan better be prepared with his net game, if he starts to attack. He has to attack though, as Nadal is vulnerable when attacked with a combination of powerful baseline game, and a lot of court coverage.

5) Del Potro must crush those DTL BHs, and, due to his height and his BH he can do it. It will be interesting, if Nadal will try to slice much to "freeze" Del Potro, and take the initiative with the next shot

:cool:
Click to expand...
Funny that the so much alleged Nadal's delay tactics will actually favor a player like Del Potro instead, who would probably be fond to have a cup of coffee in between points.
 
paranoidandroid said:
Lol he’s accepted defeat already.

Mug mentality, Thiem will believe in himself.
Click to expand...
After the training he would be like this and is pumped up for sunday:
ssj2_gohan___full_power__animation__by_2d75-d4wkah6.gif





Nadal looks in shock:eek::
tumblr_n4pign8gyh1r72ht7o1_500.gif






Then Thiem in god mode this No chance for Nadal :eek::
dbkai93-24.gif





Mp thiem and he makes a epic 1h bh winner to finish the match:
A4A6E28667E25C8BCC7428A079CD9E2956E832CC





Gsm Thiem the RG champion of 2018:eek::
Qly8g3.gif




At 2.00 a half dead thiem celebrates his victory and the fans cant believe it but they are very happy :
 
The problem is his mobility and stamina.
He has game. If he just had 20 yrs like that semis against Federer in 2009...
 
CHillTennis said:
It's been almost nine years since Juan Martin has been to a grand slam final.

Since the 2010 Australian Open he has been 0-2 in grand slam semi-finals.

But there is a reason why I believe these stats might soon change.

For the first time since 2009 Juan Martin del Potro is in the semi-finals of Roland Garros and while he's going to have to face the greatest clay-court player of all time on Friday.

I believe that he'll have a legitimate chance against Nadal.

Here's why:

1. Del Potro has one of the biggest forehands of all the players on tour and like Soderling before him is capable of taking the racquet out of Nadal's hands. Yes, even on clay. He would have to do this for 3 sets which doesn't seem likely but if the match is played with high humidity then there is a chance for Del Potro.

2. Nadal may have sustained a wrist injury and he would be hard pressed to beat Del Potro at less than 100%.

3. Aside from the other big four members and Stanislas Wawrinka, Del Potro is really the only player that has proven that he can take down Federer or Nadal at this stage in a slam.

Will he be able to do it on Friday?

I would love to get your thoughts.

P.S. If you've enjoyed watching Nadal's matches at Roland Garros this year then you might want to check-out the King of Clay podcast series that covers each of his victories at Roland Garros (including his loss to Robin Soderling in 2009.)

Click to expand...
You forget, Delpo is not the same Delpo that won the US open. His 2-handed backhand is still severely limited. and his slice backhand will be massacred by Rafa. Here is what will happen on Friday. RAFA will make Delpo hit 20-30 backhands every single point, and we will find out that Delpo can't do that. and of course, delpo will try to run around that backhand but unfortunately he will just open up the forehand side to Rafa and delpo will be running like 500 miles for the match.
 
Northern said:
Failed analogy, as Nadal was injured. Also Nadal hadn't even won the USO back then, and Fed was shaping up to be the GOAT at that slam. Of course, things didn't quite work that way for Federer after Nadal improved at the USO and Djokovic also rose. Poor Federer is stuck at the USO now.
Click to expand...

Poor GOAT. I wonder how he consoles himself with all those other tennis records. Sucks to be him...
 
Nadal has a broken nail fragment - injury sustained while cutting apple.
If he loses, then this will be the reason for loss and not Delpo
 
fednad said:
Nadal has a broken nail fragment - injury sustained while cutting apple.
If he loses, then this will be the reason for loss and not Delpo
Click to expand...
Rafa said straight from the start and has said so repeatedly that the taping of his wrist during the first set of his match against Diego was to do with perspiration, not an injury but, for some reason, his detractors will not accept that because they want him to be injured. When he is actually injured, they try to say he is not because it suits their purpose.
 
clayqueen said:
Rafa said straight from the start and has said so repeatedly that the taping of his wrist during the first set of his match against Diego was to do with perspiration, not an injury but, for some reason, his detractors will not accept that because they want him to be injured. When he is actually injured, they try to say he is not because it suits their purpose.
Click to expand...
I am talking of his evening snack. What wrist are you talking about !
And, even I hate his detractors. I love the guy .....
 
clayqueen said:
Rafa said straight from the start and has said so repeatedly that the taping of his wrist during the first set of his match against Diego was to do with perspiration, not an injury but, for some reason, his detractors will not accept that because they want him to be injured. When he is actually injured, they try to say he is not because it suits their purpose.
Click to expand...

Yes, that is how we know that trying to get a MTO before the end of the first set was an effort to disrupt Diego's rhythm.

There was no injury (but someone not aquainted with the Nadal's ways would assume that, seeing that a physio is called on court).

8-)
 
Delpo's a threat to make it a match by say taking a set but actually winning? Does anyone really believe he's capable of that (beating Nadal in a BO5 on clay) at this stage?

2009 Delpo that played like a beast at the FO and beat Nadal several times that year had a killer BH and was covering the court extremely well for his height (I think I remember Fed saying later that year that Delpo defends like a shorter guy). A far cry from a guy that is slowly getting back on track after multiple wrist surgeries.

He has found some form again and went deep because of a pitiful CC field and being placed in an easier (ie. Nadal's) half but his actual level of play is nowhere near 2009. He won't be able to commit going 100% on his BH for 5 sets against Nadal on clay, without even taking account his stamina.
 
paranoidandroid said:
I’m quite confident of Thiem winning, the only thing that concerns me is Thiem hasn’t proven himself on the big stage and he has been poor in Masters finals.

Nadal looks vulnerable though so if Thiem performs at a high level and doesn’t crap his pants then he will win.
Click to expand...

Problem is there's like 99% chance of Thiem folding like a little girl in a slam final, that's if he doesn't choke against Cecchinato earlier.

Tennis isn't played in a vacuum, you have to take into consideration all the factors. Yes, Thiem arguably displayed a higher level of CC tennis than Nadal during this tourney but it's about bringing it when it counts when it comes to winning big titles, there's no doubt Nadal will.
 
zagor said:
Delpo's a threat to make it a match by say taking a set but actually winning? Does anyone really believe he's capable of that (beating Nadal in a BO5 on clay) at this stage?

2009 Delpo that played like a beast at the FO and beat Nadal several times that year had a killer BH and was covering the court extremely well for his height (I think I remember Fed saying later that year that Delpo defends like a shorter guy). A far cry from a guy that is slowly getting back on track after multiple wrist surgeries.

He has found some form again and went deep because of a pitiful CC field and being placed in an easier (ie. Nadal's) half but his actual level of play is nowhere near 2009. He won't be able to commit going 100% on his BH for 5 sets against Nadal on clay, without even taking account his stamina.
Click to expand...

psttt this is why he is to going get it in done in 3 sets.

but no really, I admire people's over the top optimism/delusion in giving del potro an actual chance to beat rafa because I'm like how?
 
zagor said:
Problem is there's like 99% chance of Thiem folding like a little girl in a slam final, that's if he doesn't choke against Cecchinato earlier.

Tennis isn't played in a vacuum, you have to take into consideration all the factors. Yes, Thiem arguably displayed a higher level of CC tennis than Nadal during this tourney but it's about bringing it when it counts when it comes to winning big titles, there's no doubt Nadal will.
Click to expand...

I hope so :D
 
icedevil0289 said:
psttt this is why he is to going get it in done in 3 sets.

but no really, I admire people's over the top optimism/delusion in giving del potro an actual chance to beat rafa because I'm like how?
Click to expand...

This seriously, I mean you only have to have a modicum of understanding of the game to realize that it just isn't happening.

Delpo neither has the BH nor the fitness to beat Nada in BO5 on Chatrier.
 
MichaelNadal said:
I hope so :D
Click to expand...

Oh? What happened to wanting young guys to break through ;)

But seriously, I want Nadal to lose as much as the next Fed fan but that's besides the point. Wishful thinking is just that, wishful thinking.

It's not that hard to for a moment set aside one's bias and look at things objectively. Thiem had major trouble keeping his nerves against Zverev in a masters final but they think he'll come out guns blazing against Nadal in a FO final? I like Thiem and I hope to see him win FO one day but he's not a big match player, quite the opposite.
 
zagor said:
This seriously, I mean you only have to have a modicum of understanding of the game to realize that it just isn't happening.

Delpo neither has the BH nor the fitness to beat Nada in BO5 on Chatrier.
Click to expand...

not even going to lie though i'm going to be here wishfully thinking anyway b/c i think the idea of a delpotro/thiem is cool and well the way things are going it will nadal vs cecchinato.
 
zagor said:
Oh? What happened to wanting young guys to break through ;)

But seriously, I want Nadal to lose as much as the next Fed fan but that's besides the point. Wishful thinking is just that, wishful thinking.

It's not that hard to for a moment set aside one's bias and look at things objectively. Thiem had major trouble keeping his nerves against Zverev in a masters final but they think he'll come out guns blazing against Nadal in a FO final? I like Thiem and I hope to see him win FO one day but he's not a big match player, quite the opposite.
Click to expand...

100% cool with ThiemThiem winning too :)
 
zagor said:
Oh? What happened to wanting young guys to break through ;)

But seriously, I want Nadal to lose as much as the next Fed fan but that's besides the point. Wishful thinking is just that, wishful thinking.

It's not that hard to for a moment set aside one's bias and look at things objectively. Thiem had major trouble keeping his nerves against Zverev in a masters final but they think he'll come out guns blazing against Nadal in a FO final? I like Thiem and I hope to see him win FO one day but he's not a big match player, quite the opposite.
Click to expand...

100% cool with ThiemThiem winning too :)
icedevil0289 said:
not even going to lie though i'm going to be here wishfully thinking anyway b/c i think the idea of a delpotro/thiem is cool and well the way things are going it will nadal vs cecchinato.
Click to expand...

If cecc makes the final, I need to know what he's been eating.
 
Guys if Delpo's forehand is working he can take this today 3-0... Nadal hasn't been playing top-10 level tennis here this year, and Im sure he is already waiting for the grass season :)
 
Guys if Delpo's forehand is working he can take this today 3-0... Nadal hasn't been playing top-10 level tennis here this year, and Im sure he is already waiting for the grass season :)
 
Welp, that was an underwhelming match.

Thought we had a competitive match in the first set, then Nadal decided to play and flattened Delpo like a locomotive.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I Am Finnish said:
@CHillTennis some explanation please o_O
Click to expand...

Well, first of all, I can say that I was 100% wrong with my prediction.

That's not to say that I was expecting Del Potro to win today, far from it, but I was expecting the scoreline to have been closer than 6-4, 6-1, 6-2.

Del Po what happened?!

I haven't seen the match yet so I'll be back later with my thoughts on it.

Now, the question is whether or not Thiem will be able to dethrone the King of Clay in the finals.
 
A fresh Delpo could be a threat to Nadal on HC.

It's funny how both times Nadal got Delpo again in a major, he faced a horrible one. Why can't Fed get the same luck?
 
BeatlesFan said:
Del Po will be lucky to win 8 games tomorrow.
Click to expand...

He wasn't lucky today, nor good, nor mentally sound, nor even a presence on court. Really pathetic from the "gentle giant" today. He was over the moon to win his QF and was satisfied with that result. Didn't even show up for the semi today.
 
BeatlesFan said:
He wasn't lucky today, nor good, nor mentally sound, nor even a presence on court. Really pathetic from the "gentle giant" today. He was over the moon to win his QF and was satisfied with that result. Didn't even show up for the semi today.
Click to expand...

He folded like a cheap suit after losing that first set. Still don’t think he would have come through had he won the first set but at least it would have been extra tennis.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

G
  • Poll Poll
Peak (Pre-injury) Juan Martin Del Potro vs Peak Stanimal (Stanislas Wawrinka) who is better?
Replies
7
Views
807
MasturB
MasturB
skypadq
pre injury juan martin del potro was really insane ...
Replies
9
Views
1K
BGod
BGod
uliks
Juan Martin del Potro set to miss Australian Open
2
Replies
57
Views
6K
Livedeath
Livedeath
B
Del Potro: Threat in Grass
Replies
23
Views
3K
Towser83
Towser83
Zardoz7/12
Del Potro comeback in February not set in stone
Replies
7
Views
909
Sudacafan
Sudacafan
Back
Top