Fed.-Nalbandian (spoiler inside)

[vkartikv]

Ok, Fed. didn't even play all that bad today and still lost. Nalbandian played exceptionally well. It's almost like he came out with the mental attitude that he was the better player and it turned out that way. No, this wasn't one of Fed.'s numerous forehand error matches. Granted, there were the occassional errors but it was all Nalbandian today. Makes me wonder why he couldn't perform the same way last week in Basel. His serves have improved greatly and his angles and drop-shots are precisely timed. I'd much rather see a Fed. Nalbandian rivarly than those other buffoons in the top 10..

 

[tennis_hand]

well, I voted Nalbandian to win in this game and he did win.

 

[stormholloway]

I agree about the rivalry. When Nalbandian made a breakthrough at Wimbledon years ago I saw that this guy had huge talent. He has true tennis talent, not just simple, one-dimensional athleticism.

He just needs to put it together. I never understood why he dropped out of the French Open last year. He made it to the semi against Fed and then just gave up.

 

[Heavy Metal Tennis Star]

federer still made $1.5 mil. i hope he didnt tank this.

 

[tennis_hand]

ridiculous to say he tanked the game. He definitely wanted revenge of Madrid. Fed just didn't do it.

 

[FedForGOAT]

Some people actually predicted ahead of time that he would tank against either Karlovic or Nalbandian as to not make it suspicious. I don't know what to believe anymore.

 

[anointedone]

federer still made $1.5 mil. i hope he didnt tank this.

I saw the first 7 or 8 games of the match. It already started to look to me like another tank, just like Djokovic and Davydenko so I stopped watching since I watched too much of the Djokovic and Davydenko losses as it was. I didnt even have a vested interest in the outcome since neither player is a favorite of mine, I am just tired of seeing the top seeds all doing this because they were given a nice appearance fee. It is sad that is the situation with these excess Masters events, they shouldnt be their in the first place, they are, players dont want to play some of them, they have to give hefty appearance fees, the guys want those so come but are happy to leave early, and that is that.

 

[ofey]

Woo hoo FATTY won!!

I took a bet on this game actually for 3 reasons:
a) The supposed "tanking"
b) Fatty did beat him a couple of weeks ago.
c) The poll a day or so ago.

Hmm should I blow the winnings on a new racquet?

 

[fgzhu88]

Yeah, Fed didn't tank, but he definitely wasn't at his best
maybe it was because nalbandian didn't let him, maybe nerves

Nevertheless, Nalbandian has amazing even Safin-like raw talent. He strikes the ball cleaner than almost anyone!! I think he should be number 3 in the world IMO

But trust me, third times the charm, and just like Federer ***** Canas after losing twice, he will have his sweet revenge on Nalbandian...

 

[zapvor]

i really hope someone like Fed will never tank. its just not his image at all.

 

[Federer's pet goat Leanne]

was it like the murray match from last year?

 

[slice bh compliment]

Good on you David!

Now, I know this is reeeaalllyy remote, but it would be so cool if Nalbandian somehow qualied for Shanghai and got to play Federer again.

I think Rog will play better and take it.

How about Nalbandian and Canas socring some back2backs against da Champeen? In recent times, Nadal is one of the only others who can claim that.

Well, David, you'll always have Paris. And Madrid, and the Masters Cup from 2 yrs ago.
Very much looking forward to Shanghai this year.

 

[vkartikv]

Good on you David!

Now, I know this is reeeaalllyy remote, but it would be so cool if Nalbandian somehow qualied for Shanghai and got to play Federer again.

I think Rog will play better and take it.

How about Nalbandian and Canas socring some back2backs against da Champeen? In recent times, Nadal is one of the only others who can claim that.

Well, David, you'll always have Paris. And Madrid, and the Masters Cup from 2 yrs ago.
Very much looking forward to Shanghai this year.

Mathematically impossible.

 

[slice bh compliment]

Mathematically impossible.

Yeah, bummer. Just read that....as of this morning.
Well, still, good on David. If he stays fit over Christmas, I think he'll get a lot of attention as a contender in Oz.

 

[tennis_hand]

well, on another note, the Paris Masters should be dropped. There is no point of having a GS and a Masters at the same place. No wonder Fed and Nadal didn't even go there in the past few years.

It is a ridiculous Masters that not many players and fans care about.

 

[slice bh compliment]

Come on, man, that is a world capital and has been for a century or so.

Also, for years, NY hosted not only the US Open but BOTH year-end championships.

Nothing wrong with Paris hosting RG and a MS. Do you have any idea about the history of the Paris Indoors?

If London had a Masters Series/Super nine, 500 series or whatever, I do not think anyone would quibble.

It's what the market will bear.

Now, if you want to whine about Paris-Bercy's date on the calendar, that's a good point.

Want to say there are too many tournaments, sure maybe. Too long a season, fine. Too much tennis on hard courts....too many injuries/withdrawals...obviously.

 

[vkartikv]

well, on another note, the Paris Masters should be dropped. There is no point of having a GS and a Masters at the same place. No wonder Fed and Nadal didn't even go there in the past few years.

It is a ridiculous Masters that not many players and fans care about.

They didn't go there because they had just finished playing Madrid and didn't want to injure themselves before Shanghai. Paris is like Hamburg - not very well scheduled. And how do you know that the fans and players don't care about Paris?!! I just downloaded TVU player only to watch my man Haas go down :-(

 

[vkartikv]

Yeah, bummer. Just read that....as of this morning.
Well, still, good on David. If he stays fit over Christmas, I think he'll get a lot of attention as a contender in Oz.

That was my concern too. A lot of this is based on momentum and he has to now 'save' it until the Australian Open. This is probably Fed's worst year since he became # 1 but he still has 3 majors out of 4!!

 

[757tennis]

nalbandian is turning into federer's kryptonite just like canas did a few years ago
hes beaten fed two weeks in a row

 

[Fedexeon]

Didn't you see that Federer looked tired during the match? He has played 10 matches in these 3 weeks, and of course the 3 sets match against Karlovic. But i do admit that Nalbandian played very well to beat Federer, the one who deserved to win won the match.

 

[Zaragoza]

well, on another note, the Paris Masters should be dropped. There is no point of having a GS and a Masters at the same place.

What about a Slam and the Masters Cup in London? At least the Paris-Bercy tournament has a long tradition but the Masters Cup could be played in many other places.

 

[psamp14]

i need to see highlights of this match....nalbandian to me is a masterful tactician.....a tactical mastermind....a ...oh never mind...he plays a mental match

 

[tennis_hand]

What about a Slam and the Masters Cup in London? At least the Paris-Bercy tournament has a long tradition but the Masters Cup could be played in many other places.

that one shouldn't be there either. I object both.

 

[tennis_hand]

They didn't go there because they had just finished playing Madrid and didn't want to injure themselves before Shanghai. Paris is like Hamburg - not very well scheduled. And how do you know that the fans and players don't care about Paris?!! I just downloaded TVU player only to watch my man Haas go down :-(

ok. so Youzhny is going to play against Nadal. cool.

 

[Federer's pet goat Leanne]

fatso might win this tourney if he faces bionic knees in the finals

 

[urban]

Its not so easy to play 3 or more tournaments back to back, if you go deep in the first two. In all discussions of match win percentages per year or winning streaks, this has to be recognized. Moose Malloy has pointed out, that it was the first time since 2003, that Federer played three events in a row. Maybe the 1,5 Mio for playing Paris was a motor, to play a heavier schedule. Maybe the last who won really 3 in a row, i can remember at the moment, was Boris Becker in 1986, when he won 3 on different continents.

 

[Thor]

I agree about the rivalry. When Nalbandian made a breakthrough at Wimbledon years ago I saw that this guy had huge talent. He has true tennis talent, not just simple, one-dimensional athleticism.

You just couldnt resist

 

[Bundey]

nalbandian is turning into federer's kryptonite just like canas did a few years ago
hes beaten fed two weeks in a row

More like months ago...

 

[laurie]

I agree about the rivalry. When Nalbandian made a breakthrough at Wimbledon years ago I saw that this guy had huge talent. He has true tennis talent, not just simple, one-dimensional athleticism.

He just needs to put it together. I never understood why he dropped out of the French Open last year. He made it to the semi against Fed and then just gave up.

He got injured after been a set up and retired 2 sets to 1 down.

I was at the quarterfinal against davydenko in paris, I really thought he was going to win the French Open last year, injury put paid to that.

But yes, Nalbandian plays a lovely strategic game, very similar to Hingis but with mans power of course. He's a player with vision, which is unusual in todays Tennis.

I think and hope that Nalbandian's time will come soon and he will deliver a slam that people have been expecting for the last 3 years.

 

[slice bh compliment]

Woo hoo FATTY won!!

I took a bet on this game actually for 3 reasons:
a) The supposed "tanking"
b) Fatty did beat him a couple of weeks ago.
c) The poll a day or so ago.

Hmm should I blow the winnings on a new racquet?

Yoooou're the one for me, Fatty, yoooou're the one who really ticks me off.
--RF biting a Morrissey lyric.

BTW, I think he's pretty fit, and that's not a bad looking forehand preparation there.

 

[illkhiboy]

Its not so easy to play 3 or more tournaments back to back, if you go deep in the first two. In all discussions of match win percentages per year or winning streaks, this has to be recognized. Moose Malloy has pointed out, that it was the first time since 2003, that Federer played three events in a row. Maybe the 1,5 Mio for playing Paris was a motor, to play a heavier schedule. Maybe the last who won really 3 in a row, i can remember at the moment, was Boris Becker in 1986, when he won 3 on different continents.

Agassi won 3 in a row in '95. He won Washington, Canada, Cincinatti, New Haven that summer, 3 of those were consecutive weeks. He did eventually pay the price for it, when he struggled through the US Open and eventually lost to Sampras in the final.

 

[helloworld]

Fed was trying hard in this match. I watched the whole match and trust me, Fed really wanted revenge this time. Unfortunately, Nalbandian just played better. Fed was actually struggling to keep up with Nalbandian in this match. I've never seen Fed in this situation before apart from when he faces Nadal.

 

[pabloJD]

Its not so easy to play 3 or more tournaments back to back, if you go deep in the first two. In all discussions of match win percentages per year or winning streaks, this has to be recognized. Moose Malloy has pointed out, that it was the first time since 2003, that Federer played three events in a row. Maybe the 1,5 Mio for playing Paris was a motor, to play a heavier schedule. Maybe the last who won really 3 in a row, i can remember at the moment, was Boris Becker in 1986, when he won 3 on different continents.

Of course it's not easy but...
Thomas Muster did it in 1996: Estoril, Barcelona and Monte Carlo
Guillermo Coria in 2003: Stuttgart (d. Robredo), Kitzbühel (d. Massu) and Sopot (d. Ferrer), winning all 32 sets (!!!)