Only fair that Nadal play indoor season now, no?
Nadal didn't mind giving Fed a hard time about skipping clay.Could not have much less to do with the topic, so congrats on getting that in there. With that said, I doubt Rafa would skip an indoor GS and Feddy doesn't deserve a pat on the back if he decides to play the french.
No plox...Yay hopefully another Fedal match
Remove ralph and the swiss had the real shot this year..Nice to read! So good that the Slam skipping nonsense is over. Also RG was his 2nd best Slam this year anyway. Maybe he came to the conclusion that he will rather win RG than the US Open.
Plot twist, it'll be a QF match.Yay hopefully another Fedal match
I mean yeah that's the only place Nadal can beat him at this point.Yay hopefully another Fedal match
Remove ralph and the swiss had the real shot this year..
That’s exactly what I thought. But sadly Rafa just won’t go away.Remove ralph and the swiss had the real shot this year..
Fed devotee, don't cheat readers by creating fake stories about rafa.I mean yeah that's the only place Nadal can beat him at this point.
Oh no, Fedr. Listen to your clowns, it's not a real surface.
That’s exactly what I thought. But sadly Rafa just won’t go away.
Honestly though, I guess many of those guys who recently beat Federer at the US Open wouldn’t beat him at RG.
But rafa played a totally fresh thiem no!Even if Nadal had had a bad day and lost early, a totally gassed Thiem would have awaited in the final - so it wouldn't count anyway
They will have roof ready next year?One last shot - under a roof?
Yes, if the rallyes have the same length, then it’s relatively better for the body. Normally the rallyes on clay seemed to be longer, so the effect was cancelled out by some degree on a high level, but nowadays with slow surfaces almost everywhere it should be true again.Absolutely.
Federer's variety is extremely helpful on clay(and grass), plus serve is a bit more unreadable than at slow HC.
Also, clay is a lot less taxing on body than HC is.
If only I could replicate fed's ballstriking power from 2005 and give it to him now...Yes, if the rallyes have the same length, then it’s relatively better for the body. Normally the rallyes on clay seemed to be longer, so the effect was cancelled out a bit on a high level, but nowadays with slow surfaces almost everywhere it should be true again.
It worked quite well for him in 2019 so completely logical to put it on the schedule. The real question is Monte Carlo.Poor guy. Has to try and stop Ralph by himself from eclipsing 20 since the Lost and Next-Gen have been utterly useless in slowing Ralph and Nolan. Medvedev has been closest but it's still not enough.
Or maybe this is for 2024 prep for Olympics in Paris?
You never know and winning RG would seal him as GOAT. Fed v Zverev in final anyone?Federer will be 38 3/4 at the 2020 FO. That's ancient. The FO has been a terrible event for the majority of old people in the past.
Rosewall: he last played this event in 1969 at the age of 34 1/2. He made it to the final that year; only to get smoked by Laver in straight sets.
Agassi: He lost in the 1st round his last two years of playing the event at ages 34 and 35
Connors: Lost 2nd round of 1989(age 36 3/4), missed 1990, lost 3rd round of 1991(age 38 3/4), lost first round of 1992(age 39 3/4).
Lendl: lost 1st round of FO in 1993 and 1994 at the ages of 33 and 34. Lost in 2nd round of 1992 at the age of 32.
Fed's semi appearance at the FO this year at the age of 37 3/4 was truly a remarkable result. If Federer makes the QF next year, I'd be extremely happy. It's great that he's playing it.
Yes, he really should do something himself against his goat contenders, and finally stop losing to them... 10w/20l...That's really too much....Poor guy. Has to try and stop Ralph by himself from eclipsing 20 since the Lost and Next-Gen have been utterly useless in slowing Ralph and Nolan. Medvedev has been closest but it's still not enough.
Or maybe this is for 2024 prep for Olympics in Paris?
I mean yeah that's the only place Nadal can beat him at this point.
Think he is basically saying this is his goodbye to the French.At this point had he skipped it he would probably be out of the top 4 even in a best case scenario (not at Wimbledon but in general).
Thiem was not tired before the final, he was just 25 years old and played a 5 sets SF split in 2 days. No 25 years old is gonna be tired for playing a 5 sets match split in 2 days.Even if Nadal had had a bad day and lost early, a totally gassed Thiem would have awaited in the final - so it wouldn't count anyway
Think he is basically saying this is his goodbye to the French.
But I do think he thinks it is a possibility, so he wants to be committed either way. He might still play another couple years, but either way I think this is his last FO.Even he doesn't know if that's the case. Depends on his results moving forward.
He didn't say so. Fed needs RG points to be seeded #2 at Wimbledon and avoid Joko before the final.Think he is basically saying this is his goodbye to the French.
But I do think he thinks it is a possibility, so he wants to be committed either way. He might still play another couple years, but either way I think this is his last FO.
True, but getting another SF or even QF could be tough. I mean I am all for it, but he could be planning for it to be his last, but would never say so until right before the tourney starts.He didn't say so. Fed needs RG points to be seeded #2 at Wimbledon and avoid Joko before the final.
Thiem was not tired before the final, he was just 25 years old and played a 5 sets SF split in 2 days. No 25 years old is gonna be tired for playing a 5 sets match split in 2 days.
In the first set of the RG 2019 final Thiem was hitting hard and running like a cheetah for every single point, he played at an unreal level. Both Nadal and Thiem got a bit tired after the first set of the final, and in the second set both decreased their level. In the third and fourth Nadal raised enough his level while Thiem stayed playing like in the second set. The point is: not only Thiem but also Nadal was unable to come back to the level of the first set. It is humanly impossible to have the stamina to maintain the level Thiem and Nadal played in the first set. Thiem was running like a crazy for every single ball in rallies of 10+ shots.
I saw a Thiem who couldn't get the ball deep into the court as the match went on - which is a more typical sign of fatigue than running for balls. This interpretation also comes from playing for 30+ years myself. Thiem became reactive, and I think he did so because he didn't move as superbly as he normally does.
Thiem played matches 4 days in a row. There are reasons why they don't schedule like that, you know.
That said; the first two sets had a lot of really high level tennis and was fun to watch
For sure, in 2020 he'll be up 40-0 while serving for the title.Probably thinks RG helped him at Wimbledon