Guys.....

[MichaelNadal]

I still can’t get over this. Nadal literally could have won in straights. Djokovic won 22 straight sets and yet numbfootdal (after a 4hour match) had him looking helpless af. It’s unbelievable how GOATY Rafa was in this match. Regardless of what happens in the semi/final, this is crazy. Look at Novak scrambling deep behind the baseline o-O

 

[Nadal - GOAT]

I still can’t get over this. Nadal literally could have won in straights. Djokovic won 22 straight sets and yet numbfootdal (after a 4hour match) had him looking helpless af. It’s unbelievable how GOATY Rafa was in this match. Regardless of what happens in the semi/final, this is crazy. Look at Novak scrambling deep behind the baseline o-O

It was a spectacular performance from Rafa.

He totally outplayed Novak.

 

[Alex78]

Not a Rafa fan here but credit where it's due.
And you know if there's just one player who won't put up his feet now after this match, thinking he's already won it all, it's Nadal.

 

[RaulRamirez]

It was a great, well-deserved win, but I'm not a fan of could-haves, even after wins.
I mean, the more natural could-have is that it could have gone to a 5th set, and Rafa may still have won. Who knows.
Fact is that Rafa was considerably better than Novak on most of the key points.

 

[weakera]

It's amazing to see the crowd support he has gotten at the slams this year. Deafening roars.

 

[aman92]

Man wish I could have watched the entire match live... Was just too late in the night for me to tune in.. Coupled with the fact I had severe doubts as to whether he would be able to make it close let alone win. Lesson learnt.. Never ever doubt him at RG, no matter what kind of form, physical or mental shape he is in.

 

[Standaa]

Nadal better not mess this up now....... Golden chance to equal Pete with just RG titles alone

 

[Deleted member 762343]

His foot was fine this time so let's not be greedy and come up with an imaginary handicap to make him look even superior than he really was. He was the superior player and won, be content with it.

 

[Kralingen]

So, I actually didn't get to watch most of the 1st and 2nd sets live... was checking score but hadn't seen them in full until I watched a replay yesterday.

Some thoughts -
- I wasn't at all surprised to see Nadal win, as I kept predicting. The top level he displayed in the FAA sets and against Botic just were levels beyond the field.

- Nadal was legitimately GOATing from the 1st set to 0-3 in the 2nd. Near perfect tactics, minimizing UEs, just running around and hitting uber difficult FHs with ease. He was absolutepy peaking, and I didn't think Novak was actually that bad in the first 3 games in the 2nd set (he wasn't very good in the first). Nadal was just going off, in a way I hadn't seen from him in a long time.

- Additionally, Nadal was doing well in 3 key areas, 1. going DTL on both wings to break rhythm early in points (a change from last year) 2. moonballing/slicing to force Novak to generate his own pace and 3. returning well, much better than I expected.

- On the generating his own pace point... it is striking just how much more physically strong Nadal is. He can take a neutral ball and just bludgeon it with 4000 RPM down the line for a stunning winner, Novak simply cannot generate that level of pace. As predicted, Djokovic couldn't hit through Rafa consistently...

- I disagree with the 'he could have won in straights point'. Yeah it was an epic win but let's not act like the 2nd set was all Rafa falling apart... From 3-0, a switch seemed to go off in Novak and he started just lasering the ball. It was ridiculous in that 18 minute game how he nailed EVERY SINGLE return almost a foot from the baseline. Seriously one of the more ridiculous things I've seen him do, and imo he deserved that set win. No other player in the world could have done that, and no other player in the world would have coped with Novak's pressure that set.

Yes Rafa dipped but that was ridiculous from Nole, he put together one of the most impressive sets I'd seen in 2022, easily.

- Rafa is a genius with passing shots and cat/mouse points. Novak just couldn't finish points from the mid court and Rafa guessed right on so many of those, which bodes poorly for Zverev who is has even more of an issue doing this. If Nadal can bring a level like this then I doubt he drops more than a set or two in the SFs/Finals.

 

[Azure]

It's amazing to see the crowd support he has gotten at the slams this year. Deafening roars.

There was a time when the crowd was happy he lost in 2009. rafa's endearing personality finally caught up to even the most stubborn of crowds!

 

[MichaelNadal]

His foot was fine this time so let's not be greedy and come up with an imaginary handicap to make him look even superior than he really was. He was the superior player and won, be content with it.

Ok, deal anything else?

 

[Deleted member 762343]

There was a time when the crowd was happy he lost in 2009. rafa's endearing personality finally caught up to even the most stubborn of crowds!

They wanted Federer to grab at least one RG title and Nadal was the only one to prevent it so there was that.

 

[darthrafa]

rafa played smartly, credit to his team
but hv to remember that djoker lacked match fitness, which makes rafa look better than the actual difference
smilar to that 40-15, if the fifth set is required, i cant say rafa would definitely win

 

[BeatlesFan]

Golden chance to equal Pete with just RG titles alone

That's just mind boggling. And when Pete retired he's said he thought his slam record would last at least for the rest of his lifetime.

 

[Third Serve]

just imagine... if his foot wasn't injured, we'd have seen bakery products

 

[ojo rojo]

just imagine... if his foot wasn't injured, we'd have seen bakery products

Loafers

Spoiler

 

[King No1e]

It's amazing to see the crowd support he has gotten at the slams this year. Deafening roars.

Probably the most crowd support I've seen for him. Djokodal matches used to have fairly neutral crowds (or Djokovic getting the underdog support in a few of their RG contests).
I don't think that's gonna be the case anymore. It was like a Federer match with how one-sided the support was.

 

[aldeayeah]

So, I actually didn't get to watch most of the 1st and 2nd sets live... was checking score but hadn't seen them in full until I watched a replay yesterday.

Some thoughts -
- I wasn't at all surprised to see Nadal win, as I kept predicting. The top level he displayed in the FAA sets and against Botic just were levels beyond the field.

- Nadal was legitimately GOATing from the 1st set to 0-3 in the 2nd. Near perfect tactics, minimizing UEs, just running around and hitting uber difficult FHs with ease. He was absolutepy peaking, and I didn't think Novak was actually that bad in the first 3 games in the 2nd set (he wasn't very good in the first). Nadal was just going off, in a way I hadn't seen from him in a long time.

- Additionally, Nadal was doing well in 3 key areas, 1. going DTL on both wings to break rhythm early in points (a change from last year) 2. moonballing/slicing to force Novak to generate his own pace and 3. returning well, much better than I expected.

- On the generating his own pace point... it is striking just how much more physically strong Nadal is. He can take a neutral ball and just bludgeon it with 4000 RPM down the line for a stunning winner, Novak simply cannot generate that level of pace. As predicted, Djokovic couldn't hit through Rafa consistently...

- I disagree with the 'he could have won in straights point'. Yeah it was an epic win but let's not act like the 2nd set was all Rafa falling apart... From 3-0, a switch seemed to go off in Novak and he started just lasering the ball. It was ridiculous in that 18 minute game how he nailed EVERY SINGLE return almost a foot from the baseline. Seriously one of the more ridiculous things I've seen him do, and imo he deserved that set win. No other player in the world could have done that, and no other player in the world would have coped with Novak's pressure that set.

Yes Rafa dipped but that was ridiculous from Nole, he put together one of the most impressive sets I'd seen in 2022, easily.

- Rafa is a genius with passing shots and cat/mouse points. Novak just couldn't finish points from the mid court and Rafa guessed right on so many of those, which bodes poorly for Zverev who is has even more of an issue doing this. If Nadal can bring a level like this then I doubt he drops more than a set or two in the SFs/Finals.

Good analysis. The unexpected part was Rafa being able to go deep and DTL in such a consistent, error-free way, particularly from the BH side.

 

[junior74]

Djokovic could/ should also have served in the 4th to make it a 5-setter

Rafa played well and worked hard, well done!

 

[MichaelNadal]

Djokovic could/ should also have served in the 4th to make it a 5-setter

Rafa played well and worked hard, well done!

True but Nadal shouldn’t even have been in a 4th lol. Credit to Novak raising his level but you’ll almost never see Rafa blow a double break lead

 

[aldeayeah]

True but Nadal shouldn’t even have been in a 4th lol. Credit to Novak raising his level but you’ll almost never see Rafa blow a double break lead

The late part of the second set was Djokovic's best stretch of the match though.

What also impressed me was how Nadal looked cool like a cucumber through the entire ordeal. Impressive mental performance.

 

[StrongRule]

True but Nadal shouldn’t even have been in a 4th lol. Credit to Novak raising his level but you’ll almost never see Rafa blow a double break lead

He almost did that even in RG 2008 against Djokovic. That's a usual thing in their matches, Nadal misses leads all the time. In their 2012 and 2013 he missed lots of break leads, and even lost sets where he was up a break more than once. Good that he still managed to end up winning most of these times. In 2013 it really looked like he will lose after choking.

 

[MichaelNadal]

He almost did that even in RG 2008 against Djokovic. That's a usual thing in their matches, Nadal misses leads all the time. In their 2012 and 2013 he missed lots of break leads, and even lost sets where he was up a break more than once. Good that he still managed to end up winning most of these times. In 2013 it really looked like he will lose after choking.

Yeah, understandably. Moreso than Federer, Novak always is able to take it to Nadal on clay even in matches when he's not at his best, I couldn't relax till the last point was over lol. Djokovic would have roared like crazy if he won that SP and it would have been on

 

[TheNachoMan]

Nadal fans are now saying he outplayed Novak, but most were nervous af in the match thread and saying Novak was gonna win. lol

 

[aldeayeah]

Nadal fans are now saying he outplayed Novak, but most were nervous af in the match thread and saying Novak was gonna win. lol

Guilty as charged lol although I didn't post in the match thread.

That goddamn return winner in the final TB

 

[Sabrina]

Yeah, understandably. Moreso than Federer, Novak always is able to take it to Nadal on clay even in matches when he's not at his best, I couldn't relax till the last point was over lol. Djokovic would have roared like crazy if he won that SP and it would have been on

In most of their matches the margin was very small, the QF match was basically the mirror one compares to their 2021 encounter.

 

[The Blond Blur]

Nadal fans are now saying he outplayed Novak, but most were nervous af in the match thread and saying Novak was gonna win. lol

I mean both those things can be true at the same time, lol. Coming into the match this year RAFA was on the court 2.5 hours longer than Joker and had just come off a 5 setter whereas Joker hadn’t dropped a set. RAFA came out guns blazing and got off to a hot start which most people didn’t see coming.

 

[Sabrina]

Guilty as charged lol although I didn't post in the match thread.

That goddamn return winner in the final TB

At that time I thought that Nadal would waste 5 consecutive MPs

 

[Federev]

I still can’t get over this. Nadal literally could have won in straights. Djokovic won 22 straight sets and yet numbfootdal (after a 4hour match) had him looking helpless af. It’s unbelievable how GOATY Rafa was in this match. Regardless of what happens in the semi/final, this is crazy. Look at Novak scrambling deep behind the baseline o-O

It was just awesome.

There are two guys who - when they are really REALLY on - Novak has no answers for. He ends up looking like he never looks with anyone else - just dumbfounded.

Yesterday it was very sweet to celebrate Rafa. Been watching clips since. Never been so excited for him before. I love the old champion resurrecting “one more time” and doing the impossible.

I hope I get to celebrate “the other old champion” at least one more time. Though he’s so much older than the other two it’s hard to imagine.

But - as you essentially said - all big 3 fans have had more than they could ask for.

 

[StrongRule]

Yeah, understandably. Moreso than Federer, Novak always is able to take it to Nadal on clay even in matches when he's not at his best, I couldn't relax till the last point was over lol. Djokovic would have roared like crazy if he won that SP and it would have been on

Tomorrow he has another big challenge. Zverev is really difficult for him, even on clay.

 

[aldeayeah]

At that time I thought that Nadal would waste 5 consecutive MPs

Echoes of 40-15 lol

 

[zuluzazu]

Guilty as charged lol although I didn't post in the match thread.

That goddamn return winner in the final TB

Some of my friends who are Roger fans but were supporting Nadal kinda had Vietnam flashbacks of USO 2011 when Novak crushed the return winner to go 4-6 in the tiebreak lol

 

[aldeayeah]

Some of my friends who are Roger fans but were supporting Nadal kinda had Vietnam flashbacks of USO 2011 when Novak crushed the return winner to go 4-6 in the tiebreak lol

Yeah, the original 40-15 I meant

 

[Sabrina]

Yeah, the original 40-15 I meant

Well in the last moment I was almost sure that Nadal would net that BH and Novak would serve an ace in the next point to make it to 6-6. Luckily that Rafa made that BH to finish the match.

 

[junior74]

True but Nadal shouldn’t even have been in a 4th lol. Credit to Novak raising his level but you’ll almost never see Rafa blow a double break lead

While I agree, I also disagree

Novak played with true grit from 0-3. And it became a 84 minute set, so it wasn't like Rafa just "blew it". It was a set with long, close games.

Incredible by Rafa to start the next set without losing his focus. Good match overall.

 

[MichaelNadal]

While I agree, I also disagree

Novak played with true grit from 0-3. And it became a 84 minute set, so it wasn't like Rafa just "blew it". It was a set with long, close games.

Incredible by Rafa to start the next set without losing his focus. Good match overall.

Yes good analysis and some of those games were LONG. Nadal actually having energy after losing long sets this year is the complete opposite of 2020 and 2021 which is surprising

 

[Rosstour]

Not a Rafa fan here but credit where it's due.
And you know if there's just one player who won't put up his feet now after this match, thinking he's already won it all, it's Nadal.

He can only put one foot up

 

[ACE of Hearts]

His backhand held up this year compared to last year. Don’t know what was up with the backhand. Also some nice serves

 

[junior74]

Yes good analysis and some of those games were LONG. Nadal actually having energy after losing long sets this year is the complete opposite of 2020 and 2021 which is surprising

Skipping (and/ or not going far in) some tournaments is important at this stage, I guess. We saw the same with Federer 2017 and forwards, when he was as old as Rafa is now. The body can't take a full schedule for no one at that age, I think

 

[intrepidish]

It was just awesome.

There are two guys who - when they are really REALLY on - Novak has no answers for. He ends up looking like he never looks with anyone else - just dumbfounded.

Which 2 guys did you have in mind?

 

[aldeayeah]

Stanimal and Claydal, I imagine

 

[Spencer Gore]

The performance was truly phenomenal. Djokovic looked entirely at his mercy for the majority of the match. It almost defies belief.

 

[ChaelAZ]

I still can’t get over this. Nadal literally could have won in straights. Djokovic won 22 straight sets and yet numbfootdal (after a 4hour match) had him looking helpless af. It’s unbelievable how GOATY Rafa was in this match. Regardless of what happens in the semi/final, this is crazy. Look at Novak scrambling deep behind the baseline o-O

OooooommmmbeeleebaBULLLL!

 

[dapchai]

Which 2 guys did you have in mind?

Stanimal and Claydal, I imagine

Yes, I think Stanimal and Claydal at RG. If we allow BO3 matches, then this one could be counted as well

 

[Federev]

Which 2 guys did you have in mind?

Rafa and some nobody.

Just forget it.

 

[intrepidish]

Rafa and some nobody.

Just forget it.

I wasn't asking with any agenda, just curious. I thought you might have meant Roger back in the day or Stan a bit more recently in addition to Nadal.