Nadal (5) vs Monfils (13) - 2016 Monte Carlo final

Winner?

  • Nadal in 2

    Votes: 29 63.0%
  • Nadal in 3

    Votes: 12 26.1%
  • Monfils in 3

    Votes: 3 6.5%
  • Monfils in 2

    Votes: 2 4.3%

  • Total voters
    46
J

JRAJ1988

Guest
As much as I like Monfils' game of late and the fact in 2016 his form is pushing him closer to the top ten, I have to lay my hat with Nadal in 3 tough sets.

Notice how Monfils is less of a showman more focussed on his game this season?
 

cc0509

Talk Tennis Guru
Not even in the 1st set? You really are a hard one to please! :confused:



Didn't you confidently predict the same thing for Nadal vs Murray? ;)

But Murray might have as well lost in straights because after that first set that Murray won (which I didn't see by the way) what happened? He lost the plot and Nadal was all over him. It was a bad loss for Murray considering how easily he won the first set. I don't dislike Murray at all so please don't take this the wrong way but Murray has turned into the the chief poodle against Djokovic, Nadal and Federer. I have no confidence that Murray would beat any of those guys these days and let's face it, he should be beating at least Nadal and Federer who have been far from their best due to decline/confidence issues, etc. I see Nadal perhaps bouncing back and regaining some top form but it's hard to say the same about Murray at the moment.
 

cc0509

Talk Tennis Guru
What final would you consider exciting now? :)

Any final between two great players which is competitive and where the result is a toss up or at least the player you don't expect to win has a decent chance.

Monfils may surprise me and make it very competitive but even if he does that I'm not expecting a Monfils win. Really the final is a formality imo.
 

West Coast Ace

G.O.A.T.
Was Tsonga drained from the previous match?
When JWT pulled his shirt up to dry his face his stomach didn't look very athletic. I don't think he's been training hard.

I have a feeling it's going to be just like today's match with Monf assuming the Murray role. He'll come out on fire and win the first, then fall apart quite spectacularly.

Something like Nadal: 36 62 63.
 
D

Deleted member 743561

Guest
When JWT pulled his shirt up to dry his face his stomach didn't look very athletic. I don't think he's been training hard.

I have a feeling it's going to be just like today's match with Monf assuming the Murray role. He'll come out on fire and win the first, then fall apart quite spectacularly.

Something like Nadal: 36 62 63.
Re Tsonga: Maybe the fitness. Thinking Monf deserves a ton of credit.

Re prediction: I hope not. He's been a wrecking ball this tournament. I think he'll keep it going.
 

Mainad

Bionic Poster
But Murray might have as well lost in straights because after that first set that Murray won (which I didn't see by the way) what happened? He lost the plot and Nadal was all over him. It was a bad loss for Murray considering how easily he won the first set. I don't dislike Murray at all so please don't take this the wrong way but Murray has turned into the the chief poodle against Djokovic, Nadal and Federer. I have no confidence that Murray would beat any of those guys these days and let's face it, he should be beating at least Nadal and Federer who have been far from their best due to decline/confidence issues, etc. I see Nadal perhaps bouncing back and regaining some top form but it's hard to say the same about Murray at the moment.

Might as well have lost in straights? Doesn't the fact that he took the 1st set so easily not give you more confidence he might beat him at some point rather than a straight set beatdown would? Especially considering how far off his top form, Murray is at the moment? Well, each to his own I guess!
 

cc0509

Talk Tennis Guru
Might as well have lost in straights? Doesn't the fact that he took the 1st set so easily not give you more confidence he might beat him at some point rather than a straight set beatdown would? Especially considering how far off his top form, Murray is at the moment? Well, each to his own I guess!

Not really. What good is it to beat somebody so soundly in the first set only to lose your sh*t in the second and third sets? I said the same thing when people were so excited when Nadal took the first set off of Djokovic at IW and then collapsed in the second set. Who cares. Nadal lost to Djokovic and pretty badly in the end.
 
D

Deleted member 3771

Guest
This is going to be tough. Le Monf is in the form of his life. He has steamrolled everyone in straights and very easily spanked the guys that beat Djokovic and Federer.
 

Mainad

Bionic Poster
Not really. What good is it to beat somebody so soundly in the first set only to lose your sh*t in the second and third sets? I said the same thing when people were so excited when Nadal took the first set off of Djokovic at IW and then collapsed in the second set. Who cares. Nadal lost to Djokovic and pretty badly in the end.

But by winning the 1st set, you give yourself a much better chance of going one better next time than if you lose in straights. That's how I would feel if that were me and I'm sure I'm not alone. Murray usually does well when he wins the 1st set and if he had been at 100% capacity, who knows what might have happened? Ditto Nadal with Djokovic. Winning a set comfortably at least gives you something to build on. Getting a straight sets beatdown doesn't unless the sets are particularly close.
 

Mainad

Bionic Poster
This is going to be tough. Le Monf is in the form of his life. He has steamrolled everyone in straights and very easily spanked the guys that beat Djokovic and Federer.

He's the first French finalist at MC for 16 years so let's hope he makes it worthwhile to have got there! :)
 

cc0509

Talk Tennis Guru
But by winning the 1st set, you give yourself a much better chance of going one better next time than if you lose in straights. That's how I would feel if that were me and I'm sure I'm not alone. Murray usually does well when he wins the 1st set and if he had been at 100% capacity, who knows what might have happened? Ditto Nadal with Djokovic. Winning a set comfortably at least gives you something to build on. Getting a straight sets beatdown doesn't unless the sets are particularly close.

Ok. But for me personally I would never bet on Murray over Nadal on clay. I know it happened once in Madrid but I think unless Nadal is really off, that encounter on clay has only one winner. As for Murray not being at full capacity. Why? It's been two years or more since his back surgery. What's the problem? I think you are making too many excuses for him. I was with you at first and felt compassion for Murray but it's been too long now since he's defeated the other Big Four members.
 
Not really. What good is it to beat somebody so soundly in the first set only to lose your sh*t in the second and third sets? I said the same thing when people were so excited when Nadal took the first set off of Djokovic at IW and then collapsed in the second set. Who cares. Nadal lost to Djokovic and pretty badly in the end.

Nadal didn't win the first set off Djokovic at IW.
 

Mainad

Bionic Poster
Ok. But for me personally I would never bet on Murray over Nadal on clay. I know it happened once in Madrid but I think unless Nadal is really off, that encounter on clay has only one winner. As for Murray not being at full capacity. Why? It's been two years or more since his back surgery. What's the problem? I think you are making too many excuses for him. I was with you at first and felt compassion for Murray but it's been too long now since he's defeated the other Big Four members.

Unfortunately, he is more easily distracted than the Big 3. He just is. He was on tenterhooks all through the AO and had one eye on flying home immediately if Kim had gone into labour. Coupled with the extra distraction of Nigel's health scare, its a minor miracle he managed to make it to the final at all! He was off all February on paternity leave and just hasn't been fully focussed since hence the fiascos of IW and Miami and the early rounds at MC. He's really only just beginning to start focussing again. Last year, he constantly had one eye on DC which was why he talked of skipping WTF and scarcely put in much effort when he got there. I'm not trying to excuse this. It's just the way he is and probably the main reason why he hasn't been anywhere near as successful as, say Fed and Novak who seem to remain phenomenallly focussed no matter what goes on in their private lives.

In my opinion, he has had to put up with a lot more pressure from his home fans and especially his home media than was ever the case for Fedalovic. It's amazing he's been able to do what he has done without completely buckling and I still worry for him. But, yes, it would be nice if he could start beating the guys ranked above him again and I'm sure he thinks this too. Hopefully he can build on yesterday's match to start thinking he's got a real chance again when he's fully back on his game.
 

ArcspacE

G.O.A.T.
Tsonga was the first Top 20 player Monfils had defeated all season - talk about a kind draw (20 wins to date). He was also the first Top 10 player he's defeated in almost a year.

Nadal will crush him - no hope
 

The Green Mile

Bionic Poster
Will catch this one. Hoping Clown doesn't make too many appearances tonight. Expect Rafa in 2 sets, yet I have no idea how they are both playing.

Praying for a Monfils victory though. First time M1000 winner, or a 9 time MC winner whom I don't really support? Hmmmm.... Rafa winning this title, will make the rest of the Clay season very interesting though.
 
D

Deleted member 716271

Guest
Nadal wins after LeMon blows MP's ala USO 14 QF vs Fed
 

sbengte

G.O.A.T.
Any final between two great players which is competitive and where the result is a toss up or at least the player you don't expect to win has a decent chance.

Tell me one realistic combination of players who meet the above criteria in today's game. Either the players are not great or if at least one of them is great, the result is completely predictable so you are asking for the impossible.
 
As much as I like Monfils' game of late and the fact in 2016 his form is pushing him closer to the top ten, I have to lay my hat with Nadal in 3 tough sets.

Notice how Monfils is less of a showman more focussed on his game this season?
Make it 2 sets please......Nadal in 2
 

cc0509

Talk Tennis Guru
Tell me one realistic combination of players who meet the above criteria in today's game. Either the players are not great or if at least one of them is great, the result is completely predictable so you are asking for the impossible.

Well, that's the problem these days. Competitive matches are few and far between and the rivalries at the top are nowhere to be found. That's why I do hope that Nadal does forge another comeback and can become competitive with Djokovic again. It's sad when the only competition Djokovic has these days is from an old Federer in best of three matches.
 
Top