Phau has a breakpoint but Nadal is missing a lot and kinda falling into his clay court game it seems. Just kinda trying to retrieve and add as much top spin as possible. He should mentally put himself on grass when he's on hard courts, it's amazing how different he plays.
Phau is hitting some pretty good stuff though, his backhand is pretty darn good.
When Rafa gets tired he goes into defense mode. Look how far back he is standing to return serve. Too far back he should be attacking.
Its the beginnings of a blister precautionary treatment.
Not sure why Rafa gets blisters regularly. He can get any shoe + sock combination in the world.
Having followed Rafa for 2 years I find his first matches are as nail biting as his finals. I think he has worked out a system to pace himself.
Thats totally true I try not to worry in his first round matches until he is 2 -0 down and 5-0
People shouldn't make a big deal out of this. He didn't look all that bad, no worse than he usually looks in his first round matches. I mean, he got pushed to 4 sets by Alun friggin' Jones in the first round last year playing God-awful. This was nothing like that. Phau was playing out of mind at times. That backhand is brutal.
People shouldn't make a big deal out of this. He didn't look all that bad, no worse than he usually looks in his first round matches. I mean, he got pushed to 4 sets by Alun friggin' Jones in the first round last year playing God-awful. This was nothing like that. Phau was playing out of mind at times. That backhand is brutal.
Didn't you say something like this after Nadal's first round against Starace? We found out what happened in Beijing after that. I assumed Nadal would struggle today. Nadal still has some jetlag I would assume from the 12 hour schedule change. He's got 2 days off so hopefully it is all gone by Thursday.I thought Nadal was very, very lucky to get out of this match with a win. If Phau hadn't taken his eye off of the ball on those too easy volleys, the result could have been quite different. Phau had so many break chances throughout the match and just wasn't able to capitalize on them. Very, very close match indeed. Judging from this match, I don't think Nadal is going to win the US Open this year. And I still think a great serve and volleyer like Pete Sampras would destroy Nadal on that court.
I thought Nadal was very, very lucky to get out of this match with a win. If Phau hadn't taken his eye off of the ball on those too easy volleys, the result could have been quite different. Phau had so many break chances throughout the match and just wasn't able to capitalize on them. Very, very close match indeed. Judging from this match, I don't think Nadal is going to win the US Open this year. And I still think a great serve and volleyer like Pete Sampras would destroy Nadal on that court.
Nadal left Beijing over a week ago.Didn't you say something like this after Nadal's first round against Starace? We found out what happened in Beijing after that. I assumed Nadal would struggle today. Nadal still has some jetlag I would assume from the 12 hour schedule change. He's got 2 days off so hopefully it is all gone by Thursday.
I agree. It looked in on set point to me, too.Hawkeye was obviously wrong there. That ball was so in. Nadal wins the USO because of that call.
Um....you were posting here during the whole match. I wasn't. My first post in this thread was well after the match was over.
I think they miscounted. I'm pretty sure Phau had more than 3 break chances in those 3 sets.
BTW, not everyone watches the US Open just for Nadal. No, not everyone will stop watching if Nadal loses early as the other poster implied.
His first break chance in the 3rd set.No he didn't, the commentators late in the third set said at his first break point chance that it had "finally come" or something like that. There was no miscounting whatsoever. It was just Phau playing great and Nadal playing like crud, and Nadal still pulling it out in straights.
Change your sleeping habits by 12 hours and see how you feel. I think it would take 2 weeks to do such an extreme change and feel your best. No disrespect to Bjorn as he played a very solid match but I expect much more from Nadal. The courts are actually slower here than Beijing imo so I like Nadal's chances.Nadal left Beijing over a week ago.
There is no way it's the racquet, and he probably isn't even using that one.
Did you just hear all the excuses that Nadal made in his press conference (clip just shown on USA)? He's said he didn't play with his usual intensity, he was tired, etc. He never gave Phau any credit for playing well or mentioned his opponent at all. It was all about Rafa and not his opponent according to Nadal. :-?
I thought Nadal was very, very lucky to get out of this match with a win. If Phau hadn't taken his eye off of the ball on those too easy volleys, the result could have been quite different. Phau had so many break chances throughout the match and just wasn't able to capitalize on them. Very, very close match indeed. Judging from this match, I don't think Nadal is going to win the US Open this year. And I still think a great serve and volleyer like Pete Sampras would destroy Nadal on that court.
Well, Nadal didn't play badly today. you guys have no idea how good Phau can play. I seen him play in person at a challenger event. the guy is full of Talent. His backhand is one of the purest shots in the game today. I would put him 2nd after Gasquet in 1-handers today. Why has he not made it in the tour ?? He has gone thru many injuries in his career.