Thiem vs Nadal. the Spartacus sequel

[Meles]

Nadal isn't going to take Thiem lightly. Their Madrid finals match was very competitive. Especially that first set tiebreaker. Nadal was forced to play his hardest that day. Thiem still has 7 years advantage over Nadal, age-wise. This is the peak of Nadal whereas Thiem still has more upside and can get better and stronger.

Amazingly no one has taken this match very seriously given that Thiem was one point away from putting Nadal under the most severe pressure last Sunday; a Nadal in prime form. Their other encounter was just as close until Thiem hit the wall late in the first set.

Here are reasons Thiem might win tomorrow:
1. This is just a QF, Nadal won't be quite as pumped and focused (well maybe)
2. Thiem has played two less matches before reaching Nadal versus Madrid or Barcelona
3. Thiem now has a limitied fear factor with Nadal after going toe to toe in Madrid final means less pressure on Thiem
4. The Madrid crowd was wonderfully behaved, but still very pro Rafa (unlike those fools in Miami for Fed vs Kyrgios). Much more neutral crowd in Rome.
5. Conditions may actually be faster in Rome this year. Servebots doing well in Rome this time and Thiem certainly has a bit more go in the serve department.
6. Bounce height is lower in Madrid due to lower altitude plus a slicker clay surface (servebots reigning in Rome backs this up.) Thiem has trouble on both sides with high bouncing balls forcing him into more loopy shots. Thiem may be able to unload a lot more in lower boucing Rome conditions.
7. Thiem is getting better as time moves on, learning, growing, getting stronger and its a week later with lessons learned from last time. Nadal getting older and perhaps wiser, but facing age issues, etc.
8. Sock almost broke Nadal several times yesterday - Sock is not a great returner, so this may imply some vulnerability in the Nadal serve game in these conditions.
9. NO CARLOS MOYA - Moya is not in Rome so Rafa may not be as sharp on strategy
10. Thiem getting more groupies in Rome or fans - against Querrey quite a bit of Dom I Nic chanting at the end. An ego boost for Thiem over Madrid

Ten good reasons Thiem will win this in two sets tomorrow. The biggest one is the Thiem forehand will hunt with the lower bounce.

 

[Meles]

When the Big Four are in retirement homes?

Heh. Federer has retired from clay and Murray too it seems.

 

[cc0509]

I think it will be straights for Nadal, something like a 7-5, 6-4 or 7-6,6-3 scoreline.

 

[cc0509]

Heh. Federer has retired from clay and Murray too it seems.

Federer is wisely avoiding clay to prolong his career, Murray is burned out after giving his all to chase #1 in 2016 and perhaps he is injured too, Djokovic isn't back to his best yet so Thiem has Nadal in his way. Thiem's almost 24. He should be getting it done already! Wake me up when he beats Nadal and goes on to win the title!

 

[Meles]

Federer is wisely avoiding clay to prolong his career, Murray is burned out after giving his all to chase #1 in 2016 and perhaps he is injured too, Djokovic isn't back to his best yet so Thiem has Nadal in his way. Thiem's almost 24. He should be getting it done already! Wake me up when he beats Nadal and goes on to win the title!

Wake me up when Murray, Fed, or Novak knock off Nadal in the final of RG. Or better yet just wake up from your dreamland.

 

[Poisoned Slice]

 

[fundrazer]

Not as interested as I was the past two meetings. Not expecting the outcome to be any different really.

 

[ForumMember]

The Thiem to expose Nadal false down.

aye, Theim to prove Nadal is no Don.

 

[Rusty Shackleford]

When the Big Four are in retirement homes?

That should be sometime next year.

 

[cc0509]

Wake me up when Murray, Fed, or Novak knock off Nadal in the final of RG. Or better yet just wake up from your dreamland.

I didn't say they would but a Djokovic back to decent form would have a better chance than Thiem IMO.

What we're going to see in the Thiem vs Nadal match tomorrow is going to be very likely the same ending of the same movie we've seen multiple times. Fourth straight win on clay for Nadal incoming! Nadal will be up for it.

 

[stringertom]

aye, Theim to prove Nadal is no Don.

Don Rafael will make an offer False Don Dom won't be able to refuse.

 

[Mike Sams]

Federer is wisely avoiding clay to prolong his career, Murray is burned out after giving his all to chase #1 in 2016 and perhaps he is injured too, Djokovic isn't back to his best yet so Thiem has Nadal in his way. Thiem's almost 24. He should be getting it done already! Wake me up when he beats Nadal and goes on to win the title!

24 may as well be 20 nowadays.

 

[Meles]

I didn't say they would but a Djokovic back to decent form would have a better chance than Thiem IMO.

What we're going to see in the Thiem vs Nadal match tomorrow is going to be very likely the same ending of the same movie we've seen multiple times. Fourth straight win on clay for Nadal incoming! Nadal will be up for it.

Nobody beats Nadal in an RG final cc. You should know that. So now Thiem must beat Rafa in prime form to be decent?

 

[cc0509]

Nobody beats Nadal in an RG final cc. You should know that. So now Thiem must beat Rafa in prime form to be decent?

How about we start with Thiem beating Nadal in Rome?

Good luck to you though because Nadal plays better in Rome than he does in Madrid. He prefers the Rome conditions although you posted some nonsense otherwise. I'll be shocked if Thiem beats Nadal tomorrow and even more shocked if Thiem can beat Nadal and then go on to win the Rome title.

 

[cc0509]

That should be sometime next year.

That's what we keep saying. Meanwhile, the Big Four keep going like Duracell Bunnies and the younger players continue on their mediocrity paths. Nadal and Federer must be laughing at these younger players in disbelief saying to themselves, "why can't these jackarses beat old guys like us?"

 

[Rusty Shackleford]

That's what we keep saying. Meanwhile, the Big Four keep going like Duracell Bunnies and the younger players continue on their mediocrity paths. Nadal and Federer must be laughing at these younger players in disbelief saying to themselves, "why can't these jackarses beat old guys like us?"

I know.

 

[TheGhostOfAgassi]

I didnt watch all Rafa Sock match, but from what I saw Rafa wasnt all that impressive, was he? Can be because this was his first real match on this clay in Rome and adjusting.
From the matches I saw yesterday Delpo was the one! Zverev too looked fresh.
Think both Thiem and Rafa didnt look 100%, after going deep last two tournaments.

 

[6-3 6-0]

Nadal to give another lesson in clay court tennis to this youngster in 2 sets

 

[BeatlesFan]

Nadal to give another lesson in clay court tennis to this youngster in 2 sets

Thiem needs to get at least a set here, or the people here beating his drum need to put the drums away. Seriously. If he's remotely as great as they say he is, the bar of excellence shouldn't be "taking a set off Nadal," it should be beating him.

 

[coolschreiber]

Amazingly no one has taken this match very seriously given that Thiem was one point away from putting Nadal under the most severe pressure last Sunday; a Nadal in prime form. Their other encounter was just as close until Thiem hit the wall late in the first set.

Here are reasons Thiem might win tomorrow:
1. This is just a QF, Nadal won't be quite as pumped and focused (well maybe)
2. Thiem has played two less matches before reaching Nadal versus Madrid or Barcelona
3. Thiem now has a limitied fear factor with Nadal after going toe to toe in Madrid final means less pressure on Thiem
4. The Madrid crowd was wonderfully behaved, but still very pro Rafa (unlike those fools in Miami for Fed vs Kyrgios). Much more neutral crowd in Rome.
5. Conditions may actually be faster in Rome this year. Servebots doing well in Rome this time and Thiem certainly has a bit more go in the serve department.
6. Bounce height is lower in Madrid due to lower altitude plus a slicker clay surface (servebots reigning in Rome backs this up.) Thiem has trouble on both sides with high bouncing balls forcing him into more loopy shots. Thiem may be able to unload a lot more in lower boucing Rome conditions.
7. Thiem is getting better as time moves on, learning, growing, getting stronger and its a week later with lessons learned from last time. Nadal getting older and perhaps wiser, but facing age issues, etc.
8. Sock almost broke Nadal several times yesterday - Sock is not a great returner, so this may imply some vulnerability in the Nadal serve game in these conditions.
9. NO CARLOS MOYA - Moya is not in Rome so Rafa may not be as sharp on strategy
10. Thiem getting more groupies in Rome or fans - against Querrey quite a bit of Dom I Nic chanting at the end. An ego boost for Thiem over Madrid

Ten good reasons Thiem will win this in two sets tomorrow. The biggest one is the Thiem forehand will hunt with the lower bounce.

There he is haha.... man you're on fire today! Keep the commentary coming please and thanks.

 

[coolschreiber]

Don Rafael will make an offer False Don Dom won't be able to refuse.

I think Thiem'll probably turn it down and try to ball bash his way from Corleone to Manhattan. And insult everyone's intelligence (or stupidity).

 

[irishnadalfan1983]

Have a sneaky feeling Thiem is going to win today - Rafa is due a loss and it may not be the worst thing in the world to happen to him......Might be no harm to avoid 3 serious battles in a row with Thiem, Nole and Zverev for example in order to win...

 

[coolschreiber]

Still 0-0, what are they doing? giving each other a massage? C'mon ..... get in the ring mofos!

 

[I Am Finnish]

What is the umpire's name with the female voice?

 

[johnnyb]

Let's see if we can have a 3rd set...

 

[JohnnyMac Fan!]

Rafa starting slow as usual, gets broken, oh sheesh

 

[tennisjedi]

thiem with the early break.

 

[Dilexson]

Thiem starts with a break.
Interesting...

 

[3fees]

THiem break nadal,, 1-0 and servin to consolidate the break

Cheers
3Fees

 

[D.Nalby12]

Vamos Thiem!

 

[Tennis sensation]

Thiem breaks.

 

[fundrazer]

Thiem seems to be going hard into Rafa's fh pretty regularly to start this one.

 

[NatF]

Thiem making a good start, landing some big shots.

 

[JohnnyMac Fan!]

Maybe Thiem will take this match

 

[Tennis sensation]

Thiem consolidates.

2-0

 

[malbaker86]

It's over

 

[TheGhostOfAgassi]

Easy break and easy hold for Thiem

 

[joekapa]

Rafa is NOT aging well, looks wise. There I said it.

 

[Deleted member 512391]

Thiem is finding Nadal's forehand pretty good. While Rafa's backhand has improved (or at least he gave up on hitting it conservatively), his forehand still breaks down under the heavy artillery.

 

[coolschreiber]

Bamos Thiem! now ....control.... yourself

 

[JohnnyMac Fan!]

Rafa is NOT aging well, looks wise. There I said it.

Is called too much excess of the sun

 

[joekapa]

Is called too much excess of the sun

I think it's called something else, but let's leave it at that.

 

[mike danny]

Thiem and Rafa have now played in all the big clay events.

 

[Deleted member 512391]

Thiem and Rafa have now played in all the big clay events.

Yeah, like Nadal - Djokovic in 2009.

 

[tennis_pro]

Nadal bad or Team good?

 

[JohnnyMac Fan!]

Thiem and Rafa have now played in all the big clay events.

Rafa looks tired

 

[joekapa]

Half of Rafa's game is simple intimidation. Thiem is punishing Rafa's FH, with his BH.

 

[JohnnyMac Fan!]

Half of Rafa's game is simple intimidation. Thiem is punishing Rafa's FH, with his BH.

I think you give Rafa little credit

 

[coolschreiber]

Rafa looks tired

Tired of beating the 'lost' gen, 'new' gen, 'old' gen.... except the grandpa.

 

[mike danny]

I don't see Thiem sustaining this strategy. He has to go all out on every shot.