Thiem would have slaughtered Rafa

[Beckerserve]

Great matches today. Witnessed the legendary Nadal still display that fighting spirit applicable to all walks of life. Thiem and Diego were just heroic and also played in a spirit all children should have on their curriculum. As for Sinner we saw the obvious emergence of the next dominant no.1. Head and shoulders above anyone of his age or the generation of Zverev and Tsitsipas.
If we go hypothetical for a moment. Thiem v Nadal is now one way traffic. Age has caught up with goatdal finally. Thiem FH is much better as his BH. The serve is far better and nowadays so is his ROS. His movement is better and his stamina and his mental strength is almost as good now.
Nadal v Djokovic final looks like it may be the last chance for either to win a Major. Thiem looks like the next no.1. Once we get back to a normal schedule it is hard to see who beats him over 5 sets at 3 of the 4 Majors. Wimbledon the obvious exception. Until Sinner matures (talent wise he is better than Thiem) Thiem looks good for Lendl tyoe dominace 1985-1987.
Had the SF been Rafa v Thiem this event Thiem would have beat Rafa in straight sets.
For Federer fans bump this post in a couple of years. Your guy will at worse share the Major record with Nadal or it will be 20-19-18. Maybe the latter was destined all along given skill set ranking.

 

[weakera]

Spoiler

 

[MichaelNadal]

How epic then, that Thiem is headed to Austria

 

[USO]

Actually Dominic Thiem was so tired during his match that Nadal would have beaten him for sure.

 

[metsman]

Don't think Nadal will have many problems with the homeless man's Ferrer. Nor would he have had many problems with the guy homeless man's Ferrer just beat.

 

[NoleFam]

Nadal v Djokovic final looks like it may be the last chance for either to win a Major.

I take it you didn't see Djokovic's last match or any of his matches this tournament.

 

[Djokovic_is_the_best#1]

I doubt it. Thiem made too many errors today. He would have took a set but Rafa would still have won in 4 sets.

 

[Djokovic_is_the_best#1]

Nadal and Djokovic will both have more chances to win slams after this. Other players are getting better but they still the benchmark.

 

[TennisManiac]

Actually Dominic Thiem was so tired during his match that Nadal would have beaten him for sure.

I agree. Thiem should have destroyed Schwartzman. But he was obviously exhausted from all of the playing he has been doing. He'll be back strong next year though.

 

[Beckerserve]

I take it you didn't see Djokovic's last match or any of his matches this tournament.

Djokovic is 33. Look how Nadal has put weight on since Uso last year and is noticeably slower. Same will happen to Djokovic.
Thiem was cooked after USO. I said he would be. But he is the best player now ability wise. Mark my words. He will win AO FO and USO next year.

 

[TennisManiac]

I take it you didn't see Djokovic's last match or any of his matches this tournament.

Djokovic has had a 250 draw thus far at best. He hasn't played anyone worth a crap so far.

 

[USO]

Djokovic is 33. Look how Nadal has put weight on since Uso last year and is noticeably slower. Same will happen to Djokovic.
Thiem was cooked after USO. I said he would be. But he is the best player now ability wise. Mark my words. He will win AO FO and USO next year.

Djokovic eats grass he won’t put on any weight.

 

[Beckerserve]

Nadal and Djokovic will both have more chances to win slams after this. Other players are getting better but they still the benchmark.

No. Nadal is visibly slower and heavier. Exact same thing will happen to Djokovic over coming months.
It does perhaps illustrate how great Federer really is.

 

[Djokovic_is_the_best#1]

No. Nadal is visibly slower and heavier. Exact same thing will happen to Djokovic over coming months.
It does perhaps illustrate how great Federer really is.

We will see. We hear this a lot but time and time again these legends prove the doubters wrong. The pandemic has definitely changed things a lot this year. Thiem has arrived as a strong candidate but until proven otherwise Djokovic and Nadal still in the top 3 favourites for slams. 2021 will tell us more one way or another.

 

[NoleFam]

Djokovic is 33. Look how Nadal has put weight on since Uso last year and is noticeably slower. Same will happen to Djokovic.
Thiem was cooked after USO. I said he would be. But he is the best player now ability wise. Mark my words. He will win AO FO and USO next year.

Same will happen with Djokovic? You don't know that. He is playing really well right now so to say he has no chance to win more majors and Thiem is going to dominate is quite a reach. Rafa will have more chances to win more Slams too.

 

[NoleFam]

Djokovic has had a 250 draw thus far at best. He hasn't played anyone worth a crap so far.

Khachanov played well yesterday and Djokovic played very well. The level in that match was definitely higher than Nadal/Sinner today.

 

[TennisProExpert]

Djokovic stole the last two slams from defeat and he’s been gifted a cakewalk draw here, so I wouldn’t think he is done at all.

Who’s going to beat him on grass? His toughest opponent will probably be 40 old Federer! Novak will cruise his way to 24-25 slams easily.

 

[RF-18]

Djokovic is 33. Look how Nadal has put weight on since Uso last year and is noticeably slower. Same will happen to Djokovic.
Thiem was cooked after USO. I said he would be. But he is the best player now ability wise. Mark my words. He will win AO FO and USO next year.

Well Djokovic isn't Nadal.

You can dream on about Djokovic suddenly going off schedule and eating too many bisquits like Rafa.

No sign of Djokovic slowing down. He is hardly even losing matches these days On the contrary Djokovic is set to continue being the top dog for years to come looking at how he still moves and keeps on improving his game, no matter what happens this week haha

 

[TennisProExpert]

Khachanov played well yesterday and Djokovic played very well. The level in that match was definitely higher than Nadal/Sinner today.

In what aspect of tennis did Kachanov play well? Unless we were watching a different match, then everything he did was mediocre - poor, except perhaps his cross court BH which was passable.

 

[The Blond Blur]

Thiem would have slaughtered Rafa

 

[E36BMWM3]

Khachanov played well yesterday and Djokovic played very well. The level in that match was definitely higher than Nadal/Sinner today.

Dude just give it a rest he’s barely faced a challenge in part cause he’s a cut above the rest and his opponents, outside of Khachanov, are nobodies on tour

 

[NoleFam]

In what aspect of tennis did Kachanov play well? Unless we were watching a different match, then everything he did was mediocre - poor, except perhaps his cross court BH which was passable.

Khachanov yesterday .... 31 winners/31 unforced errors
Sinner today...31 winners/44 inforced errors

Yea sounds like you watched a different match.

 

[octogon]

Nah.

Thiem had a clear hangover from winning the US Open. He was tired and wouldn't have posed a big threat to Rafa.

I'd actually prefer Thiem as a semi final opponent for Rafa than Diego.

 

[NoleFam]

Dude just give it a rest he’s barely faced a challenge in part cause he’s a cut above the rest and his opponents, outside of Khachanov, are nobodies on tour

I didn't say he played challenging opponents. I said he and his opponent played well. How about you give it a rest.

 

[Beckerserve]

Same will happen with Djokovic? You don't know that. He is playing really well right now so to say he has no chance to win more majors and Thiem is going to dominate is quite a reach. Rafa will have more chances to win more Slams too.

I thought Thiem v Diego was tennis from another level physically. Some of Thiems shots were spellbinding. Had he been fresh im sure he wins that match.

 

[octogon]

Khachanov played well yesterday and Djokovic played very well. The level in that match was definitely higher than Nadal/Sinner today.

Sinner was a bigger threat than Khachanov no matter what current rankings say. Sinner is the real deal, will win slams and be a top 5 player at some point. Youngest player since Djokovic in 2006 to reach a slam quarter final. Sinner was a better player than Rafa for a set and a half. That kid is going to be a very big problem for the tour. I like Khachanov and he will be a solid top 20 type player for his career, but he has not got Sinner's talent or potential.

 

[TheNachoMan]

Thiem is 0-4 against Rafa at RG. He won’t be beating Rafa there even when Rafa is a 95 year old crippled with dementia

 

[Djokovic2011]

Why is it that Djokovic always gets brought up in threads that have nothing to do with him?

 

[weakera]

Khachanov played well yesterday and Djokovic played very well. The level in that match was definitely higher than Nadal/Sinner today.

No it wasn't.

 

[RF-18]

In what aspect of tennis did Kachanov play well? Unless we were watching a different match, then everything he did was mediocre - poor, except perhaps his cross court BH which was passable.

Khachanov was playing well enough to make that match longer and really disturb Novak if it weren't for Djokovic high level throughout the match. If Djokovic had just a little lapse of concentration like he sometimes has Khachanov would easily have taken a set with how he was playing and pushing Novak.

 

[E36BMWM3]

I didn't say he played challenging opponents. I said he and his opponent played well. How about you give it a rest.

NEVER NUNCA JAMAS!!! Tired of all the shade thrown at Rafa the 12-time RG Champ... mugs

 

[NoleFam]

I thought Thiem v Diego was tennis from another level physically. Some of Thiems shots were spellbinding. Had he been fresh im sure he wins that match.

I thought it was entertaining but the quality was up and down. It wasn't an extremely high quality match but there were moments of brilliance.

 

[Beckerserve]

Sinner was a bigger threat than Khachanov no matter what current rankings say. Sinner is the real deal, will win slams and be a top 5 player at some point. Youngest player since Djokovic in 2006 to reach a slam quarter final. Sinner was a better player than Rafa for a set and a half. That kid is going to be a very big problem for the tour. I like Khachanov and he will be a solid top 20 type player, buy he has not got Sinner's talent or potentialm

Sinner was doing everything bigger than Khachanov for sure. Bigger serve bigger FH bigger BHand far better movement. Even Djokovic fans will concede that i think?

 

[NoleFam]

NEVER NUNCA JAMAS!!! Tired of all the shade thrown at Rafa the 12-time RG Champ... mugs

So I threw shade at Rafa? ok.

 

[TennisProExpert]

Khachanov yesterday .... 31 winners/31 unforced errors
Sinner today...31 winners/44 inforced errors

Yea sounds like you watched a different match.

Kachanov offered nothing. No gameplan, no variety, no aggression.

At least Sinner was close to taking sets and pushing Nadal. Kachanov another in a long line of mugs.

 

[NoleFam]

Sinner was a bigger threat than Khachanov no matter what current rankings say. Sinner is the real deal, will win slams and be a top 5 player at some point. Youngest player since Djokovic in 2006 to reach a slam quarter final. Sinner was a better player than Rafa for a set and a half. That kid is going to be a very big problem for the tour. I like Khachanov and he will be a solid top 20 type player for his career, but he has not got Sinner's talent or potential.

Rafa played like crap which is why it was close in those sets. Khachanov played better yesterday even though Sinner has more talent and potential.

 

[Djokovic2011]

Sinner was doing everything bigger than Khachanov for sure. Bigger serve bigger FH bigger BHand far better movement. Even Djokovic fans will concede that i think?

Nope.

 

[Beckerserve]

Well Djokovic isn't Nadal.

You can dream on about Djokovic suddenly going off schedule and eating too many bisquits like Rafa.

No sign of Djokovic slowing down. He is hardly even losing matches these days On the contrary Djokovic is set to continue being the top dog for years to come looking at how he still moves and keeps on improving his game, no matter what happens this week haha

We said that about Rafa last year at this time. Times change quickly. Come the end of the year Federer and Nadal still hold the aces Major wise. Djokovic does not want to see the likes of thiem and sinner et al stepping up.

 

[NoleFam]

Kachanov offered nothing. No gameplan, no variety, no aggression.

At least Sinner was close to taking sets and pushing Nadal. Kachanov another in a long line of mugs.

Yea because Rafa wasn't that good. Djokovic played very well yesterday and was like +16 in his winner to error ratio and hit 44 winners, blasting from the baseline.

Sinner gets extra points for receiving gifts from Rafa for a set and a half? Nope.

 

[Beckerserve]

Nope.

Well yes as the statistics say so lol. Nobody has been hitting bigger than Sinner average speed wise. You cannot argue with evidence. Check if you do not trust me

 

[octogon]

Rafa played like crap which is why it was close in those sets. Khachanov played better yesterday even though Sinner has more talent and potential.

Conditions were very unfavorable to Nadal. Cold night match, heavier balls, less spin etc.

Considering how bad the conditions were for his game, Rafa did pretty well to get through a big hitting and very dangerous opponent in straight sets.

 

[TennisProExpert]

Sinner was doing everything bigger than Khachanov for sure. Bigger serve bigger FH bigger BHand far better movement. Even Djokovic fans will concede that i think?

Apparently Kachanov the pusher played some brilliant match, then again coming from the fan base who thinks 2015 Federer was his best ever version.

 

[RF-18]

We said that about Rafa last year at this time. Times change quickly. Come the end of the year Federer and Nadal still hold the aces Major wise. Djokovic does not want to see the likes of thiem and sinner et al stepping up.

Who said what last year? Please elaborate.

 

[Beckerserve]

Yea because Rafa wasn't that good. Djokovic played very well yesterday and was like +16 in his winner to error ratio and hit 44 winners, blasting from the baseline.

Sinner gets extra points for receiving gifts from Rafa for a set and half? Nope.

Good point about the +16. Valid stat.
My point his speed of shot. Sinner was smacking that ball big time. Maybe Thiem was hitting harder but they said Sinner has the highest average speeds.

 

[E36BMWM3]

So I threw shade at Rafa? ok.

Is the Pope catholic???

 

[Beckerserve]

Who said what last year? Please elaborate.

After USO last year and Nadal securing YE1 most had him a lock for FO and USO this year and a good shot in Australia. Before ATP Cup anyway

 

[octogon]

Yea because Rafa wasn't that good. Djokovic played very well yesterday and was like +16 in his winner to error ratio and hit 44 winners, blasting from the baseline.

Sinner gets extra points for receiving gifts from Rafa for a set and a half? Nope.

When Novak plays in unfavorable conditions for him, like Rafa did tonight, let me know.

I distinctly remember Novak complaining non-stop about the wind in his loss to Thiem last year, while Nadal just dealt with the fact that the conditions sucked and he wouldn't be able to play his best, like tonight. Like last year, Nadal played through the conditions and won. That's what matters.

 

[NoleFam]

Good point about the +16. Valid stat.
My point his speed of shot. Sinner was smacking that ball big time. Maybe Thiem was hitting harder but they said Sinner has the highest average speeds.

Yea but he made a lot of errors too. I don't think he was hitting much harder Khachanov yesterday, who wasn't even hitting as hard as Djokovic according to Tennis Channel, but they both had 31 winners.

 

[RF-18]

After USO last year and Nadal securing YE1 most had him a lock for FO and USO this year and a good shot in Australia. Before ATP Cup anyway

Very weird you know all this. You registered here couple of months ago. How you know all this in such detail?

 

[Beckerserve]

When Novak plays in unfavorable conditions for him, like Rafa did tonight, let me know.

I distinctly remember Novak complaining non-stop about the wind in his loss to Thiem last year, while Nadal just dealt with the fact that the conditions sucked and he wouldn't be able to play his best, like tonight. Like last year, Nadal played through the conditions and won. That's what matters.

Nadal last set performance will win him the title. Whether he can relax enough to play like that going for no.20 is a concern