Mutua Madrid Open 2017 Clay Masters

the AntiPusher

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Kieran said:
I think the final will be closer than we expect, partly because I think rafa might suffer a wee hangover from the semi. It was a big win for him, and a great performance, and he might feel tired from it. I still fancy him to win though...

This is true...there will be a let down but a lot to achieve for Nadal ..if he wins today..he should over take Roger for number 4 in the rankings correct
 

Moxie

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Anyone giving Thiem much of a chance of an upset?
Rafa may have a bit of a letdown, as yesterday was a big hurdle for him, let's face it. Everyone here has made mention of who he has and hasn't beaten in this current run of good form, and getting past Djokovic was a test he needed to pass. So if he's a bit mentally weary and Thiem pounces on him, and has an amazing day, maybe...though the Madrid crowds are pretty partisan, if Rafa needs any help. Anyway, that's the chance I'd give Dominic.
 

herios

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Ok
El Dude said:
Before herios jumps in to remind us, Thiem - at 23 years old - is hardly a "prospect." I know it is 2017 and players MIGHT be peaking later, but I think Thiem is about as good as he will ever be. There might be micro-changes, but I don't see a major breakthrough coming. But as I've said before, the difference between him and say Tsonga/Berdych is that he'll have more chances with an aging Big Four. Poor Jo-Wilie and Berdy saw their primes completely overlapped by the Big Four. A very unfortunate time to peak.

I'm reminded of poor Guillermo Coria, who was primed to go on a Kuerten-like run as the new clay maestro before a certain young punk from Mallorca showed up. The true greats find a way to win, but the lesser and near greats, and very good players, need help from Lady Luck to get their big titles, and we'll know what a capricious one she is.

I am here, I am here ;)

Peak at 23? You cannot be serious!
I am not saying that he will peak like Ferrer of Wawrinka or Lopez, but common now which player peaks now at 23???
Give me one example, please.

What I agree with is that he is no longer a next gen. Prospect and that he starts maturing.
He will peak around 25-26 IMO
 

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the AntiPusher said:
All I am seeing is what a tennis derelict Novak has become in a lot of your eyes, like its shameful to loose to Rafael, so DISRESPECTFUL..

Now if its miss Carol saying what I just wasted 15 mins reading the majority of you would be trying to tar and feather her.

It's not a shame to lose to Rafa but Nole right now is garbage. There's no sugarcoating it bro, he won't make the 2nd week of a slam until USO. He isn't going to beat any decent player for another couple months. He has to find the motivation, it will happen but in the meantime he will be irrelevant.
 

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Kieran said:
Roger has no form on clay. You think he'll walk in straight off the street again and have a chance?

Name one player not named Rafa that should be favored to beat him at RG this year. He can work out rust in the first few rounds.
 

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DarthFed said:
Kieran said:
Roger has no form on clay. You think he'll walk in straight off the street again and have a chance?

Name one player not named Rafa that should be favored to beat him at RG this year. He can work out rust in the first few rounds.

Oh I'd say his conditioning isn't gonna be an issue, bro, he's working on it as we speak. I think it's up in the air, could be anyone would beat him...
 

Front242

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Kieran said:
DarthFed said:
Kieran said:
Roger has no form on clay. You think he'll walk in straight off the street again and have a chance?

Name one player not named Rafa that should be favored to beat him at RG this year. He can work out rust in the first few rounds.

Oh I'd say his conditioning isn't gonna be an issue, bro, he's working on it as we speak. I think it's up in the air, could be anyone would beat him...

Oh sure, Roger's back home juicing now lol. :cover Meanwhile numbnuts Nads himself is playing 5 tournaments straight at almost 31 years of age and showing no signs of fatigue whatsoever.
 

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the AntiPusher said:
Kieran said:
I think the final will be closer than we expect, partly because I think rafa might suffer a wee hangover from the semi. It was a big win for him, and a great performance, and he might feel tired from it. I still fancy him to win though...

This is true...there will be a let down but a lot to achieve for Nadal ..if he wins today..he should over take Roger for number 4 in the rankings correct

Yep, correct, he will become #4 and Roger moves down to #5.

This site is pretty good to bookmark - gives the live rankings.

http://live-tennis.eu/en/atp-live-ranking

Murray is the big loser in Madrid, dropping 910 points.
 

Kieran

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Front242 said:
Kieran said:
DarthFed said:
Name one player not named Rafa that should be favored to beat him at RG this year. He can work out rust in the first few rounds.

Oh I'd say his conditioning isn't gonna be an issue, bro, he's working on it as we speak. I think it's up in the air, could be anyone would beat him...

Oh sure, Roger's back home juicing now lol. :cover Meanwhile numbnuts Nads himself is playing 5 tournaments straight at almost 31 years of age and showing no signs of fatigue whatsoever.

Yeah, well he's only getting started. Imagine what he'll be like 5 years from now...

Gonna miss these Fedal spats by the way... ;)
 

Front242

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Kieran said:
Front242 said:
Kieran said:
Oh I'd say his conditioning isn't gonna be an issue, bro, he's working on it as we speak. I think it's up in the air, could be anyone would beat him...

Oh sure, Roger's back home juicing now lol. :cover Meanwhile numbnuts Nads himself is playing 5 tournaments straight at almost 31 years of age and showing no signs of fatigue whatsoever.

Yeah, well he's only getting started. Imagine what he'll be like 5 years from now...

Gonna miss these Fedal spats by the way... ;)

Ah I get it now. Roger's only recently started juicing 'cos he couldn't possibly beat Nadal 4 straight times otherwise. Meanwhile Nadal's been juicing since he was 17. It's all clear now finally. How ironic though that Nadal is the one facing a doping accusation in court and not Federer! ;)
 

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Front242 said:
Kieran said:
Front242 said:
Oh sure, Roger's back home juicing now lol. :cover Meanwhile numbnuts Nads himself is playing 5 tournaments straight at almost 31 years of age and showing no signs of fatigue whatsoever.

Yeah, well he's only getting started. Imagine what he'll be like 5 years from now...

Gonna miss these Fedal spats by the way... ;)

Ah I get it now. Roger's only recently started juicing 'cos he couldn't possibly beat Nadal 4 straight times otherwise. Meanwhile Nadal's been juicing since he was 17. It's all clear now finally. How ironic though that Nadal is the one facing a doping accusation in court and not Federer! ;)

Buddy, name me another 35 year athlete in the whole world who knocked 10 years off their age after going AWOL for 7 months.

By the way, I think we've set a record here in this thread by bringing 2 other separate threads into play: the dope threat, and early RG discussions. 3 in 1! A record for TF, just before she sails into the void...
 

Carol

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DarthFed said:
the AntiPusher said:
All I am seeing is what a tennis derelict Novak has become in a lot of your eyes, like its shameful to loose to Rafael, so DISRESPECTFUL..

Now if its miss Carol saying what I just wasted 15 mins reading the majority of you would be trying to tar and feather her.

It's not a shame to lose to Rafa but Nole right now is garbage. There's no sugarcoating it bro, he won't make the 2nd week of a slam until USO. He isn't going to beat any decent player for another couple months. He has to find the motivation, it will happen but in the meantime he will be irrelevant.

It's no the same motivation than strength and he seems to lose that incredible energy and resistente which gave him such great confidence and I doubt he will get it again
 

Front242

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Kieran said:
Front242 said:
Kieran said:
Yeah, well he's only getting started. Imagine what he'll be like 5 years from now...

Gonna miss these Fedal spats by the way... ;)

Ah I get it now. Roger's only recently started juicing 'cos he couldn't possibly beat Nadal 4 straight times otherwise. Meanwhile Nadal's been juicing since he was 17. It's all clear now finally. How ironic though that Nadal is the one facing a doping accusation in court and not Federer! ;)

Buddy, name me another 35 year athlete in the whole world who knocked 10 years off their age after going AWOL for 7 months.

By the way, I think we've set a record here in this thread by bringing 2 other separate threads into play: the dope threat, and early RG discussions. 3 in 1! A record for TF, just before she sails into the void...

See, this is where you've badly lost the plot and your debate. Roger is not playing like when he was 25 at all. He used to rally much more with the younger guys then but now that he knows he's no longer got the stamina for that, he had to come up with a new strategy, which he has, namely shorter points. Much shorter. Aggressive returns, S&V more often, greatly improved backhand and pulling the trigger when the first moment arises. Nadal himself has said Roger is playing 2-3 shots on average. Even he can see what you clearly can't.
 

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Front242 said:
Kieran said:
Front242 said:
Ah I get it now. Roger's only recently started juicing 'cos he couldn't possibly beat Nadal 4 straight times otherwise. Meanwhile Nadal's been juicing since he was 17. It's all clear now finally. How ironic though that Nadal is the one facing a doping accusation in court and not Federer! ;)

Buddy, name me another 35 year athlete in the whole world who knocked 10 years off their age after going AWOL for 7 months.

By the way, I think we've set a record here in this thread by bringing 2 other separate threads into play: the dope threat, and early RG discussions. 3 in 1! A record for TF, just before she sails into the void...

See, this is where you've badly lost the plot and your debate. Roger is not playing like when he was 25 at all. He used to rally much more with the younger guys then but now that he knows he's no longer got the stamina for that, he had to come up with a new strategy, which he has, namely shorter points. Much shorter. Aggressive returns, S&V more often, greatly improved backhand and pulling the trigger when the first moment arises. Nadal himself has said Roger is playing 2-3 shots on average. Even he can see what you clearly can't.

Oh brother, I'm gonna miss untangling that silken web of Fed-logic. :lolz:

What about the final today? You reckon Thiem might pull an upset? The match starts at 6, not 4. Like you, I thought it was at 4. He's young, he should be up for it...
 

mightyjeditribble

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Kieran said:
Front242 said:
Kieran said:
Buddy, name me another 35 year athlete in the whole world who knocked 10 years off their age after going AWOL for 7 months.

By the way, I think we've set a record here in this thread by bringing 2 other separate threads into play: the dope threat, and early RG discussions. 3 in 1! A record for TF, just before she sails into the void...

See, this is where you've badly lost the plot and your debate. Roger is not playing like when he was 25 at all. He used to rally much more with the younger guys then but now that he knows he's no longer got the stamina for that, he had to come up with a new strategy, which he has, namely shorter points. Much shorter. Aggressive returns, S&V more often, greatly improved backhand and pulling the trigger when the first moment arises. Nadal himself has said Roger is playing 2-3 shots on average. Even he can see what you clearly can't.

Oh brother, I'm gonna miss untangling that silken web of Fed-logic. z:

What about the final today? You reckon Thiem might pull an upset? The match starts at 6, not 4. Like you, I thought it was at 4. He's young, he should be up for it...
Can't watch it but really can't imagine Thiem winning here. Maybe he can snatch a set - but I have a feeling Nadal will be in ruthless mode.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
 

Front242

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Well, Thiem will do better than Djokovic. Maybe 7-5 6-3 to Nadal.
 

mightyjeditribble

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Kieran said:
Front242 said:
Kieran said:
Yeah, well he's only getting started. Imagine what he'll be like 5 years from now...

Gonna miss these Fedal spats by the way... ;)

Ah I get it now. Roger's only recently started juicing 'cos he couldn't possibly beat Nadal 4 straight times otherwise. Meanwhile Nadal's been juicing since he was 17. It's all clear now finally. How ironic though that Nadal is the one facing a doping accusation in court and not Federer! ;)

Buddy, name me another 35 year athlete in the whole world who knocked 10 years off their age after going AWOL for 7 months.

By the way, I think we've set a record here in this thread by bringing 2 other separate threads into play: the dope threat, and early RG discussions. 3 in 1! A record for TF, just before she sails into the void...
If anything, his play has maybe been on a par with his 2014 level, with a few more close ones going his way.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
 

Kieran

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Front242 said:
Well, Thiem will do better than Djokovic. Maybe 7-5 6-3 to Nadal.

As I said earlier, I fancy Rafa to suffer a hangover from yesterday and I think Thiem will take the first. But Rafa's is too steely lately and he's reel him in...