2013 Paris BNP Paribas Masters SF: Nadal v. Ferrer

[Moxie]

OK, not as marquee as Djokovic v. Federer, but someone has to put up the poll.

 

[kskate2]

Thanks for doing poll duty Mox.

 

[Moxie]

I don't mean to be snarky, but what are the chances that Ferrer wins? I'm a fan of his, as everyone knows. He totally held his ground bravely against Berdych today. And he's the defending champion. But I have to think this is where the rubber meets the road.

 

[BalaryKar]

Ferrer can be forgiven

 

[nehmeth]

Ferrer usually plays him tough in the first set and loses 6-4 or 7-5. Then he completely folds in the 2nd. Nothing to say it will be any different this time.

 

[Moxie]

Ferrer usually plays him tough in the first set and loses 6-4 or 7-5. Then he completely folds in the 2nd. Nothing to say it will be any different this time.

Hey, nehmeth! How's it going? I wish I could work up a good argument for David…but I can't think of one. uzzled

 

[rafanoy1992]

If Nadal wins tomorrow, he will reach his 7th 1000 Masters final of the year which is an all-time record.

I pick Nadal in two tight sets.

By the way, this is their first meeting on a hard court since 2011 Australian Open! It has been 9 straight meetings in Clay before this one.

They are actually even at 3-3 on hard courts. Of course, we all know how the Clay meetings have went between these two.

 

[Fastgrass]

Ferrer = Murray = Bread and butter for GOAT rafa .

He will kick this pusher in straight sets!

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

oh looky over there..its rafa/wafa v the gerbil.

is there any hope for daveeeeeeeeed ?, no not really.

anyway daveeeeeeeed wants to lose because he really would like del potro to be ranked above him and dropping 640 pts losing to rafa/wafa would be quite the ideal scenario.

so rafa wins, del potro is closer to being in top4, and argentina will celebrate this feat and not keep whining on and on and on about the sodding Falkland islands.

 

[brokenshoelace]

I actually think Ferrer will have an easier time hitting through the court initially. Whether or not he can keep the UE rate down though is the question. If he does, then Nadal would need to step up the aggression and hit with more depth. I still feel he's struggling with the latter, and as a result of his rally shots not penetrating the court he's finding it a bit difficult to finish points (this will be even more difficult against someone who covers the court like Ferrer).

Nevertheless, it's Nadal vs. Ferrer, so Rafa in 2.

 

[brokenshoelace]

I've been extremely impressed with Nadal's depth this week. Nadal's depth down the middle of the court has been outstanding, just as it was at the US Open. This week the only time Nadal hasn't hit with depth is when he's created angles. Nadal's angles have been more extreme than ever, and its a useful indoor tactic.

I'd suggest leaving the technical analysis to others...or re-watching his matches.

 

[NADAL2005RG]

I'd suggest leaving the technical analysis to others...or re-watching his matches.

Thanks for the great technical analysis. You really understand tennis based on this post.

 

[brokenshoelace]

I'd suggest leaving the technical analysis to others...or re-watching his matches.

Thanks for the great technical analysis. You really understand tennis based on this post.

Wish I can say the same about any of your posts.

 

[Kieran]

Rafa's been half-court Ralph all week. He's pitching his serve instead of driving it, a sign that he's not fully up to speed on this indoor stuff. Ferrer might make this more difficult than some people would expect, even though I expect Rafa to progress...

 

[NADAL2005RG]

If Nadal was hitting the ball short, JJ would have taken a set. During the JJ match, people were actually still hyping JJ up and saying he was playing well. JJ played well, but Nadal was too commanding, and kept the straight ball deep on the baseline. Out wide, Nadal played the short angles purposely, and it worked.

 

[Kieran]

He played well against JJ, when he needed to. He hasn't been an absolute dog. But JJ doesn't help his own cause either. Plus, Rafa's better than him by, like, lots! He wasn't gonna lose that match and did what it took.

But he's not on fire, he's not gripping the bull by the wotsits, he's not aggressively hounding fellers with that irrefutable forehand. The clipper down the line is a seldom seen shot this week. The serve is a pitching wedge instead of a 3-wood. He's playing conservatively and looping his shots to safe havens because he isn't getting time to unload. So far, he hasn't faced the man who'll punish him. If he doesn't improve, he'll face that man tomorrow...

 

[NADAL2005RG]

You should have read this forum before the JJ match. JJ was the man to punish him. Plenty of guys look like the man to punish him until they have to face him. Nadal takes them out of their game. And he doesn't do it by being "on fire". He does it by outsmarting them with speed, spin and angle variation. I think the fans (even his own fans) don't get Nadal. They don't realize what's going on. He's not trying to hit every ball deep. That would be too predictable. Nadal is crafty.....so crafty that some people think its by accident.

 

[Kieran]

I think his fans get him well enough. Compare him on the summer hards with now. The fact is, on a surface like this you can't loop the ball short and expect not to be punished. He was flattening his shots and hitting deep in the summer, forcing errors or hitting winners. This isn't a rallying surface, it's a first-strike one, and it's fast, and this is why Rafa is over-compensating on his shots. He doesn't have time to make adjustments.

He's not playing rubbish but nor is he looking seriously hot. He's had a great draw and he's taking care of it. And maybe he'll improve. He's the one guy on tour who I've seen make almost miraculous leaps in play during an event. But so far, he's getting the job done, which is all we need, really...

 

[Denis]

I am voting for Ferrer in three! No, wait, that's not possible. Still going with Ferrer, just to keep my last irrational hopes for the YE no 1 ranking alive. And there is a 3-3 hardcord h2h between the two. Who knows?

 

[Kieran]

I am voting for Ferrer in three! No, wait, that's not possible. Still going with Ferrer, just to keep my last irrational hopes for the YE no 1 ranking alive. And there is a 3-3 hardcord h2h between the two. Who knows?

It wouldn't be impossible. In a way, I'd have preferred Berdy in the semi because Ferrer has an awkward habit of keeping a guy honest. You can't bluff your way through him. I expect, as usualy, a massive effort from him, and though it shouldn't be enough, it maybe tight...