2014 Aussie Open QF: Nadal vs. Dimitrov

[tented]

After being up for almost 21 hours, I bid you all good night. Taping the rest of this and Fed v. Murray.
Night all.

Good night!

 

[kskate2]

Goodnight Nehmeth. Cheers

 

[DarthFed]

This reminds me of AO 2006 when Roger won the tournament with his D game in the latter rounds. Ultimately He didn't play anyone good enough to take advantage of his poor play. Maybe Rafa loses the semi if he plays this bad but I wouldn't count on ot

 

[El Dude]

Is Rafa balding or does he just have thin hair?

 

[Front242]

Now then....we've seen how he's clearly improved, including fitness but this is where we separate the men from the boys at 1 set a piece. If he crumbles here he's still a boy.

 

[brokenshoelace]

This guy is going to be a real monster if/when he improves the backhand. He is not winning this with just a serve and big forehand but look out when that backhand improves.

He's going to be a top 10 player for sure, but I do feel he needs to improve his on court positioning, more so than the backhand itself (as a shot), in order to really be among the elite. Tends to stand too far back like Wawrinka and Gasquet (well maybe not as much as the latter).

 

[britbox]

This match is as good as over now

You wouldn't have taken 1-1 at the start of the match?

 

[Front242]

Is Rafa balding or does he just have thin hair?

Balding for sure.

 

[DarthFed]

He isn't called the bald bull for nothing.

 

[brokenshoelace]

This match is as good as over now

You wouldn't have taken 1-1 at the start of the match?

I agree. I don't think it's over by any means. Obviously this set is crucial for Dimitrov since he's unlikely to have the fitness to go back from 2-1 down, but if he hangs in a few games here, he's still right in there.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Is Rafa balding or does he just have thin hair?

Balding for sure.

Nadal's hair was much thicker. Yeah, he's balding for sure.

 

[DarthFed]

This match is as good as over now

You wouldn't have taken 1-1 at the start of the match?

Not if Dimi was going to win it. And winning the 2nd in a tb is better than winning the first, Rafa has momentum

 

[brokenshoelace]

Nadal would make his life much easier if he started going for that slider out wide the way he was earlier in the tourney. If you're not going to go for big serves, you might as well. Most importantly though, he needs to stand closer when returning on the deuce court. He's giving Dimitrov far too many options by standing so back.

 

[Front242]

Dimitrov needs to cut out the slicing a lot imo.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Dimitrov taking the "baby Fed" thing a bit too literally with that backhand shank.

 

[Front242]

Dimitrov taking the "baby Fed" thing a bit too literally with that backhand shank.

:laydownlaughing

 

[El Dude]

Ha ha. That was Rafa saying, "Welcome to the big leagues, Grigor."

 

[golds girl]

Is Rafa balding or does he just have thin hair?

Balding for sure.

Nadal's hair was much thicker. Yeah, he's balding for sure.

Isn't that kind of stuff genetic...guys? His dad still has a thickish mane.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Yeah that's the problem with that one handed backhand. He's not comfortable taking it on the rise so he has to step back to line it up, and against Nadal that's suicide. Meanwhile, when he stands closer, he slices it in, which is also not a good idea. He should be looking to run around it more as his inside out forehand is very good. Still, he's doing very well.

 

[Front242]

Nice inside out FH to win that game. If he'd dropped serve there he was toast.