2018 Australian Open, Melbourne - ATP GRAND SLAM

[Denis]

It was a first round match. I'm not sure what you expected, but it was never going to be a top 10 player. Leonardo Mayer should give him a better run in the next round.

I didn't expect anything . I just noted that EB was probably the best player Rafa could face after a layoff from the 127 players in the draw!

 

[shawnbm]

Things looking really good for Rafa—Borna Coric and John Isner are out. His road to the final made a little easier.

 

[shawnbm]

Lucas Poiulle and Jack Sock gone too! And the feisty Dustin Brown!

 

[Denis]

Yeah, and not even the night session. Don't sweat it. Rafa hasn't always gotten a lot of love at Roland Garros (from the crowd, anyway,) but it didn't keep him from winning there. Djokovic will survive any perceived slight.

Schedule for day 2.

With Djokovic playing late afternoon, I get to see quite a lot of the action, so I am happy. That is if they dont put some other match on the TV like Zverev Fabiano (they managed to put those two on centre court.....)

Quite a few interesting matches tomorrow: de minaur Berdy, Verdasco RBA, Querry Lopez, Chung - M Zverev, and Tiafoe DP

 

[kskate2]

They put Novak on Margeret Court, not too much love for the record champ considering he is playing Young, an entertaining player.

Not a lot of love for any of the former slam champs not named Fedal. Sharapova, Mugu and Delpo all on MCA. They put Kerbie and Stan out on Hisense and they actually won this thing a few years ago.

 

[isabelle]

can't wait to see Delpo play, I was sad to see him lose Auckland's final but he had a great week in NZ nevertheless

 

[Puppet Master]

Dimitrov just loves the Rod Laver arena. If he plays even decently, I think only Nadal and Federer of all people in the draw are capable of beating him right now. No one else. I might eat my own words later, but if he serves decently in any match, you are basically playing peak Federer with a slightly less potent baseline game. On fast hard court. Nightmarish to play against I imagine.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Rafa's half was already weak when the draw came. Now, with the exit of John Jack Sock (8), Anderson (11), John Isner (16) and others such as Borna Coric, Lucas Pouille and Dustin Brown, Rafa should have a walk in the park. Let us just hope that the bad boy can stop him.

 

[Denis]

Rafa's half was already weak when the draw came. Now, with the exit of John Jack Sock (8), Anderson (11), John Isner (16) and others such as Borna Coric, Lucas Pouille and Dustin Brown, Rafa should have a walk in the park. Let us just hope that the bad boy can stop him.

Well realistically these guys would have done literally nothing to Rafa. From the postive side this will make it more likely that those players that might be able to put up a fight will arrive there well-rested. with 'those players' I am referring to Kyrgios and Dimitrov, although I actually think only Nick has a half-decent chance.

 

[Busted]

Things looking really good for Rafa—Borna Coric and John Isner are out. His road to the final made a little easier.

According to the AO's own draw analysis Nadal's quarter was already the easiest and it's quickly going from a 250 event to a challenger event. And yes, Federer's quarter was deemed the toughest - by far...

Federer's Quarter of Pain

https://ausopen.com/articles/featur...rs-quarter-pain#g=video-38466-27423&s=slide-1

 

[Busted]

Dimitrov just loves the Rod Laver arena. If he plays even decently, I think only Nadal and Federer of all people in the draw are capable of beating him right now. No one else. I might eat my own words later, but if he serves decently in any match, you are basically playing peak Federer with a slightly less potent baseline game. On fast hard court. Nightmarish to play against I imagine.

I think Kyrgios takes out Dimitrov...provided he remains interested enough to make it to that far. You never know with Kyrgios. For all the "Baby Fed" chatter over the years one of the big reasons (among many!) that I've always scoffed at that comparison is that Dimitrov's serve is shite. And Federer's ain't. Federer plays Kyrgios and can go toe-to-toe on serve. Dimitrov? Not unless Krygios is in one of his moods and just can't be bothered to try on the return games.

 

[Busted]

Rafa's half was already weak when the draw came. Now, with the exit of John Jack Sock (8), Anderson (11), John Isner (16) and others such as Borna Coric, Lucas Pouille and Dustin Brown, Rafa should have a walk in the park. Let us just hope that the bad boy can stop him.

At his point Nadal's knees would have to give out for him to NOT make the final. The thing is - there's nobody in his way that can make him run enough that the knees become an issue.

 

[DarthFed]

According to the AO's own draw analysis Nadal's quarter was already the easiest and it's quickly going from a 250 event to a challenger event. And yes, Federer's quarter was deemed the toughest - by far...

Federer's Quarter of Pain

https://ausopen.com/articles/featur...rs-quarter-pain#g=video-38466-27423&s=slide-1

How in the world would they say Roger would have only a 52% chance of surviving the quarter from the first half? I'd think more like 82%.

Anyways it is time for him to step up again. The evil twat was given another gift for this AO. Fed's spot in tennis history is not yet safe. Seize the moment, treat this as life and death, and no one will stop him.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

At his point Nadal's knees would have to give out for him to NOT make the final. The thing is - there's nobody in his way that can make him run enough that the knees become an issue.

That is the whole point. As Denis says, none of the players who got upset has a chance of beating Rafa if they were not upset. But, if Rafa was forced to exert himself then at least his knees would yield by the time he reaches SF or F. Now, Rafa almost needs to do nothing to get to SF.

 

[Moxie]

That is the whole point. As Denis says, none of the players who got upset has a chance of beating Rafa if they were not upset. But, if Rafa was forced to exert himself then at least his knees would yield by the time he reaches SF or F. Now, Rafa almost needs to do nothing to get to SF.

If you saw what Rafa was tracking down v. Estrella Burgos last night, when he was already in a cakewalk, I think you can put the knees out of the equation.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

If you saw what Rafa was tracking down v. Estrella Burgos last night, when he was already in a cakewalk, I think you can put the knees out of the equation.

Didn't bother to see the match.

 

[kskate2]

Didn't bother to see the match.

Isn't Mueller in his draw? I'm sure a Nadal fan doesn't want to see GM in his path.

 

[Moxie]

Didn't bother to see the match.

Fair enough. It took a lot of fandom to wake up for a 3am match. So you might have to trust me on how well Rafa played, and how well he moved.

But you could look at the point I'm talking about here, starting at minute 2:10. This will tell you something about how comfortable Rafa is feeling about his knees:

 

[Moxie]

Isn't Mueller in his draw? I'm sure a Nadal fan doesn't want to see GM in his path.

I think the issue was grass with Muller. Plus, he's done nothing since he upset Nadal at Wimbledon.

 

[kskate2]

I can't believe Nadal pulled that sleeveless shirt out of the files... And pink too