2019 Men's US Open Final: Rafael Nadal vs. Daniil Medvedev

[imjimmy]

Basically Nadal won the tournament playing his B- game. Sort of how Novak won Wimbledon.

Before people scream at me, I can assure you that in 15 years of watching Nadal, I've never seen him choke as much on forehands - one shot that never fails him consistently. His serve, backhand etc would go AWOL when was tight. But the bread and butter forehand would always work - even if it was moonballed back, he would not make an error on a sitter forehand.

Surprisingly, he made plenty of those all tournament. He choked, and then some, against most of his opponents. He relied on experience and luck to get him through and won ugly. Hence all the tears at the end, because he knew he was beatable this slam and still had to somehow cross the finish line.

So for all the brouhaha about his opponents choking , it was Nadal who choked more than I've ever seen him. Against Diego, at one point he ran around a forehand to hit a backhand. Because he had no confidence in the forehand. Then the simplest backhands were in the bottom of the net and the easiest overhead and volley putaways were missed when he got tight, like the one that got Medvedev back in the match in set 3. That simple sitter volley missed, might have haunted Nadal had he lost the match.

Despite all the commentators favoring Nadal pre match, I knew Medvedev had a legit shot given how Rafa was playing. Nadal's tennis is nowhere near his 2010, 2013, 2017 UsOpen wins and yet this one might still be the most impressive and important of them all.

Martina Navritilova said that as you get older you start to be more afraid, you get weaker mentally and hesitate more. This is what happened to Rafa. He played all tournament with the crushing weight of his own expectations which were 100x magnified when Novak and Roger lost. Suddenly anything other than Nadal championship win would be a complete failure for Rafa.

When you want something Nadal too much, it gets harder to get it. So while Nadal fought constantly with his opponent, he wrestled more with his mind and his nerves. Most other players would have lost the battle and the championship. That Nadal still won without being at his best is why this 4th UsOpen title is right up there as one of his most remarkable feats in an already stunning career.

Congrats to Nadal and his fans. Well deserved #19.

 

[brokenshoelace]

I don't consider a choke to just be about nerves; it can also be a wasted opportunity when you had a chance to seize victory.

So Rafa surely choked the 4th set away by wasting those early break point opportunities. I guess it shouldn't have gone to 5 after all.

 

[brokenshoelace]

No, I think you're still misunderstanding the reason for his success. Yes, Nadal makes adjustments, but what separates him is the urgency with which he approaches key points. He acts like his life depends on winning breakpoints and then he ratchets up the defense to absurd levels.

Obviously it's common knowledge the intensity he plays with on key points, the focus, etc... but you still have to do something with the ball once you put a racket on it to convert or channel that intensity, urgency, focus, etc... And his shot selection and tactical choices in key moments in the fifth set were phenomenal, especially since he wasn't having his best performance ball striking wise. The amount of different spins and variety he played with puts the whole one dimensional nonsense to bed. The slice, the looping backhands, the serve and volleys, the net approaches, etc... it wasn't always pretty or exciting to watch from a shot making perspective, but it says a lot about finding ways to win, which yes, is tied to mental toughness.

 

[brokenshoelace]

I don't consider a choke to just be about nerves; it can also be a wasted opportunity when you had a chance to seize victory.

And no, that's not up to you to consider:

"INFORMAL
(in sports) fail to perform at a crucial point of a game or contest as a result of nervousness."

It's literally the meaning of a choke.

 

[brokenshoelace]

5 random years is not the same as 5 consecutive which is a much more impressive and difficult achievement. I shouldn't really have to explain this. Why would I hide for 2 weeks? What's happening in 2 weeks time?

Five "Random" years. Are they random though? Or are these years where Nadal played well and won? You make it sound like a coin flip. Clearly, there are two aspects to this: One is about consistency and dominance (winning 5 straight in 5 years), the other is about consistency and longevity (winning 4 over a period of 9 years, two of which coming in your 30's) and if the latter was easy, then maybe Fed would have won a US Open in the past 11 years. I agree 5 straight is more impressive and it says a lot about Roger in his prime but let's not act like Nadal winning so many over such a long period of time is just some random achievement.

Actually this stat is a good microcosm of the slam count. It still doesn't "feel" to me like Nadal won just 1 slam fewer than Roger. It feels like Roger won more. However, the reason it feels that way is because he was so dominant and won so many in a condensed period of time (which is hugely impressive mind you), while Nadal won them over a longer period and was more consistent in terms of not going through dry spells as long as the one Roger went through. It's also a testament to Nadal turning into a great tennis player at an earlier age than Roger as he started winning in his teens.

 

[brokenshoelace]

By the way, @calitennis127 re: break points Medvedev missed in the fifth. I literally just saw them now:

The first one, Nadal hits a serve out wide on the deuce court to Medvedev's forehand, Medvedev comes up with a great forehand return on the stretch and Nadal who decided to serve and volley, comes up with a terrific backhand HALF VOLLEY winner.

The second point, Nadal hits a serve, Medvedev comes up with an incredible cross court backhand return, and at full stretch Nadal hits a running down the line forehand, which Medvedev retrieves with a deep response, and Nadal absolutely paints the line with a deep cross court backhand that Medvedev can't put back in play.

A third break point ensued, in which Nadal lost the first serve due to a time violation. The only thing that can be reproached is that Medvedev's return wasn't very good, and Nadal ran around his backhand and put away an inside out forehand.

Med's biggest mistake in that game came after Nadal saved all the break points where at 40-40 he missed an easy forehand volley.

 

[Front242]

Of course it's more impressive 5 in a row I just saying Nadal+ Federer look pretty even on paper if Nadal wins next year that's all, plus I was talking more about 2010s there Nadal made a us open dynasty more us opens than both Djokovic+Federer put together. Finally Nadal being the new goat I was thinking it's hiding time for Federer fanboys like you, it's clear Federer scared of Nadal after us open I think all the players are. Also clear Nadal going to win Olympics+ Australian open, next year

Federer is not scared of Nadal anymore and was more than ready to play him here. It's unfortunate they'll probably never meet at the USO now but Federer was on fire before getting injured and I'm fully confident he would have beaten Nadal if they met. It is what it is. Be happy and stop trolling.

 

[britbox]

I might be alone but I felt Rafa got tighter than Medvedev. Although the term "choke" is getting thrown around so often, it's becoming fairly meaningless.

All players get tight to some degree, it's how they deal with it. Rafa doesn't deal with it anything like as well as he did a decade ago. But it's still better than most.

Medvedev got a lesson in the levels you've got to reach at this level. I thought his speech was good, but also his thought processes on what he needed to do when a couple of sets down.

Now I'm hoping what Medvedev did here will start dragging up some of his peers. I think there is a healthy bunch in the nextgen - once one of them really kicks it up another level, I think it'll drag some of the rest along. That will also mean the Window of Opportunity will start shrinking for the Big 3.

 

[the AntiPusher]

I might be alone but I felt Rafa got tighter than Medvedev. Although the term "choke" is getting thrown around so often, it's becoming fairly meaningless.

All players get tight to some degree, it's how they deal with it. Rafa doesn't deal with it anything like as well as he did a decade ago. But it's still better than most.

Medvedev got a lesson in the levels you've got to reach at this level. I thought his speech was good, but also his thought processes on what he needed to do when a couple of sets down.

Now I'm hoping what Medvedev did here will start dragging up some of his peers. I think there is a healthy bunch in the nextgen - once one of them really kicks it up another level, I think it'll drag some of the rest along. That will also mean the Window of Opportunity will start shrinking for the Big 3.

BB, no I mentioned nerves and I think Mike One was alluding to Rafa played very tentative. It was the combination of both plus Medvedev defense.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Federer is not scared of Nadal anymore and was more than ready to play him here. It's unfortunate they'll probably never meet at the USO now but Federer was on fire before getting injured and I'm fully confident he would have beaten Nadal if they met. It is what it is. Be happy and stop trolling.

No, Front you ain't getting off that easy..You don't get to tell anyone to stop trolling when you are the biggest and worst troll of all time.. Roger's game level at USO 19 would have gotten him destroyed like Rafa did in I think it may have been 2014 at AO ( you go check the records because you ain't got that much going on in your simple life)..True it's your opinion but it like everything to you post absence of tennis strategic logic and Merritt. Just like your prison days, You are gonna take it without lubicant or gloves ( sorry ladies, all due respect but I don't like this MFR and I am counting down the days he is vanished to cyberspace)..Front, you will have to repent or stand down like the scared little turd of a poster you are when you let that poster castrated the one testicle you had been holding on since birth. Maybe you can find some Lukas Rosol fan club or website you can become the administrator .

 

[brokenshoelace]

Just like your prison days, You are gonna take it without lubicant or gloves ( sorry ladies, all due respect but I don't like this MFR and I am counting down the days he is vanished to cyberspace)..Front, you will have to repent or stand down like the scared little turd of a poster you are when you let that poster castrated the one testicle you had been holding on since birth. Maybe you can find some Lukas Rosol fan club or website you can become the administrator .

WTF how old are you? No seriously, this might be the worst trash talk I've ever heard. Please go the fuck away already, you're legitimately one of the worst posters here and offer absolutely nothing.

 

[MikeOne]

Basically Nadal won the tournament playing his B- game. Sort of how Novak won Wimbledon.

Before people scream at me, I can assure you that in 15 years of watching Nadal, I've never seen him choke as much on forehands - one shot that never fails him consistently. His serve, backhand etc would go AWOL when was tight. But the bread and butter forehand would always work - even if it was moonballed back, he would not make an error on a sitter forehand.

Surprisingly, he made plenty of those all tournament. He choked, and then some, against most of his opponents. He relied on experience and luck to get him through and won ugly. Hence all the tears at the end, because he knew he was beatable this slam and still had to somehow cross the finish line.

So for all the brouhaha about his opponents choking , it was Nadal who choked more than I've ever seen him. Against Diego, at one point he ran around a forehand to hit a backhand. Because he had no confidence in the forehand. Then the simplest backhands were in the bottom of the net and the easiest overhead and volley putaways were missed when he got tight, like the one that got Medvedev back in the match in set 3. That simple sitter volley missed, might have haunted Nadal had he lost the match.

Despite all the commentators favoring Nadal pre match, I knew Medvedev had a legit shot given how Rafa was playing. Nadal's tennis is nowhere near his 2010, 2013, 2017 UsOpen wins and yet this one might still be the most impressive and important of them all.

Martina Navritilova said that as you get older you start to be more afraid, you get weaker mentally and hesitate more. This is what happened to Rafa. He played all tournament with the crushing weight of his own expectations which were 100x magnified when Novak and Roger lost. Suddenly anything other than Nadal championship win would be a complete failure for Rafa.

When you want something Nadal too much, it gets harder to get it. So while Nadal fought constantly with his opponent, he wrestled more with his mind and his nerves. Most other players would have lost the battle and the championship. That Nadal still won without being at his best is why this 4th UsOpen title is right up there as one of his most remarkable feats in an already stunning career.

Congrats to Nadal and his fans. Well deserved #19.

I almost never make excuses when nadal loses but i agree with your assessment and i mentioned it in an earlier post.

Medvedev’s game matchs up badly against nadal, we saw that when nadal destroyed him 0,3 in montreal finals. Nadal struggles against guys who can play inside the baseline, take ball on rise and attack gim relentlessly. We have seen novak, nalbandian, soderling employ this strategy. Medvedev does’t have this style of game: in fact, he is the complete opposite - stays far back, defends, counterpunches, attacks only when he gets an attackable shot and even then, he sometimes retreats and just puts ball back in play.

In montreal finals, nadal was aggresive, he was loose and let his fh fly. From the beginning of the first set, nadal couldn’t make a first serve and was very tentative against medvedev. Playing like this, djokovic would’ve killed him! Medvedev was too passive and let nadal squeeze in that set but rafa was just not playing well.

Even though i think nadal has the game to dominate medvedev, nadal has to play well, medvedev can be very problematic for nadal if rafa is not letting his fh fly. I believe nadal was tight as he was huge favourite and given medvedev wasn’t attacking initially, nadal wasn’t under pressure to attack but nadal’s fh was pretty average, his bh wasn’t as solid as it can be, his first serve was off and rafa missed uncharacteristic shots. We can give medvedev credit to a degree but i think nadal was just off and i agree with you, it’s why he was so emotional at the end i think. I think he felt like he was choking and the match seemed to stress him out, thinking he was gonna lose due to choking... when he won, it was like ‘phew.. ‘. This is what it looks like to win below your best... nadal, playing his best and confident self, straight sets medvedev in a slam final, bad match-up.

Medvedev is a fighter, what a warrior.. most would’ve given up in 3rd set.

 

[Moxie]

Federer is not scared of Nadal anymore and was more than ready to play him here. It's unfortunate they'll probably never meet at the USO now but Federer was on fire before getting injured and I'm fully confident he would have beaten Nadal if they met. It is what it is. Be happy and stop trolling.

You seem to have forgotten Roger's first couple of rounds. But, yeah, shame they'll probably never play at the USO.

 

[calitennis127]

Obviously it's common knowledge the intensity he plays with on key points, the focus, etc... but you still have to do something with the ball once you put a racket on it to convert or channel that intensity, urgency, focus, etc... And his shot selection and tactical choices in key moments in the fifth set were phenomenal, especially since he wasn't having his best performance ball striking wise. The amount of different spins and variety he played with puts the whole one dimensional nonsense to bed. The slice, the looping backhands, the serve and volleys, the net approaches, etc... it wasn't always pretty or exciting to watch from a shot making perspective, but it says a lot about finding ways to win, which yes, is tied to mental toughness.

No one with a brain thought that Nadal was one-dimensional as far back as 2005 and 2006. He won two hardcourt MS events in 2005, he beat Federer at Dubai in 2006, and he made a very impressive showing at Wimbledon in 2006 including the Agassi match after which Agassi raved about his game and said that it translated to all surfaces. Let's not forget that he won a 5-set hardcourt match against Ljubicic in Madrid in which he came back from 2 sets to 0 down. The issue is not whether or not he is one-dimensional. He never has been and anyone with a brain could see that. But he still has clear flaws and limitations.

As for your broader point about being able "to do something" with the ball even when you are focused, well, yes, of course you have to make shots. But Nadal is not the only one who has the variety to mix things up in those moments. What separates him is not so much the shots that he hits as the consistency with which he hits them, and he does so because of extraordinary physical stamina. I also think you are giving him too much credit in asserting that the moonballs are calculated. I don't think that many of them are, even though you would like to think so to puff up your opinion of his game as well as yourself for being one of his fans.

You mention the slice. A lot of players can hit the slice. You mention the looping backhands. A lot of players (most notably Medvedev) can change speeds. You mention the serve and volley. Any player inside the top 20 can pick their spots and do that. You mention the net approaches - most Top 20 players in the last 20 years have been able to do that. What separates Nadal is the consistency with which he makes these shots and the way in which he forces his opponent to do 1 of 2 things: either 1) hit great offensive shots to finish the point, or 2) play great defense a la Djokovic or Medvedev to draw an error after long rallies.

 

[calitennis127]

So Rafa surely choked the 4th set away by wasting those early break point opportunities. I guess it shouldn't have gone to 5 after all.

I would say that the put-away shot he missed in the third set to give Medvedev life could have been called a choke. In Medvedev's case, the 40-0 game that he lost certainly qualifies.

 

[Nadalfan2013]

Can someone please remind me when the 40-0 game was?

 

[the AntiPusher]

Can someone please remind me when the 40-0 game was?

5 set 2-2

 

[tented]

You seem to have forgotten Roger's first couple of rounds. But, yeah, shame they'll probably never play at the USO.

I think there’s a chance this will be the only way we might see them meet in NYC: before (at least) the semis, assuming they’re both still playing during a time when their rankings will have dropped enough to permit meetings prior to the semis.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Basically Nadal won the tournament playing his B- game. Sort of how Novak won Wimbledon.

Before people scream at me, I can assure you that in 15 years of watching Nadal, I've never seen him choke as much on forehands - one shot that never fails him consistently. His serve, backhand etc would go AWOL when was tight. But the bread and butter forehand would always work - even if it was moonballed back, he would not make an error on a sitter forehand.

Surprisingly, he made plenty of those all tournament. He choked, and then some, against most of his opponents. He relied on experience and luck to get him through and won ugly. Hence all the tears at the end, because he knew he was beatable this slam and still had to somehow cross the finish line.

So for all the brouhaha about his opponents choking , it was Nadal who choked more than I've ever seen him. Against Diego, at one point he ran around a forehand to hit a backhand. Because he had no confidence in the forehand. Then the simplest backhands were in the bottom of the net and the easiest overhead and volley putaways were missed when he got tight, like the one that got Medvedev back in the match in set 3. That simple sitter volley missed, might have haunted Nadal had he lost the match.

Despite all the commentators favoring Nadal pre match, I knew Medvedev had a legit shot given how Rafa was playing. Nadal's tennis is nowhere near his 2010, 2013, 2017 UsOpen wins and yet this one might still be the most impressive and important of them all.

Martina Navritilova said that as you get older you start to be more afraid, you get weaker mentally and hesitate more. This is what happened to Rafa. He played all tournament with the crushing weight of his own expectations which were 100x magnified when Novak and Roger lost. Suddenly anything other than Nadal championship win would be a complete failure for Rafa.

When you want something Nadal too much, it gets harder to get it. So while Nadal fought constantly with his opponent, he wrestled more with his mind and his nerves. Most other players would have lost the battle and the championship. That Nadal still won without being at his best is why this 4th UsOpen title is right up there as one of his most remarkable feats in an already stunning career.

Congrats to Nadal and his fans. Well deserved #19.

ImJimmy, I felt that he really played down to the level of his competitions..As you know well, there are so many levels to Rafa's game as recently proven in his match last year vs Thiem..

When you are a heavy favorite, especially on the tennis courts, a player can get very tight and begin to hit the ball without really swinging it.

Eg. Late in the 4 set Medvedev hit one of his softly hit serves at around 82 mph, Rafa took one step in and hit through his BH to drive the ball deep close to the baseline. I am not like Cali and others who constantly posts based on hypothesis but Rafa would have raised his game vs Roger, Novak or Stan..I hope his team goes back to review the replay and show him where he should have played first strike or more aggression on bps instead of blocking the ball back in play..

 

[shawnbm]

Looks like I missed a helluva comeback and match! I had to go as Rafa was wrapping up the second set and thought number 19 was in the tank. Wow! Felicidades al gran maestro mallorquin! Ole!