Sounds like decent chance of roof closed due to weather? Is that still right? Normally, I don't like that for Rafa, but in this case, a bit of climate control might be better.
Well I do not want Rafa to have heat stroke again like in his q/final match.Today's weather is hot and humid being Thursday,I will wait till Friday to look at the weather for Melbourne,cause Melbourne's weather can change very quickly.
According to my weather app, it’s going to be extremely hot, but rainy (see red-circled section below), so a closed roof. If they turn on the air conditioning, that will bring down the temperature and decrease the humidity.
I think we’ve been spoiled with how the big 3 could handle marathon 5 set matches in their prime. Rafa was a beast, Federer was efficient and Novak seemed to get more limber as a match went on. Maybe part of it is the mental aspect, but these ‘younguns seem gassed and mentally/physically spent and don’t always recover as well these days. I’m thinking for example Tsitsipas 2 years ago in the FO SF with Djokovic where he admitted to getting fatigued. And after beating Rafa in that grueling AO 5 set last year he went down rather tamely in the SF’s. IIRC last year Medvedev after coming back to beat Cilic in 5 sets at Wimbledon lost his next match( also in 5) to Hurcaz. Both guys are 0-1 in 5 set Major finals.
I'm taking Medvedev on his word, after his match with FAA: he's taking a page from Novak, and from Roger and Rafa. If you're not playing your best, stay in, stay sturdy, hang in there. Has it only taken all these years for one player to get it? This is why Medvedev scares me.
What's interesting is that while he learned that from all the Big 3, the first player to truly show him that mentality is from Nadal in the US Open Final 2019.
I saw that comment. I think he's right. Rafa never gives up, and Shapo wasted a lot of his own mental energy in complaining.
That's why I'm saying the closing of the roof for rain/thundershowers might actually help him. They acclimatize the arena, so it's cooler.
Hopefully Shapo learns from that ,wasting a lot of mental energy for starters..His new coach Delgado has a lot more things apart from that,to work on with Shapo,point construction is a main one.
Indeed. Funny he referenced Novak first, though he has been the king of the last decade. But if you want to go to a "who's your mental daddy" moment, I'm sorry to bring up a sore subject, but WTF 2019? And he did benefit from a mental sink by Novak to win the USO last year. Lessons in mentality, I think he owes more to Rafa, one-to-one. And should they meet on Sunday, I hope he has been a poor student.
I don't think looking beatable counts when he had heat stroke. He had a flat day v. Mannarino, but a great day v. Khachanov. He needs to find his Khachanov level.
True that. Honestly, Nadal just need to show Sets 1 and 2 level from last match and he will be fine.
Somebody said 75-85 and rain, so the roof will be closed. That is good for Rafa, in this case, I think. The a/c will be on and take down the humidity.
Thanks Moxie, after what happened to him because the heat I think its better with the roof
Berrettini's serve game was on fire v PCB, but way down v Monfils. He's got to serve well. Nadal will pick on his BH, obviously. Nadal has to serve very well, himself, and I think many of us here have said we'd like to see him take an aggressive position, at least on 2nd serves.
