ATP 250 Brisbane

[El Dude]

The 2017 ATP Tour has officially started, with first round matches underway at Brisbane. As I write this, Kyle Edmund is up a set over Ernesto Escobedo.

Other matches today:
Querrey v. Schwartzman
Nadal v. Dolgopolov
Groth v. Herbert
Johnson v. Dimitrov
Pouille v. Simon
Troicki v. Nishioka
De Minaur v. M Zverev
Donaldson v. Mueller
Ferrer v. Thompson

 

[Busted]

Just saw a video at the ATP site of Nadal arriving in Brisbane. Aside from possibly having a new Head racket he seems to have dropped about 10 pounds. I don't think I've ever seen him so, uh, un-bulky. I guess this is an attempt to fix his footwork and get faster around the court? Don't know that it'll help his propensity toward injury though. He seems rather snakebit in that regard.

 

[El Dude]

I'd love to see Rafa make it interesting, even if only for clay court season. Anything to keep 2017 from being a dogfight of attrition between Andy and Novak.

 

[Shivashish Sarkar]

I'd love to see Rafa make it interesting, even if only for clay court season. Anything to keep 2017 from being a dogfight of attrition between Andy and Novak.

He'll be good. He played great at Mubadala WTC.

 

[Puppet Master]

Dimitrov really played like a top player should. He played his B game for most of the match and still dominated Johnson on a fast surface, neutralizing his biggest weapon. Federer-esque.
It will be interesting how he fares against Rafa/Raonic/Thiem. Who knows, he might surprise us all.

 

[Shivashish Sarkar]

Dimitrov really played like a top player should. He played his B game for most of the match and still dominated Johnson on a fast surface, neutralizing his biggest weapon. Federer-esque.
It will be interesting how he fares against Rafa/Raonic/Thiem. Who knows, he might surprise us all.

Dimitrov is my dream too. A lot of us wants this guy to shine at some point. Hopefully that happens!

 

[Carol]

Just saw a video at the ATP site of Nadal arriving in Brisbane. Aside from possibly having a new Head racket he seems to have dropped about 10 pounds. I don't think I've ever seen him so, uh, un-bulky. I guess this is an attempt to fix his footwork and get faster around the court? Don't know that it'll help his propensity toward injury though. He seems rather snakebit in that regard.

He looks great, better than ever

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NihKT99UzfA#action=share

 

[Front242]

Clicked on that link expecting some actual tennis highlights and all I got was a skinny dude with short hair lol.

 

[Carol]

Clicked on that link expecting some actual tennis highlights and all I got was a skinny dude with short hair lol.

Yeah....the envy is a bad company...:snicker

 

[Front242]

No envy here, thanks. Prefer my own haircut Was genuinely gonna actually watch a clip of him playing though

 

[Carol]

Better than ever

 

[El Dude]

He definitely looks lankier.

 

[the AntiPusher]

I have been following the match via twitter, Rafa won the 1st set 6-3 coming from being down 1-3. Now he is up a break 3-2. I guess his match will be on TC later today.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Better than ever

Miss Carol, you're follow Rafa more closer than the average Rafa fan, how much would many lbs has Rafa lost, 10lbs?

 

[the AntiPusher]

I have been following the match via twitter, Rafa won the 1st set 6-3 coming from being down 1-3. Now he is up a break 3-2. I guess his match will be on TC later today.

6-3 6-3 Rafa takes out the Dolgo

 

[Carol]

Better than ever

Miss Carol, you're follow Rafa more closer than the average Rafa fan, how much would many lbs has Rafa lost, 10lbs?

I have not any idea but if he has lost some lbs (I don't think so) it would be for better

 

[Carol]

Good win by Rafa playing against an uncomfortable player who doesn't know where is hitting the ball so his opponent has to figure it out :huh:

 

[mrzz]

Saw parts of the match. Nadal´s movement looks fine, bh better than the average of the last few years, serve looks fine. The only problem is that he hit a very few winners against an opponent that gives opportunity to do so. His first winner was an ace at the start of the ninth game...

 

[the AntiPusher]

Saw parts of the match. Nadal´s movement looks fine, bh better than the average of the last few years, serve looks fine. The only problem is that he hit a very few winners against an opponent that gives opportunity to do so. His first winner was an ace at the start of the ninth game...

I think he was just trying to get his rhythm which he had a very slow start at the beginning of the match. Maybe that's why he didn't have a lot of winners. However, his UFEs was only 4 which was great compared to his opponent's ufes of 12.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Saw parts of the match. Nadal´s movement looks fine, bh better than the average of the last few years, serve looks fine. The only problem is that he hit a very few winners against an opponent that gives opportunity to do so. His first winner was an ace at the start of the ninth game...

Even in his prime Rafa was never known to hit much winners. He typically wins about 35% of points by unforced erros of opponents and 55% of points by forced errors (repeated topspin forehand eventually yielding an error) and 10% of points by winners. So, this is actually par for course for Rafa :cover