2014 Australian Open of Tennis

[bdreason]

High temperatures is the discussion. Temperatures exceeding 100+ over the next few days could lead to some upsets. Nadal and Serena are the favorites, but the Men's side is stacked, especially the top part of the draw which has Nadal, Murray, and Federer.


I think Serena and Djoker win the tourney, but I'll be pulling for Stephens and Federer.


Watch matches on ESPN3:

http://espn.go.com/watchespn/index/_/channel/espn3

[Milbuck]

I got Nadal over Djokovic in the final

[DuMa]

dammit espn, show us some eugenie bouchard

[bdreason]

You can watch every match on ESPN3 as well.

http://espn.go.com/watchespn/index/_/channel/espn3

[bdreason]

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh236/bdreason/maria-sharapova-083112-3_zps092a19e3.jpg (http://s257.photobucket.com/user/bdreason/media/maria-sharapova-083112-3_zps092a19e3.jpg.html)

[bdreason]

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh236/bdreason/220px-2011-07-29_Sloane_Stephens_zps4a6f3370.jpg (http://s257.photobucket.com/user/bdreason/media/220px-2011-07-29_Sloane_Stephens_zps4a6f3370.jpg.html)

[bdreason]

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh236/bdreason/Maria_Kirilenko2_zps8ec8de14.jpg (http://s257.photobucket.com/user/bdreason/media/Maria_Kirilenko2_zps8ec8de14.jpg.html)

[bdreason]

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh236/bdreason/ana-ivanovic5.jpg (http://s257.photobucket.com/user/bdreason/media/ana-ivanovic5.jpg.html)

[Milbuck]

Djokovic can win, but he won't.

Also Ivanovic is hot as hell. I'd definitely let her sit on my face.

[gigantes]

high temps and fast courts. bad for nadal and old man federer (for different reasons). pretty good for murray and djokes.

i guess djoker beats a laggy murray in the final, given the draw.

[Wavves]

I live in Melbourne, but am away on holiday in another state and get to escape the heat thank god. Tomorrow and the next few days should be hitting up to around 40 degrees. I feel sorry for the athletes used to colder conditions.

[Mr Feeny]

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh236/bdreason/ana-ivanovic5.jpg (http://s257.photobucket.com/user/bdreason/media/ana-ivanovic5.jpg.html)

Who is that? I don't watch the women's circuit. She's outrageously attractive.:applause: :applause: :applause:

[Mr Feeny]

Djokovic can win, but he won't.

Also Ivanovic is hot as hell. I'd definitely let her sit on my face.

Might I ask why one would do such a thing?

[Balla_Status]

Pretty sure I saw Maria Sharapova last week in Queen St. Mall here in Brisbane for the warm up tournament.

[AirFederer]

high temps and fast courts. bad for nadal and old man federer (for different reasons). pretty good for murray and djokes.

i guess djoker beats a laggy murray in the final, given the draw.

Not fast courts I`m afraid. Very slow hard courts means grind fest, also known as Nadal`s favorite thing.

My favorite, Federer, has very very slim chances here. His form is very bad. I think it`s up to Nole to prevent Nadal from taking this. Murray is recovering still and can not be expected much of, unfortunately.

Maybe a slightly lower ranked player can make a run?
Del Potro? I fear the courts are too slow him.

I`ll go with Jerzy Janowicz, even if the same applies to him imho.

Maybe Tsonga could make som noise. Would be fun.

:cheers:

[Mr Feeny]

Not fast courts I`m afraid. Very slow hard courts means grind fest, also known as Nadal`s favorite thing.

My favorite, Federer, has very very slim chances here. His form is very bad. I think it`s up to Nole to prevent Nadal from taking this. Murray is recovering still and can not be expected much of, unfortunately.

Maybe a slightly lower ranked player can make a run?
Del Potro? I fear the courts are too slow him.

I`ll go with Jerzy Janowicz, even if the same applies to him imho.

Maybe Tsonga could make som noise. Would be fun.

:cheers:

Federer would have to go through Tsonga, Murray, Nadal, and the Djoker back to back to bsck to back. It's nearly impossible. Although even reaching the final or semis would mean he will have given us some memorable performances to beat two of the big four along thew way. I, for one, want to see Federer againsy Nadal in a relatively faster hard court.

[B-Easy8]

Loving the Eugenie pictures.

She had a warm up tournament in my city a couple of weeks ago and she is gorgeous.

Yeah gonna be 42 degrees tomorrow which will be pretty much impossible to play in so im expecting delays.

[gigantes]

Not fast courts I`m afraid. Very slow hard courts means grind fest, also known as Nadal`s favorite thing. ...
well, i seem to remember a report on SI's site a week or two ago that said the courts were faster this year than ever before. and if that's not due to heat, then heat will only make that more intense.

and let's be clear-- djoker, muzza and rafa are ALL kings of the grind. but djokes has the slightly easier draw, as well as having the most success here. gotta give the edge to him, i think.

[bdreason]

Who is that? I don't watch the women's circuit. She's outrageously attractive.:applause: :applause: :applause:

Ana Ivanovic - arguably the hottest girl on tour for quite some time... and former #1 player in the World.

[ArbitraryWater]

So pumped for the Aussie Open every year :rockon:

Most exciting of the GS's... VAMOS RAFA!

LET'S GO GET THIS

[bdreason]

I`ll go with Jerzy Janowicz, even if the same applies to him imho.

Maybe Tsonga could make som noise. Would be fun.

:cheers:


Janowicz barely made it out of the first round against some local Aussie scrub ranked 300+.


Early upsets so far are Kvitova (6) losing and Haas (12) pulling out with a shoulder injury.

[bdreason]

Wawrinka looking like an elite player. Some of the best ground strokes I've ever seen.

[Milbuck]

Wawrinka looking like an elite player. Some of the best ground strokes I've ever seen.
He is an elite player. Dude is an absolute beast when he's on his game. Is he in Djokovic's half? Their past two slam matches have been insane, a rematch of their AO match from last year would be sick

[Sgt. Brody]

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh236/bdreason/Maria_Kirilenko2_zps8ec8de14.jpg (http://s257.photobucket.com/user/bdreason/media/Maria_Kirilenko2_zps8ec8de14.jpg.html)

Maria Kirilenko is the hottest tennis player imo. Can't believe she married that hockey dude Alex Ovechkin. Not sure what she sees in him.

[bdreason]

Maria Kirilenko is the hottest tennis player imo. Can't believe she married that hockey dude Alex Ovechkin. Not sure what she sees in him.


I watched Sharapova vs Kirilenko live last year. :D

[alenleomessi]

more pics of hot players and less talking about tennis, please.

[RagaZ]

more pics of hot players and less talking about tennis, please.
Marion Bartoli:

http://www.opposingviews.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/300x250/marion.jpg

:rolleyes:

[gigantes]

Marion Bartoli:

http://www.opposingviews.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/300x250/marion.jpg

:rolleyes:
not the best pic of her, but i do find her cute.

sort of the nerdy, awkward girl who manages to have her own kind of self-confidence and sexiness. like, a lot more fun and interesting to be with in the long run, and i wouldn't doubt that she's a wizard in bed. :D


btw, re: thread title,
what are the other kinds of australian opens? australian open always meant tennis to me.

[bdreason]

Bartoli aint bad. Loved her fire on the court too... bet she's great in bed.


http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh236/bdreason/MarionBartoliHot7_zps1bb83e85.jpg (http://s257.photobucket.com/user/bdreason/media/MarionBartoliHot7_zps1bb83e85.jpg.html)

[alenleomessi]

bartoli is fat and is annoying

i was referring to something like this

http://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.1640143!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_620/image.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/q71/1507997_10152176442253331_1039407532_n.jpg

[gigantes]

Bartoli aint bad. Loved her fire on the court too... bet she's great in bed.


http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh236/bdreason/MarionBartoliHot7_zps1bb83e85.jpg (http://s257.photobucket.com/user/bdreason/media/MarionBartoliHot7_zps1bb83e85.jpg.html)
that's what i'm talking about!

pleasantly plump, cute face, the thighs, smooth skin.

it's when she neglects the sunscreen that it goes downhill, i guess.

[Sgt. Brody]

I watched Sharapova vs Kirilenko live last year. :D

Oh!, Now I'm really jealous! Those two ladies are so gorgeous!

So, I did a little scout:

Petra Uberalova
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kLtunCIu5jM/UQ6SesP7USI/AAAAAAAAByY/CYoO_t5o1vc/s1600/uberalova.PNG

Heidi El Tabakh
http://www4.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/12th+Annual+BNP+Paribas+Taste+Tennis+Arrivals+fOkx DlmcSmxl.jpg

Urszula Radwanska
http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/8417/b3vz.jpg

Laura Robson (classy lady)
http://25.media.tumblr.com/99fee6df1f77175ff6a2c9e0aad98f47/tumblr_mov6drss5E1r8zq81o2_1280.jpg

[alenleomessi]

Petra Uberalova
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kLtunCIu5jM/UQ6SesP7USI/AAAAAAAAByY/CYoO_t5o1vc/s1600/uberalova.PNG

http://i.imgur.com/J1Jt5sF.gif

[gigantes]

...So, I did a little scout:

Petra Uberalova
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kLtunCIu5jM/UQ6SesP7USI/AAAAAAAAByY/CYoO_t5o1vc/s1600/uberalova.PNG
that means "lots and lots of love."


i would stick with that one if i were you.

[RagaZ]

Tennis wags:

Kim Spears :applause:
http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/51daca7d69bedd9754000023-538/kim-sears-andy-murray-girlfriend.jpg

Brooklyn Decker
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/entertainment/2010-06/22/13362262_21n.jpg

Ave it.

[DuMa]

Beauty defeated the Beast :bowdown:

http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/ib_z6pYOY_J4s_U0HJ9FUw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Y2g9MzYwO2NyPTE7Y3c9NjQwO2R4PTA7ZH k9MDtmaT11bGNyb3A7aD0zNTU7cT04NTt3PTYzMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en_GB/Sports/Eurosport/1166881-20317828-640-360.jpg

[gigantes]

good. now someone else can win this major.

[bdreason]

good. now someone else can win this major.


I'm probably supposed to support Serena because she's American... but I can't stand that bitch.


Maybe a chance for another American woman (Sloan) to win her first Major.

[bdreason]

Wawrinka playing Robredo... he's 1-6 against Robredo all-time. :wtf:

[alenleomessi]

has there even been more 'beautiful' 1/4 than ivanovic vs bouchard? :eek:

[RagaZ]

has there even been more 'beautiful' 1/4 than ivanovic vs bouchard? :eek:
Dunno about 1/4, but didnt Ivanovic face Sharapova in the 2008 AO Final?

[alenleomessi]

Dunno about 1/4, but didnt Ivanovic face Sharapova in the 2008 AO Final?
good one but, bouchard>>>

http://news.sportsinteraction.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1341/files/2013/05/eugenie-bouchard-maria-sharapova.jpg

[dude77]

I don't know what Ivanovic is on .. she usually just folds and plays like she's just supposed to lose and go away against serena .. I mean she hadn't ever even taken a set from her before ..

I wanted stosur vs. williams because that would have a better chance of being a decent match(or so we thought).. but the more I saw of stosur/ivanovic, the more I thought 'well damn if Ivanovic can play like how she's playing against stosur then 'game on' against serena .. against stosur she was absolutely on point drilling nasty strokes left and right .. somehow she continued it against serena and there ya go, she ends up winning ..

I didn't see her play years ago when she was world #1, but I wonder if this was her game back then .. definitely a legit #1 if it was .. cool to see ivanovic break through after not having been able to beat serena in 4 tries ..

in serena's defense, she did look kind of different out there .. very slow .. as if injured which apparently she was .. but I'm not taking any credit away from ivanovic .. she took it to her .. she had a lot more winners

[dude77]

well I'll be .. apparently that was her game .. fun to watch when she's playing like that .. too bad she hasn't been able to be more consistent ..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtvdlG9f_zE

[Sgt. Brody]

It looks like Ana is back to her old self. I enjoyed it greatly last night. I'm also happy for Genie, too bad those 2 are going to face each other in the quarter finals.

[bdreason]

Sloane and Sharapova lost their matches today. :(





Ana has always been a good tennis player, but when she took the #1 spot, the womens tour had just lost a few elite players including Serena, Sharapova, Henin, and Clijsters.

[The_Yearning]

Is Sharapova still dating Dimitrov?

[gigantes]

Sloane and Sharapova lost their matches today. :(
hehe... i'm not exactly losing sleep over two of the biggest narcissists on tour getting thumped.

[bdreason]

Federer vs. Tsonga upcoming. I'll probably make it to the 3rd set. :sleeping

[fiddy]

Is Sharapova still dating Dimitrov?
Yup, their relationship is a serious one from what i have read.

[raiderfan19]

Fed looks good with the new racket. Makes you wonder if he might have been even better if he'd gone to it earlier

[B-Easy8]

Fed killing it!

Bouchard vs Ivanovic is gonna be great. Could be the first actual sports event that could be used as a replacement for porn.

[fiddy]

Fed killing it!

Bouchard vs Ivanovic is gonna be great. Could be the first actual sports event that could be used as a replacement for porn.
:oldlol:

[imdaman99]

Nadal vs Baby Fed. Let's see if the youngin has any more of a chance against Nadal than Fed did :oldlol:

[The_Yearning]

Nadal vs Baby Fed. Let's see if the youngin has any more of a chance against Nadal than Fed did :oldlol:

Lol Baby Fed will get smashed.

[alenleomessi]

im stroking it

[Fab17]

My picks for QF:

Nadal over Dmitrov
Murray over Fededer (I really, really hope to be so wrong in this one)
Berdych over Ferrer
Djokovic over Wawrinka

[imdaman99]

The 2 hottest women in the tournament are battling it out, Ivanovic and Bouchard.

Ivanovic got that lead 7-5, 4-5

Shame that 1 of these beauties gotta lose, but I prefer Ivanovic anyway. Her sexy grunt <3

[DuMa]

the gods have graced us with a 3rd set. let em sweat more so pokies can be seen on my tv

[imdaman99]

The 2 hottest women in the tournament are battling it out, Ivanovic and Bouchard.

Ivanovic got that lead 7-5, 4-5

Shame that 1 of these beauties gotta lose, but I prefer Ivanovic anyway. Her sexy grunt <3
I jinxed the shit outa her :( Ivanovic blew it

[DuMa]

Bieber :facepalm. that ****er ruins everything :mad:

[bdreason]

Berdych takes out Ferrer.


Ferrer is such a beast though. That guy is 100% heart and will. The fact that he is #3 in the World at 31 years of age with this current field of players is really unbelievable.

[bdreason]

oh and Djoker vs. Wawrinka up next btw. :eek:

[bdreason]

Djoker - Wawrinka tied a set a piece. Bedtime for me though, have to be up in 6 hours.

[bergs14]

Djoker - Wawrinka tied a set a piece. Bedtime for me though, have to be up in 6 hours.


Can Wawrinka win? Been pretty good match so far.

[Budadiiii]

Incredible match going on right now between Djoke and Wawrinka

Match stopped just now because of rain.... bizzare

5-5 5th set. 40-15 Wawrinka

[Budadiiii]

Stopped raining....

ball kids wiping the court with towels. :oldlol:

[Budadiiii]

Match resumed....

Wawrinka up 6-5, Djoke serving to save the match

[Budadiiii]

Easy game for Novak...

tied 6-6... stamina coming into play right now

[Budadiiii]

7-6 Wawrinka...

Novak had a chance there at 30-30.... long volley and hit a forehand long.

Wawrinka stretching his legs in between points... clearly fatigued

Great match

[gigantes]

dang... even if djokes pulls this out, he's gonna be hurting for the semis. :S

[Budadiiii]

This isn't a terribly long match... very quick first 4 sets

plus Djoke is Gluten free so he'll be fine ... :)

[Budadiiii]

WOW.

Match point. :eek:

[Trollsmasher]

what a mistake:eek:

Now let's hope Berdych finally stops shitting his pants when playing Wawrinka

[Budadiiii]

Two unforced errors to end the match...... UNREAL

Wawrinka dethrones the Serbian..

[gigantes]

no, djokes was tired. uncharacteristic mistakes throughout, including those last couple points.

maybe he's a little more sensitive to the heat than waws was.

anyway, great work from stan. hope he pulls off the miracle and takes it all!

[RagaZ]

Get in, Tennis won.

Muzza or Nadal against Wawrinka would be great.

[Budadiiii]

I still can't believe that crazed Eminem fan went on to become a professional Tennis player. :facepalm

Has a shot at a major. :facepalm

Un****n'believable. Rooting for that Spaniard hotty.

[gigantes]

Get in, Tennis won.

Muzza or Nadal against Wawrinka would be great.
the muzzard, hopefully. he needs another major... nadal and fedex don't.

[Warfan]

Wawrinka :applause:

Feds going for #18 :pimp:

[BlazerRed]

7-6 Wawrinka...

Novak had a chance there at 30-30.... long volley and hit a forehand long.

Wawrinka stretching his legs in between points... clearly fatigued

Great match

Nikka you a Seahawks fan? :rockon:

[Budadiiii]

Nikka you a Seahawks fan? :rockon:
Yessir.. I have affiliation with the Hawks and Chiefs...

:cheers: :dancin

[Sgt. Brody]

I've been watching Stan for a long time so I feel really proud of where he took his career. Well done, Sir!

[BlazerRed]

Yessir.. I have affiliation with the Hawks and Chiefs...

:cheers: :dancin
Peyton is a *****, Seahawks gonna tap dat ass :hammertime: :yaohappy: :party:

[Budadiiii]

I've been watching Stan for a long time so I feel really proud of where he took his career. Well done, Sir!
This.

I'm glad he survived his suicide attempt and changed his life for the better...

Bumping that Eminem - "Legacy" before his matches though. Still a fan.

[Ratnik]

My main man Grigor gonna whoop Nadal's ass.
hashtagBookIt.

[ArbitraryWater]

Ohh man Djokovich out is gold for Rafa :D :banana:

Roger vs Murray tonight will be great!

Rafa gonna take GS Nr.14 with him... CHASING DOWN THE RECORD!

[alenleomessi]

damn bochard won and djokovic lost :rockon:

[ArbitraryWater]

damn bochard won and djokovic lost :rockon:

You can book Rafa's triumph :applause:

[Budadiiii]

You can book Rafa's triumph :applause:
Hoping for a Nadal vs Federer semi...

*crosses fingers and jizzes on alenleomessi's face*

[ArbitraryWater]

Hoping for a Nadal vs Federer semi...

*crosses fingers and jizzes on alenleomessi's face*

Yeah that would be the shit. One last great match, especially where Fed's career is dwindling down and he's playing great tennis right now.

If not in the Final, then semi's.

[alenleomessi]

Hoping for a Nadal vs Federer semi...

*crosses fingers and jizzes on alenleomessi's face*
im hoping for nadal-fed semi too :confusedshrug:

[alenleomessi]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWy7nEI7iHM

http://i.imgur.com/R6qrD.gif

[imdaman99]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWy7nEI7iHM

http://i.imgur.com/R6qrD.gif
I am so fckin disrespected by that. Not only is she Canadian, but also a pedofile

Done with the women's draw :mad:

Let's go Rafa. Take out Baby Fed, and then Fed to get to Stan/Berd, both guys who he owns.

[Budadiiii]

im hoping for nadal-fed semi too :confusedshrug:
I'm just messing around...

I'd jizz on your back not your face. :facepalm

[The_Yearning]

Novak misses another chance to win the career year grand slam.

[ArbitraryWater]

Novak misses another chance to win the career year grand slam.

makes it more obvious that 2011 was kinda a fluke year.. he was such a beast that year

[ArbitraryWater]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWy7nEI7iHM

http://i.imgur.com/R6qrD.gif

:roll:

[Grinder]

Great to see Stan the man take out the Djoker...easily one of my least favorite athletes ever. That's got to be the first time in at least 3-4 years that Djokovic hasn't made the semis. Hopefully Stan or Berdych win it.

Oh and Ivanovic and Kirilenko > Bouchard.

[imdaman99]

Novak misses another chance to win the career year grand slam.
He needs the French Open to complete the career slam. I don't think Nadal is giving that up with ease, but Djoko came very close last year against him in the Semis. Djoko actually has 4 Aussie Open titles.

[Qwyjibo]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWy7nEI7iHM

http://i.imgur.com/R6qrD.gif
My thoughts exactly. A stupid question to begin with but a brutal answer.

[RagaZ]

It's gonna be Muzza vs Nadal. The 2 best players in the world.

Federer has no chance beating Sir Andrew.

[gigantes]

makes it more obvious that 2011 was kinda a fluke year.. he was such a beast that year
don't be silly. he was the #1 player the year after, and barely missed being the #1 last year, behind one of the greatest players ever. that's three straight years of beastly tennis.

"fluke"... no, just no.

[ArbitraryWater]

don't be silly. he was the #1 player the year after, and barely missed being the #1 last year, behind one of the greatest players ever. that's three straight years of beastly tennis.

"fluke"... no, just no.

He won 3 titles in 2011, GOAT level peak, destroyed Rafa... only times rafa lost in a major final since he was pre-prime facing peak roger in 06&07 at wimbledon.

2012 1 title, 2013 1 title...

He clearly hasnt been the same, it was enough for great majors but in 2011 he was a different beast. Dont get me wrong, he's still tennis' dominator right behind Rafa...

[ArbitraryWater]

Great to see Stan the man take out the Djoker...easily one of my least favorite athletes ever. That's got to be the first time in at least 3-4 years that Djokovic hasn't made the semis. Hopefully Stan or Berdych win it.

Oh and Ivanovic and Kirilenko > Bouchard.

Made it to 14 straight SF's before this one... roger's streak still at the top

[Fab17]

Good job, Stan. Ending a 14 streak of losses to Djoko was awesome.

Some players complained about how fast the courts were at tournament beggining, and sure, that is an advantage for Berdych.

Still, I

[gigantes]

He won 3 titles in 2011, GOAT level peak, destroyed Rafa... only times rafa lost in a major final since he was pre-prime facing peak roger in 06&07 at wimbledon.

2012 1 title, 2013 1 title...

He clearly hasnt been the same, it was enough for great majors but in 2011 he was a different beast. Dont get me wrong, he's still tennis' dominator right behind Rafa...
uh... when you say "title," you mean "major." he won a lot more titles than that.

no, the only guy who dominated majors like that was the arguable GOAT, rod laver.

but i would argue that djokes is not really been much different. better in some ways, a little shaky in some big points, now. but he pushed rafa, and rafa made some adjustments, and now it's everyone's task to adjust to the current rafa. that's just the way it goes IMO. similar thing happened with federer before them.

[Budadiiii]

He started eating gluten again in 2012 which is why he couldn't sustain the dominance.

Before that year he was always overshadowed by Rafa and Federer.. he had something to prove that year. He put in the work and took the throne.

It was no fluke.

[ArbitraryWater]

He started eating gluten again in 2012 which is why he couldn't sustain the dominance.

Before that year he was always overshadowed by Rafa and Federer.. he had something to prove that year. He put in the work and took the throne.

It was no fluke.

Yeah no fluke.. used the wrong word, maybe simply should have said he never was that dominant again.

[ArbitraryWater]

uh... when you say "title," you mean "major." he won a lot more titles than that.

no, the only guy who dominated majors like that was the arguable GOAT, rod laver.

but i would argue that djokes is not really been much different. better in some ways, a little shaky in some big points, now. but he pushed rafa, and rafa made some adjustments, and now it's everyone's task to adjust to the current rafa. that's just the way it goes IMO. similar thing happened with federer before them.

Hehe are you serious?? Nobody judges these all time greats based on ANYTHING else BUT majors :hammerhead:

NEVER heard that before.

Agreed with him pushing rafa, but clearly hes not as consistent as 2011 anymore.

[gigantes]

Hehe are you serious?? Nobody judges these all time greats based on ANYTHING else BUT majors :hammerhead:

NEVER heard that before.

Agreed with him pushing rafa, but clearly hes not as consistent as 2011 anymore.
that's crazy. but i guess if you know almost nothing about the tennis season, then saying that "the only thing that counts is majors" makes sense.

overall ATP points, number of titles, match records, masters tournaments (incl. the year-ender) are all heavy factors.

ATP points are arguably more important than majors, since majors are directly represented in the point system (2000).

majors don't even mean the same thing, over the decades. not so long ago there were two cycles of majors, and they didn't even let pros play the current set!

[Grinder]

that's crazy. but i guess if you know almost nothing about the tennis season, then saying that "the only thing that counts is majors" makes sense.

overall ATP points, number of titles, match records, masters tournaments (incl. the year-ender) are all heavy factors.

ATP points are arguably more important than majors, since majors are directly represented in the point system (2000).

majors don't even mean the same thing, over the decades. not so long ago there were two cycles of majors, and they didn't even let pros play the current set!

lol, Marcelo Rios was a #1 ranked player at one time and never won a slam. Thomas Johannsson and Gaston Gaudio never came close to that but they'll always be known for winning a slam.

Masters tournaments are nice paydays and have a lot of implications in the rankings but in the end, slams are and will continue to be the defining accomplishment that tennis players' careers are judged by.

[gigantes]

lol, Marcelo Rios was a #1 ranked player at one time and never won a slam. Thomas Johannsson and Gaston Gaudio never came close to that but they'll always be known for winning a slam.

Masters tournaments are nice paydays and have a lot of implications in the rankings but in the end, slams are and will continue to be the defining accomplishment that tennis players' careers are judged by.
i never said it was a perfect system. just look at wozniacki. worst #1 player of all time AFAIK.

[Fab17]

lol, Marcelo Rios was a #1 ranked player at one time and never won a slam. Thomas Johannsson and Gaston Gaudio never came close to that but they'll always be known for winning a slam.

Masters tournaments are nice paydays and have a lot of implications in the rankings but in the end, slams are and will continue to be the defining accomplishment that tennis players' careers are judged by.

Add Albert Costa to the trio and we can debate who is the worst player ever to win a major.

[ArbitraryWater]

that's crazy. but i guess if you know almost nothing about the tennis season, then saying that "the only thing that counts is majors" makes sense.

overall ATP points, number of titles, match records, masters tournaments (incl. the year-ender) are all heavy factors.

ATP points are arguably more important than majors, since majors are directly represented in the point system (2000).

majors don't even mean the same thing, over the decades. not so long ago there were two cycles of majors, and they didn't even let pros play the current set!

Just like Grinder said, you're talking way out of your ass. Nr.1 requirement is Majors, rest way below.

Its basically majors&weeks as nr.1, then everybody makes their case for each player and explains why he maybe didnt win as much...

LMFAOO at their being in some all time comparison, and the dude says "djokovich won a 500 in 2012, he was great!"

atp points more important :banghead:

Dude, just leave it, talk basketball and thats it.

[ArbitraryWater]

lol, Marcelo Rios was a #1 ranked player at one time and never won a slam. Thomas Johannsson and Gaston Gaudio never came close to that but they'll always be known for winning a slam.

Masters tournaments are nice paydays and have a lot of implications in the rankings but in the end, slams are and will continue to be the defining accomplishment that tennis players' careers are judged by.

This. x100. Dont know what hes thinking, at this point he defends his statement but even he knows its crap.

[gigantes]

Just like Grinder said, you're talking way out of your ass. Nr.1 requirement is Majors, rest way below.

Its basically majors&weeks as nr.1, then everybody makes their case for each player and explains why he maybe didnt win as much...

LMFAOO at their being in some all time comparison, and the dude says "djokovich won a 500 in 2012, he was great!"

atp points more important :banghead:

Dude, just leave it, talk basketball and thats it.
question-- in your little black-and-white world, what happens when you occasionally glimpse a shade of grey or god forbid, an actual color?

do you go running and screaming, or do you just slam down the visor a little more firmly...?

[DuMa]

The Stanimal! best swiss player alive today!

[bdreason]

Dimitrov had the 3rd set and gave it away. Now Rafa gonna finish him off.

Federer vs. Murray coming up next. Let's go Fed!

[imdaman99]

Nadal looked horrible that match and still won. Stuff of legends. Although going forward, that blister looks bad. Caused him to make so many errors. It's better than having knee problems though.

Hope Fed wins so we can see that Fedal match... although at this point those are getting easier and easier for Nadal.

[fiddy]

Damn i actually hoped Grisho could take him out. Next time.

[Ratnik]

Damn i actually hoped Grisho could take him out. Next time.
Grand Slam 2016-2017 :cheers:

[Budadiiii]

Federer better not blow this.

[Budadiiii]

Christ Fed. :facepalm

[raiderfan19]

The fed man is back(kind of). It's unlikely but if he wins this after going through this lineup it's his best slam

[alenleomessi]

hoping for a swiss final :rockon:

[gigantes]

is murray's back still hurting him?

whatever... huge win by federer. i didn't think he had it in him. :applause:

[ArbitraryWater]

question-- in your little black-and-white world, what happens when you occasionally glimpse a shade of grey or god forbid, an actual color?

do you go running and screaming, or do you just slam down the visor a little more firmly...?

The abandoning of the topic at hand, clear sign of having won the argument :applause:

thanks for playing

[ArbitraryWater]

Rafa vs Fed will be a great one!!

[gigantes]

The abandoning of the topic at hand, clear sign of having won the argument :applause: ...
all hail the glorious victor! :bowdown:

:D

[bdreason]

Li just has too much firepower. Dominating the match with those backhand winners.

[bdreason]

On a side note, just got an email with the entry list for Paribas Open.

http://www.bnpparibasopen.com/Players/Player-Landing.aspx


I'm doing Men's QF and Women's SF as usual.

[DuMa]

Li Na has some awesome backhands. Genie will be back. She is rising in those ranks

[Budadiiii]

Rooting for the crazed Eminem fan.

Drank a fifth of vodka... dare me to make it to the Australian Open Final? :pimp:

[Budadiiii]

While everyone else is catching up on their beauty sleep.. I'm up early watching the Aussy Open Semi-Final.

I've always been a dedicated sports fan.

Great match so far. Bout to head to another tie-breaker in the 3rd set.

[Budadiiii]

Stan the man. :pimp:

Easy victory for either Fed or Nadal. :applause:

[ArbitraryWater]

Stan the man. :pimp:

Easy victory for either Fed or Nadal. :applause:

Don't doubt me bro, I watched it too! :rockon:

Sports Fanatic!!

Yea Stan's been great, but I don't really give him a shot in the final...

Damn I'm hyped for Roger vs Rafa!

VAMOS

[Trollsmasher]

Berdych will never beat Wawrinka:facepalm

Don't know what it is about Stan that always makes him lose

[Budadiiii]

Don't doubt me bro, I watched it too! :rockon:

Sports Fanatic!!

Yea Stan's been great, but I don't really give him a shot in the final...

Damn I'm hyped for Roger vs Rafa!

VAMOS
:applause: :applause: :applause:

I love the class of tennis. I feel at home when I'm watching these fine gentlemen play and give respectable interviews.

Nice change of pace from thuggish basketball.

[ArbitraryWater]

:applause: :applause: :applause:

I love the class of tennis. I feel at home when I'm watching these fine gentlemen play and give respectable interviews.

Nice change of pace from thuggish basketball.


If you just weren't a LeBron Hater.. :cry:

Come over to the King's side!

[bdreason]

Fed is playing great... but Nadal is just a bad matchup; always has been, always will be.

[Budadiiii]

Fed is playing great... but Nadal is just a bad matchup; always has been, always will be.
Both Stan and Fed are great matchups for Nadal...

Mainly because of the one handed backhand that these guys have... it's counter effective against the lefty nadal... his topspin is brutal on that technique

[ArbitraryWater]

Both Stan and Fed are great matchups for Nadal...

Mainly because of the one handed backhand that these guys have... it's counter effective against the lefty nadal... his topspin is brutal on that technique

counter effective? Didnt see much counter when Fed routinely gets obliterated by Rafa's left hand.

[imdaman99]

If Nadal's blister is ok than he should beat Fed in 4.
If not, it could go 5 and we know how much mental fortitude Rafa has to win that :rockon:

[ArbitraryWater]

If Nadal's blister is ok than he should beat Fed in 4.
If not, it could go 5 and we know how much mental fortitude Rafa has to win that :rockon:

One of the greatest clutch players in sports history! :bowdown:

Mental toughness Individual Sport > Mental toughness Team Sport

[Budadiiii]

counter effective? Didnt see much counter when Fed routinely gets obliterated by Rafa's left hand.
That't what I meant.... counter effective meaning it doesn't work against Nadal.

Nadal owns both Fed and Stan.

[InfiniteBaskets]

Fed is playing great... but Nadal is just a bad matchup; always has been, always will be.

I don't know if you've seen the blisters on Nadal's hand but I'm not going to post them here as they are very nasty looking.

I've got blisters on the inside of my thumb from playing tennis before and if the outer skin peels off it's literally racket handle on flesh chaffing. It is extremely painful and takes about a week or so to callous over.

Thinking about how Nadal generates only about 10x the racket head speed I do along with how those blisters are all over his entire hand... I am surprised he won against that Grigor dude.

If Nadal's injuries are still there when he plays Fed, and he somehow pulls this off, I'll have gained a newfound respect for this guy. I know he's mentally strong, imo the mentally strongest athlete in all of modern era tennis, but to play and win a possible 5 setter against the most successful tennis player of all time with flesh wounds?

[Lebowsky]

I don't know if you've seen the blisters on Nadal's hand but I'm not going to post them here as they are very nasty looking.

I've got blisters on the inside of my thumb from playing tennis before and if the outer skin peels off it's literally racket handle on flesh chaffing. It is extremely painful and takes about a week or so to callous over.

Thinking about how Nadal generates only about 10x the racket head speed I do along with how those blisters are all over his entire hand... I am surprised he won against that Grigor dude.

If Nadal's injuries are still there when he plays Fed, and he somehow pulls this off, I'll have gained a newfound respect for this guy. I know he's mentally strong, imo the mentally strongest athlete in all of modern era tennis, but to play and win a possible 5 setter against the most successful tennis player of all time with flesh wounds?

Good post, and pretty much the reason why I think he won't win this one against Federer. It's too much of a disadvantage. Mentally strong or not, I don't think he will pull it off in such condition.

[ArbitraryWater]

I don't know if you've seen the blisters on Nadal's hand but I'm not going to post them here as they are very nasty looking.

I've got blisters on the inside of my thumb from playing tennis before and if the outer skin peels off it's literally racket handle on flesh chaffing. It is extremely painful and takes about a week or so to callous over.

Thinking about how Nadal generates only about 10x the racket head speed I do along with how those blisters are all over his entire hand... I am surprised he won against that Grigor dude.

If Nadal's injuries are still there when he plays Fed, and he somehow pulls this off, I'll have gained a newfound respect for this guy. I know he's mentally strong, imo the mentally strongest athlete in all of modern era tennis, but to play and win a possible 5 setter against the most successful tennis player of all time with flesh wounds?

Wow that post just made me worry quickly. I never had a flesh wound, damn. I'm insecure about this match now :/ Rafa might lose

[Grinder]

I prefer Nadal over Federer but man, I hope Wawrinka can somehow pull out a win and break up this Nadal, Federer, Djokovic, Murray stranglehold on slams. Apart from del Potro's USO win a few years ago, it's been 9 years since someone else has won. I grew up playing tennis and am a big fan but the lack of parity of players who make the semis/finals has dampened my interest in slams. Sure, these guys play some all time epics but it's almost a a given who 3 out of the 4 semifinalists are going to be as soon as the tourney starts.

Don't get me wrong, I have a world of respect for Nadal and Fed but I miss the days of surprise slam winners like Safin, Gaudio, and Goran (one of my all time favorites :bowdown:).

[gigantes]

... Drank a fifth of vodka... dare me to make it to the Australian Open Final? :pimp:
holy shit. then you wake up feeling like a bag of assholes the next day. never again.



... I love the class of tennis. I feel at home when I'm watching these fine gentlemen play and give respectable interviews.

Nice change of pace from thuggish basketball.
exactly. :applause:

[gigantes]

Wow that post just made me worry quickly. I never had a flesh wound, damn. I'm insecure about this match now :/ Rafa might lose
yea... when i played a lot, i used to get chronic blisters on my hand and feet. adding layers / tape didn't seem to help. it almost felt better just to rip the skin off, douse it with rubbing alcohol, scream in to my arm for a minute, and then go back to playing.

but given today's hi-tech world, i'd be amazed if there isn't some good solution now. i wonder if the rules allow local anesthesia...?

[ArbitraryWater]

yea... when i played a lot, i used to get chronic blisters on my hand and feet. adding layers / tape didn't seem to help. it almost felt better just to rip the skin off, douse it with rubbing alcohol, scream in to my arm for a minute, and then go back to playing.

but given today's hi-tech world, i'd be amazed if there isn't some good solution now. i wonder if the rules allow local anesthesia...?

Please, please, ANYTHING!! Rafa :cry:

For real I don't want this match to be screwed up because of something like that. The two of them battling it out at their current full strength would be all I'm hoping for.

[ArbitraryWater]

I prefer Nadal over Federer but man, I hope Wawrinka can somehow pull out a win and break up this Nadal, Federer, Djokovic, Murray stranglehold on slams. Apart from del Potro's USO win a few years ago, it's been 9 years since someone else has won. I grew up playing tennis and am a big fan but the lack of parity of players who make the semis/finals has dampened my interest in slams. Sure, these guys play some all time epics but it's almost a a given who 3 out of the 4 semifinalists are going to be as soon as the tourney starts.

Don't get me wrong, I have a world of respect for Nadal and Fed but I miss the days of surprise slam winners like Safin, Gaudio, and Goran (one of my all time favorites :bowdown:).

Remember that EPIC SF between Federer and Safin at the AO, 2005 I think?

Only Grand Slam Roger didn't win from 2004-2007 outside of the French...

[DuMa]

yea... when i played a lot, i used to get chronic blisters on my hand and feet. adding layers / tape didn't seem to help. it almost felt better just to rip the skin off, douse it with rubbing alcohol, scream in to my arm for a minute, and then go back to playing.

but given today's hi-tech world, i'd be amazed if there isn't some good solution now. i wonder if the rules allow local anesthesia...?

i really doubt rafa does anything to numb the feeling in his hand. he needs the feel to make precision shots every moment. his dominant game is predicated on the fact that he makes very little unforced errors.

[Grinder]

Remember that EPIC SF between Federer and Safin at the AO, 2005 I think?

Only Grand Slam Roger didn't win from 2004-2007 outside of the French...

That was insane. Safin was such a beast, too bad he was a headcase and decided to retire so early. One of the most naturally gifted players of all time. Berdych is like a poor man's Safin. :applause:

[bdreason]

Fed vs Nadal upcoming. I'll probably make it through the 1st set... have to be up early. If Fed doesn't take the 1st set I don't like his chances anyways.

[ArbitraryWater]

Anddddd now, the moment we've all been waiting for.... from this corner, ah **** it.


Federer and Rafa gettin' readyy yooo.


Damn I sometimes feel for the women in tennis lol, they aren't nearly as celebrated, they already knew everybody wanted to see the upcoming match, she even said it in the winners interview.

Then again double simply is <<<< one on one.

[ArbitraryWater]

Fed vs Nadal upcoming. I'll probably make it through the 1st set... have to be up early. If Fed doesn't take the 1st set I don't like his chances anyways.

Oh, that sucks. Here it's 9.43 in the morning so yay

[dilley]

lets go rafa you sexy son of a bitch

[bdreason]

dang first few points have been tense.

[bdreason]

And I'm not sure Fed can come to net like he did against Murray (60+ times). That's playing with fire against a returner like Nadal.

[gigantes]

well, you sexy sons of bitches will have to look after the match. it's super-late here, and i need to go dream about cute girls jumping over fences.

just make it epic, mkay?

[Budadiiii]

well, you sexy sons of bitches will have to look after the match. it's super-late here, and i need to go dream about cute girls jumping over fences.

just make it epic, mkay?
Wimp.

[bdreason]

This strategy is smoke and mirrors. You're not going to be able to run around for forehands and charge the net all night against Nadal.

[ArbitraryWater]

That's dissappointing.

Down 4-5 and Rafa had chances to break at 3-3 and 4-4...

[ArbitraryWater]

Tiebreak!

[bdreason]

Nadal pushed him off the court in the tie-breaker. Doesn't look good for Fed. Bedtime for me.

[ArbitraryWater]

Roger can't battle Rafa on those long baseline rallies.. Rafa got the first 7-6 :pimp:

[Budadiiii]

Whoever wins this match will ultimately be considered the GOAT.

18-13 or 17-14... and we know Nadal is going to win more, Fed very unlikely.

This is a huge match for Fed's legacy. His only chance to stay GOAT.

[Sarcastic]

Federer just needs to go pure "Edberg" to beat Rafa. Serve and volley on pretty much every point. His "beautiful" game does not work vs Rafa.

[Budadiiii]

:eek:

Nadal... unreal

[Budadiiii]

Could run Fed.

Nadal just too much. GOAT.

[Sarcastic]

Rafa up 2 sets to 0. Not sure how this guy can't be called the GOAT.

[ArbitraryWater]

Yea, had this problem discussing with Fed Fans all the time.

No matter what happens, they insist on Roger being the GOAT.

Basically based on aesthetical performance...

Soon to be 17-14 with much time for Rafa to surpass him.

In 2010 I predicted Rafa to win a unheard total of 20 Grand Slams...

French up next, you can book that one already. CLAY ULTRA GOAT.

[Nikola_]

rafa is just a bad matchup for fed, him being lefty doesnt help either

fed can win maybe one more wimb and thats it

[ArbitraryWater]

rafa is just a bad matchup for fed, him being lefty doesnt help either

fed can win maybe one more wimb and thats it

Nahh thats over. 2012 was pure timing.

Andy one tournament away from his breakout GS.

Djokovich had a subpar GS considering his level.

And well Rafa was injured&gone in the 2nd round.

[Sarcastic]

Fed fan boiz praying for Warinka

[ArbitraryWater]

Rafa's done it!

Advances to the Finals :banana:

GOAT going for 14

:bowdown: Rafaaa <3

[ArbitraryWater]

Fed fan boiz praying for Warinka

:lol

It's funny they always excuse Roger loosing with "Roger had way more error's..." go on by saying if anybody can beat Roger, its not Rafa, but Roger himself as evidenced by the unforced errors... :oldlol: :hammerhead:

[Budadiiii]

Insane performance by Nadal...

:applause:

[ArbitraryWater]

Man y'all see the ball to give Rafa his 2nd matchpoint? Insane stuff

[ArbitraryWater]

Oh!, Now I'm really jealous! Those two ladies are so gorgeous!

So, I did a little scout:

Petra Uberalova
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kLtunCIu5jM/UQ6SesP7USI/AAAAAAAAByY/CYoO_t5o1vc/s1600/uberalova.PNG

Heidi El Tabakh
http://www4.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/12th+Annual+BNP+Paribas+Taste+Tennis+Arrivals+fOkx DlmcSmxl.jpg

Urszula Radwanska
http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/8417/b3vz.jpg

Laura Robson (classy lady)
http://25.media.tumblr.com/99fee6df1f77175ff6a2c9e0aad98f47/tumblr_mov6drss5E1r8zq81o2_1280.jpg

Wow, all of them :bowdown:

Especially Petra. But female tennis players are all just :applause:

[imdaman99]

Man I set my alarm for 3:30 so I could get 2 hours of sleep... I didn't even hear it ring so no idea if it did or I was just too tired and shut it off while sleeping :roll: Either way, Rafa gon Raf :pimp: He is not the GOAT yet, there still needs to be some work on that (if he finishes off Stan) but even if he falls short of 17, like say 15 or 16 we'd have to consider him near GOATness, the way he has dominated another GOAT candidate :rockon:

Looking for the highlights now... :(

[dude77]

nadal is creeping up on federer as goat .. he's almost assured at least two more this year and a bunch have come at the expense of federer .. so he'll be just 2 behind him .. then even if he stays 2 behind(which he probably won't .. I think he'll at the very least tie him), he absolutely owns federer in every which way h2h .. federer literally is his bitch .. how can you anoint someone like that goat over nadal ?

[gigantes]

laver is still the GOAT as i see it, but i agree that it

[alenleomessi]

[QUOTE=gigantes]laver is still the GOAT as i see it, but i agree that it

[Budadiiii]

and how the hell do you see it

it will be clearly fed and nadal 1 and 2 when its all said and done, we just dont know in which order
Nadal will be numero uno. Probably undisputed GOAT.

[gigantes]

and how the hell do you see it

it will be clearly fed and nadal 1 and 2 when its all said and done, we just dont know in which order
i wrote a research post once... have it bookmarked on my laptop... will find it later.

it

[InfiniteBaskets]

I don't know if you've seen the blisters on Nadal's hand but I'm not going to post them here as they are very nasty looking.

I've got blisters on the inside of my thumb from playing tennis before and if the outer skin peels off it's literally racket handle on flesh chaffing. It is extremely painful and takes about a week or so to callous over.

Thinking about how Nadal generates only about 10x the racket head speed I do along with how those blisters are all over his entire hand... I am surprised he won against that Grigor dude.

If Nadal's injuries are still there when he plays Fed, and he somehow pulls this off, I'll have gained a newfound respect for this guy. I know he's mentally strong, imo the mentally strongest athlete in all of modern era tennis, but to play and win a possible 5 setter against the most successful tennis player of all time with flesh wounds?

Damn, I guess I was either over-estimating the extent of Rafa's injury (which it appeared to have looked very bad in pics I saw two days ago) or Rafa's got some world class treatment.

Either way, Rafa wasn't 100% prime Rafa last night. Federer obviously didn't play a great match either but Rafa didn't generate those extremely high deep forehands into Fed's backhand, they even pulled out an image to show the height of those bounces last night.

Also was a little scared when Rafa called out the trainer in the beginning of the second set, but in the end I think Fed played mediocre compared to how he played against Murray. Fed's serve wasn't winning him enough easy points and his approach game has to be world class if he wants to finish points off against Nadal.

Bad news for Wawrinka is that Nadal's game is suited perfectly for righties with one handed backhands. Nadal to tie Pete after Saturday late night.

[gigantes]

back at my laptop... this why i think rod laver is the clear-cut GOAT:
http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showpost.php?p=8951234&postcount=123


and just to be clear, it's not so much that i worship this guy... more like i get annoyed by those who seem to think that earth history began the day they were born. as in, would it kill you to have some respect for the glories of the past?

[Sarcastic]

and how the hell do you see it

it will be clearly fed and nadal 1 and 2 when its all said and done, we just dont know in which order


The order is absolutely known. Nadal due to his h2h domination is clearly GOAT.


I just hope that when he gets the 18th major, he emblazons every piece of attire with the number 18 in huge bold letters. It should be on his shoes, his socks, his shorts, his shirt, his headband. Hell he should get 18 tattooed on his body and face.

[bdreason]

I think the tour needs to seriously reconsider their strategy of increasingly slowing the courts to create more rallies. Sure, people want to see exciting rallies... but people also want to see players hit winners. The PGA has faced a similar issue with some of their tournaments over the past few years. People want to see PGA pros face challenging conditions... but at the same time, people don't want to watch PGA pros play par level golf.

[bdreason]

It seems like many of you have forgotten that Federer is 32 years old. That's a senior citizen in the sport of Tennis. Let's wait and see what Nadal is doing at the age of 32. Since his game is largely predicated on defense and athleticism, I doubt he's a top 10 player past the age of 30. I'd be surprised if he wasn't already retired at the age of 32.

[gigantes]

It seems like many of you have forgotten that Federer is 32 years old. That's a senior citizen in the sport of Tennis. Let's wait and see what Nadal is doing at the age of 32. Since his game is largely predicated on defense and athleticism, I doubt he's a top 10 player past the age of 30. I'd be surprised if he wasn't already retired at the age of 32.
also, where would rafa be without having his knees injected with HGH spun from his own blood? might have had to retire already.

he has a huge advantage over every heavy topspinner / defensive player in history-- he got a 2nd life... they didn

[RagaZ]

It seems like many of you have forgotten that Federer is 32 years old. That's a senior citizen in the sport of Tennis. Let's wait and see what Nadal is doing at the age of 32. Since his game is largely predicated on defense and athleticism, I doubt he's a top 10 player past the age of 30. I'd be surprised if he wasn't already retired at the age of 32.
Yeah, but how old was Federer when he became a star? 22 years? Nadal was 18 when he won his first Slam. Nadal has been at the top for nearly 10 years.

[bdreason]

I think the tour needs to seriously reconsider their strategy of increasingly slowing the courts to create more rallies. Sure, people want to see exciting rallies... but people also want to see players hit winners. The PGA has faced a similar issue with some of their tournaments over the past few years. People want to see PGA pros face challenging conditions... but at the same time, people don't want to watch PGA pros play par level golf.


And just for the record, I'm not really referring to Nadal with this post. Nadal is a great player, and although he's known for his defense, he's also a very explosive offensive player and his serve has improved steadily over the past few seasons. The elite players that I think really benefit from the constantly slowing conditions are guys like Ferrer and Murray.

[bdreason]

Yeah, but how old was Federer when he became a star? 22 years? Nadal was 18 when he won his first Slam. Nadal has been at the top for nearly 10 years.


ehhh both guys have been playing competitive tennis their entire lives. Nadal has also taken a lot more time off than Federer. Let's not forget that Fed defended his #1 ranking for almost 6 years straight, something only matched in the modern era by Pete Sampras. For context, Fed has held the #1 ranking for 302 total weeks in his career... while Nadal has only held #1 ranking for 119 total weeks. While some people like to just point at majors as the only way to rank players, in a sport like Tennis, where the top players compete against one another all year long, not just at Majors, it's ridiculous to disregard consistency. Tennis isn't like Golf, where you can just show up and win Majors, and take the #1 ranking. In Tennis, there are dozens of highly competitive events throughout the season that are must wins for anyone who wants to achieve a high ranking. For example, the event I always attend in March, the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells, has every one of the top 20 players in the world attending on both the Men's and Women's side.

http://www.bnpparibasopen.com/Players/Player-Landing.aspx

Have a look at that entry list. The same exact players that you'll find at any of the Majors. The points rewarded for the tournament are also on par with the Majors.

[bdreason]

Women's final starting soon. Not a very interesting matchup though.

[bdreason]

I can't believe Cibulkova is a successful pro tennis player at 5'2"... let alone top #20 in the world and in a Major final.

[alenleomessi]

women tennis is a joke anyway.. nobody watches for the actual tennis :oldlol:

[poido123]

Would loved to have seen prime Federer, Novak and Nadal play against Courier, Sampras and Agassi :banana:

Nadal will clean up Warwinka, Nadal is simply unstoppable when his knee isn't bothering him.

If you want to know when to bet on Nadal to win a major, have a look and see if he has his knee brace on in lead up tournaments.

[imdaman99]

ehhh both guys have been playing competitive tennis their entire lives. Nadal has also taken a lot more time off than Federer. Let's not forget that Fed defended his #1 ranking for almost 6 years straight, something only matched in the modern era by Pete Sampras. For context, Fed has held the #1 ranking for 302 total weeks in his career... while Nadal has only held #1 ranking for 119 total weeks. While some people like to just point at majors as the only way to rank players, in a sport like Tennis, where the top players compete against one another all year long, not just at Majors, it's ridiculous to disregard consistency. Tennis isn't like Golf, where you can just show up and win Majors, and take the #1 ranking. In Tennis, there are dozens of highly competitive events throughout the season that are must wins for anyone who wants to achieve a high ranking. For example, the event I always attend in March, the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells, has every one of the top 20 players in the world attending on both the Men's and Women's side.

http://www.bnpparibasopen.com/Players/Player-Landing.aspx

Have a look at that entry list. The same exact players that you'll find at any of the Majors. The points rewarded for the tournament are also on par with the Majors.
I think the 300+ weeks and all them WTF tourney wins he's had is cancelled out by being dominated by someone else who is not even 5 yrs younger than him. Fed has lost in 2006 to him while in his prime.

I'm not saying Fed ain't still the GOAT, because I think he is. Nadal has a few more slams to win (including today's) to officially overtake him. Imagine if Nadal gets a triple career slam... He'll have his double if he wins today. But he still has a long way to go. Federer got his career slam when Nadal got knocked out by someone else at the French Open. So there are no asterisks, you can only beat who's in front of you.

But VAMOS RAFA!

[bdreason]

Wawrinka takes the first set.

[cos88]

Wawrinka destoying nadal :eek: he's going HAM

[bdreason]

Nadal pulling this BS tactic. Rules need to be changed involving injury timeouts. If you're injured so severely you need to leave the court, you forfeit the match.

[Mr Clutch Melo]

Nadal playing injured:cry: Stan is playing good though.

[imdaman99]

Nadal pulling this BS tactic. Rules need to be changed involving injury timeouts. If you're injured so severely you need to leave the court, you forfeit the match.
No. Watch the match. Nadal is in serious pain, he's not going to forfeit a grand slam final.

That being said, this match is as good as done.

[plowking]

No. Watch the match. Nadal is in serious pain, he's not going to forfeit a grand slam final.

That being said, this match is as good as done.

Stan was killing him before that.

[Mr Clutch Melo]

Stan was killing him before that.

Nadal would have fougth back like the warrior he is. 2-0 is nothing for the GOAT.

[imdaman99]

Stan was killing him before that.
I agree he was and when he finishes him off, it will be a great win.

Nadal had gone 26-0 sets before against him. Not saying he would have won but hes a fighter he would have made Stan work for it. Now he's serving 75 mph

[Mr Clutch Melo]

Heees baack:bowdown:

[ArbitraryWater]

Oh my this is such a rollercoaster right now!! Rafaaa :cry:

German commentator talks about his painkillers kicking in right now... please let that be true

[ArbitraryWater]

Heees baack:bowdown:

Lets hope for the best man.. hopefully... this reminds me of Rafa vs Djokovich 2011 US Open Final..

[imdaman99]

Heees baack:bowdown:
I hope he was trolling us :lol but he really can't move too well

He's gotta go for broke now

[plowking]

Nadal would have fougth back like the warrior he is. 2-0 is nothing for the GOAT.

GOAT?

Nadal really isn't close. Hes a moonballer who is only truly great on one court.

[plowking]

Anyone know the watch that Nadal is wearing?

I'm guessing it costs upwards of 50 grand?

[Mr Clutch Melo]

Seems like Nadal is moving better now. But this will be the ALL TIME biggest choke job if Stan loses.

[plowking]

What I don't get is why Nadal was struggling against a worse version of Federer early on.

[ArbitraryWater]

Lets go get this!!

[Mr Clutch Melo]

What I don't get is why Nadal was struggling against a worse version of Federer early on.

Stan is a better player than current Federer. Federer has lost it

[ArbitraryWater]

Oh my! Did it!! This guy :bowdown:

Would be a legendary comeback if he completes it

[ArbitraryWater]

GOAT?

Nadal really isn't close. Hes a moonballer who is only truly great on one court.

Is that a joke? You don't know much about tennis do ya?

[ImKobe]

damn Nadal coming back like a boss

[ArbitraryWater]

damn Nadal coming back like a boss


Thats why we all love him :bowdown: :applause:

Needs to sustain this level, first serve power back up..

[ArbitraryWater]

Rafa :bowdown: :bowdown:

Instant rebreak

How can you not admire this guy

[ImKobe]

damn, that's a wrap

[imdaman99]

Congrats to Wawr. This throws a monkey wrench into Rafa's Goathood but I have a feeling he'll be back.

[RagaZ]

Wawrinka is a classy guy.

[ArbitraryWater]

The loss was extremely tough to take at first, mainly due to Rafa being handicapped ever since the 2nd set with that back injury.

However the handshake afterwards and speeches made it easer. Shed a tear with Rafa... came close to a pretty epic comeback. Well, he still stands at 13 GS's, the goat.

Congratulations to Wawrinka, classy guy. All of tennis is one big brother hood, especially among these greats, which is special.

Kind of seems like he's overtaking Roger's spot at the top, doesn't it? :D

Not sure how to put this right, all in all dissappointing but Rafa will be back, this match should gain him more respect and praise to his desire on the court, "never back down" attitude and warrior mentality.

Again, congrats to Stan the man.

[plowking]

Is that a joke? You don't know much about tennis do ya?

I probably watch as much as you... so great point.

Hes a moonballer. He hits the ball back high, with top spin, and waits for his opponent to make a mistake. That is the nature of his game. He dominates the clay courts since they're the slowest in the world, allow him to cover the court, return more, and reach more balls that way.

To me, after watching so many greats over the years, hes probably the least exciting guy to watch in terms of top tier guys. Hes a player that relies on others mistakes. Basically prime Lleyton Hewitt on steroids.

[dude77]

wow .. not sure I've ever seen nadal like that after a match ..

usually he takes it in stride and puts on a good face .. but he looked totally dejected in the ceremony(when he was standing and not talking) ..

that had to have been a real bummer after having such a good tournament and making it all the way to the finals to have your damn back cramp up on you in the very last match ..

not to mention the blown chance to tie sampras and inch closer to federer .. these opportunities aren't easy to get .. it's gotta sting .. but wawrinka is awesome .. been a fan of his for a bit now .. good to see him break through and win a grand slam .. and he's ranked #3 now .. his hard work paid off .. good for him

[ArbitraryWater]

Nadal pulling this BS tactic. Rules need to be changed involving injury timeouts. If you're injured so severely you need to leave the court, you forfeit the match.

:facepalm

[ArbitraryWater]

What I don't get is why Nadal was struggling against a worse version of Federer early on.

Huh? You mean in the first set? It's tennis, that happens all the time.

[ArbitraryWater]

I probably watch as much as you... so great point.

Hes a moonballer. He hits the ball back high, with top spin, and waits for his opponent to make a mistake. That is the nature of his game. He dominates the clay courts since they're the slowest in the world, allow him to cover the court, return more, and reach more balls that way.

To me, after watching so many greats over the years, hes probably the least exciting guy to watch in terms of top tier guys. Hes a player that relies on others mistakes. Basically prime Lleyton Hewitt on steroids.

He simply plays a different game, but none the less it's just as much to be appreciated. You like stylish attacking players, Rafa is one of, if not the greatest defensive player. Not just that, but his error-free style, and the ability to go entire matches without making any mistakes, playing at a 100% concentration level is something to behold. On top, he has amazing offensive abilities, which you definitely are undermining. You act like he's a ferrer or monfils type, he's not.

About to tie Sampras for slams, and in the future will most certainly overtake Roger which will put a lock on it.

Not just would he have the most majors won, but he absolutely obliterated the other contender for GOAT in Federer H2H.

Rafa beat him back in 2005, 2006, 2007. Entering his prime he beat him in arguably the greatest grand slam match ever, and overall has a 9-2 record against him at Majors. No doubt the best case for GOAT.
His passion and mental ability is unheard of. This guy is Jordan on stereoids with the pressure on, in an Individual sport.

Appreciate :bowdown:

[dude77]

he has amazing offensive abilities, which you definitely are undermining. You act like he's a ferrer or minfils type, he's not.


this ..

plow you need to respect .. nadal in no way just waits for you to make mistakes .. sure he induces a lot of mistakes from his opponents, but you're kidding me if you're saying that he doesn't get his fair shair of winners .. dude has a relentless fh when he goes for it and gets a lot of winners .. if nadal was the player you're describing him as, he would not have 13 gs titles .. he would be like a ferrer of tennis or someone like that who always manages to come up short

[poido123]

I probably watch as much as you... so great point.

Hes a moonballer. He hits the ball back high, with top spin, and waits for his opponent to make a mistake. That is the nature of his game. He dominates the clay courts since they're the slowest in the world, allow him to cover the court, return more, and reach more balls that way.

To me, after watching so many greats over the years, hes probably the least exciting guy to watch in terms of top tier guys. Hes a player that relies on others mistakes. Basically prime Lleyton Hewitt on steroids.


You don't know what you're talking about Plowking.

I have coached tennis and played at a fairly high level as a junior and I can tell you that Rafa is more than just your typical scrapper, just a guy who hits the ball back and hopes for a mistake :rolleyes:

I have a question, have you actually gone to a tennis match and watched Rafa up close? I have.

The power, timing and skill of this guy is phenomenal. His forehand is the best the game has seen. Most of these guys on tour put in a minimum 4 hours on the practice court every day. That doesn't even include their gym workouts and other physical activity.

Lleyton Hewitt is a bad comparison. Hewitt doesn't have a knockout weapon like Rafa has, he is more your typical scrapper.

To play at the elite level, your best weapon is your mind. There are a heap of guys (like myself) who have the talent, but never quite make it to the ATP level. Only a small percentage make it, and many of them struggle to meet both the physical and financial demands that are required to play on the circuit. There are heaps of guys who you could say are great tennis players, but for one reason or another didn't crack the top.

Nadal is super exciting. If you didn't enjoy that 5-6 hour epic he played last year at the Aussie Open against Novak, then you really aren't much of a tennis fan in general.

[EnoughSaid]

Wow I was so sure Nadal had this match in the bag. But Stan The Man stuck to it and pulled it out. Now of course there's the injury and whatnot, but still a great tournament for Wawrinka.

Barring injury, it's 100% safe to say Rafa will win Rolland Garros. But maybe someone else steps their game up so you don't know.

[poido123]

Wow I was so sure Nadal had this match in the bag. But Stan The Man stuck to it and pulled it out. Now of course there's the injury and whatnot, but still a great tournament for Wawrinka.

Barring injury, it's 100% safe to say Rafa will win Rolland Garros. But maybe someone else steps their game up so you don't know.

Rafa has been playing around 10 years on tour. With the type of grinding game he plays, injuries and body deterioration will likely happen. He is 27 now, I suspect that the knee and back injuries will start to pop up more frequently as he ages, which you are starting to see now. He has NEVER been affected this badly by a back injury before. I can almost say for certain it is to do with tennis mileage.

He has probably another 2 years max before he severely declines. He's a lock for Roland Garros though, this year and probably next. Tennis players peak earlier than basketball players and end their careers earlier on average, so mileage in tennis players is definately a big factor towards injury.

[gigantes]

other than rafa playing with nerves and then hurting himself, i'm not too surprised about this result.

waws looked deadly in previous play... efficient, relentless, quick, booming and precise with his shots off both wings.

and this tournament is frankly nole's, not rafa's... stan had already knocked off likely the biggest challenge before the final even began.

[plowking]

You don't know what you're talking about Plowking.

I have coached tennis and played at a fairly high level as a junior and I can tell you that Rafa is more than just your typical scrapper, just a guy who hits the ball back and hopes for a mistake :rolleyes:

I have a question, have you actually gone to a tennis match and watched Rafa up close? I have.

The power, timing and skill of this guy is phenomenal. His forehand is the best the game has seen. Most of these guys on tour put in a minimum 4 hours on the practice court every day. That doesn't even include their gym workouts and other physical activity.

Lleyton Hewitt is a bad comparison. Hewitt doesn't have a knockout weapon like Rafa has, he is more your typical scrapper.

To play at the elite level, your best weapon is your mind. There are a heap of guys (like myself) who have the talent, but never quite make it to the ATP level. Only a small percentage make it, and many of them struggle to meet both the physical and financial demands that are required to play on the circuit. There are heaps of guys who you could say are great tennis players, but for one reason or another didn't crack the top.

Nadal is super exciting. If you didn't enjoy that 5-6 hour epic he played last year at the Aussie Open against Novak, then you really aren't much of a tennis fan in general.

I have watched him and met him, briefly chatted to him as well in the casino in Melbourne. Hes a great player, but hes a moonballer for the most part, who pounces on opponents mistakes. Hes not the GOAT like someone suggested though, even if he ties Fed.

And his forehand certainly isn't the best weapon in tennis.

[gigantes]

Rafa has been playing around 10 years on tour. With the type of grinding game he plays, injuries and body deterioration will likely happen. He is 27 now, I suspect that the knee and back injuries will start to pop up more frequently as he ages, which you are starting to see now. He has NEVER been affected this badly by a back injury before. I can almost say for certain it is to do with tennis mileage.

He has probably another 2 years max before he severely declines. He's a lock for Roland Garros though, this year and probably next. Tennis players peak earlier than basketball players and end their careers earlier on average, so mileage in tennis players is definately a big factor towards injury.
that was the standard thinking for years before rafa had his HGH knee injections. now he has a second career, better than ever.

who knows... maybe they can do something with his back? medicine gets more and more advanced.

[ArbitraryWater]

I have watched him and met him, briefly chatted to him as well in the casino in Melbourne. Hes a great player, but hes a moonballer for the most part, who pounces on opponents mistakes. Hes not the GOAT like someone suggested though, even if he ties Fed.

And his forehand certainly isn't the best weapon in tennis.


You basically just spewed the same crap all over again without proving anything.

[ArbitraryWater]

Rafa has been playing around 10 years on tour. With the type of grinding game he plays, injuries and body deterioration will likely happen. He is 27 now, I suspect that the knee and back injuries will start to pop up more frequently as he ages, which you are starting to see now. He has NEVER been affected this badly by a back injury before. I can almost say for certain it is to do with tennis mileage.

He has probably another 2 years max before he severely declines. He's a lock for Roland Garros though, this year and probably next. Tennis players peak earlier than basketball players and end their careers earlier on average, so mileage in tennis players is definately a big factor towards injury.

This. It worries me. I was pretty secure about the next 2 majors, making it 15. Now? Not so much. Might actually not surpass Federer. Especially as Djokovic, Murray AND Wawrinka will be great for probably the next 4-5 years..

[Mr Clutch Melo]

I dont see Murray ever reaching the level of Djoko and Nadal. He seems talented enough but not strong enough mentally. Very fun player to watch though

[Budadiiii]

Missed the match...

This crazed Eminem fan did it... WOW! Congrats to him and very happy for his team, coaches, his family, and especially his nephew Matthew. :facepalm

Guy got away with murdering his GF and is now winning tennis grand slams. Unbelievable.

Nadal.... get better, you spanish homo.

[InfiniteBaskets]

Good match by Stan. Although Nadal was injured, Stan fairly took the first set and broke Nadal in the second before we saw injuries play any part in the match.

Nadal proved he's still a force even when injured, but seemed a bit off even before he was hurting. Meanwhile Stan played an awesome open. Beat Djokavic and Nadal in one go. Also kind of proved that a one handed backhand can generate tons of power against a guy like Nadal. Only sad thing is that Wawrinka is already 28 :(

[dude77]

bit of overreactions I'm seeing .. he'll be fine with some time off and good conditioning .. sucks he couldn't get this one .. he should have the french and then who knows from there .. nadal is the last guy to start dwelling on anything .. he'll be back strong .. again

[Grinder]

Just finished watching the match on DVR. VERY happy for Stan :bowdown:

It's unfortunate that Rafa wasn't 100% but it has to be noted that Stan was thoroughly outplaying him in the first set and got the break in the second when he Rafa was fine. Stan looked like his nerves were going to get the best of him in the fourth but thankfully he was able to get it together because he'll most likely never have a chance to win a slam again.

It's great to see a surprise slam winner, just like the good 'ol days.

[ArbitraryWater]

Just finished watching the match on DVR. VERY happy for Stan :bowdown:

It's unfortunate that Rafa wasn't 100% but it has to be noted that Stan was thoroughly outplaying him in the first set and got the break in the second when he Rafa was fine. Stan looked like his nerves were going to get the best of him in the fourth but thankfully he was able to get it together because he'll most likely never have a chance to win a slam again.

It's great to see a surprise slam winner, just like the good 'ol days.

Im pretty sure had Rafa stayed healthy he wins in 4 or 5.

There's no way he wouldnt up his level or stan could have sustained his...

all speculations though, stans got it, and thats it.