2015 Tennis French Open

[ArbitraryWater]

Djokovic's stability and early backhand returns, going into the ball, is something Fed didn't have against Rafa on clay.

Its absolutely amazing how many risks Rafa is taking, running around the backhand to take it with the forhand, how much ground he's covering, and field he's opening up...

I thought when he was down 0-4 and up 30-0 on Djokovic serve, if I could, I would bet some $ on Rafa winning the next 6 games, 6-4 this set... now its down to 4-3, 2 breaks back....

[ArbitraryWater]

Defended 3 set balls like a boss... only Rafa, didn't do 'em much and didn't work yet, pours in 2 drop balls on set points

[imdaman99]

Still so fkin pissed this is a QF

I have 0 shot of watching this match, if it was closer to the weekend I'd be all on this. Keep on giving us updates AW bro

[ArbitraryWater]

Well, too bad, great comeback by Rafa to get back into the first set, but its over now (the set, not match)...

He kinda ruined it when he missed that lob up 30-15, could have given him a sure cushion and get it into the tiebreaker... instead it was 30-30, eventually had to defend the set again.. fought off TWO more set balls, I thought okay, make it like in the previous one, 3 each... but he lost on the 3rd

Looked like an easier one, open field, but Novak came to it, got it on the mark and made it hard for Rafa to return at the net...

thats for the update but also

[imdaman99]

Just checked score, Djokovic breaks in the 2nd set up 5-3... I know he's been prone to getting knocked out at other slams, but I didn't wanna call Rafa near done till he lost at Roland Garros. Are we nearing the end of his reign there?

[ArbitraryWater]

This is about as good as a clay match can get.. 2 amazing close sets and both go to Novak

[IcanzIIravor]

This is about as good as a clay match can get.. 2 amazing close sets and both go to Novak

Your boy is going down. Tough run for him, but he will bounce back. Djoker is hulking up.

[gigantes]

pretty shocking how easily rafa got trounced after the 1st set. i guess the seedings were pretty accurate after all.

nice that djoker should be well-rested for the murray match.

[The_Yearning]

So the surface that is universally least liked among tennis folk now proves that somehow the player that dominates the most on it is the best?

He has won a single title outside of the French in the last 5 years...

GOAT my ass. Consistency is a large part of greatness, and he doesn't come close to Federer, or even Sampras, and even Djokovic in that regard.

Sampras and Federer are better players, and Djokovic will more than likely pass him too.

You have no idea what you're on about. The French Open is arguably as respected as Wimbledon where as the AO is by far and away the least prestigious of any Grand Slam.

[The_Yearning]

Nadal homers also like to leave out that Federer is 5 years older... and when Fed was Nadal's current age, he was #1 in the World and winning Majors. Nadal is in his prime and hasn't won a single tournament this year... not even on clay.

Tell me, who was Federer beating before Nadal came into the picture? Roddick? Old man Safin? Old man Agassi? Lleyton Hewitt?

[ArbitraryWater]

He was seriously competitive in the first 2 sets, could have gone either way, unlucky draw too, this early.. usually gets better as the tourney goes on.

In the 3rd, down 0-2, lost the next 2 games at 30-40 on a Djokovic netball each time..

[imdaman99]

Well, that's that. Got whooped. Djokovic on his way to a career slam, well deserved after all them heart breaking losses to Nadal in Paris.

Nadal has clearly lost his mojo, no telling if he's even gonna be in the top 10 after this, he's lost a lot of points here. I thought the beginning of his end was last year's Australian Open Final when he hurt his back and Stan slapped him around. Yes he won the FO later that year but he hasn't won much since. In the future, he will be able to compete there but not sure if he is capable of winning anywhere else. He's lost his confidence, he's losing to guys other than Djoko on clay as well.

[dunksby]

Safe to say Novak won Roland Garros? He is on another unreal run like in 11.

[The_Yearning]

Safe to say Novak won Roland Garros? He is on another unreal run like in 11.

He was on an unreal run in '11 and lost to Federer of all people at RG. With Novak you can never be certain he can overcome the mental obstacles of being a favorite. He might lose to Murray or even Stan. Nothing is a foregone conclusion at this point. If Nadal had won today, it would have been a foregone conclusion.

[gigantes]

i doubt it has much to do with rafa losing his 'mojo.'

rafa said earlier this year that he's not quite the same player any more. his style of play is ultra-punishing, he's been through tonnes of injuries, and he's at the age where most players are retiring.