Rolex Paris Masters, 2019, Bercy, France, ATP Masters 1000

[Bonaca]

If Rafa's memory is good. .he will kick Denis 's next Gen junk into the court surface like Djoker did Tits

That’s exactly what will happen. They play in another league.

 

[Bonaca]

I hate you.

It will not be easy, both ways. They both seem ok, and we finally see them in another final that counts!!!
Let’s enjoy that, no hate please

 

[Bonaca]

Overall, his 2008-13 is the best Nadal we will ever see. On the other hand, his current version is the most efficient version of himself. At 33 years old and up, he needs to be like that.

One more thing: he doesn’t need to play A game to win unless his facing Djokovic or Federer. But you could that to both Djokovic and Federer. They are so above the other players on talent that they have a higher margin of error they don’t have to play their A game to win most of their matches. Let alone slams...

I absolutely agree. They have to raise to A-/+ when facing the other two greats.
I was so strongly hoping we will see some more A-Game battles of these 3!
May the better win tomorrow

 

[Bonaca]

I am surprised to see all kind of speculation regarding the improvement in Shapovalov's results when the reason is so clear and there is plenty of articles out there about it.
It is the coaching change!
Mikhail Youzhny joined the team this summer and the results started shortly thereafter.
Misha "organized and disciplined" his game. Not a rocket science at all.

Do they speak in their mother tongue?
It helps to find a good atmosphere, I see this with Novak and Goran.

 

[monfed]

Only a player with a solid BH can beat dull so this result was NID though we were all hoping that JWT will blitz him with attacking tennis on an indoor court with the crowd support. But unfortunately dull doesn't get affected by crowd support otherwise he wouldn't have won a single RG.

 

[calitennis127]

On a serious note, @mrzz , your post brings to light something that has been in the back of my mind for a couple years now re: Rafa. I have never really gotten the sense of him playing his absolute best tennis--the type of stuff we saw in 2008-13. It is like his recent success (2017-present), at least off clay, is more becuase of consistent very goodness, as you said, something akin to his B-game from his prime. That's good enough to beat almost everyone on tour, except for Roger and Novak on grass/hards.

I first had a sense of this way back in the 2017 AO final. Roger was channeling his prime, fleet-footed self, while Rafa was chugging along in a workmanlike manner; still very good, just not his true A-game (maybe B+?). While that remains my absolute favorite Roger win of all-time and I think he would have beaten almost anyone, I don't think he beat the very, very best version of Rafa -- and to be honest, I don't think we've really seen that version of Rafa since 2013, maybe 2014. He's still the best on clay, of course, but the gap between him and everyone else was so large that it could take some settling into a kind of demi-godhood.

I'd love to hear Rafa fans weigh in on this: How do you compare Rafa 2017-19 to 2008-13 Rafa?

Dude, I really don't know what you're talking about. Federer was the far better player for large parts of the 2011 Roland Garros final until he choked away the first set. The mythical Nadal of old was very beatable and arguably worse on hardcourts than he is now.

It's funny how when Nadal's early losses are brought up, his youth is blamed. Then when his later losses are brought up, his age is blamed. It's like there was never a good reason for his losses. But why exactly was 2013 Nadal better at the US Open than 2019 Nadal? Just because one had a higher age on paper next to his name?

 

[isabelle]

another final between the great Serbinator and the newly married Spanish ?

 

[Moxie]

It will not be easy, both ways. They both seem ok, and we finally see them in another final that counts!!!
Let’s enjoy that, no hate please

Mrzz knows I'm kidding. He started The Hate Thread, and likes to make a big deal out of hating things. Have a look at his signature. I think it started as a lampoon of the Fedal Wars.

 

[Bonaca]

Novak not in the match and in the mood so far

 

[Bonaca]

Novak with this actual play will be eaten alive tomorrow, what the fuck is his problem?

 

[Moxie]

Novak with this actual play will be eaten alive tomorrow, what the fuck is his problem?

My TV is showing the women's. The scores indicate an even match, so what has you so worried?

 

[Bonaca]

My TV is showing the women's. The scores indicate an even match, so what has you so worried?

there is no will, zero-nothing. Grigor is playing average, Novak totaly anaemic. Hard to watch, compare to yesterday seems another person on court.

 

[Moxie]

there is no will, zero-nothing. Grigor is playing average, Novak totaly anaemic. Hard to watch, compare to yesterday seems another person on court.

Forgive me, but I find you tend to be a bit pessimistic when it comes to Novak's level, so I won't get my hopes up.

 

[Bonaca]

Forgive me, but I find you tend to be a bit pessimistic when it comes to Novak's level, so I won't get my hopes up.

Haha, sadly but you can believe me so far. This will not be enough to even win today.

 

[Moxie]

Haha, sadly but you can believe me so far. This will not be enough to even win today.

Well, I see he just won the first set.

 

[herios]

Novak blinks once in the TB, Grisha a few times more

 

[Bonaca]

I am happy he won this TB, but honestly he didnt deserve it. So pathetic play, he has all the time and is fucking around with Grigor. No down the line BH no depth of his groundstrokes. So many UFE. Only easy mistakes in crucial moments saved him this set.
Its totaly weird to me, there is only one day passed and he is playing so much worse.

 

[Andy22]

dimitrov is such a wasted talent did the some thing against nadal at AO14, missing easy shots on big points.

 

[Bonaca]

dimitrov is such a wasted talent did the some thing against nadal at AO14, missing easy shots on big points.

yes that is truth. Novak seems to count only on his mistakes, that will not be enough and should not be!

 

[Andy22]

yes that is truth. Novak seems to count only on his mistakes, that will not be enough and should not be!

Djokovic rarely misses shots indoors he's like a wall still your right Djokovic only the tiebreaker on dimitrov mistakes nadal-djokovic final looking good.