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Arena Federer/Nadal/Djokovic Era - Now 1/3rd Over

Discussion in 'Community' started by Jabbadabbado, Jan 17, 2013.

  1. Rylo Ken

    Rylo Ken Force Ghost star 7

    Registered:
    Dec 19, 2015
    I assume Rafa has a fantastic chance of getting his 10th Barcelona win. Unbelievable.
     
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  2. KnightWriter

    KnightWriter Administrator Emeritus star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Nov 6, 2001
    Hey tom, I think this is sort of what I was going for: http://deadspin.com/roger-federer-cant-be-stopped-by-rafael-nadal-or-anyon-1793960298

    One wonders what things would have been like if Federer had made these moves earlier in his career. I believe Rafa would have been able to counteract such changes from 2005-2013, but not after that.

    It's almost as remarkable that Djokovic and Murray have been also-rans lately, and that we're back in time by as much as ten years, with the aforementioned others flaming out early while the two usual suspects continue to pile up wins and finals appearances. The return of Federer and Nadal to prominence has partly covered up their sudden disappearance, but I wonder how long that will last.
     
  3. Juliet316

    Juliet316 Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Apr 27, 2005
    Serena Williams announced she's pregnant today.
     
  4. Rylo Ken

    Rylo Ken Force Ghost star 7

    Registered:
    Dec 19, 2015
    One of the greatest one-two comeback stories in sports history. Federer takes the Australian. Nadal wins in Madrid over Thiem. Federer bows out of the French as expected. Nadal has to be considered the overwhelming favorite to win at Roland Garros in what would be a record for the ages. Will Fed and Nadal meet in the Wimbledon final? Nadal's ranked fourth, Federer fifth.
     
  5. tom

    tom Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Mar 14, 2004
    i'd just like to see rafa get past the first week of wimbledon. i think it takes him that long to find his comfort level on the grass and he seems to always run into someone who is playing their best tennis in the first couple rounds. but it's nice to see him maintaining his clay court dominance at least. three straight titles! the french can be grueling though, hope he can stay healthy.
     
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  6. Juliet316

    Juliet316 Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Apr 27, 2005
  7. KnightWriter

    KnightWriter Administrator Emeritus star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Nov 6, 2001
    I just can't get over the reality that ten years on, Federer and Nadal have emerged from the clouds as the best active players in the world today. Not based on past achievements, but rather on current ones. Ten years ago, they were #1 and #2, with Rafa about to win his third title in a row at Roland Garros and Federer about to win his fifth consecutive Wimbledon. Federer is as strong a contender as any for Wimbledon in 2017 and Rafa has to be considered the favorite at the French Open. How is this possible?

    These aren't consolation prizes they're winning or a victory lap at the end of a career. They're at the top of the heap.
     
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  8. yankee8255

    yankee8255 Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    May 31, 2005
    Nadal actually lost on clay today, to Dominik Thiem in straight sets.
     
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  9. yankee8255

    yankee8255 Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    May 31, 2005
    And of course Thiem gets blown off the court today by Djokovic, 6-1, 6-0.
     
  10. heels1785

    heels1785 Skywalker Saga + JCC Manager / Finally Won A Draft star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Dec 10, 2003
    Kerber's already out at Roland Garros. Shocking.
     
  11. KnightWriter

    KnightWriter Administrator Emeritus star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Nov 6, 2001
    I saw that the thread had been upped and feared that Rafa had met an early demise.
     
  12. CT-867-5309

    CT-867-5309 Chosen One star 7

    Registered:
    Jan 5, 2011
    I don't think Kerber's loss surprised many. She's played poorly this year, clay is her worst surface, and she got maybe the worst draw for a #1 I have ever seen. I expected it to happen.
     
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  13. bizzbizz

    bizzbizz Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 16, 2015
    hope nadal or thiem win the french. as for the women who are the good clay courters?
     
  14. heels1785

    heels1785 Skywalker Saga + JCC Manager / Finally Won A Draft star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Dec 10, 2003
    CT, while you're right, I think it's a stretch to say that any #1 seed losing in the first round of a major is expected.

    Drawing Makarova in the first round, though, is inexcusable - she recently beat Radwanska on clay, and went four rounds deep at Melbourne.
     
  15. CT-867-5309

    CT-867-5309 Chosen One star 7

    Registered:
    Jan 5, 2011
    It's not a stretch, as I and many others called it. If you've been watching Kerber, she has been miserable this year, she has no confidence. Makarova is a crazy draw for the #1, just crazy. I don't know how that happened, she was ranked 40th going in. Wozniacki is ranked 12th and she drew a 17 year old Frenchwoman ranked #337 (and she dropped the second set to her, because the girl came out hitting bombs)

    Even the analysts said the biggest surprise was that the #1 seed went out and no one was surprised. The biggest surprise was that it was not surprising. No one had any confidence in Kerber. Once she drew Makarova, the writing was on the wall.

    It's one of the reasons everyone has called this tournament so wide open, because no one believes in the top players, and Serena, Maria and Vika aren't there.


    There aren't a whole lot of good women clay court players these days. The players at the top are all power and hit too flat.

    Muguruza is last year's champ and has a good history on clay. She looked good today against 37 year old former French Open champ Schiavone, who has played well on clay this year.

    Halep is good, but she just hurt her ankle like a week ago or so. I'm counting her out because of the injury.

    Kuznetsova is good on clay and looked good yesterday.

    Stosur is good on clay and just won Strasbourg, so she's someone who could go further than her ranking would suggest. Ditto Safarova.
     
  16. bizzbizz

    bizzbizz Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 16, 2015
    aussie media love talking up stosur but she is a choke artist. how does coco usually play on clay? was impressed seeing her live at the aussie open
     
  17. CT-867-5309

    CT-867-5309 Chosen One star 7

    Registered:
    Jan 5, 2011
    Coco isn't good on clay, she hits way too flat.

    She has one of the longest, looping swings I've ever seen (even longer than Keys), but that's not such a big problem on clay, because the ball doesn't get on you as fast.
     
  18. heels1785

    heels1785 Skywalker Saga + JCC Manager / Finally Won A Draft star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Dec 10, 2003


    Thumbs up to Delpo. Great display of humanity.

    Thoughts are with Nico Almagro - hopefully he can bounce back, or retire with his health - whichever he and his family deem the better choice.
     
  19. Rylo Ken

    Rylo Ken Force Ghost star 7

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    Dec 19, 2015
    Unless Wawrinka loses to Monfils, which doesn't seem to be happening, the French quarters are going to be a nearly clean battle between the top 8 seeds, with the lone exception of Busta.
     
  20. yankee8255

    yankee8255 Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    May 31, 2005
    Thiem up 2 sets to none on Djokovic. Stunning.
     
  21. yankee8255

    yankee8255 Force Ghost star 6

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    May 31, 2005
    Thiem up 2 sets to none on Djokovic. Stunning.
     
  22. yankee8255

    yankee8255 Force Ghost star 6

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    May 31, 2005
    And 6-0 in the third. Wow.
    Sets up a semi with Nadal.
     
  23. MarcusP2

    MarcusP2 Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Jul 10, 2004
    And he beat Rafa last time out. Great matchup.
     
  24. Point Given

    Point Given Manager star 7 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Dec 12, 2006
    What the heck happened to Djokovic? 2 years ago I thought there was a good shot that he could surpass Nadal and even Federer. Not anymore.
     
  25. MarcusP2

    MarcusP2 Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jul 10, 2004
    Personal problems, hooking up with a junk science mystic doctor, no coaches.
     
  26. heels1785

    heels1785 Skywalker Saga + JCC Manager / Finally Won A Draft star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Dec 10, 2003
    He could come close to doing so, if he gets things in order by next year. He's got 5 years on Roger, and has never come close to having the injury issues that have plagued Nadal.

    Although it's surprising to see him lose like this, I'd be much more concerned if he doesn't show well in the last two majors of the year - he's strongest on hard courts, and very good on grass.