tycoonheart
Member
Sad to see how much Rafa's game has declined. Not sure he will get close to winning another slam.
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US Open 2016 [OT] Bodies ache, but New York will not wait. [Tennis]
- Thread starter Kotetsu534
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DriftingSpirit
Member
You did what you could, Nadal. 
Simply Sami
Member
I wouldn't say Pouille is a future grand slam winner. He made hard work of his previous matches. He's done nothing of note in the masters. Granted he's got to two quarters of slams at age of 23, which isn't anything special really.
Monfils will knock him out.
Monfils will knock him out.
22yo, been working with Yannick Noah (which is the guy french people call when they want to win something in tennis) on and off for a few years.
Nadal's slam-wining days are behind him. His only real shot is RG, but now that Djokovic already got a taste of what it feels like to beat him there, it's going to be even more difficult for him.
Kotetsu534
Member
Really enjoyable match. Pouille can actually attack the net confidently under pressure which is quite unusual among the young guys. Nadal was matching his net attacks in the last two sets and looked to have sussed him out, making the match ever more physical and taking the play away from his backhand. Unfortunately for him, he got tight when up a break and when he held BP at 5-5 - which might surprise people, but probably shouldn't, as he's been getting tight in most of his close matches in the past couple of years - while Pouille found reserves of strength and kept coming. The miracle half-volley he sneaked across to hold for 6-5 was something else.
Consider me a converted Pouille fan after this. Like his game and his resolve.
Consider me a converted Pouille fan after this. Like his game and his resolve.
Chalupa Batman
Member
Pouille won me $2,550. I'm so freaking happy right now! If it wasn't for Raonic and Kyrgios getting hurt (but especially Kyrgios because he retired as soon as the 3rd set was over, meaning the result was in the books according to the rules where I play) then I would have won like $6,000 this week! I started backing Pouille after he beat Ferrer in Indian Wells or Miami (can't remember which). He's going to be great.
I think that if Nadal stays healthy and brings his errors down he's still a huge contender in both Austrialia and RG. He would have to probably evade Djokovic though.
Simply Sami
Member
I highly doubt Nadal will win another hard court slam. You need a good serve to bail you out and get you cheap points. Nadal just can't do that like he did between 2008-2010.
Also Djokovic isn't the problem. How many times has he met Djokovic in a slam in the last two years? He's only met him like once and that was last years French.
Nadal has lost to average players like Fognini, Verdasco and Dustin Brown in slams. He made them all look very great too which is the worst part.
Nadal first needs to try to meet Djokovic. Then deal with how he is going to beat him.
Yep, Nadal's serve is not good enough either he works on it and gets cheap points or he doesn't and it will cost him as a lot of the players are pretty good returners these days.
As a Nadal fan it kills me that he had dones nothing in slams since RG14 but after today I guess I have to accept that maybe his time is up on the hard courts and grass anyway.
Lion Heart
Banned
I haven't watched Tennis in a couple years but the Nadal of 2011 is long dead. That is depressing because that version of Nadal could beat anyone in history. He's done.
I will leave a plate of pasta y gambas on his grave.
Simply Sami
Member
Yep. It's going to be a sad day when all the big four retire. Some may not like the dominance they held. But I really enjoyed it and I am going to miss it. Especially having watched the Cilic vs Nishikori final in 2014. If that's tennis without the big four then count me out.
I wonder who is going to retire first between Fed and Nadal. Federer hasn't done too badly. He has reached finals consistently and won a few masters besides this year which was due to his injury.
Where as Nadal seems to lose to any average player. His game won't hold up very long compared to Federers especially if that serve doesn't improve.
But it's effective. They aren't pushed behind the baseline and they can absorb the power of the incoming shot.
Actually no french player has ever done better, except Noah. Well, no french has won a slam in open era except Noah either!
Kotetsu534
Member
Radwanska explained that she does it to stay further up the court when defending a big shot struck down the middle. It's no secret that in modern tennis the % return is usually to bash it hard and deep at the server's feet, and with her puffball second serves she gets a lot of smacked returns there. If you back up you give the returner more angle to work with on their second shot, but if you can hold position and hit from the ground, you not only stay on the baseline, but actually take time away from the other player (as the ball will go back faster and lower than if you backed up). Of course a better solution would be to get a good second serve, but that's not happening...
Yes, I should have been more specific, but as we were talking about Pouille... Otherwise I would have mentioned Pierce, Mauresmo and Bartoli.
OMG I didn't even remember Bartoli x)
Kotetsu534
Member
She was talking earlier today (re: Keys) about how it takes incredible fitness to win 7 matches in a row and she wasn't sure if she'd built it up yet. Took me a minute to realise she meant "I would know."
tycoonheart
Member
so Nole is looking good
perfectchaos007
Member
much better than his first round against the tall polish guy where he was out of sorts.
I would hope so since he's barely played.
perfectchaos007
Member
I honestly thought the Brit would give Djokovic a better match after I watched him play Isner
John Dunbar
correct about everything
looks like pouille's mother is finnish. we're so going to claim him if he wins something.
John Dunbar
correct about everything
first kyrgios and now thiem. these youngsters are made of glass.
It's about time some luck went Juan Martin's way.
True enough lol
Kotetsu534
Member
This Venus/Pliskova match is a good example of modern returning. Venus is just ramming every last second serve return at Pliskova's feet and winning the point almost every time unless she mistimes it (Pliskova either misses or sends back a defensive short ball, which given Venus' power and Pliskova's lack of movement might as well be an error).
D
Deleted member 231381
Unconfirmed Member
What do you mean modern returning? I would have said that the average return of serve of the current top players is much better than the average return of serve of the top players a decade ago.
Schiach!
perfectchaos007
Member
Venus had a match point but couldn't convert. 5-5 in the third now. great match!
perfectchaos007
Member
Pliskova with the lucky net cord to break. She'll serve for the match
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