US Open

[Vieira151]

I didn't say to count him out... just to lower the expectations.

I still think he could win another slam, though he would have to have a tournament where he relives his best form. It's better to think he might have a chance to win, and be pleasantly surprised/happy rather than expect him to win and be severely disappointed when he loses a SF or QF.

[djarvik]

[Moralspain]

i miss those times , nah i'm joking, much respect for Roger, btw it seems (not confirmed) that Rafa cried as well after the match, in private, in his locker room, not a bad thing in my opinion, it shows that he still cares.

Yesterday night, he said on a spanish radio station (COPE) that he won't stop improving and training until be able to beat Novak, he's motivated and ready for the challenge.

In my opinion it's very important for these players like Rafa, or Roger to have that motivation, because sometimes i think to myself "What now?" i mean they have won everything (many Masters, all the GS, even an olympic gold medal), and yep these 2 are now trying to have more and more titles and GS, but that's not enough to keep that motivation high and train hard every day.

Roger is still there because of Rafael, not joking,he's been his motivation during the past years, the fact that Rafa beat him consistently during the last years made him to keep going and try to be better and improve to beat that young guy who made him cry in public, and now Rafa has the same feeling with Novak, i think.

[VillaJ100]

I didn't say to count him out... just to lower the expectations.

I still think he could win another slam, though he would have to have a tournament where he relives his best form. It's better to think he might have a chance to win, and be pleasantly surprised/happy rather than expect him to win and be severely disappointed when he loses a SF or QF.

I don't even think it needs to be a whole tournament. He can easily coast to the quarters being at about 80%. Then up it to 90% in the QF. In the semi and final is the two games he needs to be flawless. If at 100% i still think he is almost unbeatable. Its such little margins. Most of the year joko has been playing at i'd say his 99-100%. i just dont think the guy can possibly imporve any more. Fed has probbaly been like 95% most the time, apart from 100% RG semi where i think he played probably the best clay match he ever will. Rafa probably been 95% the whole year.

[Vieira151]

Yeah, I suppose. The top 3 can coast to the Quarters of GS's now, with Murray only needing to be wary of decent hitterrs. I honestly think those 4 are above everybody else, at least until Del Potro gets back to his best(if he does) in which case I would put him above Murray.

[Mike Rotchtickles]

p.s on the mens side , the only person that can touch Djokovic is Federer....

QFT.

Why because Fed has so much more variety than anyone else. Great serve and almost always playing first strike tennis and never really letting you get comfortable.
With Roger, on a good day, he can take you out in any number of ways.

A player like Nadal on the other hand is almost like a one trick pony against Djokovic. Great against everyone else but those high top spinning one million revs a second shots just sit up in the Djokers strike zone and he sends them back with interest. Nadal really does not possess the type of variety to fall back on to relieve the pressure. His tried and tested "let's go to Roger's backhand to get cheap points" simply does not work against this version of Djokovic.
What's going on at the minute with this rivalry is complete and utter ownage. Not like the lopsided h2h that Rafa has over Fed mainly due to playing him on the dirt so often and thus skewing that h2h count. No. This is way worse because Djokovic owns Nadal on EVERY surface including the spaniards beloved clay.

The challenge to find "solutions" as Rafa puts it, don't really exist. He has to hope that Djokovic drops his level. That's all. Fed is not entirely in that same boat. Yes he's still getting beaten by Novak but even Fed at 30 you still feel that the match can turn on just a few points here and there.

[supinesmokey13]

p.s on the mens side , the only person that can touch Djokovic is Federer....

QFT.

Why because Fed has so much more variety than anyone else. Great serve and almost always playing first strike tennis and never really letting you get comfortable.
With Roger, on a good day, he can take you out in any number of ways.

A player like Nadal on the other hand is almost like a one trick pony against Djokovic. Great against everyone else but those high top spinning one million revs a second shots just sit up in the Djokers strike zone and he sends them back with interest. Nadal really does not possess the type of variety to fall back on to relieve the pressure. His tried and tested "let's go to Roger's backhand to get cheap points" simply does not work against this version of Djokovic.
What's going on at the minute with this rivalry is complete and utter ownage. Not like the lopsided h2h that Rafa has over Fed mainly due to playing him on the dirt so often and thus skewing that h2h count. No. This is way worse because Djokovic owns Nadal on EVERY surface including the spaniards beloved clay.

The challenge to find "solutions" as Rafa puts it, don't really exist. He has to hope that Djokovic drops his level. That's all. Fed is not entirely in that same boat. Yes he's still getting beaten by Novak but even Fed at 30 you still feel that the match can turn on just a few points here and there.

i dont think rafa has tested novak's forecourt game under pressure im mean bring him forward against his wil.l

he has improved his net game a lot but he wil still be shaky when under pressure and d nadal needs to hit in straight lines a bit more that cross court stuff wont get done anymore do what fed does and go behind novak.

[Mike Rotchtickles]

I'm not disagreeing with you but you would have to think that the first and foremost thing Rafa and Uncle Toni would work on would be the serve. I mean he just has to start off the point on favourable terms on his serve. Novak was just teeing off on those powder puff things in the Final. You have to ask where was Rafas US Open 2010 serve? That whole tournament it seemed like he was averaging 120-125 mph + and on the odd occasion even going beyond 130. Those were great numbers for him and drove him to that title.

[supinesmokey13]

I'm not disagreeing with you but you would have to think that the first and foremost thing Rafa and Uncle Toni would work on would be the serve. I mean he just has to start off the point on favourable terms on his serve. Novak was just teeing off on those powder puff things in the Final. You have to ask where was Rafas US Open 2010 serve? That whole tournament it seemed like he was averaging 120-125 mph + and on the odd occasion even going beyond 130. Those were great numbers for him and drove him to that title.

unlike moya think the change of playing hand will always affect his serve rafa can still rev up the serve but he will lose percentage as it's not natural for him to serve like that. if for the most part of his career he had a serve that big it would be easier but that's not the case so hes has to go for percentage.

[Mike Rotchtickles]

Well he does recognize his serving issues and the need to work on them.

This off his final presser at the Open,


"If I have to say the things about I'm not happy tonight, it's my serve for sure the first one. Because if my serve works really well, I know I have the challenge, the mental challenge for sure. Losing six times affects in the match, and you have to know that. And I know. I was ready for that. So accept everything, to fight every ball, and that's what I did. So I'm happy about that. But I didn't have free points during all that games. I didn't have not one free point in both sets. A few moments that you are tired and the few moments you really need something, I never had these free points. Last year I had; I didn't have this year. That change a lot the match. My serve has to come back to another level.

[VillaJ100]

The amount of times djoko was broken is evidence in itself he's not unbeatable. I think djoko had something completely ridiculous like 26 bps on rafa serve.

[Mike Rotchtickles]

The amount of times djoko was broken is evidence in itself he's not unbeatable.

I don't know man.

"He's the most perfectly trained athlete, ever.
Whatever he hits....he destroys!"



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gty9b09p ... ideo_title

[djarvik]

I can't figures out, are you more of a pro-Djoker or extremely-against-Rafa

That one trick pony has a helluva trick if you ask me, 10 GS titles. As good as Djoker is now, until he achieves what Fed and Rafa achieved - he is a one-trick-one-year Pony.

[djarvik]

I didn't say to count him out... just to lower the expectations.

I still think he could win another slam, though he would have to have a tournament where he relives his best form. It's better to think he might have a chance to win, and be pleasantly surprised/happy rather than expect him to win and be severely disappointed when he loses a SF or QF.

Delpo got figured out he is fit and playing well, by his standards. Now he is nothing more then Gulbis with GS title.

I was at that Simon match, slow short "push" to his BH, followed by another deep push - and he gets tangled with his long legs.

[Mike Rotchtickles]

That one trick pony has a helluva trick if you ask me, 10 GS titles. As good as Djoker is now, until he achieves what Fed and Rafa achieved - he is a one-trick-one-year Pony.

Read again, please. Thanks.
As per my post ".....almost like a one trick pony against Djokovic. Great against everyone else....."

As to your first question- I'm a Federer fan.