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Federer vs. Nadal on 1/2 grass, 1/2 clay court - Page 2

post #51 of 147
5/31/09 at 4:59pm
Holy shit, I did not see that coming. This blasts the door open for Fed to be considered the greatest of all time with no caveats. The most grand slams titles and the career slam that Sampras could never get. I know Nadal has increased his effectiveness on the other surfaces by leaps and bounds, so this isn't as devastating as it could be; but I am still stunned.
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post #52 of 147
5/31/09 at 5:28pm
If Federer doesn't win the French now, he'll be kicking himself for the rest of his life.
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post #53 of 147
6/1/09 at 12:01am
So, Federer beating Nadal on clay wasn’t a fluke? Interesting.
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post #54 of 147
6/1/09 at 12:04am
I was at work at didn't get to see the match. What the hell went wrong with Nadal today?
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post #55 of 147
6/1/09 at 12:06am
I guess the guy had always given Nadal some problems, although this was the first time he beat him. Nadal didn't look nearly as sharp as I've seen him before- but the bottom line is the dude just beat him. Flat out played better. Surely this is just a glitch, right? Maybe he needs to play less tournaments, I dunno.
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post #56 of 147
6/1/09 at 12:23am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bailey View Post
I guess the guy had always given Nadal some problems, although this was the first time he beat him. Nadal didn't look nearly as sharp as I've seen him before- but the bottom line is the dude just beat him. Flat out played better. Surely this is just a glitch, right? Maybe he needs to play less tournaments, I dunno.
Well, that was my assumption when he lost to Federer on clay earlier this year, but not even getting to the finals? I mean, Nadal just lost more sets today at Rowland Garros than he did last year. In fact, more than he’s lost in 2007 and 2008 combined.

Just strange.
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post #57 of 147
6/5/09 at 4:09pm
Is there anybody who can rally like Federer? That guy's mental toughness is just unreal.
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post #58 of 147
6/5/09 at 4:14pm
Well, it's been announced that Nadal has pulled out of Queen's (British grass court tournament prior to Wimbledon) with knee trouble, which he acknowledged he has had repeated problems with. I worry that his style is going to lead to his body collapsing if he's not careful.
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post #59 of 147
6/5/09 at 4:42pm
Well assuming that doesn't come to pass in the near future, Nadal just turned 23, even if he's one of the greats that fades after the age of 25, he's still basically got 12 grand slam tournaments before he hits 26.

My question is if Federer gets his first French and passes Sampras at Wimbledon or the US Open, will his focus diminish at all? Losing #1 to Rafael and having that "bad" year in 08, you could see after this year's Australian Open final what a toll the pursuit has taken on him. He was so close, and at that point it appeared like Nadal might never let him get there. With what's happening in Paris right now, it appears he might surpass even that by getting the long elusive French title. I can't help but think if he's at 15 after this year he might let go some.
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post #60 of 147
6/5/09 at 6:57pm
I think it will go the opposite way, actually. Nadal being great by itself isn't going to stop his body from breaking down due to his style of play, while I think Federer will feel a renewed sense of focus if he wins The French and will go on a substantial run through the grass court season towards the US.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric Cordo View Post
At this point, to me at least, it's a foregone conclusion that [Nadal]'s going to win in France, and he and Federer will be neck and neck at Wimbledon, but I still peg him as an outside chance at the U.S. Open.
Well, so far I'm wrong about the first part, but I think that makes the second and third predictions more realistic.
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post #61 of 147
6/5/09 at 7:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric Cordo View Post
I think it will go the opposite way, actually. Nadal being great by itself isn't going to stop his body from breaking down due to his style of play, while I think Federer will feel a renewed sense of focus if he wins The French and will go on a substantial run through the grass court season towards the US.
That's what I am saying. If he wins the French he'll almost certainly get Wimbledon, the US Open, or possibly even both. But once he passes Pete, and he's got the French title that Pete never got as a bonus, will he maintain the intensity after that?
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post #62 of 147
6/5/09 at 7:49pm
I imagine it’d depend on whether or not he beats Nadal in doing so.
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post #63 of 147
6/5/09 at 7:53pm
My fault, I didn't finish my thought.

Yes, I think he will. He needs 2009 to be his year, and if he's successful I believe he's mentally tough enough and still physically capable of beginning another dominant stretch. With professional tennis over the last thirty years the players tend to flame out by their late 20s if your name isn't Todd Martin, but Federer looks as physically imposing as ever. And I'm of this opinion based on his phenomenal ability to handle mental pressure, he had an off late 2007-2008 but once he passes Sampras he'll then have the opportunity to distance himself as the undisputed best ever if he can win about six or seven more slams. Which I think he will.
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post #64 of 147
7/5/09 at 11:41am
Federer was down the first set, and 6-2 in the second set tie break and came back to take it (the second set). How's that for mental toughness.
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post #65 of 147
7/5/09 at 1:34pm
To me, he's got to beat Nadal on the courses that he never has in order to be the best. Nadal just has his number in some spots and he's got to overcome that.
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post #66 of 147
7/5/09 at 1:36pm
Pretty epic match. Nobody can break in the fifth set.
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post #67 of 147
7/5/09 at 1:49pm
Best. Match. Ever.
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post #68 of 147
7/5/09 at 1:51pm
Wimbledon record for games played in a fifth set with 18, and they're at least going 20.
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post #69 of 147
7/5/09 at 1:53pm
Unreal. Bet Roddick blinks here though.
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post #70 of 147
7/5/09 at 1:54pm
Or not.
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post #71 of 147
7/5/09 at 1:59pm
The longest match I ever competed in during a tournament was two hours and twelve minutes, and I was dead afterwards. I can't even imagine encroaching on four hours at this level.

ETA: Especially on grass. They must just be physically exhausted but you'd see no signs of it even this far into the match. Incredible.
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post #72 of 147
7/5/09 at 2:08pm
To be at this point and still whipping off 133 MPH serves. Utter bedlam.
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post #73 of 147
7/5/09 at 2:12pm
Seriously. Last years final was longer in terms of time, but it wasn't being played like it is today as if they're still in the first set.
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post #74 of 147
7/5/09 at 2:13pm
Uh-oh.
maybe.
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post #75 of 147
7/5/09 at 2:13pm
Who wants this more? I say Rogaah.
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post #76 of 147
7/5/09 at 2:14pm
Geez what a grind.
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post #77 of 147
7/5/09 at 2:16pm
13-14 Federer, can Roddick level it up again?

Probably!
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post #78 of 147
7/5/09 at 2:19pm
Win or lose, Roddick's coming out of this a winner.
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post #79 of 147
7/5/09 at 2:24pm
Ugh. C'mon Andy.
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post #80 of 147
7/5/09 at 2:25pm
This is rivaling last year's final. If Roger wins his 15th here, there will be no doubt that he earned it.
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post #81 of 147
7/5/09 at 2:28pm
Roddick made a few too many mistakes there towards the end. Good show though.
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post #82 of 147
7/5/09 at 2:28pm
ughch damn it.
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post #83 of 147
7/5/09 at 2:31pm
They already had this commercial ready to go? Suck on that Roddick! ha.
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post #84 of 147
7/5/09 at 2:31pm
As crazy close as it was I just never felt like Federer could lose. It's not a knock on Roddick, just a testament to Federer. Unbelievable show though.
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post #85 of 147
7/5/09 at 2:35pm
No one can hate Roddick after today.
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post #86 of 147
7/5/09 at 2:35pm
To tie this into a chud motif, doesn't Federer look like he'd be a good villain in a Bond movie or some other action movie?
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post #87 of 147
7/5/09 at 2:37pm
Man, that crowd loves Roddick. He looks like he's been hollowed out, gutted for him.
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post #88 of 147
7/5/09 at 2:40pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rando View Post
To tie this into a chud motif, doesn't Federer look like he'd be a good villain in a Bond movie or some other action movie?
Yeah, he's kind of got that Alexander Godunov steeliness to him.

Amazing match. I have to admit I was pulling a little for Roddick, but Federer is just the fucking Terminator and wondrous to watch.
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post #89 of 147
7/5/09 at 2:49pm
Who should have been a Bond villain was Lendl.
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post #90 of 147
7/5/09 at 6:00pm
Roddick is a great personality and very likeable in interviews. Is he really only 26? I thought he was much older but in that vase I'm sure he'll snatch another slam at one point.

Great match today and it's a testament to Federer's unreal talent that he beat Roddick playing his best tennis when his own game wasn't even at the top.
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post #91 of 147
7/5/09 at 7:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by halofan1 View Post
No one can hate Roddick after today.
Ha, I can.
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post #92 of 147
7/5/09 at 10:21pm
I was pulling for Roddick but once they got to the fifth set, I knew it was over. Roddick put up a much better fight than I thought he would but the end result was what I expected.
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post #93 of 147
7/5/09 at 10:29pm
Roddick is a product of his coaches. He's working with one of the game's best right now, just as he was with Brad Gilbert before he won a US Open (his only major) and dumped him soon after. Right now, I would think Roddick is up there with Federer for the top contender spot at the Open, but it's all up to whether or not Andy is really growing up or if it's smoke and mirrors thanks to expert coaching. He's been the best American super-prospect for almost a decade because he really does have the potential to be one of the game's greatest, but he's always been lacking in his mental game.
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post #94 of 147
7/5/09 at 10:36pm
That's the sad truth. The talent is such that you can't help but root for him to pull it all together. You're always hearing about his training and coaching but it's yet to yield any results.
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post #95 of 147
7/5/09 at 11:47pm
Federer the greatest? No. He's got to beat Nadal on clay before we can claim that.
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post #96 of 147
7/6/09 at 8:35am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sonic Boom View Post
I was pulling for Roddick but once they got to the fifth set, I knew it was over. Roddick put up a much better fight than I thought he would but the end result was what I expected.
Once Federer came back from being down 6-1 in that second set tiebreaker it was over. It just felt inevitable after that that Federer would come all the way back.
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post #97 of 147
7/6/09 at 9:57am
I don't know, Roddick seemed in complete control for the majority of the match. To remain unbroken that long against Federer at his favorite court on the planet was astounding enough for me to think he might pull it off.

People who say watching tennis is boring really need to watch the last three or four men's Wimbledon finals. The tension in that last marathon set yesterday was almost unbearable.
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post #98 of 147
7/6/09 at 10:45am
Well, Roddick had the chance to put a stranglehold on the match, and had four points to do it in and couldn't. Federer won that set and the next, so I don't know about Roddick being in complete control.

One thing that bummed me out about this match was how so many of the games were simply ace-fests. It became a matter of whether or not the 140mph serve landed in or out rather than two guys actually playing tennis.
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post #99 of 147
7/6/09 at 11:37am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard Dickson View Post
One thing that bummed me out about this match was how so many of the games were simply ace-fests. It became a matter of whether or not the 140mph serve landed in or out rather than two guys actually playing tennis.
Tru dat.

I grew up up watching Lendl and Wimbledon was always the only tournament I was glued to the TV for. I always wanted him to win but he never had the serve and volley game that Wimbledon required back then.

I lament the fact that the grass in the center of the court near the net is still alive after two weeks these days.
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post #100 of 147
7/6/09 at 12:30pm
Federer actually had a jacket made up with "15" stitched onto it before the match, smug bastard.

Incredible player though and he isn't even close to being finished yet. The number of Aces was quite incredible but yeah, it got a bit wearing.
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