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  1. #41
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Durham, NC
    Quote Originally Posted by Troublemaker View Post
    Ouch, Serena was up 5-1 in the 3rd set to Pliskova and then collapsed to lose 6 straight games and the match.
    I think she was up 5-1 and 40-30. Double ouch.
    She tweaked an ankle, but I couldn't tell how much it affected her. I don't think she called for a trainer.

  2. #42
    Getting old is a by-product of living long enough.

    It seems to me the ankle is the issue for the loss.

  3. #43
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    NC
    Quote Originally Posted by Indoor66 View Post
    Getting old is a by-product of living long enough.

    It seems to me the ankle is the issue for the loss.
    Yep, time waits for nobody. Except for maybe Tom Brady.

  4. #44
    Quote Originally Posted by 94duke View Post
    I think she was up 5-1 and 40-30. Double ouch.
    She tweaked an ankle, but I couldn't tell how much it affected her. I don't think she called for a trainer.
    She said after the match that the ankle wasn't bothering her and that Pliskova just played lights out on match points. (But the commentators suggested that it bothered her after the match.) Yes, Serena had four match points. It's usually the other way where she fights back from being down match point. I saw the last few games when Pliskova was down 15-40 on her serve (match points) and it looked like Pliskova was matching Serena with power groundstrokes and she also had a pretty powerful serve. I think she was also moving around the court a bit better than Serena at that point. No Serena-Osaka rematch.

  5. #45
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    NC
    Quote Originally Posted by Bluedog View Post
    She said after the match that the ankle wasn't bothering her and that Pliskova just played lights out on match points. (But the commentators suggested that it bothered her after the match.) Yes, Serena had four match points. It's usually the other way where she fights back from being down match point. I saw the last few games when Pliskova was down 15-40 on her serve (match points) and it looked like Pliskova was matching Serena with power groundstrokes and she also had a pretty powerful serve. I think she was also moving around the court a bit better than Serena at that point. No Serena-Osaka rematch.
    I suspect this is a case of Serena being a good sport and not wanting to take away from Pliskova's accomplishment. She appears to be gaining perspective with age. I could be wrong, but that's my take.

  6. #46
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Raleigh, NC
    Quote Originally Posted by CDu View Post
    I suspect this is a case of Serena being a good sport and not wanting to take away from Pliskova's accomplishment. She appears to be gaining perspective with age. I could be wrong, but that's my take.
    Yeah, the "good sport" Serena basically said that Pliskova had to play her best tennis ever just to beat on one leg. It does take quite an effort to beat Serena, who is the best women's player ever.

  7. #47
    Quote Originally Posted by CDu View Post
    I suspect this is a case of Serena being a good sport and not wanting to take away from Pliskova's accomplishment. She appears to be gaining perspective with age. I could be wrong, but that's my take.
    My take as well and an unexpected but nice change. That is probably not how the presser would have gone even 5 years ago, I think.

  8. #48
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Quote Originally Posted by Troublemaker View Post
    Anyway, Nadal beat him comfortably in 3 sets. But Nadal is also playing his best harcourt tennis in many years in this event, so I'm not sure it's a significant data point for a tired Tiafoe.
    And Nadal just destroyed Tsitsipas. Tiafoe actually won more games off of Rafa than Tsitsipas did (although, of course, I don't consider that to be significant, either.)

    Rafa with his rebuilt serve is playing scary tennis right now. Tennis fans need to see another Rafa-Djoker final at this point. If Rafa's new serve can bother the greatest return-of-server ever in Novak at Novak's most successful Slam (the Aussie), and if Rafa can win, then anything is possible for him going forward.

    There's been a disturbance in the tennis force, and it's Rafa's new serve.

  9. #49
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    NC
    Quote Originally Posted by Troublemaker View Post
    And Nadal just destroyed Tsitsipas. Tiafoe actually won more games off of Rafa than Tsitsipas did (although, of course, I don't consider that to be significant, either.)

    Rafa with his rebuilt serve is playing scary tennis right now. Tennis fans need to see another Rafa-Djoker final at this point. If Rafa's new serve can bother the greatest return-of-server ever in Novak at Novak's most successful Slam (the Aussie), and if Rafa can win, then anything is possible for him going forward.

    There's been a disturbance in the tennis force, and it's Rafa's new serve.
    Tsitsipas' post-match quote is pretty spectacular:

    "He gives you no rhythm. He plays just a different game style than the rest of the players. He has this, I don't know, talent that no other player has. I've never seen a player have this. He makes you play bad."

    Nadal has always been amazingly quick and energetic, with that crazily heavy topspin groundstroke game. That he's improved as a net player (one of the best in the game at it now) and now appears to have a functional serve (that was always - along with injuries - the big hole in his game) is impressive. But what is perhaps most impressive is just how uncomfortable he makes his opponent feel on the court. He's a tactician out there, grinding points and changing tactics relentlessly to keep his opponent off-balance and uncomfortable.

    Now, I don't expect him to beat Djokovic, who seems to be the one player that has generally had Nadal's number away from clay. But if he can this weekend, he'll be the first player since Laver to complete the career slam twice. Pretty impressive. I'll be watching either way as Djokovic/Nadal is almost always amazing tennis to watch.

  10. #50
    Quote Originally Posted by CDu View Post
    Tsitsipas' post-match quote is pretty spectacular:

    "He gives you no rhythm. He plays just a different game style than the rest of the players. He has this, I don't know, talent that no other player has. I've never seen a player have this. He makes you play bad."

    Nadal has always been amazingly quick and energetic, with that crazily heavy topspin groundstroke game. That he's improved as a net player (one of the best in the game at it now) and now appears to have a functional serve (that was always - along with injuries - the big hole in his game) is impressive. But what is perhaps most impressive is just how uncomfortable he makes his opponent feel on the court. He's a tactician out there, grinding points and changing tactics relentlessly to keep his opponent off-balance and uncomfortable.

    Now, I don't expect him to beat Djokovic, who seems to be the one player that has generally had Nadal's number away from clay. But if he can this weekend, he'll be the first player since Laver to complete the career slam twice. Pretty impressive. I'll be watching either way as Djokovic/Nadal is almost always amazing tennis to watch.

    I'm actually slightly favoring Nadal in this one (assuming Djokavic beats Pouille). He's playing great, and as you said, with an improved serve. Djoker hasn't had the A plus game yet either,though he has been able to flip the switch before. Just a hunch, but I'll take Nadal in 5.

  11. #51
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    Durham
    Osaka for the win. Two slams in a row (for someone not named Serena) is great these days.

    Rafa and Djoker should be a war.

  12. #52
    Quote Originally Posted by curtis325 View Post
    Osaka for the win. Two slams in a row (for someone not named Serena) is great these days.

    Rafa and Djoker should be a war.
    I feel like no matter how many Slams Osaka goes on to win, and it could be quite a few, she'll still come off as kind of embarrassed every time she accepts the trophy. (And I mean that in a good way, she just seems so sweet, gracious and self-effacing).
    Demented and sad, but social, right?

  13. #53
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Wow. Djoker absolutely dominated Rafa.

    Nadal's improved serve didn't bother Novak at all, and Novak just had pinpoint accuracy in almost every rally.

  14. #54
    As Chris Fowler said "that was one for the vaults" by Djokovic. Sensational.

  15. #55
    Quote Originally Posted by robed deity View Post
    I'm actually slightly favoring Nadal in this one (assuming Djokavic beats Pouille). He's playing great, and as you said, with an improved serve. Djoker hasn't had the A plus game yet either,though he has been able to flip the switch before. Just a hunch, but I'll take Nadal in 5.
    Wow, that's the last time I pick against Djokavic in Australia. Didn't watch, but that is an amazing scoreline against Rafa Nadal.

  16. #56
    Incredibly impressive under any circumstances, but especially given how impressive Nadal had been in the tournament prior to this match, really great performance from Djoker. Looking forward to Paris.
    Demented and sad, but social, right?

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