Getting old is a by-product of living long enough.
It seems to me the ankle is the issue for the loss.
Getting old is a by-product of living long enough.
It seems to me the ankle is the issue for the loss.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Demented and sad, but social, right?
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.
As Chris Fowler said "that was one for the vaults" by Djokovic. Sensational.
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?