https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/may/08/andy-murray-doubt-wimbledon-new-injury-fears-johanna-konta Rather a gloomy article about Andy. Off topic thread is b******d so can’t put it there, sorry.

May 9th, 2018 at 2:37 am

Djoko about to close second set.
he better wins this in three. Another three set loss early will be a major setback

May 9th, 2018 at 9:15 am

Congrats to the Brit, well played.
Obvious Djoker has a looooong road back to relevance. Commend him for keepin on keeping on.

May 9th, 2018 at 9:56 am

uuff chofer was right, Nole isn’t still there, in the moment of truth, losing 4-3 has allowed to be broken, and lost it straight.
hard loss I guess.

Maybe he has this Pepe-love attitude, on 3-3 in the third he has applauded Edmund for a good point from him, when perhaps he should be focused on winning.

May 9th, 2018 at 10:00 am

DJoker saying his opponent was lucky, and hitting lines and bad bounces. Sounds like some old Djoker fans here that used to complain about Feds excuses. Lol

Don’t see any problem with Nole’s explanations of his loss, it was close, little things matter. But same should apply to other players as well, no?

Still like his improvement of play, well kinda. But one thing have happened since him being out of the game. Other players have gotten better, and he has not adjusted yet to that. You simply cannot get back into the game now and play, you must get back into the game with improvement from when you left.

May 9th, 2018 at 10:12 am

Damm it, Djoko ruined my draw. Bet that eventually he would start winning again, but I am starting to believe his best days are over. I know it tkes some time to get back to the top but he should be better already. The field is not even that strong and he just can’t win anymore.

He is like an average top 50 player now, can’t hardly win 3 matches and let alone a three set match. Such a pitty, was watching some highligts of his big matches with other Big 4 and what he could do againts them for a while was outstanding. The man himself is responsible for 20% of all Nadal’s losses on clay.

May 9th, 2018 at 10:12 am

Daniel,

You Japanese are fooled easily. Coming back from injury is hard. You can’t bet on unproven people like the Egg Lover. He has no track record of bouncing back from injuries.

If you would like to know if Japan is a 5th world or 6th world country, our resident expert on such matters is available.

May 9th, 2018 at 10:40 am

The man himself is responsible for 20% of all Nadal’s losses on clay.
—
I have lost 35 matches on clay.

7 Djokovic
3 Gaudio
2 Murray, Federer, Thiem, Fognini, Ferrer
1 Wawrinka, Soderling, Cuevas, Moya, Gonzalez, Verdasco, Coria, Zeballos, Andreev, Ferrero, Almagro, Rochus, Mutis, Lapentti, Corretja

May 9th, 2018 at 11:33 am

Wow! Rafa has lost that many matches on red/blue clay? A very pedestrian record. I’ve never lost a single match on red or blue clay.

May 9th, 2018 at 12:39 pm

I’m shocked by Dimitrov’s loss to Raonic. This matchup looks awful for Raonic. Particularly on clay. What is it with Dimitrov? He looks great for short periods and then he lays eggs like this.

May 9th, 2018 at 12:42 pm

Don’t expect much from Novak this year. I believe that he will be much more in form come Australia ’19.

Look at Del Po. He needed all of last year to really build up to what he’s been doing this year.

May 9th, 2018 at 12:46 pm

Wow! Rafa has lost that many matches on red/blue clay?
—
Pretty pedestrian record. Just a few 10-baggers at the FO, Monte Carlo, etc. Not something to be proud of, for sure.

May 9th, 2018 at 1:36 pm

Now, nole fans know how it felt for Fed and Nadal fans during 2013 and 2015.. It was so noisy during 2015/16 here in tennis-x.

May 9th, 2018 at 1:46 pm

Dear Misspelt name,

The Arrogant One fans were crying. The Egg Lover fans are not crying yet.

In an unrelated matter, those fans who were crying in 2015, were also crying in 2018. Different tears I suppose.

May 9th, 2018 at 1:56 pm

Urgh they are showing a repeat of the Madrid final in 2011 between Nadal and Djokovic, not exactly a fond memory its like the commies enjoy reminding us sooo much of Rafas clay defeats,and that scene of Novaks team afterwards and that gyrating on top of a car bonnet, hmm funny how they never seem to show repeats of Rafas wins go figure :-/

May 9th, 2018 at 2:44 pm

Thangs we have a saying here in Britain which goes “Be careful who you kick on the way to the top, as those same people can kick you twice as hard on your way back down ” !

May 9th, 2018 at 2:49 pm

Dear people

BY NOW, you should be aware madrid has always played like a very fast indoor claycourt, especially Caja Magica, a stadium son tigh, you don’t need microphones to be heard all around!

Therefore, a big hitter has the opportunity, if not perhaps the confidence, to beat Rafa.

Having said that, Little Diego is out of confidence, so the MacEnroe record is sure to be broken next. And he’s still the favorite hands down.

But Madrid it’s still Rafa’s least favorite clay court. There’s a little hint of hope in that, no?:))

May 9th, 2018 at 3:12 pm

To all dear Britich people here, especially Margot!

Re, Murray :((

Re, Edmunds: I don’t think I’ve seen a player before who reminded me most of Courier in EVERY aspect of the game. Especially that whipped FH.

Unlike Courier, it remains to be seen how far he can go. Like the American, that BH still needs work.

May 9th, 2018 at 3:15 pm

I’ve said that because I’m not surprised in the least Raonic beat Dimitrov.

May 9th, 2018 at 3:20 pm

Britich people here
—
Oh boy, I thought my English was bad.

May 9th, 2018 at 4:03 pm

chofer,

Actually, I think Nadal will be more vulnerable in Rome. Acumulation of matches: should he win Madrid, it will be 15 matches in 26 days with 5 more in 7 matches if he intends to sweap clay; plus he lost there last 3 times in QF and last 4 straight years (with Final in 1´to Djoko). Even tough he had major success there (7 titels) during his golden days (2005-2014), it now stands as a clay tourney he hasn’t won in 4 years!!! :-0

On paper Madrid should be worst for m him, but considering is his home and with competion (all former chamipons: Djoko, Murrya and Fed out), hard to see him lose. Maybe DelPo can operate a miracle in semis.

May 9th, 2018 at 4:34 pm

HR

You’re Emglish is the worst thing about you. Of this, I’m sure of, no?

May 9th, 2018 at 5:19 pm

And my problem is dyslexia, not language. Go bother someone else. You’re annoying.

May 9th, 2018 at 5:20 pm

Daniel

Perhaps. I don’t think he has played more than an hour and 10 minutes so far… That’s not too much of a task.

Last year was different. Thiem was indeed playing better.

May 9th, 2018 at 5:24 pm

Curious to see DelPo tomorrow and Zverev also. Thiem already playing three sets close matches. Actually cheering for Coric to win over him tomorrow and face Nadal in QF.

May 9th, 2018 at 6:35 pm

Delpo has played only 6 matches on clay in more than three years. He’s a quality player, but I think it would be unreasonable to ask that much of him.

Zverev should be THE man. He’s tested on clay. Already won a Masters 100 on it. Won Munich last week.

Thiem is struggling. I can see Coric winning. But I’m not sure of him. His is a game of endurance and athleticism. He’s not that powerful as it seems.

Somehow, strangely, he’s managed to win over Rafa. Very easily.

I really want to see that match if he handles Thiem. I don’t know exactly what he could do to bother the Spaniard. Nadal does evrything a little better than Borna in the “physical” game.

I couldn’t see their matches, so it’s intringuing to me what Borna did to Rafa to have won convincingly before.

It’s like a mystery to me.

May 9th, 2018 at 7:49 pm

Whats going on with Novak, he was awesome against Nishikori, then he loses over 3 sets against Edmund, i was with Daniel in thinking he wouldnt have any trouble against( no disrespect) such a player, its as Skeezer said other players have figured him out, not imidated by him, Federer and Nadal didnt rest on their laurels, and when they both went through slumps found ways to improve their games, Novak hmm ?

May 10th, 2018 at 5:53 am

Edmond backed up his win over Novak by beating the Gof in the next rd.
#rolling

May 10th, 2018 at 9:45 am

Edmund is playing well here in Madrid – Novak had his chances in the 3rd set after playing solid and winning the 2nd set. Edmund played more confident, strong tennis than poor Nole or Kei on this fast clay court.

My hopes are still up for Novak to eventually get his old fight and energy back.

Didn’t see the match but the score looked like Goffin took a spanking from the powerful Edmund. I didn’t expect that! Come on, Goffin! lol…

Me too, Daniel. Cheering for a Coric win. He looks better here than Thiem.

Woot! Go Shapo, too!

May 10th, 2018 at 9:52 am

Yeah, Kyle Edmund reminds me of Courier. Wasn’t the biggest Courier fan back in the day.

May 10th, 2018 at 10:00 am

Humble Rafa Says:

Britich people here
–
Oh boy, I thought my English was bad.

——

HR…you’re English is excellent. It’s your guy’s grass court play in England that’s been lacking that last 6 or 7 years.

May 10th, 2018 at 12:47 pm

It’s your guy’s grass court play
—
There is no your guy. It’s me.

Also get a name without a number in your name. You are not King George III.

May 10th, 2018 at 12:51 pm

“You are not King George III.”
Either are you. And you’re not even Rafael Nadal. Not funny either.
#jobhuntingstill?

May 10th, 2018 at 1:07 pm

Once again HR…I apologize. It’s YOUR grass court game that’s been lacking the last 6 or 7 years.

May 11th, 2018 at 12:34 pm