Wimbledon Draw: Surprise! Federer Falls In Djokovic’s Half, No Home Cooking For Struggling Murray

Up the Big Two

June 22nd, 2012 at 10:26 am

Where are all the RaF@@@sses, Queen, Nadalista and the ever so brainless Steve27. Up yours

June 22nd, 2012 at 10:28 am

The quarterfinals by seeds look like: Djokovic-Berdych, Federer-Tipsarevic, Ferrer-Murray, Tsonga-Murray.
——————————————-
should be Tsonga-Nadal

June 22nd, 2012 at 10:29 am

Sean,

You need to correct this, before others comment on it:

The quarterfinals by seeds look like: Djokovic-Berdych, Federer-Tipsarevic, Ferrer-Murray, Tsonga-Murray.

Of course its Tsonga-Rafa

June 22nd, 2012 at 10:30 am

Haven’t seen Alison Hodge in a while. Must be recharging the braincells. Not to mention the skyzophrenic NK.

June 22nd, 2012 at 10:30 am

Hey Karthic! We both spotted it!

June 22nd, 2012 at 10:32 am

Katherine you mean Tsonga-Nadal

June 22nd, 2012 at 10:32 am

Why don’t we make them all -ic as in Federic, Murraych, Ferrerovic, Tsongic and Nadine.

June 22nd, 2012 at 10:36 am

Nadine cause the excuses will start now that the clay season has come and gone

June 22nd, 2012 at 10:37 am

Tsonga/Hewitt could be another good first rounder. I know there are others but can’t think right now – need java.

June 22nd, 2012 at 10:42 am

How about Nalby/Tipsy?

June 22nd, 2012 at 10:48 am

Sean says:

“Nadal, who’s also in the No. 1 hunt, has a good, not great draw. Tomaz Bellucci has given Rafa problems before.”

Making a bit more out of this than is really there? Nadal and Bellucci have met twice, both times on clay, and Bellucci has won exactly 0 sets off. Not a surprising result given the surface, but unless you think a couple of 7-5 sets is a marker of giving someone trouble, I think this should be a pretty routine first round for Nadal.

June 22nd, 2012 at 10:49 am

* “off” = “off of Nadal.”

June 22nd, 2012 at 10:57 am

Can you believe Isner and Mahut will play each other in the second round!! I don’t see Belluci beating Rafa here, but Dodig beat him last year in Canada, and Kohls just beat him in Halle. This is not an easy beginning to the tournament, so Rafa will have to be “concentrated” right from the start. The toughest quarter here has to be Ferrer/Murray.

June 22nd, 2012 at 11:04 am

Agree TMRs. What has Bellucci done on grass? Meanwhile Nole has Ferrero, ranked 38th, who Sean says played good grass tennis a decade ago. How about 5 years ago in the QFs when he took a set from Fed? Or how about 3 years ago when he again got to the QFs and lost to Murray? He’s a tough out, a wily player, who beat Monfils just last year at the USO.

I think JCF is a very tough first rounder and the highest ranked any one of the top four has to face at #38.

Ramos is # 43, Davy is #47, Bellucci is #78.

Also Harrison is a tough second rounder – pesky? Yes. And also a tough competitor with not too many weaknesses.

After the first two rounds Nole’s draw gets lighter, but the first two could be difficult, imho.

June 22nd, 2012 at 11:06 am

No player, in the history of lawn tennis, has ever won 2 Wimbledons 9 years apart. Federer won his first Wimbledon 9 years ago.

June 22nd, 2012 at 11:06 am

@jamie

so i’m guessing the psychic’s prediction is that federer won’t win?

June 22nd, 2012 at 11:09 am

@Boss

Roger will win Wimbledon. I always believe. Don’t ever write Roger off.

June 22nd, 2012 at 11:12 am

@jamie

also, no player in history has ever won 16 slams, reached 23 straight semifinals, 30 straight quarterfinals, been #1 for 237 consecutive weeks, and the list goes on. so hopefully federer is going to become the newest exception to this. his draw certainly looks favorable…

June 22nd, 2012 at 11:13 am

@tennisfan

haha i’m not writing him off i never do…but usually when i think someone else is going to win, federer ends up winning lol

June 22nd, 2012 at 11:17 am

@jane: I agree about JCF. The guy is no spring chicken anymore, but he can certainly ball on the green stuff. I was at that match in 2007 when he and Federer played in the QFs and remember being impressed with how he hung with Fed for two sets.

I forget why JCF didn’t play Wimbledon last year, but in any event, it’s been only 3 years since his last QF appearance at Wimbledon. Surely a claycourt player first and foremost, but he’ll be a good first-round test.

June 22nd, 2012 at 11:17 am

Re: QF opponents – Nole and Rafa have the toughest with Berdy (Gulbis won’t beat him!) and Tsonga (though the finger injury is a question mark). We’re talking former finalist and semifinalist. Berd has beat Nole here. Tsonga has beat Fed here (as has Berd). Muzza is next with Ferrer, but grass has not, so far anyhow, been Daveeed’s strength. If his injury is better, Delpo could be the one to come through. So far, though, Muzza has his number, but that could be a difficult one. Fed has Tipsy, but Tipsy has made ONE grand slam QF final thus far in his career, I believe. Could maybe be Nalby, but doubtful. So then Isner? John played really well at the beginning of the year, but he was not good through clay. It’ll be interesting to see if he bounces back. I don’t know how he’ll do versus Mahut at the moment.

How crazy that Mahut and Isner are in the same section 3 years in a row?!!! Seems flukey.

June 22nd, 2012 at 11:18 am

TMRs, JCF has also had good results on the fast hard courts of Flushing. He can play on fast and slower clay, imo. He has a very adaptable game. He was out with injury early last year; in fact the only slam he played last year was the USO, but he reached the round of 16, losing only to Tipsy in a tight 4 set battle.

June 22nd, 2012 at 11:20 am

Don’t really see why Nadal should be favored over Djokovic off the clay.

June 22nd, 2012 at 11:22 am

“So moral is, there is no mystery because we know that’s how the draw will turn out, right?”

I’ve posted the following before…

Are the draws at the Slams fixed? It’s impossible to know for sure, but gambling experts will agree that any hand drawn or computer generated draw process can be manipulated unless independent safeguards are built in. Enough questions exist, including those asked by statistical experts, that the integrity of the draw process at the Slams needs to be independently investigated.

Here are two examples:

– Somehow Federer and Djokovic have been drawn into the same half 16 out of 19 times (84%) since 2008 Australian Open. Only in 2008 FO, 2010 FO and 2012 AO did Djokovic/Federer land in Nadal’s half. Nadal has had the mentally-weaker Andy Murray in his half during most of those 16 majors.

– John Isner and Nicolas Mahut have played only three matches against each other in their entire careers. What is the likelihood that they would play that epic first round match in 2010 Wimbledon… then one year later be drawn to play another first round match in 2011 Wimbledon… then in 2012 Wimbledon be drawn to play in the second round?

Die Zeit is the most widely read German national weekly newspaper — and it is regarded for its journalistic quality. Google translation of German paper Die Zeit: “The organizers have apparently cheated on the draw… The calculations of the sport and legal scholar Catherine Pijetlovic from the Technical University of Tallinn in Estonia show: The chance that the semi-finals were obtained legally, amounts to 131,072 to 1. She says: “The question is not whether they were manipulated, but how and who is behind it.”… German experts consider statistic calculations for serious professionals. Rainer Dyckerhoff, research associate at the Department of Statistics and Econometrics at the University of Cologne, said: “The results of the draws are very untypical. A coincidence is very unlikely.”…. At the US Open, Federer and Nadal also had far too easy opponents for the tournament opener. Experts from the American TV channel ESPN have already proven that in New York the top players for years got drawn against lower ranked opponents,than it is statistically probable.”
http://www.zeit.de/sport/2011-11/tennis-nadal-federer-auslosung-betrug-pijetlovic

Katarina Pijetlovic’s analysis:
http://tinyurl.com/cpentey
http://tinyurl.com/bn7rsqu
http://tinyurl.com/d4fv64d

What happened when Katarina Pijetlovic publicized her analysis in October 2011 (about Federer-Djokovic being in the same half of every Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open since 2008 — 12 out of 12)? Right on cue, the 2012 Australian Open had Federer and Djokovic drawn in different halves for the first time in a hard court or grass court major since 2007 US Open. Since then, Federer and Djokovic have been drawn in the same half again as they probably will be for the US Open.

ESPN analysis questions US Open draw: ESPN’s analysis that found the top 2 seeds over the past 10 years on average received an easier draw than is statistically probable if the draw were truly random.
http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=6861149&categoryid=2378529

Dr. Andrew Swift is past chairman of the American Statistical Association’s Section on Statistics in Sports and an assistant mathematics professor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. After being presented with the ESPN analysis, Swift conducted his own study of the opponents of the top two seeds and found that only four times in 1 million simulations did he come up with an average ranking equal to or easier than what was actually observed in the men’s and women’s draws over the last 10 years.

Dr. Swift said: “By itself, the U.S. [Open] numbers are weird,” he said. “And then they’re also weird in comparison to the other three Grand Slams. So you’ve got a double argument of weirdness here. Something weird is going on.”
http://tinyurl.com/3e6ra4d

June 22nd, 2012 at 11:23 am

The slams, and tennis in general, need to stop the bs randomized placing of the 3rd and 4th seeds. No other sport does this. It makes no sense for the 1st seed to be slated to face the 3rd. Especially at this ridiculous rate.

June 22nd, 2012 at 11:24 am

Boss,

32 straight QFs.

As expected, Novak Djokovic is the number 1 seed heading into the 2012 Wimbledon tournament, knowing that he has to go through Roger Federer in the Semi Final, if all goes according to plan for both, with the six time champions at the All England’s club getting the #3 seed, according to his ATP ranking.

It’s not like Novak was going to meet Rafael Nadal before the final. Wimbledon seeding can be a bit unorthodox during certain years, like they certainly were when Pete Sampras reigned on the London grass courts. But despite Federer – Nadal still being, probably, the most popular rivalry in Tennis, there’s no reason to deny the public #1 – #2, the best match in Tennis today, Nadal vs Djokovic.

For Djokovic, it probably didn’t really matter if he would have been seeded with Murray instead.He has a 8-5 edge of Murray, although the two haven’t met on grass previously. Djokovic does hold the lead in recent meetings, big meetings. Most recently it was an epic Semi Final in the 2012 Australian Open. Previously it was the 2011 Australian Open Final, something that started something very special for Djokovic, while Murray hasn’t seemed to really bounce back since that loss.

As for Federer, Djokovic is probably feeling equally confident. He’s still behind on the all-time series, with Federer leading 14-12, but that is due to the pre-2011 era. Since 2011, Novak Djokovic has beaten Roger Federer six times, losing only once. They’ve never met at Wimbledon, with Tsonga’s epic comeback denying the two’s meeting in the Semi Final last year.

Djokovic’s only loss against Roger Federer over the last 18 months has been in the 2011 Roland Garros Semi Final. In between, he’s beaten him in Semifinals matches three times – Australia (2011), US Open (2011) with an epic comeback from 0-2 down and most recently, a straight sets win in Paris at the French Open.

In fact, Djokovic hasn’t dropped a set against Federer in their two matches in 2012, which makes you feel he’s quite confident about their potential Semi Final in the upcoming month.

June 22nd, 2012 at 11:24 am

http://www.wimbledon.com/en_GB/news/…354620323.html

June 22nd, 2012 at 11:26 am

@Jamie. Any predictions yet?

June 22nd, 2012 at 11:28 am

@Ben pronin:

IF rafa were to meet novak in the final then it’s a 50/50 contest imo.

rafa was 2 games away from beating novak at his best slam, is 3-0 in recent meeting’s- despite it being clay that should at least have helped rafa’s mentality and confidence against novak.

Add the fact that rafa is a 2 times winner, 5 finals, adn 2-1 against novak on grass- then YES it is a 50/50 affair for rafa.

don’t really see it being a strange choice at all by sean- after all he did say for now, so that could change…..

June 22nd, 2012 at 11:28 am

Tennis.com: 3 of the 4 editors (including Bodo and Tignor) picked Rafa to win. 1 writer picked Nole.

June 22nd, 2012 at 11:29 am

by Dan Imhoff
Friday 22 June 2012

Former world No.1 Juan Carlos Ferrero will soak up a return to Centre Court as the first match of this year’s Wimbledon Championships, but he knows it is nothing personal, more a formality having been drawn to play defending champion Novak Djokovic.

While the duo’s head-to-head is locked at one apiece, they haven’t played in five years – at a time when Djokovic was yet to win his first Grand Slam title. The top seeded Serb will rightly start a clear favourite against the veteran Spaniard and should be untroubled until a projected quarter-final showdown with 2010 Wimbledon finalist, seventh seed Tomas Berdych.
The Czech faces a dangerous first-round task in negotiating a way past Latvian Ernests Gulbis.

Six-time Wimbledon Champion Roger Federer also finds himself in the top half of the draw and should have few difficulties opening against Spaniard Albert Ramos.
The Swiss third seed is on a path to meet 13th seed Gilles Simon with big-serving 10th seed John Isner lurking as a potential quarter-final obstacle.

The towering American avoided facing his marathon man adversary Nicolas Mahut in the first round for a third straight year, however the pair are on course to meet in Round 2. Isner would likely meet eighth seeded Serb Janko Tipsarevic in the fourth round but Tipsarevic, with arguably the toughest first-round assignment of the seeds, would have to get past last week’s fiery Queen’s finalist David Nalbandian.

Second seed Rafael Nadal and British fourth seed Andy Murray head the bottom half of the draw. Nadal, a two-time Champion on the grass at SW19, has a straight forward first round match with Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci but could run into trouble in the third round where he is drawn to meet his Halle conqueror, German Philipp Kohlschreiber. Kohlschreiber has drawn his and Roger Federer’s Halle conqueror Tommy Haas first up. Either of the two Germans could give Nadal a few headaches.

In a marquee quarter-final match-up, the Spaniard is on course to take on the hugely talented Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. The Frenchman will not be looking beyond his opening task, however, with Australia’s 2002 Champion and perennial grass-court performer LLeyton Hewitt his opponent.

Hoping to overturn a 0-3 win-loss record on grass against Nadal should they meet in the semi-finals, will be home hope Andy Murray.

On paper the Scot has the trickiest start of the top four seeds, against former world No.4 Nikolay Davydenko. While Murray narrowly leads their head-to-head 5-4, they’ve never met on grass and Murray should find himself in a projected second-round showdown with the Croatian man mountain, Ivo Karlovic. Always a dangerous floater with his monstrous serves, how Karlovic will shape up to Murray is somewhat a lottery but expect the Scot to find a way through.

From there, his job would not get any easier. In the fourth round Murray would likely run into another big-serving giant, Canadian 23rd seed Milos Raonic or last week’s Queen’s Club Champion, Croatian Marin Cilic.

While his French Open roadblock David Ferrer again looms as his quarter-final opponent, the switch in surface would favour Murray. First Ferrer would have his work cut out to get past three-time Wimbledon finalist Andy Roddick in the third round.

June 22nd, 2012 at 11:30 am

Agree with madamax- novak’s chances against either federer or murray look good.

Although out of the 2, roger is still the tougher opponent on grass.

June 22nd, 2012 at 11:30 am

by Alix Ramsay
Friday 22 June 2012
When Novak Djokovic started eating the grass on Centre Court last summer, he was not altogether sure what he was doing. In the space of 72 remarkable hours, his life had been turned upside down and he was deliriously happy so, to celebrate, he started grazing on the green stuff.

For a lifetime, he had dreamed and worked and hoped: as a little boy growing up in Serbia, he had closed his eyes and imagined what it might be like to hold the Wimbledon trophy and as grown man, he had sweated and grafted on the practise courts in the belief that he could, one day, become the best in the world. And then, in three days in SW19, his every dream came true.

By beating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on the Friday afternoon, he guaranteed that he would become the new world No.1 when the rankings were published the following week and then on the Sunday, by beating Rafael Nadal, he finally got his hands on that famous trophy. That’s when he started eating the hallowed turf. (As the new champion, Djokovic was now a member of the All England Club and presumably there are different rules about on-court etiquette for members. Cud-chewing by the hoi polloi is generally frowned upon around these parts.)

“I managed to achieve a lifetime goal and I managed to make my dream come true, all in three days’ time,” Djokovic said, still wide-eyed in amazement. “It’s just an incredible feeling that I’m never going to forget. This is the best day of my tennis career.

“For these kind of days, I was practicing every day, being dedicated, being a tennis professional. Any athlete in the world dreams of being No. 1 of the world. This is something that gives us a lot of motivation. So, finally, when you really do it and when you know that you’re the best, it’s just an amazing achievement.”

Since then, of course, Djokovic has gone on to mop up titles to a band playing. Still the No.1 a year later, he has also collected the US Open title and a third Australian Open to bring his grand slam trophy tally to five. Only Nadal has found a way to stop the Serb of late, and then only on clay.

But what happened to Djokovic to turn him from a good but erratic player into a serial champion? He talks of how winning the Davis Cup final in Belgrade freed him of all fear on court and allowed him to play with passion, aggression and utter belief that he could beat anyone. But his coach, Marian Vajda, has other ideas.

Vajda has been at Djokovic’s side since the champion was but a spindly 19-year-old. From the very start, he knew he had a potential world beater on his hands but it took time before his charge realised it, too.

“In 2010 Novak didn’t believe in himself that he could be No.1 because Nadal and Federer were dominating,” Vajda recalled. “But then he lost a match in Paris very badly – two sets up against Melzer, quarter final – and losing a match like that had never happened to him before. This is thing. Good players learn from their mistakes. And he learned. I think that moment moved him on.

“Something worse has to happen in order to gain the goal because deeply inside he has always believed that he will be No.1 one day. But sometimes something has to go ‘boom’; sometimes you shake them and suddenly they have clear heads.”

Every aspect of his professional life was organised and reviewed – nothing was left to chance as Djokovic began the slow and steady rise to the very top.

“Since then he slowly, slowly, slowly move, move, move every match,” Vajda explained. “But he never forgets he has to work, every match has to be prepared, has to be professional, everything had to get all together, all the things. Because if he skips one thing, the other things are affected in a negative way. He needs to be aware always what he is doing is for his good, is for his goal. So he’s very good at it. Very good.”

Clearly, Djokovic is not just very good, he is the best in the business. So, should he bump into Melzer as he pads around the AELTC clubhouse, he might want to thank the Austrian for inflicting that pasting at Roland Garros a couple of years ago. Without it, Djokovic might not be the man he is today. And the Centre Court grass might be just a fraction longer.

June 22nd, 2012 at 11:37 am

A few nice articles I read this afternoon about Novak. Wanted to share them.

June 22nd, 2012 at 11:37 am

Brando,

That’s not to say that I don’t think Fed could win. I do. I have been watching the last tournament at Halle and saw his trainer with him, Pierre. He is on the lookout at Roger’s key moves, stretching, shots, etc. I think he has an evil plan! Mwahahahahahahahaha!

Pierre is a legend, but not as much as Roger.

Love the articles on Novak. But Roger to win.

June 22nd, 2012 at 11:39 am

I don’t see it. I’m not basing this on the results but on the play. If Djokovic plays his game, he should be favored off the clay. Nadal doesn’t have as much room on other surfaces to get under a player’s skin the way he does on clay. I’m not saying he can’t win, but I consider Djokovic the favorite. Past results be damned.

June 22nd, 2012 at 11:40 am

‘ Past results be damned.’

LOL, its because of past results like 7-0 for novak do people fancy him against rafa- so they do matter.

As for play, even a blind man can tell that novak’s play this year isn’t anywhere near his level last year.

I mean just look at his last tourny FO- would it be unfair to say that he was very patchy at times? I don’t think so.

So it depends on novaks form- should he up his game he stands a very good chance. Another RG style performance, then this time i think he won’t make the finals.

June 22nd, 2012 at 11:49 am

I am mad with rage. Once again, how many times out of how many does anyone for the last 25 Slams, Djokovic and Federer are grouped in one side so Nadal never has to defeat both of them to win a Slam. ITF do something about this, YOU SUCK!

June 22nd, 2012 at 11:52 am

@Madmax, yes we identified at the same time. Cheers :). So whom are you cheering for this time?

June 22nd, 2012 at 11:52 am

I always thought Djokovic should have a better record against Nadal than he did. The match up has always been there.

I agree about the patchy play, though. I don’t know if he’ll fail to get to the final, though. But patchy play won’t be Nadal, can’t argue that.

However, boy am I sick of putting these two in the final. I’d love to see 2 completely different faces in the finals for a change. 4 straight is enough, record shattering and all, but enough.

June 22nd, 2012 at 11:54 am

Sea, no congratulatory message for me?

June 22nd, 2012 at 11:56 am

Well, Djoke and Fed AGAIN in the same half. Not possible without rigging. The probability of this happening by chance is virtually zero.

Nadal again gets a pussy draw. Straight to the final, where he will again face a tired Federer who would have beaten Djokovic in a tough semi, while Nadal would have cruised through his semi against a fragile Murray or whoever else.

Green clay. That’s what it is these days. Harder courts with higher bounces – the groundsmen themselves acknowledge this (balls that used to come at knee height now come at chest height at Wimbledon, making it easier for clay courters).

I hope Raonic or Tomic make some noise and push through to the second week. That could make it interesting. Hope Tsonga is fit. I don’t see anyone else having a non zero chance of winning, other than the top 3. I would say Raonic would be my “dark horse” pick, if the top 3 don’t win.

As for Djoke vs Nadal, no way does Nadal beat him if they play. Its green clay, not red clay. Nadal still can’t move and slide on grass the way he does on read clay, and the ball still doesn’t bounce THAT high on grass the way it does on red clay. Both things are crucial for Nadal to have any chance of beating Djokovic, in addition to luck (like lucky rain timings).

June 22nd, 2012 at 11:57 am

BTW, I hope its Kohlscriber ver Nadal in the 3rd round..

June 22nd, 2012 at 11:58 am

I meant Sean, and actually Ben too. Since I know they follow the NBA.

June 22nd, 2012 at 11:59 am

“Not possible without rigging…..”

mat4, mat4, mat4…car-mat4 where are you?

June 22nd, 2012 at 12:00 pm

Kimberly,

Congrats to you and your fam. A dollar now well spent ;)

June 22nd, 2012 at 12:01 pm

@trufan

kohls retired in the quarterfinals of the pre-wimbledon exhibition warmup. you better hope that doesn’t happen cuz nadal will flatten him. nadal vs haas may be good if nadal has a slightly off day and haas plays like he did in the halle final. after that, tsonga has the best shot at nadal before the SF

June 22nd, 2012 at 12:01 pm

‘I always thought Djokovic should have a better record against Nadal than he did. The match up has always been there.’

AGREE- novak deserved a better record against rafa than he had, and yes he matches up well against rafa.

At the same time though, i’m sure novak will say that rafa presents problems for him also as the ONLY surface novak leads rafa on is HC.

And even there rafa has beaten him big matches (olympics SF, USO final 2010) and showed in the last 18 months that he can give novak a real run for his money- MI 2011 and AO 2012 finals.

Long story short, BOTH are probably the toughest match for the other right now.

As for wanting a different final- i’d love a fedal final. i miss the fedal wimby matches- 2/3 were hands down classic matches, and fed stands a great chance against rafa on grass, so it would be a close affair.

June 22nd, 2012 at 12:01 pm

I’m not quite sure why the Federer fans complain about him not facing nadal in the semis. They complained last month at Roland Garros when the result would have been certain defeat, again. On grass, Nadal is arguably the better grass court player, yet they complain again. Can understand why they would complain on hard (where Nadal did face Fed in the semis this year actually) and I certainly understand why the DJOKOVIC fans would complain as clearly their guy is getting the harder semi.

June 22nd, 2012 at 12:03 pm

skeezer, mat4 is MIA as promised. He said if Djokovic lost we wouldnt hear from him for a month. Once Novak starts winning some matches and showing he is a strong contender for the title at Wimbledon he will return with his trash talking!

June 22nd, 2012 at 12:05 pm

@Kimberly:

SPOT ON- i do not understand the complaints of fed fans re the SF opponent.

BAR the USO- were they have never meet- surely it suits their guy to play novak over rafa due to rafa’s recod against at AO, FO and wimby.

novak fans complaining is more understandable since fed> murray is quite obvious.

June 22nd, 2012 at 12:08 pm

jane @ 11:29

Totally agree. Not letting the Rafa fans off the hook by him playing the underdog. He has found his form again, just won a GS, and has won GS grass titles before,. He is not flying under the radar imo for chances to win Wimby. He is the fav.

Nole and Fed have both been patchy as of late, so I am with the writers picking Rafa to win, but always cheering for Fed, then Nole, then Raonic, then Delpo, then Dolgo, then Baker…..

June 22nd, 2012 at 12:10 pm

K & B,

I really don’t care, personally who Fed plays in the later rds, its the early rds that get into my craw. Me thinks some Fed fans would like to see a Nole/Rafa semi so Fed would only have to face one of them, not both. It makes sense, no? The old guy needs a break. Ooooppsssey, did I say that?

June 22nd, 2012 at 12:14 pm

@skeez:

i AGREE rafa is probably the fav, and it most probably is a rafole final. BUT my gut instinct tells me its a fedal, a 5 setter, and then im not too sure.

June 22nd, 2012 at 12:14 pm

Thanks Skeezer. The parade is Monday at 11. We will go. I heard in 2006 Shaq was high fiving everyone and it was quite a production. Well, you know miami loves to party.

June 22nd, 2012 at 12:14 pm

I see Rafa as a favorite only when he gets to the second week. He is vulnerable to upset in the early rounds typically, even in years that he has won the tournament he has struggled against Nobodies. Then two things happen, the courts change and basically become clay at the baseline and he gets better.

June 22nd, 2012 at 12:16 pm

Brando,

Rafa has beaten Fed only once on grass, that too 9-7 in the fifth after almost 5 hours, with virtual darkness where winning or losing was more a matter of chance (who connects well in darkness is less a matter of skill).

Fed has creamed Nadal on faster surfaces lately – don’t you remember the YEC? Even on a slower surface like IW, he easily beat Nadal.

Yes, at the French, Fed is better off facing Djoke in the semi. But not at Wimbledon. Nadal is going to struggle this year, even though he got a pussy draw.

June 22nd, 2012 at 12:17 pm

@Skeez:

that i can understand- thing is though he’s no.3 seed so has to face both until he gets to 2- which is possible.

Nonetheless, i am pleased he did get a good break with the draw- through to SF easily for me- then he expect a war with novak as fed has got to be peeved at his USO and FO losses.

Methinks another fed finger wagging moment at the end of match with novak is coming up :-)

June 22nd, 2012 at 12:17 pm

The Rafole match up is pretty even in many ways, but in the past Rafa definitely had the mental advantage. Nole got that – finally – last year, after losing so many times to Rafa in big matches and finals. Rafa fans may have had a hard time with the 7-0, but we watched Nole lose A LOT of finals to Rafa before that! They’ve met 14 times on red stuff, and Nole’s only won 2 on that surface versus the King of clay. So 12 of Rafa’s 19 wins are on clay,and 2 of Nole’s 14 wins are on clay. Off clay, Rafa 7 to Nole 12. It’s true Rafa has a 2-1 advantage on grass, but I don’t know how relevant is that 2007 Wimbledon?? Nole had an infected toe and retired in the 3rd set – but he had won the first set. That’s also the year the bottom half of the draw played daily due to the rain delays. Rafa still might’ve won, but even the Queens final between them was very close. So on grass I’d say they are pretty close to evenly matched up. On clay, huge advantage to Rafa always of course. On hard, advantage to Nole, but still not to the degree of the advantage Rafa has on clay, as the H2H shows.

June 22nd, 2012 at 12:18 pm

BTW, that mental advantage Nole had could be gone, or at the least slipping away, after the last 3 wins in 3 finals by Rafa.

June 22nd, 2012 at 12:23 pm

Kimberly Says:
I’m not quite sure why the Federer fans complain about him not facing nadal in the semis. They complained last month at Roland Garros when the result would have been certain defeat, again. On grass, Nadal is arguably the better grass court player, yet they complain again. Can understand why they would complain on hard (where Nadal did face Fed in the semis this year actually) and I certainly understand why the DJOKOVIC fans would complain as clearly their guy is getting the harder semi.

June 22nd, 2012 at 12:03 pm

Kimberley, why are you complaining? and who exactly is complaining about Federer?

June 22nd, 2012 at 12:26 pm

Rafa’s 12- 7 to novak off clay, BUT he was 7-7 prior to the 7-0.

Also in the 7-0, rafa was 2 points away from a straight sets win in Miami, and 2 games away from winning in the AO final.

Had it happened it could conceivably be 10-9 in novak’s favour. Not exactly one way traffic then is it?

Either way, it just goes to underline that on the 3 outdoor surfaces rafa is the clear fav on clay, favoured on grass slightly, and in with more than a punchers chance on HC against novak.

They match up really well with one another, and only the foolish will argue that one owns the other. LOL!

It always nip and tuck between the two, with the edge going usually to who is playing better overall out of the 2.

Last year it was novak- very clearly. As a rafa fan, i didn’t have much of problem with rafa’s losses due to that- what can you do other than applaud the better player when he wins? Not much.

June 22nd, 2012 at 12:30 pm

rafa need some tough matches before second week to become stronger.

June 22nd, 2012 at 12:31 pm

@Madmax:

i’m sure K can answer for herself- BUT read dory and trufans posts and im sure you’ll understand were kimberly is coming from.

It’s as obvious as the sun is yellow.

June 22nd, 2012 at 12:32 pm

Madmax, i’m not going to call people out, and I didn’t mean to complain. I am just saying I have noticed a pattern over the MANY MANY grand slams when the draw comes out and Federer and Djokovic are on the same side (which they almost always are), that the Federer fans and Djokovic fans hem and haw. Look back over a two year period on posts the day the GS draws come out and you will see it.

I find it curious. I am just saying I can certainly understand why the Djokovic fans would do this as with all due respect to Murray its a MUCH harder semifinal, but not quite sure especially on clay why Fed fans would complain. I simply don’t understand.

You want your guy to win more than you want someone else to lose, I believe I am the same way. I guess if I am complaining it is because it seems some fans care less about their own player’s success and more about another player’s failure.

June 22nd, 2012 at 12:35 pm

Karthick Says:
@Madmax, yes we identified at the same time. Cheers :). So whom are you cheering for this time?

June 22nd, 2012 at 11:52 am

Well Karthick, always Federer. Doesn’t change.

Kimberley, now had the opportunity of reading the posts above yours.

I don’t much mind who Fed plays to be honest, as long as he wins. I don’t subscribe (and never have) to the conspiracy theory either, about Fed always landing in Nole’s draw. It is, what it is. And if it was rigged, do you honestly think that it could be, with players drawing out the numbers and matching them with lower ranked players from the draw? I just don’t see it happening, too risk, too many fines, loss of face, reputation and we are talking about Wimbledon. The Gentleman’s game, going back more than a century. This isn’t the mafiosa at work. It’s just the way it is.

Fed could beat Novak, I think it will be tough for him, but there is a chance if Novak is suitably tired from RG and from having long matches prior to the Semi. But it has to be said, he is younger, stronger and fitter (or one would have thought) than Fed, the egg helps I am sure with the injection of energy, he has been very open about that. Rafa’s has his knees injected every summer, he has been very open about that. We don’t know a lot about Fed’s training regime, except he spars with Levine and another left hander, in the hope that he meets Rafa in the final and there is every chance that could happen. But such a long way to go before then.

I think the best thing about the slams is that extra day of rest in between, Fed will need that more this time around, I feel.

It’s going to be tough on all the players at Wimbledon, because in the back of their mind, they are going to be thinking about the olympics and trying to save energy there.

It would be striking if someone different won wimbledon, perhaps it is Murray’s calling, even Raonic, and actually, it would be refreshing.

June 22nd, 2012 at 12:39 pm

Kimberley, don’t fret. I saw yours before I read all of them here. Now I have and Brando filled me in.

I agree with what you say,

“You want your guy to win more than you want someone else to lose, I believe I am the same way. I guess if I am complaining it is because it seems some fans care less about their own player’s success and more about another player’s failure”.

June 22nd, 2012 at 12:35 pm

June 22nd, 2012 at 12:44 pm

I have asked myself the question, would I prefer Fed to meet Rafa in the SFs or him to meet Novak and honestly? It’s a tough call. Firstly because I don’t think 2008 will ever be surpassed by any player, or the utter devastation that I felt watching it for so many reasons. If he met Rafa in the SFs, it will be like reliving some of those moments again at the F in 2008.

So Dory and Trufan, come on. Would you prefer Roger to meet Rafa in the SF of Wimbledon this year? Show your cards gentleman (or ladies?)

Also Kimberley, with Fed on course to meet Novak in the Semis, it still leaves me with the possibily that he could meet Rafa in the final (I hope not), and he could go on to win to avenge 2008, in the final. You see it’s a catch 22 for a fed fan.

So are you happy with rafa’s draw?

June 22nd, 2012 at 12:48 pm

madmax,

I think some Fed fans would like to see Fed not meet a Rafole in the semi once in awhile, instead of Fed always playing one or the other in the semi. There is 3 top guys, and Fed always seems of late to have to play through both( unsuccessfully ). Obviously it is the seeding makeup ( me thinks? ), but if Rafa vs Nole meets in a semi then Fed only has to beat one of them. Now, this is not fair for the other 2 if your fav is one of them, so yada yada there. I am not projecting a complaint, but I would smile for sure if one of the Slams had a Rafole semi ;). Although my biggest smile would be to go through both of them and win a GS the hard way ;-))))

We have all hashed this out before, but I know when they do a draw #1 goes at the top and #2 goes at the bottom ( there is no random draw there, just a placement ). However, isn’t #3 suppose to be drawn ( randomly ) by rule to either be PLACED in the top half or the bottom? Anyone?

June 22nd, 2012 at 1:27 pm

“I think some Fed fans would like to see Fed not meet a Rafole in the semi once in awhile”

Well that didn’t make sense,,,,,meant some Fed fans would like to see a Rafole semi once in awhile…..eek:(

June 22nd, 2012 at 1:30 pm

Madmax—

So are you happy with rafa’s draw?

Its not the best draw ever but I’ll take it. Obviously I would rather he face Murray than Fed atm (unless Murray form is ominous and Fed sloppy during the tourney) so I am happy with the semi.

The Tsonga quarter not my first choice, in fact probably my last on grass. But it could be worse for sure in the early rounds, grass is a dangerous surface to face big servers on and all of them seemed to be gifted to Murray. Like someone said above, I see Federer’s draw as the most favorable, Novaks and Rafas sort of the same, and Murrays the toughest. Yet you never know how it shakes out. Last year Rafa was supposed to have from 3rd Round on Raonic, Delpo, Berdych, Murray, Djoko and he ended up with Mueller, Delpo, Fish, Murray Djoko. So dodged some bullets. So Murrays could end up easy and Feds hardest depending on who shows up where.

June 22nd, 2012 at 1:32 pm

Wow. The Rafa fans are forever being jumped on for making excuses for our man, but it’s perfectly fine for Fed & Nole fans to whine about the draw, whine about the weather, whine about the surface. I’m so sick of hearing the rain being blamed for Nole’s RG loss, for eg. As I keep saying, the rain didn’t make him go 2 sets down in the first place. Oh, well, guess the Rafa hate will always be a part of this place. May the best man and woman win, is all. And g’luck to the few gracious fans there are here, and I know there are *some* of you.

June 22nd, 2012 at 1:34 pm

Okay, skeeze! Gotcha! Why didn’t someone come right out and say it the way you did!

Now that you say it like that, surely there would be ZERO chance that was going to happen because Novak is 1 and Rafa is 2, so the only way these two are going to meet IS in the final.

I don’t think it’s rigged skeeze. And I am being serious.

The best a fed fan can hope for, is a fit and healthy fed to take one of ’em out in the final, and someone else do eliminate the other before the SF. It’s possible.

June 22nd, 2012 at 1:35 pm

FOR ALL:

LIVE FEED OF A FAN Q and A with RAFA-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sq1If6nJEKI&feature=plcp

June 22nd, 2012 at 1:37 pm

Lenny Says:
Wow. The Rafa fans are forever being jumped on for making excuses for our man, but it’s perfectly fine for Fed & Nole fans to whine about the draw, whine about the weather, whine about the surface. I’m so sick of hearing the rain being blamed for Nole’s RG loss, for eg. As I keep saying, the rain didn’t make him go 2 sets down in the first place. Oh, well, guess the Rafa hate will always be a part of this place. May the best man and woman win, is all. And g’luck to the few gracious fans there are here, and I know there are *some* of you.

June 22nd, 2012 at 1:34 pm

Oh Lenny, put your pants back on. Everyone is having some fun here. Don’t be so serious.

June 22nd, 2012 at 1:37 pm

Kimberly,

Believe or not the scariest unknown for me, for Rafa, is if Roanic gets through the draw to him. Very scary guy, and on grass he should be able to able to hide is groundstrokes that are far inferior’s to Rafa’s. What do you think?

June 22nd, 2012 at 1:39 pm

@madmax Siigh. I’m all for fun. It just doesn’t seem like a lot of fun for a Rafatard on here, sometimes, ya know?

June 22nd, 2012 at 1:55 pm

nadal & djokovic are my least fvt players. i so hope someone takes them out b4 finals & 2 completely different finalists play. unfortunately thats wishful thinking & nadal will most likely win. he wants the alpha male role back again & i believe he will take over #1 ranking. i’m sick of both nadal & djokovic & the grunting & the macho pounding of the chest, etc.

June 22nd, 2012 at 2:05 pm

Skeezer, I don’t think he could face him until the semi-final. At that point he would have had to have beaten Murray/Ferrer/Delpo in a best of five so he would be dangerous. The grass will have slowed down and Rafa should win on experience. I don’t think he will get by Murray, and I’m not 100% he will even get to Murray. SO I’ll save worrying about Raonic to a later date, when he could actually face him. Note, he was slotted to face him at RG in the 4th and I was unconcerned not only because I thought he would beat him but because I thought it was largely possible Raonic would not get past Monaco. Which he didn’t.

June 22nd, 2012 at 2:36 pm

Brando,

I agree with you, somehow this year we are getting the matches we should have had last year. I think Fed beats Nole in the semis (everybody was expecting this match last year), specially after Fed stop the streak. And everybody was also expecting a FEDAL in Wimby. Fed was in excelent form in RG 11′, and I at least want another crack at Wimbledon to see if Fed problem is really mental in Slams or surface matters. If he loses another Wimby to Nadal…, well we fed fans can always use age as an excuse, whihc in this case, could be true!:)

June 22nd, 2012 at 2:44 pm

@madmax, Glad to hear you support Federer. All the best for you and federer. lets pray for a fedal final and its been 4 years. We need another classic Final guys. Come on. Make it and give it us our 2012 summer gift.. :)

June 22nd, 2012 at 2:56 pm

@Daniel:

I’d LOVE a fedal too :-)

excellent article for fed fans:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/wimbledon/9347381/Wimbledon-2012-Roger-Federer-can-equal-Pete-Sampras-record-seven-titles-if-it-rains-at-SW19-says-Tim-Henman.html

June 22nd, 2012 at 2:57 pm

Starnoud Astrology picks Federer to win Wimbledon :D lets see..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3c0IRRS5GlM

June 22nd, 2012 at 3:05 pm

Lenny Says:
@madmax Siigh. I’m all for fun. It just doesn’t seem like a lot of fun for a Rafatard on here, sometimes, ya know?

June 22nd, 2012 at 1:55 pm

Lenny, don’t take it to heart. As conty said a while back, everyone is welcome and really, it’s a good bunch of people. We get high on our own sometimes, but there are plenty of rafa fans here for you to take some comfort.

Best tennis site on the internet. So stay.

June 22nd, 2012 at 3:09 pm

I would prefer Fed faces Rafa in the SF.

This time around, regardless of accomplishments, if Fed reaches the finals, he is the one who will be under pressure (if he faces Djoke or Nadal), since he knows this may be his last chance, and these two know how to keep it together in slam finals.

If, by stroke of luck (which I hope he gets), Fed reaches the finals and faces someone other than Nadal, he will steamrole that person.

A bit depends on weather as well. If it is hot and dry, balls will move faster through the air, which favors Fed. Bottomline is his serve – he needs to serve 60%+ first serves, and win 75%+ points on first serve. If he can do that, it takes care of nearly 25% of the points – a player rarely loses a match if they win 52% or more of the total points. The remaining 27% he can get even if he wins 50% of second serve points and 33% of returning points.

POint is – either his opponent tanks on his own serve, or Federer has to serve well – otherwise Fed can’t win these days just from the baseline.

June 22nd, 2012 at 3:09 pm

tru fan, have some faith! Henman says read this!

“I would bet that 99 per cent of the players want to be playing at Roger’s level right now,” he said. “So why are so many people writing him off?

“The challenge for Roger right now is obviously Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, two of the greatest players of all time, but what a great challenge to have. I actually think that Roger’s best level now is higher than it was when he was winning everything in sight; it’s just that everyone else has improved too.

“Let’s go back to last year’s US Open. He had match point against Djokovic, and Djokovic hit a one-in-a-hundred shot. If you move forward from that, in the last nine months he has won seven tournaments. He’s 30 years old, but he’s in phenomenal shape. His hunger and desire are as great as anyone’s.

Andre Agassi made the final of the US Open at 35, and he was nothing like as natural an athlete as Roger.

“We’re very good in focusing — certainly in this country — on what we haven’t got. With someone like Federer, goodness, let’s try and keep him around for as long as possible. He’s the best player that’s ever lived, so let’s enjoy him while he’s here.”

June 22nd, 2012 at 3:15 pm

Brando, “nip and tuck”, that is a good way to describe the rivalry. :) It’s rare that the matches aren’t closely contested between them, though there have been anomalies. At few close ones between Rafa and Nole went Rafa’s way, too, so I don’t think the coulda woulda shoulda works too well (e.g. Madrid 09 where Nole had MPs and won more points overall, Olympics, a bad missed smash etc). It’s nip and tuck, as you say. Your point that you think the winner is who has the better form is probably part of it, but I think between them it can be mental too, because they are both fighters. Before Nole beat Rafa at IWs last year, he had never beaten him in a final I don’t think, so that was a huge hurdle and gave Nole confidence from then on throughout the year. Their matches before 2011 were close, even on clay, even as far back as 2008, but it was that belief that helped Novak imo. And by proxy Nadal started to doubt, and that was the story of the year in many ways. So yes, form, but also belief.

June 22nd, 2012 at 3:36 pm

Henman says that – but he really never performed at a level even close to Federer or Nadal or Djokovic. never even reached a slam final. So for him Federer is some kind of tennis God (maybe he is!).

But objectively speaking, Federer is way past his prime. Yes, he still may be the best 31 year old tennis player ever, but today, Djokovic is better than him on all surfaces except indoors, and even Nadal beats him on slow hard courts in best of 5 matches.

Had he won those two, he would have had 7 consecutive wimbledons, 6 consecutive USOs, Roger slam (4 consecutive majors), No. 1 ranking record (since the extra points would have given him a few more weeks at No 1 both times), and a total of 18 slams. COMPLETELY GOD LIKE NUMBERS.

One unlucky game in the dark at 7-7 in the fifth set at Wimbledon, and then a couple of sloppy games in the 5th set at USO – that’s the difference between Fed’s current record and what it could have been.

Though I do think Federer will beat Nadal if he is fresh when he faces him, and there is sufficient light! If they had the roof in 2008, Fed would never have lost that match. I am sure that’s the match that federer feels most hurt about, in his entire career.

That match and then the tanking against DelPo at the 2009 USO. He was up two sets to 1, leading in the 4th set, and then suddenly he lost the match.

June 22nd, 2012 at 3:44 pm

In that 2008 Wimbledon final, how many rain delays were there? And whom did they help? I know there was at least one delay, but I can’t remember when it happened, etc. I’ve only watched that match once, on the day that it happened.

If there is a Fedal final this year, I hope it’s not anti-climactic. They have had a couple of good matches at slams in the last while: AO 12 and FO 11, but both ended the same way: Rafa in 4.

It is true, though, that Fed and Rafa haven’t met at recent Wimbledons – or ever at the USO – the two faster slams.

But that’s partly because of the draws: Nole has had Fed on his side of the draw at the past four USOs in a row, the past three Wimbledons in a row, the past two FOs in a row, and until this year, the previous 4 AOs in a row (08, 09, 10, and 11). So Fed and Nole have duked it out a lot (on most of those occasions, they each made their way through the draw to face off in the semis).

June 22nd, 2012 at 4:18 pm

tru fan, try not to be bitter. I feel good about fed coming into wimby, I don’t know why. Probably because everyone else has written him off. I just want to see him play well. No 5 setters until the final, and even then, only a 5 set classic with him winning.

I’m not dreaming tru fan.

June 22nd, 2012 at 4:21 pm

Jane are you saying that the rain delay helped fed in 2008 and it had nothing to do with his skill or belief?

Or by the same token, are you saying that the dark helped rafa? Not sure what you mean.

June 22nd, 2012 at 4:22 pm

Same with me. Only ever watched it once. That was enough. Will have to revisit it now that I mentioned it. Classics are for sunday, wet, rainy UK afternoons. There is plenty of rain in Uk right now.

June 22nd, 2012 at 4:23 pm

“I’ll have my picks later this weekend. Right now I think Nadal beats Djokovic in the final, but that could change.”

That’s ballsy. He could barely beat Djokovic on his best surface. It could easily have gone to five sets, and the rain dampening the court was favoring Djokovic.

Shot for shot, Djokovic is just better in every aspect of the game. He’s stronger, faster, fitter (I never imagined I’d ever say that), mentally tougher (again), more accurate, serves better, returns better, basically better in every way possible. On any surface other than clay, it shouldn’t be a contest.

IMO, if it wasn’t for money, the trophy can safely be handed to him right now.

June 22nd, 2012 at 4:27 pm

madmax Says:

“Jane are you saying that the rain delay helped fed in 2008 and it had nothing to do with his skill or belief?”

Not sure if it helped him, but he was down two sets. If anything it should have helped him regroup, spend some time to analyze what went wrong and how to correct it. He did come back and square it two sets all. I think it did help him.

“Or by the same token, are you saying that the dark helped rafa? Not sure what you mean.”

Roger Federer’s eyes are not that great. It did help Rafa also. I would say the rain delay helped Roger recover and take the next two sets, but because it dragged the match into twilight, the darkness stopped Roger from winning the fifth set. If the game started an hour earlier, I’d say Roger would have won that match.

Roger also blamed darkness for losing the RG SF to Rafa in 2005. He said he couldn’t see the ball. But I think he is exagerrating. He was still returning every ball fine. The problem was psychological. He felt he was at a disadvantage and negativity will affect your game, just as it did for Rafa in Paris against Djokovic when it started drizzling. It shouldn’t have made a HUGE difference, but in his mind it did.

June 22nd, 2012 at 4:34 pm

madmax, I haven’t seen the match since 2008 live, I don’t even know if there was one rain delay or two delays or what. I was just asking in response to trufan’s post as he brought up the roof issue, which may be needed this year. Of course, in the end, the tennis is the most important and the best guy on that day, during that match, wins. But weather and darkness can play a role, sure..

June 22nd, 2012 at 4:37 pm

“Though I do think Federer will beat Nadal if he is fresh when he faces him, and there is sufficient light! If they had the roof in 2008, Fed would never have lost that match. I am sure that’s the match that federer feels most hurt about, in his entire career.”

I disagree with this. The rain delays usually help the player that is behind, and that was Federer. Without the rain delay it might have ended in 3 sets not 5. There wouldn’t even be any darkness to factor in.

You’re probably right that it’s the match he feels most hurt about losing. But if I were Federer it wouldn’t be. He held two match points (and a two set lead) against Djokovic at the US Open last year and lost. The year before that was a very similar choke.

The point is, luck/unluck happens to everyone. And you do need to have a little luck sometimes to win. I would say that the rain saved Djokovic last year. Fed pushed him to the limit on Saturday, while Rafa had an easy win. Rafa was also on first so he had hours more rest than Djokovic. They were due to meet the following day in less than 24 hours. Djokovic should be spent right? Rain canceled play on Sunday and gave him a much needed day of rest. It would have been brutal to play five sets and then come back to play the final the next day. That’s the hardest thing about the US Open. But luck was on his side.

June 22nd, 2012 at 4:40 pm

as long as Federer loses it’ll be all good

June 22nd, 2012 at 4:42 pm

True about the USO last year WTF. That was a much needed break for Nole. I think at the FO this year, the first rain delay might’ve helped Nole regroup, but the second, overnight delay probably helped Rafa regroup. It really about momentum and what stops it or what helps a player find it. Those USO wins by Nole are interesting; the 2010 one is maybe less surprising since it was on Nole’s serve, but the 2011 one was shocking. And this may be another momentum issue – because while in both those cases all Nole did was save MPs and get or stay on serve, by doing so he also grabbed momentum and went on, both times, to break Fed. So is momentum a mental thing?

June 22nd, 2012 at 4:46 pm

“As for wanting a different final- i’d love a fedal final. i miss the fedal wimby matches- 2/3 were hands down classic matches, and fed stands a great chance against rafa on grass, so it would be a close affair.”

Take a look at the defeats Fed has taken on grass in the last 2 years. Hewitt (after what, 15 wins in a row against him on every surface?), Berdych (head case), Tsonga (after leading by two sets), Haas (34 years old). I just don’t see it happening. I think he has a bigger chance of not even making it to the semi final than he has of winning it and reaching the final.

June 22nd, 2012 at 4:49 pm

“I think at the FO this year, the first rain delay might’ve helped Nole regroup, but the second, overnight delay probably helped Rafa regroup.”

It’s true but if the first delay didn’t happen (and keep Nole in) the second would have been irrelevant since it would have been over already. Nadal wouldn’t have needed the help.

Overall, because Nole needed the help first, the rain helped him more. I feel it was justice that Rafa ended up winning it, because it would have been really unfortunate for him if he didn’t. He deserved it slightly more after the way he began the match until the break. Only thing that stopped him was the rain. And one guy can’t (or shouldn’t) get all the luck.

June 22nd, 2012 at 4:54 pm

WTF

“As for wanting a different final- i’d love a fedal final. i miss the fedal wimby matches- 2/3 were hands down classic matches, and fed stands a great chance against rafa on grass, so it would be a close affair.”

Odds are you are right( unless Fed starts playing like post USO-Madrid ), but me thinks Brando was referring to yearning for the epic battles Fed and Rafa had on Grass, that, it was entertaining, and, wanting to watch that type of play again. I’m on board with that. Grass tends to bring that out in players…..

June 22nd, 2012 at 5:14 pm

@Krishna

He also predicted the Netherlands would win Euro2012.

Fail.

June 22nd, 2012 at 5:29 pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUyMndQaLVo&feature=relmfu

June 22nd, 2012 at 5:29 pm

How is it that people as stupid as that character who calls noggie, anonymous people, that only through the Internet at home with your computer locked up, is dedicated to insulting showing his total lack of intelligence, which is known cibénetica jargon as “trolls.” What come to mean that?. Here is its definition: A “troll” the Internet is (usually a him) who takes pleasure in sowing discord on the Internet. Try to initiate discussions and offend people. Trolls are the Internet communications services as places
suitable for his flamboyant game. For some reason, not “capture”
that hurt real people. For them, other Internet users do not are quite human, but a kind of digital abstraction. as result, feel no sorrow for the pain they inflict.
In fact, the greater the suffering they cause, the greater their achievement (as they see it). For now, the relative anonymity of the network
allows trolls to flourish.
Trolls are utterly impervious to criticism (constructive or not). You can not negotiate with them, you can not make them feel shame or compassion, you can not reason with them. Can not be to feel remorse. For some reason, trolls do not feel they are required to follow the rules of courtesy and responsibility social.
Perhaps this sounds inconceivable. You may think, “Surely there will be you can write something that makes them change. “But a real troll can not be changed by mere words.
The next time you’re in a forum and see a message from someone you think is a troll, and you feel you must respond, just type a reply message entitled “Troll Alert” and type only this:
The only way to deal with trolls is to limit your reaction to
remind others not to respond to trolls.
When sending a message like this makes you the troll know that you know what it is, and will not be dragged into his twisted little hobby.
The Internet is a chaotic collection of material both splendidly serious as stupid. Being so open, is bound to have problems. I think we can enjoy it better if we deal with everything that happens on the network with a wry grin and a shrug prepared.
Request the author of the article, Mr. Randall and the webmaster who is kind to restrict people – if they can call it that, in order to continue to exchange views and information and not create a useless way to attack each one another, as if not enough the “real” world for that. I ask a favor to all participants of this forum.
Here I give a controversial article about this and what is always accused of being favored Nadal in the draws. (it’s in Spanish)

June 22nd, 2012 at 5:49 pm

El link: http://www.puntodebreak.com/2012/06/13/la-mafia-nadal-y-el-capo-tio-toni

June 22nd, 2012 at 5:50 pm

wow, having a really hard time with my bracket. I’m going with a Fedal. I’m over Rafole. And obviously I don’t want to do aay with the Rafa part so I will pick a Fedal. I can’t figure out what to do with many of these players. Isner could lose to Federer or he can also lose to Seppi. And my womens bracket is even worse.

June 22nd, 2012 at 5:58 pm

@jamie: Who does your astro think will win Wimbledon?

Starnaud Astrology picked Nadal to win FO 2012..guess that is a no brainer though lol.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxHzr2kaZTA&feature=relmfu

June 22nd, 2012 at 6:08 pm

WTF “And one guy can’t (or shouldn’t) get all the luck.” Over the years, I think the luck is spread out fairly well: via weather, draws, net cords, walkovers, injuries, etc.

June 22nd, 2012 at 6:23 pm

I know there is more knowledgeable people on this forum than me so I am going to ask them, if draw is random how come from AO 2008 until AO2012 Nole ended up in every single HC and grass court GS in Roger’s half? If it is random how come Nole as #2 and Roger as #3 last year and Nole as#1 and Roger as #3 this year ended up in a same half. Same thing happened at USO2011 and USO2010 ( #1 and #3, #3 and#2), I do have my opinion and that is that we live in “corporate world.” You can take it any way you want:)

And no, I am not complaining, if Nole wants to win than he has to do that regardless of draw beeing hard or not, he is used on doing it hard way so that is nothing new for him. He did it in Canada in 2007 lining up #3,#2,#1 to win masters as first man after Boris Becker to do so (methinks) and I guess he is little bit better player today than in 2007.

There is nice Latn verb tha seats nicely with Nole:
“Per aspera ad astra”

Go my man, put your heart on your sleeve , that is all we are asking from you :)

June 22nd, 2012 at 6:27 pm

Latin and not Latn

…sits nicely and not seats nicely, methinks:)

June 22nd, 2012 at 6:31 pm

Wog Boy, that’s a nice proverb. Thanks for sharing it. :) It’s tough not to feel a little frustrated that Nole and Fed seem always to end up on the same side at most of the slams for years now :/ That way Nole pretty much always has to defeat Fed and Rafa to get a title (and I suppose it’s the same for Fed: he has to defeat both Nole and Rafa), unless one of them is upset. That has certainly happened sometimes. But it would be nice to see it mixed up a bit. Then there are potentially different finals!

When was the last time we saw Fed and Nole in a slam final, for example? Was it USO 2007!? When was the last time we saw Rafa and Murray in a slam final? Never. But Murray has been in a slam final with Nole and 2 with Fed.

Like madmax said earlier, I do think it would be “striking” and kind of exciting to see completely new people in the Wimbledon final. I do think grass is maybe the trickiest slam, especially in week one, and so we could see some upsets.

June 22nd, 2012 at 7:00 pm

How about a Cilic versus, oh, I don’t know, Nalby in the final? But no linesmen, only hawk eye. ;)

June 22nd, 2012 at 7:18 pm

jane,

Those Latin proverbs are leftovers from my high school education, I loved them. We had a Latin language as compulsory subject for two years and we had to know all proverbs off by heart. I didn’t like school to much but I did like certain subjects, Latin language was one of them, it was lot of wisdom in it, not that I absorb it. That was long time ago, lot of those phrases are gone with a wind. It looks like I am socialising with that bloke Alzeheimer to much lately:)

June 22nd, 2012 at 7:19 pm

I love them too Wog Boy; I did some classical studies in college, not Latin the language, but the history, art, philosophy, etc, so some of those sayings stick. Memory does fade more nowadays though.

So both Tignor and Bodo are picking a Fedal final. : /

June 22nd, 2012 at 7:22 pm

jane,

Don’t worrie about Tignor and Bodo, they are wrong, it is going to be Nolay one:)

June 22nd, 2012 at 7:30 pm

Wog Boy that would be lovely – gooo Nolay!

June 22nd, 2012 at 7:33 pm

wog boy- that is one of my favorites and the motto for my home state ;)

jane- i like how sometimes the most simple realizations are the most powerful:
“That way Nole pretty much always has to defeat Fed and Rafa to get a title (and I suppose it’s the same for Fed: he has to defeat both Nole and Rafa”

it goes both ways for fed and nole fans, they are in the weird, difficult, miserable (for fed fans) boat together in a way.

here is the odd thing, that i probably won’t be able to explain well:

it is a very big task for any one of the top three to have to go through two of the others

Rafa had it drawn at AO this year, and didn’t do it (lost to nole in final)

novak had it drawn at FO and couldn’t do it (lost to rafa in final), but he did it at USO 2011

Roger has obviously failed at it, at least with this nole now being super nova (k)

so in the end, kudos to novak, and good luck to the rest, it seems to be close to impossible to pull off!

June 22nd, 2012 at 7:34 pm

Jamie, If you bet money. For whom would you?. Nadal, Federer, Djokovic or someone else.

June 22nd, 2012 at 7:41 pm

I can’t waited to see Murray cry tear of shame when I crush him and the hope of Scotland. THE GREAT DAVY mounts my comeback these month!!

June 22nd, 2012 at 7:47 pm

dari, I think Delpo is the only player besides Nole to beat both Fed and Rafa in a slam. Fed and Nole are the only guys to beat Rafa in a slam final. Fed and Rafa are the only guys to beat Nole in a slam final. Rafa beat Fed and Nole at RG 2008. Rafa and Delpo are the only two to beat Fed in a slam final (right?). And round and round we go! Indeed we are in the boat together, dari, but it would be exciting to see it dock and change passengers a little more often. :D

June 22nd, 2012 at 7:55 pm

@Krishna

The psychic will tell me early next week. Looking at Chinese astrology, the winner should be Nadal or Federer.

============

@Steve 27

My money would be on Nadal.

June 22nd, 2012 at 7:59 pm

you’re telling me, jane. here on out there will be change, i feel it! (not)

June 22nd, 2012 at 8:01 pm

Interesting ATP link re: 600 match winners (Roddick reached today) and longest holders of number 1 after first taking it – Nole is number 4 (behind Fed, Connors and Hewitt, but ahead of Rafa (!), Nasty, Agassi, Edberg, Wilander, Sampras), Nole’s done darn good for a first time number one holder – woot! I had no idea. :)))

http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2012/06/Features/Shark-Bites-Roddick-600-Wins.aspx

June 22nd, 2012 at 8:41 pm

p.s, Congrats to Roddick.

June 22nd, 2012 at 8:41 pm

Also interesting is how many more over-30 years players are in the top 100 compared to just 10 years ago. 27 over 30 players are in the top 100 now, compared to just 11 over 30 players in 2002. It must be the technology that helps older players stay on tour longer, but also fitness levels now are as high as they’ve ever been. And then medical treatments/advancements, etc.

June 22nd, 2012 at 8:45 pm

Whats the odds Nalby will be ordered to wear specialized “Nerf Shoes” for Wimby?

June 22nd, 2012 at 10:52 pm

Looking at the draw, it’s getting difficult to look beyond Nadal as the Champion. He is more certain to reach Finals than Novak. But if Novak can get to Semis, then he has an easy path for Finals. Either he has Roger or someone which is not a touch one for Novak.

If the Final is between Rafa vs Novak, I would give Rafa an edge. It has been difficult to beat Rafa at Wimbledon, after he wins FO. I doubt Novak can beat him in the finals, but Novak has better chance than any other active player to beat Rafa.

If it’s Rafa vs anyother player, then Rafa would be the champion without any doubt.

I think Novak became No 1 after winning Wimbledon last year. In 2009 probably Roger reclaimed No 1 after winning Wimbledon (i think so).

As per the ranking, can Rafa claim No 1 if he wins the Wim without facing Novak?

June 22nd, 2012 at 11:27 pm

If Novak makes SF Rafa can not claim #1 even if he wins Wimbledon but Federer can.

June 22nd, 2012 at 11:36 pm

This Article and ESPN, will tell, how much money NIKE must spend, to see final between Roger and Nadal, really bad for tennis.
It’s happening again, fixing of the draw. Just look at this:http://www.playthegame.org/fileadmin/image/PTG2011/Presentation/thursday/Katarina_Pijetlovic_-_6_Oct_at_PLAY_THE_GAME_2011.pdf

June 22nd, 2012 at 11:41 pm

NK,

“Looking at the draw, it’s getting difficult to look beyond Nadal as the Champion.:

Oh yeah…. you heard it right here….Rafa…2012 Wimby Champ by NK!

Somehow…looking forward to the next few years…….not maybe right now…but overall…..imo… it’s getting difficult to look beyond Novak as the #1 Player in the World. hehe…

June 22nd, 2012 at 11:57 pm

Some of the toughest draws might turn out to be very easy if we may recall Miami where Murray had one of the toughest draws but managed to reach the finals through a string of walk overs. But that may not repeat again. Out of the four, Murray’s way to the finals seem the toughest and poor guy he has to be in this kind of situation tournament after tournament. With the way Murray is playing prior to Wimbledon does not give any confidence that he will come through and I would not be surprised even if he falls to Davydenko in the first round. It is a tricky one and I hope he gets through. My gut feeling tells me that it will be once again a Novak-Nadal final with Novak winning it for the second consecutive time. Ofcourse, Nadal is having the momentum in his favour, but these are faster courts and here I think Novak has the edge because he has the weapons to bother Nadal.

June 23rd, 2012 at 12:55 am

@skeezer, said,,,,,the old guy needs to break, Are you sure??
I thought he is SUPERMAN,!!

@mark, relax dude! Our guy. It’s fedal, my ft said so, if not I just punch my ft,,,,,

June 23rd, 2012 at 1:23 am

Somehow…looking forward to the next few years…….not maybe right now…but overall…..imo… it’s getting difficult to look beyond Novak as the #1 Player in the World. hehe…

Skeezer, you are right. I believe Novak would be the No 1 again from Nadal. I will be shifting hands between these two for next 2 years and Novak would have this majority of the times. Anytime I would give an advantage to Novak on HC against Nadal.

On clay and grass I would prefer Rafa with Novak inching closer.

June 23rd, 2012 at 2:28 am

It is very unfortunate we get fed-djokovic. let us see how the conspiracy theory holds.

wimbledon 2008, f1, n2, d3. we got 1VS3.

2009, n1,f2,d3. we got 2VS3

2010, n1,f2,d3, we got 2Vs3

2011, n1,d2,f3 and we got 2 Vs 3.

2012, d1,n2,f3 we got 1Vs3.

so in 5years we have 3 heads (2 playing 3) and 2 tails (1playing 3).

so, really it is nothing out of the blue. in any case we never had a federer djokovic match-up at wimbledon.

if fed beats novak he gets the nole slam and if nole beats fed he gets the roger slam. (these 2 have beaten each other at every other slam) fed also beat novak in WTF. i dont think novak ever beat him there!

so say “f$%k you very much” to conspiracy theorists!

June 23rd, 2012 at 2:32 am

in the above post f means fed, n = nadal, d=djokovic

June 23rd, 2012 at 2:33 am

i want fed to be in rafa’s half in wimbledon/uso because

a) rafa is past his prime while djokovic is at his very best

b) djokovic is a better fast court player than rafa.

c) rafa is more determined in a final as he is closer to the prize.

at french, i want fed on djokovic’s side. at aus open, i would ideally want fed to be number 2 and play only one of djokovic/nadal.

June 23rd, 2012 at 2:38 am

let us check conspiracy theory at wimbledon.

2008 – n1,f2,d3 so 2Vs3

2009, f1,m2,d3,n4 – yes murray was number 2 for usopen 2009, so we got 1 Vs3.

2010 – n1,f2,d3 – so again 2Vs3

2011 – d1,n2,f3 – and we got 1Vs3.

so last 4 years we got 2 times heads (2Vs3) and 2 times tails(1Vs3)

again, conspiracy theorists are wrong!

June 23rd, 2012 at 2:49 am

sorry, last post was conspiracy theory at USOPEN! not wimbledon!

June 23rd, 2012 at 2:50 am

aus open

2008 – f1,n2,d3 so 1Vs3

2009 – n1,f2,d3, so 2VS3

2010 – f1,n2,d3, so 1Vs3

2011- n1,f2,d3, so 2Vs3

2012 – d1,n2,f3 so 2Vs3

so, at aus open it is 3heads (2Vs 3) and 2 tails (1Vs3)

June 23rd, 2012 at 2:56 am

french open – does it even matter? whichever you rig, rafa comes trumps, no?

2008, f1,n2,d3 – 2Vs3

2009, n1,f2,d3 – again 2 Vs3

2010, f1,n2,d3 – again 2Vs3

2011, n1,f2,d3 – again 2Vs3

2012, d1,n2,f2 – 1VS3

if anything it is FO that must be rigged. but really, 4 heads or tails in a row is not that uncommon. you have 1/16 of a chance. so no big deal really.

in fact, mathematically, each draw is an independent event compared to any other draw. so fed/djokovic semis is just plain misfortune for these 2 as it basically puts these 2 on the back-foot straight away.

one could say rafa is very lucky. surfaces slowed down/balls heavier and fed-djokovic all the time. but then again, you can make such cases for everyone.

i definitely dont think you can cry foul from this data. however, the nike angle is suspicious. they do have a very unhealthy monopoly – all the more so in tennis.

and the bigger blame should also go to the 2nd tier players like berdych,tsonga, murray and delpotro, who clearly are well below fed-nadal-djokovic league. if and when they EARN their number 4 ranking, it will not matter who plays who.

June 23rd, 2012 at 3:10 am

Dave – above – you and I are kindred regarding this fiasco over seedings. Nadal must have some serious butt picking buddies doing the draws all these years. It is absolutely criminal that the number one SEED DOES NOT EVEN GET THE BASIC PERK OF POTENTIALLY FACING THE NUMBER 4 SEED. In no other team sport or tournament sport does the number 1 play the number 2 or 3, and yet world TENNIS has managed to do this again to Novak.

I know Novak beat Federer surprisingly easy at the French, but it was certainly more time consuming than the cakewalk Nadal had verus Ferer. Who knows, maybe Fed plays Nadal tough in the Semis, and a much more rested Novak beats whoever wins out of Murray and Ferer.

To anyone with a brain, that would have been fair and equitable treatment of a number one seeded player. For some reason though, Novak is literally being cheated by the Tennis gods, and it’s about time someone put a stop to it.

Well said Dave and others above!

June 23rd, 2012 at 3:41 am

I meant to say a more rested Novak after beating Murray/Ferer, or whoever, would be a little bit more rested than a Nadal who had to play Federer.

There is really nothing we can do about it but the problem is really to the point of absurdity.

June 23rd, 2012 at 3:59 am

@Craig. “Novak is literally being cheated by the Tennis gods….”. How do you work that one out? From my point of view he was extremely lucky to even make it to the finals. Seppi had him on a shoe string and Tsonga had 4 match points which he could not convert! You talk about Novak’s semi being more ti e consuming than that of Rafa- do you even know the ti e difference between the two matches? NINETEEEN minutes, that is all!!

June 23rd, 2012 at 4:40 am

WTF Says:
“I think at the FO this year, the first rain delay might’ve helped Nole regroup, but the second, overnight delay probably helped Rafa regroup.”

It’s true but if the first delay didn’t happen (and keep Nole in) the second would have been irrelevant since it would have been over already. Nadal wouldn’t have needed the help.

Overall, because Nole needed the help first, the rain helped him more. I feel it was justice that Rafa ended up winning it, because it would have been really unfortunate for him if he didn’t. He deserved it slightly more after the way he began the match until the break. Only thing that stopped him was the rain. And one guy can’t (or shouldn’t) get all the luck.

June 22nd, 2012 at 4:54 pm

Roger Federer’s eyes are not that great. It did help Rafa also.

WTF, I didn’t know RF had an eye problem? Tell me more.

Secondly, rain delays helping to regroup and the player who is losing comes out on top? Not sure how you can say that. Novak still lost to rafa at the FO after the rain delay, so I think this is too much of a generalisation.

And the 2008 wimbledon was closer than most people think.

June 23rd, 2012 at 5:05 am

I would be the first one to agree with SM theory if the decision of who is going to play who before each GS is made by the toss of the coin. But as far as I know (I might be wrong) that is not the case. Decision is made by humans who know exactly who is who and they can match them the way they want as we can see, one year #1 gets #3 the other year he gets #4. I will say again, if it is result of toss of a coin SM theory is perfect, but it is not so the theory is worthless.

June 23rd, 2012 at 6:16 am

Wogboy,

Good morning. It cannot be rigged. If it is an electronic machine, then it is what it is.

It doesn’t bother me who Fed plays as long as he wins.

I think he reaches the SF this year. Whether he wins it, I don’t know.

I pray for deep zen and that roger has good energy, great practice and greater belief this year than he did last year, year before, year before and in 2008.

June 23rd, 2012 at 6:36 am

madmax,

Good evening, well if it is electronic machine and if you say so I will not argue, but just to tell you this I have a cousin who lives in Germany since 60s and is professional gambler and I use to go overthere to drive him and his mates around those “spielcasinos” and I saw what they were capable of doing with those electronc machines:-) If they could do it …..?
BTW, I never thought they rigg the draws to help either of the players but out of corporate greediness, because Fedal brings more money than Fedole or Rafole.
I am lookong forward to see Roger and Nole in SF on the grass, I hope they will both make it, that should be a treat.

June 23rd, 2012 at 7:30 am

Why is it that the nadaltards alway make innuendo’s towards Fed that heis the evil genius behind the draw?

If Fed was behind any malicious drawing activity then surely he would have selected Rafa to becom his opponent in Wimbly and US Open?

Fed has proved the last 8 months that he owns Rafa on the faster courts. It is 50 /50 on fastcourts against Novak but he is gonna cream Rafa WTF style when he meets him.

June 23rd, 2012 at 8:19 am

Sienna, considering fed hasn’t beat rafa in a grand slam since, uh 2007, we rafatards r fine with them playing,

Madmax, nice post at 636am. I think your man will win Wimbledon or US open. I think he will dig deep and make it happen. I believe he will leave nothing on the tables in these last two events of the summer and if someone of his caliber does that I think he will win one. And probably finish with 17 or possibly 18.

At the beginning of the tournament, a fan wants their player to win so we hope for theist favorable draw possible. At the end of a tournament, it is more satisfying as a fan if they hold the trophy beating a tough opponent(s). For example was not happy to see Novak in the final but once Rafa won even happier for the victory.

So let’s say fed makes the final. It would be natural for fed fans to want him to play Murray/tsonga but the title would be more satisfying if he wins it over nadal.

But let’s be honest, at the beginning of a tournament we just want our guy to win. And the easier the better.

June 23rd, 2012 at 8:50 am

^From what i can gather from the comments on this thread,its not the so called Nadaltards that actually have a problem with the draw,its the Fed/Nole fans complaining that they always end up in the same half,(NO OFFENCE THOUGH NOLE/FED FANS AS YOU DO HAVE A POINT),Kimberly,Brando,even Mark,actually made no mention of the draw,so why do some people look for an argument thats not even there?

June 23rd, 2012 at 8:56 am

Is anybody watching Paszek and Kerber, pretty good tennis.

June 23rd, 2012 at 8:59 am

Alison,

No offence taken, good to see you back:)

June 23rd, 2012 at 9:26 am

Thanks Wogboy,nice to be back too.

June 23rd, 2012 at 9:28 am

^lol also ive dropped the dreadful sirname.^

June 23rd, 2012 at 9:29 am

http://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/Wimbledon-draw-announced-3657183.php

weezer hodge ;)

June 23rd, 2012 at 9:40 am

To Rafaturds,

even with the huge age disadvantage for so many years, Fed is 8-6 on Rafa outside of clay (2-12 on clay).

So WHENEVER they meet outside of clay, Fed has a pretty good chance at winning.

He is 2-1 on Rafa on Grass.

Now that Rafa is also past his peak of 2010, the Fed will only increase his H2H lead over Rafa outside of clay.

On clay they probably won’t meet much now.

June 23rd, 2012 at 9:43 am

@Alison: GREAT to see you back- was missing your posts:-) wimby should be fun, let’s hope our fav ends up being the last one left with the trophy :-)

June 23rd, 2012 at 9:47 am

I’m really confused here with the arguments of the draw. Having Roger in the other half of the draw is a big setback for Nadal. Roger has been his punching bag in the slams for last 5 years.

Very soon Toni is going to make a minor protest on this. Rafa deserves to have a draw with Roger.

June 23rd, 2012 at 9:52 am

What a nice storry, Tamira Paszek won!

June 23rd, 2012 at 9:58 am

Alison, Brando,

Are you looking after that beautiful Aussie girl that English people are going crazy about. Her name is Black Caviar:)
We want her back with Royal Ascot around her neck:)

June 23rd, 2012 at 10:02 am

Thanks Brando,i hope the same about Rafa,and i must say i feel positive about his chances at wimby,im not saying he will win,but he seems to be more confident,and is also playing better than he did a year ago,time will tell i suppose,i have to say the thing i want him to do now,would be to bag more titles especially grand slams away from the FO,so what better place to start than at wimby,bring it on.

June 23rd, 2012 at 10:20 am

@alison: amen to that sentiment.

June 23rd, 2012 at 10:27 am

@WB: lol, I’m sure we are- have you by any chance put some serious money down for your finest? :-)

June 23rd, 2012 at 10:29 am

Brando,
I don’t bet but I love horses, they are beautiful animals and she is special. They wouldn’t spend $150.000 just to bring her in England if they din’t believe she can do it 22. time in a row.
This is her first time running outside Australia.

June 23rd, 2012 at 10:36 am

Nirmal,

Ya, Rafa would rather see Delpo in his half, who beat the pants out of his butt 6-2 6-2 6-2 athe USO.

Ya ya, let the injury excuse come, yet again.

Heard Rafa’s interview after losing in Halle? Again, while giving a backhanded complement to Kohlschreiber, he made sure to mention that he had played many matches and was looking forward to “resting”, meaning he lost because he was tired.

They have made grass courts so hard now, that even Ferrer is winning grass titles. So why not Nadal, after all, he is an improved verson of Ferrer.

If the surfaces were the way they used to be (only clay was slow and high bouncy, not almost every surface is), Nadal would have never won a slam outside of clay.

Proof of that? Look at how badly he gets beaten at the fast indoor courts of the YEC, where he continues to draw a blank.

June 23rd, 2012 at 10:46 am

Brando,

Well, well, well she won Diamond Jubilee Stakes, she is wonder horse. Here we go, here we go, here we gooooo

Sorry people, off topic:(

June 23rd, 2012 at 11:01 am

@WB:

$150,000! WOW! did not know that.

by the way you keeping up with euros and who are supporting from the ones left in the tourny?

Hope it’s us english :-)

June 23rd, 2012 at 11:03 am

@WB:

She is a thing of real beauty WB- i bet her owner/ keeper is as possessive as the one in the godfather :-)

June 23rd, 2012 at 11:06 am

trufan,

I’m not sure what’s your point is really?

June 23rd, 2012 at 11:19 am

Brando,

It would be nice to see England and Portugal in final. It is hard but possible, they have probably to beat Spain and England to beat Italy and Germany. Brando, you can do it:)

Yes, Black Caviar is a beauty.

BTW, Roddick is doing well so far , set and the break up.

June 23rd, 2012 at 11:20 am

@ trufan,,,rafa just has tons of luck!!!!!+!

June 23rd, 2012 at 11:23 am

@WB:

Thanks, i hope we can do it- confident about the italy game, but then there is dreaded germany :-(

hope roddick makes a good run at wimby- who’s half did he end up landing in?

June 23rd, 2012 at 11:24 am

Andy Murray can get the slam if the queen let him touch her scepter, all his jinx will run away. How could I trust my gold in him if he is always number 4! Its unlucky number in chinese,,,,,,geeee,

June 23rd, 2012 at 11:29 am

Fed should be happy to have Nole in the semi. He’s the underdog to be sure, but he knows going into the event that if he wins 7 matches he will be #1. If Nole reached the final, a Fed win would not do that. Since they play in the semis, Fed winning 7 matches would preclude Nole reaching the final and remaining #1 (unless of course, he wins 5 tennis matches and 2 chess matches to get to 7 match wins).

June 23rd, 2012 at 11:35 am

Brando,

Roddick won, big confident boost before Wimbledon, I don’t know whose half he is in?

June 23rd, 2012 at 11:36 am

Ferrer wins a grass title, and Roddick wins one too. They are both in the same section at Wimbledon. Ferrer leads their H2H 6-4 but they’ve exchanged their latest 4 meetings 2 and 2. They could meet 3rd round.

June 23rd, 2012 at 11:37 am

@WB:

it will be a boost for him- he’s dangerous for sure. Doubt any of the top 4 would want to see him across the net.

June 23rd, 2012 at 11:39 am

@Dan Martin:

this wimby is the probably the HARDEST GS to predict in a very long while.

All the top 3 have a genuine chance, and each could have a strong case made foe them.

From all i have been reading in the media from experts and most importantly the man himself, federer, he seems keen, primed and certain of himself going into wimby.

Right now, i’d probably give fed as good a chance as the other 2.

June 23rd, 2012 at 11:41 am

Wog Boy, Roddick is in Rafa’s half, but Murray’s quarter. To get to Murray in the semis, assuming Murray gets there, Roddick could have to go through both Ferrer and Delpo.

June 23rd, 2012 at 11:42 am

I agree Fed has a great shot and Nole and Rafa got the two worst QF draws with Berdych and Tsonga possibly in the final 8.

June 23rd, 2012 at 11:54 am

jane,

Thanks and good morning and good night, time for bed it is 2am zzzzzzzzzzz

June 23rd, 2012 at 11:58 am

@Dan:

true with regards to qtrs: rafa and novak have got the 2 worst draws possible.

I’d say tsonga and berdych are an equal threat to both.

Berdych has RU here, beat novak in the SF, generally been playing very well this year, has beat fed at wimby also, big game etc so he’s very dangerous.

tsonga? natural grass player, SF last year, RU at queens, comeback against fed shows he’s got what it takes to win from behind- a very tough opponent.

June 23rd, 2012 at 11:59 am

I did a bracket first thing when I woke up and it is nuts. I jave andy winning his first slam. Why cant i ever pick sensibly?!!!

June 23rd, 2012 at 12:07 pm

Congrats to AndyR! Just wjat he needed!

June 23rd, 2012 at 12:08 pm

tennis washed out this morning so went to a difficult training class. Still wobbly. Just looked at my bracket and its awful. I’ve got to do some serious tweaking.

June 23rd, 2012 at 12:22 pm

Good news: All Federer has to do in order to break that Sampras’ record of 286 weeks is to win the title

Bad news: He’ll have to beat Djokovic & Nadal in order to accomplish this task

June 23rd, 2012 at 1:14 pm

in response to “i like tennis bullies” as long as federer loses all is well”, thats how i feel about nadal. as long as he loses all is well.

June 23rd, 2012 at 1:16 pm

Hey Fed fans. Your man has another record ” SMURF KING”.ATP have announced no blue clay at ATP world tour level. So Madrid back to the proper stuff in 2013.

June 23rd, 2012 at 1:32 pm

Blue clay is OUT!

http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2012/06/Features/ATP-Rules-Out-Blue-Clay-For-2013.aspx

June 23rd, 2012 at 1:32 pm

Wow Mark we posted at the exact same time. Also noticed at the ATP site that Roddick has won Eastborne for 12 straight season! I had no idea he even played that event all these years, because I’d usually see him at Queens and that’s it. Anyhow, that’s a nice streak for him. Another intriguing factor is that Roddick credits his returns:

http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2012/06/25/Eastbourne-Saturday-Roddick-Defeats-Seppi-To-Extend-Title-Streak.aspx

June 23rd, 2012 at 1:35 pm

Oops ^ ignore: I read that wrong. What Roddick has done is win at least one title for 12 straight seasons. Not Eastborne itself. *facepalm* Need some coffee; the green tea isn’t working. :/

June 23rd, 2012 at 1:38 pm

just done the dreaded deed- picking my wimby bracket!

It was tough- reckon i’ll give it a day to see if i want to make any changes, since there were a fair few matches where i was liable to go either way.

tough to pick- much HARDER than FO!

June 23rd, 2012 at 1:45 pm

Wog Boy :

ofcourse they can rig it. but once you go down that path, we will also have to assume that tennis matches are fixed and players dope and so on and so forth.

What I have given proof for is that even in a fair world, fed-djokovic would have happened in 16 of the 21 slams. whether our world is ideal, we do not know.

just as we cant assume all tennis players dope without having proof, we can claim draws being rigged without proof. if anyone has inside info on draws being rigged, i would like to hear that.

June 23rd, 2012 at 2:02 pm

falsefan

you are a disgrace to this forum….your posts reek of your hate and bias towards on of the greatest of all time and you are completely delusional…calls himself a fedfan and talks about rafa non stop…what a loser.

June 23rd, 2012 at 2:35 pm

Blue clay courts banned by ATP

Madrid will not be able to continue its experiment with blue clay next year after the ATP announced they were banning the change of colour for 2013.

The courts caused huge controversy at the Masters Series tournament in May, with clay court maestro Rafael Nadal and world number one Novak Djokovic particularly vociferous in their opposition.

ATP executive chairman and president Brad Drewett announced the decision at a meeting of the ATP board of directors in London, saying: “After careful consideration, I have decided that blue clay courts will not be allowed next year.”

He added: “I very much believe in innovation and exploring ways to enhance our sport.

“While the blue clay may have offered better visibility on television, there were clearly issues with the quality of the courts in Madrid this year, which were not acceptable at an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament, one of our top events worldwide.”

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5hUpdKF7OV4lvfYqQ58l4L2Ow091A?docId=N0060091340472555633A

Team Rafa, Nole, Uncle Toni:1
Team Tiriac, Bodo, @Dave: 0

June 23rd, 2012 at 3:13 pm

blue clay or not, madrid has been good for fed.

blue clay just showed you what would have happened if the courts/conditions were not slowed down.

nadal/djokovic (foolishly, you must say for novak) would keep boycotting grass and wimbledon like the clay courters of 90s and fed would have raked in maybe even more wimbledons!

nadal/djokovic’s fight against faster conditions reminds me of the 90s where clay courters used to whine about wimbledon’s seeding system.

June 23rd, 2012 at 3:25 pm

i feel sad that nadal has opposition in his own country.

getting booed in paris, not getting the courts he wants in madrid – well, i guess winning matches might win over raf@tards like nadalista and rff and bullies, but it doesn’t get you your own choice of courts or win over fans.

i cannot see anyone going against nole in serbia, for example!

June 23rd, 2012 at 3:30 pm

^The French have a habit of booing all players other than their own! They booed Murray and cheered Gasquet. They are a retarded bunch. As long as Nadal keeps winning the French Open they can boo all they like. Water off a duck’s back!!

June 23rd, 2012 at 3:42 pm

Mark,

Apparently Fed was the only guy who could play on it…..hehe…call hime anything you want, but he played on it better than anyone else.

June 23rd, 2012 at 4:50 pm

@anthony edwards,

I feel your pain…………….

Could it be the ATP has been infiltrated by raf@tards……perish the thought!!

June 23rd, 2012 at 5:14 pm

ofcourse, raf@tard logic dictates you blame an entire nation rather than seeing the obvious.

pain? can you feel the pain when nadal picks his bu77 before every serve? i am sure you do.

most mainstream tennis media has called nadal a whiner for his constant whining and immature rants.

fed is not the one who quit atp council. we all know who the quitter is.

June 23rd, 2012 at 5:27 pm

^^^^never ceases to amaze me how the a nice guy like Federer attracts dredges like this for fans…

Don’t worry @anthony edwards, you fit right in with the typical Fedfan judging by your crude language……

Have a nice life……….

June 23rd, 2012 at 5:34 pm

do the fedtards feel the pain when federer goes on a shank-a-thon and goes on a walkabouts mid matches anthony? :P

June 23rd, 2012 at 5:37 pm

Fact is, Rafa “whined” and the ATP capitulated…..deal with it.

June 23rd, 2012 at 5:40 pm

Seriously are some people incapable of sending in a post without using the word TARD all the time,i mean what have we got on this forum,adults or kids,it makes you wonder at times?

June 23rd, 2012 at 5:45 pm

Good to see you’re back, alison! Yes, there are many rude and childish posters on here. I guess some people enjoy that sort of thing, though I don’t understand why.

As to the actual issues at hand, yes, it’s getting a bit old always having Rafa and Murray in the same half of the draw, but I’m not going to complain about it. I wouldn’t be scared for Rafa facing Fed in the semi either, though he is more dangerous than Murray. I just don’t want Rafa to fall to #3 and have to face Nole in the semis! While Rafa has lately demonstrated that he can still beat Nole (at least on clay) that is his toughest match up.

Re: blue clay, it sounds like the ATP’s decision applies only to 2013 and there is the possibility of Madrid going back to it once the kinks are worked out. It was interesting to see something so different in the middle of the clay season and Fed was definitely the best on the surface, but it needs to be safe. And it’s not as if Rafa was the only player who complained.

June 23rd, 2012 at 6:03 pm

Lulu,

Agree with you there, safety is the key. It was a great accomplishment for Fed, but I am sure he is on the side of gettng that surface corrected.

@azrael

This fedfan feels the pain(shankathon/walkabouts :-/ )

June 23rd, 2012 at 6:12 pm

Thanks Lulu and i completely agree with your post,although i have to say i think Rafas got the Nole monkey off his back,he seems more confident now when facing him,and as a fan im also more confident these days when Rafa does face Nole,and it might be just me,but i think hes playing better than he was a year ago,dont get me wrong though,im not saying all of a sudden he will beat Nole everytime they face off,but im thinking the rivalry is more balanced than it was IMO.

June 23rd, 2012 at 6:20 pm

@Alison, agree with you. Nirmal Kumar said so, depends on the surface.

@trufan, rafa picking his butt he got a armani contract, you picking your butt you got rotten egg

June 23rd, 2012 at 9:44 pm

nadalista :

I can thoroughly understand how a player who constantly keeps violating the game’s rules and has no regards for its tradition attracts clowns like you as fans, though.

There are many more wiser and intelligent people than you and mark and other nadal nuts, who have called nadal out for his constant whining. If he had a problem with the courts, there are more mature and smart ways of dealing than whining like a petulant child. Ofcourse, you cannot expect anything more from a guy who runs away from responsibilities and resigns from a position of power because he cannot convince others to see his view point.I wouldn’t call such people leaders.

Rafa whines about a ton of things. If anything, the credit for the atp’s change should go to Novak. He did not whine about the courts before he started playing on it. He always said “let me play” before I comment. Nadal on the other hand has been talking about blue clay since last year. He has made a fool out of himself regarding this issue.

ofcourse I would not expect blind worshippers like you to get this. I am sure people like you will defend rafa even if he is proven to be a doper! Fortunately, there are more sensible people who can see things better.

I find it funny that people will even defend a disgusting thing like constant digging/picking of the bu77 in public. Maybe these people do it in public too. I do not and I find it utterly disgusting. Ofcourse rafat@rds will equate this to other guys adjusting their shorts once in a while. that is how rabid rafa fans work. According to them a serial offender is the same as a guy who does it once in a while.

June 23rd, 2012 at 10:45 pm

Alison :

Different people talk differently. people like nadalista, mark and bullies and other clowns will only understand t@rd language. If they posted any wiser stuff, I would talk to them like you should talk to sensible humans.

I hope you are better than them and dont think his bu77 picking is justified because he has got an endorsement for giorgio armani.

June 23rd, 2012 at 10:53 pm

Hey Fed fans. Your man has another record ” SMURF KING”.ATP have announced no blue clay at ATP world tour level. So Madrid back to the proper stuff in 2013.

I think credit should got to Roger too. He is the president of the players council, I believe he has expressed displeasure to the ATP on the surface based on the larger players feedback.

It just shows how much Roger loves the game of tennis. Inspite of winning the tournament, he has played a neutral role here and did what is right for the players.

I don’t think people complained about the speed of the courts, but the slippery nature of it. It’s a big risk at this stage of the season, so it makes lot of sense to hear players concerns.

June 23rd, 2012 at 11:39 pm

“WTF, I didn’t know RF had an eye problem? Tell me more.”

Read his post Wimbledon interviews. He admitted it himself.

“Secondly, rain delays helping to regroup and the player who is losing comes out on top? Not sure how you can say that. Novak still lost to rafa at the FO after the rain delay, so I think this is too much of a generalisation.”

Why is it so hard to get? The player who is steamrolling has momentum and rhythm. A delay breaks this as well as his concentration. He can and probably will lose some of the rhythm he had. Meanwhile, the player who is losing, has a chance to take their time and consider what’s going wrong and how to correct it. In the middle of a game, you don’t have time between points to introspect. You’ve got to be focused on the point.

*** And you get to speak to your coach and get his counsel, which is normally illegal mid game. ***

June 24th, 2012 at 1:05 am

“Though I do think Federer will beat Nadal if he is fresh when he faces him, and there is sufficient light! If they had the roof in 2008, Fed would never have lost that match.”

I don’t think so, because if you look at the score line it was

6-4 6-4 6-7 6-7 9-7.

To win, Roger would have needed to break Nadal’s serve in the fifth set. He couldn’t take it in a tie breaker like he took the 3rd and 4th. If he couldn’t break Rafa’s serve in four sets even with daylight, I don’t see how he would have gotten the break in the 5th set, light or no light. I think he actually did get one break in the five sets, but Rafa broke back. All throughout the match Rafa was threatening Roger’s serve more than Roger was threatening Rafa’s. Fed just saved a lot of BPs, though Rafa still had three service breaks more than Roger.

June 24th, 2012 at 1:10 am

“Novak still lost to rafa at the FO after the rain delay, so I think this is too much of a generalisation.”

Rafa won because his superiority and experience on clay overcame the disadvantage of the third (brief) rain delay.

I’ll say this though.. Rafa was leading two sets and 2-0 in the third set before he fell apart. If there was only one rain delay and no second, Nole probably would have won the title. He clawed his way back by breaking back and taking 8 games on the trot to go up an early break in the 4th set. This time he was the one with the momentum with everything going his way. And guess what? The overnight delay hurt him. Rafa gets to speak to Uncle Toni and address the problems he was having after the first delay. He comes back and immediately gets the break to be even again.

The delays help. To an extent. It’s not going to help a rank 200 player beat the world no. 1 obviously. But if players are evenly matched, and one is winning, the losing player will welcome the respite. Always. He has nothing to lose and everything to gain.

June 24th, 2012 at 1:17 am

Anthony Edwards Says:

“blue clay just showed you what would have happened if the courts/conditions were not slowed down.

nadal/djokovic’s fight against faster conditions reminds me of the 90s where clay courters used to whine about wimbledon’s seeding system.”

This is rather ignorant. If you paid attention, their issue was never about the speed of the courts. Madrid was always fast even on red clay. The blue courts were extra SLIPPERY and increased the risk of injury, which they were trying to avoid. The slipping was random and unpredictable enough that anyone can win on luck. Players would have to be extra careful and their game would be inhibited. They would take fewer risks and not play their natural clay court game.

Why would you think that someone like Nole would want a slower court? He is naturally better adapted to faster conditions, not slower. I may be wrong but I believe the first clay titles he won came only last year.

June 24th, 2012 at 1:25 am

” I don’t see how he would have gotten the break in the 5th set, light or no light.”

Uh….? Excuse me…. u need to re watch the match. I would have love to have bet the house with you if there was another hour of daylight left. Imo Fed clearly was getting the momentum until darkness struck.

June 24th, 2012 at 1:31 am

Anthony Edwards Says:

“i feel sad that nadal has opposition in his own country.

getting booed in paris, not getting the courts he wants in madrid”

Don’t feel bad for him. He has seven French Open titles.

Having opposition in their own country is not unusual. For example the Williams sisters in Indian Wells. A lot of aussies hate Lleyton Hewitt and a different set hate Tomic. In any sport where there’s a lot of home talent there will be fans and detractors. This is guaranteed to be the case in club based sports like football and basketball. You love your team’s players, you hate the players in other teams, even though they’re still in the same country.

But even in solo sports like Tennis you will like some of your country’s players and not others. Some do douchy things, or some you just oppose because they play against your favored player and win a lot.

June 24th, 2012 at 1:32 am

skeezer Says:

“Uh….? Excuse me…. u need to re watch the match. I would have love to have bet the house with you if there was another hour of daylight left. Imo Fed clearly was getting the momentum until darkness struck.”

Any time you want.

If he waits till set 5 to steal a break he deserves what he gets. He had four hours previously to win the match (or sets with breaks) and couldn’t do it. Why does he deserve extra sympathy in fifth sets?

I still contend that the rain delay didn’t hurt him by delaying the fifth set into twilight. It rather helped him by letting him reach a fifth set in the first place instead of being blown away in three or four.

June 24th, 2012 at 1:36 am

WTF

Your whole Madrid argument is ignorant So 2 guys bagged the tourney, casue it was too slippery fort them. Meanwhlie, the rest of the field competed hard, no quitters there, played through and accepted the conditions, and the best player played through those conditions won, ….so……what? Oh wait…uh uh… It was luck. No skill on slippery unknown surface required.

June 24th, 2012 at 1:39 am

“He had four hours previously to win the match (or sets with breaks) and couldn’t do it”

So did Rafa. Those are cute Rafa glasses u are wearing btw….

June 24th, 2012 at 1:41 am

All Roger fans,
thumps up for him,,,good job for madrid!!!

June 24th, 2012 at 1:48 am

@anthony e,
You can justify rafa butt picking by check in at the hospital for amnesia jab, ouchhhh,WHO STARTED FIRST???? check all the post past n present,,,,,, mr. Complaining!

June 24th, 2012 at 2:20 am

Yeh the ole Fed adapted sooooo well to the blue clay that he picked up a hip injury. I am sure his confidence grew once the two big boys were knocked out and he persevered to carry on thinking this is my big chance to win not having to face the two big guns. Well, his perseverance paid off at the cost of a hip injury. Rafa was smarter than him though losing early and not risking an injury. He looked at the bigger picture – the rest of the clay court season and the big prize – victory at the FO. SEVENTH FRENCH OPEN – what a feat!!!!!

June 24th, 2012 at 3:26 am

AE. “If they posted any wiser stuff, I would talk to them like you should talk to sensible humans”. Have you actually re-read your posts? If you did you would see how pathetic you sound. All you are talking about is Rafa’s butt. And you think your posts are sensible???? Get a life msn!!!

June 24th, 2012 at 3:35 am

“If he couldn’t break Rafa’s serve in four sets even with daylight, I don’t see how he would have gotten the break in the 5th set, light or no light. ”

another blatant lie from a raf@tard. fed broke nadal twice in the 2nd set. go watch the match and then post your analysis.

this is exactly what i say about nadal fans spreading lies.

June 24th, 2012 at 4:05 am

“Why would you think that someone like Nole would want a slower court? He is naturally better adapted to faster conditions, not slower. I may be wrong but I believe the first clay titles he won came only last year.”

I am not a raf@tard to claim Nole was rooting for slower conditions. if you had better reading comprehension, you would have seen that I credited nole for handling the madrid issue well.

if you go check the facts (which is too much to ask of raf@tards with their head too much up rafa’s @$$), rafa 1st criticised blue clay even before he ever stepped on it. at 1st he kept saying “it is against tradition” – this coming from a joker who has tried to break every rule in the book. it is only after nole mentioned slippery surface that rafa started humming that tune.

then again, rafa is a quitter and no leader of men. for years he spent no.2 in the world behind federer. now he has to look upto djokovic. i wonder if he can do anything without uncle toni’s permission. it is creepy to see a 25 year old who is controlled by his uncle! just another disgusting fact about our very HUMBLE RAFA!

June 24th, 2012 at 4:12 am

Rafa knew he needed to change his game to stay in front of Djoker and he did. Fed knew he peaked way to soon last year. He changed his build up to peak at wimbly.

Djoker is below his form of 2011, Rafa’s changes has put him out of contension for the quicker surfaces and he knows it..Fes is dialing his numbee for the last 9 months on the quick. We are witnessing the return of the king

June 24th, 2012 at 4:39 am

Wimbledon is slippery during the 1st week and players take lot of nasty falls. I am glad no one is protesting about that, maybe they would if wimbledon was lightning quick like in the 90s.

It is no coincidence that madrid was won by Federer and Serena – the reigning King and queen of tennis universe over the last decade. They have also had tremendous success on the slippery quick wimbledon grass.

I am just glad Federer went about it professionally and did his job. he has won madrid on 3 different surfaces – carpet, blue/red clay.

He is definitely the most versatile and complete player to have picked up a racquet. I am sure fed can play on water too ;)

June 24th, 2012 at 5:24 am

Hehehe…………this is fun!

June 24th, 2012 at 6:01 am

rafa is the greatest competitor of all time…and jokers here are calling him a quitter…such sourness…rafa’s success really has hurt some federer fanatics…funny to see

vaamos!!

June 24th, 2012 at 6:17 am

Rafa did quit the position in the ATP council because – listen to this – others dont agree with him.

LOL! If all committees and meetings worked like rafa wants them to – to agree to one man’s whims, why even bother having those.

You have these councils to resolve issues. Issues are caused because of differences. simple logic. I guess uncle toni did not teach him this.

I call such people quitters.

June 24th, 2012 at 6:26 am

yes! greatest competitor who got bageled twice in the last 12months by 2 of the top 4.

greatest competitor who retired from a match in a slam he was defending (AO 2010). yes! this man has no quit in him.

greatest competitor who regularly calls for medical time-outs when he falls behind in the score. latest exhibit – wimbledon 2011 against del potro. I am sure delpotro, petzschner, berdych and soderling did not for this greatest competitor in the “sportsmanship awards”

June 24th, 2012 at 6:30 am

@Anthony Edwards June 23rd 10.53pm,the only thing im here to do is give an honest and objective oppinion,i dont consider my posts to be better than anyone elses,im a Rafa fan for my sins,and hell yeah some of the things he does do get on my nerves from time to time,the compulsive ticks i just see as no big deal though,as i actually suffer from OCD myself,but i do not follow Rafa for his looks or his body,or because he has a contract with Georgio Armani, i am not that shallow,what i like about him is his passion and never say die attitude,and maybe just maybe because he does occasionally play great tennis,well IMO anyway,whether other people think so or not,ok probably not as talented as Roger/Nole,and if Nole does one day surpass Rafas GS talley then fair enough,till then Rafa has 11 Grand slams so he must be doing something right,however we will see,end of rant.

June 24th, 2012 at 6:38 am

“or because he has a contract with Georgio Armani, i am not that shallow,”

thank you. you have my respect. unfortunately there are a lot of trolls who deserve to be put in their place and i will keep doing that.

enjoy your tennis. peace.

June 24th, 2012 at 6:43 am

rafa has handed bagels,breadsticks to the so called GOAT in a grand slam final…what was the GOAT doing then??? QUITTING.

he has had chronic tendonitis…and he can chose not to play and aggravate his injury…if you call that quitting than 99% of the players are quitters including djokovic.

and looking at the way you are bragging at most of the threads here…regarding your salary and what not….you HAVE no class…too bad federer has some poor fans

June 24th, 2012 at 8:03 am

Rafa is indeed a quitter. What else do you call a person who withdraws for title defense of the big one just hours after the draw was released?

June 24th, 2012 at 8:14 am

Dear Nadal Fans

Nadal has got poor fans, they can’t see the real thing. Nadal cheats, lies,make excuses for his lost. Nadal play a very good mind games. How can he over play his opponents at the French Open, Nadal is a doper. Basically he was given that trophy without a fight. His draws are rigged. Nadal isn’t humble as you all make him to be. He admitted that he received coaching. He continues to receive coaching. Nadal relies on his cheating Uncle to give him direction where to serve.

June 24th, 2012 at 8:16 am

personally i think one set of predictions is pretty much the same as another,to be quite honest, by the law of averages some are right some are wrong,people always said Rafa will never win wimbledon he did twice,he will never win the AO and he did,he will never win the USO and he did,so with all that in mind for me things can go one way or another,not just one way or the predictable way,we cannot base the future on the past,the thing we all know for sure is we know nothing,my two cents.

June 24th, 2012 at 8:49 am

haha..fed fans are dead scary that this is his last chance..

June 24th, 2012 at 12:00 pm

Swiss Maestro im sorry as i was not posting around the time of the FO final,for my own personal reasons(not tennis related),however i did read comments on the forum,and just wanted to say a belated thanks for what you said about me at the time,just sorry that took me this long to send in a reply,BTW good luck to your name sake,im sure he will go on to have a terrific fortnight at wimbledon.

June 24th, 2012 at 2:23 pm

Hey AE. I see you are still dishing out CR@P. Why aren’t you out spending your 6 figure salary on chicks? Is it because you don’t really have any chicks? They would be daft to go out with a loser like you anyway! Best stay home and drown your sorrows with a few glasses of cider!! LOSER!!!

June 24th, 2012 at 2:44 pm

“haha..fed fans are dead scary that this is his last chance..”

Last chance ????
It was over 2 years back.

June 24th, 2012 at 3:15 pm

tennis fan Says:
“Nadal has got poor fans, they can’t see the real thing. Nadal cheats, lies,make excuses for his lost. Nadal play a very good mind games. Nadal is a doper. His draws are rigged. Nadal isn’t humble as you all make him to be. He admitted that he received coaching. He continues to receive coaching. Nadal relies on his cheating Uncle to give him direction where to serve.”

LMAO.
Well…Rafa is a multi talented guy.

Dear Rafa,
Do whatever you can and win just 6 more slams.
20 yrs later people will only remember your total number of slams with positive H2H against all your competitors and worship you as the GOAT.

June 24th, 2012 at 3:26 pm

And now, Rafa….the Gambler.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/tennis-busted-racquet/rafael-nadal-endorse-online-poker-151714901–ten.html

June 24th, 2012 at 3:39 pm

^ Not gambler. Doesn’t even know how to play poker but is going to learn and hopefully will enter some tournaments.

June 24th, 2012 at 3:51 pm

Mark, don’t be naive. If he endorses it, he endorses Gambling.

June 24th, 2012 at 3:55 pm

^ Still does not mean he is a gambler!!

June 24th, 2012 at 4:02 pm

skeezer,
Great post at 3:38pm.
No one can match skeezer when it come to finding ways to diss Rafa.
Keep up ur good work….we need you

June 24th, 2012 at 4:20 pm

Mark,
How dare are you to take on skeezer.
Do you think he is a crazy 12 yr old ?
His posts may give you that feeling. But he is old enough to be a dad.

June 24th, 2012 at 4:26 pm

Well skeezer, I am genuinely shocked. I think that RFF needs to read the full mcoy though, so here it is. It is worthy of discussion. And I think a proper one. On the basis that here is a man, a great champion who is endorsing gambling.Seriously, I don’t understand that. So unless this is going to be a proper discusion and not mudslinging, I would be interested in rafa fans views on it.

skeezer, wherever did you find this?

This is weird: Rafael Nadal has joined PokerStars, the world’s largest online poker site.

The seven-time French Open champion will be an ambassador for the gaming site, playing in online tournaments, being featured in advertisements and appearing at charity events.

It’s a natural move for PokerStars. Online poker was legalized in Spain on June 1. Getting one of the nation’s biggest sports stars to endorse the product is a nice marketing coup.

Does it makes as much sense for Nadal? We don’t begrudge a man the opportunity to make money (terms weren’t announced, but it’s safe to assume his services aren’t coming cheap). But Nadal made $25 million in endorsements last year on top of $8 million in earnings. Forbes says he’s the 16th-highest paid athlete in the world. Is some more money worth possibly tarnishing his image with the seediness of online poker? There are plenty of possible cash grabs out there. Where’s the line drawn? Appearing on a riverboat in Biloxi? Working as a casino greeter with Peter Lawford’s grandson? Nadal also endorses Bacardi, but his promotions have been limited to a campaign on responsible drinking. This is more hands-on.

More importantly, what does the ATP think about this? It’s not a huge leap between poker and sports gambling. They’re not the same thing, of course. But if that perception exists amongst fans, they might as well be.

I’m not trying to be the moral police. Online poker isn’t wrong, PokerStars isn’t evil and Rafael Nadal isn’t a degenerate sellout for endorsing gambling. They just make for some strange bedfellows is all.

June 24th, 2012 at 4:48 pm

Gosh you Fedtards are slow. Rafa joining Poker Stars has been in the news for a week already! What’s the big deal? He is going to earn quite a few million dollars out of it so good for him. He will be joining other world famous athletes not to mention Boris Becker. He is also an ambassador for Bacardi in their campaign for drinking responsibly. Does that make him a drunkard as well? Grow up you Fedtards!

June 24th, 2012 at 4:59 pm

wow, we need wimbledon to start. The quality of posts on these threads is sinking dramatically.

June 24th, 2012 at 5:04 pm

Mark, I am sorry but you are missing the point. If you can’t have a sensible discussion about this, seriously, there is no point.

kimberly, I agree, but discussions from people who are not the least bit coherent is a pity.

A few hours to go and then wimbledon starts.

Go smack ’em Roge!

June 24th, 2012 at 5:07 pm

Vamos Rafaaa. Go kick some butt!!

June 24th, 2012 at 5:10 pm

Mark,

Boris is not playing anymore and is off the tour, that IS the big deal.

Madmax,

RFF doesn’t contribute anything here, other than idolizing me(hehe), so don’t expect anything from him that requires intellect. Him giving an opinion will only expose himself, and he is afraid of that.

Best to hear from nadalista, brando, alison, etc. Kimberly just chimed in…and I agree the quality of posts today were trash talking low .

My take is just what the article says. All players have the right to make money with endorsements.

But ……I always look to them expecting more, as they are in the public eye. There are kids watching, learning the game, and looking at our top players. Whether the athletes like it not, they are being looked up to. How do they act? What do they wear? What do they stand for? Choosing a Sponsor IS significant. You are aid to promote, endorse something you like and believe in.

June 24th, 2012 at 5:10 pm

Hello alison,

you are very welcome. I was happy for you when nadal won his 7th RG.

Thanks for wishing good luck to the Mozart of tennis! If he wins Wimbledon, he gets the no.1 too, so a lot at stake this next 2 weeks.

Good luck to rafa too. As always, if it’s not fed, i hope rafa gets the title.

June 25th, 2012 at 9:16 am

[…] the draw came out I picked Rafael Nadal to beat Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon final two Sundays from now. After a few days to mull it […]

June 25th, 2012 at 6:41 pm