Roger Federer Needs Three To Reach Basel QFs; Rafael Nadal Challenges Marin Cilic Friday

Gasquet serving for first set agains Karlovic. The bad thing is Gaswuet has no chance agaisnt Nadal or Fed, Karlovic at least with his serve could bother they more.
Can’t see Fed having much trouble with Goffin. Sock may be more dangerous semis. Nadal test will ve Cilic but it depends which form Cilic is on. But he sure like this fast courts.

October 30th, 2015 at 9:54 am

Marin appeared to be finding his range. His huge ground strokes were going in – flat and hard. He intimidated Gabashvili very quickly yesterday — part of it was Gaba giving up 2nd set, I thought.

If Rafa loses the 1st set, he won’t go away. Rafa v Cilic could be a good match.

October 30th, 2015 at 10:19 am

how could gasquet achieve so much with no FH?

Paire, simon, richi have all good BH but no FH

chardy, tsonga have a good FH but no BH

October 30th, 2015 at 11:07 am

missed the match but saw gasquet’s beautiful backhand pass on match point. wow, nice one!

October 30th, 2015 at 12:31 pm

A small part of me wants to see Young win the tournament beating Fed and Rafa.

October 30th, 2015 at 1:09 pm

@Ben

We should listen to the whims of our small parts — especially men.

October 30th, 2015 at 1:44 pm

Paul Annacone and Mary Carillo are talking about Rafa as if he’s dead. He was so right to point out that the press discusses him like he’s #200 in the world. Still haven’t stopped talking about it even though the match has started.

Find something new to discuss, though that’s not really what tennis channel does.

October 30th, 2015 at 2:22 pm

Yay, Rafa won his first game serving first in the set!!

October 30th, 2015 at 2:23 pm

@ Ben – if Young somehow manages to pull that off, he should pull a Pennetta and retire at the end of the year.

October 30th, 2015 at 2:34 pm

Well that won’t happen for Young but Sock could still pull that off.

October 30th, 2015 at 2:36 pm

cilic when will u goat like us 2014

October 30th, 2015 at 2:38 pm

Emily exactly well said,the guys still in the top 10,yet they seem to take great delight in knocking him telling us all he wont last,wont be playing when hes 35 like Roger etc,they even said it when he was world number 1,so nothing new really….

October 30th, 2015 at 2:39 pm

Okie lol….

October 30th, 2015 at 2:40 pm

rafa whining hahahahah

what a legend. poor sportsmanship

October 30th, 2015 at 2:58 pm

first set cilic

1 winner from rafa hahhahahaah

October 30th, 2015 at 2:58 pm

Nadal tried to be aggressive on returns, but he is back 5 yards behind the baseline. I wish he stayed aggressive, trying to put some pressure on Cilic.

October 30th, 2015 at 2:59 pm

vintage nadal hahahahha

October 30th, 2015 at 3:00 pm

kudos to nadal to make a career with so little talent

0-30

October 30th, 2015 at 3:01 pm

Cilic is the better player….

October 30th, 2015 at 3:02 pm

So according to some Rafa has no talent,and Novak has no talent?….

October 30th, 2015 at 3:04 pm

counter punchers are talentless

October 30th, 2015 at 3:04 pm

what a return

break cilic

October 30th, 2015 at 3:05 pm

So…Agassi has no talent?

October 30th, 2015 at 3:07 pm

hahahahhahaha
that face from nadal

October 30th, 2015 at 3:09 pm

agassi was on drugs when he played. he didnt know what he was doing

October 30th, 2015 at 3:10 pm

if cilic stays injury free he is a threat next year

this year injury ruined his chances. first shoulder surgery then the ankle issues at the USO

btw is his ankle fully cured?

October 30th, 2015 at 3:13 pm

Agassi wasn’t a counter puncher. But the talentless statement is dumb anyway.

Not watching but points-wise it looks like Cilic is dominating.

I think it’s a little funny how, when Nadal would lose this kind of match (indoor, fast court, fall season) in any other year, it’s just “well Nadal isn’t the best on this surface”. But this year, when he’s playing quite well and running into hotter players, the Earth is falling and he’s as bad as ever. I mean, again I’m no Nadal fan but jeez pick a side.

October 30th, 2015 at 3:14 pm

bercy draw out guys and guess what happned?

October 30th, 2015 at 3:15 pm

Pretty sad when some posters have to knock other all time greats achievements,to make them feel better about their own personal favorites,it seems they are so fixated with their failures rather than their favorites success….

October 30th, 2015 at 3:19 pm

kohlschreiber could meet nole in the 2nd round.
poor fellow

October 30th, 2015 at 3:20 pm

nice little banter doesnt kill any1

October 30th, 2015 at 3:21 pm

cilic in choke mode

October 30th, 2015 at 3:22 pm

French crowd going to love first round match between Paire and Monfils

October 30th, 2015 at 3:25 pm

and nadal accepting the choke for the 3rd time in a row

October 30th, 2015 at 3:26 pm

Great post from Ben,who understands a little thing called perspective….

October 30th, 2015 at 3:36 pm

cilic u useless mug

October 30th, 2015 at 3:47 pm

Is anyone, besides Fedexpress, watching? Looks like Cilic has started to struggle with his serve a bit.

October 30th, 2015 at 3:48 pm

lucky fh to save BP

October 30th, 2015 at 3:50 pm

fed like errors from cilic now off the FH

October 30th, 2015 at 3:51 pm

cilic dominating rallies but cant find the killer shot

what a choke. so many chokes this year.quite insane

October 30th, 2015 at 3:52 pm

Just turned it on, Ben. Not surprised by the score. Cilic played so well yesterday but his opponent wasn’t Rafa. More of the same from Rafa: doing enough, hanging around, not playing his best, but still effective…and can make a guy like Marin get jittery.

October 30th, 2015 at 3:53 pm

Agassi was a great tennis champion and one of the greats. His personal problems that he had to through during playing career doesn’t make him any less great, as the matter of fact they make him even greater as the person in my eyes since he didn’t give up, he fought his demons and he won at the end and had a courage to admit publicly his wrongdoings, respect. He probably wouldn’t br able to go through all of without support of another great person, his wife.
As for the drugs, Agassi never used nor admitted using PED, he used recreational drugs, anyone who knows anything about drugs would know that player on recreational drugs would most likely collapse during the match, particulary tougher match since recrational drugs tell you that you are fine (and high) and don’t need anything, not even water.
Agassi was one of Nole’s favorite players and influence that shaped Nole’s game, between the others.

October 30th, 2015 at 3:53 pm

CHOKE,CHOKE,CHOKE,is there another word in the vocabulary of Fedexpress….

October 30th, 2015 at 3:54 pm

collapse. better gypsy

October 30th, 2015 at 3:55 pm

cilics serve lost, Fh disappeared

bagel in coming

October 30th, 2015 at 3:56 pm

cilic making dimi and rosol look good

October 30th, 2015 at 3:57 pm

just fake an injury and retire cilic

October 30th, 2015 at 3:57 pm

wasnt cilics FH a weapon?

October 30th, 2015 at 3:58 pm

Agassi is not a hero for overcoming meth. He also may not have admitted to it but you can’t say he wouldn’t be a suspect of PED-use. And he also admitted the meth thing after enough time had passed so that he couldn’t get in trouble for it. So, not yeah.

But he was a great player.

October 30th, 2015 at 3:58 pm

u know its not ur days when a ball rolls over the net

October 30th, 2015 at 4:00 pm

hahahahah cilics FH is a joke

October 30th, 2015 at 4:02 pm

Cilic’s FH hasn’t been working that well the whole match. He’s also made some really careless errors at net

October 30th, 2015 at 4:02 pm

It must be delayed posting – nobody mentioned…..

Pleased Rafa took 2nd set….

October 30th, 2015 at 4:03 pm

he needed only a good serve after the break in the 2nd

October 30th, 2015 at 4:04 pm

WTA stuff now from nadal

October 30th, 2015 at 4:08 pm

I dont think Cilic is going away Fedexpress,he has break points to break back….

October 30th, 2015 at 4:08 pm

and wasted

October 30th, 2015 at 4:09 pm

had simon converted that BP vs cilic at the USO

October 30th, 2015 at 4:10 pm

is the first fedal in nearly 2 years closer?

October 30th, 2015 at 4:11 pm

and all UE from cilic

last time cilic beat a top tenn player???

October 30th, 2015 at 4:11 pm

if fed cant win this tournament he should consider retirement for good

October 30th, 2015 at 4:12 pm

last time Cilic beat a top 10 player was Federer at USO 2014

October 30th, 2015 at 4:13 pm

I’m not able to see this match – but the stats figures on set 3 are darned good for Rafa….don’t want to jinx him but looks like he will win this one – hope I’m right – anyone (who’s seeing it) think differently?

October 30th, 2015 at 4:14 pm

It’s sloppy tennis. Rafa should have this – he doesn’t need to play well, just be patient.

But I missed the 1st set and a half.

October 30th, 2015 at 4:15 pm

i tried cilic on tennis elbow. he was bullocks

October 30th, 2015 at 4:15 pm

Well I didn’t say exactly that he is a hero, did I? I said respect for being able to face his demons and coming out publicly about that, that might help other people in similar situation to realize that there is the light at the end of the tunnel.

As for waiting for time to lapse so that legal action against him can’t be taken well he is not stupid and can afford legal advice before publishing his admission.

I retract part of my comment which says “never used PED”, you are right, nobody knows that but under the same criteria everybody is suspect then.

October 30th, 2015 at 4:16 pm

nadal is playing shiit, cilice more shittier

October 30th, 2015 at 4:16 pm

Oh… poor Marin, even whiffing the ball like I do.

October 30th, 2015 at 4:18 pm

Fedexpress you tennis elbow? I used to play with Novak but I’ve recently switched to Anderson. Traded off movement unbreakable serve and more pop on the groundies.

October 30th, 2015 at 4:21 pm

Back to match, it not called chocking but having formidable opponent on the other side of the net, one of greatest of all time, and you know that won’t give up but will keep coming back at you and you start to lose confidence, concentration and to make one mistake more than you really need. Cilic is not playing Gabashvili but Nadal.

October 30th, 2015 at 4:21 pm

Wogboy – Djokovic started out as a Sampras worshipper. But as he got into his teens, he realized he would never get to big success by following Sampras way of playing. He had a different talent skillset than Pete. Viola! The light dawned that he was more like Andre in his talents and approach to the game.
The other realization that factored into his success in 2011 and beyond was that he could build himself into being a better player by learning from Fed and Nadal. But few really discuss that Nole 2.0 was heavily weighed to seeking and getting in his own game what Nadal did well, not Fed. He was not going to be a “tennis shotmaking genius” like Fed, Gasquet. But with hard work and great willpower – he could approach if not exceed Rafa in heart, stamina, a “never quit” attitude, and, mental toughness.

And for me, it is great to see Nadal clawing his way back. Performing well in what is usually his worst season – fall. I look forward to a true resumption of the Nadal-Djokovic rivalry and hope for more classic matches of the two at war with one another…more so than Nole getting “more amazing records, hopefully with little competition”. Do I want Djokovic to prevail most times? Sure! But if you hope for more Rafa-Nole at the highest level, almost even odds Finals, you have to accept that Nadal back at 100% will win a few off Djokovic. And that is good for the sport.

October 30th, 2015 at 4:23 pm

Its not been a particularly good match by any stretch,and very sloppy from both,Fedexpress is quite right,its a battle of whos playing the worst to be honest?….

October 30th, 2015 at 4:24 pm

cilic should question his existence

October 30th, 2015 at 4:25 pm

hahahah

anti climax ending

October 30th, 2015 at 4:27 pm

Cilic with moments of 2014 USO brilliance but cant seem to sustain it….

October 30th, 2015 at 4:27 pm

Great rally and lucky net for Cilic and Rafa is one set from closing this match now.

October 30th, 2015 at 4:28 pm

“one game” should say

October 30th, 2015 at 4:28 pm

cilic u r just useless

October 30th, 2015 at 4:29 pm

yeah, makes the 9 sets streak at the USO more remarkeable.

October 30th, 2015 at 4:30 pm

It’s like the expression: shooting fish in a barrel (for Rafa)

How in the world did Marin win a set?

Not sure the next match (Fed v Goffin) will be much better, Gypsy. I need another hour sleep.

Congrats to Rafa and fans!

October 30th, 2015 at 4:31 pm

nadal celebrating like he won a major hahahhahaha

October 30th, 2015 at 4:31 pm

ZZZZzzzz Night,night little Jalep,go to sleep….

October 30th, 2015 at 4:34 pm

gasquet with no FH and no big serve is no match for rafa

October 30th, 2015 at 4:35 pm

He was probably celebrating because he knew what a great player Cilic is?….

October 30th, 2015 at 4:36 pm

All these matche since one with Nole in Bangkok are nothing but confidence boost for Nadal, he is beating the quality players on his worst surface and time of the year when usually doesn’t play good. His (new) game is coming together nicely and on time for AO which, I am pretty sure, is Nadal team target, so far well planed and executed.

October 30th, 2015 at 4:36 pm

The year Rafa has had…..yeah he does celebrate to the fullest. He’s so happy he won and so am I….
Was the win pretty or ugly?? Lol

October 30th, 2015 at 4:37 pm

Ugly.

October 30th, 2015 at 4:38 pm

Hey Gypsy & Okiegal — He did it – strangely enuf looking at the stats. tells you more than actually watching – not as satisfying though. Hope you are very happy bunnies tonight – his determination is fuelling his play — on and up (may be a couple of stumbles on the way – but Cilic ain’t no walk-over. Hope you are both smiling broadly.

October 30th, 2015 at 4:38 pm

Wogboy i certainly like your theory ;)….

October 30th, 2015 at 4:40 pm

Ben,

How do you know it was ugly if you didn’t watch?:)

October 30th, 2015 at 4:42 pm

GG,

I am not as knowledgeable as some posters but I watch tennis regularly and I don’t know how people can play down Rafa’s matches and game this fall, the fact is he playing better and better with the new approach which is much harder, but anyway it is only my opinion.

October 30th, 2015 at 4:47 pm

This next one going to Fed without a doubt and I’m gonna watch it. My live feed from espn3.com just went away once. Hope it stays on throughout the Fed match….

October 30th, 2015 at 4:50 pm

It is almost imminent now that we are going to have Fedal final and everything is possible then. That would be Rafa’s second final in his last three tournaments against really quolity players.

October 30th, 2015 at 4:54 pm

didnt goffin lead nole with a double break in the 3rd set at cincy and still lost.

October 30th, 2015 at 5:03 pm

I watched from 3-1 in the third. Nadal still stood really far behind the baseline and Cilic made easy errors.

But Nadal did step in as soon as he had a chance and cracked some great winners off both sides. That’s something he wasn’t doing with any kind of success until the last few months.

October 30th, 2015 at 5:04 pm

Agree

October 30th, 2015 at 5:06 pm

class shot making from fed

October 30th, 2015 at 5:11 pm

i miss feds running FH. every time he tries he nets it

October 30th, 2015 at 5:12 pm

first set fed

October 30th, 2015 at 5:30 pm

federer choking

October 30th, 2015 at 5:43 pm

fed looks tired

October 30th, 2015 at 5:46 pm

Yes, what is going on with Fed.?

October 30th, 2015 at 5:47 pm

dont know. but he isnt looking fresh imo. he said yesterday he got tired and only because of the support he got a push

October 30th, 2015 at 5:49 pm

Ben – One of many things that makes Djokovic a “nightmare to play”, as Rafa puts it, is his ability to redirect the ball corner to corner from any angle shot coming at him.
That means that Rafa and Uncle Toni know, know for certain that Rafa must not be driven back to the optimum defender position for him meters behind the baseline. And shaded far over to protect his backhand and give him time to get a good shot off. Which means his forehand corner is vulnerable to a forehand Nole winner or Rafa hitting a rushed forehand short.
But Rafa just can’t help it! He wants to come in on Djokovic, not leave part of the forehand side open to a hard hit ball, or a short ball the improving net player Nole can pounce on – but he just can’t help it.

October 30th, 2015 at 5:49 pm

fed angry and screamin. u rarely see it

October 30th, 2015 at 5:51 pm

wow

fed is angry. smashed the ball into the rows. gets a warning

October 30th, 2015 at 5:53 pm

something is not right with fed

October 30th, 2015 at 5:54 pm

goffin choking a bit

October 30th, 2015 at 5:56 pm

good hold from goffin

fed struggeling

October 30th, 2015 at 5:58 pm

federer playing as bad as nadal the whole tournament

didnt serve great this week tbh

October 30th, 2015 at 6:00 pm

The way things are looking, Gasquet could win this tournament and stay in the running for London.

October 30th, 2015 at 6:03 pm

is fed injured? grimacing a lot

October 30th, 2015 at 6:03 pm

Well – all I can say with my limited view is that if Fed. does win – Rafa will be encouraged by this match.

October 30th, 2015 at 6:04 pm

he will j-kath

October 30th, 2015 at 6:05 pm

Rafa is always encouraged when he sees Roger on the other side of the net.

October 30th, 2015 at 6:07 pm

3rd set now. fed is tired no doubt. some shots are idiotic

October 30th, 2015 at 6:07 pm

Where is SABR?

October 30th, 2015 at 6:11 pm

he said that he did his conditional training in dubai and wont do any here

maybe he was wrong no to do it

October 30th, 2015 at 6:11 pm

forget sabr wog boy, where is federer?

October 30th, 2015 at 6:12 pm

break fed

October 30th, 2015 at 6:14 pm

Don’t worry FE, he’ll get through.

October 30th, 2015 at 6:15 pm

Taa FEdExpress

Slightly a step advance of this match the Paris draw is out – Fed & Murray in same half —-Nole + Rafa top half….(Murray retained No. 2 spot at this stage).

October 30th, 2015 at 6:16 pm

fedex shouldn’t you be posting about goffin choking now? ;)

October 30th, 2015 at 6:17 pm

fed will pull out i think if he plays on sunday

October 30th, 2015 at 6:17 pm

lots of matches played this year and he is feeling it

October 30th, 2015 at 6:17 pm

fed is choking more. fh not working that well.

October 30th, 2015 at 6:18 pm

The thing I noticed in the first game of the match was that man that sweats was sweating a fair bit.

October 30th, 2015 at 6:19 pm

now goffin is collapsing

October 30th, 2015 at 6:20 pm

^^ should ” that doesn’t sweat”

October 30th, 2015 at 6:21 pm

take that BP

i saw in one of my dreams this match and it didnt end well

fed led 3-0, had BP for 4-0, didnt take and lost the match

October 30th, 2015 at 6:21 pm

It looks like Roger was practicing Nole’s “lucky shot”, he just did one on Goffin serve.

October 30th, 2015 at 6:22 pm

fed grunting also

October 30th, 2015 at 6:22 pm

first part of my dream fulfilled

October 30th, 2015 at 6:23 pm

http://www.tennisworldusa.org/ATP-PARIS-BERCY—MAIN-DRAW-Djokovic-Nadal-and-Wawrinka-in-Top-Half-Federer-with-Murray-articolo27511.html

October 30th, 2015 at 6:24 pm

I can’t see stats but Roger shanked quite a few FHs?

October 30th, 2015 at 6:24 pm

just let the fedal happen tennis gods. sheesh!

October 30th, 2015 at 6:25 pm

in some torunament u feel from the start it will be a struggle and fed is in such a phase

October 30th, 2015 at 6:26 pm

GOATness

October 30th, 2015 at 6:28 pm

Goffin is choking big time..

October 30th, 2015 at 6:29 pm

i’m trying to remember j-kath, but shanghai was sort of similar no?

shanghai:
novak, fed, murray on one side
rafa and wawa on other side

paris
novak, wawa and rafa on one side
fed and murray on other side

the only difference in terms of top opponents is that novak is switched up.

October 30th, 2015 at 6:29 pm

yes. 5-1

plz no implusion like vs tsonga in 2009 at montreal

October 30th, 2015 at 6:30 pm

fed is sweating

what about the air conditioning there?

October 30th, 2015 at 6:32 pm

Was it nice or ugly match, any opinion?

October 30th, 2015 at 6:33 pm

ugly

fed was below average

October 30th, 2015 at 6:33 pm

Its rather amusing to see Fedexpress tying himself up in knots over Roger,i notice all the hahahas have now suddenly dissapeared….

October 30th, 2015 at 6:34 pm

every min of feds match was “hahahahhahahah”. he played crap and will lose to nadal if he continues to play so

October 30th, 2015 at 6:35 pm

Fans are not sweating, I presume AC works nicely.

October 30th, 2015 at 6:36 pm

Jane@6.17pm LOL ;)….

October 30th, 2015 at 6:36 pm

^^ fans=spectators

October 30th, 2015 at 6:37 pm

1 match each for a Fedal, a first in swiss soil. Hope we get it as Paris seems not gonna happen. If not here only maybe WTF of they are both innsame group

October 30th, 2015 at 6:40 pm

Nole can’t play Rafa/Stan before SF, if they make SF.

October 30th, 2015 at 6:40 pm

Nadal really picked it up and played an excellent last two sets to beat Cilic.

Coffin should “retire”.

October 30th, 2015 at 8:37 pm

coffin, ha ha. surely that’s freudian or was it intentional elina? :)

October 30th, 2015 at 9:09 pm

;) Coffin chokin. Take your pick!

October 30th, 2015 at 9:52 pm

It appears all players nowadays, are winning ugly or losing ugly. What a joke.

October 30th, 2015 at 10:26 pm

Jane – I went to bed and didn’t see your comment till this morning – I believe (Fed No.2) and Murray(3) were in the bottom half and Novak (1) in the top half – would have to look up the rest.

October 31st, 2015 at 5:24 am

No Murray is no 2 and Roger is the third seed.

October 31st, 2015 at 7:42 am

Elina – You are wrong – Murray was ranked No. 3 in Shanghai tournament.

October 31st, 2015 at 8:19 am

Is J-Kath. Is. As in presently. Not was.

Murray is second seed next week. There is no wrong about that.

October 31st, 2015 at 8:27 am

Elina – I know Murray is No. 2. He was ranked No. 3 at the Shanghai tournament – why don’t you check what the comments were about – Jane asked me a question and I answered – kindly check above.

October 31st, 2015 at 9:40 am