I know this sport I’ve never seen somebody playing at this level. So I just congratulate him and that’s it.
—
That’s right, I have never seen anyone like this. In my matches with other goats, they just used to wind up their tails and cry on the ad court, not this guy.

January 9th, 2016 at 7:32 pm

It’s not just a matchup, Sean!
Djoker is really the best player that has ever played tennis. Why is that so hard to accept? Looks like Nadal has accepted it, and he knows a thing or two about tennis!

Mathematically/theoretically speaking, it has to be a single person that has played at the highest level ever. It just so happened that player is Novak Djokovic. We and media can try to spin it and twist it and make it appear as he is not THAT good, but sooner or later everyone will realize what Rafa realized today:

“Since I know this sport I’ve never seen somebody playing at this level. So I just congratulate him and that’s it.”

January 9th, 2016 at 7:39 pm

“It’s matchups people”!! Really, OR, it could be, couldn’t it, that Rafa is just simply saying that Novak is playing better than ANYONE he’s ever seen!!!!! Maybe he does mean exactly what he said! Maybe it is just that black and white!!
Why is it the tennis media CANNOT give Novak Djokovic his dues! I think he’s earnt it by now, don’t you, are you all so scared of offending the great one, the maestro, the goat, that maybe just maybe, there is someone who is playing better tennis more consistently than RF and might in another 5-6 years end up being the GOAT!! Credit where credit is due, HE IS DUE!!!!

January 9th, 2016 at 7:41 pm

Jane2: Are you jane?

Hi, TB! Continue to read your witty comments with pleasure…

January 9th, 2016 at 7:58 pm

no that is not me mat4. lots of new posters lately…
i usually have a different tone :)
what did you think of novak today?
nice performance: he really saves his best for last since becker joined the team, always seems to raise his level in finals and/or important matches.

January 9th, 2016 at 8:18 pm

jane,

I just said the same on the other thread, we think the same:)

January 9th, 2016 at 8:26 pm

Thanks TB, thanks Jane2,
You both made good point, soon or later they will have to admit what you said.

January 9th, 2016 at 8:30 pm

@jane:

About the other jane — at first, I thought it was Brando in disguise…

I wrote my impressions about the match (I just finished watching it) in the other thread. If Novak could play more often the way he did today — hitting flat, with abandon, unleashing his shots, I can’t imagine the final result.

I’ve seen him play extremely well before, but the only match he played at a similar level that I remember was the final of Beijing 2014. He was zoning the whole match.

January 9th, 2016 at 8:32 pm

I loved how aggressive novak was on the return today, really took an immediate strangle-hold on the return.

January 9th, 2016 at 8:42 pm

What I liked, for my part, was:

Winners/UE: 30/9!

Avg FH speed: 79 mph, avg. groundstroke speed: 75 mph, avg return speed: 107 and 125 kmh.

1st serve percentage: 75%.

January 9th, 2016 at 8:54 pm

Nole will get the respect in the end. He will break a lot of records for sure. The most masters 1000’s is going to be a forgone conclusion. He will demolish that record. I don’t see why some people think that Rogers most weeks at number one is untouchable. That one really doesn’t look so far away anymore. Year end number 1’s is another one that he could definitely break. WTF wins is another one he is on his way to breaking. When all is said and done, I don’t see even the media saying that Federer is the GOAT. With every act of dominance by today, it slowly shatters peoples beliefs that Federer will continue to be recognized as the GOAT.

January 9th, 2016 at 10:23 pm

With every act of dominance like today

January 9th, 2016 at 10:24 pm

let this guy first overtake rafa in the gs category then talk about overtaking fed.

he has bloddy 7 gs to equal him. had only two multiple gs years.

January 10th, 2016 at 12:20 am

And Nole has never played someone as great as Roger Federer. 34 and …still a threat.
The wheels go round and round, but Slam wins are static.

January 10th, 2016 at 12:28 am

will agree with Fed and Rafa fans, that Nole has a lot more to prove in order to surpass Rafa and then Fed, but we shoul enjoy Noles first victor of the year against Rafa…and hopefully 2016 and the future will bring more victories like this for him over his rivals:)

January 10th, 2016 at 1:19 am

““I played against a player who did everything perfectly. I don’t know anybody who’s ever played tennis like this. Since I know this sport I’ve never seen somebody playing at this level. So I just congratulate him and that’s it.”

This is why I like Rafa and have tremendous respect for him. He is not fake. He is brutally honest and truthful. He says what he thinks even if it is to belittle himself. It is not false modesty it is being open, telling it how it is and calling things their names. True champ on and off the court.

As far as GOAT discussion is concerned, for me, the records, numbers and achievements speak for themselves. It is Roger.

January 10th, 2016 at 1:38 am

Well the Serbinator was in such a destructive mood on the Court and the result is there for every one to see. To say that he pummeled his opponent would be an understatement, he pulverised him to pieces. I have never seen a player of the calibre of Rafa who is regarded as one of the Greatest of all time being so despondent, dejected and demolarized on Court as he was against Novak, the terrible. He just was reconciled to defeat and going through the motions. Not once, he threatened to break Novak’s serve, but whereas he was overtly stressed to even hold his serve and winning a game was a premium.

It was complete demolition or rather a humiliation heaped upon by one of the most emphatic and clinical display of Tennis by the Champion.

Novak always finds it more comfortable to execute his game against players who plays vicious top spin like Rafa and he fancies them more than the flat hitters. That is the reason that even today, you find a veteran like Roger troubling Novak to this day by even grabbing a set and Novak finding it some what hard against the likes of Isner, Anderson etc.

For Rafa, sadly this is not the way he can boost his morale ahead of the Australian Open and his chances are as good as over if he is ranged against Novak at the other end of the net !!

January 10th, 2016 at 2:09 am

Michael,

I think Rafa looked despondent like this in his semis with Tsonga at the AO 2008. He just could not believe what have befallen him.

Today’s match was one way traffic. Novak was too fast and hit the ball early and strongly. Rafa was slow and a few steps behind. He was too far back from the baseline and was definitely not moving well. His footwork wasn’t good. He needs more power and more belief. He must THINK that “he CAN”. And he has to find way to come to the net more often. Then, we will have more competitive matches.

But hey, this is only the first tournament of the season. Let’s see how it enfolds.

January 10th, 2016 at 2:19 am

Djokovic is the best player in the world right now … He’s clearly much better than Nadal !
He’s abit better than Federer heaps better than Murray but one man only can bully him with power Wawrinka !
It’s hard seeing Nadal beating Djokovic even on clay right now but things might change soon … Nadal night wake up one morning look himself in the mirror & say I need help ?
Stranger things have happened … I think the best 3 coaches for Nadal are Sampras who won’t do it Agassi who might & Pat Cash who wants it bad !
Uncle Toni was great 14 slams but it’s time for resolve & Clear thinking get someone else in who’s won grand slams
It’s now or never ? Stubborn Nadal must do it !

Djokovic will clearly be favourite for every grand slam this year & who is to say he can’t win them all ?
Who’s gonna stop him ?

January 10th, 2016 at 2:39 am

An off day can stop him. And a very inspired opponent. That can be anyone named Murray, Fedal, Kyrgios, Tomic, Wawrinka, any of the big servers…

January 10th, 2016 at 2:57 am

Danica @ 2.19 am,

Agree !!

He just couldn’t find a single attacking shot to trouble Novak. Very rarely winners came against his racquet !!

The most perplexing thing is that he is totally at sea when he is ranged against Novak and in a zone of comfort against other players even of the calibre of Roger, Andy, Wawarinka etc. Even Berdych performed better against Novak stretching him to the tie break in the second set.

As they say each match is different and the match ups tell a totally different story. Rafa’s game suits Novak more than anybody else and the later just loves those vicious top spin forehands and back hands unleashed by Rafa which is countered by his devastating double handed backhand down the line shots with immaculate ease !!

January 10th, 2016 at 3:09 am

Sorry it must read as “very rarely winners came from his racquet. !!

January 10th, 2016 at 3:09 am

Yes, I couldn’t believe when I woke up this morning and saw the score. That was Rafa, and a final and the score was in Nole’s favor more than that of any other match on the tournament!

Rafa somehow must work on getting back his speed and hitting balls flatter.

January 10th, 2016 at 3:17 am

I wouldn’t hurry with such optimistic forecast, while the writing is already on the wall.

The fact that Novak plays so much better in the finals than in the previous rounds is NOT a good sign. It could show a kind of lack of motivation in those matches.

Then, remember Fed before the AO 2010… He had Novak’s age…

The most probable numbers remain 11-13 slams, perhaps 30 MS1000, about 240 weeks at no 1. More than that is still a dream.

It makes me think about the fable of the young mouse and the old cat. Lafontaine’s conclusion was: youth is full of dreams… age is without mercy…

January 10th, 2016 at 3:26 am

Mat4, In 2008 my dream was to see Nole winning the WB title, it was my only expectation from him. I did never think in 2008, that he cold be a challenge for Rafa or Roger at this level, and look, he has won 10 GS….so everything is possible.
We should make the inventory of his titles, when he will retire..and I wish him to play like he did in 2015 a few years more (5 or six)
It is not wrong to dream, it is only wrong to call him the GOAT, but he is an alltime greate already :)

January 10th, 2016 at 3:40 am

If you don’t believe Rafa then who will you believe? After all, he’s played both players when they were in their primes and has played each well over 30 times.

January 10th, 2016 at 7:58 am

@sarah:

Langsame und vorsichtig… I have the same wishes, but it’s a long run.

January 10th, 2016 at 8:37 am

Danke, Mat4 ;) Nole wird uns alle ueberraschen

January 10th, 2016 at 8:47 am

@Sarah:

I hope so.

January 10th, 2016 at 8:53 am

Why is no one addressing the elephant in the room in this whole conversation? More pointedly, why is no one PERMITTED to address the elephant in the room without getting thoroughly ostracized? The truth is, while Djokovic is indeed an extremely talented tennis player (with freakish but genuine flexibility), who works hard – he’s actually not THAT good. He’s not actually THIS good. When Rafa suggested he’d never seen anything like this level of play, the statement goes beyond the court.

Djokovic is a prime candidate for the same kind of blood doping Lance Armstrong was involved in for so many years. And Djokovic is intelligent, driven and manipulative enough to fool the public the way Lance did.

I’ve played and watched tennis all my life, so my opinion isn’t rooted in blind judgment. But you’ll still probably throw rocks at me. Call me a hater or whatever other check-your-brain-at-the-door, ad hominem invective you can come up with. Cover your ears and sing la la la la. There’s simply NO way Novak Djokovic ISN’T engaged in something nefarious to achieve his recent and meteoric heights. It’s time people started talking about this.

January 10th, 2016 at 9:41 am

mat4, your saying those will be Nole’s career numbers? 30 masters 1000’s for his career? If he gets under 40, I would be shocked. Again as I said earlier in another post, he is not going to all of a sudden fall off of a cliff at 30. The reason why Roger has only won 1 major in his 30’s is because other players beat him and were better than him. That’s it. Nole isn’t Roger and if you think he is only going to win 1 major or less when he hits 30, that doesn’t seem to realistic to me. I respect your opinion. I just have to completely disagree.

January 10th, 2016 at 9:59 am

@Dave:

I hope that you are right and I am wrong. But if the past taught us something, it’s that nothing is certain.

January 10th, 2016 at 10:02 am

@ Leela Devi, if it is like you said (but completely disagree with you), then perhaps Nole took some lessons from Fed or Rafa, who were also that dominant during their prime time

January 10th, 2016 at 10:38 am

Ominous signs already that another bore year with the least liked men’s world number one dominating all way thorough is now ahead sigh! Hope women’s tennis more unpredictable this season

January 10th, 2016 at 10:43 am

Martin Rivkin, Hope it will be boring for you, honestly

January 10th, 2016 at 10:53 am

P.S. and it is boring, because unfortunately nobody rises to Djokos level

January 10th, 2016 at 11:00 am

Leela Devi. I totally agree with you. I guess we will only know for sure if perchance there is a leak from his camp which I doubt very much will happen. Still, you never know.

January 10th, 2016 at 11:06 am

Obviously Sarah likes boring tennis, obviously.

January 10th, 2016 at 11:09 am

Only one player can bring Djokovic down.
Cilic level in second week has yet to be surpassed.
but his level has been a freak occurance of nature and we should therefore cherish the level reached.
Untill then just ride the djoker wave.

January 10th, 2016 at 11:25 am

I totally agree with you mat4. Nothing is certain. But I thought you said the word probable. To me that’s almost like saying: chances are that this will happen. At the same time, you just can’t compare Federer and Nadal with Nole. They are all different players and unique. If Nole’s lifestyle wasn’t so good and diet so healthy I might say probable as well. Or if his playing style was like Rafa’s, same thing. The reality is that that isn’t the case.

January 10th, 2016 at 11:44 am

@Leela Devi:

“Djokovic is a prime candidate for the same kind of blood doping Lance Armstrong was involved in for so many years.”

The only top player that started to slump after the introduction of the blood passport is… Rafael Nadal.

While Federer, Djokovic, Murray, hit their FH at the same speed in 2009 and 2015, Rafa hit his FH at the speed of 89 mph avg in 2009/10, and his avg is now… 73 mph. Marion Bartoli addressed that elephant in the room loudly last year.

Rafa is the only top player who was treated with hormones for his injuries.

He was the only player associated with a major doping scandal. Let’s just mention that the doctor Fuentes was prohibited to reveal the name the of his clients in court.

Although more that 20 pounds heavier than Djokovic and with a deficient running technique (especially compared to Federer and Djokovic, who lifted movement at the level of an art), he was able to run faster and longer than anybody on the Tour for years.

So, please, think before writing. Ignorance is not an opinion.

January 10th, 2016 at 11:58 am

@Dave:

Yes, I wrote the word “probable”, meaning, just like in French, “likely”. Does that word mean something else in English? It could be a “bad neighbour”.

I would be delighted if he wins the next AO and the FO, but… Laver excepted, nobody won 4 slams in a row in the Open era. How many players did win more than 4 slams after 29? Can Novak really be an exception? We all thought Federer would be that one, then we believed that Nadal had chances, now we all think that Novak will certainly accomplish such a lofty feat. But I am not overly confident he can.

January 10th, 2016 at 12:09 pm

Mat4, only one observation from me: Agassi won 5 afte turning 29

January 10th, 2016 at 12:13 pm

Mat4: “probably” seems more definite than “likely.” Tho it’s a fine line.

January 10th, 2016 at 12:17 pm

@mat4:

Please, do some of your own research before writing. And please, stop flinging faeces. I’m trying to open a dialogue on the possibilities of blood doping at the elite level in tennis. Djokovic is as much a candidate as Nadal, or Federer.

http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2014/04/drug-testing-tennis-increases-not-evenly-all-players/51081/#.VpKRQ_krKM8

http://espn.go.com/tennis/aus13/story/_/id/8820717/how-lance-armstrong-affected-tennis

Guy Forget: “I don’t feel our sport is clean. I am sure now as we speak there are some guys that are cheating. You cannot say tennis is not touched by this poisonous thing.”

Mike Bryan: “You get blood tested at the slams, usually after you lose, but I’ve never been blood tested out of competition.”

Todd Martin: “There are people out there who don’t have the ethics that are necessary for there to be a level playing field, and as long as there are, we’re going to have those who are trying to get a leg up.”

Jim Courier: “Let’s face it, if you’re 100 in the world and you think that something illegal will get you to 10 in the world, that’s a tremendous difference in the quality of the rest of your life from a financial standpoint.”

Jim Courier: “I’m much more inclined to have a concern for something that we cannot test for under the current system of testing, which is blood doping…”

Mardy Fish: “This is my 11th year. I’ve seen a few guys come and go who have cheated…”

Daniel Nestor: “We suspect that there’s always stuff going on. I mean, we watch some of these matches, the guys play five hours and come back the next day and do it again.”

Mahesh Bhupathi: “The tennis players themselves have brought it (anti-doping rules) upon themselves. A lot of players have been cheating.”

Jim Courier: “EPO is the problem, I have pretty strong suspicions that guys are using it on the tour. I see guys who are out there week in and week out without taking rests. EPO can help you when it’s the fifth set and you’ve been playing for four-and-a-half hours.”

Christophe Rochus: “There’s a lot of cheating. Simply, people don’t like to talk about it…I simply would like to stop the pretending. This hypocrisy is exasperating.”

Fabrice Santoro: “I can’t believe there is a real will to fight against doping…I don’t know whether the testing is done to catch the guys or just for show. Sometimes, I ask myself the question, when I see what goes on.”

January 10th, 2016 at 12:21 pm

Leeela David, there is no proof in your lines, that they were doped, you show us here only some quotes from some tennis players…

January 10th, 2016 at 12:42 pm

Blood passports leela

January 10th, 2016 at 12:44 pm

Leela,

What exactly is your point? These are opinions that you have posted, from tennis players, nothing more.

Hard evidence is what is required.

Do you have any?

January 10th, 2016 at 12:46 pm

oh look, more “new” posters. :)

January 10th, 2016 at 12:52 pm

Jane,

@12:52…Ok, I am also new and I see that this is bothering.
I am terribile sorry for the trouble and will not post anymore.
I can be a Tennis and Nole fan without posting.
Will continue to read once in a while the articles of Tennis X.

Have a nice Day or evening.

Buyeeees

January 10th, 2016 at 1:07 pm

no need to be…
it’s just interesting how people show up out of the blue to knock a certain player or make accusations only to then disappear but not to actually join in tennis blogging,
you seem interested in the latter sarah

January 10th, 2016 at 1:13 pm

Joker is on a mission to beat Fed’s records and of course GS titles. He is the type of person that will do anything and everything to achieve this goal even if it means Indulging in illegalities.

January 10th, 2016 at 1:14 pm

P.S. Giles, I wanted to send all my “best wishes” to you, but the site did not allow me to do this, unfortunately…but you are seak man or woman

January 10th, 2016 at 1:31 pm

@Sarah:

jane didn’t point at you.

@Margot:

Thanks! Despite the dictionary, it seems it is indeed a bad neighbour. I don’t always check meanings, when the same word occur in both languages.

@jane:

I noted. There are a lot of new nicks, although I have the impression that it could be… how do you say it in English? Old dogs, new tricks?

@LD:

It has been debated here, and on other fora. A lot. But there’s really nothing conclusive. And I have thoroughly investigated the subject, with the data that I could find. I even had insiders’ infos, by a top coach (jane here and WB know who he is). But no proof whatsoever.

January 10th, 2016 at 3:00 pm

Mat4 from the other thread did you mean?….

January 10th, 2016 at 3:11 pm

Sorry what did you mean?….

January 10th, 2016 at 3:12 pm

@GG:

I don’t know any more. I had an idea, probably. I spend the weekend reading a novel about inspector Rebus, not to think about work for a few days, and… who knows, now?

January 10th, 2016 at 3:18 pm

Ok, Jane and Mat4, sorry for missunderstanding.
Have a nice evening

January 10th, 2016 at 3:18 pm

Mat4 something about perservering with Wagner,and important things like life and death,i loved that scene from inspector morse,it still makes me cry even now….

January 10th, 2016 at 3:24 pm

@GG:

Yes, I know what I wrote. I quoted Morse: “Lewis, you know, you should persevere with Wagner. It’s about important things, life and death, regrets…” But I don’t remember what was the allusion, what it was linked with…

January 10th, 2016 at 3:33 pm

OK Mat4,anyway i have no regrets personally….

January 10th, 2016 at 3:37 pm

And i didnt mean to be rude if thats how it came across….

January 10th, 2016 at 3:41 pm

Giles says: “He is the type of person that will do anything and everything to achieve this goal even if it means Indulging in illegalities.”

And you know all this HOW exactly? You know Novak personally? Rafa used a treatment for his knees that is now officially banned as it was proved that it enhanced the performance. You simply cannot feel and know where he comes from. I have neither the time nor will to elaborate something that the likes of you refuse to even try to understand.

Leeela David,
I saw you on another forum yesterday. Did you raise same questions in 2013 when Rafa came after injury to win everything in sight? It was one hell of a good season. Did you ask whether something was funky about Roger being dominant in 2006-07? Or how come a 34 year old player is #2-3 in the world? Of course you didn’t. Because you are jealous of another person’s success. What you posted, these quotes, is ridiculous. And you know who Rochus was talking about? Rafa. So please, until you have some valid proof, spare us your imagination. Lance Armstrong was the biggest name but when they started looking into the 2nd placed, 3rd placed… and so on, they found out that none of them were clean.

Sarah,
Please, don’t say good byes. ;)

January 10th, 2016 at 5:33 pm

hear hear!!! bravo danica.

January 10th, 2016 at 5:47 pm

Anyway, who is Leeela David? Don’t waste your time, good people, on pure souls like Leeela David, Giles and the rest, they should all be placed in an asylum, maybe they are already placed there and this is their therapy, allowed to occasionally blog in, it’s good if that can help them, I am all for it..

January 10th, 2016 at 5:57 pm

@WB:

I think that Leela David is Giles’ dr Jekill…

January 10th, 2016 at 6:13 pm

@Danica:

Intramuscular platelet-rich plasma treatment is not considered doping by the WADA since 2011.

January 10th, 2016 at 6:31 pm

hey mat4, awesome poem… read by tom waits.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Txe6NDt7DHU&feature=youtu.be

January 10th, 2016 at 7:06 pm

Thank you, j! I’ve found that beautiful poem itself, and it was much more enjoyable to read.

I prefer listening to Waits singing.

A song for you, as a “merci”. A cover.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUBpN3jr3FQ

January 10th, 2016 at 8:01 pm

For you two, pity I can’t find english translation for jane but I am sure she can feel the poem which is recite by the actor who became famos in America by taking the roles of the bad Russians in American movies, mat4 I know it is not Tin Ujevic but I love his poems:

http://youtu.be/K0N-iJgsPCM

January 10th, 2016 at 8:31 pm

I recently talked with a friend psychiatrist about life. Psychiatrist are very unreasonable persons, but this one knows a bout about… enjoying. And when I mentioned that I bought gifts for all my family for Xmas he asked what I have bought for myself…

So, this song is for me… a good cover of Waits.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbTAKP9XIgA

January 10th, 2016 at 8:33 pm

what good covers/poems!

January 10th, 2016 at 8:39 pm

@WB:

I found the poem here:

https://sites.google.com/site/projectgoethe/Home/branko-miljkovic/uzalud-je-budim

The site seems good.

January 10th, 2016 at 8:45 pm

WB:

From the same poet, those verses:

Life is fatal, but it resists to death.
A terrible disease will be called by my name.
We’ve suffered: And, behold, now sings
hell tamed. Let the heart not hesitate.
when sing and die is just the same.

January 10th, 2016 at 8:52 pm

And these:

but one day
where heart was Sun will stand
and human speech will no longer have words
which poem would deny
Everyone will write poetry
truth will exist in all the words
in the places where poem is the most beautiful
the one who started it first will retreat
leaving poem to the others
I accept the great thought of future poets:
one unhappy man can not be a poet
I accept the judgment of the singing crowd:
THOSE WHO CAN NOT STAND THE SONG SHALL LISTEN TO THE STORM

but:

WILL FREEDOM ITSELF SING
AS SLAVES HAVE SUNG OF IT

January 10th, 2016 at 9:03 pm

@WB:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDVkLrcPydk

this is for you.

January 10th, 2016 at 9:09 pm

mat4,
Thanks and he was only 27 when found dead, declared “suicide” after he almost announced his death in the poem “Epitaph” and saying “I was killed by too strong word”, this is his “A letter to a friend”:

https://sites.google.com/site/projectgoethe/Home/branko-miljkovic

January 10th, 2016 at 9:12 pm

mat4,

You got me, do you know how many times I watched that movie, no other actor, even Greek one, would outperform American actor of Irish/Mexican blood, Anrhony Quinn, in playing Greek, I loved him and his passion.

January 10th, 2016 at 9:20 pm

Now, something for you, some French poetry

Paul Éluard

Talking of Power and Love

Between all my torments between death and self
Between my despair and the reason for living
There is injustice and this evil of men
That I cannot accept there is my anger

There are the blood-coloured fighters of Spain
There are the sky-coloured fighters of Greece
The bread the blood the sky and the right to hope
For all the innocents who hate evil

The light is always close to dying
Life always ready to become earth
But spring is reborn that is never done with
A bud lifts from dark and the warmth settles

And the warmth will have the right of the selfish
Their atrophied senses will not resist
I hear the fire talk lightly of coolness
I hear a man speak what he has not known

You who were my flesh’s sensitive conscience
You I love forever you who made me
You will not tolerate oppression or injury
You’ll sing in dream of earthly happiness
You’ll dream of freedom and I’ll continue you

January 10th, 2016 at 9:28 pm

OK, enough now, I risk to be banned.

January 10th, 2016 at 9:29 pm

BTW, in that film, I liked Irene Pappas. She was such a beautiful woman.

January 10th, 2016 at 9:31 pm

I finally noticed that I write about poetry every time Novak beats Rafa. So that’s the source of inspiration!

January 10th, 2016 at 9:33 pm

Oh yes, I forgot this is Rafa’s thread, no good..

Irene Pappas, real, natural, ancient beauty..unmatched!

January 10th, 2016 at 9:35 pm

Before Sean kick us out this is for you, Irene Papas was great singer too, and I been there, nothing like sunset cruise on Santorini, have a look, I want to go back there:(

http://youtu.be/luY5U4zvKZ8

January 10th, 2016 at 9:43 pm

I think nobody can stop Novak this year.. if at all it is injury. He may get golden slam.
I’m surprised at Nadal Statement which means he felt it.
Kudos Novak..

January 10th, 2016 at 10:13 pm

Oh my……..the woes of being the #1 player in the world……you get accused of doping…..PATHETIC!

January 10th, 2016 at 11:13 pm

Talking of unique musicians/poets………..
RIP David Bowie. Feeling sad.

January 11th, 2016 at 2:08 am

Yes, very sad, just heard it on the evening news, he was unique, true to himself:(

January 11th, 2016 at 2:12 am

Hi Margot,

Wow, I am reading only now the news about Bowie…wow. And I loved that guy..

RIP David Bowie!

January 11th, 2016 at 2:13 am

Okie yeah it is pathetic,instead of bringing in some conspiracy theory,why cant people just accept that what Novaks doing now,and what others have done before him is merely the product of hard work and dedication,and because hell they are so damn good….

And i hope TennisGuy and Taxi Driver read this post,to know im defending Novak and giving him credit,because after all apparantly i only get irritated when Rafa gets pulled to pieces,or when Novak gets praised and it takes the lustre of Rafa,JEEZ, all i can say is Thankfully most people here know me better than that or at least should do by now….

January 11th, 2016 at 2:16 am

margot i was lucky enough to have seen him live thrice and to have gone to the V&A exhibit. but my heart is broken right now https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4B5zmDz4vR4

January 11th, 2016 at 2:18 am

WOW RIP David Bowie,so sad,had no idea he was that ill,a true musical genius….

January 11th, 2016 at 2:19 am

jane: Oh lucky you.
He was amazing. “Space Odyssey” extraordinary ground breaking stuff but then he moved on.
Feels really strange feeling so sad about someone I never knew, but I do.

January 11th, 2016 at 2:50 am

Oh dear getting my “Oddities” and “Oddyseys” muddled up there and here Bowie’s!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXSGocWifAg

Quite liked the other one too…….

January 11th, 2016 at 2:56 am

Bowie was a genius…I would like to mention that I liked his colaboration with Nine Inch Nails at one moment..

January 11th, 2016 at 3:22 am

Leela Devi and Giles are two of a kind: two poor souls who happen to be Rafa’s fans. It’s so good to see some good posters here i.e Danica, Jane, Wog Boy, Mat4, etc shut those two poor souls up.

Btw, Jane, I don’t post here often but I’ve been reading tennis-x for many years and I know the regular posters (the good ones: yourself, GG aka Allison, Michael, MadMax, Wogboy etc, and some others who are bad posters i.e Sienna, Giles)

January 11th, 2016 at 7:17 am

Ziggy Stardust, Alladin sane, Thin White Duke…there will be hell of a party up there tonight…

January 11th, 2016 at 11:28 am

Ngentot thankyou for including me in your list of good posters i try my best to be ;))….

January 11th, 2016 at 11:54 am

Courbon hi,good to see you here,hope you had a lovely christmas,and are having a happy new year,and Novaks started this year,in pretty much the same way he ended the last one ;))….

January 11th, 2016 at 11:56 am

My oh my. A certain “Monfils fan” does seem all consumed with how a comment made by Nadal about The No. 1 player in the world somehow related to Roger (a common trait of Roger fans and especially by-proxy Novak fans).

January 12th, 2016 at 8:09 am