Davis Cup SFs: Andy Murray v Juan Martin Del Potro Friday; Rafael Nadal Travels To India

Good luck Rafa and the gang..On paper..Rafa should win easily..but under the paper..Rafa can give us his fans a heart attack by missing a simple forehand on the net and lose the match!Honestly,don’t dare and don’t want to predict anything anymore..Just play Rafa,just play..

Btw..Andy vs DelPo is going to be explosive!Hope Emirates Arena can withstand the ROARRR that surely will come soon..As much as i love DelPo and want him to win..i gotta go with Andy again..Can’t wait to see their match..It’s going to be an interesting 3 days..

#GOODLUCKGUYS!

September 15th, 2016 at 7:30 pm

I think del Porto has him this time…

September 16th, 2016 at 1:15 am

Personally i dont think Delpo has the legs for five sets against a top player like Andy, he beat Novak and Rafa in the Olympics back to back which was amazing dont get me wrong, but these results tend to be the exception rather than the norm, its not something he does on a consistent basis, and over 5 sets is a different animal to over 3, hes most likely to beat an elite player in one round, and lose to a lesser player in the next round ….

September 16th, 2016 at 4:45 am

Rafa not playing today. Stomach bug. 😖

September 16th, 2016 at 8:27 am

Stomach bug……well too bad. He needs matches…..

September 16th, 2016 at 10:06 am

https://twitter.com/stroppadel/status/776765293511204865
😝😎🤑👏

September 16th, 2016 at 10:28 am

Murray leading 2 sets to 1. He looks tired, more so than Delpo,but it’s anyone’s match, really.

September 16th, 2016 at 11:46 am

delpo should have won by now

September 16th, 2016 at 12:02 pm

@Giles,Okie,Willow..http://www.firstpost.com/sports/rafael-nadal-has-wrist-injury-not-upset-stomach-feliciano-lopez-on-spaniards-davis-cup-withdrawal-3007994.html

September 16th, 2016 at 1:05 pm

Congrats DelPo..Amazing perfomance and very strong mentally considering he played in Scotland..As for Andy..it’s very clear that he’s very tired and it effect his sharpness today..Although i’m very curious why Andy didn’t lashed his BH or FH DTL more often to cut the point shorts and save his energy,not only for today but for the next two days as well..But full credit to Andy for his fighting spirits..That what’s the true champion does..

September 16th, 2016 at 1:32 pm

AM. Rafa pulled out as a precautionary measure. No need to worry. He might play dubs tomorrow

September 16th, 2016 at 1:36 pm

Wow, looks like Depo really likes playing under argentinian flag. Nice for him to win a five set match against Murray. He has vicotries over everytip player this year except Stan, or did they play before USO this year?

September 16th, 2016 at 1:43 pm

Delpo beat Stan at Wimbledon ….

September 16th, 2016 at 1:49 pm

Nothing surprises me with Delpo, he can play amazingly well like Rio or today against Murray, and he could lose next round to a nobody, so i wouldnt be surprised to see him lose the next rubber, sorry to be negative, but hes a difficult player to root for, who can be consistent or inconsistent depending on which guy shows up ….

September 16th, 2016 at 2:03 pm

Juan Martin’s win was Huge! Huge! It’s great to see, because I think it moves Delpo into the discussion of the best players of his era, even though he doesn’t have the stats the Big 4 and Stan accumulated in many extra years of playing healthy. Even Nadal, who never came close to the injury time lost and recuperation time Delpo did.
He can beat anyone, and people know the last 8 years would have had many more Delpo titles if he had the time the others had.

For Andy, Stan, Movak, and Rafa – all Delpos victims since the Olympics – no shame in losing to the Big Guy.

Argentina has a good doubles team. This Davis Cup stage is now very interesting!

Andy Murray may also be hitting the wall. Tired, and he looks it. He is no longer chasing Djokovic for #1 this year. it may be time to skip the Asian Tour and rest up for Paris and London.

September 16th, 2016 at 5:13 pm

A lot of people find Delpo exceptionally easy to cheer for, Willow. Even if they like Novak, Andy, Rafa, or Federer (back in his day….)

September 16th, 2016 at 5:18 pm

Where are those to call Andy or Delpo cheaters for having their legs massaged during this match…oh yes, they were injured not tired, their names are not Nole, I see..

One more thing, Delpo should be given credit and more respect and congratulated for beating Andy infront of 8.000 Scots who adored and fanatically cheered Andy and not saying he can’t beat Andy over 5 sets (this was five setter over five hours), or he is losing to nobody next round, because he can beat anybody with his game and is not losing to nobody next round, easy to check his results this year after almost two years injury break:

http://www.tennisabstract.com/cgi-bin/player.cgi?p=JuanMartinDelPotro

Are the players Delpo lost to nobodies? I wouldn’t call them so, but the ones he has beaten are well, the best in the game and he best them all but Roger, that’s not fluke but bloody quolity play by big man, his FH las night (my time) was carving the court like a birthday cake, until I fell a sleep.

Congrats to Delpo, commiserations to Andy and his fans (particularly JK who is in Glasgow:(

September 16th, 2016 at 5:20 pm

CF1,

Just look at his results this year, he is a freak, to do this things after slmost two years away from tennis, when even he believed at one stage he won’t be playing anymore is amasing. He is a champion not just game wise but mentally, you have to be strong to to fight five hours in Glasgow, he kept his cool even had a reason to be filthy when he lost second set after crowd roared prematurely to celebrate Andy’s match point though point wasn’t over, ball was still in the game.

September 16th, 2016 at 5:26 pm

^^^Andy’s set point

September 16th, 2016 at 5:32 pm

I hope Andy can hold on this last couple of days,and after DC,please go somewhere..take Kim and Sophia..rest as much as he needed..free his mind and fresh his body..after that,choose carefully which tournament he need to participate..Now,it’s very clear more and more that his participation in Cincy only gave him trouble instead of advantage..Oh Andy me lad!Why oh why you’re so stubborn..

September 16th, 2016 at 8:40 pm

Wow, I see that some people have a tough time recognizing how great players people like Delpo and Stan are. They may not be considered among the top 4 but the fact is they are here to stay, unless injury takes them out.

September 17th, 2016 at 1:02 am

It would seem some missed the point of my post, for starters Chris Ford 1 i never claimed otherwise, yes indeed he is easy to cheer for whomever you like, and i like him too ….

Wogboy secondly if you read the context of my post, i meant he can be frustrating to follow given his lack of consistency, and i didnt mean nobodies quite as literally as you would think, sometimes though he can beat a top player like at W, then flame out in the next round to a lesser player you would expect him to beat handily, but Rio was fantastic, and so was yesterday,so hopefully it continues like that for Delpo ….

September 17th, 2016 at 2:00 am

I Doubt Kyle Edmund has much chance against Delpo, although much would depend on Delpo physically i suppose, especially after yesterdays match i would think hes pretty spent, but i will pull for Kyle if thats alright with people here, as i am a Brit jeez ….

September 17th, 2016 at 2:07 am

And Ahfi who brought Stan up on this thread other than you ? ….

And Wogboy i never said a word about Novak cheating ….

September 17th, 2016 at 2:12 am

Congrats to DelPo! Always liked this guy.Have not seen the match and looks like I have missed something.

September 17th, 2016 at 4:36 am

The latest batch of WADA’s leaked info, i.e. athletes who were given permissions to use banned performance-enhancing drugs in order to treat their various illnesses:

Nicola Adams (Great Britain), boxing, Olympic gold medalist
Laura Trott (Great Britain), cycling, double gold medalist
Siobhan-Marie O’Connor (Great Britain), swimming, silver medalist
Olivia Carnegie-Brown (Great Britain), rowing, silver medalist

First cyclists Froome and Sir Wiggins, and now all these other sports – it really appears that most successful British athletes are very sick folks who need many banned drugs to make them healthy… they are literally rising from deathbeds to win medals for Great Britain!

September 17th, 2016 at 6:18 am

Travis Bickle, you are not the first person anywhere to misuse the word “literally”, and I’m sure you won’t be the last.

Also, who is Sir Wiggins? The title of a knight uses only the Christian name.

September 17th, 2016 at 12:55 pm

Well done Spain. Back in the World Group where you belong.
Vamos Armada!

September 17th, 2016 at 1:26 pm

Yeah im not Spanish, but because im a Nadal fan im pretty pleased, team GB face an uphill battle, Murray will most likely win his match, but cant see Kyle beating Delpo ….

September 17th, 2016 at 2:25 pm

Colin,

Thanks for commenting on my grammar and proper usage of knight titles in a sentence.

However, since you didn’t comment on the substance of my post, I take it you agree with me that the best British athletes are really really sick people who would take all kinds of (potentially dangerous) performance-enhancing drugs to win medals for their country!

Did you know that 53 out of the total number 366 British athletes in Rio Olympic used banned drugs? Of course legally by being granted WADA’a therapeutic use exemption. I AM NOT implying any cheating here – we all know cheating is beneath British athletes, some among them are even knights!
And most of these 53 are the top athletes, medal winning ones…

September 17th, 2016 at 3:06 pm

TB,

Add on your list Bethanie Mattek-Sands, won gold in mix doubles, the man who prescribed her drugs is well known for saying that he workd with “thousands of steroid using athletes” , former bodybuilder himself, Dr Eric Serrano…but that’s or legal…they have WADA approval to use PED.

September 17th, 2016 at 3:37 pm

Nick Kyrgios says “I’m not trying to do a Novak at the U.S. Open.
I’m not playing with blood coming out of my nose”.

Nick, no one cares because you’lll never be great.
Sure, you’re the honest hero! No fakeness from you, dear.
Just quit tennis along with Fed.
You stated that you’ll play basketball in 4 years.
You can play the sanctimonious clown in that sport too. Lmao

September 17th, 2016 at 4:25 pm

Yes Giles..Well done Rafa and friends..

Yes Willow..Like you,happy with Murray Bros win..but maybe Kyle can bring ‘magic’ again?Who knows?Crazy things sometimes happen in sports..

September 17th, 2016 at 6:44 pm

TB, you said MOST of the successful British athletes were doped, and you named exactly six people.

GB won a total of 67 medals (27 Gold, 23 Silver, 17 Bronze).

I don’t think 6 out of 67 can be interpreted as “most of”, even allowing for Trott getting 2 Golds.

Look at the continuing arguments about Sharapova. They are not about the actual drugs; they are about her (and her team’s)absurdly inefficient and casual handling of the situation. Here, I am talking only of arithmetic, not of degrees of honesty.

To support your sweeping condemnation of GB athletes, you’d need to list all the 53 people you mention, with details. I doubt you are that obsessive.

September 18th, 2016 at 2:10 am

53 British Olympians are (were) on drugs…though officially legally…the question is where do you draw the line? You would be screaming your head off if there is 53 Russians on drugs Colin, wouldn’t you?

http://true-news.info/banned-wada-drugs-legally-accepted-53-british-olympian/

September 18th, 2016 at 7:33 am

53 olympians were on drugs? I don’t think we can say that. What is claimed is that 53 olympians were granted TUEs. It must be remembered that PEDs are not manufactured as PEDs but are actually meant for therapeutic use for diseases/medical or surgical conditions. For instance, blood transfusion for surgery or thalassaemia.
When used for diseases/conditions, it is legitimate use and TUEs are granted. Used without any disease or medical condition, it is PEDs

September 18th, 2016 at 8:42 am

It’s easy to find the Fancy Bears — a simple google search will do the trick.

Then, the documents are there.

The effects of the substances taken by both Serena and Venus are well known. I find a few testimonies by cycle riders about it.

September 18th, 2016 at 8:58 am

Wog Boy, no I wouldn’t, I would be giving a fatalistic shrug, because surely we all assume that lots of Russians (not to mention Chinese or Ukrainians)are on drugs.

At least nobody’s accused Andy Murray of being on anything.
Not yet! With limited movement, he’s just beaten Pella, and somewhat unexpectedly Delpo isn’t coming on for the decider, so Dan Evans could and should beat Muller.

September 18th, 2016 at 10:58 am

Muller? ^^

September 18th, 2016 at 12:33 pm

Colin:

Glad Andy not accused of drugs – for safety (not yet). But you are wrong about Andy’s playing today – his movement was not limited – not that I saw (or another 8,000 people). In fairness, perhaps it was a mix – his opponent was trying everything but the kitchen sink – so was pretty depressed that Andy actually came back from having his…”what’it” sorted and could walk jiggingly along on two legs. All Andy had to do was hold his nerve because the match was over and done despite some majestic forehands from the wee Argentinian.

I couldn’t stay for Dan’s match – I had to be back home (as I am) for tomorrow morning and Sunday public transport in liberated Scotland still needs attention.

Obviously I’d have liked our Team to win but Andy’s initial loss to DelPo was key. Funnily enuf, I agree with those of you have said DelPo is not consistent….but then I join the rest of you and say he needs more time (still part of his game is brilliant – but – yes I’ve a doubt, while recognising he is serious competition.

DAVIS CUP was brilliant, absolutely brilliant…the atmosphere – to some degree it didn’t matter who was cheering whom – there was a man with a foghorn voice behing me – now I will need an implant…..what could I say, he was ANDY’s biggest fans – and blow me he came from England.

September 18th, 2016 at 3:52 pm

“When used for diseases/conditions, it is legitimate use and TUEs are granted.”

But also, “The experts recognize that athletes often abuse these privileges.”

53 is significant number considering they are top athletes, it would be good to see percentage of these in other teams like China, Russia etc.

Who are doctors who gives diagnosis, where are they from, and how is it approved?

Too many questions without answers and lots of possibilities to abuse privileges..

What is the procedure and why WADA kept quiet about those exemptions until it was forced to come out clean?

Last but not least, if you can’t function without help of drugs you shouldn’t be competing but choose some other profession, since you can use substances that others are not allowed, you can test positive on these ones, but that’s ok since you are exempt, that’s unfair advantage.

September 18th, 2016 at 8:12 pm

Why do Wog boy and TB feel TUEs are granted only for chronic conditions? That they are taken on an ongoing basis so these athletes are deemed to be not able to function without the help of drugs? I am sure all the top tennis stars are human and have required TUEs sometime or the other simply because they aren’t invulnerable and are subject to injuries and infections.
Most of the TUEs are granted on a short term basis for athletes recovering from surgery or some acute ailment when they are ill/injured/recovering (not playing). Only a few like Djokovic might require TUEs on an ongoing basis. Djokovic suffers from breathing problems/asthma. I am sure Wog boy would not want Djok to take up some other profession.

September 18th, 2016 at 10:21 pm

Wrong, Nole doesn’t suffer from asthma nor he ever had, try harder, as I said, why WADA doesn’t list all athletes who used PED with their approval per team so we could see which country has them and how many of them?
So far Nole is not on the list published by Fancy Bear.

September 19th, 2016 at 6:47 pm

Just to finish, sent it prematurely, no need for Nole to to take some other profession since he hasn been using any drugs nor needed them to solve his health problems, he did it legal way, no need for approval from corrupted WADA, he wouldn’t get one anyway since he is not qualified for one ..by birth.

If Fancy Bears come out with him on the list I’ll personaly ask him to take up some other profession, I promise..and he’ll listen to, I know it..

September 19th, 2016 at 6:58 pm

Wog Boy:

Not contesting anything or suggesting either …but why “would he (Novak) not get one anyway since he is not qualified for one ….by birth?”

September 19th, 2016 at 7:10 pm

JK,

It sounds more convincing and dramatic;)

September 19th, 2016 at 10:16 pm