Henk Abbink Reports About Rome

6-1 1st set for Rafa in less than 24 minutes. Roger makes too many unforced errors. Like yesterday against Paire.

A 1st serve percentage of 58 for Roger is not going to make for a competitive match. Rafa played fantastic. In the 2nd set Fed had some nice ideas like drop shots to Nadal’s backhand side which worked well but he was misfiring. Too many shots just a little too deep.

Even though it’s not the only key to success it’s still strange to me that “the first commandment of rec tennis”(Bodo), attack the backhand, totally takes Roger Federer out of his game. Of course the super-spin forehand that Nadal alone possesses does this.

How badly did Roger want it today? Did he want it as much as Rafa?

Right now only Djokovic, Delpo and Gulbis seem capable of beating Rafa on clay but you never know…a Soderling-type moment could happen.

Fed was so relaxed afterwards –a far cry to how he was when he lost to Nadal at Wimby and the Aussie.

This is the full Bodo quote I liked, a diff post than his Nadal comments:
“Early in this rivalry, Nadal wasn’t nearly as confident about and reliant upon blasting apart Federer’s backhand. Federer’s all-around skills, and the indisputable beauty and variety of that one-handed backhand, masked his vulnerability. Who imagined you could lay low perhaps the greatest player ever in this sport by following the first commandment of parks-and-rec tennis: Hit to the backhand?”

You have to give Soderling credit for his win over Nadal. I believe he got to Nadal psychologically too. Soderling was a top player that made the WTF.

Yeah, Scoop, I mentioned that it wasn’t ONLY that but it’s a huge part of the winning strategy obviously.

Let’s give Fed credit. At 31 he makes the finals, I believe, without losing a set.

I think RG should seed players how they see fit. Nadal being the 4th or 5th seed will make things more interesting and he doesn’t seem to mind.

Yes I can see that. Fed seems okay with his new role –a less stressful role on court. I guess a question that must come up now is can Rafa catch Fed in the slam count. Can he get six more?

How long will Nadal play?

Fed is still the 2nd best active clay court player vs. the field.

I’ll never forget Fed’s finger wag when he served an ace to seal victory over Djokovic at the FO. Stuff of legend.

Novak often struggles against Fed hence his losing record against him.

As another poster said Fed looked meek today. Where was the fighting spirit? He almost looked indifferent to it all.

I think the following excerpt from a Brian Phillips’ piece from grantland.com is excellent and a nice articulation of what I’ve observed about Federer for years.

And this is basically the story of this rivalry, right? That is, one of the fundamental things that everyone seems to sense about these players is that Nadal has limitless tenacity, never gives up, gets stronger as the match progresses, and loves the fight for its own sake, while Federer, for all his sublime talent, can turn confoundingly soft on the rare occasions when the momentum turns against him. Just every now and again, there’s a Strange Federer Softness. Sometimes you get the sense that he feels he’s proved his point in the early games and expects the rest of the match to fall into line out of courtesy. And if it doesn’t, if things don’t work out as a logical extension of those first few games, he’s taken aback. It’s not that he lacks the mental strength to compete, more that he loses his decision-making ability because he’s genuinely perplexed. He’s like a ship in becalmed waters.

Scoop less than a year ago Fed begaled Djoker in Cincy. A no-excuse victory but anyway…

To follow-up on Patrick’s post, I agree, Fed is a shot maker not a grinder. Though Fed does seem to try diff Annacone tactics he likes and flows with a bit of freedom. He could never serve 100% to someone’s backhand like Rafa did in one of his matches. I think the 2011 WTF showed the Annacone/Fed alliance at its best. It may have run its course even though recapturing #1 and a Wimby was great.

Tennis is in a weird place right now. Fed can seemingly sleep walk into the quarters or even semis, Djokovic can lose to anybody or win a title and Nadal looks unstoppable.

I wonder if Lendl yells at Murray or tells him that he prefers Dimitrov’s game.

Steve, I was courtside during the Rafa-Grigor match in Monte Carlo. Grigor played great and, in my opinion, he was the one responsible for Rafa’s losing in the final. This was the match where he hurt his back as Grigor was firing away into all directions during the 2nd set. He still managed wins against Paire and Tsonga afterwards. I have said it before: Rafa at 80% will still beat almost anybody on clay, except for Novak. Grigor needs to work on his fitness and liquids intake to be ready for best of five matches. He cramps too quickly, which was what happened again in Monte Carlo. Once he has that under control he’ll be in a great position to beat the top guys.

Scoop in one of his above remarks asked me not to shoot him for stating that he (still) thinks Rafa was at 100% against Novak during that Monte Carlo match. Once again Scoop, from where I sat – only meters away from facial and other expressions – I will once again confirm he was not. Novak played great/incredible. But even so, Rafa was about to get into the match at 1-5 in the first. The 2nd set was his but he squandered it. IMO a 100% Rafa vs a 100% Novak will end with a Rafa win.

About Bodo: As some posters here referred to what Bodo wrote, I re-read his article. Normally I wouldn’t bother to react to negative and disrespectful journalism. It’s so obvious Peter has a personal problem with the tennis genius from Mallorca. To have the audacity to talk about “Rafatigue”… Even Roger’s and Novak fans show greater respect for Rafa. It’s journalism like this, both in politics and in sports, that tries hard to create ambience against a person. Of course, it’s a great way to lure comments and attention. Sort of the Fox New ‘fair an balanced’ approach. It seems they forget what they once stood for and their love for the sport. Just check how in everything Peter reports about Rafa, he always manages to get something very personal and negative in. We all have personal preferences, but why not just enjoy tennis and respect ALL it’s actors for their results.

Scoop, he wasn’t “faking” or showing anything neither to the spectators nor Novak…and nobody but those closer to him knew about his back. All that was visible to those behind the actual player seats, was the injury tape when changing shirts. No faking there and not one complaint after the match. I stick to my observations and the fact that a 100% Rafa will beat a 100% Novak!

My predictions:

– Novak will beat Federer in French – three of four sets max.
– Novak will beat Rafa in 4 or 5 and get his first French.

– Murray will be ready for Wimbledon!
– Watch out for Tommy Haas, Raonic and Dimitrov in Wimbledon!

Cheers!

Scoop, don’t really understand your stats. We’re talking clay. I only remember 2 losses after which Rafa won RG in 2011 (Novak didn’t even make the final as Roger stopped him) and then Rafa beat him in 2012 in Monte Carlo, Rome and Roland Garros. This year Novak won Monte Carlo and subsequently was upset both in Madrid and Rome. Rafa lifted the trophies in both places, not even playing at his best until playing nearer his best in both finals.