Topic: who is the heavy favorite for RG this year

[swish]

Nole is still my favourite, if only his ankle is OK. Only the lack of fitness and mental capacity prevented guys like Dimitrov and Ferrer from winning Rafa but Nole has both the fitness and the mental capacity to beat Rafa. This is his tournament to lose.

He can be so mentally tough. He has showed that many times in the last two years.
 

[Clay Death]

 

[August]

Rafa must be the biggest favourite before Nole and Roger. But he's vulnerable, Gulbis would've won him with some testicular fortitude. And if Nole gets to his peak level, he'll beat Rafa unless somebody has already beaten Rafa.

And it's hard to name anybody outside these. Wawrinka plays well, I think only the big names are unbeatable for him. Avoiding them in his quarter, he can make the SF. But to make the final, I think he needs somebody else to take out the big names. Ferrer of course is dangerous on clay, yet I see him a bit vulnerable. And Tsonga, Berdych, or maybe even DelPo or Murray, could make the SF with a good quarter. But I can see the final only with two players of Fedalovic.

[Clay Death]

[Start da Game]

Rafa must be the biggest favourite before Nole and Roger. But he's vulnerable, Gulbis would've won him with some testicular fortitude. And if Nole gets to his peak level, he'll beat Rafa unless somebody has already beaten Rafa.

And it's hard to name anybody outside these. Wawrinka plays well, I think only the big names are unbeatable for him. Avoiding them in his quarter, he can make the SF. But to make the final, I think he needs somebody else to take out the big names. Ferrer of course is dangerous on clay, yet I see him a bit vulnerable. And Tsonga, Berdych, or maybe even DelPo or Murray, could make the SF with a good quarter. But I can see the final only with two players of Fedalovic.

rafa is a different animal in the best of 5 format.......gulbis would struggle to win games at roland garros........

[Clay Death]

 

[Orange Wombat]

Rafa must be the biggest favourite before Nole and Roger. But he's vulnerable, Gulbis would've won him with some testicular fortitude. And if Nole gets to his peak level, he'll beat Rafa unless somebody has already beaten Rafa.

And it's hard to name anybody outside these. Wawrinka plays well, I think only the big names are unbeatable for him. Avoiding them in his quarter, he can make the SF. But to make the final, I think he needs somebody else to take out the big names. Ferrer of course is dangerous on clay, yet I see him a bit vulnerable. And Tsonga, Berdych, or maybe even DelPo or Murray, could make the SF with a good quarter. But I can see the final only with two players of Fedalovic.

But not in best of 5. The match would have gone 1-6 7-5 6-4 6-1 or something like that. Rafa becomes harder to beat as the match goes on. In best of 3, dangerous ballbashers can redline their shots for the whole match. But not in best of 5.

[Clay Death]

top players are vulnerable in best of 3 sets foremats:
 
everybody is gunning for them. and as captain ow has suggested, they can redline their game for a little bit and see what develops.
 
lesser players have nothing to lose so they swing for the fences against the top guns in best of 3 sets foremats.
 
these lesser players have no place to hide in best of 5 sets foremats.