Topic: ATP/WTA INDIAN WELLS, 3/4-17/2013

[Rafa816]

1) So now coaches aren't allowed to cheer on their player?
2) They don't let him cheat on time between points. They've been cracking down on that. He got a time warning last night, and many other people have also gotten time warnings this year.

[monstertruck]

Rule says no communication.
Pretty simple.

Raf is finally starting to pick up the pace between points.
That's nice to see.
Too bad he couldn't do it on his own out of sportsmanship instead of being forced to.

[Alex]

Djokovic was not happy to play that late at all. I'm not happy I stayed till 3AM to see the match. Lethal Nole in the first set ... the second set was very competitive and interesting. I'm so pissed at organizers. The match was scheduled originally at 8:30PM, but it started after 1AM. complete disaster. the match was completely sold out (15500 tickets), yet only 500 people stayed to watch the match. go figure. They had an option to move stupid Sharapova/Erani match to C2 (match that nobody cared about), yet they were stupid enough not to do it. Or they could've moved the Nole/Sam match to C2 ... whatever

Who the hell wants to play pro tennis at 1AM, and who wants to watch tennis that late? I'm so pissed about this 

[Dallas]

Another Fed/Nadal match...   See, Roger is in a no-win situation.  If he loses - well, there goes the talk about "Nadal has been out for years and can still come back on tour and beat Federer"....then if Roger wins - it'll be "but Nadal is rusty since he's been out so long and this is his first hard court tournament".  So Roger can't win tonight no matter what...

I really don't like to see this match-up - particularly on a court that has 'high bounces'...we know Nadal is going to pound Roger's backhand to death.  What helped Roger last year was the weather.  Roger handled the weather better than Nadal did last year and played amazingly great!  The weather is suppose to be just great tonight.  Oh well...


Then Nadal saying stuff like "I don't think I can do this...or that...etc.".  He said the same thing before he played Ferrer in that final, and we know what happened to Ferrer!  So I don't listen to what Nadal says about that he's not fit, that he's rusty, blah blah blah... Watch him come out on fire tonight.

BUT STILL -- COME ON ROGER................................

[Alex]

well I said this earlier observing what people are posting on MTF. If Fed loses his fans will blame it on Fed's bad back, If Rafa loses his fans will blame in Rafa's bad knees.
Nadal looks much stronger than Fed in this tournament. Based on what I've seen so far, their current form and a horrible math up, Nadal is a clear favorite. I'm pretty neutral about this match, but I'll be cheering for Fed because IMO he is an underdog here.

[FedFanForever]

Roger Featherer in 3.

[Litotes]

well I said this earlier observing what people are posting on MTF. If Fed loses his fans will blame it on Fed's bad back, If Rafa loses his fans will blame in Rafa's bad knees.
Nadal looks much stronger than Fed in this tournament. Based on what I've seen so far, their current form and a horrible math up, Nadal is a clear favorite. I'm pretty neutral about this match, but I'll be cheering for Fed because IMO he is an underdog here.

Nadal looking stronger? I haven't seen the matches, awful time zone for me, but from comments I gather none of them are playing well. And Nadal not exactly looking strong. Federer has beaten the toughest opponent either had to face so far. I guess this is part of why bookies have him as favourite - 1,72 to Nadal 2,10 on bet365. If betting around the world goes like vBetting on MTF they stand to lose a lot of money if Nadal wins....unusual to see bookies actually gambling so the population at large is likely to have greater faith in Fed.

[Rafa816]

An EPIC women's quarterfinal day! 

[tio_toni]

3-6, 6-4, 6-4 Rafa!! 
Can't wait to see Le Fraud poo in his pants when the Nadal freight train gains momentum!!   

[Alex]

finally I can watch this on TV. Fed's looking good tho. got rid of those silly pink shoes, he looks classy in that blue shirt with a touch of orange and classic white shorts ... really nice

Rafa in green and gray... looking good too. He just need to change his laces 
This is Not Alex posting, it's Joan Rivers  who stole my account:rofl_2:

[Alex]

Rogis BH  and all of net errors. not sure what he is trying to do. Rafa breaks.

[Rafa816]

He's trying to push the ball forward and remove Rafa's movement from the equation. But the problem is that Rafa is one of the hardest people to come into the net against. Not only is it hard to wrong-foot him and create a good approach opportunity, but also, with his deep and leaping forehands, it's hard to ever come in without having a ball at your feet or past you. And then, even if you manage to get to the net, Rafa has ridiculous passing shots.

[Alex]

Rafa takes the first set 6:4. Fed is making too many UE and his BH is not working at all, Rafa exploiting it as usual. same old story. Nadal being a more aggressive player. It doesn't look good for Fed at all. I hope this goes to 3 sets but I doubt it.

[Rafa816]

Reeaaally not looking like it's going to 3 sets now. Rafa showing glimpses of his 2010 self here and there, while Roger is playing (by his usual standards) pretty terrible.

[Litotes]

3-6, 6-4, 6-4 Rafa!! 
Can't wait to see Le Fraud poo in his pants when the Nadal freight train gains momentum!!   

Why are you being so ungracious? Are you inviting a mugslinging match?

[Rafa816]

Roger finally playing better. But it's probably too late. Rafa still playing great and still up a break.

[tio_toni]

   

Total domination!!

[Alex]

same old story. Lit you asked me earlier why I thought Rafa was a big favorite to win this match. this is why. Rafa pounding to Fed's BH and Fed's BH breaks down. Even Fed's FH didn't work out.

I don't care about Rafa knees who was running like a rabbit or Fed's back. this was expected. forget about tennis betting btw. Fed might be able to def. Rafa indoors and that's about it. I don't think he'll def. Nadal anywhere else ever.

[Litotes]

same old story. Lit you asked me earlier why I thought Rafa was a big favorite to win this match. this is why. Rafa pounding to Fed's BH and Fed's BH breaks down. Even Fed's FH didn't work out.

I don't care about Rafa knees who was running like a rabbit or Fed's back. this was expected. forget about tennis betting btw. Fed might be able to def. Rafa indoors and that's about it. I don't think he'll def. Nadal anywhere else ever.

Well, nobody expect Fed to play his worst match for a really long time, but there you have it - he often plays poorly against Nadal. Nadal, though, was sharp. Good omen for his fans.

Fed would obviously be favourite against Nadal also on grass, and have excellent chances on fast outdoor hardcourt. He is 6-1 H2H in the 2nd half of the season, after all. Main reason for their H2H is Federer often being good enough to reach - and lose - matches against Nadal on the places where the Spaniard is stronger, while Nadal much more rarely reached Federer where Fed is stronger. But we might now be approaching the twilight of Fed's career giving Nadal chances even in the tournaments after RG. Not that it will necessarily be enough. Djokovic and Murray looks to do better than him. I think Nadal will win a lot on clay, as usual, but still struggle to take HC and/or grass titles.

[Rafa816]

You could say that the reason that Nadal dominates the head to head is because they met on clay a lot, but in the same way, you could say it would be a lot worse if it weren't for their meetings on fast courts early in Nadal's career before he adapted his game. 5 of Federer's first 6 wins came on grass or hard courts before 2009, when Nadal started playing better on those surfaces.