Australian Open 2014

yerwanthere123

Pighead wrote: »

Stan played great tennis in that opening set but there's no way Nadal was 100%. His movement was clearly restricted for certain points. Got worse as the set progressed ultimately leading to the MTO.

Oh so he was injured the first set and a half too?! :rolleyes:

So happy Stan won, but I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't feeling a little bit flat about it

WaterLily.

^ I think you are right Pighead, just read that in the press conference he was asked about his back and he said he felt it during the warm up and it got progressively worse but refused to say anything else about it and said it was Stan's day not his.

I'm not taking anything away from Stan, he was absolutely phenomenal for the first 45 minutes but there is no way Rafa was 100%. The boos he got when he took the MTO were uncalled for, it was like when Tomic retired and the crowd booed him, now he's having hip surgery! Nadal deserves a lot of admiration for how he conducted himself during this match, it's a life lesson right there, never ever give up. The exchange at the net and both of their speeches were lovely as well, two genuine, humble, just all in all nice people.

Can't believe Stan is now world number 3!! And a grand slam champion!! Thrilled to bits for him

Pighead

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

Oh so he was injured the first set and a half too?! :rolleyes:

So happy Stan won, but I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't feeling a little bit flat about it

Well he took his MTO early in the second set so I would say it's pretty clear he was injured during the first set and a half? That's not in question. Now if he was in pain in the first set is up for debate but to me Nadal was not at full throttle. I seen him give up on balls he would never do if fully fit.

yerwanthere123

He got injured in the third game of the second set, you can't blame that for losing the first set and going down an early break in the second set.

Pighead

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Eurosport discussing how faster balls and court made for a much more entertaining tournament this year.

Not wanting to get into the whole debate again but where are they getting this info from? Did you think the courts played faster this year? It really confuses me how anyone but the players and tournament officials can even attempt to judge court speeds.

WaterLily.

They used lighter balls this year didn't they? That's what made it faster.

I thought it was a great tournament, very exciting, although I can't say I noticed any difference in the speed. But I'd say the players are the only ones that noticed the change. Maybe I'm wrong but I didn't notice anything different!

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Pighead wrote: »

Not wanting to get into the whole debate again but where are they getting this info from? Did you think the courts played faster this year? It really confuses me how anyone but the players and tournament officials can even attempt to judge court speeds.

When the people who watch and play tennis for a living all say they're playing faster I tend to take their word for it.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

WaterLily. wrote: »

They used lighter balls this year didn't they? That's what made it faster.

I heard it said a few times, faster balls and medium courts.

Pighead

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

He got injured in the third game of the second set, you can't blame that for losing the first set and going down an early break in the second set.

Neither of us could possibly know for certain if his back was at him during the first set. I think it was (which according to Water Lily Nadal has confirmed in the post match press conference) you don't think it was (which would mean Nadal was not telling the truth which of course is possible).

But I would say watch the first set again and note the shots were Nadal doesn't even attempt to try and get. Pat Cash commentating for the BBC noticed something wrong as well as early as the fourth game.

"Wawrinka has settled very well but Nadal actually looks slightly nervous and as if he is playing with all the pressure on him. Nadal is playing about half pace and is very tentative. I don't think he's hit one ball flat out yet."

mrsbyrne

Regarding the booing of nadal the stadium was packed, some drunk a***holes booed, it was no big deal.

yerwanthere123

Pighead wrote: »

Neither of us could possibly know for certain if his back was at him during the first set. I think it was (which according to Water Lily Nadal has confirmed in the post match press conference) you don't think it was (which would mean Nadal was not telling the truth which of course is possible).

But I would say watch the first set again and note the shots were Nadal doesn't even attempt to try and get. Pat Cash commentating for the BBC noticed something wrong as well as early as the fourth game.

"Wawrinka has settled very well but Nadal actually looks slightly nervous and as if he is playing with all the pressure on him. Nadal is playing about half pace and is very tentative. I don't think he's hit one ball flat out yet."

And nothing to do with just how well Wawrinka played in that set I suppose
*sigh*

Pighead

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

When the people who watch and play tennis for a living all say they're playing faster I tend to take their word for it.

But the people who are playing don't seem to have a consensus. Although if anything most of them disagree the courts are faster. I've heard Fed, Djokovic and Murray say that the courts aren't faster. Also the tournament director said there has been no change. Nadal is pretty much the only one I've heard say they are. So whose word do you take there?

Pighead

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

And nothing to do with just how well Wawrinka played in that set I suppose
*sigh*

A big fan of both the roll eyes AND the *sigh*. Horrible yokes. Ha, we'll leave it there. One of us is right. We'll never know for certain which of us it was!

WaterLily.

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

And nothing to do with just how well Wawrinka played in that set I suppose
*sigh*

I don't think he is saying that Nadal lost the first set rather than Wawrinka won it but it was a small combination of both. Wawrinka played out of his skin, no question about that, but I thought when watching it that Nadal didn't look quite right.

MisterAnarchy

Taped the match and was just sitting down to watch it earlier when the phone rang and after answering it ,up pops Sports Republic and their annoying breaking news app ruining the result for me .:(

Pighead wrote: »

But the people who are playing don't seem to have a consensus. Although if anything most of them disagree the courts are faster. I've heard Fed, Djokovic and Murray say that the courts aren't faster. Also the tournament director said there has been no change. Nadal is pretty much the only one I've heard say they are. So whose word do you take there?

I think a big factor in the courts being faster this year was the extreme heat .
Matches in general were shorter ,there were also more winners than last year,that's a good indication of faster courts.
I dont really recall any marathon matches or matches over 4 hours .

When all is said and done though the court is still a medium paced hard court though.

I just read this quote by Uncle Toni before the tournament started ,its pretty funny

The spectators want a bit of rallying, a bit of tactics. People don't go to Barcelona's stadium to watch Lionel Messi taking penalties," Toni Nadal was quoted as saying in Spanish sports daily As.

"This year everything is a bit quicker, that's my feeling and also Rafa's.

"I don't know if it's because of the courts or the balls, which I think have been changed, but I don't think it's good for the spectacle," he added.

Well done Wawrinka ,his swashbuckling old fashioned style of tennis is great to watch and his backhand is a thing of beauty.
A pity we didnt have a final between two fully fit players it would have been very interesting.

SlickRic

the lad beat Djokovic and Nadal to win his 1st Slam.

Nadal was barely 60/70% but that's still some going.

well done to him.

MisterAnarchy

SlickRic wrote: »

the lad beat Djokovic and Nadal to win his 1st Slam.

First time in 21 years at a grand slam that the winner beat the first and second seeds .

Pighead

MisterAnarchy wrote: »

Well done Wawrinka ,his swashbuckling old fashioned style of tennis is great to watch and his backhand is a thing of beauty.

Agreed. Is there a better backhand in the game? Don't think so. Have to say I never thought he'd win a slam given Fed/Novak/Nadal/Murray's dominance but I'm delighted he did. He's nearly 29 as well so was running out of time.

RosyLily

First #8 seed to win Aussie since Brian Teacher

yerwanthere123

RosyLily wrote: »

First #8 seed to win Aussie since Brian Teacher

Had to look him up on Wikipedia
The Australian Open really was a free-for-all back then!

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Everyone keeps saying it but I hope some of the other players actually take inspiration from Stan's win and start to believe they can win when they step out on the court against these players.
Not that Dimitrov was ever going to beat Rafa but his crying afterwards is the kind of attitude you want players to have. You get sick of seeing players smiling and laughing when they take one game against a top player. Dimitrov obviously believed he could win that match, realistic or not, that's the kind of attitude you need to have.
So yeah, hopefully the guys that actually have the talent and ability to win Slams might start doing it now.

Same in the women's. Cibulkova said she was inspired by Bartoli winning Wimbledon last year, it made her believe that any of them could do it.

mickmackey1

It really could happen, the big 4 are all showing signs of cracking up.

walshb

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

And nothing to do with just how well Wawrinka played in that set I suppose
*sigh*

I don't think anyone is saying that Stan did not play superb in set 1. But Nadal may well have been off his form in the first 10-11 games. Just because he only had the MTO in set 2 doesn't mean he was fully fit pre MTO.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Some bar in Melbourne apparently refused to serve Stan and his team because they don't serve groups of 10 or more! They just missed out on a hefty bar tab, idiots.

walshb

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Some bar in Melbourne apparently refused to serve Stan and his team because they don't serve groups of 10 or more! They just missed out on a hefty bar tab, idiots.

Rules are rules!

Tennis Ball

walshb wrote: »

Rules are rules!

Someone should tell the umpire that in Nadal's matches. Maybe they"ll actually enforce the time violation rule between points.

walshb

Stan's BH is the best in tennis today.

Tennis Ball

walshb wrote: »

Stan's BH is the best in tennis today.

Best single hander for sure. Not sure if best overall.

Pighead

Tennis Ball wrote: »

Best single hander for sure. Not sure if best overall.

Only Gasquet can match him but personally I prefer Stan's.

the_monkey

If Nadal was 100% he would have won ....

blah blah blah

If my Auntie had bollocks she'd be my uncle ....

Congrats Stan !!!