Australian Open Tennis

prydey · 31-01-2009, 12:13 PM

non tennis fans need not post!!

what a match last night between nadal and verdasco. easily one of the best matches i've ever seen and the level of tennis throughout all 5 sets was awesome to say the least. anyone who went to that match got their money's worth and then some.

nadal had his chances with something like 19 break points in the match but to verdasco's credit he pushed him all the way, bettering him at times and nearly pulled off the upset of the tournament. his serving accuracy and shots were a lot easier on the eye too in my opinion. nadal always plays a lot of topspin on his shots but they look so much better when they are hard and flat.

just absolutely incredible to watch. it would be too much to ask for the final to live up to that but hopefully the final can be another great contest with no.1 and 2 meeting for the first time in an australian open final. federer would be rubbing his hands that nadal was pushed to 5 sets.

AllCoupedUp · 31-01-2009, 10:04 PM

Muh better game than the one just played... Serena white wash... Bring on Fed v Rafa!

rodderz · 31-01-2009, 10:07 PM

I reckon if Verdasco hadn't of double faulted twice in the last game and held his serve, he might have just beaten Nadal. He gave him trouble on his serve too.

Fed will wipe his bum with Nadal though, he is back in form and is too perfect a player to lose it.

RG · 31-01-2009, 10:23 PM

Nadal V Verdasco was the best match that I have ever seen. On any other day against any other player 50% of those returned shots would have been winners.

As Jim Courier said, "Ridiculous astounding Tennis".

prydey · 31-01-2009, 10:39 PM

every year the australian open seems to unearth a new talent. bagdatis (sp), gonzales, tsonga and now verdasco.

fed v rafa should be good but its a bit hard to guage where federer is at. he won at kooyong leading in and played fairly well in the early rounds but then berditch took the first 2 sets off him. federer was good enough to win the next 3 and get through though. he beat roddick ok and made a mockery of del potro. his consistency is not quite what it once was but i just feel that he will get the job done.

**Professor Farnsworth** · 31-01-2009, 10:45 PM

yes i agree, i watched every minute of it ( about 315 to be precise ) and throughly enjoyed it. I too think verdasco could have taken it from Nadal, he was playing fantastically and Nadal wasn't at his best in my opinion. Such a shame to end on a double fault, but it was a fantastic match. I'm also backing Fed for the title, i love the guy he's a real credit to the game. With the world no 1 & 2 playing though, it could easily go either way.

Go Fed Ex!

mongoloid · 31-01-2009, 11:08 PM

read that in the end it was 192 points to 193!

rodderz · 31-01-2009, 11:27 PM

One match that stands out for me would of been around 1992 when John McEnroe played the aussie open the year where he stayed quiet and didnt play up once. He made it to the semi finals against Emilio Sanchez in hot conditions and a 5 hr match went to something like 10-8 in the 5th set, the whole match was to and fro the whole time.

uranium_death · 01-02-2009, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rodderz

Fed will wipe his bum with Nadal though, he is back in form and is too perfect a player to lose it.

Although Federer is the favourite due to a better draw and easier matches, I don't think the result is that clear-cut.

Nadal has a very good record against Federer and the more they play, the more Nadal has been able to expose Federer.

While I hope Federer wins, I just hope it's a good match that as usual, is played in good spirits.

prydey · 02-02-2009, 10:02 AM

haven't we been well and truly spoiled this australian open. two awesome matches 2 nights apart. how nadal managed to back up after his marathon friday night is testament to his greatness.

federer looked very lazy and ultra conservative early on, almost like the occasion was too much for him but full credit must go to nadal. 6 trophies at 22. as good as federer has been over his career, his records may be very short lived.

nadal is also a chance to complete the grand slam. i know agassi won on all 4 surfaces but unsure whether it was all in the same year.

great tennis. there is daylight to no.3 and maybe even a small gap opening between 1 and 2.

blueoval · 02-02-2009, 10:21 AM

the was one of the most sensational matches I have ever watched. It could have easily gone either way.

2 titans of the sport going toe to toe to a 5 setter was unbelievable.

Well done Rafa

**FTE217** · 02-02-2009, 03:26 PM

As has been said the Nadal/Verdassco game was hot ! verdassco had nothing to lose and went for it ! 2 lefties getting amazing angles was a plaesure to watch.
Verdassco after knowing he was that close taking the match off the current No1 should improve plenty more.

In all the years I have watched tennis I have not seen a No1 and 2 so close (over the last 2yrs) but the young torro does have it over the classy perfect Fed.
Rafa's 6 slams 4 or 5 have been off Fed. (Fed would have already blown Sampras record)
I reckon its the only time I see Fed hesitant/in 2minds where he's going to place the ball and he knows not getting his 1st serve's in he's on the back foot most times.
I hope Fed mentally gets stronger (for Rafa will be in those finals LOL) and at least gets another 2 slams, he desrves it, classic player and be nice to see Sampras off the top but as long as Rafas body holds up we may see that record blown before we know it !

What a pathetic womens final (I didn't see it) the score was enough to tell me otherwise, so Safina choked big time eh ?!
I'm really over the Williams TBH, yer good credit to them but have they ever made sense in a match interview ? DOH......

**buggerlugs** · 02-02-2009, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rodderz

I reckon if Verdasco hadn't of double faulted twice in the last game and held his serve, he might have just beaten Nadal. He gave him trouble on his serve too.

Fed will wipe his bum with Nadal though, he is back in form and is too perfect a player to lose it.

Fed will wipe his bum eh !!!!!!!

uranium_death · 02-02-2009, 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by uranium_death

Although Federer is the favourite due to a better draw and easier matches, I don't think the result is that clear-cut.

Nadal has a very good record against Federer and the more they play, the more Nadal has been able to expose Federer.

While I hope Federer wins, I just hope it's a good match that as usual, is played in good spirits.

Game, Set, and Match!

rodderz · 02-02-2009, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buggerlugs

Fed will wipe his bum eh !!!!!!!

Yes it wasnt the result I had predicted was it!

Nadal has certainly done his homework on Roger, he didnt allow him to get into his points and put him under constant pressure. In every other round except for round 1 Fed looked abosluetly unstoppable, with hardly an error. Against Nadal the opposite.

It was a great match anyway, probably not as good as the Nadal-Verdasco one, that was brilliant.

uranium_death · 03-02-2009, 12:12 AM

From what I just read, Nadal has isolated Federer's backhand moreso, meaning less winners and pressure shots, and due to Nadal's blistering pace on the court, it gives him more time to set up and put away a winner of his own, at at least force an error on Fed.