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Olympics 2012: Early Fireside Discussions

1K views 13 replies 12 participants last post by  BroTree123 
#1 ·
If we can discuss the clay season then why not the grass?! ;)

Interesting comment from Rafa in an interview today about whether the tournament being on grass reduces the players who could win it:

Q. What changes to the London Games are on grass, an area set aside a few specialists?

A. Nothing. We will come to play on grass (Wimbledon 2012). I'm not one hundred percent agree that the grass reduces the number of candidates. In fact, perhaps enlarged. Maybe open it, for the simple fact that there is more room fast track. In grass, playing best of three sets, with the slightest mistake you're out. To the best of five, okay. Best of three, playing with the tension the most of the points, you'll be very easy. Rather than close options, open to most. A best of three Karlovic never tires, a Isner, a Raonic ... in other different conditions would have fewer choices, even great players. It's a great opportunity for them. For the favorites can be a problem.
http://translate.google.com/transla.../2012/02/15/actualidad/1329311344_763830.html

Not a surprise that he thinks it could be unpredictable and difficult for the favourites - it's Rafa after all! He'll never say things are easy - even if it was being held at Roland Garros he'd say it's tough to call... But in this case I think he's right - in a best of 3 the top 4 are vulnerable to big servers on grass. It's difficult to do much about a Karlovic/Raonic/Isner if they're on and can just win 7-6, 7-6 - you don't even need to play badly to lose to a player like that... Nadal went down 2 sets to 1 twice in Wimbledon 2010 and has had other 5 setters there - weirdly I think it isn't that favourable to him that the Olympics is on grass, despite him being one of the top 2 grass courters of his generation (5 finals can't be fluked...) because it's best of 3 until the final - on hard court the serve is still important but not necessarily as decisive as it can be on grass.

Would love to not see many upsets unlike the past Olympics and have the big 4 or at least 3 of them battle it out for gold, silver and bronze but think it's unlikely. Isner and Raonic have a great shot at getting medals... Murray could do well too. More than at other times the draw will really be crucial here - Isner & Raonic will be seeded fairly high so it is Karlovic that no one will want early on...
 
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#8 ·
Here are some nice quotes from Fed on this year's Olympics. I still think he'd rather have his 7th Wimby than the gold medal.

“For our generation it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I may not be around when the next Games come round. I hope I am, it’s not like there aren’t other Olympics, but [2012] is just an extraordinary combination, to have the Olympic Games held at Wimbledon. That it happens during my career is pure luck. It’s at a time when I have a chance to do well over there and I’m very happy about that. Back in 2000, when I was 19, I made the run to the semis actually—the Sydney Olympics—and that was a big surprise. Obviously the [Beijing doubles] gold with Stan was amazing, kind of disbelief that after being so down after losing the singles and him helping me out to get fired up—and the same for him, he lost the singles and I fired him up—next thing you know we are in the semi-finals and we were close again to a medal. That was obviously the most emotional moment of my Olympic career. When you realise you have a chance to get an Olympic medal for your country, that’s always what you chase, but it’s also being part of the Olympic spirit. I look back at all these Olympic Games I’ve played and each one of them has brought me further as a person, made me very proud to represent Switzerland, and just try my utmost as a tennis player. I don’t need to fill every gap there is, you know—Olympic gold, Davis Cup. I try to do my best and if the win comes around, that’s great, and I will be so well prepared there won’t be any excuses. That’s all I can control, really, and if a guy plays better than me, that’s too good.”
 
#9 ·
Here are some nice quotes from Fed on this year's Olympics. I still think he'd rather have his 7th Wimby than the gold medal.

“For our generation it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I may not be around when the next Games come round. I hope I am, it’s not like there aren’t other Olympics, but [2012] is just an extraordinary combination, to have the Olympic Games held at Wimbledon. That it happens during my career is pure luck. It’s at a time when I have a chance to do well over there and I’m very happy about that. Back in 2000, when I was 19, I made the run to the semis actually—the Sydney Olympics—and that was a big surprise. Obviously the [Beijing doubles] gold with Stan was amazing, kind of disbelief that after being so down after losing the singles and him helping me out to get fired up—and the same for him, he lost the singles and I fired him up—next thing you know we are in the semi-finals and we were close again to a medal. That was obviously the most emotional moment of my Olympic career. When you realise you have a chance to get an Olympic medal for your country, that’s always what you chase, but it’s also being part of the Olympic spirit. I look back at all these Olympic Games I’ve played and each one of them has brought me further as a person, made me very proud to represent Switzerland, and just try my utmost as a tennis player. I don’t need to fill every gap there is, you know—Olympic gold, Davis Cup. I try to do my best and if the win comes around, that’s great, and I will be so well prepared there won’t be any excuses. That’s all I can control, really, and if a guy plays better than me, that’s too good.”
Hmm, he has 6 Wimbledons and 0 singles Olympic gold. As quoted, the doubles gold meant a lot to him. Which would he prefer? If he were asked, he probably wouldn't mind winning either. :) Based on his schedule, I think he is gearing himself up as well as he can for the grass court season.

Between now and then he is only playing 2 slow hard court tournaments (Masters 1000-mandatory in Indian Wells and Miami), and 3 clay tournaments (2 mandatory Masters 1000 at Madrid and Rome, and Roland Garros).

On grass, he is scheduled to play at Halle, Wimbledon, and the Olympics (at Wimbledon). He has to hope that Wimbledon grass is not too sunbaked and high bouncing this year, so a little rain prior to the tournament to soak the base and cloudy weather especially during the second week would help. Otherwise, top retriever players like Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic have at least an equal if not better chance. And he has to hope that players like Tsonga and Berdych don't have career performances against him as Tsonga did in 2011, and Berdych did in 2010. As much as I would enjoy seeing Mr. Isner do well at Wimbledon, he simply hasn't. He's had a bit of bad luck there, mono in 2009, the Mahut marathon in 2010. But how could he lose in 4 sets with 1st and 2nd set tiebreaker losses to clay courter Nicolas Almagro in the second round in 2011? Could Isner succeed this year? Possibly, but as at Roland Garros, he has to prove he can last the fortnight at a major. Ivo Karlovic will never be favored vs. Federer. Milos Raonic's only showing at Wimbledon was in 2011, where he retired in the 2nd round. He has to show much much more before being considered at all.

Another consideration pertaining to the Olympics is how the Wimbledon grass will change following the Wimbledon Championships. If the reseeding takes hold as planned and they have a fresh growth of new grass, along with a good amount of watering, the week long Olympics should play faster like the first week of the Wimbledon Championships, which would favor players with attacking games. If it deteriorates rapidly, and the court dries out, then retrieving games will be favored. Mr. Nadal had a simpler answer, replace the bare spots with clay...but I don't think Eddie Seaward, head groundskeeper, agreed. ;)

Would Mr. Federer be upset if he were not to go deep at Roland Garros this year? Probably not too much. Halle comes right on the heels of Roland Garros this year (RG ends Sunday 10th of June - Halle starts Monday the 11th). Then there is one week's rest till Wimbledon, and the Olympics follow almost 3 weeks later. If he is not too exhausted following Wimbledon, I wouldn't be surprised to see him and other players enter a grass tournament somewhere else, like the Newport Hall of Fame Championships.

Respectfully,
masterclass
 
#11 · (Edited)
Grass warm up before the Olympics for Roger & Rafa? http://www.cope.es/deportes/18-02-12--rafa-nadal-jugara-en-el-cesped-del-bernabeu-277948-1

Apparently Real Madrid & Rafa's foundation are trying to organise a match against Roger on the grounds of the stadium itself - raise money for a good cause and get some practice in on grass too... Could be fun if it happens.

From Google Translate:

the Foundation Rafael Nadal and Real Madrid are working to mount a historic match. Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer playing tennis on the lawn himself Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.

Nadal, Real Madrid recognized, has always dreamed of joining the club of his love for his Foundation and is about to get it. Rafa annually participates in several events to benefit his foundation, but the exhibition game this 2012 will be unforgettable.

The negotiations are still open and have yet to confirm many details, but we can already tell it would be in July, between the end of Wimbledon (July 8) and the start of the Olympic Games in London (July 27), taking advantage of both tournaments also play on grass and that the conditions that would be mounted at the Bernabeu would be similar.

We, venue, date and we still have rival. And if Rafa Nadal and Santiago Bernabeu were not incentive enough, have already begun negotiations to across the network is the 'enemy' favorite Roger Federer. Remember that at Christmas 2010 and played two separate two exhibition games, a Basel and one in Madrid, for the benefit of their foundations.

Real Madrid already had planned to replant the grass of the stadium after the concert that Bruce Springsteen is going to there next June 17. Now wait until one of their most famous fans first play tennis on one of the best stadiums in the world. 82,000 people watching Rafael Nadal play Roger Federer. History.
 
#12 ·
A long grass season is always a triumphant season. This will be a memorable year for this reason alone.
 
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