[Rogiman]

Nice draw though, keep beating clowns.

 

[Stensland]

Nice draw though, keep beating clowns.

it's not over yet. but you're right to some extent: guys with a game like safin (and tsonga's game resembles with it) plus a little consistency over 3-4 sets can bash balls hard enough to outplay nadal. his spin is exactly what they need, crushing strokes onto nadal's side all the time.

federer's ability to mix up his game with aggressive slice etc. will probably be the perfect "antivenom" to this style of play.

 

[Beforehand]

Well, I"m not sure it's a "first hurdle and bye" thing, but I think this goes to show just how detrimental a draw as easy as Nadal's has been can be. I mean, on one hand, he reaches the semifinal fresh, but he's had no real test of his form or had to work for anything, so the first person to really get at him is just literally blowing him off of the court.

 

[adee-gee]

I don't disagree :shrug: he was playing shit the whole 2 weeks and now he plays someone who can take advantage and gets battered.

 

[Stensland]

who'd have ranked tsonga as a "hurdle" before the tournament anyways? people would've rather said that mathieu or, of course, gasquet would have been dangerous.

 

[leng jai]

Nadal = zero attack
Nadal = zero plan B

Clown.

 

[*Ljubica*]

Please can we not celebrate until the pig is finally and completely roasted! It may tempt fate too much! Allez Jo :devil:

 

[t0x]

Well you can't exactly blame Rafa for the draw he got.

But yeah, the second he comes up against somebody who can hit big with some consistancy, he looks clueless. He really hasn't been able to change tactics at all today... he just continues to defend, which isn't going to work on this court against this opponent.

 

[mickymouse]

Finally a French player who can take on Nadal.

 

[scoobs]

Nadal just can't impose his game on good opponents on hardcourts.

He plays defensive and gets passed, he plays attacking and misses too much.

It's not going to work.

He needs a big serve then get the first strike in.

He rarely delivers that.

That's why it's not working for him as soon as someone comes along with a bit more to them.

 

[JustmeUK]

it wasn't so much hitting through piggy today though there was a lot of that . it was more piggy being so predictable on his serves ! I do so love all the serves to the BH side. Tsonga was all over that today and it gave me the most pleasure to see Rafita being whipped. so much for his tards getting all excited about him getting to no 1. with the serve Rafa has, that will never happen. on a hard court he'll run up against someone playing lights out tennis in the slams and he won't hold enough service games to get through those :devil:!

Rafa as no 1? pls tell me.. in which alternate reality universe are u living in that u can see that happening :devil:!

 

[Art&Soul]

And you the one to jinx piggy to win the title in every of your posts hehe

 

[MyPrecious]

Stick a fork in him because he's over

 

[FedFan_2007]

Rafa can still get to #1 by Dubai...

 

[Bibberz]

I think you're right about the serve. I wish Rafa could somehow conjure that serve he had at last year's Indian Wells....

Nadal just can't impose his game on good opponents on hardcourts.

He plays defensive and gets passed, he plays attacking and misses too much.

It's not going to work.

He needs a big serve then get the first strike in.

He rarely delivers that.

That's why it's not working for him as soon as someone comes along with a bit more to them.

 

[Omnipotence]

Good, it means I don't have to hear the OP blabber on about the fact that Nadal WILL win this tournament, which he must have mentioned about 15 times at least over the last 2 weeks.

 

[Rogiman]

Good, it means I don't have to hear the OP blabber on about the fact that Nadal WILL win this tournament, which he must have mentioned about 15 times at least over the last 2 weeks.

:devil:

 

[gomeny]

I think he doesn't have a second gear on hard-courts like he does on clay. When did Tsonga start playing so mentally well!?

 

[scoobs]

On a hardcourt, Nadal's topspin forehand is only a weapon if it lands within 3 inches of the baseline.

Any shorter than that, it's a liability.

 

[FedFan_2007]

Rafa should just skip the hard courts and play all clay.