CAMELOT FANTASIES

key matches for tomorrow:


KEY MATCHES - TUESDAY, 20 JANUARY 2015

 Singles – First Round
[1] Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs. Aljaz Bedene (SLO)
 [4] Stan Wawrinka (SUI) vs. Marsel Ilhan (TUR)
 Nicolas Almagro (ESP) vs. [5] Kei Nishikori (JPN)
 Illya Marchenko (UKR) vs. [8] Milos Raonic (CAN)
 [9] David Ferrer (ESP) vs. Thomaz Bellucci (BRA)
 [12] Feliciano Lopez (ESP) vs. Denis Kudla (USA)
 Dominic Thiem (AUT) vs. [13] Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP)
 Alejandro Gonzalez (COL) vs. [16] Fabio Fognini (ITA)
 Lucas Pouille (FRA) vs. [17] Gael Monfils (FRA)
 Robin Haase (NED) vs. [18] Gilles Simon (FRA)
 [19] John Isner (USA) vs. Jimmy Wang (TPE)
 [21] Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR) vs. Paolo Lorenzi (ITA)
 [25] Julien Benneteau (FRA) vs. Benjamin Becker (GER)
 Matthias Bachinger (GER) vs. [27] Pablo Cuevas (URU)
 [30] Santiago Giraldo (COL) vs. Jan Hernych (CZE)

Rafa's fitness is a huge question mark at the moment.


he said he was worn out after 40 minutes of play.



he had maybe his c or d game out there without his once great fitness and his physicality.


I have actually been worried about his fitness since the end of 2010.

He also threw up during the match. I'm sure it's difficult to play with the pressure, the time off, and the heat. He'll be fine. Six or seven months off is a long time.

here are the key matches for Saturday:



KEY MATCHES - SATURDAY, 24 JANUARY 2015

 Singles - Third Round
 [1] Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs. [31] Fernando Verdasco (ESP)
 [4] Stan Wawrinka (SUI) vs. Jarkko Nieminen (FIN)
 [5] Kei Nishikori (JPN) vs. Steve Johnson (USA)
 [8] Milos Raonic (CAN) vs. Benjamin Becker (GER)
 [9] David Ferrer (ESP) vs. [18] Gilles Simon (FRA)
 [12] Feliciano Lopez (ESP) vs. Jerzy Janowicz (POL)
 [19] John Isner (USA) vs. Gilles Muller (LUX)

Doubles - Second Round
 [1] Bob Bryan (USA) / Mike Bryan (USA) vs. Carlos Berlocq (ARG) / Leonardo Mayer (ARG)
 [2] Julien Benneteau (FRA) / Edouard Roger-Vasselin (FRA) vs. Santiago Giraldo (COL) / Joao Sousa (POR)
 [4] Ivan Dodig (CRO) / Marcelo Melo (BRA) vs. Andrey Golubev (KAZ) / Denis Istomin (UZB)
 [5] Alexander Peya (AUT) / Bruno Soares (BRA) vs. Oliver Marach (AUT) / Michael Venus (NZL)
 [9] Robert Lindstedt (SWE) / Marcin Matkowski (POL) vs. Jonathan Erlich (ISR) / Treat Huey (PHI)
 [11] Juan Sebastian Cabal (COL) / Robert Farah (COL) vs. Pierre-Hugues Herbert (FRA) / Nicolas Mahut (FRA)
 [12] Eric Butorac (USA) / Sam Groth (AUS) vs. Pablo Andujar (ESP) / Dustin Brown (GER)
 
 

Dear fellow posters and readers,

Let's wish heartfelt commiserations to one of the great players of our time, Mr. Rafael Nadal, who was obviously seriously compromised even before the tournament had begun due to a prolonged period of inactivity and corresponding lack of consistent form, but still had the courage to play in this major event even though he humbly proclaimed beforehand that he wasn't good enough to win.  He gave it his best, and the amount of matches he played should help him shake off more of the rust as he finally gets off the hard courts and begins his clay campaign in South America.  Rafael will need to continue to work on his fitness and his return of serve foremost, and consistency and confidence should come with more match play and wins.

Let's also wish a hearty congratulations to Mr. Tomas Berdych, who in a considerable number of meetings with Rafael has been up against the fence so long, the splinter scars must be permanently etched on a certain portion of his anatomy seen only by his fiance. Yet Tomas finally managed to overcome his long ignominy to not only prevail in this match, but to completely subdue his obviously impotent tormenter for a long part of the match, and when the inevitable final challenge arose from the mighty warrior, was able to surmount his doubts and complete his victory with a flourish.       He has a reasonable chance to make a final in this Australian Open with his solid play, new team and confidence.

Best of luck and health to both players as they recover from this match and continue their journey throughout the year. 

Respectfully,
masterclass

Agreed general hercules.  I think he has maybe one or two big pushes left in him, if he wants it enough.  But these days everyone is stressing the fitness + mental game. If you don't have it, it's very difficult to be near the top for long. 

I don't remember which forum in which we talked about it, but remember our chat a long time ago about Nadal hiring Muster's trainer/fitness coach Gebhard Phil-Gritsch and how it would have done Rafa a lot of good? Well, instead Novak Djokovic hired him. 

I firmly believe this is the main reason how Novak Djokovic rose from where he was in 2009/2010 and has been the top player overall since 2011 with 3 Year end #1's and 6 majors.  Before this, Novak was one of the physical jokes of the tour among the better players with many retirements.  Now he's recognized as one of the fittest if not the fittest and elastic player in the game.  His fitness improved drastically, which allowed his game to flourish. 

In comparison, Rafa has gone the other way.  Now perhaps that's also due to the many injuries, but it's a catch-22.  Injuries can keep a player from getting fit, and lack of fitness often leads to injury.  But I can't help feeling that if Rafa had had Gebhard Phil-Gritsch in his corner how his career could have been different and perhaps could have maintained and even improved his fitness levels since 2008 and what an even more dominant player he might have been. 

Oh well, could have, should have, we don't know of course, but to see Rafa like this now after what we saw a few years ago is sad.  He still did well in 2010 and 2013 despite having fitness issues that were masked by his youthful extreme fire and energy and competitiveness in a match, but required lengthy breaks prior to those efforts.  But as he ages, that is no longer enough.  The fire inside him can't breath well enough without the proper oxygen levels, it takes longer to get back into form after lengthy time away, and so on .  His strength as you mentioned, was pitiful, in those first two sets, compared to what he was before.  The good news is he is still #3 for a little while, but that could soon change with players like Nishikori, Raonic, Berdych pressing behind him.  Does he have it in him to do what it takes to get back his fitness?  He's risen from the ashes before.  Only time will tell us...

Respectfully,
masterclass

Dear fellow posters and readers,

Let's wish heartfelt commiserations to one of the great players of our time, Mr. Rafael Nadal, who was obviously seriously compromised even before the tournament had begun due to a prolonged period of inactivity and corresponding lack of consistent form, but still had the courage to play in this major event even though he humbly proclaimed beforehand that he wasn't good enough to win.  He gave it his best, and the amount of matches he played should help him shake off more of the rust as he finally gets off the hard courts and begins his clay campaign in South America.  Rafael will need to continue to work on his fitness and his return of serve foremost, and consistency and confidence should come with more match play and wins.

Let's also wish a hearty congratulations to Mr. Tomas Berdych, who in a considerable number of meetings with Rafael has been up against the fence so long, the splinter scars must be permanently etched on a certain portion of his anatomy seen only by his fiance. Yet Tomas finally managed to overcome his long ignominy to not only prevail in this match, but to completely subdue his obviously impotent tormenter for a long part of the match, and when the inevitable final challenge arose from the mighty warrior, was able to surmount his doubts and complete his victory with a flourish.       He has a reasonable chance to make a final in this Australian Open with his solid play, new team and confidence.

Best of luck and health to both players as they recover from this match and continue their journey throughout the year. 

Respectfully,
masterclass

What a great post, masterclass. This is exactly how I see it. I didn't expect much from Rafa coming in with so few matches and as you said, six months of inactivity. He was not battle tested so my expectations were low. In fact, I try not to have expectations because these players are only human.

And, I have to admit I am glad that Tomas got the monkey off his back. I wasn't pleased with many of the articles that came out and the commentators making it a point to reiterate how Tomas had lost to Rafa seventeen times in a row. It was very important for Tomas to win that match.

Rafa will be back, and if he never reaches his previous levels, que sera, sera. I can only be thankful for the tennis I've witnessed for the last decade.

great post lady TT.


well said. previous levels are not attainable now. too many setbacks and too many comebacks.


I am just hoping for a decent clay season and his 10th RG. that is more than enough.

You crack me up, CD. For the most part you seem to be such a chill guy whose feathers never get too ruffled, but Rafa really gets to you. I can't help but laugh. I'm sorry. Clay Warrior will be fine. Fingers crossed.

Let's hope he can get the title!

It's about time really.