CAMELOT FANTASIES

I agree with both General's Hercules and Mr. Tee.

I think the stupid scheduling on Saturday hurt Nadal today. He likes the one day on , one day off routine. We know how he likes his routines. Mess up his routine and he is not the same. 

That said, Nick Kyrgios was very very good and mentally strong. He could have caved in a few times and held it together.

I think it will be tough for him to get much further, but this is a great result for the Aussie teen. Congratulations to him and his fans.

Rafa, what can I say that hasn't been said.  Again he didn't do the job in the first set. Came out slow and tentative again.
I think he might just like to make it hard on himself to give himself a fight. But it's a dangerous way to go.  In the third set, his inability to get 1st serves in at the business end hurt him.  I think at one point I also saw he had a 0 % second serve won percentage for a set.  I don't know if I have ever seen that from him.  He never did get a good read on the Kyrgios serve. His backhand was just not there. Kyrgios exploited it, and when Nadal hit it back weakly, he either went right back to the backhand but stronger or went the other way for a clean winner.  Heck, Kyrgios even gave Rafa some points with nonchalant sitting volleys into the net in two of his service games and Rafa couldn't take advantage.  Just a poor day at the office for Rafa.  You can't win if you can't break.  And Rafa couldn't get him in normal games, except once in the second set, or in any of the tiebreakers.

Anyway, commiserations to Rafa and his fans.  I also saw Nadal limping a bit near the end of the second set for a point or two.  But I didn't see it surface again, so hopefully all is ok with him, and he can move on to the hard courts after a rest.

Overall, as of now, I think it's going to be Roger vs. Nole in the final, but they can't slip up against the good players they have yet to face. Good luck and health to all the players left in the draw.  The bottom half needs it even more after they got screwed with the scheduling.

Respectfully,
masterclass