Ferrer ( Spa ) 6 vs Nadal ( Spa ) 2
Thee 2 inform players in this French open semi square off, who will win ?
Ferrer must take the 1st set or Rafa will win in straight set, Rafa as yet 2 drop a set, Ferrer as only drop 1 set 2 Murray.
Djokovic ( Ser ) 1 vs Federer ( Swi ) 3
Both players r out of form, 1 leg Del P nearly had Federer, but Federer showed his fighting skills & his craft, 2 come firing back, 2 reel off thee next 3 sets.
Djokovic, thee man with 9 lives, surley he nearly use them all, seppi nearly had him, Tsonga had 4 match points, sometime in life thing r meant 2 be, Djokovic needs the French open now, 4 4 in a row, that will give him his legacy.
Could b a 5 set epic battle, going off this tourney, or if it like Rome form, Djokovis in 3.
I go with Nadal in 3 and Nole also in 3.
Ferrer has the game to sneak out at least a set but I doubt he has the belief needed to do it.
If Federer plays well I could be very wrong with my other prediction but somehow I do not think he will tomorrow. He has struggled in four matches in a row - that smacks of bad form rather than just occasional blips.
The competition will be getting harder for each player naturally as they move through the rounds and by now there is only class left in the tournament.
Rafa will narrowly win the first set, and then demolish Ferrer in straight sets. ( as we saw previously). Tennis players have always been weak willed and only the very strongest survive. Nadal is that man, and his constant level of brilliance on clay is just too hot for anybody to handle. A joy to see his bruising battering way of playing tennis. Equally strong on both sides of the court and a challenge for anybody, past or present.
The next match is much harder to predict. Djokovic is playing that badly that he shouldn't even be in this semi final, but fair play to him, he has dug deep and survived and will take on Feds. Feds is now at the end of a thrilling career and his grand slam total will stop on 16.
This match will end 3:2 and I have no idea who will win.
Feds has always been my favourite player so I am hoping for him. If Djokovic wins then that will amuse me. For the benefit of ja606 ( and this forum only because I quite like Djoko) it is going to be fun reading the articles as Rafa dismantles him in the final, which is going to happen.
May the best men win
Happy Birthday BTE
Nadal straight sets win over Ferrer and Federer to beat Djokovic in a 5 set epic
Nadal in 3, Djokovic in 4
As above not much to add. Nadal Ferrer will be tight in the first set with Nadal to inevitably edge (saving a million break points) it before running away with the match
Nadal simples..
76 62 63
Djoko will win the second one (he is not in as bad and form as people think). DP ran out of gas the other day, I just don't think Fed can retain his levels/concentration long enough these days.
Djokovic to edge it
46 76 76 64
The final to go to five sets, Nadal in the 5th for no 7
Happy Birthday Chest! (just sounds wrong!)
I find it hard to warm to ferrer who just reminds me of a mouse and would like to see a quick semi there so that I can enjoy the second one before I get interrupted later!
Seriously though, I just hope we see some cracking good tennis and sportsmanship.
Wonder if we'll get a surprise as well this year.
I think the organisers sponsors (Babolat essentially) really want Nadal to win it this year.
1- They slowed the balls down
2 - They again are making Nadal to play first with a day forecast of rain. I remember in the past at teh FO, the one starting on Monday, would always play first in the semi. This was methodically scheduled....not anymore.
Nadal in 3 Djoko in 3 or 4.
Ferrer does what Ndal does but not quite as well.
What are you doing later Jonty?
Don't tell me you are going to sit though Poland Greece
I look at it as being scheduled so that more people can enjoy the anticipated closer match up at the end of the day when they've finished work.
Possibly, however it is in Babolat's interests Nadal does well for all the obvious reasons.
Agreed, though, the later game should be a better spectacle if last years corresponding match is anything to go by.
Whilst a fan of the Fed, I don't want him to reach the final this time as we all know what will happen.
Djokovic will provide a sterner test for Nadal and there is more on the line.
It's going to be a bad weather weekend. Wind and rain on the menu in Paris.
Earlsfield....family come home and it's a battle of wills as to whether Federer or Peppa Pig will be shown on my shiny home cinema system!
Kind of agree about Fed final....I so wish Nadal hadn't said he needed strapping adjusted last RG final, seemed to completely throw Fed at 5-2 was it?
It's going to be a bad weather weekend. Wind and rain on the menu in Paris.
--------
Glad to hear it's not just here, it is foul in Watford.
Also I'm glad because I'm on a coaching seminar on Sunday so will be really hard to avoid score and get home and watch it on recording....sorry to be selfish!
Yup - I think if he had won the first set last year (which he should have done) he would have won the match.
With Nadal, he seems to be impervious to on court injury problems when the trainer appears - he either just plays though it and improves or walks off. Only exception being against Ferrer Down Under when he had the chance to hold all 4.
It also happened in the final of the AO in 09 in the 4th (or it may have been the 5th set). Again, Fed just seemed to wilt.
Such is the psychology of the game..
Nadal has upper hand v Fed mentally, just felt last RG final was very fortuitous timing for Nadal, hopefully not deliberately.
The psychology of the intervenes very little in the mens game at teh very top. They all are very strong mentally...including murray. It's their fitness that sets them apart.
We saw that before 2011, Djoko was losing many of those close matches versus Nadal and federer. Once he got fitter with his gluten free diet, he won all those close, pressure points versus those 2 including 7 very convincing wins versus Nadal.
This year in Rome final he was huffing and puffing and could not close the first set as he lacked the composure trying to rush over the 1st set line. He seems fitter in this RG so it might be different on Sunday.
Nadal will only be as strong mentally as he feels much superior fitness wise. If he is not twice as fit as djoko he wiull panick and play poorly all his pressure points like he did in 2011, even in that AO12.
BTW, Nadal is the only player that plays better after an injury than before the injury.
The psychology of the intervenes very little in the mens game at teh very top.
-------------
Try telling that to Brad Gilbert.
Agreed - Pyscology plays a major part as it does in all sports top and bottom.
To a large extent its also about bottle and nerve.
Just ask Andy Murray or Thoma Berydch
That was different times. There is still lots of mind games going on outisde the top 5 or top 10. But for Djoko, Murrray, Nadal, it's all about fitness. the mind intervenes if fitness is similar which hasn't been the case of late.
Thwe last 8 slams have been won by the fittest player. Or shoudl i say, the most physically efficient game as I consider Nadal still the fittest but lacking skills compared to a djokovic.
Completely agree Earlsfield, I feel it's a big differentiator, when you've lost the mental battle you've lost the battle.
That's why players have their rituals, to focus their own mind and to maybe disrupt opponent's mental focus.
The top 3 are far stronger mentally than most of the rest, that's why they can be 2 sets down and still believe they will win, and more often than not they do.
Just wish Murray had that too.
Earl, you don;t hear those toip players talk about how they improve their minds.They all talk about improving their fitness cause that's the only way to improve your mind.
You are not going to feel any better with a strong mind if you have to jump on the ring v Mike Tyson. Tennis is like that nowadays.
Players who are not fit enough try to pull winners right and left v Nadal and lose cause they know the longer the rallies the less likely theywill win it and even less likely they will be able to win the following ones. Djoko is the only one that can rally with him (and Murray to some extend). Thta's why it's 99% physical nowadays.
Look at the Almagro Nadal match. Nadal played terrible pulling shots not much better than you'd see in y9our club but he was retrieving everything forcing Almagro to go for broke. Only his physique can allow him to win this way.
Nole and Nadull to win and then possibly a 7 hour long slugfest on Sunday which will bore the spectators to death.
Sign in if you want to comment
French Open Mens Semi - Final
Page 1 of 8
6 | 7 | 8
posted on 8/6/12
Ferrer ( Spa ) 6 vs Nadal ( Spa ) 2
Thee 2 inform players in this French open semi square off, who will win ?
Ferrer must take the 1st set or Rafa will win in straight set, Rafa as yet 2 drop a set, Ferrer as only drop 1 set 2 Murray.
posted on 8/6/12
Djokovic ( Ser ) 1 vs Federer ( Swi ) 3
Both players r out of form, 1 leg Del P nearly had Federer, but Federer showed his fighting skills & his craft, 2 come firing back, 2 reel off thee next 3 sets.
Djokovic, thee man with 9 lives, surley he nearly use them all, seppi nearly had him, Tsonga had 4 match points, sometime in life thing r meant 2 be, Djokovic needs the French open now, 4 4 in a row, that will give him his legacy.
posted on 8/6/12
Could b a 5 set epic battle, going off this tourney, or if it like Rome form, Djokovis in 3.
posted on 8/6/12
I go with Nadal in 3 and Nole also in 3.
Ferrer has the game to sneak out at least a set but I doubt he has the belief needed to do it.
If Federer plays well I could be very wrong with my other prediction but somehow I do not think he will tomorrow. He has struggled in four matches in a row - that smacks of bad form rather than just occasional blips.
posted on 8/6/12
The competition will be getting harder for each player naturally as they move through the rounds and by now there is only class left in the tournament.
Rafa will narrowly win the first set, and then demolish Ferrer in straight sets. ( as we saw previously). Tennis players have always been weak willed and only the very strongest survive. Nadal is that man, and his constant level of brilliance on clay is just too hot for anybody to handle. A joy to see his bruising battering way of playing tennis. Equally strong on both sides of the court and a challenge for anybody, past or present.
The next match is much harder to predict. Djokovic is playing that badly that he shouldn't even be in this semi final, but fair play to him, he has dug deep and survived and will take on Feds. Feds is now at the end of a thrilling career and his grand slam total will stop on 16.
This match will end 3:2 and I have no idea who will win.
Feds has always been my favourite player so I am hoping for him. If Djokovic wins then that will amuse me. For the benefit of ja606 ( and this forum only because I quite like Djoko) it is going to be fun reading the articles as Rafa dismantles him in the final, which is going to happen.
May the best men win
posted on 8/6/12
It's my birthday too
posted on 8/6/12
Happy Birthday BTE
Nadal straight sets win over Ferrer and Federer to beat Djokovic in a 5 set epic
posted on 8/6/12
Nadal in 3, Djokovic in 4
As above not much to add. Nadal Ferrer will be tight in the first set with Nadal to inevitably edge (saving a million break points) it before running away with the match
Nadal simples..
76 62 63
Djoko will win the second one (he is not in as bad and form as people think). DP ran out of gas the other day, I just don't think Fed can retain his levels/concentration long enough these days.
Djokovic to edge it
46 76 76 64
The final to go to five sets, Nadal in the 5th for no 7
posted on 8/6/12
Happy Birthday Chest! (just sounds wrong!)
I find it hard to warm to ferrer who just reminds me of a mouse and would like to see a quick semi there so that I can enjoy the second one before I get interrupted later!
Seriously though, I just hope we see some cracking good tennis and sportsmanship.
Wonder if we'll get a surprise as well this year.
posted on 8/6/12
I think the organisers sponsors (Babolat essentially) really want Nadal to win it this year.
1- They slowed the balls down
2 - They again are making Nadal to play first with a day forecast of rain. I remember in the past at teh FO, the one starting on Monday, would always play first in the semi. This was methodically scheduled....not anymore.
Nadal in 3 Djoko in 3 or 4.
posted on 8/6/12
Ferrer does what Ndal does but not quite as well.
What are you doing later Jonty?
Don't tell me you are going to sit though Poland Greece
posted on 8/6/12
I look at it as being scheduled so that more people can enjoy the anticipated closer match up at the end of the day when they've finished work.
posted on 8/6/12
Possibly, however it is in Babolat's interests Nadal does well for all the obvious reasons.
Agreed, though, the later game should be a better spectacle if last years corresponding match is anything to go by.
Whilst a fan of the Fed, I don't want him to reach the final this time as we all know what will happen.
Djokovic will provide a sterner test for Nadal and there is more on the line.
posted on 8/6/12
It's going to be a bad weather weekend. Wind and rain on the menu in Paris.
posted on 8/6/12
Earlsfield....family come home and it's a battle of wills as to whether Federer or Peppa Pig will be shown on my shiny home cinema system!
Kind of agree about Fed final....I so wish Nadal hadn't said he needed strapping adjusted last RG final, seemed to completely throw Fed at 5-2 was it?
posted on 8/6/12
It's going to be a bad weather weekend. Wind and rain on the menu in Paris.
--------
Glad to hear it's not just here, it is foul in Watford.
Also I'm glad because I'm on a coaching seminar on Sunday so will be really hard to avoid score and get home and watch it on recording....sorry to be selfish!
posted on 8/6/12
Yup - I think if he had won the first set last year (which he should have done) he would have won the match.
With Nadal, he seems to be impervious to on court injury problems when the trainer appears - he either just plays though it and improves or walks off. Only exception being against Ferrer Down Under when he had the chance to hold all 4.
It also happened in the final of the AO in 09 in the 4th (or it may have been the 5th set). Again, Fed just seemed to wilt.
Such is the psychology of the game..
posted on 8/6/12
Nadal has upper hand v Fed mentally, just felt last RG final was very fortuitous timing for Nadal, hopefully not deliberately.
posted on 8/6/12
The psychology of the intervenes very little in the mens game at teh very top. They all are very strong mentally...including murray. It's their fitness that sets them apart.
We saw that before 2011, Djoko was losing many of those close matches versus Nadal and federer. Once he got fitter with his gluten free diet, he won all those close, pressure points versus those 2 including 7 very convincing wins versus Nadal.
This year in Rome final he was huffing and puffing and could not close the first set as he lacked the composure trying to rush over the 1st set line. He seems fitter in this RG so it might be different on Sunday.
Nadal will only be as strong mentally as he feels much superior fitness wise. If he is not twice as fit as djoko he wiull panick and play poorly all his pressure points like he did in 2011, even in that AO12.
BTW, Nadal is the only player that plays better after an injury than before the injury.
posted on 8/6/12
The psychology of the intervenes very little in the mens game at teh very top.
-------------
Try telling that to Brad Gilbert.
posted on 8/6/12
Agreed - Pyscology plays a major part as it does in all sports top and bottom.
To a large extent its also about bottle and nerve.
Just ask Andy Murray or Thoma Berydch
posted on 8/6/12
That was different times. There is still lots of mind games going on outisde the top 5 or top 10. But for Djoko, Murrray, Nadal, it's all about fitness. the mind intervenes if fitness is similar which hasn't been the case of late.
Thwe last 8 slams have been won by the fittest player. Or shoudl i say, the most physically efficient game as I consider Nadal still the fittest but lacking skills compared to a djokovic.
posted on 8/6/12
Completely agree Earlsfield, I feel it's a big differentiator, when you've lost the mental battle you've lost the battle.
That's why players have their rituals, to focus their own mind and to maybe disrupt opponent's mental focus.
The top 3 are far stronger mentally than most of the rest, that's why they can be 2 sets down and still believe they will win, and more often than not they do.
Just wish Murray had that too.
posted on 8/6/12
Earl, you don;t hear those toip players talk about how they improve their minds.They all talk about improving their fitness cause that's the only way to improve your mind.
You are not going to feel any better with a strong mind if you have to jump on the ring v Mike Tyson. Tennis is like that nowadays.
Players who are not fit enough try to pull winners right and left v Nadal and lose cause they know the longer the rallies the less likely theywill win it and even less likely they will be able to win the following ones. Djoko is the only one that can rally with him (and Murray to some extend). Thta's why it's 99% physical nowadays.
Look at the Almagro Nadal match. Nadal played terrible pulling shots not much better than you'd see in y9our club but he was retrieving everything forcing Almagro to go for broke. Only his physique can allow him to win this way.
posted on 8/6/12
Nole and Nadull to win and then possibly a 7 hour long slugfest on Sunday which will bore the spectators to death.
Page 1 of 8
6 | 7 | 8