Australian Open 2019

dominatinMC

Threw a sneaky tenner on Pouille at 8/1...miracles can happen!

jr86

ALl the talk about Pouille's serve leading into this match...

...and broken in his first service game..!

jr86

Well this looks like it won't take long

Hector Savage

dominatinMC wrote: »

Threw a sneaky tenner on Pouille at 8/1...miracles can happen!

dominatinMC

dominatinMC wrote: »

Threw a sneaky tenner on Pouille at 8/1...miracles can happen!

:D Got about 5mins value for my tenner (Pouille got to deuce on Djokovics opening service game). It was good while it lasted!

EagererBeaver

This final might be the best we've had for some time.

Hector Savage

dominatinMC wrote: »

:D Got about 5mins value for my tenner (Pouille got to deuce on Djokovics opening service game). It was good while it lasted!

See if you can cash out ! :P

Royale with Cheese

Now that Federer looks past it, I'm gonna hop on the isn't the current state of men's tennis terrible band wagon. You could see Djokovic and Nadal sharing out the next 8+ slams between them.

josip

Royale with Cheese wrote: »

Now that Federer looks past it, I'm gonna hop on the isn't the isn't the current state of men's tennis terrible band wagon. You could see Djokovic and Nadal sharing our the next 8+ slams between them.

Probably, but do you think they'll be shared fairly?
If Nadal wins Australia, then barring injury to Nadal, I think Djokovic will have to make do with scraps for the remainder of his career.
If Djokovic beats Nadal, then all else being equal, Nadal will have to make do with French Opens from here on.

Hector Savage

josip wrote: »

Probably, but do you think they'll be shared fairly?
If Nadal wins Australia, then barring injury to Nadal, I think Djokovic will have to make do with scraps for the remainder of his career.
If Djokovic beats Nadal, then all else being equal, Nadal will have to make do with French Opens from here on.

Thats pretty absolute!!

SlickRic

those semi final were an embarrassment, whatever way you want to slice it.

Novak will beat him in 4. he just won't make the errors Nadal will need him to. Novak's shots will get through the court better than anything Nadal came up against.

Hector Savage

josip wrote: »

Probably, but do you think they'll be shared fairly?
If Nadal wins Australia, then barring injury to Nadal, I think Djokovic will have to make do with scraps for the remainder of his career.
If Djokovic beats Nadal, then all else being equal, Nadal will have to make do with French Opens from here on.

If (when) Nadal beats Djokovic , doesn't necessarily mean he'll clean up from now on, I think he is sacrificing a lot for this, he will probably win the French, but can't see him being fit for the US hard court season.

Wimbledon ??? who knows ???

josip

Hector Savage wrote: »

Thats pretty absolute!!

True and perhaps a bit unrealistic in it absoluteness.
My opinion is based on neither of them getting injured, which at their age and miles is unlikely.
However, I can't predict who/when will get injured so I chose to eliminate it from the scenario.
Australia will be a big psychological win for whoever gets it.
If Djokovic wins, it'll be saying, "Doesn't matter how much you improve your serve/game Rafa, I'm, still better than you away from clay"
If Nadal can beat Djokovic in Australia, playing a game that's easier on his body, Djokovic will be the one wondering what he can do.

dominatinMC

Hector Savage wrote: »

If (when) Nadal beats Djokovic , doesn't necessarily mean he'll clean up from now on, I think he is sacrificing a lot for this, he will probably win the French, but can't see him being fit for the US hard court season.

Wimbledon ??? who knows ???

In fairness to you, you've been fully confident that Nadal was winning this since the outset, I don't know what's giving you that confidence! Based on both semi-final performances, I have to favour Djokovic now. Nadal has progressed better as the tournament has gone on, but Djokovic is peaking right now on his favourite surface in his favourite slam. This is the equivalent of Nadal in RG. Also, although Nadal is playing well, he has been out for months, that could prove the difference when the going gets tough.

Hector Savage

dominatinMC wrote: »

In fairness to you, you've been fully confident that Nadal was winning this since the outset, I don't know what's giving you that confidence! Based on both semi-final performances, I have to favour Djokovic now. Nadal has progressed better as the tournament has gone on, but Djokovic is peaking right now on his favourite surface in his favourite slam. This is the equivalent of Nadal in RG. Also, although Nadal is playing well, he has been out for months, that could prove the difference when the going gets tough.

Even in the early rounds I could see Rafa was just hitting winners from everywhere and had improved his serve ... I saw an opportunity and stuck €20 on him at 8.5 ...

I can cash out now at €83 .... I am tempted , cos murphys law .... :S

dominatinMC

Hector Savage wrote: »

Even in the early rounds I could see Rafa was just hitting winners from everywhere and had improved his serve ... I saw an opportunity and stuck €20 on him at 8.5 ...

I can cash out now at €83 .... I am tempted , cos murphys law .... :S

I'd be very tempted to cash out. Then again, don't take advice from a lad who stuck a tenner on Pouille! :D

Hector Savage

cash out unavailable now ... hmmm ..

Royale with Cheese

The gap between the big 4 and the rest looks as big as it's ever been, except now there's only two of them.

Hector Savage

It's true, in theory you shouldn't really have a world no. 28 in a grand slam semi, but it happens a lot lately.

SophieLockhart

Royale with Cheese wrote: »

The gap between the big 4 and the rest looks as big as it's ever been, except now there's only two of them.

Considering one of those two hasn't won a set in his last four meetings against someone else, that doesn't really make any sense.

Hector Savage

SophieLockhart wrote: »

Considering one of those two hasn't won a set in his last four meetings against someone else, that doesn't really make any sense.

You're fiddling stats there in fairness.

Dustin Brown has also a 100% record v Nadal ....

https://www.atptour.com/en/players/fedex-head-2-head/rafael-nadal-vs-dustin-brown/N409/BA65

Before the match starts you have to favour djokovic.

He said himself that he thinks that that was the best that he's ever played on the Melbourne courts in that semi.

Although I wonder what impact the new Nadal serve will have.

Gwynplaine

I hope Nadal wins it. If he does, he'll have won all 4 slams at least twice.

Hector Savage

The thank for the stat

764dak

I hope Nadal loses.

walshb

I don't know about anybody else, but I love Nole/Nadal slam matches, particularly finals....so intense...

In their last 30 matches Nole leads 20-10. Clear advantage.

walshb

walshb wrote: »

I don't know about anybody else, but I love Nole/Nadal slam matches, particularly finals....so intense...

probably two of the most focused / laser-concentrated players that there ever has been.

walshb

glasso wrote: »

probably two of the most focused / laser-concentrated players that there ever has been.

Spot on......

I think some believe the tennis to be boring.....not me. I find it ridiculously intense and grinding, but not boring-grinding....exciting/grinding!

jr86

Hector Savage wrote: »

It's true, in theory you shouldn't really have a world no. 28 in a grand slam semi, but it happens a lot lately.

That was the point I was making earlier in the week. Outside of Djokovic and Nadal its just completely random nowadays, very like the WTA has been for a while now

When they decline fully/retire goodness knows what state the ATP will be in

I expect ND to get his AO record back on Sunday and move to within 5 slams of Federer. very achievable I think, given I can't see Federer winning another

When all is said and done Federer might end up on the least amount of slams of the big 3

jr86

Gwynplaine wrote: »

I hope Nadal wins it. If he does, he'll have won all 4 slams at least twice.

And this might be equalled in the very next major!