French Open

[Who will win the men's final?]

Who will win the men's final?

Federer

Nadal

[EEtoJD]

Nadal is just too good on clay.

[bubDread]

ANDY RODDICK, NADAL CALLED AND HE WANTS HIS ARMS BACK

Anyone see that Men's Fitness cover?  I get the magazine, and saw the cover and did a wtf doubletake before starting to laugh hysterically.  I turned on ESPN to see that the guys on PTI were making fun of this too.

Haha, what did they say about it?

Andy Roddick hasn't been good for awhile...

[Butters Stotch]

The knickers and muscle shirt Nadal wears are imbued and give Nadal +2 dexterity and +4 agility (+8 dex and +6 agility on clay). 

[Hank Rearden]

Wow, yeah Nadal was just too good.  Federer made many errors, but that was mostly a result of Nadal I think.  Oh well.  Maybe Nadal will get hurt next year. 

[Commie Panda]

It's so disappointing to see Federer play like he's a completely different person every time he plays against Nadal. His strongest shot--his forehand--kept failing him and he was making wreckless errors. I'm not even talking about barely missing the line, I'm talking about forehand shots with complete lack of control when all he needed to do was direct the ball to the open court to win the point.

Not to mention his inability to convert all of those break points. Nadal is amazing but Federer's game always drops a level when he plays Nadal...it's all in his head.

This year really was his best shot, I really wanted him to clinch the Slam.

[Astro]

It's so disappointing to see Federer play like he's a completely different person every time he plays against Nadal on clay. His strongest shot--his forehand--kept failing him and he was making wreckless errors. I'm not even talking about barely missing the line, I'm talking about forehand shots with complete lack of control when all he needed to do was direct the ball to the open court to win the point.

Not to mention his inability to convert all of those break points. Nadal is amazing but Federer's game always drops a level when he plays Nadal on clay...it's all in his head.

This year really was his best shot, I really wanted him to clinch the Slam.

fixt



Nadal being a leftie is a problem for Federer.  Nadal being so quick across the court is also a problem for Federer. 

[Commie Panda]

Actually, Nadal really took it to Federer even on Fed's best surface (grass). And I believe the record on hard court is something like 2-2.

Nadal's being a leftie is a problem for Fed's backhand but if you watched the game, Fed was most troubled on the forehand side. He actually dealt with his backhand shots quite well. I understand that Nadal is an excellent player..but I'm a huge Federer fan and I watch virtually each of his matches and things that he excels against other opponents he suddenly can't do against Nadal--and I'm talking about things such as unforced errors that he would normally not make, low first serve percentage, total lack of aggressiveness (not coming to the net...not varying his backhand with some slices, which he normally always odes), and languid body language.

Best example of this would be that five-setter final on clay last year (Monte Carlo or Rome) where I believe Federer had match points in the fifth and then collapsed and had the match stolen...or the French open final last year where he came out firing in the first set and then his level of play suddenly dropped exponentially...

Even on those other surfaces, it can't be said that Fed dominates Nadal like he dominates everyone else.

[Hank Rearden]

Actually, Nadal really took it to Federer even on Fed's best surface (grass). And I believe the record on hard court is something like 2-2.

Nadal's being a leftie is a problem for Fed's backhand but if you watched the game, Fed was most troubled on the forehand side. He actually dealt with his backhand shots quite well. I understand that Nadal is an excellent player..but I'm a huge Federer fan and I watch virtually each of his matches and things that he excels against other opponents he suddenly can't do against Nadal--and I'm talking about things such as unforced errors that he would normally not make, low first serve percentage, total lack of aggressiveness (not coming to the net...not varying his backhand with some slices, which he normally always odes), and languid body language.

Best example of this would be that five-setter final on clay last year (Monte Carlo or Rome) where I believe Federer had match points in the fifth and then collapsed and had the match stolen...or the French open final last year where he came out firing in the first set and then his level of play suddenly dropped exponentially...

Even on those other surfaces, it can't be said that Fed dominates Nadal like he dominates everyone else.

But the unforced errors Federer makes against Nadal are indirectly forced--Federer feels so much pressure to hit a great shot he ends up choking.  Against worse players he has more confidence that he can win his way. 

[Commie Panda]

But the unforced errors Federer makes against Nadal are indirectly forced--Federer feels so much pressure to hit a great shot he ends up choking.  Against worse players he has more confidence that he can win his way. 

That's kind of what I'm saying. All I'm saying though is that it's in Federer's head and he's scared of Nadal because he thinks Nadal's got his number. I still don't get how you explain more forehand errors than backhand errors and 5 missed break opportunities in a game (not match). This is possibly the best player to ever grace the court--he should get his act together.

I think Federer has played players on other surfaces who have also similarly challenged him but he has kept his composure, which is what he is known for. He played an amazing match against Safin in the Australian open a couple of years ago, and though he lost, it was a very hard-fought match. He was really challenged by Roddick in the Wimbledon final a couple of years ago, and he did fine in that as well. Not to mention he defeated Sampras himself when he was just 19 or whatever I'm not taking anything away from Nadal's game--I just think that it's getting a little too much credit.

[EEtoJD]

Did anyone else notice how awkward Nadal was during the trophy presentation? I thought Federer was poking him in the butt or something.