Ricky predicting Rafa, great

I believe in the beauty and power of natashaos dream, because of the conviction with which she said it prior to start of AO

Ill go against the popular belief and expectation and say Rafa in 4.

Rafa to lose first set and win next 3 :-)

I hope Cheryl is right this time.

Nole to get his 5th Slam.

sabs - aren't you a Fed fan?

Dont understand usage of word 'hope' Nole gets his 5th slam

Rafa is playing much better than Nole right now. If Nole wins, it will be due to fate alone because I beleive Rafa is in blistering form. They will both be nervous. Nole had the wind on his back on the way up last year and he was full of confidence, he will be worried about losing his current status and hold over Rafa, so if he is normal he will have some nerves. Of course Rafa will be nervous about losing for the 7th time, even though he must know that his game is clicking at the moment.

I just hope that fate is on Rafa's side tomorrow.


Vamos Rafa

Rafa would have gained a lot of heart watching the Nole/Muzz match yesterday because Nole wasn't that impressive, nor was he against Hewitt.

agree with the above comment from nadline, Nadal is playing better than Djokovic at the moment. But honestly Murray put up a better fight than Federer did in his semifinal. He showed a lot of guts coming back from 2-5 down in the 5th.
Djokovic looks a step down from his formidable form last year. Nadal in 4, or Djokovic in 5.

I don't do predictions, I do feelings........................I feel Rafa will shade this.

Vamos Rafa!!!!!!!!!!!!!

^^^^Me and you both.

Some people will pick Mickey over Nadal every time.

I hope Rafa does not get lulled into those long gruelling baseline exchanges which Nole so excels at these days............................this is the time to put his new agressive game into practice, no mucking about admiring Nole's genius in the first set and losing it...................Rafa's got to do a Fed and come out guns blazing from the get go, don't allow Nole any rhythm.

Listen to me talk..................................you'd think I'm a multiple Slam winner, geez!

Vamos Rafa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All signs point to a Nadal win much like last year before the final in Rome. Djoker looked like crap against Mandy both times. Somehow he found the energy. It's like seeing Nadal there energizes him. If only Fed had that trait. It's good to see Nadal finally speaking his mind without Toni's prewritten script. So he accused Djoker of faking his hay fever breathing problems. I guess he was happier when he just retired those early days at the French and Wimby. Djoker took flack for retiring now he's taking flack for not retiring and actually coming back to win. Now everybody can see Nadal for what he really is. I guess the implication is he lost those six times because Djoker faked him out by pretending to be tired. Oh that old excuse. SOS!

If Rafa serves well and cuts down on his UEs he'll be in business.

chr18

The fact you have just compared the build up of tomorrows match to the Rome final last year should be enough for everyone on this site to realise that you have nothing to offer in the way of tennis analysis. Nadal was in terrible form in Rome, now he is not. Djokovic was in incredible form in Rome now he is in great form but not incredible.

You know for all the bickering between Nadal and Federer fans this site has only really been cheapened by the ardent Djokovic fans who have seen one year of dominance and think Nole deserves to be called one of the best ever already. Success has gone to their heads and as a result they have become the worst and least objective fans on this site.

No idea what'll happen tomorrow, could really go either way in any number of sets. Good luck to both of them.

I guess he was happier when he just retired those early days at the French and Wimby. Djoker took flack for retiring now he's taking flack for not retiring and actually coming back to win. Now everybody can see Nadal for what he really is. I guess the implication is he lost those six times because Djoker faked him out by pretending to be tired. Oh that old excuse. SOS!

chr18 , 1/28/12 5:52 PM

Okay, that's the implication you see, fair enough.

How about the following implication, which other people may see: Rafa sees Nole having breathing problems during a match to the point of looking like he cannot continue, but proceeds to play high level tennis finishing the match playing very well and winning, concluding that Nole cannot have been that wasted after all, he will display the same level of resilience in the final therefore cannot take the "in-match" difficulties seriously otherwise he will be distracted to his detriment.

Are you prepared to take this other "implication" as fair?

Typical. Rafa was asked a question and he gave his honest answer. He says it's difficult to imagine that Nole has these problems because he is moving extremely well. Murray was even more blunt, but it's Rafa who gets blasted. Compare what they both said:

Q. Novak has been having some trouble with breathing in the last two matches. Do you think it?ll be a factor tomorrow and something you can take advantage of?

RAFAEL NADAL: It?s funny, no? I saw the match yesterday on the TV she show on the Channel 7 when he was in the fifth set moving fantastically well, and they show images from two hours fifty before and seems like he was destroyed. Two hours fifty later he was in perfect condition.

So is difficult to imagine that he has these problems. I don?t know.

************************************************************* ***

Murray's interview:
When asked if he found Djokovic?s theatrical displays of exhaustion annoying, Murray was diplomatic, saying: ?I?m sure he is struggling. I don?t look at him and think, ?he?s being an idiot?, I just know he?s going to be fine in a few minutes. So you don?t lose concentration over it.?

But he did admit that ?I feel like if it was me I would be getting criticised a lot for doing what he does. People would say ?Andy?s play-acting?.?

^^^^^^^careful you do not get accused of "cherry-picking" portions of the interviews to suit your argument, that's how crazy these discussions can get on TT these days.......................

Well they can go and read the whole thing for themselves:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/australianopen/90 45692/Australian-Open-2012-Rafael-Nadal-buoyant-ahead-of-Novak-Djokovi c-clash.html

I think I've said enough on this because it's off topic but I just had to respond to chr18.

Rafa played like crap at Rome last year, taken to three sets against Lorenzi in the second round! How can someone be so blind not to see that! He was having fever then and almost skipped playing against Lopez. Nole didn't play like crap, he played well enough to beat Bellucci in three, and Bellucci was playing very well and was on fire, beating Murray and Berdych before facing Nole. The fact that Nole could play for three hours against Murray and then came back the next day to beat Rafa proved two things, first, Nole was super fit, and two, Rafa was not playing at 100%.

chr18 - what has this Nole breathing problem incident got to do with Rafa and his losses to Nole in the past? Did Rafa mention anything about Nole's fitness when he lost to Nole? Or was it only your own imagination and hence your bizarre implications?!

Apologies, Bellucci obviously didn't beat Murray at Rome. He beat Murray at Madrid and was beaten in three sets by Nole. Nole was beating both Stan and Sod easily at Rome before meeting Murray in the SF, so obviously he didn't play like crap!

I am a big fan of Nadal. This time I get a feeling that Rafa will win in 4

Rafa was decidedly below par last year, even Andujar gave him grief. I guess he was very disappointed not to win the AO due to injury and the effects of the flu also bugged him and once he started going down the slippery slope he seemed resigned to losing and couldn't motivate himself. Luckily for him he bagged RG for the 6th time. It occured to me today that had there been no Rafa, Roger would probably have won 26 GS. Imagine that. Tennis would have died.

I see a very different Rafa today, so I'm hopeful for tomorrow.

Unless Nadal proves otherwise, Djokovic wins. Most likely in 4.

gr8nadal, welcome.

It occured to me today that had there been no Rafa, Roger would probably have won 26 GS. Imagine that. Tennis would have died.

I see a very different Rafa today, so I'm hopeful for tomorrow.

nadline , 1/28/12 8:51 PM

Had there been no Nole, Rafa would have DEFINITELY won 12 Slams by now (Wimby and USopen 2011)!!

Sigh.........................no point in would have, could have, should have in this business, nad. Have to accept and deal with what's in the moment.................

Agree with you about Rafa's prospects for tomorrow though..................I really am upbeat................

already said first on this thread..Rafa in 4..I was the first on this thread..

Ricky..if it indeed does happen..call me out specifically :-)

I just hope Rafa wns..3,4,5 who cares...even if he doesnt. I'll take solace in the fact that he beat Berdy n Fed n reached finals which in itself wasnt expected n he gained 840 points

Thanks nadline @1/28/12 8:52 PM. Vamossssssssss RAFA

predictions anyone????

Nadal in 4; 7-6, 6-4,3-6,7-5

He knows what he has to do to win and he can do it.

I think we shouldn't expect too much from Rafa. Didn't Rafa said that he needed more time to work on his game and he only expected himself to be prepared come IW and onwards? Reaching the final here, he has already exceeded my expectation, as I have mentioned before that reaching the semifinal here is already an achievement.

Of course if he gets beaten in another slam final by the same man would be devestating for him, but look, Fed also has such an experience and he manages to bounce back strong and wins some more slams. Rafa can look to Fed as an example and carry on improving various aspects of his game so that when opportunities arise, he's ready to pounce. For me, Rafa is too good not to win some more slams, and too good not to beat Nole a few times going forward, if not at this AO.

chr18,

Still living the life of hate I see? Popping out of your hole a couple of times now just to rusbbish Rafa won't make him lose matches.

I guess the implication is he lost those six times because Djoker faked him out by pretending to be tired. Oh that old excuse. SOS! (chr18)

Please give the links to where Rafa said that he lost the 6 matches last year to Nole because Nole faked him out. You asked for links from homos before about quotes and you were given it, so give it to us now. Guess it's even worse now because your guy can't even make the finals of slams. Must be hard, huh? Carry on your bitterness towards the guy who's dished him out an 18-2 overhead, 8-2 in slams where your guys hasn't beaten Rafa since 2007.

When it comes to excuses, nobody beats your man, just take a look at his interviews after he lost to Berdych at Wimbledon, Rafa at every FO, Rafa at Wimbledon, Rafa at AO, etc, etc, etc... But you need to remove your rose tinted glasses first though.

chr18,

How come you didn't come up with another song about Rafa losing or will be scared like you did before he met Soderling in the FO finals?

Afraid of being burnt a second time? I'm surprised you have the gall to show up again after the way you embrassed yourself with that.

Nole in 4 or 5, but Nole nevertheless.

I didn't get my prediction to Ricky, so I will just say pretty much what I originally wrote. Nole is fit and confident, especially after beating Rafa six times on all surfaces in 2011. I do think his form is not as good as last year. He did look vulnerable at points in the match with Murray and wasn't able to serve it out.

The question for me is which Rafa will show up? The Rafa we have seen in his last two matches playing scintillating tennis? Or the Rafa of last year who seemed to have lost his mental toughness and belief and played like it. I am betting that the former will show up this time. I think Rafa has come to terms with his losses from last year and was even able to joke about it in his on-court interview after his win over Fed. He seems more relaxed and happy than I have seen in a long time. He has rediscovered his love of tennis and his fierce fighting spirit. There is a look in his eyes that was not there last year.

I think it may well come down to the intangibles. The man who is stronger mentally will win this match. I would not have thought Rafa could bring that to another slam final against Nole. However, I think he has found that great quality that has made him such a tough competitor - his refusal to lose, never giving up.

Rafa lives for the challenge. He thrives on it. If he goes out there and believes that he can win, then he can make it happen.

I originally predicted Rafa in four sets after going back and forth about a possible five sets. I think my original prediction was something like 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (5), 7-5. I still think it could go five.

Oh and my original paragraph was much shorter. I should have saved it because it was pretty good. I do remember the last line.

Rafa will write a new chapter by winning this final.

^^ that works. Good job NNY.

So I don't have to send it again? You asked me to on another thread.

Don't think I wrote all this in that e-mail. I made it much more concise, which is not easy for me! Since I was posting I allowed myself to go on a little more with my thoughts.

I really wanted to show you that I could be relatively brief!

I am really okay with getting to post it here. It's all good!

Thanks!

Rafa says Nole is the favourite and he has nothing to lose so he is going to give it all he's got.

Rusedski has just picked Djokovic. That warms the cockles of my heart because he picked Federer over Rafa.

Rusedski is so biased against nadal. He loves Nole way to much considering his commentary is meant to be objective.

Rusedski doesn't like Nadal, because he was all over how Roger was going to beat him, bla, bla, bla. I like the way both he and Virginia talk Rafa's game down, then they watch clips of his matches through the rounds and are breathless afterwards thinking maybe he is not that bad.

What I find with commentators is that they know nothing. They second guess what happened previously. Not one of them has mentioned that Rafa's 1st serve % is much higher than Nole's at this AO, but they go on telling us how bad Rafa's serve was last year.

Rafa looks 'colm'.

someone tell Rusedski that we picked Vince Spadea to beat him

guys lets not write on this thread..lets go to the other one..

Djokovic in 4

Vamos our Rafa & as always good luck. Hope he brings with him the tennis he played in the 4th set of the Birdy match today. Sending all my positive vibes to you dear Rafa.

A love service game from Rafa for starters, shows there are no nerves.

May your dream come true natashao.

Nadal had a lead in each of his first two return games but some moonballing cost him

oops thought this was the match preview.

in-game comments on the other thread, as sanju says

Very happy that you changed your prediction to a Rafa victory Nostradimon - I am sure Rafa will do all that he can to MAKE IT SO.

hmmm...."Djokovic beats Rafael Nadal seven times in a row"...

Ricky....Ricky... you just lost yoi Nostradamus nick ;)

nobody gave the credit to cheryl even tho she deserved it. she was very accurate on djokovic. thank you cheryl.

^^^ Indeed she was.

And so was I, if I can say so myself ;)

^^^ Indeed she was.

And so was I, if I can say so myself ;)

Cheryl was decent at best. Nothing more than that.

the WINNER was chlorostoma, who will likely do some expert picking for us during either Indian Wells or Miami.

i was thinking of both: SF and the F. she was spot on regarding novak. anyway, congrats to chlorostoma too.

anyone who wants to expert pick the Monte Carlo final, email me EXACT score and paragraph of analysis at ricky.dimon@tennistalk.com or ridimon@gmail.com