The Tennis Thread - Part 2

[Sakuraba]

Novak will wake up guys, u know he always does!

Nadal's defense has been superlative, Djokovic isn't seeing many easy shots. Djokovic is trying to hit him back off the court but the window is very small. Djokovic has to dig in and grind.

 

[TheBat812]

As long as nadal wins I'm happy... But I hope the match isn't done by the time I'm off work at 4...

 

[Bim]

My boss is suffering with me also, cause she wanted to watch this final and cant, just like me. She's in even worse shape, cause she teaches until 8:00pm lol.

 

[Frico]

Supreme down the line backhand from Nole and we're at 1-1.

 

[Sakuraba]

Good serve from Djokovic to start things off. 15-0

When Nadal hits his slice down the line, it almost forces Djokovic to go crosscourt with his backhand. And that means Nadal forehand hammering time. 15-15

Nadal overcooks a backhand return. He went after it, missed it by a bit

Again Djokovic has Nadal scrambling and his footwork stumbles and hooks a forehand wide. 30-30 Djokovic is a mess

Big serve and a putaway forehand makes it 40-30

Down the line backhand winner makes a hold

Nadal is starting to leave some balls short. Djokovic must do more. Channel his inner Steve Darcis

 

[Frico]

Djoker with a digging forehand on the run and Rafa can't make the volley. 0-30

 

[Sakuraba]

The Nadal slice is opening up his forehand. But Djokovic is at least putting his ba down the middle, not giving Nad any angles.

Nadal hits a big forehand down the line but Djokovic with a pass that Nadal cannot volley. 0-30

 

[Sakuraba]

Oh man. Djokovic hammers the backhand repeatedly. Nadal finally gets a slice to the Djokovic backhand and...

NADAL FOREHAND DOWN THE LINE

Double break point...

 

[Frico]

Wow crowd booing Rafa for checking the mark?

 

[Frico]

Djoker loses one of the break points from yet another backhand error. 30-40

 

[Frico]

Poor attempt from Nole to come up to the net and Rafa makes the easy pass for deuce.

 

[Sakuraba]

Nadal with a slice and Djokovic tries to go up the line and predictably it is long. Nadal has turned into Steffi Graf here

Second serve from Nadal... Djokovic hits a short approach shot and Nadal passes him. Deuce

 

[Frico]

It's amazing how most of the players on twitter all want Nadal to win. lol

 

[Bim]

Nadal has turned into Steffi Graf here

 

[Sakuraba]

Djokovic's feet fail him and McEnroe puts out how rooted he is at times behind the baseline ad Nadal

Big return and Nadal cannot find the forehand down the line. Deuce

Nadal with an unreturnable. Ad Nadal. Second serve. Djokovic takes a cut at it and it is week wide

 

[Sakuraba]

Big big hold for Nadal. Djokovic again cannot pull through

 

[Sakuraba]

Poor attempt from Nole to come up to the net and Rafa makes the easy pass for deuce.

My dad would have killed him for leaving that approach so short

 

[Frico]

That was wide?! Thought Rafa made it.

 

[Sakuraba]

Down the line forehand.

That is all I need to type

McEnroe points out that Djokovic should go to his own slice when Nadal slices. That is sound advice, except that the man that went to two hands at age 7 never developed an effective slice. Long live the one-hander!

 

[Sakuraba]

That was wide?! Thought Rafa made it.

Maybe it was a flashback to the fifteen other passes he's hit like that this match.

 

[Frico]

My dad would have killed him for leaving that approach so short

Haha. t:

Again he tried to come in and Rafa almost made another pass. Nole got lucky there.

 

[Sakuraba]

Djokovic with a strong hold, which is a good sign after he pissed away his opportunities in Nadal's opening service game

2-1

 

[Frico]

What a rally indeed Johnny Mac - Nadal demolishing backhands.

 

[Sakuraba]

Again Djokovic let's Nadal get away with a series of short balls and Nadal with a crazy angled backhand winner. 30-0

Nadal is now painting the lines with angles and following it in. 40-0 Djokovic pounds a second serve long

2-2

 

[Sakuraba]

Djokovic, even on that netted return, even a half step slow getting forward. Those are unsure steps.

Djokovic paints the line with a forehand winner. 30-0

Nadal just picks a ball up off the baseline and forehand down the line. What a sick shot. 30-15

Nadal sends a ball long. Nadal is leaving some balls shorts and Djokovic is not stepping up and taking control. Slice serve ace holds.

3-2. Djokovic needs to make a move here