I agree that Rafas body won't hold up as long as feds. That isn't even really a debate as I imagine Rafas got a couple years left if he remains injury free and then he'll run his academies and enjoy the fruits of his labor but we're not there yet. I will disagree on one point, that he is not the same player he was several years ago. I think this is as close to his old form as he has gotten. Moya has made the technical adjustments and they weren't huge to help counter the passage of time. He's still got the legs, he can still get around the court as good as anybody where he was lacking was getting much on the ball when he got there. They talked about how they changed the balance of his racquet and made it head heavy to let his stick take over some of the effort he used to be able to create. The result is balls are flying off his racquet again. Just last year he was struggling as many of his balls were landing short and guys were able to attack off balls that were traditionally safe balls for him but they are back to being just that and allow him to set up to crack forehands again. The only way to get to him now is take those balls early and drive them deep and take away all Rafas time, Dimi did that yesterday and Zverev was able to and Djoker is consistently able and that is why Djoker is the best player in the world and why Zverev and Dimi are projected slam winners and potential future number 1s. Dimi and Zverev are tall guys so a higher jumping ball they can take better than your average 6 ft'er. That is something that Roger has struggled with against Rafa his entire career. That depth, pace and spin is back and better it's back when he's stretched.
As for Sundays match I only see it going one way, A Rafa win.
I look at this as Rafa close to his prime form again and Fed well past his. I am unconvinced at best by Rogers tourny. It's an amazing story and I am happy for him but what a dream draw. Not that Rafa himself didn't get some help but Murray would have spanked Roger I am quite certain. As it is Berdych is a shell of his former self and that former self was a shell of a real top 10 player. It's a good looking win on paper but anything other than a straight set victory would have shocked me. Nishikori again a nice win on paper but if there is anybody in the top 5 you'd play it'd be him. He's got no real weapon outside being rock steady but over 5 you should be able to break that down as the superior talent. Roger did but an in form Roger takes that in 4, it made me think he's playing well enough but he's not up to his own high standards yet. Zverev, how lucky he was that Murray lost but an ideal match up. No threat to Roger and give Roger an average server and a target and I'll show you an easy victory lol. Stan to me was the test but Stan came out defeated. How Roger looks vs Rafa is how Stan entered against Fed. Like he stepped on court thinking I can't win this. Controlling rallies, but for whatever reason was just unwilling to finish, Roger was content to let him self destruct, he didn't do anything spectacular to go up 2. Then Stan when down finally started playing like he's capable and it wasn't close. He was so dominant. Then to the 5th he's back to that mess he started with. The belief left him again. If he went out and took it to Stan I would be more impressed but this was Stans game to win or lose and he chose to lose it. Fed seemed helpless to the outcome of that match it just went his way. I just didn't see Fed being in control and to be at his best he needs to be the one dictating.
contrast that to Rafas draw. He was lucky to not have to face Djoker but younger Zverev probably played better, bigger and with more confidence and belief than did Berdych Nishikori or his older brother did. He played like a kid with nothing to lose and just oozing raw potential. That was a monster clash and both just traded bigger and bigger strokes all match. Rafa eventually broke the kids body down but that was vintage Rafa, hitting big running down everything, moving his guy everywhere making him hit a ton of extra balls and punishing him for it. Raonic was in great form coming in and he made him look lost. He took a huge serve and huge forehand and made them look pathetic. Monfils was a routine win much like Berdych and Zverev for Fed... On to Dimitrov...Dimitrov delivered last night what Fed could only hope to deliver. It was a master class in being fed and it wasn't enough. Dimi was bigger off both wings than Fed is capable, he was better off at cutting off high bouncing balls, he took away time better, he was relentless and worse of all he was overflowing confidence. He made shots last night that just boggled my mind, shots he had no business making and he was painting lines all night and Rafa just stayed there with him all night. Vintage Rafa again, you gotta play out of your mind to beat me. It was just beautiful tennis and I don't think Roger has that form in him right now, especially against Rafa and not the way Rafa is playing right now. Rogers ball is going to give him more time to work around than Dimis did. There couldn't have been a better warm up for Fed than Dimitrov, not that Rafa needed the primer as well as these 2 know each other but he got it and he's going to see a lesser version than hes seen in years past. I honestly believe that guys picking fed are just hoping cause they want to see it so bad but nothing based on performance has me believing he can be in this other than he is the great roger federer and that gives him a wing and a prayer. Anybody thinking this Rafa isn't light years ahead of the one of the last 2 seasons isn't paying enough attention this is prime time Rafa and I would not expect a flattering scoreline for fed.
that all said I could always be wrong lol
As for Sundays match I only see it going one way, A Rafa win.
I look at this as Rafa close to his prime form again and Fed well past his. I am unconvinced at best by Rogers tourny. It's an amazing story and I am happy for him but what a dream draw. Not that Rafa himself didn't get some help but Murray would have spanked Roger I am quite certain. As it is Berdych is a shell of his former self and that former self was a shell of a real top 10 player. It's a good looking win on paper but anything other than a straight set victory would have shocked me. Nishikori again a nice win on paper but if there is anybody in the top 5 you'd play it'd be him. He's got no real weapon outside being rock steady but over 5 you should be able to break that down as the superior talent. Roger did but an in form Roger takes that in 4, it made me think he's playing well enough but he's not up to his own high standards yet. Zverev, how lucky he was that Murray lost but an ideal match up. No threat to Roger and give Roger an average server and a target and I'll show you an easy victory lol. Stan to me was the test but Stan came out defeated. How Roger looks vs Rafa is how Stan entered against Fed. Like he stepped on court thinking I can't win this. Controlling rallies, but for whatever reason was just unwilling to finish, Roger was content to let him self destruct, he didn't do anything spectacular to go up 2. Then Stan when down finally started playing like he's capable and it wasn't close. He was so dominant. Then to the 5th he's back to that mess he started with. The belief left him again. If he went out and took it to Stan I would be more impressed but this was Stans game to win or lose and he chose to lose it. Fed seemed helpless to the outcome of that match it just went his way. I just didn't see Fed being in control and to be at his best he needs to be the one dictating.
contrast that to Rafas draw. He was lucky to not have to face Djoker but younger Zverev probably played better, bigger and with more confidence and belief than did Berdych Nishikori or his older brother did. He played like a kid with nothing to lose and just oozing raw potential. That was a monster clash and both just traded bigger and bigger strokes all match. Rafa eventually broke the kids body down but that was vintage Rafa, hitting big running down everything, moving his guy everywhere making him hit a ton of extra balls and punishing him for it. Raonic was in great form coming in and he made him look lost. He took a huge serve and huge forehand and made them look pathetic. Monfils was a routine win much like Berdych and Zverev for Fed... On to Dimitrov...Dimitrov delivered last night what Fed could only hope to deliver. It was a master class in being fed and it wasn't enough. Dimi was bigger off both wings than Fed is capable, he was better off at cutting off high bouncing balls, he took away time better, he was relentless and worse of all he was overflowing confidence. He made shots last night that just boggled my mind, shots he had no business making and he was painting lines all night and Rafa just stayed there with him all night. Vintage Rafa again, you gotta play out of your mind to beat me. It was just beautiful tennis and I don't think Roger has that form in him right now, especially against Rafa and not the way Rafa is playing right now. Rogers ball is going to give him more time to work around than Dimis did. There couldn't have been a better warm up for Fed than Dimitrov, not that Rafa needed the primer as well as these 2 know each other but he got it and he's going to see a lesser version than hes seen in years past. I honestly believe that guys picking fed are just hoping cause they want to see it so bad but nothing based on performance has me believing he can be in this other than he is the great roger federer and that gives him a wing and a prayer. Anybody thinking this Rafa isn't light years ahead of the one of the last 2 seasons isn't paying enough attention this is prime time Rafa and I would not expect a flattering scoreline for fed.
that all said I could always be wrong lol
