I watched the match on youtube where it is available in its entirety in, I think, Russian, or some other eastern European language, which was fine with me but might be annoying to others who want to listen. Some random thoughts:
Just a complete roller coaster ride from start to finish.
Given the nature of the match and the opponent and their recent history, I find it almost impossible to grasp Roger's turnaround in the last five games of the fifth set. I don't know how you go down that deep to pull that out. Talk about grace under pressure and strength of character--off the charts.
As far as the first four sets, there was a ton of marvelous play making, but given the high number of unforced errors from Roger on both wings and the often tepid play of Nadal, had either Nole or Andy made it through to the final and played well, I doubt it would have gone more than four sets against either of the finalists.
Though it went missing in action in the second set, Roger's serve won him so many key points against a Rafa who is not the returner he once was. Rafa had a chance early to take control of the third set when Roger kept hitting easy balls right into the net. But all three break points Roger saved with aces served extremely wide to the ad court. He served brilliantly to the ad court all night, not losing his first point on that side until the start of the second set.
Rafa spent a lot of time servining into the body all night, but if you aren't striking the ball harder than he was, what's the point. Rafa ended up doing most of the running and nearly all of the sweating.
The severity of Rafa's game is fading at about the same rate as his hair is receding: he's got a lot left, but it's not what it once was. The velocity is diminished; the spin is less challenging; the angles aren't as acute; and, often in this match, his depth was woeful. Except for maybe the first four games of the second set, he was never the Alpha Dog on court. Roger was: calm, composed, determined; steady, and committed to aggression on both wings, even when he was missing.
Flaws and all, this will become one of the legendary tennis matches in history.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6fB2PYzMF8
Just a complete roller coaster ride from start to finish.
Given the nature of the match and the opponent and their recent history, I find it almost impossible to grasp Roger's turnaround in the last five games of the fifth set. I don't know how you go down that deep to pull that out. Talk about grace under pressure and strength of character--off the charts.
As far as the first four sets, there was a ton of marvelous play making, but given the high number of unforced errors from Roger on both wings and the often tepid play of Nadal, had either Nole or Andy made it through to the final and played well, I doubt it would have gone more than four sets against either of the finalists.
Though it went missing in action in the second set, Roger's serve won him so many key points against a Rafa who is not the returner he once was. Rafa had a chance early to take control of the third set when Roger kept hitting easy balls right into the net. But all three break points Roger saved with aces served extremely wide to the ad court. He served brilliantly to the ad court all night, not losing his first point on that side until the start of the second set.
Rafa spent a lot of time servining into the body all night, but if you aren't striking the ball harder than he was, what's the point. Rafa ended up doing most of the running and nearly all of the sweating.
The severity of Rafa's game is fading at about the same rate as his hair is receding: he's got a lot left, but it's not what it once was. The velocity is diminished; the spin is less challenging; the angles aren't as acute; and, often in this match, his depth was woeful. Except for maybe the first four games of the second set, he was never the Alpha Dog on court. Roger was: calm, composed, determined; steady, and committed to aggression on both wings, even when he was missing.
Flaws and all, this will become one of the legendary tennis matches in history.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6fB2PYzMF8
