After 2 weeks of tennis, the second grand slam of the year, Roland Garros has reached to its final day. I think the last time when neither of the top-2 players featured in the final was in 2005 when Nadal faced a surprise Puerta in the finals to win his first slam. Even after that 5 out of 7 times it has featured the top 2 players.
Lets see what the day has in store for us.
Novak Djokovic(SRB)[1] vs. Rafael Nadal(ESP)[2]
Nadal has looked very dominant this RG and hasn't dropped a set. But he hasn't got to face anyone whom you can expect to trouble him. Still looking at Nadal's record, its hard to say he wouldn't have reached the final even if he had faced much tougher opponents. On form, he looks to be the best player this RG.
Novak Djokovic is playing in his first RG final. He has won the last 3 slams, and is on verge of making history. Longest streak of Slam wins 27 till now, could go a step further and reach 28 and thereby doing something that last only happened in 1969. Has he been in good form? I would say he has been solid to win and reach the finals, but not his best form that he showed last year. He struggled to beat Seppi and was 4 match points down against Tsonga. He beat Fed in semis but it was more of poor play from Fed rather than domination from his part. But against Nadal he may not get so many chances make a comeback.
So it starts in a few hours. Its hard to predict who will win, but we can expect along match. It won't be surprising to me if we read in tomorrows newspapers "The longest final in RG history".
ATP Matches Of The Day: RG 2012, Finale
posted on 13/6/12
What do you think they shoudl have done? The only thing is that there was apparently another 1h30 of possible play after they left but they probably could only know that after that time went.
I don't we can blame it on the organisers on that occasion. They were certainly guilty for the balls and maybe other things but they cannot control the weather, can they?
posted on 13/6/12
Knowing there was going to be 3 days of rain and that Nadal and Djokovic don't play 2 hour matches against each other in the best of 5, they could've scheduled it for Saturday or Wednesday.
posted on 13/6/12
mmmhhh - That's a bit of a stretch.
They cannot dot. It woudl be far too complicated, would wrong-foot millions of people who are not paying as much attention as we are and besides that means they woudl have to rewrite the contract of all their broadcasters.
It's already set in the contracts of ITV, CBS, ESPN when play will take place if rained.
I really don't think there was much of a choice. What coudl have been done maybe is to start it an hour or 2 earlier on Sunday earlier but again, that is very difficult to do with the broadcasting contracts in place.
For instance ESPN could ask for its money back cause they lost millions of viewers who were not up at the time they started play. The FO, like any other slam, has to go by whatever their broadcasdting contracts tell them.
Really here we can't blame them. Just bad luck for Nole though had he won in 3 he woudl have been fine!
posted on 13/6/12
"Just bad luck for Nole though had he won in 3 he woudl have been fine! "
That's a bit of an ask bearing in mind that there are not that many 3 setters in RG finals...
Nole had his chances, did not take them, but too many factors went against him.
Best thing is - he knows it, and it cannot be underrestimated at this stage of the season.
Good job they have a roof in Wimbledon
RG and USO have really been lagging behind and look like anitiquated relics compared to Wimbledon and AO.
I like that side to them as they are endearing and charming to an extent, but when they ruin a historic final and almost once in a life opportunity or someone like this than it really sucks!
USO don't even have court covers...doesn't that make you sick!!!!
Creaming all that money from sponsors and TV channels they can't "let down" yet, an even invest in some tarpaulin to cover the courts when it rains...
posted on 13/6/12
On aonther note, just checked the winner of palme d'or
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/after-lucia-cannes-review-327355
posted on 13/6/12
RG and USO have really been lagging behind and look like anitiquated relics compared to Wimbledon and AO.
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I think it's cool they keep it open and let the weather being part of it. You might as well say that grass and clay have bad bounces and all surfaces shoudl be HC.
That's what I call variety. Sure it's bloody annoying Nadal won another slam but I'd rather they force the 20s rule than change any of those natural conds.
posted on 13/6/12
I don't mind all the natural elements, but I do mind when best of 5 is not played as it should.
If the organisers are that desperate to meet their obligations to sponsors and TV rights, then they should equally provide conditions to enable the broadcast.
Anyway, that's that. Rant over. Chapter closed.
posted on 14/6/12
A couple of questions for you nitb, if Novak wasnt around, ie hadn't been born, who would you be following now ?
Tipsy ? - Troiki ?
I only ask as I wonder sometimes who we'd support if our players were not around. If Murray hadnt hit the scene, I think I may have gone for Djokovic as they have similar styles of play.
Also, if the clay slam had gone to 5 sets over two days and Novak a had still lost, would that have been acceptable, because Djoko would have won that 3rd set, as he should have done and the next and taken it into a 5th. I can't see the difference to be honest, it was his fault in a way to let Nadal back in, but thats life and he'll learn from it, and he's got time to get to that position again eg:- career slam record.
posted on 15/6/12
Before Nole turned up I liked Fed I didn't even know who Tipsarevic and Troicki were.
When Nole turned up I went mad about him: love on first sight it really was
As for last Sunday/Monday....yes, he had his chances and didn't take them. Sim it was his fault. Everything else (and there was quite a lot of it) - wasn't.
NO biggens, he still is a better player.
posted on 9/8/12
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