Rafael Nadal v Fernando Verdasco

[jimboiitmac]

Can't believe nobody made a thread about this.

The semi-final match exceeding 5 hours, this has got to be the best game of tennis I have ever watched live in my life - (on channel 7 of course )

who caught the game.

Verdasco came into the game #15 in the world, Nadal #1.

Game went to 5 sets, Nadal took it -

6-7, 6-4, 7-6, 6-7, 6-4

Unbelievable game Verdasco really stepped up his game, lately he's been working with Andre Agassi's physical fitness coach and you can tell it's paid off. The man is a machine, some of his serves 215+ km/h, he had about 18 aces for the match, he was unbelievable.

All props go to Nadal as #1 he stepped up and showed why he's ranked at the top of the ATP rankings right now, but Verdasco should be a surefire top 10 after that match..

Thoughts?

 

[Dr. Curlytek]

Was an awesome game, I saw most of it but fell asleep due to overtiredness, certainly not due to boredom. Definitely some of the highest quality tennis I have ever seen, consistently so. No real lulls in play, just massive shot making and some of the most memorable rallies of all time. The rally that went on for a good while, with Verdasco on top, smacking it left and right, then ending with a massively spinning drop shot, only to be run down and curved down the line by Nads was just amazing. That will definitely show up in tonight's Hot Shots!

I must say I like Verdasco better than Nads, something about Rafa just ****s me. Good to see a more likeable version of his game coming up in the ranks.

 

[jimboiitmac]

Was an awesome game, I saw most of it but fell asleep due to overtiredness, certainly not due to boredom. Definitely some of the highest quality tennis I have ever seen, consistently so. No real lulls in play, just massive shot making and some of the most memorable rallies of all time. The rally that went on for a good while, with Verdasco on top, smacking it left and right, then ending with a massively spinning drop shot, only to be run down and curved down the line by Nads was just amazing. That will definitely show up in tonight's Hot Shots!

I must say I like Verdasco better than Nads, something about Rafa just ****s me. Good to see a more likeable version of his game coming up in the ranks.

true that, that rally was amazing - best one of the match, probably of the grand slam so far.

yeah the emotion of both was awesome but the intensity of Verdasco was great i was rooting for him.

 

[jordan23]

yeah the emotion of both was awesome but the intensity of Verdasco was great i was rooting for him.

Man every point the guy won was like him winning the match. I can't stand that guy.I must add he would be number 1 on the men's tour when it comes to hair gel usage too

 

[jimboiitmac]

Man every point the guy won was like him winning the match. I can't stand that guy.I must add he would be number 1 on the men's tour when it comes to hair gel usage too

mate that's cause every point was crucial.

3 of the 5 sets were 7-6 results.

and some of the points were huge. i admire his intensity. when you go against the #1 player in the world, have great rallies, hit huge game-winners and aces and show what you can do - nothing wrong with a bit of expression.

 

[jordan_rules]

they can still go for hours....its like no one is backing down but at the end the championship experience of nadal brought the best in him...great game...

 

[JZA]

probably up there with the fed v nadal wimbledon final as the best match ive ever watched, just for the pure quality of tennis played all match. absolutely amazing condition both those players are in, to play at almost full steam for 5 + hours in that kind of heat is utterly amazing

i really like both players, they both fought so hard all match, neither gave an inch. i can only hope the nadal fed final can be as good tonight...

 

[jimboiitmac]

probably up there with the fed v nadal wimbledon final as the best match ive ever watched, just for the pure quality of tennis played all match. absolutely amazing condition both those players are in, to play at almost full steam for 5 + hours in that kind of heat is utterly amazing

i really like both players, they both fought so hard all match, neither gave an inch. i can only hope the nadal fed final can be as good tonight...

i know exactly what you mean.

even when it looked like Verdasco was down and out, he was fading, he'd come back strong with his serve or crack one down the line.

and when Nadal was down 0-30 he'd come back and run off 4 straight points.

unbelievable tennis, just shows how the match can be decided by a few points though

at 6-7, 6-4, 7-6, 6-7, 4-4 Versasco was up 0-30 about to break Nadal's serve, then Nadal comes back and runs off a few straight points, gets the game and just clips Fernando in the final game. Couldn't believe it..

 

[jordan23]

mate that's cause every point was crucial.

3 of the 5 sets were 7-6 results.

and some of the points were huge. i admire his intensity. when you go against the #1 player in the world, have great rallies, hit huge game-winners and aces and show what you can do - nothing wrong with a bit of expression.

I don't like Nadal eithier.I want Federer to win tonight

 

[jordan23]

at 6-7, 6-4, 7-6, 6-7, 4-4 Versasco was up 0-30 about to break Nadal's serve, then Nadal comes back and runs off a few straight points, gets the game and just clips Fernando in the final game. Couldn't believe it..

Yeah heartbreaking he ended the match with a double fault lol. I thought it was a gutsy effort coming to the net twice in that game.

 

[loafic]

absolute kudos to both players... it was the best tennis match i have ever seen (i never watched the 2008 wimbledon final). amazing clean hitting, long magnificent exciting incredible rallies and top physical conditioning. what a grind it was. truly enthralling stuff. all of the crowd stayed the whole way. i hate when ppl leave early

verdasco really showcased himself to the world and to the rest of the atp tour as a massive talent and rising star. nobody expected much from him but he just kept hammering winner after winner. his serve was sensational too. how after 5 hrs of play against the most physically demanding tennis player on the planet he was able to keep cracking down 220km+ serves and 165km+ winners is beyond me. i loved his regular outpouring of emotion to fire himself up.

i never used to like rafa but he has grown on me immensely... i dont think anybody, including the commentators, give him enough credit for how he runs down balls that are seemingly unplayable. he makes opponents play so many more extra shots. fernando hit a ridiculous amount of winners (almost 100!!!) but the amount would have been a lot more if werent for rafas amazing physical conditioning

i hope rafa wins in 5 against fed tonight

 

[jimboiitmac]

absolute kudos to both players... it was the best tennis match i have ever seen (i never watched the 2008 wimbledon final). amazing clean hitting, long magnificent exciting incredible rallies and top physical conditioning. what a grind it was. truly enthralling stuff. all of the crowd stayed the whole way. i hate when ppl leave early

verdasco really showcased himself to the world and to the rest of the atp tour as a massive talent and rising star. nobody expected much from him but he just kept hammering winner after winner. his serve was sensational too. how after 5 hrs of play against the most physically demanding tennis player on the planet he was able to keep cracking down 220km+ serves and 165km+ winners is beyond me. i loved his regular outpouring of emotion to fire himself up.

i never used to like rafa but he has grown on me immensely... i dont think anybody, including the commentators, give him enough credit for how he runs down balls that are seemingly unplayable. he makes opponents play so many more extra shots. fernando hit a ridiculous amount of winners (almost 100!!!) but the amount would have been a lot more if werent for rafas amazing physical conditioning

i hope rafa wins in 5 against fed tonight

Agreed, in the end Rafa simply outlasted Verdasco and showed that perhaps he's in a little better shape (although that's not taking anything away from Verdasco because very few players in the world would have been able to play that kind of match).

At one point Rafa tracked down a ball just at the net and flicked it over for the point, he makes Lleyton Hewitt look slow and Hewitt used to be the king of tracking down balls like that.

Either way both are going to be big-time contenders for the next few grand slams, I hope Verdasco doesn't go away and play this off as a one-time thing. He's only 25 and has a chance to make some finals in coming grand slams, that's for sure.