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AngryAnt

Tiger Legend
Nov 25, 2004
27,017
14,792
You seem fixated with age antman. Regardless of age, tennis has a history of spoiled brats. Kyrios is not the worst there was and there will be many worse than him in years to come. Even Federer was a little **** when he first arrived on the scene. Winning has a way of calming you.

Fortunate for Nadal that he was winning from when he first joined the senior tour - he's been pretty Zen ever since.
 

Baloo

Delisted Free Agent
Nov 8, 2005
44,113
18,923
Fortunate for Nadal that he was winning from when he first joined the senior tour - he's been pretty Zen ever since.

Yet Nadal has a rep for pushing the rules. Extended breaks when he needs to change the pace of the game. Overly long grunts on crucial points when he's in trouble. Stretching all the rules to his advantage whenever he feels he needs too knowing it will be a gutsy chair umpire to call him on that when's he's so revered.
 
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Baloo

Delisted Free Agent
Nov 8, 2005
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Sorry to be pedantic, but Federer is a millenial. The youngest millenial is 24 - Kyrgios' age. You maybe thinking of Gen Z...

*smile*, you're right. I didn't realise the oldest Millennial is 39. OK, Gen Z then
 
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TigerForce

Tiger Legend
Apr 26, 2004
70,725
21,650
57
Yet Nadal has a rep for pushing the rules. Extended breaks when he needs to change the pace of the game. Overly long grunts on crucial points when he's in trouble. Stretching all the rules to his advantage whenever he feels he needs too knowing it will be a gutsy chair umpire to call him on that when's he's so revered.
I'm sure I heard Kyrgios grunt longer. Not sure when Rafa's pushing the rules, unless you mean his silly superstitious antics at times.
 

TigerForce

Tiger Legend
Apr 26, 2004
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Looks like Feds is in a bit of trouble. I've been thinking how the Yank called Tennys feels (i.e. motivated at been publicly embarrassed) after Feds and Courier(?) had a little giggle about his name after Feds' last game the other day.
 

Baloo

Delisted Free Agent
Nov 8, 2005
44,113
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I'm sure I heard Kyrgios grunt longer. Not sure when Rafa's pushing the rules, unless you mean his silly superstitious antics at times.

All of the above was mentioned by the commentators during the game in the telecast I had here. These commentators weren't Australian either.
 

KnightersRevenge

Baby Knighters is 7!! WTF??
Aug 21, 2007
6,782
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Ireland
I am not sure it is fitness. It is more a mental thing. Nadal has proven his talent but he has been in many 5 set thrillers and he already has that bank of experience in tight games.

Nick has not got that yet. Yesterday added to his experience and he did fight it out. Needs to work harder and get to more of these games against the best.

The big step, between good and great, is that final mental hurdle. Much the same as Richmond. We now fully believe, no questions. Nadal is at that level. Kyrios can take the step.

Respectfully...I disagree. Fitness has a psychological impact. Players use drop shots more late in matches when they are losing. They are trying to end the point early because they know how hard it is to hit the ball accurately and get to the ball with balance. Fitness makes a huge difference. Djokovic used to fall to bits at the Aussie Open in his early career. Injury time-outs, lying down on the court, sulking. He couldn't handle the conditions because his fitness wasn't there and it affected his mental game. The biggest difference in his game is his fitness level. The sulking on court disappeared when he got serious about it. Federer (who I hate) is extremely fit. Murray's natural game gets him into the top 25 - top 20. The thing that got him into the top 5 was his fitness. His ability to stay in points longer and still be hitting the ball with pace and direction 10 shots into a rally. Nadal is a beast. To play from so deep in the court and put the amount of work on the ball he does - again and again and again - takes a massive engine (and a physique like a hermit crab, that left arm is obscene).

Kyrgios has the game to beat anyone. His best chance would be to look at old Djokovic footage, to understand that getting is body into a better place calmed his mind. That is the path for Nick if he wants it. But "if he wants it" is a huge question. His later 2019 and start to 2020 suggests he seems to want it a bit more lately.
 
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KnightersRevenge

Baby Knighters is 7!! WTF??
Aug 21, 2007
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If
Yet Nadal has a rep for pushing the rules. Extended breaks when he needs to change the pace of the game. Overly long grunts on crucial points when he's in trouble. Stretching all the rules to his advantage whenever he feels he needs too knowing it will be a gutsy chair umpire to call him on that when's he's so revered.

If I was playing him, I would knock over his water bottle at every change of ends, and then feign regret and put it back in the wrong spot.
 
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TigerForce

Tiger Legend
Apr 26, 2004
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Respectfully...I disagree. Fitness has a psychological impact. Players use drop shots more late in matches when they are losing. They are trying to end the point early because they know how hard it is to hit the ball accurately and get to the ball with balance. Fitness makes a huge difference. Djokovic used to fall to bits at the Aussie Open in his early career. Injury time-outs, lying down on the court, sulking. He couldn't handle the conditions because his fitness wasn't there and it affected his mental game. The biggest difference in his game is his fitness level. The sulking on court disappeared when he got serious about it. Federer (who I hate) is extremely fit. Murray's natural game gets him into the top 25 - top 20. The thing that got him into the top 5 was his fitness. His ability to stay in points longer and still be hitting the ball with pace and direction 10 shots into a rally. Nadal is a beast. To play from so deep in the court and put the amount of work on the ball he does - again and again and again - takes a massive engine (and a physique like a hermit crab, that left arm is obscene).

Kyrgios has the game to beat anyone. His best chance would be to look at old Djokovic footage, to understand that getting is body into a better place calmed his mind. That is the path for Nick if he wants it. But "if he wants it" is a huge question. His later 2019 and start to 2020 suggests he seems to want it a bit more lately.
Agree KR. It's up to Kyrgios to step up.

Why do you hate Feds? What an escape from a huge upset against Sandstrom.
 

KnightersRevenge

Baby Knighters is 7!! WTF??
Aug 21, 2007
6,782
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Agree KR. It's up to Kyrgios to step up.

Why do you hate Feds? What an escape from a huge upset against Sandstrom.

I think he believes his own publicity. The TV and the AO use his image everywhere. It just *smile* me. Some would say that winners need to have that selfish attitude, I would counter that Nadal doesn't, Ash Barty doesn't. He almost never gives his opponent any credit if his pressers if he loses. He may drop in a compliment but will always qualify it with something about his own fitness being off or find a way to make it about himself. He isn't a Statesman of the game, that is U.S. TV pumping him up. He's was a spoiled selfish brat when he started his career and he has barely changed. It's all spin. The only players he is complimentary of are the young players he can beat easily. As soon as they become a threat he stops being so nice. They try to make a sales pitch out his rivalry with Nadal to paint it as the new Sampras vs Agassi friendly rivalry. They aren't friends. Nadal goes too far the other way and is almost embarrassingly humble but he is genuine. Roger is plastic.
 
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TigerForce

Tiger Legend
Apr 26, 2004
70,725
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I think he believes his own publicity. The TV and the AO use his image everywhere. It just *smile* me. Some would say that winners need to have that selfish attitude, I would counter that Nadal doesn't, Ash Barty doesn't. He almost never gives his opponent any credit if his pressers if he loses. He may drop in a compliment but will always qualify it with something about his own fitness being off or find a way to make it about himself. He isn't a Statesman of the game, that is U.S. TV pumping him up. He's was a spoiled selfish brat when he started his career and he has barely changed. It's all spin. The only players he is complimentary of are the young players he can beat easily. As soon as they become a threat he stops being so nice. They try to make a sales pitch out his rivalry with Nadal to paint it as the new Sampras vs Agassi friendly rivalry. They aren't friends. Nadal goes too far the other way and is almost embarrassingly humble but he is genuine. Roger is plastic.
I must say that I do witness a bit of a 'spoiled brat' look in his face when he starts losing.
 

KnightersRevenge

Baby Knighters is 7!! WTF??
Aug 21, 2007
6,782
1,222
Ireland
I must say that I do witness a bit of a 'spoiled brat' look in his face when he starts losing.

I try to be honest with myself and I often say the difference between whether we see someone as arrogant or confident is just whether you like the person. I don't like him and the way he is used to advertise the game I love just grinds my gears. We all need the odd villain we can sneer at sometimes. He's mine. Someone you get a perverse joy from watching them lose. Like Essendon and Collingwood. And Carlton. And #lolNorf.
 
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Sintiger

Tiger Legend
Aug 11, 2010
18,199
17,593
Camberwell
I think he believes his own publicity. The TV and the AO use his image everywhere. It just *smile* me. Some would say that winners need to have that selfish attitude, I would counter that Nadal doesn't, Ash Barty doesn't. He almost never gives his opponent any credit if his pressers if he loses. He may drop in a compliment but will always qualify it with something about his own fitness being off or find a way to make it about himself. He isn't a Statesman of the game, that is U.S. TV pumping him up. He's was a spoiled selfish brat when he started his career and he has barely changed. It's all spin. The only players he is complimentary of are the young players he can beat easily. As soon as they become a threat he stops being so nice. They try to make a sales pitch out his rivalry with Nadal to paint it as the new Sampras vs Agassi friendly rivalry. They aren't friends. Nadal goes too far the other way and is almost embarrassingly humble but he is genuine. Roger is plastic.
I agree with this Knighter. There is something about Federer that is fake to me,
However there aren’t many who agree with that view I have to say.
 
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TigerPort

Tiger Champion
Jun 29, 2006
2,516
2,733
NSW
Respectfully...I disagree. Fitness has a psychological impact. Players use drop shots more late in matches when they are losing. They are trying to end the point early because they know how hard it is to hit the ball accurately and get to the ball with balance. Fitness makes a huge difference. Djokovic used to fall to bits at the Aussie Open in his early career. Injury time-outs, lying down on the court, sulking. He couldn't handle the conditions because his fitness wasn't there and it affected his mental game. The biggest difference in his game is his fitness level. The sulking on court disappeared when he got serious about it. Federer (who I hate) is extremely fit. Murray's natural game gets him into the top 25 - top 20. The thing that got him into the top 5 was his fitness. His ability to stay in points longer and still be hitting the ball with pace and direction 10 shots into a rally. Nadal is a beast. To play from so deep in the court and put the amount of work on the ball he does - again and again and again - takes a massive engine (and a physique like a hermit crab, that left arm is obscene).

Kyrgios has the game to beat anyone. His best chance would be to look at old Djokovic footage, to understand that getting is body into a better place calmed his mind. That is the path for Nick if he wants it. But "if he wants it" is a huge question. His later 2019 and start to 2020 suggests he seems to want it a bit more lately.

Can't find them now but Kyrios' numbers for fitness like total distance run exceeded Nadal's. This was across several fitness stats. I will look for them tomorrow

That is why l believe there is another reason other than fitness
 

KnightersRevenge

Baby Knighters is 7!! WTF??
Aug 21, 2007
6,782
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Can't find them now but Kyrios' numbers for fitness like total distance run exceeded Nadal's. This was across several fitness stats. I will look for them tomorrow

That is why l believe there is another reason other than fitness

Sure but (amateur statement to follow - I'm no expert) isn't fitness is more about your ability to recover after exertion? Hence why trainers measure not just your heart-rate during exertion but also how quickly it drops back to your resting rate after you stop. That is how you know how fit you are. Nick is young and not carrying a lot of excess mass, so he is capable of exerting himself. Djokovic was always lean and could cover the court. But his recovery as matches got longer left him frustrated. His body shape hasn't changed much but he is much fitter now.
 

eZyT

Tiger Legend
Jun 28, 2019
21,434
25,772
Nope, not a popular opinion it's fair to say. I don't mind holding unpopular opinions. :p

me either. But I love Roger. I love how he plays tennis and I love his strange giggling Swiss persona.

I think he's finished though.

He beat the American called tennys (really?) with craftiness. Those match points down, he just hit slices back 10 times until tennys cracked and netted one.

I would give 10-1 on Roger beating Novak

then I think Nadal will beat Novak.
 
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Ridley

Tiger Legend
Jul 21, 2003
17,755
15,433
me either. But I love Roger. I love how he plays tennis and I love his strange giggling Swiss persona.

I think he's finished though.

He beat the American called tennys (really?) with craftiness. Those match points down, he just hit slices back 10 times until tennys cracked and netted one.

I would give 10-1 on Roger beating Novak

then I think Nadal will beat Novak.

Yeah Tennys; and he's from Tennessee as well :mhihi

Agree on Roger; reckon he's done. And so he bloody well should be at 38! It's been a remarkable career with outstanding longevity.

He may well remain in the top 5 for another year or so but it's hard to seeing him beating Rafa and Novak again. They have 5 and 6 years on him respectively.
 
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