US Open

[Scratch]

I'd have no problem with one of them Williams cyborg's being world number one, if they could be bothered to actually complete a tour schedule, Instead, they chose to pick certain tournaments in which to play, so in order to stay injury free (I believe i read that reasoning once?).

Safina seems to adopt the same policy to playing as Nadal does...get ever ball back in play, take very little risk and try to use brute power to over come your opponent...yet Rafa is praised for his approach, his tenacity, his mental discipline? Like i say, i just think it is because Safina is not a pretty girl, or American.

[Chris]

Safina seems to adopt the same policy to playing as Nadal does...get ever ball back in play, take very little risk and try to use brute power to over come your opponent...yet Rafa is praised for his approach, his tenacity, his mental discipline? Like i say, i just think it is because Safina is not a pretty girl, or American.

Well they are the same age and one has 6 slams and a great record against Roger Federer, the other has choked 3 slam finals and currently has the yips. She's bound to attract criticism, just like she was rightly praised after coming back from the dead against Sharapova and Dementieva in France last year.

[Neil Young]

I'd have no problem with one of them Williams cyborg's being world number one, if they could be bothered to actually complete a tour schedule, Instead, they chose to pick certain tournaments in which to play, so in order to stay injury free (I believe i read that reasoning once?).

Safina seems to adopt the same policy to playing as Nadal does...get ever ball back in play, take very little risk and try to use brute power to over come your opponent...yet Rafa is praised for his approach, his tenacity, his mental discipline? Like i say, i just think it is because Safina is not a pretty girl, or American.

Er, I'm fairly sure the same could be said about Nadal.

[Scratch]

Well they are the same age and one has 6 slams and a great record against Roger Federer, the other has choked 3 slam finals and currently has the yips. She's bound to attract criticism, just like she was rightly praised after coming back from the dead against Sharapova and Dementieva in France last year.

Nadal has the brute power to go cross court-cross court-cross court---down the line winner. Safina doesn't, as the down the line part will not always beat her opponent for pace, and so is returned...it makes it tedious to watch, cos there is no delicacy, no intricacy, just power...it works for Nadal cos he can generate enough pace, but it doesn't always work for Safina.

Yes, i've simplified it, but it is pretty much the policy a lot of baseline players use...no use of angles, just pure outmanouvering power.

Er, I'm fairly sure the same could be said about Nadal.

I'm pretty sure Rafa is considered the male equivalent, a pretty boy so to speak, with a big female following.

[Chris]

You're confusing the hell out of me here I must say!

[Scratch]

You're confusing the hell out of me here I must say!

Nadal plays the safe game, ball in court, either waiting for his opponent to make a mistake or using power to exploit a gap. Serena Williams plays it the same. As does Safina, except that she doesn't have the explosive pace to exploit every gap, so her games will be longer and more boring. in a simplistic nutshell??

[Chris]

I know what you mean about the way players play mate, im just confused about how it ended up Safina v Nadal!

[Neil Young]

Nadal has the brute power to go cross court-cross court-cross court---down the line winner. Safina doesn't, as the down the line part will not always beat her opponent for pace, and so is returned...it makes it tedious to watch, cos there is no delicacy, no intricacy, just power...it works for Nadal cos he can generate enough pace, but it doesn't always work for Safina.

Yes, i've simplified it, but it is pretty much the policy a lot of baseline players use...no use of angles, just pure outmanouvering power.

I'm pretty sure Rafa is considered the male equivalent, a pretty boy so to speak, with a big female following.

Ah, OK.

He's also a secret American.

[JohnDoe]

Murray's lost the first set against Cilic.

[JohnDoe]

Wow. Murray's completely falling apart now, looks in serious trouble. 3-0 down with two breaks on the second set! Cilic has won the last six games after saving two set points.

[Shaggy]

Oh dear. If this were an ATP Masters tourney or whatever, Murray would be blowing him away. Starting to worry (well not really, but you know...) about his Grandslamitis.

[JohnDoe]

I'm not sure about that, Cilic has been playing very well, but Murray looks extremely off. Gone Scottish

[Shaggy]

Two sets down, big opportunity blown by Murray there.

[red g]

cilic breaks in third set, looks some player to be fair

[Shaggy]

He's a ****ing giant ain't he.

Murray's gone.