French Open Day 11 - Can Wawrinka Stop Rafa?

What a day we had, finally a French hero rising to the occasion to down a legend, but his work is not over indeed got 2 crucial matches ahead to be considered as a GS champ. Rise of underdogs as been the theme of the day will it continue another day? the biggest question is can Wawrinka somehow outset the off-color Rafa?

Haas has in him to beat Nole, but not sure Wawrinka has in him to take Rafa to even 4 sets let alone a win, but would certainly love a complete underdogs semi.

Schedule of Matches

Court Philippe Chatrier
2:00 PM Women's Singles - Quarterfinals
Jelena Jankovic (SRB) [18] vs. Maria Sharapova (RUS) [2]

Followed byMen's Singles - Quarterfinals
Rafael Nadal (ESP) [3] vs.Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) [9]

Court Suzanne Lenglen
2:00 PM Women's Singles - Quarterfinals
Maria Kirilenko (RUS) [12] vs.Victoria Azarenka (BLR) [3]

Men's Singles - Quarterfinals
Novak Djokovic (SRB) [1] vs.Tommy Haas (GER) [12]

Jelena is a surprise semi's in my view, could get toasted at Sharapova's hands, Kirlenko vs Vika could be interesting, Two Maria's can do it.

I would love to see Wawrinka -Nadal match start atleast an hour early, so if miracle happen and Wawrinka upset Rafa I will be fully rooting for Haas, if not I would love to see Nole-Rafa semi's, so either Waw-Haas or Nole-Rafa, no other combination pls.

Tommy Haas got a good 7 odds to win the match, if people buying the hype of underdogs then Tommy's odds are eye catching. Wawrinka gets 10 odds on the other hand, I won't advice this unless somebody is an extreme gambler .

Let the theme "Rise of Underdogs" continue, most tennis fans want to see a new champ, let see whether Haas and Warinka has any say in it.

invisiblecoolers wrote:I would love to see Wawrinka -Nadal match start atleast an hour early, so if miracle happen and Wawrinka upset Rafa I will be fully rooting for Haas

Hehe. I share the feeling

summerblues wrote:

invisiblecoolers wrote:I would love to see Wawrinka -Nadal match start atleast an hour early, so if miracle happen and Wawrinka upset Rafa I will be fully rooting for Haas

Hehe. I share the feeling

My heart wants Wawrinka but my brain knows he has zero chance, but let the heart rule.

If Stan could play like he did against Djokovic in Melbourne then he would take atleast a set. Sorry but his only chance of winning is if Rafa pulls out

Josiah Maiestas wrote:If Stan could play like he did against Djokovic in Melbourne then he would take atleast a set. Sorry but his only chance of winning is if Rafa pulls out

good one.

No chance.

Nadal will keep repeating his one trick of spinning the ball high to W's BH until it breaks down.

emancipator wrote:No chance.

Nadal will keep repeating his one trick of spinning the ball high to W's BH until it breaks down.

Ha ha! Rafa does have other tricks but maybe he's decided that hitting it short and flat to Stans FH won't get the job done. You never know he might decide to demonstrate his variety and then Stan might very well have a chance...

A player with a SHBH v Rafa.

A player who is 0-9 in the H2H.

A player who never taken a set off Rafa.

No chance.

Nadal does have a lot of variety...

HM Murdoch wrote:A player with a SHBH v Rafa.

A player who is 0-9 in the H2H.

A player who never taken a set off Rafa.

No chance.

Kind of sums it all up really. I would say that Wawrinka's improvement this year coupled with Rafa still not up to his optimum best may see Stan win his first set against Rafa but I still see Nadal winning comfortably.

HM Murdoch wrote:A player with a SHBH v Rafa.

A player who is 0-9 in the H2H.

A player who never taken a set off Rafa.

No chance.

I was actually going to be a tad more optimistic. But reality has bitten after reading these stats!!

Here's another stat for you:

Rafa vs SHBH (against all the main ones I can think of)
vs Federer 20-10 (clay 13-2)
vs Almagro 10-0 (clay 8-0)
vs Gasquet, 10-0 (clay 6-0)
vs Haas 5-0 (clay 0-0)
vs Youzhny 10-4 (clay 3-0)
vs Wawrinka 9-0 (clay 4-0)
vs Kohlscreiber 9-1 (clay 4-0)
vs Dimitrov 2-0 (clay 1-0)
vs Robredo 6-0 (clay 2-0)
vs Lopez 9-2 (clay 4-0)
vs Llodra 1-0 (clay 1-0)
vs Blake 4-3 (clay 0-0)
vs Gonzalez 7-3 (clay 4-1)
vs Ljubicic 7-2 (clay 4-0)

Summary:
Total Nadal H2H vs SHBH = 109-25 (81%)
Total Nadal H2H vs SHBH on clay = 54-3 (95%) - Gonzalez win was 2003!

Total Nadal H2H vs current SHBH players = 91-17 (84%)
Total Nadal H2H vs current SHBH players on clay = 46-2 (96%) - both losses to Federer (2007, 2009)

So, for Wawrinka to win today it would be only the 3rd time Nadal has lost to a SHBH on clay since his full tour years of 2004 onwards.
It would be the only time he has lost to a SHBH not called Federer.
It would be the first time he has lost to a SHBH on clay since 2009

That's the size of Wawrinka's task today.

Sharapova v Jankovic - Beauty and the beast. (Sorry JJ, it had to be done!!)

I think I've used this cliche in every single big match over the past two years, but Stan really needs a quick start and the first set. If he doesn't get it, it could get very ugly. Allez Stan!

(P.S: Anyone who uses Chrome, please Google "Weather in Paris" and laugh at their forecast for the next few days.)

Isn't Kirilenko just dinky?

She's very slight although 5'9 tall.
Not unattractive either...

lydian wrote:She's very slight although 5'9 tall.
Not unattractive either...

I think the expression is "scorchingly hot"...!

Sharapova and Jankovic hate each other!! This is great viewing.

Jankovic 5-0 up on Sharapova.

as prince charles said, "she puts the lead in my pencil!"

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sharapova's probably going to win this still but being bagelled in a QF as the world number 2 is pretty hilarious.

HM Murdoch wrote:

lydian wrote:She's very slight although 5'9 tall.
Not unattractive either...

I think the expression is "scorchingly hot"...!

She's a solid '10'

The Special Juan wrote:YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sharapova's probably going to win this still but being bagelled in a QF as the world number 2 is pretty hilarious.

Anyone but Jankovic, please. Ultimate pusher.

bogbrush wrote:

The Special Juan wrote:YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sharapova's probably going to win this still but being bagelled in a QF as the world number 2 is pretty hilarious.

Anyone but Jankovic, please. Ultimate pusher.

Not so, that's Tulisa Contostavlos (allegedly)

1st comment in a year and all that's worth posting is that Kirilenko is the most gorgeous woman in tennis. That's all.

Barry - that's a craaaaacker

I agree Kiri is very pleasing on the eye. I'm still sold on Gorgeous Goerges though, haven't got mental space for another right now, lol. I think BB is still Ana'ed out too

Chances got to be way less than 1 in 10. But Djokovic will probably hammer him.

lydian wrote:Barry - that's a craaaaacker

I agree Kiri is very pleasing on the eye. I'm still sold on Gorgeous Goerges though, haven't got mental space for another right now, lol. I think BB is still Ana'ed out too

Ahhh, Ana. But in my vivid imagination there's room for dinky Maria too. In my younger days perhaps it wouldn't have required quite so much imagination.................

Gotta give it to Sharapova, that girls is determined.

Lol, the male imagination has that ability to go Utah-ian
As the 80s song by Belouis Some went..."Imagination, could make a man of you".

Yep, if Dimitrov can gain some of her mental fortitude he'll go far.

Pffff I'm putting it off.

he's already on his way to being broken. Give it up Wawrinkle.

3 break points for Nadal to start with

What were the bookie odds for a Nadal victory? 1/100?

Wawrinka settle down a bit for 1-2, and Tommy Haas is playing high level so far for 3-3.

Wawrinka decides to moonball from his backhand to Nadal's backhand but its working thou.

_homogenised_ wrote:What were the bookie odds for a Nadal victory? 1/100?

1/200

bogbrush wrote:Gotta give it to Sharapova, that girls is determined.

Azarenka will be the actual test, Jelena is good not a killer like Azarenka, Maria will face an opponent like her th next time.

Two set points for Djoko.

This is straight and Haas is going to the bakery in set 3...

invisiblecoolers wrote:Wawrinka decides to moonball from his backhand to Nadal's backhand but its working thou.

You reckon? Stan is struggling to win points out there, Nadal has him on a piece of string.

That's the double break...and probably set 1. Stan wont have the legs for 4 sets of this, its completely different to playing Gasquet, Nadal is giving him no time, running him left and right.

Answer to original article

No.

Stan breaks a racquet as Nadal tortures him in around the court. At least it shows Stan's up for this.

So easy 1st set and match so far for the favorites

lydian wrote:

invisiblecoolers wrote:Wawrinka decides to moonball from his backhand to Nadal's backhand but its working thou.

You reckon? Stan is struggling to win points out there, Nadal has him on a piece of string.

Wawrinka gonna struggle for sure, but he is trying something different, I have never seen him moonballing that much, and he stopped moon balling now, may be he is not comfortable with it.

banbrotam wrote:Answer to original article

No.

Good , st. forward answer

I am bored, bored big time.

Nadal struggles with big hitters and taller players more... he does not struggle with 1 handed back hands with today's power conditions. Paire might have given him a good test. Nadal has had a very lucky draw imho but if he meets Djokovic that will end.

invisiblecoolers wrote:

lydian wrote:

invisiblecoolers wrote:Wawrinka decides to moonball from his backhand to Nadal's backhand but its working thou.

You reckon? Stan is struggling to win points out there, Nadal has him on a piece of string.

Wawrinka gonna struggle for sure, but he is trying something different, I have never seen him moonballing that much, and he stopped moon balling now, may be he is not comfortable with it.

Real players don't moonball.

Tommy doing well 2nd set.

Y'know, 10 years younger and he could be really doing the business against Djokovic.

He can't return though. Remember when he got the 1st set off Federer in 2009 having not won a point on return up to the tie break?

Wawrinka not living up to expectations?