Semi Final Day - 10/09 Day 12

First topic message reminder :

Here it is guys.

Straight shootout

Federer v Djokovic

Murray v Nadal

Andy needs to make a move in the first few games in this 4th set.

Atleast this is going to tire Nadal. Even if he wins today Djoko will annihilate him on MOnday.

Come on Andy. Get him.

Andy's somehow still in it. . . but he's still a Wozniacki to Rafa's Serena Williams.

All those players who have lost to Nadal thus far have choked (even if it's just a bit), some of them particularly badly. Should have seen Muller @ Wimbledon, a complete choker and then folded in the final set so bad, I was glad I had to shoot off for work to miss the humiliation of Muller. Was no surprise when he choked yet again @ the USO.

Nadal has run out of steam in a few matches this year in the decider, most notably against Djokovic. If Andy can stay in this he still has a good chance.

Hmmm Rafa dropping the speed off his serve. Energy conservation perhaps?

Just stay in it Andy. First serves in, serve and volley a couple of times... Don't let Rafa get momentum on your serve.

Come on, hang in there!

Lovely S&V by Andy. Bit of Pick'N'Mix if you don't mind. Great way to start serve in the 4th.

Rafa seeming vulnerable...

Andy just pulling some FH's there. Nooooo and Grrrrrrr

Finally, Murray is showing some good play, we got a competitive match!

C'mon Andy. I am fighting Beer and Medication to watch this!!!

Andy looks a different player now. This is a massive game.

Nadal has resorted to moonballing. tsk tsk

Andy needs to remain calm. He has him by the balls!

I agree lk. He needs to stay in the zone he is in at the moment. Battling superbly now but could all fall apart if his serve lets him down.

Dammit!!! That was a big chance for Andy. Just hold your serve and keep the pressure up. You know Nadal is struggling when 80% of his shots are slices or moonballs.

It would show true grit if Andy took this to 5 sets but even more impressively wins it! It's amazing he's pushing Rafa not a bit but quite hard now, let's see how comfortable a service game this is.

Danger signs here.

Two break points for Nadal.

You got that right CC.

Problem really is that Murray is too friendly with Rafa at the net and outside of the court... needs to change that around and treat him like an enemy..

I don't understand why Murray hasn't come to the net more often to finish off points. So many times he's had Nadal on the run and received weak loopy balls that he could easily have picked off at the net if he moved forward.

Brilliant stuff from Murray to take this deuce! Where was Murray in the first 2 sets?

Andy a bit indecisive where he was going to go with the initial FH there. Not going to plan. No no no. Great net play there. Not the right serve to come in behind Andy. Arghhhhhhh. He did lose footing slightly. Big serve. Phew. 1 more BP. He is on to something with this net play. Taking the rhythm out of the rallies.

Maybe he heard me

Should Murray win tonight I will promise to never post again=, but he won't because he has too much respect for his "favourite" player..

C'mon Andy. This not the time for your dominant shot to go wrong.

That could be curtains for Andy.

Jesus F**king wept!!! What the hell was that!

Oh no..... That could be that.

Nadal breaks to go 3-1 up in the fourth set.

Nadal looking like he has new life in him after that break.

Would be a true hallmark of brilliance if he can dig out a break back but I'm going to watch this next game and if he doesnt break back, Murray's well on his way to losing and Im well on my way to bed!

Same old f***ng Murray with his mind going into another direction...

Petchers, if Andy had recieved a time violation, I would've given up on tennis.

Night luciusmann

Nadal has the grit between his teeth. Andy must not accept defeat and get in that zone.

Indeed I'm off and looking forward to probably a more competitive final between Djokovic vs Nadal, I reckon in 5 sets to Djokovic, you read it here first!

Pathetic match, this is why its called a big 3 and not a big 4...

even in defeat Andy has shown as what tennis is and how it should be played unlike death boring retrieving and moonballing.
Come on Murray!

3 sets to Djoko and a humiliation for Nadal and SA.

The key is that Andy just hasn't grasped enough of these break point chances and took him too long to work out a successful strategy. Rafa though like I say has played great stuff and lets remember he is the defending champion.

Toast.

Dammit!

May the Murray bashing commence.

Andy only lost because he's injured.

And because his feet are too big.

Look at that. More guts than Dol whathisname.

I just had to add, wow, SA wouldn't accept a Nadal humbling defeat in str8 sets as humiliation because apparently he's not a Nadal supporter anymore. Talk about contradicting yourself, first he says he supports Nadal then he says he doesn't care if Djokovic wins, so it begs the question why the hell call yourself a Nadal fan?

Logic and reasoning isn't the strong point of some posters, with threads like this: https://www.606v2.com/t13448-deciding-set-tie-breaks-and-implications-on-mental-toughness

there need be no doubt! sheesh and he called me dumb?! Read the thread, it really gives a good chuckle!

Gutsy stuff from Andy. Hanging on in there gamely but you feel it is all in vain.