Olympic Day 7 Thread

[The Special Juan]

First topic message reminder :

Centre Court: Federer v Del Potro then Azarenka v Serena Williams then Murray v Djokovic then Kirilenko/Petrova v Williams/Williams

Court 1: Huber/Raymond v Hlavackova/Hradecka then Sharapova v Kirilenko then Ferrer/Lopez v Llodra/Tsonga then Robson/Murray v Stosur/Hewitt

Court 2: Bryan/Bryan v Benneteau/Gasquet then Vinci/Bracciali v Lisicki/Kas then Raymond/Bryan v Dulko/Del Potro then Azarenka/Mirnyi v Mirza/Paes

[User 774433]

Federer is really dumb lol

Enjoy the Gold Medal plz Djoko/Murray.

What do you mean he's 'really dumb'

[Josiah Maiestas]

Federer is really dumb lol

Enjoy the Gold Medal plz Djoko/Murray.

What do you mean he's 'really dumb'

Tactically abject performance.

[The Special Juan]

Fed (no pun intended) up of the disrespect Del Potro gets from the commentators. Why can't he keep up this level of play? The guy is a major champion and should be a top 4 player. It's just a shame 5 players into 4 spots doesn't go.

Purely because the game has changed a lot since his 2009 US Open success and the injury afterwards.

Djokovic has become almost superhuman and has certainly found the right mindset and his game has clicked since 2010.

Nadal finally added some beef to his serve in the HC's only for that to vanish in 2011. Still he has the stamina and speed to take Delpo out.

Federer is a step slower, but has compensated for that with much more accurate first serve and improvement in volleying. Also his BH stands up much better than previous years.

Murray has added much more weight to his groundstrokes and has improved his stamina year by year.

You have to take into account that Del Potro isn't the best mover. Also his BH has suffered enormously since his wrist surgery. He can't hit powerful BH's in 2's and 3's in rallies. So much reliance is on the FH as we saw as recent as Wimbledon against Ferrer, once it breaks down he is like a fox stuck in headlights.

You make very good points. He struggles against the likes of Ferrer and Djokovic because they continually get the ball back to him, eventually wearing him down. I still think, against Federer, he can keep this level of play up for a BO3 match at least as Federer won't return everything to him.

Annoyingly, I only saw pre-Injury Del Potro a couple of times and he isn't the player he was obviously. However, I think he does have enough in his locker to be a genuine major threat on hard courts. Being 6 ft 6 does hinder his movement but with his powerful groundstrokes I think he can dominate people unless they get him moving. If he wins this match though I can't see him beating Murray or Djokovic (if he plays well).

[Danny_1982]

Whatever happens from here, it's certainly been no cupcake for Federer.

[Guest]

Fed (no pun intended) up of the disrespect Del Potro gets from the commentators. Why can't he keep up this level of play? The guy is a major champion and should be a top 4 player. It's just a shame 5 players into 4 spots doesn't go.

Purely because the game has changed a lot since his 2009 US Open success and the injury afterwards.

Djokovic has become almost superhuman and has certainly found the right mindset and his game has clicked since 2010.

Nadal finally added some beef to his serve in the HC's only for that to vanish in 2011. Still he has the stamina and speed to take Delpo out.

Federer is a step slower, but has compensated for that with much more accurate first serve and improvement in volleying. Also his BH stands up much better than previous years.

Murray has added much more weight to his groundstrokes and has improved his stamina year by year.

You have to take into account that Del Potro isn't the best mover. Also his BH has suffered enormously since his wrist surgery. He can't hit powerful BH's in 2's and 3's in rallies. So much reliance is on the FH as we saw as recent as Wimbledon against Ferrer, once it breaks down he is like a fox stuck in headlights.

You make very good points. He struggles against the likes of Ferrer and Djokovic because they continually get the ball back to him, eventually wearing him down. I still think, against Federer, he can keep this level of play up for a BO3 match at least as Federer won't return everything to him.

Annoyingly, I only saw pre-Injury Del Potro a couple of times and he isn't the player he was obviously. However, I think he does have enough in his locker to be a genuine major threat on hard courts. Being 6 ft 6 does hinder his movement but with his powerful groundstrokes I think he can dominate people unless they get him moving. If he wins this match though I can't see him beating Murray or Djokovic (if he plays well).

In his 2009 pomp his flat CCBH was the best on the tour. He could literally just hit it off the wings. Now it has lost his zip and that has taken half of his offence away from him. Unfortunately he reminds me of a Berdych where the game relies so much on the FH. I really do have sympathy for Del Potro because in 2008 he was looking like an upcoming brute of the tour. Players like Djokovic and Murray now can hit flatter in rallies unlike in 2009 when they both were in their 'pusher' phases.

[barrystar]

goodness what a tight point Fed played there. He's on edge for sure.

[barrystar]

[barrystar]

OMG - what a hold for Fed. It's agony. What must it be like to be Mirka?

[The Special Juan]

Who do we fancy in the tie break then? I say Federer 7-4/5.

[barrystar]

I think Del Boy has been more consistent this set - it's too close to call IHMO

[Josiah Maiestas]

Roger does not like the pressure associated with playing for his country. DP loves it.

[barrystar]

Roger does not like the pressure associated with playing for his country. DP loves it.

How do you reckon you know that? Federer's best doubles win was playing for Suisse

[Josiah Maiestas]

bullet serve about time!

[Guest]

Did I just see an Andy Murray Autiobiography at the top of the ad?

[barrystar]

There's a champion in the house - now, a 1-set crapshoot on grass.....

[The Special Juan]

3 unforced errors cost Del Potro that.

[The Special Juan]

Did I just see an Andy Murray Autiobiography at the top of the ad?

What's it's title? "You Know" by Andy Murray?

[barrystar]

Oh - I hope del boy's OK after that slip

[Guest]

The wind is making this match very unpredictable.

[Guest]

Fed has looked nervous throughout this match.

[Guest]

Fed's playing very tentatively, not going for much on the FH at all.

[Guest]

Uh oh, a break here and its over

[Guest]

Finally a proper FH winner

[barrystar]

It feels a bit like the Wimbledon Final 2008 - Fed has kept in the match winning the tie-breaker but going into the decider it's more obvious to see how his opponent is going to break than him.

[The Special Juan]

Federer is getting lucky. He's hitting the lines a lot. I call it luck, it's probably skill.

[CAS]

I have been waiting for this Del Potro to turn up, he was there the first 2 sets against Federer at the French. I just didn't want him to do it against Fed! I suppose playing Fed must remind him what he is capable of with US Open flashbacks

[The Special Juan]

Del Potro looking a bit tired now. I hope fitness problems don't dog him for the rest of his career now (unless he has to play Murray).

[barrystar]

I have been waiting for this Del Potro to turn up, he was there the first 2 sets against Federer at the French.

Yup - that's the one, although not quite such a beast on the BH side.

[break_in_the_fifth]

Fed's slice isn't looking as effective as it should be.

[barrystar]

good time to lob in a love service game - he's got more chance of putting del boy under pressure now than he's had for a while.

[The Special Juan]

Since when was earth an ATP approved surface? Where did the grass go?

[barrystar]

Fortunately the grass is mostly where the ball is bouncing.

[Guest]

Nervy times ahead.

Any slip up now and it's over.

[Guest]

But the earth is creeping further up the court

[barrystar]

But the earth is creeping further up the court

Aye - imagine what the Court would look like after 3 weeks of tennis in the good old s&v days?

[barrystar]

Fed is building up the pressure on del boy now.

[Guest]

3 love service games in a row for Fed.

Surely DP must crack at some point.

[barrystar]

I think Fed is edging his way towards being the favourite to take this. He's got to keep making del boy work to hold his serve.

[The Special Juan]

He might but it may well be 20-20 by then.

[Guest]

Fed needs to keep DP moving until his legs are gone. Grind him down ala Nadal. Nothing else seems to be working.

[break_in_the_fifth]

Del Potro is serving really well.

[CAS]

Feds serving like a beast

[The Special Juan]

Ah 0-30 ends up as 30-15. Big volley Del Potro misses, I hope it doesn't come back to haunt him.

[Woestijnrog]

Feds serving like a beast

Surprisingly his 1st serve percentage has really dipped in the third set, it's at 51% now. His 2nd serve is great though, no double faults and 83% of the points won.

[The Special Juan]

You can't say it's not entertaining. 2 net cords which Del Potro deserved on the balance of luck I think.

[CAS]

Woestijnrog whats his percentage when his first serve goes in? It must be pretty high, it feels like it anyway

[break_in_the_fifth]

Fed should really have broken there.

[Woestijnrog]

Woestijnrog whats his percentage when his first serve goes in? It must be pretty high, it feels like it anyway

74%

[Guest]

Big chanced missed on BP. He should of made that BH.

[barrystar]

Fed had two golden opportunities then - I think he'll fashion more, but he he's got to stay in here.

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