RG QF: Nadal Reclaims Chatrier with Win over Djokovic | Three Ep. 95
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- Опубликовано: 9 фев 2025
- Once again, history was on the line in a big way when Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal met in the quarterfinals of Roland Garros -- the 59th match of their epic rivalry. And once again, the two asked enough questions of one another to complete several tennis dissertations. Join Gill, Amy and Joel as they pore through the questions, the answers and what it all means on the latest episode of "Three -- A Show About Federer, Nadal and Djokovic."
QF: Nadal def. Djokovic
SF: Nadal vs. Zverev
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Three is a show about Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. These competitively dominant tennis icons have been a lifeline to millions of fans around the world. We look to tell their stories through discussions of tennis history, tactics, psychology, technique and more.
California-based Joel Drucker has been writing about tennis for nearly 40 years, his work appearing in such outlets as Tennis Channel, Tennis.com, Racquet and a host of general interest media, including the New York Times, HBO, CBS, Cigar Aficionado, Men's Journal and People Magazine. Author of the book, "Jimmy Connors Saved My Life," Joel is also a historian-at-large for the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
Amy Lundy is a reporter whose work has been featured on ESPN, CNN and The Golf Channel. She is Director of Films at The Tennis Congress.
Gill Gross is the host of Monday Match Analysis. His weekly RUclips show, which analyzes ATP matches and news, has amassed over 5,000 subscribers.
Music: Big Bird's Date Night by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommon...)
Artist: www.twinmusicom...
Daytime, night time, indoors , outdoors, hot, cold, wet, dry, doesn’t matter… at the French GOATdal just needs a healthy body and he is unbeatable.
Love it!
Never doubt goatdal from now.
And alcaraz is not 1 percent of rafa
Funnily, the tennis pundits think differently everytime, all the time. All their (arrogant) predictions are.....
@@omraamchants3548 Yeah, maybe if Rafa wins RG five more times they might start giving him a slight chance to repeat. Fortunately, Nadal never appears to be listening to the negativity when it comes to his chances at the French- so proud of his efforts there this and every year!
Your insinuation that Nadal was only defeated in 2021 due to some external factor is completely unfounded
Last year when Djokovic beat Nadal at Roland Garros, the talk was all about what a brilliant match Novak had played, how he wore Rafa down, how Djokovic was now clearly the best, even on Clay, how he had become Nadal’s Kryptonite (and I think there’s a bit of truth in all those things). Now Rafa plays a great match and finds a way to win but…”Djokovic had an off day”…”there must have been something wrong with Djokovic” “Novak didn’t get enough match play before this”…”Djokovic had too much rest”…”Djokovic had a couple of net balls go against him so he figured it wasn’t his night so he didn’t or couldn’t put out an all out effort” “that the French crowd was so rude booing Djokovic that he just couldn’t play well”…so many excuses all having to do with Novak. (At other times I’ve heard the same people say that Djokovic had used the booos to motivate himself to win)
The best was that “Djokovic had campaigned to play at night in the cooler conditions that would benefit him and when he got what he wanted then he felt bad or felt pressured and just couldn’t play his best”. It couldn’t just be that the guy that’s won everything at Roland Garros 13 times already, once again played an amazing match and found a way to win. No…no…it had to be all about Djokovic. That there had to be something wrong with Novak. Not that Rafa was again, the Best Ever.
At least on this surface.
That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
🤔🇨🇺🇺🇸
Well said. Excuses of salty novak fans, that's all
@@TheJali7 ….😎👍🇨🇺🇺🇸
I never understood why Djokovic is the only player who is never himself when he looses a match.
Because amy would like to go to bed with djokovic 😄 whenever he loses amy becomes his excuse generator
😁😁😁
Nadal wasn't himself last year. :)
Well, it's because they are biased towards Djokovic! Of course! (;
Right, like what the hell? This is the same guy who boasted about his confidence against Rafa. So now he not himself? Oh ok 👌🏾😒
Yes Gil, I'm glad you realized just at the end of your podcast that it wasn't just Djokovic losing this game, Nadal had something to do...
Can't believe he freaking did it! What a titanic battle. Might as well be the final.
Both of them played well. Novak also played well, there was nothing much wrong about his game but RAFA was on another level and that made the difference between 2 of them.
Rafa's accuracy, footwork, endurance, mental toughness all are out of this world.
Novak wasn't playing well, stop this BS. Rewatch it
@@idc9053 if that makes you feel better.....I agree with you.
The first and second serve for Djokovic was the difference in the match.
@@idc9053 Novak played better this year in the first 2 sets than the first 2 sets last year. Nadal won the first set last year but he came out guns blazing this year. Last year it was more that Djokovic started slow. This year, he ran out of gas but look what he had to do to win the second. He served exceptionally in the 4th to keep himself in it but otherwise he was depleted.
"Wait, wait!! Middle child!!" Joel is sometimes VERY funny. And always interesting. The tennis aphorism that is hinted at, late in your discussion of the match, is "you can only play as well as your opponent allows you to play." Rafa offered kinds of problems that Novak didn't handle successfully. It seems that your discussion focused a great deal on the mystery of why Djokovic wasn't better, and gave very little credit to Rafa. But then, I am very late in arriving as a Rafa fan. The sheer physicality of his game was less attractive to me than the cool precision of Federer. But in the last few years, with the variety that he has brought into his game, his magnificent dedication to his art, and his impeccable sportsmanship, I just have become a devoted follower. (Ah, at 27:00 Amy gives Rafa his due. Thank you, Amy) I love this show that you three do, and am always excited when a new episode appears. I am a bad tennis player, having discovered the game in my twenties, and never having time or money to pursue it as it should be pursued, but I love the game, and intelligent commentary about it. Thank you, all three!)
Rafa is simply magnificent. I don’t know how he does it. Give me a tiny tiny fraction of his approach to life!
Elegantly said.
Nadal on Philipe Chatrier has been the greatest returner, defender, offensive player, and mover, with the greatest forehand, transition game, sometimes even backhand. This guy is nearly impossible to beat. On Philipe-Chatrier, Nadal has mastered tennis in ways no one else has come close to
While Nadal is a pretty good offensive player, Federer was without question the greatest offensive player of this era, irrespective of the surface. His transition game is better and his forehand at its peak was on par with Nadals. Nadal, however, is the defensive, physical, muscle and stamina king.Those attributes go a long ways to making one successful on the red sand.
In 2015 he was fit and healthy, Novak beats him there convincingly, but yeah zverev was right about Nadal just being on this court makes him 30 percent better , lead up doesn't matter
@@jacobschmidt2709 I’m talking about purely baseline offensive. Federer overall has the best offense due to his serve, but on clay, from the baseline, no one is better at producing offense than Nadal. He has the massive, unstoppable forehand, the hard backhand cross court that he hits so well, the loopy backhand down the line to create more forehands, and if you push him off the court, he can hit huge forehand counterattacks and passing shots. I think on clay he’s easily the best offensive baseline player, again, ignoring the serve. The other major factor is serving isn’t important on clay, so Nadal’s relatively weaker serve, especially early in his career, doesn’t matter much.
Moral of the story “From limping in Rome to a unseen 🧐fourteenth at home” 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 #22believe
I like the rhyme
Is Amy more of a Djokovic fan? Amy spent first 25 min giving excuses for Djokovic loss. Djokovic played amazing except his serve but it was not good enough against peak Nadal at Roland Garros. Djokovic gave everything to win the second set and that took most of his energy. Peak Nadal is so so good that it is even a struggle to win a set at RG. This is why he is the GOAT
I think Novak was outplayed, pure and simple. Gill broke down how he did it. But I do think Novak felt flat, and perhaps didn't harness the "I'll show you" mentality that he has in the past. Gill said NOvak got impatient with going to Rafa's backhand.
Novak played well enough to beat anyone, anyone except Rafa.
probably, apart from his drop shots which wasn't firing.
@@jacintacesp Novak knows that Nadal's going to return most of his drop shots, he actually did some awesome drop shots returns last nigt, that's why he is probably reluctant to use it against him. Both players know each other so well that they have few extra weapons to use in a match against each other.
It's always bothered me when people play better with grudges. Grudges are unhealthy and petty and I don't want to be either of those just to win.
John McEnroe made the very same point that Joel made. While people were pointing out nadal’s fitness and all John actually said perhaps Novak might not be as battle hardened in a best of 5 set match as Nadal is for this year. The last best of 5 match that Djokovic played was the US open last year, this is why Novak probably looked dis-engaged because he knew he was gone physically. I know this is a controversial statement but Novak has maybe shot himself in the foot of becoming the man with most majors potentially because of his unwillingness to get vaccinated. Nadal is now a 100% favourite to win 22 here and Djokovic at best will get to 21 at SW19 and then he wont be able to play the US open this year and Australia next year for now at-least. I just wish Novak had put in a better effort in the tie-break at the start because it came back to 6-4. Credit should be given where due Rafa owned Chatrier yet again, didn’t let Novak breath in set 1 and came back strong in set 4 as well.
And how many athletes who claim to be vaxed , in fact, are , that is the question ??
@@aldonamartin5092 well he didnt even do that 😂
@Haider Raja I think you missed my point !!
What does that have to do with him losing set 1 & 2 easily 6-2, 6-2 when he had looked invincible on clay since Rome winning Masters 1000🏆and zero sets lost first 4 matches at FO.
Nadal did that too him. I was surprised Rafa won bc his health, form coming in vs Djoker, 4.5 hour 5 set match previous match vs 2 hour 3 set match for Novak.
Then the match happened and Nadal had more winners and less errors then Novak, more service points, more return points, more break points won and break attempts and way more games won.
Rafa outplayed him period and did the whole match besides stretch in 2nd set and 4th set.
1. Rafa earns respect.
2. Rafa works hard.
3. Rafa plays hard.
4. Rafa is a Gentleman on court.
5. And off court.
7. Rafa is a lifelong tennis veteran.
8. Rafa sets his course.
9. Rafa plays every point.
10. Rafa plays every move. .
RAFA WINS.
NO.1 or NOT.
Great analysis. Against the odds, Rafa and Alexander came through.
That speak volumes about the condition of being favourite, so many times we get into these games thinking that a player looks better than the other and therefore is going to win, but the reality shows that is your tactics and hard work what makes you really big, not the hype about being favourite.
I couldn't stay up to watch the whole match, so I was THRILLED when I woke up today and saw that Rafa had won. I'm so glad - he is absolutely terriffic!!!! His will to win is extraordinary!
Will to win existed in both to very high degree. But "winners - UFEs" count has tilted heavily in Rafa's favor. Rafa won 18 points more than Novak. 18 is huge... Wim19F Roger won more points but lost the match. Rafa played a much better defence game than Novak. 1st and 3rd sets Rafa played at supreme level.
Really ? You slept in between high drama . Wow
@@ashwinb6435 some people have jobs to go to
Don't rush to conclusions
U DIDNT WATCH THE MATCH LIVE so don't speak stupid
Thanks for putting out this content in such a short timeframe. 👏
Thanks J 😀👌
Super happy with Nadal's win! I was right about Djokovic and Tsitsipas out by the QF in this tournament. I had been feeling so down about Zverev's win earlier in the day - I really wanted an Alcaraz vs Nadal semi.
Djokovic's second serve percentage was a big problem for him, and even his first serve wasn't going so well either.
Everybody was predicting Djokovic (and Tsitsipas) and I felt that it wasn't based on anything other than their preference. I was wrong too, I was predicting Alcaraz to win the tournament.
So Djokovic won't be getting #21 and a third French Open this year. Nadal could potentially get to #22 and a 14th French Open this year. This makes me incredibly happy!
But we're are probably going to have a boring one sided final this year, and that's sad. I think we just watched the real final yesterday.
So this entire discussion is about how Novak didn't play well? Nadal had too many UEs last year for his standard that cost him the match, this year he cut it out and woallaaaaa Nadal wins again! Rafa Dominated Novak there
These three just adore Djokovic. Just listen to how Gill talks about Rafa, referring always to his fans rather than to him.
Story of rafa's career
Novak played good in the first set, very good in the second set, average in the third, good in the first half of the fourth and bad in the last half of the fourth.
@@jacobschmidt2709 Very fair analysis as an objective viewer
especially the last half hour of the match.He went on a rampage ..hardly made any mistakes..reminded me on Nadal 2017 FO.I felt absolutely dumb to doubt him..
I think the less then 50% 1st serve was all about the stress of the occasion.
The aura of Nadal on Chatrier, the previous meetings where Nadal races into a big lead.
Mid way through the 4th, Novak appeared disengaged on return, like he was conserving his energy.
That was my first sign.
The next was on 5-3 when he started stretching before starting serve.
I think the frustration of Novak's poor decision making and execution on key points was evident when he smacked the net in the 3rd set.
This frustration was mentally taxing. When he should be focused on Nadal, he was in his own head trying to understand when he couldn't hit the level of consistency he normally does.
My comment in your last pod came true. Nadal 3-1, Felix match was beneficial and Nadal's physical issues were overdone.
Good comments.
Interesting analysis. Thank you Matthew! 👍
Skeptical re Nadal’s physical issues - to me, a well constructed, psychological theatrical ‘narrative’ without any evidence. For years now, we hear about ‘Foot injury/ retirement talk ‘ and then hey, miraculous recoveries bluffing his fans into thinking he is a ‘miracle man’ . Just the same mass formation psychosis that has worked to convince the many folk to take the C-d jab !!
PS I strapped up my ankle for school sports’ days for years to successfully avoid participating in boring Phys- Ed etc... 🤣😂
@@aldonamartin5092 so Nadal has missed 5-10 grand slams the last 15 years and many other masters 1000s events to fake ppl out and come back like a miracle man?!?! GTFOH clown! He’s had foot and knee issues going back to juniors.
It would be one thing if he claimed to be injured and never missed grand slams or masters 1000s bc of it, but he’s missed way more of those then Fed 36 and under or Novak 35 and under.
@@aldonamartin5092 as a nadal fan I agree with you . He planned this match after last years loss . He knew wimby not best surface although he let us open goes and was lucky medvedev beat djoker. He let all build up towards djoker and really underplaying it. Also , ppl have forgotten he had knee issue as well in 13 or later which no one talks.
Time and again, some tennis pundits need a reminder of why Rafa is the GOAT.
If the definition of GOAT is max # of majors, eventually Novak will cross all. Rafa has been repeatedly talking about his foot troubles, unable to find medical/surgical solutions, etc. He even spoke about retirement before AO22 started. Unless Alcaraz turns into "05 06 07" Roger or "11 15" Novak, there is hardly any to stop Novak in the 4 majors after RN (and RF) retire. NO?
@@madhukiranattivilli2321 assuming Rafa retires after his gs no 22, it will be bery hard to catch up eith rafa becsuse Alcaraz will be there to stop Nole
@@Johnapacible6352 Alcaraz can stop Nole a few times, but impossible to do it every time. He needs to add a truck load of experience into his memory to know the kind of tactics required mid-match and problem-solve against players of the caliber of big3. We saw how he cudn't get some level of control until the 3rd set vs Zverev. Alacaraz seems to be the real deal, but can't stop Nole all the time. NO?
@@madhukiranattivilli2321 dear sir , Nole sone winning slam. He is not allowed in AO and us open . That’s daunts his confidence like after Ao episode. He won’t be number 1 after 4 weeks may be 6. This is more mental than physical. Plz study the macros and micros.
@@ashwinb6435 We are all tennis fans. We are making predictions based on our beliefs and analyses.
I don't support Novak's no-vax policy. I'll assume he sticks to his policy forever
I believe covid rules will be relaxed gradually in all countries. Even if Nole misses few majors, he will not miss too many
Rafa definitely is more than capable of stopping Novak year after year at FO and USO (Rafa has 4 USOs to Roger's 5 to Novak's 3). USO court type suits Rafa game more. But Rafa has been repeatedly talking about his foot health and lack of surgical technology to fix it
I don't see any one, as of today, who can consistently stop Novak in BO5 matches. Med may stop once. May be Zve or Alcaraz or Tsi may stop once, but none to do consistently
And Novak is very fit. And Roger is his prime competition at Wim but Roger is out of the picture.
I know certain people prefer certain players but I find it ridiculous that people clamor for a Nadal-Djokovic match all the time then at the same time boo Novak. That’s just silly. Enjoy the greatness of these two while it lasts.
Here here !!!
Endurance? What did Novak say? I am ready for a long physical battle and I like my chances. What did Goran say? Novak is ready for 10 sets.
Please explain.
As a diehard Nole fan that was atrocious for both of em to say...especially Goran he speaks shit and idk why the hell is Nole still persisting with him...its time to get rid of him and hire someone who doesn't praise u and would rather tell u as it is...I think Goran is a yes man which is only hurting Novak more...I hope this partnership ends...Anyway Congrats to Nadal
Hubris. Pure & Simple.
Goran is behaving like a total moron these days. He has become the cult's High Priest.
Djoko is just being himself. I noted the side-swipe when he said he was glad he hadnt wasted any energy coming into this match, winning all his in straights.
@@baleno1962 as a diehard Rafa fan, I applaud you for being a true sportsman and acknowledging Goran is being so disrespectful. Also have to point out that there were truly abusive and annoying fans who should have been kicked out of the arena for making bosses during the service phase for both players. I certainly can understand Novak's frustration when you can clearly tell he said "STFU" after a point was played.
@@baleno1962 Have you noticed everytime Goran says something it just backfires and motivates Nadal to win? In 2020 he said Nadal has no chance against Djokovic because it was winter and after the match i was wondering if Novak will remove him from his team. This year again he kept nonsensing and he just puts pressure on Novak with what he says.
@@In.America yeah well he chose him over Marion Vadja so I guess he likes the nonsense Goran puts out there
Usually, I love the discussions on this channel and feel the panel comes up with some excellent analysis and takeaways. I thought today's discussion would be about celebrating Rafa's magnificence. Instead, it was all about making excuses for Djokovic not playing his best. Felt kinda disappointing and biased. And giving Rafa his due by talking about his defence? We know that is always a given. He was exceptional with the aggression. He was the proactive one, not giving Djokovic a chance to execute his game plan. Wish you guys celebrated the brilliance of Rafa more. Sigh.
Go to a different podcast who love everything about Nadal. I'm here to see why Djokovic lost and I appreciate their insight.
@@sonicmoj1 No it has to be balanced. And more so, y talk abut the loser? It is even more important to understand how Rafa won!
You are spot on Abhishek. I never heard Amy or Joel mention how well Rafa hit the DTL forehand and crushed his backhand. This was a vintage Nadal performance for the first 1.5 sets. I've rarely ever seen him play better than those first 2 hours of this match! VAMOS Rafa great ball striking and superior tactical skills!
@@sonicmoj1 u want to know why novak lost?? If thats the case u didnt have to eatch the whole video dude!! Is simple, Novak lost cause Rafa was superior! And i tell u one more thing 8 times out of 10 that they played, rafa was superior! He usually is way superior than everyone on clay, this time he was just superior! Thats your answer
I mean, it was a great defense...and 57 winners in four sets. More backhand winners than Nole.
Three Djokovic fans licking each other's wounds. A lot of fun really.
Wounds heal in good time. Respectfully.
He'll be back for Wimbledon. No biggie really.
No mention that Nadal played with a pain blocking injection in his foot (as reported by latin american ESPN broadcast). Given his recent comments, I am afraid this could well be his last FO. 😔😔😔😔
He said he is retiring after the final
@@chocosquirrel3319 Hope not, but it would be a fantastic way to go out, winning the last two slams you played!
@@chocosquirrel3319 didnt hear it that way nor has been reported by the media. But he has never talked in such a manner before. Could certainly be true given his very emotional reaction post match. Hope not. Is he wins RG, Could very well have a chance at the calendar slam. Roofgate in 2018 at W and winning the US Open in 2019, if he plays is a definite contender
@@davidgruter565 iam novak fan and iam crying
@@chocosquirrel3319 don't cry please. Novak is a great champion and Rafa too. They love the game, and we love them for these matches, we don't know about tomorrow.
Gentle people, normally I quite enjoy your analysis and reviews. But most this episode made valiant attempts to make excuses for Novak. Before the match almost all predicted that Novak might wipe the floor and win in 3 and worse case in 4, including Jim Courier. Based on the result you work your narrative??? Joel went as far as back to the Aus open for lack of seasoning of Novak….really clutching at straws. I saw every point and can most definitely say Novak played as well as he could have except the 3rd set….he was absolutely crushing his forehands faster than Delpo…quite a few times Jason and Jim were remarking that how ferocious was Novak’s forehand. He served superbly in the 4th, returned many at Rafa’s feet….only for to incredibly volley returns unerringly! You must give complete credit to Rafa for his fabulous shotmaking and incredible variety for winning points….Rafa beat a fully fit, in form, redlining Novak fair n square playing fabulous attacking tennis…..cheers
This was not peak Novak. Not even close.
@@alextrivunovic644 And it was not peak Rafa either, NOT EVEN CLOSE!! So what exactly is ure point???🤔
@@nicolegabriel5928 well said . I have not seen any anti Rafa channel like this . I m glad that other than Nole ; Rafa crushed arrogance of these fake analysts and Noles horrendous fans. Bcz of these guys only Nole got booed.
They know nothing about tennis at all, I played competitively in college and challenger events these guys are clowns. So biased to Novak everyone knows even other pros agree if nadal is at his best no one is beating him at Roland garros
@@nicolegabriel5928 You say it as it is. Superb logic.
Gil,
Please do not be so anxious to wrap up the show...I would, and I am sure everyone else would agree, love it if the show goes longer...
Love all the analysis and points !
For the record, Nadal got booed pretty mercilessly when he played against Roger early on. It’s not true the French always loved Rafa.
True!!
What more does Novak need to be himself in a best of five match? Defending champion, full clay court swing to prepare for the French , peaking at the right time, 9 match winning streak,22 sets winning streak, openly saying that he likes his chances against both of them, his coach said he is ready for a best of 10 set match , got the conditions that he wanted, number one player in the world, won rome coming into the French, what more does he need ? Novak Djokovic gave credit to rafa more than these you tubers.
Great point, however Goran said something which made some sense for once. He said Neither Novak nor Rafa had a advantage or disadvantage. That much was true, Novak couldn't hit through the slower conditions like 2020 and Rafa didn't quite get the jump on his ball he usually gets but he compensated while Novak started missing after a point though he was better than 2020.
Spot on. Well said
You explained it ; all things were adding pressure to Nole and Rafa was may be for first time not started as fav to win.
@@ashwinb6435 this is absurd , how many times have we seen rafa not going as favourite in RG against Novak, my comment was not an insult to Novak , i just wanted to ask these three what more did he want to be himself? Pressure can't be the reason to not be himself in a best of five match. It's simple on the day Nadal made him feel that he doesn't have the weapons to hurt Nadal , and what does Novak do when he feels like that , he goes into not missing mode , for which he didn't have his legs why couldn't they accept it . When Novak beats nadal all are like , tactical genius , rafa was clueless and all other trash but when Novak gets beaten all this garbage . Don't you think Nadal was under pressure to find his game in time , people always underestimate him , if he wins on clay , they take it as granted and when he loses its a catastrophe.
@@ravirathee6801 at this point only logical thing is ; even though Nole won second set it cost match to him. Other small reasons include crowd booing , which usually act as fire here it dampen him. And of course night play which turned ball little soft and Nole has no forehand power match to nadal. Nadal was roaring bull and mulled Nole in his first 1 hr onslaught .result came after 4 hr. But nadal played huge mind game like rib fracture and toe and those might be real too but Nole was put under tremendous pressure.
Guys, thank you (the three talking abut the three!) so much for the prompt analysis, I really am addicted to your show, it's undoubtedly the best tennis review show. Thank you again!
Thanks so much!
Folks, did you hear what Novak had to say about Rafa? Novak says he played well but Rafa took it to the next level.
All the respect to Amy and Gill who are devastated because it is a sad defeat undoubtedly but to say Novak didn't play well enough is an insult. Novak is the #1 player who brought his A game and some of his shots were even better than those from Rafa's racket to be fair. So, when Novak wholeheartedly appreciates #5 player, there's not much left for all the tennis journos, podcasts, channels, etc., to say really. They have tried, they will try but the sun has a way to shine through the clouds of skewed debates, discussions, analyses, predictions and validations.
Yall Rafa fans can be happy without lying. Novak DID not play well. He wasn't there at all. Decent Novak would have taken any of those set points, please... but it doesnt change the fact that Nadal was better that day so he won
@@idc9053 oh you again .If that makes you feel better.....I agree with you.
@@idc9053 Sorry Novak for the past idk how many years hasnt shown a higher level on clay than this.
Djokovic was hitting better than nadal,stop the bs
Bill was ok but Amy was sad . I thought she will burst into tears anytime. And the way they expecting zverev to pull through is entertaining
Being a Nadal fan, nadal always prove me wrong the last few years and GS.
In 2018 WO i thought rafa would win the semis vs novak , it turned out to be 5 set epic which could ve gone anybody's match
In 2019 AO it came the final, leading to the final, rafa havnt drop a set and he got an extra day rest before the final, it was the best version of Rafa at AO but novak thumbs him
2020 then comes the FO which was played after the pandemic with the climate favoring navak, i thought novak would beat nadal hands down ,
Come 2021, with what happen in 2020FO
I surely think nadal would win a close match , but novak beats rafa
Lastly in 2022, i thought there is no way nadal is beating this novak with the kind of injury and fitness problem
Stop making excuses for Novak! He lost because Rafa was better. Period. The booing had nothing to do with it. Novak was booed in previous matches and he won those. And it has been said that Djokovic thrives when this sort of thing happens, that in fact, it fuels his determination.
And people keep forgetting that Rafa used to be booed in RG all the time. The crowd was really nasty when he played against Soderling, for instance.
Everything against Rafa. Back from 2 injuries. Night time match. Djokovic was superfit. Nadal can't play 5 sets. Marathon 4th round match. Blah blah blah. Against all odds he defeated Novak. If this doesn't make him the Goat then what will?
Except Rafa and Novak all people out there were wrapped in blankets. It was that cold. Not sure why they wanna play in such conditions. May be have commercial ties with US tv market. I can't imagine another reason. Especially Eastern and Central US can enjoy the match during early hours of their morning
For now Rafa is definitely the Goat, if # of majors is the measuring stick. But Novak's domination in 2021 can't be forgotten. Eventually Novak has the best chance among big3 to win max # of majors, especially due to Roger's age and Rafa's "zero solution" foot problem. I feel it is inevitable for Novak to become the GOAT. The 2nd-tier big3 aren't consistent enough in majors to trouble Novak. NO?
@@madhukiranattivilli2321 as a Rafa fan I'd say that's a fair comment.
@@avijitjha1614 I started watching tennis due to Steffi, and started playing (for a decade) due to Roger. After Roger, I too love Rafa. He is extremely entertaining to me as a spectator, and tennis lover. The only thing I don't like is the time he takes before every point -- although a tiny thing in comparison to what he offers to tennis fans.
@@avijitjha1614 as a Nole fan I think u are BS
TBF Rafa outplayed Djokovic to the point he didn’t know what to do. Don’t know why I’m hearing ‘Djokovic was not himself’ 😴😂
Both can be true 👍
All the so-called experts predicted either Novak or Alcaraz would win the slam. What do you know, both have been eliminated. No expert even gave Rafa a fighting chance to go far into the tournament. That Novak would easily get past him. They basically disrespected the 13 time RG champ. Fools. You do not doubt the resilience and heart of a champ like Nadal and I'm glad he proved them wrong.
Even if he doesn't go all the way in this campaign, he'll always be my champion for conquering so much adversary few can match
I thought Rafa would win this match and then lose to Carlos in the semi. I did think Carlos was ready to win his first GS. Unfortunately Zverev was determined to win and he did - I am worried about the semi, it could go either way unfortunately. But I will be rooting for Rafa all the way!
@@freemangriffin4953 hoping he goes all the way too for no.14! But if falls to Sasha, I won't be too bummed. He took down the No.1 Djoko who was the consensus to win it all, and that is already an impressive accomplishment! Especially given the circumstances of how Djoko never had dropped a set before the match with Rafa and with Rafa having gone a gruelling 5 setter with Felix. We'll see how much he has left in his tank. Good thing he has gotten 2 days rest this time
"Even if he doesn't go all the way"
There is a zero percent chance that is happening unless the foot flares up. The other remaining half of the draw is a joke.
@@jacobschmidt2709 hopefully it doesn't. But never underestimate your opponent. I'm sure Rafa isn't. Remember, Sascha just took out Alcaraz
I think Novak's performance is being underrated. What has gone underrapreciated is how much he was hammering the ball in the second set. Nadal lost is first serve a little and Novak still had to so much work to do to win the second set. I can imagine the exhaustion and yet nadal looked the same throughout the match. Another thing is being overlooked is nadal going deep on alot of returns. Even if he moonballed it a little, he sent it deep more often than not and Novak wasn't able to generate as much pace off the plus one which allowed nadal to play more at neutral during the djokavic serve, especially in the fourth set.
Lady, just because your preferred player lost a match doesn’t mean he wasn’t himself. He was simply outplayed by the better player. Nadal owns him 8-2 in Roland Garros. That’s a fact that you can’t deny.
Its too clear she is for Nole with all those excuses.
You are gutted, Amy. Novak played his best and yet it was not enough. Your excuses are beautiful but refreshingly lame.
Henri Leconte said that Novak's request for a night session was considered as he's #1.
Didn't you hear what Goran and the other tennis pundits said about Novak being booed? It fuels him further and he has a reason to get angry and bring his best. This can hardly be a reason for the world's #1 tennis player to lose. So sorry but as tennis fans with no particular preference, we say it as it is - respectfully and fairly.
Novak didnt play his best, lol. Why lying? Its so obvious. He was missing 3 straight 2nd serve returns? Making so many bad choices? Missing routine BH? Like there are so many things he did badly
@@idc9053 that's because Nadal didn't allow him to . If you don't see it , you can not be helped
@@ravirathee6801 ugh, to some extend it's obviously true, still very bad match from novak, spraying errors left and right, and if you don't see it, you cannot be helped.
@@idc9053 you spray errors when you don't have belief in your limitations, and that happens when other guy makes you feel that way with his defence that's why Novak went for lower margin ,
idc is correct. While Rafa was the better player and rightfully deserved to win, Djokovic was not himself the latter half of that 4th set. Not even trying to run for makeable balls and abysmal in the returning department. That tiebreaker was one of Novaks worst as well. At the very least, we should have been watching a 5 set match.
Nadal had every injury rear its ugly head last year and that match was still a close, close match.
Exactly...had Rafa been fit, no way he would have let go of that 4th set that easily...
That middle child line is hilarious af
Rafa again proves his second-to-none status at the French, doubters be damned- vamos!
Hell Yeah.
I think a lot of the discussion around night/day sessions for Rafa is missing another key ingredient: mainly, the amount of spin Rafa can get on a ball. Andy Roddick had a great commentary where he said ppl associate colder conditions being better for Rafa bc it makes the court slower when in reality, drier conditions are more favorable since it gives him more spin-and therefore, more _height_ -on the ball, which is central to Rafa's game.
Zverev won't have a problem with Nadal's topspin because he is 6ft.6. in warmer weather Zverev can get more Aces.
@@jeffreykaufmann2867 he will have plenty of problems with spin , it's not the spin , if you cannot change direction off of Rafa's forehand, Nadal will kill you with angles
@@ravirathee6801 Exactly.
I also said "Wow" to myself when Nadal's drop shot landed on the service line and Djokovic casually turned away instead of trying to make a run.
He mentally accepted that Rafa was too good. He believed in Rafa’s shot being too good(without actually checking) gave up too early
I also noticed this and surprised how come Djoker didnt even try to make a run
And the data shows the first point on clay vs Rafa is hugely pivotal.
@@amylundy8664 The preference is for Djokovic to play a tough 5 setter but not too tough as to costing him the next match. To borrow Gill's wording, I think Djokovic was "undercooked" in preparation of Nadal and the crowd in RG.
Yes… I think that’s spot on.
To me, a self-declared life-long Nadal expert, the dominant reason for Nadal ever getting tight, especially in the last years, is almost singularly tied to humid conditions (see e.g AO 2022)! The amount he sweats in these conditions is simply not bearable. It's also true that he definitely favors playing during the day, although it probably doesn't affect his performance too much (as long as it isn't night and humid -he absolutely hates that). Also, when it comes to Djokovic Nadal in RG, the last years perfectly showed that playing in cooler conditions even seems to be a significant advantage for Nadal, as Gill already examined perfectly. Great content as always by the way!
I like you guys but quite dissapointed with this show today. Its all about trying to justify Novak and given Nadal almost n credit. Pretty sad. Novak has 2 GS on his surface which is a MASSIVE ADVANTAGE and he still has one less than Nadal? Amazing how some people watch a lot of tennis and still fail to see obvious things. When Novak beat Nadal the tone is very different, its all about how good he is. When Nadal beat him... all excuses. Finally, as per the comments from Amy on how annoyed she is about Nadal taking his time, some of us find annoying Djokovic hitting the net aggresively with the racquet and that sort of behaviour. Be balance, not much to ask .
Amy and Gill are having a hard time to stay balanced because their idol who is #1 was outplayed by #5. The excuses are utter comic relief. Poor blokes!
Human exsistance.
I think they specifically did give Nadal credit. Amy even went back to reiterate the point about how well she thought Nadal played. They were just saying this was not a match where both were at their best and in being disappointed by that (I was too) they wanted to give a bit more focus in the discussion regarding what held Novak back in the match in terms of on his own racquet. If you’ve watched most the episodes of this show (or even say the last 15) you would find these three are gigantic Rafa fans.
They adore Djokovic (sigh) and don't give Rafa enough credit.
@@jwbrandt70 I disagree totally and I have indeed watches most episodes. In the last minutes Amy just forced herself to say a couple of words probably because she knew how incredibly unbalance she was. They were incredibly unbalance. Never have Djokovic beat Nadal in RG when Nadal was healthy and last year's report was completely different, despite Nadal playing injured. In this match the forces were more aligned and the level was very high the first three sets.
I think the low expectation narrative around Nadal has been so interesting. Whether he needed to feel less pressure or not, it's helped him and perhaps played into the mind of opponents.
Armchair tennis chiropodists, saying his foot will be in the redzone if he has long matches.
The talk about his endurance being a factor when there is no real sign of a problem, when for yrs he was seen as a beast.
Talk of him on the brink of retirement and struggling with pain.
It gives the impression that he's playing against the odds and it's minor miracle he's still out there.
All works in his favour psychologically and perhaps gets in the head of opponents.
Exactly!!!
So good guys. Really learned a lot from your analysis. Thanks
Thanks so much 😀😀
Normally a huge fan of the show but really disappointed with this episode. It seems like I watched a different match!
You guys spend almost half an hour saying why Djokovic lost and don’t give anywhere near as much praise for how well Rafa executed his gamed plan (backhand down the line and cross court working magnificently and his forehand down the line being literally on fire). You’re saying his defense stood out while he had a lot more winners than Djokovic and more net points won?!
You’re highlighting endurance as THE key factor while the biggest gap between their levels was clearly in the first 90mins of the match (when Djokovic was at his freshest).
I think maybe you just did the video right after the match so there’s a bit of recency bias from the last couple of games. But the episode is really not a fair reflection of the 4+hrs of tennis we watched.
This match had very little to do with Djokovic’s level and everything to do with the level, game plan and execution Nadal brought to the court.
Love you guys and a big fan of the show nonetheless.
Well said Golf Wolf. Some people are twisting the facts. Nadal played like the old Rafa..brilliant. some viewers noticed and said the panel couldn't hide their bias for the other player who tried his very best but fell short. They tried to picture the fallen guy as better than he really is. It was evident as the player himself admitted in the post-game interview that Rafa was better. From the get go, Rafa confused the opponent by returning cross court which didn't give the guy on the other side a rhythm early on making him unable to dictate the pace and reducing him to a counter puncher and when he is in that situation usually plays bad like today and loses. Look at the depth of Goat Rafa's groundstrokes and pinpoint accuracy. Rafa played a tactical game despite probably playing at only 60% of his true potential because of an injury again he is able to endure even against endurance players. The winners made by the guy who lost would have been less if Rafa was just a little less injured as he would have gotten to those balls. Instead, he just let them go to the surprise of the opponent. He reduced his pace and power hits but focused on accuracy and depth more to prepare for a possible 5-setter like his 4th round match. People say that after beating the opponent from Serbia so many times in Roland Garros, Rafa became complacent in the last set last year but really, being a true model and champion on and off court throughout his career, he didn't want to make excuses but he hides his injuries well and was not mobile at the end. It was an exception and another loss due to injury. The loss would not happened if he was healthy, they said. Imagine how many more major titles he would have won if he didn't have those injuries.
It would be interesting to see the numbers on Novak's service games, how many times he's been broken in the first and closing games of the set. Ever since he lost in the Olympics, his service has been tentative.
Great conversation, thanks guys
Thanks Jean
Gill,You have outrightly ignored Rafa's greatness.I know you are a Novak fan but Rafa is a 13 time RG winner here for a reason.I am a big Rafa fan but I have utmost respect for Novak for he is a great champion player and believes that Novak will end up winning more GS than Nadal if Novak stays healthy despite Rafa winning RG for a 14th time hypothetically.It was just not Novak's day today as Rafa played like Rafa.Learn to show some respect but pleased that you have regrets for your one side prediction.
Go watch gill's post match breakdown on his own channel. There you see gill seems almost giddy with happiness after the match. Gill has absolutely not "ignored Rafa's greatness" in any way.
Djokovic will have a hard time winning too many more Grand Slams. These younger players are hungry and getting there. While Alcaraz couldn't get past Zverev this year he LEARNS from these experiences and will problem-solve for future Grand Slam runs. There are other players who are poised to win Grand Slams too. And we don't know if Rafa will continue for a few more years - maybe or maybe not.
Djoker's fans have no shame. He was beaten to the punch by Rafa, making it clear that last year's Djoker RG win was an aberration.
Best "Three" podcast, nice one !
Thanks Paul 🙏🏻
@@amylundy8664 hi Amy, no problem, I don't want to make you big headed however it was some of your points and attitude that I really liked!
Three Novak fans here making excuses. Ok.
Bye Sergio. You're not needed here.
🏆 Amy, Gill & Joel (ladies first) you guys are a delightful BLAST to listen to and learn from. SUPREME analysis, synergy and FUN. Thank you and keep it up! I hope you guys keep a great thing going after the big (playing) three becomes the big two- and then the big one-and then beyond that… 💫
Thanks Matthew! We do plan to keep it up 👍 When any one or more of them retires, we’ll still talk tennis!
I like Amy (and to a lesser extent Joel) but Gill can just see things on court that the casual tennis fan (and the other two on this show) can't. Amy and Joel tend to use commonly available stats and talk about factors every tennis fan knows in this rivalry. However, Gill is different. In the FO 2020, Gill basically predicted this result. He knew Rafa had the power to hit through Novak on any court but that Novak was lacking firepower. He also knew that in 2021 it was specifically the short angle CC forehand of Djoker that hurt Nadal the most. Gill has an analysis that is missing from even the tops ranks of Tennis announcing and coaching. I even hear Mcenroe and Courier spouting off the same old facts when Gill seems to be able to point to the reasons why versus just saying things like "Well, Rafa hit his forehand well today." Gill, you have a great future in tennis and although I won't watch much tennis after Fedal retire you will entertain many others with your brilliant technical analysis.
Nice of Joel to hone down to what passes through Nadal's competitive mind. Thank you for caring to think about that. I love your show!
So much is said about Novak s lack of match practice ,did Nadal had more in Australia or for that matter in Paris ? I am discounting his injury altogether.
Nadal’s so called ‘ injuries’ - let me see his medical record - words are so cheap !!
@@aldonamartin5092 yes of course, Nadal walked around on crutches for months because its funny...
@@aldonamartin5092 And Rafa did not play 2 GSs last year bcoz he just didn't feel like it!! Sigh!!
@@aldonamartin5092 Don't be childish and ignorant. He is got a chronic and degenerative disease. His scaphoid (which is key in the movement) is necrosing because it doesn't recieve blood. Next year, when Nadal quits they will surely will have to fix that part of his foot. I hope you are not a Nole fan because your comment is embarrasing, and Nole THE GOAT doesn't deserve it. You are so cheap ... bloody ignorant.
Rune, Ruud, Rublev, Cilic
Sounds like a mouthful of a rhyme
Excellent discussion. Happy to see several comments reaffirming what I saw that I haven't seen talked about much. Would be an interesting match to watch again, but also not the highest quality battle between them (at all) and too annoying to watch again. Was not the match I (and many) was hoping to see. As much as I'd like to see them play again, I think the era is ending....
You have got to be kidding me. Did you see the winner error differential for both? Rafa played stratospheric tennis for the better part of three sets, sure his level dipped in set 2 which is why novak took advantage but he too raised his game in sets 2 and 4. You are correct both didn't play at the highest level simultaneously, but they were playing tennis that many can only dream about. For context Rafa Winner/UE difference was something like 23/7 by set 3.
Also, what's not obvious is how their supposed "weak/weaker" shots made so many crucial winners. Novaks forehand / Rafas backhand were devastating
Gill's comments on how the evening sessions help Nadal are spot on, imho.
The two are novak fans.
6:11 facing Novak in Melbourne is a torture chamber just like Nadal on the Terra Batute....so your wrong old man!!
Wow. Amy's second serve speed has been clocked at Zverev's!
It’s not hard to serve 68 mph 😆
Exactly you guys, Novak gave way after two sets. All praise for a very strong effort from Nadal; very high level. But Novak, after finishing the 2nd set extremely strongly, literally just gave way unexpectedly. He just ran out of gas. Too much was made in terms of his win in Rome; too much was made of his form going into this. The fact is his 5 set match fitness level was not fully there as many assumed it was. And when Rafa was playing on this level, the level in the 3rd set needed to stay very high from Novak and not suddenly decline. But big time credit to Rafa. Regarding the comments on conditions at RG, I will still take Rafa in the sunshine in warmer weather over indoors or at night there. He is still absolutely amazing in cooler conditions or indoors there, but he is still a notch higher in the day out there. And who agrees with me? Rafa and his team! 🙂 Well I totally agree with Gill, in the bizarre event he were to not win RG, this quarterfinal win would be utterly meaningless.
I thought the final point in the tiebreaker was a bit let down from Djokovic. He did not even run for the ball and he wasn't even that far away either.
Nahhh, no way he was getting to that backhand down the line....
And perhaps as Gil mentioned, Novak was tired ..
Djokovic being booed so what ? normally he says that fuels him … so I don’t feel much concern as long as they don’t throw empty bottles to him 🤣 Anyway he has a habit of provoking the crowd in many occasions, so that is just the boomerang of karma …
Also when Nadal won his first RG’s he was not so popular when beating Federer, he had to cope with that, he understood that and just always kept his concentration with absolutely zero provocation to the crowd or to other players … Different attitude, different results, that’s it !
The girl is obv biased towards Novak. Making excuses like the crowd boo's and him not being himself . He played a high level 2nd set but Rafa came back stronger then ever
She always does. Nothing new , so what if Novak wasn't himself, how can you not be yourself in a best of five match. 9 match winning streak , openly saying that I like my chances against both of them , getting the conditions you wanted . What else did he want to be himself
Amy is part chokosquirrel 😂
@@goldwolf0606 she is a big time fan of novak , didn't she say Novak is the favourite going into this match ? And now she says he wasn't himself 😅😅, what a turnaround
I guess for the most part all three of them have a certain bias towards Novak. The sad part is it's so obvious where many had noted it down but they downplay it. It was amazing one time with his Australian form filling fiasco, covid meet with journalist, Amy had asked his fans to embrace him like their kid correcting him but to love him. A 35 year old adult doing conscious mistakes, but his fans need to embrace him like their kid :) From there her obvious bias towards novak started. And then thank god Rafa ended his clay court swing, otherwise they will keep on going like From 2016 novak gets ready for the clay swing incremental, methodical blah blah blah. Honestly from 2016 he won only 2 times and Rafa came 2 times without any clay court titles and needed preparation, but those two years he beat novak handily :)
Proud Novak fan but congrats Nadal and hope you win it all 👏
Classy Jose! 👏👏
I would love for Zverev to win his first GS. That would be amazing but there's no chance Zverev wins tomorrow. Rafa in straight sets tomorrow. They should cancel the semi and final and give the trophy to Nadal. It is what it is. Zverev has already lost the match because he has a mental block against Nadal. I wish he would overcome that eventually in his career.
@@sonicmoj1 I think Zverev will play with less pressure tomorrow. The pressure was on him to beat Alcaraz so maybe he can play more freely and let his backhand swing
@@josep9599 Let's hope.
Excellent show! Thank you.
Amy... spot on!
Thanks 😉
Gosh, what would Rafa have to do to create any enthusiasm from you?
My thoughts exactly. I first thought they would celebrate the brilliance of Rafa. But it was all about making excuses for Djokovic. Kinda disappointing.
I’m sad as well i thought it would be ‘oh Rafa’s level was amazing, he didn’t let Novak play his best’ but no it was ‘ohh Novak wasn’t himself’ like come on
You can always tell who is a fan of who when they talk (she clearly loves Novak, it was excuse after excuse and mad at booing when that’s part of sports ppl cheer and boo…She was so obvious and I actually agree media and fans aren’t always fair to him but that’s partly on him, like is she of finally on his payroll or known as Novak Stan?). “You could tell Novak wasn’t at his best.” like Nadal was flawless all match and wasn’t coming of a 5 set 4.5 hour war when Novak was rested, had won 9 French clay court matches in a row! He looked great in Rome🏆and hadn’t dropped a set in 1st 4 rounds at FO and Nadal had chronic left foot pain and broken rib in March that caused him to miss 3 months in a row (and he looked ehh during the clay season he was able to play).
The old dude was great and fair both ways.
Novak didn’t have much recent long matches but he lost 6-2 in 1st and 3rd set while also down two breaks in 2nd set yet ppl just want to focus on the length of the match being issue?
The excuses for Novak in this was embarrassing! He was a solid favorite for a reason! Rafa outplayed him period! More winners, less errors, more service points, more return points, more break points won and attempted, more games won! They keep talking about not being prepared for long matches for Djoker but he lost 1st set 6-2 then down 3-0 in 2nd then lost 6-2 in 3rd!
*Update At least at the end she called herself out for not giving Rafa any credit early 😅.
This is my first time watching this podcast. (I always watch Gil's solo podcast and love it.). So, Amy and Joel are clearly NOT Rafa fans, right? It's pretty funny how much they lowkey throw shade Nadal's way.
I think Novak has been weirdly out of it since Tokyo. Something is just not right with him, it's like he's playing on cruise control and sleepwalking through matches. Luckily, his default level is good enough to get him a couple of masters, but definitely not good enough to beat prime Meddy and peak Clay King at slams.
It's very worrying, we've only seen his prime 2021 level in brief glimpses like the 2nd set today or the tiebreaks against FAA in Rome, aside from that he's just not there mentally or physically for some reason.
I’m sure the Australia scandal took a lot of fire out of him
ND didn't try hard to reach few RN drop shots. Felt short in energy. The Wim19FvRF kind of energy was missing
And he might be also silently surprised at the tremendous efficiency RN showed in his defence game. What normally ND does to others, RN did to him -- kept returning ball after ball
Novak is finished. Rafa has finished novaks career
@@chocosquirrel3319wait and see he's losing to Zverev and I can't wait to see u fangirls crying injury...and the coward will not even participate in Wimbledon...
You're right :( He's done
Nadal has never won AO and French Open in single season.. Looks like he's going to do just that... Another first for him...
They have given rafa day match vs Zverev I think. IMO a night match against Zverev would have been great because Zverevs boom serve would get ineffective in nights heavier and slow conditions. Zverev without his serve is 50% weaker .
Nope , night session for the Rafa vs Zverev match...no way they keep the other SF during prime time slot...
I think the night conditions will help Zverev because the ball will remain flat...
@@Abhi_upstate_ny It didn't help Djokovic, I don't see how it will help Zverev. The thing is, it's either you need to handle the spin in the hot clay, or you will have to hit through heavy humid clay. The conditions become slower at night, which slow Nadal's heavy spin, but also allows him the defend better because it will also slow your shots. He gets early to the ball, which mean monster forehand is coming your way.
@@mahdixn that is great point...well hopefully it works well for Rafa...
Dont ignore the fact that as much as Novak has earned respect for his tennis, he has earned that disrespect as well. If you're going to set yourself up as a "leader of freedom" and some mythic wolf hero and pose with some nefarious soldiers, expect some ridicule.
There was some booing in the crowd as Novak entered, but it wasnt like it was the whole stadium. And that was the last of it. He had plenty support in there.
Rafa at his press conference following his QF victory: "I told you in Rome that I'm going to have my doctor here (in Paris) with me. That having the doctor here you can do things that helps, no? So it's not the moment to talk about that. I said that we're going to talk about that after the tournament, when my tournament finished. But, uh, yea, I am pouring everything that I have to try to play this tournament (Roland Garros) with the best conditions possible, no? I don't know what can happen after, honestly. But here (at RG) I think I'm going to be fine ... I am going to be playing this tournament (RG) because we are doing the things to be ready to play this tournament. But I don't know what's going to happen after here. I mean I have what I have there, in the foot. So if we are not able to find an improvement or small solution on that then it's becoming super difficult for me, no. So that's it. No, no. I, I'm just enjoying every day that I have the chance to be here (at RG). And without thinking much about what can happen on the future, no. Of course I'm going to keep fighting to find a solution for that. But for the moment we haven't. So just give myself a chance to play another semi-finals here in Roland Garros is a lot of energy for me." 😞
I think Novak hasn't been challenged much in Rome and RG22 getting into a match with Rafa - didn't drop a set even but when he was challenged his body hasn't supported him against the likes of Rafa. Unbelievable 2 sets from legends though - the level was sky-high compared to the next two sets.
Hi Gill, Amy and Joel - When crows attack Eagle, all eagle does is fly higher and higher by fighting the adversity. After some time, crows will have difficulty in breathing and just give up. Rafael Nadal is one of a kind Eagle. How easily the Conqueror of Current era Men's Tennis has been dismissed..... Clay is one of a kind and Rafa is THE ONE of a kind..... Congratulations to Rafa fans and commiserations to Novak Fans. Cheers :)
Bonus: And to Andy Roddick's comment - When someone takes your leg and soul, this is how you should get it back :)
Today was a bittersweet day at the French. We were treated to one very good match by the youngsters and a great match by two legends. However, the results were less than desirable. Nadal showed once again why he is rightfully the king of clay and what a gutsy win by Zverev to get his first top 10 win at a slam. Had Alcaraz advanced, I'd have given him the edge to beat Nadal and take Roland Garros. Now that both the Spanish prodigy and Tsitsipas are out, this is Nadals to lose and I suspect that he will lift #22.
I like the French fans 😂!!!!
Gold Wolf, just kiss me metaphysically. You are too hard on Gill but I love you anyways
I love them. I was in the crowd and I booed
Never seen such love for Rafa- I'm sure they kept him motivated when the chips looked down in the 4th.
@@slc2466 I even shouted before novak serve and he double faulted 🤣🤣🤣🤣
@@chocosquirrel3319 For all the sht he did before the AO and how rabidly his fans behaved, abused Rafa, slander and all, he absolutely deserves it.
Ruud, Rune, Rublev, Cilic…. 😂 GOATdal will make mince meat out of all 4 them at the same time 😂!!!!
🤣🤣🤣🤣
dont ever underestimate any opponent. It is rafa's philosophy. Zverev looked good
Zverev can bit of a pain in the ass. Rest shouldn't be any problem expect maybe Rublev
Shut up
Yep. Sadly the final will be very boring and one-sided.
Hmmm I think there might be a blonde Novak fan among you people. She would boo only if a player displays unsportsmanlike conduct. Novak is literally the personification of that. Plus she's too emotional. Too quick to try and make excuses for a healthy and fresher Djokovic who was clearly in-form. Plus I guess she doesn't really understand or like watching any other sport where booing the opponent when the crowd wants to create a hostile atmosphere is normal and expected and also creates more dramatic matches. If the crowd was full on Rafa's side then why do you care about it? I guess you absolutely HATED the NY crowd when Djokovic choked vs Medvedev for his 21st, and they were truly displaying TERRIBLE behaviour throughout! Talk about whistling and making noises while the opponent is serving..Medvedev may have never even served once without crowd disturbances. And I'm not saying that this is acceptable, it absolutely isn't. But you have to deal with it. And guess what, it didn't help Djokovic, and Daniil instead was victorious in 3 sets! So be consistent and understand sports, and that people sometimes prefer one person to win over the other. Plus not many people like Djokovic, sorry that's the truth😏 OH! And you could maybe consider embracing reality: Rafa is the best ever. He's always been. Even handicapped he's still better than everyone else 😁
And Amy, thanks for remembering that you said nothing good about Rafa's performance for almost 27 minutes....pathetic really. What a sore fan girl
The more GOATdal wins, the more ChokoAmy gets unleashed 😂 she’s a weresquirrel 😂
I said at the start of the tournament, the winner of the men’s singles depends entirely on Nadal’s foot. The three occasions Rafa has lost at Roland-Garros he was not fully fit. Against Söderling in 2009 his knees were shot. He was unable to move properly to his backhand. In their other five meetings on clay Söderling didn’t win a set, and Rafa had beaten him 6-1, 6-0 at Rome a few weeks before. And Rafa was unable to defend his Wimbledon that year. In 2015, Rafa was returning from wrist surgery and appendicitis and didn’t look right all year. Last year, his foot was clearly troubling him. He had a medical timeout and finished the match limping. A fit Rafa has never been defeated, not only at Roland-Garros, but anywhere over five sets on clay. Played 134 lost three!
I was also a bit suspicious of the general consensus that Djokovic was better-prepared to handle the long game if it came down to a test of endurance. Rafa proved in Australia that his lungs and legs are as good as ever; his only fitness concerns were skeletal rather than cardiovascular. Whereas, by contrast, the couple of times Djokovic has been pushed since his return (against Davidovich Fokina at Monte Carlo, and against Rublev in Belgrade) he was running on fumes after three hours.
By far the most transparent balanced report based on facts without having to shower unnecessary praise on Rafa. One doesn't have to be a Rafa fan to see it as it is. Funnily, the likes of Gill and Amy are struck by the winds of bias. They are learning just like us. They are trying their best and full appreciation thus far.
Everyone made far too much of the night match conditions. Rafa didnt want to play a late start match in a QF, thst's it. Sure he favours sunny but we saw how well he dealt with cold & heavy in 2020. No-one likes these late matches. Novak chose it cos he obviously thought it gave him some advantage.
Rafa wanted to get to bed, he did not want it to go 5 sets. Novak seems to have counted on a 5-setter and badly mis-managed the match.
Nadal wants redemption at Roland Garros. He wants his title back. Rafa has something to prove. With all of these factors, it is hard to stop Nadal when he is this driven. I'm surprised you three did not talk about this aspect of the match.
Why would they talk about it? They are upset why Djokovic lost lmao
Great video guys. Amy it seemed to me like you were exhausted during this stream. Hope you get some sleep 😂
Yes! I’m jet lagged & have a cold 😀👍 Thanks 😊
@@amylundy8664 Amy Lundy you're a gundy ( d1rty)
I love how Rafa keeps disappointing all the pundits. Rafa played better period. Go Rafa!🥰
Brilliantly said. Disappointing all the tennis pundits on planet earth. They remain disappointed and excuses started as a gorgeous comedy and are bordering on farcical now. 😂🤣 Paul Annacone excluding. Interesting.
@@abordoloi1514 Bro! They literally made excuse after excuse for Djokovic. I love to see it 🤣
I noticed Djokovic stretching out midway through the 4th. Think the lack of recent gametime caught up to him and it cost him the match - he just couldn't sustain it.
Where was the lack of game time when he was cruising along? It became an issue all of a sudden. Tha is the greatness of nadal. Accept it.
@@avijitjha1614 You don't need to be so defensive - I am a Rafa fan and wanted him to win! Doesn't change the fact that Djoko looked more tired/achey out of the two of them.
@@abbiem5357 exactly my point. He looked tired coz Rafa made him look so. If Novak would have won there would be no such talks. It's just Rafas relentless defence that weared him out . Make no mistake , Djokovic is a great champ. He'll come back stronger. But let's take a moment to appreciate Rafa's greatness.And personally I think all this lack of match practice talk is overrated. How much practice did Rafa have before Aus open?. That's right! A 6 month lay off. And yet played so many 5 setters and won eventually.
@@avijitjha1614 Nadal is indeed a superhero. I will miss him greatly when he retires...so thankful I managed to see a bit of his match against Van de Zandschulp this year.
@@avijitjha1614 Its amazing how they're talking about lack of match practice for Novak now but it is the same reason they didn't give Rafa a chance to win. I am so happy to see many with egg on their faces!!!!
Joel is older than Gill and Amy, and I am probably older than Joel, and so I am perhaps in a better position to understand Joel's little lesson on booing. I am always a little shocked when I hear it, and it is offensive to me on several different levels. Imagine somebody in the old days booing Ken Rosewall -- impossible. On the other hand, I know that the kind of decorum that I value no longer exists. I am also slightly shocked when I see players gesturing with their hands to encourage applause for their feats. I'm a musician (of the classical variety). One can practice for months for a single concert, and play with all the concentration and effort possible, but one does not tell the audience to applaud. That is up to them. I remember driving out to Newport to watch Evert and Navritolova play on the grass in the week or two after Wimbledon. That was a great tennis experience.
Someone tweeted Rafa has made suffering into an art form. 😅😂
To pretend that Rafa doesn't struggle with humidity is a bit strange because he admits that he clearly does and the match against Novak last year and this one against Zverev in drenched attire both prove the point. Win or lose, Rafa has managed to fight through every condition. 13 titles cannot be because all the 13 ×7 players didn't play their best tennis. 😅😅😅 It's going to be a challenge against Casper Ruud, humidity or not.
The crowd was atrocious, as usual. But that does not usually phase Novak. But it did have a slight impact on the match yesterday. It lifted Nadal and subdued Novak, even if marginally, and ther may have played a small factor in the fourth set. That being said, Nadal was the better player on the day. Novak had two set points in the fourth set, and that is as much as you are going to get against the King of Clay in Chatrier.
@@momomono795 agree
When nadal loses he doesnt complain. He moves on everyone makes excuses for djoker.
You only get what you give 😉
The Serbian fans who were there were terribly disrespectful as well.
@@justusbeweel1109 I bet they were...only once people started booing Novak. It is always provoked.
Guys, Novak has had to learn to play on clay. He struggled on clay. Rafa has 13 Titles at the French. There's no discussion.
If Rafa's foot hadn't troubled him mid-match in 2021, Novak wouldn't have won or won only after fighting for 5.5 hours over 5 sets.Rafa's level drastically dropped after efficiently winning 1st set in FO21SF
@@madhukiranattivilli2321 if if if doesnt exist
@@idc9053 :) I too saw that Rafa press conf where he used that while talking about Kyrgios. The context is different. There he was referring to "there is no substitute to day-in-day-out hard work"
I didn't say Rafa wud've surely won in 2021. He won 1st set in dominating way and declined. I watched the entire match, just like yesterday.
Anyway, I would like to know ur point behind saying "if doesnt exist". Thanks
Huffvak didn’t run because he ran out of gluten free juice 💉😂😂😂😂
Nadal is GOAT
To be 100% fair, Zverev deserved to win. He did nothing wrong in the 1st set. He did nothing wrong in the 2nd set if he broke #5 player 5 times. All our prayers for the quickest recovery and as Rafa said, Zverev will win many grand slams.
Happy Birthday, Rafa.
What’s bothering Weakvak is that he knows he’s not the goat because he’s facing the GOATdal 😂!!!!
Rafa surprised but Novax wilted. Amy noted his reaction to crowd- not fueling his rage as he pretended it would-but deflating him. It was a mental !