The Australian Open.

[An Tarbh]

he could probably do it all day to be honest, his fitness levels are phenomenal.

It may have have taken a fortunate point for Verdasco to set up the first set win but what a point from Nadal to give him set point in the second, forehand winner, banana style around the net.

 

[Radman]

We could be here a while, buckle in folks.

 

[An Tarbh]

well Verdasco is certainly hanging in there, twice now he's been broken and twice he's broken straight back. You could also argue though that something's not quite right with Rafa this evening, can't quite put my finger on it.

 

[Radman]

The problem with Rafa is he can't seem to change things up, Verdasco has picked him off a few times now from knowing what he is going to do from times they have met in the past.

 

[An Tarbh]

he does seem to be standing a bit too deep but he doesn't seem to have his normal power off the ground strokes

 

[An Tarbh]

well he certainly cranked things up in that tie breaker, ominous now for Verdasco.

 

[Radman]

Gonna take something special to come back now peeps.

 

[Radman]

He's hangin in there, he can do it if he wants to.

 

[An Tarbh]

how much of a psychological blow could that point prove to be for Verdasco, I know it only means Rafa holds serve but it could be worth so much more than that.

 

[Radman]

It all comes down to one set. Truly epic match this...who's it gonna be.....

 

[An Tarbh]

going all the way now, Verdasco looked to be dead on his feet early in the 4th set but he's found something from somewhere that's for sure. The quality of the rallies in this match is unbelievable. You'd say advantage Verdasco but will that 4th set prove to have been too much on him or can he just carry on as is?

 

[An Tarbh]

of all the ways for it to end it had to be a double fault, he'd only had 4 in the entire match. Such a high quality match, you always felt Rafa had the edge as he was pushing Verdasco so much on his own serve.

Huge effort from both players, absolute epic.

 

[Radman]

Not happy...double fault after 5 hours 14 minutes...fark!!!...nah it was a great match, truly epic.

Go Federer!.

 

[An Tarbh]

and now we get the final most people would have wanted. Has all the potential to be another classic, if it's half as good as the Wimbledon final we're in for a treat.

 

[An Tarbh]

So an easy win in the end for Williams, was always gonna be the case with someone like Safina, she'd beat her easily or it'd be the other way round, never had the makings of a classic.

Interesting to hear them talking through their hole on Setanta Sports News, comparing this final to the US Open final where Murray had come through a 5 setter with Nadal only to collapse in the final, they think the same will happen this time round. Comparing Murray's fitness levels to Nadal is nothing short of laughable. If anyone can physically recover from such a match it's Rafa. Apparently this is Federer's surface as well, explain how Rafa then won on his surface at Wimbledon.

This is nothing against Federer, it's these so called experts who come on tv and make complete ***s of themselves that annoys me. I said before the semi that Federer was probably favourite given how he demolished both del Potro and Roddick and I still think that's the case.

 

[Flux]

I think if the game goes to five sets Nadal will win it. His fitness levels are amazing, and like you say if anyone can recover it's him. I still think the men's semi-finals should be on the same day.

 

[Gay-Guy]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Flux @ Feb 1 2009, 09:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

I think if the game goes to five sets Nadal will win it. His fitness levels are amazing, and like you say if anyone can recover it's him. I still think the men's semi-finals should be on the same day.[/b]

What is puzzling is how the number one seed has the semifinal which gives him a shorter break.

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Gay-Guy @ Feb 1 2009, 08:42 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Flux @ Feb 1 2009, 09:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think if the game goes to five sets Nadal will win it. His fitness levels are amazing, and like you say if anyone can recover it's him. I still think the men's semi-finals should be on the same day.[/b]

What is puzzling is how the number one seed has the semifinal which gives him a shorter break.
[/b][/quote]

I think that was down to the fact that the defending champion usually plays on the opening day which gives that side of the draw the earlier semi final.

Still though both matches should be played on the same day. You'd wonder as well on the flip side when you're used to playing matches every other day, could a 2 day break just stem the momentum a bit?

 

[Gay-Guy]

Federer opens serve and is broken straight away!

 

[Gay-Guy]

Nadal is broken on his first serve as well!!!! OMG Feds backhand topspin has improved and going for gold!