WTA ATP Aus Open 1/17 - 1/30 2022

[meganfernandez]

It's a good question, whether that kind of competitiveness can be taught. Good question for Rafa or Uncle Toni. I think so, to an extent, but for the ones who rise to the very top, like Rafa and other top 100 players, it has to be inborn, right? Nature or nurture?

I purposely did not start my laptop while I was watching it, simply to avoid the chance of seeing the result by mistake. The thrill was superb: the first set to Medvedev was great quality by him, then Rafa about to win the second and losing it, and then watching him keep trying over and over and always thinking (me, not him) "he can't make it, he is gassed". And over and over coming up with one more shot, one more get, one more long game. Then he serves for the match and can't get it, and he still keeps trying.
It was a perfect lesson, to any and all young players, that it is never over. That in tennis, you are only out of the match when the umpire says "Game, set and match, your opponent".
Should be mandatory view at any tennis academy. And I don't know how many young players should be forced to watch it and be told "you see? But no, you tank the match. And that is why you are you, and he is Rafa Nadal".
Problem is, I don't think this can be taught. You are either Rafa* and have it in your blood, or you are Marcelo Rios and decide to tank when it gets tough.

Off Topic

Or Ferrer, or Connors, or Hewitt. On the women's side, Evert, Steffi, Monica, Martina I. He is amazing but we have had great examples in the past too.

[ptmcmahon]

Might be worth the $5 ESPN+ subscription to watch the whole thing sometime. But I guess part of the thrill was the suspense. The tennis was spectacular, too, but for me it was the suspense and how Nadal hung on by his fingernails for so long and then found another level and kept it up. His BH down the line in the last half of the match was incredible - and that's supposed to be Medvedev's shot.

Well I did make it into early in the fifth set But I would have had to start the on demand this AM since I couldn't skip to the fifth set so would have had to let it sit laying on tv for four hours. And I was tired of avoiding seeing who won so I just gave up.

[meganfernandez]

Might be worth the $5 ESPN+ subscription to watch the whole thing sometime. But I guess part of the thrill was the suspense. The tennis was spectacular, too, but for me it was the suspense and how Nadal hung on by his fingernails for so long and then found another level and kept it up. His BH down the line in the last half of the match was incredible - and that's supposed to be Medvedev's shot.

Well I did make it into early in the fifth set But I would have had to start the on demand this AM since I couldn't skip to the fifth set so would have had to let it sit laying on tv for four hours. And I was tired of avoiding seeing who won so I just gave up.

Been there. I usually cave by noon of the day I plan to watch it, if I haven't gotten around to it. I pulled off the incredible, though - watched half in the the morning, went to brunch with a group of tennis friends who all knew the result, and avoided the topic. Had one close call when I mindlessly opened Instagram on my phone, but caught it before I saw any spoilers. Watched the rest when i got home with someone who knew the result. Also, the program was still recording when I started it that morning (over 5 hours into it) so my husband started it, on mute, while I was in the other room just in case it didn't play from the beginning. After a decade of spoiled results, I finally have it figured out. The 2008 Wimbledon final was ruined for me because of DVR technology and the rain delays. Never saw the full thing.

[JazzNU]

Off Topic

Or Ferrer, or Connors, or Hewitt. On the women's side, Evert, Steffi, Monica, Martina I. He is amazing but we have had great examples in the past too.

Is your off topic referencing comeback wins?

[ponchi101]

Off Topic

Or Ferrer, or Connors, or Hewitt. On the women's side, Evert, Steffi, Monica, Martina I. He is amazing but we have had great examples in the past too.

Is your off topic referencing comeback wins?

Not necessarily. More about players with huge mental strength. Remember that in TAT1.0 I made a small series of "best strokes" and I included the mental aspect. This would be more along that line.
Wanna start a topic about GREAT COMEBACK/GUTSY wins? We are not doing much this week

[JazzNU]

Off Topic

Or Ferrer, or Connors, or Hewitt. On the women's side, Evert, Steffi, Monica, Martina I. He is amazing but we have had great examples in the past too.

Is your off topic referencing comeback wins?

Not necessarily. More about players with huge mental strength. Remember that in TAT1.0 I made a small series of "best strokes" and I included the mental aspect. This would be more along that line.
Wanna start a topic about GREAT COMEBACK/GUTSY wins? We are not doing much this week

No. I was just trying to think of reasons why Serena was left off your list and was thinking I may not have understood what your list was for.

[ptmcmahon]

Been there. I usually cave by noon of the day I plan to watch it, if I haven't gotten around to it. I pulled off the incredible, though - watched half in the the morning, went to brunch with a group of tennis friends who all knew the result, and avoided the topic. Had one close call when I mindlessly opened Instagram on my phone, but caught it before I saw any spoilers. Watched the rest when i got home with someone who knew the result. Also, the program was still recording when I started it that morning (over 5 hours into it) so my husband started it, on mute, while I was in the other room just in case it didn't play from the beginning. After a decade of spoiled results, I finally have it figured out. The 2008 Wimbledon final was ruined for me because of DVR technology and the rain delays. Never saw the full thing.

It's mostly just internet where I have to avoid tennis results, and fortunately no friends/family are also tennis fans. But for some other sports, especially the NFL, it's very bad. But most family/friends just lead off with "are you watching live" at least. But often based on who's asking I can get an idea what's going on For example this week I didn't watch the Cincinnati NFL game live but around the time it would be done multiple siblings and a friend asked if we were watching at our house (wife and as many as 3/4 of the kids are Cincinnati fans) so I had a good guess.

My dad was the worst though, when he was living in a different city. He'd call Sunday/Monday night (big sport days) and ask what I still had to watch and then say he wasn't going to spoil it, and then spoil most of it. For example if he had called Sunday he probably would have said "Ok, I won't tell you who wins... but you might as well start watching with Nadal leading in the fifth set"

[meganfernandez]

Been there. I usually cave by noon of the day I plan to watch it, if I haven't gotten around to it. I pulled off the incredible, though - watched half in the the morning, went to brunch with a group of tennis friends who all knew the result, and avoided the topic. Had one close call when I mindlessly opened Instagram on my phone, but caught it before I saw any spoilers. Watched the rest when i got home with someone who knew the result. Also, the program was still recording when I started it that morning (over 5 hours into it) so my husband started it, on mute, while I was in the other room just in case it didn't play from the beginning. After a decade of spoiled results, I finally have it figured out. The 2008 Wimbledon final was ruined for me because of DVR technology and the rain delays. Never saw the full thing.

It's mostly just internet where I have to avoid tennis results, and fortunately no friends/family are also tennis fans. But for some other sports, especially the NFL, it's very bad. But most family/friends just lead off with "are you watching live" at least. But often based on who's asking I can get an idea what's going on For example this week I didn't watch the Cincinnati NFL game live but around the time it would be done multiple siblings and a friend asked if we were watching at our house (wife and as many as 3/4 of the kids are Cincinnati fans) so I had a good guess.

My dad was the worst though, when he was living in a different city. He'd call Sunday/Monday night (big sport days) and ask what I still had to watch and then say he wasn't going to spoil it, and then spoil most of it. For example if he had called Sunday he probably would have said "Ok, I won't tell you who wins... but you might as well start watching with Nadal leading in the fifth set"

Haha! Did you dad know what he was doing?

[ptmcmahon]

Like me he was a sports nut and liked pretty much every sport he could possibly watch and I think just desperately wanted to talk about it (he was working in Ottawa at time with all of us here in Nova Scotia.) I think the funniest was one time I told him I was going to watch final round of the Masters golf tournament and he said "I won't tell you about it, but these 3 golfers don't win by the way"

[meganfernandez]

Like me he was a sports nut and liked pretty much every sport he could possibly watch and I think just desperately wanted to talk about it (he was working in Ottawa at time with all of us here in Nova Scotia.) I think the funniest was one time I told him I was going to watch final round of the Masters golf tournament and he said "I won't tell you about it, but these 3 golfers don't win by the way"

Priceless! He couldn't help himself.

[ti-amie]

[Deuce]

Not EVERYONE saw him losing this match - even after 2 sets... I didn't.
I never count him out.
He simply has an extra gear - or two - that others don't have - with the possible exception of Djokovic.
That extra gear is called Extraordinary Will to Win.

[meganfernandez]

Not EVERYONE saw him losing this match - even after 2 sets... I didn't.
I never count him out.
He simply has an extra gear - or two - that others don't have - with the possible exception of Djokovic.
That extra gear is called Extraordinary Will to Win.

Same. I knew he was in the match as long as he was out there. Didn’t think it was likely after he went down 2 sets to love, but I knew it wasn’t over. It was one of the best competitive performances I have ever seen. Absolute joy to watch - and I’m a Fed fan!! Never thought I’d say that about a Rafa match, but I was so happy for him.

He was also my pick to win the tournament from the start.


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