Topic: have you predicted an upset recently? brag about it here!
Totally called the petkovic upset over sharapova. Maria just seemed too shakey and it definitely showed against Andrea. felt good to call that one.
- Tono
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Re: have you predicted an upset recently? brag about it here!
I got Pennetta over Peer but my predictions after that have turned to custard a wee bit!
Re: have you predicted an upset recently? brag about it here!
I called Kvitova over Pennetta, but it was a hollow victory; Pennetta was on my team >.<
I also totally called Wawrinka over Roddick....the latter is such a loser.
- Don
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Re: have you predicted an upset recently? brag about it here!
I have predicted all Kvitova's wins (including the next one over Zvonareva) and Petkovic over Venus.
Wawrinka's win over Roddick hardly counts as an upset since Stan was the betting favorite before the match, but I had that one, too.
- the_lost_scot
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Re: have you predicted an upset recently? brag about it here!
Definitely called Kvitova. Stan is not an upset for sure.
- Don
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Actually, calling Kvitova's win over Pennetta after she beat Stosur was not picking an upset. Kvitova was the betting favorite. But I called it anyway, upset or not.
However, Kvitova over Stosur -- which I also called -- WAS an upset. So was Petkovic over Venus.
- the_lost_scot
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Petkovic over Venus could be argued as not an upset considering Venus retired due to injury. Any injuries in the abdominal area are brutal for tennis players, especially those who rely heavily on a big serve. The abs take a pounding each time. Petkovic is having a good run though.
- Tono
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Li Na just brought Petkovic's run to an end though, Roger and Stan next, now that will be a good match 
- Don
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Re: have you predicted an upset recently? brag about it here!
Right about the Venus thing, Scotty. Not really an upset, because Venus had to retire.
Kvitova beating Zvonareva will be one, though. How about Li Na over Wozniacki? Will that be an upset?
- Tono
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Don't think so Don, I think Li will almost go in as favourite, maybe the same finalists from Brisbane, Li Na v Clijsters!
Ferrer beating Rafa or Dolgo beating Murray would be an upset, can't see it happening though but I guess that's why it would be an upset, something most people dont expect huh
- Don
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Right. I don't see Li over Wozniacki as an upset either. Li is the betting favorite, though not an overwhelming one.
- Aiur
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Putting Nadal on notice tonight. Not saying he will lose, but I would be surprised if the match didn't go to at least 4 sets.
- Aiur
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This isn't what I had in mind when I said Nadal is on alert. This is always the concern with Nadal and the only reason why I say he will never win the Calendar 'Slam. Can't say enough about the guy, though. He's obviously at 30% or so and there is a chance he could make whatever injury he has even worse, but he's still battling. Makes you appreciate him that much more, especially when you see guys quitting or half-assing it in the middle of the match (Tipsarevic, Malisse and Wawrinka I'm looking at you). IDK how long he will be out with this injury, but I hope he will have a strong US hardcourt season before going onto the dirt.
Gotta give credit to Ferrer here as well. The way he came out and sent a message before Rafa got injured told me this was going to at least a 4-setter like I said. The guy can flat out play when his head is in the match, and Murray better play a lot better than he did against Dolgopolov if he wants to beat him.
- Don
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Ferrer played brilliantly. Rafa would have had his hands full even if he had not been injured.
Watching the match was difficult for me. Rafa was in very obvious pain. He was unable to run even vaguely close to normally. His pain and frustration were eclipsed only by his determination to finish the match. Very few players would have toughed it out like that, knowing they had no chance to win, but Rafa gave it his best effort even though that amounted to only 30% or so of normal, as Aiur said.
You can be sure that Rafa will make no excuses, and that he will give Ferrer the credit he so richly deserves. Rafa's that kind of guy.
I doubt that he will be fully recovered in time to prepare properly for Indian Wells and Miami, but hopefully I'm wrong about that. We'll see.
Murray will definitely have to play better if he hopes to take Ferrer out. At this point, I hope Ferrer goes on a run that takes him all the way to the title.
Last edited by DonDenman (Jan. 26, 2011 11:45am)
Re: have you predicted an upset recently? brag about it here!
I hope that even if Nadal IS fit by Indian Wells & Miami, that he doesn't make too much of an effort in them; I'm terrified he'll just injure himself again.
Besides, I think if Nadal wasn't hurt he could have taken Ferrer; this was shocking beyond belief. As for Ferrer winning...I suppose it would be more interesting and such if he won, but I have a bit of a grudge against him now. Personally, I'd like Djokovic to win; at the level he's been playing at, he deserves another Aussie title.
- Don
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I agree that -- so far -- Djokovic has been in the best form of anybody. Can he do it against Roger? Should be a great match.
I also agree that Rafa would have found a way through even an inspired Ferrer if he had been healthy.
Actually, Ferrer was in a tough position, because he and Rafa are good friends as well as Davis Cup teammates. But David really is a "pro's pro" as the commentators have been saying. He was able to continue to attack and not be distracted by Rafa's injury -- in spite of the fact that he was concerned, as he obviously expressed to Rafa at the end of the match, and even though any injury to your opponent is likely to cause you to change your play. It's not Ferrer's fault that Rafa was injured.
I hope Rafa will give the early US hardcourt season a miss and come back at Monte Carlo for his health's sake.
Last edited by DonDenman (Jan. 26, 2011 12:54pm)
- Tono
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Wow! What an upset huh, sure Rafa wasn't at his best but geez did Ferrer play well or what!
Looking frward to the Fed v Djokovic semi tonight ,should be a great match up.
I wonder if Rafa's injury will put him out for long? I don't think it will, but if it does then who knows Fed might end up regaining the No.1 spot again.
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Tono100 wrote:
Wow! What an upset huh, sure Rafa wasn't at his best but geez did Ferrer play well or what!
Looking frward to the Fed v Djokovic semi tonight ,should be a great match up.
I wonder if Rafa's injury will put him out for long? I don't think it will, but if it does then who knows Fed might end up regaining the No.1 spot again.
Rafa has a semi at Indian Wells and Miami to defend, but that's really it for the short US hardcourt stint. Roger can make up a bunch of points there because he didn't even make it to the quarters of either tournament. That being said, Rafa would have to miss the clay court season for Roger to have any chance, which I don't see happening.
Nadal obviously has the three majors to defend. I don't see Nadal winning all three again, so the stretch from May-August is probably Roger's best chance to get the #1 back.
- Tono
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Yep agreed Aiur, its going to be a long way back for Roger to try and get the top spot back and maybe he never will but if Nadal remains fit and healthy for most of the year and if Nadal has a year of injury problems and is out for an extended period maybe then we might seeRoger break Sampras record of weeks at No.1.
Roger says he is not too worried whether he is No.1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 anymore but something tells me that this is a smokescreen and he would love to regain No.1 spot just to break that record, he's going to need some poor form from Nadal or an injury laden season from Rafa to do it though I think and continue to perform himself of course
Good Luck to him, I hope he does it!
- Don
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If Fed wins this tournament and Rafa wins RG, then it will most likely all come down to Wimbledon. Rafa will probably have more Masters Series points because he'll probably win all the clay court ones again -- if he's healthy enough. So Fed probably can't split the Slams 2-2 and end up #1. Rafa is more dominant on clay than anyone has ever been on hard courts. So I think Fed has to win Wimbledon and either this one or the US Open to have a chance if Rafa is able to play.
Re: have you predicted an upset recently? brag about it here!
I don't think Federer will be able to regain his number one ranking; too many people can beat him in Grand Slams now. Soderling, Murray, Djokovic, and Berdych have all proved themselves capable of knocking off Federer in pursuit of a maiden (or in Djoker's case, a second) Grand Slam. And since most of the spring Masters tourneys are on clay, as Don mentioned, I predict something very similar to what happened last year; a slump after the Australian for Rafa, but then an explosive run as he (almost definitely) wins another "Clay Slam" and, I predict, another Wimbledon. I feel that Nadal doesn't get enough credit for being the excellent grass court player that he is. Aside from Federer, I'd say Nadal is the best grass court player since Pete Sampras. Like Borg before him, he found a way to make the strange bounces & fast pace of the courts at the All-England Country Club work for him. And who knows? Maybe he'll be like Borg and win 5! That would be incredible.
So it seems clear to me that if he recovers in time, Rafael can win the French, Wimbledon, and a bunch of Masters titles in the spring, and since Fed is now out of the Australian, he simply won't be able to accrue enough points to supplant Nadal. Nope, yet again Rafa shall prevail!