tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8948801468516043822.post8750509797980726964..comments2023-07-25T10:37:32.127+01:00Comments on Tennis Is Served...: Miami: The strange, intangible, utterly befuddling notion of ‘Loyalty’Zafarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11909444215193865334noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8948801468516043822.post-84828129394918367712011-04-03T23:46:43.482+01:002011-04-03T23:46:43.482+01:00"Only thing I would say is that Nadal has had..."Only thing I would say is that Nadal has had some pretty horrific, inexplicable mid-match fluctuations since the IW final, that no one's been able to satisfactorily explain to me.It doesn't seem down to any pre-existing injury."<br /><br />Indeed - happened again in the Miami championship match this afternoon. My guess: might be a mix of the physical consequences of Nadal's altered service motion on exterior hard courts and of some pre-existing physical condition he's been struggling with recently (right side - neck/shoulder/upper arm). <br /><br />Hence, Nadal's loss of full concentration on his game to assess the situation and then his having no choice other than to go on "reasonable" mode rather than his quintessential "competitive" mode. The look in Nadal's eyes, his loss of intensity and his sad glances towards his box always convey the info when he goes though this process during an important match.<br /><br />Given that the 2011 clay season opens this week in Monte Carlo, only reasonable thing for Nadal to do, no doubt. Too bad for the 2011 Miami title. <br /><br />Oustanding achievement by Djokovic in the 2011 opening hardcourt season! Bravissimo for it all, Djokovic, including for the IW-Miami combo!librionoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8948801468516043822.post-24020490580991320452011-04-03T13:21:45.849+01:002011-04-03T13:21:45.849+01:00That's all entirely correct. Even the womens f...That's all entirely correct. Even the womens final yesterday showed us that grit doesn't always carry you all the way - sometimes you "only" need to play the no-frills, competent match Vika did.<br /><br />Only thing I would say is that Nadal has had some pretty horrific, inexplicable mid-match fluctuations since the IW final, that no one's been able to satisfactorily explain to me.It doesn't seem down to any pre-existing injury.<br /><br />Rafa being Rafa has still managed to fight thru.Still entirely possible we'll see some of that versus Nole tonight.Zafarhttp://tennisisserved.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8948801468516043822.post-14392636665672352112011-04-03T05:40:46.544+01:002011-04-03T05:40:46.544+01:00Watching the Nadal vs Federer SF match in Miami Fr...Watching the Nadal vs Federer SF match in Miami Friday evening, sort of came to the conclusion that match was an eloquent “a contrario” demonstration of your “true grit” theory re: the 2011 Miami tournament. Nadal, one of the very few ATP/WTA players with “true grit”, winning a SF match against Federer “in absentia” at the 2011 Masters 1000 Miami <br /><br />Given the extent of Nadal’s “in absentia” win over Federer in Miami, and this with Nadal playing very solid but neither inspired or outstanding tennis, could not shake off the feeling of some pre-existing condition in Federer before he walked onto Stadium Court on April 1, 2011.librionoreply@blogger.com