Australian Open Day 4 picks, including Dimitrov vs. Lu and Cilic vs. Simon

January 15, 2014 Ricky Predictions 187

The Grandstand’s Ricky Dimon and Joey Hanf of The Tennis Nerds preview and pick the best men’s singles matchups on Day 4 of the Australian Open. This is the fourth of 13 installments of expert picks during the season’s first Grand Slam.

Yen-Hsun Lu vs. (22) Grigor Dimitrov

Ricky: Don’t look now, but Yen-Hsun Lu is one of the hottest players on tour. Chinese Taipei’s top player boasts a 6-1 record this season and he was the best man–by a decent margin–from start to finish in Auckland (John Isner struggled all week but served his way out of trouble against Lu to win a competitive final). Lu, who destroyed countryman Jimmy Wang on Tuesday, should benefit in hot conditions against Dimitrov. The Bulgarian’s fitness has always been a question mark, as is his ability to play five-setters. Lu 6-4, 2-6, 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-2.

Joey: This one should be fun to watch. It pits Grigor’s new “no-nonsense” approach with coach Roger Rasheed against one of the most in-form players on tour, Rendy Lu. The key factor for Lu is to get in as many backhand-to-backhand rallies as possible, in which he has the advantage. Everywhere else Dimitrov holds the edge, and in the end I think the Bulgarian’s big serve will win him a lot of free points in big moments. Dimitrov 7-6(4), 6-3, 2-6, 7-5.

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Marin Cilic vs. (18) Gilles Simon

Ricky: Simon transformed Melbourne into Sparta on Tuesday evening. The Frenchman arrived at the Australian Open on crutches, but–after being expected to withdraw from the event–he turned in an absolute warrior performance against Daniel Brands. Incredibly, he saved seven match points before prevailing 16-14 in the fifth. Cilic also needed five sets, but he arguably has even more momentum after storming back from two sets down against Marcel Granollers. Simon should not be doubted after what he did in round one…but I’m going to doubt him anyway. Cilic 7-6(3), 3-6, 6-4, 6-1.

Joey: I didn’t think Simon would be playing his first-round match against Daniel Brands, let alone winning it 16-14 in the fifth. Cilic came back from two sets to love down to beat Granollers. This one has five sets written all over it–if Simon can manage his ankle injury. Cilic has been playing more aggressively to start 2014 and his serve should be the difference in this one, which could take a very long time. Cilic 6-4, 6-7(4), 7-5, 4-6, 7-5.

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(27) Benoit Paire vs. Nick Kyrgios

Ricky: The future may be now for the 18-year-old Kyrgios. He has a huge game and a great draw Down Under. The Australian already capitalized once by dismissing Benjamin Becker and although Paire is way more talented than Becker, the Frenchman rarely maximizes his talent. Kyrgios is going to want this one more, and what is sure to be a raucous crowd will be quick to jump on any unnecessary antics by Paire. Kyrgios 7-6(6), 2-6, 6-1, 7-6(5).

Joey: The crowd will be rocking in this one. The young Kyrgios has some serious game. A big serve and monstrous groundstrokes make him extremely dangerous. Paire might be the most up-and-down player I’ve ever seen; if nothing else, he’s exciting to watch. Expect Paire to drop-shot the teenager without end. The only thing that concerns me about Kyrgios is a shoulder injury he is nursing. But in front of his home crowd, the adrenaline should minimize that pain. Kyrgios 6-4, 7-6(5), 6-2.

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(24) Andreas Seppi vs. Donald Young

Ricky: Speaking of warriors saving match point, Seppi surprised the home crowd by holding off an in-form Lleyton Hewitt on Tuesday afternoon. The Italian survived 7-5 in the fifth after thwarting a match point with an ace at 4-5 in the decider. That effort may take just a little bit out of Seppi, but he rarely has trouble staying on the tennis court all day long. He is content to play long point after long point and should have too much consistency for an erratic Young. Seppi 5-7, 6-3, 6-3, 6-4.

Joey: After taking out Hewitt in a five-set marathon, you might think Seppi will have some sort of letdown in this one. However, he is playing the much-denounced Young, so anything could happen. Young has been playing well on the Challenger circuit for the last seven months and he’s started 2014 well, taking a set off David Ferrer in Auckland. The lefty forehand could give Seppi some trouble, but Young doesn’t have anywhere near the composure and confidence of the Italian. Seppi 6-4, 3-6, 7-5, 6-1.

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187 Comments on Australian Open Day 4 picks, including Dimitrov vs. Lu and Cilic vs. Simon

  4. I am going back and forth with Lu and Dimitrov. Normally I would just pick Dimi, but Lu seems to be playing some outstanding tennis. Oh well, I will go with Joey and pick Dimi in four sets.

    Cilic in four sets. I will also go with Kyrgios in four. Also Seppi in four. Still on the four sets kick!

    Reply

  7. Yes, they have invoked the heat rule -not matches on outdoor courts.

    It’s supposed to be about 120 degrees Fahrenheit on the court itself.

    Is this match ever going to end? Doesn’t Rafa come on next?

    Reply

  10. I didn’t want to stay up late tonight. I had hopes that I might get to see Rafa at a decent time. I have to get up kind of early tomorrow.

    I can’t believe there is another women’s match now.

    When are they closing the roof? Now?

    Reply

  11. Yep, closing the roof now. I bet it’ll be 4-5 hours before Rafa takes the court. They have to close the roof, but they also have to get the ventilation system going. Then it’s also possible after the next match that they would re-open the roof, since by then the temp/humidity factor will have dropped. That would be a further delay.

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  28. Rafa got what he needed: a good solid workout. Young K has got game, hope he gets a good coach who can guide him to higher stuff.

    Rafa was moving well, serving well and I especially liked the way he was hitting his BH. Still plenty of time to improve before the much anticipated match………………

    I expect La Monf to win over Sock.

    The business end has started for Rafa.

    Vamos!!

    Reply

  29. awesome performance. When rafa is hitting his backhan aggressively ,I don’t fear anyone (inc djokovic).

    The conditions seem to suit Nadal… his forehand was FEARSOME. ..I really liked his serve …ROS was decent but I would like to see some improvement…

    as RITB said ,rafa moved really well ! and Nadline is actually right…in terms of shotmaking, this was perhaps rafa’s best performance since the USO. I don’t care how low his opponent was ranked.

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  30. RT @juanjosetennis: “Nadal thanks the Australian Open for having roofs. The US Open pouts and heads over to a corner to cry.”

    Hehehe……

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  33. I was very pleased with Rafa’s performance. Again the thing that stood out to me was his overall movement on the court. He has definitely picked up a step or two since last year. He seems so comfortable with his movement, which at times last year wasn’t always the case.

    I usually try not to read too much into Rafa’s early round matches, especially against much lower ranked opponents, but there are good things to take away from this. Given that this was Rafa’s first real match after the one set retirement from Tomic, I think he was looking pretty sharp. Seeing that dtl and cc backhand at this early stage can only mean good things for Rafa moving forward.

    It’s a big jump up to Monfils, but I think that match will get him match ready. I do expect Monfils to beat Sock. That should be a good match for Rafa to get pushed and challenged a bit. I think his fourth round match against either Nishikori or Young should not give him too much trouble. I don’t want to think any further ahead than that.

    Suffice to say that Rafa’s performance has given me some very good feelings! 🙂

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  34. Well, I’m really impressed with Sock. Has gone to pieces in the tie br8 as Monfils’ experience shows. but otherwise held his own. Nice player, nice touch.

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    • waiting for andy deucy? 🙂 I want andy to play really well but you know, I don’t want him to play at his best inthe business end of the tournament ! because , you know , he makes me very nervous when playing at his best against rafa lol 😛

      anyway, I hope he gets his rhythm back asap…everyone is talking about nole and rafa…andy at his best can beat both of them on any court except clay..

      Reply

  35. I agree about Sock. He has given Monfils a challenge taking him to a first set tb. But I do think in the end Monfils will be too much for him. But it’s nice to see this young man coming out there and giving it his best.

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  37. What’s happening with Simon & Lu?? Thought they would at least be close games, hopeful Lu & Simon can take at least a set each..

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  42. RT @SI_BTBaseline: “Vasek Pospisil withdraws from the Australian Open with a back injury. Wawrinka gets a walkover to 4R. #ausopen”

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  46. La Monf/Rafa it is…………….

    Cracker to come! People were denied Bernie/Rafa (which was overrated imho) but La Monf/Rafa is the real deal………..it is here.

    Vamos!!

    Reply

  47. Dimi takes the match in a third set tie break (13.-11). So Dimitrov will likely take on Raonic now ! that will be interesting…who stands a better chance against Del Potro (assuming he wins today) ??

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  51. rafa’s presser:

    Q. Did it feel like you were playing a player ranked 570 in the world out there today?
    RAFAEL NADAL: No. Even if that’s the ranking when you are playing against a young player, you never have that feeling. He was able to win the first round against a tough opponent like Sijsling. That’s not the real ranking on him.

    He played juniors, two finals on Grand Slams last year, so he has a great future. He has the right level to try to be in the tour very soon. So just keep working and that will happen.

    Q. Were you impressed by him, 17 years old?

    RAFAEL NADAL: Yes. There is now new generation that should come. Kokkinakis is one of these ones that can be there in the next couple of years. Is normal that new players are coming, new generations are arriving. That’s happened in all the parts of the history of our sport.

    Strange for the last few years didn’t happen, so that’s something really normal that should happen and probably will happen and that’s good for the game.

    Q. Did you prepare yourself to be on the court with the roof open in terms of physically getting yourself ready for the match, and would that have changed earlier if you had known you were going to be playing under the roof?

    RAFAEL NADAL: I prepare myself to play a tennis match, drinking the things that I have to drink before the match start and try to be ready for the really hard conditions out there.

    Then with the roof, the conditions are better, no doubt. Very happy to see the roof out there today. But still very humid. Still very hard conditions even with the roof on that match. But still hard.

    I felt that I was ready.

    Q. Pretty regulation game today. Are you happy with the amount of game time you’ve registered coming into the third round?

    RAFAEL NADAL: I think I played a great first set, not many mistakes, serving well, finishing the set playing aggressive with my forehand.

    I think I played really well first set. Then the second set I didn’t play as good as I played the first. I stopped a little bit. I played with less intensity. Playing with less intensity equal more mistakes, and that’s what happened.

    Was important that the serve was there during the whole match. And, in my opinion, the third set I finished the match playing well again, good forehands down the line. That’s give me a lot last year, so is the way to keep improving.

    And is true that here that shot is a little bit more difficult because the court goes very quick when the ball bounce. When the ball bounce on the floor, is like goes very, very quick, so is very difficult to adjust with the balls.

    But I think I played at a very good level. The serve, that is a very important thing here, was working well.

    Q. With your opponent today, you identified a couple of his strengths. Would you see over three sets anything he could be working on to improve his game at this stage?

    RAFAEL NADAL: No. Always is the same thing, no? If you are able to keep improving in all aspects, then you will have the chance to be in the top position of the ranking and compete for the best tournaments.

    If you are not able to keep improving, your chances will be less. Because if you are not improving new things, the things that you have are going worst. That’s my feeling.

    So always is the same thing when you are a young player. The main goal is keep improving in all aspects, no? But is true he has a great serve to be 17, so keep doing that.

    The normal thing is he will be serving better and better every year. Forehand, he has a good forehand. The normal thing is if he is able to improve with being humble, being with the right people around that don’t make you feel you are a star before the right time.

    So he will have the chance to be a great player. That’s my feeling. He has everything to do it.

    Q. Last year at this time what were you doing and how much did you follow the Australian Open? What times of the day did you follow it?

    RAFAEL NADAL: Well, last year I was starting to practice. I remember that. I was in Barcelona practicing a little bit on clay. And was hard to see Australian Open, because in Spain only shows Australian Open Eurosport.

    I don’t have Eurosport in my home (smiling), so was a tough situation to see.

    But anyway, I saw a little bit, a few matches. I was able to see that when I was in Barcelona. Was practicing the tennis in Barcelona and there they have the channel. I saw a little bit the match against Federer/Tsonga I think.

    Saw a little bit David Ferrer against Almagro and David against Djokovic, and I was not able to see the final.

    Q. Last Friday your opponent had the chance to do something that few of us in this room do. He asked you one question after another one on one at the Babolat event. You said he had a good future in tennis. Talk about his future in journalism.

    RAFAEL NADAL: My advice is keep working on tennis.

    Q. Can you remember the biggest match you had when you were a 17 year old?

    RAFAEL NADAL: 17? Oh, I played the fifth point of Davis Cup in Brno, Czech Republic, when I was 17. I played against Roger in Miami. I was on the tour, no? I think I won a tournament with 17, 2004.

    No, it was after. But I played against David Ferrer in Stuttgart. No, I think I played a lot of important matches with 17.

    But is true that when you have 16, I started at 17, you know, everything is to win. You go on court and you feel everything is new. If you lose in first round, you keep working. If you lose in quarterfinals, is a great result. If you lose in semifinals, fantastic tournament.

    Everything is to win. Mentally is easier to play when you are younger, but at the same time, important thing is have the chance to be the mental part very fresh, to analyze that you need to keep improving.

    Q. Despite the rankings difference, it’s always going to be tough playing someone at their home Grand Slam. Did you feel the support for you out there?

    RAFAEL NADAL: I think is great. The atmosphere was always great. I played against Tomic in the past. I played two big matches against Lleyton. I lost one in five and another one in three. But was the first time I arrived here. That was with 17, I think, yeah. So was a big match.

    But I really enjoy a lot playing here. The crowd, even if you play against Australian, you feel that they respect every player. They know about tennis. They understand the sport. Is great.

    I never felt the crowd against me. I felt most of the times the crowd behind me, and that’s something I just can say thank you very much to the Australian fans. Make me feel very, very, very happy and very special when I am there and I feel the crowd behind me.

    Another times that you feel the crowd share 50/50 is great atmosphere. Played long matches here that the crowd was fantastic. When the match became a little bit more dramatic, have the crowd involved in that kind of matches makes the matches more emotional.

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    • Thank you for posting this interview @rafaelo
      this is a nice one
      (and I have little time this week to look things up)
      looking forward to 10 days from now watching the AO final over early breakfast with Rafa (most likely) on court

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  57. 4-6 6-3 5-7 6-3 7-5 Bautista Agut . What an effort ! huge upset win…. Rafa will now likely have the easiest qtr final lol…:D

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  58. the only plausible explanation to delpo’s poor record here is HEAT. I think he struggles big time to adjust in the inhumane conditions Down Under

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    • haha…may be he should ! and regarding him being a serious threat to rafa, well I guess he was/is … Despite his struggles,he can on any day raise his level against the best! even if he loses to rafa in a 5 setter , the physical exertion caused would have been BAD. No secret I am RELIEVED…..may sound mean given how disappointing a loss it was for Delpo …but it is what it is !

      Reply

      • vamosrafa,

        It’s not mean, it’s honest! I am relieved, too. Considering that Djoker’s draw really is a joke (LOL!), I am glad that Rafa can get a break. Playing Monfils and then Delpo back-to-back would not be a good thing.

        This loss has to be disappointing for Delpo, considering that he crashed out of last year’s USO early, too..

        But you and I are in agreement that Delpo has the game to trouble just about anyone. You know what? Rafa would agree!

        Reply

  63. i wasn’t at all bothered by Delpo. I would have loved Rafa to show him the door here. The fact that he beat him in the fall, means nothing. The ease with which he beat Rafa tells me that Rafa wasn’t firing on all cylinders.

    As for his win at the USO in 2009, well that was Rafa’s Anus Horribilis. Everyone beat him when he came back from his injury time out because of physical and emotional reasons. Rafa cried when he won MC in 2010 after not winning a title for 11 months! That wasn’t Rafa in all his glory.

    Reply

    • @nadline January 16, 2014 at 2:52 pm

      “i wasn’t at all bothered by Delpo.”

      That is what I said at the beginning of the tournament. I wish I had the time to fish out my exact comment to that effect. I said these temperatures would marinate Delpo so that by the time he meets Rafa he will be there for the taking. Looks like he decided to skip the marination stage and go straight to be cooked!

      When are people going to call Delpo for what he really is, a one Slam wonder until proven otherwise? Set aside his Slam win, the only other time I have seen Delpo flatter to deceive at a Slam was at Wimby 2013 during his match against Novak! But then again, maybe it’s because he was playing Novak………….

      And of course Delpo will be amongst the pundits’ favourites at Wimby 2014, USO 2014………….

      Sigh……………

      Reply

    • I still remember the video of Rafa walking down the corridor to his dressing room after being defeated by Delpo at the US Open that year. Rafa had the abdominal tear. It was only a few seconds of film but he was in obvious agony, bent over and holding his side as he walked. It’s hard to believe he even made it through the match.

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      • Can’t find the clip and it’s been too long ago to remember if Youtube is even where I saw it. Here’s the October 2013 interview Rafa did, though, where he described the injury.

        Reply

      • Everyone knows why Rafa lost to Delpo at the 2009 USO. He couldn’t even serve because of the abdominal tear. The haters used that to insist that Delpo could and would beat Rafa all the time.. Rafa proved them wrong by beating Delpo up until last year in Shanghai.

        No way do I think Delpo is a one slam wonder. His career was derailed by the wrist injury and being out for a year. He’s done quite well to get back up to #5, which is where he was when he had the wrist injury. But it took him two years to do it. It’s been a long journey. But Delpo should not be written off. I am not about to do it. I will give him the respect he deserves. So does Rafa!

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  64. Just came back to check the results for the night session and gosh.. shocked to see Delpo losing to Agut. I know Delpo’s record here hasnt been good, but I expected him to make the qtrs this time. Can someone tell me what’s actually his problem here in Oz?

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  66. The problem is, Delpo is overrated. How many times has he made a slam final/? Once. The same number of times he’s made a slam final, and the same number of times he’s made a slam SF. i don’t think he’s made the Qtrs. many more times.

    Why, Oh why is he favoured against a 13 times GS champion, who has made ALMOST every slam SF he’s played in?

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  67. The guy is the King of the 500 (or is it 250s, can’t be bothered to check) events for goodness’ sakes. People need to now treat that lone Delpo Slam as a fluke (don’t think it would do him any harm to be told thus, might fire him up who knows) and ask themselves why he hasn’t bagged a Masters 1000s yet. So, Delpo’s supposed to snag all these Slams without bothering with Masters’ events?

    I tell you what, I see that joker, Jerzy, winning a Masters 1000 before Delpo does.

    Reply

      • Even his record against Rafa is a measly 4-9 and they’ve only met 3 times on clay. It’s probably a combo of the fact that one of those 4 wins was at the US Open and then the most recent Shanghai win, coupled with the fact that Delpo is the type of player who is known to trouble Rafa (tall, big serve, big flat forehand, etc). And yes, his winning percentage against Rafa is better than his record against Novak (3-11) or his record against Roger (5-15).

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  73. Well if its the heat that causes him the problem, then probably he should hire Nole as his trainer. Maybe that could do wonders for him 😉

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  74. you guys are being overly critical of Delpo ! I don’t think anybody was saying he was ‘favored’ against Nadal . All that was being said was that Del Potro was going to pose a ‘serious threat’ to nadal. What’s wrong with saying that? Aside from Nole,Murray ,who else is more dangerous than del potro??

    Another thing about Del Potro is his mentality against the top guys. He is NOT afraid …he can compete with them on big stages ANYWHERE in the world..

    Yes he has not won a masters 1000 but does not mean he can’t be considered a legitimate slam contender.

    Reply

    • vamosrafa,

      Did I ever tell you that you’re my hero? Please don’t be embarrassed! I just love that you are the voice of reason and fairness..

      I just got on here to read the news! Delpo was knocked out by that guy Bautista-Agut! Now I have to hope to see the match on replay today on the tennis channel.

      So now Rafa’s draw has opened up for him. That’s why I said that we shouldn’t get too freaked out about so-called conspiracies. I said a few times that we have seen in the past that tough draws can open up because the opponent doesn’t get there.

      I appreciate your great comments about Delpo.

      Reply

      • ahaha flattering comments NNY 🙂 many many thanks ! really glad to know you consider my viewpoints well-reasoned and logical , because I believe you are perhaps the nicest/fairest/ most insightful rafa fan I have come across ! Keep up the great work 🙂

        and I totally agree with you! the way draws play out are what matters most ! so point in crying about draws before the tournament begins

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    • Personally, It’s not Delpo I am critical of, how can I? He gave his best, so happens it was not good enough on the day! Something which has not surprised me one bit.

      My beef is with the pundits who had him as a favorite to win the Slam, some of them even had him ahead of Fed in this regard!

      All I am saying to these pundits is: it’s time to let go of the Delpo infatuation, they need to be realistic and peg him at his true level in Slams. what’s wrong with saying that?

      The problem is pundits nowadays are framing their picks through the prism of, “who can stop Rafa?” instead of doing an honest appraisal and asking what Delpo has done lately in Slams. When was the last time Delpo beat Rafa in a Slam? What is Delpo’s record in Melbourne? What has been his record in adverse weather conditions? These are questions which of asked honestly would not have assigned such a high weight Delpo’s chances imho.

      As I said, come Wimby, Delpo’s name will be up there in the favorites convo, it’s a personal choice, not necessary based on empirical evidence.

      As far as the relevance of Masters 1000s wins, of course there is no recorded empirical evidence to say without a Masters you cannot win a Slam but tell me this: how many active Slam holders are out there who do not have Masters shields? This has to count for something, if not that maybe Delpo needs to “lower” his ambitions, focus on Masters shields and graduate to Slams. But you know what, it takes a certain level of humility to do that. Rafa did that by playing Vina del Mar on his comeback and built up slowly and look what happened. Would it hurt Delpo to adopt such an attitude?

      Of course he’s a genuine Slam contender! So is Baby Fed, Tsonga, Raonic, etc, etc. The pundits did not just have Delpo as a Slam contender, they had him as a firm favorite to win the Slam and yes, to upset the #1 player in the world.

      Reply

      • Okay, if some pundits are having as a favourite to win Oz and other slams, ,I would not agree with them as Nadal.djo are in another league …Muzz is recovering and Fed is is in a bad shape…so yea it’s not quite reasonable to have him as a favourite alongside rafa/nole ….however, I do not think many pundits have done that! del po is usually considered a genuine threat to the big 3… but because of fed’s struggles and muzz’s poor record on clay, it is not a bad idea to have delpo as the man who can challenge rafa on clay apart from nole ! at USO, it is delpo’s stellar run in 2009 and strong performances on fast hard courts over the years that make him a worthy contender..

        Baby fed, RAONIC? I cannot put these players in Delpo’s category ! they are talented youngsters but slam contenders? naa I don’t think so… Tsonga is a different player though but Delpo has a far better mentality than Tsonga so I would definitely pick Delpo over him..but yea Tsonga can be considered a slam contender…

        ‘The pundits did not just have Delpo as a Slam contender, they had him as a firm favorite to win the Slam and yes, to upset the #1 player in the world.’

        Who are these pundits who have delpo as a ‘firm favourite’ to win the slam and upset rafa on his way?! They must be out of their mind to have delpo as a strong favourite…

        The betting markets too have delpo far below in the list…

        WE should also keep in mind that delpo’s progress has been severely halted with injuries and it was only since last year that he has started playing well on a consistent basis !

        For me its simple. Rafa and Nole are in the top league …veryyy closely followed by Murray (though Murray is at the top on grass right now)… then we have genuine contenders…FOR NOW, delpo and fed spring to mind.

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  75. Delpo has 4 wins over Rafa. Three of them were in 2009, when Rafa was not himself and the other one was in Shanghai last year. vamosrafa, Ricky did say Delpo was a roadblock in Rafa’s Qtrs.

    Yea he’s not afraid of the top 4, but he is not a dead cert against them either.

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  76. Of course Delpo is a legitimate slam contender, he’s actually won a slam but that is not to say that the top 4 should run scared of him. The one thing I was happy about when Andy won his first slam was that justice had been done, because it seemed unfair to me that Delpo had won a slam and Andy hadn’t, when Any is consistently better than Delpo.

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  77. He does not have many important titles to his name but his performances over the years on big stages prove his worth. Apart from his USO 2009 run, I remember Del Potro for beating djokovic ,Murray back to back in IW last year and being 6-4 3-1 up against rafa when everyone thought he would be totally spent in the final against rafa…

    I remember Del Potro for pushing nole to his absolute limit in wimbledon SF last year and the shanghai final ! I also remember his battles against the best grass court player of this generation in the Olympic games 2012 when DElpo was defeated 19-17 in the 3rd set ! And yes, his dismissal of djokovic in the bronze medal match was also a BIG STAGE.

    I still remember how awfully hard Del Potro made rafa work in the 2011 Davis Cup final on CLAY. Rafa was brushed aside 6-1 in the opening set and it was only vintage rafa that earned him the win.

    Going back , I also remember Del Potro almost defeating Federer in RG 2009 semi which lasted 5 sets !

    On grass against rafa, his battle in the 4th rnd of wimb 2011 was a VERY closely contested 4 setter ! rafa took 3 sets to break his I think !

    On indoors, he has beaten federer multiple times ! he also denied federer a position in the semis of WTF 2009 by beating fed the RR stage..fed was no.1 at that time…

    I can quote other examples too….point is that you don’t always have to be on the winning end to prove your worth….delpo has shown he can compete really hard against the king of clay, the king of hard courts and some of the best ever on hard courts !

    lastly, all players mention his name right after the big 4 when asked about the main slam contenders…rafa does that very often ! you think they also overrate him? lol…

    DelPo is not a part of the big 3/big 4 and there are reasons for that…true..but he is the undisputed challenger to the big 4 on ANY surface !

    Hence, it was absolutely fine to consider him as a genuine threat to Rafa and for all slams of the year.

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    • Another great post! There’s nothing left for me to say, because you defended Delpo with facts and evidence of how tough he can be.

      What I would also like to say, is that this is a player who lost a year after undergoing wrist surgery. Thankfully, they were able to fix it and allow him to come back and continue playing. It took him another year to get back up in the rankings. Who knows what might have happened if he didn’t have to be out for so long with a serious injury.

      I don’t consider Delpo to be the typical giant who only has the big serve and then a big forehand. He is a multi-dimensional big guy who can beat players off both wings. He’s not just a powerful forehand. He also has a formidable backhand. He is a very good mover for a big guy. He can move into the net to hit great volleys. The guy’s got nice touch.

      I do think he is capable of winning another slam. He has pushed the top guys at different times in slams and masters tournaments. He’s a legitimate threat.

      Reply

      • this post covered exactly what my post missed ! you have articulated my thoughts NNY !

        1. Del Potro overcame his knee injury to once again be in a position to challenge the top league. His momentum received a severe blow when his slam winning year was followed by a major injury.

        2.It’s a sin in my view to call del po a ‘typical giant’. He is much much more than that…all the qualities mentioned by NNY above support the claim …i would like to add delpo’s fighting capabilities ! RG 2009 battle with Fed, Olympics 2012 battle with Fed, Davis cup 2011 battle with rafa, Wimbledon 2013 SF with nole and some others… He has the fighting spirit needed to compete with the best.

        Reply

    • vamosrafa,

      You were the one who really made the case for Delpo. I just chimed in with some additional thoughts. I don’t like to see him disrespected. He is immensely talented. The problem is that it appears to be some kind of capital offense to praise another player.

      That is really a shame, because I see nothing wrong with praising other players. It does not diminish Rafa in any way, In fact, I think he would agree with what has been said about Delpo. We know that Rafa is confident enough to be able to respect his opponents and give them their due.

      Reply

      • well said..and you are very right about Rafa probably agreeing with all this…judging from his interviews and pressers, it is obvious rafa has the utmost respect for Del Potro and he is wary of the threat he poses to him and the other to guys…

        Reply

  79. vamosrafa, who exactly is the king of h/c? Do you mean he who has only won ONE USO title and didn’t win any of the American h/c matches last year? What makes someone a King?

    Reply

  80. I read on vb that Rafa was doubled over with stomach pain after his match. I remember wondering why we didn’t see an on court post match interview with him. But apparently despite the discomfort, Rafa did do an interview.

    I don’t know if it’s because of the heat or what.. At least he has a day to get better. I hope he’s okay.

    Reply

  81. nadline, I did not use the word ‘king of hard courts’….I made a correction in my above post …i had to write ‘king of grass courts’ … so I have used the term king of clay for rafa, king of grass for federer and ‘some of the best ever on hard courts’ was the term I used for masters of the hard surface… Djokovic, Federer (esp Federer, who is statistically the most successful hard court player ever) , and Murray, Rafa who own 3 hard court slams and 17 masters 1000 on hard courts collectively…. Del Potro has challenged them on all stages and given his performance in 2013 it is quite reasonable to consider him a very big threat…

    Reply

    • I am going to check in on vb to see if I can get more info. I am hoping it’s just because of the heat. Rafa was sweating and his shirt was sticking to him even though the roof was closed.

      Typical Rafa, even doubled over with stomach pain he still did the interview. Chris Fowler apparently tried to get some info after the match from Rafa but did not hear back from him.

      Sending good thoughts to Rafa!

      Reply

      • ^^I was surprised at how much Rafa was perspiring last night. I know he sweats more than most people, but at one point when his head was bent down, the sweat just seemed to be pouring off of him. He did say that it was still humid indoors. Even with closing the roof, in a building that size, it’s not like the ventilation system can change the humidity 30 minutes after the closing. It’s still a zillion percent better than playing in that searing sun. I felt so sorry for Sharapova and Knapp. Knapp looked like she was getting terribly burnt and they both looked like they were just trying to survive it.

        Reply

  83. RT @juanjosetennis: “https://twitter.com/juanjosetennis/status/423814225577136128/photo/1

    To paraphrase the Rickster: EVIDENCE!

    Telling sentence, “Notice how none of the deciding sets is all that close:”

    #QED

    Reply

    • Oops, the tweet did not come out right:

      RT: @juanjosetennis: “Here are the last 6 five-setters Delpo has played (and lost). Notice how none of the deciding sets is all that close: ”

      For some reason, cannot get the picture with the stats on today but to paraphrase, all the 6, 5 setter Delpo has played and lost before today he lost the final set 6-3; 6-3; 6-3; 6-3, 6-3 and 6-1.

      Anyhoo, enough of history, time to look forward to the weekend!

      #Rafa/LaMonf

      Reply

  84. Mea Culpa, some pundits are already off-loading Delpo stock, or taking a closer look at it. Matt Wilansky:

    http://espn.go.com/tennis/aus14/story/_/id/10303475/australian-open-roger-federer-royal-robe

    “4. Anyone but Juan Martin del Potro

    We’re now into the fifth year of wondering whether del Potro can duplicate his 2009 US Open run, where he beat Federer in a five-set final. He has the biggest forehand in the game and is just suffocating when he’s on. But Thursday, he became the first top-10 casualty. The 6-foot-6 Argentine lost to Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut 4-6, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, 7-5. After a half-decade wait, do we give up on the aspirations we had for delPo?”

    Your call, Matt. I made mine a long time ago.

    “5. Anyone but Petra Kvitova and Sara Errani

    Is Kvitova the female counterpart to del Potro? She’s big, powerful and rife with talent. But she simply falls flat at majors.”

    You have the evidence, what you do with it is your business. Hell, you can choose to ignore it altogether and go against the evidence!

    #Contrarian

    It is a well used investment strategy.

    Reply

    • Kvitova’s mentality is quite inferior to that of Del Potro’s. Just the fact that both have one slam and have not been able to back that up with another is not sufficient evidence o being a counterpart, wilansky..got to look at lots of other things IMO

      Reply

      • I don’t think he is directly comparing Delpo to Kvitova @vamosrafa. He does use the word “counterpart” which suggest he knows the ATP and WTA exist in different universes. he doesn’t say, “Kvitova is the femal equivalent of Delpo”.

        An ATP winning mentality is totally different to an WTA one. It’s not that both have one Slam (which they do btw) but rather that they simply fall flat at majors in spite of being “rife with talent, big and powerful”.

        Reply

      • The reason both Delpo and Kvitova are disappointing is not that they both have a Slam each, it’s that they do not seem to be making use of their positive physical attributes and inate (sp) talent. This is where Wilansky is coming from.

        Reply

  85. I don’t see Delpo as a favorite in slams. However, he has won a slam and that’s something that the likes of Tsonga, Dimitrov, Raonic and Berdy have not done yet. He beat Fed in 2009 at the USO before he really went into decline. That’s when many climbed on his bandwagon and started touting him to win more slams and maybe even get near the top in the rankings in 2010. We all know what happened next. A terrible wrist injury that might have been career ending in the past.

    He is still a dangerous player who presents a legitimate threat to the other top players. It is surprising that he has not won a Masters yet. That is one big hole in his tennis resume. I think his issues have been the propensity for injuries and also fitness. That is what has held him back.

    I didn’t see pundits picking Delpo to win or even be a favorite. The two favorites are Djoker and Rafa. The only reason that Murray is not also considered a favorite, is because he is just returning from back surgery. At times Delpo has been considered a dark horse at slams. I don’t think that’s unreasonable.

    Reply

  86. One sparrow does not make a summer. So Delpo won the USO, once, so did Roddick but Roddick wasn’t being presented as a constant threat to players with multiple slams. Of course Delpo can beat anyone any time but sometimes it’s like his chances are 80:20 against the top guys.

    Reply

  87. There is no comparison between Roddick and Delpo. Once Roddick bumped up against Fed, he couldn’t beat him to save his life. He was either unwilling or unable to make adjustments or try different things to challenge Fed. Because of Fed’s dominance, Roddick was effectively shut out of slam wins. That was when Fed was dominating.

    So the fact that Delpo beat Fed when he was still in his prime means a great deal. As for this business about one sparrow does not make a summer, again I will remind others that Delpo had a serious wrist injury that took him out of competition for a whole year. When he came back his ranking had plunged and he was somewhere around 300 or 400 something in the world. So it took him another whole year to get his ranking back up to just outside the top ten.

    The guy has had adversity. Ignoring that is disingenuous, to say the least. Roddick was never considered a big threat because he couldn’t beat the guy was dominating the sport at the time, namely Fed. Roddick had the big serve, but it wasn’t enough. He became an also-ran.

    I don’t know how any reasonable person could be upset or annoyed about Delpo being considered a threat to the top players. It’s not just about Rafa. He pushed Djoker to the limit in last year’s Wimbledon semi, even with a bad knee. He is a threat to all of the top players. When he’s on his game, he is very dangerous.

    Reply

  91. @vamosrafa says; January 16, 2014 @8:01 pm

    “Who are these pundits who have delpo as a ‘firm favourite’ to win the slam and upset rafa on his way?! They must be out of their mind to have delpo as a strong favourite…”

    Ehh, Delpo must be out of his mind then……because he considered HIMSELF a favourite to win!

    ““I like the tournament,” del Potro said. “I think this year the courts are faster than years ago. For Bautista’s game is much better. But I’m still confidence playing this tournament. I think sometimes the favorites lose very early in a Grand Slam, like Federer in Wimbledon or Rafa, and then other ones in the US Open. Here is my chance to get out very early in the tournament.”

    http://www.tennis-x.com/xblog/2014-01-16/14540.php#comments

    Who needs pundits when you’ve got the man himself?

    Side note: I like how he brackets himself in with Fed and Rafa. You gotta give the man credit: what he lacks in Slam results since that lone USOpen victory he makes up in chutzpah.

    Reply

      • Sorry, don’t understand what playing with confidence has to do with considering oneself a favorite. I am sure Bautista Agut is playing with confidence but I doubt he considers himself one of the favorites.

        Reply

  93. There’s nothing wrong with a player having confidence. In a hard court slam, Delpo is always going to be in the discussion or as a dark horse.

    Reply

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