[Yudster]

Yet again, I was struck by what a gracious winner Nadal is. He really does seem to be a gentleman.

[MK Chris]

He's a model sportsman - as is Federer most of the time, but Nadal is as gracious in defeat as he is in victory. He just doesn't get the chance to show that very often.

I seriously doubt Federer's ability to beat him in major tournaments now - he's been beaten on all surfaces by him and hard court was the one thing he had over Nadal since he won Wimbledon... although having said that, the rivalry is looking one-sided when you look purely on a wins / losses basis, but if you actually watch the matches, the majority are very close.

[Yudster]

Nadal is as gracious in defeat as he is in victory.

I know, but my point was that its a lot easier to be a gracious loser than it is to be a gracious winner. Federer is the same as you say - but somehow with Nadal being so young and seemingly of a different less mannerly generation than Federer (yes, i know he's not old, he just seems it!) it came as a surprise to me that he was anything other than a typical arrogant little prick. He couldn't be more the opposite.

[MK Chris]

Ha, Federer seems like he's been around for donkey's years, probably because he's been on top for so long but actually he's only 27 - two years older than me!

I think Uncle Toni and his parents have given him a solid upbringing as well as fantastic advice and coaching. They refused a request from the Spanish tennis governing body to move to Barcelona to train when he was a kid because they thought it would harm his education and were of the opinion that you can be a very good sportsman from your house, you don't need to move.

[Yudster]

He's cute too, which helps.

[MK Chris]

Ha. I've heard mixed reviews on that front.

Actually, he single-handedly debunks the idea that to be a successful athlete you need to be arrogant. You don't; you need the belief that you can beat anyone - which he has - but that's very different to arrogance.

[MK Chris]

I know this is the Aussie Open thread, but I'm reclaiming it for tennis in general.

Anyone watching the (somewhat stupidly named) World Tennis Tournament final today? My money was on Murray (or would have been if I'd bet) before the match over the three sets and he took the first set, but the second set is anyone's despite Nadal's bad knee. Breaks of serve in the last five games and Murray needs to hold to save this set.

http://atdhe.net/live-tv-3290.html for those who don't have Sky.

[Munki Bhoy]

I only heard the result. 6-0 in the third to Murray... Did Nadal's knee end it?

[MK Chris]

Nadal did incredibly well to win the second set in all fairness and yes it was the knee that caused the score in the third set - Nadal couldn't move - but in my opinion Murray would have beaten a fully fit Nadal. Full credit - again - to Nadal though, he never once mentioned his injury in his runner-up speech. Murray obviously did mention Nadal's injury and actually I was quite impressed with him when he won.

I have to say, also, that Nadal did very well to last to the end - others (Djokovic) would have quit. Nadal is not a quitter, but by the end he was basically resigned to losing - which is very rare - but he wouldn't quit, I think, because people would use it as an excuse for him.

[Yudster]

Maybe Murray is learning some graciousness and good manners from Nadal. Goodness knows it wouldn't hurt.

[MK Chris]

I was going to put this in the 'making me smile' thread, but seeing as the French Open is not so far away, this one will be getting a revival soon anyway.

This post on 606 made me snigger to say the least:

I agree.... federer's level has come down which is why i think nadal had a good year.

I think murray is the best player in the world at the moment, and there is no doubt in my mind that he will win roland garros, wimbledon and us this year... he is world number 1, just not in rankings..

nadal has been good in clay, but i think there are less specialists these days, so he is not actually as good on clay as people think, he has just had easy tournaments....

murray is young and looks unbeatable at the moment, and federer although in decline, is his closest rival.

love to see a brit up there.. go murray, you deserve it...

You have to laugh.

[MK Chris]

I had a feeling I was the last person to post in here, so I was waiting to see if someone else did it, but... Roland Garros.

Starts on Monday and the qualifiers are still under way, so no news of the draw yet. It's not the foregone conclusion many believe it to be in my opinion, if Nadal is not playing well, he can be beat if he doesn't play well, but only by two people - and Roger Federer is not one of them - Djokovic is one and Andrew Murray is another - he's upped his game on clay and it's not beyond him. However, I still think most likely is Nadal to beat Djokovic in the final.

BBC coverage details are here, I've never managed to watch it before, so I can't wait!

[Munki Bhoy]

Nadal losing in Madrid... nah, I still think he'll win the French. He's had his loss on clay for the year.

[MK Chris]

If Federer was going to beat Nadal on clay, that was the day he was going to do it though.. a couple of factors contributed to this - firstly and most obviously, the mammoth four hour semi-final with Djokovic in the semi less than 24 hours previously and secondly - and far more significantly - this is the fastest clay surface on the tour, like Hamburg was two years ago when Federer beat Nadal in the final there.

[MK Chris]

Come on, it can't just be me interested in this? I thought there were tennis fans on here!

Anyway... the reason for my post is a potential very, very big upset in the form of Argentine José Acasuso, who is ranked 45 in the world, playing out of his skin, should have won the first set but lost close on the tie-break, won the second 7-5 and is currently two breaks up in the third against one Roger Federer.

Fair enough, he's a clay court specialist, but he shouldn't be troubling Federer like he is. It's entirely possible Federer will find form in time to comeback, but at the moment Acasuso is playing the better tennis.

[freddie]

Federer seems to have lost the great form he had 2 years ago. I suppose it doesn't really matter as Nadal should win anyway.

[MK Chris]

Federer is certainly on the decline. I don't see him beating Pete Sampras' slam record.

I still don't think Nadal winning this is the foregone conclusion that a lot of people seem to think it is. If he has an off day there are people capable of beating him on clay - albeit not many. Djokovic is the most likely and they are in separate halves of the draw. They are my tip for the final, as I think Federer will be beaten by Djokovic in the semis if he's not beaten by Gael Monfils in the quarters.

Federer has his breaks back now in this set and we're into a tie-break for the second time. Acasuso is playing extremely well, but his nervousness shows on some of the big points. Federer should still win this, but he's capable of losing it.

[MK Chris]

Alright so now it's basically over... he needed that tie-break to stand any chance and didn't get it.

[freddie]

ROBIN SODERLING BEATS RAFAEL NADAL 6-2 6-7 6-4 7-6

Wasn't expecting that. Is Federer going to win the title, or can Murray scrape through to take advantage of Nadal's exit?

[Yudster]

If Nadal had won yesterday, unless he improved mightily between now and the semi, Murray could well have beaten him happily anyway.

Yet again though, Nadal proves that he is equally the gentleman in victory or defeat. And given Soderling's well known general attitude of disrespect to all his opponents (and Nadal in particular on occasion), that was impressive. I always thought Nadal was a sulky, bad tempered brat - based purely on his facial expressions whilst playing. Well, you really can't judge by outward appearances can you? Couldn't be more wrong. I'm sorry he went out, particularly to that opponent.

[MK Chris]

Yeah, Soderling hasn't been very respectful, particularly towards Nadal, but he was well below par. I think if he'd got through that match - especially playing as badly as he did - he would have started to play better, but if he hadn't, you're right - he wouldn't have won. I always thought Nadal was beatable here, but I didn't think Soderling could possibly beat him.

I now hope Fernando Verdasco wins, but that's quite a long shot. I don't want Federer to win and I don't want Murray to win, but the likelihood is that that will now be the final and I wouldn't want to call it. Federer has the experience both on clay and over five sets, but Murray is very capable.

[Yudster]

Murray hasn't lost to Federer lately has he? I think Murray would have the edge in that match. I don't really know anything about any of the other players left in - but Federer is another gentleman, unlike Murray - so I would be supporting him.

[MK Chris]

Murray has a winning record against Federer (4-2 up in their head to head), but has never played him on clay.. that said, Murray is greatly improved on clay. The two matches where Federer has beaten Murray have been finals (Murray has never beaten Federer in a final) and the only time they've met in a Slam was the US Open final last year, which Federer obviously won. But, this is Murray's greatest chance of a Grand Slam title yet. Ironic that it should come on his least favourite surface.

(Oh, I didn't get all that off the top of my head, although I did know some of it: source).

If they both got to the final, I too would support Federer, but I hope they don't. I think they will though. Djokovic must be kicking himself now, that match yesterday was one of the biggest upsets in the history of tennis I reckon - and probably one of the sporting upset of the decade (I can't think of anything bigger off the top of my head, but I'm not as well up on other sports). It's far more surprising when upsets happen in an individual sport, rather than a team one.

[Yudster]

Laura Robson is playing in the junior event today - she's seeded 1 for that.

[MK Chris]

She's the number one junior in the world now and has been since the Australian I think. It depends if she comes up against a more seasoned player who's spent more time in the seniors though.