TENNIS: AO Men's Final and beyond

[JaneJeffer]

I'm taking dd2 and the dog to the park. All 3 of us need fresh air . (The dog has already had a walk, but won't complain)

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I had to go to PILs for lunch as the third set finished, but luckily they have sky so I was able to watch the fourth set. Unfortunately I missed most of the fifth as dinner was served but luckily finished in time to watch the last two games. Then FIL kept talking through the speeches and turned the TV off straight after that so I missed all the chat in the cube.

I thought it was really nice when Rafa and Daniil were chatting before the presentations, it looked nice and friendly to me.

When it showed Daniil muttering, I think he was just saying ‘come on’ because the woman doing the speech was going on and on. Don’t blame him to be honest, I wanted her to shut up and it must be even worse when you just want it to be over so you can go and lick your wounds.

Wish they had cameras in Djok’s house to see the reaction to Rafa’s win - I bet Djok was convinced he would be the first to get to 21, whereas if Rafa’s fit for the French there’s a real chance he could get 22 and leave Djok on 20. Love the message from Roger, he really is a class act.

Chessie** my in-laws have a habit of dropping in in the middle of important matches. I'm surprised none of them turned up today!

I think Daniil was maligned after the match. He was a gentleman, especially after the crowd were awful to him for no good reason.

Why do asterisks keep appearing on my posts?!

I had to go out to lunch. GUTED to have missed watching the last 2 sets but I knew we couldn't write Rafa out at the end of the second. What a player. So pleased for him. And is, all that stress was so worth it

Hmm, might have had wine at lunch which might have impacted my ability to type. Sorry!

As if I haven’t sat in the sofa for long enough today, Ds1 and DH have proposed us all watching a film. So that is what we are doing. I’m going to have a headache and a bad back by the end of the day through doing absolutely nothing at all. Hardly fair!

I didn’t like the boos for Daniil. He spoke well (as he did after losing the US Open to Rafa) and showed his intelligence and his humour. I really like him. I don’t think crowds in big arena always get him (maybe you have to see him up close, so through cameras pointed at him) and it was a shame I thought that the crowd were not supportive at the end as it was clearly a huge night for him too, the culmination of a lot of hard work, just like it was for Rafa.

@ThePennyJustDropped 

Yes @WellTidy it's not as if he tried to get into their country without a vaccine or something like that

@ThePennyJustDropped I meant to put at your wine inspired typing!

I will have to go and feed people soon I suppose.

jane
I like Danil too. I really felt for him the crowd were so awful.
I'm not a big fed fan but his message is absolutely lovely, a real gentleman.

I’ve got to cook a roast dinner now - need to try and find all the shopping that the DSs have put away but at least I know where the wine is

DS2 said he didn’t know where the toilet paper went

I still can’t believe that Rafa has won - so happy for him. Roger’s message was lovely - Novak’s not quite so enthusiastic but at least he said something

When it showed Daniil muttering, I think he was just saying ‘come on’ because the woman doing the speech was going on and on. Don’t blame him to be honest, I wanted her to shut up and it must be even worse when you just want it to be over so you can go and lick your wounds.

Yes I thought the same. I imagine they're desperate to go and eat/stretch/sleep after 5 1/2 hours of tennis at stupid o'clock! I thought both were very sporting applauding the other. (Probably will be flamed for this but I don't always find RF very good at giving his opponent any credit)

As if today wasn't perfect enough, I've now learnt that Laurence Fox has covid and it treating himself with Ivermectin and tweeting about it..

What a frabjous day!

held

I read his stupid tweet, claiming that Rafa's win is a 'hollow victory' in the absence of the 'champion'. He really is an idiot.

Saw bits and bobs live, including the end, because clever DS got his pc to think it was in Australia, so got a free live feed
Then watched BBC highlights.

Can't believe Rafa came back from 2-0 down!!!
Feel sorry for Daniil. I thought he was having a lovely chat with Rafa while everyone else was droning on at the ceremony (so glad they don't have all that bollocks at Wimbledon!!) and he gave a humorous speech aswell
He was probably muttering because he just wanted to be out of there and probably also at the hypocrisy of the crowd suddenly clapping him, when they weren't very generous during the match

Thank God we didn't have to listen to Jim at the end! And Todd Woodbridge hasn't changed much. I remember watching him lose on Centre Court to the delectable Stefan about 60 years ago (or so it seems to me.....!!)

Classy message from Roger.
Novak, not quite so

From what I read, the crowd took against him because he beat Kyrgios and then it carried on from there

Jane I think there could be something in that- he had the misfortune to play Tsitsipas too, and Stef has a huge following in Australia.
But the crowds have been really rough all fortnight- and not just in Daniil's matches- Matteo had issues too.
I really think that Daniil will be great for the sport - if people let him -he is a complete package, he does have personality, he has a great game, and he is really entertaining. He is great in interviews.

Sorry, I can't find any positive qualities in Daniil. I thought he showed a lack of respect and class, he could visibly be shown saying "boring" during the speeches. That's the kind of thing you think whilst smiling politely. The crowd were pretty rough on him, and they weren't very fair either, but he doesn't help himself.

I think that Daniil says it as it is. He was respectful to Rafa and said some good things about Craig Tiley and the Australian Open set up. But I think he feels - why should I say thanks to the crowd when they were completely disrespectful to me?
That's my take on it but obviously, I could be wrong

Federer's message actually brought a read to my eye- he and Rafa are the absolute GOATs for me, both are just such class acts.

Rafa is only a little bit older than me. have followed him all throughout his career and was delighted for him today. I hope there's more to come at the French and Wimbledon, and really hope Federer will be back. I can't contemplate tennis without the pair of them! We have been so so spoilt to have the two of them over the past 15-20 years.

@kazzaD66

I think that Daniil says it as it is. He was respectful to Rafa and said some good things about Craig Tiley and the Australian Open set up. But I think he feels - why should I say thanks to the crowd when they were completely disrespectful to me? That's my take on it but obviously, I could be wrong

They went rough on him and get why he must have felt fed up at that point. I thought he spoke well at the end actually.

I wondered if in part the crowd were supporting Rafa so strongly because they were desperate to see him move ahead of Djokovic. I almost wish they'd had their chance to show him in their typically vocal manner what they thought of him 😂

kazza I don't blame him for not wanting to thank them. They were not supporting him. He thanked those who did. Ultimately, he played a match that lasted 5 and half hours- that at one stage, it looked like he was going to win reasonably easily in 3 sets.

It must be very hard to stand there- in the early hours of the morning- (how long had he been up, by this point?) - and be nice, if all you really want to do is go to your room, ring your wife, and maybe even sob in private.

I mean, the whole evening got to everyone. Even Rafa ended up swearing.

FFS

What did Novak say about Rafa’s victory? I don’t use Twitter.

Chessie this was his tweet-

"Congratulations to @RafaelNadal for 21st GS," Djokovic said.

"Amazing achievement. Always impressive fighting spirit that prevailed another time.

"Enhorabuena @Medwed33 gave it his all out there and played with the passion and determination we have come to expect from him."