Tennis Forever

[ajithfederer]

And oh yeah the new Swiss Number ONE

[JamesDap]

Very happy for Stan the Man!! You deserved it for the complete game you have. Way to go as he breaks into the top 3.
Didn't watch the match but as the media plays out it looks like the same old "No one beats a healthy Nadal"

Can't tell if his injury was genuine, but he had made it tough on himself doing it so many times in his career (taking MTO when down) that majority sees it just as a cheap tactic. Crowd booing was a bit too much which would have shattered Nadal for sure!! The mystery continues!!

Ha ha ha, as I said before. I don't buy that favourite Nadal-boy argument anymore. Staying fit enough for the battle through the full two weeks is part of the deal. I sympathise with Nadal that he was not able to fight it out at full strength in the last 2 1/2 sets of the match (that is, I will give him full benefit of doubt as he looked genuinely in pain when I did get to watch the match). But I am not going to suffer Nadal-boys trying to extrapolate what could have beens anymore. A loss is a loss and Wawrinka won fair and square. Ask Nadal not to run around so much and play less physical tennis so that he doesn't have to give injury excuse every time he loses. Wawrinka's backhand is a thing of beauty!!!

[JamesDap]

Even when Fed won Wimbledon 2012, Nadal boys talked it down. Nadal was injured, so Rosol got lucky to beat him and Fed in turn not having to face him. Yeah sure but Fed also beat Djoko and Murray back to back to win. Why so much disdain for other players' efforts, I cannot fathom. As if Fed or any other player is just 'lucky' to remain fit unlike Nadal.

[venkkiram]

Wawrinka's backhand is a thing of beauty!!!

+ 100. Such a powerful, elegant one!

2014 would be a fantastic year for Tennis fans. Wawrinka, Nadal, Djokovic, Federer, Murray, Berdych, Ferrer, Del Porto, Tsonga, Nishi.. Just thinking about how Wawrinka from nowhere now found a place in this ladder.. is simply superb.

[omega]

+ 100. Such a powerful, elegant one!

2014 would be a fantastic year for Tennis fans. Wawrinka, Nadal, Djokovic, Federer, Murray, Berdych, Ferrer, Del Porto, Tsonga, Nishi.. Just thinking about how Wawrinka from nowhere now found a place in this ladder.. is simply superb.

Wawrinka has been knocking hard right from the start of 2013. It is not from nowhere. Since Nadal & Djokovic holds to the major chunk of points, its literally a close one between 3-8. It will be very exciting how it plays around for the rest of the year. Nadal is obviously very safe until Indian Wells (March) from which point he would have to defend a hell a lot!! He can even it out a bit by going deeper in Wimbledon though!! Hope the AO Final curse doesn't follow him in 2014!!

[raagadevan]

Stanislas Wawrinka steps out of fellow Swiss Roger Federer's shadow

http://sports.ndtv.com/australian-op...ederers-shadow

[JamesDap]

The thing about Wawrinka is he is timing the ball so sweetly. Was doing that in 2013 as well, unlucky not to break out last year itself as omega pointed out. Fed used to time it like that all the time in his peak, occasionally produces that magic but the others in the big four are more about power and court coverage. Wawrinka is like Fed with a much sweeter backhand or maybe a one handed backhand version of Agassi. Baseline, but attacking and with great timing.

[Arvind Srinivasan]

Like how Venki put it , 2014's gonna be a great year for tennis. The big two have a good number of points to defend and with the other six breathing down each other's neck, I wouldn't be surprised if the rankings go for a toss in the next few months.

[JamesDap]

I think Gasquet also has the potential to be a good challenger to the top four, if he overcomes what seems to be fragility under pressure. There are a bunch of players who could really bother the big four this year. Nadal has had his ups and downs with injuries but Nole also seems to be tiring.

We are seeing some upheaval in WTA too. As Amritraj said, Bouchard is the player for the future. Ivanovic is also hitting some good form. We might see Sugarpova slide a bit. For Serena, much depends on her fitness.

[leosimha]

Very happy for Stan the Man!! You deserved it for the complete game you have. Way to go as he breaks into the top 3.
Didn't watch the match but as the media plays out it looks like the same old "No one beats a healthy Nadal"

Can't tell if his injury was genuine, but he had made it tough on himself doing it so many times in his career (taking MTO when down) that majority sees it just as a cheap tactic. Crowd booing was a bit too much which would have shattered Nadal for sure!! The mystery continues!!

It is very very bad of Nadal to always be in such a position. I hope it is genuine otherwise it is very annoying tactics by Nadal. Already the Grunting and the lot of Time Taken is not at all good and is very very annoying. The mystery will ever be a mystery. We will never get to know what was he upto. But to me it looked like to take the rhythm of Stan who was in good touch. I felt Stan must have won in 3 straight sets but that lone set by Nadal is a surprise to me.

And yes Stan Wowrinka deserved every bit of this victory. What a superb game to defeat Nadal and emerge victorious. Congratulations to Stan

It would be better for Nadal to concentrate on his game and come back stronger later.

Wish Magnus Norman was the coach of Federer.