RG: A royal beatdown
Photo by PATRICK KOVARIK/ AFP/ GettyImages
Poor Pico. He’s ranked #15 in the world, having a good clay season, and is good friends with someone whose level is so ridiculously high on clay that the crowd gets happy when he manages to win a point. A point. Not a game. A point. Yeah, the beatdown was that bad. Rafa defeats Juan Monaco 6-2, 6-0, 6-0 and will play Almagro in the quarterfinals.
| Nadal | Monaco | |
|---|---|---|
| Statistics | ||
| Aces | 2 | 0 |
| Double Faults | 0 | 0 |
| 1st Serve % | 69% | 72% |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 29/42 (69%) | 21/44 (48%) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 14/19 (74%) | 3/17 (18%) |
| Break Points Won | 8/10 (80%) | 0/2 (%) |
| Points | ||
| Total Service Points Won | 43/61 (70%) | 24/61 (39%) |
| Total Return Points Won | 37/61 (61%) | 18/61 (30%) |
| Total Points Won | 80/122 (66%) | 42/122 (34%) |
| Other Stats | ||
| Winners | 23 | 13 |
| Unforced errors | 12 | 25 |
| Net Approaches | 10/13 (77%) | 8/14 (57%) |
| Serves | ||
| Fastest Serve Speed | 203 KMH | 197 KMH |
| Average 1st Serve Speed | 186 KMH | 173 KMH |
| Average 2nd Serve Speed | 142 KMH | 148 KMH |
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Wow, now that’s what you call a master class! Vamos.
Wow would have love to see this match, but here in South Africa they show Murray-Richard match. Can’t wait for the video Miri!
Well done Rafa!
Oops. Forgot to take b-day banner down. Will need to remember to do that tonight.
ah, don’t take the b-day banner down, could u?
coz i see that such a hope, a wish…
a cake with 11 candles (for me, i think) can represent 11 major titles for Rafa :)
so, could u hold it until the end of RG 2012?
hopefully, Rafa will make the 11th :)
but, it’s up to u coz this is urs… that’s okay :)
thank u
I like the thought and I see 11 candles too! :)
It seemed that Rafa’s defense was no match for Pico, who for the most part seemed to play in reaction to Rafa’s play. I think that Almagro is a much more aggressive player and will give Rafa a run for his money.
That was brutal… Poor Pico :( I hope their friendship stands it! Next match will be different, I’m sure.
Wow….. just wow!!!! That is all I can say at this moment in time.
Well played our Rafa. Feel sorry for Juan but that’s tennis I guess.
Vamos Rafa & God bless.
Aaaaaawww poor Pico!!!
Thats what you do to someone who you call a good friend Rafa?
Tsjeeeeeeees, HOT, but Tsjeeeeees.
That was me ;)
The cable tv in Malaysia showed MURRAY-GASQUET match instead..Arrgghh..
I endured neck pain watching Rafa match on my laptop screen! But it was WORTH IT! Good thing he kept it to less than 2 hours! off to bed now..2AM in Malaysia! Yeehaaa..Quarterfinals!:o)
I know that Miri has a link to this article at the end of the web page but interesting analysis (at http://www.sbnation.com/tennis/2012/6/4/3062344/french-open-tennis-2012-roland-garros)
As much as I love seeing Rafa win and play so well, very sorry for Pico… and appreciate Rafa’s subdued acknowledgement of the victory.
Vamos rafa!!
One half of my birthday wish in d bag, the other due on June 9
I can finish my celebrations in style!!
I have no words. Does Pico need a new playstation mate? I heard Gaston Gaudio in the commie’s box saying that if you don’t strike early against Rafa it’s an uphill battle. Then he went on to say he hopes Pico doesn’t embarrass himself too much. ohhh Pico. I feel so bad for him.
jeez! 17 games in a row. To his dear friend. Wow! To think that at moments during the third set I was like “Oh, he’s going to let him get one game at least”. Anyway, I reckon he was prepared for a really tough fight, but Monaco just didn’t have it in him today, therefore the score. I’m rationalizing this “paliza”, see.
OK. What else do you have in store, Rafa? :)
I’m sure Pico would have been more humiliated had Rafa ‘gifted’ him a game. Now if that had been the final against, Nole, I would have been deliriously happy. :-)
I am embarrassed and sorry for Pico, and I think the fatigue and the wind undid him. But he was up against a phenomenon, one well known to him; he had to know what could be in store if he didn’t play smart and execute precisely.
After the game, I was appalled by the devastating effrontery of the on-court interviewer, who criticized Rafa for beating his friend so thoroughly. So was he.
When the game was done, Rafa was the perfect gentleman. During the game, he was the perfect rival. One does not honor a competitor by playing anything less than one’s best — apparently something that the impossibly rude commentator (an old player herself) never learned. To do so would be to shame one’s opponent.
Is this not the lesson that the Federer-Nadal rivalry demonstrated again and again, and that Rafa tries to reinforce every time he is asked? Is this not one of his qualities for which we admire him? Did *he* look to his rivals for sympathy or help in that gawdawful 12 months?
How is it that the on-air “talent” doesn’t get this? I’ve heard John McEnroe state, quite clearly, that this is tennis, and that no one is going to give away anything or hold back out of pity or sympathy. Maybe he should give the court interviewer some lessons in the art and philosophy of competition.
These men (and women) at the top, the very top, of tennis all know this. It’s a profession, a job, a career, and — for some few — an art, a calling, an all-absorbing spiritual quest. No one makes them play; no one makes them take on their friends. And if their friendships cannot withstand it, then perhaps they don’t belong in this winner-take-all world that they inhabit.
I wish I could be like Rafa, to be able to turn rivals into authentic friends and colleagues. It is a rare thing.
Melissa, you re right off course… we can joke a little about it but to seriusly criticize Rafa for doing his job is idiotic. Rafa is a professional tennis player, all other players, and the least not Pico, will hold winning a match against him, they can’t because they would be doing nothing less if they where in his shoes!
Let the journo’s talk, the players know better!
She didn’t criticize – she was joking. An ill-timed joke and one that she probably shouldn’t have done right to Rafa’s face, but it was definitely an attempt at humor.
Jokes do not translate well into other languages; and I am not at all sure she was joking.
Sarcasm is a two-edged sword, meant to hurt. And he was clearly feeling bad enough about it without rubbing salt in the wound.
Like he said in his book… even if he is playing golf with friends, he will say these three words, “Hostile match, right?”
I agree with both comments. Besides, I don’t think anybody here has forgotten that Nadal had also done the opposite out of respect: to not quit a match while diminished physically so as not to tarnish a friend’s victory (Ferrer, Ferrero). And I’m sure that, should that had been the case today, Monaco would had been happy to take him out of the tournament (Verdasco comes to mind). He (Monaco) is probably and understandably gutted. But he’ll move on… specially if Nadal continues in this form, methinks
That said, the smarter guy out there is Marc Lopez: his a tennis player and a good friend of Nadal’s… But he only plays doubles, with Nadal as a partner :D
Point to gatito!
Rafa and Juan haven’t had to play each other too often … they are probably both grateful for that. Not much more to say really … Vamos7
Two bagels in a row is more than I could have expected! He’ll need that level against Almagro, who was very serious against Tipsarevic and seems to be controlling his game very well. Vamos!
I’d be happy for Rafa to bagel everyone on tour, often, friends or not friends. Rafa’s job is to play tennis, I love it when he does it well like today. Why do people feel sorry for Monaco, but not for other players he beats? It puzzles me.
Vamos Rafa, awesome tennis!!!
I just about always feel bad for the person getting bageled. Really bad for Pico since I like him a lot.
I guess what I wanted to get to is, do people feel bad for him because he is Rafa’s friend? Which I guess they do. Which to me is irrelevant and has nothing to do with Rafa and his tennis.
Was a mercy killing in this case. Pico just didn’t have much left in him today after the first set. He’s a resilient guy – I’m sure he’ll be fine.
CC agree whether he bagels or defeats his friends like ferru/pico/feli or others I never have felt bad nor will…he’s a pro & I woudnt like to see anything less than that from him while playing anyone.
Totally.
Couldn’t agree more, CC/Aruna.I was fully confident that Rafa would win in straights.I was also sure it would be very one-sided.My sympathy for Pico is completely out-weighed by my wish that Rafa crush all before him. Every set a bagel, regardless of whom he plays; friends, family,local priest,I care not.They must be mercilessly dealt with.For the time they are facing him across the net;anyone playing Rafa instantly become the enemy.Vamos my champion!
All true, Rafa must be merciless. Still, Pico is one of the most engaging players on tour…he seems genuinely nice, and he is funny and upbeat. I felt bad for him being demolished …as did Rafa. However, I hope Rafa repeats the scoreline a few more times in this tournament
Brilliantly said…to Claire that is :)
Claire – Amen!! couldnt agree more !!!
If Rafa gets Ferru in the semis (I know, one match at a time), it’s not going to be 2-0-0, for sure.
Big congrats for the win! Keep it going! Stay focused Rafa! Best Luck with the next Game! Go Rafa Go!!!!!!!
BTW, is anyone else having weird problems with the RG website? Every time I go on it, I get a page that’s like four days old.
So terrible. The phone app is crazy too … sometimes it works, sometimes it just turns itself off and sometimes you get the scores for one match with the players for another etc …
Heppyforthewin, poor streaming kept me from fully enjoying. For me the “feeling sorry for Pico” has nothing to do with wishing Rafa any less of a victory, rather that after working so hard against Raonic and winning to then get so demolished I have empathy for him. I hope Rafa continues in this vein, however I won’t be able to watch if he plays Daveed :~(.
Many years ago I was watching a match where a devastating loss was inevitable. The one who was in the position of winning let down a bit out of mercy. This was all his opponent needed…he came back and won. I also saw Jimmy Connors once purposly blow a point in protest of a bad call against his opponent; he went on to lose the match because it broke his concentration. Let’s not forget Rafa being down five match points to Nalbandian in Indian Wells a few years ago, and he battled back to take the match. Granted he was not down so far as Pico was in this match, but the point is still the same; it ain’t over ’till it’s over! I have seen both Billie Jean King and Chanda Rubin battle back from 6-0 5-0 and match point to win matches…it does happen. The mind of a tennis player can be a very fragile thing, as Rafa said in his book. He doesn’t even allow himself to applaud an amazing point won by his opponent. This he leaves to times when he is an observer, not an opponent. I believe that he has the right attitude and would feel worried if he began to give away mercy points. That is not the mentality that he can afford.
The way that Rafa won today,
I don´t have many words to say,
preparing dinner for the family,
match over just then actually.
Left with awe and recognition,
this was indeed a demolition,
we are all sorry for Pico,
but we want Rafa to win, no?
Renae Stubbs was the interviewer who tried to joke with Rafa, but it was the kind of joke that’s easily lost in translation. In fact one of the American commentators had made the joke just prior to Renae interviewing Rafa, so she meant no harm. Personally, I love these scorelines from Rafa. This is what I want to see each and every time he plays. But I’m not oblivious to the pain of an opponent. This is exactly what Rafa is talking about when he says you sometimes must suffer for the love of the sport. We all know how much he’s suffered this year, so his wins this clay season have been particularly happy for his fans.
Yeah, that’s why I was so very surprised, because Stubbsie is usually better than that. But it was very unprofessional and unnecessary. I’ve worked as a journalist, I’m very good at interviewing folk, and to me Stubbs’ work this time was crap, especially with a non-native English speaker. She had to be blind to miss Rafa’s discomfort. My journalist DH was disgusted.
I am, of course, grateful whenever Rafa steamrolls through his games, though I can feel sorry for opponents like earnest David. I hope before all is through that I see Rafa force-feed Nole some bagels and cream cheese.
Yeah, lots of gluten:)
Heh heh heh! (Remind me not to get you angry.)
At the end of the day this is just sport and there is no need to be sorry for anyone. Pico also didnt have anything to be ashamed.Did he try in this match ? The answer is yes.Once you try the scoreline isnt all that important.Rafa acted like total professional,and thats what he has to do.