[jjgold]

Never thought I would see that

[sportsfun]

well with djokovich playing so well, understandable.

[Lazy-Man]

taking the joker. He's on another level. Nadal is washed out

[BettingWizard]

he'll win it, 5 setters are a different beast

[B1GER1C828]

bad value, bad play. joker playing too well and nadal won't have as much confidence vs him if they play again. nadal -120 is baddd

[yisman]

It was going to happen in a few years, anyway. Djokovic is just accelerating the pace.

I wouldn't bet on Nadal or Djokovic to win the French Open. Prices aren't good enough.

[EaglesPhan36]

If they meet during the French, it will be the pivotal moment of Djokovic's career. He's got Nadal's number so far this season, but he's never beaten him at a Slam and rarely taken a set from him in a Slam. I'd liken this meeting - if it occurs - to Nadal and Federer at Wimbledon in 2008. That was Federer's basic last stand to hold off Nadal from becoming the best player. Nadal at RG in a Final vs. Djokovic - would be the same for Rafa.

[thisisit]

If they meet during the French, it will be the pivotal moment of Djokovic's career. He's got Nadal's number so far this season, but he's never beaten him at a Slam and rarely taken a set from him in a Slam. I'd liken this meeting - if it occurs - to Nadal and Federer at Wimbledon in 2008. That was Federer's basic last stand to hold off Nadal from becoming the best player. Nadal at RG in a Final vs. Djokovic - would be the same for Rafa.

Spot on there. I do think that joker is on such a roll right now that he will go into the Open feeling untouchable. He has the 6th longest win streak ever, and by the time he gets to the quarters it will be about the 3rd. That will def give him all the confidence he needs there.

[EaglesPhan36]

Interesting thing for Djokovic is going to be how he reacts to being a marked man at a Slam. Rafa might even be "under the radar" this year because all the talk is going to be about the streak. Djokovic has been getting closer to dropping a match the last few tournaments. Certainly it's one match out of maybe five he'll have to be at his very best to win, but Federer .... chomping at the bit.

[ha1ogen]

djoker got this one easy, would be surprised to see any other outcome

[MUHerd37]

Lover Joker to win the French. He also becomes world #1 if he wins.

[Inkwell77]

Definitely better than playing moneylines in every match!
Nadal can be beat, but I would not bet against him.

[jjgold]

I think Nadal is playing too much although I know young still

Will be epic if they meet in final

[reformed]

5 setters are a different beast? joker just beat him straight sets 2 times in a row. So lets assume it was a 5 setter, joker is up 2-0 ....I dont like nadal's chances at winning 3 sets in a row.

[JBT]

5 setters are a different beast? joker just beat him straight sets 2 times in a row. So lets assume it was a 5 setter, joker is up 2-0 ....I dont like nadal's chances at winning 3 sets in a row.

But you have to consider the mind games, knowing it's a 5 setter, plus it's not necessarily always going to be 2-0 to start with... Still, I like Djokovic to win.

[BernardMadoff]

Good luck.

[reformed]

But you have to consider the mind games, knowing it's a 5 setter, plus it's not necessarily always going to be 2-0 to start with... Still, I like Djokovic to win.

I have no reason to think nadal can take a set off him, in all honesty he was never in a position to take a set in the 2 finals that they contested on clay and the clay in rome is probably a little slower than phillipe chatrier court.

[danso]

I haven't been following tennis for too long now.. Shocked to see that Djokovic has shot up so much, and that federer has fallen off so much

[delpiero7]

I thiink you'd be better off betting on Nadal on a match by match basis, and then rolling the money over to the next match. At least that way, should he reach the final, you can decide how much of your roll you want to risk on him being able to beat (most likely) Djokovic.

Also, -120 doesn't take into account that he could potentially face guys like Soderling or Murray pre-final, who have the potential to keep Nadal on court for a long time, meaning he could be fatigued for the final.

[jjgold]

es the way Dojo is playing Now Nadal has no shot to win a set
It is so mind boggling to even think this but its reality right now

[brumbies]

federer at +2000!

[EaglesPhan36]

es the way Dojo is playing Now Nadal has no shot to win a set It is so mind boggling to even think this but its reality right now

If you've got $5 left in your bank account, I'll take that bet. No shot to win a set? Another quality over reaction.

[reformed]

to rephrase what I think JJ was trying to say....nadal will have trouble winning 1 set , let alone 3 sets which is what he would need to win the match. He couldnt even take a set or get to 6 on a day after djokovic spent himself in a grueling match against murray.

[koscheckbaby]

Why not take Nadal at that number and then hedge if it's a Djokovic-Nadal final? I truly feel Djokovic won't get to the final and Nadal will get a dose of Federer's slam luck, like how Fed got to win Roland Garros and Wimbledon 2 years back because Nadal couldn't make it to the final to stop him.

I assume if Nadal and Djokovic meet in the final, Djokovic will still be a +150ish dog. Maybe that's outlandish, but he was still a 2 to 1 dog in Rome. Roland Garros is Nadal's kingdom. Then, you have the money on Nadal at -120 and can hedge on Novak at that number.

[reformed]

other than murray, no one else even has a sniff to beat joker till the finals and I dont like murray's chances either( he played the match of his life in rome and I dont think he will replicate that). if they are in the finals, djokovic will be around +120/+130 so hedging is not worth the risk of nadal losing before the finals.

[EaglesPhan36]

to rephrase what I think JJ was trying to say....nadal will have trouble winning 1 set , let alone 3 sets which is what he would need to win the match. He couldnt even take a set or get to 6 on a day after djokovic spent himself in a grueling match against murray.

We shall see if it happens. I just don't think you should underestimate the drastically different nature of the Best of 5 format for BOTH guys.

[koscheckbaby]

I still think of Djokovic as that choking bitch that couldn't handle the heat against Roddick in Australia. I gotta shake that. He's now the top guy and his conditioning seems insane now. Nadal was the one breathing heavy when they play.

[yisman]

Let me know if you know of a book that has a bet against Nadal/Djokovic in the finals.

[pavyracer]

Nadal won't even make the final so -120 is a trap.

[reformed]

We shall see if it happens. I just don't think you should underestimate the drastically different nature of the Best of 5 format for BOTH guys.

How would it have been different in either the madrid or rome final if it was best of 5. Nadal would be down 2-0 and getting outplayed.

[EaglesPhan36]

I think comparing Masters Events + Grand Slams is Apples & Oranges. There is a different mentality IMO.

[delpiero7]

I think comparing Masters Events + Grand Slams is Apples & Oranges. There is a different mentality IMO.

This is true, but watching Nadal play, he has always treated every match as if it is the most important of his career, whether is be the final of a Grand Slam, or the first round of some event in South America.

Whereas someone like Federer knows how to pace himself in terms of building up to the slams, Nadal seems to have his foot on the gas at all times (see his 4 hour marathon vs Djokovic in 2009 which helped wreck his entire season).

There are no doubts that he has thrown everything he had in all 4 matches he's lost vs Djokovic this year. While beating Nadal in a best of 5 is a completely different animal to beating him in best of 3 sets, the fact that Djokovic has four straight wins against him (including 2 straight set wins on clay), plus the fact that Djokovic has this epic streak going (which includes a slam win), the whole 'slam mentality' won't be as big an issue in a potential match between these 2 as it would between other players.

[sweethook]

your right jj hes burned out some id say,i like joker ,but good value in the field

[EaglesPhan36]

I think if this were any of the other Slams besides Roland Garros, the Slam mentality would not be as big a factor - but this is Rafa's tournament & you can bet as hard as he tried in the last two encounters, he will bring the top level he can muster if they meet in a final. As I said in my 1st post in this thread, a meeting between these two for the title here would be a defining moment for Djokovic - more than his winning streak, more than winning the Australian earlier this year ... this would be his moment to seize top dog status in tennis. I want to see how he performs with those expectations that have never been on his shoulders at a Slam. Rafa is still the favorite, but I think 51-49 perhaps over Djokovic at this point in most people's eyes. Thus far, he's been marvelous ... but let's see in a Best of 5 at Rafa's best tournament ... of course knowing how life goes, one of them will get the boot earlier than expected.

[yisman]

your right jj hes burned out some id say,i like joker ,but good value in the field

What?