Should be a good match with both players performing well -

Opening games go with serve (both love service games...)

i suspect david nalbandian will continue to upset the balance of power, and probably win this one in straights.

Hi Sara it will be a strong match..Violent IMO..But I am with Nalbi..No more Fat Dave..The man finally starts to understand his real place in Tennis ranking :P :P

2-1 Rafa.. :rolleyes:

Go Nalbi :bow: :bow:

Hi -

I agree with your prediction, TV, I think it'll be 2-1 to Nadal. Nalbi is certainly coming to the fore, but Nadal has taken to this surface like a duck to water...and he's brilliant at grinding down his opponents. :ok:

Still, as you say vivahate, Nalbandian has certainly worked out how to upset the power balance...and with the ferocious hitting I just witnessed, it's hard to call!

Score update2-1 - still going with serve...

3-2 Rafa still on serve..Great rallies..Nalbi is just hot hot hot..Rafa is oblieged to use all his force and speed to stay with Nalbi IMO..Both playing at a very high level for sure :) :)

Nalbi escape from the first 40-40...But Ok..Great serve as well..At the net on the contrary a couple of :kpow2: :kpow2: shots by Nalbi

3-3 :clap:

Edit: :kpow2: means horrible roflmao

These rallies are incredible - all still with serve...4-3....

spot on :ok: :ok:

Both of them at the end they will need holidays if it is like that for 3 sets :yikes: :yikes:

Could Nalbandian be about to break?! :blink:

Fat Dave is constructing the points so, so well...

Big point for Rafa - and he's good with these normally....

What a return from Nalbandian to break the serve!!

Nalbi did it :bow: :bow: Break What a level of game from him..amazing is moving Rafa everywhere...No more Fat Dave..nalbi is Nalbi from now on :pray: :pray:

great man..5-4 serving for the set :clap: :clap:

I know - he's managed to pull his physical condition round pretty quickly!

Wow. King David has really come out of hibernation ...

6-4 Nalbi what a display from him..He is generating quite a lot of UE by Rafa with his agressive game ..But Rafa is oblieged to take plenty of Risks in orther to stay with the man so the UE...

Well done Nalbi :yahoo: :yahoo: :clap: :clap:

There is but one King!! King Roger!

But, yes, Nalbandian is just thrashing some INCREDIBLE groundstrokes out there - the angles, the placement - all superb. He's taking on the Rafa forehand, and actually dealing with it.

Just kidding sara..nevertheless the man is fit now..No buger I guess ;) ;)

Rafa already under pressure 15-40 :yikes: :yikes:

And he took Rafa serve 1-0 on the second..all shot balls are used well by Nalbi..what a display :P :P

Am sure he still celebrates with a donut or two ;) :D

Nalbandian is -as the commentators say - dismantling Nadal. Rafa needs to try and dictate play more...if he can...he's just being swung from side to side!

:ok: :ok:

I thought this match would go on and on...I really didn't expect to see Nadal in this position :(

If Rafa will manage to win then he is definitely a master.. :bow: :bow:

Bloody hell, I thought this kicked off later on.... so am joining it late....

Good job that Nalby is doing here.... A set and a break up... :yahoo: :yahoo:

COME ON, RAFA - don't lose another service game!

a DF for a 3-0 lead :D

It happens :yikes:

Surely Nalbandian is going to be giving away baked goods?! :yikes:

Wow. Nadal broken again, after he looked to be in charge at 40-15 or so ... :o

Nalbi took another time the serve to Rafa.. :clap: :clap: :yahoo: :yahoo:

3-0...what a man :bow: :bow:

I am sure normal rule will be restored shortly ... but this week, I think David deserves that title, at least if he pulls this one off!

Ok.... if Nalby wins this does he get to number 9 in the race????

If so, then I hope Roddick pulls out so we can see him at the Masters Cup. He is so hot on form at the moment the tournament would be better for him being there.

If Roddick pulls out of Shanghai, Nalbandian will replace him with a win here. No disrespect to Roddick, but I hope he does pull out, as I'd much rather watch Fat Dave if he's going to play like this. Having said that, it might be a bit of an anticlimax - on this form, he'd win it pretty easily.

And... <whispers> it would be a fairly respectable field. Not great, but an improvement on last year's.

WHAT a shot from Nalbadian!!

This is a master class - never thought we'd see the day Nalbandian actually gave out some baked goods.... :yikes:

What a rally that set up break point for Nalby :yikes: :yikes: :yikes:

And he now has the chance to serve for a bagel, and his second ever MS title.

What a shot makers ehhhh..Fit Nalbi is just too hot to handle for the poor Spaniard..Bagel is just around the corner..go Nalbi :bow: :bow:

6-4, 6-0.

:bow:

It's ok until you hit Ferrer, Gonzo and even Gasquet....

I'd like to just rearrange ever so slightly - include Nalbandian on this form - and Murray. Take Ferrer and Gonzo out.


A BAGEL :yikes:

Wow, what a performance :yikes:

GSM Nalbandian :bow: :bow: :bow:

What a fantastic few weeks for him!?!?! I really hope he keeps this up and we have another player to add to the competition in GS Tournaments.

Unlucky Mr. Nadal, there was nothing you could do against such genius.

Nalby hands out a yummy bagel to Nadal. :yikes: :yikes: :yikes:

I don't mean to throw the cat among the pigeons, but this kind of improvement in someone's form and physique in a short time usually makes me suspicious in sport. I hope he just got there with hard work, and his new fitness trainer --- but in any case, you've got to :bow: :bow: :bow: for his talent.

If Roddick pulls out of Shanghai, Nalby will be in, is that right? I'm sure there are lot of players who wouldn't be looking forward to that ... :P

The air may turn blue around Camp Federer...for Roddick, his favourite player to whoop, to be replaced by Dangerous Dave... :wacko:

Great stuff by nalbi well done..Let's hope he can go in China..there there is the only guy who can hope to trouble him, i.e. FED :P :P (if the last his playing at his best)..

Ciao :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Was anyone watching this? I'll be able to see it tonight. What the hell was wrong with nadal - how could HE be bagelled :yikes:

But :bow: Nalbandian :clap: