2015 ATP 250 Doha

[mrzz]

^I bet not. I don't remember the last time I saw an heavyweight playing in the week before a slam.

Oh please I was just kidding...

damn... people take me too seriously so many times so I made it this time myself!

 

[kskate2]

PS: Rafa needs to find his serve ASAP. There's a reason he was so shaky last year and it's not simply due to confidence. When you're not feeling good about your game, the serve goes a long way in bailing you out on certain points and help you loosen up. When you're serving poorly AND have no confidence in your ground game, it can't yield good results. Hence bad losses, even on clay, to Spanish jobbers. No offense.

He needs to find the FH too. As his favorite weapon, it's all over the place like the serve.

 

[kskate2]

Theim starts w/ a break of the Daveed serve.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

The officials at Brisbane tournament,I know for a fact have been trying to get Rafa to play there,they got their wish with Roger,maybe in 2016 Rafa might need to rethink his playing schedule before the AO and play Brisbane,it does give him a week off before the AO starts.

 

[kskate2]

Well playing Abu Dhabi and Doha actually gives him 2 weeks off, but going out early doesn't give him the necessary match prep.

 

[Kieran]

He could do with a WC for someplace now...

 

[mrzz]

The officials at Brisbane tournament,I know for a fact have been trying to get Rafa to play there,they got their wish with Roger,maybe in 2016 Rafa might need to rethink his playing schedule before the AO and play Brisbane,it does give him a week off before the AO starts.

Maybe there's still time to give him a WC for 2015...

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Oh wait,Rafa and Juan are still in the doubles,they might even end up winning

 

[the AntiPusher]

He could do with a WC for someplace now...

He needs a WC anywhere or just practicing with Stan W.. too bad, Rafa begin the match hitting so well from what the commentators were saying.. back to the drawing board.. He has got to return the serve better

 

[Kieran]

He could do with a WC for someplace now...

He needs a WC anywhere or just practicing with Stan W.. too bad, Rafa begin the match hitting so well from what the commentators were saying.. back to the drawing board.. He has got to return the serve better

Yeah, he won the first set 6-1. He either was playing rubbish then, and Berrer was even rubbisher, or he was hitting fine but rusted up while the German lad gave him a few nudges in the second. Either way, he's got work to do, and he's running out of space...

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

He could do with a WC for someplace now...

He needs a WC anywhere or just practicing with Stan W.. too bad, Rafa begin the match hitting so well from what the commentators were saying.. back to the drawing board.. He has got to return the serve better

Rafa had BPS on Berrer's serve in that final match,also Berrer survived 2 double faults and still won the match?...:nono

 

[pavlik89]

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpjIV14bcfo[/video]

 

[Kieran]

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpjIV14bcfo[/video]

Cheers, Pavlik, I'm just sitting down to dinner. You ruined my appetite... :snigger

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpjIV14bcfo[/video]

Cheers, Pavlik, I'm just sitting down to dinner. You ruined my appetite... :snigger

Thanks Pavlik I think I will pass too,I dont want to miss my breakfast shortly

 

[pavlik89]

Michael Berrer vs Rafael Nadal FULL MATCH Qatar Open 2015

http://www.tennishdhighlights.com/atp/qatar-2015/

 

[brokenshoelace]

It's the domino effect. It starts with how well he's feeling physically (not to say he's injured, but he's had a injury-filled year and is obviously not in peak shape as he bids to put them behind him), then you have the fact that he is suffering one bad defeat after the other (starting with Wimbledon). As a result, it's going to affect his confidence and the way he's playing, which usually affects the shots you're the least comfortable with (so the serve would be up there, especially since it hasn't looked good since the back issues). When the serve is gone, the forehand just isn't going to look that good since he's not always hitting the shot from an ideal position, and he's going to be reluctant to go for it as the rally progresses. One bad thing leads to another.

On the other hand, it really doesn't take much to go from that to playing relatively well again. It's not like he has to fix these issues at length individually. If he loosens up, goes after his forehand, feels comfortable in the rallies, then he might feel confident in going after the serve as the match progresses, or the other way around.

 

[pavlik89]

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2P-mCTshzF4[/video]

 

[pavlik89]

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwtrhvcTpvc[/video]

 

[Front242]

^I bet not. I don't remember the last time I saw an heavyweight playing in the week before a slam.

You will this year on Jan 14th. This may be an exhibition but it's best of 5 so no walk in the park in terms of energy expended by both guys.

http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2014/12/nadal-practicing-more-will-play-charity-exhibition-verdasco/53456/#.VKxQJHtVV0I

Will be interesting to see him play Mark Philippoussis too who was in great shape and form at the IPTL and he's also playing junior singles champion Omar Jasika who I must admit I've never heard of. Those two last matches will obviously be just for fun but the main exhibition is ample practice the week before the AO. This is no first to 8 games mess about as the main exo match is best of 5.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Well Rafa still is competitive for the doubles, correct?