2016 Australian Open: Melbourne Sidewalk Cafe Talks

[Moxie]

Moxie wrote:
<blockquote>
Twisted wrote:
I take doesn’t look great by any stretch to mean he hasn’t played great tennis by any stretch. My idea of “great” is probably different than yours. Roger and Andy haven’t played great tennis for awhile either fwiw but they have shown more of a pulse than Nadal.

*sigh* Fine. Beating Stan and Andy means nothing. And I realize that improvement means nothing to you, as you are a results man and peculiarly binary on that. I can only hope that Rafa improves enough to show you different in 2016.</blockquote>
moxie getting carried away as usual. what else is new. andy was not interested in winning that match. he had history in mind. he wanted davis cup. and rafa has owned stan all his life. he had beaten him 10,000 matches in a row without ever losing a set. so what is the big deal. talk to us when rafa shows you more than just rio and hamburg titles. rafa wont bother to put in the work required to win the big titles. it is his life and it is his way.

I'm not sure if optimism qualifies as getting "carried away."  I'm "carrying the torch," I would say, as a fan.  Like it or don't, but I won't demean Rafa's efforts.  Not so you.  Never a less true phrase has been spoken than:  "rafa wont bother to put in the work required to win the big titles. it is his life and it is his way."  His life and his way has been about the work, and the hard-yards.  Ironically, some of those who dislike his tennis will dismiss his talent and say that it's all about the hard work.  If he's not getting the results you'd like, qualify it as you will, but to say he doesn't want to do the work is to deny everything he and his coach have ever been about.

I'll look for the quote, if you don't believe me, but Toni said, some time ago, that they don't place their belief in talent, but in hard work.  Talent can fail, but hard work will [abide.]  I don't believe they've abandoned that philosophy.

 

[ClayDeath]

it is not optimism. it is blind worship on your part.

you don't really understand his game and what it requires to be successful for him.

so I guess we cant really count on you to call it like it really is. that is why there are people like me who see the exact reality on the ground and call it 3-4 years before it happens.

he is my player but I am not going to cut him any slack. he has work to do and he is not doing it.

 

why? because he doesn't care to win anymore. he said it himself a few times but you just refuse to hear it.

he is an all time great and he has carved out his immortality. his style of play is demanding. it took its tool on him.  his absolute refusal to progress, innovate, and continuously improve led to his demise. and now he sees that it is just too tall of a mountain to climb even on clay so he is just out there doing the minimal work required in order to hang out on the tour a little longer.

$41 million to $50 million a year is a lot to walk away from. and he is also enjoying the spotlight.

but he can change his stars if he really wants to. he can go for more glory.  he can at least win a little bit on clay. he does not care enough.

he could have bagged 2 more RG crowns and that is why I am not happy with him.

so unless djokovic, Federer, and murray become ballet dancers tomorrow he is not going to win any big events on any surface.

Federer can beat him now on any surface. andy can take care of rafa now.

djokovic just laughs at him. and then he swats him aside.

rafa was plenty healthy last year(2015). he has just rio and hamburg to show. who did he beat at those events?

I have put up some numbers. the decline is far steeper than his top 5 rank indicates. he has dropped significantly in every single aspect of the game. in addition,  his fitness and his physicality required for his style of play is at about 50% of what it used to be. that is quite a hit.

he has to play rio, Buenos Aires, and he has to skip Miami. he has to prepare like never before to try to take monte carlo.

he has to win 2 of these 3 and he has to run over djokovic at least once in the process. then and only then will I be able to conclude that he is trying to change his stars.

1. monte carlo
2. barcelona
3. rome

he has to take 2 of these 3 events.

nalbandian is very clear on this so should you: it is either clay or it is the exit. meaning he is done unless he can make some noise on clay.

rio and hamburg don't count as real titles but he needs them both so as to get extra matches on clay under his belt.

 

 

 

[Moxie]

it is not optimism. it is blind worship on your part. you don’t really understand his game and what it requires to be successful for him.

so I guess we cant really count on you to call it like it really is. that is why there are people like me who see the exact reality on the ground and call it 3-4 years before it happens.

Thanks for clarifying that for me, Samson.  I erroneously thought I was entitled to an opinion.

 

[ClayDeath]

Clay Death wrote:
it is not optimism. it is blind worship on your part. you don’t really understand his game and what it requires to be successful for him. so I guess we cant really count on you to call it like it really is. that is why there are people like me who see the exact reality on the ground and call it 3-4 years before it happens.

Thanks for clarifying that for me, Samson. I erroneously thought I was entitled to an opinion.

make up your mind. is it reckless optimism or is it blind worship.

 

I prefer the reality on the ground. you heard what chris evert said today:

she said rafa has no chance against djokovic on any surface. she said rafa is nowhere near djokovic.

 

djokovic has crushed rafa in 9 of his last 10 matches against him. it has not even been a contest. a horrible mismatch at this point.

why doesn't rafa do something about this instead of offering endless lip service.

I am rafa's greatest fan on this planet but I cant cut him any slack. I have to call it like it is or I would not be clay death the destroyer.

I cant even watch the damn highlights let alone the matches. it just breaks my heart over and over and over and over again.

rafa did not maximize his potential. he had a chance to stare down history.

 

[Moxie]

Moxie wrote:
<blockquote>
Clay Death wrote:
it is not optimism. it is blind worship on your part. you don’t really understand his game and what it requires to be successful for him. so I guess we cant really count on you to call it like it really is. that is why there are people like me who see the exact reality on the ground and call it 3-4 years before it happens.

Thanks for clarifying that for me, Samson. I erroneously thought I was entitled to an opinion.</blockquote>
make up your mind. is it reckless optimism or is it blind worship. I prefer the reality on the ground. you heard what chris evert said today: she said rafa has no chance against djokovic on any surface. she said rafa is nowhere near djokovic. djokovic has crushed rafa in 9 of his last 10 matches against him. it has not even been a contest. a horrible mismatch at this point. why doesn’t rafa do something about this instead of offering endless lip service. I am rafa’s greatest fan on this planet but I cant cut him any slack. I have to call it like it is or I would not be clay death the destroyer. I cant even watch the damn highlights let alone the matches. it just breaks my heart over and over and over and over again. rafa did not maximize his potential. he had a chance to stare down history.

Reading this, I see that the heartbroken, deluded fan is you.  At least I can acknowledge that Rafa is nowhere near Djokovic at the moment, and it's not about his work ethic.  It's about match-ups.  And, frankly, it's about Djokovic being the best player on the planet, for now.  And if Nadal didn't maximize his potential, according to you, injury lay-off is in there somewhere, but work ethic is not.  He still has his hand in at history, for sure.  In many ways, he's there, as one of the greatest ever.  And he's still playing.  So let's see what he yet has in him.

 

[ClayDeath]

I am fired up. time to get this party started already.

 

who is buying the first round of drinks?

lets get Australian beer.

 

[Moxie]

I'll buy you a Fosters, CD, just to make up.  Here's to a great AO!

 

[brokenshoelace]

A guy chastising others for not understanding tennis or how Rafael Nadal works blames Nadal's struggles on lack of hard work and desire... Yeah OK.

 

[ClayDeath]

I’ll buy you a Fosters, CD, just to make up. Here’s to a great AO!

Lets hope that something magical happens to start the new year.

lets hope that all the stars line up just right and Rafa is able snatch his 15th slam.

 

[Moxie]

Moxie wrote:
I’ll buy you a Fosters, CD, just to make up. Here’s to a great AO!

Lets hope that something magical happens to start the new year. lets hope that all the stars line up just right and Rafa is able snatch his 15th slam.

Now, that's the spirit!    Already, the draw is not bad.  At least he's not on Djoker's side, so that's a bit of help.  It's up to Nadal to play well, keep his head to the task and confidence up.  The final is not impossible, nor, therefore, is the title.  Here's hoping.

 

[ClayDeath]

I am trying to stay as positive as possible but truth be told his fitness is a joke right now compared to his usual fitness of the past.

so it is going to take one hell of a miracle.

Federer, stan, andy, and djokovic have to crash and stumble in order for rafa to take his 15th slam.

rafa just has to try to improve with every match here and get them all done relatively efficiently.

the return of serve will be key.

 

[ClayDeath]

Rafa again felt tired and worn out at practice this morning.

ever wonder why this never happens to guys like Djokovic, ferru, Federer, and Andy.

even 31 year old Stan never complains about anything.

dont be surprised if Rafa fails to win more than a couple of matches here. His fitness is a complete joke compared to the top players here.

i am just worried about the injuries this lack of optimal fitness can lead to.

i know he is not going to win any titles on the hard courts when he keeps showing up this unprepared.

he is crying about how Djokovic never gets injured.

wake up Rafa. Djokovic stretches twice a day. He hungry and focused. He is putting in the very hard yards on the fitness and physicality front.

he is working 3 times harder than you. That is why he swats you aside as if you are a legless mosquito.

go work on your fitness and go get on clay as soon as you lose here.

listen to Nalbandian. It is clay or the exit.

that means it is clay or nothing.

 

[DarthFed]

^ Rafa always has to complain about something. He was doing it well before this decline so I'd take it all with a grain of salt.

 

[Carol]

My three favs to win

Nadal

Murray

Raonic

 

[Carol]

I agree and I hope they play a good match again on Tuesday

http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/nadal-verdasco-preview-2016-australian-open

 

[ClayDeath]

Djokovic says he is prepared.

he said he is not worried about the heat.

he said you simply work hard to be prepared for whatever comes your way.

he is not doubling over the net  and in pain and misery in practice every day.

he simply steps it up in the off season even more with his work on his fitness.

Stay hungry friends.

 

[Moxie]

Rafa again felt tired and worn out at practice this morning.

I can't find any reference to this on the web.  Can you give a link to where you read it?

 

[britbox]

I agree and I hope they play a good match again on Tuesday

http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/nadal-verdasco-preview-2016-australian-open

Welcome Carol. Same Carol as posted on TF?

Agreed, potentially brutal first round for Nadal.

 

[Carol]

Carol wrote:
I agree and I hope they play a good match again on Tuesday

http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/nadal-verdasco-preview-2016-australian-open

Welcome Carol. Same Carol as posted on TF? Agreed, potentially brutal first round for Nadal.

Yep, I'm the same Carol and still a little lost around here  but it seems to be a good blog and entertaining , hope to see also good posters and comments  

 

[Carol]

Poor Andy, he almost lose his........ 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-3400702/New-balls-Rafa-Nadal-s-serve-hits-Andy-Murray-delicate-area-practice-British-No-1-coach-Amelie-Mauresmo-funny-side.html