El Dude said:
Kieran said:
Interesting post, Dude, particularly the last bit. I long understand that you appreciate Rafa, but I always find it hard to understand when people don't like his heart on the sleeve displays of wild swashbuckling tennis. Rafa to me has the most heroic style, because he's playing with his "bad hand" - and so must be the most supremely gifted of players, but he's also brave and tough, he brings human drama to a match that we don't really get from anyone else. Rafa in full cry is an amazing sight. I think a lot of players love to watch him too, just because of how compelling he is. I'd be interested in what you don't appreciate him...
Putting aside my wounds as a Federer fan, so let's say watching Rafa play someone else, I find it to be a mixed bag. I love what he can do - his heart, his amazingly clutch shots. But I'm not a huge fan of attrition play: wearing your opponent down until he makes a mistake. Rafa doesn't always do this, but he often does this. I have respect for the effectiveness of it, I just don't like it aesthetically. But again, Rafa is far more than that. Time and time again in the final vs. Federer, I was awed (and dismayed) by the shots Rafa pulled off at the most crucial moments.
I don't see him as the most supremely gifted of players, but I do see him as the greatest competitor I've ever seen, with the possible exception of Sampras (that is one match-up I would have loved to see). In terms of the big game, there is no one greater.
Great post, Dude. I agree with a lot of it. Of course, when I say Rafa is extraordinarily gifted, I'm not just referring to his super-exaggerated shots, but the fact that he's right-handed and yet became the best player in the world playing lefthanded. To me, that's not only unique, but a testament to his amazing talent. I'm sure you appreciate this also.
As for attritional play, we have Novak, and in the past we had Borg, Lendl and Mats and others. They'd lie in wait - some of them - chasing and racing and wearing their foe down. Rafa can be like this, but he's clever too (as they all are), he's trying to work the opponent into a corner, lassoing great forehands and driving them demented. I suppose that what makes him more exciting to his fans, and more horrible to fans of his opponent, is how graphic Rafa is, how loud and physical, his menacing demeanour, the sheer drama and shape of his play. He seems less controlled, less taught in some ways, there's a seat of the pants defensiveness there, but then followed by a walloping, bullying aspect too.
There's an adventurousness about Rafa that I really love.
Borg was attritional but in a very safe, boring way, much as I loved him. His shots went 3 feet over the net, they looped safely about a yard inside the baseline, he wasn't really the aggressor. Rafa is much more aggressive about it. I suppose those two players are really very different but they can be tied together two, as the two greatest claycourters who also ventured and succeeded elsewhere.
When Rafa's on, his shotmaking is exhilarating. When he's off, he's plain ugly, the ugliest of all the great players.
Totally agree about Sampras. Himself and Rafa are the two greatest competitors I've seen. A match between them would be nasty. It'd be vicious and gory. I don't see either of them backing down. A pity we'll never see it...
EDIT: mightyjeditribble, welcome to your first Fedal war on this forum! :clap
