BARCELONA - ATP 500 - Apr. 19-27, 2014.

[Front242]

Right. I went to bed very late and actually slept out Nadal's match and to say I'm shocked he lost to Almagro is probably understatement of the year. Whoa. I was hoping to see him play Gulbis or Nishikori and they way he played against Ramos it wouldn't have surprised me if either of them won, but I'm shocked Almagro won. Tough one for him and fans.

 

[tented]

Congrats to Almagro. I was certain he was going to choke it away, as he's done before, but not today. Well done.

Rafa: You need to refocus, reset, re-whatever, but you're never going to win RG playing like this.

 

[tented]

Right. I went to bed very late and actually slept out Nadal's match and to say I'm shocked he lost to Almagro is probably understatement of the year. Whoa. I was hoping to see him play Gulbis or Nishikori and they way he played against Ramos it wouldn't have surprised me if either of them won, but I'm shocked Almagro won. Tough one for him and fans.

I told you last night that today could easily be Almagro's day, and sure enough it was. Rafa is playing like crap, and his usual mental edge is thoroughly MIA.

 

[golds girl]

Right. I went to bed very late and actually slept out Nadal's match and to say I'm shocked he lost to Almagro is probably understatement of the year. Whoa. I was hoping to see him play Gulbis or Nishikori and they way he played against Ramos it wouldn't have surprised me if either of them won, but I'm shocked Almagro won. Tough one for him and fans.

I told you last night that today could easily be Almagro's day, and sure enough it was. Rafa is playing like crap, and his usual mental edge is thoroughly MIA.

And I also feel that when one pigeon sees another pigeon succeed against their mutual nemesis, the impossible seems less so.:s

 

[brokenshoelace]

Gulbis would have taken this version of Nadal to the cleaners, by the way.

 

[Front242]

Right. I went to bed very late and actually slept out Nadal's match and to say I'm shocked he lost to Almagro is probably understatement of the year. Whoa. I was hoping to see him play Gulbis or Nishikori and they way he played against Ramos it wouldn't have surprised me if either of them won, but I'm shocked Almagro won. Tough one for him and fans.

I told you last night that today could easily be Almagro's day, and sure enough it was. Rafa is playing like crap, and his usual mental edge is thoroughly MIA.

Yeah good call. I missed his match yesterday as well but heard he played better and as the tournament reached the latter stages I genuinely expected him to shift up a gear. Djokovic must be gaining confidence by the truckload now and he's not even playing.

 

[tented]

Right. I went to bed very late and actually slept out Nadal's match and to say I'm shocked he lost to Almagro is probably understatement of the year. Whoa. I was hoping to see him play Gulbis or Nishikori and they way he played against Ramos it wouldn't have surprised me if either of them won, but I'm shocked Almagro won. Tough one for him and fans.

I told you last night that today could easily be Almagro's day, and sure enough it was. Rafa is playing like crap, and his usual mental edge is thoroughly MIA.

And I also feel that when one pigeon sees another pigeon succeed against their mutual nemesis, the impossible seems less so.:s

I agree. Seeing Ferrer beat Nadal in MC has to have given Almagro a sense of hope, and an infusion of confidence like never before.

 

[Moxie]

I guess I'm glad I had to miss the 3rd set. I thought he'd picked things up in the 2nd set, then let Nico hang around and win the TB. Well, good for Almagro. (I said he played really well yesterday, Front.) I hope he wins the title.

 

[honey1269]

Almagro can't mentally keep stable in the late stages of a third set match against Rafael. If he were to do it, it would be a watershed moment for him. I predict 6-2 or 6-3 for Nadal, even a less than confident Rafa--because it is Nicolas we're talking about here.

Really?

 

[Front242]

I hope Gulbis wins! It'd be nice and emotional for Almagro if he won there though being a Spaniard.

 

[bobvance]

I did always feel like Rafa would start to eat some losses against lesser players as he got slightly older--it happens to every great. But I thought it would be surface-specific and that he would still be able to dominate anyone other than Novak on clay. I'm actually surprised Rafa fans aren't more shocked by these two losses.

That aside, the losses mean next to nothing if Rafa comes out and wins the French.

 

[tented]

I hope Gulbis wins! It'd be nice and emotional for Almagro if he won there though being a Spaniard.

Almagro will lose his SF. My prediction: Nishikori wins Barcelona.

 

[Moxie]

I hope Gulbis wins! It'd be nice and emotional for Almagro if he won there though being a Spaniard.

Almagro will lose his SF. My prediction: Nishikori wins Barcelona.

Nishikori looked great today v. Cilic.

 

[Front242]

Thing is, it's always going to be harder to beat him in best of 5 as you can go awol for 2 sets and still come back. Us Fed fans know it all too well. But he's certainly giving the field some hope with these last 2 losses on clay.

 

[tented]

I did always feel like Rafa would start to eat some losses against lesser players as he got slightly older--it happens to every great. But I thought it would be surface-specific and that he would still be able to dominate anyone other than Novak on clay. I'm actually surprised Rafa fans aren't more shocked by these two losses.

I know what you mean, but I'm not shocked by anything he does these days. After the losses in Australia, Indian Wells, Miami, and Monte Carlo, if anything I'm going to be shocked when he wins a title again.

That aside, the losses mean next to nothing if Rafa comes out and wins the French.

True, but I don't see how he could win RG this year with his confidence next to zero.

 

[mrzz]

It is very hard to think that this trend will continue, but... there must a lot of people out there dying to play Nadal right now.

 

[Front242]

I hope Gulbis wins! It'd be nice and emotional for Almagro if he won there though being a Spaniard.

Almagro will lose his SF. My prediction: Nishikori wins Barcelona.

That's very much a possibility alright. Such a clean ball striker it taxes anyone when he's playing well.

 

[pavlik89]

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKW4jrwzbf8[/video]

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

rafa lost to another of his pet poodles :huh: what was going on ?, I need to see some high(low)lights.

this tourney was supposed to be an emotional comfort blanket type win. uzzled

 

[brokenshoelace]

I did always feel like Rafa would start to eat some losses against lesser players as he got slightly older--it happens to every great. But I thought it would be surface-specific and that he would still be able to dominate anyone other than Novak on clay. I'm actually surprised Rafa fans aren't more shocked by these two losses.

That aside, the losses mean next to nothing if Rafa comes out and wins the French.

It's too early to suggest that this is "the beginning of the end" in a way for Nadal. It could be just a phase.

I can't speak for other Nadal fans, but I'm not more shocked because I've seen Nadal's mediocre play this year, especially on clay, ironically enough.