Best for Rafa to lose early in Miami as well

[Tennis Miller]

Two things, firstly as far as I recall he's never yet won Miami, so surely he'd like to and secondly, he has yet to defend a non clay title in his whole career to date. Two reasons to surely want to win here. And the third reason is no world number 1 and possible GOAT should even contemplate losing early in a masters 1000. He'd surely like to build on weeks at number 1 and losing early isn't the way to improve that. Failing to ever defend a non clay title is still something he needs to eradicate as it's a black mark that's plagued him his whole career.

Play and play to win is a champion's attitude and this is how he should think when he enters any event and likely it is how he thinks.

Two questions.

1.He didn't play Miami last year, so how does defending a non-clay title factor into whether to play Miami this year?

2. He skipped Miami last year, and went on to finish #1 with 2 slams and a bunch of Masters. So wouldn't you say skipping Miami worked out pretty well for him last year?

Cheers
TM

 

[Front242]

They all play year round with minor niggles and Nadal is no different. It gets a bit annoying, no offense, that people are asking he stops playing this and that. Tommy Haas withdrew from Acapulco because of recurring shoulder problems but is playing here. Scheduling a bit more sensibly is definitely something both could do, especially Haas at his age and with far more injury problems than Nadal has ever had and it's not like a back spasm is the end of the world either. Plus his knee is fine now too he says. I've had back spasms and cramps in the gym and had people give me a backbreaker to fix it immediately and continued lifting heavy weights.

The AO final was on Jan 26th, just shy of 2 months ago at this stage. Surely he has recovered from what was diagnosed as a simple back spasm by now so therefore I can't see why playing Miami makes even the slightest difference, especially when you consider he lost in Indian Wells in the 3rd round. He didn't even play much.

 

[Moxie]

^I think Rafa should play in Miami, if his back is fine, and he says it is. Why not? It's a mystery that this is one of the 2 x 1000s that hasn't won. He skipped last year because he won IW, which was wise. Also, he'd played 2 tournaments just prior. This year, not having gone deep in IW, I don't see why he would skip Miami.

 

[Front242]

Two things, firstly as far as I recall he's never yet won Miami, so surely he'd like to and secondly, he has yet to defend a non clay title in his whole career to date. Two reasons to surely want to win here. And the third reason is no world number 1 and possible GOAT should even contemplate losing early in a masters 1000. He'd surely like to build on weeks at number 1 and losing early isn't the way to improve that. Failing to ever defend a non clay title is still something he needs to eradicate as it's a black mark that's plagued him his whole career.

Play and play to win is a champion's attitude and this is how he should think when he enters any event and likely it is how he thinks.

Two questions.

1.He didn't play Miami last year, so how does defending a non-clay title factor into whether to play Miami this year?

2. He skipped Miami last year, and went on to finish #1 with 2 slams and a bunch of Masters. So wouldn't you say skipping Miami worked out pretty well for him last year?

Cheers
TM

Well, the defending a non clay title ended at Indian Wells and he hasn't ever won Miami so he'd clearly like to. Maybe it wasn't clear what I meant initially. Winning a masters title he's never won should be a goal. I don't think skipping Miami had anything to do with the rest of his results by the way. He just had a great year. Serena Williams won practically everything she entered last year too so I don't think scheduling resulted in the great results for either. They simply excelled in the ones they played.

 

[Front242]

Also, Moxie just reiterated what I also think, no reason to skip Miami now since he only played a handful of matches at Indian Wells.

 

[tented]

Also, Moxie just reiterated what I also think, no reason to skip Miami now since he only played a handful of matches at Indian Wells.

I agree. Plus, since he's such a confidence player, I don't want this early round exit at IW to be his last match before MC.

 

[Moxie]

Also, Moxie just reiterated what I also think, no reason to skip Miami now since he only played a handful of matches at Indian Wells.

I agree. Plus, since he's such a confidence player, I don't want this early round exit at IW to be his last match before MC.

Good point. No reason he can't have a good Miami. He's made the finals there 3 times, I think. And he's a 'get-back-on-the-horse' kinda guy. With any luck, he finally wins it! Plus, he picks up free points, that'll come in handy later.

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

its ironic that rafa/wafa has not won Miami though :s, the surface and conditions seem to be an ideal hc for him,

slow sticky surface and heavy humid conditions...

 

[Moxie]

its ironic that rafa/wafa has not won Miami though :s, the surface and conditions seem to be an ideal hc for him,

slow sticky surface and heavy humid conditions...

It's the most mystifying hole in Rafa's resume, I'd say. The only thing more surprising than him winning Cincinnati first would have been winning Paris. In addition to the conditions, he has the support of a fairly Latin-partisan crowd. (Though I know JLLB won't read this.)

 

[Front242]

Also, Moxie just reiterated what I also think, no reason to skip Miami now since he only played a handful of matches at Indian Wells.

I agree. Plus, since he's such a confidence player, I don't want this early round exit at IW to be his last match before MC.

Yeah, that's definitely the best reason to play alright. It's like starting cold with no momentum on your side when your last match was an early exit from a tournament you won the year before. Getting to at least quarters or semis would be better for confidence if you don't end up winning the title.

 

[Tennis Miller]

Also, Moxie just reiterated what I also think, no reason to skip Miami now since he only played a handful of matches at Indian Wells.

I agree. Plus, since he's such a confidence player, I don't want this early round exit at IW to be his last match before MC.

Yeah, that's definitely the best reason to play alright. It's like starting cold with no momentum on your side when your last match was an early exit from a tournament you won the year before. Getting to at least quarters or semis would be better for confidence if you don't end up winning the title.

It pretty much boils down to whether you feel:

A. That he needs to rest and recover completely from what looks to me like a combination of some physical problems and some mental burnout. And that the clay season is where he'll get his confidence back. (That's my view)

Or

B. That he needs to play through whatever it is, on the hard courts of Miami, to get his confidence back for the clay court season. Some of you obviously feel this is the case.

I personally don't think winning matches on the hard courts will make a lick of difference as to his confidence on clay. Just being on the clay is what gives him confidence, or at least it has appeared that way year after year, regardless of what happened on the hard courts.

Cheers
TM

 

[Riotbeard]

Also, Moxie just reiterated what I also think, no reason to skip Miami now since he only played a handful of matches at Indian Wells.

I agree. Plus, since he's such a confidence player, I don't want this early round exit at IW to be his last match before MC.

Yeah, that's definitely the best reason to play alright. It's like starting cold with no momentum on your side when your last match was an early exit from a tournament you won the year before. Getting to at least quarters or semis would be better for confidence if you don't end up winning the title.

It pretty much boils down to whether you feel:

A. That he needs to rest and recover completely from what looks to me like a combination of some physical problems and some mental burnout. And that the clay season is where he'll get his confidence back. (That's my view)

Or

B. That he needs to play through whatever it is, on the hard courts of Miami, to get his confidence back for the clay court season. Some of you obviously feel this is the case.

I personally don't think winning matches on the hard courts will make a lick of difference as to his confidence on clay. Just being on the clay is what gives him confidence, or at least it has appeared that way year after year, regardless of what happened on the hard courts.

Cheers
TM

He just played mediocre tennis on clay in rio though...

 

[rafanoy1992]

Like I said last night, losing early here at Indian Wells is a "good" loss because he could rest up a little bit more. In addition, losing early in this tournament should give him a lot of motivation to do well in Miami. In addition, he did not play at Miami last year so he is excited to play there again.

The only way he should skip Miami if he has an injury. If he doesn't have a nagging injury, then he should play Miami.

 

[Moxie]

Also, Moxie just reiterated what I also think, no reason to skip Miami now since he only played a handful of matches at Indian Wells.

I agree. Plus, since he's such a confidence player, I don't want this early round exit at IW to be his last match before MC.

Yeah, that's definitely the best reason to play alright. It's like starting cold with no momentum on your side when your last match was an early exit from a tournament you won the year before. Getting to at least quarters or semis would be better for confidence if you don't end up winning the title.

It pretty much boils down to whether you feel:

A. That he needs to rest and recover completely from what looks to me like a combination of some physical problems and some mental burnout. And that the clay season is where he'll get his confidence back. (That's my view)

Or

B. That he needs to play through whatever it is, on the hard courts of Miami, to get his confidence back for the clay court season. Some of you obviously feel this is the case.

I personally don't think winning matches on the hard courts will make a lick of difference as to his confidence on clay. Just being on the clay is what gives him confidence, or at least it has appeared that way year after year, regardless of what happened on the hard courts.

Cheers
TM

He just played mediocre tennis on clay in rio though...

Fair point.

 

[huntingyou]

most people here never learn and always argue the never ending topic of Rafa's schedule like there is no evidence to make a SMART assessment on weather he should play or skip a tournament.

Miami means nothing. Any event outside of the slams for Rafa means nothing if he comes up short on the grass courts against the darcys of the world.

He needs ZERO momentum for the clays season, after 9 years of total domination it's clear that for Rafa, just smelling the dirt and feeling it under his feet does amazing wonders for his so call "confidence". Outside of an on fire Novak, there is really no challenge for him..........the guy wins playing mediocre tennis.

Again, Miami can only bring him compounding wear and tear that he will surely suffer during the clay season because he wins 99% of his matches. The OP it's spot on.......losing early in Miami would be a blessing in disguise; just like missing Barcelona in 2010 due to knee treatments. The only year he won the "clay slam" and his second SW19 crown.

 

[calitennis127]

If one's eye is on Wimbledon, then I have to agree with huntingyou here and say that missing time right now is better for Nadal.

Being fresh matters for everyone. Losing early in Wimbledon helped Nadal in the North American hardcourt swing. Likewise, getting some time off right now could help him be a bit more ready for Wimbledon this year.

 

[TsarMatt]

It's never "right" to lose early.

Never.

 

[Riotbeard]

I have no problem with nadal skipping Miami, but saying an early loss is best is silly. And I think what makes this a somewhat obnoxious thread is its proximity to a loss, implying that rafa only loses due to injury, which there is no evidence of. It seems more like an excuse/justification of a loss, and not a particularly good one, since Rafa is clearly quite good on hard courts.

 

[huntingyou]

I have no problem with nadal skipping Miami, but saying an early loss is best is silly. And I think what makes this a somewhat obnoxious thread is its proximity to a loss, implying that rafa only loses due to injury, which there is no evidence of. It seems more like an excuse/justification of a loss, and not a particularly good one, since Rafa is clearly quite good on hard courts.

you take the "implication" on your own.

An early loss is best because Rafa won't skip Miami, thus leaving an early loss as the only way to "skip" the matches. Early losses don't affect Rafa, that it's a silly myth. He lost early at Wimbledon last year but still took the American HC swing like a thieve.

Like I said, there is a body of evidence to suggest that Rafa benefits greatly from time off, especially time off from HC. The next slam it's play on clay........no need to be on hards if you are Rafa and your GOAL is to win the French and then be ready physically as close to 100% for SW19 where he has failed miserably the last two years.

As you can see, it's a matter of timing, current situiation (naggling back) and overall big picture for Rafa. You won't see me arguing in favor of Rafa skipping Canada for example but IW and Miami? Totally worthless at this point in his career and not worth the risk.

 

[Riotbeard]

An early loss is best because Rafa won't skip Miami, thus leaving an early loss as the only way to "skip" the matches. Early losses don't affect Rafa, that it's a silly myth. He lost early at Wimbledon last year but still took the American HC swing like a thieve.

Maybe doesn't affect him as bad as some people, but nobody builds confidence losing early in tournaments.