Indian Wells

[kskate2]

He should be relieved that he doesn't have to face Stan or Novak at this level. It would have been a mauling.

 

[tented]

Yes... Nadal was not at his best. Perhaps still suffering from his back injury which is effecting his serve. But... this is proof that the game is not just getting more competitive in the second tier. These young guys are very capable of taking this legends of the game on.

Dolgopolov is 25 -- hardly a young guy, like Raonic, Dimitrov, Janowicz, Pospisil, Delbonis, Thiem, etc.

 

[rafanoy1992]

Watch Rafa play, Kieran, I hate to say it but he looked old. I'm wondering if he's going to want to take the Federer approach of limiting his schedule, making sure he's charged for the big clay courts and Slams.

He doesn't look fresh, anyway. He didn't look fresh all year, so far, maybe it is that he's getting old. I read that he no longer charges around the dressing room before the match. Remember he used do that? I think it's only natural that he'll start to feel the effects of so long on tour. I just wish he'd prioritise the majors this year. He has enough MS titles...and he doesn't need any more lucrative exos... :nono

Kieran, I actually had a conversation with a fan when I went to Indian Wells last Saturday. I told him that Nadal looked tired and old. And he said maybe he should not practice for an hour few hours before his match begins. Now, I looked at it, maybe he was right.

 

[Kieran]

Watch Rafa play, Kieran, I hate to say it but he looked old. I'm wondering if he's going to want to take the Federer approach of limiting his schedule, making sure he's charged for the big clay courts and Slams.

He doesn't look fresh, anyway. He didn't look fresh all year, so far, maybe it is that he's getting old. I read that he no longer charges around the dressing room before the match. Remember he used do that? I think it's only natural that he'll start to feel the effects of so long on tour. I just wish he'd prioritise the majors this year. He has enough MS titles...and he doesn't need any more lucrative exos... :nono

Except against Roger where he looked fresher than a bottle of Febreze

Well, he was only playing Roger...

 

[El Dude]

Rafa doesn't get mauled.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Watch Rafa play, Kieran, I hate to say it but he looked old. I'm wondering if he's going to want to take the Federer approach of limiting his schedule, making sure he's charged for the big clay courts and Slams.

He doesn't look fresh, anyway. He didn't look fresh all year, so far, maybe it is that he's getting old. I read that he no longer charges around the dressing room before the match. Remember he used do that? I think it's only natural that he'll start to feel the effects of so long on tour. I just wish he'd prioritise the majors this year. He has enough MS titles...and he doesn't need any more lucrative exos... :nono

Except against Roger where he looked fresher than a bottle of Febreze

Well, he was only playing Roger...

Now that's downright mean !!!

:laydownlaughing

 

[Kieran]

Watch Rafa play, Kieran, I hate to say it but he looked old. I'm wondering if he's going to want to take the Federer approach of limiting his schedule, making sure he's charged for the big clay courts and Slams.

He doesn't look fresh, anyway. He didn't look fresh all year, so far, maybe it is that he's getting old. I read that he no longer charges around the dressing room before the match. Remember he used do that? I think it's only natural that he'll start to feel the effects of so long on tour. I just wish he'd prioritise the majors this year. He has enough MS titles...and he doesn't need any more lucrative exos... :nono

Kieran, I actually had a conversation with a fan when I went to Indian Wells last Saturday. I told him that Nadal looked tired and old. And he said maybe he should not practice for an hour few hours before his match begins. Now, I looked at it, maybe he was right.

That's it. He might need to look at that. In fairness, he had enough in the tank to win today but he never played well at all. It was a messy, horrible match and Rafa looks like he's lacking the fire for these matches. He'll go to Miami and hopefully will look like he's enjoying the game again, cos he doesn't look like he is, right now...

 

[El Dude]

I should probably not watch the Ivanovic match because I'd be watching for all the wrong reasons.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Congrats to Dog, he deserved it completely.

He already had a series of wins against seeded players in Rio before falling out to Rafa
in finals after a decent fight.

However, I for sure do not enjoy watching these moonball rallies.

 

[Kieran]

Congrats to Dog, he deserved it completely.

He already had a series of wins against seeded players in Rio before falling out to Rafa
in finals after a decent fight.

However, I for sure do not enjoy watching these moonball rallies.

No, he's too erratic and spacey to enjoy...

 

[kskate2]

Rafa doesn't get mauled.

W/ his current level, it's entirely possible against the players I mentioned if their level is high.

 

[Front242]

I should probably not watch the Ivanovic match because I'd be watching for all the wrong reasons.

Only reason I watched Camila Giorgi earlier :snigger

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Yes... Nadal was not at his best. Perhaps still suffering from his back injury which is effecting his serve.

Yes, this should not even be counted as a loss in the ATP stats for Rafa. None of his serves
crossed 120 mph. He is visibly affected by injuries.

 

[rafanoy1992]

Watch Rafa play, Kieran, I hate to say it but he looked old. I'm wondering if he's going to want to take the Federer approach of limiting his schedule, making sure he's charged for the big clay courts and Slams.

He doesn't look fresh, anyway. He didn't look fresh all year, so far, maybe it is that he's getting old. I read that he no longer charges around the dressing room before the match. Remember he used do that? I think it's only natural that he'll start to feel the effects of so long on tour. I just wish he'd prioritise the majors this year. He has enough MS titles...and he doesn't need any more lucrative exos... :nono

Kieran, I actually had a conversation with a fan when I went to Indian Wells last Saturday. I told him that Nadal looked tired and old. And he said maybe he should not practice for an hour few hours before his match begins. Now, I looked at it, maybe he was right.

That's it. He might need to look at that. In fairness, he had enough in the tank to win today but he never played well at all. It was a messy, horrible match and Rafa looks like he's lacking the fire for these matches. He'll go to Miami and hopefully will look like he's enjoying the game again, cos he doesn't look like he is, right now...

I gotta wonder if that loss in the Australian Open final is still affecting him a little bit. I mean he literally cried right after the match. Sometimes, those kind of emotional things can stay on a player for a while. At this point he just waiting for the Clay season to start. I do hope he plays well in Miami so he could gain some confidence for the Clay season (not that he needs it...)

 

[I.Haychew]

So...Ralph, and not The Dog, ended up being the muppet (Rowlph/Rowlf). Never would've thunk it!

 

[nehmeth]

Is anyone listening to the interview with Dolg on Tennis Channel??

 

[tented]

Rafa doesn't get mauled.

W/ his current level, it's entirely possible against the players I mentioned if their level is high.

I agree, K. Djokovic would have beaten Rafa 6-2, 6-0 tonight. Probably Stan, too. Maybe even Roger.

El Dude -- Do you remember Rafa's '09 USO semi against Del Potro? DP won 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 -- a mauling.

 

[Kieran]

I gotta wonder if that loss in the Australian Open final is still affecting him a little bit. I mean he literally cried right after the match. Sometimes, those kind of emotional things can stay on a player for a while. At this point he just waiting for the Clay season to start. I do hope he plays well in Miami so he could gain some confidence for the Clay season (not that he needs it...)

I don't blame him being upset after that final: he was close to making history and his back gave out. As he said, the worst part was not being able to compete. But he should be past that now. I don't know what condition his back is in, but he should be beating Dolgo from a wheelchair...

 

[kskate2]

I heard some of it. He was asked about the MP. He said he knew he had to stay aggressive because if he didn't Rafa would take control of that point.

 

[tented]

Watch Rafa play, Kieran, I hate to say it but he looked old. I'm wondering if he's going to want to take the Federer approach of limiting his schedule, making sure he's charged for the big clay courts and Slams.

He doesn't look fresh, anyway. He didn't look fresh all year, so far, maybe it is that he's getting old. I read that he no longer charges around the dressing room before the match. Remember he used do that? I think it's only natural that he'll start to feel the effects of so long on tour. I just wish he'd prioritise the majors this year. He has enough MS titles...and he doesn't need any more lucrative exos... :nono

Kieran, I actually had a conversation with a fan when I went to Indian Wells last Saturday. I told him that Nadal looked tired and old. And he said maybe he should not practice for an hour few hours before his match begins. Now, I looked at it, maybe he was right.

That's it. He might need to look at that. In fairness, he had enough in the tank to win today but he never played well at all. It was a messy, horrible match and Rafa looks like he's lacking the fire for these matches. He'll go to Miami and hopefully will look like he's enjoying the game again, cos he doesn't look like he is, right now...

I gotta wonder if that loss in the Australian Open final is still affecting him a little bit. I mean he literally cried right after the match. Sometimes, those kind of emotional things can stay on a player for a while. At this point he just waiting for the Clay season to start. I do hope he plays well in Miami so he could gain some confidence for the Clay season (not that he needs it...)

Well, keeping in the theme of looking closer at scheduling and practice time before matches, I hope he skips Miami, and rests up for Monte Carlo. He has zero points to defend in Miami, anyway, so he wouldn't lose anything by not going.