Is Rafa in Decline?

[Murat Baslamisli]

That is good news. It will hamper his prep a bit as he said, but if there is no chance of making the injury worse, he will find his form once he advances a round or two.

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

he needs to find his form soon and escape the malaise of playing like just a top ten player.

 

[herios]

he needs to find his form soon and escape the malaise of playing like just a top ten player.

And why is that?uzzled

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

he needs to find his form soon and escape the malaise of playing like just a top ten player.

And why is that?uzzled

umm its obvious. if he plays at just a top10 level (or worse) like he has for the last 10months then he prob won't be winning much.

rafa fans and rafa himself will hoping for more than that this spring/summer. fans of other players will be hoping he does not improve and stays at the level he has been on.

 

[lacatch]

After today's performance in Miami, it's hard NOT to think he's in decline. Verdasco was to Rafa as Roddick to Federer----their respective personal punching bags. Many people (rightly) said after Australia--"let's wait til after the big hard court tournaments". Well the verdict is in---and he better have a helluva clay season (though he's not going in with much confidence).

 

[Kirijax]

I'm not ready to declare Nadal is going down yet, but you have to admit his aura of invincibility that the great champions always have has taken a huge hit. The lesser players are coming into matches believing that they have a chance. And when that happens it only gets tougher. The next two months are going to be very interesting.

 

[Moxie]

he needs to find his form soon and escape the malaise of playing like just a top ten player.

And why is that?uzzled

umm its obvious. if he plays at just a top10 level (or worse) like he has for the last 10months then he prob won't be winning much.

rafa fans and rafa himself will hoping for more than that this spring/summer. fans of other players will be hoping he does not improve and stays at the level he has been on.

The man with the nerve to say it. Thanks, JLLB.

 

[shawnbm]

I'm not ready to declare Nadal is going down yet, but you have to admit his aura of invincibility that the great champions always have has taken a huge hit. The lesser players are coming into matches believing that they have a chance. And when that happens it only gets tougher. The next two months are going to be very interesting.

I can recall the same thing--almost to a word--being written on these boards four years about Roger and he wen to the French final in 2011 and won Wimbledon in 2012. Such talk was heightened after 2013, but Fed almost ended 2014 tops in points and was ranked #2 going into this year, and comfortably at that. In my view, Nadal is capable of doing something simlar. He has a few good years left.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

I'm not ready to declare Nadal is going down yet, but you have to admit his aura of invincibility that the great champions always have has taken a huge hit. The lesser players are coming into matches believing that they have a chance. And when that happens it only gets tougher. The next two months are going to be very interesting.

I can recall the same thing--almost to a word--being written on these boards four years about Roger and he wen to the French final in 2011 and won Wimbledon in 2012. Such talk was heightened after 2013, but Fed almost ended 2014 tops in points and was ranked #2 going into this year, and comfortably at that. In my view, Nadal is capable of doing something simlar. He has a few good years left.

I agree with what you say. I am not suggesting that Rafa is done for good. However, I still
maintain that this year Rafa will not win a GS after winning at least one for the last 10 years.
Rafa would come back and win more GS(s), but it ain't happening this year.

 

[herios]

I'm not ready to declare Nadal is going down yet, but you have to admit his aura of invincibility that the great champions always have has taken a huge hit. The lesser players are coming into matches believing that they have a chance. And when that happens it only gets tougher. The next two months are going to be very interesting.

I can recall the same thing--almost to a word--being written on these boards four years about Roger and he wen to the French final in 2011 and won Wimbledon in 2012. Such talk was heightened after 2013, but Fed almost ended 2014 tops in points and was ranked #2 going into this year, and comfortably at that. In my view, Nadal is capable of doing something simlar. He has a few good years left.

I agree with what you say. I am not suggesting that Rafa is done for good. However, I still
maintain that this year Rafa will not win a GS after winning at least one for the last 10 years.
Rafa would come back and win more GS(s), but it ain't happening this year.

Well, if he is not winning this year slams, then from next year on, when he hits 30y, the probability goes downhill even more.
Look at Roger how many has he won after 30?
Do you think he will be in better shape in his 30's than Roger?

 

[Moxie]

I can recall the same thing--almost to a word--being written on these boards four years about Roger and he wen to the French final in 2011 and won Wimbledon in 2012. Such talk was heightened after 2013, but Fed almost ended 2014 tops in points and was ranked #2 going into this year, and comfortably at that. In my view, Nadal is capable of doing something simlar. He has a few good years left.

I agree with what you say. I am not suggesting that Rafa is done for good. However, I still
maintain that this year Rafa will not win a GS after winning at least one for the last 10 years.
Rafa would come back and win more GS(s), but it ain't happening this year.

Well, if he is not winning this year slams, then from next year on, when he hits 30y, the probability goes downhill even more.
Look at Roger how many has he won after 30?
Do you think he will be in better shape in his 30's than Roger?

Still, there's a lot to be seen, no? Shawn mentioned the writing off of Roger. There are 3 Slams yet to be played this year, and one of them is RG. No reason for the sharks to circle, just yet, eh?

 

[GameSetAndMath]

I can recall the same thing--almost to a word--being written on these boards four years about Roger and he wen to the French final in 2011 and won Wimbledon in 2012. Such talk was heightened after 2013, but Fed almost ended 2014 tops in points and was ranked #2 going into this year, and comfortably at that. In my view, Nadal is capable of doing something simlar. He has a few good years left.

I agree with what you say. I am not suggesting that Rafa is done for good. However, I still
maintain that this year Rafa will not win a GS after winning at least one for the last 10 years.
Rafa would come back and win more GS(s), but it ain't happening this year.

Well, if he is not winning this year slams, then from next year on, when he hits 30y, the probability goes downhill even more.
Look at Roger how many has he won after 30?
Do you think he will be in better shape in his 30's than Roger?

Yes, it will be downhill with sporadic upturns. Even though he won't win a slam this year,
It won't be the end of the road for Rafa to add more slams. I am sure he can come back
and win few more.

 

[herios]

I agree with what you say. I am not suggesting that Rafa is done for good. However, I still
maintain that this year Rafa will not win a GS after winning at least one for the last 10 years.
Rafa would come back and win more GS(s), but it ain't happening this year.

Well, if he is not winning this year slams, then from next year on, when he hits 30y, the probability goes downhill even more.
Look at Roger how many has he won after 30?
Do you think he will be in better shape in his 30's than Roger?

Yes, it will be downhill with sporadic upturns. Even though he won't win a slam this year,
It won't be the end of the road for Rafa to add more slams. I am sure he can come back
and win few more.

You guys think that nobody else will step up comes 1-2 years from now? Already, dream on. You will see.

 

[herios]

I agree with what you say. I am not suggesting that Rafa is done for good. However, I still
maintain that this year Rafa will not win a GS after winning at least one for the last 10 years.
Rafa would come back and win more GS(s), but it ain't happening this year.

Well, if he is not winning this year slams, then from next year on, when he hits 30y, the probability goes downhill even more.
Look at Roger how many has he won after 30?
Do you think he will be in better shape in his 30's than Roger?

Still, there's a lot to be seen, no? Shawn mentioned the writing off of Roger. There are 3 Slams yet to be played this year, and one of them is RG. No reason for the sharks to circle, just yet, eh?

I released all the sharks, yes, because I am smelling blood. :devil

 

[Moxie]

I agree with what you say. I am not suggesting that Rafa is done for good. However, I still
maintain that this year Rafa will not win a GS after winning at least one for the last 10 years.
Rafa would come back and win more GS(s), but it ain't happening this year.

Well, if he is not winning this year slams, then from next year on, when he hits 30y, the probability goes downhill even more.
Look at Roger how many has he won after 30?
Do you think he will be in better shape in his 30's than Roger?

Yes, it will be downhill with sporadic upturns. Even though he won't win a slam this year,
It won't be the end of the road for Rafa to add more slams. I am sure he can come back
and win few more.

(((Sharks circling.))) You're (both) so convinced by what you want to be true. You might wait just a bit longer, lest you turn out to be a complete tool. Why not wait to see how the clay season plays out?

 

[Moxie]

Well, if he is not winning this year slams, then from next year on, when he hits 30y, the probability goes downhill even more.
Look at Roger how many has he won after 30?
Do you think he will be in better shape in his 30's than Roger?

Still, there's a lot to be seen, no? Shawn mentioned the writing off of Roger. There are 3 Slams yet to be played this year, and one of them is RG. No reason for the sharks to circle, just yet, eh?

I released all the sharks, yes, because I am smelling blood. :devil

No one has yet made money by counting Rafa out, big picture. You sleep with sharks, you might wake up missing limbs. :nono

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Yes, let us see how the clay season plays out. But, he is neither going to overtake or
match Vilas this year. He needs three to match and four to overtake. He plays five
clay tourneys this official clay season.

 

[Moxie]

Yes, let us see how the clay season plays out. But, he is neither going to overtake or
match Vilas this year. He needs three to match and four to overtake. He plays five
clay tourneys this official clay season.

As if that were the important issue of this clay season. Pffft. :laydownlaughing

 

[Federberg]

For whatever reason this is a bogey tournament for Rafa. But I still wonder if some of what occurred in yesterdays match was due to champions fatigue. Rafa himself made the point that he was nervous at certain points, and that's borne out by the fact that he started hitting really short balls. I think when he gets nervous he's unable to get the depth which is a key part of his game. All of this will be meaningless if he regains his mojo on the red clay in the weeks ahead. I for one am not ready to even consider "decline" until after RG, and even then he could easily win one of the two remaining slams. Clearly a first slamless year would be a big deal, but that means we shouldn't even bother discussing this until January 2016!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

This is a fly by post from me,

Rafa used to be in his prime days the Master of converting break points,Rafa could only convert 3/12 BPs in the entire match against Verdasco.I understand Rafa is not in his prime days any more,in saying that his game in the 3rd set got worse? I thought in the 2nd set he was control of the match,how wrong was I.His game in the 3rd set actually got worse.I have watched Rafa since he first came on tour,yes he is in decline,clay now awaits Rafa,sorry I just can't see it happening for Rafa on his beloved clay.His serve,fhand and bhand were inconsistant in this match.Verdasco deserved his win.It will be a miracle for me if Rafa wins RG going on his form so far this year.I understand when he arrives at Roland Garos his backyard for many years,still he is too inconsistent for me to have him as favorite for Roland Garos this year.Novak to me will achieve his career slam at Roland Garos,he is dialed in.