Is this the beginning of The Incline?

[mrzz]

Wait wait wait...

Some years ago, when Federer went through Basel, Bercy and the WTF without losing a match, barely a set, people would say that it meant very little to the Australian Open, and they had a point (even if the guy was playing really great tennis and that spell meant something by itself).

And now Nadal wins some matches on the asian swing... so what?

What I mean is: these results mean nothing. What has some meaning is how he is playing to get those results, and I take the word of those who saw the matches, and saw improvement. But still...

 

[Kieran]

Who said Rafa's results in Asia have anything to do with the Australian Open?

 

[Carol]

Rafa's results in Asia means a lot. Last year due to his bad appendix and previous injury was awful and very difficult to understand why he played under those bad conditions. This year is a very diferent story even that he has had his worst year of his career now is doing better and better. He lost against a very improved Tsonga with a very small margin though he also could have won that match but I'm sure the next tournament we'll see a renew Nadal and even better in 2016 where I hope he will shake off that AO 2014 and all that bad streak since then :wave

 

[Kirijax]

Nadal's French Open win in 2014 is starting to look like a bigger upset and hindsight shock than Cilic's 2014 USO ever was, is, or ever will be.

 

[Kieran]

Nadal's French Open win in 2014 is starting to look like a bigger upset and hindsight shock than Cilic's 2014 USO ever was, is, or ever will be.

How come? He was the 8 time champ, having won the previous four...

 

[Carol]

Nadal's French Open win in 2014 is starting to look like a bigger upset and hindsight shock than Cilic's 2014 USO ever was, is, or ever will be.

I don't understand that comment, what do you mean? Nadal winning a FO bigger upset and shock than what? excuse moi?

 

[Front242]

Well, he was most definitely there for the taking more at RG 2014 than ever before imo for Novak. That 4th set was the biggest pile of $h1t I can remember watching in a tennis final in quite some time with cramping from both, puking from Novak and Rafa hunched over and gassed. Woeful. Rafa himself said if it went to a fifth set he probably would've lost. Worst time ever for Novak to get a stomach bug.

 

[Carol]

If, if, if......if Nadal wouldn't have got that back injury in the AO 2014 (worst time ever to get that injury) he would have won the final and being the player with more than one win of each GS. If he wouldn't have played so bad for almost two years who knows who would be the #1or #2. If some players like he, Tsonga, Muzz and others wouldn't have got injuries who knows who would have won more or less GS or who would be playing better and with more confidence. We can count many if....

 

[Riotbeard]

If, if, if......if Nadal wouldn't have got that back injury in the AO 2014 (worst time ever to get that injury) he would have won the final and being the player with more than one win of each GS. If he wouldn't have played so bad for almost two years who knows who would be the #1or #2. If some players like he, Tsonga, Muzz and others wouldn't have got injuries who knows who would have won more or less GS or who would be playing better and with more confidence. We can count many if....

This seems a bit unproven, given that Stan was up a set, once Rafa got hurt.

 

[Front242]

Yup, totally unproven. Stan is an animal in finals as we saw at RG this year. There's absolutely zero, nada, to base that on. He was getting his ass handed to him before he hurt his back.

 

[tented]

If, if, if......if Nadal wouldn't have got that back injury in the AO 2014 (worst time ever to get that injury) he would have won the final and being the player with more than one win of each GS. If he wouldn't have played so bad for almost two years who knows who would be the #1or #2. If some players like he, Tsonga, Muzz and others wouldn't have got injuries who knows who would have won more or less GS or who would be playing better and with more confidence. We can count many if....

This seems a bit unproven, given that Stan was up a set, once Rafa got hurt.

And we all know once you're down a set, the match is over.

Novak:
2008 Australian Open: 4–6, 6–4, 6–3, 7–6(7–2)
2012 Australian Open: 5–7, 6–4, 6–2, 6–7(5–7), 7–5
2013 Australian Open: 6–7(2–7), 7–6(7–3), 6–3, 6–2
2014 Wimbledon: 6–7(7–9), 6–4, 7–6(7–4), 5–7, 6–4

Rafa:
2005 French Open: 6–7(6–8), 6–3, 6–1, 7–5
2006 French Open: 1–6, 6–1, 6–4, 7–6(7–4)
2014 French Open: 3–6, 7–5, 6–2, 6–4

Federer:
2004 Wimbledon: 4–6, 7–5, 7–6(7–3), 6–4
2006 Australian Open: 5–7, 7–5, 6–0, 6–2
2009 Wimbledon: 5–7, 7–6(8–6), 7–6(7–5), 3–6, 16–14
2012 Wimbledon: 4–6, 7–5, 6–3, 6–4

 

[Kirijax]

I was glad for Stan that he won the FO this year. Like Mauresmo back in 2006, some people said he only won because of his injured/sick opponent. So he was a sort of half-Slam champion so to speak. But then that FO win seemed to validate his AO win as well and he was suddenly and surprisingly a two-time Slam winner.

OK, getting off track, back to Nadal's ascent to the top again.

 

[Carol]

If, if, if......if Nadal wouldn't have got that back injury in the AO 2014 (worst time ever to get that injury) he would have won the final and being the player with more than one win of each GS. If he wouldn't have played so bad for almost two years who knows who would be the #1or #2. If some players like he, Tsonga, Muzz and others wouldn't have got injuries who knows who would have won more or less GS or who would be playing better and with more confidence. We can count many if....

This seems a bit unproven, given that Stan was up a set, once Rafa got hurt.

Rafa got hurt when they were practicing on the court a little before the match started and not during the match. He should eetired but he didn't knowing that it went to be tough playing that way
Until that moment he was playing really well, that injury and loss affected to him for long time

 

[Front242]

So he says. Tell me there was even the slightest bit of a difference in his movement till he was down 0-2 in set 2 'cos most people couldn't see a damn thing wrong till then. Clearly he was showing obvious back trouble after that but before it, no. He was moving same as ever.

 

[Riotbeard]

If, if, if......if Nadal wouldn't have got that back injury in the AO 2014 (worst time ever to get that injury) he would have won the final and being the player with more than one win of each GS. If he wouldn't have played so bad for almost two years who knows who would be the #1or #2. If some players like he, Tsonga, Muzz and others wouldn't have got injuries who knows who would have won more or less GS or who would be playing better and with more confidence. We can count many if....

This seems a bit unproven, given that Stan was up a set, once Rafa got hurt.

And we all know once you're down a set, the match is over.

Novak:
2008 Australian Open: 4–6, 6–4, 6–3, 7–6(7–2)
2012 Australian Open: 5–7, 6–4, 6–2, 6–7(5–7), 7–5
2013 Australian Open: 6–7(2–7), 7–6(7–3), 6–3, 6–2
2014 Wimbledon: 6–7(7–9), 6–4, 7–6(7–4), 5–7, 6–4

Rafa:
2005 French Open: 6–7(6–8), 6–3, 6–1, 7–5
2006 French Open: 1–6, 6–1, 6–4, 7–6(7–4)
2014 French Open: 3–6, 7–5, 6–2, 6–4

Federer:
2004 Wimbledon: 4–6, 7–5, 7–6(7–3), 6–4
2006 Australian Open: 5–7, 7–5, 6–0, 6–2
2009 Wimbledon: 5–7, 7–6(8–6), 7–6(7–5), 3–6, 16–14
2012 Wimbledon: 4–6, 7–5, 6–3, 6–4

I never said Stan would have won if Rafa had not gotten injured at the beginning of the second, but somebody else seemed to imply that it was a guarantee Rafa would come back had he not gotten hurt.

 

[Carol]

So he says. Tell me there was even the slightest bit of a difference in his movement till he was down 0-2 in set 2 'cos most people couldn't see a damn thing wrong till then. Clearly he was showing obvious back trouble after that but before it, no. He was moving same as ever.

Are you doing or you did some sports? do you know what is to play at that level with some discomfort and even worse an injury? you get hurt, you feel some pain, maybe not too much but if you continues playing after a while you are dying, the pain become worse and worse and worse

 

[Front242]

So he says. Tell me there was even the slightest bit of a difference in his movement till he was down 0-2 in set 2 'cos most people couldn't see a damn thing wrong till then. Clearly he was showing obvious back trouble after that but before it, no. He was moving same as ever.

Are you doing or you did some sports? do you know what is to play at that level with some discomfort and even worse an injury? you get hurt, you feel some pain, maybe not too much but if you continues playing after a while you are dying, the pain become worse and worse and worse

Yes I lift a lot of heavy weights and I'm well aware of all you said but I'm simply saying he was moving fine till he was down 2-0 in set 2. There's nothing to really indicate he was in any way impeded before that given how he was moving fine. It seemed he just tweaked something in his back after 2-0 down in the 2nd set. You're basically saying he was only losing because his back was already sore and even said he would've won otherwise. Both are totally unproven, especially when we all saw how Stan played against Novak at RG this year. There isn't any reason why he couldn't have won with a fresh as a daisy, brand new out of the box, Rafa energizer bunny hot off the shelf for Xmas. Stan also destroyed Roger at RG this year. Stan is actually quite good methinks. Better to just leave it at he might have won if he hadn't hurt his back 'cos he would have won is a bit rich and presumptuous and also completely unproven and unknown, not to mention belittling Stan and grossly underestimating him.

 

[Carol]

So he says. Tell me there was even the slightest bit of a difference in his movement till he was down 0-2 in set 2 'cos most people couldn't see a damn thing wrong till then. Clearly he was showing obvious back trouble after that but before it, no. He was moving same as ever.

Are you doing or you did some sports? do you know what is to play at that level with some discomfort and even worse an injury? you get hurt, you feel some pain, maybe not too much but if you continues playing after a while you are dying, the pain become worse and worse and worse

Yes I lift a lot of heavy weights and I'm well aware of all you said but I'm simply saying he was moving fine till he was down 2-0 in set 2. There's nothing to really indicate he was in any way impeded before that given how he was moving fine. It seemed he just tweaked something in his back after 2-0 down in
the 2nd set. You're basically saying he was only losing because his back was already sore and even sai
he would've won otherwise. Both are totally unproven, especially when we all saw how Stan played against Novak at RG this year. There isn't any reason why he couldn't have won with a fresh as a daisy, brand new out of the box, Rafa energizer bunny hot off the shelf for Xmas. Stan also destroyed Roger at RG this year. Stan is actually quite good methinks. Better to just leave it at he might have won if he hadn't hurt his back 'cos he would have won is a bit rich and presumptuous and also completely unproven and unknown, not to mention belittling Stan and grossly underestimating him.

I say what I read and watch at that time. Rafa gave the credit to Stan to play so well but he also said what happened to him. I agree that Stan played well, he also beaten Novak before but my point is that Rafa also was playing well and if he wouldn't have been hurt the result probably would have been diferent

 

[Front242]

True, he might have won another set In fairness, the 3rd set that he won was only down to Stan being unable to cope with what was happening out there. His game went to pieces.

 

[tented]

True, he might have won another set In fairness, the 3rd set that he won was only down to Stan being unable to cope with what was happening out there. His game went to pieces.

Stan has famously self-destructed at times, even when looking like he's well on his way to winning. It's this very quality which made me think Djokovic would mount a comeback, and win RG this year. Kudos to him for closing that out, especially against such a dangerous opponent.