Is this the beginning of The Incline?

[GameSetAndMath]

Rafa in 2014 was playing excellent and was close to win his second AO, stupid back but maybe he still has a second opportunity, why[/align] not if he would be healthy?

Here we go again.

Well, he's been healthy his last five Slams and hasn't made it past the QF, not past the 3R in the last three.

Again, Carol, this isn't just another Rafa injury and comeback. This isn't late 2012 to early 2013, or 2009, when he was able to comeback strong after a shorter time. This is two years of struggle for a player approaching 30, despite general health for the last year and a half.

That said, you should be encouraged that, at the least, he'll be competitive through clay season. After that, all bets are off.

I think this year's RG will be acid test for Rafa (as I have said several times and got tired of repeating it recently). If he cannot win RG this year, he ain't going to win any more slam.

On the other hand, if he could win, there is a possibility, however small it may be, that it breathes new life into him.

 

[El Dude]

Two years ego he was 27 (one year younger than Novak is now) still far of 30. After that back injury he cameback physically healthy but not mentally which can be even worst than physically
If he does a good clay season we'll see how he will do later, we don't know how the others players will do neither or you know?

Yes, true. I just hear people say, time and time again, that it is more than just mental, that he's not moving like he used to, that his serve is weak, etc. But even if he's physically declined, with a strong mental game he should be able to return to #2.

I think this year's RG will be acid test for Rafa (as I have said several times and got tired of repeating it recently). If he cannot win RG this year, he ain't going to win any more slam.

On the other hand, if he could win, there is a possibility, however small it may be, that it breathes new life into him.

I hear what you are saying and it makes logical sense, and I even agree with it for the most part. But I also think that Novak is still the favorite at RG, and if he wins--and Rafa still does well--it might fuel Rafa even more. It is a 50-50 thing, either he feels deflated and struggles for the rest of the year, or he is inspired and charges back up. I can't see him winning Wimbledon, but maybe the US Open.

 

[Carol]

Becker in one of the last interviews has sent a message to Rafa: "Congrats! I knew that you are going to comeback but please, don't do it so well (laughing)"

 

[GameSetAndMath]

That said, I don't think he'd play for long if he left the top 10. Maybe a year? Probably we'd see a year or two in the top 5-10 range, then one more partial year in the top 10-20 range. And if he felt like he simply had no chance at winning a major, that might be the time he'd hang up his racket. But we're not there yet.

You are mixing up two totally different idea. One is about rankings and another is about his personal assessment of his chances of being a contender. Roger has clearly said in one interview that he does not care much about rankings. In fact, he even cited Hewitt as his role model in this regard (i.e, continuing to play despite low rankings).

Roger is gradually cutting down his schedule (as he should considering his age). For example this year he will most probably play just 14 tournaments whereas 18 tournaments are allowed as countable tournaments. Next year, it will probably just 12. He has told explicitly that he will take this approach (i.e., sort of like phased retirement in regular jobs). When you play less, your ranking is bound to go down. He has said he won't be worried directly about the ranking.

However, he would quit if he feels he is not a contender (he currently is despite Fiero's complaints).

We're in a agreement. I see the rankings as symptomatic, not causative. So him leaving the top 10 wouldn't be the reason he'd soon call it quits, but because of what it would mean as far as his overall ability. Even with a pared-down schedule, if he truly is competitive he should be able to at least be in the vicinity of the top 10. I suppose I could see a year or two in the top 20, as he focused on the Slams. And yes, much of that fall in rankings would be due to less playing time, although some would also likely be due to worse performance.

Hewitt is an odd role model. I get what Roger means, but Hewitt hasn't been an elite player in a decade. I'm guessing he realized he no longer had a serious chance at winning a Slam, but was playing for other reasons.

Fed gives new interview . Says he will play for few more years. Says he is not surprised by Rafa's resurgence. Refuses to answer the stupid question of would he rather win another GS or Olympics Singles Gold.

 

[El Dude]

I sure hope he'll be around for a few years. It is hard imagining the sport without him.

It is also nice to see him speak with such respect for Rafa - a classy guy.

 

[Kieran]

I think we finally can say it, this is beginning to look like an actual Incline... :clap

 

[rafanoy1992]

I think we finally can say it, this is beginning to look like an actual Incline... :clap

Kieran, I won't say it until he lifts that 10th RG crown

 

[Kieran]

I think we finally can say it, this is beginning to look like an actual Incline... :clap

Kieran, I won't say it until he lifts that 10th RG crown

He's still not at that level, that's true, but he's playing much better now than he has since he won Paris in 2014. And mentally, he's solid! So the basics are getting there, but the huge hurdles remain, which are to get a workable serve - and to defeat Novak...

 

[GameSetAndMath]

I think we finally can say it, this is beginning to look like an actual Incline... :clap

Kieran, I won't say it until he lifts that 10th RG crown

He's still not at that level, that's true, but he's playing much better now than he has since he won Paris in 2014. And mentally, he's solid! So the basics are getting there, but the huge hurdles remain, which are to get a workable serve - and to defeat Novak...

They go hand in hand. With this serve, Rafa can't beat Novak.

Novak's serve is one that is highly underrated. You don't see very many people lauding Novak's serves, but his serve is pretty good and is quite consistent as well.

 

[Kieran]

Rafa has never had a great serve, and he's handled Novak in Paris. If he's mentally tough enough, then he'll find a way. But so far I have caveats laid against him being so confident to beat Novak, just yet...

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

Well we will have to see what happens, Novak might want to deflate those sails before the French though a confident Rafa going into RG won't be a pleasant thing even if Novak has the chops to beat an on Rafa at RG.

 

[Kieran]

At the moment now, Novak is still the better player but also, he's maybe the only one who could beat Rafa on clay. I know, this is probably getting too exuberant too quickly, but look at his results over the last two weeks, he's settled some scores while also defeating the FO champ, and the man who beat him in straights in Madrid last year. So I think Madrid and Rome will tell us a lot. If Nole asserts himself definitively over Rafa, and Rafa shows signs of mental fragility, then it doesn't look hopeful.

But if Nole loses early again, and Rafa continues to gather steam, then all bets are off...

 

[El Dude]

I think it is safe to say, Kieran, that Rafa is the second best player on tour right now. And on clay at least the gap between him and Novak is smaller than him and the third best, whoever that may be (not Roger on clay).

After clay is another matter. I suspect Rafa will still play at a high level but be more prone to upset. But regardless, he's doing quite well and better than almost anyone expected. I really hope to see a Rafa-Novak final at Roland Garros.

 

[nehmeth]

At the moment now, Novak is still the better player but also, he's maybe the only one who could beat Rafa on clay. I know, this is probably getting too exuberant too quickly, but look at his results over the last two weeks, he's settled some scores while also defeating the FO champ, and the man who beat him in straights in Madrid last year. So I think Madrid and Rome will tell us a lot. If Nole asserts himself definitively over Rafa, and Rafa shows signs of mental fragility, then it doesn't look hopeful.

If Wawrinka can extricate himself from the arms of Kokkinakis's hand-me-down long enough to focus on his tennis, he'd give Ralf or Nole a run for their money. Other than that? Murray's bitter accusations of the lads of doping suggests he has neither the game, nor the stomach to give either one of them much of a fight. Thiem could be the dark horse out there.

 

[the AntiPusher]

At the moment now, Novak is still the better player but also, he's maybe the only one who could beat Rafa on clay. I know, this is probably getting too exuberant too quickly, but look at his results over the last two weeks, he's settled some scores while also defeating the FO champ, and the man who beat him in straights in Madrid last year. So I think Madrid and Rome will tell us a lot. If Nole asserts himself definitively over Rafa, and Rafa shows signs of mental fragility, then it doesn't look hopeful.

If Wawrinka can extricate himself from the arms of Kokkinakis's hand-me-down long enough to focus on his tennis, he'd give Ralf or Nole a run for their money. Other than that? Murray's bitter accusations of the lads of doping suggests he has neither the game, nor the stomach to give either one of them much of a fight. Thiem could be the dark horse out there.

Don't blame poor Andy, he has retained Front as his PED advisor

 

[nehmeth]

Murray's bitter accusations of the lads of doping suggests he has neither the game, nor the stomach to give either one of them much of a fight. Thiem could be the dark horse out there.

Don't blame poor Andy, he has retained Front as his PED advisor

Nadal is suing. Murray better shut up. :snicker

http://www.centredaily.com/entertainment/celebrities/article73740602.html

 

[kskate2]

This Nadal is not ready to defeat Novak. Obviously if someone takes Djoker out at RG, it's likely Nadal will lift it again as he can defeat the remainder of the tour.

 

[Fiero425]

Murray's bitter accusations of the lads of doping suggests he has neither the game, nor the stomach to give either one of them much of a fight. Thiem could be the dark horse out there.

Don't blame poor Andy, he has retained Front as his PED advisor

Nadal is suing. Murray better shut up. :snicker

http://www.centredaily.com/entertainment/celebrities/article73740602.html

Like Nadal hasn't heard this already; PLEASE! I know he isn't that bright, but he's not that slow! :cover :nono

 

[Kieran]

Don't blame poor Andy, he has retained Front as his PED advisor

Nadal is suing. Murray better shut up. :snicker

http://www.centredaily.com/entertainment/celebrities/article73740602.html

Like Nadal hasn't heard this already; PLEASE! I know he isn't that bright, but he's not that slow! :cover :nono

You're a bit slow yourself. Rafa, last month:

"There is a couple of times I heard comments like this, and that's what … this [is] gonna be the last one, because I gonna sue her,” Nadal said following his second-round win over Gilles Muller at Indian Wells. “I am tired about these things. I let it go a few times in the past. Not [any]more, you know?

"I know how tough I worked to be here. To listen, to [hear] those comments from a person that should be serious, because [she] was minister of a big country and a great country like France. So I gonna sue her, and I gonna sue everyone who gonna comment something similar in the future, because I am tired of that."

 

[the AntiPusher]

This Nadal is not ready to defeat Novak. Obviously if someone takes Djoker out at RG, it's likely Nadal will lift it again as he can defeat the remainder of the tour.

I am not debating your post but why do you feel he isn't ready. Rafa has defeated some good top ten ATP players and reclaimed Barcelona from a very stingy Nishikori. His game is a lot better , he is moving , hitting the ball deeper and grinding out wins that were looses last year. I just wanted to hear your thoughts