It’s kinda like, this year is the worst year ever for Rafa on clay before Paris, except 2020, when he arrived on fire. But he has no form, no big wins, his body is creaking louder than ever, with large elongated existential creaks, so he really needs good practice now, doesn’t he? And that might not even be enough..
I'd say, if the foot demons can go back in the box, then he could also use a couple of not very challenging rounds at RG as batting practice.
Actually 2020 was the true anomaly, RG had miserable non typical red clay playing conditions, weather, etc.
Lets pray that Rafa dosent end up in Novak's half seeing his seeding dropped to No 5
Numbers 5 and 6 in the world are not fellas you'd want to meet in the quarters...
No, but the No 5 especially I would prefer he was healthy, I just hope the foot behaves itself throughout the tournament
Absolutely. I'm kind of at the stage now where I dunno what to expect from Rafa, but managing his body is not something he ever seemed to be a genius at. I think if the foot holds up, he might play his way into the tournament, and with hopefully Dannii as his scheduled QF opponent...
Medvedev is playing Geneva clay tournament before RG, after his hernia operation.
The 2020 RG is what continues to give me hope, as long as the foot holds up. He had every obstruction laid out for him NOT to win that year in Paris, including Djokovic in the final, with the roof closed, and still he won it without dropping a set. Hope springs eternal.
Well, 2020 and Australia this year, where he had no real build up either, which is generally the case there anyway, but he had nothing late last year. He just played like he was happy to be alive, and that was because he was so happy to be back in court, with no great feeling of pain.
Well I hope he regains his mental battle , cause after Roma this year, his mind was not in a good place.
Injuries really not being able to play for such a long periods really can take you into a dark place. Annacone is still high on Rafa's chances, that's good enough for me.
To me it was about his 'foot' giving him grief again, it was the 'straw that broke the camel's back even Chris O'Cleary who has been following and reporting on Rafa since he came on the tour, said it was the 'darkest' he has seen him after Roma.
Well, the foot was a problem since forever, but more of a problem since last RG, as I understand it. He says he plays and lives with pain, so is it really worse than in Oz, or just not a bad day like v. Shapo? He doesn't bring much clay success into RG, but an otherwise successful year. I hope the foot quiets down and he plays with his usual commitment to winning Roland Garros again.
Rafa hurt his foot at Roma last year....if anyone watched the s/final at RG last year, you could tell Rafa's footwork was below par.
I thought it wasn't an injury but a "condition," which has become more of a problem. When did he hurt it in Rome?
Condition then, the courts as I said were in dreadful condition, in his q/final match he skidded his foot on a line and grimaced.
I remember that and he caught his foot on the sideline and fell against Novak…he was quite annoyed about it too..
