Nadalites – Rafa Nadal Talk

[Shivashish Sarkar]

This is the Nadal Fans thread. He has his own thread. But, again, if you think the pressure for him to play or quit is based on what his fans think, you're kidding yourself.

Well it does not hold true for Djokovic but it did for Federer as well as Nadal. It's just what I perceive. I may be wrong.

 

[Front242]

If you want my honest opinion, I didn't think Rafa was capable to win a slam at this stage of his career. I don't think he is built to go Bo5 anymore. However, I think he can still win one of the clay warm-ups in July (I think he will enter into Hamburg) and/or the Olympics.

If he skips Wimbledon as he probably will, he'll enter the Olympics nice and fresh compared to those playing grass court season. It's only best of 3 till the final and, with a good draw, I could see him winning the gold or silver for sure depending on the draw. That'd be a nice consolation after his early RG exit.

 

[the AntiPusher]

If he skips Wimbledon as he probably will, he'll enter the Olympics nice and fresh compared to those playing grass court season. It's only best of 3 till the final and, with a good draw, I could see him winning the gold or silver for sure depending on the draw. That'd be a nice consolation after his early RG exit.

Here's the latest from Patrick M...he may have had some insight to say this.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Here's the latest from Patrick M...he may have had some insight to say this.

I dont take much notice of Potty Mouth Patrick M
Alcaraz said in one of his RG press conferences, that he and Nadal are still on track to play mixed doubles at the Olympics this year
I will wait for Rafa to come out and say what are his intentions if he is/wants to play next year or for that matter any other tournaments in 2024

 

[the AntiPusher]

I dont take much notice of Potty Mouth Patrick M
Alcaraz said in one of his RG press conferences, that he and Nadal are still on track to play mixed doubles at the Olympics this year
I will wait for Rafa to come out and say what are his intentions if he is/wants to play next year or for that matter any other tournaments in 2024

Yes, Carlos and Rafa are very excited to play with each other..I hope they can play a least a tune up tournament if possible. It will be exciting maybe like John McEnroe and Steffi Graf played mixed in SW19 made it to the semi and Graf withdrawal to concentrate on her singles..oh that pissed Johnny Mac off!

 

[Moxie]

I dont take much notice of Potty Mouth Patrick M
Alcaraz said in one of his RG press conferences, that he and Nadal are still on track to play mixed doubles at the Olympics this year
I will wait for Rafa to come out and say what are his intentions if he is/wants to play next year or for that matter any other tournaments in 2024

Mixed doubles?

 

[the AntiPusher]

Mixed doubles?

Very old Spanish champ and very young Spanish Champ (Mixed dbls) jajaja

 

[PhiEaglesfan712]

Rafael Nadal turns 38 today:

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I am a bit late with The Birthday Wishes,

To Rafa turning 38 years young today,
I still remember watching you at RG where I was with my cousins, watching you win your first RG title, and have been many times to see you win at RG and Roma tournaments and watched you live at the AO in 2009 when you were the first Spanish man to win the AO.
I hope you have a great and enjoyable Birthday!

 

[the AntiPusher]

If he skips Wimbledon as he probably will, he'll enter the Olympics nice and fresh compared to those playing grass court season. It's only best of 3 till the final and, with a good draw, I could see him winning the gold or silver for sure depending on the draw. That'd be a nice consolation after his early RG exit.

Front and folks.. I'm gonna be honest.. Winning another GS is vastly more significant than winning another GOLD medal.. Rafa has two (singles and mens dbls). Unless he is gonna play with one of his county women to complete the trilogy, why not go to the grass. he has the courts there at his academy and can find some excellent grass court players to spa with such as the recently retired Feli. Yes Novak not being there makes a different to me and Rafa may get a better draw as Fronty suggested and have an opportunity to play himself into grand slam match tournament tough. With his FH and CC BH I think he would do well to go to the grass. Besides how much additional time on the clay does he require to play doubles on clay.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Front and folks.. I'm gonna be honest.. Winning another GS is vastly more significant than winning another GOLD medal.. Rafa has two (singles and mens dbls). Unless he is gonna play with one of his county women to complete the trilogy, why not go to the grass. he has the courts there at his academy and can find some excellent grass court players to spa with such as the recently retired Feli. Yes Novak not being there makes a different to me and Rafa may get a better draw as Fronty suggested and have an opportunity to play himself into grand slam match tournament tough. With his FH and CC BH I think he would do well to go to the grass. Besides how much additional time on the clay does he require to play doubles on clay.

Rafa has stated he didnt want to change from grass to clay for the Olympics as he dosent think his body at this stage could handle the transition from grass back to clay.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Rafa has stated he didnt want to change from grass to clay for the Olympics as he dosent think his body at this stage could handle the transition from grass back to clay.

ok

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

We wont have the Coupe des Mousquetaires in the trophy cabinet in 2024,
Bur Rafa still wins in June with the Copa Naciones pf the Golf Club Son Servera title!

 

[the AntiPusher]

Question for the Rafa fans and the TF...what is so important about the games in Paris for Rafa's legacy? I know he most likely gonna skip SW19 but looking at the recent tennis news about Novak's knee, is there five better grass court players than Rafa currently on the tour?

 

[Nadalfan2013]

Question for the Rafa fans and the TF...what is so important about the games in Paris for Rafa's legacy? I know he most likely gonna skip SW19 but looking at the recent tennis news about Novak's knee, is there five better grass court players than Rafa currently on the tour?

I know some tennis fans try to downplay the Olympics (especially Djokovic fans) but pretty much all top players rank it up there with the slams whether it's Nadal, Federer, Djokovic and even recently Serena and Venus while being interviewed in French tv show picked winning the Olympics as their biggest win in their whole career. So yeah it's very important for Nadal to be there, especially since it will finally be played on clay.

 

[PhiEaglesfan712]

I know some tennis fans try to downplay the Olympics (especially Djokovic fans) but pretty much all top players rank it up there with the slams whether it's Nadal, Federer, Djokovic and even recently Serena and Venus while being interviewed in French tv show picked winning the Olympics as their biggest win in their whole career. So yeah it's very important for Nadal to be there, especially since it will finally be played on clay.

Not to mention, Rafa has the chance to become the first player to ever complete the career double golden slam with a singles gold.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

For the last time Rafa is not going to play Wimbledon he said it is too much of transition for his body going from grass to clay
I have actually seen him practicing on clay via video
That implies he is practicing for the Olympics
For the life of Rafa has won gold in singles and doubles, winning a medal at the Olympics is just a bonus, I have never placed that much importance on the Olympics?
When Rafa does retire the first thing tennis historians will look at his resume is his GS record not have may Olympics medals he has won!

 

[The Strokes]

Rafa seems quite determined to play the Olympics but I find it a bit strange, considering he already has Gold, and he seems to pick and choose what he plays with great caution aimed at preserving his body. But it's being played on clay in his favourite venue and he's super patriotic so I also get it.

I wish instead (though maybe this will happen too) Rafa plays one N American HC Masters, then the USO. It's his 2nd best slam, afterall.

I got the sense from his comments after the RG exit that he is planning to keep going, because his body feels good and he feels he can still be competitive, and likely wants to keep playing because he still loves it.
The problem is playing unseeded, as we just saw at the FO, and it made me furious they fed him to Zverev 1rst round. maybe it was a fair draw, in which case they should have rigged it. Seriously. Fourteen titles and two years off with injuries.

 

[PhiEaglesfan712]

Looks like Nadal's next appearance will be Hamburg:

This is where Nadal famously defeated Carlos Moya as a teenager 21 years ago.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Looks like Nadal's next appearance will be Hamburg:

This is where Nadal famously defeated Carlos Moya as a teenager 21 years ago.

There is no confirmation as yet if Rafa will play Hamburg, or that Carlos will play doubles with him.