No reason to be overly optimistic about Djokovic at Roland Garros.....

[Fiero425]

I think It very much depends on the conditions. If the court plays super slow and bouncy like last year, ultimately Novak suffers the same problem everyone else under 6'6 faces. If on the other hand it plays like in 2012 before the break, you can see that things become much more 50/50.

But yea, Nadal at his best is obviously the king of clay, just like Fed in his prime was the king of grass or arguably Novak at the AO.

Hard to see anyone beating them there.

2014/15 Nadal has been more vulnerable than ever on clay and also on HC but I don't think is due to the slow court and bouncy but his lack of confidence which in any sport is so important as the game
He'll be back

Yes, confidence is always important for Rafa, but Haelfix is correct with everything else. The 2012 RG final, Parts I & II, demonstrated this: when it was rainy, wet, and slow, Novak was clearly at an advantage; when they returned the next day, and it was dry and hot, Rafa was in King of Clay mode.

We found that out in Monte Carlo a couple years ago; conditions were so heavy with a damp, cold day! Nole won in straights over Rafa in 2013! The year before, Rafa worked him 3 and 1 IIRC! :nono

 

[Carol]

Damp/blue clay is really clay? :snicker

 

[Fiero425]

Damp/blue clay is really clay? :snicker

Yeah, Har-tru; loved it in Madrid a few years ago! Rafa couldn't keep his footing and promised not to come back if they didn't switch back to the red stuff! It was in that tournament that Verdasco upset Nadal early, then Nole went in the next round! It really helped Roger consolidate his #1 ranking at the time since he was able to slide all the way to the final and win! :eyepop

 

[Federberg]

Damp/blue clay is really clay? :snicker

Must there always be an excuse? :snicker

 

[Fiero425]

Damp/blue clay is really clay? :snicker

Must there always be an excuse? :snicker

Been saying that for years! If anyone loses these days, something has to be wrong w/ the court, rackets, body part, or crowd! That was a new one w/ Wawrinka getting into a brouhaha w/ Mirka @ Masters last year! :cover :nono :angel: :dodgy:

 

[tented]

Damp/blue clay is really clay? :snicker

Am I missing something obvious? I'm not sure why you're mentioning blue clay. :huh:

 

[Carol]

Damp/blue clay is really clay? :snicker

Am I missing something obvious? I'm not sure why you're mentioning blue clay. :huh:

Well, obviously I mentioned blue clay because the way they made that surface it was far to be the really clay, same like to play on a "puddle" (RG final 2012) :nono

I like this article, I think it's very correct

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/rafaelnadal/11561855/Rafael-Nadal-faces-French-revolution-from-the-imperious-Novak-Djokovic.html

 

[Carol]

Damp/blue clay is really clay? :snicker

Yeah, Har-tru; loved it in Madrid a few years ago! Rafa couldn't keep his footing and promised not to come back if they didn't switch back to the red stuff! It was in that tournament that Verdasco upset Nadal early, then Nole went in the next round! It really helped Roger consolidate his #1 ranking at the time since he was able to slide all the way to the final and win! :eyepop

Yeah.....to play on blue clay clay has been the best invention of the tennis history :snicker

http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/120623060850-blue-clay-ban-story-top.jpg

 

[tented]

^ I still see no reason to have mentioned blue clay. It has nothing to do with any tournament anymore, and certainly not RG, which is the focus of this thread. Additionally, both Novak and Rafa didn't like it, neither won on it, so there's no point bringing it up, as if it's something which separates them.

 

[herios]

^ I still see no reason to have mentioned blue clay. It has nothing to do with any tournament anymore, and certainly not RG, which is the focus of this thread. Additionally, both Novak and Rafa didn't like it, neither won on it, so there's no point bringing it up, as if it's something which separates them.

Unless RG will use blue clay:laydownlaughing

 

[Fiero425]

^ I still see no reason to have mentioned blue clay. It has nothing to do with any tournament anymore, and certainly not RG, which is the focus of this thread. Additionally, both Novak and Rafa didn't like it, neither won on it, so there's no point bringing it up, as if it's something which separates them.

Unless RG will use blue clay:laydownlaughing

Regardless, just not my favorite part of the season; esp. smaller events like Munich, Istanbul, and Estoril! I don't mind Nole taking Madrid off at all! Might as well rest! Borg was my favorite player as a kid, but if he got into a 5 set marathon in a Paris final against Orantes or Vilas, I was going out to play instead! We had a glut of tennis on TV back in the mid 70's w/ the ascension of Connors and Evert anyway! I swear this happened; BJK was playing on all 3 networks one sat. back then; 1 live w/ the other 2 taped events! I'm sorry people of this era missed that particular golden age w/ Borg, Connors, Evert, King, Goolagong, Navratilova, Wade, Laver, Nastase, and Court! You guys missed out on some great exhibition events pitting men and women on equal footing called WITC (World Inv'l Tennis Classic) inviting the 4 top players from both tours, trying to acquire points by winning in singles, doubles, and Mx'd D! :clap :angel: :dodgy:

 

[Federberg]

http://espn.go.com/tennis/story/_/id/12793054/tennis-calculated-risk-novak-djokovic

 

[lacatch]

http://espn.go.com/tennis/story/_/id/12793054/tennis-calculated-risk-novak-djokovic

It appears that Bodo is trying to make a story out of nothing. He must have had a deadline, and apparently gets paid by the word lol.

 

[Federberg]

Not just Bodo it seems. I've seen similar or worse elsewhere. If I were cynical I would say that those running Madrid are just trying to give Nole a gentle slap. More fool them

 

[tented]

Not just Bodo it seems. I've seen similar or worse elsewhere. If I were cynical I would say that those running Madrid are just trying to give Nole a gentle slap. More fool them

Then color me cynical, because such behavior wouldn't surprise me at all -- especially with a tournament owned by Tiriac.

 

[Federberg]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2449603-novak-djokovic-doing-his-legacy-a-disservice-by-skipping-2015-madrid-masters?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=tennis

 

[nehmeth]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2449603-novak-djokovic-doing-his-legacy-a-disservice-by-skipping-2015-madrid-masters?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=tennis

uzzled

Let's see. Which would be a bigger disservice to his legacy? Missing Madrid in order to win the French? Or playing all three clay 1000's and then having nothing left to compete at his highest level at RG? Tough pick! :nono

 

[tented]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2449603-novak-djokovic-doing-his-legacy-a-disservice-by-skipping-2015-madrid-masters?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=tennis

uzzled

Let's see. Which would be a bigger disservice to his legacy? Missing Madrid in order to win the French? Or playing all three clay 1000's and then having nothing left to compete at his highest level at RG? Tough pick! :nono

They're trying to form a conclusion based on past behavior (Novak has skipped Madrid before, lost in Paris, therefore chances are it will happen again), which isn't proof of anything. But when has Bodo ever been proof of anything?

The only way I could see this being a problem is if Novak somehow stumbles early in Rome. Technically, that's possible, however it's a highly unlikely scenario.

 

[Fiero425]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2449603-novak-djokovic-doing-his-legacy-a-disservice-by-skipping-2015-madrid-masters?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=tennis

uzzled

Let's see. Which would be a bigger disservice to his legacy? Missing Madrid in order to win the French? Or playing all three clay 1000's and then having nothing left to compete at his highest level at RG? Tough pick! :nono

They're trying to form a conclusion based on past behavior (Novak has skipped Madrid before, lost in Paris, therefore chances are it will happen again), which isn't proof of anything. But when has Bodo ever been proof of anything?

The only way I could see this being a problem is if Novak somehow stumbles early in Rome. Technically, that's possible, however it's a highly unlikely scenario.

Nole's proved he doesn't need that much warm-up like Nadal! From what I remember, he only played 3 matches before winning the Aussie Open earlier this year! His record is almost spotless taking 4 of the top titles of the year to date! Looks like he's going to shatter a few records Roger couldn't acquire; least of which is Cinn.! Paris obviously more important; completes his career GS! :angel: :dodgy:

 

[nehmeth]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2449603-novak-djokovic-doing-his-legacy-a-disservice-by-skipping-2015-madrid-masters?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=tennis

uzzled

Let's see. Which would be a bigger disservice to his legacy? Missing Madrid in order to win the French? Or playing all three clay 1000's and then having nothing left to compete at his highest level at RG? Tough pick! :nono

They're trying to form a conclusion based on past behavior (Novak has skipped Madrid before, lost in Paris, therefore chances are it will happen again), which isn't proof of anything. But when has Bodo ever been proof of anything?

The only way I could see this being a problem is if Novak somehow stumbles early in Rome. Technically, that's possible, however it's a highly unlikely scenario.

If you had the choice to skip one of the clay Masters, wouldn't you pick the one with clay on cement? I would. Add the fact that he has no points to defend, and it seems like the right choice.