Rafa out of Basel

[Kieran]

Just read it on Facebook.

I think this is a wise move. Trying to play 5 weeks out of 6 is most likely a bit ambitious...

 

[NADAL2005RG]

RE: Rafa out of Basle

When it comes to scheduling, Nadal knows best. That's why he's been a slam-winner for the last 9 years in a row.

 

[Kieran]

RE: Rafa out of Basle

When it comes to scheduling, Nadal knows best. That's why he's been a slam-winner for the last 9 years in a row.

It's also why he's missed a whole year out of those nine... :nono

 

[NADAL2005RG]

RE: Rafa out of Basle

The 7 month break resulted in him sweeping the American summer. That's smart. Without that 7 month break, he may never have done that. Genius.

 

[Kieran]

RE: Rafa out of Basle

The 7 month break resulted in him sweeping the American summer. That's smart. Without that 7 month break, he may never have done that. Genius.

His brains must be in his knees, then. That would be different. Some people's brains are in their....derriere...

 

[NADAL2005RG]

RE: Rafa out of Basle

His brains must be in his knees, then. That would be different. Some people's brains are in their....derriere...

Sounds gross. But horses for courses.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

RE: Rafa out of Basle

The 7 month break resulted in him sweeping the American summer. That's smart. Without that 7 month break, he may never have done that. Genius.

Nadal did not "schedule" the 7 month break, so there is nothing "smart" about that. It was out of necessity. Unless you believe he was perfectly healthy and just wanted to take a break, fish, golf...
:nono
Basel decision, on the other hand, IS smart. He does not need to play it.

 

[Denis]

RE: Rafa out of Basle

The 7 month break resulted in him sweeping the American summer. That's smart. Without that 7 month break, he may never have done that. Genius.

Nadal did not "schedule" the 7 month break, so there is nothing "smart" about that. It was out of necessity. Unless you believe he was perfectly healthy and just wanted to take a break, fish, golf...
:nono
Basel decision, on the other hand, IS smart. He does not need to play it.

I tend to agree, although getting a couple of indoor matches under his belt would not hurt for the WTF.

 

[Srini]

RE: Rafa out of Basle

Right move. After such a successful season, he should have skipped Beijing too, should have just focused on Masters and WTF.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

RE: Rafa out of Basle

The 7 month break resulted in him sweeping the American summer. That's smart. Without that 7 month break, he may never have done that. Genius.

Nadal did not "schedule" the 7 month break, so there is nothing "smart" about that. It was out of necessity. Unless you believe he was perfectly healthy and just wanted to take a break, fish, golf...
:nono
Basel decision, on the other hand, IS smart. He does not need to play it.

I tend to agree, although getting a couple of indoor matches under his belt would not hurt for the WTF.

He has Paris for that.

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

RE: Rafa out of Basle

good decision rafa is a bit rubbish on indoor hc so he needs to avoid djokovic and Federer as much as possible.

and he can launch a surprise attack on a all time world record 6th masters this year..or a much needed WTF title, as not winning it even once is a massive hole in rafa's cv, and a bit embarrassing really.

 

[NADAL2005RG]

RE: Rafa out of Basle

Nothing embarrassing about losing to the greatest World Tour Finals player of all-time in the final (2010). That's Nadal's greatest result so far, and he's only just entered his hardcourt prime. Pretty good start. And should Nadal win the World Tour Finals, that places enormous pressure on Federer to win the singles Gold Medal in 2016. As if Nadal surpassing 17 slams won't be bad enough for Federer....

 

[masterclass]

RE: Rafa out of Basle

In the Olympics, the event doesn't matter. It's the medal that counts toward one's country's total record as well as one's own record.

Roger Federer and Andy Murray both have a gold and a silver medal and they are in the list of multiple medal winners in Olympic tennis history.

Rafael Nadal has not make that list, yet. So he needs to stick around till at least 2016 to have a chance to equal or surpass Federer or Murray.

I can't speak for either Federer or Murray, but I'm sure that even though they would like to have another gold medal, I don't think they feel a great deal of pressure to have another.

Anyway, sorry for straying off the topic.

I pretty much expected Nadal to skip Basel after he went so deep in recent tournaments. The tournament cannot be too happy, having promoted him strongly, like they did with Andy Murray.
But they won't be overly sad, as they sold the tickets, and probably won't have to pay his hefty appearance fee.

Let's see. Roger Federer has played this tournament every year since 2006, and only missed 2 years (2004, 2005) since first playing in 1998. In 2004, he ruptured a thigh muscle on opening day, and was out of action until winning the Master's Cup in mid November. A similar situation happened in 2005 where he missed the Madrid Masters, Basel, and Paris Masters because of a torn ligament in his foot. He returned in mid November to lose in the Masters Cup final to David Nalbandian in 5 thrilling sets.

Respectfully,
masterclass

 

[Kieran]

RE: Rafa out of Basle

I think his Olympic singles gold is gonna make him happy enough, though if he's at a loose end he might play doubles too in 2016.

I too wish he had skipped Beijing - great a tourney as that was - but three events in three weeks? I'd be hoping he's looking far enough towards Oz and that nothing he does between now and season's end overtaxes him...

 

[masterclass]

RE: Rafa out of Basle

I think his Olympic singles gold is gonna make him happy enough, though if he's at a loose end he might play doubles too in 2016.

I too wish he had skipped Beijing - great a tourney as that was - but three events in three weeks? I'd be hoping he's looking far enough towards Oz and that nothing he does between now and season's end overtaxes him...

You're probably right...

Respectfully,
masterclass

 

[Front242]

Good move if he's feeling fatigued but maybe would've been better to skip Beijing instead since the Basel court is the closest to the WTF court is terms of speed, bounce, etc.

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

i think nadal entered basel just to wind-up Federer :idea:

look whats coming up ?..2 big tourneys..why bother with a 500 event in RogerWorld if not to get on feds melons.

 

[Front242]

i think nadal entered basel just to wind-up Federer :idea:

look whats coming up..2 big tourneys..why bother with a 500 event in rogerworld if not to get on feds melons.

Firstly the huge appearance fee for his first time playing there and secondly it's the best practice session for the WTF.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

I think it is a bad move. He should have played Basel and then skipped Paris.
He could then arrive in London with a competitive advantage in part due to
the rest he would have had by skipping Paris and in part due to the fact
that London O2 courts play similar to that of Basel (and not to that of Paris).

Another reason, why this is a bad move is that he would have gotten the
appearance fee in Basel and Paris would pay no appearance fee to him
it being a mandatory tournament.

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

^^It was sort of a rhetorical question :s..obviously he would've got a 'small fee' but with the busy season he has had (74 matches in just over 8 months) he dosn't need 3 events in successive weeks..

a line of thinking he has come to himself it seems, or maybe the fitness folk told him to rest a week, I heard he was thinking of playing hambourg clay, post Wimbledon..but his doctors advised him to rest at that time.