The Fall of Rafael Nadal

[Moxie]

Actually, when Dzumhur called the trainer, he said he felt like he was going to throw up. He got better, and Rafa seemed to get sicker. I'd be surprised if it's not illness, as Rafa likes the heat, (though humidity is tough on everyone.) But he hasn't retired out of a match in 6 years. If I'm not wrong, it was v. Murray at the AO in 2010, citing a knee concern.

 

[ClayDeath]

Not anything special CD, I mean I dress warmly when it is cold, don't eat a lot of junk, little things like that, but my immune system seems to be fine, at least for now. But I work in air conditioned place so I don't have to suffer in heat and humid weather like tennis players do.

I didn't see Rafa's match today but I read that Dzumhur also called a trainer but then seemed to be better after the crisis was over. It just seems that it is more than just the conditions this year affecting Miami.

some of the others were affected by the heat too.


it was 90 degrees and humid.

Rafa is just horribly out of shape.


people just don't pay any attention to what he says. he even tells you that he is tired.


he has been saying he is tired after each and every match. he said it was too hot in rio. he said it was too hot and humid in Buenos aires.

he said it was too hot in Melbourne. he said he was worn out after one of his matches at indian wells.


but he doesn't even have to say anything. you can just look at him.

of course I don't watch his matches anymore. I cant bear to watch him in this pathetic condition being swatted aside by anybody and everybody like a hapless mosquito.

he has lost considerable lean muscle tissue and he is not very fit endurance wise.

 

[Billie]

I watched Rafa against Nole in IW and he was very competitive in that first set. Actually had a set point. We can all see that he is not his old self anymore. And don't take this the wrong way, CD, but I just can't believe that Rafa doesn't care about tennis anymore. If he didn't care he would have not travelled the world (Middle East, Australia, South America, West Coast/East Coast US and will be going to Europe) in just 3 months if he didn't care.

 

[ClayDeath]

there is nothing wrong with Rafa. the heat and humidity was the cause of his problems.

he is out of shape and he is not acclimated to the heat the humidity.

he was not going to go far here anyway.

uncle tony called it a complicated draw. he might as well call every draw complicated. he called the indian wells draw complicated too.

how about rio and Buenos aires uncle tony? draws had to be complicated there too.

when the hell is this weeping, crying, and lip service going to end.



everybody that is out there working harder than ever before is winning matches and tournaments. even 35-40 year olds are working hard and winning matches.

tell your nephew to work or retire.


there is far more money in retirement for him. far more money.


he is just hurting his brand at the moment. and he is damaging his legacy to some extent.


get out and make a fortune anyway. there is no need to stay and keep getting your ass handed to you.

every damn day you come up with a new excuse. now the game is too fast and too powerful.

at some point the Rafa brand is going to take a hit at this current rate. not much of a hit but a small hit.

there is absolute fortune to be made in retirement as he is one of the greatest tennis players ever lived.

and he was able to rule the red clay for a decade which is a superhuman achievement. he took home 9 RG crowns.

 

[ClayDeath]

I watched Rafa against Nole in IW and he was very competitive in that first set. Actually had a set point. We can all see that he is not his old self anymore. And don't take this the wrong way, CD, but I just can't believe that Rafa doesn't care about tennis anymore. If he didn't care he would have not travelled the world (Middle East, Australia, South America, West Coast/East Coast US and will be going to Europe) in just 3 months if he didn't care.

I hear ya billie.

I just think he would change his stars on the court if he focused and worked hard like Roger, Djokovic, and Andy and the others.

his game is falling apart and there is no end in sight. the fitness is in absolute shambles.


his heart is not in it.

 

[Ricardo]

we have a tennis community here where people come to read, that's true but how about try and make it interesting...... 'Rafa does not care to win', 'Rafa is done', you've repeated that enough times and you think it's interesting for any reader anymore?

Who forced you to read my posts?

Just move on to the next thread.

Or start a thread.

you do know that we have to scroll down a long way in this thread so i can find a post that's not about "he's done", "he doesn't care to win" stuff like that. you can't do better than that?

 

[masterclass]

Happy Easter to everyone that celebrates it!

Train where the conditions are the worst, and playing won't be as difficult.
Let's see, I think Murray trained in the heat, humidity, and windy Miami, I think Federer in the deserts of Dubai.
I'm not sure where Novak trains, but I bet it is somewhere not comfortable, and I bet he does a lot of it.

As far as I know, Rafa trains on his indoor hard court in Manacor (since 2011 or 2012, I believe) where the conditions can't be too brutal..
We can confirm with general Clay on the date.
I'm guessing the court is air-conditioned as I see Toni wearing a long sleeve shirt or jacket, but I don't know for sure.

Anyway, we know he also cross trains on the golf course, swims a bit, and plays poker (for mental training).

I think I said it before. These days It looks like he has 1 good set in him, maybe two if the first went quickly, or in nice conditions, and then his lack of fitness starts affecting him.
After being almost invincible in deciding sets, in the last couple of years he's losing deciders left and right to guys that should never beat him.
Maybe he and Uncle Toni should try to arrange more night matches for him, but at night it's usually more humid.

This, while nearly 34 yr old (Apr 2) David Ferrer is out there beating the good up and coming younger players into submission.
What did he just do against hotshot 18 year old American Taylor Fritz? 7-6, 6-1?
Ferrer was like a wall out there in the Miami heat, and I think the 1 game he lost in the second set was out of pity.
Tall (6' 4"/1.93 m) Teen Fritz was out of gas at the end of the first set and little beast Ferrer was like the energizer rabbit.
But we know Ferrer's routine. Gym, practice twice a day - maybe 5-6 hours.
And he revealed his secrets for practicing one of the best returns of serve in the game (the best according to Federer).

“The return of serve was something that I practiced a lot as a young player with my first coach,” reflected Ferrer.
“My coach would serve to me from the middle of the court, and I tried my best to react as quickly as possible.
I’m trying to improve it every day because it’s an important weapon for my game. It’s taken a lot of work over the years to get it to this point.”​

That is a prime example of the kind of work one needs to do when the game gets faster.

Alternatively, one has to stand back further and further, till the stands and line umpires are hitting the behind.

But this strategy sends the wrong message to the opponent, and half the returns don't make it to the opponents service line.

Respectfully,
masterclass

 

[ClayDeath]

Lendl once hired Sampras in order to improve his return of serve.

Borg to this day attributes his 5 Wimbledon titles to improved return of serve.

You can't win if you can't break.


Rafa specifically said he needed to improve his serve a few months back.

And he replaced it with this:

"I am doing just fine...I just need to improve my serve".

just lip service for public consumption.

what he will do is sign up for more exos and more vacations and more golf related activity.

And then there is all that sponsor driven activity.


Like I said before, this can't go on indefinitely.

Either he has to go work on his fitness and try to improve on the court or get ready to exit the sport in a few months.

Right now he is actually getting worse if that is even possible.

all these losses while fully expected will just lead to more losses.

he is really irrelevant in the sport and all the players know it.

 

[ClayDeath]

He said he was worn out after one of his matches in Indian Wells.

He played doubles there also.

Why on earth would you play doubles when you know you don't have the fitness to engage in both singles and doubles.

He simply faded away in the subtropical heat. There is absolutely nothing wrong with him.

 

[Carol]

He said he was worn out after one of his matches in Indian Wells.

He played doubles there also.

Why on earth would you play doubles when you know you don't have the fitness to engage in both singles and doubles.

He simply faded away in the subtropical heat. There is absolutely nothing wrong with him.

He also has withdrawn of the doubles

 

[ClayDeath]

Evidence just keeps mounting.


It is not just over. It was over 2 years ago.

It is just endless lip service for public consumption.

what little window was left is closing rapidly.

Now he is more unfit than ever before.

absolutely nothing can happen with such drastically reduced fitness levels.

he would actually have trouble winning a challenger level event on clay with this fitness.

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

I suppose rafa will go home and relax on his medium sized boat for a bit.

 

[Vince Evert]

Rafa is physically better than ever but he needs to win and the only way he can do it is shaking off all those ghosts in his head and anxiety which doesn't allow him to recovery his lost confidence but he is close, very close

Interesting. Are you saying he has lost that Mental Toughness that was once one of his main traits? That ND has it now.

 

[brokenshoelace]

With all due respect to Carol, Nadal is not physically better than ever. Not even close. I of course also disagree with Samson's doom and gloom assessments of Nadal not caring to win but you all knew that already.

 

[Vince Evert]

very much the best of Rafa? you Nole fans do live in your lala land don't you? everyone Nole beats is at their best, and Nole loses only when he plays crap. You should be very gracious that Nole has the good fortune that the best players from 10 years ago have declined and the best from new generation has't quite arrived or matured. Bit of a vacuum at the moment.

Very well put Ricardo. Good on you. Two years ago I really thought Dimitrov would go places but he's regressed instead. And prior to that, Richard Gasquet I thought had the makings of a champion. I fear that Raonic will probably be next to regress. The game needs the new young guns to step up.

 

[britbox]

Very well put Ricardo. Good on you. Two years ago I really thought Dimitrov would go places but he's regressed instead. And prior to that, Richard Gasquet I thought had the makings of a champion. I fear that Raonic will probably be next to regress. The game needs the new young guns to step up.

I think we're just beginning to see a new dawn - players like Thiem, Kyrgios, Zverev and Fritz are beginning to break through.

 

[Rides]

Lendl once hired Sampras in order to improve his return of serve.

Borg to this day attributes his 5 Wimbledon titles to improved return of serve.

You can't win if you can't break.


Rafa specifically said he needed to improve his serve a few months back.

And he replaced it with this:

"I am doing just fine...I just need to improve my serve".

just lip service for public consumption.

what he will do is sign up for more exos and more vacations and more golf related activity.

And then there is all that sponsor driven activity.


Like I said before, this can't go on indefinitely.

Either he has to go work on his fitness and try to improve on the court or get ready to exit the sport in a few months.

Right now he is actually getting worse if that is even possible.

all these losses while fully expected will just lead to more losses.

he is really irrelevant in the sport and all the players know it.

I don't think so. Considering Lendl is a dozen years older than Sampras is seems highly improbable. Their careers overlapped.

 

[brokenshoelace]

LMAO, I just noticed that Mastoor suggested this was the best of Nadal. Glad to see some things never change. This wasn't even 80% of Nadal.

 

[ClayDeath]

I don't think so. Considering Lendl is a dozen years older than Sampras is seems highly improbable. Their careers overlapped.

it is in the history books. lend hired the young Sampras and brought him to his home to just hit him serves all day. I don't know for how many days.


you missed the bigger point. they all worked diligently on their return.


you need to read the general masterclass post again: ferru doesn't have one of the best returns by accident.

he also works very hard on his fitness and his game to win 5-7 tournaments a year.


rafa's idea of working on his return is doubles.


rafa doesn't even care to practice and often just farts around with his token practice sessions that seem mostly for public consumption.



nobody that good falls to absolutely nothing by accident. rafa is totally and completely irrelevant in the sport now.

a good challenger level player can run him into the ground.

 

[ClayDeath]

LMAO, I just noticed that Mastoor suggested this was the best of Nadal. Glad to see some things never change. This wasn't even 80% of Nadal.

Rafa is barely at 25% capacity and that is being generous.