The Fall of Rafael Nadal
- Thread starter ClayDeath
- Start date
Tennis Fan
Major Winner
- Joined
- Dec 14, 2013
- Messages
- 1,171
- Reactions
- 429
- Points
- 83
Thanks guys. You all are the best too. Good conversation, mature attitudes, I'm so glad I got away from that other place. I learn a lot from you, Britbox, and Masterclass.
The Main Draw - No favors for Nadal, he'll have to earn it the hard way.
Groth > Facundo > Fognini > Thiem > Tsonga > Djokovic > Murray/Wawrinka
Respectfully,
masterclass
Groth > Facundo > Fognini > Thiem > Tsonga > Djokovic > Murray/Wawrinka
Respectfully,
masterclass
britbox
Multiple Major Winner
That's potentially very brutal from Round 3 onwards. Ouch.
Sidenote: Groth has been injured so it may be touch and go if he even makes it out there for the first round.
Sidenote: Groth has been injured so it may be touch and go if he even makes it out there for the first round.
herios
Grand Slam Champion
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2013
- Messages
- 8,984
- Reactions
- 1,659
- Points
- 113
The match against Groth is a formality, because Sam has hardly done anything this year. Now that you are saying he was injured, I understand why the bad results.
britbox
Multiple Major Winner
He's got a blocked nerve in his neck.
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport...s/news-story/71bac4179adecb47dd57e69e4d95e06b
Tennis Fan
Major Winner
- Joined
- Dec 14, 2013
- Messages
- 1,171
- Reactions
- 429
- Points
- 83
I could've guessed this without seeing the draw. Nothing's changed. It's the same every year for Nadal fans. We're used to it.
The difference is that a few years ago, it would not have mattered who was in his draw at RG, he was that much above them all on clay.
Now he has to hope some breaks go his way.
Respectfully,
masterclass
Now he has to hope some breaks go his way.
Respectfully,
masterclass
tough draw but it is one rafa has to try to navigate while also getting all the proper tests along the way.
but there are some constants that you cant navigate:
1. suboptimal fitness given the demanding style: heavy topspin game
2. suboptimal physicality
3. suboptimal match play and practice
these are very difficult hurdles to overcome in the very short run.
rafa could have made life a little easier for himself on the court with longer and harder and more frequent practice sessions.
he could have skipped Miami. he did not need the money as he is making tons and tons anyway selling tommy Hilfiger suits on the paris sidewalks.
he could have taken in 2 more small clay events.
but there are some constants that you cant navigate:
1. suboptimal fitness given the demanding style: heavy topspin game
2. suboptimal physicality
3. suboptimal match play and practice
these are very difficult hurdles to overcome in the very short run.
rafa could have made life a little easier for himself on the court with longer and harder and more frequent practice sessions.
he could have skipped Miami. he did not need the money as he is making tons and tons anyway selling tommy Hilfiger suits on the paris sidewalks.
he could have taken in 2 more small clay events.
The Main Draw - No favors for Nadal, he'll have to earn it the hard way.
Groth > Facundo > Fognini > Thiem > Tsonga > Djokovic > Murray/Wawrinka
Respectfully,
masterclass
great image of the draw general. post it at Camelot also when you have some time. thanks.
are people here still high on Stan? how far can he go?
Moxie
Multiple Major Winner
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2013
- Messages
- 43,606
- Reactions
- 14,765
- Points
- 113
Hey, aren't you the guy that said no reason to do too much in Madrid and risk in jury? Anyway, Rafa is working hard, and he is on his best court, now. The problem before the draw is the same as the problem now: Djokovic. If Rafa has been working on his game to solve Djokovic, he'll beat everyone else. Additionally, we could do with a bit of Novak beating himself. By which I also mean literally, as when he hit himself with the racquet in Rome.
Hey, aren't you the guy that said no reason to do too much in Madrid and risk in jury? Anyway, Rafa is working hard, and he is on his best court, now. The problem before the draw is the same as the problem now: Djokovic. If Rafa has been working on his game to solve Djokovic, he'll beat everyone else. Additionally, we could do with a bit of Novak beating himself. By which I also mean literally, as when he hit himself with the racquet in Rome.
you just don't understand anything:
he lost early in indian wells and also in Miami. that was the time to go get into a small clay event and get some matches under his belt on dirt.
he also should have gone to Casablanca. we are not talking top guns here. we are talking about assless, gutless, color blind circus clowns.
he would not have to kill himself to get a few matches under his belt against light weight players.
he is short on match play and he is short on practice.
now go play outside.
check back with me later.
since he took monte carlo and Barcelona the right decision was to take in 2 matches at best in madrid and then just bolt.
that is where the injury could have come in.
he is also a damn fool. he should have never gone to Miami. for what?
for appearance fee? he can make that up selling tommy Hilfiger suits on the paris saidewalks.
small clay event in Houston and the one in Casablanca offered some opportunities to take in some easy matches on clay against pedestrian level players.
that is where the injury could have come in.
he is also a damn fool. he should have never gone to Miami. for what?
for appearance fee? he can make that up selling tommy Hilfiger suits on the paris saidewalks.
small clay event in Houston and the one in Casablanca offered some opportunities to take in some easy matches on clay against pedestrian level players.
Moxie
Multiple Major Winner
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2013
- Messages
- 43,606
- Reactions
- 14,765
- Points
- 113
I don't think they give appearance fees for required events.
And I don't think Rafa was either going to get match play worth mentioning at Mickey Mouse events. To what end? He won MC and Barcelona. He lost to Murray in Madrid and Djokovic in Rome, but he played them much tighter than last year. This is better for the head than beating a 4th stringer in Houston or Casablanca, IMO. He's much closer to the goal, without the extra wear-and-tear.
he lost early in rio and argentina also.
7-10 extra matches on clay and skipping Miami would have allowed him to be better prepared.
clay is the wellspring from which he flows. clay is his last stand and the window is closing so rapidly now.
7-10 extra matches on clay and skipping Miami would have allowed him to be better prepared.
clay is the wellspring from which he flows. clay is his last stand and the window is closing so rapidly now.
lets hope so anyway.
we need a few breaks. we need to march to semis while also getting properly tested along the way.
and we need a very nervous and shaky djokovic in the semis.
is it going to happen? most probably not. the probabilities are low of everything lining up just perfectly.
but we can cling to those small probabilities anyway. lets see how he progresses.
Moxie
Multiple Major Winner
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2013
- Messages
- 43,606
- Reactions
- 14,765
- Points
- 113
I understand your point about clay, but we both agreed that over-playing is not the answer. What Rafa has played on clay has been mostly very good for the confidence. Including the loss to Djokovic, which he knows put him closer to the win there than he has been in 2 years. When Rafa lost to Novak at AO '12, he was the only one on his team not devastated. Why? Because he knew he was closer. And then he beat Novak 3 times in succession on clay. Including at RG. Maybe that works this year, or not. But I don't think beating 3rd stringers in Houston gets the head OR the game to the same place. And there is something to be said for not over-playing and risking injury. Nadal needs to focus on quality play, and beating the top guys, going forward.
It's clay or the exit...
RG is where it's decided folks.
Uncle Toni is still talking about the game of tennis changing and leaving them behind.
Racquet and string tech allowing players to hit hard like in baseball so that normal tennis tactics are moot.
Players are facing serves bigger than ever where returners have to play like football goalkeepers defending a penalty shot.
Rafa and Uncle Toni talked about rules changes, raising the net... restricting racquet size and strings, allowing only 1 serve.
What does it all mean? Simple, the game has to be slowed down to save tennis....
Meanwhile grass courts have been installed in southwest Mallorca (Santa Ponca not far from Palma) for a future WTA event, the Mallorcan Open..
Uncle Toni, Carlos Moya, and Ana Ivanovic were on hand to for the "grand opening": party.
Uncle Toni says Rafa will practice on these courts this year for upcoming grass events.
but lest we forget:.
Fleet Clay Warrior at Roland Garros + Great Topspin = Pray For Death
Respectfully,
masterclass
RG is where it's decided folks.
Uncle Toni is still talking about the game of tennis changing and leaving them behind.
Racquet and string tech allowing players to hit hard like in baseball so that normal tennis tactics are moot.
Players are facing serves bigger than ever where returners have to play like football goalkeepers defending a penalty shot.
Rafa and Uncle Toni talked about rules changes, raising the net... restricting racquet size and strings, allowing only 1 serve.
What does it all mean? Simple, the game has to be slowed down to save tennis....
Meanwhile grass courts have been installed in southwest Mallorca (Santa Ponca not far from Palma) for a future WTA event, the Mallorcan Open..
Uncle Toni, Carlos Moya, and Ana Ivanovic were on hand to for the "grand opening": party.
Uncle Toni says Rafa will practice on these courts this year for upcoming grass events.
but lest we forget:.
Fleet Clay Warrior at Roland Garros + Great Topspin = Pray For Death
Respectfully,
masterclass
