The Fall of Rafael Nadal

[Tennis Fan]

Excellent post too Tennis Fan, and also I almost has had tears in my eyes reading about that woman who did his transcripts and about the organizers
One of my cousin lives in Mallorca, her husband is from there and knows Rafa and his family well and he says that they are wonderful people, very friendly and educated. Rafa has the same friends that he had when he was a little boy and also he is far to act like a celebrity, on the contrary he is very simple keeping his feet on the ground .

Me too, Carol. I had tears is my eyes when I read that article. You know the commentators will never bring that kind of stuff up. They said there were tears everywhere at Rafa having to withdraw. That's the kind of impact that he has on others. You know this because of social media. Rafa has been the king of social media for five years (that I know of) and is still the most searched tennis player on the men's side. Still, while he's been off and injured. That says it all. For many it's not just about winning and bandwagoning. Rafa can't be replaced in the heart of his fans. His legacy, as far I'm concerned is more about him as a person, not his tennis exploits. What a treasure to see a person handle fame and success with such aplomb and dignity. He never talks anyone down, is respectful to his peers and most importantly, he's honest. It's never political with Rafa. For all he's done, he of all people is worthy of respect. Period.

 

[ClayDeath]

he is making a huge mistake going to Rio.

hope he wises up the last minute and skips it.

but then again who the hell really he believes he is serious about tennis anyway.

tennis is his whole world and the only world he has ever known. and it will be his whole world the rest of his life.

just don't ask him to go fight for big titles. those days are long gone.

without sufficient fitness and the depleted game, next injury is always a strong possibility.

he and his uncle have cried about the hard courts for the last 7 years and yet they cant get away from them.

lately they have been crying about the speed of the game and yet they cant get off the quicker courts and go get on clay for the few months that remain in the career.

he has 3 months at best on the red clay next year. he can set some goals and try to do some damage on the red clay.

3 months or less left to make an impression. the real question is this: does he really want to make the sacrifices to make an impression on the red clay in 2017?

 

[isabelle]

he is making a huge mistake going to Rio.

hope he wises up the last minute and skips it.

but then again who the hell really he believes he is serious about tennis anyway.

tennis is his whole world and the only world he has ever known. and it will be his whole world the rest of his life.

just don't ask him to go fight for big titles. those days are long gone.

without sufficient fitness and the depleted game, next injury is always a strong possibility.

he and his uncle have cried about the hard courts for the last 7 years and yet they cant get away from them.

lately they have been crying about the speed of the game and yet they cant get off the quicker courts and go get on clay for the few months that remain in the career.

he has 3 months at best on the red clay next year. he can set some goals and try to do some damage on the red clay.

3 months or less left to make an impression. the real question is this: does he really want to make the sacrifices to make an impression on the red clay in 2017?

it's his last OG, he must be there and he adores to carry the Spanish flag....Rio is a goal for him and Cincy isn't his fav surface so I approve him to select Rio then USO

 

[masterclass]

he is making a huge mistake going to Rio.

hope he wises up the last minute and skips it.

but then again who the hell really he believes he is serious about tennis anyway.

tennis is his whole world and the only world he has ever known. and it will be his whole world the rest of his life.

just don't ask him to go fight for big titles. those days are long gone.

without sufficient fitness and the depleted game, next injury is always a strong possibility.

he and his uncle have cried about the hard courts for the last 7 years and yet they cant get away from them.

lately they have been crying about the speed of the game and yet they cant get off the quicker courts and go get on clay for the few months that remain in the career.

he has 3 months at best on the red clay next year. he can set some goals and try to do some damage on the red clay.

3 months or less left to make an impression. the real question is this: does he really want to make the sacrifices to make an impression on the red clay in 2017?

General, he'll likely carry the flag in Rio and probably get some mixed doubles in.

His adoring fans will support him no matter what he does, as long as he is happy, playing cards, golf, and fishing, all things he can do when he is 89 years old.

But he's not 89, he's 30, and if he is serious about winning at this level in tennis next year and afterwards, I expect him to shut down for awhile, get that wrist and anything else fully rehabilitated and build himself up like the elder Federer has planned so he can continue playing at a high level for years to come.

If we see him practicing on his indoor or outdoor hard courts in Manacor then we know it's the exit.

But if he wants to win at tennis at a high level there is only one way to do it for him.

What he did, was simply play tennis better than anyone on the planet when he got on the dirt, and many times that carried through on grass and hard court.

His malaise started years ago. He said he lost his passion for the sport just prior to 2011. He said it, but not many were listening. He was not even 25 years old. Some of that had to do with dealing with injuries, some had to do with starting his professional career at a very early age, and some had to do with his tremendous success. He took a long time off in 2012, healing his body and psyche, went on vacations, played golf, etc. but finally built himself up, and returned on the clay with revitalized intensity, and had a fantastic 2013. This was Rafa's Indian Summer. But then during the 2013-2014 off-season, what happened? Does anyone recall? Well, it led to all the miseries that have happened with his game afterwards.

This thread isn't about his personal life, his love for other things, his fan adoration; there are plenty of "I love Rafa" social media outlets for that; and we know he has millions of fans who love him from afar, love his publicized persona, and will defend him to the death; but guess what? There are millions of good people in this world, with great hearts, humility, great qualities, but they don't get the publicity that Rafa gets, and we will never know them. The difference? His tennis put him in the headlines.

So this thread is about his tennis, and what he has left on the table as a professional tennis player and the effort needed to get back to playing his best tennis.

Of course he can leave the game today without blinking an eye and still be one of the most accomplished players in history, but could he have done, could he do more to compete against these top players like Djokovic and Murray, only a year younger than himself?

The answer is a qualified yes, he has a little time left, but he has to want it. He has to rededicate himself and put in the effort.
From what I've been seeing though, I think that will not be reality. He has opened his Academy.
He has opened his own museum where his history now resides. This seems symbolic to me.

Rafael Nadal 2013

Brasil Open 2013

Indian Wells 2013

Madrid Open 2013

Italian Open Rome 2013

French Open at Roland Garros 2013

Rogers Cup - Montreal 2013

Western and Southern Open - Cincinnati 2013

The US Open 2013

Rafael Nadal ATP #1 Player of the Year

Respectfully,
masterclass

 

[Mastoor]

I thought you'd people discuss Rafa practicing with Murray and you write obituaries.

 

[masterclass]

I thought you'd people discuss Rafa practicing with Murray and you write obituaries.

Hint: read thread title.

Respectfully,
masterclass

 

[ClayDeath]

General, he'll likely carry the flag in Rio and probably get some mixed doubles in.

His adoring fans will support him no matter what he does, as long as he is happy, playing cards, golf, and fishing, all things he can do when he is 89 years old.

But he's not 89, he's 30, and if he is serious about winning at this level in tennis next year and afterwards, I expect him to shut down for awhile, get that wrist and anything else fully rehabilitated and build himself up like the elder Federer has planned so he can continue playing at a high level for years to come.

If we see him practicing on his indoor or outdoor hard courts in Manacor then we know it's the exit.

But if he wants to win at tennis at a high level there is only one way to do it for him.

What he did, was simply play tennis better than anyone on the planet when he got on the dirt, and many times that carried through on grass and hard court.

His malaise started years ago. He said he lost his passion for the sport just prior to 2011. He said it, but not many were listening. He was not even 25 years old. Some of that had to do with dealing with injuries, some had to do with starting his professional career at a very early age, and some had to do with his tremendous success. He took a long time off in 2012, healing his body and psyche, went on vacations, played golf, etc. but finally built himself up, and returned on the clay with revitalized intensity, and had a fantastic 2013. This was Rafa's Indian Summer. But then during the 2013-2014 off-season, what happened? Does anyone recall? Well, it led to all the miseries that have happened with his game afterwards.

This thread isn't about his personal life, his love for other things, his fan adoration; there are plenty of "I love Rafa" social media outlets for that; and we know he has millions of fans who love him from afar, love his publicized persona, and will defend him to the death; but guess what? There are millions of good people in this world, with great hearts, humility, great qualities, but they don't get the publicity that Rafa gets, and we will never know them. The difference? His tennis put him in the headlines.

So this thread is about his tennis, and what he has left on the table as a professional tennis player and the effort needed to get back to playing his best tennis.

Of course he can leave the game today without blinking an eye and still be one of the most accomplished players in history, but could he have done, could he do more to compete against these top players like Djokovic and Murray, only a year younger than himself?

The answer is a qualified yes, he has a little time left, but he has to want it. He has to rededicate himself and put in the effort.
From what I've been seeing though, I think that will not be reality. He has opened his Academy.
He has opened his own museum where his history now resides. This seems symbolic to me.

Rafael Nadal 2013

Brasil Open 2013

Indian Wells 2013

Madrid Open 2013

Italian Open Rome 2013

French Open at Roland Garros 2013

Rogers Cup - Montreal 2013

Western and Southern Open - Cincinnati 2013

The US Open 2013

Rafael Nadal ATP #1 Player of the Year

Respectfully,
masterclass

Great post. It is about his tennis and his tennis career.

And let be known once again that we call the trends in the sport years in advance.

This is not rocket science.


General masterclass and I have always been objective about the sport.

 

[ClayDeath]

I thought you'd people discuss Rafa practicing with Murray and you write obituaries.

What you call obituaries is merely an attempt at calling the trends in his game and his place in the sport.

This is just analysis and diagnosis.

But feel free to call it anything you want.

We are the same people who said ages ago on MTF that djokovic was going to be an all time great.

Folks laughed at us for those predictions.


Finally for the blind worshippers, this is just constructive narrative that we are engaging in.

There is zero negativity here in our eyes and in our thoughts.

We have always wanted Rafa to maximize his potential.

 

[Carol]

I thought you'd people discuss Rafa practicing with Murray and you write obituaries.

CD and MC always do, but yeah....they are very objective...... :sleep:

 

[Tennis Fan]

it's his last OG, he must be there and he adores to carry the Spanish flag....Rio is a goal for him and Cincy isn't his fav surface so I approve him to select Rio then USO

I agree with his decision too.

 

[Tennis Fan]

I thought you'd people discuss Rafa practicing with Murray and you write obituaries.

LOL, that's a great way of putting it; obituaries. This thread is nothing but gloom and doom.

 

[Tennis Fan]

CD and MC always do, but yeah....they are very objective...... :sleep:

Ha ha ha. All negative against Rafa, every day. There is no objectivity, because no matter what Rafa does there's heaps of criticism. If he plays the hard courts, he should be on clay. If he skips the hard courts he's being lazy. If he gets an injury, it doesn't count. What part of that is being objective? I don't see it either.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who's bothered by it. It's a total turnoff and I would be turned off if ANY player was similarly maligned. It's just cruel, but objective? NEVER.

 

[Carol]

Ha ha ha. All negative against Rafa, every day. There is no objectivity, because no matter what Rafa does there's heaps of criticism. If he plays the hard courts, he should be on clay. If he skips the hard courts he's being lazy. If he gets an injury, it doesn't count. What part of that is being objective? I don't see it either.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who's bothered by it. It's a total turnoff and I would be turned off if ANY player was similarly maligned. It's just cruel, but objective? NEVER.

They seem to be a haters but wearing a "mask"

 

[Tennis Fan]

They seem to be a haters but wearing a "mask"

I have to agree. I've seen it for three + years. But say something about their player and they get indignant. Trust me. So, I'm going with the masked haters, because that's what I see...every day.

 

[Carol]

I have to agree. I've seen it for three + years. But say something about their player and they get indignant. Trust me. So, I'm going with the masked haters, because that's what I see...every day.

Tennis Fan, this is the last time that I post in this thread which is depressing and not worth at all and I don't understand why I did before. I'll see you at the others threads

 

[ClayDeath]

everyone is welcome here. people are encouraged to discuss various options rafa has to resurrect his game.

what can he do? what should he do? what will he do?

does he even want to resurrect his game?

inactivity on top of inactivity is not going to cut the mustard.


for those who are objective and understand the sport of tennis and truly understand style of play rafa brings to the battlefield will side with nalbandian, myself, and general masterclass:

it is clay or the exit.

meaning it is clay or nothing. clay is the wellspring from which he flows.

I am wondering if the lovesick, blind worshippers even know the number of clay titles rafa has or owns. and why he has them.

 

[Mastoor]

What you call obituaries is merely an attempt at calling the trends in his game and his place in the sport.

This is just analysis and diagnosis.

But feel free to call it anything you want.

We are the same people who said ages ago on MTF that djokovic was going to be an all time great.

Folks laughed at us for those predictions.


Finally for the blind worshippers, this is just constructive narrative that we are engaging in.

There is zero negativity here in our eyes and in our thoughts.

We have always wanted Rafa to maximize his potential.

Whatever you say, it just seemed to me strange that now when he is practicing with the last slam winner, my thoughts about Rafa are more optimistic than those of some of his own fans.

 

[Tennis Fan]

Tennis Fan, this is the last time that I post in this thread which is depressing and not worth at all and I don't understand why I did before. I'll see you at the others threads

Whatever you say, it just seemed to me strange that now when he is practicing with the last slam winner, my thoughts about Rafa are more optimistic than those of some of his own fans.

Those are not fans who dog Rafa out day in and day out. No way in hail.

 

[Tennis Fan]

Tennis Fan, this is the last time that I post in this thread which is depressing and not worth at all and I don't understand why I did before. I'll see you at the others threads

I'll look for you elsewhere on the boards. It's either that or the exits. From this point on I will avoid this hateful thread. This is the reason that I stopped posting at Camelot. Too much negativity.

 

[ClayDeath]

truth is almost always painful for some.

but again one need to re-visit the title of this thread: it is about the decline of one of the all time greats of our sport.

one has to be grounded in REALITY to understand the true dynamics in play.

one has to be able to study and spot trends.

for instance if we say that in 2015 against the top 10 players rafa was able to break serve slightly less than 20% of the time on clay, nothing is meant to be negative in that statement. it is a fact and it is an alarming fact if one happens to be in the rafa camp.

and so on. general masterclass has addressed the decline with facts and not blind conjectures. I do the same thing. in fact the experts often come to the same conclusion soon enough. this is not rocket science folks.

we have our players but we do not blindly worship them which would clearly blind one to the reality on the ground.


rafa has Olympic glory. nothing positive can come from going to the Olympics. especially since he said just a few days ago that he was not able to play in Toronto because the wrist injury was too recent.

and then there is the fear of Zika virus. there are also security concerns among other concerns.

another injury to wrist would further delay the progress or it could even end the career. wrist injuries can be managed early on but you cant press your luck with them. they can easily turn to chronic injuries that almost never heal fully. it is a complicated joint.

finally there is so little time left. he wont be able to compete with the top players if he doesn't take a few months to go fix the health issues, fitness issues, and the like. soon it really will be too late.


so assuming he wants to get back in the saddle, he has to start making a few smart decisions.