Which retired star could make a comeback into top 20?

[brokenshoelace]

I can't really tell if Nadal2005 is just a good troll or, you know...

 

[Moxie]

I can't really tell if Nadal2005 is just a good troll or, you know...

...or just a co-opter of threads who has been spoken to about turning every conversation into a Nadal discussion? I'm not sure, either.

The topic of this thread is retired players, and Nadal doesn't fit that description, by a long-shot.

 

[DarthFed]

Endlessly dominant? He's dominant in 2013 yes, but I could cite lots of times when he wasn't but what's the point.

Nadal is the only man ever to win slams for 9 years in a row. And the streak appears to have plenty more years left.

I dunno, to me dominant means winning where no one stands a chance not 9-7 in the 5th. I mean I'd hardly say Fed dominated everyone he played last year at Wimbledon either, 'cos frankly he didn't. He won the title but he wasn't dominant.

I dunno, Nadal was limping during the first half of 2013, as he was feeling recovery pains. He didn't fully recover until after Wimbledon. Roland Garros 2013 was just a bonus slam. Nadal in his current physical form would absolutely have wrapped that semi up in 3 or 4 sets. His movement is way better right now than during the clay season.

I haven't seen Wafa limp at all this year aside from the 3rd set of Wimbledon when he was getting his ass kicked by Marcy Darcy's husband.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OHRxSOY9bIU/UY3clv5t61I/AAAAAAAADGA/vaQ93izsTZc/s1600/Garrison5.jpg

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

I remember Muster's comeback attempt couple years back...I think he won a couple matches in Challenger events on clay, made it to 950 or something. Even on clay, his best surface, he had no chance against almost anyone. The game moves on fast.

 

[Front242]

Yeah that was pretty embarrassing for him and tough. It's totally different in the WTA though, look at Date-Krumm.

 

[Moxie]

Yeah that was pretty embarrassing for him and tough. It's totally different in the WTA though, look at Date-Krumm.

Or Li Na, or Kim Clijsters. I think Tommy Haas is as close as it gets to raising up from the dead. And Soderling will be, if he can.

 

[Front242]

Yeah, I'm very anxious to see Soderling back and hope he can return to top form if his energy levels have returned to normal. He's still only 29 and has a good bit of time left if he has the energy to train hard. He said he would've come back a lot sooner but had zero energy from his mono.

 

[Kieran]

Haas and Soderling weren't retired. It's different, a player coming back from injury, and a player reversing a decision to leave the sport. If a player retires, he's had enough. It's hard to get that back again.

Hard to get fitness back too, but the desire never left Haas - or Rafa. And hopefully, Soderling will return in decent nick...

 

[Front242]

Returning to the intense grind of the ATP at this level after a near 2 year absence is pretty much the same as coming out of retirement. Soderling's total lack of energy from mono meant he couldn't play or train at all properly for more than a few mins at a time.

 

[Kieran]

It might even be tougher, let's face it, Sod is up against it, but players retire for a reason. They've chosen to walk away, usually after falling out of love with the sport a long time before they retire. Injury is enforced absence. Do you believe Rafa lost any hunger for the sport in his absence?

 

[Fiero425]

WIthout checking back to see if he was mentioned, I'd pick Marat Safin; probably one of the most talented players in the game! Unfortunately for him, he was a headcase and sabotaged himself so he only won 2 majors! He had every shot in the book and took the cover off the ball, but unlike today's players, he knew where it was going, unlike these mindless power players now!

 

[NADAL2005RG]

I dunno, Nadal was limping during the first half of 2013, as he was feeling recovery pains. He didn't fully recover until after Wimbledon. Roland Garros 2013 was just a bonus slam. Nadal in his current physical form would absolutely have wrapped that semi up in 3 or 4 sets. His movement is way better right now than during the clay season.

I haven't seen Wafa limp at all this year aside from the 3rd set of Wimbledon when he was getting his ass kicked by Marcy Darcy's husband.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OHRxSOY9bIU/UY3clv5t61I/AAAAAAAADGA/vaQ93izsTZc/s1600/Garrison5.jpg

Also Indian Wells 2013-
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/tennis/2013/03/15/rafael-nadal-roger-federer-indian-wells-bnp-paribas-open-quarterfinals/1989723/

Nadal and Federer usually don't play each other until the semifinals and finals of tournaments, but the Indian Wells draw pitted them against each other in their earliest meeting since a third-round match at Miami nine years ago.

"You miss these moments this whole time, but play against Roger in any moment in any situation is special," Nadal said.

Nadal returned to the tour a month ago, winning two of three tournaments on clay after missing seven months because of a left knee injury. He had his knee wrapped and at times appeared to have a slight limp.

 

[Moxie]

It might even be tougher, let's face it, Sod is up against it, but players retire for a reason. They've chosen to walk away, usually after falling out of love with the sport a long time before they retire. Injury is enforced absence. Do you believe Rafa lost any hunger for the sport in his absence?

That's why I've taken Roddick out of the running, and, as Fiero suggested, Safin. It's not necessarily that they couldn't, but that they seem to have lost the drive.

Rafa didn't lose his hunger for the sport while he was away, but you may remember that he did express that he'd lost a bit of the passion before that. (During the time when he was getting trounced regularly by Djokovic.) In his case, absence did seem to make the heart grow fonder. Soderling, like Haas, may prove the same.

 

[britbox]

Safin couldn't do it either - he was struggling to make the top 20 for a few years before he retired. I don't think any of them could. They retired because they were done.

 

[Fiero425]

Safin couldn't do it either - he was struggling to make the top 20 for a few years before he retired. I don't think any of them could. They retired because they were done.

At his best, Safin could embarrass anyone; including Sampras! He may have struggled at time, but his problem was between the ears! Same with his sister, Safina! I'll take Safin's game over Rafa's "ugly" one anytime! Watching Darcis take him out of Wimbledon; such a fake! He was ok as long as he was winning points! The limping only occurred with the misses; he's so "FOS!"

 

[britbox]

Safin couldn't do it either - he was struggling to make the top 20 for a few years before he retired. I don't think any of them could. They retired because they were done.

At his best, Safin could embarrass anyone; including Sampras! He may have struggled at time, but his problem was between the ears! Same with his sister, Safina!

Wholeheartedly agree... but it's too late for Marat. He was also plagued by injuries and I felt he'd already lost a step toward the end.

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

safin retired nearly 4 years ago and now he is 33.

if he couldn't be bothered to train properly in his 20s its not going to be happening now. :nono

there is more chance of seeing a load of gooses flying backwards than there is of safin coming back.

 

[Fiero425]

safin retired nearly 4 years ago and now he is 33.

if he couldn't be bothered to train properly in his 20s its not going to be happening now. :nono

there is more chance of seeing a load of gooses flying backwards than there is of safin coming back.

I never thought he could come back; only that he was a great player with every shot in the book! :angel:

 

[Moxie]

Safin couldn't do it either - he was struggling to make the top 20 for a few years before he retired. I don't think any of them could. They retired because they were done.

At his best, Safin could embarrass anyone; including Sampras! He may have struggled at time, but his problem was between the ears! Same with his sister, Safina! I'll take Safin's game over Rafa's "ugly" one anytime! Watching Darcis take him out of Wimbledon; such a fake! He was ok as long as he was winning points! The limping only occurred with the misses; he's so "FOS!"

Safin was the guy that brought me back to being a full-time tennis fan. He had really a diverse game, power and deftness. He was the beginning of, and, I think, still is the gold-standard for Big Man tennis. And he was, of course, quite the character. I got hooked on Rafa's game, and took the kid on as my back-up...because, let's face it: if you were a fan of Safin, you needed a back-up. To me, they both have/had thrilling games, and enormous amounts of charisma.

Fiero, I know you don't like Rafa's game; it's your prerogative to find it ugly (taste issue,) but I think it goes a bit far to call him a "fake." Safin, while I love him, was actually sanctioned for tanking, (fair or not.) Nadal has had clear injuries issues over the years, but I don't think anyone would call him a "quitter." Like who you like, but consider a few things in terms of glass houses and stones before you disparage a player, when you revere another.

 

[Ricardo]

Safin couldn't do it either - he was struggling to make the top 20 for a few years before he retired. I don't think any of them could. They retired because they were done.

At his best, Safin could embarrass anyone; including Sampras! He may have struggled at time, but his problem was between the ears! Same with his sister, Safina! I'll take Safin's game over Rafa's "ugly" one anytime! Watching Darcis take him out of Wimbledon; such a fake! He was ok as long as he was winning points! The limping only occurred with the misses; he's so "FOS!"

Safin was the guy that brought me back to being a full-time tennis fan. He had really a diverse game, power and deftness. He was the beginning of, and, I think, still is the gold-standard for Big Man tennis. And he was, of course, quite the character. I got hooked on Rafa's game, and took the kid on as my back-up...because, let's face it: if you were a fan of Safin, you needed a back-up. To me, they both have/had thrilling games, and enormous amounts of charisma.

Fiero, I know you don't like Rafa's game; it's your prerogative to find it ugly (taste issue,) but I think it goes a bit far to call him a "fake." Safin, while I love him, was actually sanctioned for tanking, (fair or not.) Nadal has had clear injuries issues over the years, but I don't think anyone would call him a "quitter." Like who you like, but consider a few things in terms of glass houses and stones before you disparage a player, when you revere another.

strange you like them both, as Safin was mostly the opposite of what Nadal is. Nadal trains hard, Safin parties harder, Nadal grinds out a win while Safin goes for winners whenever possible, Nadal is a small-ish (at 6"1' he is below average) agile guy while Safin is big and heavy, Nadal fights for every point while Safin was known to catch a serve with his hand, just when he feels like it.