Rafael Nadal

[don_budge]

It is no rumour. He ststed it in an interview.

I heard you the first time. Great news that the Swiss Maestro is going to be present and accounted for. It will officially be a tournament in the don_budge school of the tennis thought. His presence really brings something to a tournament regardless of whether he is expected to win or not. It is just the hope he brings that is enough.

I am already looking forwards to it. I remember feeling rather disappointed that he didn't play the last couple of years. If I ever felt he owed something to tennis that was it. He owed his presence at the Slams. Not that he would ever listen to me. The voice in the wilderness.

[stroke]

Roger was the 2nd best clay court player in the world for several years. There is no telling how many FO's he would have won if not for Nadal and his unparalleled dominance on clay.

[gzhpcu]

It is no rumour. He ststed it in an interview.

[don_budge]

The French Open will be interesting. There Rafa will be in his element.

I heard a rumour that Roger Federer is playing Roland Garros. I would love to see him play Rafael Nadal.

[gzhpcu]

The French Open will be interesting. There Rafa will be in his element.

[arturohernandez]

I like those net stats...
But a bit misleading. Nadal played for 5 sets and 5 hours at Wimbledon.
Only had 3 sets at Aussie Open.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

I actually looked back to the 2012 AO Final and found a similarly low number of net attacks.

I am sure that he was better off attacking the net than staying back.

Remember the time he won a set while injured against Wawrinka by serving and volleying.

It may take that for him to make inroads against Djokovic.

I wonder what the discussions with Uncle Toni are like right now.

[klacr]

He needs to play much more aggressively to win. Look at the difference between Wimbledon 2018 and this years AO against Djokovic.

NET POINTS WON
Wimbledon: 37/50 (74%)
AO: 7 of 14 = 50 %

I also think Uncle Toni had the acumen to coach strategically in a way that Moya may not.

I like those net stats...
But a bit misleading. Nadal played for 5 sets and 5 hours at Wimbledon.
Only had 3 sets at Aussie Open.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[stotty]

He needs to play much more aggressively to win. Look at the difference between Wimbledon 2018 and this years AO against Djokovic.

NET POINTS WON
Wimbledon: 37/50 (74%)
AO: 7 of 14 = 50 %

I also think Uncle Toni had the acumen to coach strategically in a way that Moya may not.

Novak is playing better than he was at Wimbledon. Quite a bit better.

[arturohernandez]

I thought Nadal was probably the better player on balance in the Wimbledon semifinal but just couldn't convert some key break points. Also, his serve let him down in that match. I think his serve will be the difference this time. Nadal in 4. Hope I'm wrong though.

He needs to play much more aggressively to win. Look at the difference between Wimbledon 2018 and this years AO against Djokovic.

NET POINTS WON
Wimbledon: 37/50 (74%)
AO: 7 of 14 = 50 %

I also think Uncle Toni had the acumen to coach strategically in a way that Moya may not.

[arturohernandez]

Greater court angles no doubt. Novak had only 5 unforced errors in the semi's, almost unbelievable. Nadal is the best player ever at the forced error with that fh of his.

The problem is that Djokovic counters with a sharper angle. Nadal has noted that he cannot open the court against Djokovic. The forehand is neutralized.

[bman]

I thought Nadal was probably the better player on balance in the Wimbledon semifinal but just couldn't convert some key break points. Also, his serve let him down in that match. I think his serve will be the difference this time. Nadal in 4. Hope I'm wrong though.

[stroke]

Wait and see, I tend to favor Nadal. He has improved his game, had no long matches, has great intensity, and I believe, can with his topspin achieve greater court angles.

Greater court angles no doubt. Novak had only 5 unforced errors in the semi's, almost unbelievable. Nadal is the best player ever at the forced error with that fh of his.

[gzhpcu]

Wait and see, I tend to favor Nadal. He has improved his game, had no long matches, has great intensity, and I believe, can with his topspin achieve greater court angles.

[arturohernandez]

The reason he is so great is that his style basically cannot be copied it seems. In theory there should be another Nadal since he became a star in 2005 but there is really nobody who plays remotely like him. You have to give him serious credit for working on his game and improving significantly in the last two years past the age of 30. It seems that he has now created a monster and really only one guy in the world has the potential to beat him.

I posted my thoughts in the AO thread. The problem for Nadal is that Djokovic has one weapon that Nadal cannot easily counter, the short cross court backhand which opens the court. Nadal has to change his game to play Djokovic. And the changes lower his percentage play. Nole is the only player today who can do that to Rafa.

On a hardcourt in a final at the AO. Djokovic will just keep pressing Nadal to run and Nadal will have to answer with lower percentage patterns.

Nadal even slices to Djokovic in order to try and neutralize the short backhand.

It is in the end a game of percentages and those favor Djokovic.

And the AO is playing faster than Wimbledon these days. That also favors Djokovic.

Djokovic does to Nadal what Nadal does to everyone else.

And he matches him on intensity and stamina.

I don't think it will be easy but over five sets Djokovic's advantage will wear on Nadal.

I could be wrong this time but my guess is that Nadal at 32 won't be able to sustain it as long as he did in the past.

[bman]

The reason he is so great is that his style basically cannot be copied it seems. In theory there should be another Nadal since he became a star in 2005 but there is really nobody who plays remotely like him. You have to give him serious credit for working on his game and improving significantly in the last two years past the age of 30. It seems that he has now created a monster and really only one guy in the world has the potential to beat him.