The Curse of Nadal

[jthb1021]

The criticism of Nadal for his tics and machinelike game is silly. His discipline is what makes him amazing! Does anyone understand his own game better than Rafa? How is this looked at as a bad thing? The die hard Federer fans are just too much!

[stotty]

This article is a bit adolescent. Great tennis is about rivalries, not about individual players. We wouldn't have had a McEnroe without a Borg, a Sampras without an Agassi. Iron sharpens iron. Nadal and Federer owe their greatness, in part, to each other.

Well said. What the current rivalries make you wonder is how things might has panned out if Borg and McEnroe had been rivals for longer. Their 14 matches against each other look like infancy compared to the Big 3's clashes against each other. Djokovic and Nadal have played each other 54 times!

[privas]

This article is a bit adolescent. Great tennis is about rivalries, not about individual players. We wouldn't have had a McEnroe without a Borg, a Sampras without an Agassi. Iron sharpens iron. Nadal and Federer owe their greatness, in part, to each other.

[stotty]

I think he is probably referring to those hyper fans of Fed, Nadal, and Novak who can only appreciate their favorite.

Well spotted. Whoever...certainly a provocative first post from dorinn.

[stroke]

I think he is probably referring to those hyper fans of Fed, Nadal, and Novak who can only appreciate their favorite.

[stotty]

People need to get a life...

You referring to the posters or Rafa Nadal?

[johnyandell]

I thought this article would promote some reaction!

[dorinn]

People need to get a life...

[glacierguy]

I didn't like the article, and that is a first for tennisplayer. Maybe it was a joke that just passed me by...

[stotty]

Personally I think we are all guilty on passing judgement on things we can't possibly know.

Roger has cobbled himself a couple of times by continuing when he should have stopped. He has done this twice with his back that I can recall and ended up sidelined a little longer no doubt because of it. Djokovic will be off the court in a shot if his body plays up. He's no fool. He tried to mange the elbow problem because the stakes were high but it was a mistake to do so. Murray has paid a terrible price for trying to mange injuries instead of stopping. Nadal, as we all know, is hyper sensitive to injury.

Anyone can tear a player down for his given approach to these things, but, when all said and done, none of them are wrong. They all have their own way of dealing with these things.

[gzhpcu]

I do not think so... He tries too hard to be liked.... He also pulled out during a match citing injury... Roger never did...

[stotty]

Actually, the author would do better to write an article on why Djokovic is less popular than Nadal and Federer.

Because they were there first and Djokovic came along and spoilt the party?

[gzhpcu]

Actually, the author would do better to write an article on why Djokovic is less popular than Nadal and Federer.

[kcw1]

I absolutely adore everything about Federer, and I like Nadal a lot as well...a good foil for Roger and with so much to admire. Yes, I think the author is definitely pulling our collective leg a bit with the mock "hatred". As much as I like Nadal as my second favourite, I do wish Roger's records to hold and thus am never disappointed when Nadal loses (except to Djokovic, don't get me started on why I dislike Nole!). I love that they seem to have genuine respect and affection for each other. As sports figures and tennis idols, I don't think we could ask for better. Nadal's tiks used to drive me crazy, as did his hideous "wifebeater" sleeveless shirts and pirate pants. Now I am older, wiser, and kinder...and I find both Nadal and Federer infinitely interesting and wondrous in their talent and personalities. We are so fortunate to have them both!!

[bman]

Great article!! I couldn't have said it better myself.