Nadal's 2017, WTFs and YE #1

FederErizeD

FederErizeD

Hall of Fame
It's been quite a season for Nadal and I'm really happy for an ATG to amazingly come back and do what he did this season ..

But I'm really feeling that WTF this year should be Nadal's big goal, because let's face it, it's the biggest hole in his career so far, and I don't think there will come a better opportunity to reach for it.

Especially after securing the YE #1, I feel it's become like a moral obligation (maybe it's not quite the word I'm aiming for, English is not my 1st language) for him to win it this year, and end the season with it, and maybe even defeat Fed en route, and shut the mouths that downplay his YE #1's significance considering he never beat the other most successful player this season, in any of their 4 encounters.

What do you think?
 
GabeT

GabeT

G.O.A.T.
It’d be great if he got it but all players have some tournament they haven’t won. It’s indoor hard court, not his best surface.
 
Shank Volley

Shank Volley

Hall of Fame
I think we can all agree that if he doesn't win it this year he never will. He's highly unlikely to have another season like this moving forwards, and with the other threats back on the tour the WTF won't be such a weak pool next year.
 
U

User123

Hall of Fame
FederErizeD said:
Yes, but WTF is not like any other tournament.

In fact, one would argue it's the biggest tennis tournament after the 4 slams.
Click to expand...
And? What will change if he wins it once? It will still look like a fluke. Winning 5 or 6 times (like Djokovic and Federer did) is a great achievement. One win will not be an achievement at all.
 
Mr Feeny

Mr Feeny

Hall of Fame
Rafa is going to go all-out. As others have said, this is the biggest hole in his resume. And I think that he has a great chance here. The only obstacle is a 36 year old. Federer has had Nadal's number all year long, but if Rafa were to win the WTF's, this would be his best bet.

I'm with some of the rest who have posted in here. If it doesn't happen now, I don't know that it ever will.
Standing in the way is his eternal nemesis. Let's see what happens!
 
TheGhostOfAgassi

TheGhostOfAgassi

Talk Tennis Guru
vive le beau jeu ! said:
then... while we're at it, why not tank tennis and gun for poker and fishing ?

http://www.**************.org/imgs/34546/bernard-tomic-once-i-drove-a-car-up-to-352-kmh-.jpg
Click to expand...

hehe, you know that will never happen. Of course you can hope, but it will not happen. Fed has showed him the way that its possible to play long time. I think Rafa will play less and less ATP and gun more for ITF, save himself from injuries. Many Rafa years ahead, dont let your heart go completely hard and dark dear.
200.gif
 
NothingButNet

NothingButNet

Semi-Pro
FederErizeD said:
It's been quite a season for Nadal and I'm really happy for an ATG to amazingly come back and do what he did this season ..

But I'm really feeling that WTF this year should be Nadal's big goal, because let's face it, it's the biggest hole in his career so far, and I don't think there will come a better opportunity to reach for it.

Especially after securing the YE #1, I feel it's become like a moral obligation (maybe it's not quite the word I'm aiming for, English is not my 1st language) for him to win it this year, and end the season with it, and maybe even defeat Fed en route, and shut the mouths that downplay his YE #1's significance considering he never beat the other most successful player this season, in any of their 4 encounters.

What do you think?
Click to expand...


For Ralph this WTF is all about having his Paper #1™ validated...

And cheeky, arrogant Fred won't let him have it

MK-CO839_GAYSUB_G_20140824170859.jpg
 
Steve0904

Steve0904

Talk Tennis Guru
Nothing truly downplays Nadal's YE#1. I'm not big on the whole H2H thing. It's a nice statistic for Federer fans but Nadal finished #1 because he accumulated the most points against the field. Simple as that. Not by a huge margin mind you, but by enough.

But yes, if he's going to win the WTF this is probably the year to do it. I don't see him beating Federer to do it though tbh. Not realistically at any rate. It could happen if Federer laid an egg in one of the knockout rounds or he was injured. And I know he's 36 and he injures easier these days and on certain days he doesn't play well at all, but I'm not going to assume Federer will get injured in one tournament just because he's old, and the way 2017 has gone in this rivalry and on an indoor court, I don't see Nadal winning. Federer's about an 80/20 favourite if they play at the WTF, IMO.

Nadal's best hope is if someone takes out Fed, like Delpo (assuming he wins today and qualifies as a result) and he beats Delpo, but Delpo's not exactly chopped liver either, and I'm almost certain Federer will get out of the group stage so that leaves the SF as the one and only knockout round before the final.
 
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mike danny

mike danny

Bionic Poster
Steve0904 said:
Nothing truly downplays Nadal's YE#1. I'm not big on the whole H2H thing. It's a nice statistic for Federer fans but Nadal finished #1 because he accumulated the most points against the field. Simple as that. Not by a huge margin mind you, but by enough.

But yes, if he's going to win the WTF this is probably the year to do it. I don't see him beating Federer to do it though tbh. Not realistically at any rate. It could happen if Federer laid an egg in one of the knockout rounds or he was injured. And I know he's 36 and he injures easier these days and on certain days he doesn't play well at all, but I'm not going to assume Federer will get injured in one tournament just because he's old, and the way 2017 has gone in this rivalry and on an indoor court, I don't see Nadal winning. Federer's about an 80/20 favourite if they play at the WTF, IMO.

Nadal's best hope is if someone takes out Fed, like Delpo (assuming he wins today and qualifies as a result) and he beats Delpo, but Delpo's not exactly chopped liver either, and I'm almost certain Federer will get out of the group stage so that leaves the SF as the one and only knockout round before the final.
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Do you think it's better if Delpo lands in Fed's groups? This way, they are guaranteed not to meet in the semis.
 
Phoenix1983

Phoenix1983

G.O.A.T.
I rather doubt that Nadal shall lift the WTF trophy.

It shall remain the one glaring hole on his otherwise impeccable resume; the one shining trophy that he was never able to lift; the one glittering prize at whose door he always collapsed.

Aye, that'll be about right.
 
airchallenge2

airchallenge2

Hall of Fame
mike danny said:
Do you think it's better if Delpo lands in Fed's groups? This way, they are guaranteed not to meet in the semis.
Click to expand...

It would be horrible if Rafa and Roger were in the same group. The competition is already pretty weak (except Delpo, maybe) to put both heavy weights in the same group, no?
 
mike danny

mike danny

Bionic Poster
airchallenge2 said:
It would be horrible if Rafa and Roger were in the same group. The competition is already pretty weak (except Delpo, maybe) to put both heavy weights in the same group, no?
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Roger and Rafa cannot be In the same group. The top 2 will never be placed in the same group.
 
GabeT

GabeT

G.O.A.T.
mike danny said:
So are the 4 slams.
Click to expand...
The point is that the four slams include all the major surfaces. And despite all the talk of homogeneity of surfaces the players have clear preferences and skills.

WTF is always indoor hard. This is not nadal’s Best surface. So while I’m sure he would love to win it all players have tournaments they haven’t won.
 
mike danny

mike danny

Bionic Poster
GabeT said:
The point is that the four slams include all the major surfaces. And despite all the talk of homogeneity of surfaces the players have clear preferences and skills.

WTF is always indoor hard. This is not nadal’s Best surface. So while I’m sure he would love to win it all players have tournaments they haven’t won.
Click to expand...
We're talking about each slam individually here. If RG was played In HC or grass, Federer and Djokovic would have loads of them.
 
Djokovic2011

Djokovic2011

Bionic Poster
Mr Feeny said:
Rafa is going to go all-out. As others have said, this is the biggest hole in his resume. And I think that he has a great chance here. The only obstacle is a 36 year old. Federer has had Nadal's number all year long, but if Rafa were to win the WTF's, this would be his best bet.

I'm with some of the rest who have posted in here. If it doesn't happen now, I don't know that it ever will.
Standing in the way is his eternal nemesis. Let's see what happens!
Click to expand...
Why even bring up Federer's age, especially considering he's won all four matches they've played this year? :confused: And I'd hardly call him Nadal's "eternal nemesis" either.
 
Mr Feeny

Mr Feeny

Hall of Fame
Djokovic2011 said:
Why even bring up Federer's age, especially considering he's won all four matches they've played this year? :confused: And I'd hardly call him Nadal's "eternal nemesis" either.
Click to expand...

Nemesis was the wrong choice of words. Rivals is a better word. What does Federer winning all 4 matches have to do with him being 36?
 
Djokovic2011

Djokovic2011

Bionic Poster
Mr Feeny said:
Nemesis was the wrong choice of words. Rivals is a better word. What does Federer winning all 4 matches have to do with him being 36?
Click to expand...
Because it means he's obviously been playing at a very high level. I mean this ain't Tommy Haas we're talking about here but arguably the GOAT so it's safe to say he's a pretty big obstacle regardless of age!
 
Sport

Sport

G.O.A.T.
FederErizeD said:
Yes, but WTF is not like any other tournament.

In fact, one would argue it's the biggest tennis tournament after the 4 slams.
Click to expand...

Nope. Not better htan the Olympic Gold in singles. WTF are played every year and don't have the same repercussion as Olympic Games, since the Olympics are viewed by much more people around the world (including the tennis matches). Olympic Games are played only one time every four years. A particular player can participate in the WTF 15 or 16 times during his career, but no more than 3 or 4 times in the Olympic Games. It shows it is far more difficult to achieve the Olympic Gold in singles than the WTF because of the limited number of editions.

Also, to win all GS plus the OG in singles in called "Career Gold Slam". There is no such label for the WTF.
 
Backspin1183

Backspin1183

Talk Tennis Guru
FederErizeD said:
Yes, but WTF is not like any other tournament.

In fact, one would argue it's the biggest tennis tournament after the 4 slams.
Click to expand...

It is. Not necessarily the best tournament or as good as it was back in days best of 5 matches, but it still is bigger than the Masters 1000s whether one likes it or not.
 
aditya123

aditya123

Hall of Fame
User123 said:
And? What will change if he wins it once? It will still look like a fluke. Winning 5 or 6 times (like Djokovic and Federer did) is a great achievement. One win will not be an achievement at all.
Click to expand...
So Djokovic's Federer's and Murray's Davis cup titles have no value and Nadal is the only player who has won Davis cup because he won it 4 times??? Na na na a win is win
 
Polvorin

Polvorin

Professional
Sport said:
Nope. Not better htan the Olympic Gold in singles. WTF are played every year and don't have the same repercussion as Olympic Games, since the Olympics are viewed by much more people around the world (including the tennis matches). Olympic Games are played only one time every four years. A particular player can participate in the WTF 15 or 16 times during his career, but no more than 3 or 4 times in the Olympic Games. It shows it is far more difficult to achieve the Olympic Gold in singles than the WTF because of the limited number of editions.

Also, to win all GS plus the OG in singles in called "Career Gold Slam". There is no such label for the WTF.
Click to expand...
It would be awfully embarrassing if after 15 or 16 tries a player still couldn't do it.

Meanwhile the Olympics is just a dice roll... hope that fourth year happens to fall at a time when you are peaking, or you might not get another chance.
 
U

ultradr

Legend
WTF is not worth risking injury.

Nadal should play WTF if pain free and whenever the pain is over a certain threshold he should bail out.
 
pame

pame

Hall of Fame
Sport said:
Nope. Not better htan the Olympic Gold in singles. WTF are played every year and don't have the same repercussion as Olympic Games, since the Olympics are viewed by much more people around the world (including the tennis matches). Olympic Games are played only one time every four years. A particular player can participate in the WTF 15 or 16 times during his career, but no more than 3 or 4 times in the Olympic Games. It shows it is far more difficult to achieve the Olympic Gold in singles than the WTF because of the limited number of editions.

Also, to win all GS plus the OG in singles in called "Career Gold Slam". There is no such label for the WTF.
Click to expand...
Especially all those decades that tennis wasn't even part of the Olympics - and if it's ever removed again from the Olympics, it will be even more difficult to win it

In the meantime, two examples of how much more difficult it is to achieve Olympic Gold in singles... Nicolas Massu of Chile and Marc Rosset of Switzerland both won it; neither of them managed one single, solitary masters win, far less a WTF. Makes one wonder which is really more difficult to win.
 
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pame

pame

Hall of Fame
aditya123 said:
Defaming Massu and Rossett as if they are walkovers... Tennis dignity is dying here
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Oh puh-leeze! Such melodrama! rofl

Defaming! So which of the "easier" masters/wtf claimed by the poster, did these guys win?
 
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airchallenge2

airchallenge2

Hall of Fame
It's sad that Davis Cup doesn't get the respect it used to have. Johnny Mac vs. Boom Boom Boris is one of the best matches in the history of tennis.
 
Steve0904

Steve0904

Talk Tennis Guru
mike danny said:
Do you think it's better if Delpo lands in Fed's groups? This way, they are guaranteed not to meet in the semis.
Click to expand...

I think it's better if he does, but it turns out that this question ultimately didn't matter. Unless Sock loses today and Nadal withdraws I guess.
 
aditya123

aditya123

Hall of Fame
pame said:
Oh puh-leeze! Such melodrama! rofl

Defaming! So which of the "easier" masters/wtf claimed by the poster, did these guys win?
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Kraijeck won Wimbledon, Johanson won Ao, Gaudio won Fo, Once in a while some Tom dick Harry will win a title, it does not mean that the tournaments itself is completely useless
 
P

peakin11mugs

Semi-Pro
User123 said:
Better, but only winning as a tournament in general. But having that idea of "getting the title because I never won it" is just stupid.
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I disagree with saying it isn’t important but let’s go with that for a second.... At the very least nadal will want to win it for the money. Like most of the tennis players he changes his personality, his behaviour, says (lol his sucking up is worst with KIA) and does stuff he wouldn’t do, wears stuff he wouldn’t do, to make money for sponsors. He plays exhos and tries to secure appearance fees all the time. Of course he wants to win WTF just for the direct millions and secondly for indirect expansion of his brand and net value and marketability
 
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