Rafa should have played.

[beast of mallorca]

He didn't numb it for the Fritz match. He could beat nick with a wta serve. Then numb it before djoker. And in the 5th set he did up his MPH so I think he could do it it just hurt more.

At what expense ?

 

[Nadal15thslam]

No, he could risk his whole season if he did that and do you know what would've most likely happened? Wimbledon final loss to Djokovic and no Us Open as well.

 

[weakera]

No, he could risk his whole season if he did that and do you know what would've most likely happened? Wimbledon final loss to Djokovic and no Us Open as well.

Yeah that's the thing, Rafa wants to resume with a normal schedule or just semi-normal. He doesn't want to keep needing months off from tour.

 

[Deleted member 791948]

SF at Wimbledon is tremendous and his 3rd consecutive SF at Wimbledon so he's got very good momentum going into next year's Wimbledon, plus he'd be 26-0 in Slams this year if he wins the US Open - which he almost certainly will, based on his last meeting with Medvedev, there is a serious mental edge - and the greatest year since Laver 1969

 

[Mike Sams]

He could have easily if healthy. He took djoker 5 last time they played at SW19 and Rafa was playing better this year than that year.

Nadal couldn't serve. Why try to play the greatest returner in history when you can't serve?

 

[Mike Sams]

SF at Wimbledon is tremendous and his 3rd consecutive SF at Wimbledon so he's got very good momentum going into next year's Wimbledon, plus he'd be 26-0 in Slams this year if he wins the US Open - which he almost certainly will, based on his last meeting with Medvedev, there is a serious mental edge - and the greatest year since Laver 1969

There might be a lot more resistance coming from other players alongside Medvedev.
Alcaraz, Zverev, Djokovic aren't going to be easy for Nadal at USO.

 

[InsideOut900]

He could have easily if healthy. He took djoker 5 last time they played at SW19 and Rafa was playing better this year than that year.

So 2018 Nadal struggles with Cerondulo, Berankis and goes 5 with Fritz?

 

[paolo2143]

Nadal has plenty more chances to win Wimbledon, no chance of him retiring before 2024 Olympics now that he's solved the foot problem.
And this year's Wimbledon won't count in the Open Era anyway (since it wasn't open to all nationalities), so I pity whoever wins it

Nice try but it counts no matter who wins today

 

[Mustard]

I thought his last chance to win Wimbledon was 2010 and here we are. He was two matches from the trophy

Give over. 2018 anyone?

 

[Winners or Errors]

How can he win with a WTA like serve hampered by that injury.

Apparently with someone as inept at returning as Fritz, it's possible. Kyrgios isn't known as a particularly great returner, either.

 

[Rafa24]

Well yeah, and then when he wins USO in couple of weeks people will say it was a genius move by Nadal at Wimbledon.

He could beat Nick in the SF, but he wouldn't beat Novak for sure. And Nadal tries to avoid losing from Djokovic whenever he can, so he can stay mentally prepared for future battles. Losing to Djokovic in Wimbledon F would shatter Nadal's confidence.

He's not likely to win the USO. Last time he played joker it was close at wimbledon and by all right's he'd have won if not for the gamesmanship with the roof thing by Novak.

 

[Rafa24]

There might be a lot more resistance coming from other players alongside Medvedev.
Alcaraz, Zverev, Djokovic aren't going to be easy for Nadal at USO.

This is why he should have played. Granted djoker won't likely play the USO. If he wins this I could see him getting vaxxed. Honestly I am surprised he just doesn't lie and "get a vax" because he could easily do it with his money. have a doctor come in and pay him to do it. but he wants to stand on his hill of being anti vax.

 

[Rafa24]

So 2018 Nadal struggles with Cerondulo, Berankis and goes 5 with Fritz?

They were both 4 setters so wouldn't say he was struggling that bad his first week on grass in 2-3 years. Djoker has only had 2 straight set victories this wimb. same as rafa. and he didn't get taken to 5 sets until he was hurt. fritz would have been trounced early if not for the injury.

 

[clayqueen]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1545845319635767296

 

[accidental]

Watching Kyrgios in this final, I don’t think inured Rafa would have beaten him

 

[Midaso240]

Nah, he wouldn't have won, he knows his body and his game better than anyone

 

[The Blond Blur]

Nah, no reason to risk making the injury worse. Especially with the 2-1 Open right around the corner, bud.