Rafa vs. Djoker: Someone explain what the deal is?

[MichaelNadal]

I wanna know too #TellMeNow

 

[oldmanfan]

I think Fed should be looking behind him. Medvedev is breathing down his neck right now.

Though true, I think Fedr is not yet focused on his rankings, especially #1. That's more likely for Fedfans to ponder. I think he only cares if he's in top8 or not by WB (his main priority each year, his words). Of course, if he's close enough to #1, THEN he'll definitely care.

Medvedev has been great, but hasn't proven to be an indoor beast... yet. He's young, but the fact remains that he's played a lot lately, and stamina isn't his strong suit a la MuryGOAT, yet he's playing like 2016 MuryGOAT. The indoor season has some intrigue now.

 

[oldmanfan]

Well, I don't know about all of that, but it is a possibility I guess. Unfortunately, I think us Fed fans are now at the point where just staying in the top 3 is good enough as long as he has his chances in slams.

I see where you're coming from. But I think differently now.

I had similar thoughts starting the year, especially after his AO19 4R exit. But his post AO19 thru WB19 changed my outlook for him a lot. I think currently, he's top2, especially with Nadl being uncertain health-wise, and Djokr's uncertainty health-wise AND form-wise. Or did you forget Djokr basically 'ran' away from Stan when all he had to do was play 4 more games? I know the title-wins say otherwise, but Djokr has been mediocre this year (accually for most of the last 18 months IMO), and unless he picks it up, his outlook isn't great for 2020.

Fedfans are way too negative in regards to recent Djokerer matches. Djokr is considered the greatest returner in history (I agree), but the last 2 times he beat Fedr, he had to do it in ONLY tiebreaks, and the sets that Fedr won, he won by breaking Djokr's serve. That tells me their respective forms.

Again, I'm very optimistic about Fedr going into 2020, waaaaaay more than I was going into 2019, even though he'll be 1 year older.

 

[ElChivoEspañol]

How is he nearing the end? He just won 2 slams and reached the Final and SF of the other. He is the second favorite at AO, will win FO, 3rd favorite at USO, and favorite at USO.

He could easily win 2, maybe 3 slams next year.

Those are the results, which are fantastic indeed, however the stats that are more subjective are his speed, movement, and stamina, all of which I think we can agree are rapidly declining.

Rafa this year cramped at the French open ON A STRAIGHT SET victory. He was on his last leg at the USO final having a walk over and having played over all A LOT less tennis than Medvedev through the NA HC season.

Rafa gets really tight and loses confidence noticeably during matches now, we can see it vs Swartzman and Medvedev, two matches that were completely under control and he almost let slip in a bizarre deep in form mid match (not to take away from his opponents, but the shot making deep was palpable).

Rafa was in fantastic form during Wimbledon and what does he do when he sees a grandpa Fed across the net? Start playing his old ultra defensive game. I won’t even mention the AO this year as I do believe he was not 100% physically and had luck not being pushed defensively before the final.

But, these are things you can see if you actually watch his full matches. I love Rafa and want him to take the slam record, if he doesn’t do it next year, he may have one last chance in 2021, but with the young guns maturing even the gulf of talent between him and the rest of the field (without counting the Djoker and Fed) won’t be enough to compensate for age and possible injuries.

 

[DSH]

Toni:

The Masters tournament would be the final climax for the year, because he has never achieved it, and of course he has in mind to finish as world number 1 ».

End of discussion.

 

[Zara]

Did you happen to look outside, in the gutter?

Lmho!