Since Moya has been Rafa's coach in 2017

[The_Order]

Rafa has reached sf+ at 15 big hc events...

Novak the same... sf+ at 15 big hc events...

They've met only once on hc.

There's no way anyone can buy the propaganda being spewed that Nadal has been trying to avoid Djokovic on HCs...

The fact is, Novak is nowhere near as dominant on hc as Nadal is on clay. That's why there have been many more clay meetings between them in recent years...

Also, there's less clay events, so when they're both playing well enough to reach sf+ stages they are more likely to meet.

These are the facts. Nadal has done his part at the big hc events, Novak being unable to meet him is a blight on Djokovic, not Nadal.

 

[Amritia]

Some of the lack of meetings is bad luck due to injury; Nadal got injured in USO 2018, while Djokovic got injured in USO 2019. AO 2022 I don't want to discuss further, but obviously more blame lies with Djokovic than Nadal.

 

[Kralingen]

It is patently ridiculous how much Rafa+Djokovic take turns since 2017.

Novak recovering from elbow surgery+Pepe in 2017 (missed USO 17), lo and behold Rafa makes 2 Slam finals and wins USO
Novak still crapola in AO 18, Rafa also hurt vs Cilic, then Djoko back in form for USO 18, Rafa's body falls apart vs JMDP in SFs
Finally they meet in AO 19 - we all know what happened there, but then Djoko shoulder injury in USO 19, Rafa wins
AO 20 was a rare both playing well moment but Thiem GOATed, one of his best matches of his career. Then of course USO 20 was all messed up due to COVID, Djokovic DQ'd lol
AO 21 Nadal upset by Tsitsipas+back discomfort, USO '21 Nadal injured, AO '22 Djokovic vaccine drama

Isn't that insane? only ONE meeting?

What a rivalry

 

[zuluzazu]

LOL so much propaganda against Nadal but it is absolutely true that RG skew in Djokodal rivalry is partially because Novak is a bit better at reaching SF+ on clay than Nadal at AO but it is mostly because Nadal is so damn good at RG that there is no way Nadal crashed out in RG and Novak avoids him like AO09, AO14, AO17 or AO18. Nadal also rarely does something very controversial like Novak at AO22.

 

[mike danny]

He's been good, but an elite younger player would have exposed him just like it happened with Fed.

Ditto for Djokovic.

 

[The_Order]

He's been good, but an elite younger player would have exposed him just like it happened with Fed.

Ditto for Djokovic.

Don't rate Alcaraz?

 

[mike danny]

Don't rate Alcaraz?

I do, but he's not there yet.

 

[zuluzazu]

He's been good, but an elite younger player would have exposed him just like it happened with Fed.

Ditto for Djokovic.

Nadal wouldnt have been exposed in some of his best RG runs like RG2017 or RG18 or RG20. But outside clay I agree Nadal would have been exposed outside clay maybe. Novak OTOH would have been absolutely exposed as his hard court or grass level is nowhere near Nadal on clay

 

[mike danny]

Nadal wouldnt have been exposed in some of his best RG runs like RG2017 or RG18 or RG20. But outside clay I agree Nadal would have been exposed outside clay maybe. Novak OTOH would have been absolutely exposed as his hard court or grass level is nowhere near Nadal on clay

Fed also had great Wimb runs and would have comfortably beaten a Thiem equivalent there in 2014 and 2015.

So I can't pronounce myself on Rafa as he's had it remarkably easy at RG in his 30's. Hasn't had a prime Djokovic equivalent there.

 

[Sabrina]

Nadal wouldnt have been exposed in some of his best RG runs like RG2017 or RG18 or RG20. But outside clay I agree Nadal would have been exposed outside clay maybe. Novak OTOH would have been absolutely exposed as his hard court or grass level is nowhere near Nadal on clay

His level at RG 2018 wasn't really that high, I would only put it above RG 2022 in term of performance (in his 30s only of course).

 

[zuluzazu]

His level at RG 2018 wasn't really that high, I would only put it above RG 2022 in term of performance (in his 30s only of course).

Wasnt it better than 2019?

 

[mahatma]

No one is avoiding no one. Just that Nadal not playing a lot on HC doesn't help.
Some things I am pretty sure about -

1. If Nadal loses in Wimbledon and stretches himself too much in the process, he won't be playing the rest of HC or indoor HC season. Pretty much the trend we are seeing lately.
2. If Djokovic doesn't get entry to US/ Canada, he won't qualify for ATP finals too and would not play anyone until next clay season!

2022 literally ends at Djokovic at Wimbledon and for Nadal if he loses in Wimbledon in some tough matches, the season ends. Sad but true.

 

[GabeT]

Don’t think anyone seriously believes any of these players are avoiding each other. Not the issue. What may be the issue (depending on what is being debated) are the very different outcomes of the Nadalovic rivalry by surface. What makes no sense at all is to talk of their rivalry as whole, without looking at the surface they played in.