In terms of actual skill, who is more talented between Federer and young Nalbandian?

[tennis_pro]

Originally Posted by dangalak

Ballstriking skills, Nalbandian, that's for sure.

Both are more or less evenly talented in terms of tennis, but Federer is the better athlete.

Let's not even get into things like mental toughness, dedication and serve.

Pretty much this.

[dangalak]

Originally Posted by BauerAlmeida

What H2H??? Federer isn't that clutch. That is his main weakness IMO.

He choked a lot of matches he was in a clear position to win. vs Nalbandian MC 2005, vs Safin AO 2005, vs Delpo USO 2009, vs Nadal Rome 2006, vs Hewitt DC 2003, vs Djokovic USO 2011, vs Djokovic USO 2010, and I can go on.

Of course he is not Feliciano Lopez, but he is far behind Sampras or Nadal in that aspect IMO.

Honestly, when will you realize that not every match where you had an opportunity to win is a choke.

He has way too many comebacks and way too many clutch serving performances to be "far behind Sampras and Nadal".

[Evan77]

Nalbandian is not over-hyped at all. He is a super talented tennis player. The problem with Nalby is that he was never as dedicated as Fed. His biggest problem is his fitness level. Nalbandian simply loves his burgers and his women more than tennis.

Dangalak summed it up very well in his posts regarding Fed and Nalby.

[dominikk1985]

Fed easily. Nalbandian was a very fine ballstriker but he didn't have the power and athleticism of federer.

his feel for the ball and technique are certainly up there with anyone but talent is not just about how great your droppers and angle shots are.

athleticism, mental strength, willpower and hitting power are equally as important and fed was easily better than nalby in any of those.

It's no coinicidence that nalby didn't win more in his career.

[TheCheese]

Seriously, people think Nalbandian is a better ballstriker than the guy with the greatest forehand of all time...?

It's not like movement is completely separate from ballstriking. You have to have excellent movement to be in position to hit the ball.

[dangalak]

Originally Posted by TheCheese

Seriously, people think Nalbandian is a better ballstriker than the guy with the greatest forehand of all time...?

It's not like movement is completely separate from ballstriking. You have to have excellent movement to be in position to hit the ball.

He is by far the better ballstriker.

It seems to me you are not aware of what the term implies. Nadal has also one of the best forehands of all time and he isn't even close to being the best ballstriker.

Serial shankers cannot be great ballstrikers.

[dangalak]

Originally Posted by dominikk1985

Fed easily. Nalbandian was a very fine ballstriker but he didn't have the power and athleticism of federer.

his feel for the ball and technique are certainly up there with anyone but talent is not just about how great your droppers and angle shots are.

athleticism, mental strength, willpower and hitting power are equally as important and fed was easily better than nalby in any of those.

It's no coinicidence that nalby didn't win more in his career.

Thank you for proving you have no idea what "talent" means.

Mental strength and will power are diametrically opposed to talent. It is the last thing that has to do with gift or else, a guy like Ferrer or Simon is immensely talented as well.

Atleticism isn't talent either or else, many guys from the NFL would be "talented" tennis players. Physical talent is something you could use for any sport. "Tennis talent" only works for tennis though and should be the only one used.

[NadalAgassi]

Originally Posted by BauerAlmeida

What H2H??? Federer isn't that clutch. That is his main weakness IMO.

He choked a lot of matches he was in a clear position to win. vs Nalbandian MC 2005, vs Safin AO 2005, vs Delpo USO 2009, vs Nadal Rome 2006, vs Hewitt DC 2003, vs Djokovic USO 2011, vs Djokovic USO 2010, and I can go on.

Of course he is not Feliciano Lopez, but he is far behind Sampras or Nadal in that aspect IMO.

I agree. It is funny there is anyone on this forum who thinks Federer is mentally as tough as Nadal imparticular, LOL!


I would say in their youth they were about equal talents, but Federer's talents developed and grew by leaps and bounds while Nalbandian's did not.

[forzamilan90]

Fed's the more talented, skillful player no doubt. Nalbandian's backhand is insane, but other than that, I don't give him any edge against Federer.

[Iron Man]

Originally Posted by dangalak

Every time somebody makes a decent and interesting thread, these people have to stink the place up.

1. No Nalbandian's talent isn't "immensely overrated" on these forums. You just happen to be a glory hunter who isn't smart enough to distinguish true ability without having a dozen of trophies next to it.

2. People hype up Nalbandian so much because he is in all likelihood one of the most gifted player in history.

3. Another johnny come lately that cannot comprehend the meaning of the question of "WHO IS MORE TALENTED". Are you aware, how OFTEN Naldandian has made your idol look like a jock?

hey , what do you want ? We don't agree with you and we're entitled to our opinion . and your idol ( nalby ) didn't make Fed look like a joke , don't base your argument on one match or two and mind your language next time

[dangalak]

Originally Posted by NadalAgassi

I agree. It is funny there is anyone on this forum who thinks Federer is mentally as tough as Nadal imparticular, LOL!


I would say in their youth they were about equal talents, but Federer's talents developed and grew by leaps and bounds while Nalbandian's did not.

Nadal's mental toughness is a little overrated. Grinders typically "choke" less anyway. They maintain the same level for a longer time. Also, he got crushed in straights far more often than Federer did.

I wouldn't say that Federer is as tough as Nadal, but I disagree that there is some massive gap.

On talent "developing": pretty sure the word "talent" is supposed to be the "gold" that a person has in their "soil". Not exactly something that you can "develop" only resurface.

[ruerooo]

D-Nal was brilliant. If I were a player, I'd still be afraid to face him in Davis Cup when he's healthy.

He's got deadly angles. Have some posters here not seen the matches where he's beaten Roger? And not because Roger wasn't playing well, either. Is there a clip of that Shanghai Masters match around here somewhere?

[ruerooo]

Originally Posted by dangalak

Nadal's mental toughness is a little overrated.

What are you basing a statement like that on?

[dangalak]

Originally Posted by Iron Man

hey , what do you want ? We don't agree with you and we're entitled to our opinion . and your idol ( nalby ) didn't make Fed look like a joke , don't base your argument on one match or two and mind your language next time

Oh Internet tough guys.

Nalbandian has made him look silly on numerous occasions. AO 03, Shanghai 05, Madrid 07, Paris 07.

Also, what in the 7 hells of tartarus is "we are entitles to our opinion" supposed to mean? Did I ever state that you are legally banned from stating uninformed nonsense. Your opinion is wrong. And I am entitles to THAT opinion.

U mad?

[TheCheese]

Originally Posted by dangalak

He is by far the better ballstriker.

It seems to me you are not aware of what the term implies. Nadal has also one of the best forehands of all time and he isn't even close to being the best ballstriker.

Serial shankers cannot be great ballstrikers.

Well, what do you mean by ballstriking then?

[NadalAgassi]

Originally Posted by dangalak

Nadal's mental toughness is a little overrated. Grinders typically "choke" less anyway. They maintain the same level for a longer time. Also, he got crushed in straights far more often than Federer did.

I wouldn't say that Federer is as tough as Nadal, but I disagree that there is some massive gap.

On talent "developing": pretty sure the word "talent" is supposed to be the "gold" that a person has in their "soil". Not exactly something that you can "develop" only resurface.

You think Nadal's everything is overrated so who cares. It is hilarious you think a player who basically relied entirely on speed, mental toughness, overall defense, a forehand, and basically nothing else and won 11 slams by his mid 20s could be matches or surpassed easily by many in mental toughness and speed as you seem to think.

Nadal gets crushed since his game is more crushable, especialy on a hard court which is the only surface he has ever been crushed on really. It has nothing to do with lack of mental toughness. In fact almost the only way to beat Nadal is by crushing him, hence why he almost never loses on clay, and only loses on hard courts when he runs into guys who power right him and win by big margins normally.

[dangalak]

Originally Posted by TheCheese

Well, what do you mean by ballstriking then?

People who can hit the ball with the center of the racquet consistently, even in awkward situations.

[faranell]

Originally Posted by dangalak

Every time somebody makes a decent and interesting thread, these people have to stink the place up.

1. No Nalbandian's talent isn't "immensely overrated" on these forums. You just happen to be a glory hunter who isn't smart enough to distinguish true ability without having a dozen of trophies next to it.

2. People hype up Nalbandian so much because he is in all likelihood one of the most gifted player in history.

3. Another johnny come lately that cannot comprehend the meaning of the question of "WHO IS MORE TALENTED". Are you aware, how OFTEN Naldandian has made your idol look like a jock?

you speak the truth

[World Beater]

Originally Posted by dangalak

Do you even know what ballstriking is?

Hint: serial shankers are excempt from that club.

Nalbandian has had far more matches where he cannot hit the ball into the court from either his fh or bh.

That says far more about his ballstriking ability compared to federer than some occasional shanking.

They both have been equally impressive in their best matches.

Federer more so on the fh...nalbandian on the bh. But fed has the variety with the slice.

[dangalak]

Originally Posted by World Beater

Nalbandian has had far more matches where he cannot hit the ball into the court from either his fh or bh.

That says far more about his ballstriking ability compared to federer than some occasional shanking.

They both have been equally impressive in their best matches.

Federer more so on the fh...nalbandian on the bh. But fed has the variety with the slice.

sigh

I SAID HITTING THE BALL WITH THE CENTER OF YOUR RACQUET

Missing the court doesn't mean you can't strike the ball. Hantuchova is one of the cleanest strikers of the ball and she routinely makes over 50 UEs.

Berdych for example is also a better striker of the ball than Federer. He also makes lots of errors. Agassi. Safin. Baghdatis. Davydenko. THOSE guy strike the ball cleanly. Not Federer. Him and Nadal don't hit the ball that cleanly at all.