Rafa fans, what are your hopes of Rafa in 2013?

[Sabratha]

Originally Posted by Steve0904

Bit over the top here wouldn't you say?

Nadal has done something similar before.

[Steve0904]

Originally Posted by Sabratha

Nadal has done something similar before.

Not really. He skipped Wimbledon in 2009, but he was back for Montreal, and played the rest of his events. If he plays in Australia, he'll still have missed 6 months. Nowhere near what happened in 2009 really.

Besides the fact that Nadal is not getting any younger, and Djokovic has gotten infintely better, Murray has a first slam, and Federer is still in the discussion. Nadal has surprised me before, but this is too much. Nadal feeds off playing as many matches as he can get so I'll be surprised if he's not rusty as opposed to rested.

[Sabratha]

Originally Posted by Steve0904

Not really. He skipped Wimbledon in 2009, but he was back for Montreal, and played the rest of his events. If he plays in Australia, he'll still have missed 6 months. Nowhere near what happened in 2009 really.

Besides the fact that Nadal is not getting any younger, and Djokovic has gotten infintely better, Murray has a first slam, and Federer is still in the discussion. Nadal has surprised me before, but this is too much. Nadal feeds off playing as many matches as he can get so I'll be surprised if he's not rusty as opposed to rested.

Nadal is 26 years old, his current playing style hasn't resulted in any injuries requiring surgery, and until that happens (or when he hits 28-29) is when I will stop believing he can achieve this.

[Steve0904]

Originally Posted by Sabratha

Nadal is 26 years old, his current playing style hasn't resulted in any injuries requiring surgery, and until that happens (or when he hits 28-29) is when I will stop believing he can achieve this.

Yes, but there is a difference between being realistic, and believing in something that has a very slim chance of happening. He hasn't won anything off of clay since 2010, and now you're telling me he can win 3 slams. Like I said, he's not getting any younger, and he now has a crutch in Djokovic, and an improved Murray to deal with, and Federer is still there. You compare that with 2010 and it's not even close. Djokovic was serving more DF's than aces, Murray was "old" Murray, and Federer had a terrible 2010. All I'm saying is it's highly unlikely.

[Crisstti]

Rafa was in three slam finals just in 2011. And then the AO and RG. I wouldn't say it's extremely unlikely (while obviously an optimistic idea).

Hope, I hope he's healthy and stays that way. That he wins a slam, any of them. And a couple masters. It's what I expect if he's healthy anyway. One obviously can hope for a lot more...

Originally Posted by NatF

He wasn't out nearly this long in 2009, he was back for the US Open, WTFs etc...He had alot of time to get match practice in. Alot of Rafa fans were saying that 2012 would be his year after 2011 as well. But realistically if fit he's got a chance in basically every tournament he enters. I don't know if it's probable for him to grab 2 GS's though, I think a better word would be possible.

He wasn't out so long in 2009, but he wasn't fine when he came back, which he will be this time if he sticks to his word and only comes back when he's 100% fine.

[Clarky21]

Originally Posted by Crisstti

Rafa was in three slam finals just in 2011. And then the AO and RG. I wouldn't say it's extremely unlikely (while obviously an optimistic idea).

Hope, I hope he's healthy and stays that way. That he wins a slam, any of them. And a couple masters. It's what I expect if he's healthy anyway. One obviously can hope for a lot more...



He wasn't out so long in 2009, but he wasn't fine when he came back, which he will be this time if he sticks to his word and only comes back when he's 100% fine.

But he will be extrememly rusty and out of form. He will get torched repeatedly until he gets significant match practice in. And who says he will even be able to do that considering his injured all the time. I really hope he loses early for a while after he comes back to avoid getting smoked by the top 3. He stands zero chance against those guys.

[SoBad]

Nadal needs some rest time to regroup. If he wins a couple of ATP100 tournaments in 2013, I would be very happy. Anything beyond that is a bonus.

[Crisstti]

Originally Posted by Clarky21

But he will be extrememly rusty and out of form. He will get torched repeatedly until he gets significant match practice in. And who says he will even be able to do that considering his injured all the time. I really hope he loses early for a while after he comes back to avoid getting smoked by the top 3. He stands zero chance against those guys.

He will be rusty, no doubt. He's said he's been working in the gym a lot though so as not to be out of shape.

I sure don't expect him to win the AO.

He beat Fed early in 2006 I think, after having been out for like 4 months.

[Towser83]

clay season will be vital as always, but more so this year. I wouldn't expect too much til then, if he does well then all credit to him, but clay is a surface where he can be miles below his best and still only lose if the other guy is playing amazing tennis.He'll go deep in the clay events and get into form.

[NadalAgassi]

Originally Posted by Steve0904

Bit over the top here wouldn't you say?

I dont think so. I am not saying I EXPECT al those things to happen, but they are in no way unrealistic to hope for or unreasonable when evaluating his possabilities if he makes a strong return.

Nadal is the 2nd most accomplished player in the game the last 15 years behind Federer, and Federer is 31 now. Nadal is still only 26. Nadal at his best has won French, Wimbledon, Olympics on hards, and Australian Open all within 8 months, and then another time won French, Wimbledon, U.S Open in a row in a 4 month stretch. He would have duplicated or exceeded that with a 3rd dominant stretch in 2011 had it not been for Novak Djokovic hitting his own GOAT levels which he might well never reach again. Why on earth would thinking he coud go on another such run be unrealistic, unless he never returns the same player which is possible and something that only time will tell on.

Nadal until this years Wimbledon was the most consistently strong grass courter the last 4 or 5 years of anyone including Federer. Federer being 31, Djokovic not being a great grass courter, and Murray being 0-3 vs Nadal at Wimbledon, thinking Nadal has a great shot at Wimbledon if fit and in strong form by then is not in the least unrealistic.

Hard court slams will never come easily for Nadal even at the best of times but he is also fully capable of contending to win them if at his best. There isnt a dominant hard court player in the post Federer era, with Djokovic coming closest. The last hard court slam he played he should have won.

[cc0509]

Originally Posted by NadalAgassi

Nadal is the 2nd most accomplished player in the game the last 15 years behind Federer, and Federer is 31 now. Nadal is still only 26. Nadal at his best has won French, Wimbledon, Olympics on hards, and Australian Open all within 8 months, and then another time won French, Wimbledon, U.S Open in a row in a 4 month stretch. He would have duplicated or exceeded that with a 3rd dominant stretch in 2011 had it not been for Novak Djokovic hitting his own GOAT levels which he might well never reach again. Why on earth would thinking he coud go on another such run be unrealistic, unless he never returns the same player which is possible and something that only time will tell on.

On the other hand Djokovic may go on a roll again, you never know. He is still at the peak of his powers. All he needs is a few wins in tournaments to get the super confidence back. Right now we have no way of knowing what will happen in future Djokovic/Nadal matches off clay. Then you have to factor Murray in these days off clay. Murray is probably currently a better hard court player than Nadal is and he knows how to defeat Nadal on HC.

[furryballs]

if nadal loses before the quarters at the AO he wont play again.

[beast of mallorca]

Originally Posted by furryballs

if nadal loses before the quarters at the AO he wont play again.

Is that your Christmas wish to Santa ? Have you been a good boy ?

[Zarfot Z]

He wins all four slams, all Masters, beats Federer 6-3 6-0 in the WTF and finishes YE #1 with a lead of over 9000 points.