Nadal comeback brought forward - now Brazil

[batz]

http://tennis.si.com/2013/01/15/rafa...brazil-return/

[joeri888]

Good news for his fans. I wonder if this is a sign he'll focus on the clay season more and more (with Wimbledon too of course) and leave hardcourts alone for most of the year.

I guess he should. Maybe should have done it years ago, if he wants to walk around healthy in his 40s.

Schedule like

(NO HC EXHIBITIONS!)Doha
AO
Sao Paolo
Acapulco

Monte Carlo
Barcelona
Madrid
Rome
Roland Garros
Queens/Halle
Wimbledon

Cincinnati
US Open

Davis Cup home ties.

[Warmaster]

Almagro won't be amused!

[rafan]

Well I suppose that is it. He looks as if he is going to concentrate on clay

[Alchemy-Z]

I do miss him at the AO....but tournaments like this is what he needs to play to knock the rust off before stepping on a Slam court.

Looking forward to the come back

[vive le beau jeu !]

nice try to win a 2nd 'indoor' title...

... but hopefully he'll lose early in almagrolandia.

[mbm0912]

At least he's got some time to conjure up a good excuse to withdraw from this one!

[marc45]

Originally Posted by joeri888

Good news for his fans. I wonder if this is a sign he'll focus on the clay season more and more (with Wimbledon too of course) and leave hardcourts alone for most of the year.

I guess he should. Maybe should have done it years ago, if he wants to walk around healthy in his 40s.

Schedule like

(NO HC EXHIBITIONS!)Doha
AO
Sao Paolo
Acapulco

Monte Carlo
Barcelona
Madrid
Rome
Roland Garros
Queens/Halle
Wimbledon

Cincinnati
US Open

Davis Cup home ties.

agree with most...not sure what the requirements are, not sure when the "federer rules" kick in for him...i would only add, skip barcelona..yes obviously it would be a home tournament but he has madrid and those home dc ties if he wants them but he's certainly given enough to barcelona...fans should understand..has to avoid two weeks in a row other than majors....wimby is getting moved back, correct?, so that would make the grass tune-up better, but right now i would roll the dice (and i know grass is tricky, though not like it used to be) and not play a tune-up...yes yes, rosol, but rafa simply has to trust he can work his way into a tourney with less matches..and i'm not sure if you're suggesting he skip everything after us open but dc?...no reason if earlier season is managed he should skip wtf, he certainly wants to win one...and shanghai has a break before and after...that's certainly a possibility but nothing else in asia

[Bartelby]

I think the rules permit him only to miss one Masters.

[joeri888]

Originally Posted by marc45

agree with most...not sure what the requirements are, not sure when the "federer rules" kick in for him...i would only add, skip barcelona..yes obviously it would be a home tournament but he has madrid and those home dc ties if he wants them but he's certainly given enough to barcelona...fans should understand..has to avoid two weeks in a row other than majors....wimby is getting moved back, correct?, so that would make the grass tune-up better, but right now i would roll the dice (and i know grass is tricky, though not like it used to be) and not play a tune-up...yes yes, rosol, but rafa simply has to trust he can work his way into a tourney with less matches..and i'm not sure if you're suggesting he skip everything after us open but dc?...no reason if earlier season is managed he should skip wtf, he certainly wants to win one...and shanghai has a break before and after...that's certainly a possibility but nothing else in asia

I think the rules permit him only to miss one Masters.

Take the fine and 0 pointer. Or, get a doctor to qualify him as unfit to play on hardcourts.

[Relinquis]

he should play as few as he needs to in order to keep healthy and manage his injuries.

tennis needs him on tour for a few more years, we already lost Roddick. Hewitt is still playing, Rafa should be able to if he is smart about his health.

still, it would be good to see him at Wimbledon, US open and WTF this year (and Aussie Open next year).

[Speranza]

Originally Posted by mbm0912

At least he's got some time to conjure up a good excuse to withdraw from this one!

Watson: Don't talk nonsense!

(The excuse was prepared 3 months in advance).

[tacou]

for Rio 2016?

[joeri888]

Originally Posted by tacou

for Rio 2016?

Rio is on hardcourts, but perhaps he wants to adjust to the time zone, food and temperature in february there.

Anyway, it's great if he comes back. I fully expect him to win that tournament.

[vive le beau jeu !]

Originally Posted by tacou

for Rio 2016?

[RAFA2005RG]

Originally Posted by vive le beau jeu !

nice try to win a 2nd 'indoor' title...

... but hopefully he'll lose early in almagrolandia.

Nadal is going to F you up this year like 2010.

[RAFA2005RG]

Originally Posted by Bartelby

I think the rules permit him only to miss one Masters.

Wrong. Rules permit players to provide medical certificates if they are going to miss Masters events. No problem there, Nadal has constant issues and can get a certificate at the drop of a hat. Plus its not even questionable, as we all know he has tendinitis and that doesn't go away completely ever.

[Clarky21]

Meh. I'll be shocked if he actually shows up, and if he does, he's going to lose badly. Not sure why he chose this tournament over Chile.

[RAFA2005RG]

Originally Posted by Clarky21

Meh. I'll be shocked if he actually shows up, and if he does, he's going to lose badly. Not sure why he chose this tournament over Chile.

I know why you'll be shocked.....because you didn't even know that Nadal was going to win Roland Garros in 2012. You also didn't think Nadal was going to beat Federer at 2012 Australian Open. And now you say Nadal is going to lose badly ON CLAY Tennis clearly isn't your thing....

[Sid_Vicious]

If he pulls out of this tournament, I am going to turn into a raging nadal-hater.

Just comeback already, Ralph!