Nadal lost only 26 sets in the past 101 matches

[serve/and/volley]

In 101 matches dating back to 2005 Monte Carlo, Nadal has lost only 1 match and only 26 sets:

2008 total (through Barcelona R16): 0 sets

1 set: 2007 Roland Garros Final, Roger Federer, 6-3 4-6 6-3 6-4
1 set: 2007 Hamburg Masters SF, Lleyton Hewitt, 2-6 6-3 7-5
2 sets: 2007 Hamburg Masters Final, Roger Federer, 6-2 2-6 0-6
1 set: 2007 Rome Masters SF, Nikolai Daydenko, 7-6(3) 6-7[8] 6-4

1 set: 2006 Davis Cup, Filippo Volandri, 3-6 7-5 6-3 6-3
1 set: 2006 Roland Garros R32, Paul Henri-Mathieu, 5-7 6-4 6-4 6-4
1 set: 2006 Roland Garros R16, Leyton Hewitt, 6-2 5-7 6-4 6-2
1 set: 2006 Roland Garros Final, Roger Federer, 1-6 6-1 6-4 7-6(4)
1 set: 2006 Rome Masters R64, Carlos Moya, 6-1 2-6 6-2
2 set: 2006 Rome Masters Final, Roger Federer, 6-7(7) 7-6(5) 6-4 2-6 7-6(5)
1 set: 2006 Barcelona QF, Jarkko Niemenen 4-6 6-4 6-3
1 set: 2006 Monte Carlo Masters SF, Gaston Gaudio, 5-7 6-1 6-1
1 set: 2006 Monte Carlo Masters Final, Roger Federer 6-2 6-7(2) 6-3 7-6(5)

1 set: 2005 Davis Cup, Andreas Seppi, 6-1 6-2 5-7 6-4
1 set: 2005 Bastad Final, Tomas Berdych, 2-6 6-2 6-4
1 set: 2005 Roland Garros R16, Sebastian Grosjean, 6-4 3-6 6-0 6-3
1 set: 2005 Roland Garros SF, Roger Federer, 6-3 4-6 6-4 6-3
1 set: 2005 Roland Garros Final, Mariano Puerta, 6-7(6) 6-3 6-1 7-5
1 set: 2005 Rome Masters QF, Radek Stepanek, 5-7 6-1 6-1
1 set: 2005 Rome Masters SF, David Ferrer, 4-6 6-4 7-5
2 sets: 2005 Rome Masters Final, Guillermo Coria, 6-4 3-6 6-3 4-6 7-6(6)
1 set: 2005 Monte Carlo Masters SF, Gasquet, 6-7(6) 6-4 6-3
1 set: 2005 Monte Carlo Masters Final, Coria, 6-3 6-1 0-6 7-5

Out of all these players, the only ones to have taken multiple sets off of Nadal are:

Federer: 8 sets
Coria: 3 sets
Hewitt: 2 sets

With Nadal's closest rival on clay to be Federer, and Federer couldn't win a set when he was up 2 breaks at 4-0 in the 2nd set at Monte Carlo, who can take a set off Nadal this year?

[edberg505]

Originally Posted by serve/and/volley

In 101 matches dating back to 2005 Monte Carlo, Nadal has lost only 1 match and only 26 sets on clay:

2008 total (through Barcelona R16): 0 sets

1 set: 2007 Roland Garros Final, Roger Federer, 6-3 4-6 6-3 6-4
1 set: 2007 Hamburg Masters SF, Lleyton Hewitt, 2-6 6-3 7-5
2 sets: 2007 Hamburg Masters Final, Roger Federer, 6-2 2-6 0-6
1 set: 2007 Rome Masters SF, Nikolai Daydenko, 7-6(3) 6-7[8] 6-4

1 set: 2006 Davis Cup, Filippo Volandri, 3-6 7-5 6-3 6-3
1 set: 2006 Roland Garros R32, Paul Henri-Mathieu, 5-7 6-4 6-4 6-4
1 set: 2006 Roland Garros R16, Leyton Hewitt, 6-2 5-7 6-4 6-2
1 set: 2006 Roland Garros Final, Roger Federer, 1-6 6-1 6-4 7-6(4)
1 set: 2006 Rome Masters R64, Carlos Moya, 6-1 2-6 6-2
2 set: 2006 Rome Masters Final, Roger Federer, 6-7(7) 7-6(5) 6-4 2-6 7-6(5)
1 set: 2006 Barcelona QF, Jarkko Niemenen 4-6 6-4 6-3
1 set: 2006 Monte Carlo Masters SF, Gaston Gaudio, 5-7 6-1 6-1
1 set: 2006 Monte Carlo Masters Final, Roger Federer 6-2 6-7(2) 6-3 7-6(5)

1 set: 2005 Davis Cup, Andreas Seppi, 6-1 6-2 5-7 6-4
1 set: 2005 Bastad Final, Tomas Berdych, 2-6 6-2 6-4
1 set: 2005 Roland Garros R16, Sebastian Grosjean, 6-4 3-6 6-0 6-3
1 set: 2005 Roland Garros SF, Roger Federer, 6-3 4-6 6-4 6-3
1 set: 2005 Roland Garros Final, Mariano Puerta, 6-7(6) 6-3 6-1 7-5
1 set: 2005 Rome Masters QF, Radek Stepanek, 5-7 6-1 6-1
1 set: 2005 Rome Masters SF, David Ferrer, 4-6 6-4 7-5
2 sets: 2005 Rome Masters Final, Guillermo Coria, 6-4 3-6 6-3 4-6 7-6(6)
1 set: 2005 Monte Carlo Masters SF, Gasquet, 6-7(6) 6-4 6-3
1 set: 2005 Monte Carlo Masters Final, Coria, 6-3 6-1 0-6 7-5

Out of all these players, the only ones to have taken multiple sets off of Nadal are:

Federer: 8 sets
Coria: 3 sets
Hewitt: 2 sets

With Nadal's closest rival on clay to be Federer, and Federer couldn't win a set when he was up 2 breaks at 4-0 in the 2nd set at Monte Carlo, who can take a set off Nadal this year?

There, I fix that for you.

[serve/and/volley]

Originally Posted by edberg505

There, I fix that for you.

Sorry about that! Thanks!

[quest01]

That really is remarkable. In my opinion, Nadal is the best clay court player ever.

[Shaolin]

1 loss out of 101 matches on clay. Thats just amazing.

[edberg505]

Originally Posted by Shaolin

1 loss out of 101 matches on clay. Thats just amazing.

That is quite impressive.

[el sergento]

The kid's a phenomenon. And yet still no #1 spot.

[Kobble]

He has flattened the best clay court players of his generation(French Open champs and finalists). People get this sense that he is beatable on clay due to his lack of domination on hardcourt, but when the clay season hits it is a sad reminder for some. I thought Kuerten was great, and he is, but Nadal is something I never expected to see. Growing up, all I heard was how the French was the toughest to win. Look at Muster, Chang, Kafelnikov, and Agassi. Guys who were always in the mix, but only managed to win once. Then Kuerten won three and I thought that would not be equaled for a while. I never imagined someone would equal that number in three years, and bulldozed his way through everything else. For my money he is the best ever. I know how great Borg was, but Nadal's overall record is insane. The only thing that stops him is an injury. I don't believe anyone will beat him in a legite match for some years.

[Not fulltime player]

Davydenko, Ferrer and Fed, can take off a set of him, not many more.

[LuckyR]

Originally Posted by el sergento

The kid's a phenomenon. And yet still no #1 spot.

Well, there's this other guy... Federer is his name, I think...

[el sergento]

Originally Posted by LuckyR

Well, there's this other guy... Federer is his name, I think...

As Federer himself would say: "A pity really!"

It's just hard to fathom that a guy with such a record and 3 slams has only ever sniffed the #1 spot, especially with the likes of Rios, Kafelnikov and Moya (all great players) having gotten to that position, hell, even Safin.

[Moose Malloy]

In 101 matches dating back to 2005 Monte Carlo, Nadal has lost only 1 match and only 26 sets on clay

so how many sets did he win on clay in that span?

[serve/and/volley]

4 sets: 2008 Barcelona (0 sets lost)
10 sets: 2008 Monte Carlo Masters (0 sets lost)
2008 clay sets won (through Barcelona R16): 14
2008 clay sets lost (through Barcelona R16): 0

10 sets: 2007 Stuttgart (0 sets lost)
21 sets: 2007 Roland Garros (1 set lost)
9 sets: 2007 Hamburg Masters (3 sets lost)
10 sets: 2007 Rome Masters (1 set lost)
10 sets: 2007 Barcelona (0 sets lost)
10 sets: 2007 Monte Carlo Masters (0 sets lost)
2007 clay sets won: 70
2007 clay sets lost: 5

3 sets: 2006 Davis Cup (1 set lost)
20 sets: 2006 Roland Garros (3 sets lost; only won 20 sets because Djokovic retired)
13 sets: 2006 Rome Masters (3 sets lost)
11 sets: 2006 Barcelona (1 set lost)
13 sets: 2006 Monte Carlo Masters (2 sets lost)
2006 clay sets won: 60
2006 clay sets lost: 10

6 sets: 2005 Davis Cup (1 set lost)
11 sets: 2005 Stuttgart (0 sets lost)
10 sets: 2005 Bastad (1 set lost)
21 sets: 2005 Roland Garros (3 sets lost)
13 sets: 2005 Rome Masters (4 sets lost)
11 sets: 2005 Barcelona (0 sets lost)
13 sets: 2005 Monte Carlo Masters (2 sets lost)
2005 clay sets won (starting with Monte Carlo): 85
2005 clay sets lost (starting with Monte Carlo): 11

From 2005 Monte Carlo through 2008 Barcelona R16:
Matches won: 100
Matches lost: 1
Match winning percentage: 99.01%
Sets won: 229
Sets lost: 26
Set winning percentage: 89.80%

[dh003i]

I wonder what Fed's stats are on grass, especially since he came into his prime. Most certainly also incredibly impressive; especially since grass tends to allow players to do well when on streaks.

But Nadal is clearly a better player than many other player's who have reached #1, such as Roddick, Moya. I'm not sure I'd say he's better than Safin or Hewitt, as they won 2 different slams.

[CyBorg]

Originally Posted by quest01

That really is remarkable. In my opinion, Nadal is the best clay court player ever.

Brush up on your history.

[Nadal_Freak]

Originally Posted by CyBorg

Brush up on your history.

Did Borg do that? Wow.

[CyBorg]

Originally Posted by Nadal_Freak

Did Borg do that? Wow.

Borg won two RGs without losing a set and he was beating actual clay courters while at it. Not hardcourters playing on clay.

[latinking]

Originally Posted by quest01

That really is remarkable. In my opinion, Nadal is the best clay court player ever.

I totally agree.

[princess bossass]

I'd like to see Fed's numbers on grass...

[Nadal_Freak]

Originally Posted by CyBorg

Borg won two RGs without losing a set and he was beating actual clay courters while at it. Not hardcourters playing on clay.

When I watch matches back than, it is like watching matches in slow motion. No one has played at a higher level. I don't care if the strings and racquets are better these days.