Roger vs Rafa 2004 Miami Video

[Colin]

Originally Posted by Rock Strongo

Compare that match with Roddick's first match with Nadal: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDYsdEzp9is

Commentator: Roddick mopped the floor with Rafa. Well, I guess his hair at the time resembled a mop, so it made sense.

But that's really no way for Andy to pay back Rafa for taking Fed out at the 2004 Miami masters (the first of two he won): Bageling him in the first set (did I hear only five points in the first five games for Rafa?), then injuring him twice with his 140-152 mph serves. You know the time-wasting wasn't an issue back then if two sets were over in about 50 minutes (even with a 6-0, 6-3 score).

Alas, things change, and Nadal got his revenge in a similarly one-sided affair last U.S. Open. But those highlights really make me miss Roddick from that era. I'd love to put him, Roger, Rafa and Nalby into a Hot Tub Time Machine and send them back to 2004.

[Magnus]

Rafa's fist pumps and jumping were just as annoying back then.

[Rozroz]

Originally Posted by Rock Strongo

Compare that match with Roddick's first match with Nadal: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDYsdEzp9is

actually THIS is the good old moonball Nadal.
i guess Roddick was so aggressive that Nadal was just forced to moonball..

[namelessone]

The people praising this Nadal tend to forget that he lost way more back then.

[SLD76]

Originally Posted by namelessone

The people praising this Nadal tend to forget that he lost way more back then.

hmmm..one wonders with this style would he have been more like a blake or gonzalez.

[Gorecki]

Originally Posted by namelessone

The people praising this Nadal tend to forget that he lost way more back then.

not just that. he also respected a lot more tennis rules and regulations, giving other players a unfair advantage.

that would lead to much less threads about him breaking rules and much less straw grasping excuses by his fans!

ps: there would be a huge loss to TTW

[namelessone]

Originally Posted by SLD76

hmmm..one wonders with this style would he have been more like a blake or gonzalez.

I'm not sure he would have even made it to their level with this style.

If you want to become one of the legends(obviously you need to have talent first), you need to find some balance, regardless of whether you favor defense or offense. A player that plays with no brain(bashing the ball as hard as he can all the time) or no balls(strictly defense) won't make very far.

Fed's defense/Nadal's offense are very underrated but these are facets of their games which helped them immensely, even though it doesn't seem so at first.

[namelessone]

Originally Posted by Gorecki

not just that. he also respected a lot more tennis rules and regulations, giving other players a unfair advantage.

that would lead to much less threads about him breaking rules and much less straw grasping excuses by his fans!

ps: there would be a huge loss to TTW

So I take it Nadal turned to the dark side in 2005?

[SLD76]

Originally Posted by namelessone

So I take it Nadal turned to the dark side in 2005?

thats the general concensus I guess.

with him going more for the defensive, run all day style.

[agentaviles]

Originally Posted by Magnus

Rafa's fist pumps and jumping were just as annoying back then.

It seems like he fist pumped after every point back then! Way more annoying than now LOL

[Gorecki]

Originally Posted by namelessone

So I take it Nadal turned to the dark side in 2005?

no. he just did what he had to do to level the things since ATP doesnt take his wise words in acount in order to change the rules and stop the unfair advantage given to other players.

he should be named Rafaelo Guevara Nadal de la Parera

[agentaviles]

Originally Posted by namelessone

The people praising this Nadal tend to forget that he lost way more back then.

He lost way more because he was very young and his overall game was far from developed. I mean you certainly can't fault him for changing his game, he has won 10 slams and finished the year ranked #1 twice...

[beast of mallorca]

Originally Posted by namelessone

So I take it Nadal turned to the dark side in 2005?

Not really. But he made smug face Fed , cry even more. If only for that, Rafa
should be commended for that change.

[jelle v]

Contrary to all sarcastic posts above, I think there is a possibility Nadal would have benefit from a more attacking playstyle, because maybe he would have won more grand slams on hard court?

[agentaviles]

Originally Posted by jelle v

Contrary to all sarcastic posts above, I think there is a possibility Nadal would have benefit from a more attacking playstyle, because maybe he would have won more grand slams on hard court?

He very well may have won more slams on hard court, but I also think that he would win less French Opens playing this style. It's fun to think about though.