Nadal OUT of 2013 Australian Open

[NatF]

Originally Posted by veroniquem

As McEnroe would famously put it: you cannot be serious!! And I'll leave it at that. (I know that even you know that a 5 set slam match is not a cushion but the biggest challenge there is fitnesswise. You really want to compare that with a best of 3 EXO?? Yeah, right...)

He can build fitness on the practice courts. It's just excuses. Besides that the point still stands. If he's not fit enough to play 5 set matches then playing a few rounds of best of 3 a couple weeks before is unlikely to help him that much. And 'even you know', I wasn't aware we had conversed before...

[veroniquem]

Originally Posted by Ace of Aces

He can forget the French Open title if he still isn't in playing shape by the end of January.

Bull. The only thing he needs to win RG is be ready by Monte-Carlo. If he skips Acapulco and doesn't do well at M-C, then I'll agree with you but we're not there yet, not by a long shot. On hard, I have 0 expectation at this point anyway. The last time he won a master on hard was IW 2009 and that's 4 years ago. Clay is a completely different story.

[intrepidish]

Originally Posted by decades

thinking not allowed here.

And you are exhibit A of that indeed.

[NatF]

Originally Posted by veroniquem

Bull. The only thing he needs to win RG is be ready by Monte-Carlo. If he skips Acapulco and doesn't do well at M-C, then I'll agree with you but we're not there yet, not by a long shot. On hard, I have 0 expectation at this point anyway. The last time he won a master on hard was IW 2009 and that's 4 years ago.

Yeah I actually agree about Monte-Carlo. If he wins there like he usually does he'll carry that confidence forward. If he loses there for the first time in 9 years he'll be in trouble.

Originally Posted by intrepidish

And you are exhibit A of that indeed.

lol. do you have the stomach flu? if so you should take a 3 month break from the forum and recover.

[ec51]

Originally Posted by tacou

I don't see anything that suspicious, unless you doubt he had stomach virus.

Nadal has been saying for weeks that Doha/AO was hopeful, and even if he played his expectations weren't high. With the virus, he has been unable to practice for several days (crucial days considering he only started practicing about 1 month ago) and so those low expectations dropped to "Why bother?" basically.

However in a larger scope it's strange...he was contemplating a return at WTF, then thought he might play DC final, and now he will be out until February.

I asked this further back in the thread.

The article mentions a surgery:

"Nadal was originally due to play his first matches since the surgery in Abu Dhabi followed by an event in Doha. The virus has meant he has had to withdraw from both, thus depriving him of match practice and no doubt playing a large part in his decision to withdraw."

http://www.australianopen.com/en_AU/...705033061.html

What surgery are they referring to?

Originally Posted by NatF

Yeah I actually agree about Monte-Carlo. If he wins there like he usually does he'll carry that confidence forward. If he loses there for the first time in 9 years he'll be in trouble.

it's all in his head. he as zero confidence.

[dudeski]

Originally Posted by decades

it's all in his head. he as zero confidence.

I agree. It would be great if all top 4 played in MC and Nadal ended up losing to Djokovic in Q in easy straight sets.

[veroniquem]

Originally Posted by ec51

I asked this further back in the thread.

The article mentions a surgery:

"Nadal was originally due to play his first matches since the surgery in Abu Dhabi followed by an event in Doha. The virus has meant he has had to withdraw from both, thus depriving him of match practice and no doubt playing a large part in his decision to withdraw."

http://www.australianopen.com/en_AU/...705033061.html

What surgery are they referring to?

AFAIK, there hasn't been any surgery. Not anything they have mentioned in any case. There could be a bit of mental apprehension playing a part in all this, it would be only natural, I'm not ruling it out. Everyone knows by now that anxiety can trigger physical symptoms, don't know the word in English but in French, it's called "somatiser". That's also why I think, it will be better for Rafa to start at a less high focus, high media attention event. Not just less competition and fewer physical demands but less stress as well.
ETA: the negative part is: the longer one stays away, the harder it is to get back but if Delpo can negotiate that, Rafa can too for sure. And I agree (cork screw) that in normal circumstances, a stomach bug is expected to go away after a few days. I think they're using this because it's easier but obviously there is more to the decision than that.

[cork_screw]

It's not a stomach virus. A stomach virus isn't something that you project to linger for 3 weeks. That type of thing can clear up the next morning. He probably reaggrevated his knees and doesn't want to let the public know about it, most of these guys down play whatever is ailing them.

[Towser83]

Originally Posted by batz

If wertheim is tweeting it then it's probably legit.

Really? When he pulled out of his warm up event i thought this was very likely.


Like clarky i will not believe he is back til he steps on court.

[Rob31]

Bad news for the game.

[AtomicForehand]

Originally Posted by veroniquem

He CAN'T come back from a 6 months injury layoff at a SLAM, that much is obvious.

No kidding. How is this not evident?

What is wrong with all you people? Idiotic conspiracy theorists. There are barely any threads on this board worth reading because of you stupid people. You just bring the level of discussion down to junior-high/FOX News standards.

[kishnabe]

It a pity Rafa has withdrawn from the event. Coming back on clay would be the smart thing to do.

Hope the Rafa fans can preserve their belief if Nadal comes back. If not....hope they can at least accept and appreciate what Nadal has achieved in his career.

Del Potro took 1 year to get back to form after a 1 year layoff.

Nadal been off for 8 months....when he comes back....the adjustment would be hard. At least he did not have surgery or extensiver nerve damage. Maybe it would take 4 month to get back to slam winning form.

Even then it a tough wait.

[DropShotArtist]

No wonder Nadal's H2H records are so good. He only plays when he's absolutely 100% and playing great.

[Towser83]

I believe Nadal is just a us open withdrawal away from a double career withdrawl slam. but to be honest if he doesn't play acapulco i would forget about hoping he ever returns..

[West Coast Ace]

Nike (and his other sponsors) must be getting annoyed; another line of clothes that won't sell for squat.

I think this is pretty lame - calling it off this far out - stomach viruses can get flushed out pretty fast. He could certainly play the week before (exo at Kooyoung or Sydney), then play the AO. Yeah, chances of winning would be low - but he needs to get back on court. Waiting to come back on clay just looks like his fragile ego can't take losing to another Rosol-like player.

For those who don't like the Theories - my friends in HK who hate Nadal with a passion think he's on a cycle of some banned drug - and his chemist told him it might not be completely out of his system.

[qindarka]

Jeez, can we not gloat at his absence? Regardless of you feelings on this, it must be a huge disappointment to Nadal and a loss to tennis and its fans in Australia who were hoping to see him.

And if it were for a silent ban, it's even worse for tennis, nothing worth celebrating.

[Tennis_Maestro]

“Hard courts are very negative for the body,” he said. “I know the sport is a business and creating these courts is easier than clay or grass, but I am 100 per cent sure it is wrong. I may have to play more on clay than before but there aren’t that many options.”

After contending for the No. 1 ranking earlier this tear, Nadal is now ranked No. 4, a position he should be able to hold on to entering the Australian Open.

www.tennis-x.com/xblog/2012-09-25/10739.php

It could also partly be down to one of those "prevention before cure" scenario's here for Rafa. Does he really want to risk missing the bread and butter to his season?

If this is the reason ^ and he is looking to maximize his career then fair enough by him. I am caught in two minds. Is it because he feels he would be too ring rusty in terms of his game to compete and thus give away a psycological edge? You don't want to instil belief into player's and allow them to think "we can beat Rafa". Or is he jus avoiding what seems is like a 50% chance of him getting injured again?

[TheMusicLover]

Damn. I so wanted to see him play again... and the longer it takes for him to return, the scarier this entire 7-months-and-counting-withdrawal-history is becoming.

Originally Posted by veroniquem

I also wish his camp came up with credible excuses. A month off because of a stomach virus? Seriously? Who's gonna believe that? They'd be better off simply stating Rafa is not ready for the big stage yet.

My thoughts exactly. I get the feeling there's something happening on the psychological level as well - didn't Rafa state, not that long ago, that he was actually 'afraid' of returning on the tour again? I can well understand it, as the longer the recovery takes, the smaller one's confidence becomes (see Soderling, for a fitting example). If it indeed is a matter of being 'afraid' en being low on confidence, he should surely be consulting a sports psychologist, and I hope he does.
Hope that dratted team of his (yep, don't like them, sorry) can step aside from their regular macho bs and indeed allow Rafa to get some aid in the mental department, should such be necessary.

Yes, a month off because of a stomach virus makes no sense. In 99% of cases with young people (and 26-27 is still very young indeed), it's a matter of a week puking-and-shitting at its very worst (and most usually patients recover within about three days time). Even if it seriously interfers with training etc. for a while, there's still weeks of time left to at least try and get back into shape. Throwing the towel right now already makes no sense, unless indeed there's more to meet the eye going on here, and let me emphasize that I do not believe the 'rumours' going on - I rather fear it may just be matter of not just 'a' virus but a more serious condition, OR indeed the psychological factor that comes along with these kind of experiences.
If the problem is indeed largely mental, postponing the comeback till Acapulco - smaller tournament, clay - might actually be a very good move.
Bummer, indeed.