Can you believe how weak the 2013-2017 clay era will be?

[PrinceMoron]

Originally Posted by Ico

Amusing drivel. Nadal will "drop off" before Djokovic, maybe even before Federer.

World number five and dropping rapidly. interesting draw he will get at RG this year.

[PSNELKE]

Originally Posted by tennis_pro

In 2011, compared to 2010 Djokovic, Murray and Federer had way better results on clay while Nadal had worse.

So uhm, who won Roland Garros in 2011 and 2010?

[RAFA2005RG]

Originally Posted by PrinceMoron

World number five and dropping rapidly. interesting draw he will get at RG this year.

How many titles will Nadal have by then?

-Vina del Mar
-Sao Paulo
-Acapulco
-Monte Carlo
-Barcelona (maybe)
-Rome
-Madrid
-Roland Garros

Originally Posted by always_crosscourt

I'm not sure it will be weak. Isner will be coming into his prime then, pushing Nadal all the way just like he did in 2011, but beating him.

Unstoppable serves.

John Isner was born in 1985. No spring chicken, and struggles mightily to progress through the draws already.

[RAFA2005RG]

Look out Vina del Mar, Sao Paulo and Acapulco....

[Doubles]

Hey, maybe he'll play more than one match before he retires with a knee injury!

[RF20Lennon]

*** has a lot of time in his hands. I wonder what kind of a job he has??

[Doubles]

Originally Posted by RF20Lennon

NSK has a lot of time in his hands. I wonder what kind of a job he has??

If I were to guess, he doesn't have one.

[JRAJ1988]

When Rafa retires the people who'll be winning the French will be clay court specialists who just get good when the clay court season arrives....Like the Spanish and Argentinian armada (With Kuerten/Muster) who mopped up the clay court titles. Rafa is an all court specialist as he's got the career slam.

[RAFA2005RG]

Nadal said recently he has no idea when he'll retire, but knows that Rio 2016 is his top priority. When pressed for an age he might retire he said not sure maybe 31. He turns 31 in June 2017, but I tell you if he's still winning Roland Garros by then it would be very hard to retire knowing he'll be close to 20 slam titles. If he does retire at age 31 I think we'll see a comeback in his mid30s (and this makes sense as tendinitis reacts well to rest). Quite the opposite to Agassi's (sciatica) problems which sent Agassi into retirement with a lifetime limp. By the way, Federer, Djokovic and Murray have all had back problems. Nadal never has.

[Jeffrey573639]

Originally Posted by RAFA2005RG

Nadal said recently he has no idea when he'll retire, but knows that Rio 2016 is his top priority. When pressed for an age he might retire he said not sure maybe 31. He turns 31 in June 2017, but I tell you if he's still winning Roland Garros by then it would be very hard to retire knowing he'll be close to 20 slam titles. If he does retire at age 31 I think we'll see a comeback in his mid30s (and this makes sense as tendinitis reacts well to rest). Quite the opposite to Agassi's (sciatica) problems which sent Agassi into retirement with a lifetime limp. By the way, Federer, Djokovic and Murray have all had back problems. Nadal never has.

I think Rafa's injury problems are slightly more problematic than Fed,Djoko or Muzza

[RAFA2005RG]

Originally Posted by Jeffrey573639

I think Rafa's injury problems are slightly more problematic than Fed,Djoko or Muzza

As Nadal said a couple of months ago "Nobody has retired with what I have"; Serena, Venus being prime examples of tendinitis sufferage that really only extended their careers (and they've had it in their knees AND wrists since they were teenagers), because it forced them to rest, and Nadal also claimed his holiday in 2012 will extend his career. Whereas back problems are the main cause for tennis retirement (Sampras, Agassi, and many, many others). Back problems really put a full-stop on a career.

[Doubles]

So you Nadal ***** are fine with him turning into a glorified Muster, who's going to play the clay court season and nothing else?

[RAFA2005RG]

Originally Posted by Doubles

So you Nadal ***** are fine with him turning into a glorified Muster, who's going to play the clay court season and nothing else?

Anything for 12 Roland Garros titles. Whatever it takes. I'd rather he win Roland Garros in 2013 than Wimbledon, that is for sure. And hardcourt slams, mean nothing to me. Hardcourt is not even a real surface. I hope he skips the hardcourt slams (but he won't).