Respect for big 5
Rookie
Steping on to a hard court doesn't seem to be doing to Spanish bull much good health wise. If he's going to prolong his career and win a few more slams maybe he should just stick to the mud...
Is it time for Nadal to just play clay?
- Thread starter Respect for big 5
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Boom-Boom
Legend
Respect for big 5
Rookie
Well I wouldn't go that far. He plays on hard court when he can doesn't he...genius idea
that’s basically what he has been doing for the last 10 years
MichaelNadal
Bionic Poster
No, let's stop exaggerating. If he shouldn't while still making HC slam semis, then how many guys should?
kevaninho
Hall of Fame
Well the last times he stepped onto HC's he won a tournament and reached the SF of the other.
But yeah, he should quit as hes hopeless outwith clay
Respect for big 5
Rookie
Well he's having a lot of trouble with other stuff as well on hard court isn't he like his knees for example. Clay doesn't seem to set that off as much
Respect for big 5
Rookie
It's a catch 22 situationWell the last times he stepped onto HC's he won a tournament and reached the SF of the other.
But yeah, he should quit as hes hopeless outwith clay
uscwang
Hall of Fame
You may have made a Trump mistake.
Respect for big 5
Rookie
More chance of winning on clay as its his natural surface. And he seems to not get injured as much playing on the clay. Knees, abdominal, hip, whatever... If he's going to stay injury free and win a few more slams. Skipping hard court completely doesn't seem like the worse idea ever
Respect for big 5
Rookie
I'm not suggesting he never gets injured on clay.
uscwang
Hall of Fame
He retired from both hardcourt GS this year, which should be a big alarm. At lease he should consider skipping one next year. Won't be an easy decision since he is still one of the favorites to win.
kevaninho
Hall of Fame
Those injuries could've occurred at Wimbledon or RG. It just happened to be in HC slams. I don't have any issues with the surface he plays on at this moment.
Respect for big 5
Rookie
Someone actually sees what I'm getting at... A tough decision but I think it would be wise decision.
Sport
G.O.A.T.
In your dreams. If healthy, Nadal will never skip any Grand Slam tournament while he is a professional tennis player.
Also, you are making an overgeneralization. He only got injured in 2 GS tournaments in a row. Only 2. You can't conclude that just because he got injured in AO 2018 and USO 2018 he will always get injured in GS on hard courts from now on.
True Fanerer
G.O.A.T.
He may eventually skip slams, but I don't see it until atleast 2020, if ever. He most likely will skip them in his usual unplanned fashion if he does. Basically, whenever he skips one, he will find a reason that seems more justified. You can't get a flat tire everytime you're late for work. I believe him to a certain degree and that's about it. Something hurts somewhere or something is close to hurting or almost broken. He's not letting anything get in the way of the FO. Not even HC slams.
Plamen1234
Hall of Fame
Nadal skipping the indoor season is nothing surprising.And also who cares if he plays indoors - he never does anything there anyway.I mean Federer in 2018 won more indoor HC titles than Nadal won in his whole career.One indoor HC title for Nadal during his whole career.So him playing at this part of the season wont make a lot of difference
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SuperSpinner
Semi-Pro
This is what happens to the body of an instrinsically 8 skill level player when he tries to keep pace with a 10 skill level player (no not Djokovic, he's a 9)
MichaelNadal
Bionic Poster
They have been doing that for years, people want Nadal to be so much worse on HC than he actually is.
Respect for big 5
Rookie
Well I got a feeling about it! I think we will see him struggle a lot from now on in hard court grand slams.
MichaelNadal
Bionic Poster
Nadal will be 33 next year.
Respect for big 5
Rookie
Indeed he will be. And I want to see him fit and healthy and making the best decisions to stay that way
MichaelNadal
Bionic Poster
The Fedfather
Legend
I think Nadal playing as much clay as he does plays a bigger part in his woes later in the season than playing a few matches on HC. While hard courts are the toughest on joints, grinding on clay isn't exactly a rest either. The accumulated stress on his body from playing too much is showing in all this constant onset of injuries he has to deal with. Nadal at his age and being prone to injuries needs a lot more rest than what he allows himself.
He and his team should be wiser and more conservative when planning the schedule. It's not just his tennis career that will be affected but his life after retirement as well.
He and his team should be wiser and more conservative when planning the schedule. It's not just his tennis career that will be affected but his life after retirement as well.
tennis_pro
Bionic Poster
2019 - clay + the other 3 Slams
2020 - clay
2021 - Monte Carlo and Barcelona
2022 - Rafa Nadal Challenger
2020 - clay
2021 - Monte Carlo and Barcelona
2022 - Rafa Nadal Challenger
ChaelAZ
G.O.A.T.
Taking a page from Fed's book to skip surfaces would probably give him some longevity, but Nadal is still competing so well on other surfaces it is a difficult trade off there. Especially with such a good run in Wimby.
Rafa.the.Magnificent
G.O.A.T.
Now is not the time to just play clay, given his improvement on grass and hard courts.
tennisaddict
Bionic Poster
Federer stopped playing clay at 35. Why don't we wait till that age for Nadal and Djokovic before throwing dirt at Fed.
Are you worried that your constant prayers / wishes about both Rafa and Djoker crossing Fed in slam count is taking a hit ?
T
TennisFan97068
Guest
Time for Nadal's retirement.
Next year at Rafa Nadal Open
Next year at Rafa Nadal Open
MichaelNadal
Bionic Poster
The only person in here doing damage control is you.
tennis_pro
Bionic Poster
what improvements
tennisaddict
Bionic Poster
What are you talking about ? Is it bad on Fed to not play clay at age 35 ?
T
TennisFan97068
Guest
Hey beating grass court legends Sela,Kukushkin,De minaur,Vesely on first week grass is no joke.Uncle Toni has finally perfected Wimbledon first week draw for his nephew.
Steve0904
Talk Tennis Guru
Starting with Wimbledon this year, that's an obvious improvement over everything since 2012 regardless of opponent (plus he did beat Delpo, and was probably one point away from beating Djokovic and winning Wimbledon).
But even more importantly, on HC since 2017 he's been very difficult to beat. AO 2017 doesn't need justification. Federer barely beat him, and he had a very tough SF and a decently tough road to the final overall. USO 2017 draw was weak sauce of course, but he still played great from the QF's or so until the end. And this year he didn't exactly lose to scrubs. It took Cilic and Delpo to take him out. And really it took a cumulative effort from all of Khachanov, Basilashvili, Thiem, and Delpo to defeat him at USO 2018.
And even at the AO he had the 4 hour match with Schwartzman before Cilic beat him. Certainly a marked improvement from 2015-2016.
More than that though, I just think he's being more aggressive than ever on HC, and that's the right way to play on HC. If you look at his early career he spun the serve in, even on HC and grass. He doesn't do that anymore. And now he looks to end more points early with the FH on HC. He didn't do that much in his early career. He might not be better than he was in 2008-2013 on a HC, but he's definitely better now than he was in 2015-16, and years like 2005-07 when he was more athletic, but he really didn't play the "right" way on a HC.
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titoelcolombiano
Legend
lol - no AO quarter final, Wimby semi-final and a USO semi final and that is just this year. He'll be fine, I agree that he does need to start managing his schedule though. I would go:
AO
IW
Miami
Monte Carlo
Barcelona
Madrid
Rome
RG
Wimby
Hamburg (let's face it it's an easy 500 points for him)
Canada
USO
WTF
AO
IW
Miami
Monte Carlo
Barcelona
Madrid
Rome
RG
Wimby
Hamburg (let's face it it's an easy 500 points for him)
Canada
USO
WTF
ak24alive
Legend
Why would he!?
Even when missing a big chunk on HCs, he is still having great results on it.
His schedule next year should be:
Brisbane
AO
IW
MC
No need for Barcelona. Enough is enough.
Madrid(should even skip this imo.)
Rome
RG
Wimbly
Canada
USO
Any one out of Vienna, Shanghai and Paris depending on the points he needs or if he is fit and rested enough.
WTF
Even when missing a big chunk on HCs, he is still having great results on it.
His schedule next year should be:
Brisbane
AO
IW
MC
No need for Barcelona. Enough is enough.
Madrid(should even skip this imo.)
Rome
RG
Wimbly
Canada
USO
Any one out of Vienna, Shanghai and Paris depending on the points he needs or if he is fit and rested enough.
WTF
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