What is so special about nadal??

The bull is the toughest for nextgen

  • Yes

    Votes: 33 86.8%

  • No

    Votes: 5 13.2%
  • Total voters
    38
HetTheGreaterer

HetTheGreaterer

Banned
The lost gen......
The mid gen.......
Even the next gen struggles the most against this guy.
In general, everyone has an awful record against all of big3, not just nadal.
However, against nadal, they are probably the worst. Every hyped up youngster is pummelled into submission by nadal.
They can trouble and sometimes snatch a win over feder and djok, but look utterly helpless almost all the time against nadal.

What makes this happen??

Head to head record of big3 against some of the notable nextgenners, namely

[Miomir Kecmanovic, Corentin Moutet, Denis Shapovalov, Alex De Minaur, Casper Ruud, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Ugo Humbert, Frances Tiafoe, Taylor Harry Fritz, Andrey Rublev, Alexander Bublik, Jaume Munar, Alexander Zverev, Reilly Opelka, Lloyd George Muirhead Harris, Hubert Hurkacz, Borna Coric, Karen Khachanov, Christian Garin, Mackenzie Mcdonald, Matteo Berrettini, Daniil Medvedev, Yoshihito Nishioka]

Rafael Nadal versus all of the above

matches won - 86.2% (25-4)
sets won - 81.6% (62/76)
games won - 61.6% (429/696)
points' dominance - 1.42
games' dominance - 2.82

Roger Federer versus all of the above

matches won - 76.7% (23-7)
sets won - 70.5% (55/78)
games won - 57.5% (429/746)
points' dominance - 1.32
games' dominance - 2.46


Novak Djokovic versus all of the above

matches won - 76.0% (19-6)
sets won - 75.4% (49/65)
games won - 59.0% (357/605)
points' dominance - 1.31
games' dominance - 2.28
 
Last edited:
Dartagnan64

Dartagnan64

G.O.A.T.
Nadal's dogged determination and intensity are far above any other player on the tour. Maybe Murray comes closest. Nadal doesn't give games, points or shots away. Ever. That kind of fire is hard to overcome over a match. It just wears others down.

That and the fact his FH is a unique shot that many have tried to replicate but few have succeeded.
 
ChaelAZ

ChaelAZ

G.O.A.T.
I think it has been his constant tenacity point in and point out. He never gives opponents anything, which speaks more to those like Fed, Djo, and the like for how accomplished they are to win against him.
 
The Blond Blur

The Blond Blur

G.O.A.T.
Rafa brings a higher level of intensity against everyone, not just the top dogs. Fred and Joker are also more likely to have mental lapses, where as Rafa is more focused. The young guns are able to sneak wins against the other 2 here and there simply because they let their guard down more often.
 
Clay lover

Clay lover

Legend
Tsitsipas said earlier this year that Nadal is the type of player that makes you play bad and he's not wrong. He's as close as one gets to "The Anti-tennis" if there ever is one. His spin disrupts your usual hitting rhythm and causes timing problems. Despite his defensive style he always runs you from side to side so you're always hitting off balance. He get everything back until you eventually lose focus. His variety is also underrated, in that he can vary the amount of spin on his shots and mix things up by slicing and utilizing dropshots. Basically you never get a shot 100% in your hitting zone and pressure to hit the spots builds up.
 
MeatTornado

MeatTornado

Talk Tennis Guru
Even Roger said before one of their recent matches that it's still a huge adjustment for him every time he plays Nadal, because he's a lefty and the ball comes off his racket unlike anyone else.

If it's still something for a 20 year veteran who's played him 40 times to have to focus on, imagine what it must be like as a young kid playing him for the first time. By the time you even figure out where you should be standing to return these crazy topspin balls angling away over your backside shoulder, Rafa's already taken a 4-0 lead and is ready for the next set.
 
Pheasant

Pheasant

Legend
I don't know about tennis, but it sucks playing a qualify lefty in racquetball. It take a while to read the different angles. And it also takes practice to hit to the opponents' backhand with precision.

This is a great topic. It's a bit different for a change. I need to take a look at stats. I'll go back to when Djokovic became a monster again, which is Wimbledon of 2018. Let's see how the Big 3 did against players outside of the Big 3, along with their other stats:

Nadal:
56-8 overall
9-5 vs top 10
2-3 vs Fedovic
54-5 vs everybody else besides Fedovic

Djokovic
73-10 overall
11-3 overall
5-1 vs Fedal
68-9 vs everybody else besides Fedal

Federer:
62-13 overall
6-9 vs top 10
1-4 vs Djokodal
61-9 vs everybody else besides Djokodal

Nadal appears to stand out, especially against the youngsters. Nadal's compete destruction of Medvedev in the Montreal final is a prime of example of what the OP is getting at. Nadal has a lot of straight set blowout victories over the younger crowd. They aren't use to his play.
 
Krish0608

Krish0608

G.O.A.T.
Intensity he brings on the court for every point is just insane and relentless. Never seen anything like it. That's what makes Rafa a special and unique player.
 
TimHenmanATG

TimHenmanATG

Hall of Fame
As others have mentioned, being left-handed and/or left-footed can sometimes create an advantage in all sports, not just tennis.

Also, Rafa grew up as a clay-court specialist during the sweet-spot of court homogenisation. Which means that he's better than the rest on clay, but also easily adapted to faster surfaces.

Most of the Next Gen would have never experienced a situation of different surface skills.
 
itrium84

itrium84

Hall of Fame
It's his unique left-hand topspin style. It took over a decade for GOAT to adjust his game enough and get match-up advantage. It took almost a decade for Novak to do the same.
It's greatest challenge of last 15 years, for any player.
Nextgen just doesn't have the time (and arguably the skill) to do the same. They'll just have to for wait Rafa's physical decline.

Sent from my Redmi Note 4 using Tapatalk
 
Pistol10

Pistol10

Professional
True Fanerer said:
Spin.
Click to expand...
HEAVY...top spin.

Pheasant said:
Let's see how the Big 3 did against players outside of the Big 3, along with their other stats:

Nadal:
56-8 overall
9-5 vs top 10
2-3 vs Fedovic
54-5 vs everybody else besides Fedovic

Djokovic
73-10 overall
11-3 vs top 10
5-1 vs Fedal
68-9 vs everybody else besides Fedal

Federer:
62-13 overall
6-9 vs top 10
1-4 vs Djokodal
61-9 vs everybody else besides Djokodal
Click to expand...
Now these numbers for Nole!!!


Doctor/Lawyer Red Devil said:
He is humble.
Click to expand...
Thanks for mentioning this... Winston!
6aBOqdb.jpg
 
victorcruz

victorcruz

Hall of Fame
Djoker and Fed are more giving. Rafa needs you to goat to beat him, which is not impossible at all... just be at your best. At least that feels like the case. Plus spin of course.
 
BeatlesFan

BeatlesFan

Bionic Poster
StANDAA said:
it’s because the NextGen haven’t seen this kind of intensity on Instagram so they didn’t know how to deal with it
Click to expand...
I believe this totally. The big three (especially Fed) grew up with landlines and no Internet as kids. Lendl addressed the "really sick addiction to phones" in Miami this year.

There are players who train as hard as Rafa, like Thiem. But they don't have his mental intensity or strength.
 
DSH

DSH

Talk Tennis Guru
Indomitable willpower!
This generation is not used to this kind of presence and they feel intimidated enough to not withstand the relentless pressure that the Spaniard puts them through in all aspects of the game: physically, mentally, and technically.
The youngsters are surprised since they don't have an equal that resembles Nadal.
 
UnderratedSlam

UnderratedSlam

G.O.A.T.
HetTheGreaterer said:
In general, everyone has an awful record against all of big3, not just nadal.
Click to expand...
So he has a bad H2H against himself? He may be quick on his feet but not that quick, to play both sides of the net.

He has a bad H2H against Djokovic and RF?

OK, what is going on... Is this another troll thread?
 
UnderratedSlam

UnderratedSlam

G.O.A.T.
StANDAA said:
it’s because the NextGen haven’t seen this kind of intensity on Instagram so they didn’t know how to deal with it
Click to expand...
NextGen grew up being told they can achieve anything, as long as they want it... not necessarily that they have to try much... or deserve success.

And then comes Rafa, and he seems almost like an alien to them, like a relic from Sparta.
 
UnderratedSlam

UnderratedSlam

G.O.A.T.
BeatlesFan said:
Lendl addressed the "really sick addiction to phones" in Miami this year.
Click to expand...
That's it!!! You got it.

NextGen sucks because they're all a bunch of android-slave robots. In mid-practice their phone rings or FB makes a sound, and they jump to their bench to check out their favourite toy.

It sounds absurd as an explanation, but hey, it's as good as any.
 
UnderratedSlam

UnderratedSlam

G.O.A.T.
Clay lover said:
Tsitsipas said earlier this year that Nadal is the type of player that makes you play bad and he's not wrong. He's as close as one gets to "The Anti-tennis" if there ever is one. His spin disrupts your usual hitting rhythm and causes timing problems. Despite his defensive style he always runs you from side to side so you're always hitting off balance. He get everything back until you eventually lose focus. His variety is also underrated, in that he can vary the amount of spin on his shots and mix things up by slicing and utilizing dropshots. Basically you never get a shot 100% in your hitting zone and pressure to hit the spots builds up.
Click to expand...
You make it sound as if he's a junkmeister in the Santoro, Siemerink, Woodforde or Gilbert vein.

But I agree with the other stuff you say.
 
oldmanfan

oldmanfan

Legend
BeatlesFan said:
I believe this totally. The big three (especially Fed) grew up with landlines and no Internet as kids. Lendl addressed the "really sick addiction to phones" in Miami this year.

There are players who train as hard as Rafa, like Thiem. But they don't have his mental intensity or strength.
Click to expand...

Good point.

I also think their mentality is affected by how easily $$ is obtained.

career prize money:
Rod Laver (16yrs+ career): US$1,565,413

Bernard Tomic (at 26yrs old): US$5,950,393
Nick Kyrgios (at 24yrs old): US$7,752,43
Alex de Minaur, hard worker but the point stands, (at 20yrs old): US$2,345,970

When not starving, one tends to fight less hard.
 
HetTheGreaterer

HetTheGreaterer

Banned
UnderratedSlam said:
So he has a bad H2H against himself? He may be quick on his feet but not that quick, to play both sides of the net.

He has a bad H2H against Djokovic and RF?

OK, what is going on... Is this another troll thread?
Click to expand...
Hey man....
You're taking it in a wrong way..
What I meant to say was, almost every player has an awful record against all of big3, not just against nadal...
But their struggles are the most against rafa....

Why did I need to explain this???!
 
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