Rafa won most slams after age 30 in history of the sport.No one can question his longetivity anymore but he has to stay in form and injury free for the next 2 years.A possible huge slump like 2015 and 2016 or mild slump but no MAJORS there wont be any chance breaking the slam record.20 to 19 it is very close but Rafa is also cant be as consistent as he is forever as he is since 2017.i dont believe he is capable winning after 35 not even in RG.
i dont believe Rafa is capaple of winning slams after 35
- Thread starter mistik
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The Blond Blur
G.O.A.T.
He'll be the favorite for RG 2020 and most likely RG 2021. I think he'll win another non clay major too (probably USO). I think he wins 2-3 more RGs and the before mentioned non clay slams being at around 22-23.
The only time i have doubts was after 2015 and 2016.A lot of people didn’t believe he is capable of winning Slams after 2009. And then after 2012. And then after 2015. As Federer said, we don’t have a crystal ball.
Rafa has adapted and shown more flexibility in his game than a player with his neurotic tendencies could have ever been expected to show. So you can make all the predictions you want. A NY Times in 2009 right before he withdrew from Wimbledon asked the question "Can Nadal Survive His Own Grueling Style of Tennis?"
Guess what? He could, he can and he will. At least enough to not have to keep chasing slams after say, 35 years, to catch up and pass Roger.
Guess what? He could, he can and he will. At least enough to not have to keep chasing slams after say, 35 years, to catch up and pass Roger.
Ray Mercer
Hall of Fame
I honestly thought he looked terrible against Medvedev last night. He looked slow and was playing short balls all night. If he would have run up against Djokovic in Aussie form or a Federer in Wimbledon form he would have got killed. Nadal still has a lockdown on the French as his only real competition is Thiem who has the tennis IQ of a brick wall.
For the Big 3, the biggest obstacle is each other. They are all still getting to the QF and SF consistently. Roger, for example, still has a good chance at winning more slams if someone eliminates Novak. The same goes for Rafa. For Novak, even at RG, if someone like Thiem were to upset Rafa, then his chances of winning is very likely.
The Safinator
Rookie
He won't need to, he'll reach 21 before then.
After 2014 AO fiasco cant take anything granted.
ChaelAZ
G.O.A.T.
Sure, he has physically declined, but his court IQ and tenacity has more than offset that. To me though, he certainly doesn't hvae the love for all the pomp and cirrcumstance of the tour like Fed does, so I think he CAN play as well past 35, but I really doubt he will be interested in it. This will be exponentially true after being married and starting to think about life there.
UnderratedSlam
G.O.A.T.
Agreed. Everyone has their limits. Rafa won't win slams after 35.
BUT...
His career at the top will have been (almost) as long as RF's because he peaked FAR EARLIER than RF. Nadal was already a top 5 player aged 18, a slam champ at 19. RF started winning slams at (close to) 22. RF may play into an older age but Rafa was much better at a young age. It balances out.
Longevity isn't measured by how old you are when you win your last slam but how long you've been at the top. Some players became great almost instantly (Nadal, Becker, Wilander), while some need more time, like Federer or especially Wawrinka.
BUT...
His career at the top will have been (almost) as long as RF's because he peaked FAR EARLIER than RF. Nadal was already a top 5 player aged 18, a slam champ at 19. RF started winning slams at (close to) 22. RF may play into an older age but Rafa was much better at a young age. It balances out.
Longevity isn't measured by how old you are when you win your last slam but how long you've been at the top. Some players became great almost instantly (Nadal, Becker, Wilander), while some need more time, like Federer or especially Wawrinka.
terribleIVAN
Hall of Fame
Totally what i saw.
He came flat in the final, was continually off balance thus couldn't put any real power into his shots. I thought it was the repeat of the AO final, except Medvedev was even worse than him.
Rafa came alive in the last 3 sets, where he flattened his shots, but still shanked a lot of balls.
If he wants to add more slams, he needs to come up with a plan B when his tank is running dry in the final. Wasting so much energy on returns and gifting these service games with these insane tactics won't cut it past 33.
Learn to return on your baseline. Learn to execute correct drop shots and to volley.
That's what he was doing in the last set.
3 hours too late.
Mike Sams
G.O.A.T.
As long as Djokovic is racking up Slams, Nadal is going to continue playing. He can't risk exiting the sport while Djokovic is still on his heels. Nadal wants to win the race and he's got more work to do. If Novak goes into RoboDjok mode in 2020, things are going to get very interesting in the Slam race
Rafa24
Hall of Fame
someone make sure to pass this info along to the guy who just won his 19th slam last night. I am sure he will realize how terrible he is.
terribleIVAN
Hall of Fame
someone make sure to pass this info along to the guy who just won his 19th slam last night. I am sure he will realize how terrible he is.
AO 2019 final...
Your predictions are usually spot on.
titoelcolombiano
Legend
Rafa won't have to win slams after 35, he'll have the job well and truly done by then. Having said that though, wasn't he supposed to be in a retirement home at 33? lol
victorcruz
Hall of Fame
Hey you could be right. I'm sure he knows this, so he's gonna win maybe 3 more in the next 2 years (hopefully). 2 more FOs and another one sprinkled in there. A win anywhere would be sweet. Double career slam, a 'prestigious' Wimby, or among the greats with a 5th USO.
TearTheRoofOff
G.O.A.T.
USO is (further) evidence that he won't even necessarily need to be particularly amazing to win slams. Just not absolute garbage like backerer or shouldervic. Still makes me laugh whenever Nadal is the last one of those 3 standing. The most invincible cripple ever.
RaulRamirez
Legend
According to many pundits, he was supposed to have his own rocking chair at the "Home for (Re)tired Clay Specislists" five years ago.
Dolgopolov85
G.O.A.T.
Move, move, move the goalposts. Slam diversity is becoming a little difficult when his non clay slam tally matches Mac or Wilander's overall tally! So it will be this now. Fed fans gonna have an epic meltdown when Nadal gets to no. 20.
Dolgopolov85
G.O.A.T.
I think it's the pundits who got themselves a rocking chair instead.
Gary Duane
G.O.A.T.
I didn't think he would ever be back at the top in the fall of 2012. I've lost count of how many times I thought this guy was done. I've said it before. To fully get Nadal out of the way you need garlic, a crucifix and a wooden stake. And even those three things may not do the trick.
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