Nadal will use new racket and strings for Australia
• The model has already been used in Doha which allows him more control and gives more effect to the ball
The differences are hardly visible at first sight, but Rafael Nadal is using since the season began a new model of racquet strings and a prototype being developed in collaboration with the I+D Babolat area, his usual brand. The change was decided after testing the racket in the past U.S. Open and started playing with it during the preseason to use it for the first time at the last exhibition in Abu Dhabi, which he won, and the tournament in Doha, where he reached the final, before facing Australia Open which starts on Monday and where he will defend the title.
"The important thing is not the goal but the goalkeeper," Toni Nadal always say, his uncle and coach, but in his obsession to improve year after year the tennis player has decided to take advantage of some technological innovations of the new model called GT Aero pro drive, an evolution of the qualities of his previous Pro racket and the traditional drive that are using other players like Carlos Moya and Andy Roddick, among the best known, in which this season will be added Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who has just signed a contract with the French brand.
A racket that, according to experts, improves the players' control of the ball from the bottom of the court, who use the most power in topspin strokes. "Professional tennis players do not like to change their rackets but Nadal is always waiting for the latest developments. With the old model he helped us to improve it and the one in his hands is the evolution" says Alex Pardo, head of Babolat.
"The racket is great and the new strings that is under test allows you to give more effect to the ball. I think this decision has been very good and will help" admitted, although without giving it too much importance, Toni Nadal, who is leaving today to Melbourne to meet his nephew.
MAXIMUM CONFIDENCE / the coach was pleased with Nadal's adapting of the new racket, but was most pleased with the results achieved in the season opener for his nephew. "Rafael is very good. It's been a long time since I've seen him play in such a high level. If he gets a good draw and catch rhythm he's about to fight for the title, even though the Australia Open is like a melon to be opened, not only because it is played on special conditions such as heat and schedules, but because the players do not have the same confidence as when the season is more advanced. In Melbourne there are always many surprises and unexpected results.
The coach said that Nadal is in perfect conditions to face the challenges ahead this year. "The season will be difficult, as always, but that's normal when the objectives are high". Toni Nadal doesn't think that his nephew is worried by not having won a title since six months ago. "No doubt it'd have been great to win in Doha, why deny it. He had it in his hand while Davydenko was also at a high level. I am convinced that sooner or later he will win if he keeps the level of game that started the year"he said.
HUNGRY OF VICTORIES / Nor he is disappointed of the 2009 season. "If we compare it with the 2008 season there is no color because it was exceptional, although right now I'd sign to finish the 2010 as last year. He won in Australia and until Madrid he was the number one. The problem was the knee injury that kept him from defending in Paris and Wimbledon. If he had achieved that, he would've finished number one, sure, "insisted the coach, who said his nephew" still wants to win everything. "
http://www.elperiodico.com/default.asp?idpublicacio_PK=46&idioma=CAS&idnoticia_PK=678377&idseccio_PK=1011
Well all I can say is that in his first round yesterday, Nadal didn't look like he was using new strings. He was playing super-defensive with no depth on his groundies with a backhand that was embarrassing. This is in sharp contrast to Abu-Dhabi and Doha 2010 where Nadal was aggressive right from the start and his groundies were flat and had a lot of depth. Watch the exho against Soderling.
The Nadal of yesterday would have been straight setted by a top10 player. Unless he improves significantly, I don't see him as a contender for this title.
Well all I can say is that in his first round yesterday, Nadal didn't look like he was using new strings. He was playing super-defensive with no depth on his groundies with a backhand that was embarrassing. This is in sharp contrast to Abu-Dhabi and Doha 2010 where Nadal was aggressive right from the start and his groundies were flat and had a lot of depth. Watch the exho against Soderling.
The Nadal of yesterday would have been straight setted by a top10 player. Unless he improves significantly, I don't see him as a contender for this title.
Did you watch only the first set?
It wasn't great, but not that bad either.
Wrong subforum. I think this topic belongs in the D&D section (drab and dull).
Do you think that nadal has changed grip size if he really switched strings??
Well all I can say is that in his first round yesterday, Nadal didn't look like he was using new strings. He was playing super-defensive with no depth on his groundies with a backhand that was embarrassing. This is in sharp contrast to Abu-Dhabi and Doha 2010 where Nadal was aggressive right from the start and his groundies were flat and had a lot of depth. Watch the exho against Soderling.
The Nadal of yesterday would have been straight setted by a top10 player. Unless he improves significantly, I don't see him as a contender for this title.
Well all I can say is that in his first round yesterday, Nadal didn't look like he was using new strings. He was playing super-defensive with no depth on his groundies with a backhand that was embarrassing. This is in sharp contrast to Abu-Dhabi and Doha 2010 where Nadal was aggressive right from the start and his groundies were flat and had a lot of depth. Watch the exho against Soderling.
The Nadal of yesterday would have been straight setted by a top10 player. Unless he improves significantly, I don't see him as a contender for this title.
SO what's Rafa's new string? Black Hurricane?
Did you see the last two sets. His bakhand started off horribly, but hefound his rythm amd was killing it. His serve was looking good, but his second serve was a little weak. His forehand was good also. I doubt that he would be straight-setted by any top 10 player, but maybe some of them would beat him. He would beat some of them though.
THIS ... (my earlier post) ..
No I watched the whole match. Nadal's rookie opponent's level dropped significantly in the set 2 and set 3, as expected. To be sure, Nadal did improve a little bit (and there's no way he couldn't given the abysmal showing in the 1st set). But he's still far away from the level he displayed against Soderling in Abu Dhabi and against Davydenko in Doha. Do you really think he was hitting the ball with anywhere as much penetration and depth as he was there? His serving was predictable esp. the second serve which was very weak, the backhand was inconsistent (the down the line bh was totally off), and the return of serve was woefully short.
Quite frankly, Nadal should have lost the first set. And against any half decent hardcourt player it could have been embarassing yesterday.
Compare this start to the 1st round in AO 2009 against Rochus. Nadal has his work cut out. Unless he improves significantly he won't make it far here. This is closer to the Nadal of late 2009 not the one that we saw in 2 events earlier this yr.
The other parts of his game will slowly be ok. However the timing on the backhand is totally off, because of which he was missing that shot. When that happens Nadal starts taking it late and goes on the defensive which neutralizes the effectiveness of this shot, and that's a problem as the backhand is crucial on the hardcourts.
SO what's Rafa's new string? Black Hurricane?
Just watched his interview with Jim Courier after winning his second round match. He said the new string gives him more topspin. Also mentioned he uses a #2 grip.
Of course you have zero proof of that. There's more evidence that he is using PHT black than there is he isn't.It's the same duralast custome dyed to black. The whole interview was a setup. Have you ever seen Nadal going to an on court interview with the racquet in his hand. He was also looking expectantly at Courier to ask him for the racquet so that he could recite the rehearsed lines. Obviously Babolat paid them big money to advertise on TV and say that Rafa is using a new string, so that when the string comes out in the US everyone wants to buy it. No pro player changes strings just like that. Nadal is still using his old string, he has pocketed the cash and is laughing all the way to the bank.
Hmm..a black string...Black code maybe?!
Seems to me that TennisFan3 is pretty much bitter and does not like it when someone has an opinion that differs from his. .
Here's the scoop on the new Babolat RPM blast Black strings. Comments from Nadal, Roddick and JWT along with their coaches:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rh2FSLeBBac
My coach is sponsored by Babolat and he had a magazine of all the new things.