Did Nadal ever lose a match at his best? No? Then obviously the mere fact that he lost already tells us all we need to know.
Though I am very happy with the result, I must say Nadal looked sluggish to me.
He was much more competitive in 2006, 2007 and last year (though tired).
Though I am very happy with the result, I must say Nadal looked sluggish to me.
He was much more competitive in 2006, 2007 and last year (though tired).
I'm a *******, but it was clear that Roger was playing very well and Rafa was not. Personally, I think something is wrong with Rafa. Could be his knees, his feet, his head or his heart. But I sense he's at some kind of turning point we'll find out about later.
It was fun to watch Fed dominate his old rival, but also kind of sad. I suppose some Rafa fans felt the same way after 08 French final.
Tipsaravich could have beaten Nadal last night judging by the way he is playing at the moment. I am not saying Fed did not play really well but Rafa just wasn't there at all
If Federer beats anyone, that person clearly is not at his best. Also, shows what a weak era this is if the world #4 is bageling the #2.
If Federer beats anyone, that person clearly is not at his best. Also, shows what a weak era this is if the world #4 is bageling the #2.
Dramatic much? Nobody is saying that,but the fact is Nadal looked like a shell of himself out there. How in the world some of you *******s can sit there and act like Nadal played his best and Fed was just too good is nothing but bs.
Dramatic much? Nobody is saying that,but the fact is Nadal looked like a shell of himself out there. How in the world some of you *******s can sit there and act like Nadal played his best and Fed was just too good is nothing but bs.
So, which ******* claimed that Nadal was at his best ?
On an unrelated topic, do you think Fed was at his best during AO09/Wimb 08 ?
If Federer beats anyone, that person clearly is not at his best. Also, shows what a weak era this is if the world #4 is bageling the #2.
If Federer beats anyone, that person clearly is not at his best. Also, shows what a weak era this is if the world #4 is bageling the #2.
So, which ******* claimed that Nadal was at his best ?
On an unrelated topic, do you think Fed was at his best during AO09/Wimb 08 ?
Dramatic much? Nobody is saying that,but the fact is Nadal looked like a shell of himself out there. How in the world some of you *******s can sit there and act like Nadal played his best and Fed was just too good is nothing but bs.
I wrote above that Nadal was not at his best. But Federer playing like that could and probably would beat anyone, including Nadal at his best, especially on this surface. But Nadal just didn't look good, IMHO.
None to my knowledge but they were saying that he wasn't "that bad". The man hit 4 winners in 15 games but he wasn't "that bad" cause hey, 73% first serve amirite?
I find that hilarious. Nadal played almost as bad as in the Fish match but Fish is Fish and Fed is Fed. Hence the beatdown.
Do you count Nadal among those *******s? Because he said he didn't played badly after the match
Anyway I may think Nadal just had a bad day which coupled with Fed playing great resulted in a beatdown however honestly why should I care? Fed sure as heck wasn't at his best either in some of his matches against Nadal( especially since 2008) yet H2H is rubbed on our (Fed fans) noses daily by the resident Nadal fanboys(and Sampras pretending to be Nadal fans).
This time Nadal got his ass kicked by Fed for a change, you're just have to deal with it (considering how rarely that happens in Fedal match-up that shouldn't be that hard), Fed fans have no obligation to accept anything about Nadal being below his best, tired, rusty, in decline, sick etc.
So you're blaming Fed fans for saying the same thing Nadal did in press conference ?
On an unrelated topic, do you think Fed was at his best during AO09/Wimb 08 ?
None to my knowledge but they were saying that he wasn't "that bad". The man hit 4 winners in 15 games but he wasn't "that bad" cause hey, 73% first serve amirite?
I find that hilarious. Nadal played almost as bad as in the Fish match but Fish is Fish and Fed is Fed. Hence the beatdown.
It is not about obligation. So what if Nadal was not as his best in that match. Federer also was not at his best when Nadal won W2008 and AO 2009. It works both ways but at the end of the day it does not matter. A win is a win.
Nadal always has some kind of injury or disease excuse. ALWAYS.
The fact is Nadal has looked terrible in the past 8 months. To me he has declined and has done nothing to fix any problem which will enable him to beat Djokovic in the future. That is the issue now. Federer's legacy is sealed and Nadal will never match it. Nadal's biggest problem is what is he going to do to beat Djokovic now?
So you're blaming Fed fans for saying the same thing Nadal did in press conference ?
I seriously doubt Nadal believes what he said, he said it to give himself a alibi for playing like crap(just like in the fish match) against Fed as in "hey guys this guy was too much for me, I actually played good".
Fed was in God mode last year as well(losing zero sets to ferrer,murray,sod and djoko unlike this year where he already lost a set to jo) and Nadal got a set. Fed was in God mode this year and Nadal got...4 winners. I wonder which one of them changed in the meantime.
If Nadal truly believes he played a good match with 2 winners per set and him playing from the front row 80% of the time, he needs to get his head checked.
My 2 cents.
LOL, I did not even see your post until I just posted my post and then looked up and saw we basically said the exact same thing! Great minds!
It is not about obligation. So what if Nadal was not as his best in that match. Federer also was not at his best when Nadal won W2008 and AO 2009. It works both ways but at the end of the day it does not matter. A win is a win.
Nadal always has some kind of injury or disease excuse. ALWAYS.
The fact is Nadal has looked terrible in the past 8 months. To me he has declined and has done nothing to fix any problem which will enable him to beat Djokovic in the future. That is the issue now. Federer's legacy is sealed and Nadal will never match it. Nadal's biggest problem is what is he going to do to beat Djokovic now?
You never know what the future brings, this season in the slams basically the only man who stood in Nadal's way was Novak whom may or may not repeat his level of play this year in 2012.
Fed would have won anyway as it is indoor hard court.
Nadal was fully fit at 2006 and 2007 at shanghai. But federer overcame.
In 2010, one can Nadal was slightly tired and Federer was firing in 1st and 3rd set.
No problems with accepting Nadal wasn't playing great.
However, are you going to apply the same standards to the matches Nadal won against Fed ? Are you going to accept that Fed was sub-par in nearly every match he lost to Nadal ? AO09/WImby08 ? I suspect many of the *******s will have a problem with that. Double standards, don't you think ?
Dramatic much? Nobody is saying that,but the fact is Nadal looked like a shell of himself out there. How in the world some of you *******s can sit there and act like Nadal played his best and Fed was just too good is nothing but bs.
Indeed you have to love the double-standards around here. If Rafa wins against Fed, he is a warrior who beat Fed playing at his best. If Fed has the temerity to win, Rafa was tired/sick/not at his best/poor strategy.
True but in the meantime Murray and Florian Mayer defeated Nadal and he just looked horrible in Asia. However, those events were not slams and Nadal seems to kick it up for slam events so nobody knows for sure but Nadal's game does not look healthy to me right now that much is for sure.
So, which ******* claimed that Nadal was at his best ?
On an unrelated topic, do you think Fed was at his best during AO09/Wimb 08 ?
Yes but overall higher level doesn't neccesarily translate to a higher level in a single given match, Fed might lose all of his remaining matches at WTF and still have played at a higher level against Nadal in particualar this year than last year at WTF, it isn't black and white.
Last year's final Fed had a 2nd set dip(usual for him these days) which allowed Nadal back in, maybe this year that wouldn't have happened either way.
So Nadal was lying in his presser?
Yes but overall higher level doesn't neccesarily translate to a higher level in a single given match, Fed might lose all of his remaining matches at WTF and still have played at a higher level against Nadal in particualar this year than last year at WTF, it isn't black and white.
Last year's final Fed had a 2nd set dip(usual for him these days) which allowed Nadal back in, maybe this year that wouldn't have happened either way.
So he's either lying or he's crazy
I know a guy who is a tennis coach who said that Nadal has barely looked like a top 30 player in the last months and he knows far more than me about this sport.
Whaddya mean Nadal wasn't at his best?
This was peak Nadal at absolutely peak form in an absolutely critical important tournament!
Hey, now I get to play the "let's declare who is in peak form.....cuz I know best!" game.
And about the fact that Nadal ALWAYS has some kind of injury excuse?! You don't say! I mean You Don't Say!
Precisely! It is a peach isn't it?
Nadal fans have to deal now with what Federer fans were dealing with in Federer's game from 2008 on. Federer was never the same and started to decline then and Nadal was fresh as a daisy. Now Nadal looks like crap and Djkovic has come along. That's tennis.
I hope he is lying otherwise he has some major delusions. Playing with two second serves, getting 4 BALLS past Fed in 15 games and doing all this from the first row is playing good? Or let me rephrase that, "not that bad".
Let me put it this way, Nadal had something to come back unlike yesterday with and Fed worked more to get that first set than he did in the whole encounter on Tuesday. I don't think he broke a sweat tbh. Even if Fed did give an opening, Nadal couldn't have taken it since he was in the first row most of the time and serving powderpuffs.
Bingo.