Nadal - Let the French Open excuses begin

Pancho G · May 25, 2014

I love Rafa, but he seems ready for a losing press conference...
-------------
Eight time champion Rafael Nadal revealed yesterday in a pre-tournament presser that he’s not pleased with the conditions of the clay on the eve of the event.

“I only practiced one day,” Nadal said Friday. “I only practiced yesterday, and the center court was a little bit different. I think they make the court new, so it’s like the clay get a little bit more fixed. It was moving a little bit too much around and some small stone that makes the movement a little bit more difficult.

“But probably they will be ready for the tournament now. Remain a few days, and probably they can fix it. They are specialists, no?”

With rain expected in the forecast maybe that will help get the clay right. And Rafa won’t play until later Monday or more than likely on Tuesday against former US Open semifinalist Robby Ginepri.

Rafa also said that despite his non Rafa-like spring, he’s in good form entering his favorite event of the year.

“Rome, Monte Carlo, Madrid, Barcelona is past now,” he said. “We are here in Roland Garros, and the only thing that matters now is have a good practice when I will be able to finish with the press. I will practice today, will practice tomorrow, good practice on Sunday, and try to be ready for the competition, no?

“The dynamic is positive, is true, so that’s always important for the confidence. I felt that in Rome I was able to play with not that nerves, that anxiety that I played in the first two tournaments and some moments in Madrid, too.

“So that’s always a positive thing, but now is very important tournament for me. At the end is another tournament, no? And just happy to be here in Roland Garros. Happy to fight for the challenge to play well again here.

“And I gonna try. That’s it. That’s the only thing that I can say. I gonna try.”

LazyNinja19 · May 25, 2014

Nothing new. Nadal whines a lot, period!

sureshs · May 25, 2014

Nadal is the expert on clay conditions. With his speed and spin, minute differences in court conditions get amplified. Of course, you have to be at his level to appreciate it.

After losing the AO final to Stan due to injury, Nadal is poised to win the remaining three Slams of the year.

zam88 · May 25, 2014

seems reasonable.

isn't everyone gonna try?

would you prefer he be like Floyd Mayweather or some other thug athlete and be uber confident and suggest that he's dominant, is a 4 time defending champ and there is only 1 or 2 people even possibly standing in his way?

Fiji · May 25, 2014

Is it slippery like Madrid 2012? That would be refreshing.

dafinch · May 25, 2014

sureshs said:
Nadal is the expert on clay conditions. With his speed and spin, minute differences in court conditions get amplified. Of course, you have to be at his level to appreciate it.

After losing the AO final to Stan due to injury, Nadal is poised to win the remaining three Slams of the year.

ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Especially for the US Open, given the fact that BP has never, ever, EVER defended a non dirt title, of any kind, in his entire career.

laughingcavalier · May 25, 2014

After losing the AO final to Stan due to injury, Nadal is poised to win the remaining three Slams of the year.[/QUOTE]

... Nadal has won just 1 Wimbledon singles match during his last two participations and now he's 'poised to win the last 3 slams of the year'... Priceless!

... Yeah,Nadal has them right where he wants them .. LOL!

Egoista · May 25, 2014

get of his case you all know he is going to win it come what may

Russeljones · May 25, 2014

How can he still struggle with the English language after all this time? It's weird.

laughingcavalier · May 25, 2014

Russeljones said:
How can he still struggle with the English language after all this time? It's weird.

... You'd think the first thing he'd learn is that its not necessary to end a sentence by saying 'No'..... Old habits I guess.

... I remember in the mid 90's when Hingis was interviewed after a match (she was about 15 or 16 at the time) and she barely knew a lick of English and it was one of the most cringeworthy things I had to hear.... Boy did she learn quickly within the next few years.... Mind you,she already knew a few other different languages before she then started to become adept at English so she was always a polyglot.

Chico · May 25, 2014

Don't care about excuses. I just want to see him lose. And lose badly.

Djokovic2011 · May 25, 2014

LazyNinja19 said:
Nothing new. Nadal whines a lot, period!

Rather like some of his fans. :twisted:

Boom-Boom · May 25, 2014

Russeljones said:
How can he still struggle with the English language after all this time? It's weird.

Think he's a pretty uni-dimensional guy if not simple-minded...with all the OCD, still living at his parents etc

Bukmeikara · May 25, 2014

Russeljones said:
How can he still struggle with the English language after all this time? It's weird.

Well back in 2005-2006 he was quite bad, now you can at least understand what he wants to say. For example Ferrer english is crap "I go to fight, play good in the end I win I am happy"

President · May 25, 2014

Russeljones said:
How can he still struggle with the English language after all this time? It's weird.

He is at least easily understandable, much better than he was even in 2007 or 2008. He probably doesn't speak much English at all outside of his press commitments, and occasional interactions with foreign players. Nadal has always struck me as someone who is very resistant to change and new things, so its not surprising that he hasn't put in the biggest effort. His English is still much better than many players on tour, like Ferrer and Davydenko.

laughingcavalier · May 25, 2014

Boom-Boom said:
Think he's a pretty uni-dimensional guy if not simple-minded...with all the OCD, still living at his parents etc

It's pretty much assumed by many that he is considering the constant befuddled look on his face in different situations... That ******** countenance is somewhat hilarious albeit annoying (except to his obseqious servile underling fangirls)

If anything the bloke displays signs of arrested development in some departments that to me indicated he's lacking emotional intelligence as well.It's going to interesting how he fares post retirement with his partner with nothing else to do.

laughingcavalier · May 25, 2014

LOL!!!!

Hilarious.. I type in a word that means 'world's largest rodent' and its censored like it was one of George Carlin's 7 nasty words...

Oooooh!

smash hit · May 26, 2014

laughingcavalier said:
... You'd think the first thing he'd learn is that its not necessary to end a sentence by saying 'No'..... Old habits I guess.

... I remember in the mid 90's when Hingis was interviewed after a match (she was about 15 or 16 at the time) and she barely knew a lick of English and it was one of the most cringeworthy things I had to hear.... Boy did she learn quickly within the next few years.... Mind you,she already knew a few other different languages before she then started to become adept at English so she was always a polyglot.

As an English, English speaker I find little wrong with Nadal's grasp of the english language. He has a good vocabulary and doesn't have to resort to the usual sentence fillers, used by many. You know, well, Uhh, yeah, I mean, I guess, get my drift? Of course he speaks with an accent, I for one hope he never loses that. He actually speaks better english than many native born english people. As for using the word 'no' at the end of a sentence, he is just using as he would in spanish, as a way of saying "Don't you agree?""Don't you think?"

What I find cringeworthy is listening to americanized english. I caught the end of a conversation between two americans who had been involved in a case of fraud, one of them said "I didn't fraudulate anybody" That is just one example of made up or slang english, which seems to be the norm and accepted in americanized english. I could list many more.

Those of you who see him as simple minded or dim-witted would do well to make an assessment of yourselves. Nadal speaks 5 languages. How many of you who criticize speak more than 1. For myself I speak only two and I know what effort it took to learn the one that is not my native language.

Now for the so called excuses about the court. I believe Nadal and anyone else is permitted to express an opinion. I personally think that if anyone is qualified to pass such an opinion about a claycourt it is Rafael Nadal. This is what the groundsman for the past 22 years had to say.

QUOTE
Mark Nixon @markalannixon 2h

Gérard Tiquet, head grounds keeper (22 years experience) at RG to l'Equipe: OK, Nadal was a bit right. We redo the surface every year, but this year we tore up completely and rebuilt Chatrier. In particular, we redid the limestone layer (8 cm) that's 150 tonnes. For the court to be like new, we needed to add more "red" (crushed brick) afterwards than in other year. Except the red, the same on every court, move around for a few days.

The court will get better will get better day by day with use. But I understand Nadal's fear. ...he needs to plant his foot much more, he needs an anchor on clay. And I think he was afraid of reliving 2012 Madrid with a very slippy and granular surface. We went and reassured him about that.

Dedans Penthouse · May 26, 2014

Let the French Open EXCUSES begin

Pancho G said:
I love Rafa, but he seems ready for a losing press conference…

And yet you title a thread: "Let the French Open EXCUSES begin.

I'm calling total BS on this.

This was a call to arms for all the anti-Nadal fanboy trolls. No big deal but please: don't b.s. us with the disengenuous "I love Rafa" OP. I've seen these same threads started by the fedfanboys, the nadafanboys and the djokofanboys.

It was an invitation to the "troll element" and the following pieces of useless trash more than confirm it.

vvvv

Russeljones said:
How can he still struggle with the English language after all this time? It's weird.

laughingcavalier said:
… You'd think the first thing he'd learn is that its not necessary to end a sentence by saying 'No'….. Old habits I guess.

Chico said:
Don't care about excuses. I just want to see him lose. And lose badly.

Djokovic2011 said:
Rather like some of his fans. :twisted:

Boom-Boom said:
Think he's a pretty uni-dimensional guy if not simple-minded…with all the OCD, still living at his parents etc

laughingcavalier said:
It's pretty much assumed by many that he is considering the constant befuddled look on his face in different situations... That ******** countenance is somewhat hilarious albeit annoying (except to his obseqious servile underling fangirls)

If anything the bloke displays signs of arrested development in some departments that to me indicated he's lacking emotional intelligence as well.It's going to interesting how he fares post retirement with his partner with nothing else to do.

laughingcavalier said:
LOL!!!!

Hilarious.. I type in a word that means 'world's largest rodent' and its censored like it was one of George Carlin's 7 nasty words...

Oooooh!

smash hit said:
As an English, English speaker I find little wrong with Nadal's grasp of the english language.

As for using the word 'no' at the end of a sentence, he is just using as he would in spanish, as a way of saying "Don't you agree?""Don't you think?"

Those of you who see him as simple minded or dim-witted would do well to make an assessment of yourselves.

Nadal speaks 5 languages. How many of you who criticize speak more than 1.
.

How dare you bring logic to this thread! ; )

Goosehead · May 26, 2014

laughingcavalier said:
LOL!!!!

Hilarious.. I type in a word that means 'world's largest rodent' and its censored like it was one of George Carlin's 7 nasty words...

Oooooh!

amazing how a c@pybara suddenly goes from being the worlds largest rodent everywhere else but becomes an a sweary nasty rude word on tt. :twisted::neutral:

helloworld · May 26, 2014

Goosehead said:
amazing how a c@pybara suddenly goes from being the worlds largest rodent everywhere else but becomes an a sweary nasty rude word on tt. :twisted::neutral:

No surprise. Even Fed-error is censored! :shock:

Dedans Penthouse · May 27, 2014

helloworld said:
No surprise. Even Fed-error is censored! :shock:

Maybe it's because the host TW is in the tennis business and are tired of fanboys who probably never dropped a dime purchasing their products mocking players. It's pretty simple when you think about it: why should TW (at ther expense) provide a message board as a medium for insecure fanboys to use to slander any pro who's a rival of their fanboy hero?

Not directed at you personally helloworld, just saying..

cknobman · May 27, 2014

The censors on the board are overly aggressive to the point of ridiculousness.

I am not on this board solely to "fan-boy" my favorite player and have easily spent several thousand dollars at TW.

Deleted member 21996 · May 27, 2014

laughingcavalier said:
LOL!!!!

Hilarious.. I type in a word that means 'world's largest rodent' and its censored like it was one of George Carlin's 7 nasty words...

Oooooh!

no one can use the word because it hurts the nadal's fans feeling, and furthermore exposes the lack of regulation in the forum thus censorship is needed!!!

Deleted member 21996 · May 27, 2014

smash hit said:
As an English, English speaker I find little wrong with Nadal's grasp of the english language. He has a good vocabulary and doesn't have to resort to the usual sentence fillers, used by many. You know, well, Uhh, yeah, I mean, I guess, get my drift? Of course he speaks with an accent, I for one hope he never loses that. He actually speaks better english than many native born english people. As for using the word 'no' at the end of a sentence, he is just using as he would in spanish, as a way of saying "Don't you agree?""Don't you think?"

What I find cringeworthy is listening to americanized english. I caught the end of a conversation between two americans who had been involved in a case of fraud, one of them said "I didn't fraudulate anybody" That is just one example of made up or slang english, which seems to be the norm and accepted in americanized english. I could list many more.

Those of you who see him as simple minded or dim-witted would do well to make an assessment of yourselves. Nadal speaks 5 languages. How many of you who criticize speak more than 1. For myself I speak only two and I know what effort it took to learn the one that is not my native language.

Now for the so called excuses about the court. I believe Nadal and anyone else is permitted to express an opinion. I personally think that if anyone is qualified to pass such an opinion about a claycourt it is Rafael Nadal. This is what the groundsman for the past 22 years had to say.

QUOTE
Mark Nixon @markalannixon 2h

Gérard Tiquet, head grounds keeper (22 years experience) at RG to l'Equipe: OK, Nadal was a bit right. We redo the surface every year, but this year we tore up completely and rebuilt Chatrier. In particular, we redid the limestone layer (8 cm) that's 150 tonnes. For the court to be like new, we needed to add more "red" (crushed brick) afterwards than in other year. Except the red, the same on every court, move around for a few days.

The court will get better will get better day by day with use. But I understand Nadal's fear. ...he needs to plant his foot much more, he needs an anchor on clay. And I think he was afraid of reliving 2012 Madrid with a very slippy and granular surface. We went and reassured him about that.

lol... the guy barely speaks his native spanish!!!!

Sentinel · May 27, 2014

sureshs said:
Nadal is the expert on clay conditions. With his speed and spin, minute differences in court conditions get amplified. Of course, you have to be at his level to appreciate it.

After losing the AO final to Stan due to injury, Nadal is poised to win the remaining three Slams of the year.

Priceless, my genius friend.

Sadly, only you are at his level, so only you can appreciate it.

TennisCJC · May 27, 2014

I wish the clay were blue. Enough with the ultra-sensitivity. Blue clay makes it much better for TV and that's all that is important as we the fans pay ATP player's salary.

laughingcavalier · May 27, 2014

TennisCJC said:
I wish the clay were blue. Enough with the ultra-sensitivity. Blue clay makes it much better for TV and that's all that is important as we the fans pay ATP player's salary.

It was... once... at Madrid... just once...

Rafa lost

+ Rafa complained + Uncle Toni complained

= No more blue clay at Madrid (NB... Novak also complained too

)

Michael Lesbowicz · May 27, 2014

Speaking of Nadal and excuses: will he get back pains again during the French Open final, if and when he realizes he is about to lose?

Emiliano55 · May 27, 2014

Same old story. You hear Rafa before any big tournament and its like he is going to lose in the 1st round. How it usually ends ? Rafa beating everyone up (well, except Djokovic).

I really hate this from this guy, is sick.

NADALRECORD · May 27, 2014

Whatever Nadal says, he should keep saying it exactly the same every year, because he's won 9 French Opens in 10 years. I mean 8 French Opens in 9 years. Its not like Nadal would ever want to take advice from any of us losers here at the forum. If we were to compare the wisdom of the posters here at Talk Tennis to Nadal......Nadal would have a grade of 90% and the best grade here would be maybe 10 or 15%. That's how far ahead Nadal is of our tennis brains.

NRod2 · May 27, 2014

Cappybara thinks the FO is not right this year, no?

heninfan99 · May 27, 2014

I've been impressed with his improvement in English. He's greatly improved.

Lips · May 27, 2014

Gorecki said:
lol... the guy barely speaks his native spanish!!!!

Except his native language isn't Spanish...it's Catalan

LOL!!!!!!!

jones101 · May 27, 2014

Nadal guaranteed not to face an opponent ranked above No. 57 before the quarterfinals.

ACE of Hearts · May 27, 2014

Who cares.The guy has only lost once in 9 years.If he brings his best tennis then he will win it.He just needs to go out there and do it.Djokovic is the favorite remember?

Deleted member 21996 · May 27, 2014

Lips said:
Except his native language isn't Spanish...it's Catalan

LOL!!!!!!!

right... and you know better than me (being a iberian)....

Chanwan · May 27, 2014

jones101 said:
Nadal guaranteed not to face an opponent ranked above No. 57 before the quarterfinals.

and yet there's a thread about Djoko's joke draw. Go figure.

PrinceMoron · May 27, 2014

What is english when it is at home?

NADALRECORD · May 27, 2014

The fact that Djokovic and Nadal were 3-3 in the final set at Rome is a bad sign for Djokovic. Because Nadal is getting better each week. Plus its pretty obvious who responds best to the pressure at Roland Garros. I don't think the Rome result was a big enough buffer for Djokovic to feel confident at Roland Garros vs Nadal. Djokovic needed to win it in straight sets like last year's Monte Carlo. I must admit I'm extremely confident about Nadal at Roland Garros this year. Whereas last year I did not know what to expect at Roland Garros, because it had been a while since Nadal played best-of-5-sets and his court movement wasn't great during last year's clay season. Whereas Nadal's movement at Rome during those marathons was outstanding. Nadal is moving better now than he moved in 2013.

Lips · May 27, 2014

Gorecki said:
right... and you know better than me (being a iberian)....

Yes....I do

booson · May 27, 2014

Gorecki said:
right... and you know better than me (being a iberian)....

He's in fact correct. Nadal's from Mallorca's island in Spain. Its native language is mallorquín, a catalán dialect.

and yet there's a thread about Djoko's joke draw. Go figure.

Just after I post this:
Players' average ranking after first round matches for each quarter:
Nadal's quarter: 91.2
Murray's quarter: 53.9
Federer's quarter: 52.0
Djokovic's quarter: 46.2

That thread got deleted. Curious, isn't?

Chanwan · May 27, 2014

booson said:
He's in fact correct. Nadal's from Mallorca's island in Spain. Its native language is mallorquín, a catalán dialect.

Just after I post this:
Players' average ranking after first round matches for each quarter:
Nadal's quarter: 91.2
Murray's quarter: 53.9
Federer's quarter: 52.0
Djokovic's quarter: 46.2

That thread got deleted. Curious, isn't?

Curious indeed! Somebody's got some serious influence in here...

booson · May 27, 2014

Chanwan said:
Curious indeed! Somebody's got some serious influence in here...

Indeed. This is statistical evidence that hints to a very skewed player distribution in Roland Garros draw. I'm sure that if more specific analysis is done, even more evidence can be provided.

NADALRECORD · May 27, 2014

booson said:
Players' average ranking after first round matches for each quarter:
Nadal's quarter: 91.2
Murray's quarter: 53.9
Federer's quarter: 52.0
Djokovic's quarter: 46.2

That is awesome. Finally a bit of luck for Nadal. Hopefully he doesn't drop a set. He's had some shockingly difficult draws at Wimbledon, while Federer got the cakewalks.

booson · May 27, 2014

NADALRECORD said:
That is awesome. Finally a bit of luck for Nadal. Hopefully he doesn't drop a set.

That's beyond luck

dafinch · May 28, 2014

NADALRECORD said:
The fact that Djokovic and Nadal were 3-3 in the final set at Rome is a bad sign for Djokovic. Because Nadal is getting better each week. Plus its pretty obvious who responds best to the pressure at Roland Garros. I don't think the Rome result was a big enough buffer for Djokovic to feel confident at Roland Garros vs Nadal. Djokovic needed to win it in straight sets like last year's Monte Carlo. I must admit I'm extremely confident about Nadal at Roland Garros this year. Whereas last year I did not know what to expect at Roland Garros, because it had been a while since Nadal played best-of-5-sets and his court movement wasn't great during last year's clay season. Whereas Nadal's movement at Rome during those marathons was outstanding. Nadal is moving better now than he moved in 2013.

Do you think if you keep repeating that stupid, nonsensical, brain dead crap enough times, it'll actually be true?!?! Your whining about BP being tired(in a 5 round, best of 3 tournament) because he was weak enough to allow "long matches" earlier(before getting crushed like a cockroach by 2 service breaks, despite the fact that you're acting like it was accomplishment to reach 3-3 in the third set makes NO sense, especially since he's now playing in a 7 round, best of five tournament.

NADALRECORD · May 28, 2014

^ In case you didn't know, there are no days-off in a masters event. So if Nadal plays three consecutive 3-setters in the space of three days its actually more difficult than in a slam (I know slams are best-of-5-sets but at Roland Garros Nadal will win in straight sets usually). At Roland Garros so far: Round One 60 63 60 and after then TWO FULL DAYS holiday, and now Round 2....

NADALRECORD · May 28, 2014

Plus there is another factor: Nadal's matches are traditionally more lopsided at the slams than at the non-slams. Its a combination of Nadal being extra pumped up for the slams (I know he give 100% physical effort to the non-slams too, but MENTALLY there is extra enthusiasm at the slams) and Nadal's opponents being too nervous at the slams. Nadal has more lopsided sets at the slams, and has rarely gone to 5 sets over the last few years. Hasn't been to 5 sets at the US Open since 2004. And only 2 five-setters ever at Roland Garros. And since 2009 he's only played one 5-setter at the AO (2012). Wimbledon is the only slam Nadal has played regular 5-setters.

dafinch · May 28, 2014

NADALRECORD said:
^ In case you didn't know, there are no days-off in a masters event. So if Nadal plays three consecutive 3-setters in the space of three days its actually more difficult than in a slam (I know slams are best-of-5-sets but at Roland Garros Nadal will win in straight sets usually). At Roland Garros so far: Round One 60 63 60 and after then TWO FULL DAYS holiday, and now Round 2....

Are you REALLY so clueless to think that a player should be cut some slack for playing long matches, thus "fatiguing" him for finals?!?! Plus, you initially lied and said that BP lost the third set by only 1 service break(and, even THAT is irrelevant, I don't care if he lost a tiebreaker 100-98, he LOST), when, in point of fact, he lost by 2 service breaks. Now you're crowing that he "held on" till 3-3 in the third set(whereupon you conveniently ignore the fact that he won no more games), as if that's kind of big accomplishment, unreal...

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