Poisoned Slice
Bionic Poster
Come on man, he looked so cool.
Still have my Darth Maul figure from when I was little. Loved that dude even if his lightsaber is stupid.
+1 for me being sucker for childhood action figure memories. lol
2018 US Open SF - Rafael Nadal (1) vs JM Del Potro (3)
- Thread starter tennis_pro
- Start date
+1 for me being sucker for childhood action figure memories. lol
Tennisgods
Hall of Fame
I’ve been thinking about this. In his presser he seemed to suggest that the problem went away after the Kachanov match but returned for this one.
In all honesty, I think he should be listening to his body better. Which means that, given what we know, he perhaps should not even have played the Khachanov match. This is a player who knows what his knee troubles are all about; first sign of a problem and he should be throttling back, maybe looking to end points very early with higher risk. It just seems he can’t.
I think much will depend on how long he’s out for now, in terms of how much playing on has cost him. I’m certain he’ll be advised to rest for a while at least.
In answer to the opportunity thing, they say never give a sucker an even break. I’ve no problem that he makes them earn it. But you’re right, playing those matches may have hurt him more in the long run.
moonballs
Hall of Fame
I am glad I was able to watch the first set live before having to take care of something then catch fhe train. The first set was close but clearly Nadal was not able to abuse Delpos backhand as many here had taken for granted. Good for Delpo getting the payback for the five setter loss in Wimbledon. I think he has a decent chance to win the final.
Mainad
Bionic Poster
EloQuent
Legend
Problem there is Nadal still has tons of clay points. Delpo's body won't hold that long.
prairiegirl
Hall of Fame
How is it he was fine the rest of the tournament?
EloQuent
Legend
Pretty fair assessment
StannisTheMannis
Hall of Fame
If you kids say you love new Star Wars, I am definitely going to sign off forever from TT.
BeatlesFan
Bionic Poster
@Incognito --Props!! It's unfortunate Rafa is injured, but you deserve credit for your prediction.
Towser83
G.O.A.T.
I said before the start of the event, Nadal is probably favourite if in a final but Nole is the favourite to actually reach the final in the first place.
Anyway, great win for Delpo to be back in a slam final after all his injuries and 3 slams losses to Nadal in the last 4 slams, each one doing a little better. Thought in the last round he was looking good for the title then thought Nadal had had his test vs Thiem. But Good luck Delpo, not sure who I want to win but pleased with either result really!
Anyway, great win for Delpo to be back in a slam final after all his injuries and 3 slams losses to Nadal in the last 4 slams, each one doing a little better. Thought in the last round he was looking good for the title then thought Nadal had had his test vs Thiem. But Good luck Delpo, not sure who I want to win but pleased with either result really!
King No1e
G.O.A.T.
Kneedal retires from injury AGAIN
He won't have a knee left to walk with if he keeps playing every tournament all year like this.
Squeezing every last ounce of strength and endurance from his body in order to continue his gladiator style game comes at a cost. I don't want to see him in a wheelchair at 40, so for your own sake Rafa....please protect your health over all else!
He won't have a knee left to walk with if he keeps playing every tournament all year like this.
Squeezing every last ounce of strength and endurance from his body in order to continue his gladiator style game comes at a cost. I don't want to see him in a wheelchair at 40, so for your own sake Rafa....please protect your health over all else!
BeatlesFan
Bionic Poster
Age catches up to everyone. Nadal retired in 2/4 majors this year at age 32. That's all inevitable.Sad way for it to end. I feel genuinely bad for all the decent Nadal fans on here.
BeatlesFan
Bionic Poster
Translation: For Nole fans sake, please retire!!!! Please get out with 17 slams so Nole might have a tiny chance of passing you. Rafa....PLEASE retire NOW!
mike danny
Bionic Poster
It just struck me thatFedal haven't played much this year.
Fed is 36-6
Nadal is 36-4. Last year he played 65 matches by the end of the USO.
They can't handle a full schedule anymore.
Nadal in particular has only played 40 matches and has still got injured twice.
Fed is 36-6
Nadal is 36-4. Last year he played 65 matches by the end of the USO.
They can't handle a full schedule anymore.
Nadal in particular has only played 40 matches and has still got injured twice.
Rafa is at a point in his career where he should just focus on 1-2 slams...He should just avoid playing wimbledon since that is his weakest surface and probably alternate between the US and Australian open.....He has nothing left to prove....If he wins the french open in the next couple of years, I would consider those as bonus slams......Roger and Rafa's careers are near the end....That's very hard to admit as a fan but all good things come to an end.....
King No1e
G.O.A.T.
I will admit I have multiple reasons to want Nadal to skip AO and/or USO.Translation: For Nole fans sake, please retire!!!! Please get out with 17 slams so Nole might have a tiny chance of passing you. Rafa....PLEASE retire NOW!
mike danny
Bionic Poster
Injury and endurance are conected. Injury did him in because of all the long matches he has played this year. His Wimb and USO campaigns this year were brutal.
King No1e
G.O.A.T.
Nah, I say he should lessen his focus on hard court and focus on the IW-Wimbledon stretch (natural surfaces are easier on his body), and maybe Paris/WTF since he's never won there
King No1e
G.O.A.T.
But then the rivalry is dead. I want Djokovic to win, but not at the cost of his great rival's retirement.Translation: For Nole fans sake, please retire!!!! Please get out with 17 slams so Nole might have a tiny chance of passing you. Rafa....PLEASE retire NOW!
It's like how McEnroe won most of his slams after Borg retired. Mac fans must have enjoyed the wins, but it just wasn't the same without his great rival.
marc45
G.O.A.T.
Kalin
Legend
I watched the entire Nadal-Thiem match. Rafa outgrinded the fittest guy on Tour in a 5-hour match. His knee was absolutely fine.
BeatlesFan
Bionic Poster
All true, but I can't stop interjecting: Nadal isn't even a generational rival of Fed he's five years younger than he is. That is an enormous difference past 30. Fed still stumbled to one major in 2018 at age 36. Nadal is still three slams behind Roger, which is the same differential as 5 years ago.
King No1e
G.O.A.T.
You saw the Khachanov match. His knee was bothering him. The Thiem match must have been the breaking point
I don't know...I still believe that he has a higher chance of winning a slam on hard courts than on grass...If he wants to maximize his slam winning potential in the coming years, he should just avoid wimbledon....Besides, I want to see Nole get some competition on the hard courts....
King No1e
G.O.A.T.
Exactly what I've been saying forever. Though whether that's relevant now is unclear, since Nadal is very likely burning out before 36, unless he gets with a spiritual guru and starts doing daily yoga and meditation like Djokovic.
Kalin
Legend
No, I didn't. Very possibly... but he looked absolutely fine vs Thiem. Of course, it doesn't mean much, the injury could have come back. But nobody can convince me Rafa was less than 100% vs Dominic.
Knee ot not, this 5-setter was a killer, Rafa spent too much energy there.
Grand Slams should maybe slow down courts even more to ensure 7-hour matches. That will show 'em!
BeatlesFan
Bionic Poster
Um... no. Just plain no. Name any younger (or older) player on tour who can look this good in this kit:
King No1e
G.O.A.T.
Come on....Djokovic would whip Nadal at AO. Wimbledon should be Nadal's biggest focus now, as he already showed a return to form on grass this year, so he should try to make up for those lost years on grass. An aggressive game like he adopted this year would be helpful too.
The next gen is all about hard courts and will provide good competition for Nole.
DRII
G.O.A.T.
he's always going to have 'long' matches, thats his game and overall its served him very well.
although he has added things to shorten points like coming to the net more. still, Nadal is Nadal.
King No1e
G.O.A.T.
He looks like Bane. He's even more ripped now than he was in 2008.Um... no. Just plain no. Name any younger (or older) player on tour who can look this good in this kit:
Still, the sleeveless look was for Nadal as the young challenger. Nadal the champion needs something more classy, like USO10 or Miami/MC 11-esque outfits (this year's clay, RG, and Toronto kits too)
BeatlesFan
Bionic Poster
I say he plays nothing for the rest of the year. The stats pundits here can figure out how that impacts the YE #1 ranking.
BeatlesFan
Bionic Poster
I won't weigh in on that, the question was-- what other male pro could look this good in this kit? Fucsovics is the only one.
TheFifthSet
Legend
Those people need some perspective. Break rates were higher then, much higher, on every surface...obvs Poly has changed the game, made s and v less prevalent (but I think it's as much to do with the fact that poly has enabled the serve + fh to be more reliable than the serve + first volley)...but it was objectively easier to return serve so the 'serve-botting' complaints are out of place. There was also more parity in the 90's.
Super fun era and good mix of styles.
King No1e
G.O.A.T.
Monfils and Del Potro come to mind (look back to 2009).
And no, not Fuscovics. Sergio Tacchini is THE definitive best tennis apparel brand and any switch to something different is a step down. Learned that the hard way when Djokovic switched to Uniqlo.
Dlabsiladan
New User
No?
“*Nadal” should be in the record book
“*Nadal” should be in the record book
Um... no. Just plain no. Name any younger (or older) player on tour who can look this good in this kit:
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mike danny
Bionic Poster
Which is good news, as 3 weeks ago he had to withdraw from Toronto due to a bad wrist.
King No1e
G.O.A.T.
Still, the sleeveless look was for Nadal as the young challenger. Nadal the champion needs something more classy, like USO10 or Miami/MC 11-esque outfits (this year's clay, RG, and Toronto kits too)Um... no. Just plain no. Name any younger (or older) player on tour who can look this good in this kit:
mightyrick
Legend
Hm. Do me a favor. Own your own business. Your question will answer itself.
Have tons of people depending on you for salary, commission, and profit sharing. Have companies depending on you for partnership. Have 12 month plans already set into motion which involve hundreds of people.
Then come back and ask yourself why someone might want to see if they can limp along a bit longer or give themselves a bit more time.
The answer should be clear.
Dlabsiladan
New User
.
Slightly D1
Professional
Do you remember the last time Nadal went out of a major without losing in 5 sets aside from withdrawing due to injury?
We’ll never know what could have happened in this match if his knee was healthy this tournament.
Raul_SJ
G.O.A.T.
It's a Slam. Retiring is not an option. He needed to finish it.
Im(moral) Winner
G.O.A.T.
AO 2015 against Berdych. Good times.
Mark-Touch
Legend
BeatlesFan
Bionic Poster
He was also fine during the AO in January until he was drug into a long match against Cilic. He retired there as well.
Slightly D1
Professional
Right up there with the great Greek philosophers and modern day geniouses eh?Wow that is some profound statement!
