Alcaraz: “I hear from other players that practised with Rafa in these past weeks and they said he’s going to return to his good level. His top level”

[ALCARAZWON]

Alcaraz, who has lost two of his three meetings with Nadal, said his compatriot was at a 100% after watching videos of him practising.
“I hear from other players that practised with Rafa in these past weeks and they said he’s going to return to his good level. His top level,” Alcaraz said.

Djokovic, Alcaraz say Nadal will reach top level after injury return

RIYADH, Dec 28 — Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz expect Rafa Nadal to be at his competitive best at the Australian Open next month despite a hip injury that wiped out the...

www.malaymail.com

 

[MichaelNadal]

We will know more later bc he practiced with Rune today

 

[Phoenix*]

Lmao, both Djo & Alca are hyping him up to fail.

 

[Hitman]

They are hyping him without actually watching him themselves....guess they don't want him to go around saying he is the underdog.

 

[Dwell]

 

[Terenigma]

They're just hyping him because you don't underrate someone who has won 22 slams and it keeps expectations in check.

We won't know until we see him on court this weekend for Brisbane but even so, that still might not tell us if he's ready for Grand slam conditions which honestly, I doubt. Even at 80% he could be competitive and maybe even still beat a good chunk of the top 50 but winning slams? I think we've seen the last of him, at least on hard-court.

 

[ALCARAZWON]

No chance of Nadal being worse than 2020 Rome, that's for sure.
Diego destroyed him in straight sets there, and Nadal was 9-0 vs Diego before that.

Diego Schwartzman Stuns Rafael Nadal In Rome | ATP Tour | Tennis

Nobody beats Diego Schwartzman 10 times in a row. Not even Rafael Nadal. Schwartzman stunned nine-time Rome champion Nadal 6-2, 7-5 after two hours and four minutes on Saturday evening to reach the semi-finals of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia. Entering the match, Nadal had won all nine of...

www.atptour.com

 

[Jonas78]

As i said - if he reaches only one SF pre RG, he will be my fav in Paris.

 

[jxs653]

Perhaps I am wrong but I am not that optimistic. He got this health problem basically because he overused his body. How can overused body part can be fresh again?

 

[ALCARAZWON]

He had surgery to repair and refresh his damaged body part.
Same as the end of 2018 he had ankle surgery and then came to the AO 2019 and won 18 sets in a row (but would have been better off playing a couple of 5-setters to prepare him for playing Djokovic).
I think here in 2024 the advantage Nadal has, is he'll receive a rush of adrenaline by treating this as his last AO, so it'll help him play with major energy (even if he knows in the back of his mind that he'll probably be back in 2025).

 

[Jonesy]

Nadal is ready to have his own era.

 

[ALCARAZWON]

Nadal's era was 2005-2022, he accomplished the biggest feat in tennis and sports history during that period.
Nobody has ever dominated anything as much as Nadal has dominated Roland Garros, plus its the most physically and mentally fatiguing event in tennis.
But his era can continue into 2024 if he wins Roland Garros again, and 2025, and I think it will.

 

[BeatlesFan]

We will know more later bc he practiced with Rune today

Holger bae looking ripped.

 

[Genie Of the Bank]

Nadal's era was 2005-2022, he accomplished the biggest feat in tennis and sports history during that period.
Nobody has ever dominated anything as much as Nadal has dominated Roland Garros, plus its the most physically and mentally fatiguing event in tennis.
But his era can continue into 2024 if he wins Roland Garros again, and 2025, and I think it will.

Nice try, still Nadal is second in the era of Djokovic.
Record 24 slams the most dominant ( triple career slam) .
Record 40 masters (Double Golden Masters).
Record 7 WTF ( Rafa zero)
Record of 409 weeks at number one ( Rafa 209)
Ending as number one a record 8 time (Rafa 5 times).
I give Rafa full credit for Olympic golds and Davis cup performance together with his Spain teammates.

To me Rafa is still half step slow on his left foot, the rest of his game seems ok .

 

[jackson vile]

We don’t know anything until we see him play at a few slams. That’s the only reason he’s back and I expect that he’ll give his soul at those slams.

 

[SpinWizard]

Even Brisbane won't be good indicator where he is right now. We should wait a least couple of matches or tournaments. I remember that during 2022 epic comeback Rafa played in Abu Dhabi against Andy at the end of 2021 and he looked slow as molasses. Yet in AO 2022 he looked much better when it comes to explosiveness and speed.

 

[Dwell]

Perhaps I am wrong but I am not that optimistic. He got this health problem basically because he overused his body. How can overused body part can be fresh again?

 

[SpinWizard]

Dr Cotorro is the best Ripperdoc in town.

 

[Better_Call_Raul]

Rafa at 50% still beats Tsitsipas, Zverev, Hurkacz and most of the other clowns in the Top 10.

 

[DSH]

What is Nadal's schedule going to be before RG 2024?

 

[Hitman]

What is Nadal's schedule going to be before RG 2024?

Why? Are you hoping he doesn't play and doesn't vulture RG next year?

 

[Better_Call_Raul]

We don’t know anything until we see him play at a few slams.

It is unfortunate that the public have such short memories and have already forgotten that Rafa came back from a long layoff and serious foot injury.
With rumours of retirement swirling.

Only to immediately shock everyone and raise the trophy in Melbourne 2022.
This miracle happened just last year. In 2022. It is true.
Will people ever learn not to underestimate Rafa?

 

[Nappa]

They are hyping him without actually watching him themselves....guess they don't want him to go around saying he is the underdog.

This shows they still fear him.

 

[MichaelNadal]

Holger bae looking ripped.

Ok you’re starting to make me like him lol

 

[I Am Finnish]

Nadal to win GCYGS next year

 

[Pheasant]

I'm excited to see Nadal come back. Nadal has only played 8 matches since 10/2022. And he was 2-6 in those matches. This will be his age-38 season coming up in 2024. If Nadal does anything, it'll be a miracle. The guy has barely played in the last 15 months.

That being said, I will never count this guy out, despite how badly the deck is stacked against him.

 

[JoshDragon]

Alcaraz, who has lost two of his three meetings with Nadal, said his compatriot was at a 100% after watching videos of him practising.
“I hear from other players that practised with Rafa in these past weeks and they said he’s going to return to his good level. His top level,” Alcaraz said.

Djokovic, Alcaraz say Nadal will reach top level after injury return

RIYADH, Dec 28 — Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz expect Rafa Nadal to be at his competitive best at the Australian Open next month despite a hip injury that wiped out the...

www.malaymail.com

It looks like Carlos decided to give back his Wimbledon trophy.

 

[JoshDragon]

This shows they still fear him.

His power level is over 9,000!!!

 

[JoshDragon]

Nice try, still Nadal is second in the era of Djokovic.
Record 24 slams the most dominant ( triple career slam) .
Record 40 masters (Double Golden Masters).
Record 7 WTF ( Rafa zero)
Record of 409 weeks at number one ( Rafa 209)
Ending as number one a record 8 time (Rafa 5 times).
I give Rafa full credit for Olympic golds and Davis cup performance together with his Spain teammates.

To me Rafa is still half step slow on his left foot, the rest of his game seems ok .

I would say that his timing is clearly off.

He looks a bit shaky on both the forehand and the backhand.

I would next expect a deep run at the Australian Open, next year.

If he wins two rounds that's a good result with his current level of form.

 

[socallefty]

The guy had an arthroscopic surgery and this forum has been writing him off like he had a total hip replacement. He was always going to come back and his physical level should not be too bad. It will probably take him a while to get his mental game back after so much inactivity, but he is a guy who knows how to comeback fast from long injury layoffs. I bet he could have come back in the Fall if he wanted, but he rarely wants to play on low bouncing courts that don’t suit his game.

Let‘s see if his movement is compromised more than normal for his age. Djokovic and Federer have shown that you can win into the mid-late thirties.

 

[jackson vile]

It is unfortunate that the public have such short memories and have already forgotten that Rafa came back from a long layoff and serious foot injury.
With rumours of retirement swirling.

Only to immediately shock everyone and raise the trophy in Melbourne 2022.
This miracle happened just last year. In 2022. It is true.
Will people ever learn not to underestimate Rafa?

Miracle of no Novak

 

[Vincent-C]

The guy had an arthroscopic surgery and this forum has been writing him off like he had a total hip replacement. He was always going to come back and his physical level should not be too bad. It will probably take him a while to get his mental game back after so much inactivity, but he is a guy who knows how to comeback fast from long injury layoffs. I bet he could have come back in the Fall if he wanted, but he rarely wants to play on low bouncing courts that don’t suit his game.

Let‘s see if his movement is compromised more than normal for his age. Djokovic and Federer have shown that you can win into the mid-late thirties.

Indeed! With the help of Dr. Cotorro, Raffers never fails to surprise.

 

[MichaelNadal]

Indeed! With the help of Dr. Cotorro, Raffers never fails to surprise.

Dr. Cotorro needs some kind of award

 

[Fabresque]

This shows they still fear him.

It’s Nadal. Literally anybody would fear Nadal.

 

[SonnyT]

Nadal's era was 2005-2022, he accomplished the biggest feat in tennis and sports history during that period.
Nobody has ever dominated anything as much as Nadal has dominated Roland Garros, plus its the most physically and mentally fatiguing event in tennis.
But his era can continue into 2024 if he wins Roland Garros again, and 2025, and I think it will.

24-22. And Djokovic's slams are more impressive.

 

[MichaelNadal]

24-22. And Djokovic's slams are more impressive.

Phew idk about that one bestie

 

[Better_Call_Raul]

Can never count Rafa out. He can shock everybody and win the AO again just like he did in 2022.

But must also keep in mind that Rafa this is likely his farewell season.

https://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/articles/2023-06-04/rafael_nadal_gives_latest_injury_update_on_37th_birthday.html

 

[SonnyT]

Nadal hasn't won AO since 2009, without Scotty Morrison's help. He hasn't won WB since 2010, period.

 

[octobrina10]

This screenshot is out of date.

 

[Zardoz7/12]

Don't count him out.

How many times over the last at least 15 years have people wrote Nadal off and he came back?

As the Clay season dawns in 2024 Nadal by then could be match fit if he isn't already.

 

[octobrina10]

You posted out-of-date data. This info is up to date:

Pictured on 15 November this year:

 

[Vincent-C]

with a little help from his friends