ATP500 Barcelona Open 2024

[BeatlesFan]

Rafa leaving the court.

 

[mike danny]

Didn't he have this kit in 2014 SA clay season?

Not quite

 

[ALCARAZWON]

Are you serious? Let's be real, come on.

The clown with the stick legs can compete with Nadal on clay?
You get real... and wake me when Sinner wins a set.
Sinner couldn't even beat Sissy last week...
Soon to be 4-0 H2H

 

[Hitman]

27 UE from the young Italian....yeah, you ain't doing any damage to Nadal with such numbers.

 

[RS]

Nope, he is not hitting it well at all. And the serve motion also lacks explosion.

Good ending last game on the BH.

 

[>17]

 

[mike danny]

@Hitman, you're probably referring to his 2015 kit which was

 

[Kralingen]

The RG odds were a gift. My god.

 

[Hitman]

Not quite

It must be another year then

 

[BeatlesFan]

Rolling Rafa, vintage back the years.

What about his movement though? His strokes look awesome, but laterally he's either being deliberately cautious or is simply slower.

 

[messiahrobins]

it may help Rafa has not had the junk of hard court tennis to iron out of the system, this is more like the old clay court Rafa when he was truly unbeatable on the stuff. Not saying he is unbeatable now obviously but this is damn imprerssive. Whole locker room will be watching this.

 

[Hitman]

@Hitman, you're probably referring to his 2015 kit which was

Possible.

 

[>17]

there is no such thing as an unforced error when playing Nadal on clay

 

[messiahrobins]

What about his movement though? His strokes look awesome, but laterally he's either being deliberately cautious or is simply slower.

Rafa has never for the last 15 years laterally given it full gun outside slams let alone r1 of Barcelona. This is a warm up session to get confidence. It is hugely impressive really.

 

[Poisoned Slice]

Pasolini would’ve cast him as a malnourished Italian beggar if he could have.

I'd fancy his chances against the weakest emperor ever.

 

[Hitman]

@mike danny - It was his 2017 clay season that similar colors.

 

[coolcamden]

Rafa BACK baby!

 

[ALCARAZWON]

Critical question - how is the serve looking?

Same speed as what he usually serves at Roland Garros.
And obviously far better than what he served at 2022 Wimbledon when he beat Fritz...

 

[Rattie]

What about his movement though? His strokes look awesome, but laterally he's either being deliberately cautious or is simply slower.

Given it’s his first match I think a certain amount of caution is inevitable.

 

[Carax]

What about his movement though? His strokes look awesome, but laterally he's either being deliberately cautious or is simply slower.

Yeah, he's not moving that great, but hopefully that'll improve after some matches. That is, if he can stay healthy.

 

[Djokovic_is_the_best#1]

it may help Rafa has not had the junk of hard court tennis to iron out of the system, this is more like the old clay court Rafa when he was truly unbeatable on the stuff. Not saying he is unbeatable now obviously but this is damn imprerssive. Whole locker room will be watching this.

I think it been very good for Rafa to avoid hard courts coming into clay courts. His body looks fresher and that bodes better for him.

We will see how he goes

 

[NaDjoFed]

The clown with the stick legs can compete with Nadal on clay?
You get real... and wake me when Sinner wins a set.
Sinner couldn't even beat Sissy last week...
Soon to be 4-0 H2H

all right, maybe you are right. We will maybe see in Madrid or Rome.

 

[ALCARAZWON]

Rafa's service motion is definitely different, like he's struggling a bit to land his feet after hitting the ball.

And still serving 180-185kmh, the speed he often serves at RG.

 

[tennisjedi]

Dropshotdal.

 

[BeatlesFan]

What a drop shot!

 

[Hitman]

Nadal's like - You ain't going to out Nadal me on those returns. LOL

 

[RS]

Nice dropper.

 

[Znak]

what a drop

 

[mike danny]

@mike danny - It was his 2017 clay season that similar colors.

I still prefer that purple one

 

[Krish872007]

What about his movement though? His strokes look awesome, but laterally he's either being deliberately cautious or is simply slower.

That was my comment when I saw all the recent clips from his practice sessions - of course the fundamentals will be there, lateral movement and serve were TBD...
Was not overly worried about today considering I've never heard of Cobolli. At least it's some form of hitting practice ahead of the big challenges.

 

[RS]

Rallies starting to build this is good to test Nadal's movement.

 

[Djokovic_is_the_best#1]

Rafa’s drop shots been to perfection

 

[robyrolfo]

Cobolli shaking his head. Looks a bit clueless on what to do.

He's also pretty clueless when it comes to life decisions. Riommanista di m...

Rublev out to Nakashima in straights. Is that four in a row, now?

Rublev hasn't done anything since being defaulted for yelling at that line judge.

His people have been in decline for more than 2000 years, cut him some slack.

Sinner exists

 

[mike danny]

Cobolli looks like another pretty boy Italian. Hopefully a career in modelling will pay better dividends.

 

[mike danny]

He's also pretty clueless when it comes to life decisions. Riommanista di m...

I do like to know more details.

 

[mehdimike]

Nadal moonballing on the BH side

 

[Arak]

It’s amazing how Nadal can come back from a long break and immediately play well while Djokovic and Federer usually needed a few tuneup matches.

 

[NYTennisfan]

I know this opponent is a true Mug but Rafa looks good to me all things considered, about as good as we could hope for at this part of the process.

 

[ALCARAZWON]

it may help Rafa has not had the junk of hard court tennis to iron out of the system, this is more like the old clay court Rafa when he was truly unbeatable on the stuff. Not saying he is unbeatable now obviously but this is damn imprerssive. Whole locker room will be watching this.

I've been begging Moya to ask Rafa to skip hardcourts, because that is where his injuries begin.

 

[Hitman]

Nadal stands so back on returns he could be his own professional photographer

 

[Krish872007]

Holding pretty confy on serve since a DF in the first service game.

Not tested too much on the return though.

Does the motion look normal? I'm unable to watch but the speeds seem consistent with his usual

 

[tennisjedi]

Vintage Nadal winner!

 

[NaDjoFed]

wow, what a point by Rafa

 

[ojo rojo]

Classic Rafs. Bamos

 

[NYTennisfan]

Dat Forehand!!!! Vamos!!!

 

[GAS]

VAMOS

 

[FrankyRelax]

Rafa cooking!

 

[Znak]

@mike danny - It was his 2017 clay season that similar colors.

wasn't his kit blue and white in 2017?

 

[RS]

Does the motion look normal? I'm unable to watch but the speeds seem consistent with his usual

It's ok. Consistent at least.

 

[robyrolfo]

Cobolli's coach telling him to "do what he does during rallies on the backhand. Take fewer risks." Cobollis seemed to gesture that the ball is coming in very high, and his coach tells him "then move back."