Could 2012 be the year that Nadal retires?

[nadalwon2012]

Of course Nadal has physical decline, he had some decline this year compared to 2010, and will continue to, but he is so far ahead of the pack on clay (except for Djokovic). Nadal can afford to fall to his 2009 Roland Garros level and still win. If he had won that 4th set tie-breaker vs Soderling in 2009 he may have won Roland Garros. He can hit extremely short into the court and move slower and still be beating 99% of players. And I haven't even put into the equation the possibility of Nadal getting an easy draw. If 32-year-old Nadal got an easy draw at Roland Garros (a couple of the big guns knocked out early) then he will probably win even if he's a shadow of himself. His topspin forehand is incredibly dangerous on this surface.

 

[helloworld]

Of course Nadal has physical decline, he had some decline this year compared to 2010, and will continue to, but he is so far ahead of the pack on clay (except for Djokovic). Nadal can afford to fall to his 2009 Roland Garros level and still win. If he had won that 4th set tie-breaker vs Soderling in 2009 he may have won Roland Garros. He can hit extremely short into the court and move slower and still be beating 99% of players. And I haven't even put into the equation the possibility of Nadal getting an easy draw. If 32-year-old Nadal got an easy draw at Roland Garros (a couple of the big guns knocked out early) then he will probably win even if he's a shadow of himself. His topspin forehand is incredibly dangerous on this surface.

Dude, I doubt Nadal will even be playing at 32 years old....

 

[Mustard]

Dude, I doubt Nadal will even be playing at 32 years old....

He almost certainly won't be. Nadal said in the past that 30 is probably the maximum age he will play until, which would probably take us to the end of 2016.

 

[beast of mallorca]

Dude, I doubt Nadal will even be playing at 32 years old....

Your doubt is pointless since you will never know until he says so otherwise.
Just wait and see.

 

[nadalwon2012]

Your doubt is pointless since you will never know until he says so otherwise.
Just wait and see.

Exactly, plus it tends to be that extremely intense athletes retire and then make comebacks because while their intensity forced them into retirement it also forced them out of retirement. Nadal is one of those, and no telling his future therefore.

 

[SLD76]

Exactly, plus it tends to be that extremely intense athletes retire and then make comebacks because while their intensity forced them into retirement it also forced them out of retirement. Nadal is one of those, and no telling his future therefore.

history is against you. grinders dont have a legacy of longevity in tennis.

mental/physical burnout is always around the corner.

and again, even if he is playing at advanced age, its unlikely he would play at his current level.

most doubtful really. I dont see him toiling in futility like hewitt. I bet if he fails to win FO back to back years he may hang it up

the question is obviously when would that be. nobody knows that.

 

[namelessone]

history is against you. grinders dont have a legacy of longevity in tennis.

mental/physical burnout is always around the corner.

and again, even if he is playing at advanced age, its unlikely he would play at his current level.

most doubtful really. I dont see him toiling in futility like hewitt. I bet if he fails to win FO back to back years he may hang it up

the question is obviously when would that be. nobody knows that.

Yeah, I agree, clay is Nadal's homebase and if he fails to keep his kingdom 2 years in a row then it pretty much settles it.

What many people don't seem to realize is that Nadal, with a mostly grinding game, has just finished his SEVENTH YEAR in the top 2. Federer, the 30 year old, just finished his NINTH ONE.

Nadal is in no way a spring chicken and that is aggravated even more when we consider the fact that he has grinded his body to a pulp all these years.

People need to get some perspective. Realistically, Rafa has 3, maybe 4 seasons left. I doubt he makes on tour to 30.

 

[SLD76]

Yeah, I agree, clay is Nadal's homebase and if he fails to keep his kingdom 2 years in a row then it pretty much settles it.

What many people don't seem to realize is that Nadal, with a mostly grinding game, has just finished his SEVENTH YEAR in the top 2. Federer, the 30 year old, just finished his NINTH ONE.

Nadal is in no way a spring chicken and that is aggravated even more when we consider the fact that he has grinded his body to a pulp all these years.

People need to get some perspective. Realistically, Rafa has 3, maybe 4 seasons left. I doubt he makes on tour to 30.

fed isnt in the top 2 but still, I get your point. Fed has been top 3 for a millions years same as Rafa.

 

[vive le beau jeu !]

why wait so many months ?... fishing can't wait !

 

[nadalwon2012]

Michael Jordan was a grinder, and he had knee tendinitis from his early 20s until his final retirement at age 40. In fact he had even worse than that, he had regular back spasms in his 20s too. Jordan made 2 comebacks.

People assume Jordan was 'just really talented and super-athletic' but the fact remains, there have been several players with greater vertical leaps than Jordan, and in terms of speed he was not even the fastest player in his team. Horace Grant holds the record for fastest sprint times in Chicago Bulls training. And according to reports by Sam Smith (the journalist who traveled everywhere the Bulls went during the 1990-91 season), Jordan lifted weights in a separate room to his teammates so they could not see that he lifted less than them.

More than anything else, Jordan was special because nobody worked harder than him. Not Larry Bird, not Magic Johnson....nobody worked harder than Michael Jordan. He is indicative of a grinder, and one of the few players who gave 100% energy expenditure at both the offensive and defensive end.

 

[beast of mallorca]

why wait so many months ?... fishing can't wait !

Just so Rafa can annoy you with some more double scissor kicks, fist pumping and yowling, and the patented butt picking....just for you.

Vamos Rafaito !!!

 

[hchuee]

Michael Jordan was a grinder, and he had knee tendinitis from his early 20s until his final retirement at age 40. In fact he had even worse than that, he had regular back spasms in his 20s too. Jordan made 2 comebacks.

People assume Jordan was 'just really talented and super-athletic' but the fact remains, there have been several players with greater vertical leaps than Jordan, and in terms of speed he was not even the fastest player in his team. Horace Grant holds the record for fastest sprint times in Chicago Bulls training. And according to reports by Sam Smith (the journalist who traveled everywhere the Bulls went during the 1990-91 season), Jordan lifted weights in a separate room to his teammates so they could not see that he lifted less than them.

More than anything else, Jordan was special because nobody worked harder than him. Not Larry Bird, not Magic Johnson....nobody worked harder than Michael Jordan. He is indicative of a grinder, and one of the few players who gave 100% energy expenditure at both the offensive and defensive end.

Are you seriously comparing a team sport like basketball to playing singles in tennis?

 

[tusharlovesrafa]

why wait so many months ?... fishing can't wait !

He wants to butt pick in front of you so many times so that you can jump from your balcony from the humiliation....

 

[Sentinel]

He wants to butt pick in front of you so many times so that you can jump from your balcony from the humiliation....

OMG. tush, I am horrified at your behavior ! :shock:

 

[SLD76]

Are you seriously comparing a team sport like basketball to playing singles in tennis?

what the hell is a talking about Jordan was a grinder?

that post is so full of fail one doesnt know where to start.