AnOctorokForDinner
Talk Tennis Guru
Clay:
2007 Nadal: super dominant, routined everyone but the toughest opponents. Dominated MC and Barcelona, bested supercharged Davydenko in epic Rome SF, one loss in Hamburg final when he was fairly tired and Federer was zoning like mad, but responded with a brilliant RG capped off with a massively clutch performance against peak Federer in the final.
2011 Nadal: dropped a 2-6 set to Murray in MC (Rafa's best haven in BO3, wot ze hell?), dropped TB sets to Lorenzi in Rome and two to Isner at RG, struggled with past-prime Fedr more than with peak one in 07, oh and of course he lost twice to Djokovic but that's not even the main problem as I showed.
Grass:
2007 Nadal: struggled early on but found peak form in 4R/QF and gave still near-peak Fedr a great scare in the final, could've won if a few points went his way.
2011 Nadal: struggled less en route but completely fudged it up mentally in the final, 1/6 BP saved with a breadstick lolwot is this. Novak was good but with his dropping sets to Baghdatis and Tomic he certainly wasn't on the level of 07 Grasserer.
Hard:
aha, this one is the closest obviously but even there 07dal's superiority shines through:
2007 Nadal:
beat a solid Murray at AO then lost to supercharged Gonzo (same shyt happened in 08 vs Tsonga, it is ok), put up a masterful peak display in IW (didn't drop a set, broken only 3 times in 6 matches, umbilleevel), was strong in Miami and Canada losing to eventual champ Djokovic.
Was sick in Cincy (retired) and had his usual knee thing at the USO, outlasted by Ferrer, so those are excused. Back to strong for his standards (considering indoor weakness) in Madrid and Paris - got destroyed by eventual champ Nalbandian both times, but at least he made it that far.
Made YEC SF, lost to goating Fedr (could've played better but Fed was in unbreakable bot mode anyway, 80% 1st serve you kidding me)
2011 Nadal:
pulled hamstring, lost easily to Ferrer at the AO. Had the draw of gods at IW (no top 80 players xD) and started well vs Djo but then forgot how to hit 1st serve (ridiculous for someone serving as safely as nads) and got pwned badly - worse than 07. Played extremely well in Miami losing serve just once before F, gave his all vs BOATOV1C losing in 3rd set TB - better than 07. So far so good when healthy.
But then disgustery erupts: epic choke to Dodig (huh?) in Canada, destroyed himself in self-imposed epic vs Verdaco in Cincy and lost easily to Fish, made USO final looking ok but got pwned badly and had to engage 9000% mode to sneak a set, destroyed in Tokyo final by Murray (last two sets), botty loss to Mayer in Shanghai, destroyed by Fedr in YEC RR (lost RR 1-2 record).
Basically 11 Nadal only looks better cause of the USO, but it wasn't great given the pwnage (and that selfsame PEAKOV1C just barely escaped old bones in SF). Other than that, he sux'd pretty sad for his standards post-Wimbledon despite playing healthy, whereas 2007 Nadal maintained composure throughout the entire season except Cincy-USO when he was traditionally injured so it doesn't count.
2007 Nadal: super dominant, routined everyone but the toughest opponents. Dominated MC and Barcelona, bested supercharged Davydenko in epic Rome SF, one loss in Hamburg final when he was fairly tired and Federer was zoning like mad, but responded with a brilliant RG capped off with a massively clutch performance against peak Federer in the final.
2011 Nadal: dropped a 2-6 set to Murray in MC (Rafa's best haven in BO3, wot ze hell?), dropped TB sets to Lorenzi in Rome and two to Isner at RG, struggled with past-prime Fedr more than with peak one in 07, oh and of course he lost twice to Djokovic but that's not even the main problem as I showed.
Grass:
2007 Nadal: struggled early on but found peak form in 4R/QF and gave still near-peak Fedr a great scare in the final, could've won if a few points went his way.
2011 Nadal: struggled less en route but completely fudged it up mentally in the final, 1/6 BP saved with a breadstick lolwot is this. Novak was good but with his dropping sets to Baghdatis and Tomic he certainly wasn't on the level of 07 Grasserer.
Hard:
aha, this one is the closest obviously but even there 07dal's superiority shines through:
2007 Nadal:
beat a solid Murray at AO then lost to supercharged Gonzo (same shyt happened in 08 vs Tsonga, it is ok), put up a masterful peak display in IW (didn't drop a set, broken only 3 times in 6 matches, umbilleevel), was strong in Miami and Canada losing to eventual champ Djokovic.
Was sick in Cincy (retired) and had his usual knee thing at the USO, outlasted by Ferrer, so those are excused. Back to strong for his standards (considering indoor weakness) in Madrid and Paris - got destroyed by eventual champ Nalbandian both times, but at least he made it that far.
Made YEC SF, lost to goating Fedr (could've played better but Fed was in unbreakable bot mode anyway, 80% 1st serve you kidding me)
2011 Nadal:
pulled hamstring, lost easily to Ferrer at the AO. Had the draw of gods at IW (no top 80 players xD) and started well vs Djo but then forgot how to hit 1st serve (ridiculous for someone serving as safely as nads) and got pwned badly - worse than 07. Played extremely well in Miami losing serve just once before F, gave his all vs BOATOV1C losing in 3rd set TB - better than 07. So far so good when healthy.
But then disgustery erupts: epic choke to Dodig (huh?) in Canada, destroyed himself in self-imposed epic vs Verdaco in Cincy and lost easily to Fish, made USO final looking ok but got pwned badly and had to engage 9000% mode to sneak a set, destroyed in Tokyo final by Murray (last two sets), botty loss to Mayer in Shanghai, destroyed by Fedr in YEC RR (lost RR 1-2 record).
Basically 11 Nadal only looks better cause of the USO, but it wasn't great given the pwnage (and that selfsame PEAKOV1C just barely escaped old bones in SF). Other than that, he sux'd pretty sad for his standards post-Wimbledon despite playing healthy, whereas 2007 Nadal maintained composure throughout the entire season except Cincy-USO when he was traditionally injured so it doesn't count.
