Hypothetical matchup - 2024 OG Nadal v/s Peak Serena Williams - BO3, who wins?

[Rafa4LifeEver]

Alright, you read the title.

On one hand, we have Rafa on the cusp of retirement, playing one of his last professional tournaments at Olympic games v/s Peak Serena Williams, the thunderstorm player who blasted the entire WTA tour for years into submission, completely dominating the sport.

Who's gonna win when these two legends collide? Vote and discuss.

Please keep your posts civilised.

 

[zakopinjo]

Rafa 6:3 6:2

 

[inflation_era]

Depends on the age of Serena's daughter, because she is a mother you know.

 

[Lleytonstation]

Rafa had nothing at OG. Peak Serena was a monster. Serena takes this easily. Rafa was half what he once was, and I would say Serena is about 60% of Rafa in her peak.

 

[Sport]

Rafael 6-0, 6-0.

 

[Berrettini_Fan]

On which surface?

 

[Purestriker]

Rafael 6-0, 6-0.

I tend to agee, would be shocked if she got a game a set.

 

[Sport]

Rafa had nothing at OG. Peak Serena was a monster. Serena takes this easily. Rafa was half what he once was, and I would say Serena is about 60% of Rafa in her peak.

Beautiful post of trollistic nature; but will reply as if it were serious.

Could Serena break Novak's serve twice at the Olympics like Rafa did? Not even Raz managed to do that.

Nah, Serena is losing 6-0, 6-0 to both Novak and Rafa from the 2024 Olympics.

Serena was annihilated 6-1 by Braasch (ranked #203) in 1998, just the year before she won her first Slam. Rafa was #161 at the Olympics 2024 and had beaten the #11 De Miñaur in Madrid 2024, two top 50 the previous week in Baastad (Norrie and Navone), not to mention the top 85 Fucsovics at the Olympics. Are you suggesting Serena was beating a top 50, let alone top 11 of the world at her peak? Get real, my friend. Don't let the smoke of your Serena fanboyism tarnish the glasses with which you're analyzing this.

 

[Sport]

No version of any woman is beating a Nadal, the King of clay, while he's still an active player.

Nadal won 14 RG against men, and was serving to win the second set against the top 4 Zverev at RG 2024. Serena only won 3 RG... against women. And lost 1-6 her only set disputed against a man (ranked outside the top 200). What the hell is she supposed to do against Rafa?

Put 2002 Serena at the peak of her velocity against 2024 Rafa, and she's still losing 6-0, 6-0.

 

[paolo2143]

Rafa had nothing at OG. Peak Serena was a monster. Serena takes this easily. Rafa was half what he once was, and I would say Serena is about 60% of Rafa in her peak.

Thanks for making me laugh lol. At her peak and Rafa's peak she would be lucky to win a single game at RG best of three sets. Serena at her peak against aging Rafa at Olympics or RG this year maybe 6-3 6-3 Rafa

 

[Jonesy]

You have to be pretty ignorant on tennis levels to think Serena would stand a chance. It would be an accomplishment if she were to win a game.

 

[Neptune]

Rafa's 2024 record is 12-7, including a win over No.11 ADM.
Let's be real—the poll should ask how many total games peak Serena can win.

 

[nolefam_2024]

As far as I remember Nadal's forehand topspin shown in 6 kings was 2500 rpms. Pretty low. But its near highest level of WTA. Sabalenka hit around 2800.

Now going on clay, Nadal can still kick it up a notch to 3500 easy.

Nadal's problem was movement but also his serve in 2024. His serve speed dropped down to 112 mph avg first serve and around 90 mph avg on second serve. Just take it into account, he was playing without first serve virtually this season and beating top 10 player once.
Don't WTA players play like that? Even Serena, she is WTA player. Her serve is top 3 ever in WTA but its exactly same as Nadal's serve in 2024 with abdomen injury.

It would probably be good match with Serena winning a few games though. All Nadal stats are in WTA territory in 2024. Except the SPIN which he can crack up to 3500.

 

[Lleytonstation]

Beautiful post of trollistic nature; but will reply as if it were serious.

Could Serena break Novak's serve twice at the Olympics like Rafa did? Not even Raz managed to do that.

Nah, Serena is losing 6-0, 6-0 to both Novak and Rafa from the 2024 Olympics.

Serena was annihilated 6-1 by Braasch (ranked #203) in 1998, just the year before she won her first Slam. Rafa was #161 at the Olympics 2024 and had beaten the #11 De Miñaur in Madrid 2024, two top 50 the previous week in Baastad (Norrie and Navone), not to mention the top 85 Fucsovics at the Olympics. Are you suggesting Serena was beating a top 50, let alone top 11 of the world at her peak? Get real, my friend. Don't let the smoke of your Serena fanboyism tarnish the glasses with which you're analyzing this.

Yeah, but I prefer it my way. I mean, why is this question even being asked? Rafa was not himself, and I think this is either poking fun at people who say that, or going overboard in the other direction.

 

[nolefam_2024]

Yeah, but I prefer it my way. I mean, why is this question even being asked? Rafa was not himself, and I think this is either poking fun at people who say that, or going overboard in the other direction.

It would not be 6-0 6-0 I think. Something like 6-2 6-2 or even better match. Competitive.

 

[NoleFam]

Beautiful post of trollistic nature; but will reply as if it were serious.

Could Serena break Novak's serve twice at the Olympics like Rafa did? Not even Raz managed to do that.

Nah, Serena is losing 6-0, 6-0 to both Novak and Rafa from the 2024 Olympics.

Serena was annihilated 6-1 by Braasch (ranked #203) in 1998, just the year before she won her first Slam. Rafa was #161 at the Olympics 2024 and had beaten the #11 De Miñaur in Madrid 2024, two top 50 the previous week in Baastad (Norrie and Navone), not to mention the top 85 Fucsovics at the Olympics. Are you suggesting Serena was beating a top 50, let alone top 11 of the world at her peak? Get real, my friend. Don't let the smoke of your Serena fanboyism tarnish the glasses with which you're analyzing this.

Dude she was a 16 year old girl, lol. I think when they mean peak Serena, they mean 20 or 21 year old Serena. 20 or 21 year old Serena isn't losing 6-0 6-0 to slowed down Nadal closing in on 40. Let's remember 2008 Serena aced Djokovic twice right before he won the AO. She would definitely win games against slowed down Nadal.

 

[nolefam_2024]

Dude she was a 16 year old girl, lol. I think when they mean peak Serena, they mean 20 or 21 year old Serena. 20 or 21 year old Serena isn't losing 6-0 6-0 to slowed down Nadal closing in on 40. Let's remember 2008 Serena aced Djokovic twice in 2007 right before he won the AO. She would definitely wins games against slowed down Nadal.

Also remember the serve. His serve was a joke this year.

ATP players are far better than WTA because of the serve and +1 advantage.

 

[Lleytonstation]

On which surface?

 

[Sport]

Dude she was a 16 year old girl, lol. I think when they mean peak Serena, they mean 20 or 21 year old Serena. 20 or 21 year old Serena isn't losing 6-0 6-0 to slowed down Nadal closing in on 40. Let's remember 2008 Serena aced Djokovic twice right before he won the AO. She would definitely win games against slowed down Nadal.

Calm down, no need to call me "dude", we know each other very well after years of posting. Yeah, I could see Serena winning some games, why not?

 

[MichaelNadal]

Yall need therapy

 

[NoleFam]

Calm down, no need to call me "dude", we know each other very well after years of posting. Yeah, I could see Serena winning some games, why not?

No harm meant at all and I don't think that is anything more than calm. Just saying, 38 year old Nadal who is much slower and not that match fit will not white wash her at her peak.

 

[TheGoldenEra1990’s]

Serena wouldn’t win a game

 

[tennis_pro]

Rafael 6-0, 6-0.

This. Nadal could still handle top 100 players.

This won't even be competitive unless the dude is ranked below top 400/500.

 

[Dominic & Andrey]

Delete OP ban thread.

 

[jm1980]

There's no chance any version of Serena gets a result other than 0-2, even against this Nadal.

A better question would be, how many games does Serena manage to win?

 

[AAATSportingGoods]

I played at the futures level 10-15yrs ago. Stopped playing for 7 yrs and just got back to it. Still beating women ranked in the top 300. Rafa would demolish Serena. This is such a silly thread.

 

[NatF]

Would be a bloodbath, the physicality gap is just too huge still - the weight and shape of his shots would be totally outside her comfort zone. She'd have to redline on serve as well to even have a chance of holding.

 

[Darrell]

There is ZERO chance peak Serena would beat this year's version of Rafa, even with his steep physical decline. Let's not forget that he still beat a few guys, and those guys that he beat would mop prime Serena.