I think Nadal has lost a 1/2 step

rallyjunkie

Banned
THis is only a theory. I say this with all due respect to Rafa who is the greatest player I have ever seen play this sport. But against Ferrer it seems he has lost that fraction of speed, the half step as they call it. He was moving well and fighting hard but unlike the past he was not able to get to those wide balls. Ferrer was hammering him. He is at that same age when Chang and Hewitt lost some of their blazing speed. Nadal is much bigger and heavier than them, so it's going to hurt his game more.

I don't think there realy was an injury. Rafa really doesn't understand why he really lost. His mind could have created some hamstring thigh ache which he can then rationalize as the reason why he lost the match. The great champion that he is must have a reason in his own mind of why he failed. SO he can come back next time and fight again with full belief. The loss of speed doesn't show against lesser players, only top players can exploit it.

Rafa of course is probably in denial that he has lost anything. Or was it that Ferrer just played out of his mind, or suddenly became a stronger player, who now has raised his game to a new level?

It's a good debate. Believe me, I am not trying to discredit Rafa in any way, just saying what I believe. I think he's lost that half step and he's having trouble dealing with it. Last year was an epic year and it took something out of him, long term, like the Olympics did from Massu. Nadal is paying the stiff price for all he achieved last year. And this is why he lost to Ferrer. The amazing Nadal speed could be gone. The great reign of Rafa Nadal could be over.
 

li0scc0

Hall of Fame
No no no, the reign of Rafa is not over.
As I have posted elsewhere, I think he is simply a bit out of shape. He looks less fit, and he acts less fit. When you are a bit out of shape, you probably HAVE lost have a step.
By the French Open, I am sure he will be fine.
 

joeri888

G.O.A.T.
THis is only a theory. I say this with all due respect to Rafa who is the greatest player I have ever seen play this sport. But against Ferrer it seems he has lost that fraction of speed, the half step as they call it. He was moving well and fighting hard but unlike the past he was not able to get to those wide balls. Ferrer was hammering him. He is at that same age when Chang and Hewitt lost some of their blazing speed. Nadal is much bigger and heavier than them, so it's going to hurt his game more.

I don't think there realy was an injury. Rafa really doesn't understand why he really lost. His mind could have created some hamstring thigh ache which he can then rationalize as the reason why he lost the match. The great champion that he is must have a reason in his own mind of why he failed. SO he can come back next time and fight again with full belief. The loss of speed doesn't show against lesser players, only top players can exploit it.

Rafa of course is probably in denial that he has lost anything. Or was it that Ferrer just played out of his mind, or suddenly became a stronger player, who now has raised his game to a new level?

It's a good debate. Believe me, I am not trying to discredit Rafa in any way, just saying what I believe. I think he's lost that half step and he's having trouble dealing with it. Last year was an epic year and it took something out of him, long term, like the Olympics did from Massu. Nadal is paying the stiff price for all he achieved last year. And this is why he lost to Ferrer. The amazing Nadal speed could be gone. The great reign of Rafa Nadal could be over.

Triple facepalm.

1. You said Rafa is the best player you've ever seen play.
2. You said Rafa didn't have an injury in this match.
3. I stopped reading.
 

namelessone

Legend
THis is only a theory. I say this with all due respect to Rafa who is the greatest player I have ever seen play this sport. But against Ferrer it seems he has lost that fraction of speed, the half step as they call it. He was moving well and fighting hard but unlike the past he was not able to get to those wide balls. Ferrer was hammering him. He is at that same age when Chang and Hewitt lost some of their blazing speed. Nadal is much bigger and heavier than them, so it's going to hurt his game more.

I don't think there realy was an injury. Rafa really doesn't understand why he really lost. His mind could have created some hamstring thigh ache which he can then rationalize as the reason why he lost the match. The great champion that he is must have a reason in his own mind of why he failed. SO he can come back next time and fight again with full belief. The loss of speed doesn't show against lesser players, only top players can exploit it.

Rafa of course is probably in denial that he has lost anything. Or was it that Ferrer just played out of his mind, or suddenly became a stronger player, who now has raised his game to a new level?

It's a good debate. Believe me, I am not trying to discredit Rafa in any way, just saying what I believe. I think he's lost that half step and he's having trouble dealing with it. Last year was an epic year and it took something out of him, long term, like the Olympics did from Massu. Nadal is paying the stiff price for all he achieved last year. And this is why he lost to Ferrer. The amazing Nadal speed could be gone. The great reign of Rafa Nadal could be over.

Did you by any chance miss Nadal's hamstring injury early in the first set? :)
 

jwbarrientos

Hall of Fame
Rafa is still young, in his prime for 2/3 years more (ok, need to stop playing all those tournaments, reduce as much as he can his activity, probably changin his demanding game)
 

ollinger

G.O.A.T.
Rafa apparently IS in denial as the OP suggests. I saw him interviewed today and he seems to believe he's in the semis. The OP is also in denial, as he seemed not to notice any of this physical decline of Rafa in the earlier rounds when Rafa was winning his matches. Junk science.
 
Im prob gonna take a beating by all the Nadal fans for my next comment but....


Is it just me or does it seem that whenever Nadal loses in a major hes injured EVERY time?

I watched his match against Ferrer and I didn't think Nadal was a 100% but seemed closed to it and just looked like he got completely out played. I saw Ferrer being REALLY aggressive and just playing unbelievably well. Hitting hard shots and constantly keeping Nadal on the defense. Also it just looked like Nadal was outclasses in that match....

I like Nadal and love watching him play dont get me wrong there....Just seems awfully fishy to me that everytime he loses in a major or started getting outplayed he all of a sudden gets an injury.

Just a thought
 

rallyjunkie

Banned
exactly Stevewags, he's always injured when he loses. I have a friend like this we hit often and when he starts losing the rallies, his leg hurts. Always his leg hurts. But when he's winning the rallies, no complaints about the leg injury. I think Nadal uses this type of ploy to some extent.

Yes, I think Nadal is the best player. Ever. He won his career slam (and the Olympics) FIVE years before Roger did. He's better head to head than Roger. Roger has the career slam total record but Rafa has his #.
 
It would have been stupid for Rafa to fake an injure being 2 games into a match. He was injured for real. Anyone who watched the match can tell you.
 
D

decades

Guest
rafa will win a couple more french opens. but I really think his dominance is over.
 
D

decades

Guest
Im prob gonna take a beating by all the Nadal fans for my next comment but....


Is it just me or does it seem that whenever Nadal loses in a major hes injured EVERY time?

I watched his match against Ferrer and I didn't think Nadal was a 100% but seemed closed to it and just looked like he got completely out played. I saw Ferrer being REALLY aggressive and just playing unbelievably well. Hitting hard shots and constantly keeping Nadal on the defense. Also it just looked like Nadal was outclasses in that match....

I like Nadal and love watching him play dont get me wrong there....Just seems awfully fishy to me that everytime he loses in a major or started getting outplayed he all of a sudden gets an injury.

Just a thought

you saw what I saw. ferrer took it to him.
 

pound cat

G.O.A.T.
00b38f252f7ce75af840001b3fa821c6.jpg



And that about sums up the loss from Nadal's perspective
 

GOAT BAAH!!!

Professional
I think Nadal has lost a whole step. His movement from Roland Garros 08 through AO 09 was amazing. In 2010 he augmented other aspects of his game to compensate but the movement has definitely been in slow decline since the knee issues. These things happen with age but to me the guy is seriously overtrained .As a fan it infuriates me that either his coach/ physio's and trainer's don't see this or he is completely out to sea with managing his body and schedule. The increased fatigue/injuries and susceptibility to lingering colds/ illness are classic overtraining symptoms. It's tough to see your favorite player grind his body away. He needs rest and clay. :)
 

SoCal10s

Hall of Fame
he was fine ,but Ferrer stretched him out too far on those forehands and he might have over did it a bit... that 2nd game of the first set did him in..
 

kishnabe

Talk Tennis Guru
Did you see how Ferrer was handling his shots? I would fake an injury well to deal with that humiliation.

Dude...Nadal was missing easy shots in the first set...he normally makes....and some balls that Ferrer hit close to the middle he didn't bother to go for. Of course he didn't want to retire...after what everyone said of him last year. This is the first time I believe his injury excuse...he would never lose to many of the spanish guys. Murray was pwning Nadal last year so was Soderling at the 2009 FO. Ferrer just played conistent tennis....Nadal just couldn't get the ball back and play his aggressive tennis.

So many people go blind after a Nadal or Federer loss in a slam. Fail to see the truth and try to diminish those guys, Nect thing you know they come back strong. Nadal lose in 2010 Aussie, won the next three. Federer lost 2009 Aussie, won the next 3 of four slams!

Watch Ferrer get humbled by Murray...you would be wishing for a Nadal-Murray semi!
 

timnz

Legend
My Goodness!

I am a Federer fan. But to see tennis fans drop Nadal from lofty praise in just 1 day is just mind blowing. He was injured, just a fact. Movement is a large part of his game, and having the leg injury cut down his movement.

It's that simple, people.

1 day ago 'Nadal is just so great - the greatest of all time'. Today, he is washed up. Get a grip please.
 

Murrayfan31

Hall of Fame
I am a Federer fan. But to see tennis fans drop Nadal from lofty praise in just 1 day is just mind blowing. He was injured, just a fact. Movement is a large part of his game, and having the leg injury cut down his movement.

It's that simple, people.

1 day ago 'Nadal is just so great - the greatest of all time'. Today, he is washed up. Get a grip please.
What leg injury?
 

timaru50

New User
Can I ask what Roger will have for dinner next tuesday

So many experts , the true test with Ferrer's game will be if he can beat Murray,
I am saying No he cannot ... its my opinion but what I do know a fully fit Nadal the scoreline against Ferrer would of been much closer.
 

Bartelby

Bionic Poster
1. He had his left thigh strapped.

2. He was doing hamstring exercises on court.

3. Court reporters were told at the training room door it was a hamstring related injury.

4. It affected his left-hand forehand because it requires him to power off his left foot.

5. It occurred during the match while he was suffering a virus but Ferrer's dogged defense tested his condition and it failed.

6. Matches are won or lost also by conditioning and he could not be in good condition for the tournament.
 

NonP

Legend
I think the OP was a little too premature. As others have pointed out, Nadal's hamstring was clearly bothering him. It's a pretty big leap to go from that to a permanent loss of a (1/2) step.

But this was a good point:

He is at that same age when Chang and Hewitt lost some of their blazing speed. Nadal is much bigger and heavier than them, so it's going to hurt his game more.

I'm sure many of his fans would disagree, but IMO Rafa played his best tennis in '08, or, to be more specific, the summer of '08. Yeah, he did win 3 majors in '10 as opposed to just 2 in '08, but I can't think of many matches from last year, if at all, where he played at that same exalted level. In fact the only shot of his that I'd say was definitely better in '10 is his serve, and even that was hit-and-miss throughout the year.

Like Hewitt and Chang, Rafa was a prodigy who achieved major success at an early age, so their mileage at age 24 is rather high compared to, say, Lendl's or (of course) Federer's. And not surprisingly they tend to lose that extra step earlier than most. Looking at age alone can be misleading.

It'll be interesting to see how these early bloomers' age progressions compare. My prediction (a guess, really) is that Nadal will stay at or near the top longer, mainly because he's got more weapons, but once that extra step is gone he'll merely be competitive with the top dogs, not dominant. The question is when that loss of form will happen, not if.
 

veroniquem

Bionic Poster
THis is only a theory. I say this with all due respect to Rafa who is the greatest player I have ever seen play this sport. But against Ferrer it seems he has lost that fraction of speed, the half step as they call it. He was moving well and fighting hard but unlike the past he was not able to get to those wide balls. Ferrer was hammering him. He is at that same age when Chang and Hewitt lost some of their blazing speed. Nadal is much bigger and heavier than them, so it's going to hurt his game more.

I don't think there realy was an injury. Rafa really doesn't understand why he really lost. His mind could have created some hamstring thigh ache which he can then rationalize as the reason why he lost the match. The great champion that he is must have a reason in his own mind of why he failed. SO he can come back next time and fight again with full belief. The loss of speed doesn't show against lesser players, only top players can exploit it.

Rafa of course is probably in denial that he has lost anything. Or was it that Ferrer just played out of his mind, or suddenly became a stronger player, who now has raised his game to a new level?

It's a good debate. Believe me, I am not trying to discredit Rafa in any way, just saying what I believe. I think he's lost that half step and he's having trouble dealing with it. Last year was an epic year and it took something out of him, long term, like the Olympics did from Massu. Nadal is paying the stiff price for all he achieved last year. And this is why he lost to Ferrer. The amazing Nadal speed could be gone. The great reign of Rafa Nadal could be over.
He was injured during the Ferrer match. Look at the Cilic match and you'll see he's lost nothing at all.
Wishful thinking at its worst!
If you tear a muscle, you'll see your mobility won't be top notch either.
 

roundiesee

Hall of Fame
It's just a "blip" in Rafa's career; rest assured he will be back with a vengeance (as he has always showed us in past years) :)
 
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