If the Nadal had picked soccer instead of tennis...
- Thread starter Jonesy
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deaner2211
Semi-Pro
What would American mens tennis be like today if Tiger Woods didnt exist?
True Fanerer
G.O.A.T.
Laver Cup would be Federer Cup.
D
Deleted member 762343
Guest
4 RG titles for Federer, 5 for Djokovic and 2 for Thiem.
¿12? I can't see him with more than 4 FO without Ned.
vive le beau jeu !
Talk Tennis Guru
regardless of his soccer results, that would have been wonderful for tennis.
F
FRV
Guest
I chose A level. I give him the benefit of a doubt. He was extremely fast in footage I saw from 2005. I don't know how well this would translate to soccer. I originally chose Messi/Ronaldo, but that just isn't reasonable at all.
Wurm
Professional
Messi/Ronaldo level is, along with the likes of Maradona and Pele, the best level of football ever played - not bloody likely he would've been that good.
Quick, explosive runner. Good foot-eye coordination, evidently. Apparently scored a tonne at junior level.
Now, I played with someone like that who went on to play pro (I never thought he was that difficult to defend against in training...) and he topped out at the 3rd tier of English football, though he was all of 5'7" fully grown and a lazy sod who only came to life when he was in scoring range.
The "read how someone's going to play as they walk onto the pitch" test suggests to me he would've been a bit of a head down and charge kinda player, probably not a great passer nor likely to score many goals from distance and probably did not like it up him (i.e. would not have relished playing a dirty so-and-so such as Sergio Ramos) but he would've been a Mr "Take your eyes off him for half a second and he's found space and scored a goal" type and I would assume a very hard worker who might've been best playing in midfield than what was apparently his chosen/given role as a child playing as an attacker.
Top flight player, I would expect.
Quick, explosive runner. Good foot-eye coordination, evidently. Apparently scored a tonne at junior level.
Now, I played with someone like that who went on to play pro (I never thought he was that difficult to defend against in training...) and he topped out at the 3rd tier of English football, though he was all of 5'7" fully grown and a lazy sod who only came to life when he was in scoring range.
The "read how someone's going to play as they walk onto the pitch" test suggests to me he would've been a bit of a head down and charge kinda player, probably not a great passer nor likely to score many goals from distance and probably did not like it up him (i.e. would not have relished playing a dirty so-and-so such as Sergio Ramos) but he would've been a Mr "Take your eyes off him for half a second and he's found space and scored a goal" type and I would assume a very hard worker who might've been best playing in midfield than what was apparently his chosen/given role as a child playing as an attacker.
Top flight player, I would expect.
Standaa
G.O.A.T.
But somewhere on a soccer forum, there would be a guy called "vive le beau football !" who would have to suffer instead of you
Lleytonstation
Talk Tennis Guru
We would be much friendlier on TTW...
Nah.
Nah.
MajesticTennisManiac
Rookie
Tennis would be saved
D
Deleted member 733170
Guest
Tennis more than football IMO is the ultimate test of athleticism and hand eye coordination.
I’m sure most of the top ten besides the lanky giants would be playing in top club teams in Europe if they had dedicated their lives to football.
I’m sure most of the top ten besides the lanky giants would be playing in top club teams in Europe if they had dedicated their lives to football.
Wander
Hall of Fame
Nadal would have had an advantage in physicality and speed, but as in tennis, that's not everything so who knows. You can imagine Federer as a pretty creative footballer, and if his foot skills were anything like his hand skills in tennis, he might have been quite impressive too.
junior74
Talk Tennis Guru
* There would be a countdown watch for throw ins
* Goal keepers would have to wait to put the ball into play until Rafa was ready
* The linesmen would have to carry Rafa's towels at all times
* Soccer would have been played on clay
* Soccer/ football would have been renamed "Footbull" among his fans
* Goal keepers would have to wait to put the ball into play until Rafa was ready
* The linesmen would have to carry Rafa's towels at all times
* Soccer would have been played on clay
* Soccer/ football would have been renamed "Footbull" among his fans
Towser83
G.O.A.T.
24 is a bit high lol
RG 2012, 2013, 2014. USO 2010 and 2013 = 20 slams. Possibly RG 2008
Fed would probably have RG 2005,2006,2007,2008,2011, Wimbledon 2008, AO 2009 = 27 slams
D
Deleted member 762343
Guest
I know you were joking but you pointed out something interesting. Nadal wouldn't have had the time to perform his OCD rituals, maybe that would have been a problem. He needs to do things at his own pace, which wouldn't have been possible in
Soccer is not a meritocracy like tennis. He could get benched by a coach that doesn’t like him or a teammate that doesnt want to work with him could hurt his success. Much more luck involved as well. Yeah ok lets keep the rigged draw jokes aside, but its so much more luck dependent than tennis.
vive le beau jeu !
Talk Tennis Guru
indeed... but i wouldn't care !But somewhere on a soccer forum, there would be a guy called "vive le beau football !" who would have to suffer instead of you
D
Deleted member 21996
Guest
i think nadal would have been a great cyclist....
Fed would be a great goalkeeper with his reflexes and coordination, but maybe a little short for the position.
Nole would be good for a striker with his agility, but the defenders would probably feast on him and he would end up suffering a lot of faults.
Bull would be an excelent midfielder with his stamina running all the field.
Phoenix1983
G.O.A.T.
He is the moral Maradona.
HetTheGreaterer
Banned
2005-2009, 2011, 2019 = 7/6/5 for feder (2008, 2019 debatable)4 RG titles for Federer, 5 for Djokovic and 2 for Thiem.
2008, 2012-14, 2016 = 4/5 for joker (2008 debatable)
2017-19 = 2/3 for thiem (2019 debatable)
D
Deleted member 762343
Guest
2017 would be debatable as well. I would favor Wawrinka over Thiem.
BorgTheGOAT
Legend
The four people who said Ronaldo/Messi talent must be joking.
er4claw
Rookie
I'm not sure what you mean by "athleticism" but no I don't tennis players would excel at a decathlon or in functional strength/movement compared to other sports. I would guess they would be at the mid to lower bottom of the pack.
In tennis your competing against essentially, a small group who have been intensely trained in the sport from a young age (3-7ish). In soccer your competing against the deepest talent pool in the world. Absolutely dwarfs tennis. Its the equivalent of someone being the best in their classroom at something to someone who was the best at something in all of London.
How do you know they would? The top clubs in Europe are the creme of the crop. So what do you think that elite athletes in general can just switch out sports or do you have delusional notion of tennis player superiority?
D
Deleted member 733170
Guest
Yes I have the delusional notion that tennis requires a combination of athleticism and hand eye coordination which is not found in other sports.
er4claw
Rookie
Whats so special about tennis athleticism and how does tennis hand eye coordination directly translate to soccer.
D
Deleted member 733170
Guest
It’s the combination of athleticism and hand eye motor skills Einstein.
er4claw
Rookie
Messi would have made Fedr cry more than Nadal if he played tennis.
AlexanderTheGreat08
Hall of Fame
He would be the best football player in the world
D
Deleted member 733170
Guest
Messi, with his stunted size, would not succeed in pro tennis.
HetTheGreaterer
Banned
Wawrinka was extremely tired due to that grindfest with Murray the day before
Mainad
Bionic Poster
More players would have won Roland Garros in the last 14 years.
RaulRamirez
Legend
I can't say that I'm a huge soccer fan, but I follow it to some degree. It seems hyperbolic to suggest that Rafa would've been a top three player of the last 10-15 years, though he does seem to have so many athletic attributes that would translate to 'soccer,' along with his indomitable spirit. While it's all speculative, I think he could've been a successful pro...though I think he made the right decision!
Azure
G.O.A.T.
Debatable. Tennis is long grinding hours. Football is short spurts on the field. Rafa would have had to play for 40-45 minutes before being taken off the field for replacement. That's an average amount of time he spends per set in tennis.
There's no way to answer this question but I think all European tennis players would have been decent football players. Federer somehow feels wrong outside of tennis.
D
Deleted member 762343
Guest
That's a good point but I think he would have been extremely motivated without the God of Clay standing on his way so maybe he would have overcome his tiredness. It must be pretty demoralizing to face Nadal just after an extremely tough match so I think he was already defeated before stepping onto the court.
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