If you could build a Stanimal beating machine, how would you build it and why?

[Supertegwyn]

Let's say you have to create the tennis player perfectly suited to countering the Stanimal's game, at the peak of his powers during a GS final. What shots would you prioritise and what tactics would you give this player? Would you create some sort of big serving-volleying Raonic + Edburg type, or some sort of Murray x Ferrer + Hewitt ^4 defender, or some other combination of players?

Bonus points if you build this guy with specific player's shots.

 

[NamRanger]

Federer at his best or someone like Sampras. Wawrinka struggles against players who take the initiative and make him move and hit on the run. If you can force him to play defense he's not so great at it. Issue is that top players are too passive now adays, so it gives Stan way too much time to just wind up and blow them off the court.

 

[Cesc Fabregas]

Nadal playing well beats Wawrinka everytime.

 

[Jaitock1991]

Federer at his best or someone like Sampras. Wawrinka struggles against players who take the initiative and make him move and hit on the run. If you can force him to play defense he's not so great at it. Issue is that top players are too passive now adays, so it gives Stan way too much time to just wind up and blow them off the court.

I fully agree. It would have to be a kind of player that does not allow Wawrinka to take the initiative. Once he's given time and room to hit, he's almost unplayable. But if he's not given that time, he is nowhere near as effective(just like with any other player).

 

[NamRanger]

I fully agree. It would have to be a kind of player that does not allow Wawrinka to take the initiative. Once he's given time to hit, he's almost unplayable. But if he's not given that time, he is nowhere near as effective(just like with any other player).

Nadal and Federer are much better at playing defense and creating offensive shots from defensive positions. Stan not so much. If he gets put into a position where he has to redirect pace (which is not easy since Stan tends to win tons of points off his serve, making him incredibly difficult to break), he's in big trouble.

Nadal playing well beats Wawrinka everytime.

I'd say Nadal played well in Rome, just majorly choked.

 

[hup]

Nadal playing well beats Wawrinka everytime.

here we go with the legendary invincible 'healthy nadal'

 

[Steve0904]

Federer at his best or someone like Sampras. Wawrinka struggles against players who take the initiative and make him move and hit on the run. If you can force him to play defense he's not so great at it. Issue is that top players are too passive now adays, so it gives Stan way too much time to just wind up and blow them off the court.

This thread is over.

 

[Anaconda]

here we go with the legendary invincible 'healthy nadal'

It's not completely moronic to think that Nadal playing well on clay would beat Wawrinka the majority of the time. I'm beginning to believe people have already forgotten Nadal's dominance.


The Rome match was Wawrinka playing great and Nadal playing ok, and the tiebreak was epic. Nadal could have pushed it to a thrid.

 

[heninfan99]

yes I think a GOATing Nadal is Stan's toughest match-up

 

[accidental]

I think a prime Agassi would crush him on hard courts

He would just stand on the baseline and take away any time for stan to swing

Djokovic was really pushed back yesterday

 

[G A S]

This thread is over.

if someone chooses passive over agressive it is their only fault, since a passive player will only win if their opponent makes a mistake(such as bad positioning), I as a player won't feel bad for them in any way.

 

[top10]

Just take Dimitrov
He is a very bad matchup for Stan and owns him in best of 3 for the last 2 years (grass & clay)
I am not sure how would this translate into best of 5 but it was obvious in their last 3 matches that Grigor easily frustrates Stan and even dominates him.

 

[Inanimate_object]

Find someone who can hold a tennis racket. And make him marry Mirka Vavrincová.

 

[Tenez101]

Manislas is basically a more powerful Federer with less variety. I think peak Nadal would take him to the cleaners just like his compatriot.

 

[torpantennis]

Variety and taking initiative early in the rallies kills Stanimal. TBH, it's like that against all GOATing hard hitters. A one-dimensional defensive baseliner, like Djokovic yesterday, is the easiest possible match-up for GOATing hard-hitter, but getting them to move or off-rhythm with attacking game and variety gets them off their best.

Seriously, Djokovic at his defensive slam finals mode is the easiest possible match up for these Stanimal type players. Djokovic had no tools to get Stan off-rhythm. A nightmare match-up for hard hitters? Peak Federer! Anybody still remember how he owned peaking Roddick?

 

[Devilito]

Nadal and Fed from 6-8 years ago are completely different players than they are now. They would handle stan no problem.

Also, stan is a slow court player. He's a heavyweight hitter that has huge windups on his shots and likes to be set up properly. This is why he disappoints in the second half of the year. We'll see how he does at Wimbledon or us open. Don't get too excited yet.

 

[stringertom]

Nadal and Fed from 6-8 years ago are completely different players than they are now. They would handle stan no problem.

Also, stan is a slow court player. He's a heavyweight hitter that has huge windups on his shots and likes to be set up properly. This is why he disappoints in the second half of the year. We'll see how he does at Wimbledon or us open. Don't get too excited yet.

SF and QF 5-set losses to Djokovic and Nishikori the past two years @USO? I am excite about his Flushing chances!

 

[MichaelNadal]

Nadal playing well beats Wawrinka everytime.

 

[coloskier]

It's not completely moronic to think that Nadal playing well on clay would beat Wawrinka the majority of the time. I'm beginning to believe people have already forgotten Nadal's dominance.


The Rome match was Wawrinka playing great and Nadal playing ok, and the tiebreak was epic. Nadal could have pushed it to a thrid.

All dominance comes to an end, and Nadal's dominance ended over a year ago.

 

[ImageIsEverything]

People acting like the Stan is invincible need to look beyond this 2 week window. If Stan was this untouchable monster he wouldnt have spent the majority of his career where he has. Anyone with good stength to not get pushed around or good movement to defend will have a chance. Jo Willy playing fairly average tennis in the semis pushed Stan into a close match.

 

[Amalhotra]

Forget the good matchup, I want to see what'll happen if delpos forehand squares off against stans backhand

 

[Start da Game]

nadal will show how to do it......just wait for their next meeting on any surface......

 

[Djokovic2011]

Just hypnotize him into thinking it's a non slam match and you're off to the races.

 

[Chanwan]

Nadal playing well beats Wawrinka everytime.

yes I think a GOATing Nadal is Stan's toughest match-up

Manislas is basically a more powerful Federer with less variety. I think peak Nadal would take him to the cleaners just like his compatriot.

Stanimal can hit through anyone no matter the court speed, Fed could only hit through Rafa on faster/and or lower bouncing courts.


Peaking Stan is exactly the kind of player, who has beaten Rafa time and time again throughout his career by essentially handcuffing Rafa with their power.

A hard-hitter off both wings with a big serve, who's hitting his shots. It's a tough combo for anyone, but I don't see why Rafa would be particularly good at dealing with it (safe extremely high bouncing conditions)
- anyone care to clarify? (and yes, I know about the 26 sets prior to the AO)

nadal will show how to do it......just wait for their next meeting on any surface......

I'm eagerly awaiting it already!

 

[Praetorian]

Nadal playing well beats Wawrinka everytime.

Because the only time Nadal doesn't win, is when he loses right? So does that mean every time they match up, they should postpone the match until Nadal is cleared by an IOC paneled Medical board, and a team of nutritionists, and sports psychologists?

 

[MichaelNadal]

Stanimal can hit through anyone no matter the court speed, Fed could only hit through Rafa on faster/and or lower bouncing courts.


Peaking Stan is exactly the kind of player, who has beaten Rafa time and time again throughout his career by essentially handcuffing Rafa with their power.

A hard-hitter off both wings with a big serve, who's hitting his shots. It's a tough combo for anyone, but I don't see why Rafa would be particularly good at dealing with it (safe extremely high bouncing conditions)
- anyone care to clarify? (and yes, I know about the 26 sets prior to the AO)

I'm eagerly awaiting it already!

Peaking Stan is the kind of player that never won a set against Nadal until a year ago. And he played well in plenty of those matches.

 

[Chanwan]

Peaking Stan is the kind of player that never won a set against Nadal until a year ago. And he played well in plenty of those matches.

I said as much – except I don't really agree that Rafa ever really played that much of a peaking Stan prior to the AO. He played well in their WTF-match two months prior, which was decided by a point or two. But he didn't quite have it mentally together just yet then.

 

[Wilander Fan]

Stan now is a different player from even the guy that won the 2014 AO. His footwork is actually MUCH better now. Previously, he was hitting all his shots from deep behind the baseline so he was giving up alot of court position. Federer has a 17-3 h2h because he could always find the angles. At the FO, Stan was hitting alot earlier and closer to the BL. Especially the BH. Earlier, Stan would hit alot of ferocious BHs but a step deeper from the baseline so they ended up being rally balls at a fairly neutral position. He was stepping into deep BHs and just teeing off on them like they were golf balls deep into the corner.

Novak's defense was pretty phenomenal in the FO final even though he lost. Stan was drilling shots at ridiculous pace into the corners and Novak was able to stretch and somehow return those balls with good length over and over again when they would have been winners against basically anyone else.

 

[Wynter]

Soderling vs Wawrinka on Clay would have been a wondrous slugfest

 

[MichaelNadal]

Stan now is a different player from even the guy that won the 2014 AO. His footwork is actually MUCH better now. Previously, he was hitting all his shots from deep behind the baseline so he was giving up alot of court position. Federer has a 17-3 h2h because he could always find the angles. At the FO, Stan was hitting alot earlier and closer to the BL. Especially the BH. Earlier, Stan would hit alot of ferocious BHs but a step deeper from the baseline so they ended up being rally balls at a fairly neutral position. He was stepping into deep BHs and just teeing off on them like they were golf balls deep into the corner.

Novak's defense was pretty phenomenal in the FO final even though he lost. Stan was drilling shots at ridiculous pace into the corners and Novak was able to stretch and somehow return those balls with good length over and over again when they would have been winners against basically anyone else.

I love when people make Ultron stretch until he can't deal with it anymore. It happens so rarely that it's truly fun to watch.

 

[Chanwan]

Stan now is a different player from even the guy that won the 2014 AO. His footwork is actually MUCH better now. Previously, he was hitting all his shots from deep behind the baseline so he was giving up alot of court position. Federer has a 17-3 h2h because he could always find the angles. At the FO, Stan was hitting alot earlier and closer to the BL. Especially the BH. Earlier, Stan would hit alot of ferocious BHs but a step deeper from the baseline so they ended up being rally balls at a fairly neutral position. He was stepping into deep BHs and just teeing off on them like they were golf balls deep into the corner.

Novak's defense was pretty phenomenal in the FO final even though he lost. Stan was drilling shots at ridiculous pace into the corners and Novak was able to stretch and somehow return those balls with good length over and over again when they would have been winners against basically anyone else.

Good points!

 

[Anaconda]

Roddick 2004 would beat Stan at Wimbledon, no doubts.

Safin would pose horrible problems for Stan due to being able to take the ball earlier, hit just as hard, but return and move a lot better than Wawrinka. (not to mention Safin when fully fit was sick in 5th setters)




I'm not sure on hard and grass, but on clay, Nadal playing well would beat Wawrinka no doubts. The only player who I think could live with Nadal in FO 2008 mode would be Kuerten, and even then I'm saying 'live', not 'win'.

 

[SpinToWin]

On clay, Nadal would probably win as is. You guys really underestimate the damage Nadal's forehand at his best did to any backhand, particularly one handers. Wawrinka's return is too poor to put Nadal under pressure and his defense is meh. Wawrinka needs to be the aggressor to win and I don't see how he would keep that up against a peak Nadal on clay.

On grass and fast hard court take Fed or Agassi. They would take the ball early and redirect it away from Wawrinka, who would be pushed back further and further to have time for his long strokes, finally being too far out of position to do any damage.

Slow hard court is a different issue. Perhaps an Agassi type player with better speed and defense.

 

[Anaconda]

On clay, Nadal would probably win as is. You guys really underestimate the damage Nadal's forehand at his best did to any backhand, particularly one handers. Wawrinka's return is too poor to put Nadal under pressure and his defense is meh. Wawrinka needs to be the aggressor to win and I don't see how he would keep that up against a peak Nadal on clay.

On grass and fast hard court take Fed or Agassi. They would take the ball early and redirect it away from Wawrinka, who would be pushed back further and further to have time for his long strokes, finally being too far out of position to do any damage.

Slow hard court is a different issue. Perhaps an Agassi type player with better speed and defense.

Wawrinka would certainly be able to do damage to Nadal's second serve on grass. Considering how he handled Djokovic's on Sunday. Only at FO is Nadal a lock if he's playing well, from what we've seen in the past 10 years. Wawrinka is not on Nadal's level on clay.

 

[SpinToWin]

Wawrinka would certainly be able to do damage to Nadal's second serve on grass. Considering how he handled Djokovic's on Sunday. Only at FO is Nadal a lock if he's playing well, from what we've seen in the past 10 years. Wawrinka is not on Nadal's level on clay.

Wawrinka's return? Even on second serves he mostly just blocked the ball back! Wawrinka's return is one of the weakest parts of his game, it certainly is inferior to Roger's.

Nadal's slice serve is incredibly tough for one handers, as you cannot predict how much it will move and your positioning being even remotely off or hitting even slightly unclean results in catastrophe.

 

[heninfan99]

as far as why I wouldn't. Stan's tennis is far too inspiring and beautiful.

 

[Narcissist]

Wawrinka's return? Even on second serves he mostly just blocked the ball back! Wawrinka's return is one of the weakest parts of his game, it certainly is inferior to Roger's.

Despite his big shots, even on clay he just pushes the ball back on serves trying to neutralise the point at best.

 

[Anaconda]

Wawrinka's return? Even on second serves he mostly just blocked the ball back! Wawrinka's return is one of the weakest parts of his game, it certainly is inferior to Roger's.

Nadal's slice serve is incredibly tough for one handers, as you cannot predict how much it will move and your positioning being even remotely off or hitting even slightly unclean results in catastrophe.

Federer mostly blocks the ball back. Wawrinka is more aggressive on the ROS.