Unlike Delpo, who appears to be on upswing, this guy here is clearly on the downswing. His performance at IW deserves its own thread, in my not-so-humble opinion.
I predict a very short discussion on Nadal at IW.
I'm a Nadal fan btw; albeit a very, very, very pessimistic one, given what I've seen this year so far.
I don't know how long its gonna take
but surely he will play his best again.
let's hope this will be the start maybe with a semifinal here at Indian wells to start with.
No respect for VEB??? Muller did not look too good in Acapulco vs The Donald.
There's a possible rematch in 3R versus Hot Sauce Verdasco. Also, even though Nadal is 7-0 vs Dimitrov, that possible 4R matchup would be tricky on HCs...usually very tight.
Objectively QF. Nishi is statistically better on hard courts and the Montreal win last year. Otherwise Nadal owns Nishikori, but this Nadal is the Montreal Nadal.
Clay will be Rafa's undoing. Sock has faltered. But Thiem and Cuevas will be dangers and Nishikori. Add this to the top players and maybe Pella and Delpo. Clay will not be a haven for a declined Nadal. Hard courts may be it.
Small chance of winning if Rafa gets to 2015 WTF form and someone like Thiem does in Djoko. A fantasy because its looking more and more like Oldal.
No respect for VEB??? Muller did not look too good in Acapulco vs The Donald.
There's a possible rematch in 3R versus Hot Sauce Verdasco. Also, even though Nadal is 7-0 vs Dimitrov, that possible 4R matchup would be tricky on HCs...usually very tight.
Unlike Delpo, who appears to be on upswing, this guy here is clearly on the downswing. His performance at IW deserves its own thread, in my not-so-humble opinion.
I predict a very short discussion on Nadal at IW.
I'm a Nadal fan btw; albeit a very, very, very pessimistic one, given what I've seen this year so far.
Nadal is on the downswing? Compared to what?
His RESULTS have been down (by his standards, although only at AO really, because SF on clay is not that different to Finals).
But his level? Verdasco hit 90 winners to beat Nadal at the AO (and Nadal almost won in 4 sets!).
I rate the quality of that AO match above all of Nadal's 2014 and 2015 AO matches (none of Nadal's opponents in those AOs played as well as Verdasco, except for Wawrinka of course but Nadal didn't play well vs Wawrinka anyway because of the back injury).
And Thiem is on fire, but he still needed a tie-breaker in the 3rd set to beat Nadal!
And Cuevas needed 3 hours and 28 minutes, and it was a higher quality match than any of Nadal's 2013 South American matches.
I don't know how long its gonna take
but surely he will play his best again.
let's hope this will be the start maybe with a semifinal here at Indian wells to start with.
Well the good thing is, Nadal hasn't played his best since peaking in 2008, and he still won 9 slams from 2009-2014.
So he really doesn't need his best to dethrone Djokovic.
I was more impressed with RAFA's form at 2016 South American Swing than 2013 South American Swing (the Thiem and Cuevas matches were a higher standard of tennis than anything in 2013 South American Swing), so it'd be no surprise if RAFA wins Indian Wells.
SF is what he was doing regularly in the 2015 post-USO season (China Final, Shanghai SF, Basel Final, Paris QF, London SF).
Nadal is on the downswing? Compared to what?
His RESULTS have been down (by his standards, although only at AO really, because SF on clay is not that different to Finals).
But his level? Verdasco hit 90 winners to beat Nadal at the AO (and Nadal almost won in 4 sets!).
I rate the quality of that AO match above all of Nadal's 2014 and 2015 AO matches (none of Nadal's opponents in those AOs played as well as Verdasco, except for Wawrinka of course but Nadal didn't play well vs Wawrinka anyway because of the back injury).
And Thiem is on fire, but he still needed a tie-breaker in the 3rd set to beat Nadal!
And Cuevas needed 3 hours and 28 minutes, and it was a higher quality match than any of Nadal's 2013 South American matches.
He'll be 30 in 2 months, he's never going to "play his best again." He's won exactly two tournaments since the FO 2014, yet his fan base still believes he's going to play at his level of 2008 or 2012 again? This is simply delusional.
Haha. TC is an amazing optimist and fountain of Rafa facts spun for the most positive outlook.
I'd like to at least see WTF Rafa again. He did look pretty good in that Thiem match. I suspect my stats of doom over state the case a bit, but still he's definitely down in stats and that backs up the general overall impression of poor play.
Nadal is on the downswing? Compared to what?
His RESULTS have been down (by his standards, although only at AO really, because SF on clay is not that different to Finals).
But his level? Verdasco hit 90 winners to beat Nadal at the AO (and Nadal almost won in 4 sets!).
I rate the quality of that AO match above all of Nadal's 2014 and 2015 AO matches (none of Nadal's opponents in those AOs played as well as Verdasco, except for Wawrinka of course but Nadal didn't play well vs Wawrinka anyway because of the back injury).
And Thiem is on fire, but he still needed a tie-breaker in the 3rd set to beat Nadal!
And Cuevas needed 3 hours and 28 minutes, and it was a higher quality match than any of Nadal's 2013 South American matches.
The Bull still has a ton of heart and I don't think he is choking in these matches; its just his general level of play based on his points stats is really down this year with no good reason. He has not improved since November and has actually gotten much worse on points in his matches.
Ha ha this is like a jinxing thread in reverse. Brilliant!
I like his draw and I fancy his chances to go deep. Then again that's what I thought in Acapulco
Indian Wells has always been Nadal's best hard court Masters so I expect him to get to at least the quarter finals, possibly even further if Errorkori makes an appearance or Big John thinks he's playing in Europe.
Ha ha this is like a jinxing thread in reverse. Brilliant!
I like his draw and I fancy his chances to go deep. Then again that's what I thought in Acapulco
I'll switch my profile picture to a Nadal/Hilfiger spread for a week if he actually wins IW.
I'd be so surprised if he makes it into the QF. He has to play Muller who can pull upsets, then Verdasco/Klizan and then Simon/Dimitrov/Zverev/Pospisil.
He'll be 30 in 2 months, he's never going to "play his best again." He's won exactly two tournaments since the FO 2014, yet his fan base still believes he's going to play at his level of 2008 or 2012 again? This is simply delusional.
Nadal is the only man ever to win slams for 10 years in a row.
His last 2 slamless years were 2015 and 2004!
He's a world first.
If you compare Nadal to the rest of tennis history when trying to decipher his future, you are delusional.
He hasn't finished delivering world firsts....
When this is over a lot of folks are going to owe him an engraved apology.
I know Nadal likes playing the South American clay events (or LIKED them), but the weather is so humid there and hot, so I'm not sure if they're a good idea given that he doesn't like humidity....
I know Nadal likes playing the South American clay events (or LIKED them), but the weather is so humid there and hot, so I'm not sure if they're a good idea given that he doesn't like humidity....
I think he'll make the quarters and lose to Nishikori. An exit before then wouldn't surprise me, seeing as Verdasco and Dimitrov have the games to take him out on hardcourt.
I think he'll make the quarters and lose to Nishikori. An exit before then wouldn't surprise me, seeing as Verdasco and Dimitrov have the games to take him out on hardcourt.
Yeah although Verdasco wasn't very convincing in their AO match.
I mean Nadal almost won the match in 4 sets....
Yeah Nishikori is a dangerous player (but is quite streaky).
