Nadal: I Win Without Playing My Best

[thalivest]

All the fuss over this is hilarious. So because he says he was able to beat Gulbis and Ferrer on clay not playing his best, this is the guy who has won almost every event on clay the last 5 years, he is now arrogant and way out of line? Serena Williams says she played at 1% after every loss, even on surfaces like clay where she is clearly not the best.

 

[swordtennis]

WTF does anything have 2 do with Federer? There is some weird love/hate obsession with every Nadal "fan" bringing up federer. Federer has been basically absent and playing like crud since AO so why even bring him up? Weird.

 

[davey25]

WTF does anything have 2 do with Federer? There is some weird love/hate obsession with every Nadal "fan" bringing up federer. Federer has been basically absent and playing like crud since AO so why even bring him up? Weird.

The reverse is true just as much if not moreso. Not to mention the "Fed is GOAT" obsession which really takes the cake.

 

[swordtennis]

The reverse is true just as much if not moreso. Not to mention the "Fed is GOAT" obsession which really takes the cake.

Yes some Federer "fans" can b annoying granted. But the Nadal "fans" are just plain ludicrous. Granted one can not take seriously or judge the "In Love" fans that are sexually in love with Nadal. They r just plain irrational EMO.
The one that broke the camels back 4 me was during the Gulbis match "certain" fans starting throwing out the "injury" thing when Nadal started struggling. Also discrediting Andy Roddicks win brought the idiocracy 2the 4front.

 

[angiebaby]

so let them. i care about rogers performance IN THE SLAMS not in these stupid tournaments..

he's proven time and time again that he has what it takes to win the big titles.
sure its nice to see him win a masters or a 500 or a 250..but honestly, who gives a flying fck

What an utterly silly thing to say.

Are you a *tennis* fan or a *Federer-worshipper*?

I'm embarrassed for you.

 

[swordtennis]

What an utterly silly thing to say.

Are you a *tennis* fan or a *Federer-worshipper*?

I'm embarrassed for you.

At least its not when Nadal starts struggling: "Oh no Nadal does not look right. He is injured!". Then he goes on 2 win: "He all better boo boo gone."
Far more embarrassment associated with them.

 

[bolo]

As usual an accurate statement by the vamoosinator. But rome is a little faster than MC and RG, so understandable I guess.

 

[veroniquem]

Yes some Federer "fans" can b annoying granted. But the Nadal "fans" are just plain ludicrous. Granted one can not take seriously or judge the "In Love" fans that are sexually in love with Nadal. They r just plain irrational EMO.

Talking about irrational in love fans, what happened to Breakpoint? I haven't seen any post of his for ages!

 

[bolo]

WTF does anything have 2 do with Federer? There is some weird love/hate obsession with every Nadal "fan" bringing up federer. Federer has been basically absent and playing like crud since AO so why even bring him up? Weird.

Yeah, he's not really into nonGS anymore. His post loss comments basically said as much imo (he lost, but he's not worried) He's got to be careful though, an unexpected early loss at a GS and he's going to be out of equilibrium. Then he's going to have to put in more effort at nonGS to preserve his ranking (can he drum up motivation to do that?) and if he can't do that then he's going to face tougher GS draws. Roger's playing with fire.

 

[feetofclay]

Nadal wasnt playing his best BS. Gulbis almost whipped his azz.

I think you need a little perspective here. He lost a set to Gulbis, not the match. He also lost a set to Hewitt in Hamburg 2007 and a set to Davydenko in Rome 2007. I believe he also lost a set to Djokovic and 1 to Federer in Hamburg 2008 and we all know what he went on to achieve. I think he also lost one to Gulbis at Wimbledon 2008. Almost doesn't count.

 

[TMF]

The reverse is true just as much if not moreso. Not to mention the "Fed is GOAT" obsession which really takes the cake.

That's b/c Roger back it up for completing his job.

1. Career slam
2. Broke total GS record


Mission accomplished!

 

[CCNM]

congratulations on the Rome win, Rafa. I guess the Bull is Back....

 

[P_Agony]

All the fuss over this is hilarious. So because he says he was able to beat Gulbis and Ferrer on clay not playing his best, this is the guy who has won almost every event on clay the last 5 years, he is now arrogant and way out of line? Serena Williams says she played at 1% after every loss, even on surfaces like clay where she is clearly not the best.

I think he needed his best tennis against Gulbis in the 3rd set. Gulbis was clearly the player with the momentum and he was serving really really well. Nadal needed to come up with some great shots and still could only break in the last game of the match.

Against Ferrer, Nadal really didn't have to play his best. Ferrer was self destructing when it mattered, and the rain delay really ruined the pace of the match for both along with the poor crowd.

Make no mistake about it though, against players like Federer and Djokovic over the years Nadal had to play his best tennis not once in order to beat them, barely.

 

[OddJack]

All the fuss over this is hilarious. So because he says he was able to beat Gulbis and Ferrer on clay not playing his best, this is the guy who has won almost every event on clay the last 5 years, he is now arrogant and way out of line? Serena Williams says she played at 1% after every loss, even on surfaces like clay where she is clearly not the best.

So if you win everyone that justifies saying such things, right?

And from when Serena is the beloved standard of ethics on these boards?

 

[Semi-Pro]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OU_M2M4zctE&playnext_from=TL&videos=tN3rR-A4_8g

Go to :54-1:02 and listen to Keonig. Nuff said.

 

[OddJack]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OU_M2M4zctE&playnext_from=TL&videos=tN3rR-A4_8g

Go to :54-1:02 and listen to Keonig. Nuff said.

what's 54-1:02 ??

 

[Fedex]

so let them. i care about rogers performance IN THE SLAMS not in these stupid tournaments..

he's proven time and time again that he has what it takes to win the big titles.
sure its nice to see him win a masters or a 500 or a 250..but honestly, who gives a flying fck

The lady doth protest too much, methinks.

 

[bluetrain4]

It's an odd statement, since every tennis champion in history wins without playing their best. The ability to get wins when playing less than 100% is one of the defining characteristics of a true champion.

So, a huge "duh" to Nadal.

 

[AM95]

The lady doth protest too much, methinks.

nice hamlet quote..but what do you mean.

 

[bolo]

It's an odd statement, since every tennis champion in history wins without playing their best. The ability to get wins when playing less than 100% is one of the defining characteristics of a true champion.

So, a huge "duh" to Nadal.

lol, it's just a troll thread started by oddjack. All nadal said was that he won without playing well and that he prefers that to winning when firing on all cylinders. Oddjack switched that into a statement that nadal never made.

Where are the rome interviews anyway? I haven't seen any.

 

[Fedex]

nice hamlet quote..but what do you mean.

"The phrase has come to mean that one can "insist so passionately about something not being true that people suspect the opposite of what one is saying."

 

[bluetrain4]

lol, it's just a troll thread started by oddjack. All nadal said was that he won without playing well and that he prefers that to winning when firing on all cylinders. Oddjack switched that into a statement that nadal never made.

Where are the rome interviews anyway? I haven't seen any.

My bad. 10 char.

 

[Bud]

Nadal is soooo arrrogant. What an ahole.

Verdasco and Ferrer are his puppets and poor excuses for legitimate opponents, they literally worship the ground he walks on.

On a good note Gulbis' performance this week showed his win over Fed was no fluke and the guy has some serious game. Lets watch out for him and hopes he continues the hard work to be the best he can.

Wonderful analysis :roll:

 

[jamesblakefan#1]

It's an odd statement, since every tennis champion in history wins without playing their best. The ability to get wins when playing less than 100% is one of the defining characteristics of a true champion.

So, a huge "duh" to Nadal.

this. 10 knees

 

[ruerooo]

lol, it's just a troll thread started by oddjack. All nadal said was that he won without playing well and that he prefers that to winning when firing on all cylinders. Oddjack switched that into a statement that nadal never made.

Where are the rome interviews anyway? I haven't seen any.

Rafa's interviews:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTBqyf2KhVA
post-quarterfinal

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zx7FTvdLWtI
post-semifinal

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHYTVOMK8jI
post-final

 

[davey25]

That's b/c Roger back it up for completing his job.

1. Career slam
2. Broke total GS record

Good to know Emerson and Agassi were the 2 GOATs before Sampras's 99 and 2000 Wimbledon titles and before Federer.

 

[Omega_7000]

let him talk. as soon as he loses he'll blame it on his knees, or his wisdom tooth, or the blisters, or some other far fetched idea.

Or his parents getting divorced for the second time?

 

[Antonio Puente]

http://ca.reuters.com/article/sportsNews/idCATRE64135P20100502?pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=0

Sure against your puppets you don't need to.

Fed is one of his puppets.

 

[Mun]

Nadal is humble, Federer is not. End of discussion.

 

[Chadwixx]

Good to know Emerson and Agassi were the 2 GOATs before Sampras's 99 and 2000 Wimbledon titles and before Federer.

You forgot about laver (who is still reguarded as a goat with fed)

 

[bolo]

Rafa's interviews:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTBqyf2KhVA
post-quarterfinal

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zx7FTvdLWtI
post-semifinal

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHYTVOMK8jI
post-final

thanks! THe rome website didn't seem to post any transcripts.

 

[penguinn11]

how dare nadal win without playing his best...

 

[penguinn11]

how arrogant of federer to focus only on grand slam and not worried about his early losses in the masters...

 

[ruerooo]

thanks! THe rome website didn't seem to post any transcripts.

News in Italian
http://www.inter****onalibnlditalia.it/1/News.asp?LNG=IT

News in English
http://www.inter****onalibnlditalia.it/1/News.asp?LNG=EN

Scroll down for the news on the mens' matches and/or go to the next page (depending on when you see this post), because the ladies have started

 

[cknobman]

Maybe statements like this are glimpse into why he never wins the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award.

 

[nikdom]

Maybe statements like this are glimpse into why he never wins the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award.

I don't think the players care much about his statements. The fist pumping, glaring, taking time between points and looking at his box all the time should ensure he never wins the sportsmanship award ever.

 

[pepe01]

Of course Rafa, you will do the same all clay season..

http://ca.reuters.com/article/sportsNews/idCATRE64135P20100502?pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=0

Sure against your puppets you don't need to.

He played poorly on that first set against Wawrinka and still won and the match against Gulbis would've been straight if he was 100%.

From no confidence to over confident. He's really something special.

Of course, with this poor level, he can play at 60% and win Madrid and RG.

Boring

 

[rafan]

That is excellent logic for Nadal who has had a rotton year with his confidence at an all time low. Anyone would be pleased if they could still win when not playing their best - there is no arrogance attached to this remark

 

[rommil]

Rafa's statement is nothing compared to what he did last year. He thought of defending his Wimbledon by not showing up, probably thinking he was that good.

 

[Anaconda]

Sorry, but what is wrong with what he just said? Of course he wins without playing his best it's the reason he is one if the best match players on tour. Hell there have been guys like Djokovic (2009-2010) and Roddick (2006-2008) who rarely played a match above average yet stayed in the top 5-10 during those years.

At the end of the day, if you cannot win without playing your best then........

A) You are not a great player.
B) You better hope to god you are consistent.

 

[ksbh]

C.Man! Does it really matter? The S.E sportsmanship award is about as worthy as discarded underpants used by Eldrick Woods! LOL!

Maybe statements like this are glimpse into why he never wins the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award.

 

[cknobman]

C.Man! Does it really matter? The S.E sportsmanship award is about as worthy as discarded underpants used by Eldrick Woods! LOL!

Im just playing devils advocate :twisted:

 

[cknobman]

Its all part of the master plan people.

Nadal is going to win Madrid and be fairly humble.

Nadal win play several tough 4-5 setters at the FO and narrowly win the the title over (insert name here).

In his post match interview he will talk about how tired he was from Madrid and how his knees hurt. He will then speak of how he can win when hes not at his best.

Shortly after the FO Rafa will announce hes taking some time off due to knee injury.

TW boards will go down due to overload from Rafa lovers claiming how hes the best ever and can beat anyone even when tired and injured.

Rafa will return for Wimbledon, make final, lose to Roger.

Shortly after Wimbledon Rafa announces hes taking some time off due to knee injury.

TW boards again go down due to massive overload from Rafa fans creating threads and posting how the only reason Rafa did not win Wimbledon was because he was injured. They will all agree that Roger was lucky and use it as ammunition for arguing how he is not the GOAT.

 

[Omega_7000]

Nadal is humble, Federer is not. End of discussion.

Nadal is fake, Federer is honest. End of discussion.

 

[vortex1]

Nadal at 100% would destroy everyone easily on clay and grass. At this point he's just winning comfortably, so yes, he is not playing his best and still winning. I applaud Rafa for being so honest to admit it.

 

[Bud]

There's a big difference between "not playing your best" and not giving 100%. Sometimes, when Rafa is giving 100% he's still not at his best.

 

[ksbh]

LOL, C.Man! Please continue! Though we already have enough Federer fanboys & Nadal fangirls with their panties in a bunch, it'll only add to the mayhem!

Im just playing devils advocate :twisted:

 

[billnepill]

nothing wrong with what Rafa said. It would be nice for Rafa fans to admit once in a while that they tear Fed apart, when making similar comments.

 

[MotherMarjorie]

Rafael Nadal might be able to get away with winning while not playing 100% on clay, but on grass or hardcourt, he has more difficulty winning. Overall, his game isn't that durable on anything except clay.

He's just another European clay court specialist.

 

[vortex1]

Rafael Nadal might be able to get away with winning while not playing 100% on clay, but on grass or hardcourt, he has more difficulty winning. Overall, his game isn't that durable on anything except clay.

He's just another European clay court specialist.

I disagree about grass. Nadal is easily second best player on grass right now.