Nadal in decline.
- Thread starter insideguy
- Start date
Antonio Puente
Hall of Fame
Wawrinka, Dolgopolov, Ferrer, Almagro...
God damn, which pigeon is next? Fed????
If he loses to Fed, then we'll really know it's over.
God damn, which pigeon is next? Fed????
If he loses to Fed, then we'll really know it's over.
D
Deleted member 21996
Guest
yeah... i mean... how long can a stash last?
monfed
Banned
Oh no no no. Next up - Berdych. :lol:
urundai
Professional
Yup, here's hoping the master pigeon sticks one on the next couple clay tourneys.
counterloop
Professional
Nobody wins forever. It was bound to happen sooner or later. I actually am not that disappointed in his performance this year. It is good for tennis....Rafa completely owned the clay seasons for the past 9yrs, so, he is engraved in the history books no matter what.
He will come into this years French Open not the overwhelming favorite for the first time in his career.....if he ends up winning it again....it will be great drama and somewhat unexpected by most....considering his awful season so far....for his standards that is.
He will come into this years French Open not the overwhelming favorite for the first time in his career.....if he ends up winning it again....it will be great drama and somewhat unexpected by most....considering his awful season so far....for his standards that is.
And he still has to defend titles in Madrid, Rome, and Paris. Good lord the points are just bleeding off. I thought he would be able to hold on to most of his clay points. Even I underestimated how terrible he is playing this year. Those nobodies pushing him in Qatar should have been a clue.
Man I dont think birdman actually wants to beat Nadal. He gave him a pass into the finals in Miami. He likes Rafa to much.
veroniquem
Bionic Poster
It's funny because I've always argued against the decline theory until this year when for the first time, I see a clear deterioration of his game even on clay, and I would almost have to say: especially on clay. Movement, offensiveness, accuracy, confidence, everything is off. Usually, it comes together once the clay season starts but not this time. Temporary lapse or beginning of the end? I guess there is a reason why no man has ever won a tournament more than 7 or 8 times. The greatest champs cannot be impervious to wearout in the end.
newpball
Legend
It would be very humiliating.
On the other hand Djokovic managed to do that twice this year already, oh no, once, he was injured the second time, injured for a long time.
J
JRAJ1988
Guest
Good things usually come to an end sooner or later.
I bet Nadal must be proud of his career from 2001 till now, maybe another Australian Open would be the icing on the cake, maybe not. At 27/28 his form has dropped and I don't think it's physical, it's mental...the Wawrinka match at the Australian Open really hurt him...regardless of the MTO he was shell shocked and livid.
I bet Nadal must be proud of his career from 2001 till now, maybe another Australian Open would be the icing on the cake, maybe not. At 27/28 his form has dropped and I don't think it's physical, it's mental...the Wawrinka match at the Australian Open really hurt him...regardless of the MTO he was shell shocked and livid.
J
JRAJ1988
Guest
I mean.... do you ever give up with that slanderous crap? Since 2007 you've being do this I presume, you'd think you'd grow up or clear off! Every time I glance at the comments you pop up with some asinine BS which you can't back up.
Moron..can you prove it in a court of law that Nadal doped or used PED's? No you can't.
I can understand riling up the fans for a laugh but sometimes there's that line (I do it), I guess Barbara Streisand was right when she was talking about those "little people"
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D
Deleted member 512391
Guest
His 2013 reminds me of Federer's 2008. Federer started to lose to the players he had owned or whom he had never lost to (Stepanek, Karlovic, Roddick, Blake, Simon, Fish etc).
Nadal's case is similar (Dolgopolov, Wawrinka, Ferrer, Almagro). Regardless of what happens at the FO, he can be (and he is) proud of what he's achieved.
He's become a tennis legend.
Nadal's case is similar (Dolgopolov, Wawrinka, Ferrer, Almagro). Regardless of what happens at the FO, he can be (and he is) proud of what he's achieved.
He's become a tennis legend.
newpball
Legend
heninfan99
Talk Tennis Guru
This year is the pigeons are feasting.
It's hard to see Nadal group by the FO. I think maybe next year he can make one more run but not now.
It's hard to see Nadal group by the FO. I think maybe next year he can make one more run but not now.
furryballs
Banned
he's 46-9 since the US open.
TheMusicLover
G.O.A.T.
Well noticed.
It looks like a typical post-27 decline, or at least the start of it. The big question will be, will it be a slow and gradual process, like Fed's?
I'd also like to emphasize that 'being in decline' surely doesn't equal "will win zilch from now on".
dudeski
Hall of Fame
I wouldn't go that far. Let's see what happens in Madrid and Rome. If he loses in both then yeah he is not winning FO unless Nole is out before the final.
D
Deleted member 21996
Guest
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Emiliano55
Professional
Nadal is suffering the same that Federer suffered at almost the same age, back in 2007, where he started to lose matches that he usually didn't lose and start losing some confidence.
We all know that Federer kept winning majors after that, despite having a lot of up and downs. The question for Rafa is, how long will his body endure ? I think he still have plenty of time to come back a few times yet after some up and downs, but I don't think his body will handle numerous come backs as Federer did after 2007.
We all know that Federer kept winning majors after that, despite having a lot of up and downs. The question for Rafa is, how long will his body endure ? I think he still have plenty of time to come back a few times yet after some up and downs, but I don't think his body will handle numerous come backs as Federer did after 2007.
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moonballs
Hall of Fame
Well noticed.
It looks like a typical post-27 decline, or at least the start of it. The big question will be, will it be a slow and gradual process, like Fed's?
I'd also like to emphasize that 'being in decline' surely doesn't equal "will win zilch from now on".
He will decline faster because of the grinding style. But last year his hard court performance was so good that there is a chance that he can change his style into more first strike tennis. That probably will only happen afyer then FO fort is lost.
Antonio Puente
Hall of Fame
When it comes to this rivalry, this would be the luck of a Fed fan: Nadal will probably lose to Berdych in Madrid, Donald Young in Rome, then straight set Fed in the final at RG.
N
NadalDramaQueen
Guest
I thought it was fairly obvious that people decline physically as they age.
I would go so far as to say you can only dominate something for so long, even if you could stay forever young.
It is a pity that many people have to experience something for themselves before they can understand it. Don't worry, if Nadal is really declining, what he accomplished is goat-worthy no matter what the trolls say about any future losses.
Yes, I can't imagine Nadal playing long enough for his decline to outweigh the mental block that Fed has against him.
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RF20Lennon
Legend
I think we should wait till Madrid and Rome. He might have shaken off whatever is bothering him by that point!
dudeski
Hall of Fame
Fed would truly be a GOAT of GOATs to make another (6th) FO final at this age. Almost two years older than Sampras was when he played his last match. So super GOATy if that happens! Oh yeah Sampras made 0 FO finals.
Antonio Puente
Hall of Fame
I believe he's better on hardcourts these days than clay. I thought it last year. He played top level tennis in Miami. As far as clay goes, Ferrer beating him is no shock. He should have beaten him last year in Madrid, and Nadal's had a number of Almagro-like close calls in recent years.
Backspin1183
Talk Tennis Guru
Despite the loss, Rafa actually played better here than he did at Monte Carlo. He improved. And we know he can play better.
newpball
Legend
Please do not give marketing and advertising money ideas. :twisted:
D
Deleted member 512391
Guest
Well noticed.
It looks like a typical post-27 decline, or at least the start of it. The big question will be, will it be a slow and gradual process, like Fed's?
I'd also like to emphasize that 'being in decline' surely doesn't equal "will win zilch from now on".
When he slows down a little bit, his decline will be more obvious than Federer's, because he needs to cover more of the court space - the reason is his customary court position which is few meters behind the baseline.
Unless he completely reinvents his game and plants his feet firmly on the baseline. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised, since he's proved he can adopt his game.
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Defensive Tennis
Rookie
I agree. If he seems to keep struggling while playing the next two masters, then I will begin to wonder if he is in decline. It's obvious that something isn't quite right, but I think it's too soon still to say if he is in a terrible downward spiral or not.
Mike Sams
G.O.A.T.
Nadal came out like a house on fire after his 8 month hiatus and surprised everyone. Now it seems the engine has cooled off.
Hot form is always temporary..
Mike Sams
G.O.A.T.
He can just take another 8 months off and come back and win everything like before
Tennis_Hands
Banned
According to the VB, when Nadal loses he is unsettled for his next tournament.
Does that mean, that he is going out early in Madrid?
Also, I haven't heard of any injury from his camp. I am shocked.
P.S. Nice to see some of the VB members start singing the tune that "the age does matter". They will come around about other things as well. Eventually.
Does that mean, that he is going out early in Madrid?
Also, I haven't heard of any injury from his camp. I am shocked.
P.S. Nice to see some of the VB members start singing the tune that "the age does matter". They will come around about other things as well. Eventually.
Superswede
Rookie
Too soon to tell - if he wins either Madrid or Rome he's back for sure.
But I think more player actually think that they can beat him now
But I think more player actually think that they can beat him now
Dan Z
Semi-Pro
Aye... the snowball Stan started seems to be turning into a (small) avalanche
I wonder more about his mentality. He has historically been a guy who needs more matches and more wins leading into the big events to boost his own confidence, whereas Federer has never lacked confidence regardless of any result or series of results. Can Nadal still win slams if his results on the rest of the schedule are more spotty?
Based on his history, only once has he played at an extremely high level for consecutive years (2010-11) without an injury or a dip in performance. Obviously, the results in 2011 weren't the same as 2010, but that had more to do with the insane level of Djokovic, IMO, than any dip in Nadal's game. I certainly didn't expect a repeat of 2013, but how can anyone not be surprised by his losses this year, especially in the last two tournaments?
You are definitely a selective reader. Nadal fans have discussed here how he's not as good as before. Last year, he was much worse than before, but he somehow managed to win a lot.
Not sure where you come up with what you've come up with.
movdqa
Talk Tennis Guru
I'll watch the match later (watching Cilic-Nishikori right now). Nadal wasn't sharp in the earlier rounds. He started out slow - of course he won but he shouldn't be starting out slow.
He needs to bring out a prototype 107 sq inch racquet, blacked out, of course, to get back in the game.
He needs to bring out a prototype 107 sq inch racquet, blacked out, of course, to get back in the game.
Steve0904
Talk Tennis Guru
And that is the absolute truth. Well said sir!
Defensive Tennis
Rookie
He can just take another 8 months off and come back and win everything like before
Haha true
He has his best years after a hiatusHaha true
Not sure if it will work again after this year, if he bails on the year.
counterloop
Professional
I don't see that much a decline in level. What I see is a decline in emotion and lack of motivation. He just seems to be playing just because he has to play. The Nadal we have come to love and know, always played with tremendous passion, fist pumps throughout the match, a definite purpose to win every single possible point.
What I've seen in the last couple of tournaments is a man who is somehow tired of competing. Ready to just get off the court one way or another, win or loss.
What I've seen in the last couple of tournaments is a man who is somehow tired of competing. Ready to just get off the court one way or another, win or loss.
Mr.Lob
G.O.A.T.
Stan didn't start the snowball. Nadal's subpar performances started immediately after winning the U.S Open. Nadal looks burned out and unmotivated to me. He needs a nice rest.
