Nadal increasingly competitive in hardcourt tournaments

[Forehand Of Doom]

2013 marked the first year when Nadal achieved more on hardcourt (1 slam, 3 Masters) than on clay (1 slam, 2 Masters).

Is this a logical outcome given Nadal's trajectory and his adaptation in hardcourts?

Is it a trend which we can expect to continue, and what are the implications?

 

[Chico]

No. This was Nadal's swan song. He will not win any more important and meaningful HC title.

Sorry to say, but his career has only one way to go now and that is down.

 

[Chico]

Also please change that avatar. It brings back some bad memories. I think it is someone else every time.

 

[bullfan]

2013 marked the first year when Nadal achieved more on hardcourt (1 slam, 3 Masters) than on clay (1 slam, 2 Masters).

Is this a logical outcome given Nadal's trajectory and his adaptation in hardcourts?

Is it a trend which we can expect to continue, and what are the implications?

It really depends on a few things. First and foremost, Nadal's knees. Secondly, Nadal's scheduling, always an issue regarding hard-courts. Then, there's Novak and his desire to improve, coupled with Nadal's on off years. And lest I forget Murray, surging, and is currently questionable due to back issues. Same can be said for Fed, with back issues.

And finally, someone younger is bound to step up at some point.... DelPo....

 

[Crisstti]

Rafa is definitely in his hc prime. That said, his knees were bothering him during the clay season this year and it showed on his game.

 

[Forehand Of Doom]

No. This was Nadal's swan song. He will not win any more important and meaningful HC title.

Sorry to say, but his career has only one way to go now and that is down.

What do you base this on beside your wish that Nadal fails? Nadal just won the American hardcourt swing, along with Indian Wells. He is 2-1 in USO finals against Djokovic. His hardcourt victories in 2013 are in large part responsible for his return to the #1 spot.

Incidentally, people have been predicting the end of Nadal's career since 2009, and he is still standing.

 

[Forehand Of Doom]

Also please change that avatar. It brings back some bad memories. I think it is someone else every time.

I will change my avatar when Djokovic regains the #1 spot (and by this, I mean not in the foreseeable future).

 

[Forehand Of Doom]

It really depends on a few things. First and foremost, Nadal's knees. Secondly, Nadal's scheduling, always an issue regarding hard-courts. Then, there's Novak and his desire to improve, coupled with Nadal's on off years. And lest I forget Murray, surging, and is currently questionable due to back issues. Same can be said for Fed, with back issues.

And finally, someone younger is bound to step up at some point.... DelPo....

I am optimistic regarding the state of Nadal's knees, but in the past this has been an obvious problem. Murray is an unknown at the moment, and Djokovic has lost the edge against Rafa in slams in 2013, specially after the humiliating USO loss. That 4th set was a master class from Nadal that proved that when he is on Djokovic is powerless.

 

[Forehand Of Doom]

Rafa is definitely in his hc prime. That said, his knees were bothering him during the clay season this year and it showed on his game.

I think during the early part of his return to the tour this was true, but his physical conditioning improved later on. Also, unlike in previous years, I haven't seen Rafa exhausted physically at the end of the year as is usually the case.

 

[sbengte]

I think during the early part of his return to the tour this was true, but his physical conditioning improved later on. Also, unlike in previous years, I haven't seen Rafa exhausted physically at the end of the year as is usually the case.

So his bum knees miraculously get healed playing and winning on HC and he learns to play a full season without exhaustion at the ripe old age of 27, when most players are falling out of their primes. The miracles never cease with the Nadal .
Vamos

 

[Forehand Of Doom]

So his bum knees miraculously get healed playing and winning on HC and he learns to play a full season without exhaustion at the ripe old age of 27, when most players are falling out of their primes. The miracles never cease with the Nadal .
Vamos

Not sure what your point is. It sounds like a halfhearted accussation of something, I just don't know what.

 

[Deleted member 77403]

I disagree. I think Nadal has been competitive on hard courts for a very long time, I just think he was much more fresher this year and had the determination to get the number one ranking back that saw him through.

Don't forget, it also helped that he had a nice break during the grass season, where he was virtually a by stander, while his biggest nemesis was going deep into Wimbledon, taking battle wounds from Del Potro etc.

Nadal has been very competitive on HC for quite a while now. It is just that in 2013, things just fitted perfectly into place.

 

[jg153040]

2013 marked the first year when Nadal achieved more on hardcourt (1 slam, 3 Masters) than on clay (1 slam, 2 Masters).

Is this a logical outcome given Nadal's trajectory and his adaptation in hardcourts?

Is it a trend which we can expect to continue, and what are the implications?

Not true. Nadal was best HC player in 2009 and Fed was best clay player in 2009.

But I'm not surprised you didn't know, you probably didn't watch tennis from 2003-2010, which is Fed's prime. No wonder you think Fed is some newb, since you only count what happened after 2010.

 

[sbengte]

Not sure what your point is. It sounds like a halfhearted accussation of something, I just don't know what.

Nothing at all. Just praising the Lord for the miracles that enabled Nadal to achieve as much as he did

 

[octobrina10]

So his bum knees miraculously get healed playing

It's not a miracle, it's the result of hard work (to be continued in the next post).
TW USA 19 Jul 2013 : ¤¤ World number four Rafael Nadal is aiming to be well prepared for the upcoming hard court season as he is doing both on court and off the court training almost daily.
Nadal posted a picture on his facebook page on Thursday in which he could be seen cycling on the gym under the supervision of his physical trainer.
The 12-time Grand Slam champion said in a recent interview that he does not have a major knee problem now but he needs to be physically strong to do good in the second part of season.¤¤
http://www.**************.org/Editor/Img/Rafael-Nadal-cycling-in-gym-img12479_668.jpg
http://www.**************.org/Editor/Img/Rafael-Nadal-training-in-gym-img12565_668.jpg

 

[octobrina10]

So his bum knees miraculously get healed playing

It's not a miracle, it's the result of hard work .

Excerpts from an interview with Rafa's doctor Angel Ruiz-Cotorro (Google Translate):
¤¤¤ We are pleased with the evolution of Rafa's knee. In the beginning of the year, we didn't know how the things would go.
Rafa Nadal has finished the year in better conditions for the knee than how it started this year.
No one was thinking he would own this season. He has no limits and he surprises us each day.
There are players that you know they will recover and Nadal is one of them. He makes things easier and he's a safe bet.
Nadal is willing to outdo himself and he puts everything from his part.
The injuries are part of his life, and what he needs to do is to be prepared and work in prevention. That's how he became no 1.
There are players exposed to the highest pressure, and we hope that with the work he does he can extend his career.
The calendar for the next year is similar to that of this year. If it worked, it can happened also in 2014. ¤¤

 

[Forehand Of Doom]

I disagree. I think Nadal has been competitive on hard courts for a very long time, I just think he was much more fresher this year and had the determination to get the number one ranking back that saw him through.

Don't forget, it also helped that he had a nice break during the grass season, where he was virtually a by stander, while his biggest nemesis was going deep into Wimbledon, taking battle wounds from Del Potro etc.

Nadal has been very competitive on HC for quite a while now. It is just that in 2013, things just fitted perfectly into place.

You are correct in much of what you say, regarding the fact that Nadal's different schedule and his early exit at Wimbledon are partially the reason for his great US hardcourt season.

What I think is that there is a clear awareness and intent in the Nadal camp to transition into allowing Nadal to perform better in hardcourts, since hardcourts account for a high percentage of the tour, including 2 slams.

I don't know how this will happen, and whether it will be at the expense of clay tournaments. I doubt Nadal is ever going to give up Roland Garros, but perhaps he will go easier in the earlier clay season.

Nadal has proven, like you say, that he is a competitive hardcourt player. I wonder though if the trend will not continue as it did in 2013, with Nadal actually stepping up his performance and results in hardcourts.

 

[Forehand Of Doom]

Not true. Nadal was best HC player in 2009 and Fed was best clay player in 2009.

But I'm not surprised you didn't know, you probably didn't watch tennis from 2003-2010, which is Fed's prime. No wonder you think Fed is some newb, since you only count what happened after 2010.

Geez... Can you stop trolling for a little bit?

Nadal's hardcourt season has been better in 2013 than it was in 2010. He had great results in 2010 (and also in the later part of 2008 extending into 2009), but he has never played so convincingly as he did this season in Indian Wells and Montreal, in my opinion. And the 4th set in the USO final was great as well (anything starting with the 4 points before the lawnmower powerup move LOL)

 

[Forehand Of Doom]

It's not a miracle, it's the result of hard work .

Excerpts from an interview with Rafa's doctor Angel Ruiz-Cotorro (Google Translate):
¤¤¤ We are pleased with the evolution of Rafa's knee. In the beginning of the year, we didn't know how the things would go.
Rafa Nadal has finished the year in better conditions for the knee than how it started this year.
No one was thinking he would own this season. He has no limits and he surprises us each day.
There are players that you know they will recover and Nadal is one of them. He makes things easier and he's a safe bet.
Nadal is willing to outdo himself and he puts everything from his part.
The injuries are part of his life, and what he needs to do is to be prepared and work in prevention. That's how he became no 1.
There are players exposed to the highest pressure, and we hope that with the work he does he can extend his career.
The calendar for the next year is similar to that of this year. If it worked, it can happened also in 2014. ¤¤

Thank you for these posts.

BTW,The 80s called and asked if the guy in the first picture can return the mullet.

 

[Amelie Mauresmo]

2013 marked the first year when Nadal achieved more on hardcourt (1 slam, 3 Masters) than on clay (1 slam, 2 Masters).

Is this a logical outcome given Nadal's trajectory and his adaptation in hardcourts?

Is it a trend which we can expect to continue, and what are the implications?

I think this year really shut up Nadal's critics who say he's just a clay court specialist. Rafa proved by winning the US OPEN for the second time he can play on hardcourts. Most importantly, Nadal has 2 US OPEN titles while Novak has a terrible 1-4 record in US OPEN finals.

 

[Forehand Of Doom]

I think this year really shut up Nadal's critics who say he's just a clay court specialist. Rafa proved by winning the US OPEN for the second time he can play on hardcourts. Most importantly, Nadal has 2 US OPEN titles while Novak has a terrible 1-4 record in US OPEN finals.

I agree, the USO was a great win by Nadal. He had won twice at the slams against Djokovic since the infamous 3 slam final losseS of 2011-2012, but it was at the FO. Doing it on hardcourt at the USO was very importanr in my opinion. This coming AO is shaping up to be an exciting tournament!

 

[Deleted member 743561]

2013 marked the first year when Nadal achieved more on hardcourt (1 slam, 3 Masters) than on clay (1 slam, 2 Masters).

Is this a logical outcome given Nadal's trajectory and his adaptation in hardcourts?

Is it a trend which we can expect to continue, and what are the implications?

Gave it some thought.

I have come to the conclusion that hardcourts are not Nadal's thing!

Forecast: No end to the drought in sight.

 

[smoledman]

No HC titles in 3.5 years now. Now heading into the part of the season where others dominate.

 

[Tennisanity]

OP is Rusty Shackleface = FOD

 

[fedtennisphan]

LOL! Bump!