Nadal might play clay after Wimbledon

[yuccachix]

Rafael Nadal And His Surprising Idea of Coming Back to Clay After Wimbledon...


Rafael Nadal was expecting more for the clay season. Not just him, his fans and the tennis community as a whole never would have imagined that the 9-time French Open champion could leave Paris title-less and with just one title collected on clay, in the ATP 250 of Buenos Aires. No Masters 1000 titles, no French Open title, no top four spot in the ATP Rankings. Things clearly look very different for Rafael Nadal compared to the previous years.

This new status will require an ability to adapt and a will to come back even stronger from the 14-time Slam champion. Rafael already talked about how he will get back on the practice courts to work even harder, to come back stronger than before. Murray and Djokovic already have praised the Spaniard, so did the entire tennis community.

The main problem for Nadal, as surprising as it seems, could be that he might need to play more in order to qualify for the ATP Finals of London. After the French Open, Nadal is No.8 in the race to London, with an advantage of over 1000 points over No.9 Milos Raonic. The problem for Rafael is that after Paris, the tennis season will continue exploring territories which aren't quite considered home to the Spaniard. Grass, hard courts, Nadal has won a lot on those surfaces too, but obviously less than how he managed to do on clay. 

Because of that, Rafael may surprisingly decided to come back on clay in July, after Wimbledon, to gain more points, as introduced by Rafael himself in Paris.

"I will play on grass in Stuttgart, Queen's and Wimbledon. My goal is to qualify for the ATP World Tour Finals in London. After Wimbledon I will decide my schedule for the summer, which will depend on the results I obtain on grass. I don't exclude a comeback on clay in the summer" said Rafael after losing to Djokovic.

Nadal should allegedly play a total of 22 tournaments this year. That's a dense schedule for someone like the Spaniard, who happened to deal with injuries quite often in the past. 

All will depend on Wimbledon and the grass season. Nadal will be ready to give his best, so it is no time yet to count the 2-time Wimbledon champion out.

http://www.**************.org/Rafae...ck-to-Clay-After-Wimbledon-articolo24330.html

 

[NatF]

Hopefully he doesn't overplay. Not a bad idea if his goal is to pick up points rather than be as competitive as possible in the final part of the season.

 

[Deleted member 77403]

Nice to see that Nadal gives importance to a tournament that some people consider an exhibition...He knows the importance. I hope he has a great grass season, I will be cheering him on to hopefully have a deep run at Wimbledon. Vamos!

 

[Feather]

Nice to see that Nadal gives importance to a tournament that some people consider an exhibition...He knows the importance. I hope he has a great grass season, I will be cheering him on to hopefully have a deep run at Wimbledon. Vamos!

I loved what you did there

 

[NGM]

Nadal is in a panic. He is trying the same method harder. It doesn't work, I am afraid.

 

[Bukmeikara]

Nadal is a champion and even if I dont like him overall I am glad to see that he is still motivated to come back stronger. There is no shame to play Hamburg, Bastad or even Umag. After all tennis is supposed to make people happy and seeing Nadal at this " smaller " events would definately make the local community happy.

 

[DRII]

I loved what you did there

so you love passive aggressive trolling

 

[veroniquem]

Desperate times call for desperate measures. Grass is gonna be difficult with the type of serving stats he's been posting lately and his losing a step on the return.
Clay events with lesser competition is the way to go for helping with confidence and easy points. Ultimately, that's like a cheap band-aid though. It will only take him so far. He has to change some things in his game. That's the alarming bit. It doesn't seem like he intends to at all.

 

[DRII]

i think Nadal should experiment with his strings again. maybe switch back to his 2008 strings...

 

[veroniquem]

i think Nadal should experiment with his strings again. maybe switch back to his 2008 strings...

Now that's a great idea. He has to change SOMETHING.
I will start being reassured about his fate when the word "change" appears in his interviews. Until then, things look bleak: more practice, entering more events, all ideas to tire him out even more. I can't see the benefit there.

 

[Steve0904]

so you love passive aggressive trolling

No. He loves truth. What Hitman said was the truth. "My goal is to qualify for the WTF." Right from Nadal himself. Despite that, Nadal fanboys like to tell us how much of an exhibition it is every year.

 

[SLD76]

You can't change time.

 

[NatF]

so you love passive aggressive trolling

As opposed to your aggressive trolling? :lol:

 

[FedEx23]

Do you think he'll play Cincinnati, the real slam? Or a clay challenger in Italy or Germany that week?

 

[veroniquem]

You can't change time.

No but you can change things to adjust better to the effects of time. Other players have done it, so we know it's possible. It will not enable him to win all titles but it could enable him to hang around a little longer.

 

[Omega_7000]

Nice to see that Nadal gives importance to a tournament that some people consider an exhibition...

Everything is an exhibition until he wins it...

 

[vive le beau jeu !]

No but you can change things to adjust better to the effects of time. Other players have done it, so we know it's possible. It will not enable him to win all titles but it could enable him to hang around a little longer.

but what is the point ? he's wasting his fishing prime !

 

[Nathaniel_Near]

I'd certainly like to see Nadal qualify for the WTF and face the other top 8 players in the world.

 

[veroniquem]

but what is the point ? he's wasting his fishing prime !

Well, that's another option he might be considering
(and I would not blame him one bit!)

 

[chjtennis]

I was thinking Nadal would play as many clay events as he can in the remainder of the year. To keep himself sharp and confident.

 

[DRII]

No. He loves truth. What Hitman said was the truth. "My goal is to qualify for the WTF." Right from Nadal himself. Despite that, Nadal fanboys like to tell us how much of an exhibition it is every year.

it is an exhibition, an elite and historically relevant one, but an exhibition none the less. its RR format declares as much.

 

[SLD76]

it is an exhibition, an elite and historically relevant one, but an exhibition none the less. its RR format declares as much.

Lmao. It's fascinating watching the mental gymnastics at work here.

Elite and historically relevant exhibition

ROFLMAO!!!

 

[DRII]

Everything is an exhibition until he wins it...

if true Nadal fans were trolls, we would have constantly brought up Davis Cup (another historically significant event in tennis). especially when Federer had none and Nadal had multiple! however, we didn't so try and recognize that...

 

[SLD76]

No but you can change things to adjust better to the effects of time. Other players have done it, so we know it's possible. It will not enable him to win all titles but it could enable him to hang around a little longer.

Yeah but there is hanging around like Hewitt and there is hanging around like Fed. I don't think Nadal inherently has the game to hang around like Fed and I csnt see him satisfied being the walking dead like Hewitt.

 

[Mick]

in about 5 years, Federer and Nadal are going to win everything again on the senior tours

 

[DRII]

Lmao. It's fascinating watching the mental gymnastics at work here.

Elite and historically relevant exhibition

ROFLMAO!!!

yes LSD76, elite, relevant, and an exhibition.

any event where one can lose but still utlimately win is an exhibition.

 

[SLD76]

if true Nadal fans were trolls, we would have constantly brought up Davis Cup (another historically significant event in tennis). especially when Federer had none and Nadal had multiple! however, we didn't so try and recognize that...

Right. Because a team event when one country has multiple top 20 players and one country has 2 is relevant to singles competition




ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!!

 

[SLD76]

yes LSD76, elite, relevant, and an exhibition.

any event where one can lose but still utlimately win is an exhibition.

Says you. Try convicting the tour which awards 1500 pts for the exhibition.

ROFLMAO! !!!

 

[DRII]

Right. Because a team event when one country has multiple top 20 players and one country has 2 is relevant to singles competition




ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!!

yep,

the same way how one 'tournament' where one can lose a singles match but still somehow win the 'whole' thing is relevant :twisted:

and please do not hallucinate by trying to deny the historical significance of D.C., players would skip slams for D.C. in the past.

 

[DRII]

Says you. Try convicting the tour which awards 1500 pts for the exhibition.

ROFLMAO! !!!

please

the arbitrary authority of the ATP, or any other organization, has little bearing on my opinion!

 

[SLD76]

please

the arbitrary authority of the ATP, or any other organization, has little bearing on my opinion!

Arbitrary authority? ?

ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[britam25]

i think Nadal should experiment with his strings again. maybe switch back to his 2008 strings...

Yeah, that'll do the trick, ROTFLMAO!!!! Yer boy's Slam winning career is as dead as Julius Caesar, get used to it.

 

[SLD76]

yep,

the same way how one 'tournament' where one can lose a singles match but still somehow win the 'whole' thing is relevant :twisted:

and please do not hallucinate by trying to deny the historical significance of D.C., players would skip slams for D.C. in the past.

Yep. Because when people considered Sampras gost, it was all those DC wins they mentioned first. Forget about 7 wimbledons, 6 year end number ones, 5 wtf final wins, weeks st number one.

Nope, DC all the way!

ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[GabeT]

But, but, but so many here have told me that for pros the ONLY thing that matters are slams, that they never care about ranking, and that the WTF is not a real tournament.

Could they all be wrong?

 

[Boom-Boom]

Nice to see that Nadal gives importance to a tournament that some people consider an exhibition...He knows the importance. I hope he has a great grass season, I will be cheering him on to hopefully have a deep run at Wimbledon. Vamos!

Good to see the utmost importance given by Nadal to the WTF, one of the main (if not the only left) objective of his season.

He clearly sees WTF as a major on par with GS.

 

[DRII]

Yep. Because when people considered Sampras gost, it was all those DC wins they mentioned first. Forget about 7 wimbledons, 6 year end number ones, 5 wtf final wins, weeks st number one.

Nope, DC all the way!

ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

uh no, it was the 14 slams, a record at the time.

don't get it twisted.

 

[GabeT]

yes LSD76, elite, relevant, and an exhibition.

any event where one can lose but still utlimately win is an exhibition.

You do understand that that's how all sports works, right?

 

[DRII]

Good to see the utmost importance given by Nadal to the WTF, one of the main (if not the only left) objective of his season.

He clearly sees WTF as a major on par with GS.

comprehension isn't your strong suit...

 

[DRII]

You do understand that that's how all sports works, right?

no,

please explain...

 

[SLD76]

comprehension isn't your strong suit...

Nadal: "I want to qualify for WTF"

DRII: It's an exhibition. Lmao!

 

[GabeT]

Nadal: "I want to qualify for WTF"

DRII: It's an exhibition. Lmao!

Come on, we all know that TT posters that play recreationally a few times a season are much more knowledgeable than tennis pros that have won 14 Slams and 27 masters.

 

[britam25]

awe, you bitter dafinch...

Nadal has been the Spartacus to your Caesar since the beginning and trust and believe he still has fight left in him.

trolls have written him off before.

Bitter? You are, as usual, about as wrong as you could possibly be. Seeing that scum go down, kinda like an oil derrick, in sections, has been a thing to behold: the crack in the dam with losing to long time pigeon Stan, the 3rd humiliating early exit from Wimbledon in as many years to a player ranked 100 or higher, the Revenge of the Former Pigeons increasing more and more(Stan, Almagro, Fognini, Verdasco, Berdych, 5-15(at the time) Murray, culminating in 0-6 at RO Novak butchering him in straight sets to take away the last crumb the Nadal apologists were desperately clinging to, Nobody Can Beat Rafa in Best of Five and RO. And, with his ranking dropping like an anvil off of an ocean cruiser, it's only gonna get worse. He may playing exclusively on the poker tour this time next year, he doesn't strike me as the kind of guy who is going to stick around and allow constant trips to the woodshed.

 

[swordtennis]

I'd certainly like to see Nadal qualify for the WTF and face the other top 8 players in the world.

I think I might have seen what you did there in that statement. Lol. Epic.

 

[Towser83]

it is an exhibition, an elite and historically relevant one, but an exhibition none the less. its RR format declares as much.

Exhibitions don't carry atp ranking points.

if true Nadal fans were trolls, we would have constantly brought up Davis Cup (another historically significant event in tennis). especially when Federer had none and Nadal had multiple! however, we didn't so try and recognize that...

I can't speak for you personally but yes Nadal fans did go on about Davis cup and how Federer hadn't won one. This was a very highly brought up point.

yep,

the same way how one 'tournament' where one can lose a singles match but still somehow win the 'whole' thing is relevant :twisted:

and please do not hallucinate by trying to deny the historical significance of D.C., players would skip slams for D.C. in the past.

you do realise you can lose in qualifying for a slam, get in as a lucky loser and win the whole event?

You do also realise the end of year championship was considered better than the Australian Open?

You do also realise that Nadal and probably loass of other players has lost singles matches in a Davis cup campaign and still won the event? In fact you could lose all your individual singles matches and doubles too and still be crowned Davis cup champ with the rest of the team.

I know you will just avoid the subject but let's face it, I've jut proved the Davis cup us a bigger exhibition.

please

the arbitrary authority of the ATP, or any other organization, has little bearing on my opinion!

That's it though, it's just your OPINION but it's OFFICIAL status is not an exhibition. I can say in my opinion all the clay events is an exhibition. But only an extremely biased person with an agenda would say that lol.

 

[Nathaniel_Near]

I think I might have seen what you did there in that statement. Lol. Epic.

 

[Deleted member 55539]

Bitter? You are, as usual, about as wrong as you could possibly be. Seeing that scum go down, kinda like an oil derrick, in sections, has been a thing to behold: the crack in the dam with losing to long time pigeon Stan, the 3rd humiliating early exit from Wimbledon in as many years to a player ranked 100 or higher, the Revenge of the Former Pigeons increasing more and more(Stan, Almagro, Fognini, Verdasco, Berdych, 5-15(at the time) Murray, culminating in 0-6 at RO Novak butchering him in straight sets to take away the last crumb the Nadal apologists were desperately clinging to, Nobody Can Beat Rafa in Best of Five and RO. And, with his ranking dropping like an anvil off of an ocean cruiser, it's only gonna get worse. He may playing exclusively on the poker tour this time next year, he doesn't strike me as the kind of guy who is going to stick around and allow constant trips to the woodshed.

actually it would be funny to see nadal continue even when loosing... he will level the H2H argument and the last straw that nadal fanatics hold on to will be taken away from then when djokovic would lead their H2H like 35-25 or something..

 

[Deleted member 77403]

Nadal: "I want to qualify for WTF"

DRII: It's an exhibition. Lmao!

I'll take Nadal words any day regarding the importance of the WTF than some random fan who wants to bring it down, just because their fav hasn't won it.

Notice how Nadal didn't say...I want to win Wimbledon, I want to win US Open...No, he clearly stated his goal is to qualify to the WTF. He knows it is a massive title that he is missing, regardless of what anyone else says.

 

[ivan_the_terrible]

Nadal should push for the abolishment of the the bio passport. It's clear since it's inception the frequent testing has depleted his blood count. There's hardly any left for PRP and stem cells.

It's surely a tactic by the ITF to target the KOC.

 

[Steve0904]

I'd certainly like to see Nadal qualify for the WTF and face the other top 8 players in the world.

Yeah, I'd like to see it too. :twisted: :lol:

That was brilliant! (Not by me, by you).

 

[Deleted member 77403]

Exhibitions don't carry atp ranking points.



I can't speak for you personally but yes Nadal fans did go on about Davis cup and how Federer hadn't won one. This was a very highly brought up point.



you do realise you can lose in qualifying for a slam, get in as a lucky loser and win the whole event?

You do also realise the end of year championship was considered better than the Australian Open?

You do also realise that Nadal and probably loass of other players has lost singles matches in a Davis cup campaign and still won the event? In fact you could lose all your individual singles matches and doubles too and still be crowned Davis cup champ with the rest of the team.

I know you will just avoid the subject but let's face it, I've jut proved the Davis cup us a bigger exhibition.



That's it though, it's just your OPINION but it's OFFICIAL status is not an exhibition. I can say in my opinion all the clay events is an exhibition. But only an extremely biased person with an agenda would say that lol.

And you want they say about an opinion, it's like an A...... - everyones got one. Doesn't mean it is fact. WTF is an official ATP tournament, all matches count in the H2H, which doesn't happen in exhibition matches.

But remember...some people need to sleep at night.