Nadal's performance at majors from AO 2008-RG 2013 compared to AO 2017-RG 2022

[Entername]

2008 AO to 2013 RG

Slams Won: 9
Slam Finals: 12
Slam Semis: 15
Slam Quarters: 17
Slams Played: 19
Slams Missed: 3
Total Record: 108-10 (91.5%)

2017 AO to 2022 RG

Slams Won: 8
Slam Finals: 10
Slam Semis: 14
Slam Quarters: 17
Slams Played: 18
Slams Missed: 3 (not including 2020 WI cancelled by COVID)
Total Record: 102-10 (91.1%)

Of course, 2008-2013 Rafa was much better but statistically, his performance at majors in the last 5.5 years is about as good as any 5 year stretch in his career. Rafa owes a lot to Carlos Moya for turning his career around in his 30s

 

[spottishwood]

Rafa peaked in 2017-18.

 

[MichaelNadal]

Moya is epic AF. This would have never happened with Toni.

 

[Sabrina]

From 2017 till now is like Rafa 2nd career for me. Definitely thought that he was done at the end of 2016.

 

[RelentlessAttack]

I hate to say this in a Nadal thread since he’s my boy but… career inflation era confirmed

 

[AnOctorokForDinner]

Better than ever, no?

 

[NatF]

Lol near identical results with half the level of play.

 

[Kralingen]

“I think I'm a better player now than when I was at 24 because I've practiced for another 10 years and I've got 10 years more experience,” Nadal said. “I might not have the confidence I had at 24 when I was winning 40 matches in a row, but I feel like I hit a bigger serve, my backhand is better, my forehand is still as good as it's ever been, I volley better than I have in the past.” “I think I've had to adapt to a new generation of players again.”

 

[Entername]

Better than ever, no?

Ah bery tough for me but you know I still have to fight, I still have to suffer, I still have my thing with the foot, so this is all ombilleable for me, no?

 

[Deleted member 791948]

Lol near identical results with half the level of play.

He's less athletic now, but he attempts to win the point with a winner more now.
More aggressive play now, less reactive and able to control the outcome (for better or for worse) more now

 

[AnOctorokForDinner]

Lol near identical results with half the level of play.

"near identical level of play with nary a quarter of results" - better-than-ever-er apologists

 

[NatF]

He's less athletic now, but he attempts to win the point with a winner more now.
Better at aggressive play now

He's still beating these guys mostly on his athleticism, totally outlasted Med at the AO

 

[chicagodude]

From 2017 till now is like Rafa 2nd career for me. Definitely thought that he was done at the end of 2016.

I thought so midway through 2015, but after the WTF in 2015 I felt he could definitely come back strong again. Many people forget that, while overall 2015 was terrible and he played terrible, at the WTF he actually beat Murray, Wawrinka, and Ferrer back-to-back-to-back before falling only in the SF to Djokovic who was absolutely dominant at that time. His play at that WTF should've been enough to show he would be back. Only injury midway in 2016 derailed him for a while.

 

[Nadal_King]

I think his trajectory in 2015 was upwards but 2016 started badly with a bad loss to Djokovic in doha then rd 1 exit to verdasco at Ao and it was perhaps lowest moment of his career, bad losses in South American clay swing and then a good clay season but ended with bad wrist injury at Rg , later good olympics show but again another early loss in Us open to pouille. I remember him going 4 slams straight without reaching Qf and it just made me think he is done as his level is at best top 30 now. Once he made Qf at Ao 17 was so happy since it was a big hurdle to cross maybe that Zverev rd 3 was the turnaround to where Rafa is now as it just brought so much confidence back in him.

I thought so midway through 2015, but after the WTF in 2015 I felt he could definitely come back strong again. Many people forget that, while overall 2015 was terrible and he played terrible, at the WTF he actually beat Murray, Wawrinka, and Ferrer back-to-back-to-back before falling only in the SF to Djokovic who was absolutely dominant at that time. His play at that WTF should've been enough to show he would be back. Only injury midway in 2016 derailed him for a while.

 

[ibbi]

The key here is not the majors, but all the other tournaments. Compare those. Saving your best/your body for the big occasion is great, but doing it day in and day out all year long is a whole other thing.

 

[MadariKatu]

Now imagine 2008-2013 Nadal with Moyá on his side.

 

[Sampras-Bruguera 1993]

Well.. He was obviously a way better player 08-13. The crap for a field since 2017 (2014 actually) offsets his heavy decline. Nadal is good enough to where he can be at 50 percent of his old level and still win slams against this field

 

[Mustard]

Now imagine 2008-2013 Nadal with Moyá on his side.

Toni did well for Rafa in the past, when Rafa was younger and the correct response to setbacks was to knuckle down and try harder. I do think Rafa needed a change by 2014, a fresh eye and a new way of looking at things.

 

[mike danny]

Now imagine 2008-2013 Nadal with Moyá on his side.

You can play that game with anyone really.

Imagine Fed in 2008-2009 with Ljubicic and a bigger racquet.

As far as I know Fed was coachless during that period when Nadal started getting the better of him.

 

[Lozo1016]

So Moya is Rafa's Patrick Mouratoglou?

 

[DIMI_D]

Moya is epic AF. This would have never happened with Toni.

Yes becoming more aggressive was the only way to go plus the serve improvement! All I can say is wow and thank you!

 

[StrongRule]

I thought so midway through 2015, but after the WTF in 2015 I felt he could definitely come back strong again. Many people forget that, while overall 2015 was terrible and he played terrible, at the WTF he actually beat Murray, Wawrinka, and Ferrer back-to-back-to-back before falling only in the SF to Djokovic who was absolutely dominant at that time. His play at that WTF should've been enough to show he would be back. Only injury midway in 2016 derailed him for a while.

The end of 2015 gave hope, but 2016 ended up being an even worse year. A first round loss in AO, more losses to weak players, including on clay... Then withdrew from RG. and didn't even reach a slam 1/4 final that year. At that point there was no doubt he was done. Had someone told me he will win 1 more slam after RG 2016 I would never believe it. Somehow, he won 8 more.

 

[Mustard]

The end of 2015 gave hope, but 2016 ended up being an even worse year. A first round loss in AO, more losses to weak players, including on clay... Then withdrew from RG. and didn't even reach a slam 1/4 final that year. At that point there was no doubt he was done. Had someone told me he will win 1 more slam after RG 2016 I would never believe it. Somehow, he won 8 more.

I thought Rafa was done winning majors after Djokovic beat him at the 2015 French Open. I was elated about him winning 2015 Hamburg on clay in early August, an ATP 500 event, where he beat Fognini in the final, despite 12 breaks of serve in 24 games (7-5, 7-5). Rafa celebrated like it was a much bigger win.

 

[beltsman]

2008 AO to 2013 RG

Slams Won: 9
Slam Finals: 12
Slam Semis: 15
Slam Quarters: 17
Slams Played: 19
Slams Missed: 3
Total Record: 108-10 (91.5%)

2017 AO to 2022 RG

Slams Won: 8
Slam Finals: 10
Slam Semis: 14
Slam Quarters: 17
Slams Played: 18
Slams Missed: 3 (not including 2020 WI cancelled by COVID)
Total Record: 102-10 (91.1%)

Of course, 2008-2013 Rafa was much better but statistically, his performance at majors in the last 5.5 years is about as good as any 5 year stretch in his career. Rafa owes a lot to Carlos Moya for turning his career around in his 30s

That is shocking. Career inflation era for sure.

 

[T007]

2008 AO to 2013 RG

Slams Won: 9
Slam Finals: 12
Slam Semis: 15
Slam Quarters: 17
Slams Played: 19
Slams Missed: 3
Total Record: 108-10 (91.5%)

2017 AO to 2022 RG

Slams Won: 8
Slam Finals: 10
Slam Semis: 14
Slam Quarters: 17
Slams Played: 18
Slams Missed: 3 (not including 2020 WI cancelled by COVID)
Total Record: 102-10 (91.1%)

Of course, 2008-2013 Rafa was much better but statistically, his performance at majors in the last 5.5 years is about as good as any 5 year stretch in his career. Rafa owes a lot to Carlos Moya for turning his career around in his 30s

Compare the field of 2008-13 and Field of 2017-22. 18-19 were some what good with healthy Thiem,Federer but 2020-22 are the worst in two decades...both Djokovic and Nadal took Advantage of it.

 

[zuluzazu]

I thought so midway through 2015, but after the WTF in 2015 I felt he could definitely come back strong again. Many people forget that, while overall 2015 was terrible and he played terrible, at the WTF he actually beat Murray, Wawrinka, and Ferrer back-to-back-to-back before falling only in the SF to Djokovic who was absolutely dominant at that time. His play at that WTF should've been enough to show he would be back. Only injury midway in 2016 derailed him for a while.

Suprisingly he played better in the fall indoor season than he played on outdoors that whole year

 

[D.Nalby12]

Vacuum era. He wouldn't win last two Slams in 2013. Still credit to him for staying healthy and maintaining high level of consistency in thirties.

 

[D.Nalby12]

Slam won in thirties -

D - 8
N - 8
F -4.

IT'S only because of their Superior performance in thirties Dj and Ned could overtake Fed. It's not normal to have two players in same era who won 8 Slams in thirties. Vacuum era inflation.

 

[TearTheRoofOff]

I pointed this out (without the actual stats) before but I'm not sure we reached the same conclusions lol.

 

[Turning Pro]

8 slams after turning 30? (Agassi entire slam haul)

But he retired in 2009 due to knee/foot injuries? Wouldn't make it past 25/26 years old due to his physical playing style?

 

[Entername]

Compare the field of 2008-13 and Field of 2017-22. 18-19 were some what good with healthy Thiem,Federer but 2020-22 are the worst in two decades...both Djokovic and Nadal took Advantage of it.

It varies depending on the year. Some stretches were very depleted and other times were not. I think summer 2018, 2019, and beginning of 2020 were actually quite decent in terms of field strength.

2017 - as nostalgic as it felt it was a weak year outside of Fedal with everyone hurt and the next gen not yet arriving (it was Fedal plus lost gen guys like Dimitrov lol)

2018 - better than 2017 but not considered strong imo. Fed was pretty meh after IW, Rafa had a lot of health issues during the beginning and end, and Nole was awful in the first half and red hot in the second. Thiem played much better, Delpo was very good, Zverev was good in BO3 but irrelevant in BO5

2019 - this was probably the strongest year since 2014/15 tbh. Djokodal playing elite, Fed played well this year but it gets overshadowed by 40-15, Med broke through in the second half, Stef had his breakthrough and Thiem was finally starting to beat the top guys more regularly

2020 - too short and condensed to truly evaluate

2021 - probably the weakest year outside of Zverev's so-called big 3

2022 - it's a weird year to say the least. Nole's vaccine stance, Russians banned from Wimby, Zverev's injury, Carlitos' breakthrough, and Rafa's resurgence despite clearly not being 100%

 

[vanioMan]

 

[metsman]

Joe from 11-16: 11 majors.
Joe from 18-now: 8 majors, despite 1 being skipped, and him roflmao-ing two others, all of which he was a massive favorite to win (with that he'd have matched his peak 6 year output in 4 geriatric years!). Still has every chance to win 3 more majors rest of this year and next year to match his "peak" output.

A real lack of decency from Djokodal. Shameless really.

 

[StrongRule]

I hate to say this in a Nadal thread since he’s my boy but… career inflation era confirmed

This is true, but remember what Djokovic fans used to write last year? That even though this is a weak era there is no way past prime Federer and Nadal would win 3 slam titles like Djokovic did. Well, Nadal won 2 this year, and he is 2 years older than Djokovic was last year.

 

[aldeayeah]

“I think I'm a better player now than when I was at 24 because I've practiced for another 10 years and I've got 10 years more experience,” Nadal said. “I might not have the confidence I had at 24 when I was winning 40 matches in a row, but I feel like I hit a bigger serve, my backhand is better, my forehand is still as good as it's ever been, I volley better than I have in the past.” “I think I've had to adapt to a new generation of players again.”

needs more "no?"