Physically is Nadal the strongest ever? And how long can it last?

[King of Aces]

Borg, Vilas, Lendl, Muster were all candidates..... But were any quite as strong as the beast?

How long can Nadal last at this pace?

Personally I think 27 at the most. Which is generally Enough.....Borg quit at 25 or 26.

 

[S H O W S T O P P E R !]

You could make a case for Monfils. That guy is a freak of nature.

 

[SaintClaires]

You could make a case for Monfils. That guy is a freak of nature.

So is Tsonga.

 

[GameSampras]

Borg, Vilas, Lendl, Muster were all candidates..... But were any quite as strong as the beast?

How long can Nadal last at this pace?

Personally I think 27 at the most. Which is generally Enough.....Borg quit at 25 or 26.

Tough to say depending on how he schedules the tournaments from here on out. The more lax he makes his schedule the more long term he may be at winning slams and staying on top. Its hard to believe he can keep this current level up though for more than another 2 years IMO. But u never know. It also depends on if he can win points quicker. Get some free games but developing a deadlier serve. Maybe incorporate some more attack and dictation from the baseline ala Agassi.

If I were to have to take a guess though I would say 25 or so at his current level. The older you get, you start feeling those matches the day after. Hes only 22 now so he can get away with this style of play a bit. When he hits 25 or 26, thats when I would bet he starts feeling those miles catch up. But hell.. By then he could be close to the slam record. So it doesnt matter really. He may not have the longevity of an Agassi, Laver, or Connors, but he may not need to

 

[CyBorg]

Nadal would lose to Vilas in arm-wrestling.

 

[King of Aces]

Yannick Noah as well.

But I think Nadal is the strongest. That's why he is able to hit winners from such impossible angles. He just muscles the ball.

I think the others are stronger In the legs rather than the arms.

 

[GameSampras]

I dunno.. I would take Becker maybe over Nadal. The guy was a beast. Ask Sampras.

 

[King of Aces]

I dunno.. I would take Becker maybe over Nadal. The guy was a beast. Ask Sampras.

No way!

Becker was a big dude.....But he was a different type of strong...... He was tall and could hit huge serves . He sucked on clay.

He had more of an explosive strength. Nadal on the other hand can last longer than anyone.

 

[GameSampras]

No way!

Becker was a big dude.....But he was a different type of strong...... He was tall and could hit huge serves . He sucked on clay.

He had more of an explosive strength. Nadal on the other hand can last longer than anyone.

Oh Well I wasnt sure what type of "strength" you were referring too. Nadal has the endurance on Becker for sure. But I dont think he has the sheer brute force that Becker had. Becker was a big big strong guy and built like a sherman tank

 

[oneguy21]

Oh Well I wasnt sure what type of "strength" you were referring too. Nadal has the endurance on Becker for sure. But I dont think he has the sheer brute force that Becker had. Becker was a big big strong guy and built like a sherman tank

Well then Nadal is a Panzer.

 

[Benefactor]

Mark Philippoussis says g'day.

 

[The-Champ]

Oh Well I wasnt sure what type of "strength" you were referring too. Nadal has the endurance on Becker for sure. But I dont think he has the sheer brute force that Becker had. Becker was a big big strong guy and built like a sherman tank

...and slow as a snail compared to Nadal. Anyway, they have different strengts.

 

[vandre]

i dunno about the current crop of players, but i've always heard agassi in his peak was benching over 300 pounds. if we're speaking in terms of pure upper body strength, i think it would be tough for a tennis player to beat that!

 

[breadstick]

Roddick anyone? You don't serve like he does without being as strong as a bear.

Sure Nadal looks ripped, but that's because he's got such a low body fat % (same with Monfils). Besides, muscle strength isn't determined by size.

 

[VivalaVida]

Roddick anyone? You don't serve like he does without being as strong as a bear.

Sure Nadal looks ripped, but that's because he's got such a low body fat % (same with Monfils). Besides, muscle strength isn't determined by size.

nadal has a much much higher percentage of body fat than monfils. Its not even close, Gael is made out of pure Iron.

 

[Benefactor]

Roddick anyone? You don't serve like he does without being as strong as a bear.

Sure Nadal looks ripped, but that's because he's got such a low body fat % (same with Monfils). Besides, muscle strength isn't determined by size.

Roddick is scrawny, like most tennis players. His serve comes from arm speed, leverage and technique.

 

[dwhiteside]

This guy's stronger. Think he'd be good at tennis?

 

[GameSampras]

He would destroy em all. The strongest man EVER BABY!. Nadal is a toothpick next to the polish bear. Marius is so big, he prolly is incapable of serving

 

[VivalaVida]

^^^ Thank god Rafa isnt a gross and nasty substance abuser like that loser.

 

[RD 7]

Nadal suffers from Andre Agassi disease.

A lack of "free" points.

He has to work too hard to win points. Granted, when he is healthy, my money is on him. But his game -- the shock that he puts on his legs -- works against health and longevity.

The reason Sampras won his final major, after his ground game and legs succumbed to "old" age, was because he had the best serve in the history of tennis. He invented the free point. Agassi, on the other hand, had to put on his hard hat and grind.

Nadal is not so lucky.

The human body was not designed for what Nadal does to it. For this reason, he should do what Connors did in the 1991 US Open.

Tank on certain points and sets strategically.

 

[GameSampras]

Nadal suffers from Andre Agassi disease.

A lack of "free" points. He has to work too hard to win points. Granted, when he is healthy, my money is on him. But his game -- the shock that he puts on his legs -- works against health and longevity.

The reason Sampras won his final major, after his ground game and legs succumbed to "old" age, was because he had the best serve in the history of tennis. He invented the free point. Agassi, on the other hand, had to put on his hard hat and grind.

Nadal is not so lucky.

The human body was not designed for what Nadal does to it. For this reason, he should do what Connors did in the 1991 US Open.

Tank on certain points and sets strategically.

That is very true. Though Andre was able to win slams up until 33. But again the grind and pressure of being number 1 didnt lay to heavily on Andre since he went MIA. But still.. Winning slams into your early 30s and taking the number 1 players in the world at that time (fed) to 5 sets in 04, stealing 1 set in 2005 from Fed after playing 3 straight 5 set matches at 35 years of age, is very impressive. Not many can say that.

Maybe Nadal will do the Andre and go MIA for 2-3 years then pop up on the radar and begin winning slams again?

 

[GameSampras]

I think it depends on what the depth of the field looks like a few years down the road as well. Andre IMO would have picked up a slam at 34 and 35 years of age had Fed not been around. And I highly doubt another player like Fed (04-07) will come down the pike in quite some time. If Nadal can stay healthy, he may be able to win some slams even passed his prime and into his late late 20s early 30s. Its possible. Agassi even at 35 was still a top 10 player

 

[thalivest]

Many Nadal will do the Andre and go MIA for 2-3 years then pop up on the radar and begin winning slams again?

I dont think that is even possible since it isnt Nadal's personality. The guy even tries to play tournaments with serious injuries at times (eg- 2007 U.S Open) to the point of hand wringing from even some of us loyal fans. It is so much of what I admire and love about him as a fan, but he also even pushes it to extremes at times, but it is who he is. He will basically give 110% all the time, not skip or not give his all to every event unless to the point of being so sore or so worn out it isnt even physically possible to perform. He will keep doing this his whole carer until his wheels fall off or start to fade, be that at 23, 25, 27, 29, 30-something, whenever. When it happens it will happen, but you will never see that kind of career pacing from him as it isnt in his makeup.

 

[King of Aces]

I dont think that is even possible since it isnt Nadal's personality. The guy even tries to play tournaments with serious injuries at times (eg- 2007 U.S Open) to the point of hand wringing from even some of us loyal fans. It is so much of what I admire and love about him as a fan, but he also even pushes it to extremes at times, but it is who he is. He will basically give 110% all the time, not skip or not give his all to every event unless to the point of being so sore or so worn out it isnt even physically possible to perform. He will keep doing this his whole carer until his wheels fall off or start to fade, be that at 23, 25, 27, 29, 30-something, whenever. When it happens it will happen, but you will never see that kind of career pacing from him as it isnt in his makeup.

tHAT WAS REALLY INSIGHTFUL. GREAT POINT.

 

[veroniquem]

I dont think that is even possible since it isnt Nadal's personality. The guy even tries to play tournaments with serious injuries at times (eg- 2007 U.S Open) to the point of hand wringing from even some of us loyal fans. It is so much of what I admire and love about him as a fan, but he also even pushes it to extremes at times, but it is who he is. He will basically give 110% all the time, not skip or not give his all to every event unless to the point of being so sore or so worn out it isnt even physically possible to perform. He will keep doing this his whole carer until his wheels fall off or start to fade, be that at 23, 25, 27, 29, 30-something, whenever. When it happens it will happen, but you will never see that kind of career pacing from him as it isnt in his makeup.

Absolutely true.

 

[tennis-hero]

The truth is we'll all miss him when he's gone

IF Rafa never came then Tennis would have been boring and Roger would have won everything without any serious challenge

however purely on strength, no way is Rafa the toughest

James blake during Blake's prime blasted Nadal off the court, as did Tsonga in 08

 

[tennisg]

 

[SaintClaires]

Ummmmmm.....:shock:

 

[Cyan]

^lol..................

 

[thejoe]

I'll really miss Rafa once he is gone. He is only good for the game. I don't love watching him, but many do, and you can't have qualms with the way he handles himself off-court.

 

[OddJack]

Anyone in their right mind would conclude that the player who barely ever retired from a match, has the least injuries per number of matches played and better longevity is the stronger player.
Remember that strength is not only physical, but a combination of brains and brawn. With this in mind, Roger is definitely stronger than Nadal and many others.

 

[thejoe]

^I disagree. Nadal is stronger mentally and physically than Federer. Roger has other strengths.

 

[Deleted member 21996]

i guess we can say he is one of the top 3 all time in physical strenght (in any perspective)! not sure he is the stronges though!

 

[lawrence]

i wouldnt discredit all the oldschool players here who were wipping around rackets that weighed the same as bricks haha (slight exaggeration)
they were pretty damn conditioned, its just a shame we dont have decent video footage of all the players

 

[srinrajesh]

Rafa is one of the strongest but not sure if he can replicate the backhand inside out winners that Becker would hit.. That takes immense strength.
Philipoussis is also a strong guy .What abt Thomas Muster too

 

[THERAFA]

There has never been an athlete on Rafa's level in tennis history, so there is no way to judge how long, but I'd say Rafa's career will be longer than Rafter but not as long as:
Agassi

 

[THERAFA]

I'd say he will play at the highest level until he's 33 and then not continue once he feels injuries are becoming too much of a:
Factor

 

[ohlori]

Rafa is one of the strongest but not sure if he can replicate the backhand inside out winners that Becker would hit.. That takes immense strength.
Philipoussis is also a strong guy .What abt Thomas Muster too

Zivojinovic almost made the Wimbledon final in 1986 against Becker.
He was 6'6" and very strong.

 

[l_gonzalez]

What about Jim Courier, he was beastly back in the day...

 

[fednad]

How would we know that somebody is physically strongest unless we ask players to fight it out in the mud. Or maybe arm wrestling could be one option.
How would we know that?

 

[King of Aces]

How would we know that somebody is physically strongest unless we ask players to fight it out in the mud. Or maybe arm wrestling could be one option.
How would we know that?

Its called an opinion.

 

[fednad]

Its called an opinion.

Alright. I think Olivier Rochus is the strongest - just an opinion.

 

[tahiti]

Rafa is a thoroughbred racehorse. A hot blooded stallion known for his agility speed and spirit.

Yes Thoroughbred racehorses perform with maximum exertion, which can result in health problems. Rafa is not after records, he's in for giving the jockeys (fans) and audience the ride of their life

Stud magic.

 

[THERAFA]

What about Jim Courier, he was beastly back in the day...

But he was built like a twig and moved very mechanically compared to Rafa, Courier was an effort athlete he was not:
Athletic

 

[tennis-hero]

 

[tennis-hero]

 

[tennis-hero]

 

[tennis-hero]

 

[ericsson]

Damn, Federer looks skinny in that pic and still hit so hard, isen't that what they call talent?

 

[tahiti]

Not a bad shot of Fed and Murray. Murray's shorter hair lately also becomes him. But the photo of Rafa didn' do justice. Here is the thoroughbred. Actually, seeing where the picture comes from could be another reason why not many men admire Rafa. If you do, you just might be considered gay. Nonsense of course, but understandable.
http://www.gaysportsblog.com/images/2008/07/18/rafael_nadal_10.jpg