Positive and negative things for Nadal after ATP Cup

S

StrongRule

Talk Tennis Guru
Concluding what happened in the tournament. As usual, we start with negative things.
1. Wasted lots of time and energy right before AO.
2. Had his shortest ever off season because of it, hardly had any time to rest.
3. Showed his form is horrible. He lost to Goffin, should have lost to De Minaur and was totally destroyed by Djokovic without even giving a bit of a fight. (same terrible tactic, slicing a lot. He doesn't even try to change something)
4. Keeps ruining his head to head against Djokovic. Like he didn't already reach him enough times in 2014-2016 when he was at his worst period, he just keeps going with it. (just for comparison, how many times did they meet in 2017 when Djokovic was for once the out of form player? Nadal hardly ever had a chance to play against Djokovic who isn't close to his best, while the opposite happened lots of times)
5. With that loss in the final he will probably loss confidence for a long time now. Not the thing he needed before AO.
6. With that loss he probably gave Djokovic lots of confidence.
7. There is a danger he might get injured in AO. He already pulled out of the doubles match.
8. It looks like he struggles physically now.
9. More opponents will feel confident against him now. (as they see how beatable he is)

Now the positive things...I'm obviously kidding, there are no positive things to take from this tournament. There wouldn't be much positive things even had he won to be honest. This is not AO or will never replace it.

Can anyone explain why did he need to play this tournament? Playing DC at the end of 2019 was already a bad decision, and that one was even worse. Why nobody in his team told him anything about that? Seriously, if he loses early in AO he has only himself to blame for that.
 
hypercube

hypercube

New User
Perhaps he wanted to see if he could maintain his form from last season into the AO, trying something different in his schedule as whatever he was doing in the past seems to never allow him to play his best at the AO.
Plus he may have wanted to keep his distance with Djokovic in the ATP rankings (there were too many points at stake). Although this seems unlikely since he has stated that #1 is not a priority for him any more.
 
NoleFam

NoleFam

Bionic Poster
Negatives: None really since this match changed nothing as far the dynamic in their rivalry.

Positives: I shouldn't hear about Nadal's 2-1 head to head record at the USO for a while.
 
Sephiroth

Sephiroth

Hall of Fame
Positive: Nadal can win the AO after the most tired version of Rafa got 5 break points and a tiebreaker with Djokovic.

Negative:

1. Wasted lots of time and energy right before AO.
2. Had his shortest ever off season because of it, hardly had any time to rest.
3. Showed his form is horrible. He lost to Goffin, should have lost to De Minaur and was totally destroyed by Djokovic without even giving a bit of a fight. (same terrible tactic, slicing a lot. He doesn't even try to change something)
4. Keeps ruining his head to head against Djokovic. Like he didn't already reach him enough times in 2014-2016 when he was at his worst period, he just keeps going with it. (just for comparison, how many times did they meet in 2017 when Djokovic was for once the out of form player? Nadal hardly ever had a chance to play against Djokovic who isn't close to his best, while the opposite happened lots of times)
5. With that loss in the final he will probably loss confidence for a long time now. Not the thing he needed before AO.
6. With that loss he probably gave Djokovic lots of confidence.
7. There is a danger he might get injured in AO. He already pulled out of the doubles match.
8. It looks like he struggles physically now.
9. More opponents will feel confident against him now. (as they see how beatable he is)
 
S

StrongRule

Talk Tennis Guru
Who knows, maybe the end is near for Nadal. It really worries me that he doesn't even run after so many routine balls.
 
Incognito

Incognito

Legend
StrongRule said:
Concluding what happened in the tournament. As usual, we start with negative things.
1. Wasted lots of time and energy right before AO.
2. Had his shortest ever off season because of it, hardly had any time to rest.
3. Showed his form is horrible. He lost to Goffin, should have lost to De Minaur and was totally destroyed by Djokovic without even giving a bit of a fight. (same terrible tactic, slicing a lot. He doesn't even try to change something)
4. Keeps ruining his head to head against Djokovic. Like he didn't already reach him enough times in 2014-2016 when he was at his worst period, he just keeps going with it. (just for comparison, how many times did they meet in 2017 when Djokovic was for once the out of form player? Nadal hardly ever had a chance to play against Djokovic who isn't close to his best, while the opposite happened lots of times)
5. With that loss in the final he will probably loss confidence for a long time now. Not the thing he needed before AO.
6. With that loss he probably gave Djokovic lots of confidence.
7. There is a danger he might get injured in AO. He already pulled out of the doubles match.
8. It looks like he struggles physically now.
9. More opponents will feel confident against him now. (as they see how beatable he is)

Now the positive things...I'm obviously kidding, there are no positive things to take from this tournament. There wouldn't be much positive things even had he won to be honest. This is not AO or will never replace it.

Can anyone explain why did he need to play this tournament? Playing DC at the end of 2019 was already a bad decision, and that one was even worse. Why nobody in his team told him anything about that? Seriously, if he loses early in AO he has only himself to blame for that.
Click to expand...

You are one of my favorite posters StongRule, dont ever change:love:
 
Incognito

Incognito

Legend
StrongRule said:
Who knows, maybe the end is near for Nadal. It really worries me that he doesn't even run after so many routine balls.
Click to expand...

He’s been like that for years though. He doesn’t even work on his endurance anymore for fear of another knee injury. Had that USO been best of 7 sets, he would have Lost. He could barely stand after that 4th set.
 
TheGhostOfAgassi

TheGhostOfAgassi

Talk Tennis Guru
StrongRule said:
Concluding what happened in the tournament. As usual, we start with negative things.
1. Wasted lots of time and energy right before AO.
2. Had his shortest ever off season because of it, hardly had any time to rest.
3. Showed his form is horrible. He lost to Goffin, should have lost to De Minaur and was totally destroyed by Djokovic without even giving a bit of a fight. (same terrible tactic, slicing a lot. He doesn't even try to change something)
4. Keeps ruining his head to head against Djokovic. Like he didn't already reach him enough times in 2014-2016 when he was at his worst period, he just keeps going with it. (just for comparison, how many times did they meet in 2017 when Djokovic was for once the out of form player? Nadal hardly ever had a chance to play against Djokovic who isn't close to his best, while the opposite happened lots of times)
5. With that loss in the final he will probably loss confidence for a long time now. Not the thing he needed before AO.
6. With that loss he probably gave Djokovic lots of confidence.
7. There is a danger he might get injured in AO. He already pulled out of the doubles match.
8. It looks like he struggles physically now.
9. More opponents will feel confident against him now. (as they see how beatable he is)

Now the positive things...I'm obviously kidding, there are no positive things to take from this tournament. There wouldn't be much positive things even had he won to be honest. This is not AO or will never replace it.

Can anyone explain why did he need to play this tournament? Playing DC at the end of 2019 was already a bad decision, and that one was even worse. Why nobody in his team told him anything about that? Seriously, if he loses early in AO he has only himself to blame for that.
Click to expand...
I LOVE you are being positive!!

I am too! I expected a loss today. But he has a lot to build on. He need to dear to be aggressive from the first point vs Novak! Vamos!
 
Breakpointerer

Breakpointerer

Legend
StrongRule said:
Who knows, maybe the end is near for Nadal. It really worries me that he doesn't even run after so many routine balls.
Click to expand...
Lol come on now
If he's near to the end after getting to no.1 and winning 2 slams I'd hate to imagine what you would say if he has a slightly lesser year.
 
Rafa24

Rafa24

Hall of Fame
He should have not even competed in the event win or lose. 8 matches in 10 days a week ahead of the AO????? Seems absurd to me given how prone to injury he is and especially at the AO.

Was he scheduled to play the doubles match and then pulled out?

Wasn't a lot positive about the match but he played a decent second set and if that ball that hit the tape and popped up would have went his way he'd have been up 4-2 in the breaker likely. Almost glad he lost the second set as he likely would have been routed in the 3rd set.


Novak is just too damn good. Rafa needs to move forward but he never gets a chance it doesn't matter how out of position djoker is in he gets balls back within a foot of the baseline all the time.

Djoker heavier favorite to win AO after watching this match as he looked great.
 
R

Ray Mercer

Hall of Fame
Nothing we didn’t already know. He is a strong contender for the title as long as he doesn’t meet Djokovic. There’s no way he’s taking 3 sets off of Djokovic.
 
Mainad

Mainad

Bionic Poster
Ray Mercer said:
Nothing we didn’t already know. He is a strong contender for the title as long as he doesn’t meet Djokovic. There’s no way he’s taking 3 sets off of Djokovic.
Click to expand...

QFT. His only chance at the AO title is if someone else manages to upset Djoko in an earlier round. That usually goes for most would be challengers though.
 
irishnadalfan1983

irishnadalfan1983

Hall of Fame
Rafa has being in incredible form in general the last 2/3 months and being the best player in the world....

This week was too much of a stretch I felt....One major positive is he certainly will be match hardened for AO.....

Hopefully this week has not taken too much out of him...

Nole is favourite for AO - same as always...
 
S

StrongRule

Talk Tennis Guru
Breakpointerer said:
Lol come on now
If he's near to the end after getting to no.1 and winning 2 slams I'd hate to imagine what you would say if he has a slightly lesser year.
Click to expand...
Hitman said:
Yep, the end is near for the holder of two slams and the number one ranking... :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
Somehow when Nadal beat Djokovic in Rome 2019 nobody cared about Djokovic winning the last 3 slams and being the big favorite for RG. There were only comments about Djokovic playing a terrible match. And this is a match where Djokovic won a set. Yet when Djokovic destroys Nadal you bring Nadal winning 2 slams last year as a proof that he plays well. I repeat-today's match was totally NID and everybody knew it. This was just a repeat of AO 2019 final.

Sorry @Hitman but I don't think you actually thought this had the potential to be a good match. You hyped it as a match which was a 100% easy win for Djokovic. I understand that, all fans like such easy matchups. I just wish Nadal had some more chances to face a not so good Djokovic for a change. (one match in Madrid 2017 obviously doesn't make up with Djokovic facing out of form Nadal so many times starting from 2014)
 
Last edited:
W

Wilsonpro

Rookie
Positives. 1) Nadal got a look at Djokovic before Melbourne. He lamented last year he had not had chance to play at that level before the final.

2) loss to Djokovic will annoy him..an angry Nadal always plays alot better

3) more evidence next Gen cannot handle him

Negatives

1) loss to Goffin was worrying. Saw signs last year at FO that Rafa can now get out grinded by a solid baseliner with a good return when for 30 mins he had no answers to Goffin. Seen similar v Swartzmann at US Open for periods.

2) confirmation that in Australia Djokovic is a much better player.

3) nadal has overplayed and that may mean his knees go in Melbourne.
 
W

Wilsonpro

Rookie
guitarra said:
The thing is Rafa played BOTH ATP CUP and new DC at full distance. He didn’t have enough time to rest and train in the off season. For me he clearly overplayed which might cost him not only a chance to win AO but maybe also problems during the whole season.
Click to expand...
Yes that is my feeling.
 
Yugram

Yugram

Legend
guitarra said:
The thing is Rafa played BOTH ATP CUP and new DC at full distance. He didn’t have enough time to rest and train in the off season. For me he clearly overplayed which might cost him not only a chance to win AO but maybe also problems during the whole season.
Click to expand...
Lol, come on now. He has like 1 or at most 2 tournaments between AO in January and Monte-Carlo in April. That’s more than enough rest.
 
Hitman

Hitman

Bionic Poster
StrongRule said:
Somehow when Nadal beat Djokovic in Rome 2019 nobody cared about Djokovic winning the last 3 slams and being the big favorite for RG. There were only comments about Djokovic playing a terrible match.
Click to expand...

Are you kidding me? There were a couple of Nadal fans who were out for blood after what happened at W 2018 and AO 2019, there was an insane amount of rubbing it in and gloating. Just go read the main match thread for a start.

StrongRule said:
And this is a match where Djokovic won a set. Yet when Djokovic destroys Nadal you bring Nadal winning 2 slams last year as a proof that he plays well. I repeat-today's match was totally NID and everybody knew it. This was just a repeat of AO 2019 final.
Click to expand...

Nadal wasn't destroyed. The second set was highly competitive, one of the most competitive sets we have seen between them on hard in a long time. A lot better than last year's AO final.


StrongRule said:
Sorry @Hitman but I don't think you actually thought this had the potential to be a good match. You hyped it as a match which was a 100% easy win for Djokovic. I understand that, all fans like such easy matchups. I just wish Nadal had some more chances to face a not so good Djokovic for a change. (one match in Madrid 2017 obviously doesn't make up with Djokovic facing out of form Nadal so many times starting from 2014)
Click to expand...

I am not going to be that arrogant and think Nadal doesn't have a chance. Yes, Djokovic is the fav, I never ever deny that, outside of clay, Novak is the guy in charge, but Nadal does have a punchers chance. Today he played Djokovic the closest he has in quite a while on this surface.
 
Rafa24

Rafa24

Hall of Fame
Hitman said:
Are you kidding me? There were a couple of Nadal fans who were out for blood after what happened at W 2018 and AO 2019, there was an insane amount of rubbing it in and gloating. Just go read the main match thread for a start.



Nadal wasn't destroyed. The second set was highly competitive, one of the most competitive sets we have seen between them on hard in a long time. A lot better than last year's AO final.




I am not going to be that arrogant and think Nadal doesn't have a chance. Yes, Djokovic is the fav, I never ever deny that, outside of clay, Novak is the guy in charge, but Nadal does have a punchers chance. Today he played Djokovic the closest he has in quite a while on this surface.
Click to expand...
agree this match wasn't that bad for rafa especially compared to last years AO final. And the fact it was his 8th match in 10 days. was joker better? yeah. did rafa have chances? yeah.
 
titoelcolombiano

titoelcolombiano

Legend
The huge positives is that set 1 and set 2 where like day and night in terms of him being able to compete with Djoker on hard courts. He needs to throw out the tactics against Djokovic from set 1, they have proven to produce the same results over and over. He needs to play set 2 tactics from now on, doesn't give him a guaranteed win but certainly makes him a hell of a lot more competitive.

Hopefully this finally sinks in for he and his coaches after last night.
 
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