Rafa fans how great would it be if he wins AO 2020 for #20 and then RG for #21.

[Mike Sams]

lol. Rafa wouldn't beaten him like a drum. This isn't 2015.

Aren't you the same guy who said Nadal wipes the floor in straights against Med in the USO final?

 

[MugOpponent]

I really don't understand why everyone seems to think Nadal has a better shot at Wimbledon than the Australian Open. It makes no sense to me at all. He hasn't won either in a while but he's been so close in AO. I think there is some momentum heading into Australia, whereas trying to win Wimbledon after barnstorming the clay season is only going to be more difficult at 34.

 

[TennisFan3]

No but he is not several levels above the field and he is far more prone to off days than he used to be. Don't get it twisted. Medvedev would have straight setted him in the 4th round if he had met Nole that day in his current form.

Really? Keep in mind that Wawrinka is BAD Matchup for Novak. He was redlining against the Serb.
IMO the 4th round Novak would have beaten Medvedev in straights or maybe 4 sets. Even a bad shoulder Novak >>> rest of the field except a redlining Stan the man.

The only reason Medvedev played 5 sets in the final was because Nadal was choking left and right. Couldn't seal the deal. Missing sitter forehands, serving at 50% 1st serves and a bundle of nerves in general.
I'm not taking credit away from Medvedev - the Russian played great. But honestly, it was one of the crappy slam finals Nadal has played. Nadal just somehow hung in and won it.
Prime Nadal or a well playing Novak - Medvedev wouldn't have come close to winning a set.

 

[TennisFan3]

This fact went over most people's heads, but Rafa was obviously a nerve wreck vs Medvedev.

He also was vs Fed at W.

If Rafa is to win more slams, he'll have to dominate his nerves, and that gets harder the further one ages.

EXCELLENT POST. Best post in this MONTH. Thank you Sir.

Nadal is very weak mentally. As he ages, he has become more and more risk averse. He LACKS BELIEF. This is why he's lost every SINGLE Big match to Novak and Fed.
He ALMOST lost to Medvedev as well. Had he lost the match, Nadal would have had a career crisis. It was lucky that he had a 2 set cushion and it was Medvedev's first slam final and the Russian was gassed.
These days Nadal plays NOT to win, but to avoid losing. His basic shot, the regulation forehand also starts to fail him. His serve goes AWOL in pressure points. He starts to question himself. Sort of like Fed used to do.

I think the end of the road for Nadal is coming closer than most people think. It's NOT his physicality that will fail him. It will be his motivation, nerves and lack of belief - that will ultimately lead him to call it a day.

 

[TennisFan3]

Maybe he will have an easier time now controlling his nerve after the USO final. Finally he won a tight 5 setter big match again. Hopefully this strengthened his nerves a bit.

Good post. But Nadal will need to win one of these against Fed and Novak. He lacks belief against them.
The only way to kill a monster is to face it and look at it straight in the eye. Nadal is hoping to avoid doing this, which was fine in the UsOpen, but won't be true in slams next year.

 

[malbaker86]

No but he is not several levels above the field and he is far more prone to off days than he used to be. Don't get it twisted. Medvedev would have straight setted him in the 4th round if he had met Nole that day in his current form.

What's true is that he does have "off days" but yet over the last like 3 years he's made the SF's or better at what seems like 90% of the tounaments he's entered. Weird

 

[TheGhostOfAgassi]

Good post. But Nadal will need to win one of these against Fed and Novak. He lacks belief against them.
The only way to kill a monster is to face it and look at it straight in the eye. Nadal is hoping to avoid doing this, which was fine in the UsOpen, but won't be true in slams next year.

Let’s see what will happen! He didn’t lose his nerve in RG and brought on a bloodbath vs Fed. Clay counts too you know, just as much as any other slam. I do think this was a big confidence boost, USO. He had such a huge reaction after the match. I do think this will transfer to AO as well.

 

[weakera]

Really? Keep in mind that Wawrinka is BAD Matchup for Novak. He was redlining against the Serb.
IMO the 4th round Novak would have beaten Medvedev in straights or maybe 4 sets. Even a bad shoulder Novak >>> rest of the field except a redlining Stan the man.

I'm talking about in the AO 4th round

 

[weakera]

Aren't you the same guy who said Nadal wipes the floor in straights against Med in the USO final?

Uhhh, NO I'm not you idiot lol

 

[Mike Sams]

Uhhh, NO I'm not you idiot lol

Oh ok, I thought you were a typical Rafa f*cktard. LOL

 

[Mike Sams]

lol. Rafa wouldn't beaten him like a drum. This isn't 2015.

Wouldn't beaten him? Or would have beaten him?

 

[BringBackSV]

You can't take anything for granted. Given Nadal's level of play, his tears and emotions at the end of UsOpen - he knew that he was lucky to win and that the end is near. He was cramping badly without having played one round and having extended period of rest.

As incredible as it sounds, UsOpen 2019 might be Nadal's last or penultimate slam. He is breaking down and close to expiration. I don't see him slogging too much and playing 7 best of 5 matches without getting injured.

Keep in mind that a fresh Thiem will be a BEAST on clay. Medvedev will be a BEST everywhere else (except grass). And obviously Novak is Novak - he will be winning slams left and right.

Wtf are you talking about? Obviously the end is nearing but he won with his B game. It'll be harder and harder to hit his peak but if healthy he should still bring it to a few slams a year. He made 3 finals and a semi and was dominant playing non joker or Fed in all but one slam. If you are going to ignore the other three and just focus on the one at the end of a long season you are being foolish. Do better please. Hilarious that you mention cramping as though he just developed a chronic condition.

 

[TennisFan3]

Wtf are you talking about? Obviously the end is nearing but he won with his B game. It'll be harder and harder to hit his peak but if healthy he should still bring it to a few slams a year. He made 3 finals and a semi and was dominant playing non joker or Fed in all but one slam. If you are going to ignore the other three and just focus on the one at the end of a long season you are being foolish. Do better please. Hilarious that you mention cramping as though he just developed a chronic condition.

Nadal played like 11 events the entire year so far. He was in the best possible condition he could be in the UsOpen. If you've been watching Nadal over the years, you know that he was suffering physically in the RG final and Wimb SF. In the RG, if Thiem had been fresh with an extra day of rest, the match would have been closer. If it had been Novak, closer still.
Against Federer at Wimbledon, Nadal lost almost all of the long rallies. Why do you lose them? When you are exhausted. The Nadal of old would be stronger in longer rallies.

Nadal converted 6 out of 21 breakpoints in the final of the UsOpen. He should have wrapped up the match in straight sets.. Even Medvedev was preparing for his finalist speech when Rafa promptly lost the 3rd set. It is not Medvedev who won but Nadal who lost sets 3 and 4. This after Nadal was the FRESHEST he could ever be in a UsOpen Final. (He had 1 walkover and no 5 setter). Same issue against Berrittini in the SF where Nadal was unable to convert opportunities. He was shaky against Diego in the QF, losing a 2 break lead --- TWICE.

Nadal's coach said Rafa could not even wear his JEANS after the UsOpen final, and needed to be helped. Nadal feels the emotional and physical tolls of being 15 years at the top of tennis.
He is no longer the defatigable fearless warrior of the past. He is an aging champion who is trying to make the best use of his current limited capabilities and somehow continue playing the game.

 

[DSH]

I think Chung might've saved Nadal at USO. Nadal would've played Verdasco in the 3rd round who was hammering the fuzz off the ball for the first half of that match and giving Chung the business. If Nadal had played that version of Verdasco in the 3rd round instead of Chung, we might've had another epic 5 setter.

 

[Mike Sams]

You suddenly forgot about AO2009 and AO2016? Verdasco was in some pretty good form based on the Chung match. Might've had a great match against Nadal.

 

[BringBackSV]

Nadal played like 11 events the entire year so far. He was in the best possible condition he could be in the UsOpen. If you've been watching Nadal over the years, you know that he was suffering physically in the RG final and Wimb SF. In the RG, if Thiem had been fresh with an extra day of rest, the match would have been closer. If it had been Novak, closer still.
Against Federer at Wimbledon, Nadal lost almost all of the long rallies. Why do you lose them? When you are exhausted. The Nadal of old would be stronger in longer rallies.

Nadal converted 6 out of 21 breakpoints in the final of the UsOpen. He should have wrapped up the match in straight sets.. Even Medvedev was preparing for his finalist speech when Rafa promptly lost the 3rd set. It is not Medvedev who won but Nadal who lost sets 3 and 4. This after Nadal was the FRESHEST he could ever be in a UsOpen Final. (He had 1 walkover and no 5 setter). Same issue against Berrittini in the SF where Nadal was unable to convert opportunities. He was shaky against Diego in the QF, losing a 2 break lead --- TWICE.

Nadal's coach said Rafa could not even wear his JEANS after the UsOpen final, and needed to be helped. Nadal feels the emotional and physical tolls of being 15 years at the top of tennis.
He is no longer the defatigable fearless warrior of the past. He is an aging champion who is trying to make the best use of his current limited capabilities and somehow continue playing the game.

Too much conjecture and ******** quite honestly.

 

[Backspin1183]

Nadal played like 11 events the entire year so far. He was in the best possible condition he could be in the UsOpen. If you've been watching Nadal over the years, you know that he was suffering physically in the RG final and Wimb SF. In the RG, if Thiem had been fresh with an extra day of rest, the match would have been closer. If it had been Novak, closer still.
Against Federer at Wimbledon, Nadal lost almost all of the long rallies. Why do you lose them? When you are exhausted. The Nadal of old would be stronger in longer rallies.

Nadal converted 6 out of 21 breakpoints in the final of the UsOpen. He should have wrapped up the match in straight sets.. Even Medvedev was preparing for his finalist speech when Rafa promptly lost the 3rd set. It is not Medvedev who won but Nadal who lost sets 3 and 4. This after Nadal was the FRESHEST he could ever be in a UsOpen Final. (He had 1 walkover and no 5 setter). Same issue against Berrittini in the SF where Nadal was unable to convert opportunities. He was shaky against Diego in the QF, losing a 2 break lead --- TWICE.

Nadal's coach said Rafa could not even wear his JEANS after the UsOpen final, and needed to be helped. Nadal feels the emotional and physical tolls of being 15 years at the top of tennis.
He is no longer the defatigable fearless warrior of the past. He is an aging champion who is trying to make the best use of his current limited capabilities and somehow continue playing the game.

Wtf did I just read!!

So, the best player of the year so far and the favourite to end the year at #1 has very limited capabilities.

 

[MichaelNadal]

Wtf did I just read!!

So, the best player of the year so far and the favourite to end the year at #1 has very limited capabilities.

Nadal is an injured man that plays tennis