Rafa Movement Issue?

[AeroPro Staff]

So I'm watching Rafa vs. Monaco right now and got to thinking. Is it just me or does Rafa not seem to get into position for his forehand as often as he did in like 2014 and earlier? Even on clay it seems like he has to roll it up high to get back in a rally more often than not. It seems like thats been happening a lot this year and last year to me. Any thoughts? Is he just not moving his feet enough?

 

[ultradr]

This is 1st match since early AO exit. hard to conclude anything,imho.

 

[AeroPro Staff]

This is 1st match since early AO exit. hard to conclude anything,imho.

Thats true but I'm including the 2015-present.

 

[ultradr]

Thats true but I'm including the 2015-present.

Ah for that, there were hundreds thread discussing that. I personally do not see much difference.

Compared to 10 years ago? Definitely yes. Any dramatic change after 2014 injury/breaks ? No.

P.S. I didn't watch the match. Based on stats alone, it looks like it was a crappy match from both players.

 

[The Green Mile]

Ah for that, there were hundreds thread discussing that. I personally do not see much difference.

Compared to 10 years ago? Definitely yes. Any dramatic change after 2014 injury/breaks ? No.

P.S. I didn't watch the match. Based on stats alone, it looks like it was a crappy match from both players.

Do you have the stats? If you do, could you please post them in the thread over in Pro Match Results?

 

[AeroPro Staff]

Ah for that, there were hundreds thread discussing that. I personally do not see much difference.

Compared to 10 years ago? Definitely yes. Any dramatic change after 2014 injury/breaks ? No.

P.S. I didn't watch the match. Based on stats alone, it looks like it was a crappy match from both players.

It was. A lot of errors. Granted its Monaco's second match back since injury, and Rafa's first since the 1R exit at the AO. Not the most enjoyable match to watch, but hoping Rafa plays better with more matches. Good to see Monaco back as well.

 

[ultradr]

Do you have the stats? If you do, could you please post them in the thread over in Pro Match Results?

Anyone can look up from atp web site, right?
http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/tour.../match-stats/N409/MA21/live/MS008/match-stats

 

[The Green Mile]

Anyone can look up from atp web site, right?
http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/tour.../match-stats/N409/MA21/live/MS008/match-stats

Oh, I thought you might have had the stats that come on after a match is finished, which shows other stats like winners, UEs, net points, ETC. I know they differ from tournament to tournament so I'm not sure what Buenos Aires does.

 

[MichaelNadal]

As long as I have google and youtube "it is ok"

 

[ultradr]

Oh, I thought you might have had the stats that come on after a match is finished, which shows other stats like winners, UEs, net points, ETC. I know they differ from tournament to tournament so I'm not sure what Buenos Aires does.

oh that would be nice to know. I just noticed they both had many break points, kinda low save rates, low 1st or 2nd serve winning %. So it did not look like a clean match. more like who-plays-worse type of match, no?

 

[djokerer]

So I'm watching Rafa vs. Monaco right now and got to thinking. Is it just me or does Rafa not seem to get into position for his forehand as often as he did in like 2014 and earlier? Even on clay it seems like he has to roll it up high to get back in a rally more often than not. It seems like thats been happening a lot this year and last year to me. Any thoughts? Is he just not moving his feet enough?

Honestly bro, his movement is off, he should retire already. Unless of course he improves.

 

[cjs]

So I'm watching Rafa vs. Monaco right now and got to thinking. Is it just me or does Rafa not seem to get into position for his forehand as often as he did in like 2014 and earlier? Even on clay it seems like he has to roll it up high to get back in a rally more often than not. It seems like thats been happening a lot this year and last year to me. Any thoughts? Is he just not moving his feet enough?

I'm not sure what you mean by "get into position for his forehand". Rafa at his best is camped in his backhand corner, ripping aggressive forehands, yoyo-ing his opponent from corner to corner.

Rafa isn't as quick as he used to be but his biggest problem is conservative predictable play and shot making. The safe loopy forehands are allowing shotmakers to tee off.

 

[AeroPro Staff]

I'm not sure what you mean by "get into position for his forehand". Rafa at his best is camped in his backhand corner, ripping aggressive forehands, yoyo-ing his opponent from corner to corner.

Rafa isn't as quick as he used to be but his biggest problem is conservative predictable play and shot making. The safe loopy forehands are allowing shotmakers to tee off.

What I mean get into position is that he doesn't seem to be moving enough to get into position to hit his forehand aggressively. Lately it seems like he has to hit high looping topspin shots out of necessity rather than when he used to just pummel opponents with his forehand. He also does not appear to use as many adjustment steps for his forehand compared to previous years.

 

[MichaelNadal]

What I mean get into position is that he doesn't seem to be moving enough to get into position to hit his forehand aggressively. Lately it seems like he has to hit high looping topspin shots out of necessity rather than when he used to just pummel opponents with his forehand. He also does not appear to use as many adjustment steps for his forehand compared to previous years.

This is what I see most, his footwork that was there till the 2014 AO is gone, gone, gone. Rafa was clinical when he got into position to rip his shots, now it looks like he's always catching up.

 

[Deleted member 3771]

I'm not sure what you mean by "get into position for his forehand". Rafa at his best is camped in his backhand corner, ripping aggressive forehands, yoyo-ing his opponent from corner to corner.

Rafa isn't as quick as he used to be but his biggest problem is conservative predictable play and shot making. The safe loopy forehands are allowing shotmakers to tee off.

Rafa should switch to a racket that encourages him to thump the ball more instead of looping it. He's going to struggle to keep up with the big boys if he doesn't.

 

[antonico]

Sports Illustrated had a piece on their site going into depth about the Nadal movement after he lost in Australia. The piece interviewed Patrick Morutaglou - who's been a Nadal fan for a long time. He's adamant about this subject: Nadal is much slower than he was, and Nadal himself is aware of it. Patrick said in the height of his prime, Nadal was still hitting short like he is today. The big difference is that back then, guys were much more reluctant to come in on the short ones. Nadal's foot speed and foot work we such that he was not only able to get to the ball but was able to do something with it - either get back to neutral or hit an outright winner from an impossible position yards behind the base line. That's what he cannot do anymore - cover that ground when he hits short. Guys are now stepping in and wailing on his short shots, and getting much better results than they were as recently as 3 years ago. Morutagolou was pretty blunt about his prospects: they aren't good. The fact that Nadal is seeking more spin by switching to Luxilon - just as he sought more spin when trying a new stick last spring - tells us what he thinks the solution is. But if he thinks that, it shows just how grim his situation is today. A slower moving Nadal is a Nadal who hasn't too much of a bright future left on the tour.

 

[edmondsm]

Yeah he's slowing down. It happens as the years tick away. Same thing happened to Fed. There was nothing he couldn't do with his forehand 10 years ago. Now he looks like he can't quite get in position to hit it as well. The movement going away is a bigger deal for Nadal though. He relies on it a little more than Fed does.

 

[big ted]

This is what I see most, his footwork that was there till the 2014 AO is gone, gone, gone. Rafa was clinical when he got into position to rip his shots, now it looks like he's always catching up.

i agree. even tho he won the FO later that year he never really seemed the same player since that warwinka match in the AO finals.

he is a mystery to me since he says hes healthier than ever and doesnt even use his knee tape anymore. is it back issues or?
maybe those knee injuries in the past were helping him since he knew he had to be more aggressive and go for broke more often.
now that he says hes more pain free, hes more defensive..

 

[big ted]

Yeah he's slowing down. It happens as the years tick away. Same thing happened to Fed. There was nothing he couldn't do with his forehand 10 years ago. Now he looks like he can't quite get in position to hit it as well. The movement going away is a bigger deal for Nadal though. He relies on it a little more than Fed does.

i think he really needs to adapt his game more like connors and agassi did their later years. and i dont think he can do it without fresh perspective and a new coach.

 

[mistik]

I really think he becomes a bit heavy and slow armed player. There isnt enough raquet speed in his shots anymore.He just cant generate enough power at times even in good positions. Forehand no longer a huge weapon as it used to be.

 

[Crionics]

i agree. even tho he won the FO later that year he never really seemed the same player since that warwinka match in the AO finals.

he is a mystery to me since he says hes healthier than ever and doesnt even use his knee tape anymore. is it back issues or?
maybe those knee injuries in the past were helping him since he knew he had to be more aggressive and go for broke more often.
now that he says hes more pain free, hes more defensive..

Who cares really what Rafa (or any other top player for that matter) says about his form, he's just reassuring the sponsors with these kind of statements...
Besides his physical decline, I have the feeling Rafa is also mentally burnt out/demotivated; I believe that AO 2014 final really hurt him a lot.