RAFA MUST Change some of His TACTICS.

[stoneagle]

Here are some of the movements that Rafa needs to improve:

*RAFA NEEDS TO STAY MUCH CLOSER IN THE BASELINE DURING RALLY.
Summarize: During the first 3-4 sets Rafa stayed too far behind the baseline
between 6-9ft behind during rallies. Rafa must need to stay closer to baseline at least 3-5 ft behind the baseline.

Reasons: Novaks balls are flat,low and not very loopy, therefore the ball reaches Rafa side much quicker. That's where Rafa gets late often times to catch the much faster reaching oncoming balls of Novak's.
There is different between "topspin loopy shots" vs."flat low shots".

*TOPSPIN LOOPY SHOTS= Takes longer to reach the baseline, therefore the
opponent has lots of time to go back and prepare in the middle for the
next shot.

*FLAT SHOTS= The flat shots will reach the baseline much sooner than the loopy spinning shots, because most of flat shots are flying much lower over the net, therefore the ball reaches the baseline much sooner than a loopy top spinning shots. Flat shots will cut the time reaching the baseline than a loopy topspin shots. Even though Rafa could reach these flat shots of Novak,but it will give Rafa too much running time on the court. Rafa must stay closer in the baseline(3-5ft behind) during rallies to cut down the time and angle of Novaks balls.

*AFTER SERVED RAFA (MUST RETREAT BACK QUICLY) BEHIND BASELINE.
Why? After Rafa served the ball, Novak keeps returning the ball at Rafa's feet
and Rafa often times missed or cannot the control the return of NOvak
at Rafa's feet.
Solutions: After Rafa served: Rafa Must retreat 1-2 ft behind baseline Quickly to anticipate the return ball of Novaks at his body or feet. Often times Rafa
missed those return balls coming at his feet, because Rafa stayed too closed
and too long inside the court after he served the ball. After Rafa gets back to baseline
he Must bent down very very low on his stomach for baseline ball anticipations.

*WHEN RECEIVING SERVE RETURN RAFA MUST MAKE 1 STEP FORWARD
INSTEAD OF JUMPING ON HIS SAME PLACE.
Reason: After the return served of Rafa, he doesn't step 1ft closer after
served, that is why when the ball comes back at him he was too far
behind from the baseline (8-9ft). since Novaks balls are flat his balls will
get to Rafa's side quickly. Rafa needs to step closer after returned serve
to anticipate the oncoming balls of Novak and stand 3-5ft behind baseline
during rallies.

*WHEN RAFA GETS A SHORT BALL AND WHEN OPPONENT TOOK THE
SHORT BALL, RAFA MUST ALWAYS "RETURN HIGH" JUST TO GET THE BALL
OVER THE NET.
Often times Rafa get's net when he made a short ball and the opponent
attack the short ball usually Rafa "gets net on the return". Rafa must return
high no matter what happens to the point, doesn't matter if the opponent
infront of net will get the point. The point is he must make the ball go over
the net, rather than he gets net. The ball will end right there and then.

*RAFA STROKES ARE MUST HIGHER AND MUCH LOOPIER.
The ball takes longer to reach the baseline, therefore giving the opponent
much time to recover to his next shot.
*NOVAKS BALLS ARE FLAT AND MUCH LOWER THAN RAFA'S BALLS.
The ball takes much faster to reach the opponents side, therefore giving
the opponent less time to react. Rafa must adjust his distance standing
position from baseline, he must stand at 3-5ft behind baseline.

Vamos Rafa!!! Hope you can read this.

 

[Nathaniel_Near]

Wouldn't it be better if Rafa doesn't alter anything so he can proceed to lose the next 10 times against Nole???

 

[Warmaster]

Vamos Rafa!!! Hope you can read this.

Try posting it on his Facebook.

 

[clayman2000]

I think the issue of Nadal isnt the strokes and how he plays, because quite frankly, he cannot sustain a level of aggression and win, but rather where he plays.

Basically, I think he needs to be more selective in his shot placement, especialy the serve. Novak was all over Nadals out-wide serve on the ad court because Nadal served DTL like 4 times all match. Nadal has to learn how to hit a consistent 1st serve up the T on the ad court because Novak doesnt return the ball as well on the ad court on the FH side. This is where Federer and Murray can trouble Djoker

Another change Rafa should make is to learn how to hit a slice cross court. Nadal's slice suck to begin with, but they are even worse when he hits them DTL because it gives Djoker enough time to either run around it and have 2 options on the forhand, or it allows Djokovic to easily hit his DTL backhand. A Nadal cross court slice can trouble Novak because Djoker doesnt hit slower balls as good on his FH side as he does his BH side

I think If Nadal can make these 2 changes, he will make it harder for Djoker to control points:
1. Serve up the T on the ad court more
2. ** When he has too ** slice the ball to the forehand instead of the backhand