Rafael Nadal Back On Hard Court Discusion

[TennisLegend007]

rafa is back on hard court!

what impression you will give it in his first game on hard since his defeat vs rosol at wimbledon the last year?

highlights of the match between nadal and harrison here=>
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1jDOTueceQ

 

[Goosehead]

rafa is back on hard court!

what impression you will give it in his first game on hard since his defeat vs rosol at wimbledon the last year?

highlights of the match between nadal and harrison here=>
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1jDOTueceQ

umm..hate to mention it, but wimbledon isnt hardcourt..it is grass :-|

 

[Jeffrey573639]

Unrelated but you gotta feel for Harrison- always seems to get a very strong seed early in the important tournaments. That being said, he'd prbly lose to journeymen regardless but still.....
On topic, I couldn't watch the match but judging by results alone, it looks like he's had a good return back to the hard courts. To anyone who's actually watched it? How did he play?

 

[Steve0904]

umm..hate to mention it, but wimbledon isnt hardcourt..it is grass :-|

Yeah the english is a little off (no offense), but I think it's easy to see what he/she is trying to say. Technically Rafa's last HC match before the one last night was the 2012 Miami QF. I believe it was against Tsonga, correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[papertank]

Saw the match live, thought he did pretty well for his first hard court match in a year. He was definitely playing more aggressive than he usually does, and more than he did on clay recently. This caused him to miss a few more times than he normally would, but maybe this rust will wear off in the coming matches. Even so, it seems like he is not wanting to run down every ball like he used to and is more focused on shotmaking.

 

[Nostradamus]

rafa is back on hard court!

what impression you will give it in his first game on hard since his defeat vs rosol at wimbledon the last year?

highlights of the match between nadal and harrison here=>
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1jDOTueceQ

YEA, playing good or whatever. Who cares if his Knee blows up again. It is Sad but Rafa has to restrict his schedule on hard courts.

 

[Bender]

Saw the match live, thought he did pretty well for his first hard court match in a year. He was definitely playing more aggressive than he usually does, and more than he did on clay recently. This caused him to miss a few more times than he normally would, but maybe this rust will wear off in the coming matches. Even so, it seems like he is not wanting to run down every ball like he used to and is more focused on shotmaking.

A offensive Nadal would be great especially on hard courts - it's not like he doesn't have the weapons.

 

[spinovic]

I thought he looked pretty good. Harrison was a good matchup for him to get back on the hard courts with. A guy who can make him work a little, but ultimately isn't likely to actually beat him.

 

[TennisYonex]

I thought he looked pretty good. Harrison was a good matchup for him to get back on the hard courts with. A guy who can make him work a little, but ultimately isn't likely to actually beat him.

I agree about the Harrison matchup. Harrison wasn't likely to win but he did give Nadal a good workout.

I felt like Nadal was far from his best however. Usually he's a good frontrunner but in that first set he inexplicably dropped serve after going up a break and they eventually went to tiebreak. Harrison didn't do anything special to get back into the match either. It was just all Nadal mistakes and too many forehand errors. Certainly rust was a factor, but against a better player Nadal would have lost yesterday.

 

[Crisstti]

I agree about the Harrison matchup. Harrison wasn't likely to win but he did give Nadal a good workout.

I felt like Nadal was far from his best however. Usually he's a good frontrunner but in that first set he inexplicably dropped serve after going up a break and they eventually went to tiebreak. Harrison didn't do anything special to get back into the match either. It was just all Nadal mistakes and too many forehand errors. Certainly rust was a factor, but against a better player Nadal would have lost yesterday.

True, Harrison really did nothing. But I expect Rafa to do better in his next match. He played considerably better in the second set already.

 

[TennisYonex]

True, Harrison really did nothing. But I expect Rafa to do better in his next match. He played considerably better in the second set already.

Yes he did and that's good to see. Hopefully he reaches the quarterfinals and is ready to face Federer, assuming Federer makes it that far as well. That potential matchup will really let us know how far along his knee is and in what condition he's in.

 

[RAFA2005RG]

We already know what condition Nadal is in. Recently he beat Ferrer and Almagro even easier than usual. He'd beat Djokovic at Roland Garros right now in straight sets, unless the tennis balls were soaked like heavy sponges, then he'd drop a set. He's in the same claycourt form as 2012 or better. Hardcourt form, means nothing, as usual.

 

[Smasher08]

We already know what condition Nadal is in.

Yep: an un-natural condition. :wink: