Rafael Nadal: I don't want to face Roger Federer if I reach final

RF-18

RF-18

Talk Tennis Guru
http://www.eurosport.com/tennis/wim...derer-if-i-reach-final_sto6240127/story.shtml

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"I don't like to face best players in the final and I think I played against Roger already enough times this year."

The above, is literally, unbelievable. Champions rise to the occasion and always play their best when they are against their best rivals. In every Slam match Federer lost to Nadal, (except the 2008 FO final, which is debatable), Federer always brought some sort of crazy moments and made the match an epic. Nadal and Djokovic have done the same thing with their rivalry, and we saw something similar in the 2014 Wimbledon final. It is utterly incomprehensible to me why Nadal would say such a thing.
 
Obviously. Pretty sure Roger and the rest of the draw would say the same if pushed - ideally you would want as smooth a path as possible to winning a Slam
Though beating an ATG in a Final does have a certain unmatched satisfaction.
 
deBroglie said:
"I don't like to face best players in the final and I think I played against Roger already enough times this year."

The above, is literally, unbelievable. Champions rise to the occasion and always play their best when they are against their best rivals. In every Slam match Federer lost to Nadal, (except the 2008 FO final, which is debatable), Federer always brought some sort of crazy moments and made the match an epic. Nadal and Djokovic have done the same thing with their rivalry, and we saw something similar in the 2014 Wimbledon final. It is utterly incomprehensible to me why Nadal would say such a thing.
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Because every normal human being would prefer the easiest possible path to achieve their goal rather than the hardest one.
 
vanioMan said:
So? Would you like to face Federer in a Wimby final?
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No actually. Of course you'd hope to play donald young in the final instead.

What Nadal said is not world news or something unbelieveable - he is stating the obvious for all players, not just for himself.
 
Nadal should stop respecting his rivals so much. Of course no need to be arrogant like Djokovic (who said before a lot of matches vs Nadal "I'm going to own him", well, maybe a bit softer), but also no need to say such things like he does. I'm pretty sure he lost some of his matches to Djokovic before the match even started. Same as Miami final against Federer this year. He just doesn't believe he can beat them.
 
Rafa really said this below ?? ... Unbelievable !!! How does it really matter to him as he ALWAYS needs to play at his best to even beat the 200 ranked player.

I don't like to face best players in the final and I think I played against Roger already enough times this year."
 
It's not good at all. What if theoretically we get a Federer-Nadal final? Does it mean Nadal will already lose it in his head? Does it mean the level will be as crap as in Miami final? (when in the second set Nadal was missing every third shot. Federer didn't even play well)
 
vanioMan said:
Because every normal human being would prefer the easiest possible path to achieve their goal rather than the hardest one.
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Well, of course, but I have heard that Rafa believes his 2008 Wimbledon victory was extra special to him. I don't think it would have been nearly as special if it were Marc Gicquel that he had beaten in the final.

I sort of understand what he's saying now; if he's in a final, he'd like it to be as easy as possible, especially knowing that opportunities will be limited at his age. I just never expected him to say it. I wonder what Federer or Djokovic would say if they were asked about this.
 
nadal being the same lovable champion.. he admires and really likes fed... and he has beaten him quite a bit this season.. he will gladly play roger again if it is to be
 
RF-18 said:
http://www.eurosport.com/tennis/wim...derer-if-i-reach-final_sto6240127/story.shtml

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Maybe he means he's bored already? LOL
I think you have to be familliar with Nadal's way of expressing himself in English to really understand this remark, though I admit maybe he's just being honest about the player he least wants to play in the final.
I think his chances here mat actually be better than AO, which was a faster court. And Nadal is playing better now then he was then. And he was leading 5th set, so really he should be looking forward to it.
 
Sentinel said:
Seems like fake news. That's not the Nadal I know and love !
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I know. But on the other hand, he can be insanely honest. No other athlete has spoken so openly about his nerves, his fears etc.
In a way, that shows the greatest confidence imaginable.
 
NatF said:
I think Rafa just means he doesn't want to make Roger cry again. Give this man a moral slam!
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Roger will never cry again. As a loser, anyway. He learned that lesson the hard way. He has also learned to "appear" more humble (i.e. less arrogant).
 
He's been saying this for years has he not? When asked similar questions he tends to say he'd prefer to have the supposedly easier road. This isn't some new psychological angle.
 
Gorecki said:
@realrogerfederer: I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab them by the kitteh. You can do anything.
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Nobody plays tennis better than me. Nobody. I have the shots, the best shots, believe me. Yuge serve, bigly forehand. You have no idea. People come up to me and say, from all over the world, they come up to me and say, wow you play so great, you have great shots. They say your era is the strongest. And believe me, it is the strongest era, because I play in it. I will make tennis great again. #MTGA

I also just learned past great female players see me as their husband. What can I say? I'm not surprised. Not surprised at all.
 
Sartorius said:
Nobody plays tennis better than me. Nobody. I have the shots, the best shots, believe me. Yuge serve, bigly forehand. You have no idea. People come up to me and say, from all over the world, they come up to me and say, wow you play so great, you have great shots. They say your era is the strongest. And believe me, it is the strongest era, because I play in it. I will make tennis great again. #MTGA

I also just learned past great female players see me as their husband. What can I say? I'm not surprised. Not surprised at all.
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You know what kick serve is, right? This thing called high bouncing balls, like lots of things are done with kick serve, including some bad things...
 
L
Sartorius said:
Nobody plays tennis better than me. Nobody. I have the shots, the best shots, believe me. Yuge serve, bigly forehand. You have no idea. People come up to me and say, from all over the world, they come up to me and say, wow you play so great, you have great shots. They say your era is the strongest. And believe me, it is the strongest era, because I play in it. I will make tennis great again. #MTGA

I also just learned past great female players see me as their husband. What can I say? I'm not surprised. Not surprised at all.
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That's actually a pretty good imitation of the best president sinxe Reagan
 
yeah well i'm sure fed wishes he didn't have to play you during all those french opens and any other slam final/match he lost to you.
goddamn at this rate one of them is not reaching the final. i hope the one who doesn't is not fed.
 
Sartorius said:
Nobody plays tennis better than me. Nobody. I have the shots, the best shots, believe me. Yuge serve, bigly forehand. You have no idea. People come up to me and say, from all over the world, they come up to me and say, wow you play so great, you have great shots. They say your era is the strongest. And believe me, it is the strongest era, because I play in it. I will make tennis great again. #MTGA

I also just learned past great female players see me as their husband. What can I say? I'm not surprised. Not surprised at all.
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I just threw up in my mouth a little. Even satire of that bloviating orange molesting blowfish is that visceral.
 
Can't blame Rafa for saying that, seriously or sarcastically (or what Fed said about the French). It's not like anyone really believes that he's scared of Roger, but of course he'd rather not face the greatest Wimbledon champ of all time. When you get to be their age and have accomplished so much against the top players, you don't have much left to prove. I'd think you'd rather not have to go through the toughest path possible, and I appreciate the honestly.
 
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