Rafa's FO 2014 run prediction

[martini1]

Can he recover in time to play at least 1 or 2 clay masters 1000?
Can he win FO 2014?

It seems like in the past he would need several months to recover. This could easily mean he will miss the tour at least until the clay season.

The only time he lost in FO he had some long and hard fights in AO but he was not hurt. I like Rafa but I would like to see the balance of power to be a little more even out in FO. The best is more than 3 guys have a good shot in winning it.

 

[helterskelter]

Obviously, the chances of him winning Roland Garros are greater than are the chances of everyone else on the planet put together.

 

[Chanwan]

He's not been injured enough to miss a clay tournament since 2004 (ok, he may have missed one, but it's not much).
For some reason, his injuries are only bad enough to keep him off the tour outside the clay season - perhaps because he can win at 90 % there.

His back will be fine in a week or two

 

[tennis_badger]

nothing to predict....he got owned by stan, NOT injured.
still dont see anybody beating rafa in FO, injured (fake/real) or not

 

[martini1]

nothing to predict....he got owned by stan, NOT injured.
still dont see anybody beating rafa in FO, injured (fake/real) or not

IC you are one of those Rafa haters who thinks his acting is better than Daniel Day Lewis. :lol:

 

[Tenez101]

Rafa wins RG defeating Stan and Novak along the way.

 

[dafinch]

People seem to act like he blew Nole off the court in the final, which was NOT the case. I haven't seen too many matches turn when the player leading the match late lost a point by brushing the net on an easy putaway. Nole should be motivated by that loss-and the one to Stan-to turn things around, and BP's Dirtball Open streak is gonna end sooner or later, why now this year?

 

[poofytail]

People seem to act like he blew Nole off the court in the final, which was NOT the case. I haven't seen too many matches turn when the player leading the match late lost a point by brushing the net on an easy putaway. Nole should be motivated by that loss-and the one to Stan-to turn things around, and BP's Dirtball Open streak is gonna end sooner or later, why now this year?

On the other hand people like you like to act like Nole was unlucky to lose that FO match. This is clearly NOT the case, as the match stats, and the number of times Nadal choked when on the verge of closing it indicate Djokovic had an incredible amount of luck to even be in the 5th, never mind by some huge horsehose up his arse leading at one point. If both players played the same type of match with the same winners and errors and points wont stats, 99 times out of 100 it will be a comfortable 4 set win for Nadal max.

People like you also act like last year was Nadal's top clay tennis. This too is NOT the case. Last year was some of Nadal's best ever outdoor hard court tennis, especialy the summer, and that is what ultimately led it to be one of his best years, when combined with his inevitable (even when in very subpar form) clay victories. However Nadal's rustiness after the long layoff was clearly visible in his clay play. Only 2011 could be argued as worse in his career. He even lost a clay final to some clown you will never hear of again. I expect a far higher level of clay play than Nadal this year. Djokovic on the other hand played the very best tennis on clay he will probably be ever capable of in 2011 and 2013. It will be hard for him to mantain that, never mind improve significantly on it.

 

[Mick]

after watching what happened at the AO, (Serena, Azarenka, Nadal, Djokovic, all lost), anything is possible, IMO.

 

[Anti-Fedal]

Only Djokovic is capable of stopping him at RG or maybe GOD mode Del Potro.

 

[vive le beau jeu !]

i'd be cool with a 1st round exit (or maybe a WO, i'm not sure yet).

 

[tenniswriter]

Why can't people love both Federer and Nadal?

Why can't they? Why focus only on the negatives? Why not focus on the positives both players have and love them for that?

Why do Rafa fans feel the need to belittle Roger and vice-versa? And seriously, this debate about who the greatest ever is. WHO CARES?

 

[SLD76]

why did I read this as Rafa's FO rum production.


I need a drink.

 

[OddJack]

I predict FED for RG
By that time his frame size may even grow bigger

 

[Chanwan]

Can he recover in time to play at least 1 or 2 clay masters 1000?
Can he win FO 2014?

It seems like in the past he would need several months to recover. This could easily mean he will miss the tour at least until the clay season.

.

newsflash, the injury is nothing serious and he's back on court in a couple of days

 

[tipsa...don'tlikehim!]

I predict FED for RG
By that time his frame size may even grow bigger

lol seriously ? it means Federer would beat Djokovic or Nadal... won't happen. Nowadays other players can beat Federer at the FO, Wawrinka for example, Tsonga like last year, Berdych i am sure...

Not saying Federer will never win a 18th but the FO is the most unlikely.

Djokovic can beat Nadal, Del Potro yes if in 3 sets, otherwise no.

 

[tipsa...don'tlikehim!]

newsflash, the injury is nothing serious and he's back on court in a couple of days

same injury as Pospisil in Chennai, Pospisil came back to play the AO and we know what happened... Hope it's not the same for Nadal
The guy is crazy to go to South America, what's the point he won sh*tloads of points in Australia...

 

[Sentinel]

Nadal will need others to do his "dirty work" to reach the FO final. He needs his aging friend Fed to clear as many top players as he can, and Stan or someone else to clear the other side of the draw (esp Novak). Then he beats Roger's backhand in the semis/quarters, and the dark horse in the final.

Or else Novak gives him a lesson in the final

newsflash, the injury is nothing serious and he's back on court in a couple of days

Sorry but the Monday headlines all over the world won't change now

 

[dafinch]

On the other hand people like you like to act like Nole was unlucky to lose that FO match. This is clearly NOT the case, as the match stats, and the number of times Nadal choked when on the verge of closing it indicate Djokovic had an incredible amount of luck to even be in the 5th, never mind by some huge horsehose up his arse leading at one point. If both players played the same type of match with the same winners and errors and points wont stats, 99 times out of 100 it will be a comfortable 4 set win for Nadal max.

People like you also act like last year was Nadal's top clay tennis. This too is NOT the case. Last year was some of Nadal's best ever outdoor hard court tennis, especialy the summer, and that is what ultimately led it to be one of his best years, when combined with his inevitable (even when in very subpar form) clay victories. However Nadal's rustiness after the long layoff was clearly visible in his clay play. Only 2011 could be argued as worse in his career. He even lost a clay final to some clown you will never hear of again. I expect a far higher level of clay play than Nadal this year. Djokovic on the other hand played the very best tennis on clay he will probably be ever capable of in 2011 and 2013. It will be hard for him to mantain that, never mind improve significantly on it.

Nole was able to force a 5th set through "luck," huh? You sound as stupid as Fed did(and I'm a fan of his) when he used that word for Nole having the temerity to hit a screaming service return winner down match point in their US Open semifinal. Nole took it to BP, deserved to be in a winning position, period. Grazing the net when you hitting an easy putaway, on a crucial play, was stupid-but also, unlucky. And I never said jack about the quality of BP's dirt court season last year, so, once again, you show you haven't the slightest clue wtf you're talking about....

 

[jm1980]

I predict an easy run for Rafa up to the final, where he will play an epic five setter against Djokovic.

 

[Vcore89]

Rafa, bag it already! No one's gonna take it away from you except, maybe, Gaston Gaudio?

 

[poofytail]

....bunch of stupid crap from butthurt Nole fanatic....

Here foolish moron are the stats from last years French Open semifinal:

Winners- Nadal led 61-54
Errors- Djokovic well ahead
Points won- Nadal won 19 more

Nadal also served for the match in the 4th set and played a total choke to GIFT Djokovic back into the match. Nadal had 22 winners in the 5th set and was still down a break. So the person who got super lucky was Djokovic to be anywhere near winning just like I said, something only stupid Djokovicturds like yourself will deny. Unlucky to lose, BWAHAHAHAAHAHA!! This was also with Djokovic playing one of his best clay matches ever, and Nadal in subpar form for his standards.

Anyway enjoy Nadal kicking Djokovic butt in badly at this years RG where Djokovic wont have the luxury of facing a rusty Nadal coming off an 8 month layout, and whining about how unlucky Djokovic was yet again, and how he will supposably win in 2015, ROTFL!!!

 

[Algo]

all the way, no oposition at all

That of course if no injury comes along...

 

[jm1980]

This was also with Djokovic playing one of his best clay matches ever, and Nadal in subpar form for his standards.

Anyway enjoy Nadal kicking Djokovic butt in badly at this years RG, and whining about how unlucky Djokovic was yet again, and how he will supposably win in 2015, ROTFL!!!

Djokovic hit 75 UE to 54 winners. That was arguably one of his worst matches ever.

 

[poofytail]

Djokovic hit 75 UE to 54 winners. That was arguably one of his worst matches ever.

Yeah one of his worst matches ever, when it was the only time he got close to beating Nadal at RG, where he trails in sets now 15-3. By that logic it was Nadal's worst ever clay match to let the usually walloped badly Djokovic supposably playing one of his worst matches ever (hahaha) be that close, and even more reason to believe Nadal is the heavy favorite when he even won and should have won in 4 sets max now determined to have been playing so horribly.

You are also stupid and clueless on tennis if you actually think you can control the number of errors you hit vs Nadal on clay. Or that Djokovic is going to be capable of a positive W-E stat vs Nadal on clay, even in 2011 when godmode Djokovic played the crappiest ever clay version of Nadal, he was only even or with more errors than winners in their clay matches that year. By that logic Federer played awful everytime he played Nadal on clay, even Rome 2006 final which was his best clay match ever but where he hit nearly 100 unforced errors, as there isnt a single match he had fewer than 60 probably.

I look forward to reviving this thread and laughing at the moron crew when Nadal beats Djokovic much easier at the 2014 French than the 2013 event, something that is obvious to anyone who looks past their biases to certain players is very likely to happen. That is unless Djokovic is upset before even playing Nadal (something that isnt that far fetched).

 

[jm1980]

Or that Djokovic is going to be capable of a positive W-E stat vs Nadal on clay, even in 2011 when godmode Djokovic played the crappiest ever clay version of Nadal, he was only even or with more errors than winners in their clay matches that year.

2011 Madrid final: 27 winners / 26 UE (+1)
2011 Rome final: 26 winners / 32 UE (-6)

2013 FO SF: 54 winners / 75 UE (-21)

One of these is not like the other.

By that logic Federer played awful everytime he played Nadal on clay

That's Fedal in a nutshell

 

[Djokovic2011]

Here foolish moron are the stats from last years French Open semifinal:

Winners- Nadal led 61-54
Errors- Djokovic well ahead
Points won- Nadal won 19 more

Nadal also served for the match in the 4th set and played a total choke to GIFT Djokovic back into the match. Nadal had 22 winners in the 5th set and was still down a break. So the person who got super lucky was Djokovic to be anywhere near winning just like I said, something only stupid Djokovicturds like yourself will deny. Unlucky to lose, BWAHAHAHAAHAHA!! This was also with Djokovic playing one of his best clay matches ever, and Nadal in subpar form for his standards.

Anyway enjoy Nadal kicking Djokovic butt in badly at this years RG where Djokovic wont have the luxury of facing a rusty Nadal coming off an 8 month layout, and whining about how unlucky Djokovic was yet again, and how he will supposably win in 2015, ROTFL!!!

Why so much hatred for Djokovic? And if you're so sure that he won't be a threat to Nadal at this year's FO then why are you getting yourself so worked up?

 

[fighting123]

Obviously, the chances of him winning Roland Garros are greater than are the chances of everyone else on the planet put together.

lol That would make his chance 50%.

 

[Djokovic2011]

By the way I don't think Djokovic was at his best in that FO match-his best was the level he showed in the MC final. Had he played like that at the French he would've won but unfortunately he didn't so it is what it is.

 

[poofytail]

2011 Madrid final: 27 winners / 26 UE (+1)
2011 Rome final: 26 winners / 32 UE (-6)

2013 FO SF: 54 winners / 75 UE (-21)

You only help prove my point. 2011 Madrid final is the best you can come up with in their whole history (and they played like a dozen clay matches)? And even that was Djokovic hitting only ONE more winner than error in a short 2 set match vs the worst ever Nadal on clay, on unusually fast clay, and in Djokovic's dream year. Well there you have it. And the 2nd best example of all time you can come up with had 20% more errors than winners, not that different than 26% more in the 2013 match vs a better Nadal than 2011 (although still worse than any other year), and again involving the best ever version of Djokovic (2011).

This clown forum is so easy to pick people apart. You dont even have to work at it.

By the way I don't think Djokovic was at his best in that FO match-his best was the level he showed in the MC final. Had he played like that at the French he would've won but unfortunately he didn't so it is what it is.

Yeah like Nadal was in good form in the Monte Carlo final last year, haha.

 

[Djokovic2011]

Yeah like Nadal was in good form in the Monte Carlo final last year, haha.

So basically you're saying that Nadal at his best is unbeatable on clay in which case there is no point in debating with you. Btw Nadal had already played in 3 clay tournies leading up to MC whereas Nole had played none and also came into the tournament with an ankle injury but of course you neglected to mention that. Welcome to the forum by the way, or should I say welcome back to the forum!

 

[tipsa...don'tlikehim!]

Rafa winning FO 2014 won't be easy at all.
He is not in his 2008 form anymore.

 

[Mustard]

Fortunately, there's plenty of tennis to be played before the French Open, which will calm down the current hysteria.

 

[TennisTalkingGirl]

I'm hoping for another epic between Djokovic and Nadal. Hoping Fed get's another easy draw like last year too.

 

[TennisTalkingGirl]

Actually, I would also really like to see Murray vs. Nadal on FO clay too.

 

[Defcon]

I just want to see a fair draw for once. Rafa is still the clear favorite for any clay title based on his style of play.

 

[tipsa...don'tlikehim!]

Actually, I would also really like to see Murray vs. Nadal on FO clay too.

On grass or HC would be nice, but on clay... :-|

 

[Djokovic2011]

Rafa winning FO 2014 won't be easy at all.
He is not in his 2008 form anymore.

I do think Nadal will win the FO but man, when posters like poofytail or whatever he now calls himself is so arrogant to say that Rafa will wipe Djokovic off the court[something he's never done], it makes me want Nole to beat him SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much more. And some Nadal fans wonder why he is so hated-some of his fans are so fkn cocky it makes me want to hurl!!:evil:

 

[poofytail]

Actually, I would also really like to see Murray vs. Nadal on FO clay too.

Why? Murray is no threat on clay, especialy starting a year so rusty like this one. Even in 2011 when Murray became an excellent clay courter just for a single year, and Nadal was in his worst ever clay form, Murray fell in straight sets at Roland Garros. Nadal vs Del Potro and Djokovic vs Wawrinka or some ideas of far more interesting matches on clay. Maybe even Federer vs Djokovic if his surprisingly high early year form carries forward.

 

[Nostradamus]

Obviously, the chances of him winning Roland Garros are greater than are the chances of everyone else on the planet put together.

disagree. for all accounts, Novak really should have beaten him last year. and this year he will be even more hungry since he lost the aussie open. so Novak has better chance than Nadal. and Stan Wawrinka can win this since he lists Clay as his BEST surface in his Yonex profile webpage.

So Rafa is only 3rd best favorite to win the Rolland Garros this year.

 

[Mustard]

Actually, I would also really like to see Murray vs. Nadal on FO clay too.

They met in the semi finals of the 2011 French Open. Nadal won 6-4, 7-5, 6-4.

 

[TennisTalkingGirl]

On grass or HC would be nice, but on clay... :-|

Don't underestimate Murray. He's come a long way since winning his first slam. Didn't he take Nadal to 3 sets once on clay (and being injured during that time???? )

 

[TennisTalkingGirl]

They met in the semi finals of the 2011 French Open. Nadal won 6-4, 7-5, 6-4.

Yeah I remember. Pretty close match in terms of the score. Murray didn't have the confidence of a slam at that point. Not saying Murray would beat Nadal, but I think he could make it interesting.

 

[Mustard]

disagree. for all accounts, Novak really should have beaten him last year. and this year he will be even more hungry since he lost the aussie open. so Novak has better chance than Nadal. and Stan Wawrinka can win this since he lists Clay as his BEST surface in his Yonex profile webpage.

So Rafa is only 3rd best favorite to win the Rolland Garros this year.

Nadal blew the second set badly, and blew golden chances to close it out in 4 sets. It could easily have been a 3 or 4 set win for Nadal. True, it could have even have been a 5 set win for Djokovic in the end, but Nadal controlled most of the match.

Nadal met Wawrinka at last year's French Open. Nadal won 6-2, 6-3, 6-1.

 

[Defcon]

There are a bunch of players quite capable of beating Rafa. Hell, even Puerta almost beat him. It just takes that little bit of extra form and determination.

This is why clay is such a terrible surface. A defender/pusher who doesn't tire is almost guaranteed a win no matter what in a best of 5, and Nadal can safely play in that mode all day if he needs to. Its a test of endurance, not tennis.

 

[rdis10093]

he cant win it every year

 

[rdis10093]

murray never does well on clay

 

[flyinghippos101]

It's weird, Nadal is almost on the exact same trajectory as Fed was in 2009 at the exact age. Fed gunning for his 14th slam at the French Open after losing a disappointing AO final that most pegged him to win. Five years later, Nadal is gunning for his 14 slam at the french Open after losing a disappointing AO final that most pegged him to win.

Very eerie parallels with Fed

 

[tipsa...don'tlikehim!]

Don't underestimate Murray. He's come a long way since winning his first slam. Didn't he take Nadal to 3 sets once on clay (and being injured during that time???? )

 

[Mustard]

There are a bunch of players quite capable of beating Rafa. Hell, even Puerta almost beat him. It just takes that little bit of extra form and determination.

You are going back to 2005, here. Not to mention that Puerta tested positive for a banned substance after that final.

This is why clay is such a terrible surface. A defender/pusher who doesn't tire is almost guaranteed a win no matter what in a best of 5, and Nadal can safely play in that mode all day if he needs to. Its a test of endurance, not tennis.

Most of Nadal's wins at the French Open are straight forward, not 5 set epics.