Rare match highlights: A. Murray vs R. Nadal Rotterdam Final 2009

[ForehandCross]

Nadal's weird 2009 FH is such an outlier even more so because he used it so aggressively in AO F and then for the rest of the season it was just bring the ball back machine. However the topspin and the shape must have been very difficult to deal with because the ball keeps dropping inside, the shots that look like they would go into the net still go over.

 

[Rafa4LifeEver]

Why so passive, Rafa?? Whyyy

 

[ForehandCross]

Why so passive, Rafa?? Whyyy

Not so passive to be honest I am watching through the highlights now and at least in the points included he did take initiative. Also Murray's FH looks better on this court, deeper and more protected.

Weird break and break backs in second set.

 

[Rafa4LifeEver]

Not so passive to be honest I am watching through the highlights now and at least in the points included he did take initiative. Also Murray's FH looks better on this court, deeper and more protected.

Weird break and break backs in second set.

I remember watching this match live on TV. Believe me mate, these highlights are heavily cherry picked to make it seem like both players were agressive.

 

[dapchai]

No shame losing to the GOAT (Glaswegian On Attacking Tennis).

Jokes aside, this match probably marked the downfall of Nadal's FH and BH in 2009. For the rest of the season he literally beat his opponents by sheer physicality alone until his left knee collapsed.

 

[The Blond Blur]

Playing Rotterdam was the beginning of the end of Peakdal’s speed. After the Herculean effort he pulled off down under he should have rested and IW should have been his first tournament back. I think if he planned his schedule better that year then the loss to Sod doesn’t happen and he ends up with at least 2 schlems. 09 really was the lost year of RAFA’s prime.

 

[MichaelNadal]

Watching Murray play tennis is such an unpleasant experience

 

[ForehandCross]

Playing Rotterdam was the beginning of the end of Peakdal’s speed. After the Herculean effort he pulled off down under he should have rested and IW should have been his first tournament back. I think if he planned his schedule better that year then the loss to Sod doesn’t happen and he ends up with at least 2 schlems. 09 really was the lost year of RAFA’s prime.

Are there any interviews from anyone from Rafael's team about why his FH in 2009 was so weird? What was the logic and rationale behind it?

 

[TheNachoMan]

Watching Murray play tennis is such an unpleasant experience

Murray and Nadal have had some good matches. AO 2007, WB 08+10+11, WTF 2010, USO 2011, etc.

 

[MichaelNadal]

Murray and Nadal have had some good matches. AO 2007, WB 08+10+11, WTF 2010, USO 2011, etc.

I agree. The only time I can tolerate watching the Muzz lol.

 

[dapchai]

Watching Murray play tennis is such an unpleasant experience

@Mainad

 

[TheNachoMan]

Murray has beaten Nadal the same amount of times on clay as Fed has. What it tell us

 

[TheNachoMan]

This is an underrated Murray masterclass. Completely dominated Nadal. Get the wings fish and chips out.

 

[holy tennis]

Maybe Nadal carried a wrist injury that we are not aware of till this day?

When it was revealed how his foot condition caused severe pains all these years it probably explained half of bizarre losses Nadal had over the years, like against Thiem in Rome, Madrid, against Medvedev at Meme Finals, against Shapovalov in Montreal. Hehehe.

 

[King No1e]

Playing Rotterdam was the beginning of the end of Peakdal’s speed. After the Herculean effort he pulled off down under he should have rested and IW should have been his first tournament back. I think if he planned his schedule better that year then the loss to Sod doesn’t happen and he ends up with at least 2 schlems. 09 really was the lost year of RAFA’s prime.

So was 12 IMO. That 7 month break was probably unavoidable, but he seemed on his way back to 2010 form after the clay season.

 

[Silverbullet96]

Maybe Nadal carried a wrist injury that we are not aware of till this day?

When it was revealed how his foot condition caused severe pains all these years it probably explained half of bizarre losses Nadal had over the years, like against Thiem in Rome, Madrid, against Medvedev at Meme Finals, against Shapovalov in Montreal. Hehehe.

Some of y'all are ridiculous.

 

[dapchai]

Murray has beaten Nadal the same amount of times on clay as Fed has. What it tell us

MuryGOAT.

 

[ForehandCross]

Maybe Nadal carried a wrist injury that we are not aware of till this day?

When it was revealed how his foot condition caused severe pains all these years it probably explained half of bizarre losses Nadal had over the years, like against Thiem in Rome, Madrid, against Medvedev at Meme Finals, against Shapovalov in Montreal. Hehehe.

The difference in FH is really dramatic from 2008 or 2010 to 2009 . Definitely something was wrong.

 

[holy tennis]

The difference in FH is really dramatic from 2008 or 2010 to 2009 . Definitely something was wrong.

If we’re being serious, it is known that Nadal changed forehand technique several times. 2005-2008 is one forehand period, 2009 is an experiment, then 2010+ is a whole other period. I know for sure about 3 versions, but there might be more minor ones.

 

[Silverbullet96]

The difference in FH is really dramatic from 2008 or 2010 to 2009 . Definitely something was wrong.

It doesn't have to be a life threatening injury every time, good grief. It's just form. Any athlete's level goes up and down throughout their career, more or less, this is not a new concept, guy...

 

[ForehandCross]

It doesn't have to be a life threatening injury every time, good grief. It's just form. Any athlete's level goes up and down throughout their career, more or less, this is not a new concept, guy...

I was talking about the take back and the shot it itself this was a conscious change and not form related. Chances are it was done to protect something or done for some strategic measure.

 

[MichaelNadal]

It doesn't have to be a life threatening injury every time, good grief. It's just form. Any athlete's level goes up and down throughout their career, more or less, this is not a new concept, guy...

Relax bestie

 

[abmk]

Nadal's FH and play in general was pretty good till Sod took him out at RG in 2009.
Played great in IW bar the nalby match. played great in Barca, Monte Carlo, Rome, even 2R and 3R of RG. (madrid he was adjusting playing first time)

Dumb to play Rotterdam after the SF/F at AO 2009. Should've skipped it and started playing from IW.

 

[Silverbullet96]

Relax bestie

Why me ? It feels like some of your fellow Nadal fans need to relax, these injury excuses are getting out of hand, a guy in this thread seemingly trying to excuse every Nadal loss ever with 'injury', it's very disrespectful for the other players.

 

[Silverbullet96]

I was talking about the take back and the shot it itself this was a conscious change and not form related. Chances are it was done to protect something or done for some strategic measure.

It doesn't have to be a conscious change, remember Nadal 2015 & 2016 ? Both of his strokes were worse than usual, but does that mean it's because he made a change to his technique ? No.

 

[Mainad]

This is an underrated Murray masterclass. Completely dominated Nadal. Get the wings fish and chips out.

Watching Murray play here was a particularly unpleasant experience for @MichaelNadal.