Strategy to Defeat Rafael Nadal Parera

[DeShaun]

There is usually no successful game plan most anyone who plays Rafa in form can adopt because of his anticipation combined with his retrieving skills. These are what gets him through those moments in matches when his opponent seems to be seeing and striking the ball extremely well--Rafa consistently makes them hit one more ball. When Rafa seems to be playing his least aggressive tennis, he is at his mot dangerous in my opinion. You may say, "But Rafa can hit laser-like forehands," and I will agree, but anyone can win when he is stroking the felt off of the ball. However, Rafa wins when his opponent is doing so, and it is his defense that defines him in my opinion.

 

[TheTruth]

Sour pusses will be sour pusses. :twisted: (Doctors are automatically included in the "superior support system" category, so I think I covered everything )

It's really sad. I wonder what they'll do when Fed inevitably quits. I don't think some of them will be able to handle it emotionally.

 

[jg153040]

Unfortunately, you have to count their entire careers. Not just pick out the ones that favor Nole.

I would say they are equals on non clay. Maybe Nole a bit superior. But I guess the gap on clay is huge. And unfortunately for Nole it counts. So overall Rafa is superior, I guess.

But on HC, Nole is just way better and is not a bad mathcup to Rafa as the poster I was responding seems to be suggesting.

 

[jg153040]

It's really sad. I wonder what they'll do when Fed inevitably quits. I don't think some of them will be able to handle it emotionally.

I think what people don't handle very well is arguing 12 is greater than 17 and 102 weeks is greater than 302 weeks.

When Rafa gets the numbers, I think people will crown him. But he has to do it the old fashioned way, he has to earn it like Fed did.

 

[bullfan]

Yes Nole was the better player in 2011. I wouldn't say 2012 or 2013 though.

2011- Novak
2012 - Novak, It's not fair to penalize Novak because Nadal missed a chunk of the year.
2013 - Nadal

 

[jg153040]

Yes Nole was the better player in 2011. I wouldn't say 2012 or 2013 though.

2013 is debatable. But 2011 and 12, Nole wins. Heck in 2012 even Fed was better than Rafa.

 

[clayqueen]

Actually, I do think Nadal has trouble with big servers. He may not always lose to them, but he does struggle with them. Guys like Isner, Karlovic, Roddick, Del Potro, Mahut, etc.

So who doesn't have trouble with big servers? As for Mahut, I discount any loss Rafa has at Queens and Halle just after RG. Rafa is 12-0 against Karlovic, Isner and Raonic which is more than can be said for the others.

 

[sureshs]

I think what people don't handle very well is arguing 12 is greater than 17 and 102 weeks is greater than 302 weeks.

When Rafa gets the numbers, I think people will crown him. But he has to do it the old fashioned way, he has to earn it like Fed did.

Fed needs to get an Olympics Singles Gold the old fashioned way, and also try to win each Slam twice, like Nadal will accomplish tomorrow.

And of course also neutralize 21-10.

Till then, Fed will always be the second-greatest player of all time behind Nadal.

 

[McLovin]

Fed needs to get an Olympics Singles Gold the old fashioned way, and also try to win each Slam twice, like Nadal will accomplish tomorrow.

Actually, Nadal only has 1 Aussie Open title.

 

[Jay_The_Nomad]

Both Djokovic and Nadal are the two best players in the world and I don't mean it in the sense that they are number 1 & 2 respectively, but rather that the level of their standard bread and butter game is at a whole different level to everyone else.

They have raised the game to a very very high level and if any player wants to beat them they have to hope that djokovic/nadal's level happens to be a little lower on that day. The alternative would be to be able to match them at that high level and push them all the way till the end and hope you take your chances at important points.

In the WTA, particularly in the last 2-3 years, there were a fair number of world number 1,2,3s who IMO despite their ranking weren't genuinely the best players in the WTA in terms of their game.

 

[citybert]

Basiaclly the only way is play high risk tennis. Maybe why easier in 2/3sets. Stan would have been through.

 

[shawn1122]

I think too much is read into James Blake Vs Nadal H2H. Blake won their first 3 matches (all in 2005/2006) and never since.

I am of the opinion that during 2005/2006 Rafa isnt a matured Hard court player and also needed little bit of time to figure out Blake.

Well Blake also started to decline after 2006. But I agree that it's a combination of those factors.

Nadal is still susceptible to big hitters but he has done an amazing job working on that. Back then Nadal was not experienced in flattening out the forehand with his extreme Western grip. Big hitters could pound his forehand all day long and all he could throw back was a semi-moonball which just invited an even more severe pounding of the ball. Nowadays Nadal rarely allows that to happen.

 

[dafinch]

Well Blake also started to decline after 2006. But I agree that it's a combination of those factors.

Nadal is still susceptible to big hitters but he has done an amazing job working on that. Back then Nadal was not experienced in flattening out the forehand with his extreme Western grip. Big hitters could pound his forehand all day long and all he could throw back was a semi-moonball which just invited an even more severe pounding of the ball. Nowadays Nadal rarely allows that to happen.

Serve and volley occasionally, have a spotter whose only job is to watch Uncle Phony, and conduct a blood test right before the match.

 

[citybert]

Well Blake also started to decline after 2006. But I agree that it's a combination of those factors.

Nadal is still susceptible to big hitters but he has done an amazing job working on that. Back then Nadal was not experienced in flattening out the forehand with his extreme Western grip. Big hitters could pound his forehand all day long and all he could throw back was a semi-moonball which just invited an even more severe pounding of the ball. Nowadays Nadal rarely allows that to happen.

What do you think is the change he made? added more power and less clearance to his shot? Cant remember his game pre 2008

 

[shawn1122]

Serve and volley occasionally, have a spotter whose only job is to watch Uncle Phony, and conduct a blood test right before the match.

Yeah I also think Nadal returning at an even higher level after suffering injuries that seemed almost career ending is ridiculously suspicious. I mean how many players come back STRONGER after spending two years on a steady decline?


I don't doubt that players use PEDs in tennis just as much as they're used in other sports. Sometimes you just have to ask yourself, what's the simplest and most realistic explanation?

 

[shawn1122]

What do you think is the change he made? added more power and less clearance to his shot? Cant remember his game pre 2008

Nadal was young and really just an up and coming clay court specialist at that point. He brought a clay court mentality to every match he played, regardless of surface. On clay hitting a high looping ball from a very defensive position can bring you a great deal of success if you're consistent and well conditioned. But on grass and hard you would be bringing your own destruction.

Nadal has successfully changed his mentality. When he plays on faster surfaces he takes on an aggressive mindset. He also hits his forehand with way less clearance and it has become much more penetrating. Back then he really relied on being the guy that hit the ball with the most spin. Nowadays he goes after the ball which is why his forehand is so feared and is the best in the game at the moment.

The most obvious sign of this change: back in 2005/2006 the gameplan against Nadal was to attack his forehand hard and flat. Over and over. If you can manage to pull it off with some consistency, the forehand will break down and you'll win. Blake, Murray, Soderling, Rosol, Berdych, Del Potro have all done it.

The difference now? If anyone talks about employing a strategy against Nadal it's always about breaking down the Backhand. No one dares to test Nadal's forehand anymore.

 

[Shaolin]

Fed needs to get an Olympics Singles Gold the old fashioned way, and also try to win each Slam twice, like Nadal will accomplish tomorrow.

And of course also neutralize 21-10.

Till then, Fed will always be the second-greatest player of all time behind Nadal.

Actually, Nadal only has 1 Aussie Open title.

Nadal fanboys never let the facts get in the way of their thinking.

 

[TheTruth]

I would say they are equals on non clay. Maybe Nole a bit superior. But I guess the gap on clay is huge. And unfortunately for Nole it counts. So overall Rafa is superior, I guess.

But on HC, Nole is just way better and is not a bad mathcup to Rafa as the poster I was responding seems to be suggesting.

Nole on his best surface is not a bad matchup for Nadal, but Federer on outdoor hard is a bad matchup? You can't use the bad matchup in two distinctly different ways. It's a bad matchup for Fed (beyond his control), but in Nadal's case Nole is superior. Huh?

You guys are hilarious. Even when Nadal owns the h2h he is still inferior:::shaking my head and walking away:::

 

[TheTruth]

I think what people don't handle very well is arguing 12 is greater than 17 and 102 weeks is greater than 302 weeks.

When Rafa gets the numbers, I think people will crown him. But he has to do it the old fashioned way, he has to earn it like Fed did.

Again, you can't use numbers in two different ways. You want to say 17>12, but ignore that 21>10. (I'm not talking about you personally, because I don't recall seeing you do this). Heck, some people even say that H2H doesn't mean anything, but in the next breath talk about Davydenko's H2H hardcourt. It's disingenuous.

No doubt Federer has the numbers and is the most accomplished player. However, he has also had more time to amass his numbers. Both of them are great players that we are lucky to witness. But, if people are insistent on tearing Nadal down, it stands to reason that others will point out holes in Federer's legacy as well.

 

[TheTruth]

Yeah I also think Nadal returning at an even higher level after suffering injuries that seemed almost career ending is ridiculously suspicious. I mean how many players come back STRONGER after spending two years on a steady decline?


I don't doubt that players use PEDs in tennis just as much as they're used in other sports. Sometimes you just have to ask yourself, what's the simplest and most realistic explanation?

Kim Clijsters.

 

[underground]

If you rewatch the 1st match of the Cinci Fedal QF, you will see that it is the only one TACTIC that can actually beat Nadal, which is giving him his own medicine, constantly pummeling his BH, before you hit mega flat to his FH when you get the chance for the winner.

Djokovic managed to OUT GRIND Rafa with the DTL BH in the mix, he won because he had the ability to turn defense into offense in the blink of an eye, but it was never a tactic, it was an endurance test.