The Key to beating Rafa

[Brett UK]

It has become clearer and clearer to the locker room the patterns that you should play against Rafa.

His forehand on the ad side is a good shot but nowhere near as good as his forehand from the deuce side. Rafa's forehand from the deuce side is lethal, he can hit a lot of winners and very few errors. From the ad side he is less confident because he generates less spin, he does not go for as much and he makes more errors.

The key to beating Rafa is to stop him from getting to his favourite forehand shot in the deuce court. i.e. If you want to get it to his backhand be sure of it, and get him out wide in the ad court on his forehand.

Also, anyone notice how Djokovic hit 4 clean return winners to Nadal's forehand. Nadal was anticipating the backhand so good tactics from Nole.

I think players and coaches will have mode a lot of notes on Nadal this year especially from the Wawrinka AO final, and then in many other losses or narrow wins.

Having said all of this, I give Rafa favouritism for RG because for me he will be the favourite until someone takes RG off him. However, in prior years I would have rated him an 80% chance of winning, and now I would give him 40% chance.

 

[Paul Murphy]

Djok doesn't fear the Rafa FH.
He takes it on - Rafa can't bully Djok with his FH - happy days.

 

[PhrygianDominant]

Hitting hard and flat cross court to Nadal's forehand is a great idea. Leaving that much open court on his backhand side makes Nadal nervous and robs him of his favourite patterns of play.

It seems that is the defacto strategy these days.

 

[m2nk2]

It's his FH in the ad court that is the good one. Especially when he hits it deep DTL.

 

[NADALRECORD]

Its physically and mentally impossible to beat Nadal at Roland Garros. Once threatened, Nadal goes into Mike Tyson mode and hits 22 winners in the 5th set. You can't get around that. The only way it happened in 2009 was because Nadal had lost his eye of the tiger after his parents got separated. Nadal right now looks more pumped up than ever, and while he wore himself out at Rome logging more hours than ever before at a masters event, it was well worth it because he's in form now and ready for his 9th Roland Garros crown.

 

[Alchemy-Z]

lol....KEY to BEATING Rafa is the same as the rest of the field BEATING Federer.

Waiting them out till they decline
Happens to every great player unless the retire early on top.

Had to watch it happen to Sampras and now watching it with Fed and soon Nadal. he even said about seeing him struggle "get use to it"

he knows and that's the reality of the sport. Will he still win big titles sure...but being a slam contender for a decade catches up eventually.

who knows maybe Novaks best strategy ever was retiring regularly in the early part of his career when Fed and Nadal were basically untouchable anyway and waiting for them to start licking their wounds to strike.

 

[heninfan99]

The Dog & Stan did it best.

 

[Brett UK]

lol....KEY to BEATING Rafa is the same as the rest of the field BEATING Federer.

Waiting them out till they decline
Happens to every great player unless the retire early on top.

Had to watch it happen to Sampras and now watching it with Fed and soon Nadal. he even said about seeing him struggle "get use to it"

he knows and that's the reality of the sport. Will he still win big titles sure...but being a slam contender for a decade catches up eventually.

who knows maybe Novaks best strategy ever was retiring regularly in the early part of his career when Fed and Nadal were basically untouchable anyway and waiting for them to start licking their wounds to strike.

LOL, if my coach told me the key to beating Rafa was to wait for the decline then I would want a new coach.

 

[Brett UK]

Its physically and mentally impossible to beat Nadal at Roland Garros. Once threatened, Nadal goes into Mike Tyson mode and hits 22 winners in the 5th set. You can't get around that. The only way it happened in 2009 was because Nadal had lost his eye of the tiger after his parents got separated. Nadal right now looks more pumped up than ever, and while he wore himself out at Rome logging more hours than ever before at a masters event, it was well worth it because he's in form now and ready for his 9th Roland Garros crown.

yes, his best clay court season ever right?

 

[Paul Murphy]

Its physically and mentally impossible to beat Nadal at Roland Garros. Once threatened, Nadal goes into Mike Tyson mode and hits 22 winners in the 5th set. You can't get around that. The only way it happened in 2009 was because Nadal had lost his eye of the tiger after his parents got separated. Nadal right now looks more pumped up than ever, and while he wore himself out at Rome logging more hours than ever before at a masters event, it was well worth it because he's in form now and ready for his 9th Roland Garros crown.

We shall see.
I am sure Rafa doesn't want to see Djok on the other side of the court in the final - he'll have to work out a plan to beat him - good luck with that.

 

[Paul Murphy]

yes, his best clay court season ever right?

So true.
10 chars.

 

[NEW_BORN]

Go to the source. Strike at the core

 

[Nathaniel_Near]

Mike Tyson mode. :lol:

 

[marc45]

Mike Tyson mode. :lol:

Novak better get some Beats headphones

 

[Nathaniel_Near]

Hah, took me a few seconds. Indeed.

 

[JohnKramer]

It has become clearer and clearer to the locker room the patterns that you should play against Rafa.

His forehand on the ad side is a good shot but nowhere near as good as his forehand from the deuce side. Rafa's forehand from the deuce side is lethal, he can hit a lot of winners and very few errors. From the ad side he is less confident because he generates less spin, he does not go for as much and he makes more errors.

The key to beating Rafa is to stop him from getting to his favourite forehand shot in the deuce court. i.e. If you want to get it to his backhand be sure of it, and get him out wide in the ad court on his forehand.

Also, anyone notice how Djokovic hit 4 clean return winners to Nadal's forehand. Nadal was anticipating the backhand so good tactics from Nole.

I think players and coaches will have mode a lot of notes on Nadal this year especially from the Wawrinka AO final, and then in many other losses or narrow wins.

Having said all of this, I give Rafa favouritism for RG because for me he will be the favourite until someone takes RG off him. However, in prior years I would have rated him an 80% chance of winning, and now I would give him 40% chance.

This thread is of no use, as at the moment, one should think of how to beat djokovic.

All these tricks to beat nadal works because he is not flattening his shots.
The moment he flattens his shots and hits deep and away from opponents, none of these tricks are going to work as the opponents will not have enough time that they currently have due to loopy time taking shots

 

[Goosehead]

Mike Tyson mode. :lol:

that must be being bummed in prison by the daddy of e-wing. :neutral:

 

[BMcFarlan]

The key to beating Rafa is to be Novak. That works for one of us, and he doesn't post much on here.

Over the years the guys backed off Rafa's spin tried playing the back court like he could, but no one can play the back court like Rafa. People who are ignoring the intimidation and stepping into the balls sooner are having better luck, and that was the the transition Djokovic made in Rome during the start of the 2nd set. He stepped into his backhand and took control.

Rafa is the best on clay, but that doesn't mean there isn't an answer.

 

[Brett UK]

The key to beating Rafa is to be Novak. That works for one of us, and he doesn't post much on here.

Over the years the guys backed off Rafa's spin tried playing the back court like he could, but no one can play the back court like Rafa. People who are ignoring the intimidation and stepping into the balls sooner are having better luck, and that was the the transition Djokovic made in Rome during the start of the 2nd set. He stepped into his backhand and took control.

Rafa is the best on clay, but that doesn't mean there isn't an answer.

Key to beating Rafa is to be Novak? I understand that other players are underdogs v Rafa but it doesn't mean they should not employ smart tactics when they play him. That is all I am talking about, get him wide on the forehand and prevent him from hitting his favourite forehand from the deuce side.

 

[The Green Mile]

Pray that you will play at your best, and that Nadal haves an off day...also not playing on a clay court helps.

 

[Brett UK]

This thread is of no use, as at the moment, one should think of how to beat djokovic.

All these tricks to beat nadal works because he is not flattening his shots.
The moment he flattens his shots and hits deep and away from opponents, none of these tricks are going to work as the opponents will not have enough time that they currently have due to loopy time taking shots

No matter how good your opponent is you have to think of the patterns of play that will adversely affect your opponent or make him less comfortable. Knowing that there is a bag gap in quality between Nadal's forehand from the deuce side and the ad side is useful.

 

[helloworld]

No matter how good your opponent is you have to think of the patterns of play that will adversely affect your opponent or make him less comfortable. Knowing that there is a bag gap in quality between Nadal's forehand from the deuce side and the ad side is useful.

Tell that to Federer who is clueless against Nadal.

 

[Brett UK]

Tell that to Federer who is clueless against Nadal.

Well the field are getting better results against Nadal but at 33 and with 4 kids I would not expect too much from Federer.

 

[helloworld]

Well the field are getting better results against Nadal but at 33 and with 4 kids I would not expect too much from Federer.

At 24 with 0 kid, he still has no clue against Nadal.

 

[Brett UK]

At 24 with 0 kid, he still has no clue against Nadal.

I guess you meant to use past tense, and are trying to inform everyone that Nadal has a positive H2H versus Federer. Thanks for the information. Are you looking for a GOAT debate? Please not on this thread.

 

[JSummers]

Its physically and mentally impossible to beat Nadal at Roland Garros...The only way it happened in 2009 was..

Contradict much?

 

[Goosehead]

the key to beating rafa/**** at the FO is to steal his underpants..cos rafa never won no majors while wearing no underpants, no ?.