We can't forget that I was injured for 6 months last year

[Deleted member 21996]

... and we can't forget he's the ultimate excuse machine.

of course...

 

[jga111]

Is it just me or does Nadal look a tag bigger than he used to be? I'm not saying he is overweight, but he doesn't look as lean as he used to be and this will no doubt affect his movement and general fitness. But then again I do have an eye appointment due at my local opticians this week...

 

[vanioMan]

Is it just me or does Nadal look a tag bigger than he used to be? I'm not saying he is overweight, but he doesn't look as lean as he used to be and this will no doubt affect his movement and general fitness. But then again I do have an eye appointment due at my local opticians this week...

Break Point, February, 2015:
(An excerpt, modified Google translation)
A foreign reporter asked the player if he became slimmer and why this change happened: was it a "strategy" to become lighter.
The Mallorcan answered that he had not lost weight in recent years. "No, my weight is the same for five - six years. During that period, I have always weighed between 85 and 86.5 kilograms," the player said, laughing.

The Spaniard was asked if the muscles had diminished over time, considering the difference how "strong" was formerly and as it is now.
He replied with a hint of humor: "You want me to show here? (Laughs)," the Spaniard said, looking at his biceps. "Before I played in sleeveless shirts, now I am paying in shirts with sleeves. I think that's the difference, " the king of clay said.

 

[octobrina10]

Is it just me or does Nadal look a tag bigger than he used to be? I'm not saying he is overweight, but he doesn't look as lean as he used to be and this will no doubt affect his movement and general fitness. But then again I do have an eye appointment due at my local opticians this week...

Rafa's weight is in the eye of the beholder.

Rafa looks more fine tuned than in Miami..... Did he lose a few lbs?

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showpost.php?p=9237090&postcount=5459

 

[octobrina10]

OP...

Q. How do you explain the drop in intensity? The fact that you are not used to playing big games since the beginning of the season?

RAFAEL NADAL: Probably. And I play a very tough match yesterday. We cannot forget that I get injury last year for six months. So for six months I didn’t play no one match of intensity because when I came back I played three tournaments ‑ well two tournaments. Shanghai we cannot count. The rest of the tournaments is the first come back after four months. Is difficult to have a feeling on that.
Then Basel, having that appendicitis, probably is like I was not playing also. So six months without. I started the season without playing that kind of level matches. Only once for me. That was Indian Wells against Raonic.

Rafa says: "...for six months I didn’t play no one match of intensity... Only once for me. That was Indian Wells against Raonic."

But, Rafa injured his wrist at the end of July 2014 and he played Raonic at the IW Masters in the middle of March 2015. So, it's 7.5 months (from the end of July 2014 until the middle of March 2015)!

 

[Levi_Ackerman]

I agree with Nadal, he's been out for 6 months, so he'll need time to re-adjust. Problem is, he missed something like 7 months in between 2012-2013, and when he came back, it took him a couple of weeks to start winning tournaments again, so people's expectation are higher. The season is 4 months old, and he still looks far from hitting top form, hence why people are "worried".

Exactly. Exactly right.

 

[veroniquem]

I'm actually starting to wonder if the problem is not that he came back too soon after the appendicitis operation. He played Basel at the end of October 2014 and came back to Mudabala on January 1st (he only skipped 2 events: Paris and WTF). That is actually closer to 2 months than 3. If that is the case, I don't understand why he didn't do like 2013: come back in February on clay after the AO. That would probably have enabled him to start stronger and gain confidence faster.
The only reason I can think of is that he didn't want to skip 2 slams in a row. But in the end, I think he just lacked some needed recovery time.

 

[jga111]

I'm actually starting to wonder if the problem is not that he came back too soon after the appendicitis operation. He played Basel at the end of October 2014 and came back to Mudabala on January 1st (he only skipped 2 events: Paris and WTF). That is actually closer to 2 months than 3. If that is the case, I don't understand why he didn't do like 2013: come back in February on clay after the AO. That would probably have enabled him to start stronger and gain confidence faster.
The only reason I can think of is that he didn't want to skip 2 slams in a row. But in the end, I think he just lacked some needed recovery time.

I think this time around he needed more work and more match practice. Starting later would have IMO put him at a further disadvantage for the French Open.

 

[NatF]

We will never forget.

 

[Rina]

Nonsense, he was injured worse the year before and came back like he was training the whole time against the best. It is tiring listening to this same drivel from this faker.

 

[veroniquem]

I think this time around he needed more work and more match practice. Starting later would have IMO put him at a further disadvantage for the French Open.

How so? How will losing to Berrer in Doha and the terrible matches he played at AO help in any way, shape or form for RG? The first matches that will help are the ones he played in B.A. and Rio, so February, like I said.
But he gained points at AO. So I guess that could have been the main concern: avoid too deep a slip in the rankings. (Except that if he had played less on hard, he would have had a better shot at winning M-C, which would have been much more instrumental for both ranking and RG prep. This is all conjecture of course since Djoko looks scary good and he had already beaten Rafa in best of 3 on clay last year and the year before)

 

[Roddick85]

So, what's the difference? Age? The type of operation he underwent? His mind frame? I would love to have his view on that (and his absence in 2012/2013 was much longer than in 2014)

I could be completely wrong about this, but I have the feeling he's burned out from the tour/game. People love to say that when a tennis player reaches 30, they're career is over, because they declined, too old, too slow etc... I think the real reason for the decline is the mental burn out from a decade + on the tour/travelling. As Pete Sampras said himself, by the time he reached 30, he just couldn't handle the grind of the schedule/tour, hence why he declined, the motivation just wasn't there anymore. I believe it's the same thing happening to Rafa.

 

[jga111]

How so? How will losing to Berrer in Doha and the terrible matches he played at AO help in any way, shape or form for RG?

Match play, match practice, match fitness. All of this would have helped him for his success in February. Do not just look at the results in January, it wasn't about that. Had he not played in January he would have probably fallen well short in February. None of this can be proved of course, but just my opinion.

 

[veroniquem]

Match play, match practice, match fitness. All of this would have helped him for his success in February. Do not just look at the results in January, it wasn't about that. Had he not played in January he would have probably fallen well short in February. None of this can be proved of course, but just my opinion.

Well, 2013 proved the opposite. All that happened in January 2015 is that his confidence got hurt and possibly his fitness level as well. He couldn't have possibly done worse than lose to Fognini in semi if he had been fresh instead and properly recovered as opposed to wearing himself down in January. But as you said, we'll never really know and there is nothing we could change now. So onwards and forward.

 

[veroniquem]

I could be completely wrong about this, but I have the feeling he's burned out from the tour/game. People love to say that when a tennis player reaches 30, they're career is over, because they declined, too old, too slow etc... I think the real reason for the decline is the mental burn out from a decade + on the tour/travelling. As Pete Sampras said himself, by the time he reached 30, he just couldn't handle the grind of the schedule/tour, hence why he declined, the motivation just wasn't there anymore. I believe it's the same thing happening to Rafa.

That's a possibility but one also has to bear in mind that Nadal has had more than 1 miraculous comeback after people made a similar diagnostic. So, personally, I'm still in the "wait and see" mode.

 

[octobrina10]

Well, 2013 proved the opposite. All that happened in January 2015 is that his confidence got hurt and possibly his fitness level as well. He couldn't have possibly done worse than lose to Fognini in semi if he had been fresh instead and properly recovered as opposed to wearing himself down in January. But as you said, we'll never really know and there is nothing we could change now. So onwards and forward.

Speaking of the SF match vs Fognini, Rafa was tired from his previous match that ended 3:18 am. His SF match started 17 hours later. He was cramping during the SF match.

 

[cknobman]

If feel sorry for Rafa.

Poor guy is so used to making excuses now, he does not even realize he is doing it anymore.

 

[veroniquem]

Speaking of the SF match vs Fognini, Rafa was tired from his previous match that ended 3:18 am. His SF match started 17 hours later. He was cramping during the SF match.

That is true. Well worth mentioning. Definitely a major factor in the loss.

 

[Steve0904]

We will never forget.

How can we? He won't let us. :lol:

 

[Smasher08]

Well, 2013 proved the opposite. All that happened in January 2015 is that his confidence got hurt and possibly his fitness level as well. He couldn't have possibly done worse than lose to Fognini in semi if he had been fresh instead and properly recovered as opposed to wearing himself down in January. But as you said, we'll never really know and there is nothing we could change now. So onwards and forward.

 

[nadal_won_everything]

Nadal added 3 grams of lead tape to his racquet at the end of 2011/early 2012.

 

[beltsman]

Everything Nadal every says is a defense-mechanism.

 

[Nathaniel_Near]

 

[veroniquem]

Everything Nadal every says is a defense-mechanism.

It's damage control. All players do it. That being said he is often straightforward and candid in Toni's manner.

 

[smash hit]

had his appendix out in november(he was walking around the next day unlike Muzza who layed in bed for 16 days after his back op

Of course Nadal was up and walking about the next day. It is encouraged because major (yes an appendectomy is a major operation, even though routine and done laparascopically) surgery, particularly abdominal surgery carries with it the risk of deep vein thrombosis and the potential for pulmonary embolism, which is life threatening. The way of avoiding such complications is to get the patient up and moving asap. The minor surgery that Murray underwent carries no such risks. His rest for 16 days was just to prevent undoing the work that had been done.

 

[LETitBE]

Of course Nadal was up and walking about the next day. It is encouraged because major (yes an appendectomy is a major operation, even though routine and done laparascopically) surgery, particularly abdominal surgery carries with it the risk of deep vein thrombosis and the potential for pulmonary embolism, which is life threatening. The way of avoiding such complications is to get the patient up and moving asap. The minor surgery that Murray underwent carries no such risks. His rest for 16 days was just to prevent undoing the work that had been done.

My point is that Nadal had a tennis raquet back in hand and training 21 days after his operation whereas Murray was still mostly bed ridden.As for the risk of thrombosis,dont they give you blood thinners to stop that happening.?

 

[Sysyphus]

We will never forget.

:lol:

Never forget the troubles that the aching, despondent Rafa has endured for the sake of humanity.

Never forget.

 

[cc0509]

Of course Nadal was up and walking about the next day. It is encouraged because major (yes an appendectomy is a major operation, even though routine and done laparascopically) surgery, particularly abdominal surgery carries with it the risk of deep vein thrombosis and the potential for pulmonary embolism, which is life threatening. The way of avoiding such complications is to get the patient up and moving asap. The minor surgery that Murray underwent carries no such risks. His rest for 16 days was just to prevent undoing the work that had been done.

What are you talking about? Murray had a disc problem and had spinal surgery. Any surgery increases the risk of DVT. Murray's back surgery was a lot more major than Nadal's supposed appendectomy. It is not even close.

 

[D.Nalby12]

What are you talking about? Murray had a disc problem and had spinal surgery. Any surgery increases the risk of DVT. Murray's back surgery was a lot more major than Nadal's supposed appendectomy. It is not even close.

No, he's right. It was minor surgery not related to disk which takes 4-6 weeks for full recovery. Disk related major surgery takes 6-8 moths for full recovery and after that doctors allows patient physical work. If he had major disk related surgery then he would have been ranked something like 330 rather than 3.

 

[cc0509]

No, he's right. It was minor surgery not related to disk which takes 4-6 weeks for full recovery. Disk related major surgery takes 6-8 moths for full recovery and after that doctors allows patient physical work. If he had major disk related surgery then he would have been ranked something like 330 rather than 3.

It was 100% related to a disc problem:

"The world number four was out for four months after the operation on a disc problem in his lower back."

"Murray underwent surgery in September and spent the next 16 days doing nothing, not even walking. "I basically spent all day, every day in bed. I spent a lot of time playing Grand Theft Auto on the PlayStation, and I had a doctor come round a couple of times to look at the wound and the scar."

http://sports.ndtv.com/tennis/news/219383-australian-open-andy-murray-reveals-back-injury-torment


Murray's disc surgery was a lot more invasive than Nadal's appendectomy (which to be honest I am not sure he had.)

Also, disc surgeries today are a lot less invasive and you don't need 6-8 months before you can do anything physical. My dad had disc surgery and he was golfing a couple of months later.

 

[Backspin1183]

Nadal also said he's improving his level. What an arrogant Jerk!!!

 

[smash hit]

What are you talking about? Murray had a disc problem and had spinal surgery. Any surgery increases the risk of DVT. Murray's back surgery was a lot more major than Nadal's supposed appendectomy. It is not even close.

"Andy Murray to undergo minor surgery in bid to solve back problem" Headlines from

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/sep/19/andy-murray-surgery-back

I am not sure what you intend to imply by the statement "supposed appendectomy", but whatever. Abdominal surgery carries a greater risk than the supposed major, which was actually minor surgery undergone by Murray.

Murray apparently underwent a microdiscectomy which is minimally invasive.http://neurosurgery-associates.com/mim.htm

Having someone delving into your abdominal cavity is actually about as invasive as it gets. My understanding of this comes from personal experience, both on the receiving and delivery end .

 

[Easy Rider]

If feel sorry for Rafa.

Poor guy is so used to making excuses now, he does not even realize he is doing it anymore.

Couldnt put it better

 

[D.Nalby12]

It was 100% related to a disc problem:



http://sports.ndtv.com/tennis/news/219383-australian-open-andy-murray-reveals-back-injury-torment


Murray's disc surgery was a lot more invasive than Nadal's appendectomy (which to be honest I am not sure he had.)

Also, disc surgeries today are a lot less invasive and you don't need 6-8 months before you can do anything physical. My dad had disc surgery and he was golfing a couple of months later.

:lol: @ bolded.

‘I don’t want to go into my medical history, it wasn’t a disc thing but there were a few issues with my back.
All the things I like to do away from the court, like
playing football, go-karting, golf and other sports, I
wasn’t able to do.

‘I was thinking I just don’t want to have to do hours of
physio every day for the next five or six years, and with
my tennis I was having to adjust the way I was training
on court, adjust the way I was training in the gym.

There should not be any confusion about it. Murray himself cleared whole thing, it wasn't disk related.

I just Googled, found a thread dedicated to this topic on this message board.

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=486646

Got some new info. Indeed, it wasn't a disc problem, he had surgery to have shaved off a piece of bone from vertebra, to free the nerve.

That explains the fast recovery, but also means that it could have been a more invasive surgery than the micro discectomy.


Nobody is arguing, and you should try to speak only when you are sure about that, gregor.b.
You have 1038 posts on this forum, I have only 230...I don't know who is practicing more in the gym and tennis court, and who is wasting time writing nonsense.

Personally, I am directly interested, because I had back surgery, and I struggle to get back to tennis. But in my case it was a disc issue.

I am glad to see Andy back so fast, and I dig him even more now, because I know how hard and frustrating is to work to get healthy again.

 

[cc0509]

smash hit;9256987"Andy Murray to undergo minor surgery in bid to solve back problem" Headlines from

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/sep/19/andy-murray-surgery-back

I am not sure what you intend to imply by the statement "supposed appendectomy", but whatever. Abdominal surgery carries a greater risk than the supposed major, which was actually minor surgery undergone by Murray.

Murray apparently underwent a microdiscectomy which is minimally invasive.http://neurosurgery-associates.com/mim.htm

There seems to be conflicting reports about the exact nature of Murray's surgery . Where is a confirmation that Murray had this microdiscectomy?

Having someone delving into your abdominal cavity is actually about as invasive as it gets. My understanding of this comes from personal experience, both on the receiving and delivery end

.

Even for a keyhole laparoscopic appendectomy? I am not sure that qualifies as invasive as it gets?

 

[cc0509]

D.Nalby12;9257027]lol: @ bolded.

See what I did there? :lol:

There should not be any confusion about it. Murray himself cleared whole thing, it wasn't disk related.

I just Googled, found a thread dedicated to this topic on this message board.

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=486646

I don't know, there are conflicting reports. The poster above says it was disc related but a minimally invasive disc surgery and there are many reports out in the media which say it is disc related. I don't know if we can trust a fan's word on a message board?

Re Andy Murray's claim that it wasn't disc related at all, where is the link for that?