Still undefeated while fit, no?His decline in the last set, especially the last half of the last set, was obvious. It was looking (to me anyway) that he was in pain of some kind.
OMFG vamos are the most pathetic fan base of any sport in historyHis decline in the last set, especially the last half of the last set, was obvious. It was looking (to me anyway) that he was in pain of some kind.
Unjury free rafa has never lost even a set. Moral victory: NadalStill undefeated while fit, no?
He's still an easy favorite at RG but he is beatabull at the other 3.
yea, agree..and ao17 is an ample evidence of this fact isn't it.. though fedunushka на славу постарался too, won't be gainsaying thatToo dependent on physical strength.
I remember when Djoker had one of the best, if not the best droppers on the tourIt's taken a huge hit.
But even now there's probably no one I'd rather have play a point for my life. Novak, maybe. But he'd probably kill me with a drop shot that doesn't even reach the net.
And his coaches haven't done anything to fix this incessant habit.I remember when Djoker had one of the best, if not the best droppers on the tour
now he's just trolling with that shot
Nadal's SamsonWent away with his hair
Somehow Djokovic can, even though he is 33. He has a record of 15-2 in tiebreaks this year. Still mentally the strongest player. So these are just excuses.Has definitely been more tentative closing out sets/matches the past couple of years. Would you ever expect Rafa in his prime serving for the match and then going on to lose out eventually?
But this started happening more often to Federer as well in his mid 30s. Lost a step, second guessed himself more and as a result started to lose it, in key moments. This trend will not be reversed unfortunately. You cannot fight time.
What injury?He had an injury that got worse as the match went on. He'll be fine for AO.
3!He was winning slams as a teen and is now 2 years older than Sampras in 2002 lol. Let's temper expectations a bit![]()
sam71-02=31..nad86-20=34 yea you're right 3 years
Not an excuse, but even when he was serving for the set he didn't look like he would win. I don't know what is going on with him. I guess these players are tired of playing, playing tennis professionally for 20 years is so demanding.His decline in the last set, especially the last half of the last set, was obvious. It was looking (to me anyway) that he was in pain of some kind.
Good oneNadal's Samson
Not excusing, just observing.Not an excuse, but even when he was serving for the set he didn't look like he would win. I don't know what is going on with him. I guess these players are tired of playing, playing tennis professionally for 20 years is so demanding.
This makes no sense. He would never have got to serving for the match if that was his attitude.Also, I believe that this being the semis played a part. Nadal damn well knew that should he somehow grind through this jam filled with nasty debris, facing Thiem on a roll just a couple of hours later will be too much anyway. So why bother? For the sake of maintaining a 100% H2H against the guy who is not a threat on clay anyway?
So his famous mental strength has been overrated all these years, as it was mainly linked to physical strength?It's his physical strength which is naturally declining with age which is impacting everything in his game, include his mental approach. He doesn't feel he has the physical side that he had in the past anymore and it is negatively influencing him.
Don't think he has declined. Actually he has improved. It's the first time in 5 years he got to the WTF semis, and the first time since 2013 he got this close to the final.Declined proportionally to his loss of footspeed.
Pete's ability to hold on in an equal match, or even when outplayed, is unmatched. Djokodal clutch stats are boosted big time by chokerer in particular lol...So his famous mental strength has been overrated all these years, as it was mainly linked to physical strength?
I think the mentally toughest must have been Sampras, physically not as imposing as Nadal, but still playing big points like a boss.
The failure to seal it was the starting point of the jam he would have had to grind through. Up until that point, the match came easy to him. The first set win was an anomaly in itself. Check the serve pct. stats. And Medvedev totally let him come back in the second. Not even Rafa knows how he got to serve for the match. It only really became hard right there.This makes no sense. He would never have got to serving for the match if that was his attitude.
Mental strenght has always been about knowing you can last physically longer than the other guySo his famous mental strength has been overrated all these years, as it was mainly linked to physical strength?
I think the mentally toughest must have been Sampras, physically not as imposing as Nadal, but still playing big points like a boss.
In broader strokes, it is always the fact that the player is playing in his comfort zone more than the opponent in his.Mental strenght has always been about knowing you can last physically longer than the other guy
Ability to cope with pressure in unique, high-pressure situations has very little to do with certainty of physical superiority I think. If you are playing a third set TB in the best of two match, how does knowing you can outlast someone physically help you focus on your serve? Mental strength has always been about controlling your emotions. It is mainly an inner fight.Mental strenght has always been about knowing you can last physically longer than the other guy
Ability to cope with pressure in unique, high-pressure situations has very little to do with certainty of physical superiority I think. If you are playing a third set TB in the best of two match, how does knowing you can outlast someone physically help you focus on your serve? Mental strength has always been about controlling your emotions. It is mainly an inner fight.
i thought he had the knee thing straightened out a while backHis knees
Shame Fed isn't the 5 year younger one, eh? Or even a peer. Would have been some fun times.Declined proportionally to his loss of footspeed.
Bull. We Dallas Cowboys fans are more obnoxious.OMFG vamos are the most pathetic fan base of any sport in history
Uninjured Nadal remains unbeaten.He had an injury that got worse as the match went on. He'll be fine for AO.
Even a 2014-2015 Federer would have massacred this field.Shame Fed isn't the 5 year younger one, eh? Or even a peer. Would have been some fun times.
I guess you don't really value your life too much then. How can one prefer current Nadal (who gets tight on EVERY big point) over Djokovic who has a 15-2 tiebreak record this year?It's taken a huge hit.
But even now there's probably no one I'd rather have play a point for my life. Novak, maybe. But he'd probably kill me with a drop shot that doesn't even reach the net.
Nothing mental about yesterday. His lack of indoor skills came to the fore. Principally his serve. 38 per cent 1st serves indoors will not get the job done against any top 20 player.Seriously, what happened?
Actually your post illustrates how massive FO was. Had he not won that probably never gets slam record. Again in hindsight disaster for Djokovic.He's 34, been on tour nearly 2 decades. It takes its toll. He did won RG, but other than that what has he done since last year's USO? We just got to see his older, more tired, weaker self exposed by a young player fresh from winning Paris-Bercy and a former slam finalist.
This is how it should be.
RG was a freak show.
Nadal didn't feel like being there. NO motivation. No motivation with big GOAT's, means Tanking.............Time.... wowot woootToo much slicey slicey.
It's not just a pic, you little brat. It's ME.Great post
Also Levi profile pic?
Yeah lets just pretend that Sampras had an unwavering belief in himself that was completely independent of the fact that he had the single most potent weapon on the court each and every time he took to it. All confidence is derived and all belief is founded in one's physical and technical ability. There's no such thing as unfounded confidence. If you've never boxed before and have zero faith in your ability to defend yourself you're not going to be confident in your prospects of success stepping into a boxing ring against anybody remotely imposing. The reason that Sampras was able to maintain his level of mental strength late into his career was because his primary weapon (and therefore his source of confidence) in the serve generally deteriorates at a far slower rate than one's physicality (and in many cases it improves). If anything, Nadal's level of mental strength is more impressive given the fact that Sampras was able to eliminate and avert danger with a single swing of his racket, unlike Rafa. Ultimately, the fact that Federer wasn't able to translate his own technical superiority into success in high leverage moments is his own fault and to his discredit. Either that, or Nadal simply had more advantages to fall back on in such moments, which is a possibility that Federer fans are of course loath to consider.Pete's ability to hold on in an equal match, or even when outplayed, is unmatched. Djokodal clutch stats are boosted big time by chokerer in particular lol...
Ergo, Sampras was the better technical player than those others whose game is more dependent on physicality. Hail PETE, you heathen.Yeah lets just pretend that Sampras had an unwavering belief in himself that was completely independent of the fact that he had the single most potent weapon on the court each and every time he took to it. All confidence is derived and all belief is founded in one's physical and technical ability. There's no such thing as unfounded confidence. If you've never boxed before and have zero faith in your ability to defend yourself you're not going to be confident in your prospects of success stepping into a boxing ring against anybody remotely imposing. The reason that Sampras was able to maintain his level of mental strength late into his career was because his primary weapon (and therefore his source of confidence) in the serve generally deteriorates at a far slower rate than one's physicality (and in many cases it improves). If anything, Nadal's level of mental strength is more impressive given the fact that Sampras was able to eliminate and avert danger with a single swing of his racket, unlike Rafa. Ultimately, the fact that Federer wasn't able to translate his own technical superiority into success in high leverage moments is his own fault and to his discredit. Either that, or Nadal simply had more advantages to fall back on in such moments, which is a possibility that Federer fans are of course loath to consider.