Who will be the new "rival" for Nadal at Roland Garros?

[tennis_commentator]

Ok maybe rival is not the right word, but will there be a new whipping boy like with Federer (Nadal leads 5-0) and then Djokovic (Nadal leads 6-0)?

Who is up next?
Maybe Nishikori?
Raonic did well at last year's Roland Garros, so he may go deep in future RGs too because he's very consistent at the slams.
Nishikori may not have the body to consistently go deep at Roland Garros.
Even though Murray is older than those guys, he has the potential to contend at Roland Garros for the next 3 years, but he may prioritize Wimbledon too much.

I guess its whoever can beat the field regularly enough to reach Nadal in the semi or final or whatever.
So the key is not being a threat to Nadal but being dominant enough to beat the other guys so you can get to play Nadal at Roland Garros each year.

 

[sez]

Ok maybe rival is not the right word, but will there be a new whipping boy like with Federer (Nadal leads 5-0) and then Djokovic (Nadal leads 6-0)?

Who is up next?
Maybe Nishikori?
Raonic did well at last year's Roland Garros, so he may go deep in future RGs too because he's very consistent at the slams.
Nishikori may not have the body to consistently go deep at Roland Garros.
Even though Murray is older than those guys, he has the potential to contend at Roland Garros for the next 3 years, but he may prioritize Wimbledon too much.

I guess its whoever can beat the field regularly enough to reach Nadal in the semi or final or whatever.
So the key is not being a threat to Nadal but being dominant enough to beat the other guys so you can get to play Nadal at Roland Garros each year.

What doe sit matter if hes not winning RG, he won't be playing long enough for creating a whipping boy. That picture though, whats the context because those ballkids look underage and hes giving them alcohol???

 

[OddJack]

Fognini is enough rival for him, forget the rest

 

[tennis_commentator]

^ Almagro too (beat Nadal at last year's Barcelona).
And Ferrer (beat Nadal at last year's Monte Carlo in straight sets).
But the problem is we're talking about Roland Garros, and can Fognini even go deep?
And I didn't include Ferrer anyway because we've seen all there is to see with that guy at Roland Garros.

 

[BringBackSV]

Ok maybe rival is not the right word, but will there be a new whipping boy like with Federer (Nadal leads 5-0) and then Djokovic (Nadal leads 6-0)?

Who is up next?
Maybe Nishikori?
Raonic did well at last year's Roland Garros, so he may go deep in future RGs too because he's very consistent at the slams.
Nishikori may not have the body to consistently go deep at Roland Garros.
Even though Murray is older than those guys, he has the potential to contend at Roland Garros for the next 3 years, but he may prioritize Wimbledon too much.

I guess its whoever can beat the field regularly enough to reach Nadal in the semi or final or whatever.
So the key is not being a threat to Nadal but being dominant enough to beat the other guys so you can get to play Nadal at Roland Garros each year.

Pretty cool picture.

 

[tennis_commentator]

Pretty cool picture.

I agree it could win an art prize or be in a museum.
Glad I took it.

 

[Man of steel]

What doe sit matter if hes not winning RG, he won't be playing long enough for creating a whipping boy. That picture though, whats the context because those ballkids look underage and hes giving them alcohol???

Pretty sure the drinking age in spain is like 14 or 16. Something like that.

 

[tennis_crazy]

Now that OP has started this thread, it is 100% confirmed Bull is not winning RG this year.

OP in fact must be the greatest of all Bull haters!!

 

[manley0702]

Pretty sure the drinking age in spain is like 14 or 16. Something like that.

Drinking age in Spain is 18 unless with parents.

 

[tennisaddict]

Let us hope Rafa does well at Madrid and Rome.

If he fails early at Madrid / Rome, it will tone down expectations.

We want him to enter RG with some 'mental burden'. He shouldn't get in as someone with no or little chance.

 

[beast of mallorca]

Let us hope Rafa does well at Madrid and Rome.

If he fails early at Madrid / Rome, it will tone down expectations.

We want him to enter RG with some 'mental burden'. He shouldn't get in as someone with no or little chance.

So,you want Rafa to win Madrid/Rome now ? :twisted:

 

[Dmarvel]

Nishikori.

 

[tenisdecente]

Gulbis, no doubt

 

[MichaelNadal]

:lol: Hey, at least some of the trolls are taking off their masks.

 

[Charlemagne]

Gulbis, Fognini, even Nishikori.. TBH, I don't see Djokovic beating him at RG

 

[Deleted member 307496]

Malek Jaziri.

 

[OddJack]

Finally a year that he can have a "tough draw"

Look at how Berdych played against Djok at MC.

Watch Fog - Nadal match at barcelona. Fog played with belief and went for his shots and dominated the rallies.

Yes, if barcelona was best of 5 maybe Nadal could come back and win. Like he did against Tim at AO this year. But if he gets couple of 4 sets or 5 sets matches before Sf or F at RG you better believe he will be tired by then.

 

[Nostradamus]

Now even Roger Federer can beat him now...............finally...............

 

[tennis_commentator]

^ Well, last year Ferrer beat Nadal 76 64 at Monte Carlo and they went to Roland Garros and Nadal won 46 64 60 61.
So yeah everyone has a chance when its not played at Roland Garros....

 

[SpinToWin]

A new rival for Rafael Nadal huh? Let's put it like this:

Rafael Nadal's greatest opponent as of now is Rafael Nadal. He obstructs himself more than anyone else.

 

[sbengte]

Rafael Nadal's greatest opponent as of now is Rafael Nadal.

Exactly what I wanted to say.

Kind of like how OP's only 'rival' on this forum at present is thomasferrett ;-)

 

[Strange Bird]

Murray.....

 

[Sir Percival Blakeney]

There will be no "new" rival. Nadal is on a high-speed train and headed to Helsinki as we speak.

 

[MichaelNadal]

Exactly what I wanted to say.

Kind of like how OP's only 'rival' on this forum at present is thomasferrett ;-)

Good one pastaman