Wilander: Nadal more fun to watch than Djokovic or Federer

Backspin1183

Talk Tennis Guru
“The older I get, the more I enjoy watching him play,” the seven-time Grand Slam champion and Eurosport analyst told L’Equipe.
“We see that he trusts his variations more than when he was 22 or 23 years old. I find his tennis more fun than Roger's or Novak's."


I admit I chuckled a bit because Wilander changes his mind all the time. But what do you think? Diskus.
 

MichaelNadal

Bionic Poster
Facts bestie 8-B

the-vaudevillains-simon-gotch.gif
 

Backspin1183

Talk Tennis Guru
I still think Roger at his best was the most fun to watch. I also enjoyed watching the 2015-16 BOAT version of Djokovic more than any version of Nadal. The current more offensive version of Nadal is more fun than the one from the past.

If you read the article, he's talking about the current Federer.
 

Bender

G.O.A.T.
I still think Roger at his best was the most fun to watch. I also enjoyed watching the 2015-16 BOAT version of Djokovic more than any version of Nadal. The current more offensive version of Nadal is more fun than the one from the past.
I found the 2015-2016 version of Djokovic too backboard-y save for some masterclass performances like the Qatar Open match. I preferred watching the 2007/2008 versions as well as the 2011-2013 versions.

Federer's always been fun to watch. For me Fedberg was least fun to watch because his forehand seemed to be particularly impotent in that stage of his career.
 

junior74

Bionic Poster
It was more boring than ever to see Rafa hitting to the backhand, hitting more to the backhand, a little higher to the backhand, one more time to the backhand - and NOW! the court is open on the other side. Repeat. Especially against someone with a weaker backhand, like Ruud.

Rafa against players with weak backhands is mostly a repetitive experience.
 

victorcruz

Hall of Fame
Rafa always has the most epic matches of all time. Always box office, except at RG where he's so damn dominant. You're telling me that scintillating AO final this year was NOT better than that FO final last year?? I got a feeling Carlitos gonna provide us with goat dramatic matches as well.
 

junior74

Bionic Poster
Rafa always has the most epic matches of all time. Always box office, except at RG where he's so damn dominant. You're telling me that scintillating AO final this year was NOT better than that FO final last year?? I got a feeling Carlitos gonna provide us with goat dramatic matches as well.

Those two matches were identical:
A "young" player winning two sets playing great, then bucking under pressure of a GOAT on the other side of the net.
 

clayqueen

Talk Tennis Guru
“The older I get, the more I enjoy watching him play,” the seven-time Grand Slam champion and Eurosport analyst told L’Equipe.
“We see that he trusts his variations more than when he was 22 or 23 years old. I find his tennis more fun than Roger's or Novak's."


I admit I chuckled a bit because Wilander changes his mind all the time. But what do you think? Diskus.
Rafa has always been far more fun to watch but everyone was aboard Federer's sugar-coated bandwagon. Now that the sugar-coating is beginning to come off they are being more realistic.
 

aldeayeah

G.O.A.T.
Slowdal is a pretty fun guy to watch IMO, as long as the opponent doesn't have any obvious baseline weaknesses.

He has all the shots, Santoro with a forehand :-D

Of course, if the opponent does have a glaring baseline weakness, expect it to get targeted all the time for the EZ WIN.
 

Thriller

Hall of Fame
It was more boring than ever to see Rafa hitting to the backhand, hitting more to the backhand, a little higher to the backhand, one more time to the backhand - and NOW! the court is open on the other side. Repeat. Especially against someone with a weaker backhand, like Ruud.

Rafa against players with weak backhands is mostly a repetitive experience.

You'd prefer to watch an idiot who doesn't know how to target a glaring weakness in the opposition? Personally, I can't stand watching stupid tennis players. Poor shot selection grinds my gears harder than any other fault.
 

junior74

Bionic Poster
You'd prefer to watch an idiot who doesn't know how to target a glaring weakness in the opposition? Personally, I can't stand watching stupid tennis players. Poor shot selection grinds my gears harder than any other fault.

I said it was repetitive to watch, not that I prefer Paire.
 

junior74

Bionic Poster
Fair enough. I don't. You said it yourself, one is driven straight through, one kicks high, another is sliced low to the backhand, Rafa doesn't hit the same ball twice there is always something different on it meaning the opponent can't get comfortable and just tee off. It's art.

In my world sports is not art, so it's hard to debate when we are that far apart.
 

Thriller

Hall of Fame
In my world sports is not art, so it's hard to debate when we are that far apart.

Sport is sport. The scoreboard doesn't lie. You are either good at winning points or you are not. Eye test be damned.
But that doesn't mean that a player cannot be artful, cannot construct points in ways that are aesthetically and/or cognitively pleasing. The way Rafa goes about his work falls into that category in my opinion.
 

junior74

Bionic Poster
Sport is sport. The scoreboard doesn't lie. You are either good at winning points or you are not. Eye test be damned.
But that doesn't mean that a player cannot be artful, cannot construct points in ways that are aesthetically and/or cognitively pleasing. The way Rafa goes about his work falls into that category in my opinion.

I don't see tennis as an expression of ideas
 

clayqueen

Talk Tennis Guru
let us see if that reflects in endorsements
Roger is 5 years older than Rafa and he got there first when everyone believed he was the ultimate tennis player so he scooped up a lot of endorsements. Now it's clear that he wasn't such a big box office star, Nadal is.
 

Linelicker

Rookie
Fair enough. I don't. You said it yourself, one is driven straight through, one kicks high, another is sliced low to the backhand, Rafa doesn't hit the same ball twice there is always something different on it meaning the opponent can't get comfortable and just tee off. It's art.

Rafa's tennis is not art :) But it's good to watch, I think! Will he make #23 in Wimbledon?

As a Nadal fan I gotta admit Federer's tennis is awesome - so entertaining and full of surprises.
 

ND-13

Legend
Roger is 5 years older than Rafa and he got there first when everyone believed he was the ultimate tennis player so he scooped up a lot of endorsements. Now it's clear that he wasn't such a big box office star, Nadal is.

Let me know when Rafa has bigger endorsements
 

darthrafa

Hall of Fame
It was more boring than ever to see Rafa hitting to the backhand, hitting more to the backhand, a little higher to the backhand, one more time to the backhand - and NOW! the court is open on the other side. Repeat. Especially against someone with a weaker backhand, like Ruud.

Rafa against players with weak backhands is mostly a repetitive experience.
it is the right choice to defeat ruud
if u wish to appreciate rafas variety of shots, watch him playing in matches of two sets down
 

Tennis_Monk

Hall of Fame
“The older I get, the more I enjoy watching him play,” the seven-time Grand Slam champion and Eurosport analyst told L’Equipe.
“We see that he trusts his variations more than when he was 22 or 23 years old. I find his tennis more fun than Roger's or Novak's."


I admit I chuckled a bit because Wilander changes his mind all the time. But what do you think? Diskus.
Another classic from M A O Wilander. If he is having fun and joy watching Rafa play like millions of Rafa fans, why stop him.
 

skaj

Legend
Djokovic ok, and it's not hard to be more fun to watch than him. But Federer?

Is there a compilation with the silliest things Wilanders said in his "commentator" career? That would be fun to listen.
 

junior74

Bionic Poster
it is right so why not repeat it?
so labelling it repetitive either sound not right or meaningless

We were talking about fun. Not tactics.

Nadal's tennis is more fun to watch than Federer's now that Federer is not playing anymore.
 
“The older I get, the more I enjoy watching him play,” the seven-time Grand Slam champion and Eurosport analyst told L’Equipe.
“We see that he trusts his variations more than when he was 22 or 23 years old. I find his tennis more fun than Roger's or Novak's."


I admit I chuckled a bit because Wilander changes his mind all the time. But what do you think? Diskus.

Well, now he can see the light, and the truth
 

Third Serve

Talk Tennis Guru
2017-2020 Nadal was actually probably my favorite version of Nadal to watch despite his being a few steps down from his younger versions. Now I feel he’s just too old and slow to be as appealing but he is still more fun to watch than almost all of the current tour so there’s that.
 

Thriller

Hall of Fame
I don't see tennis as an expression of ideas

I see a lot of tennis that isn't an expression of ideas and I can't bear to watch them. Ballbashers is the appropriate term. Highly reactive, instinctive but utterly thoughtless tennis.
Tennis at its best requires creativity and imagination. It's a very physical and mobile form of chess.
 

Thriller

Hall of Fame
Rafa's tennis is not art :) But it's good to watch, I think! Will he make #23 in Wimbledon?

As a Nadal fan I gotta admit Federer's tennis is awesome - so entertaining and full of surprises.

The exact opposite. His tennis is very predictable and unimaginative. He is very dull and generally I only watch against players who can put his game under the microscope.
The appeal of Federer is his technical excellence but he is not a great thinker or problem solver on the tennis court. He does what he does and it usually works. but when it doesn't, for much of his career he has been absolutely clueless. How many times did Nadal need to pummel his backhand for the message to sink in that he needed to change something on that side?
Frankly, Federer is a bit tennis-thick.
 

MeatTornado

Talk Tennis Guru
2017-2020 Nadal was actually probably my favorite version of Nadal to watch despite his being a few steps down from his younger versions. Now I feel he’s just too old and slow to be as appealing but he is still more fun to watch than almost all of the current tour so there’s that.
In terms of enjoyment, 2018 Wimby Nadal was the peak for me. Wish he played his whole career like that.
 

junior74

Bionic Poster
I see a lot of tennis that isn't an expression of ideas and I can't bear to watch them. Ballbashers is the appropriate term. Highly reactive, instinctive but utterly thoughtless tennis.
Tennis at its best requires creativity and imagination. It's a very physical and mobile form of chess.

Chess is art?

I vote no.
 
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