Will Nadal be in the top 20 when he is 25 years old?

[superman1]

I'm surprised. During the clay/grass season, usually you'll see threads like "Is Nadal the GOAT?" "Is Nadal the true #1?" Then during the hard court season, it's "When will Nadal retire?" "Is Nadal finished?"

The hard courts are what kills him, so let's see how he does this year. Sooner or later it will catch up to him, hopefully it will be later.

 

[veroniquem]

Fed's fans crack me up. They post things like Fed will still be no1 in 10 years and Rafa will be out of the top 20 in a couple of years (they're talking about a guy who has broken all records of number of weeks at no2 by a landslide ). It's like whatever makes them happy goes even if it is absurd. (by the way they were already making those predictions in 2006, so if we were to take them seriously Nadal would ALREADY be out of the top 10. Reality check badly needed here!)

 

[johnny ballgame]

He got some rest. Doesn't mean it won't come back.

In which case he'll rest again. This isn't difficult to figure out.

 

[edmondsm]

Did you ever think about the very same thing about yourself with the opposite for Nadal?

Isn't that what I freely admitted? I said "I'm biased".

Ever since you said Fed would win the FO and said that Nadal won´t even be in the top 20 in 3 years without any thought or reason.

I gave you plenty of reasons for my opinion. You can say I didn't but it doesn't change the truth.

Last I checked Hewitt didn´t play a single match for the rest of 2007 after last year´s US Open because of ankle and leg injury. Hewitt has had ankle problems in the past and so has Roddick, especially in the early days when he kept tripping into himself and retired vs Hewitt at the French in 2002 and retired vs Ljubicic at the Aussie in 2002.

Fair enough. I hadn't heard of these ankle problems. Roddick is a clumsy guy. Both Roddick and Hewitt have been pretty consistently healthy so that is good reason to believe that Nadal can do the same. This was always just a hunch of mine, so you can calm down.

Can you name some of the players who play like Nadal and have retired by 25. Borg? I thought he retired at 26. Any others? And I don't mean #589, some top 10 or top 20 players.

Go back and read the title of the thread. Does it say "retired" anywhere? Please if your going to make a point, have the common sense to make it about the discussion and not just invent your own debate. I'm pretty sure that is the definition of trolling.

How about Michael Chang? After his 26th birthday he began a freefall and was out of the top 20 by the end of the year, never to return. Jim Courier? We all know that he was done winning slams by the time he was 23. By 25 he was basically a non-factor at the majors and was on his way out of the top 20. Although he managed to hang around. Both these guys played a bruising physical style that is similar, not the same, as Nadal.

In which case he'll rest again. This isn't difficult to figure out.

He might have to rest longer next time. And then longer. Like I said, anyone who has gone through there 20's knows that the body just stops recovering like it used to. It's just speculation and some people take extreme offense to this mere hypothetical standpoint I've taken.

 

[bluetrain4]

He turns 22 this years, so that's only 3 more years, so I would day yes. Whether he's in the top 5, is an entirely different question.

His game style doesn't lend itself to a long career on top, and winning slams into his 30s, but, obviously, no one can be sure. Like Hewitt, if he loses a step, his defense changes and his game loses its effectiveness to some degree. That said, Nadal actually has harder, flater shots at his disposal, so he, in theory could shorten points as he gets older, and thereby extend his time at the top.

 

[BigT]

Maybe I should have asked top 10, cuz looking at the rankings now and seeing names like Robredo and Monaco makes it look like you don't need any spectacular results to be top 20...

 

[drakulie]

Morissey, love your avatar. That is an awesome photo.

 

[BigT]

I wrote this almost two years ago, and its more and more valid.

 

[djokovicgonzalez2010]

Lol I'm new but it seems everyone on this site in 08 is now banned

 

[bruce38]

I think Nadal would quit tennis if he fell out of the top 10 because of his huge ego.

 

[rnrockz1]

Knowing Rafa, he'll come back this year because lack of points to defend, and his career will be back; so yes he will be in the top 20 for the next few years. (NO, HE DOESNT HAVE AN EGO!)

 

[BigServer1]

Knowing Rafa, he'll come back this year because lack of points to defend, and his career will be back; so yes he will be in the top 20 for the next few years. (NO, HE DOESNT HAVE AN EGO!)

Uh...Nadal is a nice guy and a great player, but of course he has an ego. All top players do. If you don't, it's tough to have success.

The big issue for Rafa is the points he needs to defend up until the FO. If he's injured/not 100%/taking time off, he's screwed until the French Open/Wimbledon.

 

[kishnabe]

He can still be in the top 20 for sure when he is 25. WHen he is30 I don't think so. Nadal has a few good pushes in him!

 

[dana]

I say no. I think the way Nadal plays is too hard on his knees. I don't think his knees will hold out for him to continue to play at the top level for 3 more years. I say that with great sadness. I hope he can continue.

 

[C++ Primer]

surely top 19, not top 20

 

[joeri888]

If he isnt, hes probably retired. I think that Rafa, if hes motivated, will do well on clay for many years to come.. No problem.

 

[namelessone]

If he isnt, hes probably retired. I think that Rafa, if hes motivated, will do well on clay for many years to come.. No problem.

Very big if.

 

[mandy01]

I think Rafa IS motivated.As the clay season approaches he'll only get stronger imo because no matter how much he struggles on any other surface, clay is always where he'll feel very comfortable and barring a really bad day at the office he should do well throughout the season which can help him build up his confidence eventually.

 

[edmondsm]

My God what a blast from the past. I got reamed by Morrisey for suggesting that injuries might send Nadal out of the top 20 by the time he was 25. Honestly, I don't feel like it was a very unrealistic assumption. Especially considering the last 9 months.

 

[Cesc Fabregas]

My God what a blast from the past. I got reamed by Morrisey for suggesting that injuries might send Nadal out of the top 20 by the time he was 25. Honestly, I don't feel like it was a very unrealistic assumption. Especially considering the last 9 months.

If Nadal is still playing at 25 he will easily be top 20, its not like he is getting knocked out early at every event.

 

[edmondsm]

If Nadal is still playing at 25 he will easily be top 20, its not like he is getting knocked out early at every event.

I agree. If Nadal can find an equilibrium with his schedule and get his legs in shape he will be ok. He could have 2 or 3 years of slam winning tennis left in him. However, just because he's not getting knocked out early NOW doesn't mean that will be the case in a years time. Look at where we were a year ago. Nadal was the holder of the FO, Wimbledon, and AO titles. Seems like a lot has changed eh?

 

[P_Agony]

Of course Nadal will be. He'll be top 5 as well - he's too good of a player not to. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Nadal conquers #2 again soon and perhaps even #1 in the future. He just needs some clay matches to rebuild his confidence.

 

[malakas]

If he isnt, hes probably retired. I think that Rafa, if hes motivated, will do well on clay for many years to come.. No problem.

exactly.ALSO there's the option he's not retired but coming back from injury.But if he's healthy I can see him in top 20.Maybe even top10-15.

 

[edmondsm]

He'll be 22 yrs old in a month. So, will he be in the top 20 at the 2011 French Open? I'll say yes, no worse than #4. Fed will be long gone, Djoker will be up there, as well as some people we haven't thought of.

10 weeks... maybe!

FAILED!!!

I wrote this almost two years ago, and its more and more valid.

Turns out, good thread.