Will Nadal end the year in the top 8 and qualify for the year end Masters

[spinbalz]

I think probably yes, if he doesn't injure himselfs, but he will mostly have to count on good results during the clay season, the 2 next monthes will be crucials for him if he wants to qualify to the year end master. Good start for him already with a good Monte Carlo result.

 

[efice32]

i think he will. He's so good that he's a favorite to win Rolland Garros and he's never even player the tournament before!

 

[aj_m2009]

I definitely think he can, he just needs to do well within the next month and a half or so.

 

[spinbalz]

Yes he is already N°2 in the race I think, so if he does well during the clay season, he could qualify even with a weak second half of season.

 

[USCfan]

I hope he does. That would be awesome...let's see how he does at Wimbledon...

 

[federerhoogenbandfan]

He could lose early at Wimbledon, as he likely will, and still easily make the top 8, as long as his hard court and indoor results are good, lots of quarters and semis.

 

[Matt H.]

Coria did it last year just by tearing up the clay court season. Didn't really do anything after.

Nadal had a very good spring season, and if goes deep at Roland Garros (or win) he'll easily make the year end master's.

 

[Hewitt rulez]

I think he can and will. I think if he gets his ranking up before the U.S. Open he can go further in it.

 

[Sport]

i think he will. He's so good that he's a favorite to win Rolland Garros and he's never even player the tournament before!

Surprising comment from a Federer fan in early 2005. So Nadal was considered the favorite to win RG even before he had played the tournament? Why? Was Nadal like an urban legend on clay from the beginning? I am surprised that Federer was not the favorite for RG 2005.

 

[ghostofMecir]

Surprising comment from a Federer fan in early 2005. So Nadal was considered the favorite to win RG even before he had played the tournament? Why? Was Nadal like an urban legend on clay from the beginning? I am surprised that Federer was not the favorite for RG 2005.

Federer was the betting and odds on favorite in 2005.

 

[TearTheRoofOff]

Yes.

 

[BeatlesFan]

? Was Nadal like an urban legend on clay from the beginning? I am surprised that Federer was not the favorite for RG 2005.

Fed was the prohibitive favorite in the Nadal semi at RG in 2005. Rafa had wilted physically in their match in Miami in March and he hadn't defeated Fed on clay yet, since they'd never played on the surface. I have the 2005 semi on VHS and watch it occasionally. The entire American commentary team all picked Fed to win it in straights. Few thought Rafa would defeat Roger, but Fed played tentatively and cautiously and lost fairly handily.

 

[MeatTornado]

Surprising comment from a Federer fan in early 2005. So Nadal was considered the favorite to win RG even before he had played the tournament? Why? Was Nadal like an urban legend on clay from the beginning? I am surprised that Federer was not the favorite for RG 2005.

"A favorite" doesn't necessarily mean "the favorite."

 

[NoleFam]

Fed was the prohibitive favorite in the Nadal semi at RG in 2005. Rafa had wilted physically in their match in Miami in March and he hadn't defeated Fed on clay yet, since they'd never played on the surface. I have the 2005 semi on VHS and watch it occasionally. The entire American commentary team all picked Fed to win it in straights. Few thought Rafa would defeat Roger, but Fed played tentatively and cautiously and lost fairly handily.

I don't know why they picked him to beat Nadal in straight sets which is really odd. Nadal had already won Rome and MC, and beaten Federer the first time they played and pushed him to 5 in Miami that year. It was clear that that was going to be a dogfight especially since clay is Rafa's best surface.