Will Nadal play Barcelona?

Will Nadal play Barcelona?


  • Total voters
    32

Marius_Hancu

Talk Tennis Guru
Nadal is of course on the player's list in Barcelona:

http://www.barcelonaopenbancsabadell.com/img/Lista de jugadores.pdf

but will he show up to play, or will he back off, just like he did last year?

Some think he should save his energy for the bigger events on clay.

News:

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Three first round matches stand out at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell: Nikolay Davydenko vs. Aleksandr Dolgopolov, Milos Raonic vs. Radek Stepanek and Juan Carlos Ferrero vs. Xavier Malisse. The drawing ceremony, which has been assisted by ATP supervisor Tom Barnes, has taken place today at the Real Club Tenis Barcelona. Top seed is World No. 1 Rafael Nadal.

http://www.barcelonaopenbancsabadell.com/news-detail.php?id=236
---
 

aldeayeah

G.O.A.T.
I think he will play. Unlike last year, it is not sandwiched between MS so there is no possibility of playing three consecutive weeks as was the case last year
 

MichaelNadal

Bionic Poster
I think he will play. Unlike last year, it is not sandwiched between MS so there is no possibility of playing three consecutive weeks as was the case last year

Really? I didn't know that. If it's not sandwiched I think he will. (but I hope not as well)
 

Zildite

Hall of Fame
Rome starts a day after Madrid finishes, Nadal should focus on defending those Masters. Take a break.
 

sillymonkey

Hall of Fame
Isn't that why Verdasco threw a hissy and withdrew? He wasn't getting the attention he wanted because Rafa is scheduled to play this year.
 

Bud

Bionic Poster
This year there is a full week off between Barcelona and Madrid. Madrid and Rome are back to back.

After Rome, the players have a week off prior to RG
 
D

Deleted member 77403

Guest
I am getting the feeling that Nadal is going to be burnt out at some point. If he gets into a war leading late into the FO, that could be trouble for him.
 

Murrayfan31

Hall of Fame
He has to play since he promised he would. Barcelona could be the turning point in his career. I expect some injury to pop up soon now.
 

Bud

Bionic Poster
Check out Murray's draw:

JCF/Monaco/Alamgro/Ferrer/Nadal:shock:


That is potentially a clay court draw from HELL for Murray :)

If he ends up with this draw and also makes it to the final, I'll have to revise my opinion of Murray's clay court ability. However, I can definitely see Murray losing to JCF (playing well and unijured), in round 2.

Barcelona Draw:
http://www.atpworldtour.com/posting/2011/425/mds.pdf
 
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nadalbestclass

Hall of Fame
^ rafa's draw ain't bad. But I think it's still a lot for a title whose points he won't be able to add until august. Much rather save himself for Madrid.
 

TennisFan3

Talk Tennis Guru
Nadal says he felt tired in today's match against Murray. He said the same thing in Miami SF.

Yet the guy is playing 4 weeks out of 5 on clay season before RG?

That's like 19 matches in 4 weeks.

Is he a masochist? Best way to make himself exhausted before RG and leave another gimme on the table.
 

Mainad

Bionic Poster
That is potentially a clay court draw from HELL for Murray :)
If he ends up with this draw and also makes it to the final, I'll have to revise my opinion of Murray's clay court ability. However, I can definitely see Murray losing to JCF (playing well and unijured), in round 2.

???? Murray has 3-0 H2H against Ferrero! True,they have never met on clay but given Murray's performance against Nadal today with an injured arm what on earth makes you think that?

Don't think Murray should risk Barcelona.Much wiser to give it a miss and let it heal properly in time for Madrid!
 

batz

G.O.A.T.
:-?

I think you mean Ferrer (as in David).

Ferrero (as in Juan Carlos) is not in this tournament, as he is recovering from wrist and knee surgery.

Then who is the Juan Carlos Ferrero who is playing Xavier Malisse for the right to face Murray in R2?
 

cypher

Banned
Finally Ferrero is back, one of my faves. Been out a long time since USO so Malisse could be a little difficult but hopefully it goes well.
 

nadalbestclass

Hall of Fame
Rafa says he was dead tired by the end of the second set.

http://msn.foxsports.com/tennis/sto...sts-Andy-Murray-at-Monte-Carlo-Masters-041611

I think with these comments he is setting himself up to pull out of Barcelona open. ... I hope that is the case.

Check the presser, that's not what he said.
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showpost.php?p=5580593&postcount=1130

He was tired, but he mentions that he sensed that Murray was tired as well. Rafa is competing with people who are just as physically fit as him and so obv he will get tired. I still think he should skip Barca.
 

Big_Dangerous

Talk Tennis Guru
He's got the automatic bye so that means his first match probably won't be until Tuesday or Wednesday. Plus he could use the points especially if Djoker cuts into his lead by the end of RG.
 

Murrayfan31

Hall of Fame
He's got the automatic bye so that means his first match probably won't be until Tuesday or Wednesday. Plus he could use the points especially if Djoker cuts into his lead by the end of RG.
Plus he would be losing a part of his fanbase if he let down those people from Barcelona again.
 

Fedace

Banned
I think this is way too much tennis for him. This is why i think Rafa will lose to Murray in wimbledon semis this year.
 

Fedace

Banned
^ rafa's draw ain't bad. But I think it's still a lot for a title whose points he won't be able to add until august. Much rather save himself for Madrid.

Draw isn't that bad,,maybe but all the other Pros are licking their chops and go after Rafa after they found out RAFa is DEAD tired...........:) courtesy of Fox sports.
 

nadalbestclass

Hall of Fame
Draw isn't that bad,,maybe but all the other Pros are licking their chops and go after Rafa after they found out RAFa is DEAD tired...........:) courtesy of Fox sports.

LOL. I have since changed my mind about him playing Barcelona. Not that I need to point it out, but there are still gaping holes in his clay game. Lots of things he needs to improve and sitting around twiddling his thumbs in Mallorca won't fix them. I saw flashes of good stuff from Rafa today. Playing and winning matches at a competitive level will give him confidence and also expose the areas of his game that he needs to work on. Plus he'll get a week off after, so it's not like he's playing non-stop.
 

MichaelNadal

Bionic Poster
LOL. I have since changed my mind about him playing Barcelona. Not that I need to point it out, but there are still gaping holes in his clay game. Lots of things he needs to improve and sitting around twiddling his thumbs in Mallorca won't fix them. I saw flashes of good stuff from Rafa today. Playing and winning matches at a competitive level will give him confidence and also expose the areas of his game that he needs to work on. Plus he'll get a week off after, so it's not like he's playing non-stop.

Yeah and he said he isn't sliding enough which I completely agree with. He barely slid at all and approached MC too much like a HC IMO.
 
Yeah and he said he isn't sliding enough which I completely agree with. He barely slid at all and approached MC too much like a HC IMO.

the problem was not the sliding it was not the sliding but that he played too many short balls to the middle of the court (service T).

he should step more into the court and hit more to the sidelines to move the oppnent around instead of just pushing in.
 

marc45

G.O.A.T.
Draw isn't that bad,,maybe but all the other Pros are licking their chops and go after Rafa after they found out RAFa is DEAD tired...........:) courtesy of Fox sports.
first two matches perhaps but monfils or gasquet followed by soderling or berdych then murray or ferrer?.....don't think the other guys are expecting a tired rafa just some extra confidence from seeing guys compete better against him now
 

TheTruth

G.O.A.T.
LOL. I have since changed my mind about him playing Barcelona. Not that I need to point it out, but there are still gaping holes in his clay game. Lots of things he needs to improve and sitting around twiddling his thumbs in Mallorca won't fix them. I saw flashes of good stuff from Rafa today. Playing and winning matches at a competitive level will give him confidence and also expose the areas of his game that he needs to work on. Plus he'll get a week off after, so it's not like he's playing non-stop.

This is how I feel too. He might as well.
 

Fedace

Banned
Rafa is fit enough to play so why not? Quit making all these excuses, save them for later when he loses against the King.

Problem in the past had been that he didn't know when to slow down and reserve his energy for French open. He feels fine now but he maybe feeling tired by the time French open comes around. that is recipe for disaster against power hitting soderling, Berdych, and Djokovic.:shock:
 

Bud

Bionic Poster
Rafa's clay court game looks better in Barcelona. He wiped the floor with Gimeno-Traver this morning. Served well, groundies good, movement better, etc. I can't see him losing here.

Be cool if he played Ferrer in back to back finals
 
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cocolate

Banned
Rafa's clay court game looks better in Barcelona. He wiped the floor with Gimeno-Traver this morning. Served well, groundies good, movement better, etc. I can't see him losing here.

Be cool if he played Ferrer in back to back finals

his game would just as good against me...that Gimeo match isn't something that can show his level...let us see him beat someone good enough, maybe nole,if he can...
 

MichaelNadal

Bionic Poster
his game would just as good against me...that Gimeo match isn't something that can show his level...let us see him beat someone good enough, maybe nole,if he can...

I know what you mean, still he looked alot better, served better, kept UE's and shanks down.
 

Spider

Hall of Fame
Why shouldn't he? He is the best player on clay by far. There are just a handful that can even challenge him on clay let alone beat him.

He is just cruising at the moment in Barcelona. Adding additional points will help him remain number one for a very long time.
 

Ripster

Hall of Fame
Of course Nadal's level is going to look amazing against Gimeno Traver lol. I'm kind of hoping for a Nadal/Almagro or Nadal/Melzer final. Those guys have some nice weapons and would give Nadal a decent challenge.
 
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namelessone

Legend
Rafa's clay court game looks better in Barcelona. He wiped the floor with Gimeno-Traver this morning. Served well, groundies good, movement better, etc. I can't see him losing here.

Be cool if he played Ferrer in back to back finals

A bit better overall but not by much. The windy conditions aren't really helping either.

To put into perspective just how good Rafa is in Barca(and MC for that matter), the last time he lost there was back in 03' to Corretja, and at the time Roger Federer hadn't even won his first GS, in Wimbledon.

Damn, how time flies :)
 
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