Will Roger be able to outlast Rafa one last time in the biggest face-off of their careers?

[Deleted member 763024]

No, I'm not talking about the USO, or even a slam.

I was thinking about this yesterday after reading an article where Roger praised Rafa for his tenacity:

'He plays with the same intensity from the beginning to the end of every match. It makes a difference than all the others.'

We're familiar with all their past trysts pre-AO17 - Roger in the lead, Rafa doggedly wearing him down until Roger loses his nerve and lo and behold, Nadal is holding the trophy.

These days they're competing against each other not so often on court, but in the history books. Roger is ahead in the slam count, Rafa doggedly chasing him even there. See the pattern?

But I wonder if something ironic can happen - like Roger outlasting him at the career level. Nadal runs himself aground trying to chase Roger's GS count while the 'career Ironman' Roger comes out the winner because he played with the same focus from the beginning to the end of his career.


Wouldn't that be some meta sheit?

------------------
tl;dr - What if Rafa retires before Roger?

 

[Tennis_Hands]

Yes, unless:

 

[Deleted member 763024]

Yes, unless:

LOL

 

[Deleted member 763024]

^ I feel like Rafa may get tired of the grind but dictator Uncle Toni won't be happy without the slam record will he?

 

[Tennis_Hands]

^ I feel like Rafa may get tired of the grind but dictator Uncle Toni won't be happy without the slam record will he?

The job of Tio is to make so that the muppet doesn't even know whether he is tired of his career or not.

Unfortunately, he is very successful in that (actually , that is his biggest coaching contribution).

 

[MeatTornado]

Roger being in the lead only for Rafa to wear him down and win wasn't exactly their normal pattern of play. He lost his nerve in the 5th set of winnable matches a few times, but those were uphill battles where he was playing from behind all day anyway.

 

[Deleted member 763024]

Roger being in the lead only for Rafa to wear him down and win wasn't exactly their normal pattern of play. He lost his nerve in the 5th set of winnable matches a few times, but those were uphill battles where he was playing from behind all day anyway.

It's called poetic license

 

[Towny]

It could happen, but people have been saying Nadal is going to retire soon for over a decade. I suspect that unless he has a career-ending injury or his level and confidence drops to the point where he thinks there's no chance of getting the record, he'll play at least until Roger retires. As much as he's been playing down his chances since the beginning, I do think it's important to him and I don't think he'd throw away the opportunity to chase it unless he felt it was unachievable

 

[EloQuent]

Who the heck knows. Maybe Rafa retires next year and Rog plays until 45. Maybe Rafa plays until 40. These guys both break every single rule in conventional wisdom.

 

[DSH]

wimbledon 2019 is to federer as
roland garros 2021 is to nadal.
do the math.

 

[Sum Buddy Ells]

It actually CAN happen with the help of this guy (who's still coming out of his shell)

Spoiler

 

[BeatlesFan]

It actually CAN happen with the help of this guy (who's still coming out of his shell)

Spoiler

For Dom to come out of his shell, he's going to have to win more than 9 games at RG next time he sees Rafa on the other side of the net.

 

[Red Rick]

While I am very doubtful that Nadal will do as well as Federer did at the age of 35/36, I am also very doubtful that Federer could outlast Nadal in - let's put an arbitrary finish line somewhere - the top 10.

 

[Forty Love of Tennis]

I don't think Nadal will be able to outlast the younger players these days. They're too tall and have two-handed backhands. He might know this too and realize winning 4 more slams is not possible.

The child imagination in me is hoping for a beautiful moment when Fed and Nadal finally play at the US Open and retire together in the championship match award ceremony.

 

[Deleted member 763024]

While I am very doubtful that Nadal will do as well as Federer did at the age of 35/36, I am also very doubtful that Federer could outlast Nadal in - let's put an arbitrary finish line somewhere - the top 10.

Djokovic has spoken about catching Federer's 20 slams, Uncle Toni thinks it's achievable for his nephew, has Roger spoken anywhere anyone know about retaining his lead or the possibility that he will be overtaken?

 

[Red Rick]

Djokovic has spoken about catching Federer's 20 slams, Uncle Toni thinks it's achievable for his nephew, has Roger spoken anywhere anyone know about retaining his lead or the possibility that he will be overtaken?

Not that I know.

The words are irrelevant anyway. Nadal and Djokovic are merely answering obvious answers to questions, and all that matters for Fed going forward is if he can still play for Slams, cause if he can't he's up to the mercy of Djokovic and Nadal.

 

[Yugram]

I don't think Nadal will be able to outlast the younger players these days. They're too tall and have two-handed backhands. He might know this too and realize winning 4 more slams is not possible.

The child imagination in me is hoping for a beautiful moment when Fed and Nadal finally play at the US Open and retire together in the championship match award ceremony.

Among Big3 Nadal has the most success against young guys. I just don’t see how these
narcissistic kids like Zveref and Sisipas outlast Rafa with all his work ethic.

 

[Deleted member 763024]

Not that I know.

The words are irrelevant anyway. Nadal and Djokovic are merely answering obvious answers to questions, and all that matters for Fed going forward is if he can still play for Slams, cause if he can't he's up to the mercy of Djokovic and Nadal.

In mind the last 3 slams are partially an answer. I remember when No.18 was the last frontier. I doubt he puts himself through the grind of the tour for just love of the sport as much as that may true.

 

[DSH]

fed is 95% done. 6 more months to do something or crash.
nadal is about 80% done. two and half good seasons and reach inmortality or accept the failure to try something impossible.

 

[EloQuent]

wimbledon 2019 is to federer as
roland garros 2021 is to nadal.
do the math.

 

[mike danny]

Among Big3 Nadal has the most success against young guys. I just don’t see how these
narcissistic kids like Zveref and Sisipas outlast Rafa with all his work ethic.

All his work ethic won't make him faster or more durable.

 

[timnz]

wimbledon 2019 is to federer as
roland garros 2021 is to nadal.
do the math.

Wimbledon 2019 to Federer is Roland Garros 2024 to Nadal

 

[Subway Tennis]

My belief is that Roger is going to retire before the 2020 Tokyo games.

Ever since Wimbledon he has looked a shadow of his former self.

The natural skill level is still there in abundance, and even his physical issues he has learnt to manage, but he doesn't believe in himself in the biggest moments any more.

 

[Deleted member 763024]

My belief is that Roger is going to retire before the 2020 Tokyo games.

Ever since Wimbledon he has looked a shadow of his former self.

The natural skill level is still there in abundance, and even his physical issues he has learnt to manage, but he doesn't believe in himself in the biggest moments any more.

Hand injury if you believe what he says. If not, your theory is plausible

 

[duaneeo]

Among Big3 Nadal has the most success against young guys. I just don’t see how these
narcissistic kids like Zveref and Sisipas outlast Rafa with all his work ethic.

Are you suggesting "narcissistic kids" don't have work ethic?

 

[EloQuent]

My belief is that Roger is going to retire before the 2020 Tokyo games.

Ever since Wimbledon he has looked a shadow of his former self.

The natural skill level is still there in abundance, and even his physical issues he has learnt to manage, but he doesn't believe in himself in the biggest moments any more.

Seem to be a lot of indicators he'll want to play in Tokyo.

Personally I don't hold much truck in intangibles like "doesn't believe in himself". He just made it to the SF of the WTF. He's playing solid top 5 tennis. Of course he's getting older but why would he quit if he can still win?

 

[Tennis_Hands]

My belief is that Roger is going to retire before the 2020 Tokyo games.

Ever since Wimbledon he has looked a shadow of his former self.

The natural skill level is still there in abundance, and even his physical issues he has learnt to manage, but he doesn't believe in himself in the biggest moments any more.

He will miss to represent his sponsor , who just paid him $300 mil in their native country/home market in the biggest sporting event in the world by a couple of months?

I don’t think so.

 

[MichaelNadal]

King Rafa ftw