Would Kuerten have been able to beat Nadal on clay?

[Jaitock1991]

Super interesting match-up. That's for sure. Who knows. He would definitely deal with Rafa's spin much better than most of today's players. That said, I still think Rafa would find a way to make this a very physical match, and for that reason, I don't see how Guga would win.

 

[PrinceMoron]

Two has beens... Might as well move the thread now.

 

[Aretium]

Guga lost to safin 1998. medmedev in 1999.

 

[rodrigo_palacio88]

of courtse than kuerten would beat nadal!!!

I mean, gaudio with 6 meetings over clay has a 3-3 h2h against nadal, and gaudio wasn´t even close to peak kuerten´s level.

coria played two great matches too, forcing the best nadal over clay to his limits.

nadal never had real opposition on clay, federer and nole are fast court players who try to addapt his games for the clay, but they are fast court players.

nadal after 2005, only had fed like main rival and after that nole.

in 2006 for example, coria and gaudio were gone for ever.

 

[abmk]

Guga plays a kind of classic clay court game. The game that Mats Wilander played back in 1980s. You know, moderate speed, just getting the ball back in play and forcing the other guy to make an error. I don't believe that would work against Rafa.

 

[Shaolin]

Guga plays a kind of classic clay court game. The game that Mats Wilander played back in 1980s. You know, moderate speed, just getting the ball back in play and forcing the other guy to make an error. I don't believe that would work against Rafa.

Astoundingly stupid comment. Guga played nothing like what you described.

 

[roger presley]

Kuerten is probably best clay court player after Nadal. I don't think that he could have hurt Nadal in any way. His backhand was great ,but he never played against somebody like Nadal,so much spin. Muster was great,for an example, but he is not near Nadal.

 

[MichaelNadal]

Kuerten is probably best clay court player after Nadal. I don't think that he could have hurt Nadal in any way. His backhand was great ,but he never played against somebody like Nadal,so much spin. Muster was great,for an example, but he is not near Nadal.

 

[abmk]

Suuuure, and Guga plays like what Nadal - who is the opposite of classical elegance. Why doesn't Guga have the same amount of Roland Garros title then?

If you've read the posts here, others have said Guga's limitations was movement and coverage.

I don't know what you're watching. Go check his videos on youtube.

The last statement is so full of irony ....you are utterly clueless regarding kuerten's game on clay ..

He was a winner machine on clay and would hit winners consistently off both fh and bh - nothing like wilander ....

He was a great mover on clay, just not as good as nadal

 

[malbaker86]

If it's a one shot deal, no and I didn't think twice about it.

 

[abmk]

I was referring more to his similarity to Wilander's speed and movement. Both are neither Porches or Ferraris on the court.

both were extremely good movers on clay

and you said

", just getting the ball back in play and forcing the other guy to make an error. "

that's just plain wrong

Hitting winners is also relative to whom you're playing and what type of strings you're using. Give Wilander those modern day Luxilon strings like what Guga was using, and he too could hit winners out to Mars and Jupiter.

what a load of cr*p ..

don't djokovic and nadal use Luxilon strings ? are they winner machines on clay ?

Kuerten played an extremely offensive type of game on clay ala Stan Wawrinka ( to give you an idea ) ... after peak Borg, IMO, he'd have the best chance to beat peak nadal on clay ...

 

[Adv. Edberg]

Yep I do believe he could win. I think Nadal would probably have a positive head to head but it would be relatively even. I think if you remove new string technology it would be really even between all the clay specialists like Muster, Nadal, Guga and Bruguera.

 

[Red Rick]

Against peak (2008/2010) Nadal?

Maybe

When hell freezes over

 

[vanioMan]

Against peak (2008/2010) Nadal?

Maybe

When hell freezes over

 

[BVSlam]

No.

 

[-snake-]

Yes, but not at RG.

 

[BeatlesFan]

Guga plays a kind of classic clay court game. The game that Mats Wilander played back in 1980s. You know, moderate speed, just getting the ball back in play and forcing the other guy to make an error. I don't believe that would work against Rafa.

Written by someone who has never, ever seen Guga play. Probably couldn't pick him out from a police line up.

 

[mattosgrant]

Kuerten is better than both Djokovic and Federer, both who were able to beat Nadal on clay, and Djokovic quite a few times (Federer only a couple in a ton of meetings, but a lot of that the bad match up). So of course he would at some point, regardless if he did at RG or not. I also expect he would have beaten Nadal at RG at some point, and not just a 2015 esque version like Djokovic did.

 

[duaneeo]

Kuerten is better than both Djokovic and Federer...

What are you basing this on...his 3 RG titles?

 

[Backhanded Compliment]

Kuerten is better than both Djokovic and Federer, both who were able to beat Nadal on clay, and Djokovic quite a few times (Federer only a couple in a ton of meetings, but a lot of that the bad match up). So of course he would at some point, regardless if he did at RG or not. I also expect he would have beaten Nadal at RG at some point, and not just a 2015 esque version like Djokovic did.

Good analysis... Guga had the weapons to deal with Nadal... literally nothing he could not do on clay on a decent day. Could generate Wawrinka's power, Willander's guile or Djokoviks smothering completeness but with more weapons. Nadal likes a weakness to hone in on... Guga on a good day simply had none. spinning high balls to his backhand would be certain doom. the guy hit 100 mph backhands and his forehand was no slouch either. better server than djokovick too. Fed once called him perhaps the most stylish player ever.. the guy had strokes. very smart tactically and versatile... clearly some here have no idea.

 

[mattosgrant]

What are you basing this on...his 3 RG titles?

That, and his level of play, and that way way WAY past his prime he spanked peak Federer silly at RG (if people can say RG 2011 or Wimbledon 2001 in some bizarre logic proves Federer > Sampras on grass or prime Federer > Djokovic on slow surfaces 100% certain, one can sure as heck draw a strong conclusion from that match, although I know many Federer fans will stick to one side and dismiss the other).

I have seen Djokovic in some non RG events produce levels of play close to Kuerten's best but never at RG. Federer I haven't seen anywhere really. Even Hamburg 2002 final, Rome 2006 final, and RG 2011 semis which are his 3 best clay matches ever IMO, I have seen Kuerten produce better than.

That all aside his game is a far better match up for Nadal anyway, and he brings his very best for RG totally unlike Djokovic thus far.