Would Rafa have completed the NCYGS in AO 2011 if he played the final against Novak?

[Hitman]

They were on a collision course, Rafa gets injured in the quarters, and Andy steps into his place to make the showdown for the second year straight, only to lose to a very formidable Novak.

If Rafa had made it through to the final, do you think he would have completed the set of winning all four in a row, or was Novak not going to be denied?

 

[The Blond Blur]

 

[Sport]

Novak is the AO GOAT (and, incidentally, the overall GOAT). Thus, at his peak he must be favored in every hypothetical involving the Rod Laver Arena.

Novak in 4, probably. 5 at most, but he gets the job done. His game is perfectly suited for the Australian Open.

 

[btsjungkook]

I thought you were the ultimate Djokovic fan. Djokovic was at his peak best ever probably so obviously it's him.

 

[Fabresque]

Nah. Novak was gonna beat him at that AO. He smoked Fed and Murray.

In theory if Djokovic didn’t exist Rafa probably has a chance of 4/4.

 

[The Blond Blur]

Nah. Novak was gonna beat him at that AO. He smoked Fed and Murray.

In theory if Djokovic didn’t exist Rafa probably has a chance of 4/4.

He literally pulled his hamstring in the 3rd game of the match in the QF. He wasn’t wining the AO with or without Joker

 

[StrongRule]

2011 AO Nadal was losing to all of Ferrer (which is what happened), Murray and Djokovic.

 

[TheSlicer]

you know what he would say right? ... (if, if, if, doesnt exist)

 

[djokovic the conqueror]

No.

Nadal couldn't beat his lapdog Ferrer. No way in hell was he beating Djokovic in an AO final where he is invincible.

 

[The_Order]

After dusting off my crystal ball, it showed me that Rafa would win.

 

[Hood_Man]

Perhaps.

 

[duaneeo]

It would've been interesting. Nadal was 5-0 at the slams and 5-0 in finals vs Djokovic, so he would've had a huge mental edge in the AO final.

 

[GabeT]

After dusting off my crystal ball, it showed me that Rafa would win.

Clean it again

 

[Neptune]

A Nole-Rafa hc slam encounter, especially in the AO Final, without Nole having a five-set match immediately before? Good luck, Rafa.

 

[nolefam_2024]

Are you Novak fan or Rafa fan

 

[mehdimike]

I don't think so, unless Novak played poorly, he should be able to beat Rafa at AO most times.

 

[Milanez82]

Rafa had enough loses as is to Novak in 2011..no need to make it worse.

 

[-NN-]

 

[MichaelNadal]

Novak’s favorite court, I think not.

 

[RS]

You mean if Nadal was healthy assuming?

 

[jl809]

Idk. IW and Miami right after were pretty darn close and Ned would have ridden the mental edge of USO 2010.

But it’s probably the best or 2nd best AO Djoker on RLA, so will go for him in 5

 

[fedfan24]

At the time you’d say nadal has a slight edge but in hindsight Djokovic wins

 

[Poisoned Slice]

New York, help me this time.

 

[RS]

Bad video.

 

[Adriano Panatta]

Rafa would had a better chance in AO 2010 vs Fed (and this is a possible CYGS)

 

[Clay lover]

no

 

[The_Order]

Clean it again

Nah, it's crystal clear. Sorry you don't like the outcome. Truth hurts I suppose...

 

[NeutralFan]

No but it's a hypothetical so you can argue it

 

[NeutralFan]

Rafa would had a better chance in AO 2010 vs Fed (and this is a possible CYGS)

Better chances ? More like total

 

[GabeT]

Nah, it's crystal clear. Sorry you don't like the outcome. Truth hurts I suppose...

Hypothetical wins make a great coping mechanism

 

[K-H]

Hmm. What we have to consider, is that Novak didn’t have the invincible aura that he has now. He had only won 1 slam before then. And no one knew what he was about to become.

Rafa wouldn’t have a mental block. If anything, I’d say the block would’ve been the other way around.

I think in terms of performance, Novak was a lot better, but he wouldn’t have a mental edge like he does now. It’d be the opposite. Rafa would have the mental edge.

I think Novak wins this in 4 or 5 regardless.
It would’ve been in 3 but I feel like mentally Novak would’ve felt it.

 

[The_Order]

Hypothetical wins make a great coping mechanism

They certainly get your knickers in a bundle

 

[GabeT]

They certainly get your knickers in a bundle

 

[FedForGOAT]

Given:

1. How Novak came back from a set down to beat Rafa at both Indian Wells and Miami
2. How he managed to straight-set Nadal at both Madrid and Rome
3. How he managed to outlast Nadal even at the 2012 AO, even while arguably playing worse and/or choking

I’m going to have to give this hypothetical to Novak. It was his time.

 

[The_Order]

Yep. You in a nutshell...

 

[Azure]

Nope.

 

[DSH]

Nadal played the 2011 Australian Open with a lot of pressure and load on his back to see if he could win 4 consecutive Major titles (something Djokovic would do at Roland Garros 2016 but with inferior competition) and he was not able to start the year playing at a high level until a few months later.

 

[BorgTheGOAT]

Nope, he would not beat Djoko at the AO. I know one can argue that this was before the 0-7 so one might say Nadal would still have had a mental edge, but I can't really see that this would make the difference against a peak Djoker.

 

[vive le beau jeu !]

seems all the experts agree here...

​

 

[Azure]

seems all the experts agree here...

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Aww the first one is sooo cute!

 

[mike danny]

Hypothetical wins make a great coping mechanism

Most are giving this to Djokovic though.

 

[messiahrobins]

Novak’s favorite court, I think not.

Not sure thw point of this thread. Nadal lost to novak in indian wells 2 months later in conditions much more favourable for Rafa. Novak wins a hypothetical ao final in 2011 in 4 obviously. Novak thrusts his chest out on RLA and can match the alpha status of Rafa. On ashe he shrinks a bit an Rafa goes into beast mode and bullies djokovic. Djokovivnwould have avengrd his uso 2010 loss for sure.
Shame rafa didnt play novak at fo 2011 in the final. I think he would have seriously beat down djokovic in that final which may have changed the w2011 result possible ala 2008

 

[Pheasant]

Given that most Rafa and Fed fans call 2011 Djoker's peak season, Nadal wouldn't get more than 10% of the votes in a poll for winning this match.

 

[Mustard]

Possibly.