The Fall of Rafael Nadal

[DarthFed]

Physicality is his tennis. He does not have the same muscle and fitness as before and that's why his topspin hasn't been as deadly. And if his topspin isn't hit with enough depth and spin he has no weapons to speak of. If he isn't pushing the opponent back with topspin he is reduced to just trying to get everything in play and hoping the opponent misses. He has to get some of the physicality back...if he can

 

[ClayDeath]

which means more focus, more drive, and more hunger to win again.

that is what will drive him to get more fit and more physical in the gym.

they are all doing it. verdasco has become a gym rat. roger and djokovic do more physical training in the gym than ever before.

that is also one of the reasons why they never get hurt or injured.

fitness came almost naturally to rafa when he was young. he was born with a massive vo2 max capability.

that is also called oxygen carrying capacity. so he could play and train for hours and hours. the problem is that you have to keep it up for it can only take you so far. it starts to decline in the late 20's.


you have to go out and earn it every day.

physicality also came about naturally when he was young. he was young and won so much so he was going deep in every event. that alone can give you some muscle mass given his unique style of play. he was playing a ton of matches. now days--at least until monte carlo--he was out of almost all the events in a round or two.


but it is better and more optimal if you can spend time in the gym too. that is how you stay strong and physical and you limit or minimize the incidence of injuries.


the fact is that Rafa simply let everything go. he even said that the other day. he let it all go because he felt he had done enough and achieved enough.

 

[ClayDeath]

Physicality is his tennis. He does not have the same muscle and fitness as before and that's why his topspin hasn't been as deadly. And if his topspin isn't hit with enough depth and spin he has no weapons to speak of. If he isn't pushing the opponent back with topspin he is reduced to just trying to get everything in play and hoping the opponent misses. He has to get some of the physicality back...if he can

great post.

 

[ClayDeath]

tomorrow he gets montanes who is ranked #105 if I am not mistaken.

marcel was ranked #50 if I remember correctly of course. he was the victim today.

at any rate it doesn't matter where they are ranked now. each and every single win counts.

he just needs to just keep building and keep repairing his game. constantly being out there competing and fighting to win is a step in the right direction.

 

[brokenshoelace]

To be clear, when I say Nadal's fitness looks the same, I'm not saying it's the same compared to his prime. I'm saying it's the same compared to 2 months ago.

 

[ClayDeath]

now comes the tough match. Fog gunned down Rafa 3 times last year.

it will be a good test. rafa said he is tired from last week.

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

I really want to see nadal hammer the fog. I still cant believe he beat him from 2sets down at the uso. or that the fog beat him twice on clay (?).

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

rafa is playing better, sort of oct/nov form from last year..but obviously this portion of the season is clay so its a really good idea for mr nadal to be hitting whatever is his best level actually is these days at this time of year. rather than 'saving' his best bits for hc.

slam dunk da funk. :hoopswhatever that means).

 

[Moxie]

I really want to see nadal hammer the fog. I still cant believe he beat him from 2sets down at the uso. or that the fog beat him twice on clay (?).

We're together on this. I think last year was an anomaly, and the hammer is coming down. Though, Fabio did seem to wake up at the end of his last match. You really never know what you're going to get. Still, I think Rafa will be out for revenge.

 

[ClayDeath]

I really want to see nadal hammer the fog. I still cant believe he beat him from 2sets down at the uso. or that the fog beat him twice on clay (?).

Well he gets it done.

He is finally stringing together some wins.


So we can certainly conclude that he may have decided to be competitive again.

 

[Moxie]

Well he gets it done.

He is finally stringing together some wins.


So we can certainly conclude that he may decided to be competitive again.

There, you said it! Surely Barcelona is a place to build up confidence and form. Beating the Fog today was good in two ways, especially, I would say: Fognini is talented and has skills to bother Rafa, but he really got in his head last year, so banishing that was positive. Also, Rafa was clearly not content to let it go to a third and just out-last Fabio. He upped his game at the end of the 2nd set, got the break back, and closed it out in two. Very different from last year.

 

[ClayDeath]

Absolutely crucial win.

This was a must win.

He has to keep stringing together match wins.


lots work to be done before arriving in Paris.

No he needs the Rome title and djokovic's scalp.

That is how you arrive in Paris with some confidence.


that still does not mean that I am happy with the clay warrior.

 

[ClayDeath]

I don't care what happens in Madrid.

A couple of matches will be fine.

Now he needs some rest to recover and to minimize the incidence of injuries.

 

[Moxie]

I have to agree, CD. I had hopes of him getting to #4 by RG, but Stan would have to do not much in either, and Rafa would practically have to win both. Not worth the risk. Just keep playing well, improve on the serve and the errors, and no "bad" losses.

 

[ClayDeath]

I have to agree, CD. I had hopes of him getting to #4 by RG, but Stan would have to do not much in either, and Rafa would practically have to win both. Not worth the risk. Just keep playing well, improve on the serve and the errors, and no "bad" losses.

this would be the ideal strategy now:




he did say he was tired from winning monte carlo. so assuming that was the case then probably rest is what is needed. in that case plan of attack should be to take 2-3 matches in madrid for the sake of staying sharp/keeping the ground strokes tuned up and then get the hell out of there.

go rest up to capture rome.

no need to risk injury. also he has never really liked Madrid all that much.

now rome title is what matters the most and also djokovic's scalp in the process if it is available. he needs to run over him in rome.

 

[ClayDeath]

I really want to see nadal hammer the fog. I still cant believe he beat him from 2sets down at the uso. or that the fog beat him twice on clay (?).

Fog is talented but he lacks consistency.

 

[ClayDeath]

clay is the wellspring from which he flows.

clay can resurrect his game and his career again.


also at least now he is starting to talk more positive also. for instance he said he would like another major.

now the language and the talk is in line with his decision to be more competitive again.

 

[ClayDeath]

 

[ClayDeath]

that winning feeling is coming back. this picture says it all. he is finding out that winning is fun. winning feeds his soul.

 

[Moxie]

Definitely Rafa is getting the winning feeling back. ¡Vamos!

Now, to those 49 clay titles, tied with Vilas. I loved Guillermo Vilas, back in the day. (Player, poet, dreamboat.) However, he won a lot of scruffy titles, and only one FO. I know tournaments were organize differently back then. (Or barely organized, at all.) However, Nadal's 49 is definitely of a higher quality than Willy's. Not that it really matters. The 2nd best on clay is Borg, no dispute. But it's worth pointing out the level of tournament and competition that Nadal was up against to get those 49 titles. And also, that there are fewer tournaments played on clay than when Vilas played. Just sayin'.