What do you see going forward for Nadal?

[Denis]

Ranking the factors attributing to Nadals decline (from biggest to smallest), I would say:

1. Serve
2. Yips (esp forehand)
3. Movement
4. Lack of intensity

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Ranking the factors attributing to Nadals decline (from biggest to smallest), I would say:

1. Serve
2. Yips (esp forehand)
3. Movement
4. Lack of intensity

I don't buy the Yips. I agree with other three.

But, he will come back, I think.

 

[Fiero425]

Ranking the factors attributing to Nadals decline (from biggest to smallest), I would say:

1. Serve
2. Yips (esp forehand)
3. Movement
4. Lack of intensity

Don't forget, due to his stalling tactics, the ATP rules have sped up play marginally! He can't make his opponent wait interminable lengths of time just for him to start a point! Nadal's stolen many a match in the past by slowing down their roll! He can't get away with that as much; proved by Rafa demanding Carlos to be exempt from umpiring his matches! He was getting "called out" on it by his opponents and the chair with warnings and penalties! It's all a combo of things that have put Rafa in this position of actually being satisfied he's gotten back to the top 10! :cover

 

[Denis]

I don't think so. It's getting worse and worse. He got his best results at the beginning of the season and that was already a dramatic loss of level. 2 GS QF appearences, now a second and third round loss. I'm sure he can work out a few things and get a bit more competitive, but how on earth is he going to beat Djokovic at this point?

 

[brokenshoelace]

Ranking the factors attributing to Nadals decline (from biggest to smallest), I would say:

1. Serve
2. Yips (esp forehand)
3. Movement
4. Lack of intensity

I'd say the biggest reason for how frequently he's losing this year is the serve (he literally can't hold serve with ease against anyone decent anymore). But in general, the biggest factor is definitely movement. I mean, Nadal's serve was garbage in 2005-2006, but he was compensating with insane movement, forehand, etc... Since his serve was never his strength, his baseline game was more than enough to make up for it against most players (obviously when you play Djokovic, Murray and those guys it's a different issue. But these days he's not even getting to them).

I say movement because it covers so many other things. The loss in movement is the main reason for his forehand being so off. You get to the ball a split second later than usual and suddenly you can't time it anymore. Movement also affects his defense, which right now honestly looks like absolutely nothing special. So basically, movement has affected Nadal's two biggest attributes: forehand and defense.

Before Nadal developed a well rounded game, he really was all about movement and forehand. He loses that and the rest will fall apart.

The serve is still mind boggling though. I mean I get that as you struggle with the rest of your game things will just go bad on every front, but it is ostensibly the shot that shouldn't be affected by all of this, so quite why and how has he been hitting it so bad all year is beyond me.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Ranking the factors attributing to Nadals decline (from biggest to smallest), I would say:

1. Serve
2. Yips (esp forehand)
3. Movement
4. Lack of intensity

Don't forget, due to his stalling tactics, the ATP rules have sped up play marginally!

LMAO. This literally isn't in the top 50 things as to why Nadal is declining.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Yeah I agree with GSM. This yips thing is purely theoretical and conjecture at this point. He's not moving as well so the forehand is struggling. We saw the same with Federer and countless other players. It's really that simple.

 

[Denis]

He tweaked his back in the wawrinka final and the serve never was at the 2013 U.S. open level. Might be injury related.

 

[brokenshoelace]

He tweaked his back in the wawrinka final and the serve never was at the 2013 U.S. open level. Might be injury related.

Yes, I do think that's the main reason. He was serving great at that tournament (AO 2014) and then after the back injury he struggled with his serve all year, and towards the end admitted to struggling with back issues throughout before famously getting some controversial treatment in October or something, when he took the year off. I don't think the back is still troubling him, but I do think he just hasn't been able to re-find his serve since.

 

[Denis]

Yeah I agree with GSM. This yips thing is purely theoretical and conjecture at this point. He's not moving as well so the forehand is struggling. We saw the same with Federer and countless other players. It's really that simple.

I see that (the movement thing), but he's spraying forehands even when he has all the time in the world, his timing is getting off. It's not just movement. The Madrid final this year was a good example.

 

[Denis]

Ranking the factors attributing to Nadals decline (from biggest to smallest), I would say:

1. Serve
2. Yips (esp forehand)
3. Movement
4. Lack of intensity

Don't forget, due to his stalling tactics, the ATP rules have sped up play marginally!

LMAO. This literally isn't in the top 50 things as to why Nadal is declining.

:snicker still pretty funny bringing it into the conversation

 

[Denis]

He tweaked his back in the wawrinka final and the serve never was at the 2013 U.S. open level. Might be injury related.

Yes, I do think that's the main reason. He was serving great at that tournament (AO 2014) and then after the back injury he struggled with his serve all year, and towards the end admitted to struggling with back issues throughout before famously getting some controversial treatment in October or something, when he took the year off. I don't think the back is still troubling him, but I do think he just hasn't been able to re-find his serve since.

We all lauded Nadal for finishing the match, but with hindsight not the smartest thing to do perhaps.

 

[Fiero425]

Ranking the factors attributing to Nadals decline (from biggest to smallest), I would say:

1. Serve
2. Yips (esp forehand)
3. Movement
4. Lack of intensity

Don't forget, due to his stalling tactics, the ATP rules have sped up play marginally!

LMAO. This literally isn't in the top 50 things as to why Nadal is declining.

I think he frustrated a lot of players in the past including Roger; esp. in those FO and Wimbledon matches! I think Fed should have won at least 1 of each over Nadal! :angel: :dodgy:

 

[Denis]

Don't forget, due to his stalling tactics, the ATP rules have sped up play marginally!

LMAO. This literally isn't in the top 50 things as to why Nadal is declining.

I think he frustrated a lot of players in the past including Roger; esp. in those FO and Wimbledon matches! I think Fed should have won at least 1 of each over Nadal! :angel: :dodgy:

FO: not a chance.

I've always found those tactics annoying and I'm sure they worked. But his decline is by and large attributable to other factors. I agree tho that the bernardes affair did not help him around the French.

 

[isabelle]

Nadal should hire a mafioso to kill the Fog

 

[Kieran]

More hard in store for Rafa, that's his usual. The rest of this year he'll play without pressure and he's sure to aim for a bigger 2016...

 

[nehmeth]

Nadal should hire a mafioso to kill the Fog

:nono

I think Fognini was the mafioso hired to take down Nadal. When else does he play that well??

 

[Front242]

What do you see going forward for Nadal? Here's my prediction.

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSPNQ82Sq4E[/video]

 

[herios]

What do you see going forward for Nadal? Here's my prediction.

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSPNQ82Sq4E[/video]

:laydownlaughing
Where did you find this thing?

 

[Kieran]

^^ :laydownlaughing

I think in some ways, we're over-reacting to an extent. Rafa has won a major ten years running, he's 29, and starting to slow down. This is normal, and natural. His only hope is to accept his limitations and try work around whatever is still strong in his game. He's always been good at adapting, and he has to adapt now. Players hit a certain age and start to physically feel the wear and tear. Sampras skipped Oz in 1999 (Oz! After the Christmas break!) citing fatigue. He was aged 27. They reach a certain point where physically it gets harder.

Mentally, Rafa lacks confidence now. He's not sure of himself, he looks like he wants it to go away when there's pressure on. The huge Hercules of mental toughness is now finding that he has an Achilles heel (to mix metaphors and Greek myths )...