The all-too-early but highly-anticipated Roland Garros quarterfinal between the two title favorites is upon us. World No. 1 Novak Djokovic and nine-time champion Rafael Nadal will collide on Wednesday.
Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal will be facing each other for the 44th time in their careers when they meet in the quarterfinals of the French Open on Wednesday.
Nadal is leading the head-to-head series 23-20, including 14-5 on clay. His clay-court dominance, however, once stood at a commanding 9-0 over Djokovic. They are an even 5-5 against one another on the slow stuff dating back to the start of the 2011 campaign. In even more convincing evidence of a turning tide, Djokovic has won five of their last six encounters overall. The Serb most recently cruised 6-3, 6-3 earlier this spring in the Monte-Carlo semis.
Interestingly, their first-ever showdown also came in the quarters at Roland Garros. Nadal was cruising 6-4, 6-4 in 2006 when Djokovic retired and allegedly claimed to be in control of the match when it came to a premature end.
Nadal is 6-0 lifetime against Djokovic at this event, including 17-4 in total sets. One of their most memorable collisions came in the 2013 semifinals, with the Spaniard escaping 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, 6-7(3), 9-7 en route to the eighth of his nine titles.
The full head-to-head history:
The two title favorites have cruised without much trouble into the last eight. Djokovic has improved to 39-2 on the year–including 26-0 in his last 26 matches–thanks to straight-set victories over Jarkko Nieminen, Gilles Muller, Thanasi Kokkinakis, and Richard Gasquet. He has not even been extended to a tiebreaker.
Whereas Djokovic was brimming with confidence even before his arrival in Paris, Nadal apparently needed what is maybe his favorite tournament to restore order to his otherwise disappointing 2015 campaign. Of course, that would only happen with a win over Djokovic followed by his 10th Coupe des Mousquetaires. But it has been so far so good for Nadal this fortnight. The world No. 7 has gotten the best of Quentin Halys, Nicolas Almagro, Andrey Kuznetsov, and Jack Sock, surrendering just one set to Sock in the process.
“It is not the final, you know,” assured Nadal, who will turn 29 on match day. “It’s a quarterfinal. And, no, the winner of that match will not (yet) be the Roland Garros champion. [He] will be a semifinalist. That makes a big difference. Even if it’s a special match, it’s a quarterfinal match.”
“Of course it is a different approach mentally when you play Nadal in quarterfinals than any other player,” Djokovic assessed. “There is no doubt about that. I’m going to try to keep my routine the same. I know what I need to do to have a chance to win. That doesn’t mean that I will win. The future is unpredictable.”
The top seed is correct, especially when something extreme has to give. Will it be Nadal’s 70-1 lifetime record and nine titles in 10 appearances at Roland Garros that suffer a blemish, or will Djokovic’s positively dominant 2015 campaign take a rare hit? In the end, current form should rule the day. Nadal, of course, will put up a commendable fight and show flashes of his French Open brilliance. But he may be underdone by a propensity to leave returns way too short and the occasional errant forehand that is becoming surprisingly common in his game.
Pick: Djokovic in 4
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Reblogged this on Tennis Abides and commented:
I will give my thoughts on this match a little closer to the battle
“I think I played great first two sets – very, very happy,” said Nadal. “My serve today was the worst thing. I didn’t start enough points with advantage, and that’s why he had the chance to break me. But I’m happy. I am enjoying again on court because I’m able to play more days with calm. I don’t have this problem of nerves I suffered from at the start of the year, and that gives you the possibility to compete well.
“Against Novak, it is the toughest quarterfinal in my career here in Roland Garros, without a doubt. But the winner of that match will not be the Roland Garros champion. Will be semifinalist. That’s makes a big difference. Even if it’s a special match, you know, is a quarter-final.
“He’s by far the best player in the world. He’s brimming with confidence; he has exceptional form. He’s won almost all the matches since the start of the year. He has only two defeats. I love Roland Garros. I love the tournament. I love the courts. I will pull out all the stops to win the match. I feel competitive. I will fight to the bitter end. I don’t know if it will be enough. I don’t read a crystal ball. So if I play well and if my opponent plays better than me, I will shake hands and congratulate and then I will move on.”
Rafas serve is the biggest issue , especially compounded with Novaks superior ROS quality
Here is something Novak said “Playing him here and playing him in any other tournament is completely different. But the conditions are very suited to his style of game. He loves playing on Court Philippe Chatrier.”
Not sure if he is saying this out of respect or does he actually ‘fear’ rafa on PC 😛 He said said multiple times how PC benefits rafa so there must be something!
PC has 32 feet of space length wise behind the baseline and that is HUGE. As federer said, there is always a tendency on PC to stay back because it is so big. You almost have to remind yourself to stay closer to the baseline. Rafa thinks the bigger court makes it difficult for his opponents to hit winners from a mental point of view. Rafa’s defensive play surely gets elevated on PC.
So vamosrafa- you too pitching for Novak?
I think it’s only Nadline who’s confident in Rafa, as always.
No, I’m never confident that Rafa will win any match and he’s had lots of highs and lows this year not to have doubts despite his record here. I also don’t see how anyone can justify a walk in the park for Nole.
The match has to be played it won’t be won by prejudice against Rafa. Anything can happen. I just think it’s disrespectful to Rafa’s record to talk about him in the terms some people are . He is 92-1 on clay in 5 set matches, he deserves some credit that that at least, no matter who he is playing.
If Nole is so invincible, how come he is 3:9 in slams against Rafa and 0:6 at RG? Rafa is not completely useless against Nole, is he?
You are the only one to use the terms invincible, walk-in-the-park, completely useless (or anything comparable).
#NothingNew
#NadlinesWorld
I don’t think it’s going to be a walk in the park for Nole but it’s hard to imagine him losing against Rafa this time.This is not being disrespectful to Rafa, he’s just playing against someone who’s playing better and is also ranked higher than him so the most likely thing to happen, if we’re to predict, would be for Rafa to lose.
In any case, like you say, the match has to be played, for me it’s 65-35 Novak.
You also thought Sock would trouble Rafa.
Rafael Nadal after being told he was not the favourite at RG2013:
“I don’t give a damn about it,” Nadal said. “I try and play my best tennis, and the least of my concerns is to know if I’m favoured or not. These are words that will be carried away by the wind. What will stay is my tennis, my match, and who is going to win the match. That’s reality. But the rest is speculation beforehand.”
There’s no way he said that. He does not speak that well. Plus he used the word ‘damn’? Really? And the word ‘beforehand’? Really? Not!
Are you acusing Tennis.com of making things up?
Nadal: ‘I don’t give a damn’ who favorite is in semifinal
THURSDAY, JUNE 06, 2013 /by MATT CRONIN
TAGS:2013 French OpenNovak DjokovicRafael NadalPrint
http://cdn.tennis.com/uploads/img/2013/06/06/201306051151426920495-p2stats.com/article.jpg
Seven-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal says he isn’t concerned about who is tabbed as the favorite before he and world No. 1 Novak Djokovic face off in the Roland Garros semifinals.
“I don’t give a damn about it,” Nadal said. “I try and play my best tennis, and the least of my concerns is to know if I’m favored or not. These are words that will be carried away by the wind. What will stay is my tennis, my match, and who is going to win the match. That’s reality. But the rest is speculation beforehand.”
http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2013/06/nadal-i-dont-give-damn-who-favorite-semifinal/47831/#.VW2Ofc9VgaA
I will believe it when I see a video of him speaking in that type of grammar.
What if it was translated from Spanish?
^^^^love it. He has always given responses like this. Unlike Djokovic who was in a rage and sulked when told he was not one of the favourites for the AO – forget which year, possibly 2010, and he was ranked No.3.
No, I thought Almagro would trouble Rafa, boy was I wrong 🙂
Basically, you don’t have a high opinion of Rafa.
It’s going to be great to watch…can’t wait, but I like Joker in 4….maybe even 3.
Djokovic in three? No way.
Well if the 2 play in a manner in which they have played this year, Nole can win in straight sets (that’s what I actually thought after the Rome final).
But yeah, 4 sets seems to be the reasonable pick!
head says djoker in 4
heart something else 🙂
on Rafa’s racquet: can he serve well enough, and stay calm enough, despite all the struggles to do so last few months?
That’s not the case. It’s true that I tend to be pessimistic but Rafa is the only reason I started watching tennis again. It’ll be very hard when he retires.
I just live it in a different way, that’s all.
I corroborate what nadline says above about Rafa not giving a ‘damn’ about favouritisms.
The Spanish word he used was “bledo”. I would say “not give a damn” is a good translation.
http://www.wordreference.com/es/en/translation.asp?spen=bledo
And this is one of the articles where you can read about it in Spanish
http://www.eluniversal.com/deportes/130605/nadal-elude-favoritismo-sobre-djokovic-me-importa-un-bledo
Thanks, Shireling. People feel that simply because someone is not fluent in English they are unable to express themselves in their own language. I don’t understand why anyone should immediately assume that people are making things up.
Depends on the person.
You know, like saying that booing the scoreboard when Rafa beat Isner was done by American tourists. Stuff like this is reasonable to immediately assume is made up depending on who said it.
June 2, 2015 at 2:31 pm,
You know, the story that somebody booed Rafa somewhere FAR away (= on the Suzanne Lenglen court) from the Philippe Chartier court, where Rafa & Isner played, is an imaginary story, no matter who created the story.
Spectators of the Rafa’s match on the Philippe Chartier court didn’t boo – that’s what matters.
And only you think it is imaginary which for you is probably for the best.
You must have made up the imaginary story (i.e., led) that you don’t CARE what I say.
Hilarious!!!
augusta08 says:
May 16, 2015 at 6:13 pm
I don’t care what YOU said.
https://tenngrand.com/2015/05/14/rome-qf-previews-and-picks-nadal-vs-wawrinka-ferrer-vs-goffin/comment-page-2/#comment-193588
I don’t know why someone like filter would question Rafa’s words. He has always been more comfortable in his native language and many times we have the translation of his comments. It might sound like something he wouldn’t say in English, but he does speak often in his Spanish dialect. I can’t see a reason why anyone would make something up.
Rafa has always made it clear that he doesn’t care about being the favorite. He believes that it’s what happens on the court that matters. He accepts that people will make predictions, but that does not affect him and how he approaches matches.
he seems to look for reactions from us
In the same text, Rafa also said:
“We’re at Roland Garros, and on this track always feel something different but came here trying. to win a title, the opponent does not make any difference.”
vamos!
Well, even if most of us don’t, Rafa has to go into the match believing in his chances.
He’s been so long on the tour that he doesn’t need a lot of insight but I wonder what U. Toni is saying to motivate him.
Rafa knows better than anyone what he has to do.
I remember how he surprised the world winning that 5th set to win his 1st Wimby after Fed had made a fantastic come-back and how the commentators were awed by his will power. Let’s hope he has it in him to yet deliver something of the like.
The easy thing for Toni to say is that nothing has changed since 2011 when Nole first beat Rafa on clay. Nole has won battles going 5-2 vs Rafa in best of three but is 0-3 on Chatrier. Nole has never even taken the first two of three sets from him there. The other anecdote is that Nole was undefeated in 2011. No one (other than extremist federazzi) thought Federer had a chance against him on Chatrier but he did.
Chatrier is very different and even Nole acknowledges this.
Vamos Rafa!
I’ve just read something like 11 weather forecasts for tomorrow!! most say there will be no rain in the afternoon – some say there will be light rain in the morning and one or 2 have a light rain shower at 1 – long before rafa and nole will take the court. So thank god that is not on the cards as rain would be the worst. as for the temperatures they are predicting at a range between 18 and 21. Most are predicting around 20 with a mixture of sun and cloud so that is not great but okish….hopefully we will get the higher range 20-21 with mostly sun…some forecasts do have that. Weather going to be big factor.
Winds around 8mph so weak – was hoping for some more wind as we know Nole doesn’t like it….let’s hope that number’s a bit higher on the day!
So the RG won’t be able to force these two to continue playing while the clay has become soaked drenched heavy mud, as they did on the first day of the RG 2012 final. 🙂
Cloudy, calm, cooler conditions. Slower playing conditions.
Advantage Nole.
That’s another real disadvantage of them meeting in qtrs. It is commonly cool in Paris earlier in the tournament but semis and finals are almost always hotter. It’s like a sudden switch there very often.
This time in 2013 Rafa was already #1 in the race without even playing OZ and Miami and people still made Djoker the favourite. Nothing new. Rafa has heard it all before.
People maybe.
Oddsmakers no.
I live in Brussels, not far from Paris and today is coldish (for this time of year = 18 degrees Celsius – sorry, don’t know the Fahrenheit equivalence) and extremely windy. Here they say that it will start getting better as from Thursday afternoon.
it’s already warmer than that in Paris today Shireling. The average for tomorrow afternoon is 20 celsius which is around 70 fahrenheit which will feel warm. If they get it right….!
the wind is supposed to drop right down which is unfortunate because we know that Nole hates it…I hope they get it wrong.
Just because everyone was desperate for Fed to win RG to complete his slam count he was the favourite in 2006, 2007 & 2008 when Rafa allowed him only 4 games. I used to think, these people cannot be serious. So this is not new. People match their favourite with their expectations.
sounds familiar 🙂
Schedule for Wednesday, 3 June
http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/scores/schedule/p_schedule16.pdf
In the early days Rafa was pretty inscrutable apart from his unique way of demonstrating after after a killer shot. He rarely gave anything away when he messed up.. In later years he started to let it show when he was annoyed with himself. Ditto Federer who is also now far more demonstrative. Yesterday I noticed he has reverted to giving that cold, penetrating stare to his opponent after losing a point as if to say ‘I’ll make you pay for that one……….”
Beware Djokovic: Rafa will not relinquish his crown without an almighty battle.
Yes!
This is not the Rafa of the first week of RG 2011.
Very true ed. I had forgotten this but I distinctly remember finding it strange when it first started happening several years ago. Same for Federer.
This match has so much significance only due to Rafa having such a legendary record here.
It would be really sad and unfair to see people belittling Rafa if he loses tomorrow. Regardless of the result he will remain the best champion RG has ever seen. (I don’t think this record is ever going to be beaten).
Should Nole win tomorrow I expect various (most?) pundits and fans will say or imply that now Nole is_a better clay-court (male) tennis player_ than the one with the 9 RGs record.
(We also know that had major injury not been a factor, Rafa would have an unbelievable 10 for 10 RG record as of last year. And 11 for 11 this year, if confidence issues and possibly a back issue not been a factor this year. And at least a double career slam: not bad for someone inferior on clay to Nole :-).
Agreed. As nadline says, they will say what they want to believe.
It will be ruthless.
Vamos Rafa no matter what. He is the GOAT and will always be the King of Clay (just as Pete Sampras is the King of Grass).
British tv have just done one of their endless polls.
the first asks who will win for Murray/Ferrer – 80% say Murray, as they would.
the second asks who will win for Rafa/Nole – 56% say Rafa will win!!!!
British tv non-plussed by the latter result ie Rafa win…..
British tv doesn’t seem to want Rafa to win….can’t really work this out, why not?? Claygoat has just slaughtered him in Madrid as they keep reminding us every millisecond along with sub-titles underneath everyone of Murray’s matches just in case we aren’t listening….
First of all they want Djoker to complete the career GS because by not having achieved it, it reduces their chances of hyperbole of how great he is. They are also jealous of Rafa for more reasons than I can care to count. When Rafa won last year, John Inverdale nearly cried blaming the spectator who interrupted Nole’s serve in the final point.
British Eurosport is no better. Rusedski has already engraved Djoker’s name n the trophy even when Nigel Sears is trying to reason with him that Rafa’s record has to count for something he cites netgate in 3013 and the 9-7 TB in the final set.
I still can’t really work out their attitude though Nadline…because surely above all it is focussed on Murray and who they think will be easier for him if he beats Ferrer. Given that Novak has beaten him what is it 7/8 times in a row? then why are they so downbeat about a Rafa win?
Rusedski I know was opining before the tournament that Murray was the second favourite to Novak – lots of journos saying that and some saying that he will beat Nole to win it with no mention of Rafa….
as a Brit, I have to say that I find all this unutterably irritating…
All media (with a few exceptions) is part of the federazzi propaganda machine perpetuating the myth that Federer is the GOAT.
Anything that threatens this myth is upsetting to them.
indeed
The Emperor Has No Clothes always comes to mind when reading the stuff come up with (and believe!) where Roger’s tennis ability is elevated to something god-like.
#GoodThingHeIsWeartingClothes
(same goes for some-bot-y BTW about anything that threatens their belief system)
if i keep my hands on my ears, tra-la-la-la-la
if I keep my hands on my ears, tra-la-la-la-la
if I keep my eyes closed, la-la-tra-la-la
if I keep my eyes closed, la-la-tra-la-la
if I push those thoughts down, la-di-la-la-la
if I push those thoughts down, la-di-la-la-la
I won’t have to believe what is real, di-di-la-di-di
I won’t have to believe what is real, di-di-la-di-di
lol
Nigel Sears pointed out to Greg that Rafa has played well this week so his game is far from where it was in Rome but Rusedski says Oh, but Djokovic has a great team, he’s got Boris Becker, he’s got Vajda and his doctor and Djoker is walking around with an air of confidence knowing that he is the man to beat so that makes him the favourite.
ah the old ‘air of confidence’ line….! nothing like scientific analysis to get thing’s done!
that ‘air of confidence’ has been Djoker’s undoing in the past as they conveniently like to forget…..
amy, I clearly remember in 2013 Marcus Buckland and the rest of them on SKY were not including Rafa in the conversation saying the YE #1 was between Djokovic and Murray, that they were the new rivalry in tennis, bla, bla, bla. I sent them an email saying although it didn’t fit their narrative, I thought Rafa would be the YE #1 and I was proved right.
It’s going to be a nail-biting, butt-picking, lash-plucking quarter-final 🙂
They all know it’s not a foregone conclusion who the winner will be between Rafa and Djoker and it could well be Rafa and that worries them that’s why they are going on and on and on about it.
oh I see, you think it is because they want to propagate the line that Djokovic-Murray is THE rivalry now…….? that does make sense because that is what they did when Rafa was out in 2012 saying he was toast……Lloyd and Castle were at it again during AO final this year….Lloyd saying the first 2 sets were the best 2 sets he had EVER, I mean EVER seen at a slam!! hey sweet dreams Wimby 2008 &tc….!!.they are so desperate to pump up this rivalry and have it be a GOAT thing!!!
I hope Rafa comes out and plays the way he’s been playing this week, that’s all I ask.
He better do a lot better serving for sets or this will be done and dusted.
That said, he usually does raise his game (in his words, to the limit) when he has to.
When Rafa won last year Petchey said well, Rafa was the favourite to which Jim Courier said what do you mean, everyone said Djoko was the favourite and Petchey replied – we just wanted to change the narrative a bit because it’s boring to keep saying Nadal is the favourite.
“It will take more than Novak Djokovic’s spectacular form to knock Rafael Nadal off his clay court perch, believes Mark Petchey.
The clay season is set to begin next week with the Monte Carlo Masters, live on Sky Sports from Monday, and culminating with the French Open.
The dominant Djokovic has already won the Australian Open, Indian Wells and Miami Open this year and has been backed by Sky Bet to continue in Monte Carlo – but Petchey insists clay court master Nadal remains the one to watch.”
http://www1.skysports.com/tennis/news/15538/9796372/rafael-nadal-not-novak-djokovic-is-the-man-to-beat-on-clay-says-mark-petchey
Anyone who knows anything about tennis would not make Novak the favorite previous to this year. That was absurd as far as I was concerned. Rafa has been the true favorite as far as I have been concerned. I always liked his chances going into RG. The most difficult time was 2011, when Rafa was really struggling throughout the first week. We will never know what might have happened had he met Novak in the final that year because it didn’t happen. But since then Rafa has played so well every year. None of that burnout or whatever it was that seemed to plague him in 2011.
I understand Ricky’s prediction. I can respect it. He said that current form is what will determine the outcome. That’s fair enough. For myself, this is the first time that I have had real doubts about Rafa entering RG. That does not make me less of a fan. It means that I am taking into account how he has played this year and especially in the clay season. The ups and downs, the inexplicable losses, then loss of confidence and mental focus at times. His serve has been questionable and I don’t think it’s because of any back problem. I say this because of how Rafa performed in last year’s final. We know now that he was struggling with the back issue throughout last year. But he served very well in that final.
The tennis channe replayed last year’s final about a week and a half ago. It was late at night, so I recorded it. But I happened to be up at one point, so I saw the last set or two of the match. When you see the quality of tennis that Rafa played in that final, that’s when you realize the difference. I know that this is not a final. It’s a quarterfinal. But Rafa will have to come out and play his best tennis. I hope he does.
Being worried, having doubts, being concerned, does not may anyone less of a Rafa fan. If I wasn’t so devoted as a fan, then I would not care what happens. But I do care. I always will. So I have some trepidation about tomorrow’s match. That is what I feel. I am not going to pretend otherwise. I can only wish Rafa the best of luck and support him as he battles Novak. I respect him and what he has done at RG. I do not think anyone will ever come close to achieving what he has done. I am grateful that I could watch it. So whatever will be tomorrow will be.
IF any male tennis player ever repeats 9 trophies in 10 attempts at the same slam (or more, Rafa is not retired yet)…
then that will be another very special player and here are already ahead-of-time congratulations to him, should he ever come about in the future.
There are a few typos in my very long post above, but I don’t feel like correcting all of them! I think the gist of what I said came across. I am not nervous yet, but as it gets closer to tomorrow, that will change.
First set to Stan!! Fed has been yelling! really outplayed……
Part of the Chatrier stand fell off! play suspended….
there is a video clip of that of metal falling, in slow-motion, on theguardian dot com (Roger Federer v Stanislas Wawrinka: French Open 2015 live! …
what luck… that huge piece and its metal spikes could have caused much more injury, or worse
Good God! Tsonga a set and 2 breaks up…..! what is Kei thinking? I had him ie Kei winning for sure…..I did pick Stan for the upset……
I am shocked by what I am seeing. They aren’t showing the Tsonga/Nishi match, but did provide updates and then stayed there when that part of the stadium fell.
It’s all about the Fed! Paul Annacone just said that Stan has taken Fed out of his own rhythm!
yes he has. Fed looks very rattled. I like Annacone’s commentary…..
all stats and critics point to a Nole win…but my heart says Rafa in 5.
in other news…weird about the score board falling on spectators.
Stan is playing really well in this match! It’s true that Fed lost his cool after slipping and missing a shot. He’s feeling the pressure!
Tsonga was up a set and a break when part of the Chatrier stand fell off and someone was injured. Then they said that someone else went into insulin shock. That was scary!
What’s up with Tsonga? I didn’t expect to see him doing so well against Nishi. But can he keep it up? The tennis channel is mainly sticking with Fed and Stan.
read some tweets that Kei’s shoulder may be troubling him. But gotta love Tsonga playing so well.
I haven’t seen any of the Tsonga match. Am astonished by the scoreline….even if Kei is injured.
Stan is outplaying Fed by some distance…
quick, telegraph the umpire to start giving stan any kinds of warnings at key moments…
amy June 2, 2015 at 3:16 pm
“Part of the Chatrier stand fell off! play suspended….”
Is this a satirical comment or has a part of the stand really fallen off?
Yes it really has…!
Tsonga was rock solid against Berdych
RG is outdoing itself this year what with their rigging, court-invasions and now the score-board board mawing spectators… a bit shaming …
Not to mention the umpires who hand out warnings to rafa while ignoring everything else. I realised today that the umpire from yesterday who went in so hard against Rafa was the same one who said nothing during the swear fest which was the murray kygrios match. not one word – just sat there smiling like a benevolent santa claus.
if they had proper rainmakers on the payroll they would make it rain heavily tomorrow, around the second or third set of rafole, in case Rafa is leading, so that the match can continue on the wonderful surface of deep wet clay-mud 🙂
American tourists are doing a rain dance.
All a plot to have Rafole play on Lenlen tomorrow.
Any bets on when we first see an intervention from Mirka??! Wasn’t it around now that she started up when he was losing to Stan at Wimby…..Stan was taking him to the cleaners at the beginning of that match…
STan breaks!! Fed on toast!
Wawa breaks in the 2nd
jeez amy, you were quick off the mark for that one!
Stan is winning this set with only 39% first serves…!
is his opponent a god of return of serves?
Tsonga serving for set 2
Mirka has her hand over her mouth!
🙂
will she? won’t she?
Probably otherwise she can’t keep her mouth shut. She couldn’t keep it shut during the Fed-Wawrinka match at the WTF and called Wawrinka ‘crybaby’ after he complained about that.
Double break from Stan! set! Fed is really in trouble now….doesn’t seem to have any answers….
No smirka on Mirka today
I can’t decide if I want Stan or Fed…at this point I want Tsonga in the final, so who will make it easier for him?
Mirka
I have never cheered for Federer.
#NE1ButFed
A-rigging around the drawing-board again the organisers go.
Tsonga takes second set…….
yesss! allez jo-willy
does anyone want to venture a guess at what else unusual will happen at this RG? besides (the usual) rigging, fan on court trying to selfie with the Sun King, metal hoarding falling on spectators?
Time violations to Rafa at critical junctures… oh wait, you said unusual right?
Unusual right, ok. Rafa will be the crowd favourite (just like last year’s final).
the occasional intermittent rain-shower and injury.
how about: roger giving a humble, objective interview post match today, with no overt nor covert stabs and distortions
Humility must come to sting us in the but some day!!!
Wouldn’t it be crazy if Sunday featured a Stanadal final? It’s now in the realm of possibility, tomorrow permitting.
I think that’s what it will be with Rafa exacting his revenge from AO!!!! How SWEEEET that will be!!
Do you think Fed wants some rain now??
# Narcissus needs his pool of water to look into….
he does have a pact with the underworld, as well as the above-world (the heavens)
The Sun rules the clouds
ha ha chloro…..!
Courier is so depressed about Fed losing he’s gone completely silent!
I would not have believed that was possible….!
somehow the signal to the underworld got garbled on the way… the piece of metal was supposed to fall in Roger’s spectators, to interrupt play and momentum.
keep them coming chloro….!
PS surely Mirka has to intervene soon!
signing off to go to a meeting
I’ll wonder in the meantime what else strange and below-worldly or above-worldly will take place in the hallowed land of rf, pardon, I meant: rg
Any commentator should be sacked if not impartial in my view. With the exception of a local player making a final on national tv, you need to give the masses what they want.
signing off too.. all the best to all tennis fandom, tomorrow we see, no?
see you Shireling!
the only thing keeping Fed in this is his serve….
Fed’s been spraying FH errors all over the place. To think there was a time when he could hit FH winners from literally anywhere on the court! Something definitely wrong. When your biggest weapon doesn’t click you know you’re in trouble. Stan knows it and he’s used it-he really isn’t having to do a whole lot here.
F-bomb from Fed! where is the umpire when you need him?!
If umpires started punishing every F-bomb, Andy Murray would’ve never won anything in tennis. :p Also, I’ve seen ALL players curse.
OMG, I just saw Fed two sets down in a 3rd set TB.
Allez Crybaby!!!!
(Fed in five #NID).
Three match points!
welp…did not see that one coming. Stan in the Semis.
6-4 6-3 7-6 (4)
What a win!! Fed was totally outplayed!
and now suddenly Tsonga is on walkabout and Kei woke up. Set to Kei 6-4.
Kei takes third set….why has Jo pulled his shorts up around his hips??!
French booing Stan!!!!
Congrats Stan the Man, the Stanimal!!!!!
All is forgiven (except for AO behaviour but let’s not go there). What you do in your personal life is your business!!!!
Hahahahahahahahahaha Fed out in straights and the boring RG crowd are not happy about it!!!!
Buh-bye Roger!!!!!!! Rigged draw, schedule and all. The final will be an exhibition match with one of Stan, Nishi or Tsonga.
Awesome!!!!!
#MirkaWasRight
You see? So much for any plans or making it happen! I will never forgive Stan for what he did at the 2014 AO and I do not care about his personal life, but it was sweet to see him beat Fed in straight sets. He really took it to him!
There was some controversy about a bad call on Stan’s shot that was clearly in. The chair umpire decided to give the point to Stan to make it 4-3 in the tb, but Fed wanted to replay the point. That’s when the crowd started booing. It wasn’t about him beating Fed, it was the call that gave Stan a 4-3 lead.
Amazing to think it will be Stan, Nishi or Tsonga in the final!
It will be Stan, Nishi or Tsonga in the final partially due to the rigged draw. It could/should have been Nadal Nole.
+1
@hawkeye,
So you mean to say that, No.1 vs No.6 seed shouldn’t have taken place before the final. Isn’t that rigging too?
No, that’s not what I said.
I said that the draw in terms of the classic Big 4 was most beneficial to Fed which had a 6% chance of random draw.
I watched some draw ceremonies and even though players draw tags, they never look at them. They are closed and are not revealed until they are handed to an official and he opens them up.
#Prestidigitation
Mirka was silent today and sTan won. Does that mean that it was Mirka who was getting Fed through in the past??!
So there! What about rigging draws now? I guess someone forgot to tell Stan!
I can’t stand the guy after what he did to Rafa in the final at the 2014 AO, but it’s great seeing him beat the anointed one!
This is what I have been saying over and over! It’s what happens on the court that counts! So all this business of easy draws and setting it up for Fed to win #18, well it was all for naught! He’s out!
Now we have to see if Tsonga is going to fall apart after going up two sets. Can he keep it together?
Feel the same nny…..
The point is regardless of the results, the obvious rigging should never happen.
So yes, what happens on court is what counts but sometimes it is infuenced by rigged draws and schedules. Many times it doesn’t help but sometimes it does. Federer wouldn’t have 17 slams to his name if draws were always random.
I only saw the end of the TB but will watch my DVR in gleeful bliss tonight.
STANIMAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Exactly.
The slogan should read: genius (yet not god) at work, with a lot of help from constant unfair rigging and scheduling
I know it’s long, but at least it is more true
Wait!
What’s up with the draw rigging?
Fed had to play Monfils in R16, Stan in Qf, Nishikori in SF. How is that an easy draw?
Anyone saying that Ferru or Andy would have made it tougher are really out of their minds. The only way it could have been more tough for Roger was, if he had to face Rafa in SF.
Rafa and Nole too have had a breezer of a draw till QF.
So it was all pretty balanced out.
This whole tide seems to have stemmed from the Andy’s results probably. From what I have of him, he is just playing like his usual self. Nothing great to go bonkers about.
Rafa in Nole’s quarter and Muzza, Rafa and Nole all in the same half was a 1 in 16 chance of random occurance as was pre-2.0 Nole falling into Fed’s half in 13 straight non-clay slams, a 1 in 8192 chance of random occurance.
^typo
meant “from what I have seen of him”
Need to look at this from several angles. Murray is better put in Rafa’s way because he always seems to pull all the stops against Rafa. So good for Roger. And good for people wanting to stop Rafa,,, because of Roger… and because of anti-Rafa as well :-). Nole is good to be put in Rafa’s half, better yet in Rafa’s quarter as he could cause trouble for Roger earlier than a final, and he can cause trouble to Rafa earlier than a final. Right there is plenty of rigging.
Ah, like I said, it all has to do with Muzz!
From what I have seen of the draw ceremonies, it’s only possible to fix the unseeded players for the top 2. Other seeds are slotted in the draw as per their drawn tokens by the defending women’s champion. How is it possible to fix that?
Also probability of seed 1, 3 & 6 landing in the same half is pretty good. Depends how you look at it.
Whatever your beliefs be, this draw could have been against Nadal, but definitely not in favour of Fed.
perhaps the slogan ‘ssh genius at work’ is really about Mirka??
amy,
Too funny! 🙂
Per the RG site: Roger failed to break serve in a grand slam match for the first time since 2002 USO. Bet he’s surprised. gutted. shocked. He surely thought he was on the express lane to the final.
Have to say it: why did the experts have fed making the final? some even thinking he would win! last year it was gulbis, the year before tsonga….it was never going to happen!
I had stan for the win but thought kei would win pretty easily…..
EVERY year they pick Roger fto make the final a pick Nole to beat Rafa!!! For someone who has taught the whole tour how to play clay court tennis, Rafa really gets the wrong end of the draw!! Hope Rafa teaches them a lesson this year, AGAIN!!! But alas, they will do it all over again next year!!!
Never thought I would cheer for Stan after last year’s AO – but hey that felt good.
I cheered for him in the WTF final vs Fed but he cried and lost. Only time I will cheer for Stan since AO12 is against Nole or Fed.
#NE1ButRF
Just so long as the AO title is the only Slam on his CV…………………………..
I was watching Mirka every time the camera homed in on Fed’s box. Her body language gave the game away. She seemed to know from the outset Roger would not mount a come back. I wonder if we’ll see Roger and RG next year!
Roger cant mount a 2 sets from behind comeback at RG..His only chance is at Wimby and partly at USO
AO and RG are not for him anymore..He will just make the SF at max in these 2.
So my first wish granted..Stan
3 more wishes to be granted: Tsonga, Rafa, Ferrer 🙂
not sure about other 2 wishes, but Ferru will win.
However to be honest if Nole beats Rafa tomm, neither Andy, Ferrer, Tsonga or Stan or Nishi can stop Djokovic. Only Fed had a chance due to his exp, coz the crowd will support him and that will get to Djokovic and he usually plays Djokovic well.
Nole has lots of chances to win each of the next three matches, but he is not invincible, not even the 2015 version. It’s out of 5 and it’s yet another attempt at his first RG.
One part of me was not rooting for Fed as under no circumstance I wanted him to get double career slam before Rafa and this draw was lined up perfectly for him. Other part of me wanted him to win so that Novak does not ahve it easy if he beats Rafa.
Roger has gotten ENOUGH unfair assistance already to add to his slam count so on account of the rigging this time let it be clear he was not going to make the final regardless.
Some statisticians have done all kinds of analysis of probabilities in tennis. I think they could come up with a reasonably objective estimate of the number of slam trophies added to roger’s total thanks to unfair advantage. It might read something like 1.7 slam, or 2.4 slams, with an error of 0.3 slams 19 times out of 20.
kei to win in 5??
Yes Tsonga lost the plot when he did not convert those 3 bps
I want Tsonga to win because I think he has a better chance of defeating Stan in the semis. I do NOT WANT Stan in the final!!
Frankly if its Rafa in the final..I want Stan in the final..That AO 14 has to be repaid back..
If Nole is in the final, I want Stan in the final too as out of Tsonga, Kei, Stan..only Stan can kinda give trouble to Nole
abhirf..where are u watching it in India? Neosports? Tatasky does not broadcast Neosports (:-
Also is our good old DD showing matches?
I too have Tatasky!
Have to rely on my hostel wifi for live streams!
Not sure about DD. They did telecasted SF and F earlier, but don’t know their present status.
DD Sports?
No idea.
Will have to look at their schedule.
Will let you know if it’s telecasted.
Please stop talking about who Nole is going to play in the final!
HOw can we expect Rafa to believe that he can beat nole if we don’t believe in him??
I do by the way…..matches aren’t won by the formbook or stan wouldn’t have won today
Rafa only needs to believe in himself and he will win.
^Yes to this!!
Well to be honest, I feel Rafa fans are the most nervous lot compared to Fed and Nole fans..Reason being u never know with Rafa, he is very unlucky with injuries and is far more a confidence player than Fed and Nole. Also Rafa gives elaborate pressers which reveals too much and it does make his fans resort to jump to conjectures.
I think if anyone can expect Rafa to beat Nole, it is Rafa only if he has the belief..I honestly feel 70% of his fans dont believe he can given both their levels of play this year.
for all the reasons you gave it is fair for many of us rafans to think it is more likely (not sure) that nole wins tomorrow, this time.
But on the day, tomorrow, we shall see, no?
Sorry didn’t mean to get on your back Sanju! but hey let’s send some positive energy towards rafa
millions of us will be sending rafa positive energy tomorrow, the more so because we are worried 🙂
perhaps if we get this positive voodoo right,,, 🙂
If they both play their very best on Chatrier, Rafa will be 71-1 at RG.
So my 2 wishes granted – Tsonga and Stan. Both upsets today.
2 more wishes remain – Rafa and Ferrer
With Stan’s current form and experience beating Top 4 in slams, he has real chances against Nole in a theoretical final.
But Rafa will win in four.
I have Rafa in 5. I’m guessing 2 tight sets and will cruise in the 5th. fingers crossed, no?
Sunday:
rafa stan final
Stan to suffer profound back injury at the start to lose in straights and to take his game down several pegs for the next year… rafa being gracious about it all during and after the match
oh yes!!
Last night, during the shamanic ritual, the signals sent to the spirits in the underworld said:
Make me win in straights, and if I need my animal opponent’s momentum broken at some point make something happen. (I don’t want to pull the washroom trick again).
At the same time last night, during another shamanic ritual, signals were sent to the spirits by the other one with connections. These were so loud they caused interference.
Hence animal won in straights instead, and the momentum breaking happened on the other court.
But why did blood have to be spilled?
This is tennis, the pure sport, once upon a time played dressed only in white!
Another shamanic ritual to be held tonight by that other one with connections. Make it rain. Make him tremble with nervousness. Stay his hand when he is serving. I want my precious.
I want my precious – are you saying that fed is gollum??!
nole, nole is doing his second shamanic ritual tonight. his precious is the career slam and/or beating rafa at rg once. No one has done that yet with a non-injured rafa.
but fed has been after his own precious too over the years: be declared the goat. end with a positive h2h against his main rival, end with far more slams than his main rival, defeat his main rival once at rg, make all doubts about his absolute greatness of all times (among males, at least) be silenced.
Whatever you’re smoking chloro I want some of it!
I was just about to post that Bernandes is sitting there sticking pins in his voodoo doll of rafa! who is the umpire tomorrow? pascal maria usuallly does rafa-nole
amy, some of those ideas come from a book I read last year that’s explained a lot of what makes us tick in terms of how we people used to be many thousands of years ago and how that has not changed… we do have some kind of underworld, at least psychologically speaking and who knows perhaps inter-personally speaking, and we do have some kind of above world same way. In each tribe there were always some people with a knack for these things, a calling if you like, who apprenticed with the masters for many years and then took their turn helping people with all things medical, psychological (they used other words), emotional etc. some called them shamans, others called them other things. Early catholic church was not a fan of anything of the sort. Result: all kinds of abilities they were good at became devalued and splintered, but never quite went away, especially what we now call show biz. the others now divided among many professions: rock stars, actors, magicians, writers, painters, psychologists, therapists, doctors, holistic doctors, poets, story-tellers who remember many of the stories of their tribe, etc. and… show biz performers. Even: marketers making up the mini-showbiz that is commercials. All showbiz potentially mesmerizes us and this book goes into the long history and the depth of it. It’s the book that would have saved Houdini was it available for him to read: he would have understood what he was really looking for (not: sleight-of-hand and escape tricks). It’s by a professor in the UK who usually writes books on the sociology of football (soccer). But this one time he wrote about this topic. Funnily enough he does not go into how much sports also mesmerize us as much as showbiz. Rogan P Taylor.From Shaman to Superstar.
Sorry, I know you were not looking for such a serious and long-drawn answer 🙂
reading that book, twice, made a lot of threads of thoughts and some experiences all come together and make a lot more sense.
Perhaps it’s time for Mister T and Boy Rafa to also learn some shamanic practices and be rid of injuries and confidence / resistance issues :-).
that’s interesting chloro…..the famous english poet Ted Hughes wrote a lot about all that kind of thing…
his treatise on shakespeare is partly to do with the idea that the pagan world and the iconography of catholicism were split asunder by the reformation and that this resulted in a kind of split identity in english culture….of course poetry is deeply involved with the rituals of magic….
Picasso also believed that art was magic in which you placed spells, summoned spirits….
thank you for mentioning Ted Hughes, amy… I am not familiar with his work, or at least with his name, but I am intrigued now…
Yet another polll on british tv!!! one every minute! this one has 66% saying that Rafa will beat NOle!!
british tv deeply depressed by this result….god knows why!
INvertwerp says ‘ I can’t believe that 3/4 of you have RAfa winning’!!
perhaps the british pundits might remember that the british (ok, scottish) player who broke the Wimbledon dry spell is a good friend of rafa’s. Look closer at rafa: what’s not to like?
Good god jo wins in 5!! would not have believed it….another jour du jo on friday…
crowd got to kei…
So my 2 wishes granted – Tsonga and Stan. Both upsets today.
2 more wishes remain – Rafa and Ferrer. Will I be obliged? 🙂
Roger has said in his presser his goal is to play his Best at Wimbledon and win it
Watch Federer getting an equally “random” draw at Wimbledon.
… and a ton of pundits pick him for the title.
let’s be perfectly clear: the ATP owes the Sun King his #18
Sanju:Do you have a link for RF presser?
I hope I’ll be smiling this time tomorrow after a Rafa win. A usual, I’m nervous like I always am whoever Rafa is playing. I just hope Rafa has got rid of the nerves and not hand the match to Djoker without a fight.
I notice that the commies are beginning to hedge their bets. They don’t seem so sure now that Djoker will win.
Oddsmakers/gamblers certainly aren’t hedging.
Rafa a massive underdog paying 3 to 1. From a betting point of view, Rafa is a big underdog. I don’t agree with that assessment.
Odds/schmods…
https://twitter.com/cbfowler/status/605803662087090176
“Nadal was cruising 6-4, 6-4 in 2006 when Djokovic retired and allegedly claimed to be in control of the match when it came to a premature end.”
I hadn’t thought of that interview gem in a little while … 🙂
^^^^^I’m wondering what brought that interview to mind for you?
It’s one of my all time ROFL favourites ?
For anyone who hasn’t seen it here is the link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SdfhhYJsJ8&feature=related
He was well on his way to winning the Career Retirement Slam when Roddock rather cruelly sent him up something rotten during the USO* which brought his antics to an abrupt halt.
*the USO is the only slam missing
NB: retirements don’t count towards the Win/Loss statistics
ed,
what brought it to mind is reading ricky’s article above. It’s in the third paragraph, just below the first picture.
I don’t know about today, but back then Novak knew something about being In The Nile.
watching the match now don’t know who the commentators are but certainly Roger fans kind of sickening drivel right now be fun to watch them slowly sink into depression
Second game and this is really impressive tennis both guys
Well stand breaks at love. In the third game. Too strong for Roger. Of guys standing in the baseline refusing to give up space.amazing how both guys can chip the ball back on such a short bounce when the ball is hit deep.
Just fourth game in Rogers beginning we talked himself already hilarious!
Let us not forget how different the scenario is when it comes to facing rafa at RG.
Federer beat him 6-0 in the third in hamburg 07 but the final was again same old story. Federer played him pretty tough in MC (lost 7-5 7-5) and and esp in the hamburg final (lost 5-7 6-7 6-3) BUT we know how things were in the RG 08 final.
Novak beat rafa convincingly in last year’s rome final but but but, rafa beat him convincingly in 4 sets in RG’s final!
The thing is, rafa is a different beast when you face him in the deciding stages of RG. Rafa knows that and so does Djokovic! When the two step on court PC tomorrow, the sensations will be different from they were in the MC match they matched this year!
I think, rafa DOES believe in himself that he can win. Djokovic also has the belief I guess both both of them have doubts.
IF rafa can serve at a higher level, I give the edge to him. Otherwise, I think it is slight advantage to Djokovic. The element of until-proven-otherwise is also pretty strong as rafa as beating rafa at RG is concerned as every year he has found the answers.
I admit I am more nervous than ever but I am also excited! Rafa can do it. My biggest concern is finding the right spots with the serve. I hope Toni and rafa have smart strategies in place.
Stan has run off 10 points in a row pretty impressive.
LOL Muzza
http://twitter.com/andy_murray/status/605841389927043072
Stan fearless on Rogers first break point.
One thing that rafa has done really well throughout the clay court season is volleying! Rafa is consistently hitting greaet volleys so I hope he comes forward whenever he can to finish point off . I know these two are often reluctant to come to the net because of the respect they have for each other’s passing shots.
Djokovic has been hitting a lot of drop shots lately and he is hitting them well. You can be sure he’ll try to break rafa’s rhythm by playing lots of backhand drop shots so rafa better be ready mentally.
If Djokovic’s drop shot gets chased, one play which he is consistently using is to hit lobs in response ! He covers the net and plays a lob! This happened often in their MC match too. I am sure rafa will be ready!
I have a feeling the forehand will be red hot tomorrow. I just hope the backhand stays the way it has been throughout: rock solid!
Of course he will use his drop shot a lot tomorrow. It’s been obvious for sometime now he’s been developing that weapon for such a meeting. He knows Rafa likes to play deep and figures the drop shot is an effective strategy to bring him in more
So stand saved three breakpoints and his third service game which means Roger only saw one more breakpoint for the rest of the match. Pretty amazing. This is the first match that Roger failed to break serve at least once since 2002. Incredible.
I didn’t expect the collective feeling would be more or less this _relatively_ optimistic the night before the QF.
I just hope that Rafa does not become passive, lost, predictable, those types of things. After all the hard road he’s traveled this year, with results showing so far in all his matches at RG… and given this is RG… perhaps he will be able to avoid given games, sets away. If so, will be a good match.
And down goes Roger on that second serve serve and volley attempt that Stan rips a return for a winner. Rare seeing Roger fall to the ground like that.
Roger beginning to grunt now down 2-4. Funny that he complained of Nadal intermittently grunting when he lost to him once.
I am starting to get nervous. The excitement of seeing Fed lose to Stan in straight sets has now worn off and my mind is starting to think about tomorrow’s match. I will probably have trouble sleeping tonight. That’s usually the way it is when Rafa has a big match at RG.
I remember how nervous I was the night before Rafa was to face Sod in the 2011 RG quarterfinal. I was a wreck! So I watched my recording of their 2010 RG final. I drew inspiration from it. I actually started praying out loud for Rafa to remember how he played against Sod in that final. I wanted to will him to victory. Up to that point, he was struggling mightily at RG, like we had never seen him struggle. But I just tried to keep sending good vibes and feelings to Rafa. That was a restless night! Well, we all know how that one turned out. All Rafa had to do was see Sod across the net and somehow he managed to find himself. From there he only got better and better.
I will be sending good thoughts to Rafa tonight before I go to sleep! I am not discussing how it will go, what I think, who needs to do what. I just don’t want to go there anymore. The betting odds are against Rafa this time. But he has to believe in himself and remember who he is and what he has done on that court!
I am also hoping rafa will enter a different zone when he sees Novak on the other sode of the net. At RG, one thing has been certain: Rafa has never left us frustrated in terms of not playing the right way when it comes to the big matches. In masters 1000 matches, we have often been frustrated about how either his backhand, or forehand or ROS or court positioning were not good but RG, the real rafa always shows up so that gives me more belief.
I also watched their MC match and I think rafa can definitely win this! His backhand was more vulnerable in MC, ROS was poorer and his forehand had less sting. Yet, he had chances to take the lead in both sets.
Rafa will come out hitting big with his forehand and I pray he is feels the ball great right from the start.
Phenomenal game from Stan to break Roger to win the second set. A few untimely shanks from Roger certainly didn’t help.
Commies still quite sickly finding silver lining that Roger is losing with a quiet dignity. Not exactly quiet from where I’m listening.
Poor filter.
Hilarious!!!
Hmm guessing the odds of Stan beating fed were even greater than they are for Rafa .
That’s why they play the match no?
Come on Lucy! Pull that football away from Charlie Brown again.
Vamos!
Lucy and Charlie: good one! 🙂
Commies now wondering hoping praying if Roger can find some divine inspiration from somewhere. Hilarious!
Stan not willing to grant any holding for 3-2 in the third.
Commies at three all in the third, can he mount an ambush on the Wawrinka serve.
So much wishing. Poor commies.
Poor federazzi fan screaming”BEST PLAYER EVER” RIGHT IN the middle of Stans service motion. Getting desperate now with Wawrinka up 4-3 on serve.
RG crowd so quiet now silent when Stan wins a point and dejected applause when Roger wins.
If a GOAT falls in the forest does any body hear.
Poor sad auto filter.
Ex goat of course. Crowd getting rowdy now just because Roger got to 15 all.
Hilarious!
Crowd now in a life support frenzy chanting ROGER ROGER ROGER (in a thick French accent mind you) all in vain as it turns out. Not many American tourists in this crowd. Roger Shanks and screams a curse word not so quietly elegantly.
Hilarious!!!
Commies called it a scream of disapproval lol.
Not m any American fed fans in this crowd? But… how could that be? 😉
Dunno. You’ll have to ask the creator of fake stories that one I’m afraid. Can’t help you.
June 3, 2015 at 12:00 am,
—Not many American tourists in this crowd—
========================================
No matter whether they travel or not, Some American residents construct fake stories to put Fed on a pedestal. In 2012 at Roland Garros, Fed screamed ‘Shut up!’ after he hit the ball into the net and the spectators cheered on his opponent (Delpo). Two years later, Mr.Steve S. made up a fake story that Fed screamed at the crowd because he was distracted “by their oohs and aahs” (i.e. because of their worship!!!). LOL
Correction: Mr. Steve S. ➡ Mr. Steve T.
You created a lie about not caring what I say. That’s the only real fake story ironically.
Sad.
June 3, 2015 at 4:00 am,
According to media makers, somebodies boo their own players after they lose something.
Tennis Now, May 14th, 2012: ¤¤ After losing the first set tonight in his opening match at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, John Isner could probably hear the boos not only in Rome, but perhaps a few coming all the way back in the good ol’ USA. ¤¤
Nice slow motion close up replay of that f bomb BTW.
federazzI RG French crowd cheering stans error now in desperation. Stan’s backhand is ruthless. Three all.
Roger sees the mark on the line and commies say as if from the hands of God very gracious from Roger as ever. God I could never be a fedfan with all the fawning.
How does Federer clear the mark and then claim the poor should be replayed after it was called out because he did he had a play on it. So gracious.
The anointed one himself.
#blasphemy
#C__t, you know it ain’t easy, they’re going to c___y me
You know how hard it can be-ee-ee.
[polldaddy poll=8909150]
Commies sheepishly trying to bale r Roger out after the fact implying he was right.
Roger gets whiny on the following line call trying to throw off stans rhythm.so obviously desperate gamesmanship.
So very gracious as always.
Haha Stan almost pulled a Djokovic by almost touching the net on match point.
Full marks to Wawrinka keeping his nerve throughout the match. Be interesting to see how he holds his nerve vs tsonga and the French. He didn’t even really give them an opening today. Impressive.
I’ll miss Rafa tomorrow as I’ll be working. I might even try to avoid the scoreboard until it’s over. If Rafa wins I can watch tomorrow night with colm and not nervrous for sure no?
Otherwise I can relax and be reaSonably happy for any of the final four regardless of who wins yes on some level even Stan.
Vamos Rafa no matter what and I’ll see you all on the other side.
Patrick McEnroe: The case for Novak Djokovic
1. Logic
When Djokovic takes to Court Philippe Wednesday afternoon, he will be the favorite to unseat Nadal. That’s what the oddsmakers say. But maybe not in his own mind. Hard to argue with logic. And the logic is simple. Nadal has lost only one match in best-of-five sets on his beloved clay surface.
This time, I believe Djokovic will get it done. Why? Well, logic, of course. He’s coming into this match on an absolute tear, dominating all of the major events in men’s tennis going back to last year. He routed Nadal on clay in Monte Carlo and has the requisite ground game, fitness and consistent offense to finally break down Nadal’s Roland Garros defense.
2. Service game
Djokovic has to hit his spots on his serve and open up Nadal’s backhand corner by going after his stronger forehand side early in the rallies. He is capable of keeping Nadal pinned well behind the baseline more often than not. If he does this, I believe Djokovic will wear him down. Yes, I said it — he can wear down Nadal.
3. The long haul
Djokovic cannot simply try to hit his way through Nadal. He must outmaneuver him. And he must let him know early in the match that he is not afraid of going the distance. Nadal has owned Djokovic on this court simply because he has always believed that he can win a battle of attrition. That changes on Wednesday. Nadal will be the one gasping for air.
Djokovic will finally solve the code at Roland Garros. And then he will be a step closer to winning the one major that has eluded him.
I hope PMac wasn’t paid for this drivel. All he is saying is what Djoker SHOULD do. That’s hardly making a case for Djokovic.
As you’ve observed, ritb, the key is in Rafa’s serve. He has had enough DFs to drop his serve. Rather losing his serve than his opponent breaking him.
Darren Cahill: The case for Rafael Nadal
1. Belief
“You can’t connect the dots looking forward. You can only connect the dots looking backwards.”
We can plan for the future and what lies in front of us, but the reality is that we can’t ultimately control what is going to happen. We prepare the best we can. We give it our best shot. Always believe we can make it happen and keep fighting.
Things really only make sense to us once they have happened. That’s how we learn and improve every day.
These are words Nadal has lived by throughout his career, and they’ve served him well.
Nadal is 70-1 and has nine titles in 10 years at Roland Garros. He is also 93-1 in best-of-five-set matches on clay in his career.
These are numbers that will stand alone in the record books for a very long time, if not forever. They don’t come without lessons learned and confidence drawn. Nadal may be listed at 6-foot-1, but he stands a few inches taller on the terre battue. While Djokovic has been the standout player all year, belief in Paris is reserved for one man.
2. The Nadal forehand
As Brad Gilbert would say: “The fearhand has to rise up.” Nadal can protect the rest of his game if things are not firing on all cylinders, but he can’t protect the forehand against Djokovic if he’s not feeling it. It’s the shot that wounds Nadal’s opponents a dozen different ways, and on clay it’s intensified. During five sets, his forehand is lethal.
Djokovic handles the Nadal cross-court forehand better than anyone in the game. His pocket on the backhand side is large and it’s tough to get the ball out of Djokovic’s strike zone because he plays close to the baseline. Because he is lightning-fast, he can redirect the ball using Nadal’s pace. Djokovic is also one of the few players who hurts Nadal with his thumping backhand cross-court. It backs Nadal up and opens plenty of court space for Djokovic to launch his attack.
The down-the-line forehand early in the point, and the inside-out forehand will be key for Nadal. Both shots stretch Djokovic to his forehand side and can turn the tide in any rally — against anyone. If Nadal can execute these two shots and make progress in the neutral rallies, it will give him confidence to wear down Djokovic. Nadal believes his edge lies in his attempt to get to Djokovic’s legs.
3. The return of serve
Lleyton Hewitt’s first comment after playing a young Djokovic many years ago was: “Everyone is underrating this guy’s serve. It’s heavy, well directed and tough to read.” Nadal’s return game has been patchy this year, although he has found his rhythm again in Paris. Nadal will be hoping to stay neutral on his returns and will try to back Djokovic up a little. Nadal likes to move back when returning on clay to buy some time, especially on second-serve returns. He’s looking to hit more forehands that’ll give the ball hang time, but anything dropped short will be punished by Djokovic. Getting involved in Djokovic’s service games will be key, as the pressure will mount if he is holding serve easily. Finding a return position that Nadal is comfortable with, and putting plenty of neutral balls back in play, is a must.
By Matt Trollope on Tuesday 02 June 2015
Rafael Nadal is going to beat Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals of Roland-Garros 2015.
That may go against the logic and the form guide – plus most of the thinking of the world’s tennis pundits – but I can’t help but feel there’s a sense of inevitablity about this match-up, perhaps among the most highly-anticipated of Grand Slam matches in recent memory.
We’ve been here before when it comes to predicting Djokovic’s chances against the nine-time Roland-Garros champion. So often the question has been asked – will this be the year he dethrones the clay court king? Will this be the year he completes his career Grand Slam?
Each time, Nadal has answered those questions with a resounding “no”, thanks to his own resounding play.
Nadal is a perfect 6-0 against Djokovic in Paris. That might be a surprising stat, given Djokovic has shown he can beat the Spaniard on red clay, on mulitple occasions. Novak has twice beaten Nadal in Rome. Twice in Monte Carlo. Once in Madrid. And these were no insignifcant matches – they were at ATP Masters 1000 level, and quite often in finals.
Yet the Serb has never been able to translate that to success over Nadal at the French Open. For several reasons.
Nadal is a different animal in a five-set match, something Djokovic does not have to content with at Masters tournaments. Over five sets, Nadal has the time to recover from a slow start, plus the confidence that he can outlast anyone should a match go the distance. Djokovic may be fit and mentally strong, but he has wilted in the past in these very types of matches against his arch-rival – remember how he seemed to struggle with the heat and humidity as early as the third set in last year’s final?
The clay, too, is something that benefits Nadal here more than at any tournament. The fine top-dressing and the hard-baked, high-bouncing limestone are tailor made for his vicious spin, as the court is super-responsive to it. Even someone with timing, balance and court-positioning as good as Djokovic will still have to contend with hour-upon-hour of shots kicking above his shoudler. It’s draining.
These are the reasons that only one man – one, ever! – has beaten Nadal in Paris over five sets. That’s nine titles in 10 years, and a stratospheric win-loss record of 70-1 at this tournament. This has filled a pretty vast reservoir of confidence from which Rafa can draw.
Djokovic came close to becoming the second man to achieve the feat when he led their 2013 semi-final by 4-2 in the fifth set. Don’t think either man will have forgotten that Nadal stormed back to win.
Nadal talked about having little confidence entering this tournament. He had no clay-court titles to his name in the lead-up, for the first time since his first year as a professional in 2003. But that’s mattered little – he has progressed to the quarters untroubled, losing just one set. It’s the perfect prep for his battle royale tomorrow against the world No.1.
If no-one has managed to beat him – Djokovic included – in the past five years, and considering the fact that Nadal looks as fit, healthy, in form, confident and motivated as ever so far this tournament, then why would the script change now?
http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/news/articles/2015-06-02/why_rafa_will_beat_novak.html
Hope the right Rafa shows up…I still think that if Rafa plays his best clay tennis nobody can beat them…Novak looks strong and determined…Rafa will have to be focused with no mental lapses…lousy first serve is not allowed…forehands must work as Novak does what other Rafa’s opponents rarely do: Expose Rafa’s weaknesses on that forehand side…I believe in Rafa…I trust he will give his all..
Vamos Rafa!
nats, that’s it in a nutshell. Rafa needs to serve well and keep his f/h on target. It’s all about what happens today.
Vamos Rafa!
Regarding the weather forecast, some say it might rain at 1pm (light showers) but then it is mostly sunny/partly cloudy. As per weather.com, however, no rain even at 1pm so I HOPE there is no rain at all! NO DAMP conditions please. It is kind of cold so no dampness please. Oh God get the clouds out of the way of your mighty sun and let the temperatures rise a little :/ haha
Rafa very clearly said ‘the hotter it is , the better for me’ so…. anyway, it is not going to be hot. Wind is also moderate.
La Chaine Meteo (which I rely upon and is usually pretty accurate) forecasts 21 degrees during the afternoon which is not hot, hot but nor is it cold! Wind between 5-10kph
http://paris.lachainemeteo.com/meteo-france/ville/previsions-meteo-paris-3903-0.php
Is it humid?
Rafas match will be not before 3
brad gilbert saying it is supposed to clear up this afternoon and settle at 71 C with 12 mph winds…
I read 11 forecasts yesterday…none have rain in the afternoon…just a couple have a light shower at 1….
Did Rafa not beat Novak in colder conditions in 2012 final? The first 3 sets on Sunday were played with no much sun.
Rafa also beat Soderling in 2010 final with similar cold damp conditions.
I also don’t think Rafa likes too much humidity. His fitmess is an issue now. He was gassed in last years final , almost cramped.
true…humidity also an issue for rafa now.
Yes, Rafa has suffered in the heat lately. I suppose too much of one thing is good for nothing.
@Sanju
RG is on the outskirts of Paris on the edge of the Bois de Bologne. The humidity shouldn’t be too bad i.e. in the 70s. Unless Williams polishes off Errani 6.0, 6.0 can’t see Rafa’s match starting much before 4pm. Later if it goes to 3 sets.
We used to go caravanning in the Bois de Bologne when we were serving in Germany in the 80s. Brings back memories.
Here:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CGkYDvFVAAAaKmg.png
Weather update:
I am 50 miles due west of Paris and the weather is heading that way. The skies are clearing and the sun is shining.
Keep your fingers crossed.
http://www.emofaces.com/en/smilies/f/fingers-crossed-smile.gif
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CGkMShGUAAAaiO0.png
After winning their fourth-round matches on Monday, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal were quizzed at length about their looming quarter-final. Here are their thoughts:
Rafael Nadal
“Is probably the toughest quarterfinal in my career here in Roland Garros, without a doubt. But is not the final, you know. It’s a quarter-finals. And, no, the winner of that match will not be the Roland-Garros champion. Will be semi-finalist of Roland-Garros. That’s makes a big difference. Even if it’s a special match, is a quarter-final match. It will not be a final like other years.
“I think my dynamic changed a lot, and I am enjoying again on court because I’m able to play more days with calm. And enjoy on court and ultimately winning, is feel yourself ready to compete and feel yourself with that calm that gives you the possibility to compete well.
“When you play well, when you win matches, confidence is back, confidence is strong … When you step out on the court without being frightened, without being jittery, this is an important asset. If you want to win important matches, that’s a big asset … I don’t have this problem of nerves that I suffered from at the start of the year, so we will attempt to move forward. The year is not over. I will fight to the bitter end.
“He’s the best player of the world without any doubt today. Very dominant. Probably everybody’s with me that probably he is the favorite here … Of course, he’s by far the best player in the world. He’s brimming with confidence; he has exceptional form. He’s won almost all the matches since the start of the year. He hasn’t had a lot of defeats, only two defeats.
“Of course I don’t like playing a quarterfinal against Novak, that’s for sure, and I hope that Novak won’t like playing me in a quarterfinal … I played well (against him) in Monte‑Carlo. I lost 6‑3, 6‑3; I played great. Here it’s Roland Garros and it’s different tournament. But, no, Monte‑Carlo I lost 6‑3, 6‑3. You know, easy result; not an easy match. I have to play a little bit better, yes. I gonna try.
“I love Roland Garros. I love the tournament. I love the courts. I will pull out all the stops to win the match. If I don’t win, I will think about the next tournament. I will try to make progress. I feel competitive.
“My career won’t stop after the quarter-final of Roland Garros. I have already lost at Roland Garros, and if I lose in the quarter-final, it means that I would have lost against the best player in the world. Djokovic is an excellent player, is physically fit, and is in form.”
Novak Djokovic
“It does feel different because it’s quarter-finals. I’m not used to playing him (Nadal) that early. But that’s the reality and that’s a challenge that both of us have to accept. It was always a possibility before the draw came out because he dropped in the rankings … The pressure is on both of us people expecting to win always in this tournament. So you can look from different perspectives, but pressure is also part of what we do, and you have to accept it. You have to deal with it and go out on the court and play.
“Playing him here and playing him in any other tournament in the world is completely different. Conditions are very suitable to his style of the game. He loves playing on Chatrier.
“I never won against him at Roland Garros. But in the other hand I was close a couple of times. And the fact that I have a great season this year and I’m feeling good from every aspect of my game allows me to have belief and reason to go on the court and try to win.
“I’m trying to keep my routine together, the same every single day. The way I prepare myself for every match is going to be the same for next match … and not give so much importance to the (Nadal) match. I don’t want to spend too much energy before getting on the court, because I know that for me it’s necessary to have every source of strength and energy possible. And I know what to do. I mean, I know what’s expecting me. I have played him so many times, and the player that I have played against the most in my life. We played here five, six times before. So I know what I need to do to have a chance to win. Doesn’t mean that I will win. The future is unpredictable. It’s something you can’t influence.
“I can get myself in the right state of mind and prepare well and get on the court and give my best.”
Read more at http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/news/articles/2015-06-03/novak_on_rafa_rafa_on_novak_as_quarterfinal_looms.html#ZgYs7Ib8ugymsEWO.99
Read more at http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/news/articles/2015-06-03/novak_on_rafa_rafa_on_novak_as_quarterfinal_looms.html#JLQHIGUXrz7hZSkJ.99desktop-large
thanks Sanju! Rafa seems a lot more relaxed ! Great to know that.
This is what Uncle Toni has to say:
“I think his level is good enough,” “I am happy with his game. In this season we had many problems with our game, Rafael wanted to play good, but he was a little nervous. He can’t hit right the ball. For me, it’s not a big problem. These are things that always happen to Rafael on the court.”
“It will be a long and difficult game for both. Rafael has won here nine times, Djokovic has never done. Hard for each other. But I hope Rafael ”
The key, he said, “play with determination and enthusiasm, and not lose the intensity at n o one time.” And, as has been repeated over and over Rafa, “yes, this is not an end, because whoever wins does not mean it’s the champion. For example, Wawrinka has done a great match with Federer and Ferrer or Murray are “.
Hope 7 hours from now..we are all celebrating.. Or is that too early 🙂 I hope they don’t play for more than 4 hours 🙂
haha…i don;t think it will be a 5 hrs long battle….but you never know. Praying rafa gets this done in 4 sets! HUGE HUGE task but if he is relaxed and is able to find his game and serve, why not? But novak is so damn good now that it would be awfully tough for rafa to find his absolute best.
The third sets of their last two encounters have been blowouts in favor of Rafa so there are moments when rafa is able to blow Novak away . He needs to sustain that intensity (the biggest challenge ) and avoid those dips . The third set against Sock was a demonstration of intensity dipping. He MUST avoid that.
You can do it RAFA! VAMOS! Fight bravely
If you are praying anyway..why 4? Better be 3 🙂
And this is what Murray said :
“But Rafa seems to be playing very well. I think the conditions here suit him and he’s more comfortable than anywhere else on the Tour. It will be a lot closer than in the Monte Carlo semi-final [where the Serb beat him in two sets for the loss of six games in a little over an hour and a half].”
Hes implicitly implying Novak will win but not easily..Damn Murray :-0
I read his words as it will be a close-contested match no matter which of the two will win. It is not clear at all he is predicting a Nole win. First of, Andy is not mean-spirited. Secondly, he knows as well as Nole, Rafa, uncle T and many of us that today the outcome is not certain at all, even if by all appearances (and oddmakers) one of them is the favorite. Andy is not a pundit, he is a top-tier player and they are not under any of the delusions that pundits are prone to.
I did say Murray is now in my black book and it’s in indelible ink.
I just shudder to think what Rafa and Novak must be going through..Must be filled with nerves..whole body shaking, head heavy..stomach feeling uneasy..don’t feel like eating anything..etc etc..all symptoms when you are very nervous before a big milestone or event.
nothing they haven’t felt before
Cooler heavier conditions, lesser pressure on Nole and more importantly their level of play this year and at the French Open so far gives Nole three distinct edge.i believe that Rafa has an ominous aura no doubt and the French will be on his side. However this year’s Rafa is still a significant drop from Rafa of previous French opens.
Nole in less than five sets is the call.
You think he could get it done in 3 sets too?
Conditions are okay. 3-4 degrees of more heat won’t determine the outcome lol.
I can understand why majority has picked Nole in 4. Seems to be a rational pick. There are some questions marks regarding rafa and if he is able to answer them, he’ll prove everyone wrong,
TO be honest, rafa has not been consistent enough so far . His level has not been good enough to beat Novak. I am , however, banking on rafa raising his level today (decent chance of that happening) . Novak will be in awe if he finds rafa playing at a very high level! I am sure he is expecting a little softer rafa this time.
Yes possibly but not likely. 90+ and 1 and a buffoon crowd actually pulling for Rafa gotta count for at least a set, no?
But I watched that match vs Sock and just too often he hits toe ball way too short and too many UEs especially at critical moments.
His level is just not near enough to where it needs to be.
I agree that if he can SIGNIFICANTLY (and I stress that word) raise his game, then he becomes the favourite in this match. I just think it is too big an ask right now based on what I’ve seen leading up to today.
Hope I’m laughably wrong.
I think it was more than just 3-4 degrees warmer last year (maybe 30 deg. on court). Nole eventually wilted in the heat and the last set for Rafa was really a formality.
Just in morning you said Rafa in 4 🙂
That was my heart speaking Sanju. (That, and I hadn’t yet watched the Sock match).
http://33.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_max6ncAzMB1qmusg8o1_250.gif
Vamos Rafa!
Lesser pressure than he’s used to because he can’t win the title today but still arguably more pressure than Rafa just to be clear.
I hope nadline10 is right for a change.
Current weather (women’s 1/4F):
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CGkzYksWgAAPYgO.png
hawkeye63 says:
June 3, 2015 at 11:50 am
‘i believe that Rafa has an ominous aura no doubt and the French will be on his side’
.. there’s no way that the general French crowd will back Rafa.
Well, they certainly did in last year’s final.
It’s a combination of Rafa not being as dominant (as was the case last year) and the French not being a big fan of the Serb as well.
I think you will see that again today. At least I hope so.
The head of the French Tennis Federation appears to be rooting for Djokovic, too. Jean Gachassin — never shy to turn cheerleader when watching matches despite his senior role — reportedly told Djokovic on Monday when the two shook hands, “It’s the time — you deserve it.”
Seriously?
Well, it is the time for him. If not now, when? I’d also argue that he does deserve it after all his hard work, dedication and so many disappointments there year after year.
That said, just because it is his time and best opportunity, I would love nothing more that for Rafa to crush him again today!
Vamos Rafa no matter what!!!!!
(I will be virtually hiding behind ed’s couch if she will let me with the TV turned off.)
not professional at all given his role, as you say Sanju
but we should not be surprised 🙂
Yes, I guess it will depend on how the match goes.
People want to see a fight and if either player is trashing the other, the normal things is that people cheer for the weakest at that point.
In the past that was true for everyone not named Rafa or Federer. They were ruthless when Soderling beat him. They were not looking for more. But that was when Rafa’s aura there was at it’s peak and they were still hurting from the beatdown Rafa laid on The Chosen One for four straight years – Roger was still alive of course so they wanted Rafa out of the way ASAP.
Well if we were going by Rafa’s form in the first 4 rounds last year or the year before we would all be saying he can’t beat Nole. He is never at his best in the early rounds so that is not a true indicator of where his game is or is going to be.
Yes but he doesn’t make such a drastic step improvement in a single match either (it is usually more gradual) plus his level this year is even lower than last year with zero titles on European clay.
I think Nole has improved is game mentally and physically since last year also.
Watch out for the drop shot Rafa!!!
For the past five months Djokovic will been salivating at the prospect his Grand Slam dream might come to pass..
It must have been a nasty surprise to see such a vastly improved Rafa at Roland Garros instead of the nerve wracked version we witnessed in the run-up. Ha, ha
Serena is making mince meat of Sara Errani 🙂
At this rate we won’t have to wait much longer to see Rafa to strutting his stuff.
nadline are you there??
I am going crazy because I can’t access the live stream from ITV on which I will need to watch the match as they are going to be showing Murray on tv. Can you help please? or anyone else using the stream…..
I subscribe to SKY. I’ll see if TT has a link and I’ll come back to you.
Amy: Bite on the bullet and take out a month’s subscription to Eurosport Player. It will give you instant access.
@Amy
If you do, come back to me and I’ll give you a quick lesson on how to navigate it.
BTW: It is blissfully free from commentators gabbling ad nauseum
thanks very much ed!! I’ve got the live stream here for now…if anything goes wrong I’ll come back to you
They’ll be on court in 45 mins.
Amy, you can subscribe to Brit Eurosport it costs peanuts. Just search for Brit Eurosport and subscribe.
oh thank god!! found it!
Just want to say good luck everyone!!
love you Rafito!! bring it today!
nadline please stop searching! but thanks so much!
Glad you’re sorted.
C’mon Rafa. Kick his asterisk!!!
I’m very nervous. I want the match to start and I don’t want it to start. hawkeye63 has just ruined my ‘colm’
Guys, Im at work and i am not feeling well at all!!! My stomach is in SERIOUS knots!!! This is just too much!!!….lol!!
VAMOS, vamos, vamos, Rafa!!!!
LOL sorry nadline.
I don’t have a link but that’s ok, I don’t think I can bear watching this match (plus, I’m supposed to be working)
Thankfully I have a shorter and a longer meeting here at work. At least during those times I won’t be checking the scoreboard or your comments :-).
I was resigned for a couple of months that this was not going to be the Tenth year. But in the meantime Rafa’s chances are better. I agree w. the hawk that Rafa needs to show an uncommonly high increase in level from the last 10 days and season to get it done today.
Head says Novak. Heart says Rafa often in his career has done what has surprised almost everyone. AO ’09 final being the easiest example to point out, among many.
Yep I’m counting on him continuously and miraculously greatly exceeding my human expectations of him.
But I not gonna watch and hopefully not look at twitter or the scoreboard until it is over.
Serena has wrapped it up nicely.. the moment of truth is nigh… yikes!
The trouble with being a long term diehard Rafan is that we were spoilt for years. Each time we were convinced he’d blown a match he would turn up the heat and steal the win and one wondered why one had ever doubted the result. This year many of us were unnerved when suddenly he lost matches he should have been able to win easily. I’m not sure I’ll ever regain that sense of certitude but right now I’m sticking long sharp needles into my voodoo doll.
send Nole back to Transylvania!
True, the last few months we saw that there is now a factor in Rafa’s tennis – I wrote my own theory of what it is, but regardless of the exact nature – that rafa can not control easily and I too have lost any certainty he will ever go back to a time free of it.
One way or another the last phase of a young person’s tennis career, if they play long enough, will have its flavour of hardship and pain. Roger must not have liked not breaking the little animal even once yesterday.
At least Rafa’s hunger is back, along with other positives.
No nerves, pleassssssssssssssse Rafa!
Heart and soul Rafa…heart and soul…..
why are we waiting around?
It’s to calm our nerves.
I just hope he not feeling as nervous as us lot 🙂
If he were feeling as I’m feeling he’d not get out of the changing room.
bad start. rafa has to go for his shots!
He needs to find a chink in Novak’s armour
wow. he’ll struggle to win games if he plays like this, forget about sets! Forehand is being moonballed at the moment! landing in service box. tsk tsk
nole cool as a choc ice…rafa nervy…forehand dreadful. let’s hope nole starts to melt…
come on rafa….play with colm and you will get back in the match!
nole is not going to melt. he is ruthless. even winning this service game will be very tough.
Rafa has never made a poorer start in roland garros. I cannot believe this
Rafa is nervous. No rhythm at all. Step it up Rafa!
Vamos
thats what I feared. A nervy Rafa
too easy for Novak at the moment
rafa’s shots are all over the place
Switch off your TV. Rafa losing this in under 2 hours.
no, he will fight back. he has to go for his shots
Give Rafa a chance, let him settle!!! Its a best of five!!! Didnt Novak win first set last year?!
Yes, but Rafa wasn’t down 0-4 to start off.
I got up in time to see the start of this match. It’s what I feared the most. Novak has come out focused with a game plan and the shots to back it up.
This is the worst I have seen Rafa look ever in the beginning of the match. I tried to read as many comments a possible, but for me there was nothing much left to say. I just tried to get some sleep and hope for the best.
wow. rafa cannot even win a single point!!
bullshit…..Rafa is playing crap. The kind of stuff he played against Fog TWICE this year
I was worried, but even I did not think it would start like this.
Once he’s lost the first set, the adrenaline will start flowing.
exactly ed…
Well it better!
Guys, guys, come on!!! Rafa will be nervous, of course, you guys know this!!! Let him settle, you will see!! Give Rafa a break!! Werent you guys nervous too!!! he is human after all!!! My gosh!!! Le thim settle!!!
Dude I dunno Rafa is back into it slowly seems…we will c we will c…
VAMOS! braek here
thank God, no bagel atleast
RAfa breaks!! told you!! for god’s sake have some belief in him!
I do believe. I just do not want to see him humiliated.
Rafa breaks! that’s the first piece of armour falling
Rafa hit an insane DTL backhand for a winner! Rafa gets one break back!
the problem is more his serve than the return games ..c’mon Rafa put some more on your serve
EXACTLY! he needs a strong service game here. The forehadn is coming back to life!
MUCH better game and LOOK what it did to Djokovic! he missed a forehand on break point by miles!
SOME progress. The bigger challenger will again be to do something about the serve-return dynamics
Did Rafa play well there, or Novak played poorly?
Atul,
Rafa played well to get that break.
Thanks Native
rafa hit one exquite forehand DTL and one backhand DTL pass that was too damn good. Suddenly, pressure on djoko and he missed,
COME ON RAFA! wonderful hold!! now djokovic getting shaky
i’m a nervous wreck. I just realized today is Rafa’s birthday…
Rafa is looking alot more like rafa now…nole doesn’t look so happy….
true!! look at that miss by djokovic
Welcome to our world! Yes, it’s Rafa’s birthday! 🙂
Rafa held serve! 4-2!
Come on Rafa! You can do this!
It’s your birthday!!!
YES! he is dictating play now. MUCH better length!!
You see guys……u have been watching Rafa play toolong to know that these hiccups in slams are not for long…..he will fight as always. Even if he loses here he will ALWAYS give himself a chance!
Oh, and happy birthday by the way, Rafa!!
Darren Cahill says it’s the backhand. That’s the shot that’s getting it done for Rafa.
Come on, baby! You can do this!
NO!! bad return. DONT MISS these chances rafa! plz
yes!!!! rafa taking control
spoke too soon….
Rafa not getting the same length on break points!
come on rafa break
YEEEEEES!!!!! double break! nole is rattled now
are we back on serve!?!?!??!?! yaaay.
Amazing!!!!!
RAfa holds to love. serve way better
COME ONNNNNN!!!! who says rafa’s serve cant do damage!!! TAKE THAT!!!
NOW GET ANOTHER BREAK!! COME ONNNNNNN
vamosrafa,
I can’t get through this alone. That’s why I have to be on here today. I need to be with Rafa fans!
I saw a look in Rafa’s eyes that tells me he’s not going away! Then I also saw Novak looking kind of frustrated as Rafa just would not go away!
Rafa got the break again!
Okay, now HOLD!!!!
Honestly, it’s early in the match but I had tears in my eyes watching Rafa fight back!
This is so emotional!
I am losing it already! Breaking down to see Rafa fight back to 4-4!
I am so proud of him!
The crowd got behind him when he was down 4-0! Nice to see!
I love you Rafa!
Even if Novak takes the 1st set, at least we have a game on
The crowd are behind Rafa apart from the noisy Nole fans. There are 1000s of Eastern Europeans so normal a bunch of them there.
is it really 5-5, I dont believe it
RAfa saves 3 break points!! incredible. bloody umpire.
YES!!!!!!!!!!!
Good, Rafa holds
whats to do with the umpire?
what happened with the Umpire? my link keeps freezing
Time violation warning.
Now Novak is holding too easily. He’s really going for Rafa’s forehand side.
is he really taking longer than Novak ?
I don’t think so. In fact, I have been waiting for the chair umpire to call Novak for a time violation.
One thing that is key to me is Rafa fighting off those set points to hold his serve. That’s something he hasn’t been doing recently. Good job!
Now Rafa has to hold his serve to get it to a tb.
Novak holding way too easily.
Djokovic is rattled nonetheless. He looks like he’s been wounded in the stomach every time he loses a point
On a good day nobody is better than Rafa at changing his tactics mid match.
Yes, that is beyond annoying. It’s like – how dare you win a point off me! How dare you fight back in this set!
Come on Rafa! We need a tb!
Bad miss from Rafa 🙁
You don’t see Rafa miss one like that too often!
This is hard on the nerves.
Drop shots should not be allowed!!!!
What is with these drop shots? This is how he’s going to beat Rafa? Drop shot him to death?
NOOOOOO! first set Djoker. Rafa missed an easy overhead earlier in the game
drop shots count too guys and it’s a difficult shot to make, just saying..
Nole yelling because they won’t water the court. good. get rattled
thats ok even if rafa lost 1st set.
Novak has to play at his best to win this. He wont get it on a plate
that forehand smash miss at 30-15 🙁 Saved five set points….sighhh…it was a remarkable comeback but wasted in terms of not winning the set.
Gutted that Djokovic starts the set serving!
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CGlYUTVWQAMruKo.png
RAFA serving second is really costing him vamosrafa
yes ! i hate it.
Djokovic holding very comfortably since 4-4 in set 1. Rafa not even pushing him to 30.
Whenever rafa comes out to serve, I am nervous! Such is the quality of djokovic’s return.
Djokovic has cleaned up now and hitting winners much more frequently than rafa.
he lost the first set last year too. and won in 4. #ladecima
NOle going on and on about watering the court
and the difference in winners too
Nole obssessed withthe court – harrying the umpire.
Djokovic drops an F-bomb. No reaction from the umpire.
Novak wants this too much and it might end up costing him!
I cant wait for thi sto be over, cant focus on ANYTHING at the mo!
This nonsense about watering the court is really getting on my nerves. He did this in the fifth set of their semifinal in 2013. He’s like a prima donna. Wants everything his way. This after winning the first set!
I know! i hope he suffers the same fate here too.
Wow. This was teh second time rafa hit a 165 kmh HEAVY kick second serve! This is unprecedented!
Rafa won 4/16 second serve points in set 1
He has won 5/5 points in set 2!
As long as he keeps holding his own serve , he will have his chances to break.
At least Rafa is fighting……he wants to win this!! Vamos!!1
What is 165 kmh in mph? I don’t know how to do the conversion. I want to know how fast that was in our measure.
^^^^Answer 102mph. Not exceptionally fast
That’s fast for a second serve from Rafa!
Nole is behaving like a spoilt brat. absurd. he’s just won the first set.
The stat that sticks out is Novak winning more second serve points than Rafa – 46% to 25%. That’s not good for Novak, but it’s still more than Rafa. Also Novak hitting a lot more winners than Rafa in that first set.
rafa unable to hit winners. only ONE winner against novak’s eight in this set.
Forehand is nowhere near as lethal as it was last year. Oh, suddenly he plays a great forehand DTL! Rafa’s forehand picked up in the second set onward last year…
LOL, as I write this, he hits two great forehands DTL. Keep it up rafa!
he’s got to start going for those shots vamosrafa. if he doesn’t he’s gonna lose….
RAfa hit some much better shots last game …being more aggressive….if he starts doingn that he will win
Rafa’s stats moving in the right direction. Way to go yet.
NNY, absolutely correct. That second serve won % stat is crucial in this particular match-up. Every time Rafa has lost to Djokovic his 2nd serve won % has been under 50%.
Problem is Djpkovic is winning his service games far more easily than Rafa.
29 winners, 18 UE VS 12 winners 16 UE . This is a huge difference. Normally, rafa has more winners in their clay court matches at RG. Anyway, the biggest worry is that rafa is not making any impact on djokovic’s service games
I’m going to be leaving soon.. my nerves are all over the place, not so sure I’ll be switching on the tv when I get home.. I wish Rafa all the best and hope he wins this!
You guys have nerves of steel!
oh no……..
oophs, Djokovic breaks again
is it over? 🙁
This tactic of drop shotting Rafa kind concerns me. Rafa is running all over the place and that could take a toll as the match goes on.
I really think that if Rafa could have taken the first set to a tb and then won it after that big comeback, that might have messed with Novak’s mind.
Right now Novak is simply holding serve too easily. Rafa has to battle on his own serve. Somehow Rafa needs to step it up and put some pressure on Novak’s serve.
yes nny…..he seems to be making les sinroads into novak’s serve….
he’s only been missing some of those big dtl forehands by inches….he has to have faith in himself and try and dial it in.
Oh no!
I suppose it’s too much to hope ND will lose his serve 🙁
rafa’s forehand is a joke at the moment. Any good contacts he is making , have missed by an inch!
It is over
Looks like Fed and Nadal both have the same problem then.
I was afraid he wouldn’t 🙁
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CGliW_eUkAAV6d0.png
come on Rafa try and hold on…..!!
at least he gets to serve first!
Ridiculous half volley on deuce by Djokovic. So far, he has been far better to be honest,
13 winners against 32 winners is telling. Usually, rafa leads the winners’ count or it is at least on par.
Rafa not good enough. simple as that.
Commiserations fellow rafans.
Came back from shorter meeting and off to a long one… will (maybe) watch on tv later.
I hope rafa takes this, somehow, to a 5 setter. Let it not be over in 3! Even if Nole is the stronger player on the day.
That’s my feeling. Please do not let it be a straight set loss.
I guess reality has set in. My thought was that Rafa really needed to win the first set this year. It’s not like other years, where he had the confidence and belief and was playing so well that he was able to fight back. I think he needed to have that and play with less pressure.
It’s hard to watch this. The one thing I did not want is a straight set loss for Rafa. I thought he would at least win a set.
This match the are no empty seats :-).
Too late to hope for a miracle I suppose. But sending up a prayer anyway.
Say she as she opens the 2nd pack of ciggies today……………….
gave up years ago…but might start again….
wow! overall, poor performance by rafa.
oh no bloody no…..
Damn that umpire with the nastily timed time violation (helping to Djoker to a break).
What gives them the right to take matters in their hand to favor one player over another?
in set one
sometimes those small things do make a difference
but novak obviously too good today
unless a small miracle descends on the hallowed ground of the red gold
hoped he would not let this happen in straights.
But looks like that is what it will be
Sorry, but it’s not the time violations. It’s Rafa.
We knew Rafa was a long way off from his best but this is humiliating for him. He needs to take a long sabbitical for the rest of the year……….
Even Rafa’s indomitable spirit has been broken.
Even the bloody net cord is working in his favour.
That lousy luck on the last break point after fighting off the first 2 just about sums things up……
damn that bloody net cord!
this is turning into humiliation 🙁
Djokovic is not having to do much. Rafa is handing it to him on a plate.
He’s exploiting every weakness in Rafa’s game. He will be insufferable now 🙁
He already is!
another bloody net cord!!
Not a bagel please 🙁
nole kisses his crucifix after the netcord!! does he think it is divine intervention for the chosen son!
^^^^ That made me puke too
I’m glad I had my long meeting to go to.
nole may be one of those people who do not have the concept of why perhaps they shouldn’t do something like this (kissing crucifix in such a massive public context while opponent is having a hard day in a hard season… not so much nole being 10x better just rafa being so far from the level he has had at RG 10x before). Even if you were a friend of Nole and had an easy afternoon chat with no hurry somewhere comfortable, could you get it through his head?
42 winners against 15 winners!
Djokovic has been very good but rafa, sighh….
Rafa’s stopped even thinking clearly……….
He just gave up at the end. Very unlike him.
Was expecting a loss but not a humiliation
Novak 23 forehand winners Nadal only 3. This was a one sided match.
Well that was sad….
now I see what you have all been saying about the european clay court season.
Win or lose I love you just the same Rafa! you will be back…..
At least ND had the grace not to give one of his vulgar celebrations.
Rafa was jittery; he lost it in the locker room. However, nothing lasts for ever.
Happy Birthday, Rafa
what was worst was the way he fought back from 4-0 in the first and showed his old champion’s qualities. then he started to implode in the second. his forehand was like a ghost of what it is normally….a shadow….
Rafa surely did not play his best for reasons only he knows.
Only delirious people gave Nadal any chance in this match. Nadal has been abysmal all year long and nothing changed today. With this victory Djokovic is now over the psychological barrier he always faced against Nadal at this tournament.
Good for him.
yes
it only took him since 2006 🙂 when ‘he was in control of the match’
Let’s hope the 2nd half of the season is better for Rafa.
yes let’s…..I for one am supporting him to the end. Love isn’t conditional on success or failure. he’s still a great champion and human being.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CGlq54hWwAAsA-e.png
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CGlq8daWwAADBah.png
:'(
He didn’t play his best for 2 reasons
1- He is not the player he once was
2- Djokvic didn’t allow him to play well.
well let’s see how Djokovic copes once he starts getting injuries and is out for long periods. there have been countless great players who struggle after coming back after long periods out…..these things are a matter of context, they’re not absolutes….
Quite so.
Rafa has had more than his fair share of ups and downs. I still think he will regroup and play well again.
not absolutes… that summarizes so much we’ve witnessed over the years… and that many fail to see or want to admit
Jock has had a pact with the devil it seems and has been free of any but the smallers of injuries for many years now
I would be careful with the gloating. It can come back and bite you big time!
Djokovic did not have a psychological barrier, Rafa was just better previously but today Djokovic was better. That’s all.
3 forehand winners in 3 sets is a telling stat. It also has a lot to do with how well Novak defends.
Rafa played a bad match you don’t need the stats th prove it.
no,, it has little to do with how well novak defends but A LOT to do with how poorly rafa hit it! Novak’s defense was there in the previous years too. Rafa dominates in the forehand winners count!
he was unable to make ANY impact today with his forehand.
yes vamosrafa….I wrote before that his forehand was like a ghost of what it is normally, a shadow…it was almost unrecognisable at times…
that’s nothing to do with nole
64aces,
If you think that was the real Rafa out there today, then you are not living in the real world. Novak didn’t have to play well because Rafa didn’t get the job done.
Also, if you think that this is some kind of turning point and Rafa is gone for good, then you know absolutely nothing about this sport.
I remember all too well on tennis,com when some big mouth kept saying to me after Rafa lost for the seventh straight time to Novak at the 2012 AO – what part of zero do you not understand? I told him then and I will tell you now, nothing is forever in this sport. There are no absolutes! Never say never!
I’m already looking to Queens. I’d rather watch any way than anyone else any day.
nadline10 (at 4:25 pm),
Rafa will play in Stuttgart (on grass) next week.
So not long to wait. I forgot about that.
Djokovic has had a psychological barrier against Nadal at this event, he was in a winning position in 2013 too. Even today Djokovic missed some easy shots in the first set that allowed Rafa back into the first set.
talk about historical revisionism!! In 2013 Rafa served for the fourth set and the match and was up 30-15!! so that doesn’t count….!!
Thanks Amy. People simply enjoy putting down.
Djokovic vs Murray should be a good SF
If you like ping pong.
64aces,
Are you making the mistake of giving Novak the trophy before he’s won it? Remember what the man who has won NINE of these said before this match – this is not the final!
Novak has two more matches before he gets his first.
If you disrespect the man who has the record for most titles here, then you are not a true tennis fan.
I think that was only the 2nd time I’ve ever seen Rafa leave the court without signing autographs even when he’s lost the match. I hope the journalists are gentle with him in the post match presser.
I noticed that too! he did not sign them. quite rare
Under the circumstances, I think it’s totally understandable. This loss has to hurt.
Stanimal vs Tsonga should be easy for Stan
Novak may have beaten rafa but he has not won RG yet. Murray and then wawrinka will be very tough opponents. I hope tsonga does not beat wawrinka
Well, something all of us expected to happen…dream and wish is one thing…the reality is another…looking back three players who beat Rafa on clay this season are in the semis…it says it all…Rafa fought in the first set and the rest was more or less Nole’s show…Congrats to Novak and his fans
Rafa should relax now…he is improving…I hope Rafa has will and belief to fight for the rest of the season…
They should have watered the Court actually. From what I gather, even Nadal did slip once or twice. Don’t think that complaint was misplaced.
Tsonga cant beat Stanimal unless Stan beats himself.
I don’t think I can bear to watch any more of this RG. ? ? ? ?
Will play catch-up on Eurosport Player when the pain has worn off.
no I can’t bear to watch any more ed….
expended too much emotion today. that last set was so sad…..it’s surely going to be difficult for him to shake off the memory of it….
sigh. that was a thumping. On to grass.
Vamos Rafa – no matter what!
http://www1.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Rafael+Nadal+2015+French+Open+Day+Eleven+z_wn-GPpQ35l.jpg
https://twitter.com/rolandgarros/status/606136938911965184/photo/1
https://twitter.com/rolandgarros/status/606138019360468992
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CGl2PDrXIAArJhd.png
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CGl4j3yUgAAq6Ax.png
This had to happen on his birthday. I hope that he can regroup and come back from this defeat. It’s only the second time here, so the emotional shock can take some time.
Where is the link to Rafa’s post match presser?
Didn’t watch or look at scoreboard until it was over. Happy for that.
Hoping I was gonna be wrong.
Commies to Rafans.
Every great player goes through tough stretches.
He will be back.
Ferrer is battling Murray now. Nice to see.
Great to read Rafa’s words saying that he wants to work harder and come back stronger.
yes shireling, but that last set must have left a lot of scars…. I still don’t really know what happened…his forehand was missing in action today.
Finally, Nole getting it done what he should have accomplished the previous year! Did pretty well to hang in there after that Rafa comeback from 4-0 and the argument with the umpire! Maybe working with Boris has had some effect!
Congrats Nole!!
Commies to Rafa fans!
(In hindsight, my instinct about Rafa losing to Nole in straights before the tournament started was right)
Boooooo!!!
Boooooooooo!!!!!
It doesn’t add up, Rafa’s misgivings with his forehand.. the change and re-change of racket.. if you remember, he changed racket mainly to gain power..so for some reason he’s struggling to generate the power that he once did. His forehand winners in this match are to low to be just a psychological issue.. what do you think?
It has been a similar scenario like Roger’s.
Fed’s FH started declining 2009 onwards, but it was still steady enough to do some damage.
Since he adopted the new racquet, his BH has improved multifold, but his FH has went down several notch!
only in 2013 was roger having the kind of problems with his forehand that rafa is now. then he was shanking routine rallying balls against people like robredo! absolutely nothing compared to how erratic rafa’s forehand is this year before that….
then you probably haven’t seen Fed’s matches this year. has really struggled with his FH!
it wasn’t so much the lack of power as that he was just missing! time after time he tried to go for the big dtl shot and couldn’t make it….
that’s about confidence…..
if he could have started to hit the shot in the second set then he could have fought…he just seemed to completely lose confidence as a result…
Yes, this is a confidence issue. It’s all mental because at times he hits the forehand will brilliance. It’s up and down, hit and miss. But that’s because the mental focus and belief is not there.
How do you see things going from here nny??
because it’s hard not to fear that the confidence issues which you have told me about will not now be reinforced if anything by that last set….I mean that was so not Rafa as to be almost unbelievable…..it looked like he just wanted to get off the court..
maybe, an ageing issue?
way more to do with the toll that having injuries and long periods of time out from injuries has taken on him. think how he struggled with his confidence last year and then he recovered mentally after winning RG only to get the wrist injury! it’s taken too much out of him emotionally….
One thing that surprised me was how good Nole was with his volleys and overheads, even at crunch points. Never seen him that consistent.
amy,
I need to take some time to think about this before I give my thoughts. It’s difficult to process this right now. As I have been saying for a while now, it’s not just the fact that Rafa is losing, it’s the way he’s losing. That was true again today. This loss is not going to help Rafa’s confidence, that’s for sure!
In this instance, I had the feeling that Rafa did need to win the first set. That hasn’t been the case in the past, but this year has been different. When he fought back to get even and back in the set and then couldn’t get it to a tb and win, I think from that point on he just didn’t have the mental reserves or belief. I know that he’s won here nine times and that was supposed to make the difference, but he has been losing so much this year and to players who have never beaten him. A player has to win, get titles. It’s that simple. This is what helps to build confidence. Because Rafa hasn’t won enough this year, he didn’t have the confidence in his mind to come back after going down in that first set. He played differently from that point on. That’s why I thought Novak had the advantage with all of the titles he’s won. That’s a powerful building block. Rafa hasn’t won enough this year to have that belief in his mind. So he pretty much folded after that.
I don’t want to say anything more about where he goes from here. I want to think about it more. But I have been feeling for a while that this was a serious problem. Rafa’s great strength is his ability to keep fighting, never quit. That mental toughness is why he has won so much. I don’t see that now. I don’t know if it’s part of the aging process for him. I am not sure. But something is definitely wrong. It’s been wrong now for half a year.
I am struggling to deal with this. I try to think rationally and calmly and leave the emotion out of it. That helps me to deal with a loss like this. But I was thinking to myself, that even when Rafa lost to Sod on bad knees, he was still battling. He went down in four sets. That’s why this loss is so difficult to bear.
nny, I just wrote you a long answer then clicked on the wrong thing and so it has disappeared!
you have articulated very clearly pretty much exactly what I am thinking and feeling. Now that the long answer I wrote has disappeared I am not sure I am capable of writing it again! I am shattered after watching that match.
This is why I stopped watching Rafa after AO this year because I felt that there was a serious problem going on and that he was in for a bad stretch and I just couldn’t take it. It’s not lack of caring but the obverse!
Like you I am pretty gutted – Rafa has serious problems and it’s hard to see when he will come out the other side although I do of course believe that he will.
abhirf, Nole is still in Semis , remember?
Yeah! I do know that it’s still the semis!?
What made you think I don’t?
Wawa can definitely trouble Nole!
Not seen Andy. Can’t say about him.
amy,
I have done the same thing myself! I would write a nice long replay and somehow click the wrong thing and then – poof! Gone! I sympathize! I also would not want to write it all over again.
I truly understand why you stopped watching after the AO. Maybe I should have done the same. At that point I felt it was too early to think that something might be wrong. But as this has dragged on and on for all these months, I now sense that my worst fears are being realized. It was only as I continued to watch him after the AO, that I began to get this kind of foreboding, or bad gut feeling. I have watched this sport all my life and there is a point when you have to face the fact that something is wrong with your favorite player.
I was reading on Vamosbrigade last night. I don’t know if you are familiar with it. I have been a member since 2009, but don’t post there much anymore. Someone posted a comment that John McEnroe watched Rafa, I am not sure if it was in a match or in practice, and he thought that something was physically wrong. Just putting it out there.
Now I don’t know if I can watch Rafa anymore after this debacle. I have been so sad. 🙁
OK, I guess you were referring to Novak beating Rafa at RG then, when you said that he’s accomplished something that he’s never done before.
yes. Beating Rafa was what I was talking about. Maybe he carries more belief the next time they meet here.
Anyways, Happy Birthday RAFA!!
Yes, it’s nice to remind people that Novak has not won RG yet. He beat Rafa. This is his accomplishment thus far.
What I disagree is the language that says that rafa has been dethroned.
Had he been beaten while playing as well as he did in his better RG years (i.e. almost any one of them) then you can say that someone did something outstanding to beat him on this court.
Since his level was much lower than that, to begin with, regardless of Novak’s level, then beating him means two things:
1. By his own standard rafa’s level was below 50% today (and much of this season). It takes a good player to beat him but nothing more special than that.
2. Novak played well and with confidence. It was not that hard to be confident today in much of the match, save for the second half of the first set.
Those who want to call that a ‘dethroning’ are welcome to their language. But the words then are rather empty.
chloro,
I don’t know that it’s a dethroning in the sense that this was not the final. But Novak did beat Rafa for the first time ever at RG. That is an accomplishment, considering that it’s only happened once. The dethroning aspect is that Rafa will no longer be the RG champion. Not this year. But no one can take away his nine titles.
I think at this point we are talking about semantics. It’s true that Novak didn’t have to play his best, but that’s not his fault. Rafa did not play well and that’s on him. It’s what has been happening all too often in crucial matches this year. Rafa goes AWOL.
Can we say that the victory would mean more if Rafa had been able to play his best, fought like a champion and still lost? To me a win is a win. Novak beat him, something he has not done up to now. I don’t care if they call it a dethroning or whatever. Rafa is out for only the second time. That’s what is so hard to bear.
https://twitter.com/SteveTignor/status/606132395251802113
#Agreed
A person who wants to dethrone Rafa has to win more than this:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CGl_7u8XIAAXCoV.jpg
Just peeped in to see the score. This is a shocker beyond belief. Straight sets.
Sanju,
Did you watch the match? Then you would understand. I am still trying to deal with it.
No I did not watch the match. Just peeped to see the score hoping to see Rafa may have triumphed on his birthday. Shocked to see he got thrashed.
On a brighter note, the monkey is off the back. Thankfully we wont have to deal with undefeated at RG etc etc. He can play more freely now on.
I think playing in the QF with no title on the line really helped Novak.
Novak hasn’t won one yet. So let’s wait and see what happens. Rafa has already more than proven himself at RG throughout his career.
Video by Roland Garros: Press conference Rafael Nadal 2015 French Open / Quarterfinals
(Click on the headline of the video, if you can’t open it by clicking the button on the screen)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDSiKAeiQhU
This match wasn’t even close apart from a 25 minute period in first set. Nadal had no break points in last 2 sets. Djokovic is now 6-5 in last 11 clay court meetings against Nadal. Done compare this defeat with 2009 RG in 2009 Rafa was only 23 now he is 29. and in 2009 he was injured when he lost to Soderling. Today he was thoroughly outplayed. Nadal has lost 6 clay court matches this year. It doesn’t bode well when the season moves to Grass and Hard courts. I mean seriously if he cant even compete on clay, what are his chances of doing well on other surfaces? His ranking will also suffer he was defending 2000 points here. If he drops out of the top 10 he will run into big names in 4th round of majors and early on in the masters series events. He will most likely have to go through both Murray and Djokovic to win any event.The only good thing for Rafa is that he doesn’t have any points to defend for the remainder of the season, so he will gradually climb back up to no 3 or 4.
You are making the same flawed argument that was made after Rafa lost to Novak at the 2012 AO. I remember reading the same stuff online, i.e. Rafa would never beat Novak again, he didn’t have the game to beat him, couldn’t beat. lost to him on all surfaces, worse than anything ever in his career.
You are singing the same old song with a few new refrains. He’s older now, if he can’t even win on clay then how will he win on other surfaces, he was outplayed, blah, blah, blah.
Rafa is a great champion. He is having his troubles right now but if you are anyone else thinks that he can’t or won’t win again, then that’s just wishful thinking. Nothing new. We’ve heard it all.
Am actually wondering if Rafa will win or has it in him to win another slam, forget 3
way too soon to write him off Sanju, he’s got big problems yes but he’s still a great champion – he can still come back and win slams. You can never predict what’s waiting round the corner….in a few months the headlines could be completely different.
Some luck might help…he’s had precious little of that in a long time now
Not writing him off..am just wondering
Novak has now beaten him at all 4 slams (:-
Rafa has still not beaten him at AO
yes true. what do you think he should do? because these confidence issues have been going on a long time now…..
Not sure amy..I think the Novak riddle is now too tough for him to solve just like Rafa riddle was too much for Federer.
Novak is actually Rafas true nemesis.
I feel he needs to get lucky to win more slams by someone else taking out Novak just like Fed got lucky in 2009 and 2010 when Rafa got injured or others took him out.
I think it is more than Novak Sanju….
that was the case in 2011 when he was beating everyone else and only nole stood in the way. now he’s taking ridiculous losses and his confidence just isn’t there. you didn’t see today’s match but in the final set he just disappeared. this at RG at a court he owns from the greatest fighter in the history of the sport! that wasn’t just about Novak that was about problems which exist deep down….
of course it is injury which has created the chance for the doubts to lurk with such force but they seem to have become unmanageable for him.
I think he needs more help personally – the load is too hard for him to bear… uncle T does good things but is also part of his confidence problems… Rafa himself has said this in the past. I think he should keep uncle T. but bring in other people ie ex greats including sports psychologists who really do help loads of people
Yes problem is much larger..but frankly once he was 2 sets to 0 down..I am sure he knew he could not come back to win it..maybe he did not want to expend energy on a lost cause.
I think he has reached his lowest now..Out of Top 10 (never imagined this)..lost at RG..no clay title at all in European stretch..losing to likes of Foginini twice..the only place from here is up..just that path up will be harder as he will play better players as early as 4th round.
Look at Azarenka..she is not able to go above 24-26 ranking as she keeps bumping into Serena and Maria in 3rd/4th round.
the old Rafa would never have believed that because he was 2 sets down he couldn’t win. that’s always been his trademark – his capacity to fight back and turn matches around. even in 2011 against nole he was taking sets off him and fighting back, hence AO 12 which he nearly won after nole had been taking him to the cleaners.
the mental problems which are adversely affecting his game are running very deep at the moment…or so it seems anyway.
I am not looking forward to Wimby!!
amy,
I agree with you about how deep rafa’s problems run and they must be at least in great part psychological. There may be some physical challenges in the mix, fitness, who knows, or perhaps these are just minor. The psychological side though runs deep. I think you were already posting here earlier this spring when I wrote about the view that after pushing himself so hard from an early age, pre-ATP he’s gotten to a point where part of him just doesn’t want to … I could be wrong but keep coming back to this. Outside help from a good sports psychologist, like you say, seems to be needed but I don’t see Rafa choosing to seek it. Not everything deep inside is amenable, controllable with the sheer power of a strong will, grit, and such.
do you think it is a kind of internal resistance chloro? I kind of see what you mean. but I think that is partly to do with his set-up which he won’t change – we talked about this before. Uncle T does some good things but he is part also of rafa’s psychological problems and his endless adage about work, work, work, isn’t addressing what’s going on underneath the surface. I can see that this creates internal resistance on rafa’s part because it’s just asking too much of him. he really needs more help and a different way of looking and thinking about things than the restricted and in some ways quite punitive mind-set of Toni.
also chloro, one of the problems is that rafa has always played on this knife-edge and that’s intrinsic to his game. ie he’s always faced loads of break points and that hasn’t mattered because he’s always played fantastic on those points in a way NO other player could do. but the internal stress of this is terrific and it does mean that when rafa’s confidence slides his whole game is at risk because he hasn’t evolved an alternative playing style where he doesn’t have to do this or at least to the same degree. that’s also on Toni because he hasn’t helped rafa look at alternatives or develop shots in a different direction. other people could help him to do this.
also, you can bet your bottom dollar that toni thinks psychologists are bunkum even though they really do work. Murray’s seeing one on Amelie’s advice
Yes, some sort of resistance is likely it. My wife’s repeated comment (she has a psych background) these last few months is: he always plays every game and every point like it’s his life and that’s just too much.. he’s been pushing himself too much for too long.
And yes, Uncle Toni has overdone his forceful approach, starting with the early years. Making rafa ok with hardships, defeats, bad conditions etc… all good. But _ideally_ the same could have been done without the psychological…. ed here on tt / tenngrand calls it bullying. Just a couple of months ago Mr T (he of the strong masculine stand) said something to the effect that rafa is not exceptional.
What? Hard work and developing your personality have done wonders… but that overly-critical voice added to the mix has not.
This all seems very clear and certain to me… and I could be wrong about much or all of it. Myself I don’t know how else to understand the core, the deepest reasons for what has been plaguing rafa.
(The more surface reasons are there, naturally: competition is getting stronger and more used to playing rafa, nole 2015 3.0 is as hard an obstacle as nole 2011 2.0, coming back from the injuries and illness of 2014 was hard and yet one more comeback to work through.)
People say that what’s plaguing rafa is the hardship of the comeback after injuries and time off competition in 2014, and there is truth to that. But I think it is the deeper factors that are the main problem, a problem aggravated of course, muchly, by 2014. Were it ‘only’ dealing with the come-back from 2014 and such, we would by now see rafa back to a more or less consistent level of play and level of confidence, match after match. You would not see today’s match play out this way.
For example, what about 2014 or smallish as-yet not known to use physical challenges could explain the utter disappearance of his forehand?
amy, your second comment (8:37pm), just read it now, makes a lot of sense to me too. I remember rafa saying he likes competition, he likes to compete in everything, he hates losing, e.g. at video games, etc. He also doesn’t like to sleep too much, feels that is wasting time, likes to be active … I think he knows how to relax on the water on the boat, he is pretty relaxed when socializing with people, when he is Dr. Jekyll. But when he goes into competition mode, when he is Hyde, he is extremely intense. There was probably some room there over the years to get used to half the time NOT play with such intensity. He’s really not your average pro tennis player. I am thinking of the stuff he does to get himself into the Hyde mode: the cold shower prior to the match and the other parts of the transformation ritual (music on the headphone, quick callisthenics in the hallway prior to the match, the bottles rituals etc.) Had there been a good sports psychologist involved at times over the years, one that Rafa would have felt ok working with, surely there would have been a way to both diminish the strength of the critical voice, and to find ways to play near your best without that magical stressful approach. I write those few letters so easily ‘surely’, as if I know for certain :-).
yes I agree with the gist of that chloro.
yes the injuries have taken a terrible emotional toll but it’s impossible to overlook the dark side of Toni’s legacy to Rafa as a child. well, bullying him to be blunt. Rafa himself said that although it taught him good things it left him with powerful insecurities which made him vulnerable to upsets in the early rounds. So he himself has told us pretty much what is going on. Those insecurities are now like a genie which has got out of the bottle and are controlling him rather than the other way round.
And yes some of Toni’s comments are idiotic when Rafa is under stress. I kind of feel also that the whole work, work, work mantra is itself stress when things aren’t working mentally. Also, it frightens the living daylights out of me because I worry that he’s goingto injure himself again by practising too much. Other players have commented on this about Rafa. But mostly it’s all such a closed self-revolving mind-set brought by Toni with all the childhood scarring lying underneath. He needs some very very different thinking to help him.
I disagree that Toni s approach was to forceful. Who’s to say Rafa would even have 14 slams without his approach?
I consider Rafa to be the most successful player of all time so Toni was pretty good.
agreed, amy
hawkeye, agreed on most succesful, and Toni was pretty good…. but if I have a hard time believing more or less the same was not achievable without the bullying.
Toni said he himself lacked the killer instinct and this prevented him from being able to go far enough in pro tennis as a player hence he became a coach. Rafa on the other hand had plenty of the killer instinct ‘naturally’ and had this deep desire, deep will to win. And of course the athletic potential.
Here’s another way it could have gone. I was told long ago that some sitar teachers in India make the very young students come to class for an entire year carrying and caring for a mini sitar, listening to the older kids’ lessons, and developing a deep desire to play themselves whilst not being allowed to play their instrument. After that year the fire of desire is strong and the learning and practicing starts. This can be done without bullying, just tending the fire. I mean positive tending not critical mental hardship. In someone like Rafa that might have taken him just as far with this natural abilities, his desire, and a character that was able to accept many years of hard work.
chloro says:
June 3, 2015 at 8:51 pm,
—ed here on tt / tenngrand calls it bullying—
===============================================
I remember that it was deucy who wrote that U.Toni was a bully.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CGpJyeNWwAAg0sS.png
Djokovic and Nadal are more evenly matched in terms of styles than Nadal-Fed. Nadal should be able to beat Djokovic a few more times unless he goes into a massive slump for the rest of the year and never recovers. Federer is different. He can give Djokovic fits with his variety but no amount of adjustments help him against Nadal-it’s like a vice-tight grip that’s difficult to hold off for three sets. Nadal on the other hand can match Djokovic pound for pound in terms of stamina and groundstrokes. So while he has to work really hard, the level of tactical adjustment required is not that high. More about keeping it together mentally for both of them.
My tactic was to play aggressively and to stay focused on all points,” said Djokovic.
“I have much respect for Rafa. He is obviously not playing at the level we expect from him this season,.”
Just 1 last renaissance Rafa..please go out on a super high..please please!!!
If novak wins this RG..he would get his career slam at his 9th slam , exactly like Rafa too got at USO 2010.
You write off great players at your own Peril. They tend to bounce back, I believe Rafa still has some good tennis left in him.
Agassi won his career slam with a 4th major. Federer with his 14th Nadal with his 9th.
Just finished watching the re-play, looks like it was a pretty boring match, at least for this Rafan!
Congratulations to Novak, beating Rafa for the first time at RG.
Commies to Rafans and Rafa, painful but not unexpected really considering his performance todate this season. Rafa’s level is simply not top tier stuff at the moment. In fact, I fear he has regressed, gone backwards, grrrrrr!. I am sure Rafa knows this, he has to find a solution, that’s it.
Now that he is out of the Top 10 it will be harder because he will be running into the Top guys earlier. But that is the least of Rafa’s worries, I am confident once Rafa fixes what is ailing him and he gets his groove back it does not matter who he meets and when.
Grass season beckons…………next week, Stuttgart!
Vamos Rafa!
he was trying to get to his forehand ritb, the dtl shot most especially as he knew if he could dial it in that he had a chance to turn things around. but he just couldn’t get it going and that seemed to shake him so that he gave up on it completely! God knows….the last set went by in a horrible blur and there is no way I will watch it again!
yes, he has to add more voices and get some more help…..he is having to take too much on his own shoulders and it feels like that is part of what is affecting him.
This loss is tough because I can’t find any positives to take out of it. Okay, the monkey is off Rafa’s back. He lost for the second time at RG. Is that supposed to take the pressure off him now? I don’t think so. At least I see some agreement that this problem is serious and maybe deep seated.
When Rafa lost to Novak for the seventh straight time, the third straight slam final loss, I was of course upset and sad, but I realized that Rafa had finally found some answers. He fought back from two sets to one set down to tie it up in that memorable fourth set. Then he was two games from winning when he hit that bad backhand shot and ultimately lost his serve. But Rafa fought until the end. He did not give up. I knew after that match that Rafa would beat Novak the next time they met. From that point on until this year, Rafa has gotten the better of Novak, especially at slams. He figured it out. So there were good things to take out of that difficult loss.
This loss is so inexplicable, especially at RG where Rafa has dominated like no other. To see him just go away in that third set was absolutely the worst thing for me. He said that he would fight to his last breath before the match. But he didn’t do that.
For what it’s worth I do not think that Uncle Toni is the problem. I think Rafa is an adult, a grown man who is responsible for his own emotions. If he is lacking confidence, it’s not because of Uncle Toni. It may be convenient to try to put this on him, but he’s the coach who has been with Rafa throughout his brilliant career. He should be given due credit for Rafa’s successes, instead of blame for his defeats.
I just cannot take anything good out of this loss at all. That was just not the Rafa we know out there.
Tennis is boring when Rafa’s not playing well.
The reason I do not like this “confidence” thing as the reason for Rafa’s poor results is it’s a circular argument: he needs wins to get his confidence back, but he needs confidence to win! Aaaaagh…………*thumps head on computer*. Gimme a straight forward argument any day, like: his FH is crap these days, his serve is WTA stuff and he has the killer instinct of Bambi nowadays…………
Oh Rafito…………where art thou???
last set really was a horror show ritb, he fought so hard to get back in it in the first set and really looked like the old rafa. but that capitulation at the end was hard to watch…..the old rafa would have fought to the death! why can’t he now? partly, because his main weapon the forehand just goes on holiday….
I deliberately did not watch the match live, @amy, peeping in on livescores much later hoping to see the match in a 4th set or deciding set. Imagine my shock when I saw the match had ended and the last set score!
We just have to accept that Rafa is a 2nd tier player now, he has to work his way up, if the desire is there. I think Rafa needs to add another outside voice to his team, he needs to change things.
I really think his confidence issues are linked to the way his form has deserted him on his shots, such as the FH. Watching, it was like he just gave up on it, I do not understand…….
”You need to play very well to stand a chance against him, and the truth is that Rafael did not play at his best,” said Toni Nadal, who coaches his nephew.
http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2015/06/serena-williams-eases-into-french-open-semifinals/55146/#.VW9eoE2JjIU
Rafa hasn’t been playing at his best all season to date, Uncle T, just saying…………….
Rafa hasn’t played his best since summer of 2013 almost two years ago.
I am definitely staying off all message boards except RG. The sheer joy by anti Rafa camps must be insufferable
Folks , Rafa can only go up from here, he is already at his lowest, I am not sure how lower can he go from here given that he won no clay title and amassed just around 1700-1800 points on clay . Good thing is we saw his lowest , so we can only expect better now on.
He may do better in second half as its Hus
I meant better in second half as its traditionally not his stronger season , so less pressure
Delpo’s been out for what, 2 years? I doubt we are gonna hear any namby-pamby “confidence issues” stuff from him when he comes back, at least for not as long as Rafa’s taking to sort out his………
Maybe Rafa needs to step off the Tour for a while, play Challengers (didn’t Agassi do that at some point?), beat the crap out of everyone there day in day out. That should sort out his confidence issues, no?
600 comments already on this thread…
Also, this whole bloody business with the umpires handing out time warnings at crucial moments is really beyond a joke this tournament. Mourier gave one to Rafa at an absolutely crucial moment at the end of the first set. Rafa had been really fighting and was playing great aggressive tennis on break points…having the warning and trying to speed up helped him not one bit. Of course it didn’t determine the overall outcome fo the match but that was an absolutely crucial passage of play – he should never have given one then and if Rafa had held he could have taken the first set.
Yes. He would certainly had lost today but at least he would have had the first set and played the subsequent ones with more confidence.
I wonder what Roger the Great would have said about that time warning after the match, had he himself been in Rafa’s shoes.
it’s starting to feel like a bloody witch-hunt. ignoring other players’ transgressions and zoning in on the only thing they can criticise rafa for because his behaviour is impeccable on court. why only enforce the one rule and not the others? why not enforce it against Sharapova, ever! who takes much longer having those talks with herself between points at the back of the court. why is this not questioned in the media but reinforced as if it were a natural status quo? it’s appalling…..
Roger brought it up because he said taking time cost spectators…really! Rafa and Maria bring in more people to tennis than anyone else apart from his saintliness himself sitting around polishing his own superior halo.
The rule was meant to be there to target Rafa plain and simple
just so
Rafa knows full well the rule about enforcing the time limit rule was targeted specifically at him alone. I suspect, too, he is pretty bitter about it knowing from whence it emanated. It drives me crazy when the commentators (e.g.Koenig & Co) spout sanctimoniously about how if a rule is there it should be enforced blah blah. Trouble is Rafa appears unable to stay within the limits although he does appear to be trying to reduce the pre-serve ritual. I and a few others suspect this is having a detrimental effect on his serve.
You should have seen koenigs comments on Twitter getting into it with a rafan.
Looking forward to Federer retiring. Federazzi are ruining tennis.
9 7 6 6 4 3 is why they changed the time violation rule.
I believe that this is mental. What I am hoping is that it’s not burnout. I have been reluctant to say too much about this up to now. But it has been troubling me for a while. It’s not just confidence per se, it’s the mental focus and belief and whatever it is that makes a great champion do what he does. Rafa’s mental toughness has been legendary. He has fought his way out of tough spots throughout his career, won matches that he should have lost, kept on fighting when all seemed lost. He has never quit. But now that is what is happening.
Rafa’s own words at times are concerning. He said months ago that his ranking was going to drop, that he accepted that fact. But it did not have to be so. He also said that he’s done all he wanted to do in his career, has nothing else to prove. Some of his comments do not sound like a player who still wants to go out there and compete and win. I do not pretend to have the answers. I am just saying what I have seen and heard from Rafa.
What made him great was that fierce will to win. I don’t know if chloro is right in thinking that Rafa just does not want to push himself like that anymore. Maybe so. All of theories and thoughts I have read could be possible. Rafa used to hate to lose. Of course, he would be respectable at the trophy ceremony, but you could look at him and know that he hated to be the runner up. Now he says things like it’s only a game, it’s not life and death. It’s not the end of the world. That doesn’t sound like the Rafa who played this game exactly as though it was life or death and that it was the end of the world if he didn’t win. He fought like a man possessed on the court.
Where is that Rafa? Will he come back?
Over and over, Rafa’s recent results – or rather the lack of them 🙁 are attributed to a ‘failure in confidence following a 2nd extended injury layoff. But he roared back in 2013 after 7th months out of the game and had a miraculous year from a standing start. I am more and more convinced his current problems somehow stem from the back injury he picked up at the AO. Chloro’s theory may be the closest to the truth: it could be combination of the physical and mental. Whatever, he has never been quite the same since.
for what it’s worth, nny, my theory, right or wrong, is that _part_ of rafa does not want to anymore…
the others views must be right too, at least they must be right, that part of the trouble is the loss of form over 2014…
happy birthday all the same to rafa
This is the best FO in years. I will watch both semifinals and the final with glee.
chloro,
I am not denying the loss of form. I am just saying that tennis is so much a mental sport. The mind controls everything. It’s puzzling to me that Rafa can seem to be on the right track, playing well and looking good and then he bumps up against someone and just doesn’t get it done.
Maybe this is part of the inevitable decline that happens to all great champions. Maybe he can’t play at that level consistently anymore. He cannot seem to sustain it enough to win on a regular basis.
So you are saying that it’s physical? Well Rafa and his team have been keeping it a secret if that is the case.
What loss of form in 2014 are we talking about? Because I watched the RG final about a week ago and the quality of Rafa’s tennis was quite brilliant. I did see him bend over in that fourth set, suffering from something. I don’t know if it was the back or some kind of cramps. He did say later that if he had not won it in the fourth, that he did not know if he could have done it in the fifth, or something to that effect. He was lucky, in other words, because Novak double faulted away the break late in the fourth set to give Rafa the win.
[polldaddy poll=8911232]
nny,
I wrote too quickly, by 2014 form I mean the loss of form due to 2014 injuries etc and not playing many matches from the summer through January. And that besides the usual challenge to come back from something like there is something else the matter… more mental, and in my theory it’s part of him no longer ‘wanting’ to push himself so hard. I don’t know how else to put it… or whether my theory is right. Anyway, I’ve written it too many times, people must be sick reading it already.
I hope not to see rafa in this mental state for another year or more. I hope he takes a long break at some point and comes back, or finds his way back sooner, or calls it quits sooner. Whatever seems his best choice. My preference would be the choice he is perhaps least likely to take: add a sports psychologist to his team.
I keep hanging on to what was written about only for a short time, perhaps from a novak interview: that Novak worked with a sports psychologist around the end of 2010 or beginning of 2011, around the same time he (celiac person) went gluten-free, and that this (brief?) work helped him. He did become that much better in 2011 following his DC 2010 finals success and the switch in his diet. Perhaps it’s true too that a sports psychologist helped resolve something. In Rafa’s case this would be looking for such a remedy pretty late in the game, but nonetheless…
chloro,
Just to clarify, I did say in my previous post that any and all theories I have read could be possible. So I am not saying that I know for sure. I am just thinking out loud, which can sometimes be a tricky thing to do on this site! 🙂
Whether it’s mental and physical or what, the simple truth is that we have never seen Rafa like this. Not last year for sure. Now he is losing to guys who never beat him in a way that he never has in the past. He’s not competing. He’s never been this inconsistent. His ranking has never dropped this low. So something is wrong, that’s for sure!
So its 1 full year that Rafa has underperformed. Rafa will be just 2800 points after RG.He would have won just 1 title (a 250) in a whole year. Have we ever seen such an extended bad stretch from him? No
Now to the brighter side, Rafa barely has any points to defend for 1 full year. Imagine if he really plays well, how much he can gain? Question is, will he do the right things?
But according to Djokovic, fans shouldn’t be concerned for the dethroned King of Clay.
“[Nadal] is somebody that understands what he needs to do when he’s feeling down to come back and fight to be the best… I don’t think that this is a big deal. I think he is 29 and still has years in front of him, and I’m sure he’s going to bounce back and play very strong.”
reading the comments i get a feeling nadal beat himself and djokovic had to do absolutely nothing with it. what an impartial posting crowd.
No Djoko earned it and deserved it. The better player always wins and here it was a domination. Rafa ofcourse surrendered in 3rd but that was as Djoko broke his spirit.
If you think that was the real Rafa out there playing, then you don’t know anything about him at all. You seem to be saying that Rafa crumbled and fell apart because of Novak. No, I didn’t see it that way. However, I can give full credit to Novak for keeping it together and playing well. What was lacking was the fight from Rafa. Please do not presume to tell me that was not the case!
Djoko seems to have drop shotted to death against Rafa. Was Rafa not prepared for this? Has he not watched Djoko this year. Djoko just broke tempo of rallies with drop shots.
Beautiful piece from Lindsay Gibbs at the Changeover:
http://www.changeovertennis.com/things-we-learned-on-day-11-of-the-2015-french-open/
“2. Rafa Entered A Champion, Departed A Champion, And Will Return A Champion.
It hasn’t really sunk in that Rafael Nadal is not just out of Roland Garros, but out in the quarter finals, and out to Novak Djokovic in straight sets. And the thought that Rafa – who for so many years has shown how much he cares – will not be hoisting aloft the victor’s trophy come Sunday, is one too painful to consider.
I was one of the few who kept fervent belief that Rafa would add a 10th victory to his record haul, and I sustained that belief (to some extent) throughout the first set. In that set, Nadal resurrected from 4-0 down to 4-4, and although Novak was playing with a solid game plan (think drop shots, taking the ball high, etc), Rafa found just enough depth in his shots – and hustled like a pro – to put pressure on the Serb. Ending 7-5 in Nole’s favour, it was close.
However, alarm bells went off when Rafa failed to capitalise on break points at 3-3 in the second. Everyone – including him – seemed confident that however short his forehand landed, and however few times he hit the lines, this was where the Spaniard did his thing and ran off with the set.
No. Not only did Djokovic hold serve, but he broke in the next game. When he served out the set, the world – and Rafa – were left stunned.
When imagining Novak beating Rafa at the French, I think most of us would have expected it to be greeted with phenomenal cheers and wild Djoko-Celebrations. In actual fact, during that last set, Court Philippe Chatrier – and much of the tennis world – seemed enveloped in a poignant sadness. Broken in the first game, Rafael Nadal did not look like Rafael Nadal. And it wasn’t just because he couldn’t find his game. We waited and waited for his trademark fighting spirit to unearth, his passionate fist pump to reappear. But it didn’t happen. It just wasn’t his day. Rafa seemed washed in tiredness, resigned to fate, and – whilst he wasn’t exactly giving up – it was as if he was feeling ten French Opens of uninjured victories taking their toll.
To watch it unfurl was almost too much.
Novak didn’t flinch as he built a 5-1 lead on the nine time champion. The crowd had withdrawn themselves from the match, viewing it in respectful (but, honestly, ridiculous) silence.
And for the third straight time, a double fault ended a Djokovic/Nadal Paris clash. But this time, it fell from the Spaniard’s racquet.
The applause for Novak was polite – but as Rafa, the legend, left the stadium, showing his appreciation to the crowd, they responded with a roar worthy of a nine time Roland Garros Champion.”
That last paragraph brought tears to my eyes.
It’s worth remembering this the next time somebody is trying to construct imaginary stories to belittle Rafa:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CGpgK4WXAAAdtlp.png
Gussi-bot post type c. Nothing new just to attack real rafans. Sad.
I said yesterday before the match that the rg crowd would support Rafa over Nole and would be an advantage for him.
#SupportIlliteracy
June 4, 2015 at 10:57 am,
I am wondering what my post (at 10:13 am) has to do with YOU!
But, your sentence “..just to attack real rafans” is a brilliant example how YOU are constructing imaginary stories. 😆
To help you deal with your wondering ask yourself honestly if it did have something to do with me.
But you won’t be able to because the only thing original from you are delusional made up stories.
Sad.
June 4, 2015 at 11:46 am
—the only thing original from you are delusional made up stories—
===========================================
You are unsurpassable in this field. 😆
Then you weren’t wondering at all. You were lying. Making up stories.
Nothing new.
Sad.
RT @BenRothenberg: “Thought Djokovic-Nadal QF was rough? With Wimbledon seeding formula punishing Nadal’s grass struggles, *might* even be an R16 there. #RG15”
If this does not spell C.R.I.S.I.S to Team Rafa, I give up:
RT @BenRothenberg: “Shocking stat. Forehand winners: Djokovic – 23, Nadal – 3 #RG15”
I am lost for words. This is not just, “not playing well”, there is more to this story than meets the eye.
Rafans, we have to be ready for every eventuality:
1. Rafa may rise like a phoenix from this current flunk;
2. Rafa may now have settled on what is his true current place on the Tour, 2nd tier status below the top guys;
3. This may be the beginning of the end for Rafa. He may just be aging, in sporting terms.
Selfishly, I am hoping #1 is the case. Whatever the reality is, I am a Rafan forever and hope to see Rafa playing his beloved sport with joy.
Vamos Rafa!
RITB..When you start losing confidence..your strongest shot starts disappearing..Happened with Fed, happened with Rafa too.
Sanju,
Absolutely right! Rafa’s forehand, his most lethal weapon, has disappeared at times. If the mind is not there, then the game goes. Tennis is so much mental. I think we forget that at times. Rafa didn’t just forget how to play tennis while he was off for half a year. Maybe this was one long layoff too many, one too many injuries and then the appendicitis. Maybe it was too much and something had to give.
3 is definitely true. We have to all accept , Rafa will not consistently perform. He will throw good matches here n there, win a title here and there..just like Fed but no big accomplishments.
However I ma not giving hope on atleast 1 more GS..I wish for 2 though..1 AO and 1 RG but then my wishes count for nothing.
I think Rafa should switch to new racquet right now..Anyways no one is expecting much from him..so time to spend next 3-4 months getting used to it and go full gear in 2016. Thoughts?
I think 3 started already last year..its a journey..
Wouldn’t it be something if Rafa won Wimbledon this year?
(I just think somebody has to change the tone here :))
^^Now, now, @Shireling1, don’t you dare get our hopes that high, enough of the roller-coaster!
I fully expect Rafa to get another difficult draw at Wimby given his now low ranking. Also, Wimby will penalize him for his poor grass results of late so it is conceivable he may be seeded even lower than his current ranking at Wimby.
I for one do not think the period between now and Wimby is long enough for Rafa to have sorted out his game issues. I am fully prepared for worse to come, at least at Wimby.
No Shireling, wont happen this year. Not expecting any slam this year. Too much to ask and definitely not on his weaker surfaces.
I’m finding this discussion and analysis by my fellow rafans therapeutic. Thank you everybody for sharing your thoughts. We may have to wait sometime to know how the scenario will pan out but meanwhile I’m gaining solace by trawling through my archives and came across this NY Times article. There is nothing in it we don’t already know but it is a beautiful homage to our Rafa and addresses some of the issues we are talking about:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/21/magazine/21nadal-t.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1&
^^Beautiful picture of Rafa sitting on the sofa.
There are a lot of interesting perspectives about the state of Rafa’s game compared to the rest of the field. One opinion gaining traction is that Rafa’s defensive game is caught in a time warp, that the Tour is now more aggressive and Rafa has to adapt or die (figuratively speaking of course) i.e.
This is what a fellow Rafan on tennis.com had to say (partly in jest, I hazard a guess):
@MichaelDreher says:
“Ok rafa. Back to Mallorca. I hope you reflect on your game. It has gone down. Your old topspin tricks will not work anymore There are probably 20 players out there hitting the ball harder than you are. I have confidence you can figure this out, but you better add more agression/offense to your game. Your forehand has lost its punch. You need to add a celebrity grand slam winner to your team – why not pull in Sampras? whatever it is, if it is just you and Uncle Tony, I don’t have much optimism for you. And WHY are you hitting so many balls back into the center of the court to Nole? It simply comes back powerfully into the left or right corner, and mostly right corner where your two handed-backhand is just so inadequate Look at the power of Andy. Nole is only a year younger than you. Look at the power of Haas early in his 30s. I am 95% sure you can figure this out, but if it is only you and Uncle Tony on that little island of Mallorca trying to figure this out, I give you1%. ……………………..”
http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2015/06/serena-williams-eases-into-french-open-semifinals/55146/#.VXADek2JjIU
Nole himself was surprised Rafa played poorly. He said it in as many words if not directly.
I wrote earlier and repeating again. We have seen the worst of Rafa. 1 piddly 250 title in 1 year, No clay title whole European stretch, dropping out of Top 10..can it get any worse? The only way forward is up. Expectations are off, pressure is off, perfect place to make move up. If Fed could do it after 2013..Rafa sure can too.
The only issue is if Rafa does not want to fight his way up, but I doubt he will want to retire as a person who left the scene when things were not working. He will surely want to leave on a high. Steffi and Sampras come to mind. They battled lows but retired after they won a slam post the lows.
This is another post from another Rafan on a different blog. I do not agree with some of his opinions such as Rafa should ditch Uncle T but he makes sound arguments for his case so, worth a listen I think, otherwise I agree with the gist of his post:
@brando Says:
………………..Rafa seems to me to be pretty slow these days. Peak Nadal has many prominent features: one of the more notable is his explosive movement. He used to get to the ball in plenty of time and the ball explodes of his racquet with topspin that has plenty of interest. That is no longer the case. It was apparent today but really it been the case all season long. Rafa seems labored in his movement, unusually sluggish looking in comparison to his former self and his stroke production is affected heavily. How many times did he miss his FH DTL today? He was cursing himself at how off his FH was. I think he’s right: mentally he’s good and he’s over his nervousness. Today he fought and performed as best as he could muster. But that right there is his problem now. This is his level in 2015. And he has severe issues. The following: 1- his movement is off: he has none of his explosive, energetic movement and he seems labored, even late getting to balls. 2- this affects stroke production: due to this he’s seemingly netting more shots than ever, his FH missing consistently without any pressure. 3- weak serve: he hardly seems to get any free points and facing consistent pressure on serve. 4- tame tennis: Rafael for the big boys is not a threat right now. What is there to be afraid off? He lacks in movement, serve, the FH no longer is venomous and strangely: his game lacks any power or punch. That’s where he’s at for me. So I think he needs to go back to the drawing board……..And maybe get a new coach. Accept his new reality, seek out a new mindset, philosophy on how he should at this stage in his career since clearly the old MO is no longer upto it. Federer adapted: he got Edberg. Murray dare he got Mauresomo. Rafa should perhaps seek out someone. Maybe him and Toni have run their course and it’s time he tries something new at this stage of his career. He needs to evolve for me since the old game seems hard to reimpose today. My 2 cents.
June 3rd, 2015 at 6:14 pm”
http://www.tennis-x.com/xblog/2015-06-03/19618.php
^^^^ a very good point Sanju. Rafa is far too proud (in a humble way of course) to not want to fight his way back unless he suffers a crippling injury.
In my quest to understand Rafa’s current poor form I have been wondering if he is injured and not saying. His movement is just too below par……….
Someone has hinted that it might be his back maybe also after the appendix operation he was advised to nudge things down (although I don’t think so).
I think there is definitely something going on. If it’s not a chronic problem he needs to follow rehab and specific training.
This is by far the lowest he’s ever been in his career and I feel that he needs a drastic re-invention to pull through. In my opinion he needs to make aggression in is game a norm and not a resource; he just can’t afford to be chasing balls left and right as he’s always done.
… and before someone jumps at my throat I’m not suggesting that he’s a ball-chaser. I’m just saying that he needs to make life easier for himself.
^^^^ I spent most of the night unable to sleep. Time and time again, I reached the conclusion that only an injury explains what happened to his game yesterday. Of course Rafans will be accused of clutching at short straws and told to ‘suck it up’ by the Federazzi. Even if he had to be wheeled onto the court, there is no way he was not going to show up to defend his title. As far back as 2007, when all people could talk about was the Fedal rivalry, I suspected Djokovic would be Rafa’s main competitor in the future.
The erosion of Rafa’s H2H record has been accelerating since 2011. It reached its nadir yesterday.
My last sentence is badly constructed but you know what I mean……….
Maybe he could talk to Agassi. He resurrected his game after losing all motivation and in spite of chronic back pain in the latter part of his career.
Talking of back pain, Federer has not mentioned his back for sometime so presumably the problem has been solved.
That’s an excellent suggestion, I’d love it if he includes Agassi in his team 🙂
I seriously doubt Agassi has room in his life to even be a consultant. I was thinking more of a few heart to heart, off the record chats.
Talking of consultants, I bet BB will receive a massive bonus from Djokovic if he lifts the trophy. I blame Becker for the flurry of lethal drop shots he now emloys in all his matches.
Have to say chapeau to Djoko, for embracing change and working hard to improve.
Rafa is tennis wise specific…he can not be compared to any other player and in that sense any other tennis great will bring nothing to Rafa’s game unless Rafa himself changes…it’s too late to make a huge change at this point in his career…Rafa has always been hampered by injuries…and has been coming back for so many times…and has been up and down on too many occasions…and still he is one of the greatest of all times…
I think we all have to give some credit to Rafa. He lost to Novak who is playing his best tennis ever and this loss came as a surprise only to blind or ignorant people who know nothing of tennis…Rafa’s form is still improving…he is getting there slower than ever but that should not be such a shock to us…looking back at his tennis life he has had so many comebacks and had to deal with the main rivals at their peak…he started beating Fed when he was at his peak…he is battling with Novak who is currently at his peak…please, try to understand that Rafa is still finding his way back given the injury time off…and we all know it gets harder every time…
I for one agree with Rafa’s decision to quit resistance in the third set…why? No way he was gonna beat Novak who seemed more determined than ever…Rafa needs to conserve energy…his current form is not good enough to beat this Novak….so. he just needs to keep improving…
Rafa’s words are that he will continue to fight….that he will work harder…it is all I want to hear…
Again, do not put Rafa in the same bracket with any other player…Rafa proved us wrong so many times…Rafa is extraordinary and he will be back…will it happen this year? Not sure about it…but next year I foresee Rafa’s one of the greatest seasons…
One more thing: the way Rafa fought back in the first set breaking Novak’s serve two times was magnificent…He scared the hell out of Nole’s fans…He proved himself that he can do it…just needs more work fitness wise, a bit more confidence and a bit of luck…it will come…
Vamos Rafa! Your time will come!
natashao..I draw solace from some of your statements but frankly and honestly, don’t you think we all Rafans should stop predicting of what will happen to Rafa. All our predictions are more like we trying to console ourselves and cheer ourselves up rather than actually being based on any evidence.
Few of the statements we all made
Rafa will win French and make a deep run at Wimby
Rafa is hiding something from us, get a feeling he will win FO without losing a set
Something tells me Andy will be a victim of Rafa at French
Rafa will have one of his best seasons next year.
Rafas fearhand or forehand will make a big impression in QF
I mean we can all say whatever we want, but frankly we should stop fooling ourselves right and get a reality check. I know many of you will jump on me, but seriously folks , we are setting ourselves up for disappointment if we expect all of this .
RITB..I know you will take your claws out and pounce on me coz I quoted others :-)..
if I stop hoping/expecting/stating Rafa would again be successful and wining Slams than I shall just quit cheering for Rafa and switch to watching golf instead…
I will have expectations, hopes and beliefs as long as Rafa is on tour…I still remember the insulting words of some anti-Rafa fans after he lost to Soderling…there were some experts as well saying how Rafa’s knees were equal to the knees of a 70 year old man…I will never forget those times and how difficult it was for me and for my guy…and yet Rafa came back and beat them all…
Rafa will be back…I firmly believe in it…and if anyone here disagrees I will understand…just do not ask me to stop believing…it is something that is contrary to my character and definitely contrary to Rafa’s personality and to what Rafa stands for!
Vamos the Warrior! We love you and support you more than ever!
Sanju says: June 4, 2015 at 11:05 am
RITB..I know you will take your claws out and pounce on me coz I quoted others :-)..
@Sanju, I wish I had the energy to pounce on you but alas I am utterly claw-less today, 🙂
Like you, I have settled on the new reality, that our Rafa is, for whatever reason, not playing at his best, and there is a distinct possibility he may never recover his best form. I still live in hope that Rafa will rise up from the current ashes, tennis life would be too boring otherwise.
natashao..Ofcourse we need to hope, wish, expect the best for him and out of him. What I am saying is none of us here can predict anything for him like we do as I quoted above..Rafas racquet has to do the talking..By predicting that we will do this and that, we are more fooling ourselves.
There is no doubt all of us will be thrilled if he turns his slump around. I for sure am hopeful and very excited to see it happening given that we have seen his worst now and only way now is UP. I will be with him in his journey UP. All I hope is its not a good enough climb but it results in some big titles.
I predict Nole gets the calendar slam this year.
Don’t you? Or do you.
Agassi and Steffi are too busy running all their businesses and humanitarian activities.
I think Steffi will be better idea than Andre 🙂
Once u have access to 1, u get access to the other.
I thought about Steffi Sanju! but can you imagine Toni working with a woman??!
Steffi is graceful..Frankly I don’t see McEnroe working with Rafa..diff personalities.. Agassi is too flamboyant and Rafa is grounded. Steffi or Pete can be only alternatives as they are strictly business and no frills and humble like Rafa . However communication will be an issue. Rafa wont understand half the things they will say.
The irony is when Rafa was playing well, Toni kept putting him down saying Rafa is doing nothing great and now when all along he is not, he kept saying Rafas level is good and he can win. I think that man has lost it and seriously needs to shut his mouth. I never liked him anyway for his big mouth.
can’t see Rafa working with Pete Sanju – doesn’t seem like the right fit.
as you probably realise chloro and I had a long talk about the negative side of Uncle T. – of course he has done many good things and is family so I am not talking about ditching him but it is hard not to feel that Rafa has a lot of insecurites as a result of Toni’s treatment of him – Rafa himself has talked about this making him vulnerable to early round losses. It’s hard not to wonder if those same insecurities are not now prowling around in the open.
Sanju says:
June 4, 2015 at 11:08 am,
—Toni kept putting him down saying Rafa is doing nothing great and now when all along he is not, he kept saying Rafas level is good and he can win. I think that man has lost it and seriously needs to shut his mouth.—
==================================
U.Toni has always told the same. I has depended on journos (and a zillion internet commentators) what they have chosen to emphasize, twist and take out of context.
Well here are my 2 cents about Rafa:
He has pioneered a change in the way tennis is played. He started to rule the court from the baseline and wore & broke down his opponents like no one else. It helped him in his 1st half of the career where most people were aggressive.from the baseline and needed less of those baseline rallies.
What has happened over the past 5 years is that the new lot as well as some old one have now made baseline their home. So earlier where they feared Rafa from engaging in a baseline duel, they are no more afraid to do so. Part of it is because, Rafa probably has become half-a-step slow, but mostly because the other players have improved their fitness as well as the baseline game. This has thrown Rafa off his game plan more often than not recently and he has been found lost out there quite frequently.
Federer and Rafa may have improved and become better tactically( and maybe technically too) over time, but they are not better players on court than they were back from 2004-2010 (2009 in Roger’s case). They had more speed and power back then. Also they relied more on their instincts to come over the obstacles rather than strategy or game plans. And believe me, when it comes to sports, the one who backs his instincts at crucial junctures of a match, more often than not ends up winning the game. Be it an individual sport or a team sport.
Earlier, they used to beat their opponents just by their aura. Once those losses started piling up, their aura started to fade, and one thing led to another.
So when 2014 started, I saw Rafa and thought he is spiralling down the same way as Roger, but everyone brought up the injury issue then and the comeback issue earlier this season and I reserved my thoughts to myself till the clay swing began.
And after Rome I was more or less convinced that the accorded mileage has begun to show up just like in 2010. That’s when I posted my thoughts here.
@rafaisthebest,
probably now you will understand what I meant with that statement: “Rafa will improve and he will win”.
He will find and develop different aspects of his game now, but won’t win those big titles as much as he used to. The AGE catches up eventually!
I am okay if he does not win those big titles as much as he used to, as long as he wins few, I am okay
Where do you see Rafa from here abhi? An assessment from a non Rafan will be good as Rafans can get biased. Any more slams left in him? You seem technical enuff too. Or will he go the Roger way of underperforming in slams (1 win out of past 21)
I still think he will win 1 more RG ( Nole will be a big factor for him now that he has beaten him once here). Other slams, I’m just not sure. Will need a lot of luck to get a title win at the other 3 slams!
Masters? Same story here too. Clay masters, he will win 3-4 more. the indoors and US swing will be difficult for him. The guys who can pose difficulties for him are much more in no. than before.
What he actually needs is a good deep run in 2-3 consecutive events and then he will get that required confidence and mental strength to hold his own against his opponents.
but as usual, we will have to wait and watch how it all actually unfolds!
On another note, how can one regress in a game.
Rafa developed that big serve in USO 2010! It should have been a major and consistent weapon from then and thereof for him. But it was not there even at the next tournament that he played. how can it disappear?
Nole started to improve his serve and has improved it tremendously and still going for more on it. So how come Rafa lost his way through it?
If you posses a greater skill, you can’t go back to your sluggish one!
1 more RG is all I ask from Rafa and he can skip RG after that as far as I am concerned. All I want is for him to have that magical La Decima at RG and then he can concentrate on 1 more Australian Open for the double career Slam.
Yes, Djokovic will be a factor but I think we are being unfair if we ignore the fact that Novak beat a sub-par Rafa yesterday, even Novak said as much. If we all agree that Rafa can play better than yesterday then I do not see Novak having it easy at RG again.
abhirf says:
June 4, 2015 at 11:18 am,
—Rafa developed that big serve in USO 2010! It should have been a major and consistent weapon from then and thereof for him. But it was not there even at the next
tournament that he played. how can it disappear?—
==============================================
This serve disappeared because it caused shoulder pain.
Thanks abhirf
RITB..Your asks are exactly same as mine. I want him to win 1 more Rg and then not play at RG anymore. La DEcima and then leave with that memory .
1 more AO too Yes for double career slam.
However if you ask me he will just win 1 more slam and to choose, I will choose AO for double career slam as I think it will be bigger achievement than 10 RG (he already has 9 which will not be broken)
I bow to your great insight @abhirf! I have resisted thinking of Rafa ageing, but now I have to accept reality, ageing catches up with all of us and Rafa is no exception. Yes, he still has some big titles up his sleeve but he will no longer sweep all before him as he used to.
I am fully with Rafa if he did not fight for 3rd set. No point fighting a lost cause. I did not see the match but 1st set was close and I read that 2nd set, Rafa had a BP to go up 4 3 , so he was toe to toe.
Rafa is playing Stuttgart, Queens and said will even play clay in July based on results, if he is injured, why will he overplay so much?
OK I’m sorry if this sounds unduly negative but how long will Rafa have to get his game together? he’s been plagued by injuries coming out of the blue for ages now and every year he gets older that becomes more, not less, likely. If he were to get an injury like the one with the wrist he would be out of the tour with no real ranking points cushion. That leaves him with huge problems coming back.
It seems to me that one of the problems Rafa has rebuilding his game after injury layoffs now is that he is very aware of time passing and there not being too much of it left. In 2013 he was that bit younger, he had more of a cushion temporally speaking and that helped him. (One thing that is disappointing is that in 2013 Rafa had that great mental attitude to do with having been out for so long whereby he was just glad to be back and so he had a kind of instant perspective – that’s not the case this year). Now he seems weighed down by the feeling that maybe he doesn’t have too long left to achieve what he wants to, that has to play with his mind.
No-one except him knows what’s going on inside – but honestly I find it very hard to rationalise that final set as his just letting it go knowing he couldn’t win, conserving energy. Since when did Rafa think like that?! that’s an utterly alien mind set as far as he’s concerned and I just don’t believe it anyway seeing his presser and the look in his eye when he said he wasn’t happy about how he fought in the last set. Because he didn’t and that’s incredibly bad for his confidence and his reputation on the tour as a great warrior. I don’t see much point in talking about individual shots and what worked and didn’t…..it’s true that he tried to dial in the dtl forehand in the second set and when he couldn’t get to it he seemed to start to dissolve. But that’s mental really…and all the more upsetting after he showed the old Rafa fighting qualities in the first set.
I still think he needs more help – both from an ex great and from a psychologist. Like Djoker he can add them to his team and keep Toni so there wouldn’t have to be a huge change. But the rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat strategies he is using at the moment with Toni don’t seem to be working and he needs a boost of energy and firepower from external sources rather than constantly having to look for it from within himself. Change opens things up, gives you energy and hope…..also makes your opponents edgy wondering what is round the corner. He needs all that.
amy,
Bless you for saying what you did about Rafa not ever wanting to go out like that! Anyone who watched that third set could not help but be shocked and saddened to see Rafa go down like that. From a guy who has fought throughout his whole career?
In that 2012 AO final, Rafa fought and fought. It ended up being in a losing cause, but he came out of it knowing that he did his best, but also with answers as to how to beat Novak the next time. It’s about fighting hard even in a lost cause. But giving up? That is not Rafa!
As you said, look at his face in the post-match presser! Rafa is a proud champion and would want to go down fighting before relinquishing his crown. Saving his energy? For what? There are times when you need to go all out even in a losing cause.
nny, thanks for that! yes, it is in my view absurd to think that the greatest fighter in the history of the sport would start conserving energy! in a grand slam, on his court,against his greatest rival! the old rafa would have fought to the death even if he were injured knowing it could harm him. the look in his eyes in the presser when he spoke about the final set was pretty bad wasn’t it? It is that final set especially, the manner of the defeat, not the defeat itself which worries me so much with regard to his confidence in the upcoming matches. If he had fought to the end against novak then it would be different and he could have taken positives out of the defeat, in that very sane rafa way we all know and love. I don’t think he’s going to be taking much out of that match. (And what is so sad is that he did fight like a champion in the first set and he could have edged it).
It’s a bitter irony isn’t it that this is the first year that there is 3 weeks between RG and Wimby and yet rafa’s game is nowhere near where it needs to be to capitalise on it. the first time in 5 years that he’s not there at the end where the extra time would have helped him adjust to grass….
and this is where I differ from most of you…I may be blind or biased but deep inside I believe Rafa will do miracles at USO 2015…and will do well in the post Wimby season…if I am proved wrong than you all can say we told you so…and that it was the great love I feel for Rafa and the high respect I feel for his game and talent that drove me into unrealistic expectations…however, I will still believe and hope for Rafa to do well next year…as long as my warrior is out there fighting I will trust that his determination, hard work and willingness to improve will give results….
Vamos Rafa!
^^^^ Nats
spoken like a true Rafan. I haven’t recovered from the shock, followed by horror, watching Rafa struggle on the court he loves so much. I’m just praying that his grass court game is still there.
Rafa is far from done. I only need to hear his own words that he’s going to work hard to come back. to know he is not burnt out and will win a few more slams. He also needs to work hard to accept that changes to his team are necessary. C’mon guga!!!!!
Still with guga hawkeye!!? would have to bribe him to get him off the beach….
great guy though….
Those two together would be a laugh a minute 🙂 but would Rafa go against the family to try it as an experiment? I fear not.
yeah.. I fear he is too bound to his family ed….sometimes that seems like a smotheringly conservative mind-set although I know it is bound up in rafa’s heart and generosity. he is loyal to a fault. I couldn’t sleep last night and I kept fearing that rafa could have lifted his mind and game before now if he had brought other people in but that, even if he knew this, his loyalty to Toni would stop him doing it. that’s a frightening thought!!
Guga as an ideal IMO of what he needs. He needs to find his colm.
He is hitting without confidence, specifically too often hitting too short because there is no confidence to hit deep. The same way he lost to Soderling when he was much younger. Age is no doubt a factor but it is not the driving one.
#BetweenTheEars
It is more than a question of just loyalty to Uncle T. The Nadal family is an exceptionally tightly knit clan, even by Spanish standards, Three generations of various branches of the family all live under the same roof in an apartment block they own. It would need a unanimous vote from them before Rafa would even consider changing the status quo.
If you recall, Rafa was completely destabilised just after he’d won the AO when his parents split up and it was rumoured planned to divorce. I know nothing of the details but rather imagine this caused no end of disharmony in the family compound at the time,
ed251137 says:
June 4, 2015 at 1:22 pm
—Three generations of various branches of the family all live under the same roof in an apartment block they own. It would need a unanimous vote from them before Rafa would even consider changing the status quo.—
=====================================================
Speaking of the homes of the extended Nadal family, besides having an apartment block in the center of Manacor, they also own beach houses in Porte Cristo (at least Rafa’s parents and U.Toni’s family). Rafa mainly lives in the beach house, but his gym is located in the apartment block in Manacor.
But, I am not going to argue that “It would need a unanimous vote from them before Rafa would even consider changing the status quo.” 🙂
Brilliant post on the site that shall not be named. The first describes some-bot-y to a tee and the second describes a certain (auto)filter.
Snowbird Says:
What baffles me with some fans is their attitude that they own a certain player and no other fan is entitled to share him. Additionally, I don’t understand those fans who followed a player for years when the going was good, then suddenly drops him for the new star, and behave as though the previous one never existed. It’s almost like a divorce, in with the new and out with the old.
June 3rd, 2015 at 10:00 pm
yeah ed, I fear you are right. It needs uncle T himself to set the ball rolling which is a bit difficult to imagine….
Del Potro should retire. He’d make more money as Rafa’s coach. He has a kind, gentle and relaxed soul, similar to Guga.
Again, not derious about Delpo, just the kind of presence he needs on his team who has also competed at the top and won on the big stage.
Rafa does not really need a tactician.
Maybe just meditation and a little yoga to silence the demons and control the anxiety is all that’s required.
ed, anything like that, any form of quality contemplative practice taught by a good quality teacher would do him a world of good
as soon as I read your words I imagined Uncle T doing yoga or practicing meditation. Ha! That will be the day :-).
I don’t see yoga coming from Rafa either TBH. 🙂
Agreed. I see yoga coming from Rafa the day we see it first coming from Uncle T. 🙂
Like someone said, we need to believe that Rafa will come back, otherwise we might as well not come here any more.
And he will, I’m positive about it, there’s no way he’s said his last word in tennis.
Vamos Rafa!
Another comment my wife made last few months along with, “just too intense”, was about his OCD or at least OCD-like rituals. He didn’t have those in the first years and then there were more and more of them.
This reminds me of stuff from his (auto)biography. His sister called him a scaredy-cat. He won’t sleep with the lights out. He is afraid of thunder, if I recall right. He calls his sister and mom every day to make sure they are alright. He reminds his mom each time she goes out to drive safely. And so on. He is of the cautious, sensitive, worrying type of people … in his regular life. He works himself into the warrior mode prior to matches. Clark Kent and Superman.
I see this as all of a piece: his cautious sensitive personality in regular life, the strong support from all the family and friends surrounding him, the particulars of his warrior mode and how to get into it, the OCD-like crutches (is that what they are?) which I don’t blame him for, the deep desire to win, and the extreme intensity when it comes to games.
It WOULD be good for him to add to the old-old mix what you have been suggesting: a more-or-less laid-back tennis champion, and a sports psychologist. Not for a major overhaul but for opening new possibilities in how to approach his tennis practice and matches, and how to live with the critical voices in his head (which we all have).
The bravest thing in life is to be vulnerable (when it is safe enough). It is not a sign of weakness but rather the opposite. The bravest thing Uncle T could do right now, should have done for a long time already, is to admit that his approach needed for a long time / needs now to be balanced with the addition of such other people or at least approaches.
Not holding my breath of course, alas.
great post chloro, and agree with just about everything here. unfortunately as you say it will need Uncle T to initiate change and that is very difficult to see happening…….
feeling very glum today thinking that these problems could have been fixed a good while ago and rafa could be in a completely different place right now and that this is unnecessary. that’s an incredibly frustrating thought…..
I think the patriarchal structure of the whole nadal family set-up isn’t wildly helpful.
Oh I have a question for everyone!! how common is it for a male player to spend all their career with the same coach or coaches if you include Roig? has this happened before? I am talking about the greats, not journeymen…
amy ( at 3:40 pm),
I hope you don’t think that U.Toni is the extended Nadal family patriarch. (Fedfans usually describe him as a powerful man! )
🙂
didn’t mean that augusta…just that it would need him ie uncle Toni to initiate change…!
Maybe so amy but Toni has recently spoken about stepping down last fall so you never know. Probably for the better at this point. He needs a change.
June 4, 2015 at 4:23 pm
—Toni has recently spoken about stepping down last fall—
==================================
It was journalists’ interpretation of Toni’s interview.
^^^More made up stories (but not by journos).
yes hawkeye he sure does need a change….bring on Cahill please!!
surely he would be tempted out of the commentary booth if he could coach rafa!
Help! Just remembered Djokovic claims this is part of his pre-match preparation……………
Well if it has worked for him it could help Rafa.
to repeat myself, didn’t Djoker get some kind of sports-psychology help around the end of 2010, beginning of 2011? I believe he mentioned it once or so in 2011. At any rate, something in his self-belief changed around that time. Of course much of it was the confidence he built up in finally playing consistently well, in his 2.0 2011 phase.
But it seems that something helped him launch this. The DC win helped. The gluten free diet, because he really had celiac disease. But I believe the psychology was the third factor.
In my imagination someone had some conversations with him about his doubts etc, and taught him some techniques such as how to listen / talk / soften the impact of self-critical and self-defeating thoughts, as well as some visualization or breathing etc practices to perform during the year and before matches.
Nothing that exotic or earth-shattering. But ever since he seems to deal well with adversity on the court. Most times he can shake off frustrations of a hard patch in a match and be right back in a confident mode.
Sorry ed, waht is part of Djokos pre match prep?
^^^^^ @ Sanju
Meditation for sure. And think also Yoga although not 100% certain about that.
A year or two ago he was filmed meditating at a Buddhist retreat in Wimbledon before one of matches. He’s into a lot of the alternative/holistic remedies.
So impressed by Nole’s willing to explore every nook and cranny both mental and physical to reach the pinnacle of the game.
While Andy is my preferred player to win the French now, Djokovic is a close second.
Now that Rafa is out I’d like the player who deserves it most to win. That’s Djoker by a huge margin. He’s the only player who’s been close to Rafa on clay over the last few years. I don’t want Murray to win just because of the heat….
Oh and I don’t think Stan in the final is a pushover if he plays like he did against Fed…that’s assuming it is Stan…Tsonga won’t beat either Murray or Djoker…..
Djoker/Stan could be a great final.
Yes those rituals only become a disorder once they severely impact your performance. (ie., 18 months now).
I think it is a full on disorder now and the by design crack down and rule change has been the catalyst.
I don’t understand the excessive sweating he exhibits routinely now with the continual tap of water dripping from his nose. I first noticed this on his 2013 comeback in SA. I put it down to South American heat at the time but it frequently occurs in cooler weather also. Could be anxiety (disorder) too which, of course, is commonly related with OCD.
I hate to say this… but if this continues to intensify … there is a (sad) movie in here. Help is needed.
Remember Rodick? He used to sweat a lot with water constantly dripping from his hat…now that Rafa is bellow par, we seem to see problems in everything…people sweat more when they are nervous…or if they exercise at high intensity…I am the one who starts sweating at the first 10-15 minutes of my training…it is individual and IMO should not be considered a problem…
No. I noticed it in Rafa’s first tournament back in 2013. He had an amazing year which solidified him for me as the best player ever, hardly below par.
Yes it is individual but is relatively new for Nadal.
It is not a problem (other than hydration) but is a symptom IMO of high anxiety (my point).
the question is whether that is all… or whether the excessive sweating is another symptom of a deep-seated problem
I may be wrong about this but I have this vague image of Rafa as a huge bundle of will and effort continuously pounding on a massive unbreakable wall – fighting himself because he has (currently at least) no means of seeing other ways such as walking around that wall.
He seems to me to be caught in a huge struggle that on the surface seems to be ONLY about aging, fitness, confidence that can only come from winning enough, physical issues if any, the need to adapt his game to the evolving competition and such .. AND the responsibilities to his family, sponsors, fans….
while the difficulties also, equally, come from, on a mental/psychological level continuing to approach confidence issues the old way, the sorts of ways Uncle T and perhaps others around him adopt. And they are not working well.
Also, Rafa was profusely sweating against Sock in 18 deg weather. I don’t ever recall seeing this in cool weather prior to 2013.
First half of 2013 was spectacular, and I buy hawkeye’s assessment of rafa as a result.
Last part of 2013 he seemed to be chasing the number 1 spot, which he got (gained / regained for a third time and now after that long break in playing – amazing!). Back then I worried that he was pursuing this goal too hard… was it worth it?
I wished then and wish now he’d lower the intensity of the last months of 2013. Remember us writing about how many tournaments in Asia he was going for?
I’d like to attribute the back injury in the AO ’14 final to have pushed way too much in 2013. Easing off after UO ’13 was called for.
I wish there had been another person in his team in 2013, another voice loudly heard who would have encouraged that kind of easing of.
Agree
chloro..you are reading too much into it. Relax!!!
If only Cahill was available to coach Rafa. He speaks the truth plain and simple…
Darren Cahill
@darren_cahill
@AnthonyArmour were you listening yesterday? Never said that. I actually picked him to win. He will be back. He’s too good and motivated
I’d love to see him with Cahill hawkeye – I’ve been thinking over and over these last weeks that that would be a great fit. Cahill has such ‘colm’ and natural authority.
It’s not Rafa though who is really resistant to the change though is it? it’s Uncle Toni……
Let me tweet to Cahill..why does he not coach Rafa..:-)
go on Sanju do it!!
btw, when I have some free time I am going to email all the tennis journos I can think of and ask them about this whole time warning business with rafa and why this rule is being enforced and none of the others. why also they never use it against Sharapova who is worse! I don’t suppose it will do any good but I am a great believer in people power – there are millions of rafa fans, if we all email the journos about it then they would have to write s.th. about it!! why not!
it is actually an issue to do with the establishment as independent journalists do comment on it…..
I think ATP and WTA rules are different amy
really!! why?? how long do the women get? Sharapova takes hours between points when she has those conferences with herself at the back of the court….
Anybody here think any chance for Djoko to get upset in either semi or final? Its very hot for next 3-4 days.
yes I think so! under normal conditions he beats Murray easily on clay but if it is really hot, and it will be, then he could just wilt…….
^^^^Amy
Tsonga/Wawrinka match starts at 13.00pm. If it’s a war of attrition it could be after 17.00pm before the MurrayDjokovic match is underway. Some risk of thunderstorms late
afternoon into the evening. If they arrive it will cool down suddenly. I doubt high temperatures will be a factor.
http://www.weathercrave.co.uk/Weather-forecast-france/destination/Forecasts-Weather-forecast-roland-garros-42-1.php
thanks ed! interesting that this time they put the tsonga match on first. I guess they learnt from the last time when there was no-one there when jo and david hit the court – also, maybe they don’t want them caught in any rain……
that makes the chances of Novak winning very very high….
are you still feeling low after rafa’s loss? I was tossing and turning last night thinking about it!!
The short answer is “Yes”, I think.
Both Muzz – who, again, since he tied his wedding ring to his shoe has yet to lose a clay match – and both guys on the other side of that semi want to win this very much.
amy,
I had a very bad night. I had a restless sleep. I had to get up early to take my car to the dealer for servicing, then got it washed and detailed and then went to physical therapy. Having a busy day helped to keep my mind off of Rafa’s loss. Whenever it did creep into my thoughts, I became very sad again. Sometimes life intrudes in a good way to restore a sense of normalcy.
I do not think that Rafa should do any major overhaul of his game I think someone on another site was quoted as saying that this is what needs to happen because Rafa is too slow, his movement isn’t good enough, his shots aren’t good enough. To me that is a lot of nonsense! That is the game that got Rafa 14 slams and all the other wins and records. You don’t throw it out.
I do think Rafa needs another person in on his team. A new perspective. I would love to see Darren Cahill consult even on a part time basis. I also think that a sports psychologist would be of tremendous help. I don’t see Rafa going for it, but it would help him. Players who are at the top for years can develop all sorts of problems with being calm on court, anxiety, fears and lack of confidence. There is such pressure when you manage to stay at the top. It can take its toll. In addition, Rafa has had to deal with injuries as well.
I am not going to give up Rafa at all! I said he would have another great run in him and I believe that! I don’t know when, but it will happen.
I have been catching up now and reading the comments and discussion from everyone. It really helps to hear what people are thinking. I can’t get through this loss by myself. I need to be chatting with other Rafa fans.
nny, no I don’t think either that a major overhaul of his game is required, although I definitely want to see someone work with him on his serve. there’s no point saying this shot wasn’t working or that one, it’s not about changing the shots it’s about changing the underlying anxieties and problems which are crippling his capacity to execute his game. when his game is on, it’s still the best along side nole as it has been for years.
I do want to see him working with someone like Cahill who can give him colm and reassurance. Also a sports psychologist. I feel he’s too locked inside his family at the moment and he needs outside perspectives from someone who he trusts and respects.
Also someone who will feed his self-confidence and belief…that more than anything. (Cahill does seem a great choice). I still think that for all the good things that Toni has done he has also left a legacy of insecurities which lurk at the back of the mind and come out to the forefront under certain conditions. Also, sometimes change is good! it is re-energising and re-invigorating and boy does rafa need that. I worry about the tone rafa adopts in relation to his team…’I never make changes….if I don’t play well it is my responsibility’ (I’m paraphrasing here but he is always talking about it being his responsibility.) Is it really??! because a tennis player’s team is there to help get him results, the responsibility is shared. this speaks yet again to how rafa takes things upon his shoulders and isolates himself to some degree in doing so. I want to see him softening that attitude and being able to lean on people more and have them do more for him. Just thinking aloud!!
I hope you feel better today…….
PS Just one thought which occurred to me after writing this is that it’s interesting isn’t it that with the rest of his team apart from toni rafa has yet again, through this attitude, created another family, another closed group……as the responsibility for his game lies with him this group is unchanging.
Everyone is expecting Djoko to win 100%, I think he will win 80% but there can be a upset too..You never know
against gulbis in the semis last year he struggled with the heat and made some bad errors…it’s much much hotter on friday and murray is a very strong player defensively speaking….
Oddsmakers agree with you sanju giving Nole a 75% chance to win.
Murray has lost to him 8 times in a row..the question is does Murray believe?
I don’t think it’s about Murray – his game on clay isn’t good enough to beat Djoker under normal conditions. but if it’s hot and Djoker starts getting panicky and making errors in the way he does in the heat then it could happen….Murray trains in Miami….he’ll cope with it better..
He lost to Djoko in Miami 6 0 in 3rd rem 🙂
but it wasn’t very hot then was it??!!
TBH, the heat sensitivity is one of the improvements I’ve noticed. Nole looked like he was wilting when he lost to Nishikori at the USO.
However, it was 33 deg. (likely higher on court) when Nole destroyed Roger in Rome last month.
andyroddick @andyroddick 18h18 hours ago
Take a second and say it out loud.@RafaelNadal has won 9 French Opens.Cant take those away.Perfectly executed match by @DjokerNole. Props!
Rafa in Spanish: 1st you congratulate him, 2nd is to accept the loss, 3rd is to analyze why I lost then work really hard #RG2015
Not the words of burn-out.
#GOAT
rafa has always said 1 and 2 after a loss, and 3 as well whenever there were reasons to analyze… as opposed to just a bad day or an opponent who was just too good.
“I accept the defeats and there is only one sure thing: I want to work harder even than before to come back stronger,” Nadal said following the match.
“I am going to fight. I lost in 2009 and it was not the end. I lost in 2015 and it is not the end. I hope to be back here next year with another chance.”
and in March…
It’s not the question of tennis, [It’s] the question of being relaxed enough to play well on court,” Nadal told reporters. “Today my game in general improved since a month and a half [ago]. But at the same time, [I’m] still playing with too many nerves for a lot of moments, in important moments.
“I have been able to control my emotions during 90 per cent, 95 per cent of my matches of my career… But I’m going to fix it,” he said. “I don’t know if [it’ll be] in one week, in six months, or in one year, but I’m going to do it.
He’s obviously motivated (which, for me, isn’t burn out).
For me, it is anxiety that has finally reached a point that it is severely impacting his confidence and game exacerbated in no small part by past injuries and feeling rushed.
#BetweenTheEars
hawkeye,
agreed
please send him a text message suggesting kindly he try things he hasn’t tried before to help with the anxiety 🙂
“It’s not a big surprise, no? I didn’t win enough before here. It’s something that could happen when you see the draw.” -Rafael Nadal #RG15
“I was doubtful about myself the 11 years that I was playing here. I won nine and I lost twice. Doubts are good in life.”-Rafael Nadal #RG15
Tempered doubts, yes. Excessively angst-ridden doubts, no.
exactly hawkeye!
From an article just prior to Rafa’s return in 2013…
Nadal plays hit-and-run tennis. Just keep hitting. Just keep running. Hardcourts splinter his knees and the Australian Open would have been an unforgiving examination. The indisputable fact is that he will return immediately to the obsessive-compulsive rituals that soar beyond superstition. Nadal’s world collapses unless he performs a checklist designed to provide “the order I seek in my head”.
He must have a cold shower 45 minutes before a match.
He must carry one racquet on to the court.
He must have five other racquets in his bag.
He must have wrapped his own white grip on his racquets in the locker room.
His bag must be placed next to his chair, on a towel, never on the chair.
He must sprint to the baseline after the spin of the coin. A split-step and then a jog around the back court.
He must towel down between every point. It can be ace or double fault – he must towel down as if he is covered in sweat.
He must run his hair behind both ears.
He must touch his nose.
He must pick at his underpants.
He must drink from two water bottles at changeovers. One bottle has cold water, one is warm.
He must face the labels of his drink bottles to the end he is about to play from.
He must never rise from his seat before his opponent.
He must wait at the net post so his opponent can reach his seat first.
He must never walk on the sidelines as if he is avoiding cracks in the pavement.
On clay, he must run his foot along the plastic baseline on the side of the court he is about to play from.
At the Australian Open, when going from one side of the court to the other, he must walk across the MELBOURNE sign.
He must have his socks at the exact same height.
He must fold his towels after every changeover.
Her cannot step on any lines on the court.
It can be quirky. It can be annoying. Disrespectful? Opponents are kept waiting while he stuffs around. Point being, he cannot help it. He has walked through a hotel foyer in Sweden, hopping around the marble floor like he was playing hopscotch.
“What are you doing?” he was asked. “What is that movie with Jack Nicholson?” Nadal replied. “The one where he’s walking down the sidewalk and …
“You mean As Good As It Gets?”
“Yeah, yeah, that’s it.” Nadal laughed: “I love that movie.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know,” he said.
“Maybe I hate cracks, too.”
Nadal is as fair as they come. Among the big four in men’s tennis of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Andy Murray and Nadal, the Spaniard just might be the most genuine and likeable of them all. He has tried without success to stop every twitch. Is this not a diagnosable psychological condition? “Man,” his coach and uncle Toni Nadal said, “He will tell you what you want, but I am zero obsessive. At first I didn’t mind, but a player who puts bottles in line with the court and will not step on lines is obsessive.
“Once he told me about a movie As Good As It Gets. He was saying how superstitious the main character was and I said: ‘He’s like you’. And he replied: ‘No, no’. When you do senseless things over and over, you’re superstitious. He has told me before he can stop doing them and I have told him to do it. “I like things that are logical. It does not affect his game but if he needed those things to play well, it would be bad.”
Nadal does need them. It is not just in tennis. Two hours after his seventh French Open title, we sat alone in the grandstand of Court Philipe Chatrier when Nadal walked out with an army of family members. Photographs were taken with the trophy.
When it was all done and cloud-dusted, when Nadal had finished contemplating the empty arena for memory’s sake, and after the high-heeled shoes of his mother and girlfriend had stopped boring holes into the surface, he stood back so that everyone else could vacate the premises first. And then when he thought no one was looking, he still went out of his way to avoid stepping on the lines.
June 4, 2015 at 5:07 pm
—He [Rafa] was saying how superstitious the main character was and I [Toni] said: ‘He’s like you’. And he replied: ‘No, no’. When you do senseless things over and over, you’re superstitious.—
===============================================
Is Rafa supersticious or isn’t he – that’s the huge question! 😆
“People with OCD have excessive doubts, worries, or superstitions. While all people experience these problems occasionally, OCD patients’ worries can control their lives. They may cope with common problems by indulging in compulsions that are excessive or do not make logical sense.”
http://www.psychguides.com/guides/ocd-obsessive-compulsive-disorder/
Sound like anyone we know?
From a recent SI Mailbag by Jon Werthiem….
“This was one of those casual hallway talks, so I will not name names. But I was speaking recently with a former champion who made an interesting observation about Toni. This former player is a fan of the Nadal camp and was not saying this critically. But, essentially, he noted that Toni is more of a diagnostician than a clinician. He is great at spotting the issues. He is less good at solving the issues. When Nadal figures out how to take Toni’s observations and use them to his advantage, all is good. When Nadal knows the problems but struggles to self-correct, life becomes more difficult. “
For what it’s worth, I don’t think anyone here knows for sure what is wrong with Rafa. We can posit, theorize, discuss and put forth our own ideas. Is it excessive anxiety? Is it burnout?
I brought up the issue of burnout. I did not say that it was necessarily so. But I have been wondering and worrying. It’s only natural when you see your player looking nothing like his normal self, not competing in huge moments of matches.
I sincerely hope that is not the case. Some quotes have been put up to refute this notion. That’s all well and good. But there have also been other comments from Rafa that are a bit concerning. At times he seems to be way too okay with losing. At times he seems to be resigned to his ranking going down. He has said things that make me wonder and then there are other quotes that sound like a player who is determined to find a way out of this.
Rafa has done so much, confounded his doubters and critics and naysayers. I am hopeful that he will figure it out.
sublime tennis from novak, this was the heaviest loss nadal experienced at RG. he may never fully recover, although there are still few good matches in him. i understand this forum is heavy pro-nadal and heavy anti-novak!?
^^You understand this from whom, where? You have every right to understand whatever you damn well please sir but you have no right to infer “understandings” on behalf of other posters. People are free to root for whomever they please here. What do you want, a red carpet, “welcome Oh Novak fan” complete with ululating hand-maidens? Please.
This is a free forum, if you want to pitch for Novak, welcome! If you want to pitch for Rafa, welcome, even more so in my book! Guilt tripping? Pfft……………
And I agree: Novak was sublime, Rafa was awful. Of course you wish and hope Rafa never recovers. The better for you for Novak to rule in a weak era.
^^^^@ Mr. Strummer
‘I understand this forum is heavily pro Rafa’……………….
How perceptive of you! Have you also spotted we are fans of tennis with respect for many players including your favourite? More importantly, we respect each other’s opinions. Trot off ducky and try your baiting tactics elsewhere.
I don’t think Novak’s tennis was sublime. He looked rattled and whinny in the first set when it was competitive. Once Rafa ran out of gas it was Novak all the way, easier than a training session for him.
^^^Shirling
Not like you to miss ritb’s ‘diplomacy’………………:-)
just wanted to point it out to Mr. Strummer … another one to adopt the Oracle role of predicting that Rafa may never recover although maybe having a good few matches in him… I hope there’s many more like him – Rafa will feed off these comments and show the world, yet again, that he’s a great champion.
With Rafa all the way!
That was beautifully done by Djokovic, make no mistake about it. He came really close to wilting in the first set even though he clearly the better player. Good thing he pulled it together in time. Interesting to see how the slams unfold going forward. Novak might actually be in with a shot for the CYGS. Amazing. Of course, still very pre-mature but he definitely deserves to be there. That said, I really wouldn’t mind Stan winning as well. Great guy, great game.
Want to share this if anybody has the hear to read: (I did my best with the translation)
http://www.elmundo.es/blogs/deportes/sinred/2015/06/04/no-entierren-a-nadal.html
PARIS – Is he always going to play like this? Sergi Brugera asks himself about Novak Djokovic while simultaneously hinting a “no” with his tone. The day after Rafael Nadal’s 2nd elimination in RG suggests a disquieting reflection about his future in the elite of tennis. Disquieting doesn’t seem to be the adjective to which all conversations lead in a morning the tournament lives as an orphan. Like a Wimbledon without Federer or a football world-cup without Brazil.
“I was with him after the match and he’s very motivated in front of this new challenge” adds Carlos Moyà, who’s waiting with his wife and daughters to play his veterans double match along with Juan Carlos Ferrero. “This had never happened before, results not coming immediately after a come-back. There’s an enormous appeal in the extreme adversity” says the ex number one and 1998 RG champion.
The tables at the back or the players’ hall have become a playground. On the floor, sleeping, beside some bags full or rackets, we can see little Vega, Juan Carlos’ 9 month old daughter. “Since when is Rafa playing poorly? Since beginning of the year, no?” proposes the 2003 champion and finalist a year later who also went through a drop in his ranking. “It’s obvious he’s not at his best level and he acknowledges it, he’s said that he’s working to recover his game. You can talk about a drop, ok, but it would be too early to interpret it as the beginning of a decline. He’s capable of winning Wimbledon and USO.
There’s a confluence of arguments. 29 (and two days) years old, we can’t talk about decadence.
“What happened on Wednesday reflect each player’s form. Djokovic is at his best, even better than 2011. Rafa has more doubts than ever. There’s two points that perfectly define their respective moments. With 6-5 down in the first set, serving, 30-15, Rafa nets an easy smash. In the 2nd set, 5-3 to Nole, deuce, after Rafa has saved two set points Djokovic returns an early-bounce, BH, one metre from the net that not even Federer would do” suggests Moyà
Another anchor that Rafa hasn’t yet lifted is his lack of calm, the conditioning of playing excessively tense. “He needs to know that all his shots are ready, make many good points to sustain the flow of his game and he only had that feeling at some moments in the first set” adds Philippe Bouin, important journalist of L’Équipe from 1980 till 2010 and still avid and wise observer. “He doesn’t move as well as he did, he lacks energy, more solid support and stability in his legs. Most likely he will never play as he did when he was 23 or 24 since life is a progressive decline in itself but, in my opinion he’s still in the top 4 and it wouldn’t surprise me to see him winning another RG”.
“He puts too much pressure on himself from the desire to win. It’s this anxiety he’s mentioned before. The best Nadal appears in the most difficult situations. He never takes a step backwards and now he’s lacking belief, that running FHDL. He’s not loose and sees the court much smaller” Ferrero maintains.
1993 & 1994 and 1997 finalist, Bruguera has lunch with Sebastian Grosjean, whith whom he works trying to squeeze Richard Gasquet’s talent. “The important thing at this stage of his career is to maintain the competitive hunger. This he doesn’t lack. You only need to see him train and play although right now things are not like before. He’s been away for a long time and it’s normal that he struggles with this rhythm. What was amazing though was those amazing come-backs we were used to”.
Bouin concurs in noticing that Nadal’s ambition is still intact. “Borg lost it very quickly but he’s more alike Connors who at 39 reached the USO semifinals. His passion for the game is intact”.
Thanks @Shireling1. Nice to hear the perspective of those who are more likely to know and understand better what Rafa is going through. Beats pundits anytime.
So Rafa has said recently it is anxiety. Now Moya confirms.
As I’ve said all of this year.
Anxiety disorder.
June 5, 2015 at 4:15 pm,
Rafa said more than 2 months ago, in Miami: ¤¤ But at the same time, still playing with too much nerves for a lot of moments, in important moments, still playing with a little bit of ANXIOUS on that moments.¤¤
http://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=108015
In the article, Shireling1 posted, Moya doesn’t speak about ‘anxiety’. Ferrero repeats what Rafa has said: “….It’s this anxiety he’s [Rafa] mentioned before…”
Some-bot-y lied about not caring what I said.
Yummy yummy yummy! I get all the attention I need from some-bot-y.
Hillarious!!!
#YoureWelcomeMyFan
June 5, 2015 at 5:01 pm,
I care what Rafa & Moya & Ferrero have said.
^^^ You just cared yet again!!!! (and lied before)
Yummy yummy yummy…
As JJ would say, HOW MANY TIMES????
Too funny.
#YoureWelcomeMyFan
#Humb1e
Here come da calendar slam like I say back in February.
With a hawkeye on the future.
Amaaaaaaaziiiiiiing!!!!!
#NID