posted Nov 4, 2007

UncleToniisaGod,

I've said in many posts before. Nadal is mentally suspect. Just watch what happens when he serves for a set or a match. Or when he's leading 40-0 in his own service games. Or what happens when he loses a set. He just gets down on himself and lets it all happen.

I agree with you, he needs to work on his game outside of clay. And the best way to do that is by getting a new coach!

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posted Nov 4, 2007

Well done Nadal for taking revenge on his defeat by Nalbandian at Madrid! I guess when Rafa is playing well there aren't many people who can live with him, and the 6-1 6-2 scoreline is an indication of that. Nalbandian should be proud of his efforts this week, and let's hope he can have more of an impact in the slams next season.

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posted Nov 4, 2007

GuiroNl, I don't think it's fair to say he's mentally suspect, if anything, he's one of the mentally strongest players on tour. But he just collapsed in that second set and it seems to me that whenever he goes 4-0 5-0 down in a set, he just throws in the towel. However, I don't think it's fair to criticize him too much. Nalbandian is just unstoppable at the moment .

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posted Nov 4, 2007

Nadal is NOT one of the mentally strongest player on the tour. It pains me to say it, as a Nadal fan.

If he is, than explain to me how he manages to get destroyed in the final set of a match so often.

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posted Nov 4, 2007

I guess, I can only say that was as I expected. Nadal really does not have a weapon to hurt Nalbandian in these courts. I agree in Rolland Garros, Nadal will break down Nalbandian's backhand and keep him behind the baseline and dictate points because of the court holding the spin and providing biting bounce. In all other courts (including Hamburg, Rome - not sure of Monte Carlo), he does not (yet) have the game to play Nalbandian from the baseline (again, big if - Nalbandian's form holds). He needs to have a real flat forehand (like his backhand) that can win him points. With heavy forehands with bounce and top-spin does not hurt Nalbandian, as he has the speed to defend and the bite and accuray on both flanks to hurt Nadal. He also needs a lot of cheap points from his serve (which is what helps Federer). I think his serve was really the biggest letdown today. He could not get many cheap points from it and once it became a rally, he mostly lost the point.

I can see the same issue for Federer too. He cannot really hold his own with Nalbandian much from the baseline. He needs to serve really well against him. Also, he needs to hit harder and more closer to the sidelines (without losing much depth).

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posted Nov 4, 2007

Because he was beaten by the better player and there was nothing he could do. What matches are you referring to GuiroNl?

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posted Nov 4, 2007

Agree NorthCarolinaMan . I think one of the reasons why his serve let him down today was the threat of Nalbandian's return. He felt like maybe he had to go for a bit too much but Nalbandian played very well and deserved to win . However, as a tournament it's been encouraging for Nadal fans. He's improved on hard-courts but at the moment is a long way behind Federer, Nalbandian, Djokovic IMO.

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posted Nov 4, 2007

for rafa it's really difficult to face daveed even when he is in top physical conditions. rafa's game matches up very well for david.
1. Nalbo really has more firepower and more variety -- topspin, flat, underspin.
2. rafa's high-bounce shots are ideal for david's put-away groundstrokes. It gives him time to position himself well and
think 3 shots ahead.
3. rafa's serve is not difficult and very vulnerable While Nalbo is known for superior returns of serve.
4. Nalbo's serve is much improved (more consistency) and really unpredictable as of late (more aces).
5. Nalbo is a more strategic thinker now, bolder with his acute angles, compared to rafa's defensive high-percentage retrievals.

6. It boils down to focus and concentration. Flat strokes from a focused player will cause untold misery to a topspinner. Flat shots
are harder to anticipate and they often skid rather than bounce on a hard surface.
rafa didn't help himself either. he was very conservative. no agression, no fire-power. he was inviting david to attack him. it will never work. thats why I will say it over and over again. rafa needs a new coach. tio toni is great but rafa needs to re-think and rejuvenate his game and strategies. after losing the first set today, he didn't have a plan b. he was very passive. it worked yesterday against baggie but it had much to do with baggie's mental meltdown (he choked yet again despite leading by a set and a break) but against the likes of david it doesnt work. rafa is a young guy and he is still in the learning process. he is so talented and determined and he can imrove a great deal even on clay. but to do that, he needs a new coach.

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posted Nov 4, 2007

Agree . Tio Toni is fabulous but he knows Rafa's game too well. I think bringing on a hard-court specialist to teach him a few things will enhance his game. On clay he reignes supreme but he has a lot to learn about indoor and hard-courts. It is frustrating because he CAN flatten out his groudstrokes and play more aggressively but sometimes he just reverts back to his comfort zone, and now that just might not be good enough. Nothing stays the same and Nadal has to move with the times and be able to play on hard-courts.

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posted Nov 5, 2007

The matches that I am referring to are a couple against Youzhny, Blake, Gonzalez this year at the Australian Open, Hamburg this year against Federer. Also before he won his first RG, he had some awful results.

Final set blow out is no surprise really. In the picking game thread, straight after the first set loss, I said that Nadal was suspect for a bagel (I even made a bet on this). It's no surprise at all to me.

Anyway, he needs a new coach for surfaces outside of clay, I agree.

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