Nobody Knows How To Beat Nadal

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Of course Nadal can get beaten as Rosol proved. Federer's laughed afterwoods because it was such a freak performance but unfortunately for other players not something that could be repeated. Funny Federer is still probably laughing now... Of course everyone thought that Djokovic had solved the problem but after his three consecutive final losses to Nadal people are getting a little worried and quite frankly desperate again. Courier demonstrates this by revealing his master plan to get a win over Nadal in the Davis Cup.

One of Nadal’s habits is that he will not get off his chair until his opponent does so.

"I’ve never see anyone do that to him. He is always the last off the bench,” Courier said at Stanford's Bank of the West Classic, where he defeated Michael Chang in an exhibition. "I have nothing but respect for Rafa; I love the way he plays, I love the way handles his business, but if I'm coaching against him. I’m not letting my player get up until he gets up. It’s as simple as that. He’s got to know that this is not his court, it’s our court. Those are tactics.”

http://www.tennis.com/articles/templates/news.aspx?articleid=18768&zoneid=25

Ha ha ha! I'm sure Nadal is trembling in fear at the thought of having to face such strong opposition. Or maybe he's just thinking of a new display for his water bottles. That always appears to make his opponents so angry, distracted, puzzled and curious that they lose concentration completely as they try to decide if they have the guts to knock them over and try and imagine what would happen if they did....

Courier is so scared at the prospect of having to face Nadal that he hasn't realised that his fear might be imaginary. Nadal has no plans at the moment to play in the Davis Cup. But you never no he might change his mind and that would be scary...

I must admit that Nadal presents a strange prospect; a player who looks like he should be unbeatable but whose the record shows has been beaten at every off-clay event since mid 2010.

Weird isn't it?

Josiah Maiestas wrote:

legendkillarV2 wrote:But then I didn't know 'treatment' was illegal.

No-one is calling the result a fluke. Just a rare occasion performance. If he can sustain it then I won't be calling him a one hit wonder like the Crazy Frog!

Most of the players below top 10 would never be given the same level of aid! Honestly I think the lack of wind that gets through on CC helped him to time the ball better. Calling someone a fluke though you need to show me some of the shots that were 'flukes' (Lydian) you are currently telling us hitting the ball hard and in is a fluke! Which is a bit extreme.

So you mean he needs aid despite the fact if he worked on his game and his strengths that he could 'earn' the aid which other players have due to successes on court.

Let's see where Rosol goes from here eh. Soderling made number 5 in the world and made another Slam final and was struck down with illness very very unfortunately. Let's see where Rosol is in a years time

legendkillarV2 wrote:Do we asterisk every Dologopolov victory for the intravenous drugs he has on tour for his 'condition'?

Shall we put asterisks by every Slam Sampras won because of the treatment for a genetic condition that caused mild forms of anemia?

Those two players couldn't run for 7 hours in a slam final.

Why would I compare 2 "quick paced" players with a slow one!

Josiah Maiestas wrote:

legendkillarV2 wrote:Do we asterisk every Dologopolov victory for the intravenous drugs he has on tour for his 'condition'?

Shall we put asterisks by every Slam Sampras won because of the treatment for a genetic condition that caused mild forms of anemia?

Those two players couldn't run for 7 hours in a slam final.

Why would I compare 2 "quick paced" players with a slow one!

Your beef is about a player who uses platelet treatment for an injury while conveniently overlooking the other 2 players who used treatment over a far more consistent period, yet you are linking platelet treatment to 'enhancing performance' despite the fact that Sampras would've used blood transfusions for his condition.

Well Nadal's best is the best after all...

Sure the Rosol victory was freaky - those balls could just as easily have fallen the other side of the line but that doesn't detract from the fact that he won the match with brilliant tennis, very probably unrepeatable but still brilliant ball striking.

It was a fabulous sporting moment - not because he knocked out Nadal, but because a complete underdog dared to leave absolutely everything on the court and never to blink. Derring-do or what?

I am not surprised that Rosol went out quietly to Kohlscreiber because he must have been emotionally spent after leaving his heart on Centre Court to have to come down to earth on an outside court a few days later.

We've all seen Nadal and Federer produce tennis that is equally audacious and brilliant but what has separated them in the past from the rest of the pack is they can still win tournaments with their B game, and against certain opposition, with their C.

Perhaps we should all salute Rosol for great entertainment and a brilliant match and enjoy a wonderful sporting moment, not try to justify or put it into a wider context.

time please wrote:Sure the Rosol victory was freaky - those balls could just as easily have fallen the other side of the line but that doesn't detract from the fact that he won the match with brilliant tennis, very probably unrepeatable but still brilliant ball striking.

It was a fabulous sporting moment - not because he knocked out Nadal, but because a complete underdog dared to leave absolutely everything on the court and never to blink. Derring-do or what?

I am not surprised that Rosol went out quietly to Kohlscreiber because he must have been emotionally spent after leaving his heart on Centre Court to have to come down to earth on an outside court a few days later.

We've all seen Nadal and Federer produce tennis that is equally audacious and brilliant but what has separated them in the past from the rest of the pack is they can still win tournaments with their B game, and against certain opposition, with their C.

Perhaps we should all salute Rosol for great entertainment and a brilliant match and enjoy a wonderful sporting moment, not try to justify or put it into a wider context.

Ta!!

Great tennis is great tennis whoever it comes from. Perhaps Rosol had his own sights set on the trophy the whole time and to get there he needed to beat Nadal which he did but maybe in doing so unfortunately used up all his mental reserves he had for the tournament.

Rosol was nice enough to donate sets 1 and 4 and give Wimbledon crowd a bit longer action.

Why is everyone writing Rosol off anyway? The analysis I saw suggested there wasn't really a drop in his level of play, it's just Kohlschreiber handled his game a lot better. I reckon he'd give Nadal problems if they happen to play again (though of course team Nadal will be much better prepared).

legendkillarV2 wrote:Murray in awe?

Federer scared?

What crap. Your powers of pyschology are wasted here!

Oh dear the Federer nuthuggers have been roused! Fed has played within himself in all 3 finals 2006, 2007, 2011 with Nadal at FO, granted Nadal was unstoppable in 2008. Federer clearly looks rattled when having to face Nadal especially on clay. Um....how about the Head to Head record! Not good is it?!

Murray on the other hand is a different case. He always mutters to himself , feigns injury and often plays up shouting and screaming against most other players but when he's against Nadal he seems pretty mute compared to his usual self. Murray's body language changes when he's facing the top 3. Against Baghdatis this year he was pretty irritating, muttering and cursing every single point he lost, against Federer he seemed better behaved.

Pyschology? Is that the science of taking the pys? You've no doubt got a degree in it!

I missed the bit where there was any evidence of anyone being scared.

Oh and the evidence of feigning injury.

This man is a genius.

bogbrush wrote:I missed the bit where there was any evidence of anyone being scared.

Could that be because there wasn't any, I wonder... ?

Murray in awe ? Federer scared / rattled ??

I must be watching my tennis on the wrong channel !

Amongst the many serious charges that might be brought against R.Federer, (wearing dodgy jackets, losing in Rome to Ernests Gulbis ..... ) you'd struggle to find a prosecuting barrister ready to take on a case for him ever looking 'rattled' ......! If there were rankings for showing emotion on court I doubt he'd make the Top 100, let alone World Number One.

There is apparently rare footage of him having a good old fashioned rant at the umpire during USO 09 vs JMDP. Mind you, taking around half an hour to request a hawkeye challenge could be a tad annoying for most folk I suppose. Although not quite as annoying as that Rosol guy, allegedly jumping around the baseline whilst waiting to receive. I mean, talk about bad behaviour ....whatever next ..... ?

Federer scared or rattled? This is off topic but maybe there should be a separate thread on it as it's so rare, scary and fascinating when it happens. My recent "favourites" are that scary scream (what's the word for a scream that isn't high pitched) when he went down two sets to Del Potro in the FO this year. It was so scary I had to switch off for a bit... Also the slow motion reply of Murray's attempt to hit him in the face at this years Wimbledon Final. A flicker of shock before he elegantly and very quickly moves out the way. The ball doesn't even touch a hair. I think he was rattled though.

But the best by a long shot is in one of his Wimbledon finals with Rafa were he asks for hawkeye to be switched off (because Rafa keeps getting challengers right) I thought the umpire might do it... It still makes me smile now.

His Wimbledon outfit was a little disappointing this year but next year I'm hoping he will make up for it now that he will be returning as champion.

This is the only time I remember him being truly rattled/annoyed/off his game:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9X48FqmoJI

While his admirers pray he never indulges in the ensemble again, there was a humour value that tempts one.....

As for Federer being rattled, nothig compares to the time he told the Umpire "don't tell me the f*cking rules" when he was explaining that challenges had to be made promptly by JMDP and the Umpire was trying to tell him what's what.

bogbrush wrote:As for Federer being rattled, nothig compares to the time he told the Umpire "don't tell me the f*cking rules" when he was explaining that challenges had to be made promptly by JMDP and the Umpire was trying to tell him what's what.

If my recollection is correct, part of the reason JMDP's challenges were so late was that he was having a nice little chit chat with the umpire about whether it was close enough to be worth making a challenge! No wonder Fed was livid!

Oh and of course telling the Djokovic family to "shut up"...always makes me laugh that one.

HMM : It was indeed "a nice little chit chat" as you say

In fact (IIRC) it was on the deciding point of a game/set...?

Believing the game to be done & dusted, I left the room to rustle up a quick cup of coffee (instant only on this occasion you understand ). But imagine my surprise when returning a full minute or more later to see that JMDP finally decided he'd like to challenge. And even more surprised that the Umpire actually allowed it .....

Have noticed JMDP adopting a similar approach once or twice over the past few months. I hear that he's pushing for a rule change, whereby he could challenge any close calls retrospectively once he's had chance to watch a replay of the match back in his hotel room the same evening.

lydian - good clip there ! (10.27am) I think, as you say, the only documented evidence of him ever being TRULY rattled on court (although there have been many cases of him raising an eyebrow mind you....)

Many lower-ranked guys (with apologies to Baghdatis of course) seem to take forever when smashing a racquet, and even then it can sometimes still look vaguely serviceable. But with immaculate footwork, shoulder turn and wrist action the job is executed to perfection as the racquet is consigned to history ....

lol lags...Federer is even the best at racquet smashing hey!
None of this namby-pamby having to bash it 3-4 times on the floor to get the job done.
I like the way he then flings it to the chair from 10 yards away - discarded with the scant regard it deserved. After that breaking incident he then threw the empty water bottles over this shoulder at the change of ends too...again despatched with the courtesy they deserved.

That's how to summarily dismiss errant equipment!

Watch this clip around 1:20 for the despatching...
Exhbit A: Miami 2009... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4Jr6qTvaYM

Roger has since developed "form"...

Exhibit B: WTF 2011.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72Hu8frpcqk

Exhibit C: Rome 2012... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HROCtNyWrzc

Talk about losing your bottle!

OMG .... throwing empty bottles on the floor - now that's what I call looking 'rattled.'

Finally, some cast-iron evidence that would safely hold up in a Court of Law.

Rumour has it that the twins have started mimicking this shameful behaviour whenever they have a milkshake at Pizza Express. The strict nanny tells me them off in no uncertain terms - only to be told "but we saw Daddy doing it at work..."

Now you're talking lags..had many a Peroni and Sloppy Guiseppe at PE.

Yep, Roger's not quite battered himself over the head Youhnzy style...

lydian wrote:Oh and of course telling the Djokovic family to "shut up"...always makes me laugh that one.

Wasn't it "Be Quiet!"?

The funniest part of that is where the whole crowd applauds.

Must have been hard on Novak, that.

Yep thats right BB...it was FO09 vs JMDP where he told someone in the crowd to "shut up".

lydian wrote:Yep thats right BB...it was FO09 vs JMDP where he told someone in the crowd to "shut up".

He told someone in the crowd to shut up this year at RG too as I recall - I can't remember whether it was against Djoko or del Boy.

Yup here it is SHUT UP

There's been some fun stuff here folks

None of the incidents highlighted seem to relate to matches involving Rafa. Quite ironic really, given that Federer - to the bemusement of most posters - was rather oddly described by someone as looking 'rattled' when facing Rafa on clay. And yet over the years, even in those matches where he suffered his heaviest defeats at RG, he invariably seemed to maintain his default expression of calmness personified. Perhaps it's partly down to the fact that he's always got on pretty well with Rafa off court, but mostly his ability to stay cool even when being put to the sword.......

I know all the comments have little to do with Rafa but have had fun reading them... How could I have forgotten the "Be quiet" aimed at Novaks family. Good times.

Of course Federer isn't scared when facing Nadal. Why should he be? Whatever happens he has 17 shiny trophies safely at home. Same goes for Nadal when he plays Federer. They have nothing to lose from a loss. How can it hurt losing to another multi slam winning all time great. I like to think they enjoy the challenge of playing each other and in truth this is what they both say. The tennis they produce certainly suggests this. It often lacks nerves and is free flowing... and of course great.

Another of my favourite Federer moments is when he was playing Nadal in one of the clay masters finals. They were involved in a long amazing ralley when Federer yelled "ye ha" in the middle of it. Just pure enjoyment. I'm sure many will think I'm making this up as I don't have a link but it is the truth...