Ok - this is not bandwagon jumping, but after seeing this epic final I have to hand it to Nadal. He's a superhuman dynamo, with quite possibly the best mental strength ever.
Roland Garros is a shoo-in and I fear that Federer, although capable of upsetting Nadal at Wimbledon, may be too mentally scarred to deny Rafa. He's clearly suffered a massive emotional body blow here - witness the trophy presentation.
The only problem is the US Open where Rafa will be tired and struggle with the faster surface.
It may be that Rafa eventually get's more than Fed and Pete... and surprise us all. He can only improve. Grand Slam 2009 anyone...?
I think Roger will get 15, but it'll be tough. Probably 2 more US Opens.
He may be the last of a dying breed - the traditional one-handed backhand finesse player...
For the first 4 sets, I thought the quality of tennis was high. In the fifth set, Roger either just choked or was physically and mentally tired. He knows Nadal is very tough in a fifth set. As usual, Rafa regained his form after the fouth set. Roger is 27, which in today's game is the beginning of a tennis players decline. The fact is though, today, Roger would have defeated any other present day player EXCEPT NADAL.
He will cos we know french open is virtually a guarantee every year as long he plays to above 20% of his ability. (Thats 6 "guarantees" from now until he is 28)
However he needs to be at his best to win the other 3 majors which he will be probably the favourite for all of them.
Of couse Nadal can the guy is 22 years old. Until a true claycouter comes on tour he's guranteed to win the majority of RGs in the next 6-7 years and Im sure he'll add in the odd AO and Wimby therefore he has the potential to set new records himself.
I remember people spouting that kind of nonsense when Borg and Connors were playing. And here we are three or four tennis generations later with people still sporting one handed backhands. Surely you think that the Greatest Of All Time has made some impression on young players. :lol:
BTW, I should mention that I do not dislike Nadal the person, I dislike his game. I think he's a fine young person with a level-head and seems to appreciate the normal things in life. I just can't appreciate his tennis style, it's too brutal for me.
However it's a big mistake for parents of potential tennis talents to look at Nadal and think - "oh we can make little Johnny here into another nuclear-powered Nadal-type game". Nadal is a physical outlier in the game of tennis, a freak from physical standpoint. The only next Nadal would have to be someone who had the muscles, with the speed and hand-eye coordination.
However it's a big mistake for parents of potential tennis talents to look at Nadal and think - "oh we can make little Johnny here into another nuclear-powered Nadal-type game". Nadal is a physical outlier in the game of tennis, a freak from physical standpoint. The only next Nadal would have to be someone who had the muscles, with the speed and hand-eye coordination.
That's true of all great tennis players. Each of the great ones pushes tennis a little bit further and adds something new. Parent's can' take their children and mold them into a Federer either.
Maybe one day, the world convince itself that "the goat", just "the goat" will never exist, noone NEVER will agree about thing, NEVER, even with 14GS Sampras is not consider by EVERYBODY as "the goat", Laver with his great achievement is considererd "the goat", and the list go one. The goat is a personal thing.
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