I don't like it and I really don't know what to think about this any more. Too many guys here have seen it coming. Rafa can't just play on clay and run away from HC for God's sake. I'm not questioning his knees, I simply don't understand what's happening with him.
so far, it's only an article from Marca which Scoobs and JustlikeHeaven mentioned this morning, and since then Toni has denied that they had taken a decision.
Why would it be strange? Federer only started winning majors a couple of seasons before Nadal and the Spaniard is a grinder. Grinders don't have have longevity in the sport.
Still only speculation at the moment ... absolutely no official word from the Nadal camp and no quotes in the article in Marca today. Surprised ESPN have made that statement since it isn't based in fact (not yet anyway).
There's no smoke without fire though ... so whoever wrote the piece in Marca may have heard a whisper or they just thought it would be good fun to 'speculate'.
ESPN put this:
Rafael Nadal has opted to miss the first Masters 1000 events of the season in Indian Wells and Miami as his troubles with a persistent knee injury continue.
The 11-time grand slam champion, who plays the third tournament of his comeback after seven months on the sidelines in Acapulco this week, has decided to play only on clay courts between now and the French Open in May, according to Spanish sports daily Marca.
Based on this item in the Spanish version of Marca (they quote NO source).
Nadal sólo pisará la tierra.
Su último torneo en rápida fue hace un año en Cayo Vizcaíno • Debuta en Acapulco
Joan Solsona. Barcelona 26/02/13 - 12:49.
Después de las dos primeras semanas de competición, donde alcanzó la final de Viña del Mar y el título en Sao Paulo, Rafael Nadal estaba satisfecho de su tenis pero no de cómo le estaba respondiendo la rodilla. "La rodilla me sigue molestando", reconocía. En base a ese dolor, y después de un periodo de reflexión en la isla de Cozumel, el tenista ha decidido que no jugará los dos primeros Masters 1.000 de Indian Wells y Miami.
There's no smoke without fire though ... so whoever wrote the piece in Marca may have heard a whisper or they just thought it would be good fun to 'speculate'.
Tbh, given the situation, it would make zero sense for him to play there, what can he gain? IW and Miami are the end of spring HC season which he skipped anyway, so why not going straight to MC?
It's not confirmed but it's likely he'll skip. For those questioning him, please go and play on the tour for a decade yourselves, have troublesome knees and then come and criticise someone for looking at what is best overall for their body. He'll get zero pointers and ranking penalties for missing both, if he does. What is to be achieved by playing on HC now? He hasn't played since last year in Miami and the next slam on HCs is at the end of August. He's said all along the knee will take time - in fact various medical experts have said that it takes time for the tendon to get used to "loading" and this is a painful process - the pain is expected but is still there.
Clearly the focus should be clay and RG, not IW and Miami. I'd like him to play at least one, as long as it does not risk his knee, just because 40+ days without playing before MC seems a lot. Sure he can't expect good results but playing a Masters level event again might be a good idea, rather than MC being the first big event back.
He's said all along the knee will take time - in fact various medical experts have said that it takes time for the tendon to get used to "loading" and this is a painful process - the pain is expected but is still there.
no need to say more : the reason is there, his knee(s ?) is not good enough yet, that's the only reason.
They hope one month off then playing on clay rather than hardcourts will be better to give time for the knee to get back well.
No need to make big conclusions on the future as people tend to do, it doesn't mean that he will never play on hardcourts again, his uncle had clearly said that it was not the plan, but at the moment he doesn't seem to be good enough yet.
That said, what's possible is that Rafa is very pessimistic because his knee is very painful but Toni tells him "the doctors have said that you will feel pain until the end of february, don't decide now"
Maybe that's also the reason why the journalist sounds so affirmative but Toni denied. Maybe Rafa had a very affirmative word at a moment and the journalist took it as a decision.
As people have said, he has nothing to gain from the hard courts except losing out on his ranking
However, he hasn't played on hard courts since early -
2012, so, there's no way he can be adjusted after a couple weeks time
There's really no point in him going and losing early it will kill his confidence for clay season
I want a Djoker vs Nadal RG final
Rest up big champ
I've said it before, Rafa's confidence outside of clay comes from doing well on clay. If he masters clay, he is a force at Wimbledon & US Open to be reckoned with
I've said it before, Rafa's confidence outside of clay comes from doing well on clay. If he masters clay, he is a force at Wimbledon & US Open to be reckoned with
Wimbledon, probably, he likes grass and he moves well in the 2nd week.
USOpen, even with the slowness of this last 2 years, nah, try again without the fan-mask, dude
On topic: Damnit, Rafa, why?
Well, whatever, I hope he does well in Acapulco, that tournament seems to be an amazing clay-paradise, I hope for a 1/2seed final.
It's a good decision from Rafa. He has no confidence to face the top players yet. IW and Miami have a dangerous surface for the current state of his knees.
It's a good decision from Rafa. He has no confidence to face the top players yet. IW and Miami have a dangerous surface for the current state of his knees.
It doesnt have anything to do with confidence. Right now he isnt prepared to play any top players after the 6 month vacation. When RG and wimbledon start he will be well prepared.
accordingly to my player lounge sources he is still on the lists for the tournaments
but i think he'll withdraw, tbh. from the tennis he presented any serious tennis player would spank him pretty hard, i doubt he'd want to lose his aura
If the ATP allows this, we should really question its objectivity. Or I do not understand what mandatory tournaments are. Because he can't cite injury, if he's able to play, right?
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