[VyRa | esq.]

"Federer is the best ever... For us it was always more difficult to play against Djokovic"@RafaelNadal's uncle and former coach Toni speaks about his rivals

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1262392500821676035

 

[hammett]

Obvious statement , its a match up thing only failing to point out thats dependant on surface. In fast courts Federer has always been more difficult for Rafa . See Wimby for an example last year with Federer and the year before with Djokovic.

 

[bhdtl]

I think Nadal's uncle had a smirk on his face when he claimed Federer was the best, comparing him with Laver. It is only a motivation tactic for Rafa.

 

[doubletrollt]

"We have no problemos with Federer as the best ever, no, as long as Rafaelito finishes with the most slams, no".

 

[Bella&Mirka]

Toni talks a good deal of sense. Different generations have their respective rivalries, but only Fed is GOAT.

 

[IBM]

Wow no joke Djokovic is a worse matchup than Federer for Nadal. Djokovic has a bh which hurts Nadal a lot, Federer has that new flashy bh now too. However, latter hasn’t anymore that flashy fh which made Djokovic struggle

 

[wake_up_bomb]

Nadal has no strategy to play Djokovic. Actually, wait a minute, now he has no strategy to play Federer either.

I suppose, 'hope that the match is on clay' is a sort of strategy.

 

[Cloren]

Nadal has no strategy to play Djokovic. Actually, wait a minute, now he has no strategy to play Federer either.

I suppose, 'hope that the match is on clay' is a sort of strategy.

You’re being unfair, he has a strategy, which he did execute back in his prime successfully, especially in 2013. He just doesn’t have the physicality to executive it anymore, and clay isn’t any less of a surface than HC or grass, so his wins on clay has as much value as Djokovic HC’s wins. I can see the argument of grass having more value in particular to this rivalry as it’s the neutral surface as per se. It has been 3-3 overall between Nadal and Djokovic since 2017. Edge to Djokovic because it’s 2-0 in grand slams, not because he won the ones off clay..

 

[bhdtl]

You’re being unfair, he has a strategy, which he did execute back in his prime successfully, especially in 2013. He just doesn’t have the physicality to executive it anymore, and clay isn’t any less of a surface than HC or grass, so his wins on clay has as much value as Djokovic HC’s wins. I can see the argument of grass having more value in particular to this rivalry as it’s the neutral surface as per se. It has been 3-3 overall between Nadal and Djokovic since 2017. Edge to Djokovic because it’s 2-0 in grand slams, not because he won the ones off clay..

So, Nadal has the physicality to win on clay - the most physically demanding surface - but not the physicality to win on hard? 🤔

Maybe the hard courts are playing much quicker these days than in years past. Maybe Djokovic's much improved serve is the difference. Maybe Nadal is no longer getting easy draws before playing his rivals. Maybe 2013 was an anomaly. 2013 is the only year of the decade that Nadal was successful against Djokovic off of clay. Who knows?

 

[bhdtl]

Nadal's uncle makes sense with regard to Djokovic. 2013 is the lone year of the decade his nephew was successful against Djokovic off of clay. In the other 9 years, they were/are clueless what to do. Whatever the solution is, they have yet to find it.

 

[wake_up_bomb]

You’re being unfair, he has a strategy, which he did execute back in his prime successfully, especially in 2013. He just doesn’t have the physicality to executive it anymore, and clay isn’t any less of a surface than HC or grass, so his wins on clay has as much value as Djokovic HC’s wins. I can see the argument of grass having more value in particular to this rivalry as it’s the neutral surface as per se. It has been 3-3 overall between Nadal and Djokovic since 2017. Edge to Djokovic because it’s 2-0 in grand slams, not because he won the ones off clay..

Nadal said in his book that his strategy for Federer was to hit every single ball to his backhand. That doesn't work any more, so he now has no strategy.

I've discussed this previously, but Nadal's record going back a decade against Djokovic is absolutely dreadful. Since 2011, he has barely won a match against him on anything other than clay. Nadal trails Djokovic 10-22 since 2018, and eight of those ten wins have been on clay. He's only beaten Djokovic twice on all of the other surfaces combined in ten years, and he hasn't won a single match against Djokovic on anything other than clay since 2013.

So I think that constitutes having no strategy to play against him.

 

[Cloren]

So, Nadal has the physicality to win on clay - the most physically demanding surface - but not the physicality to win on hard? 🤔

Maybe the hard courts are playing much quicker these days than in years past. Maybe Djokovic's much improved serve is the difference. Maybe Nadal is no longer getting easy draws before playing his rivals. Maybe 2013 was an anomaly. 2013 is the only year of the decade that Nadal was successful against Djokovic off of clay. Who knows?

I clearly meant in terms of footspeed, reaction time, defensive skills and return of serve. Those are clearly declined. So it’s easier for Djokovic and Federer to rush him on HC now. On clay he still has more time to counter that. Fedole’s declined physically has made them worse on clay too. That’s why their matches on clay and HC are more one sided now than before..

 

[Cloren]

Nadal said in his book that his strategy for Federer was to hit every single ball to his backhand. That doesn't work any more, so he now has no strategy.

I've discussed this previously, but Nadal's record going back a decade against Djokovic is absolutely dreadful. Since 2011, he has barely won a match against him on anything other than clay. Nadal trails Djokovic 10-22 since 2018, and eight of those ten wins have been on clay. He's only beaten Djokovic twice on all of the other surfaces combined in ten years, and he hasn't won a single match against Djokovic on anything other than clay since 2013.

So I think that constitutes having no strategy to play against him.

I’m more interested in their record from 2011-13 when both were at their prime than post 2014 where Nadal lost the physical edge in that match up. 6-10, which isn’t too bad.

 

[bhdtl]

I clearly meant in terms of footspeed, reaction time, defensive skills and return of serve. Those are clearly declined. So it’s easier for Djokovic and Federer to rush him on HC now. On clay he still has more time to counter that. Fedole’s declined physically has made them worse on clay too. That’s why their matches on clay and HC are more one sided now than before..

Why is Nadal still dominating the clay, but Djokovic is no longer dominating the slow hard court (places like Indian Wells and Miami)? Explain how Djokovic has the physical edge when he is much better on faster hard courts now, while for Nadal he still has his advantage on the slow clay courts.

 

[bhdtl]

I’m more interested in their record from 2011-13 when both were at their prime than post 2014 where Nadal lost the physical edge in that match up. 6-10, which isn’t too bad.

You're talking about peak; not prime. Messi, Ronaldo, and LeBron are no longer at their peaks, but they are still in their primes and the best at what they do in their mid-30s. A player is not just judged by a peak, but by their sustained excellence.

 

[Phillo]

So, Nadal has the physicality to win on clay - the most physically demanding surface - but not the physicality to win on hard? 🤔

Maybe the hard courts are playing much quicker these days than in years past. Maybe Djokovic's much improved serve is the difference. Maybe Nadal is no longer getting easy draws before playing his rivals. Maybe 2013 was an anomaly. 2013 is the only year of the decade that Nadal was successful against Djokovic off of clay. Who knows?

One thing we do know is that even the more recent USO17 & AO18 were draws specially sent from the tennis GODs & who better to vulture them than Fedal.

 

[wake_up_bomb]

I’m more interested in their record from 2011-13 when both were at their prime than post 2014 where Nadal lost the physical edge in that match up. 6-10, which isn’t too bad.

As I've already pointed out previously with other people who have made this bizarre argument, Nadal was 27 in 2013, and is less than one year older than Djokovic. For several days of the year, Nadal and Djokovic are the same age! So I don't think you can really claim that Djokovic was in his prime, but Nadal somehow wasn't.

The fact is that Djokovic has pasted Nadal over and over again for many years.

 

[doubletrollt]

As I've already pointed out previously with other people who have made this bizarre argument, Nadal was 27 in 2013, and is less than one year older than Djokovic. For several days of the year, Nadal and Djokovic are the same age! So I don't think you can really claim that Djokovic was in his prime, but Nadal somehow wasn't.
...

Yep, Djokovic turns 33 tomorrow, so Rafole will both be 33 y.o. for the next 13 days.

 

[FlyingKite]

Nadal dont have strategy because both players have a safe game and Nadal is weaker on serve. Only way for him is to hit aggressive DTL on FH and BH, still maintaining his defensive posture. It will reduce Djokovic's advantage a lot.

 

[clearwaters]

NID because of Djokovic's backhand which neutralises Nadal's biggest asset. By now Djokovic knows Nadal's game inside-out. Nadal could rarely hit a winner especially on hard court nowadays.