[Clay Death]

this is going to bother Nadal fans to no end but fear nothing. i am about the biggest Clay Monster fan around and my objective, as always, is to be constructive and NOT destructive. i am obviously concerned and, to some extent, infuriated with him. the talk out of his camp used to be all about Roger. now the talk is all about the competition. both uncle Tony and his manager keep saying that they are more concerned about the competition catching up. well do something about it.

for his part, nadal runs around saying that he is "happy to be #2 for the next 50 years" or how he is just happy that the only person in front of him is the one who is the "best in history".

here is the way i see the dynamics at play. injuries have set him back and kept him from sustained match play and practice. that can keep one from building on something and to keep improving. that said, great champions have to compensate. they have to find a way to overcome their weaknesses.

here is my complete list of his limitations which may very well end up hurting his chances of ever being #1:

1. insufficient fitness given his style of play
2. serve
3. volley
4. slice
5. return game

6. some complacency

even 10%-15% improvement in each of these areas will make his life easier on all surfaces. the tragic part is that i have seen no signs of any improvement in any of these areas in 2 years. that is what is bothering me the most.

thoughts?

 

[Roland9]

I think as soon as he improves his serve, we will see him win many more hardcourt matches, grass too.

 

[Clay Death]

I think as soon as he improves his serve, we will see him win many more hardcourt matches, grass too.

but he will be 22 soon. that serve should have been fixed by now. he is getting all kinds of help from Fed now. he already could have been #1.

 

[elessar]

Mods, could you merge that thread too with the thousand other ones on the same topic...

 

[zeleni]

He will be #1 soon.
But I think he won't stay there too long because of his knees problems that are going to get bigger by time. That is pity - I like Rafa because of his fighting spirit. He also seems to be nice, modest, hard-working guy.

 

[Okonsky]

He will be #1 soon.
But I think he won't stay there too long because of his knees problems that are going to get bigger by time. That is pity - I like Rafa because of his fighting spirit. He also seems to be nice, modest, hard-working guy.

I second that.

 

[Okonsky]

Mods, could you merge that thread too with the thousand other ones on the same topic...

This is quite good topic. You are so negative.

 

[l_mac]

He will be #1 soon.
But I think he won't stay there too long because of his knees problems that are going to get bigger by time. That is pity - I like Rafa because of his fighting spirit. He also seems to be nice, modest, hard-working guy.

What's wrong with his knees? I've heard nothing of this

 

[elessar]

This is quite good topic. You are so negative.

That's not the problem of it being a good topic, there are already threads dealing with this particular issue. I will happilly bump them so these threads can be merged

 

[l_mac]

This is quite good topic. You are so negative.

Her point is valid. There are several threads already covering Nadal's weaknesses.

 

[arm]

he simply will never be number one (at least for a long time) because there's a guy named djokovic, whose game (in all courts) is better than nadal's, Eventhough nadal is much better on clay.

djokovic being better than nadal on hardcourts and grass, and being a good oponent on clay, will obviously have more chances of becoming nº1

 

[Okonsky]

Her point is valid. There are several threads already covering Nadal's weaknesses.

ok, my mistake. btw, here are so many 'same' topics.

 

[l_mac]

ok, my mistake. btw, here are so many 'same' topics.

We know.

 

[l_mac]

he simply will never be number one (at least for a long time) because there's a guy named djokovic, whose game (in all courts) is better than nadal's, Eventhough nadal is much better on clay.

djokovic being better than nadal on hardcourts and grass, and being a good oponent on clay, will obviously have more chances of becoming nº1

Obviously. SO few players play well on hardcourts these days that it's hard to see where Nole's challengers will come from :scratch:

10 years of Djomination :rocker2:

 

[Alex999]

Obviously. SO few players play well on hardcourts these days that it's hard to see where Nole's challengers will come from :scratch:

10 years of Djomination :rocker2:

As much as I like Novak, I don't want you to be depressed next 10 years .

 

[l_mac]

As much as I like Novak, I don't want you to be depressed next 10 years .

I revel in Nole's every success

 

[FluffyYellowBall]

Nadal is one of few clay courters that can compensate for his weaknesses on hard courts.

 

[Alex999]

I revel in Nole's every success

Lies, but I still like you. You are a great, funny girl.

 

[Clay Death]

I second that.

it will be just nice to see him derail the almighty Federer even if only for a little while before Djokovic assumes command of the ship.

 

[maxxo]

the biggest one is his lack of aggression on hardcourts and carpet.
too often after an unsuccesfull attack he switches into defensive moonballing mode
and the player with the right weapons tears him apart. and he has the game to be agressive.
guess it's just in his nature - chasing balls and moonballing.