[NADALalot]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1280488111160598529

I knew Rafa would play Madrid no matter what, to help Spain's tourism industry.
And if Rafa loses early at the US Open he needs Madrid for match practice (plus he can gain ranking points, unlike at Rome).

 

[bhdtl]

He was never going to play Cincinnati or US Open.

 

[NADALalot]

Even if he was playing the US Open he'd need to play Madrid in case he lost early at the US Open (early meaning the 4th Round).
Plus I think he'd want a week's break before Roland Garros, so I don't think he was ever going to play Rome (which he can't gain ranking points at anyway), which meant he was always going to play Madrid (or withdraw from Madrid with exhaustion after playing marathons at the US Open.....but actually even if he was exhausted he'd probably still play Madrid for reasons of patriotism during these difficult times).

 

[Johnny Groove]

So he skips USO then

 

[cmchelsea]

Good. I'm actually starting to lose count the amount of times CLAYray has roasted Nadal at this tournament. Good to see he's up for keeping this yearly tradition.

 

[cmchelsea]

So he skips USO then

I think playing Madrid will ultimately depend on how he does at USO. If he's out before the SF that gives him a week between matches so he should be good for Madrid. If he reaches USO final then absolutely no chance he plays a tournament on a different surface and a different continent 3 days later.

I think he'll be on the EL for Madrid, Rome and RG but like I said whether he plays Madrid or Rome is dependent on how far he goes.

 

[NADALalot]

Given that he m

I think playing Madrid will ultimately depend on how he does at USO. If he's out before the SF that gives him a week between matches so he should be good for Madrid. If he reaches USO final then absolutely no chance he plays a tournament on a different surface and a different continent 3 days later.

I think he'll be on the EL for Madrid, Rome and RG but like I said whether he plays Madrid or Rome is dependent on how far he goes.

Rafa's camp has said something on social media about being concerned about playing consecutive weeks.
If he won the US Open, and especially if he played no 5-setters (and he rarely ever plays 5-setters at the US Open), I think he'd be able to play Madrid.
Because I don't think he'll want to play Rome, because he never plays the week before a slam.
Its safer to play the week after slam, than the week before a slam.
In fact he's played on grass just after winning Roland Garros, a few years ago when the schedules were packed closer.

 

[Johnny Groove]

Given that he m

Rafa's camp has said something on social media about being concerned about playing consecutive weeks.
If he won the US Open, and especially if he played no 5-setters (and he rarely ever plays 5-setters at the US Open), I think he'd be able to play Madrid.
Because I don't think he'll want to play Rome, because he never plays the week before a slam.
Its safer to play the week after slam, than the week before a slam.
In fact he's played on grass just after winning Roland Garros, a few years ago when the schedules were packed closer.

Yes but Paris to London is a tube ride and 1 hr difference

NYC to Madrid is 6 hours difference time zone and a 7.5 hr flight

 

[64794]

It was obvio, no?

 

[guitarra]

Good for you, Nadal fans, that he will play Madrid.
But FFS - what does it have to do with Spain’s tourism industry? 🤦‍♂️

 

[Bella&Mirka]

But FFS - what does it have to do with Spain’s tourism industry? 🤦‍♂️

You should know better than feeding the troll at your age.

 

[NADALalot]

Good for you, Nadal fans, that he will play Madrid.
But FFS - what does it have to do with Spain’s tourism industry? 🤦‍♂️

Because Rafa's fans follow him everywhere he goes.
Whereas if he played Rome he'd be helping Italy's tourism.
Also when you see Rafa on television you take an interest in the location he's playing at, so that potentially leads to tourism for that location.
Rafa is an advertisement for wherever he plays.

 

[letfirstserve]

Rafa will choose between Madrid or Rome depending on how deep he dives in the USO. He is saying he is playing Madrid even though he doesn't know atm in order to support and help his countrys and friends tournament. That said, i do think he will play USO, Madrid and RG

 

[NADALalot]

Rafa will choose between Madrid or Rome depending on how deep he dives in the USO. He is saying he is playing Madrid even though he doesn't know atm in order to support and help his countrys and friends tournament. That said, i do think he will play USO, Madrid and RG

I give Rafa no chance of playing Rome, because no way in hell would he ever play a tournament on the eve of a slam.
Whereas Rafa has proven he can play a tournament just after winning a slam, as he's played Halle just after winning Roland Garros a few years ago when the schedule was packed.
So even if Rafa wins the US Open, he'll play Madrid, unless he's actually injured.

 

[wake_up_bomb]

I knew Rafa would play Madrid no matter what, to help Spain's tourism industry.

He definitely 100% should not be criticised for his personal choices. But it's not a selfless act. Nadal wants to win the French Open for his own benefit. He knows that he's nowhere near as good on hard courts. It's as simple as that.

This forum has gone completely mental during the Covid crisis. I know there isn't much to talk about, but it's either supporters of one player pretending that they're the world's greatest living human being, or some innocuous incident is being blown out of proportion and one of the top players is then vilified for it.

None of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic are either angels or demons. They're all decent human-beings, who sometimes act in self-interest. Like most of us.

 

[NADALalot]

He definitely 100% should not be criticised for his personal choices. But it's not a selfless act. Nadal wants to win the French Open for his own benefit. He knows that he's nowhere near as good on hard courts. It's as simple as that.

This forum has gone completely mental during the Covid crisis. I know there isn't much to talk about, but it's either supporters of one player pretending that they're the world's greatest living human being, or some innocuous incident is being blown out of proportion and one of the top players is then vilified for it.

None of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic are either angels or demons. They're all decent human-beings, who sometimes act in self-interest. Like most of us.

If Rafa skips the US Open, it will have nothing to do with tennis.
Because if tennis was Rafa's priority, he'd play the US Open because he's won 2 of the last 3 US Opens (and only lost 2018 because of injury in the Thiem match that led to him retiring in the the Del Potro SF).

If Rafa skips the US Open it'll indicate that he doesn't want to be in America during the pandemic, and that tennis is not the top priority this year.
If there was no pandemic, Rafa would do everything in his power to win his 20th and 21st slams this year, including his 5th US Open title which ties Connors-Sampras-Federer.

 

[florentine]

he'd play the US Open because he's won 2 of the last 3 US Opens (and only lost 2018 because of injury in the Thiem match that led to him retiring in the the Del Potro SF).

😃

 

[Jolyon]

If he wins US Open or reaches the final of US Open on Sunday, is there a good enough reason to rush to and play Madrid on Tuesday or Wednesday?

 

[64794]

If he wins US Open or reaches the final of US Open on Sunday, is there a good enough reason to rush to and play Madrid on Tuesday or Wednesday?

They never schedule past week's winner on Tuesday, will be defo on Wed then. If he wins it, that is.

 

[NADALalot]

If he wins US Open or reaches the final of US Open on Sunday, is there a good enough reason to rush to and play Madrid on Tuesday or Wednesday?

He has to play Madrid, because he never plays the week before a slam, so he won't be playing Rome.
Also, Rafa won 2014 Roland Garros and was cramping and exhausted, and still traveled to Halle the next day to lose to Dustin Brown.