[Norrage]

I am a big fan of Nalbandian and am therefore really relieved he at least reached the 3rd round here. Good efford against Wessels, but he was far from convincing(which he hasnt been all year). I just hope he can beat Gonzo, and after that match he should be able to beat Verdasco/Djokovic etc., to set-up a match with Federer which would be too cool...

But, I can't exactly find a reason why Nalbandian is just having so much problems finding his form the last 2 years...I feel his game has changed a lot since 2 years ago, in a negative way.
But I am not 100% sure so I was hoping for some of your opinions here on this boeard.
I take as an example the 2003 USopen. In the match against Roddick(Which was the match that made me fan of Nalbandian for life) Nalbandian played so incredibly smart. He mixed up his pace and totally obliberated Roddick's game the first few sets.
What I see him doing now is just doing what all clay-courters do: trying to outhit their opponent with the occasional dropshot etc.
I do not remember Nalbandian, in his prime(2002/2003), to be hitting that hard. I remember him mixing it up and playing smart.
Now all I see him do is the same thing over and over again, and that makes me sad.
Everybody keeps saying that he isnt concentrated, that he suffers from his father's loss(right? aint sure about privat situations ) but I just feel he doesnt play up to his potential..

My 2 cents...Please be free to elaborate...Am I just seeing things?

It's actually the same with Roddick I feel, but in the opposite way, but I won't take that subject into this thread really, its about David I might make that one sometime later...

 

[Domino]

What you were watching was Nalbandian playing smart. He adapts to every player, and had to try to force Wessels back off from the net with hard penetrating shots. He knew Wessels would not be good at defending and took advantage of that. He'll mix it up more against Gonzalez, you'll see. Nalbandian plays different against every opponent he plays; the fact still remains, he probably has the most destructive two-hander in changing the direction of the ball, and will always use that as an attacking weapon.

 

[jazz_girl]

Yesterday's match was the worst I've seen him play in a very long time. Afterwards, he even admitted it. He said he didn't like the way he played and won. And he was gonna spend all saturday training and practicing his service. He's without a coach right now, and a top player can't be training on his own, especially in the US Open...
However I agree, his game has been changing in the last few years and not in the best way. He's been having too many injuries, although that wasn't the case this year, he had many personal problems which might have affected him.
I hope he can start using his head in a more regular way, cause he had some good matches this year, though unfourtunatly they weren't as many as they were in 2003...

 

[gooner88]

In the last few years he's become more of a power player in my opinion. His groundies carry alot more stick on them, especially on the forehand. I think he's right but it has cost him some of his accuracy because he definitely makes more UE's than he used to. It's just the way the game is going; players at the top continually need to improve to stay with Federer. He's raised the bar considerably.
Nalbo can play virtually any shot and that's been half his problem; knowing when to play the right shot at the right time.

 

[landoud]

the game isn't changing and this is the problem... coz anyone else is improving but him

 

[sigmagirl91]

.... he had many personal problems which might have affected him.

With the exception of his father's death, the other "personal problems" were of his own making.

the game isn't changing and this is the problem... coz anyone else is improving but him

The game is changing, and that is the problem in his case.