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Rafa Doesn’t Like The Modern Game
6 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Articles, Scoop
Rafael Nadal took a verbal shot at the modern style of tennis in Brisbane where he will play a qualifier in the first round of the main draw in his comeback to competition after a year absence: *Now tennis is just about hitting stronger and without thinking. Most of the players play all the same. I don’t like it. I like tactics.”
For Rafa to essentially say the ATP is like pickleball now is absurd. Rafa smearing this generation of players as non thinking brutes who only mindlessly hit hard, is a silly comment. Every player uses different tactics and strategizing ideas of how to exploit the opponent, every shot has a purpose.
ATP tennis is far more complicated and complex than being just a shootout or forehand/backhand slugfest.
For Rafa to assert that Carlos, Novak, Sinner, Tsitsipas, Rune, Ruud, Fritz, Hurkacz are non-thinking ball bashers isn’t true and it diminishes the ATP World Tour.
Perhaps Nadal has lost some timing, speed and velocity on his shots and he’s feeling inferior now against the firepower of the players he’s been hitting with recently – Gasquet, Fils, Munar, Murray – and so he’s complaining that he can’t handle the heat anymore.
It is not a sign of strength from the 37 year old 22 time Grand Slam champ Nadal to say the current ATP elites are hitting the ball too hard for his liking.
Whatever the truth may be, Nadal’s latest comments have just added another layer of intrigue about his latest comeback.
Babolat · Brisbane · Nike · Rafael Nadal
Cyndy · December 31, 2023 at 9:20 am
Scoop Malinowski —- seems like Nadal always downplays his numerous statements as to whether he will go ahead with the next match and what not. Why, it was for all to see at the FO2022 where he kept repeating that every match would be his last and therefore he would not be able to say if he were able to continue to play or not. And then by a strike of the lightening he actually won that Grand Slam. It was astonishing but it definitely seems to be a pattern with him… he seems very eager to catch up to Djokovic’s 24GS. But he yet has to play his first singles match in Brisbane and I’m sure all eyes will likely be focused on him.
Scoop Malinowski · December 31, 2023 at 9:43 am
Cyndy, there definitely is a pattern and you are sharp to notice it. How about the time before AO, the day before day one, Nadal claimed he was in an elevator and he felt the worst pain he ever felt in his life in his knee. Fourteen days later he won the tournament! So Rafa is a master at verbal and injury deception. But that’s okay and fairplay, deception is an important element of high level sports. World champion boxers fake being hurt to lure the opponent into a false sense of security and foolish attack where they leave themselves open. Wladimir Klitschko told me his brother Vitali told him Lennox Lewis did that in their fight. Bernard Hopkins said, “If you can bluff em you can beat him.” Former WBO Hwt champ Michael Bentt said, “Boxing is 90 percent bluffs.” So Rafa is a cagey, clever, deceptive competitor, like all the other greats.
Scoop Malinowski · December 31, 2023 at 9:47 am
Kerber looked very good in her first match back vs Paolini though she lost 64 75, she saved four or five set points vs the Italian in the first set and roared a huge CMON after saving one of them, but moments later she lost the set. Looks like her level is right there but even if it is right there, no guarantees she will win any matches. She can ask Clijsters about that grim reality. Clijsters was playing everybody close in her comeback two years ago but could not win a single match.
Scoop Malinowski · December 31, 2023 at 10:03 am
Tennis world notes: Amanda Anisimova has a new coach – Marc Lucero. ATP no. 19 Nicolas Jarry has switched from Asics attire to Wilson. ATP no. 47 Ysohihito Nishioka has dropped his coach Christian Zahalka. Nadal will play qualifier Thiem in Brisbane 1R, he beat him 63 in practice set in Brisbane earlier. Their head to head is 9-6 in favor or Rafa. Thiem beat Rafa twice on outdoor hard in 2020 and his four other previous wins vs Rafa were on clay. Su Wei Hsieh will reunite with partner Elise Mertens.
Cyndy · December 31, 2023 at 10:30 am
Thank you for the info as well as latest updates Scoop Maliknowski— I found it too amusing to read about what boxers do in order to lure their opponents into their lair and then beating them for the win. I was doubly amused on the elevator incident too! This kind of entrapment reminds me of the 2022 Wimbledon match of Nadal against Fritz where Nadal was playing through intense injury coupled with pain and then Fritz actually lost that match! It was like ‘blistering barnacles’ and what in tarnation but yes it seems like a desperate pattern too. Thiem really deserves to win though.
Scoop Malinowski · December 31, 2023 at 1:29 pm
Cyndy, The Rafa Fritz Wimbledon match looked like Rafa faked the injury to play a mind game on Fritz and the intentional slow serving worked as it often does – it’s hard to hit winner and generate big pace for return winners especially in pressure situations. Yes Rafa is a master at winning and using sophisticated gamesmanship and mind games. Remember the Soderling Wimbedon match? 1-2 sets down and then a fake knee injury timeout for ten minutes, then he won in five. Also the fake injury at 2014 AO final vs Stan when fans booed him when he returned to the court after an 8 min delay after losing the first set.