ARTICLES:
- Nadal To Defend Buenos Aires Title | ATP World Tour
“I want to thank the organisers of the Argentina Open for giving me this wild card to play in Buenos Aires. The times that I’ve played in Argentina have been special and full of good memories because the people are some of the best in the world.
“I asked for this wild card after the bad result in Melbourne and I hope that Buenos Aires will once again be the start of a good run for me. I will try my best to make sure it is.”
Nadal will open his campaign on either Wednesday or Thursday in the Argentine capital.
Djokovic, though, insists the Spaniard remains his greatest threat on dirt.
“Absolutely,” he told AAP as he basked in the glory of a record sixth success at Melbourne Park.
“You would be disrespectful to everything he has achieved in his career on clay courts if we didn’t see him this year — and each year — as the ultimate challenge on clay courts. Everybody knows he is the king of clay. He’s achieved so much on that surface. He’s made history. He’s won the French Open nine times.”
I was in the gym at my hotel and local TV showed a replay of the Rafael Nadal-Fernando Verdasco match. If I’m Nadal, I’m displeased and dispirited that I’ve been bounced early from still another major. But the truth is, no one was beating Verdasco, the way he played that last set. Just an extraordinary high level of tennis.
A few of you asked, quite reasonably, how Verdasco could play so well against the great Nadal and then look so mortal in a loss to Dudi Sela just 48 hours later? The question answers itself. To beat a player of Nadal’s caliber, an opponent has to play the match of his life and take sizable risks. Which is why so often we see a drop in level after an upset.
PHOTOS:
- A decade of the Australian Open: The sweat, tears and screams in photos | Mashable
- Top 100 photos from the 2016 Australian Open | SI.com
- Fashion at the 2016 Ausztalian Open: Who got it right and who got it wrong? | SI.com
VIDEOS:
The guy Move in or move on Rafa is truly a Nole fan. He knows nothing about Rafa and keeps praising Novak.
He is the best now but strongest era of all time?? B*tches please.
Rafa is 30, Roger is 34 both greatest players are declining. A world number 2 Andy Murray can do nothing about it. What is the difference of Novak in 2006 from 2015? A big serve and unbelievable physical strength. That’s all.
You guys should know that unlike Roger , Rafa’s play style is completely different. His topspin forehand demand a repeated knees bending. And if you are a true Rafan, you must know in 2009 many professionals said that his knees had been heavily damaged. That’s why a 34 year old Federer can play like 24 but Nadal is suffering at the age of 30.
I praise Novak because he deserves praise. He’s a total professional who’s done everything he can to improve his game. I wish I could say the same about Rafa, but I can’t. He obviously prefers being coddled by his uncle than being challenged by a real coach.
I won’t waste my time responding to your entire ignorant rant, except to say that Novak has improved far more than just his serve and endurance (which is a LOT btw) since 2006. He has also improved his forehand, slice backhand and net game. His coaching team – especially Boris Becker – deserve much of the credit for that.
I won’t waste anytime either. But let me have some “response” for your ignorant comment too.
Novak game is not much different than in 2006. He has a very strong two handed backhand which is a KEY to counter Rafa topspin forehand. Novak forehand may have little improvement but it’s not a big deal since Rafa could use his combo backhand slice + forehand down the line to attack Novak forehand ( he did that in the final of FO 2014 if you ‘re his fan?) .
The only point that change Novak’s career is his physical strength. That’s also a key for Novak to win against Rafa in the final of AO 2012. Even in 2014 when Rafa started to decline , he could manage to win that ninth FO. On a right day with full stamina, Rafa ‘s forehand down the line is still a pain for Novak. And of course you can’t deny that in 2011-2014, Novak was enjoying his time right?
Don’t get me wrong. Novak DESERVES praise. Of course he is a professional and everyone wants to improve the game. Only an idiot doesn’t want that. But praising him like he is a god can’t prove that he is playing in a “strong era”. And Rafa loses to him because he plays bad due to his age and lack of change in his game not because Novak is “way too good”.
Djokovic is doping, having high oxygen blood transfusions. He’s a fanatic – the trouble is, it will all come out sooner or later – another Lance Armstrong…..
He wants to be known as the greatest tennis player and will do anything to top roger & rafa’s records.
Rafa has said over and over again that his coaching team bore no responsibility for his downward slide the last 2 years, and yet, he strongly criticized the Spanish Tennis Federation’s appointment of Gala Leon as Davis Cup captain.
He said that Ms. Leon – a former top 30 player on the pro tour – was not qualified for the job; but his uncle – who never even played on the pro tour – was totally qualified to be his own coach.
I hate to say it, but our favorite player speaks with forked tongue.
14 Grand Slams not only make Uncle Toni a professional coach, also a super coach! Please stop insulting Rafa and his team!
He is a Nole fan. He knows nothing about Rafa and tennis as well. Don’t need to listen to him.
@ YB – If Rafa had a REAL coach all these years, he would have 20 slams by now. Toni is a cheerleader masquerading as a coach. The next time he says something intelligent about tennis will be the first time. He has his “job” because he’s Rafa’s uncle, not because he’s a real coach. Rafa essentially admitted this last May when John McEnroe and other experts were questioning his coaching arrangement: “And remember, my coach is more my uncle than my coach.” Case closed.
PS – I’m not insulting Rafa and his team – I’m constructively criticizing them. Big difference. Sorry if you can’t bear to hear the truth.
@ DMTNA – You know nothing about who I root for and who I don’t root for. And you know less than nothing about tennis, which you prove every time you post a comment.
@Move in Rafa or Move on
Well, that kind of comment only shows that you know nothing about tennis. How pathetic!
I think He should stop worrying abt losing a match n u would c him beating almost everybody.