Beating Rafael Nadal is one of the toughest tasks in tennis. Canadian Vasek Pospisil shares his experience detailing what it feels like to face the world number one.
Vasek Pospisil:
I mean, he makes you go for it and play the highest of your level. He just makes you really push your level and play better than you’re used to playing. If you want to have a chance to win, you almost have to play like that.
Yeah, physically he’s at a very high level. Physical and mental parts are so, so strongly connected. Obviously then he’s mentally very tough, too, because he’s physically very strong. I mean, if you’re doing a good job on your fitness, not getting as tired, mentally it becomes easier to concentrate.
I know that from when I’m playing in different conditions that are more difficult and less difficult for me, mentally I can be completely two different players. If I’m not exhausted or tired, pretty stable. Because he’s so strong physically, also very strong mentally, yeah, which makes him very tough to play.
Source: US Open
Phew ! Congrats Rafa and rafans
VAMOS BEAUTIFUL NADAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) YOU ARE FEISTY AND FIGHTING AND INCREDIBLY PASSIONATE…..BREAKING BACK SO DECISIVELY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) 🙂 WHAT A JOY YOU ARE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) YOU ARE BRILLIANT SWEETHEART A TRUE TENNIS GENIUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : );) 😉 KEEP GOING SWEETHEART YOU ARE DOING EVERYTHING SO JUT RIGHT…..GOD BLESS YOU SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) WE LOVE YOU AND ENJOY YOUR BRILLIANT BEAUTIFUL TENNIS SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) MUCHAS GRACIAS GOAT OF ALL GOATS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) LION STRENGTH AND MIGHTY POWERFUL YOU ARE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) THE POOR GUY LOOKS LIKE HE IS READY TO DROP…..HE CHANGED SOCKS SO HE COULD CATCH HIS BREATH……OLD TRICK……….
VAMOS SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) YOUR BRILLIANT COURT PRESENCE, YOUR BRILLIANT SKILLFUL TENNIS AND INTELLIGENCE AND YOUR EXTRAORDINARY DETERMINATION IS COMMENDABLE SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) ENJOY IT ALL AND KEEP SMILING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) LOVE YOU SO MUCH DEAR RAFA AND YOUR EFFORTS AND SWEAT IS WHAT GETS YOU FORWARD EACH AND EVERY TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO YOU ARE SERVING FOR THE MATCH SWEETHEART AND ENJOY EACH BALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) 30 : 0……..LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE TO YOU DEAR RAFA NADAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : )
Almost there. Just don’t do anything crazy
Please serve it out Rafa!!!!
At least he’s fired up. Thats a good sign
You make everything exciting , way too exciting for our likings
So true man, way too exciting and nerve wracking
Why can’t you play an easy match l Rafa😩
Oh no. Rafas been broken back. Is he tired? He cant have a lapse in concentration for so long surely?
Rafa’s serving was topping out at 126 mph at this point last year. He’s like 15 mph down.
Oh well, at least he broke again.
He needs to go out and serve nonstop in practice tomorrow. Novak would eat this delivery for breakfast.
Here’s a worrying sign as well – when failing to break, he struggles on his own next service game. That’s very unlike him, except 2015-2016 version Rafa.
BEAUTIFUL SWEETHEART….KEEP GOING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) YOU ARE SOLID OUT THERE & SO GORGEOUS TO LOOK AT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) VAMOS SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!! : ) XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX YOU ARE BEAUTIFULLY FIT AND SO FAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) LOVE ALL YOUR STRONG POWERFUL RETURNS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) GO RAFA GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) ENJOY SWEETHEART & HAVE FUN WITH EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) YOUR PRECIOUS FOCUS IS SO IMPRESSIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Come on, Rafa, get yourself together! This should be an easy home straight… you’re making very heavy weather of it.
he needs a couple of good first serves
basilashvilli reminds me of the way fognini played against nadal three years ago. Nadal keeps playing to the backhand knowing that the backhand is going very well today
Just don’t take it to fifth please. Rafa seems fatigued and I m not surprised. We were exhausted just by watching the match against Karen. Look at the positive, at least no tape on the knee. Vamos💪
Would be interesting to know what caused his sudden drop in confidence and overall quality of play. Probably the physical issue that seeded doubt in his mind. Perhaps he wasn’t able to practice at 100 % yesterday because of it.
one break is not enough he needs double break
So, he has a break in the 4th. Now let’s see if he can keep it with his WTA serve.
Somehow Rafa finds wqys to tease us.
i want him to be more agressive more depth in his shots. Also why playing the whole time to the backhand the backhand of basilasvili is going very well
Rafa’s been playing badly. This 4th set so so unnecessary. He has seemed so lethargic or what I don’t know but something is not right. If and I hope he does get through, he has to Waise his game by at least 10 notches if he wants to beat any of the others in the way. Feeling rotten!
Cmon Rafa. Play like the champion you are!!!
VAMOS
Come on! Why can’t their be a Rafa match without any drama😥. Bashillaswili is just ball bashing.
Rafa is supposed to be doing what Bashi is doing – hard and accurate ball striking.
So true🤔
Hi Navdeep. Are you walkibg now? Hoping the leg is better
Yup Susie. I am gud now. Thanks for asking