CAMELOT FANTASIES

1st set: Excellent Andy : Awful Rafa
2nd set: Fair Andy:  Rafa close to his best this year on clay after the 1st game
3rd set: Good Andy till 4-2 up: Excellent Rafa  from 2-4 down.

Andy played as well as expected on clay, showed more positive signs, and Rafa was down then up throughout.  Rafa simply looked slow and not able to hit with confidence the first set and Andy was serving very well.  The first game of the second set was critical.  Nadal struggled with a long deuce game, but pulled it out, and Andy was broken the very next game, and the match turned.  If Andy had won that opening game things may have been different.  The other critical point was in the 3rd set when Andy broke Rafa to go up 4-2.  He couldn't hold his advantage and Rafa stormed back to break Andy, and won 5 of the next 6 games to take the match.  If Andy can get a good QF showing at RG, and then at least a final at Queens, I think he might be close at Wimbledon.  But it's still difficult to say for sure.   His serve is still wanting, especially second serve, and first serve consistency throughout the match, going from 80% to 50% between 1st and 2nd sets.  His backhand was quite good against Rafa. His forehand was very good at times, but passive at others.

I'm still not happy with Clay Warrior, as he is making it very hard on himself, at times looking like he forgot how to play and with little confidence, but then at other times playing well with authority, but he's still winning and that's all you can do.  Andy was going to the Nadal backhand time and time again to open up the court.  It's no secret what the players are doing.  Nadal isn't as fast and fit as he was, and they are trying to take advantage of it.  His positioning on the court, from the very deep return of serve, to his favoring his backhand side is making it very difficult for him.  Also, I think Nadal is reluctant to hit out from the start until he is fully warmed up in the match. He might be protecting the back.

Respectfully,
masterclass

Very interesting insight, and it might explain his cryptic comment the other day, about how people "better get used to it." I couldn't figure out why he was starting so slow, but now it makes sense.

Remember a couple of months ago when he was starting about fast and getting love, one, and two matches, but later on he didn't have any pop on his strokes? Maybe the fast starts were testing his back more than we realized. Maybe, that's why both his demeanor and mindset have changed so dramatically. It could also explain what appeared to be his seemingly cavalier attitude, basically, "It is, what it is." And maybe he is smiling so much and seems so happy regardless is because there's nothing else to do, but to accept the situation.

My random thoughts.