CAMELOT FANTASIES

That's a great post General.  It's a shame that we had to see Rafa losing like that to Raonic.  I mean, with Raonic's youth, maybe it had to happen one day, but I did not think it would be today.  Nadal was all over Raonic in the first set and a half, and Raonic was overhitting almost everything, but then you could see Rafa visibly tiring mid to late 2nd set. His forehands had less sting and were flying wild on him.  I saw him even run around a forehand to hit a backhaand, which is how bad his forehand broke down.  Rafa won almost twice as many baseline points in the first two sets, but Raonic won more in the decider, which says everything.

I think it is about 80% lack of sufficient fitness, and 20% confidence.  Well, we can juggle the numbers how we like, but he is fading against players he should not.   He faded against Fognini, and now Raonic.  As you say, it looks like he needs to do the hard yards on the practice court.  He is going to have to make some time to do it, there are no short cuts.  He used to be deadly in 5 sets, especially at Roland Garros.  Now he fades after a set and a half?

I didn't see Uncle Toni there.  Roig is coaching.  I think I read that Toni said Rafa needed more work and court time to get back to form and shape.  Well, why isn't it happening?  Maybe Uncle Toni needs to crack the whip a bit... eh, maybe too strong, but you get my drift.

I was looking forward to a great semifinal battle between Rafa and Roger, but based on what I saw today, I think at the moment, Roger is much fitter and playing better, so maybe it wouldn't have been so good a battle anyway.   Oh well, clay season starts in less than a month... things change fast in tennis.   

Anyway, congrats to Roger and Milos for getting through. Condolences to Rafa and Tomas.

Respectfully,
masterclass

he was tired after just 40 minutes of play in one of his matches in Melbourne.

and he said it was too hot in rio.


I saw this coming ages ago general:

1. he is a kind hearted man. he is caving in to all the demands on his time by the world. we knew he would become a mega global superstar athlete after 14 majors.

and that would bring the world to his door. they all want him and he cant walk away from them.


2. his style of play is very demanding but his supreme fitness allowed him to rule the sport anyway. he was armed with his relentless will and his supreme fitness. that allowed him to compensate for any weakness.


3. now he does not have that same relentless will and he most assuredly does not have his once supreme fitness. just look at him. gone is quite a bit of his lean muscle mass. he is not fat but his is not as physically imposing as he once was.

there is no mustard on his shots and they can get to his shots with ease.


he is going to have to decide what he wants  to do. nole and Federer would be sufficient motivation but he is not following their lead.


even tony sad that he goes away right in the middle of his matches. what tony is really saying is that rafa gets tired.


there is one card left to play: he has to get on clay ASAP and try to get his consistency back off the ground at least.


maybe somebody can upset nole at RG or at least extend him in 2 back to back matches.


basically rafa has to win monte carlo now and he has to win rome masters. and he has to do it with considerably diminished fitness and physicality.


rafa is rafa. he has surprised us before. perhaps RG will work out for him.


but never has he ever been in such diminished state of fitness and physicality.



I don't need to keep saying this but you don't even need legs for fitness if your goal is supreme fitness. he should have never let his fitness go. you can swim. you can ride bikes.

you can do stuff in the gym.

blade runner had no legs and he became an Olympian sprinter anyway.



just look at what Muster did.


Rafa has a small window left. he has to run to go try to take it.


I am just worried that the they will get too far ahead of him and he wont be able to catch them.