Author Topic: The Truth's Rant And Rave Show: Now In Progress (Read 73799 times)

Clay Death · « **Reply #2025 on:** April 27, 2015, 04:03:00 pm »

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2444019-rafael-nadal-will-win-another-french-open-but-maybe-not-in-2015

I found this article at the bleacher report which also shows up in our headlines at the top of our main page:

The lack of emphatic "vamos-ing" across the clay courts of Europe this spring is almost deafening in its silence.

The void is palpable.

After dominating one surface to a greater degree than arguably any other player in the history of tennis, Rafael Nadal finally appears to have hit a significant wall.

The first player in the Open Era to win more than three different tournaments at least seven times (Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Rome, French Open) is now struggling to make it even to the semis in those same events.

With the 2015 renditions of the Monte Carlo Masters and the Barcelona Open now over for the Spaniard, one truly has to wonder what chance Nadal has of winning his 15th career Grand Slam at the French Open in May.

To count out the nine-time champion completely would of course be foolish. But to view the tournament as anything but Novak Djokovic's to lose in 2015 would also seem to be a fairly significant distortion of reality.

Not since Jim Courier in 1992 has a male player won the first two Slams of the year in succession. With one bird already in hand, it seems probable that Djokovic could become the first man in 22 years to finally match the American. (Yes, American players actually used to be relevant in the sport.)

If that achievement does come to pass, the defending champion of the 2014 Championships at Wimbledon might add insult to injury by further encroaching on Nadal's elite territory.

In winning the 2010 titles at the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open, Nadal became the first man in tennis history to win three different majors on three different surfaces in a calendar year—a "Surface Slam." As things stand now, Djokovic appears in a great position to match that feat too.

But let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. The French Open trophy won't be handed over without a fight and Nadal has only a single loss at Roland Garros in 10 years.

The puzzling thing about Nadal's current struggles is that they don't appear to be tied to his famously achy knees. The problem this time around appears to be more mental in nature, with Nadal's signature belief and determination drying up like the water resources of California in a record drought.

When Nadal has taken the court in 2015, even on his preferred surface, he seems to be lacking that blue-collar, gritty style that has distinguished his game since day one.

The message Nadal sent to his opponents in the past was that he would out-work you or die trying.

The message Nadal's game is sending these days is more like DOA (dead on arrival).

Without an overabundance of determination and confidence, Nadal just can't perform at a championship level. He doesn't possess the raw talent of a player like Roger Federer who can mail it in occasionally and still pull through.

As seen last week when Nadal lost somewhat shockingly to Fabio Fognini in Barcelona during the third round, he converted on only three of 14 break chances. That's just so anti-Nadal.

His previous success was built on cutthroat efficiency in converting and saving break points. Without it, and more importantly, that never-die attitude, he's become mortal—even on clay.

Looking at Nadal's game right now, it's clear his forehand isn't nearly as sharp, his two-handed backhand is falling too short on court and his serve has lost considerable zip.

Obviously, none of that is good.

The ultimate question is whether Rafa and his coach Toni Nadal can find a way to put Humpty Dumpty back together before the proceedings in Paris this year.

It's becoming hard to bet on that eventuality with so few events remaining for Nadal to find his winning form.

Nadal has admitted that the limitations he's experiencing right now are more on the mental side than the physical. Still, one has to wonder if both of these forces aren't working in concert to produce this rather surprising downturn.

Being stronger and faster than anyone else on tour played such a crucial role in building that fortress of self-confidence that allowed Nadal to topple the likes of Roger Federer on grass and hard court.

But after Djokovic "out-Nadaled" Rafa during the 2012 Australian Open final, and his unfortunate injury during the same tournament in 2014, the King of Clay just hasn't possessed the same physical dominance and swagger.

It's reasonable to link those physical lapses against Djokovic and Stanislas Wawrinka with his current mental struggles. As doubts build around the performance and endurance of the body, one would think those fractures would impact one's belief and mental toughness.

This is why the French Open, or any other Grand Slam, for that matter, might be a bridge too far for Nadal this season.

It's likely that Rafa simply needs more time to recondition his body such that it can once again be the fuel for the machine that represents his mental strength.

The bad news for Rafa and his fans is that the process of full rehabilitation will likely take longer than the month or so left before the 2015 French Open.

The good news is that there can be no doubting that Nadal will eventually find the necessary solutions to put together at least a couple more good runs before his career is said and done.

Doubting the latter assertion would be as ridiculous as completely counting him out of contention at Roland Garros come May.

CAMELOT FANTASIES

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Author Topic: The Truth's Rant And Rave Show: Now In Progress (Read 73799 times)

Clay Death

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